***Disclaimer; I do not Own the Hunger Games nor, it's characters.***

***Rated M for a reason & since you've been good a hint of lemon***

***Still same bat channel folks***


The Raven's Bride

Chapter 11

The New Order


Their First Reception;

Only after the Peace Keepers investigated & cleared the scene, the newly weds were allowed to rejoin their reception. A great cheer was heard when they hit the dance floor for their first dance. Other than the bride nearly dying at the alter & everyone wearing black from head to toe for the wedding it was a great event.

Later in the middle of the night under strict security of the Victors Cato carried his bride onto the President's personal train followed by Brutus who carried an equally tired Lexi on board. Both fell asleep in the car & neither man had the heart to wake them up. This is the only time that all three heirs & the sitting president were in the same location at the same time. They were speeding to the Capitol. For Mari to be Chief Mourner for her Godfather & to take the oath to rule Panem for life. As it stands she is now known as the Impromptu Ruler of Panem. It is mandated that all of the Victors are her bodyguards until the Oath is taken. Then & only then is the President allowed to pick their own guard.

For Mari it was hard. In a matter of a few hours she had to cope with great loss of being the sole survivor of the family, becoming the new president & being married to Cato. A part of her wants to go back into that dream world & be with her mother again. Get that one last hug from her mother, have her big brother Tommy ruffle her hair just one more time. Tell her everything will be alright.
Most of all, she wants her brother's killers. For Maria Dawn Raven-Castle always taught her daughter to look at the 'bigger' picture. The bigger picture now is putting the country back together. She's knows what she has to do. To do it she will have to tread very carefully & very fast or it will fall apart.

By tradition she must take the oath within two weeks of being named the Impromptu Ruler. Now the train is speeding along the country side to get there, fast. This does not stop Cato from worrying about his bride who is asleep in the other room while he talks to Brutus;

"Brutus her first words were asking for Maria. You should've seen the look on her face when she realized that she was gone. She almost shut down again & now this! How is she going to handle this? She wants a piece of Brick & she wants him bad. For her Brick is the key to it all."

"Because Mari is right Cato. Brick is the key to it. If that little shit hadn't rigged your first reaping & doped his brother's drink on his mother orders none of this would have ever happened. As for Mari I could only wish for a daughter like her. You better treat her right after all the work Leni & I did to keep Maria's dream alive, you little shit. The rest is easy & the beauty of it is you get the best part Cato."

"Oh & what is that?"

"You get to tell her how she gets to deny Brick to become a Victor, ever."

While Brutus continues explain the plan, Cato smile gets bigger has it dawned on him because he knew this would piss Brick off. He cannot be a 'Victor' if there are no games this year. The country is in mourning for their 'President'. He knows just how to sell this to Mari so that it looks like payback for everything Brick did to her. The two soon leave the dining area for their compartments. Cato goes in to find Mari in a middle of a nightmare. He hears his wife mumble in her sleep. Cato knew he was the cause of it for what he did to keep her out of the arena. It still didn't make feel any better as he heard Mari;

"Tom... Tommy don't go please... No he hates me... Cato hates me... It's revenge, he told me so. So dark Tom... dark Momma. It's so dark here... Take me with you... Not safe here, Cato wants revenge. He won't, he can't care... Not me... He'll hurt me... Monster Momma... Tommy, please don't go... Monster... Don't go Tommy, please... Tommy, don't go! Please don't... Mom.. not safe... Tommy! ! Momma! !..."

By then Cato was on the bed holding her close to him trying to soothing her;

"No Mari, I'll never hurt you. Never again I promise. Shh. I'm so sorry Mari. Never again, I promise. You're safe Mari. Shh... Shh..."

Mari shoots up looking around seeing that she is really living her worse fear. That she's alone in the world. For Mari thinks she's stuck, here alone. Now it's up to Cato to get her to see the bigger picture. Mari has to move on. She has to live for her family now.

"Mari it's just a bad dream. A bad dream. You're safe. Shh... You're safe Mari."

"I want them back, Cato. I want them back."

"I know. I know you do. (Cato holds her closer has he changes the subject) I have some good news."

"Oh. Like what?"

"Brutus figured a way for you to get back at Brick so he'll never be a 'Victor, ever'. Want to hear it?"

"If it means getting back at that S.O.B, oh hell yeah. Okay what do you get out of it?"

Cato shakes his head then goes on to explain that because of the assassination of the President that it would be in poor taste for the country to have the games this year. With Brick being 18...(Mari then interrupts);

"With Brick being 18 he can't enter next year & will never become a Victor. Then I can present the evidence for his trial now. It's perfect Cato. Absolutely perfect."

Mari smiled, the kind of smile that lit up rooms. It was the first natural smile Mari did since she lost her mother & brother. To see that smile again was worth it to Cato:

"Now that's the Mari I remember."


The Oath for Life:

They arrived in the Capitol early the next evening & were immediately taken to the President's Mansion. Brutus & Cato wasted no time in arranging the for the oath to be administered before Snow's funeral. Now its tradition for any administration that boxes were put out in front of the offices of the old administration to be pack their belongings if they are replaced by another. Yet they were always empty because the President usually kept the staff on. Mari looks at Leni, Brutus & Cato then shakes her head has she walked on to her offices. At this all three smile. Mari is going to clean house.

Two Days Later...

On a dark gray cloudy day a seventeen year old girl stood straight & proud as she took the Oath For Life to replace her predecessor;

"I Mari Diane Castle-Hadley do solemnly swear to uphold & administer the laws of Panem to my up most ability for the rest of my life whether it be long or short..."

The Chief Justice asked;

"Any objections to the Heir fulfilling her role?"

Only silence followed as all Victors looked on with hope, her husband with pride. Mari is now the ruler for life in Panem. Has she took the podium Mari hit the Capitalist with the first of many shocks.

Out With The Old:

Mari knew how she was going to do this. She has known all along since her brother died in his games. Mari looked at Cato who looked at her with out right open respect when she spoke:

"President Snow's service will be held at midnight tonight in the family tradition of a candle lit service. (This shocked two mentors but not the third one) For my Godfather's memory we will observe a period of mourning deserving of such a man & leader for this country. Therefore will be no Hunger Games this year. This administration will be rebuilt for the better of Panem starting with 'my' administration. For you see the Victors behind you are part of my administration as of today. For who could not be a better group of advisers than the Victors who love this country so much that they were willing to sacrifice themselves, to put duty first. All District Mayors & District Head Peace Keepers will report to me here at the Capitol tomorrow. This administration will propel Panem into the future for we will learn from history so it will not repeat itself. For all of Panem, may the odds be ever in your favor."

With this said the President left the podium & with her new administration went into her offices. Under guard the old administration was escorted by Peace Keepers to the briefing room where they were told to wait. Mari kept them waiting for two hours because she could. While they were kept waiting the Victors were in Mari's office for a briefing. Mari had Brutus as her Vice for her purpose is to do away with hereditary dictatorships & have elections for all offices in Panem where both district & capitol born can be elected into any office. Until then the dictatorship must stand yet be 'just' to avoid war or, any type of rebellion.

One by one each official was brought into her office, thanked for their service & then fired. Each one was escorted to their offices where their belongings were packed up & were escorted out of the building. That was until Seneca Crane was escorted into the office.

"Do you know why you are here today?"

"I'm getting the boot, I take it."

"Two years from now, maybe. For now I want you to use the arena for this year for a 'special' case next year. If it works the arena will be used for death penalty cases only. Criminals go in not, children. How does that sit with you?"

"I told the president he should have done that years ago."

"I know, that is why you will be one of the few exceptions in my administration. Don't disappoint me."

Mari instructed the Peace Keeper to have Mr. Cranes boxes stored for now. Havensbee was next where she knew his part in a network of rebels for District 13 & was the only other adviser allowed to stay. Coin who was the leader of the rebellion was fired. Alma Coin was never one to go about anything quietly.

"Well, Madam President good luck getting this passed with the current Senate. It won't work & you'll end up just be like your godfather. A heartless Dictator. Even worse you'll be a hypocrite, sending in your own kind into the games."

"It's a done deal has of six a.m. this morning. Has for my 'Godfather' he knew I can avoid war that will cause needless bloodshed. Who the hell do you think was weaning the Capitol away from the games?"

"Well have fun in your 'short' administration Madam President."

"What did you just say to me, Coin?"

"Did I stutter President Castle-Hadley? Let me explain it to you. You won't last long. I'll be waiting you'll be dead. Just like the rest of your fa..."

At this Cato had Coin pinned by her throat & up against the wall. Even Mari knew you never piss off Cato. The one thing that will piss him off, threatening anybody who means anything to him.

"You threatened my WIFE, THE PRESIDENT of PANEM! !"

"Let me go or, I'll have you..."

Cato's grip tightens more around her throat to shut her up as Alma Coin starts turning blue. Brutus intervened;

"CATO! No! Put her down now. Remember trial first, then the death penalty. Cato!..."

Cato didn't care has his grip tightened more around Coins throat as Alma Coin turning even bluer. Only one voice reached him through the haze of his anger;

"Cato! ! Cato she's not worth it! Remember the big picture. Let her go. Just. Let. Her. Go.."

Cato shook his head as to clear his mind only to see Mari in front of him removing his hand off Coin's throat while Haymitch & Brutus took a barely conscious Alma Coin into custody. Brutus had the Peace Keepers arrest Coin on a charge of Treason for threatening the life of a Victor & the President. Haymitch remarked;

"I never liked her. No offense Madam President."

"None taken Victor Aberthany. Haymitch I need you to brief me on your Head Peace Keeper & Mayor in District Twelve. (then she looked to the others) I will need this of all of you. Finnick, Gloss & Cashmere I want you three to end the Victor auctions. Our Victors are no longer the capitol's toys to be sold for companionship. You're Victor's not whores. Victors will never be 'sold' into prostitution ever again while, I'm alive. Now we need to get District Thirteen back into the fold within the next 72 hours or by the end of next week at the latest. See everybody after lunch."

With this the Victors left except Cato who was looking out the window.

"I wanted to kill her."

"I know."

"I could've hurt you. You should've never gotten between us like that."

"I knew you wouldn't."

"How?"

"You promised. You promised you would never hurt me. One thing I know about you Cato, YOU never go back on a promise."

At this was when Cato knew he had a shot, a chance to make her happy. Cato was determined to make that happen. To let her know she's not alone anymore. It was the only time Cato gave into his emotions as he pulled her to him to lean down & kissed her.

Late in the evening under a starless night sky, the funeral procession walked to the cemetery just outside the Capitol. Many of its citizens lined the streets with candles. By then, arrest warrants were issued for several people in various districts for their crimes. Many of the Mayors & Head Peace Keepers from the districts have arrived by train to report to the President in the morning. Later, Mari was telling Leni & Brutus what was next.

"Haymitch will be getting the district supplies on the train for the return trip with Mayor Undersee. (Mari holding an old letter that was written from a then seven year old child who lived in District Twelve) For a child to show this amount of bravery to write me, telling me the truth of her district tells me there's more. Haymitch said he knows the family & helps them as much as he can without drawing the Peace Keeper suspicions. After all they have went through I want to meet this young lady & her family."


***Sorry I took so long folks Next chapter is coming up & maybe a few rules may be broken***