Rose Snow

My father was a very important man. Most of the time he was busy and I hardly got to see him, but this was no ordinary day. This was my birthday, and I knew he had something wonderful planned for me. Last year he got me the biggest pink diamond that One had mined all year. It was really pretty, and he hollowed it out so I could put my jewelry in it. This year was going to be just as good.

I got up extra early, even though I didn't have to go to school, but I knew he'd already be up. He always got up before it was even light, because he liked to play in his garden before he had to be President. It was all roses in there, the same ones he named me after. I slid open the glass door and looked around the bushes until I found him.

"Guess what day it is?" I said as I ran at him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He plucked a flower from a bush and tucked it behind my ear.

"Is it someone's birthday?" he asked. "Someone certainly looks a little older and a little wiser."

"I don't feel any older," I said. Ten was a big deal. I had two numbers in my age now, and soon I'd turn into a young lady. I wasn't ready to be a grown-up yet, though. I was okay with staying a little kid for a while longer. Grownups got boring birthday presents, like coffee pots.

Dad took my hand and we sat together on a marble bench in his garden. I pulled petals from a drooping rose nearby and dangled my feet.

"I suppose you'll expect a present just for getting another year older," Dad said. I giggled and put my hands to my face.

"That's the rules," I said.

"Even the president must follow that rule," Dad said. He pretended to look through his pockets. "Oh dear, there's nothing there."

"It's too big," I guessed. "Is it an elephant?"

"It's something even better," Dad said. "Something so good I couldn't wrap it. Rose, this year I have gotten you a spectacle."

"Spectacles?" I scrunched my face in disappointment. "I don't need glasses. I see fine."

"Not spectacles. A spectacle," Dad said. "The bedrock of our nation. Bread and circuses."

I liked circuses, but I saw those all the time. Last year I had one for my party. There were balloons and clowns and a tiger I could ride. Maybe that was part of the present, but that wasn't all of it.

"Do you know what the best part of being president is?" Dad said.

"You can do whatever you want," I said.

"That's precisely right. But not today. Today is your birthday, and you can do anything you want. You can have anything you want. You can have anyone you want," Dad said.

"You can't buy people," I said. What would I do with one anyway? Everyone in Panem loved me. They gave me free stuff and they were always nice to me.

"You like games, don't you?" Dad asked.

"I like capture the flag best," I said.

"You like Hunger Games too, don't you?" Dad asked.

"I wanted River to win, but it was still good," I said. "Is that part of the present? I don't want to go into the Hunger Games."

"Of course you shall not. Hunger Games come once a year, but your tenth birthday comes only once. So there shall be another, entirely for you," Dad said.

"You got me a Hunger Games for my birthday?" I asked. I did like all the excitement and fuss the Games brought. It was very special to have it all happen again just for me.

"A very special Hunger Games. For a little girl that is ten years old, there shall be ten Tributes. You can pick which ones we bring back for a chance to make a birthday girl very happy. You shall decide the Arena and you shall be present for every step of the process," Dad said. Right away I started thinking of who I'd pick. There were so many I liked.

"Can I ride in the parade?" I asked.

"It's your Games," Dad said.

"Can I meet all the Tributes?" I asked.

"It's your Games," Dad said. I jumped up and tossed a rose into the air excitedly.

"This is going to be the best birthday ever," I said. It was no wonder my father was president. He was the greatest man in the country.

I tried to do the math and I think it makes sense that Snow's daughter would be ten around this time assuming his granddaughter is about 12 during the 74th Games. There was no info on his daughter so I named her Rose since fans usually say that's his granddaughter's name and I thought it could be a legacy name.