Katniss and the Race to Everdeen Farm
Katniss Everdeen was not your typical Panem Township young woman. She was pushing twenty-seven years of age and had yet to settle on one young man to marry. Then again, not many young men had the courage to ask the alluringly beautiful and mysterious Miss Everdeen out on a date. Sure, she had the singing voice of an angel and she was kind and compassionate, and she would attend local socials and dances, but she also could best the young men in hunting any day, and with a bow no less. While it never crossed Katniss' mind that her superior archery skills intimidated many young men, not to mention her disciplined assistance in helping to run Everdeen Farm, the truth was most young men knew that there were only two possibilities to the heart of the young acolyte of the goddess Artemis: Gale Hawthorne and Peeta Mellark.
"If only my niece would marry! She seems perfectly comfortable being an old maid!" Exclaimed Euphemia Abernathy, Katniss' aunt.
"Aunt Effie, Katniss will marry when she's good and ready. She's helping mom run the farm. She has a good life here." Primrose Everdeen replied to her aunt's plaintive cry.
"Your uncle Haymitch already helps to run the farm. Its high time Katniss starts thinking of making a home for a nice young man and giving him babies. Besides, what will people think of you if Katniss doesn't marry? Everyone knows that its best if the older daughter is married before the younger, makes the family look successful. Now I've invited that lovely Gale Hawthorne to dinner Sunday, perhaps he'll take the hint to start courting Katniss."
"Effie, if Katniss isn't ready to get married, then that's her affair. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, she won't marry Hawthorne, I don't think he's what she's looking for or what she needs." Haymitch Abernathy said to his much-perturbed wife. Primrose shook her head, and turned back to the book she was reading. Mrs. Everdeen came in to join her family in the kitchen getting ready to settle in for dinner.
"I heard the last bit of your conversation. Please let's talk of something else, because Katniss is due in soon from penning the cows for the evening, if she hears of you discussing her single state, she will be quite upset."
"Only upset? And to think, I was going to join the gentlemen down at the general store and diner for the evening." Haymitch chuckled. Effie threw her husband an exasperated look. Katniss had walked into the kitchen, looking pretty and healthy and ready to eat. She removed her father's huntsman jacket and hung it up, washed her hands and prepared to enjoy dinner with her family. No one dared breathe a word about matrimony at the table, because while Effie was the only family member that vocalized her concerns. Haymitch, Primrose and Pauline secretly wondered at Katniss' single state as well.
Pauline Everdeen had wondered what had happened to the promising romance between her daughter and the handsome son of the town baker, the younger one, the one with the golden blond hair, unlike the blond shades of his equally handsome brothers… what was his name, yes, Peeta. There seemed to be some interest there for a few weeks and then suddenly, nothing but furtive glances between the two whenever in town or at local gatherings and socials. Primrose wondered at Katniss for giving Gale the time of day, sure he was nice, but he seemed a little too hotheaded, and besides, Primrose had plans to catch the eye of Rory Hawthorne. It would be quite strange to have her older sister dating his older brother, it just wouldn't suit. Haymitch had privately swore that if that so-called gentleman Gale Hawthorne even looked like he wanted to touch his niece, he would make sure Mr. Hawthorne wouldn't be able to walk for a week, if not ever again.
Katniss went up to her room that night, getting ready for bed, brushing out her luxurious molasses and chestnut colored hair, before tying it up in a neat braid and pinning it up. Secretly, Katniss was worried as well about her future and cringed every time she thought of the barn raising two months ago. The young ladies were to bring hampered lunches to be bided on in a silent auction. Katniss had taken great pains to make Peeta's favorites in that lunch, only to have Aunt Effie pull Gale Hawthorne aside to point out which lunch Katniss made. Mortification set in, when word got around that Gale had bid for Katniss' lunch and he paid a handsome price for said lunch as well. Peeta, looked at her crestfallen, thinking she had also tipped Gale off as to which lunch was prepared by her. She tried to get a chance to explain what happened to Peeta, but he conveniently avoided her during the day. Later that evening, when there was a dance to commence in the new barn, Peeta was further upset when Cato Earl asked Katniss to dance and she accepted. Katniss had gone home near tears that night, but figured it was just a bad day and Peeta would come around, except he didn't. To make matters worse, Gale hailed Katniss' lunch as absolutely fantastic, except that maybe she could've included some of his favorites for next time. This was said at Cartwright's general store, in earshot of both Katniss and Peeta, which only drove the wedge further between the two.
Katniss shook her head to clear the memories from those months ago, and hoped that Peeta would come around again. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The next day dawned beautiful and warm, and Katniss was taking a much-needed day off from the farm as Primrose volunteered to do her chores. Katniss got dressed and decided to wear a simple, but pretty blue sundress that showed her olive skin and tumultuous grey eyes to advantage, she wore her signature side braid and a pair of flats and headed to the general store just see what was available.
"Morning Katniss!" Mr. Mellark called out as she passed the bakery.
"Morning, Mr. Mellark! Could you set aside a few loaves of wheat bread and eight croissants for me? I'm just headed over to Cartwright's General Store." She called over with a smile. Perhaps she would see Peeta and get a chance to say hello. Katniss continued to the general store and ordered a few items for the farm, as well as purchasing several bolts of various fabrics to make some clothes for her and Primrose and arranged for the items to be delivered to Everdeen Farm and then made her way over across the street to the Bakery.
Katniss nervously walked into Mellark Bakery and picked up her order. Mr. Mellark greeted her with a kind smile, as well as his two handsome older sons. However, when Katniss' grey stormy eyes rested on Peeta, his honey golden dandelion blond curls and deep ocean blue eyes, she felt herself drowning and her heart quickening. Peeta quickly looked away, muttered, "Morning, Katniss" and disappeared into the bakery kitchens. Katniss nodded, took the order from Mr. Mellark, who now looked embarrassed by his youngest son, and walked out of the bakery blinking away tears. The walk back to the farm seemed to drag on Her day was ruined.
"Pauline, but Gale is a wonderful catch for Katniss. He's working private security for some pretty impressive people, and he's well connected and well-to-do. Who else would be good enough for our Katniss?" Effie asked, once again discussing the topic of Katniss' marriage or lack thereof.
"Effie, when Katniss is ready, I'm sure she will say yes to a lovely young man. I just don't think that man is Gale Hawthorne. Plus, I think there maybe one or two other young men more suited to Katniss, she really needs a gentle touch and someone that is willing to take the time to see who she really is, and not just one of the local beauties to be paraded around." Pauline replied.
"Who did you have in mind, Pauline? No one I can think of besides Gale could fit that description."
"Well, the Earl boy, Cato is very nice, handsome, a bit showy in looks, but he's a nice young man. Then there's the youngest Mellark, Peeta, another looker, and he's kind and such a thoughtful gentleman." Pauline replied, hoping her choice wasn't obvious.
"Peeta Mellark, Saul Mellark's THIRD son?" Effie screeched. "What could a third son do for our Katniss?"
"Actually, Saul Mellark's bakery is the third one in existence. There are three altogether, one here and two located in Capitol City, you know how large Capitol City is, Effie. Saul and his father wanted each young man to have his own bakery when the time comes, so Katniss would be taken care of, if that is your concern, Effie. Those Mellark boys are very hard workers and excellent bakers to boot." Pauline replied, giving away way more than she was used to. The two women were sitting on the back porch pealing peaches and potatoes. The hired farm hand Brutus McCoy was listening to every blessed word the two women were discussing.
"Well, I just don't like your picks for Katniss, if I have anything to say about it, she will marry Gale Hawthorne." Effied replied.
Suddenly, the back door burst open and Katniss was on the porch with her mother and aunt. Her face was red and it looked as if she had been crying.
"If that's the way you two feel then fine! I'll get married! I'll marry the first man that asks me!" Katniss declared and then turned on her heel and stomped back into the house. Effie and Pauline looked at each other in shock and surprise, because they knew Katniss would stick to her word, being half Abernathy. The two women looked up and saw the back yard was now empty. Brutus has cleared the area in record time.
"Gone home to tell Enobaria what's just transpired." Pauline said shaking her head, thinking of Brutus' lovely but gossipy wife. She hoped if Peeta had any sense at all, he would come here post haste once he heard the gossip.
The story that Katniss Everdeen would marry the first man that asks her spread through Panem Township like wildfire. The young men knew better than to even attempt to go up against the Mellarks or the Hawthornes, so instead, they all, one by one over the course of the afternoon filed into Cartwright's diner to await the news of which man would get there first.
Katniss was hiding up in her room trying to wrap her mind around what she had announced and how she hoped if Peeta still cared for her at all he would show up. Later that evening, there were a crowd of men hanging out at Cartwright's diner discussing the news of the day. Peeta and his oldest brother Wheatley had taken up two seats at the counter and wondered why everyone was quiet when they walked in. They didn't have long to wait for an answer, because Brutus walked in and spotted Peeta Mellark. He walked over to the two Mellark brothers and asked how they were doing. After the casual greetings were over, Brutus cut to the chase.
"Peeta, thought you would be headed to the Everdeen Farm by now." Brutus stated.
"Why would you think that?" Peeta asked, trying not to wince, he knew he was being an idiot towards Katniss, but when it came to Katniss, his feelings were all over the place, he had been hopelessly in love with her since that first day in kindergarten when he heard her sing. After finishing her song, she looked over at him and smiled at him in such a way, that his heart had not belonged to him since.
"You didn't hear? Katniss Everdeen declared she would marry the first man that asked her just this afternoon." Brutus finished. Peeta was suddenly very still, then he got up and left Cartwright's, he had to saddle his horse. Just as he was getting his saddle situated, Peeta saw Gale Hawthorne sprinting to his horse right outside Cartwright's diner, it was clear that Gale had also heard the same story. Gale saw Peeta getting ready to pull himself up in the saddle, and the next thing Peeta knew, Gale was cantering down the road. Peeta never moved so fast. Gale decided to use a shortcut, not caring that his thoroughbred wasn't familiar with the path. Peeta stayed the course on his chestnut Percheron quarter horse mix and road as fast as his gelding would carry him. Katniss had refused to leave her room to even come down to dinner, she sat staring out the window in disbelief at her irrational statement. Just as she thought that no one was coming, Katniss saw Peeta from her window, riding hell for leather to her family home. Katniss ran down stairs to the living room in anticipation.
Peeta saw that Gale would get to the gate first, but pushed on, promising his horse carrots and apples if he road faster. The two young men got to the gate at the same time, but Peeta struggled slightly to get off his horse, and Gale was through the gate and up the steps before Peeta could even open the gate. Katniss had run into the little powder room just before either young man could get through the door. Her whole family was in the living room, mom, Primrose, Uncle Haymitch and Aunt Effie. Gale burst through the door, not seeing Katniss, decided to greet the Everdeen family, sure of himself because he had entered the house first. Peeta had just burst in at the same time Katniss walked out of the powder room. While Gale was still greeting the Everdeens, Peeta shouted,
"Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me?"
"Yes, Peeta!" Katniss replied and ran into his arms and burst into tears. Gale stood there with his mouth hanging open, while Primrose, Uncle Haymitch and Katniss' mother stood up to congratulate the deliriously happy couple. Effie smacked Gale on the arm. "Well, at least she's getting married." Was all Effie could say. All too soon, Panem Township had a new story, about how shy Peeta Mellark got Katniss the huntress to marry him.