Gale is still asleep when I go to his room in the morning and mercifully, he's alone. He had probably thought his declaration would have seduced me in to his bed.

It takes me a moment to realise what's different and it's weirdly disorientating to see his room spotless. His boots are by the door, his clothes are folded neatly on a chair, there's no wet linen lying on the floor, his bow and quiver hang on the back of the door, even his books and few belongings on the dresser have been straightened.

Either Gale's asked for someone else to do my job or he's done it himself so he doesn't have to see me. The lack of a wash bowl and fresh water make me think the latter, however unlikely Gale cleaning is.

The kitchens are empty save for a few cooks and I eat quickly taking an apple and a handkerchief of raisins back to Gale's room with me. With juice running down my chin and my apple threatening to fall from my mouth, I push the door open with my foot, sloshing water on the floor in my haste.

Somehow, distracted by my tasks, I had missed Gale's naked form in the middle of the room and he grins as my apple drops to the floor

"Cover yourself up, hell's teeth" I seethe

"What? You've never seen a naked man before?" I don't have to see him to know he's smirking, I want to kill him for even hinting at whatever passed between us last night

"Would you put something on, please" I grit, getting another eyeful when I turn and he snickers

"You definitely saw something that time"

"Why are you even naked anyway?" I snap, throwing a shirt at him

"You're angry at me for being naked in my room?"

"Well you know I come in here"

"I didn't think you'd be coming for a while"

"Imbecile" I murmur just loud enough for him to hear

"Hey, at least we're even now" he shrugs, gods he's smack-able

"What?"

"We're even. I've seen you, now you've seen me"

"What? What do you mean you've seen me?"

"Nothing" he smirks some more

"Why are you up so early?" I demand, facing him for the third time, he's only pulled on his breeches and hasn't even tied them

"I always wake this early"

"No you don't"

"Yes actually, I do" He's grinning but it's sheepish

"In four years I've never known you to wake before 9"

"That's because you think I'm still asleep"

"You pretend to be asleep?" Gale shrugs

"You're very loud in the mornings"

"Because I know you're a heavy sleeper or fake heavy sleeper. Why would you do that?" Gale doesn't answer but a rosy pink creeps into his cheeks, its dangerously endearing "by all of Panem, Gale Hawthorne, are you blushing?"

"I like to watch you, or rather listen to you in the morning"

"That's creepy" I grimace and Gale scratches at the back of his neck

"I know" he admits, sheepish again

"How long have you been doing that?"

"Around four years"

"What- where is all this coming from?"

"All what?"

"You know what" I deadpan "last night and saying all this ... stuff. Just what are you trying to pull?"

"Nothing! I just wanted to get everything off my chest" he takes a deep sigh then slouches on the chair in the corner of his room, unwrinkled clothes be damned "I have to marry soon, I wanted you to know before I do" he runs a hand through his hair and over his face "I thought if I came clean and spoke the truth about how I've felt all these years I would feel better about whatever happens from here on out. I thought my heart might not be as heavy if you at least knew"

"And how is it that you've felt all these years?" I ask carefully, both dreading and praying for the same answer

"I'm in love with you" I know immediately that his answer is bad, if I had heard the Prince speak those words to me some years ago I'd have swooned, fainted in to his arms and been his but we're both much changed now

"I'm going to leave now and we won't speak of this ever again. You'll marry whoever and I will care for Posy until your parents say otherwise. We will have no reason to acknowledge each other from here on out"

"Madge, please wait, I beg you" I don't feel the heart wrenching I would have expected at seeing Prince Gale on his knees because despite it all I care for the man but I do want him to know he only has himself to blame ... so I lower myself to face him and take his stubbled jaw in my hands

"If you had had the courage to treat me as an equal and as a beloved woman should be treated, I'd have given you my whole heart" the look he gives me is too sweet, too hopeful ... too late "instead you humiliated me and made me clean up after your trysts with what I assume is every maiden inhabiting a 10 mile radius"

"Madge" he croaks as I stand but I feel nothing

"Pick a wife Gale, preferably not that Glimmer, she'd be hard work".