The Roses and Hibiscus Chronicles - Coriolanus Snow

Young Elana

Snow could still hear the soft strains of Indila's voice as she sang to Elana on the first night they met. Indila, though weak, refused to sleep before comforting their newborn daughter. That particular song echoed through the room for the first time that night, and it soon became Elana's cherished lullaby. Snow, dedicated to his role as a parent, even took the time to learn the melody for the nights when he was tasked with lulling Elana to sleep.

Despite the sentimental value attached to the song, Snow harbored a subtle discomfort. It wasn't just this lullaby; all three songs that Indila dedicated to their children, each unique to one of them, stirred an uneasy feeling within him. It was as if those melodies carried more weight, as if Indila, through those songs, had a profound understanding of his past, leaving him feeling exposed and, in a way, accused.

"I am not the only traveler
Who has not repaid his debt
I've been searching for a trail to follow again
Take me back to the night we met

And then I can tell myself
What the hell I'm supposed to do
And then I can tell myself
Not to ride along with you"

It wasn't a joyful tune or a love ballad. Why, then, did she opt for this particular song to lull her to sleep?"

"I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
Take me back to the night we met
I don't know what I'm supposed to do
Haunted by the ghost of you
Oh, take me back to the night we met

When the night was full of terrors
And your eyes were filled with tears
When you had not touched me yet
Oh, take me back to the night we met"

"Take me back to the night we met." Those haunting words echoed through Snow's mind as he pictured the delicate figure of baby Elana. Her blue eyes, framed by silver-blond hair so thin it barely covered her head, painted a vivid picture of that momentous night. Born a few weeks prematurely, Elana was petite enough for Snow to cradle effortlessly in one arm. Contrary to his expectations, Indila had drifted into slumber, leaving Elana still wide awake in his arms. Snow took her, drawing her close. "I'm your daddy. You are so beautiful. I love you so, little one." As he swayed gently, Elana succumbed to sleep for the first time in his arms. Though Snow eventually placed her in the cradle, he couldn't tear his gaze away from her perfection, akin to one of his prized roses — the most exquisite. "Take me back to the night we met" echoed again.

"Dad, are you even listening to me?" Snow snapped back to reality, now eighteen years older, finding himself in his office seated at his desk, facing a different Elana. This Elana was a young woman, her silver-blond hair cascading down her back, elegantly secured in a half ponytail with a black ribbon — an homage to his mother's signature style. Her deep blue eyes held a sense of determination as she wore the red uniform of the Academy, a garb that hinted at a future soon to unfold.

"I beg your pardon, dear. Were you saying?" Elana rolled her eyes in disbelief, impatience evident. "Dad, I just need a small investment. I'll pay you back, and Tigris said she could help me make a name for myself." She was forsaking the path to university to embark on a journey of sewing clothes, a decision intertwined with the influence of Tigris and, perhaps, Indila. Indila, having now come to terms with the idea that children should chart their destinies, but only if she approved of their choices, persisted in steering Crassus away from a military career.

"What does your mother think about it?" Elana blushed, confessing, "She said you would never let me do this and that I should go to university and think about this later." Snow knew Indila valued education, and her foresight didn't catch him off guard. "I think she is right. You are young, dear. You'll have time to think about it." However, Elana appeared nervous, hinting at a revelation she was reluctant to share.

"Dad, here's the thing. There's this friend of mine." Snow felt his heart skip a beat, contemplating the unforeseen turn of events. Elana had never had a boyfriend, she harbored a passion for styling and drawing, but she had never mentioned as becoming a career, it must be a boy, someone who could manipulate her. "You know her actually, she had been here sometimes, her name is Lyra Dovecote". At least, not a boy, he thought in relief, and Lyra was a girl hailing from a prominent Capitol family, the same name as his old friend Clemensia when she was single. "Her family owns a spot nearby, and we were thinking about opening our atelier together, moving in to enhance our collaborative efforts. We truly want to make this work."

"Dovecote is a traditional name, much like ours. Why would such a prestigious family not send an heir to university?" Elana glared at him with an anger that revealed her explosive temper — a trait Snow couldn't quite trace in either himself or Indila. "Okay, Dad, I didn't want to use this card, but you left me no choice. My perfect brother Crassus didn't go to university either, and you encouraged him. He's not even in the Capitol. I'm asking you to move a few blocks away..." she said each word with escalating anger, but Snow remained composed.

"Your brother chose a different career, a more sensible one, to serve our country." "I want to serve my country too! My dream is to style at The Games. I want to serve the country so badly." Snow chuckled; she was as resolute and stubborn as himself. "So, my dear, I'll tell you what I gave your brother: nothing. No money, no styling at the Games. If you style for tributes, it's through your own hard work. I detest nepotism. I'm giving you nothing."

Elana displayed a hopeful expression. "If I work hard and promise I will, would you let me try, at least?" Snow understood he had little room for maneuver; Elana was as determined as himself. "Well, my dear, once you achieve it all by yourself, I suppose there's nothing your old man here could do to impede you." Elana leaped from the chair in joy, embracing Snow with a fervor reminiscent of the little girl she once was. "Thank you, Daddy. I knew you would support me." Snow hoped that without financial backing, she might reconsider, but regrettably, that wasn't the case. "I love you too, my dear. Know you will always have a home to come back to."

"You're not giving me the money, but just knowing you support me is enough. Thanks for believing I can do it by myself. Now I have to go, better find us another sponsor."

Author's note:

I do not own the song, it's "The night we met" by Lord Huron.