Hello all, Welcome all to my new fic, The Snake and The Mockingjay. Katniss is a princess and Panem is her kingdom. Hope you all enjoy!

Twins Born

One dies, the other flees

The Mockingjay shall fight the Snake

Who shall rise?

The Mockingjay or the Snake

"No one can know." She told her husband. He looked at her, his gray eyes meeting her blue ones. She had just birthed twins. He was holding the eldest, Katniss, while she was holding the other, Primrose.

"Why not? All of Panem will rejoice when they here that they have two princesses." He answered his queen.

"Our people may rejoice, but what about our enemies. They will try to kill one and marry the other. You know how these politics work. Our enemies will force a marriage contract to one of them and then kill the other, forcing us to make the other the crown heir." The king looked at his queen and daughters. He couldn't imagine anyone fighting over them like she was suggesting, especially when they had just been born.

"Then what do we do? We can't kill one and keep the other. That would make us no better than our enemies."

"We don't have to kill the other. We raise them both, but we must tell them that they are not sisters. With Katniss being the eldest, even if by a few minutes, she is legally the heir to your throne. We will just have to tell them that Prim's parents died in an accident and we took her in. Everyone will believe that."

"I don't like this."

"I know you don't, but it is the only option we have if we want to keep both of them safe." The king nodded and held his daughter close, wishing that he didn't have to lie to her about the truth.

He took a long swing from his flask before quickly stashing it. He wasn't supposed to be drinking on the job, but it was the only thing that kept him sane among all the high and mighty knights of society. He hadn't been born into the Royal Guard like all the rest had. It was a punishment. He had been arrested for being excessively drunk in public. According to the local authorities, he had been in the nude and shouting obscenities into the sky before falling into the mud. He only remembered shouting into the sky. The judge gave him a choice: jail or work in the Royal Guard. He knew that he would not get any liquor in jail. They were locked down tight and he was sure anything brought to him would be examined with a fine tooth comb. So he had chosen to work in the Royal Guard. At least he was able to steal a few drops of liquor here and there when the captain wasn't watching. He straightened and looked out over the city, watching for anyone coming to the castle to harm the royal family.

"Abernathy!" He jumped as the shout was right down the stairs from him.

"Great, I've been caught. After being careful for the past six months!" He yelled at himself as he turned toward the captain. "Yes, Sir?"

"Come with me, now." He followed the captain back into the castle.

"I'm in for it now. Years in the jail with not a drop of liquor for me." He sighed inwardly and silently followed the captain down the hall. He was confused when he was taken into the wing of the castle that housed the royal family. He saw the guards that were assigned to the king and queen standing outside the door that he was stopped at. The captain turned to him and handed him a mint.

"Eat it quickly. His Majesty asked for you specifically. Try not to make a fool of yourself and the Guard." The captain said as he popped the mint into his mouth. The captain nodded and opened the door and they walked in. "Majesties, here is the man you requested, Haymitch Abernathy." Haymitch bit the mint and swallowed as he bowed at the waist.

"What the hell am I doing in front of the royal family?" He straightened in sync with the captain and waited. The king examined him. He seemed unconvinced by what he saw.

"You really think that he is the best man for the job?" He asked the queen. Haymitch stole a glance at the blonde, blue-eyed woman. "How did you even find out about him?"

"Well, I overheard the Guard talking about one of the newest members. That he had been arrested for his drunkenness and made to serve in the Guard or go to the jails."

"What makes you think that he is the right one?"

"Because, when she is old enough and wants to go into the city, he knows how to blend in. She can wander the city in complete safety without anyone ever being the wiser." The king turned to him.

"Listen to me well, you are about to be entrusted with the safety of the future of this kingdom. Do you understand me? If you neglect your duty for even a second, I will make sure that you never take a drink of anything ever again. Do you understand me?" Haymitch nodded, unable to make his mouth work. Satisfied, the king beckoned Haymitch over to the cradle. He took a bundle from it and moved the blankets to reveal a sleeping baby girl. "This is Katniss. She is our daughter and heir. To her will go Panem when I pass. You are to go wherever she does. You do not leave her side for even a moment unless she is with us and our guards. Am I understood?"

"Clearly, Majesty." Haymitch answered and watched as the king placed his daughter back into the cradle.

"You may go and stand outside with the others. Captain, you are dismissed back to your post." Both men nodded and left. Once back in the hall, Haymitch took a post across the hall from the door.

"Finally, something more interesting than standing on the wall. They are hiding something about the princess. He made sure to show me her blanket when he took her from the cradle."

Inside the room, the queen and king talked in whispers. "Are you sure we shouldn't give Prim her own guard? She is our child, even if she is 'fostered'." The queen asked.

"You may be right. But no one can know. And we can't stretch Haymitch too thin. So who do we choose?"

"How about one of our guards?" She said, gesturing to the door. "Everyone knows that your guard is just a formality. You know how to fight. You were forced to fight in that tournament the Capitol put on a few years ago." He looked at her. He had hoped to never relive that tournament. It was how they had won their freedom a hundred years ago and how they had kept themselves safe from the Capitol. If any of their line ever lost, Panem would return to the Capitol's control and the royal family would be killed. But he had embarrassed the President when he had fought ten years ago. The President had wagered that he would win Panem back and placed the weight of that on his son's shoulders, the best fighter in the Capitol. But he had beaten him and kept Panem free from his control. It was no secret that the snake wanted Panem back. Slowly, he nodded his consent and called for his personal guard.

She rocked Katniss as they sat on the balcony. Her husband was in his study talking with the king from one of the Districts to the east of Panem. They had always been hard pressed to stay out of the Capitol's control. She wondered if word of Katniss had already gotten to them. If their oldest son were to marry Katniss when they came of age, then they would be safe from the Capitol as long as Katniss kept winning the tournament. She looked at the little girl in her arms. So much rested on one child and she was only an infant.

In a few months, she would be a year old and then news of her would be told to the kingdom. It was custom for them to keep births secret until one year had passed, to ensure the child didn't die as an infant. It was so hopes didn't get higher than expectation. She was aware of Haymitch watching her. He had done his job well so far. The only liquor she smelled on him was what was on his clothes from when he was off duty. That made her glad to know that her daughter would have someone to protect her from those who wish to harm her. But something was nagging at her.

"Haymitch," she called. He stepped forward.

"Yes, Majesty?"

"Say that we were invaded by the Capitol, being my daughter's protector, where would you take her?"

"I'm not following, Majesty."

"If we are attacked, it is still your duty to protect Katniss, even if that means you must flee with her. If that were to ever happen, where would you take her? Where would you go to keep her safe?"

"I see. Well, it would have to be someplace they wouldn't ever look. So not one of our allies. I'd take her and hide among our enemies. The closer to danger, the farther from harm." The queen nodded and he stepped back, her nervousness calmed for the moment.

"Mr. President," the old man nodded his ascent for the man to give his report. He had been stationed in Panem for the past eleven years with nothing to report. It was good to finally have word. "They have an heir." He turned to face the spy, raising an eyebrow. "A baby girl. She was born last year. More, she is betrothed the prince of the Districts."

"Well, that is news. The Districts are aligning themselves with the strongest kingdom. They must not have confidence in their heirs anymore. But that puts so much on the little princess, doesn't it? She has the fates of both Panem and the Districts on her shoulders and she is only a year old. It would be a real shame if she didn't make it to adulthood." He looked at the man and nodded. The man smiled and left. It was time. The President looked at the banner that hung on either side of the door. "The Snake will finally destroy that blasted Mockingjay."

Haymitch jumped out of bed, grabbing the knife from beneath his pillow. He looked around. None of his fellow guardsmen were awake and the alarm bells weren't sounding. But it didn't matter. He was awake now because something didn't feel right. The queen's question a few months ago returned to him. "She had been worried about an attack. One that would place the royal family in the bull's-eye of the target." He cursed silently as he pulled on his pants and boots. He tugged his shirt on as he rushed to the armory to retrieve his weapons. He grabbed only his sword and then hurried to the royal bedchamber. He knew the princess had her own bedroom in the king's suit and the door was always opened. It was his job to make sue the princess was safe. "Something is happening and no one knows that it's coming. How can they not know?" He stopped halfway up the stairs. One person would know. He always knew when something was wrong and he would be awake, just like him.

Haymitch turned around and ran back to the barracks and right to the captain's rooms. He was right, the captain was awake, but it was clear that he wasn't sure what was troubling his sleep. Haymitch reported his conversation with the queen. The captain nodded and Haymitch hurried back the way he had come and into the royal suite. He went straight to Katniss's bedroom, relieving the night guard. Haymitch placed himself at the head of her cradle and waited.

Well, what do you all think? Should I keep going with it? Thanks for reading. Can't wait to read your thoughts on this newest of fics.