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MY LITTLE DOVE.

(chapter four, why should we watch? why must we?)

capitol zoo / snow penthouse / the academy, 2248.

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CORIOLANUS WAS DEFINITELY IN a bad mood when he got home that day. Dean Highbottom had given him a demerit, using the word expelled. It definitely got Coriolanus in a bad mood, for Dorothy didn't get any reprimand. But she had other things on her mind than demerits and expulsion. 

After returning home and changing clothes (Dean Highbottom was right about the manure on her back, though it was the tiniest stain), Dorothy quickly ate some fried eggs and cabbage soup before making her way back to the zoo. She had left early and Coriolanus had just gotten home. She left the moment that look of rage took over his face. 

As Dorothy walked to the zoo, wrapping her cardigan tighter around herself, she took the peace and quiet as an advantage. It was something she rarely got. At home, Tigris was always bubbling. At the Academy, Livia Cardew always spoke along with Arachne Crane. During the walks in the streets, it was always Coriolanus talking about something. But now, Dorothy was alone and as much as she loved Coriolanus and Tigris, she liked the quiet. It made her think. 

And as she thought, she allowed herself to look up at the soft orange glow of the sunset, closing her eyes as she felt the cool breeze flap her skirt around. 

As Dorothy neared the monkey house, the paths became a bit more crowded. A crowd of around a hundred people curved from one side of the bars to the other. Dorothy furrowed her brows as she pushed through, slightly groaning at the sight of Sejanus Plinth. If he suggested that they worked together because they had tributes from the same district, he would immediately be rejected. But maybe having Plinth around, Dorothy could be protected. His father did rebuild the Academy and Dean Highbottom wouldn't dare give a demerit to Sejanus.

Sejanus was standing at the edge of the cage with a large backpack beside him. He held something that looked like a sandwich through the bars, offering it to the tributes. All the tributes were hanging back.

"Hi," Dorothy greeted as she stood beside him. The bag was filled to the brim with sandwiches and plums.

"Oh, hi." Sejanus jumped a bit when he saw her, though he soon recovered. 

"Are you having trouble?" Dorothy gestured to the tributes who looked up at him wearily. Sabyn was in the corner with Marcus. 

"They won't take it." Sejanus sighed. "They don't trust me."

"I don't think they trust anyone at the moment."

"Except you and your brother," he said. "I saw the footage of you two and your tributes earlier on."

"Trust me, I didn't expect to be chuted down into a monkey house," Dorothy grumbled. "And they nearly killed us in the ride... you see the boy from Eleven? Clemensia's tribute? He choked me on the ride here."

"Oh." Sejanus's eyes went wide. "Well... I'll be sure to stay behind these bars then."

"Mm, good idea, Plinth—"

"Sejanus."

"Hm?"

"Call me Sejanus," he said. "Plinth is too formal."

"I would like to think of myself as a formal person." Dorothy smirked.

"Well, I'm not." Sejanus smiled. "And if we have tributes from the same district, we might as well be casual."

"I'll think about it, Sejanus."

"You do that, Dorothy."

Dorothy watched as Sejanus still tried to coax the tributes into taking his sandwiches. He was trying to talk to Dill, the girl from Eleven. But suddenly, Sejanus caught sight of something and his face brightened, waving whoever was there to come over.

"Trouble?" Coriolanus's voice echoed around as he stood on the other side of Sejanus, eyeing the backpack.

"None of them trust me. And why should they?" Sejanus sighed, repeating the same thing he said to Dorothy. 

Suddenly, a little girl came marching up beside the three of them, pointing to a sign, saying, "It says, 'Please don't feed the animals.'"

"They're not animals, though," Sejanus said. "They're kids, like you and me."

"They're not like me!" She protested. "They're district. That's why they belong in a cage!"

"Once again, like me." Sejanus sighed. "Coriolanus, do you think you could get your tribute to come over? If she does, the others might. They have to be starving."

Dorothy looked over and saw that Sabyn was still with Marcus. The blood had been washed off from her face, but a pink stain was still painted on her forehead. At least the blood was gone now.

"I can't treat her like it's feeding time at the zoo," Coriolanus said. "Not mine. But I could offer her dinner."

"Take whatever. Ma made extra. Please." Sejanus nodded. 

Coriolanus took two sandwiches and two plums from the bag before wondering over to where his tribute sat, sitting himself on a rock as she came over with her rainbow skirt. And so, Dorothy sighed before taking a sandwich and a plum for Sabyn, wondering over to where she sat with Marcus. The girl snapped her head up, eyes narrowing as she hesitantly got up and walked over to Dorothy.

"If you ever parade me around like a show horse again, I will slit your throat," Sabyn hissed.

"I'll keep that in mind." Dorothy hummed as she held out the sandwich and plum for her. "Here, take this. You look like you're starving."

"I don't want your pity."

Dorothy bit her tongue. Of course, gaining Sabyn's trust would be hard, but Dorothy at least thought the girl would take the food. She was starving and she was the most skinniest thing in the cage. When was the last time they ate? Had to be before the Reaping. That was three days ago.

"You don't want my pity? Fine, I won't give it to you," Dorothy began to say, urging the sandwich further. "But I can tell you're starving and if you want to win this damn thing and go home, you have to eat the sandwich. You'll starve to death otherwise."

Sabyn narrowed her eyes even more at Dorothy, but with a tentative hand, she plucked the sandwich and plum from the Snow's grasp. She slowly bit into it, sighing in relief as she swallowed.

"You should all get one. They're really good! Go on, Jessup!"

Lucy Gray had called out to the other tributes. Jessup went up to Sejanus slowly, taking the sandwich from his hand. He waited for a plum and then walked off without a word. And soon, the other tributes rushed to the fence, hands thrusting through the bars as Sejanus tried to fill them as fast as possible. Soon, the backpack was nearly empty as the tributes spread out through the cage, wolfing their food down quickly as if someone were to take it from someone.

"Mm, they were nice." Sabyn nodded as she sucked her fingers clean. "You got anymore?"

"I think the bag is nearly empty." Dorothy peered over to Sejanus. "But I'll see if I can get you extra tomorrow."

"Thanks, rich girl." Sabyn smirked as she waltzed away from Dorothy, plopping back down to Marcus, who was the only one to not go up and take a sandwich.

"Marcus, this is for you. Take it. Please." Sejanus had taken the last sandwich and was holding it out to him. "Please, Marcus. You must be starving."

The boy looked Sejanus up and down, his face emotionless as he turned his back on him. Sabyn sighed and got up from where she sat, wondering over to Sejanus. She muttered a few words to him, the Plinth boy nodding as he let her take the sandwich. Sabyn went back to Marcus, handing him the food. He snatched it and wolfed it down without a word.

Dorothy furrowed her brows as she tried to find Sejanus, but he had disappeared into the crowd, the backpack over his shoulder. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she watched Coriolanus and Lucy Gray talk to a news reporter. They were the real stars of the show, of course. And as Dorothy moved to leave the zoo when someone announced it would be closing in fifteen minutes, she was stopped by someone singing sweet and clear.

Down in the valley, valley so low,

Late in the evening, hear the train blow.

The train, love, hear the train blow.

Late in the evening, hear the train blow.

The audience all stopped to listen to her, Dorothy slowly moving to Coriolanus's side.

Go build me a mansion, built it so high,

So I can see my true love go by.

See him go by, love, see him go by.

So I can see my true love go by.

The zoo was completely silent as everyone listened to Lucy Gray. There was the whir of cameras as they closed in on the girl who's head was leaning against the bars.

Go write me a letter, send it by mail.

Bake it and stamp it to the Capitol jail.

Capitol jail, love, to the Capitol jail.

Bake it and stamp it to the Capitol jail.

Dorothy swallowed a lump in her throat.

Roses are red, love; violets are blue.

Birds in the heavens know I love you.

Know I love you, oh, know I love you,

Birds in the heavens know I love you.

The memories came rushing back. Dorothy's mother used to sing a song to her and Coriolanus when it was time to go to sleep. She had used the words roses are red and violets are blue, something to do with loving them. She used to sing it to baby Dorothy and Coriolanus all the time when they were younger. 

Their mother was so beautiful, a vibrant lady in her youth. There was a silver framed photo that they always kept of her. Dorothy and Coriolanus were about two when the photo was taken, their mother holding the pair of them in her arms. They were all laughing, the twins looking up at her. The photo was on Coriolanus's nightstand, but whenever Dorothy missed her mother too much, she would sneak in and look at the photo. 

It was when the first major rebel air raid had immobilised the city that their mother died. She had gone into labor and they were unable to get her to the hospital. Something had gone wrong. Dorothy always suspected it as a haemorrhage. There was a great deal of blood that soaked into the white sheets. The Grandma'am and Cook (someone who had worked for the Snow's then. He's dead now) had tried to stop it, Tigris dragging both of the twins out of the room. Their mother died soon after, along with what could have been their baby sister. And then the death of their father followed.

Dorothy soon left Coriolanus's side, memories of her mother and father filling her up that she no longer cared for Lucy Gray's song. All she wanted to do was go home. But as she turned to leave the monkey house, she saw Sejanus smiling at her faintly from where he sat on a boulder.

"I thought you left," Dorothy murmured as she walked over to the Plinth boy. 

"I did." Sejanus nodded. "But I heard the girl singing."

"Talented, isn't she?" Dorothy hummed. "Real talented..."

Sejanus furrowed his brows as he looked at Dorothy, fiddling with the strap of the bag as he said, "You okay?"

"Of course," Dorothy said perhaps a bit too quickly. "Are you?"

"Yeah..." Sejanus nodded, his voice distant as he seemed to be staring at one tribute. Marcus.

"Hey, what's the deal with you and your tribute?"

Sejanus swallowed a lump in his throat, saying, "He was my classmate back at home, before I came here. He wasn't a friend exactly, but he wasn't an enemy. You know, one day I caught my finger in the door, smashed it good, and he scooped a cup of snow off the windowsill to bring down the swelling. He just did it, didn't ask or anything.

"Surely he wouldn't remember you," Dorothy told him. "I mean, you were little."

"Oh, he definitely remembers me." Sejanus sighed, eyes full of pain and sorrow. "Anyone in Two will remember me. They all remember the Plinths'. Hell, he didn't even want to take a sandwich from me until your tribute came along."

"It isn't your fault," Dorothy assured him.

"I know..." Sejanus muttered. "But still."

Dorothy nodded before mumbling a, "Goodnight, Sejanus."

He nodded and Dorothy turned, walking home slowly. She peered over her shoulder and saw that Coriolanus was now talking to the Plinth boy, but she have had enough for the day so she took the quickest way back home. And when she entered, the Grandma'am was brewing a storm on how Coriolanus shouldn't have ate with Lucy Gray. Somehow, Dorothy was spared from her scolding since all she did was give the girl food.

But Coriolanus was in an even grumpier mood the moment Dorothy woke up and walked into the kitchen. That was twice Dorothy had managed to dodge a scolding whilst Coriolanus had to suck it up. Either way, whatever he was feeling soon disappeared when they saw that Tigris had been baking since before dawn.

"Tigris, you need to get more sleep," Dorothy told her softly

"I couldn't sleep, thinking about what's going on at the zoo," Tigris said. "Some of the kids look so young this year. Or maybe I'm just getting older."

"It's disturbing to see them locked up in that cage," Coriolanus admitted.

"It was disturbing to see you two there as well!" Tigris told them as she took an oven mitt, taking a pan of bread pudding from the oven. "Fabricia told me to throw out the stale bread from the party, but I thought, why waste it?"

"It smells amazing," Dorothy said as she placed a small kiss on her cousin's cheek.

"Looks it too," added Coriolanus.

"And there's plenty, so you can take a piece to Lucy Gray and Sabyn." Tigris nodded. "Does Sabyn like sweet things, Dottie? I know Lucy Gray does, she said she does — and I doubt there are many sweet things left in their future!" Tigris set the pan on the oven with a bang. "Sorry. Didn't mean to do that. I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm wound up tight as a spring."

Everyone was wound up tight as a spring, even at the Academy when Dorothy and Coriolanus entered that morning. Livia Cardew, who once used to be a somewhat friend of Dorothy's, had made it clear that she thought the pair had cheated and that they should be dismissed as mentors immediately. And whilst Dorothy never really liked the girl, it hurt a bit whenever Livia would purposely ignore and narrow her eyes at Dorothy.

"Don't pay attention to her, Dottie," Lysistrata and Clemensia both had assured her. "She's just jealous because you're doing better than her."

And despite the recklessness actions that happened yesterday, Dorothy and Coriolanus had definitely done better than others. They received congratulations from their classmates and subtle pats from professors. And whilst most were secretive, Professor Crispus Demigloss, the teacher who had campaigned for Dorothy to even be a mentor was the most excited, giving her a massive slap on the back when she entered his class. 

The twenty-four mentors had spent the morning in a seminar led by Professor Demigloss. They were to brainstorm ideas on how to get people to watch the Games.

"Show me I haven't been wasting my time with you for four years," Professor Demigloss said. "If history teaches you anything, it's how to make the unwilling comply." Sejanus's hand went up. "Ah, Sejanus?"

"Before we talk about making people watch, shouldn't we begin with the question of whether or not watching is the right thing to do?" Sejanus asked.

"Let's stay on topic, please," Professor Demigloss said as he scanned the room. "How do we get people to watch?"

Festus Creed raised his hand. He was Coriolanus and Dorothy's good friend, being there for them since birth. He was a big and burly boy who's family fortune came mostly from District Seven. Gaining the District Four girl suited him. 

"Enlighten us, Festus."

"Simple. We go straight to the punitive," Festus answered. "Instead of suggesting people watch, make it the law."

"What?" Dorothy smirked. "You're gonna start executing people because they don't watch the television?"

"Well, yeah," Festus said, a cheerful tone to his voice. "In the districts, we execute you. In the Capitol, we make you move to the districts and if you mess up again next year, then we execute you."

The class laughed, but gave it some serious thought. They couldn't send Peacekeepers around, making sure that the television was on and that they were watching the Hunger Games. And banishment and execution would be too harsh for such a thing.

"The real problem is, it's sickening to watch," Clemensia said. "So people avoid it."

"Of course they do! Who wants to watch a group of children kill each other?" Sejanus spoke up. "Only a vicious, twisted person. Human beings may not be perfect, but we're better than that."

"How do you know?" Livia snapped at him. "And how does someone from the districts have any idea what we want to watch in the Capitol? You weren't even here during the war."

"Because most of us are basically decent people," Lysistrata said. "Most of us don't want to watch other people suffer."

"We've watched worse things during the war. And after," Coriolanus reminded Lysistrata and he was right, there had been gruesome broadcasts during the war.

"But we had a real stake in that, Coryo!" Arachne Crane said as she playfully punched him hard on the arm. "We were watching our enemies die! I mean, rebel scum and whatnot. Who cares about these kids one way or another?"

"Possibly their families," Sejanus muttered.

"You mean a handful of nobodies in the districts. So what?" Arachne announced very loudly that even Dorothy, who was on the other side of the room, winced. "Why should the rest of us care which one of them wins?"

"I get more excited over a dogfight." Festus chuckled. "Especially if I'm betting on it."

"So you'd like it if we gave odds on the tributes?" Coriolanus joked around. "That would make you tune in?"

"Well, it would certainly liven things up!"

"You have a point, Coryo, Fes," Dorothy spoke up. "It definitely would liven things up a bit. What the people need is entertainment and I know it sounds gruesome, but if we advertised it more or did more... entertaining... things rather than sticking them in a cage in a zoo for kids to gawk at, more people would watch."

"Like what?" Clemensia asked as she twisted her hair around her finger thoughtfully. 

"I don't know..." Dorothy sighed. "Maybe do a parade or chariot rides, dress them up real nice. Or maybe even do the betting idea. Make the interviews more advertised and get someone that can keep a crowd. It can also benefit the Capitol with new jobs, like stylists and prep teams."

Everyone in the room nodded, even Professor Demigloss as they let Dorothy's idea sink in. Her idea of chariots and stylists was definitely a good one, along with Coriolanus's idea of gambling and betting. 

"It is a gruesome idea," Clemensia said.

"This whole idea is gruesome." Dorothy smirked. 

After lunch, the mentors were instructed to gather on the balcony of Heavensbee Hall for their first official meetings with their tributes. Each of them were given a brief questionnaire to complete with their tribute. Most of the mentors were nervous, but Dorothy had met Sabyn twice now and despite the girl's harshness, Dorothy was much more ahead than anyone else except from Coriolanus. 

The chatter died away as the mentors pushed through the swinging balcony doors, seeing what awaited them down below. All of the Reaping equipment had been taken away and the Hall was empty with just twenty-four small tables flanked with two folding chairs. Each table had a district number followed by a B or a G. Sitting next to it was a concrete block with a metal ring on the top. 

Peacekeepers entered and stood guard by the main entrance as the tributes were brought in a single file. They all had heavy shackles attached to their wrists and ankles. They were led to the tables, being chained to the concrete weights. 

Some of the tributes had their heads down low, avoiding eye contact whilst others were gawking at the Hall. It definitely was impressive with its marble columns, arched windows, and vaulted ceiling. It was an improvement from what the tributes usually saw in their districts. And as their eyes wondered around, they found themselves staring at the mentors. Both groups stared at each other for a long time until Professor Agrippina Sickle, the gymnasium mistress, banged the door open behind them.

"Stop eyeballing your tributes and get down there," she barked. "You only have fifteen minutes so use them wisely. And remember, complete the paperwork for our records as best as you can."

They all made their way down into the hall, Coriolanus at the front as he raced to see Lucy Gray. Dorothy was forced to walk with Sejanus as their tables were right next to each other and as they did, the Plinth boy grabbed her forearm.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Sejanus asked her. "About the parades and chariots? Were you serious?"

"Of course not," Dorothy hissed. "I hate the Hunger Games and everything to do with it."

"Then why—?"

"Because I want a good grade," Dorothy told him as they neared the two tables where Marcus and Sabyn sat. "Because I want to study at the University. If I go all rebel and say no to the Games, I won't get that."

Sejanus blinked numerous times before Dorothy escaped from his grasp, walking over to Sabyn and sitting down in the chair across from her, posture straight and chin in the air as teachers were watching.

"Hello, Sabyn." Dorothy greeted her with a nod, forcing a smile as the district girl narrowed her eyes. "How are you?"

"Okay considering I'm about to be sent to my death."

"Don't be so negative." Dorothy sighed before remembering Tigris's packet of bread pudding. She got it out of her book bag and slid it across the table to Sabyn. "Here, I told you I'd get you extra."

"Thank you," Sabyn said sincerely as she carefully unwrapped the paper to reveal the big square of bread pudding. "Only a couple people came by the zoo this morning to feed us. I got a carrot, believe it or not."

"Well, here's some bread pudding." Dorothy smiled. "My cousin Tigris made it this morning so it's fresh."

"What did I do to deserve such a good meal?" Sabyn laughed. The most genuine laugh Dorothy had seen from her. "Or am I just special?"

"You're not," Dorothy teased. "Lucy Gray has some as well."

"Of course." Sabyn nodded with a smirk. "Well, I'd expect that twins would bring the same thing. Which one's older?"

"Coriolanus," Dorothy answered. "But of course, I act older."

"Girls tend to," Sabyn said. "So, why am I meeting you?"

"I have a questionnaire to fill out about you," Dorothy said as she pulled out the sheet of paper and a pencil. 

The questions were basic. Name, district address, date of birth. hair and eye colours, height and weight, and any disability. When it came to family, Sabyn got quiet. Both her parents and baby sister were dead. Her only family was her older brother.

"What happened to them?" Dorothy asked quietly. "If you don't mind."

"Ma died during birth with what would have been my sister," Sabyn explained. "Pa left and that's all I know. My brother cares for me."

Dorothy nodded and couldn't help but feel a twinge of familiarity. Her mother died during childbirth with what would have been her baby sister. Her father died in the war. All Dorothy had to look after her was Tigris and the Grandma'am.

"Uh, are you married?" Dorothy swallowed the lump in her throat, desperate to change the subject.

"Nope."

"Do you have a job of any kind?"

"Nope. Too young."

Dorothy nodded hesitantly as she filled in the last question on the sheet. She tapped her pencil on the table and leaned back into her seat, sighing as she looked at Sabyn, who was looking at something to her left.

"Sejanus!" Sabyn called out, the said Plinth boy snapping his head up. "What question you on?"

"Uh..." Sejanus gulped as he looked from Dorothy, who just shrugged, to Sabyn. "Occupation?"

"Mm, Marcus doesn't have a job," Sabyn told him. "Don't you, Marcus?"

"Shut it, Sabyn."

As Sejanus hurriedly wrote that down, Sabyn turned back to face Dorothy, who asked, "What was that about?"

"Sejanus looked like he was having trouble with Marcus." Sabyn shrugged. "And I'm the only one Marcus won't beat up so I figured I'd help."

"You know who Sejanus is?"

"Of course." Sabyn nodded. "He doesn't know who I am, though. I saw him around school occasionally when he still lived in Two. He was a nice kid, still is by the looks of it. Are you friends with him?"

"Not really." Dorothy furrowed her brows as she looked at the Plinth boy. There was an untouched meal of roast beef sandwiches and cake between Sejanus and Marcus. Marcus had his arms crossed and was very unresponsive. Dorothy figured that the only answer Sejanus got about Marcus was from Sabyn.

"Five minutes," Professor Sickle announced. Dorothy was reminded of the interviews.

"Okay, so the night before the Games, we have five minutes to interview you on television," Dorothy said. "We can do whatever we want... is there anything you're talented in?"

"I can tell jokes. I'm pretty funny."

"Wait. Can you actually?"

"Yeah." Sabyn nodded, arms crossed. "And it's not like dry humour... I think they're hilarious."

"Well, that's good!" Dorothy beamed at her. "That's really good, Sabyn!"

When the whistle blew to signal the end of the session, Dorothy laid a soft hand on Sabyn's shoulder before meeting up with the other mentors, who all headed to the main exit where Professor Sickle said to them, "You're to go to the high biology lab for a debriefing."

No-one dared questioned her when they were in her presence, but the moment they entered the halls, they all wondered aloud about the reason. As they did, Dorothy looked down to her piece of paper and realised it was one of the most neatest out of the group. She hoped Dr Gaul was there.