Author's note: Thank you so much for all the love you're giving this story. This is the last chapter you'll be getting until sometime in December as I am taking the month of November to focus on an original novel. If you want to know more about my original work, come over to booksrockmyface on Tumblr. I'll be sharing a few things as I work through NaNoWriMo.
Many thanks to my beta oh_well!
Happy reading!
Part Eight
Katniss turned her head and looked at Peeta sleeping on the other side of the bed. The light from the early morning sun peeking through the heavy curtains made his face and bare chest glow faintly. There was a smile playing on his lips. He was a beautiful man.
She reached over and slowly traced the shape of his face, down the length of his neck, and along his arm. She picked up his hand and slowly followed the lines on his palm.
"Mm, that tickles." His voice was a little raspy.
"Sorry." She put his hand down and rolled out of the bed. She considered a moment about pulling on her dressing gown, but decided against it. The room was warm enough and she didn't mind being naked in front of Peeta.
She walked to the window. It had been so long since she went to the woods and she was determined to make it out there today. She opened the drapes and stared out at the trees, marking her trip in her head.
"Mrs. Odair will send word when your dress is done." Peeta said from behind Katniss.
She nodded. "And then the party."
He placed his hands on her arms and stepped closer behind her, warming her back. "I will be with you every step of the way."
She turned around and draped her arms on top of his shoulders. "Well, what would you like to do in the mean time?"
He smiled and pressed her back against the wall. "I could name a few things."
"Does it include one of us on our knees?" She grinned.
"You want to see me kneel before you, your highness?" He dropped down to the floor. "I am ever your servant, Katniss." He pulled one of her legs over his shoulder and pressed his mouth against her clit without preamble.
Katniss buried her fingers in his hair and let out a long sigh. "I think the role has reversed."
"I don't mind it one bit." Peeta murmured against her.
She tightened her grip. "Want to go out to the woods with me?" She asked, her breath catching a little.
"Mm-hm." He pressed his fingers up into her and then slowly retreated. He swirled his tongue languidly around her clit.
Her head fell back hard against the wall and she let out a loud curse. "You must be some sort of god." She felt it, right on the edge. Everything was so raw first thing in the morning. Her belly grew tight and she let it go. She started to contract around his fingers and let out little, panting cries in rhythm. She flexed her fingers in his hair as she rode his mouth through the orgasm that engulfed her.
Eventually, she sagged back against the wall.
In a single movement, Peeta stood and carried Katniss to the bed, one of her legs still draped over his shoulder. He laid her down and then sat on the edge of the mattress.
She smiled up at him. "It's your turn."
"I don't need—"
"Nonsense." She dropped to the floor and crawled between his legs. She wrapped her hand around his hard length and leaned down to flick her tongue over the tip. "This is the best part about this marriage." She wrapped her lips around him and leaned down halfway before retreating again, stroking him slowly. "You get whatever you want through the night." She took him in her mouth again.
He combed his fingers through her hair. "If I get to have the taste of you in my mouth every morning, I will know it is all worth it."
She looked up at him and winked.
Peeta leaned back on his hands and let his head fall back as he felt her all around him.
Katniss took her mouth off him and smiled up into his eyes as she stroked him slowly. "You flatter me, Peeta."
He gently grabbed her face and pressed a kiss to her lips. "You called me a god. But it is truly a holy experience to have my fingers in you and my mouth on you when you come." He kissed her again.
She broke from his kiss and slipped her mouth around him again, bobbing her head quickly. She pulsed her tongue against him with each retreat, swirling it around the tip before taking him in again.
"You know well, too." Peeta sighed, gently stroking Katniss's face and combing his fingers through her hair. "I'll go to the woods with you if you want." His breath hitched. "I'll go anywhere with you if you suck me off more often." His head fell back. "Your mouth feels so good."
She quickened her pace, playing around more with her tongue. He squirmed beneath her and tightened his grip, apologizing when he pulled her hair a little. She knew by now all the signs that he was about to climax and she welcomed it, if only to allow her to rest her mouth.
He came warm against the back of her throat and she swallowed him down. She sat back with a sigh and rubbed her jaw.
He recovered himself enough to kiss her forehead. "You should tell your maid to draw you a nice, hot bath and sit in it for a while. You definitely earned it." He grinned and kissed her softly on the mouth.
She followed him onto the bed, deepening the kiss.
With a deep sigh, Peeta pulled away. "I could stay here and do this all day."
"So why don't we?" Katniss pulled him on top of her. "We did just get married, after all. No one could fault us."
"They couldn't." He kissed her again. "Except we have responsibilities."
"And my sister in a new home." She gently pushed him away. "Go dress. I will take a soak in the bath."
"When all is settled, I promise to take you on a long honeymoon trip. Anywhere you wish." He leaned over and kissed her once more before gathering his things. "Take your time in the bath."
Katniss pulled on her dressing gown and rang for her maid. She ordered the bath and asked for her sister to come to her room at her earliest convenience.
Prim showed up just as the tub and privacy screen were put into place and the first buckets of water were brought in. "Should I come back later?" The girl asked.
Katniss shook her head and pointed to a chair, speaking to the servant. "Please put that closer to the screen."
"Yes, your grace." The young man bowed and did as instructed.
A few moments later, the sisters were alone. Katniss stepped behind the screen and dropped her dressing gown.
"Are you settling in?" Katniss asked as she lowered herself into the water.
"It's a nice room." Prim said softly. "I like not having to share with someone else. But I couldn't sleep well because it was too quiet." Katniss could see Prim pull her legs up into the chair. "Will I ever go back to school?"
"I'd rather have you under the same roof as me." Katniss picked up the bar of soap and brought it to her nose, breathing in deeply the scent of vanilla and lavender. "Miss Trinket and Mr. Abernathy kept a good eye on you. But we can't just go by them now." She began to slowly wash herself. "I love you, Prim. I want you safe. I think that's best here with Peeta and me."
Prim was silent a moment. Then she softly said, "He loves you, doesn't he? His Grace?"
Katniss smiled to herself. "He says so."
"He must actually think it then." Prim peeked around the frame and gave her sister a playful look. "His eyes get a dreamy look about them when you speak. And he's forever flexing his fingers to keep from touching you too much. But he does still do it often." She moved away. "He adores you, Katniss. I don't think he would have married you otherwise."
Katniss stepped out of the tub and patted herself dry, all the while contemplating her sister's words. She'd never really noticed those things. But she'd always been too focused on other things.
Prim sighed. "Have I made you angry, Katniss?"
"No." Katniss said quickly. "I'm just thinking." She pulled on her dressing gown.
Prim was pacing when Katniss stepped around the screen.
"Are you all right?" Katniss asked softly.
Prim nodded. Then she shook her head. "I don't know." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I like it here. I like living with you again, even though you're still quite far from me." She walked toward the window and pulled back the drapes. "But it means something has changed. I'm not Prim Everdeen anymore."
Katniss wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You are still Prim Everdeen. You always have been. Even as Primrose Margaret Grace Everdeen Snow, you are the same person you were last week."
Prim turned and pressed her eyes into Katniss's neck. "I just want to go back to the Seam and marry Rory Hawthorne."
Katniss sighed and rubbed her sister's back. "I know you care for him." She kissed the top of Prim's head.
"It's just that… I felt safe there, Katniss." Prim said softly. "And since you put me in that school, I always felt watched. Every time I left." She sighed. "I suppose it's because I was. And I don't like it." She looked up at Katniss. "So what happens now? Will I have to live in the palace?"
"Peeta and I discussed that. When we see the king tonight, I'll tell him I want you with me and I want us all here." She gently took Prim's face in her hands. "I love you so much, Prim. And there is nothing I won't do to keep you safe, even when you don't feel it."
"Is that why you started up with His Grace?" She stepped back. "I heard whispers. And the way it all just happened… You were his mistress before."
Katniss crossed to the bell. "I said I would do anything and I mean it, Prim."
There was a tap on Katniss's dressing room door, interrupting Katniss from ringing for her maid. Peeta called, "Is her royal highness decent?"
Katniss smiled. "She is." Pulling the dressing gown tighter around herself, she sat down on the window seat.
Peeta stepped into the room, his eyes landing on Katniss in an instant. He walked across the room, pausing a moment to smile at Prim. "Good morning, Princess Primrose."
"Good morning, your grace." Prim smiled, sitting up a little straighter.
Peeta continued on to Katniss and kissed her cheek. "Good morning, my dear."
Katniss shook her head. "You don't have to pretend for Prim."
Peeta perched on the seat beside Katniss. "I'm not pretending." There was a slight tinge of hurt in his voice, but his face gave away nothing more than a calm disinterest.
"I was just informing Prim of our plan to stay here." Katniss explained.
Peeta nodded. "About that…" He clasped his hands on his lap. "Your highness, your grandfather is a very manipulative man—"
"Your grace," Prim interrupted, "I'm not completely daft. I know what's going on in this kingdom. I know who King Coriolanus is."
Peeta leaned forward. "Then you should know that he's going to try to charm you. Get any information out of you that he can. You have to try to keep your mouth shut. He'll use it against you."
Prim looked between Peeta and Katniss and then nodded down at her lap.
Katniss said softly, "It's hard, Prim, but it's necessary."
Prim nodded. "I understand."
Peeta patted Katniss's hand. "Just remember that the most important thing is to keep him content. We need to stay on his good side."
"Is that something you're doing with Mr. Odair?" Katniss asked softly.
Peeta stood. "You don't need to worry about it, my dear." He kissed her hand.
Peeta gave a bow. "I bid you farewell for now, dear ladies." He left through the dressing room.
Katniss walked across to her bell again. Her maid came in a few moments later and gave a curtsy. Prim took her leave then, too.
"I'll see you at breakfast, Prim." Katniss called softly at her sister's back.
Prim nodded as she closed the door behind her.
Peeta stepped into the hall at the same moment Prim did. He smiled and gave a slight bow. "Your highness."
Prim dipped a curtsy. "Your grace."
"May I escort you to the breakfast room?" He held out his arm.
"I'd like that. Thank you." She smiled and slipped her small hand around it. "I was trying to remember from my quick tour yesterday where it was."
"Large houses are difficult to navigate. You should have seen me my first week here after I inherited my title. I spent several hours lost on a back stairway." He chuckled as he led her down the stairs. "I spent most of my childhood in a smaller house behind the bakery where my family worked. We spent some time here with my grandfather, but since we lived so close we never stayed more than a few hours."
Prim laughed, it was high and girly.
Peeta gave her an affectionate smile. He'd always wanted a younger sister.
"I think for the first few days I'll stick with my room and the sitting room." She said as they entered the breakfast room. "And you or Katniss can help me to this room and the dining room until I get used to it."
"That is very smart thinking. But you'll get your bearings soon enough." He handed her a plate from the sideboard and helped her fill it. "There is always tea, but if you prefer coffee it can be brewed."
"No, thank you." Prim sat. "Tea is fine." She prepared some. "Your grace, I must thank you for your kindness to my sister and myself."
"No thanks necessary, your highness." He smiled. "I've always felt a great pull to help those that need it." He didn't mention that there had been rumors for quite some time about hidden royals.
"That's very noble." Katniss said as she entered the room. "I'm sure you had nothing else to gain." She gave him a wink as she filled a plate and then took a seat opposite Prim on Peeta's right.
"It took me out of the marriage game." Peeta said with a grin, leaning closer to Katniss. "The little misses are so sickly sweet, throwing themselves at me." He turned to Prim. "We will be making sure you have all you need to get men's attentions in very decorous ways."
Prim started arguing, "But I don't want—"
Katniss cut her off. "Prim has a beau in the Seam." She explained to Peeta. "I was hoping maybe we could find a way to get him some status…"
She trailed off at Peeta's head shake. "We have to tread lightly for a while." He turned to Prim. "But there are other things he can do, your highness."
Prim stared at him a moment and then let out a little gasp. "How dare you!"
"I was speaking of finding him a position to work here in our home so you could see him." Peeta said softly. "Anything else that happens is up to you." He swallowed.
Prim looked down at her plate. "Is this really how life is now?"
Peeta looked between the sisters. "It has to be, your highness. You're a princess. The granddaughter of a king. You have to marry a royal or a peer of the realm."
"Then we can make him a peer." Prim argued. "Can't princesses do that?"
"Not without the king." Peeta said.
"That's bullshit!" Prim said.
"Primrose, that is not appropriate talk." Katniss scolded.
"No, it's fine." Peeta said. "Because it really is bullshit. You should be able to marry whomever you wish with no consequences."
"You don't have to encourage that." Katniss said softly.
"I do." Peeta gave Katniss a smile. "I have my reasons, my dear. You needn't worry about them. But I do think that Princess Primrose should have a say." He turned back to Prim. "Just not right now. You get your come out. You entertain suitors. Be the model of the perfect princess."
Prim nodded. "Yes, your grace."
Katniss looked at the door when she noticed movement.
A footman bowed and held out a silver tray. "A message for you, your grace."
Peeta took the letter from the tray with a thank you and read it. "Ah, your dress is ready." He turned to Katniss. "When you have it properly fitted, come home and we'll go to the woods like you requested."
"Then Prim and I should go soon." Katniss said. "The quicker we go, the quicker we'll be back."
The smile Katniss gave him was nothing short of dazzling.
He wished he could kiss it off her lips.
