"Cinna! Prim!" Katniss calls to her two children. "Wake up! It's time for school!"
Down the grand marble staircase come Cinna—a pudgy, adorable blond of about seven years old—and Prim—a slender, energetic brunette of about twelve years old. Cinna's hair is slightly disheveled, with his golden curls resting at his ears. Prim's hair is tied back in a style of braid her mom taught her how to make. The two are sporting their backpacks on their backs. Prim is wearing a white, button-down, three-quarter sleeves shirt; a grey skirt that rests an inch above her knees; white tights; and black loafers. Cinna's wearing similar attire, except he's wearing long, grey slacks instead of a skirt and tights. Cinna doesn't understand why the clothes are of such boring colors, and he, therefore, dislikes wearing his uniform every school day. Prim, on the other hand, is slowly starting to understand. She knows that the colors are that of a mockingjay, and that they pay homage to the brave deeds of her mother during the fall of Panem's totalitarian regime. However, regardless of the Panem history that Prim's learned in school, she doesn't know the full story.
Cinna and Prim sit down at the breakfast table and begin eating a breakfast of eggs—over easy, just the way the siblings like them—and toast. While Cinna's savoring each bite of his breakfast, Katniss approaches her daughter and whispers in her ear, "Sweetie, can I talk to you?"
-x-
"Honey," Katniss asks her daughter while they're sitting on the edge of her bed, "do you know what today is?"
"Today's Victim Remembrance Day, right?" the daughter answers. "It's the day we remember all of those people killed in both the Hunger Wars and the Hunger Games."
Katniss nods her head and tries to stifle back any tears. Prim's twelve now, the mother thinks. She's old enough to know the truth.
Just the thought of the name Prim was enough to make Katniss want to cry. Prim was killed in the Hunger Wars—not by Snow, but by Coin. Killing that bitch was the best decision I've ever made, thinks Katniss. Prim—Katniss' late sister—meant everything to her. But Coin took her life—something Katniss will never forgive. Her daughter means just as much to her as her sister meant to her. That's why she chose the name Prim. That's why Katniss believes that her daughter deserves to know how special she is.
Katniss asks her daughter with a weak voice, "...Do you know why your name is Prim?"
"You said it was something special," the girl answers. "You never told me exactly why. Why do you ask?"
A tear emerges from Katniss' eye. "Prim," she explains, "was the name of my little sister. She—she was killed by President Coin during the final battle of the Hunger Wars. She meant everything to me." More tears cascade down Katniss' cheeks. "I want you to remember that you mean just as much to me as she did."
"But Mommy," Prim says, "of course I know you love me a whole lot."
Katniss disagrees, "No. I love you more than a whole lot." She hugs her daughter tightly. "I love you more than you will ever know. The same goes for your brother. Do you know where his name came from?"
"Cinna? Wasn't he your friend or something?"
"He was more than a friend. Cinna was a gifted fashion designer, a mentor, a rebel...a martyr." Katniss breaks out in tears. She knows that she can't hold them back any longer. The thought of those two brave souls was enough to tear her to pieces.
Prim strokes her mothers back and tells her, "I—I understand."
The clock strikes seven, which indicates that it's time for the children to walk to school.
Right as Prim gets up to get her brother and leave, Katniss calls out, "Prim, wait!"
The daughter turns around and smiles at her mother. She smiles just like Prim, Katniss thought. Trying to hold back her tears a few seconds longer, the mother tells Prim, "Honey, please...please remember Cinna and Prim today. For me."
As Katniss breaks out in tears once more, Prim runs up to her mother and gives her another hug. "I will," Prim promises. "I will."
Cinna pushes the bedroom door open and enters the room. He's shouting, "Prim! Prim! We're going to be—" He notices his sister trying to console their weeping mother. "Mommy, Prim, what's going on?"
"I'll tell you when you're older," explains Katniss. "Now, come here and give your mother a hug and a kiss before you leave."
It's a coveted family moment—one that only happens once in a lifetime. A moment where the whole world seems to be at a standstill. Everything's quiet, serene. The only thing present in that room, besides people, is love—a bona fide, unbreakable love that is not always evident. A love that surpasses all boundaries. Like their group hug, it's a love that is stronger than any being or force in this world or others.
But, like that moment, all good things must come to an end. The kids are going to be late for school, Katniss thought. She lets go of her two children and tells them, "Off you go. Don't want to be late, now do we?"
Prim and Cinna look at each other and smirk. "Race you to school?" she challenges.
Cinna smiles and agrees with, "You're on!"
The two bolt out of the room, and Katniss couldn't be happier. Better it be friendly competition than a fight to the death, she thinks.