OMG...I know, right. I finally updated. I had completely forgotten about K&P! I still don't have it complete, a rabid Harry Potter plot bunny took over my summer and I had to write it instead. If you would like to read it, it's on my profile. Here's part 2 of "Family..." As always: I don't own it! Enjoy!
Peeta POV
Katniss and I sat back and watched the reunion take place. I had no idea who Tor and Ari were talking about until Haymitch left the room to get whomever. Tor started pacing the room while Ari set up the tablet communications that would let her talk to to Vishous. The minutes seemed to drag on until it connected and he appeared a minute later. She told him to get Rhage and Mary...whoever they were.
I had a feeling I was going to find out. Was this part of the family that I didn't know about. That wanted me to come home. Twisting my fingers in Katniss's braid, she leaned close to me and her eyes told a story. That she was just as confused as I was. From hearing about the vague trip around the city that Tor and Ari had done to their confirmation that something had went on to Haymitch, I thought it best to keep my nose out of it until I was told….if I was told.
My stomach growled and I knew it was getting close to dinnertime. If they darkening sky outside wasn't an indication. Snow had all the rooms bugged, how were they able to do this without being caught.
"Because we have a way to debug and jam the audio." Torhture said looking at me.
"Like you did on the train? That four note whistle?" he nodded at me and it confirmed my suspicions. Whatever was going on was big enough that we had to hide our conversations from prying eyes and ears.
Soon the doors opened and Haymitch walked in followed by Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason. Katniss and I looked at each other confused, but when we heard Finnick scream "Mom' and threw himself in Ari's arms, I had an idea who Torhture had been talking about earlier. Each of the Victors hugged Torhture and Arianna but when I looked at Finnick again, he had changed. It wasn't the same man. The bronze blonde look was replaced by dark hair and green eyes. Stubble lined his face and he seemed taller.
Just then we heard Johanna scream for her parents, the ones that had came up on the screen. This must be Rhage and Mary. I didn't see a resemblance until Johana transformed too. Completely the opposite of what we knew her as. Haymitch didn't look surprised, but we sure as shit were. More secrets that we were just now learning.
When Janja-as everyone was calling her-begged Arianna to bring her parents over, I was infuriated. So she could send me and Katniss back to their home in a matter of minutes! Katniss must have noticed my anger because she placed her hand on my arm and kissed me lightly. It was enough to calm me but I would need answers. Fast.
We watched in fascination as Arianna came back from her room dressed in pure white. What the hell is she doing? I thought to myself, but kept my eyes locked on her. After a few minutes of waiting around, she vanished from our sight. My eyes widened as saucers as I looked around the room.
"So anyone mind telling me and Katniss what the fuck is going on?"
"See, it's like this Peeta. The two here-" Torhture pointed to Finnick and Johanna- "are family. Flynn is my son and Janja is my niece. They were sent…"
"Volunteered…" Flynn interjected.
"Right...volunteered to come over here and be our spies. They won their Games and got into good with the Captiol and have been gathering information for us."
"Why them?"
"Why not?" Flynn asked. "Janja and I are still quite young enough to blend in with this society that it wouldn't look suspicious."
"What happened to the real Finnick and Johanna?" I asked hoping the answer wasn't death.
"Don't know. That's out of our hands." Flynn said flippantly.
"They're not dead, are they?"
"Nope! I talked to my counterpart a few weeks ago. When "my" name was recalled for this. I know Johanna is still alive. She's still eternally grateful that I took her place."
"So is this your natural look?" Katniss asked looking at them.
"Yea…."
"Then how can you look so different."
I saw Flynn grin. "I'm the Loki of the group..It's one of my gifts. Glamour. Janja wears an anklet that is designed to keep her glamour going until she takes it off. But it's been a long time since I've been able to show my real self. Only Annie and Janja know."
I was afraid to ask if the 'forced prostitution' was real. If glamour was his thing, then couldn't he make it to avoid such things from happening. Of course it was none of my business….
"May I ask one more question?" Torhture nodded. "How long has this been going on?"
"Years, decades…" Haymitch said startling everyone. We had almost forgotten he was there. His silence in watching us and listening made him a mute. A light flashed and Ari was standing there with four other beings.
I knew Torhture was tall, but Vishous and Rhage towered over him by a few inches. There were two females present. I though only Mary was coming. The other female had blonde cropped hair and looked stern compared to her mate. Rhage and Vishous arrived looking for a fight but seeing their family they seemed to relax.
Katniss POV
Before I knew it I had nodded off only to be woken up by Peeta nudging me. A flash of light signalled that Arianna had left. We had heard so much from Flynn and Janja that my head was spinning. Seriously this couldn't get any weirder. I had met both of them and privately met Flynn but he never said anything to me, but the when his eyes darkened, I should have known then. That he wasn't human.
Everyone was waiting around for Arianna to return with our guests. Was this the way we were going home? Peeta seemed disturbed the whole time. He was getting angry and hungry. I could feel it. Kissing him on the mouth, it seemed to relax him, but it was only momentarily. I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave my my mother and sister alone in District 12 without me. It wouldn't feel right. The talk was light yet intense and I had to keep with everyone to make sure I was learning this the correct way.
Suddenly, she was back and there were four others with her. Two tall and imposing males that seemed ready for a fight and two dainty looking females. One blonde and one brunette. The opposites of their mates. We heard Janja squeal and launch herself into the couple that we had seen on the screen.
The tearful reunion was enough to make tears roll down my face. I had never seen any family love each other as much as they did. Even my love for Prim couldn't be matched and I thought that was eternal. I watched in fascination about these people. The same people who were related to Peeta. It was like we were watching something that we weren't privy to. When everyone had broken up, we all scooted around to make room.
"So where are we?" Mary asked.
"In the Training Center…." I said softly.
"Ah, make warriors out of you?" Rhage asked. I looked at the other Victors and winced. "It's not what it's for?" he asked confused looking at us.
"Ah, well….." Janja started.
"Janja…." Rhage started eyeing her carefully.
"It's because we're back in the Capitol." I could tell she was hoping he was smart enough to figure it out.
"Why do I have to spill my guts?!" she whined.
"Because my parents know what's going on." Flynn told her.
"What the fuck is going on?" Rhage asked again.
"Fine! I'm going back to the Games. Ok, I said it." she shouted taking a seat. The air around us cooled and I huddled close to Peeta. He was on alert and could sense that something was going to happen. His arm wrapped around me and held me tightly. I think to shield me from this. I had seen his anger but what came out of Rhage made him look tiny in comparison.
"She's what?" he hissed looking at Torhture.
"And so is Flynn, Peeta, and Katniss." Arianna finished.
"Why?" both Mary and the blonde woman choked out.
"None of have a say over this and before you go beasty on me Rhage, I didn't know until the announcement." Haymitch said defending himself.
"This moves the plan much faster. I don't want any of my family in this." Vishous said looking around the room.
"Yea, who died and made you leader." Rhage spat.
"No-fucking-body. Chill Hollywood...Tor, Ari and I got this." He turned to look at them. "Have the spyflys been set up."
"Did them this morning. Training Center has them on each floor and we strategically placed them around the City." Torhture said.
"Good. Now we can move onto the next phase…" he trailed off when we all heard a knock.
"Everyone hide but Katniss and Peeta!" Ari hissed. Those that could vanished and the girls jogged to a room.
The door opened and two Peacekeepers stepped through the door. Neither of them looking around to the splendor of the room. I froze. My heart stopped and I felt my blood run cold. What were they doing here?
"Is Henry and Charlotte Huxley present?"
"We are. What business do you have?" Torhture asked.
"You are to report to President Snow's mansion immediately." The female Peacekeeper said formally. I looked at them panicked and swallowed my fear. What was going to be done to them?
"Well, lead the way." Torhture said indifferently.
"Do we need to change clothes? I'm only in lounge clothes." Arianna asked.
"He would prefer you to be dressed formally…." the female Peacekeeper said slowly.
"We'll be right back." she took Torhture's hand and they disappeared to their room. I'm sure they were telling the rest of the family what was going on. When they returned several minutes later, Ari was dressed in a black and white block irregular dress. I only know this because Cinna whispered it to me. He seemed to be in awe of her choice of clothing. Torhture was in black slack and a black dress shirt.
Their faces showed nothing that would make them panic. Which was good because I was doing enough panicking for the both of them. When they disappeared, I prayed they would come back to us.
Arianna POV
I was not expecting to be called to the Presidential mansion, but here we are. Long before Tor and I came over here we came up with a cover story that would help us blend in and in case we were ever interrogated, we would be safe. Following the Peacekeepers down the hall as we reached the first floor, people were staring at us. Clutching Tor's hand, I held it tightly. The last time I was around a President, I was experimented on and lost five years of my life. I was determined to not repeat the process.
Instructing us to get in the black car ahead of us, we stepped in and took a seat. I looked at my mate and in a language they wouldn't be able to detect, the Old Language, we spoke quietly. I expressed my utter fear, but he was sure nothing would happen to us. I wasn't so sure. I wish I had my mate's utmost confidence.
The driver didn't speak and kept his eyes on the road. I'm sure we could have walked but it seemed more formal to force us to ride in a car. I envy and reveled in this luxury. It had been so long since I had been in a car. District 12 was poor enough that people walked instead of drove. I make myself sound spoiled.
When the car stopped in for a white nearly three story house. It was splendid. Built in a time before the Dark Days. It had terraced gardens and a fountain cascading down the hillside. A recurring motif is sculpted and painted swans throughout the house and grounds. Which seemed appropriate for the man who lived there.
A Captiol attendant escorted us to the library where we were to awaitn on the President. Tea would be served shortly. Looking around the extraordinary amount of literature and exquisite traditional furnishings, it made me long for home. Taking a seat on the red couch, I saw there was a small table where we could take this "tea." I could tell Tor was wishing he would have brought a few spyflys and let them loose inside the mansion.
We were only waiting for a few minutes when the door opened again. It was a Capitol attendant. A different one. "Please follow me to the dining room." she said. Standing up, we followed her down the hall and toward the kitchens. Pushing a set of double doors open, we stepped into the dining room. It was a formal dining room. Like the one we used at the compound for First and Last Meal. A chandelier hung above us as we stood there.
Old memories came flooding to ones you wished to forget. Oh fuck, not now… I closed my eyes and fought my own curse. The memories of standing and waiting in the dining room waiting on my parents for ages to sit and eat. Etiquette lessons and days where I was forced to attend and observe while everyone ate and I was denied food..
Please go away...Please go away…..
I gripped the back of the chair so tightly that I"m surprised I didn't snap the chair in two. Tor must have noticed my agony because he nudged me.
"Are you….." then he realized what was happening. "Oh fuck...Ari."
"It's fine...I'll be OK." I squeezed my eyes tighter. The memories still flooding my brain like a fuckin' spot light. This was a mistake. This was a bad idea. It soon became harder to breath but I had to fight it and fall apart later when I was alone.
Suddenly the door opened and President Snow walked through. Whipping my head up, I focused on the mission ahead of me. The look Tor gave me sent a few chills in the room. I was going to be useless tonight.
"Please, be seated." Snow said pleasantly. I almost gagged from the overpowering smell of rotting blood and tissue.
As we took a seat, another attendant brought a tea tray. We all sat in silence as it is poured and served to us. I was determined to keep my hands from shaking. I had a century of practice to keep me stable. Stirring my tea, I slipped a neutralizer in the amber liquid. I saw him do the same. It would help me and Tor from going into shock of whatever poison he might have put in it. Pouring milk and sugar in my tea, I sipped it slowly. It had been ages since I've had good tea.
"So what brings you two to the Captiol of Panem?" I raised my eyebrow questioningly. "Yes,I know you're not from Panem."
"We're historians. Teachers, if you will. We came over here to study and learn about your country. Maybe, with your permission to take it back and copy into our history books so that the children of our country would know what else is out there after the Dark Days. We have such little information that Panem is just a few paragraphs." Tor said smoothly. We had practiced this for days before getting it right.
Please buy it ….Please buy it…..Please buy it….
"What would you like to know about this country? I know you were on the Victory tour this year, don't think I didn't see you."
"Anything that you're history books are willing to let us have. People are curious about Panem." I said efficiently taking a sip of the tea. Both men followed my lead. Bravo me!
"Did you learn anything on the Tour?"
"We did but anything you can tell us wouldn't do it justice. The landscapes are beautiful. The Captiol is extraordinary, but it's not really the landscapes, it's about the country as a whole." Tor replied.
This seemed to please Snow. He was a closet diva that wanted everyone in the world to know how he ran such a tight ship over a country. A totalitarian dictatorship, if you ask me. We came from a monarchy. Both human and vampire.
"Then before you leave, I will send a few copies of books for you to look over so you can write about Panem and all its glory." he said giving us a snakish smile. "I hate to be rude, but there are things this President needs to take care of. One of the attendees will see you out."
I stood up and flicked my fingers freezing Snow in his place while Tor moved his hand over Snow's face and his eyes went glassy for a second. He would never know that we were here. I knew he couldn't do everyone but we left quickly before Snow unfroze and disappeared from his sight.
Getting back into the car, I could almost sigh in relief but my hands started trembling. I looked at Tor and tears threatened to escape from my eyes. Pulling me close to him I fought until I knew we were back at the Training Center.
The ride seemed longer going back that coming but we finally arrived there and Tor rushed me to the elevator and I could hear him praying for the elevator to hurry. Finally a ding indicated that we had reached our destination.
"Go to our room. Sit in the closet if you need too." he whispered and Jane came rushing to me. Helping me to the room that had been assigned to us. Crawling in the closet, she closed the door and my shields crashed and the memories came flooding back.
Katniss POV
Since Tor and Ari left almost two hours ago, everyone had made idle chat. The atmosphere was quiet and undisturbed as an abandoned pond. Peeta was engaged in conversation with Vishous and, who I learned later on, Jane, about New Britain and things about his Father. Rhage and Mary were still visiting with Janja. Flynn sitting with Vishous and Jane, who I also learned, was his Aunt and Uncle.
Or something like that. They said they were related by blood but they shared a blood bond with their King. Which made them Brothers.
Cinna, Portia, Effie and Haymitch had left us sometime ago and it felt like the room wasn't so damn small. I couldn't breath with so many people in the room. I casually sat on Peeta's lap and toyed with his hair while we all talked..
The elevator opened and Tor and Ari came back in. Something wasn't right with Ari and Jane rushed to help her. Ari was ashy and I could see from my seat that she was trembling. She covered her face with her hand like she was hiding tears. Jane was a healer so maybe she could help her. The look on everyone else's faces said something different.
"It happened again, didn't it?" Vishous asked once Jane and Ari were out of the room.
"Yea. It did. Right before Snow came into the room." Tor replied wearily.
"Fuckin' hell. You'd think the curse be lifted by now."
"Mine isn't." Rhage volunteered.
"Yours is different. You didn't volunteer for it." Mary said softly looking at her mate.
"You know what triggered it?"
"The dining room. Remember how she freaked out the first night she ate dinner at the compound?" Everyone but Peeta and I nodded. "She once told me that she can't handle traditional dining rooms. It brings back too many painful memories."
"What memories?" Peeta asked innocently. Everyone in the room looked at each other then looked at Tor. I almost snapped. Why can't these people tell us anything?
Tor opened his mouth several times, but Flynn beat him to it. "From when mahmen was physically abused by her parents for almost two decades." he explained softly not meeting us in the eye.
"She made a deal with the Scribe Virgin, my mother, to erase Mayrah's, her sister, memories and Ari would be forced to remember. Each time she sees something that reminds her of that time, it triggers an emotional-fear, if you will- episode that can take hours; sometimes days, to overcome." Vishous finished explaining.
"I thought Mayrah was your daughter?" I asked carefully.
"She is firstly my niece, but Ari convinced us to adopt her and since then she believes that we are her birth parents."
"Does this happen often?"
No. Just on rare circumstances when she's forced. Like today. I knew something was going to set her off." Tor said tiredly.
"Is there anything that can be done about it?"
"Nope. Not until The Scribe Virgin lifts the curse. She's a crafty one. Mine was originally 200 years but it's been changed till my death. Long story...don't wanna get into it." Rhage rolled his eyes.
Peeta and I were silent. Though it makes sense. The entire house at the Victor's Village looked nothing like ours. We were for the traditional and theirs were more of a Capitol modern. I hated it but now I realized why she did it. I wanted to ask more questions, but the air had changed. I don't know what crossing through Ari's mind, but I felt incredibly sorry for her. Clutching Peeta's hand, he squeezed back.
"We need to get going…" Vishous said.
"I thought you couldn't leave without Ari?"
"I think my mother will let us pass through…." he said. Looking at Tor, "Did everything go OK with the visit?"
"Yea, nosy asshole. Just wanted to know why were were here. We gave him the cover story then wiped his memories." Tor said evasively.
A feral smiled cross V's face but it disappeared as Jane came back in the room. The love and adoration that bloomed on his face was nearly identical to Tor and Peeta when they looked us females.
"How is she?"
"How long did she fight it?"
"Almost an hour."
V whistled, but Jane continued. "Then it will a moment."
Tor, Vishous and Flynn audibly sighed and shrugged. "Thanks Doc…"
"Alright you three...let's bounce." V said. Rhage and Mary gave Janja another hug and they disappeared.