Author's Note:
Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I figured the toasting ceremony has a lot of tradition behind it, so I tried to keep true to a "traditional" sounding script. Again, I this any form of tradition in the chaos that is our characters lives is a welcomed change. Please take the time to tell me what you think of this chapter in the form of a review. Reviews are the greatest thing ever, and it makes me very happy when I see that I have a new one! As always, I own nothing. Please read, enjoy, and review!
Tables and chairs quickly turned the Meadow into the reception area. As that transformation happened, Peeta and Katniss were getting their wedding photos taken, a pricey gift from Paylor. She assured the newlyweds that only one photo that they picked would be used to promote the showing of their wedding.
As they made their way back to the reception, the band the victors had all chipped in for as a present began to play. Katniss and Peeta started to greet everyone in a reception line. District residents they had known their whole lives congratulated them, handed them gifts, and kissed their hands. They thanked them for everything the Victors had done for them, and wished them endless happiness. It moved Katniss to tears again.
"Do you see now, Katniss, this brave new world you've given life to?" Peeta whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist, "You created happiness, life, and freedom. You."
Finally, the Victors came forward and greeted their equals.
Annie's little boy, dressed in his own miniature suit and tie, danced around the couple as she gushed, "Oh, I'm so happy for you two! Now you are married, and you will be together forever and raise a family and…"
"Thanks, Annie," Katniss hugged her quickly as she changed the subject, "Finny has gotten so big!"
Annie gushed about her son.
Beetee handed them their present, "Wireless communicators. Just stick them in your ear, give it a voice command and you two can talk to each other over any distance at any time. They are indestructible, so if anything were to happen again…" he paused, and Katniss saw the same fear reflected in his eyes that she was sure was often in hers.
"You'll always be able to communicate, that's all," he finished.
Katniss hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Beetee."
The crowd died away and the high table made their way to their seats. Peeta and Katniss took their center spots, flanked by Haymitch and Johanna on either side of their respected party. On either side of them sat Beetee and Annie. The attendees sat in awe. Nearly all the surviving Victors were collected before them. Such celebrity was rarely seen in one place.
The food was brought out, and after the high table was fed, the servers from Sae's restaurant present all the people with delicious choices.
Halfway through her meal, Johanna nudged Katniss under the table. She glanced down in time to see a box appear in her lap.
"That's from me and Annie," Johanna winked, "For tonight."
Katniss opened the lid and saw various skimpy pieces of white fabric.
"Johanna!" she gasped and snapped the lid closed.
"Oh, stop acting like such a novice, every bride deserves bridal lingerie."
Katniss rolled her eyes and slipped the box on top of the other gifts under the table.
After dinner was gone, Peeta's wedding cake devoured, the afternoon turned to dusk and the wedding guests began to slip home.
Haymitch, Johanna, Mrs. Everdeen, and Effie stayed behind to clean up. Peeta and Katniss drove back to their home in the borrowed car.
Peeta parked in front of their house and hurried to Katniss' side to open the door for her. He lifted her bridal style from the car.
"Peeta!" she squealed, kicking playfully.
"Come on, Mrs. Mellark, it's tradition that I carry you across the threshold. "
He walked to the front door, opened it carefully, and carried his wife into their home. He didn't put her down until they reached the living room, where a small bun and a fresh fire waited.
"We still have to do one last thing," he whispered.
He took her hand and led her to the fireplace. He struggled to kneel before it; his artificial leg not cooperating for the moment. Katniss took her place opposite him, fanning out her dress around her. She reached behind her and picked the bread off the coffee table, handing it to Peeta. He pushed it just outside the fire where it could toast properly.
Katniss waited patiently. It was tradition that the husbands begin the ceremony.
He smiled and took her hands, "I don't know where to start, Katniss. I suppose... I guess we are the lucky ones. We survived. I know it doesn't feel like it some days, and for the rest of our lives we are going to have to work on getting over our nightmares and ailments. But, not only have we survived, we're thriving, in ways I never dreamed possible. If you asked me four years ago, where I thought the future would be… this wouldn't have even been a possibility. " He moved the bread from the coals and pulled a piece off quickly, "You make me better, Katniss, from the moment of the reaping to the moment you said 'I do', and you have always made me want to give you my best. And now, even though I can't always be at my best, you always are at my side, reminding me of who I am, who I really am, and the man that I want to be for you. I want to be the Victor you think I am, and I will strive every day to be yours, and stay yours, for the rest of my life."
With that, he moved the charred bread to Katniss' lips and spoke the traditional lines, "I offer this bread to you, Katniss Everdeen, as a symbol of my commitment to our union. I will protect you, I will provide for you, and I will honor you for the rest of my days, however many that may be."
Katniss chewed the piece slowly and repeated her line to him, "By accepting your bread, I accept your promises."
Peeta kissed her gently, lingering for a moment.
"Okay, okay, my turn, "she giggled as she pushed him away.
"You know I'm not one for speeches or anything overly emotional- but around you, my heart swells with joy, and happiness, and love. You have been my rock and partner for much longer than I will probably ever admit. I just wish I had seen you sooner- I wish I saw you beyond a need for survival and a piece in a game. It wasn't until after I was convinced that you finally saw me for the monster I really am that I realized I need you. I need your calmness and level-headness to counter my brashness and attitude. I need your light outlook on life to balance my darker one. I need you to remind me that no matter what we have done in our past, that there is still hope for the future. And I need your love, your unconditional, forgiving, perfect love to equal out how much I hate myself for what I have done. Thank you for forgiving me my sins, thank you for coming back to me when it would have been easier for you to walk away, and thank you for loving me, despite everything that was meant to keep us apart. I may never deserve to have you in my life, but from this day on, I can begin proving to everyone, mainly myself, that I do get to have you. This was and always has been our love story- it just took me a while to catch on, and I am eternally grateful that I eventually did."
Katniss ripped her piece of bread, held it to Peeta's lips, and laughed emotionally as she watched single tear trickle down his cheek.
She recited, "I offer this bread to you, Peeta Mellark, as a symbol of my commitment to our union. I will please you, I will support you, and I will honor you the rest of my days, however long that may be."
Peeta swallowed the bread and answered, "By accepting your bread, I accept your promise."
They pulled the last piece of bread in half and entwined their arms, and together recited, "In the sacred bond of marriage, we do enter."
They ate their last bit of the roll, the only sound the crackling fire.
"I love you," Peeta said as he turned to grin at her, "I love you, Katniss Mellark."
She laughed as she rolled her eyes, "You're going to call me that all night, aren't you"?
"Don't you like it?"
She leaned against him playfully, "It's got a great ring to it. And, for the record, Peeta Mellark, I love you too."
Katniss stood, pulling him up with her, "Let's get to upstairs, I need to change, I hate being in dresses this long."
He followed her obediently up the stairs, "Lemme help. You promised you would let me help!"