"Snow has a Granddaughter" said Johanna "I vote yes."
Then she heard the cruel laughter of President Snow, and saw the white flower she placed on his heart before the execution, before jolting awake.
"I'm here Katniss, it's not real" purred Peeta, almost chanting the mantra we whisper to each other almost each night. He put his arms around me, making them a cradle to catch me as I fell into my stupor. But something was different tonight; I could not smell the bread that acted as my lullaby, I could smell roses.
"Peeta, what flowers did Aventurine bring home yesterday?" I asked, suddenly upright.
I could feel his body stiffen, and feel that I had caught him off guard. "Pink cloves" he answered, silently waiting for me to explain. Instead I took a trip down memory lane:
Me and my best friend, the boy I had not seen for twenty five years now. Gale Hawthorn. We were sitting in our usual meet up spot, cleaning out game, when I noticed some flowers.
"Are those edible?" I asked. Gale went to examine them.
"We're better off not picking those. They're Pink cloves." He said, putting on a serious face.
"Katniss." I was shook back to reality by Peeta, who was now fully awake and on my side of the bed. "What happened?"
"Pink Clove are bad luck flowers, they're death flowers." I repeated the words spoken to me once, and was rocked to sleep by the arms that made everything feel okay.
"Mum, there's a viewing on Television. Mandatory, that's what my Teacher said." Said Aventurine earnestly. "Even Alex was excused from school today."
Katniss had named her children after stones, not roots that could be ripped out, or flowers that could be burnt. But rocks that fought and took centuries to break down.
"PEETA!" shouted Katniss. "Get over here!"
"What? Hello, Adventure." he said poking her on the nose.
"It's AVENture, Pita bread. I'm thirteen, don't call me that!" half-scolded Aventure, laughing and stepping out of the room.
Peeta faced Katniss, it took him only a second to register her expression and he turned serious. It still amazed Katniss how he could do that. "What happened?"
"There's a mandatory viewing on television, children are excused from school." She said, gripping his arm tightly.
"Katniss, it's not that! Don't even think about that time." He chastised her gently. "Come on; let's go to the Square to watch it. Get dressed; I'll bring Alex from school. "
She nodded, and blindly followed his instructions for the first time after years, in a trance.
A grim-faced reporter stood and introduced herself as 'Kayla Howe'. Then without delay, she began to speak:
"Some changes have occurred in the country of Panem. Political as well as social changes have been conducted by the…new rulers." A ripple of whispers went through the crowd.
"Good Afternoon, District 12. For the first time in thirty years, a descendant of a former Ruler is in charge again. Our new ruler is Clove Snow, Granddaughter of executed President Snow. "
A stunned silence was the reply of the country.
"Other changes have also been conducted. The traditional Hunger Games are to be continued, and the victors will the descendants of specially chosen…personnel's." The reporter struggled to keep her poker-face. "I will now read out the victors of this District."
Katniss was hyperventilating, and she could see Peeta grip onto a table top, fighting memories that should have never come up. This could not happen, not to them. Peeta stopped a second to look at Katniss, and strode over to her.
"Don't worry, Katniss. There is no chance that they would pick them, we're victors for Gods sake!" he said shakily.
"Hahaha!" I gave him a psychotic laugh. "Your right!"
Just when we were attracting attention, with our laughter fits. The names were announced:
"This year's Victors will be: Aventurine Mellark and Finnick the Second."