This is the sequel to Love and War. I suggest you read that first if you haven't. Then, you can come back to this story with a better understanding of things. Unlike Love and War, this one will have multiple POV's. I hope you guys enjoy this one even more than Love and War. Just so you know, there's a good chance that this will be a lot longer than Love and War was.
Katniss' POV
We fought for freedom, but we're still engulfed by hatred. My children are growing up in a world I always feared they'd live in, one much too similar to my own. Peeta and I discussed our options after it was announced that Gale was the new President of Panem. At the time, there didn't seem like there was much we could do. I had just given birth to twins a couple months before. We were in no condition to start another Rebellion. My worst fears would never escape me: my children will never be safe. In all honesty, if it weren't for Peeta, I would have killed myself by now. He reminds me that our children need a mother, they need me. Somehow that always brings me back to reality.
After a few more years and three more children, we have come to a mutual agreement. On Azia and Asher's sixteenth birthday, we will be returning to District 13. Another Rebellion has been talked of since President Hawthorne took his place in office and today is the beginning of the end for him. He will pay for hurting me. And Peeta. Especially for killing Prim. I plan on personally killing President Hawthorne myself.
My name is Katniss Mellark. I am 38 years old. I'm married to Peeta Mellark and we have five beautiful children. I am the Mockingjay.
"Mom! Rye is eating the cake batter," my daughter Atarah yells from the kitchen. I may be the Mockingjay, but I'm a mother too. I just came out the shower, so I walk downstairs in a robe.
"Mommy!" Rye squeals as he gives me hug, getting batter on my clean robe.
Ryan is the youngest of our children. We planned on having four children until the doctor told me that I was pregnant again. He's only five years old, in kindergarten, but is more like Peeta than any of his siblings. Since he was younger, he always loved helping Peeta in the bakery. So much so that we ended up nicknaming him Rye. Only when he's in trouble will I ever call him by his real name. I find it hard to be made at him right now with cake mix all over his face.
"Rye, what did you do?"
"I was helping Atarah bake a cake! Daddy showed me how." He grins innocently.
"Mom, he was eating the batter. If I left it up to him to bake a cake, there wouldn't be any left to put in the oven."
Miss Atarah Mellark, the almost exact carbon copy of Katniss Everdeen. She's 14 years old and is an expert hunter, yet she can bake as well as Peeta. Her baking skills are a secret though, only to be mentioned in our house, otherwise she will throw a teenage girl version of a toddler tantrum.
"Why don't you walk with Rye to the bakery? I told you guys to bake the cake there because it's a surprise for Azia and Asher."
"We get to see Daddy!" Jake jumps up and down.
"Come on, little buddy." Atarah messes up Rye's hair and takes his hand. Despite their differences, all of my kids get along pretty well.
"When you get to the bakery, tell Peeta to call me."
"Okay, mom. Later."
After cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, I make my way back upstairs to wake up the rest of the kids. I think I'll let the twins sleep in a few more minutes while I wake up Esther.
If there is anyone in the world like Prim or Rue, it's Esther. Everyone loves her and she loves everyone. With her blonde hair and gray eyes and lovely personality she is a breath of fresh air in our house.
I tap on her door before entering, only to find her cleaning up her room. I'm glad that at least one of my kids like to keep their room tidy.
"Good morning, mom."
"Morning, you're up early."
"Atarah makes too much noise when she wakes up. Will I get my own room soon?"
"Probably not, Esther."
"Can I go wake Azia up?"
"Sure, I'll get Asher while you're getting Azia."
Asher is the one who is the least like Peeta and I. He has the stature of a Career and is very strong. No one is stupid enough to pick a fight with him. He absolutely hates the stigma that comes along with being the baker's son and enjoys hunting with me. I wish he and Peeta were closer, though. There have been many nights that Peeta told me that he wished he and Asher had more in common. As tough as he may seem on the outside, he's a sweetheart on the inside. Even though he's younger than Azia by two minutes, the two of them are practically inseparable. When he's not with Azia, he's off hunting with Atarah. Unfortunately, he can get lazy sometimes and not clean his room for a month, despite my constant threats of punishment.
I don't bother knocking on his door.
"Hey birthday boy, get up. Everyone else is awake."
Asher moves slightly, but doesn't open his eyes. "Just because you turn 16 today doesn't mean you can sleep all day."
Azia walks in the room, looks at him, and says "Asher, you promised you'd take Esther to the meadow, remember?"
"I know, I'll be there in a second." Of course he listens to his sister and not me.
"We're standing right next to your bed."
Apparently, Asher just realized this. We leave his room so he can get ready and soon enough the three of them are on their way to the Meadow. Now I finally have time to clean up the house and get everything ready for the birthday party.
Peeta and I had barely gotten any sleep last night. We know what this occasion means. We came to an agreement while I was pregnant with Atarah that we would move to District 13 when the twins turned 16. Ever since Gale became the new president, everyone was worried about what would happen in Panem. He never resurrected the Hunger Games, but makes sure that life in Panem is miserable. Gale brought back the divisions in 12 between the Seam and merchants and gave the peacekeepers orders to kill a person instantly if they act out of line. Even without the Games, we are worse off now than we were before the Rebellion. The kids are aware of what Panem was like when Peeta and I were younger, so hopefully the news we have for them won't surprise them too much.
The phone rings and I'm sure it's Peeta.
"Peeta?"
"I'm here, Katniss."
"Did Atarah and Rye get there yet?"
"They've been here helping me bake the twins' birthday cake. We should be home by noon."
"Okay, we'll talk more then."
"I love you, Katniss."
"I love you too."
We know better than to have important conversations like this over the phone. The next Rebellion is still in the early stages. Today is only the gathering of participants. There are still many meetings to be held over the next few days and weeks. For now, we're enjoying our last day in District 12.
Azia's POV
I don't understand what the big deal is about birthdays. It's not like you're fighting to come out of your mother's womb annually. Anyway, my parents already planned a party for Asher and I, which was really nice of them. They invited all of our friends from school and my dad is making the cake.
While Esther is picking dandelions for our mom, Asher and I get to talk.
"Mom and Dad have been acting strange lately." Asher looks at me and nods his head.
"Something's going on that they're not telling us."
"I don't think it has to do with our party either. I wish they would tell us, they treat us like we're five."
"Maybe they're trying to protect us. Besides, you know the new law that President Hawthorne passed a few months ago."
"Oh yes. The one that states that every citizen of Panem, ages 16-35 must serve as a Peacekeeper or as a soldier. And if you refuse, you get killed for disobeying a written ordinance. All in the name of democracy."
Asher shuts his mouth because he knows I'm right. Everything we're taught in school is filtered by the Capitol. I know there's a lot of information that they're withholding from us, but my mother tells us to be polite anyway. I usually grit my teeth and curl my fingers into a fist until my anger subsides. How can my parents, who played vital roles in the Rebellion be so laid back? The whole government of our nation is corrupt, it isn't a true democracy. I swear that one day I will research what democracy should really be like instead of the lies I hear from the Capitol's puppets, also known as our teachers.
"Azia, we should be heading back home, it's already after noon."
"Esther, we're leaving. Come on."
"Hold on, I just need one more dandelion."
"Okay, don't take too long."
I can't argue with Esther. She has this ability to grow on people, which makes it impossible for anyone to hate her. Esther talks the entire way home about school gossip and the dandelions she picked. Somehow, she makes it all sound interesting.
The rest of the day is a blur. I don't like attending parties and I hate that the attention is on me, well Asher too. My father, Atarah, and Rye worked on a beautiful cake that tastes sweet as honey. I was almost too afraid to eat it because it looked so perfect. Eventually, the party dies down as our guests leave. My grandmother and Aunt Salama stay longer than everyone else.
I don't expect any more visitors until someone knocks on the door. My father goes to open it and when he sees the Peacekeepers, he turns white as a sheet. They order us to line up and follow them. As an extra precaution, a couple of them check the house to make sure no one is hiding. It takes a few minutes because our house is quite large since we live in the Victor's Village.
Eventually, they lead us outside to a hovercraft which wasn't there a minute ago.
I will never have a normal life, will I? I'm doomed to be a Mellark forever, even if I get married and change my last name. It's in my blood.
Anyway, my parents seem more calm when a man with green eyes greets us.
"Mrs. and Mr. Mellark. My name is Finnick Odair Jr. and I'm here to ensure your family's safe arrival to District 13."
So, I was driving the other day (I have my permit, so yes I can drive..as long as my mom is in the passenger seat) and I passed by a plaza with stores on the first level and fancy condominiums on the second level called Victory Village. Immediately, it made me think of the Hunger Games.
Anyway, please review. :)