It was tiring to fight a war after watching your brother and sister in the Games. The District Two contingent was particularly concerned with getting their home district out of Capitol hands. General Lazare got President Coin to change the war plan to focus on his district.
The rebels weren't yet able to besiege the main Peacekeeper fortress there – either Thirteen didn't have the strength or the Capitol still had too much of it. Even if rebels surrounded that place, the Capitol might be able to break out, or attack the rebel soldiers with Peacekeepers from elsewhere.
However, a few days after Twelve, the rebellion attacked some training camps out in the open, wrecking the facilities and taking many prisoners. Hannibal was in charge of interrogating the captured drill sergeants.
Some Peacekeeper recruits were already ideologically committed to the Capitol. For instance, the men at the firing range had turned against the rebel troops.
Yet most of the trainees practically worshipped the Victors, especially their hometown heroes. This helped lead a lot of people into resisting the Capitol. Even if not converts per se, some liked to fight and may as well fight against the Capitol. "We thought the white was our fight, since we weren't elite enough for yours," one of the young men told Patrick II.
"Maybe it's the gray," he replied.
"Maybe," the captured recruit tentatively agreed. "No wonder the service oath forbids getting married and having children, something to be loyal to instead of the Capitol."
"Apparently!" Patrick the Victor said.
"So your sister's a hovercraft gunner and Lyme's a staff officer, but where's Cato?" the other young man continued.
Patrick II gave a straight answer. "Took a leg wound in Twelve. Could've died only a few days after his daughter was born. That's a bit of what really happens in war. Make sure to respect the medics." Rory hoped he wouldn't be further wounded in similar circumstances.
Thirteen planned something called Operation Guest. The rebels intended to rescue some of the other victors. The timing and name was to have them present for the upcoming milestones in the lives of their latest comrades. The District One breakout was on March 23rd. Alex Hawkins' unit gained five more victor soldiers. The District Thirteen Army also recruited a young woman who was anything but a victor; Lustre Shinesmith had lost her big sister to the arena four years ago. Other victors were brought to safety throughout the rest of the month.
"Who's one year old today? Yes, you are!" Gale cooed at his twins.
"Has it been a year? Judging by the sleep I've gotten, I thought it was only a few months," Katniss answered.
Prim went into labor in early May. Katniss Ingrid would be the aunt of Ingrid Katniss when turning 20. Sage and Jacob were also eager to meet baby Ingrid. They were crawling into Prim's room. Jacob sort of stood up with his mother supporting him. "Baby!" he said, bringing his hands together.
"Is that my nephew's first word? Proud momma and proud auntie all at once?" Prim answered.
Prim and Rory still planned to get married on her upcoming birthday. "You're having quite a busy month, Little Duck. Two of the big moments in life," Katniss said happily.
"Rory, I know you're gentle with my baby girl, but you especially have to be like that while she recovers from giving birth," Mrs. Everdeen admonished.
"Even with her birthday coming up?" Rory asked.
"I shan't spoil your wedding night. But be careful," she answered.
The Mellarks, ever the bakers, would provide the wedding cake. The District Thirteen cooks were used to simple hard breads.
Peeta was a sweet boy, and hauling food on a healthy diet did not hurt his muscles. Some girl would be lucky to have him. That person apparently wasn't Katniss; Gale was the man with the fire to match hers.
Peeta's witch of a mother had turned him into a wreck, and his father wasn't helping. Mr. Mellark didn't stand up to his wife for their son. He was unable to get over his own feelings for Mrs. Everdeen, which certainly fueled his wife's anger. Someone out there who loved Peeta would help him deal with that and would see the rest of him.
Peeta eventually got a chance to talk to Gale alone. "How can I have something like that with someone like that?" Mellark asked plaintively.
"You gotta move on, bread boy. Seems your father didn't. I ain't know what kinda girl it's gonna be for you, but pour your energy into her," Gale advised. He did want to help the boy, not just make him go away, though those two things had something in common.
"And things besides my energy?" Peeta said, smirking.
Another part of the wedding was also easy to plan. "Of course she'd wear her big sister's wedding dress. Katniss had married me in it because she had been wearing it when I told her I loved her, said I made her happy in it," Gale explained to Cato. "But I wasn't really making her happy 'till I got her out of it," he jokingly added.
Cato had never got to see his parents together, not even for too short of a time, so Gale had left Mr. and Mrs. Everdeen's part out of the story. Since Cato had lost his father to the Games, it wasn't so hard to turn him against the Capitol when the opportunity presented itself. After all, the aggressive young men had been getting along quite well once they agreed about the essential matter of recognizing the Capitol was evil.
Sapphire, District One's victor from seven years ago, spoke up after the ceremony. "Even if, especially if, you're a victor, the Capitol doesn't let us settle down and live in peace. But you of all people especially deserve to."
"Wise words from the second most beautiful woman in the room," Rory answered. Ms. Silversmith was known for her swordfighting, but also her impossibly tall and voluptuous figure, so to call her the second was high praise of his bride. Prim smiled further, apparently the first one to get it.
"Mr. Hawthorne's assessment seems reasonable," Patrick II deadpanned. Prim and Sapphire were both gorgeous for their body types. Even if the new Mrs. Hawthorne wasn't comparably pretty, Rory would say it and mean it. This war was looking like it might actually secure the future they deserved. For both birthdays, Katniss was almost happier for her sister than the older Everdeen was for herself.
