The Lady of the Lake
So here we are, chapter 25 and we have OFFICIALLY HIT 100,000 words.
In celebration I am offering you guys little graphics or drabbles which will be posted on the tumblr. I know I haven't finished the ones from last time, but I'm on holidays now. So if you want to see something in particular either drop me a line on the tumblr or here in your review.
ALSO! Still looking for things on the Meme, on tumblr. Making graphics per request. Still looking for:
Two Capitol Citizens
Three Brotps
Four Locations
Five OTP's
Six Deaths
Seven Outfits
Eight Scenes
Nine Quotes
Ten characters.
Basically it's simple. You request. I make the graphic and dedicate it to you on the tumblr. :D The tumblr can be found by clicking the link on my profile, or searching.
thgladyofthelake
Also! Mad props to the gorgeous StardustIsMagic for her gorgeous edit, also up on the tumblr.
This chapter features Sky meeting Cato's family. And it was a lot harder to write than I thought.
Review responses are at the end.
Enjoy!
Chapter 25
It's almost dusk by the time the train pulls into the station at District 2.
It's not the same as the Tribute train, this is a much less luxuriant and less comfortable way of travelling, but I find I much prefer it. The Tribute Train always gave me the feeling that they were trying to buy us off, to blind us with wealth and food, and luxury so we would succumb meekly to their Games. This train is much more honest.
There are a fair number of passengers, people from the Capitol who have travelled out for business, merchants travelling from District to District. There is generally limited contact between the Districts, but produce needs to flow, and so there are people that drift between them.
I'm quickly recognised, and have a steady stream of visitors who gush to me about the Games, and about Cato and Finnick. I'm careful to be attentive and participate in their conversations, but the way they talk about the Games, which was such an ordeal for me, like it was a fabulous little drama conducted for their benefit, jars me.
To them it was a television show. Darrien was just a character, Teesa was just a character. They felt for their deaths, but they never considered them as humans, as real breathing children, with family waiting back home, family that will grieve for them for the rest of their lives, while the Capitol forgets them the instant the new, shiny entertainment comes along.
Eventually I manage to escape for a little while, by curling up in my chair once a group leaves and pretending to be asleep.
I still hear the whispering though.
"That's her…"
"…lady of the lake…"
"…her and Cato…"
"…oh I just died when…"
"…the moment when Darrien…"
"…oh Peeta he was…"
"…where do you think…"
"….pretty little thing…"
"….going to District 2?"
So it's a relief when the train slows and glancing out the window I realise that I've finally reached my destination, District 2.
Unfolding myself from my chair I smile at the people around me, who watch avidly as I scoop up my bags and head for the door. Just before the doors slide shut behind me, I hear a babble of noise and the rushing of footsteps.
I head along to the door outside and hang back as a flurry of men and women stream out the doors before me.
I hadn't been nervous before, but I am now.
It's been four months, four long months. What if he has changed? Have I? Could his feelings have faded? Mine haven't but…
Steeling myself I step outside, and squint into the bright afternoon glare of the low hanging sun. Shielding my eyes I blink around me, seeing people filing off the platform, and bundling into grey cars that zoom off efficiently.
It's so very different to District 4, that I take a moment to look around me. The station is made of smooth stone, like the marble I'd seen in the capitol, smoothed to glossy perfection. Everything is so clean and hard. This District is known for its stone, for training Peacekeepers, and it does not shy away from its heritage.
Shivering, feeling very alone on the stone train platform I look around for Cato.
For a moment I don't see him, and my stomach drops, anxiety clawing up through my chest.
And then the sun glints on something gold, and I look around to see him leaning against one of the hard stone pillars. I have no idea if he's spotted me, he's too far away for me see his expression, so I walk towards him, suddenly aware that there are faces smushed up against the glass of the train carriage I'd left.
Walking forward, I smile, hesitantly, as I see that he's watching me, an intense look in his icy blue eyes.
"Cato!" I call to him once I get within a few metres and he finally pushes off from the pillar, striding towards me.
His long legs carry him across the distance easily and then I'm in his arms, the strong limbs lifting me as his lips find mine. My arms curl about his neck, the fingers burying into his thick blond hair, which is a little longer now, holding him to me. We kiss and kiss, clinging to one another like two drowning sailors, starved of one another.
I'd forgotten the warmth kissing him fills me with, the feeling of rightness, of belonging, of safety. Above all I've missed the little things that make him Cato, the growl I can feel rumbling through his strong chest, the way his large, capable hands hold me like I'm precious, and at the same time likely to slip away from him. He won't let me go, and I have no desire for him to release me.
Our kiss breaks finally and I slide one hand around to cradle his strong jaw, smoothing over his cheek and the corner of his mouth. Quickly he presses a light kiss to the pad of my thumb, blue eyes never leaving mine.
"Too long," he says softly, arms tightening slightly, "Four months was far too long."
"It was," I agree, and he kisses me again, a long, slow, sweet kiss that makes me melt against him at the tenderness of it.
"Cato," a voice breaks into our little world and he looks around, slowly lowering me back to the ground, to face a tall, graceful woman with ivory blonde hair. I tuck my hair behind my ear and turn to face her properly too, only to meet a pair of icy blue eyes almost identical to Cato's.
"Mother," Cato growls, not letting go of me completely even as he shuffles with embarrassment, "I told you to wait in the car."
"Since when do I ever do what you tell me to Cato?" His mother shoots him a smile and then stops in front of me, her blue eyes warm, "You must be Sky."
"Yes," I say, suddenly shy, and leaning back against Cato, who is tense, "Pleasure to meet you ma'am."
"Oh please, none of that formality," she takes my hands in hers, drawing me with her as the train moves off, and away from the warm, comforting bulk of her son, "Call me Petra, dear. Or mom, if you prefer."
"Mother!" Cato whines from behind us.
"You know, my son has never been very good at sharing," Petra informs me, her voice lowered conspiratorially, even though both of us know Cato can hear every word, "He's going to have to get used to it though. I always wanted a daughter."
"You have a daughter," Cato grumbles, "She's a menace but she's still your daughter."
"Yes dear," Petra rolls her eyes, "But I doubt you could ever see Deccia ever wearing a dress, or being pretty could you?"
Cato mutters behind me even as I turn to look back at him, "You didn't tell me you had a sister." I say accusingly.
"Oh yes," Petra says before Cato can splutter out an excuse, "Deccia is the oldest, and the only girl, and then there are the twins, Septim and Lucan, both of them are Peacekeepers now, and then Cato. He's the baby of the family."
"Mother!" Cato throws his hands up, "I take it back Sky, this was a terrible idea, I should have gone to District 4."
"Oh sweetheart," Petra croons at him, slipping into the grey car waiting, "I haven't even offered her the baby pictures yet."
I can't help but laugh at Cato's tortured expression even as I rest my head on his shoulder in the backseat of the car.
The trip to Cato's house in the very large District 2 Victor's Village is full of Petra regaling me with tales of her son's adventures as a young boy. Most of them are embarrassing, but not terribly so, simply because Petra informs me she's saving the nudity stories for dinner that evening.
We've been invited to dinner at the Du'Grey household, even though Cato mutters about making a break for it back to the train station.
Petra drops us off, and then mortifies her son one more time before leaving.
"Darling, I just thought I'd let you know, dinner is at 6, so you don't really have time for a quickie, if that's what you're thinking of."
"MOTHER!" Cato goes bright red and practically drags me up to the house, almost shoving me inside as the sleek grey car swooshes off, "Fucking hell this District is insane, I never realised it before but they are."
I just laugh, and give his jaw a light reassuring kiss.
"Your mother is lovely," I reassure him, "Don't worry."
"She's embarrassing," He grumbles it, even as his arms curl around me once more, tugging me close, "I've never had to worry about it before. And it was funny when it was Septim who brought the girl home."
I punch his arm lightly, "That's another thing! Why didn't you tell me you have siblings?" I ask indignantly, "All those months chatting idly away on the telephone, I was telling you all about my life and you don't even tell me you have two brothers and a sister!"
"They're psychotic!" Cato defends himself, "The whole fucking District is psychotic. I didn't want you to be terrified of coming here. And you would have been if I'd told you about my two evil, scheming brothers, not to mention my scary ball crushing, hell hound of a sister."
"I'm sure they're not that bad," I roll my eyes at him, scooping up my bags once more; "You and Finnick are both such drama queens."
I start heading up the stairs, because the layout of these houses seem to be exactly the same as the ones in 4.
"Do not compare me to him!" Cato flails after me, growling, "He's a bloody, shameless flirt. Looking to get in your pants I'm sure of it."
I roll my eyes, as I catch him eyeing said pants as I walk up the stairs, "You're just as shameless, and Finnick is not looking to get anywhere near my pants. He's like a brother to me."
"And Peeta?" Cato grumbles, following me up the stairs, "Is he your brother too?"
"You like Peeta," I glance around at him, "I know you do, because he told me you two have been chatting."
"Doesn't mean I won't break his fucking face if he starts making moves on you." Cato growls, stepping beside me as I pause, "What? You've known where to go so far?"
"Where am I sleeping?" I ask quietly, glancing down the hallway.
The thing is I have no idea if it's too presumptuous to even be thinking of joining Cato in his bedroom. What if he has one of the spare rooms ready for me to sleep in? How awkward if he has, and I just march into his room, assuming that's where I'm sleeping.
"Where you belong." Cato tugs my bags from my hands and walks straight down the hall to the master bedroom, "With me."
Smiling slightly, I follow.
DuGrey family dinners turn out to be very different from the dinners back home.
It's not even that the food itself is different. This District tends to eat much less seafood than we do, understandably. Their meats are heartier, heavier, better suited to their colder climate further north, although Petra has made the effort to locate prawns for a dish.
"So you feel at home sweetheart," she tells me warmly, sitting me beside her, as she sits at one end of the table. Cato sits on my other side, with Cato's father, Tiderius, at the head. Opposite us sit Cato's older siblings, Septim, Lucan and Deccia.
I quickly learned upon arrival, what Cato had meant when he called his family psychotic.
We'd arrived and Cato swung the door open while I hesitated behind him, fingers playing with the dress Annie had packed for me. She'd been so earnest and insistent that I take the red dress when Finnick told me that I was going to meet Cato's parents. I couldn't not take it, and not wearing it now felt like a betrayal. Besides, it was a lovely dress.
So wrapped up was I, in my nerves that I didn't even look up as Cato lead me into the house.
Which made it even more shocking when he yanked me backwards in time to stop a knife thudding deep into the wall near my head.
I stared at it for a long moment as Cato stormed into the living room it had come out of.
"Fucking hell Deccia!" he roared, "What the fuck was that for?"
"Oh shove it," A female voice barked back, "I was aiming at Septim, he ducked, the little shit."
"Terribly sorry that I didn't want to get spiked by one of your claws kitty cat." Another voice drawled and slowly I peeked around the doorway.
Deccia was certainly intimidating, at least as tall as Cato, and built like a warrior goddess of old. She had the blonde hair that all the DuGrey's seemed to have, but her eyes are a darker blue than Cato's and their mothers. She had a jaw harder than granite, and her arm muscles swelled under the nice tunic she was wearing.
Nearby was the man I guessed was Septim, tall, slimmer than Deccia and Cato, built more for speed than brute force, and he had that intelligent look about him. More brains than brawn, although, looking at him, I was sure that anyone who underestimated him in a fight would pay for it.
All three pairs of eyes, Cato's and his two siblings', turned to me as I lingered uncertainly in the doorway.
"Fuck it all Cato," Deccia was the one to speak first, "She's tiny."
I blinked as Septim began to laugh, and Cato growled at his sister.
She walked over to me, as Cato backed up, keeping an eye on her like she was some kind of dangerous beast, Septim followed, keeping his distance while giving me reassuring winks.
At least…I hope they were reassuring.
"Well aren't you just adorable," Deccia stops in front of me, "Far too pretty for Cato of course, he deserves someone far less…normal than you. I mean that in the nicest way, I hope you understand."
"Deccia, enough." Cato growls it, reaching for his sister's shoulder.
She had him on his knees and the arm twisted behind his back before I could properly comprehend that she was moving.
"Play nice baby brother," She smirked at me as Cato grumbled and seethed in her hold, "You're scaring your little fish."
Of course, his family had watched the games. My cheeks flushed slightly and I looked down."
"I think you're the one scaring her Deccia," Septim murmured dryly, "She's a little physical," he informed me, shrugging, "We don't know how it happened. She was like that when Lucan and I arrived on this mortal coil."
"I am flawless," Deccia informed him, her dark blue eyes never leaving mine, "Now, Sky," she addressed me again, "Let me be the first to formally apologise for my ass of a baby brother," and she twisted Cato's arm, making him yelp, "And to give you my condolences on the fact you're still with him."
"Such a bitch," Cato gasps from his knees, "Fucking hell…"
"Quiet limpdick," she barked at him, and then paused, "Or is it…"
"Okay!" Septim, moved forward, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, "Sky, sweetheart, in case you didn't know, she's Deccia, I'm Septim, and you are coming with me, to meet Lucan and talk with mother. And leave all talk of Cato's dick, limp or otherwise, behind."
He steered me out of the room, not even looking around as the sounds of a brawl broke out behind us.
"Shouldn't we…?" I asked, looking back.
"No we really shouldn't." Septim advised, steering me into the kitchen, "Mother I have our visitor. Deccia's kicking Cato's ass again."
"Again?" A tall handsome man muttered from the sink, and I realised he was Lucan, Septim's twin, and Cato's other older brother, "I don't think she's forgiven him for Clove yet."
"Sky, darling," Petra swooped over to kiss my cheek, "I apologise for my children, their manners are appalling but what can you do. Give them a sword or knives and they'll just run riot."
"It's alright," I reassured her before looking at Lucan, "What did you mean, not forgiven him for Clove?"
Lucan's blue eyes turned to me, cool, calculating, "Deccia is a trainer at the Academy. She's the best knife thrower in District 2. Clove was her protégé. Practically family."
"Oh…" I swallowed; suddenly realising just how much this family would have wanted Cato to kill me in the Arena, how much they wanted Clove to come home at his side, "I'm sorry."
Lucan shrugged, and Petra patted my cheek, "There's nothing for you to apologise for sweetheart, although it's just darling that you did."
"We don't believe in apologies here in 2." Septim informs me, guiding me out to the table, "Mistakes are just openings your enemies noticed. Lucan, go separate the puppies would you?"
Which is how we ended up here, eating dinner, Deccia watching me intently, Lucan ignoring me completely, Septim and Petra asking me a flood of questions, trying to make me feel comfortable, Tiderius eating in stoic silence and Cato sitting, brooding beside me.
"Stop pouting pookie," Deccia shot at him, "Seriously, how did any of your Careers take you seriously with a face like that?"
"Shut your fucking face," Cato growls back and then yelps as his mother smacks his hand with the soup ladle.
"Language Cato!" she scolds, shaking her head at me, "I'm terribly sorry Sky. You must think he was raised by wolves."
Septim's and Cato's forks clatter into their bowls, and Deccia groans.
"Oh fuck…mother…"
Wolves.
I can't help the colour draining from my face, or the way my heart jumps, and my own knife trembles in suddenly nerveless fingers.
I can almost hear them yowling, phantom pain burning through my body. Quickly I put my fork down and pat my mouth with the napkin.
"Excuse me," I say, standing hurriedly, "I'll just…I need the bathroom."
And I almost flee from the room.
I'm miserable the entire trip home to Cato's house.
I'd managed to return to the dinner table after the wolves moment, although I hadn't managed to stop my traitor body from throwing up all of the delicious food in my hosts toilet. My nerves from earlier at meeting his family, all the mentions of the Hunger Games, Clove, the wolves, all of it mixed together to make me retch miserably long after my food had left my belly.
It's not fair, I thought, splashing my face and rinsing my mouth out, I thought I'd put it behind me. The Hunger Games are over. Time to forget.
But I guess that was the thing, in District 4 we tried to forget, to have normal lives, to push it away.
Here in 2…it is remembered. Honoured.
Celebrated.
I returned to the table with a small reassuring smile to an anxious Cato, who kissed my temple lightly. The rest of the dinner was quiet, punctuated by the occasional question about my District, from Septim and Petra.
The best bit was when I mentioned Finnick casually in a story and Deccia broke in.
"Finnick? Finnick Odair? He was your mentor?"
I nodded and she fanned herself.
"And you went for dipshit here?" she asked.
Cato growled dangerously, "Deccia."
"Seriously Cato, you know how I feel about you male morons, but even I know Finnick Odair is dishy." She winks at me, "I'd totally tap that."
"Deccia!" Petra looked scandalised while Septim buried his face in his arms.
"Sky is not tapping anything of Odair's." Cato barked it, his arm sliding possessively around my shoulders, "He's like a brother to her."
"Cato, my dearly, delusional, dickhead brother," Deccia leaned back in her chair, "She's allowed to look."
"She doesn't," he snapped, and then hesitated before glancing at me uncertainly, "Do you?"
"Objectively," I said carefully, "Finnick is a very handsome man," Deccia nodded, while Cato looked betrayed, "However," I continued firmly, "He has no appeal for me in that regard. Your brother however? Very appealing."
Cato beamed proudly at me and Deccia eyed me thoughtfully.
"Bring her by the Academy tomorrow," She ordered her brother, "See how appealing she finds you when she goes through a District 2 training session."
It was the only bright part of the whole evening, an evening where I felt like I didn't really belong, with people who almost seemed to speak another language.
Now home, Cato helps me out of the car and ushers me upstairs, his fingers gently lingering on my shoulder blades.
"I'm sorry," I say quietly, "I don't think…I made a very good impression."
"They liked you," he replies softly, moving over to kiss my shoulder, gently sliding the strap of the red dress to the side to press his mouth to my skin, "They just…suck at showing that kind of thing."
"You think?" he knows his family best, and the words make me feel a little better. I'd so badly wanted them to like me, and to approve of me for their son and brother.
"I know," he kisses my neck next, finding the pulse as he always does, "My mother loves you, and Septim thinks you're sweet. Deccia's mental, but she wants you to train…so you've met some kind of measure of approval. Lucan…Lucan hates everything."
"And your father?"
"He's like Lucan. But he'll come round. He doesn't like that you're from outside our District."
"Cato," I lean back against him, "I'm sorry I…"
"Hey," he holds me close, rocking gently, "Forget it. I've reacted badly to references to…wolves," both of us shudder, "too. It's not your fault."
"I just…didn't want to disappoint you."
"Hah," he turns me in his arms, "I didn't want to scare you off."
"You didn't," I smile softly, leaning up into him and kissing him softly, "You really didn't."
"And you didn't disappoint me," he cups my cheek, "I know underestimating you is a mistake, remember? They'll figure that pretty quickly too."
We kiss a bit more, but both of us are exhausted, so we get changed, and slip into the comfortable, cool, crisp bed. Cato's warmth is reassuring as he wraps around me from behind, cuddling me close.
"So glad you're here," he murmurs against the back of my neck, voice already drowsy, "Haven't lost you."
"No," I whisper, stroking his arm, hearing his breaths deepen into sleep behind me, "You haven't lost me. And you never will."
Next chapter will have some Sky and Deccia bonding time...and Sky and Cato...further their relationship...
Sarah'1595 – She's relatively normal, but it's mostly because she's pushing down everything she saw, trying to forget it. I like Annie, and she's surprisingly easy to write for me.
Luli Cullen – Nope no cheating. My Cato flavour is very possessive and honourable. Cheating isn't his style
Physiologyfan – She is! I adore her.
Ravenclaw Slytherin – Thank you! Here is an update!
MoonlightDiva – Thanks, I wanted to show a bit of normal life before everything starts going back down the gurgler
Coco2008 – We're all sailors on the good ship Skato at this point methinks. Or at least I definitely am.
Loopyloola – Cato is funny all round, And yes visiting!
Cookiecrazy224 – He's back in this chapter though! Being tormented by his family.
Mt – Thank you! I know lots of people think Annie is crazy mad, but I see her as kind of fractured, lost in her own head.
A-Bookworm-Named-Steph – So glad you like Finnick! And yes I had heard that, grrrr…Here is some more fic for you.
Guest – Thank you! I love the Peeta and Sky and Finnick and Sky friendships too, sibling love! They may become friends in time, still a bit of tension there yet to be really buddy buddy.
Reviewer08 – I see Sky being quite protective and mothering of Annie, and Annie sees Finnick loving and trusting Sky, and so she loves and trusts her too. It's very cute in my head. And I know…bb!Darrien's. Sky cried too. Poor Peeta, he's going to be back in this again soon, he has somewhere to run to this time, instead of stuck in 12 watching Katniss and Gale. Ahaha the Quell is coming…
Isabella – Thank you! They are sweet aren't they!
WonderGirl556 – Here we go! Reuniting!
Eve –Glad you like Annie and yes, bb!Darriens. Huuuuu
StardustIsMagic – Sweetheart! I missed you. Glad you liked Creepy Snow, and Annie and Darrien's family. She is trying to forget, but I don't think they are going to let her. And I LOVE the edit. As you know
UnseenWonders – Thank you so much! And thank you for reviewing! I hope your French assessment went alright. It's amazing to hear you say I put detail in because my biggest failing is actually detail. People always say I lack detail so I'm glad this story bucks the trend!
EGilly – Yay Skato! He is. Don't tell him. He'll sulk.
Germany – Ahaha I hope you enjoy it lovely.
SophiaLily1980 – Big compliment there. Don't think this is anywhere as good as the real book, or any real books for that matter, but thank you for boosting my ego.
Aumack – Thank you! I like Annie too, she always interested me Darrien's family are determined that Sky be one of them, although Sky gets a bit weepy about it at the moment. Here is the update!
Hahaha - No worries lovey, so glad you enjoyed it!
Guest – Wow, thanks for reading it! And yeah they are total opposites aren't they! I loved Foxface and Finnick too, which was why I wanted to give Foxy more facetime. Even though it sucked when the end came and she had to die
Guest – Here's more!
AeronaVxx – I'm so glad you like it, and Finnick in particular, he's very fun to write as you can imagine I'm glad you can read it aloud and enjoy it that way. I was at one point considering trying to make it a podfic, but then I remembered I'm shy. I'm 24 years old, dunno if that's old or young…and don't worry about asking me questions. I don't get them all the time no. I write from another point of view by really trying to get in the characters head, empathise. I sat through the movie about five times and thought how would Sky feel here, here and here…and kind of emotion catalogued it. Even before I got to writing. By the time I got to those bits in the story, I already knew her well enough that I didn't need to consult any more. I hope that makes some sense xD
