Taria. And she's beautiful and sweet, full of life. She came to the Capitol with me but she didn't do it for the reasons I did. She was smart, she deserved the leg up it could give her. Her art is brilliant and I wanted the best for her. She loved it. I think she saw the pain in it, the harshness, but I know she saw the best in it too.
[Absently, she twists a curl of hair around her finger] She was with my aunt when I was taken from the Capitol. She should still be with her. She should be safe, my aunt would take care of her no matter what.
[There's a faint smile, a little pained around her eyes, but she doesn't rebuff him for the question ]
The Capitol was a beautiful place...[And her voice catches here and makes a few false starts, her hands tremble but then her voice goes firm] T-that was made possible by the suffering of many people, some of whom had no voices to speak or rebel with, and some, like me, who did. As a whole, Panem was beautiful but it had so many problems. I--I like to think I can still... see the beauty as much as the problems.
[Her gaze drops as she seems to try to find a way to put it. She seems to have a problem with it ]
Served by everyone but Avoxes are slaves without voices. Literally. [She seems a little duller, having settled on stating facts ] The Capitol takes from the Districts and redistributes to the Districts while taking a great portion for themselves.
I don't understand how you fit into this. You came from a District, you grew up in a District, but it doesn't sound as if you were a slave in the Capitol.
On occasion, they allow Districters to come to the Capitol, to work and to show their generosity. [She plays with her skirt, tracing the lace pattern] I was able to come because I had a relation in the Capitol, a distant aunt, and she sponsored my sister and I. I worked, my sister went to school with the expectation of one day being able to work.
I left in the middle of what we all hoped was the last battle of the war. In the Capitol itself. [Her lips lift into a small smile] I can only hope we succeeded.
Edited (random late night edits) 2017-10-03 07:56 (UTC)
[Her lips press thin and she continues to look at him for a few more moments, uncertain ]
I suppose I just don't--[She shakes her head a little and brushes back her hair] Not all suffering leads to anger, you know. Sometimes it's just sadness.
no subject
[Absently, she twists a curl of hair around her finger] She was with my aunt when I was taken from the Capitol. She should still be with her. She should be safe, my aunt would take care of her no matter what.
no subject
Can you also see the pain and the harshness as well as the good things? You haven't told me much about this place you're from.
[Not that she has to, and he won't ask directly, but he's noticed that it's something she hasn't really gone into detail about.]
no subject
The Capitol was a beautiful place...[And her voice catches here and makes a few false starts, her hands tremble but then her voice goes firm] T-that was made possible by the suffering of many people, some of whom had no voices to speak or rebel with, and some, like me, who did. As a whole, Panem was beautiful but it had so many problems. I--I like to think I can still... see the beauty as much as the problems.
no subject
[He guesses, trying to puzzle it out.]
no subject
Served by everyone but Avoxes are slaves without voices. Literally. [She seems a little duller, having settled on stating facts ] The Capitol takes from the Districts and redistributes to the Districts while taking a great portion for themselves.
no subject
no subject
no subject
[He taps a finger on the coffee table.]
Not a slave, but not one of the elite.
no subject
Exactly. They liked me but it was always a conditional offer.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[He says it lightly, but is pretty curious about how she'll answer.]
no subject
[She looks at him, unsure] Does it matter?
no subject
[He waves a hand, dismissing his own question.]
No, you don't have to answer; no.
no subject
I suppose I just don't--[She shakes her head a little and brushes back her hair] Not all suffering leads to anger, you know. Sometimes it's just sadness.