I open the door to Katniss' room to see that Venia is the only one still there and she looks like she was about to burst into tears. She looks up at me and I nod. She says something to Katniss that I cannot hear before quickly going out of the room. I begin to walk over to her before she finally pops the question.
"So what am I wearing tonight?" She asks as she looks at the big bag that is still over my shoulder.
"President Snow put in the dress order himself." I say. I unzip the bag revealing the beautiful wedding dress. Her face is mixed with many emotions but mostly shock. "Even though they announced the Quarter Quell the night of the photo shoot, people still voted for their favorites and this was the winner. The president says you're to wear it tonight. Our objections were ignored."
She grabs a piece of silk and begins to rub it between her fingers. I'm sure she's puzzled as to why Snow was forcing her to wear the dress. I was just as puzzled but I figured it was just to torment her. Think of the irony of it. He thought that her wedding dress was going to be her death dress.
Finally she stops rubbing it. "Well, it'd be a shame to waste such a pretty dress." Is all she says.
I help her get into the gown. I hope she won't notice the extra weight but I'm sure she will.
"Was it always this heavy?" Great. I instantly begin to recite the explanation that I had come up with.
"I had to make some slight alterations because of the lighting." I explain. I know it makes no sense but I know she trusts me.
I help her into her shoes and then put on her jewelry, then as the finishing touch; the veil.
"You're ravishing." I say "Now Katniss, because this bodice is so fitted, I don't want you raising your arms above your head. Well, not until you twirl, anyway."
"Will I be twirling again?" She asks.
"I'm sure Caesar will ask you. And if he doesn't, you suggest it yourself. Only not right away. Save it for your big finale." I tell her. The way I say it makes it seem like she's simply twirling for the crowd when really it's for something much greater.
"You give me the signal so I know when."
"All right. Any plans for your interview? I know Haymitch left you two to your own devices." I say.
"No, this year I'm just winging it. The funny thing is that I'm not nervous at all." I actually believe her. If she plays it right the whole Capitol will be putty in her hands.
We begin to make our way to the elevator where we meet up with everyone else. I look over at Portia. She looks over at me. It almost seemed like she was trying to strangle me with her eyes. I quickly looked away.
We make our way to the interviews and we all separate. Peeta and Katniss are hauled off with the other victors while Haymitch just vanished and Effie went to talk with her Capitol friends. Usually Portia would be with me but she was still mad at me. I pushed through all the capitol citizens and made my way to my seat which was quite close to the front.
As soon as I sat down they gave the signal that everyone needed to be seated because the interviews were about to start. It takes a while but everyone manages to get to their seat in time I look at the empty seat beside me where Portia should be but I just push that thought out of the way. I needed to focus my attention on the interviews. Katniss had to do this right.
Caesar came out and talked to the audience for a while. His color theme was lavender. I would've chosen a different one for this specific Quell but I wasn't in any position to say that.
Everyone's interview flew by. However they left a pang in everyone. Each tribute talked about the Quell and how it should be changed.
Eventually it's Katniss' turn. Half of the audience is crying. It really was horrible. The capitol had grown up with some of these tributes and grown to love them so much. No one wanted to lose any of them.
Katniss took her seat beside Caesar and the interview began. "So, Katniss, obviously this is a very emotional night for everyone. Is there anything you'd like to say?"
"Only that I'm sorry that you won't get to be at my wedding… but I'm glad you at least got to see me in my dress. Isn't it just… the most beautiful thing?"
I didn't even need to signal her. She knew that it was the perfect time. She gets up from her seat and begins to raise her hands above her head and begin to twirl.
That's when it begins. That one movement set it off. Soon the dress seems to be engulfed with flames and smoke but she keeps on twirling. Then the pearls start to fall off just as planned. I hear the screams and gasps from the audience. I can tell there are a few people looking at me but I focus my eyes on Peeta. He looks right back at me and nods.
There were pieces of her silk dress floating through the air as she slowly begins to stop. She looks a little confused until she looks at her now black feathered dress. She looks at it confused. And then, almost as if I had told her to do it, she raised her wings to show her beautiful new wings. I had just created a mockingjay.