The early autumn wind was brisk and fresh as I made my way through town to the woods.
Wrapped in my father's hunting jacket with my quiver slung over my shoulder and my bow in my hand, it was obvious where I was going. The people of district 12 gave me a smile and a nod as I passed them.
The end of the rebellion was five years ago now, and there were mostly good feelings around. I shuffled off of the pavement and into the meadow. The fence that indicated the end of the district was now only little metal nubs that stuck out of the ground and served only to trip unsuspecting hikers. It had been removed when all of Panem's internal borders were opened.
I hopped over the invisible line, still subconsciously aware that I was leaving 12. In the woods I caught two wild rabbits and a wild turkey. Out of curiosity I walked out to the spot that Gale and I used to sit. I took in a deep breath of the fresh cold air. I reached into my pocket and felt for Peeta's pearl that has become a comfort to me for the past couple of years. Suddenly my heart stopped as I realized that the pearl was missing. In a panic I stood up quickly and looked all around me in hopes that it had fallen out only once I'd sat down. It wasn't there. I retraced my steps through the woods, the meadow, town, and eventually into my home in the victors village, but it wasn't there. It wasn't anywhere. I had obviously faced much worse in my life.
I have seen my friends die for me, I have seen my little sister burn in front of me. But for some unknown reason the loss of the pearl hits me in the gut and causes the room to spin. I sit down at the kitchen table and press my hands on either side of my head, trying to stop the spinning. Realizing that it truly was gone, I began to to cry. Like a child over a broken toy. Suddenly I hear the front door open.
"Katniss?" Peeta's voice calls out. I want to respond to him to let him know that I am here but I can't seem to catch my breath and form the words. I can hear his heavy footsteps clunk into the kitchen.
"Are you alright?" He asks.
The smell of fresh sourdough bread fills my nose and somehow gives me the strength to lift my head. I see Peeta, a look of concern on his face, and a basket full of fresh bread in his hand. I can't take it. I look at his face and the guilt encircles and strangles my heart. I blurt it out.
"I lost the pearl." As I speak I can feel my face contort and my eyes squeeze out more tears. I look up to see his reaction.
His face is devoid of expression. Have I hurt his feelings so much that he cannot even express how much he is disappointed in me? He places the basket gingerly on the table and walks into the kitchen. I can hear him clanging around in there but I don't bother to turn around and see what he is doing. He returns with two different blocks of cheese, a cheese knife, a bread knife, a couple of different fruits, and two glasses of ice water. With the screech of the chair being moved out from the table, he sits down and looks straight at me. He's smirking.
Why is he smirking?
My expression quickly turns from distraught to confused as his smirk blooms into a full fledged smile.
"I didn't mean to make you panic." He bows his head a little as if slightly guilty.
"I just wanted to surprise you." His blue eyes sparkle as he pulls something from his pocket. A ring.
"More accurately, the pearl, my pearl, mounted on a ring.
The yellow gold band is filigreed with tiny likenesses of plants native to 12, among them are katniss and primrose. The pearl, is delicately settled among the golden meadow that climbs up it's shining inky sides, contrasting perfectly with the pure yellow gold.
"Katniss, I know we have done something similar to this before, real or not real?" He speaks, reverting to the game that helped him recover from being hijacked.
"Real." I choke out as I realize what's happening.
"I know that it was really forced before, but we love each other now don't we?" His kind eyes smile at me and he again has a slight look of guilt on his face.
"Yes, we do really love each other." I respond, speaking a very pure truth.
"So I figured, that you might want to marry me...real or not real?" He smiled fully now, having revealed his intention.
"Real." I respond as the residual panic that had been floating around in my chest settles. Suddenly it dawns on me and I am overcome with something I haven't felt in a very long time.
Happiness. We are both smiling now, giggling almost, with delight. He slips the ring onto my finger and comes around to my side of the table. I stand up so quick that my eyesight gets blurry and I plant a sweet and sloppy kiss half on his mouth half on his cheek.
...
"We have demolished a half a loaf of bread and almost two whole blocks of cheese by the time that Haymich stumbles in with a bottle of liquor and a bottle of champagne. The liquor is as good as gone but the champagne has not even been opened. He plods over to the table and places the frosted bottle on it with a thud. He looks over to Peeta and then to me.
"Congratulations..." The words tumble out of his mouth, distorted by his drunkenness.
"Haymich, why don't you sit down and have some bread?" Peeta offers, his intentions rather transparent. Bread absorbs alcohol.
"Nah..nah...nm...hicp...you guys enjoy." He smiles and pats Peeta heavily on the shoulder. As he stumbles out of the house he is humming the fiddle tune that is played for marriages in 12. It is off key and interrupted by the occasional drunken hiccup, but it is unmistakeable.
"So you told him beforehand huh?" I asked while popping another clump of cheese into my mouth.
"How else was I supposed to get the champagne?" Peeta responded with a smile and a shrug of the shoulders.
I marvel at the ring and its delicate gold work."Who made the ring?" I ask, as it occurs to me that it must have been custom designed.
"Turns out that Delly is quite the crafts-woman" Peeta replies. I am completely agog at hearing that Delly Cartwright's hands crafted the beautiful filigree.
"Where did you get the gold?" I can't help but feel that it's somehow familiar.
"I was hoping you would ask." Peeta smiles and then continues.
"It's made from your Mockingjay pin. I figured that the Mockingjay was a part of the rebellion and it's time that we put all of that behind us.
He explains his decision as if he has to defend it. But I couldn't agree with him more. This ring symbolizes everything that is good. My sister, my home, my history, and my relationship with the boy with the bread. The boy that I am going to marry.