One of the greatest weaknesses at the Capitol is that they have almost no control over their passions. Life is lived for the next party or thrill. They live in the moment without thought of consequences. This is why the government can so easily control them. So long as the citizens have what the districts provide, they can control the center of their empire. There is a phrase for it from an ancient fallen world, Panem et circenses (bread and circuses).

Ever since Alara and Drite left, our whole family has been up in the Victor's Village packing at the Clouds. At first, Valance didn't want to start until after Alara's body was returned, but the work was distracting her from her emotions. It doesn't take as long at their house as it did at my mother's house.

"Well that's obvious," says Valance, "You had nine people living in your house over a thirty-one year period with a victor who stayed more than busy. Of course you accumulated more stuff." She disappears for several minutes and comes back with a few last minute treasures. "That should be all of it."

I'm carrying the last box to Valance's new house in the market across the path from my father and grandmother's home while the preliminaries continue on the screens above us. People at the Capitol are beyond distraught about the impending loss of twenty-three victors. These are the people that the Capitol knows a loves and who they think love them back. These will be only tributes where all of us morn together, but in separate ways. They will never be able to feel the pain we do when we send our loved ones into the arena. It's as Mother said, they'll ride the tide of emotion but will be quickly forgotten by the next party.

"Those kids are reckless!" Rook gets out. He's been pacing back and forth for the last few minutes. Something tells me he just wanted to vent and my father and I are his subjects.

"Honestly, here are twelve tributes ready to die for them and they just go and do something like that!"

Father looks at me with a glint of humor. Neither one of us has seen Rook like this. "Mind sharing what they did?"

Rook stops pacing for a moment and hits a few buttons on his computer. In a moment a video pops up showing us the end of the private sessions of District 12. Peeta has painted a picture of Rue with flowers in her hair while Katniss has a dummy with the name "Seneca Crane".

"No wonder they got 12s," Father says. "So what now?"

"Nothing changes," says Rook. "They go in they get pulled out. Sometimes I wonder what Thirteen is thinking. The time to pull them out was the moment the Quell was announced. But they don't want to make their grand entrance until the districts rebel. Not sure if you knew this, but Aurora disliked madam president more than Snow."

Father nods, "She told me."

"What am I thinking? Of course she told you. I'll do what I can for your victors, but if I get them home, it'll be your job to protect them from the rebels. Oh and I understand tonight's interviews are going to be a riot."

Father and I shrug knowing that he was implying something but neither of us knew what. I guess we'll see tonight.

"When I think about how much you all are suffering at loosing us, it's almost too much to bear" says Cashmere tearfully. "I haven't been able to stop crying since they announced the Quell."

My eyes open wide at the speech and I almost wonder if she knows about the rebellion. Her brother is next and, like her, turns it to how the Capitol is suffering, not them. Brutus and Enobaria don't participate and Wiress is too out of it to, but Beetee is a techie and he questions the legality of the Quell.

Back home everyone whispers to their neighbor about the last victor's remarks. No one seems to realize that this is their way of fighting back or getting a little payback in advance. Maybe even both.

Finnick Odair reads a poem and I swear Rotor is going to bust a gut from holding back his laughter.

"What's so funny?" Aron asks.

"Don't you see Pips? I guarantee every Capitol female that's after him is either balling her eyes out or fainted. If enough victors participate, the government will have a riot on their hands."

Mags is up next, but just has a polite conversation with Caesar since you can't understand her very well. Alara gets up and takes her seat and the interview begins with a few pleasantries. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Valance supported by my father and grandmother.

"What is there to say?" she asks. "Other than I thank everyone who helped me in my life. For that most of the credit goes to my sister, Valance, and my mentor, Falon. I remember how devastated everyone was at losing Falon and then Amaranth. But I imagine it will be twenty-three times worse. Too all of those I love, good bye."

Her interview is over and Drite takes her spot. The interview goes much like Brutus' for awhile but then twists. "The Hunger Games are in place to punish the districts for their rebellion. I never thought that the people of the Capitol would suffer with us. This is what the government has ordered and I will abide by their law as must we all. What could be done otherwise?"

It's subtle what he says, but adds fuel to the fire that the others started. The morphlings are out of it and don't join the fight, but Johanna Mason is full of fire tonight asking if something can't be done because there is such a deep bond between the victors and the Capitol.

"I never imagined anyone could be so cruel than to sever such a deep bond."

A deep bond. You can hear the pain in her voice, but it's not for the people in the Capitol. Like so many of the victors, someone from the Capitol wanted her after she won the games. Her parents found out and refused to let her, getting them killed. Johanna's little sister went into the arena last year, dying at the Cornucopia.

Cecilia gently reinforces what everyone else has said while Woof, Holly, and Garth are too old to really know what's going on. Janie and Stud are too out of it to comment, but Seeder and Chaff bring the subject back to where it was before.

"You've got to be kidding me," says Father as Katniss walks out in a wedding dress. But then fear shows in his eyes, "Get home, now."

We're slow at first, but then obey him. He's had a sense for danger, always knowing when to keep our heads down. No doubt he senses the storm in our district. But there's a problem as the Peacekeepers block our way. They want us to riot.

"…the most beautiful thing?"

Screams on screen and at home echo in the square as Katniss' dress burns up to be replaced with black feathers. A mockingjay.

There is no doubt in my mind that her stylist, Cinna, will be dead by morning. The horror on Katniss' face suggests that she knows that also. What she didn't know was that would happen. And if she didn't know about her costume change, what else doesn't she know?

In the back of my mind I wonder what's in that kid's head. Last year he squashed all the other tributes by declaring the girl he loved was his district partner in the arena. No doubt he is prepared to do so again.

"We're already married."

Neighbors turn to each other, "What did he just say?"

"Shut it!" someone shouts after a minute of this.

"Where you going with this boy?" Father thinks out loud.

"I mean, how could we anticipate a thing like that?"

"…but I'm glad you two had at least a few months of happiness together."

Large applause erupts at the Capitol.

"Ah mutts," curses Father.

Next to him, Rotor looks positively delighted. "Wait for it…"

"I'm not glad. I wish we had waited until the whole thing was done officially," says Peeta.

"Three," says Rotor.

"Surely even a brief time is better than no time?"

"Two."

"Maybe I'd think that, too, Caesar…"

"One."

"…if not for the baby."

"Boom."