The Lady of the Lake

So chapter 27! Again, not exactly thrilled with this one, but it was essential. We've now reached the beginning of Catching Fire, the beginning of the Victory Tour, and back into the action! WOO!

As always I recommend you readers to join the TUMBLR. There is a lot of fun stuff on there, including drabbles, graphics, questions from the audience to the cast, and many other things. I'm also going to start a segment tomorrow called Spoiler Sundays, where I will give away a little tidbit of spoilery information! The Tumblr is located on my profile or at

thgladyofthelake

This chapter features Deccia sussing on Sky, farewells, rebellion, Finnick's real name, Peeta and President Snow.

Review responses and a Poll are at the end of the chapter!

Enjoy!


Chapter 27

It takes Deccia about 3 days to realise just why my weapons aim is awful.

"So," she says, cornering me by the practice dummies, looming over me with her muscled arms crossed, "What's wrong with them then?"

"Wrong with what?" I blink at her, unsure as to what she's referring to.

"Your eyes." She waves at my face before folding the arms again, "What's wrong with them."

I sigh, slowly putting down the vest of throwing knives.

"They shake," I say softly, "Some kind of genetic disorder. They shake and therefore the further away things get, the harder they are to compensate for. So…things get blurry. It's a nerve thing, I think."

Deccia's jaw works and then she nods slowly.

"Does Cato know?" I shake my head, "Why?"

"Well," I sigh, running a hand through my hair, "In the Arena I wasn't really trying to advertise more weaknesses than I already had. And once we got out…what would I say? Oh by the way I can't see properly? It didn't seem like a big thing after the Games ended."

"And that was why you chose those dinky little hunting knives, and the fishing trident." Deccia rubbed her face, "Right well I definitely think a spear, pike or trident is the right weapon for you then, even if all of them are phallic to say the least. Still a bit of range in it, keep someone busy until you can get assistance. And they aren't as phallic as the swords, and the men using them to over compensate for something." She then steers me along, back towards the District 2 Academy gym, flipping Cato off as she went.

He, who of course heard that last pointed statement, made an equally rude gesture back.

"I've already been in the Games," I remind her, "I doubt I'm going to need to fight with this kind of archaic weaponry again."

"All weapons skills can translate over," Deccia informs me, pushing a spear into my hands, "Now, show me how much you know about spear work."

Working with the spears hurts, and not just in the physical way I've come to expect from exercising with Deccia. All I can hear is Marvel's soft voice, the memory of his hands guiding me to hold the weapon properly. I can almost hear his quick jokes and the occasional snort over my ineptitude, not cruel of course, just teasing. I can see his quick, impetuous grins, the way his green hazel eyes danced as he made some comment about 'handling the shaft'.

We hadn't even been close, Marvel and I, but still I can see almost every moment of that hour or so he'd trained me in the training centre. The training he'd given me to protect Darrien…

I put down the spear, my chest panging with sharp agony, and I walk away from the dummies, past Deccia, who barks something at me that my brain isn't even able to comprehend at the moment.

Outside I see Cato, and some of the fog lifts, letting me focus more on the real world before me, rather than the memories my mind insists on relieving.

I watch him, golden in the sun, carefully teaching some 9 year olds about proper stance during combat, and some of that darkness seems to fade.

I feel Deccia come up beside me, and then her hand gently grips my shoulder, giving it a light shake.

"I'm alright." I say quietly. She snorts.

"Well that's a fucking lie," but she tugs me in for a gentle hair ruffle, the Deccia version of an embrace, "You have to face your demons sometime, you know."

I shiver, but I nod, I do know.

"Not yet."

"No, not yet." Deccia slings her arm about my shoulders and steers me to the mess hall, "But soon."


I spend a contented three weeks in District 2, training with Deccia, which progresses much faster now she knows about the eyesight issue, then afterwards Petra snags me off to do a little shopping and girl talk about her son, and then in the evenings Cato and I spend time together.

It's not always carnal, in fact quite often we're quite happy to just talk, albeit talk while draped over one another in constant proximity. The feeling of being together, of being in contact is soothing to both of us.

Cato's time at the Academy prepared him for what he would face, but he had not expected to face it with Clove, to see her die. She had been Reaped, and as one of the top Academy contenders had been permitted to remain, but Cato…the boy who had been called was not an Academy student, and so Cato's duty was clear. To step forward and claim his chance at glory.

The preparation had helped, but it had not protected him completely from the scars of the Arena.

And as for me…well I am trying not to think about it.

As such touching one another, being so close to another person, it's grounding. And Cato and I were both very tactile people to begin with anyway.

Petra tells me stories of Cato as a child, so brash, loud and brave. He'd led the children of his class, been a natural at it, and they'd all idolised him. Of course his natural athleticism and strong build had made him an ideal Tribute Potential, and he'd been assessed, and then chosen.

"He always wanted to bring honour, glory and pride to District 2." Petra sighed wistfully, "The Hunger Games were his way out, his way to provide for his family, his District, to give something back. But of course…being exceptional can make you arrogant."

She'd then kindly told me that Cato had left a string of heartbroken women in his wake, although she assured me, that he had promised them nothing.

"He didn't like to hurt people. It was never his thing, he could and would fight, and kill…but he didn't like pain, or suffering. He's just not that kind of man."

Still, it confirmed Finnick's early assumptions. Cato was experienced in the physical aspects of love…but emotionally, I was clearly the more advanced student.

Time passed and I spent more time with Cato's family. Lucan was cool but polite, distant, and it didn't change, although I did catch him watching me and Cato thoughtfully a few times. Septim was always friendly and had no trouble with regaling me with stories that were more embarrassing than the ones Petra kindly shared. I saw very little of Cato's father, but Deccia was an almost constant presence, and I could see why trusted her.

She was honest, painfully blunt, but not cruel. She was strong, tough, a woman to be accepted on her own merits. And she clearly adored Cato, for all she constantly gave him a hard time.

So passed my time in District 2, happily, full of family and love.

Until one day a letter was delivered to me by a Peacekeeper. All it contained was a single ticket to District 4, and a solitary white rose petal.

Snow wants me to go home.


I leave the next day, and am home by early afternoon.

No one bothers me on the return journey, there are fewer passengers heading outwards from the Capitol, and I think my misery deterred those who might have dared.

I spend the entire trip, curled up in my seat, pressed to the window, replaying my farewell from Cato in my mind, feeling tears trickling down my cheeks every time I thought of it afresh.

He'd been furious when I showed him the ticket, and the white petal, raging against the injustice of it. But both of us were still painfully aware of the likelihood of his house being monitored. No where was safe, and Cato knew that. So even as he ranted about losing me to bloody fishes, he never once even hinted of the rebellion.

It hurt to let him go at the station, to have to move from the safe circle of his arms, to lose the feeling of security he always gave me. He'd kissed me again, and again, until the whistle blew and I absolutely had to get on the train, or risk being left behind.

"One month." He says to me as I climb onto the train, his blue eyes searching mine, "One month…I'll see you then."

"One month." I echoed, but the door shicked shut halfway through the words. A moment later and the train began to move, and by the time I got to the window, I could no longer see him.

So by the time I get home, stumbling off the train at the white wood platform for District 4, I know I must look a miserable sight. My eyes are puffy from crying, my nose is red, my lashes clumped from tears, and my dress is crinkled and tearstained.

There is a welcome home party there, waiting for me to disembark, and the instant he sees me Finnick bounds up the stairs like an enthusiastic bronze seal, and scoops me up in his arms, hugging me tightly.

I hug him back, laughing through the tears, hiccupping slightly as he puts me down, kissing my forehead and cheeks.

"Sweet cheeks you look awful." He tells me fondly, "Was the sex that bad? Did he do it wrong? Was his eel green? You can tell me you know- OW!"

Mags comes up behind him, cuffing him over the head and rolls her eyes exasperatedly.

"Shame on you Finnickin." She scolds.

"Finnickin?" I echo, looking at my former mentor who is making a face, "Finnickin?"

"Finnick sounded better." He mutters mutinously.

"Your name is FINNICKIN?" I hiccup a laugh as he scowls at me.

We are spared having a ridiculous flailing slap fight by Shia, Riam and little Leadan who hugs my legs tightly, burying his little face into my side.

"Welcome home," Shia says softly, smoothing a hand over her son's dark curls, and smiling at me in her soft way, "The lads missed you."

"I missed them too," I squat down to face Leadan, who now has his little fist pressed to his mouth, "But I'm home now see?"

"We thought you went away again." Riam's voice is slightly accusing, his adolescent voice, torn between broken and still piping, making the words sound even more disapproving, "Like Darrien."

My heart pangs but I make myself smile to reassure the solemn boy before me.

"No…I just went to visit Cato, he's home in District 2."

"Rocks and masonry." Leadan parrots, voice quiet.

"That's right," I smile at him, "And see? I'm home now."

"Where you belong," Finnick slings an arm around my shoulders and presses a smacking kiss to my temple, "None of those rocks for our Sky, she's water like us, right boys?"

Riam and Leadan nod solemnly and I smile at them.

A small hand takes mine in theirs and I turn to see Annie, her dark green eyes gleaming brightly as she looks at me. Silently she squeezes my hand and leans in to kiss my cheek.

"Welcome home," she murmurs, "We all missed you."


Apparently the rebellion had missed me too,

"So what you're saying is that we have a number of Districts rushing towards rebelling, and we aren't ready yet?" I rub my face, from my place curled up on Mags boat. Kallian nods from his place by the stern and Finnick snorts softly from the prow of the sailboat, hanging out into the wind, dangling by his hold on one of the ropes.

"That's exactly what we're saying;" Finnick calls back, "And District 4 is starting to simmer dangerously too."

"It's too early!"

"Once people get the taste of hope in their mouths it's hard to hold them back," Kallian says in his low, droll voice, "It's been 75 years of children being slaughtered, of oppression. The people are angry…they are ready to fight back."

"If they don't wait we'll lose," Mags voice is steely, "And then what? What will they do to those who survive, the Hunger Games were bad enough, who knows what they'll cook up to keep us down should we fail."

"We can't fail." My voice is firm, and the other three look at me, "We can do this, we just have to be smart about it. How much does the Capitol know?"

"They know that unrest is rising," Kallian watches me; "They know it centres around the Girl on Fire."

"Katniss," I look at Finnick, "How much does she know?"

"She knows the Capitol was watching her, but she knows nothing about the rebellion. Nothing important."

"What about Peeta?" They shake their heads, "He at least needs to be told." I hold up a hand as Mags opens her mouth to object, "Hear me out. She's rash, impulsive; all that fire stuff they blather on about, it's accurate. She shouldn't know until she has to. But Peeta's smart, he's an asset and I think it would be a waste to leave him in the dark about everything. One of them has to know."

"Haymitch knows, he'll steer them right." Kallian shakes his head, "The more people know…"

"The more chance things get blown, I know." And I do know, but my gut is insisting that leaving Peeta out of the knowledge would be a mistake, "It's not good enough, one of that pair has to know."

"Peeta then." Finnick nods approvingly, "I'm good with him knowing."

"You two know him best." Kallian sighs, "I just hope you know what you're doing."


The beginning of the Victory Tour creeps up without me even realising.

Organisation for the rebellion is in full swing, supplies are trickling in through officials on our side, operatives from District 13 who have infiltrated the system. We are careful, cautious, and somehow, without even realising it, I become the leader for the rebel cell in District 4.

When I finally twig to it, after realising that people had been coming to me for opinions and orders, I corner Finnick and throw a small hissy fit at him.

We do it out of civilisation, on a cliff top overlooking the blue sea of our home. It's a brief altercation, but it involves a lot of shouting (mine) and laughing (his). He'd been the leader up until I became one of the symbols of rebellion, he informs me, but now he's thrilled I've taken over his mantle.

I slap him, hard, just to make a point, and storm off back down to the Victor's Villiage, knowing he's following me, laughing.

As such I've been quite preoccupied, until Peeta reminds me on the phone.

"How could you forget?" he laughs down the line, "You get to see Cato tomorrow!"

"And you!" I remind him, grinning up at my study roof, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow evening anyway. I've missed you sunshine."

"And I you." He's smiling, I can practically hear it, "Do you look very different? Will I recognise you?"

"I shall wear a daisy in my hair so you do." I reassure him, laughing softly, "What about you? How shall I recognise you?"

"I'll wear a blue scarf, it is winter here you know."

"Is there snow?" I ask eagerly, "I've never seen snow,"

"Never seen snow?" He sounds shocked, "Truly?"

"Never ever,"

"You'll love it, it's frozen water. Practically kin to you."

"Screw you," I hear him laugh, "So tomorrow?"

"Yep," I hear rustling and realise he's nodding, "We're meeting you and Cato here at 12, you're staying here with us. Well, with me. My house is the best suited."

He means the emptiest, and cleanest. I've heard him complain about Haymitch's den of filth and iniquity before.

"So Cato and I are staying with you?"

"Yep, and Finnick. Everyone else is staying on the train. You really don't know anything about this do you?"

"I've been preoccupied!"

"Missing Cato?" his voice is gentle, "He's missed you too. The amount of sighing and complaining I've been getting over our phonecalls."

"He's a big baby," I smile, "His sister told me so."

"He is," Peeta chuckles, "But he's our Cato, arrogant, prickish, arse that he is."

"He is," I agree, smiling at the ceiling again, "He certainly is."


I'm woken in the morning by a Peacekeeper, who pounds on my door until I open it.

I'm then escorted out of my house and out of the Victor's village in a sleek white car, ushered along with crisp efficiency. I glance back once as I get in, to see Finnick at his upstairs window, watching. I can't see his expression, but I can only imagine.

My heart is pounding with anxiety, but surely, surely if they were arresting me for something, it would be more violent, less…cursory than this.

I'm then bundled out of the car and escorted up to the station where a train awaits. It's a small one, like the Victor train we'll be using during the Victory tour, only it is even smaller, and perhaps even more decadent.

Inside I come face to face with President Snow.

"Miss Cavendish," he lifts my hand to his lips, brushing a kiss along the back of my knuckles, making me force down a shudder at the icy coolness of his lips, "You are looking lovely, as ever. Victory suits you."

"Thank you," I reply carefully, intensely aware that I'm dressed in my pyjamas without the comfort of a robe, or even slippers, whereas he is dressed impeccably, his signature white rose on his lapel as always.

We sit, and I watch him warily, forcing my hands to remain still in my lap.

"I won't keep you," he says it smoothly, "This is only a very brief meeting. I am on my way to District 12, to discuss some things with Miss Everdeen." He looks at me, "It seems her…inspiration…has not quieted since the Games. But it will after this…or there will be consequences."

I shiver, he's going to threaten Katniss, and by extension Peeta. Sweet Peeta…or Katniss' family, innocent of everything.

"What would you have me do?" I ask quietly, and he smiles, a white, sharklike smile.

"Bright girl." He murmurs, folding his hands, "You will bring the Districts to heel."

"How?" I say it bluntly, "I'm no leader."

"No." he smiles again, "But you are loved. You will walk among the people of the Districts, talk to them, listen to their stories about their plebeian lives, and you will dissuade them from their present course."

"What about Katniss?" I frown slightly.

"She will be kept away from them, apart from the public ceremonies. And she will be scripted, apart from her personal statements. Which I'm sure won't be a problem. You will solve this.

"And…and what if it doesn't work?" I say slowly, feeling my gut clench.

"Well…" Snow smirks and I feel ice shiver down my spine, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."


POLL!

There are two ideas for the Modern AU! I need you guys to tell me which one you'd rather read. The other idea will probably get used in a Peeto fic.

1) Panem is a small town a few hours drive from LA. There lives Sky, a normal, everyday girl, who works in the small local library. Her life is nothing unusual, she lives with two housemates, has family dinners with her brother and friends, and everything is pleasant, if not overly exciting. That is until Cato DuGrey returns to his hometown for an enforced vacation, bringing his entourage of people with him. Chaos ensues.

2) Age of Dragons is the it production right now. It's a big budget television show, and it will either flop spectacularly or it will become an instant sensation. Amateur actress Sky is shocked when she is given a part in it, especially since she's going to be acting alongside the likes of Finnick Odair and Cato DuGrey and the rest of the insanely talented cast. Little does Sky realise just what an adventure she's signed herself up for…

Both of them will star all your favourites from the Lady of the Lake; Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Clove, Thresh, Teesa, Cato, Marvel, Sky and Darrien as well as many more. And yes…this time happy endings are guaranteed!

So which would you rather read?


Ravenclaw Slytherin – Thank you!

MoonlightDiva – Aw thank you sweetness

Guest – I looked over it again, but I didn't see any mention of his brothers there…still if I can find it, I'll correct it.

Mt – Finnick is always fun, as is Deccia, she's growing on me too. Sadly Petra appeared less in this chapter than I initially thought I realised that pacing wise, I was dragging stuff out. Time to get back to the action!

Sarah'1595 – Finnick is a classy dude ;) And thanks, I get nervous about love scenes xD get very shy over them. And Deccia would be a blast to hang out with.

Loopyloola – Aw thanks, I need the encouragement, trust me! Glad you liked the love scene.

Coco2008 – Yes! Finally the sexytimes happen. Normally it happens a lot sooner than this in fics…xD I'm such a rebel. Xxxx

Reviewer08 – Wow, glad you like Deccia so much, I love her too. But I miss Darrien He'll feature a little later, and you'll get to see a bit more of him. :D Woo Victory Tour!

Guest – Thank you so much for your four reviews! Glad you like the humour, yes visitation can happen but it's very restricted. Sky can because she's a Victor…and favoured. And glad you like Cato!

Blueberrytoast – They are aren't they. Precious little snowflakes.

Luli Cullen – She's a strong woman is Deccia and lol! Yes…the DuGrey family all have names for Katniss xD

WonderGirl556 – Deccia is going to return, never fear.

brunetteAnnabeth – Here is an update lovely

purpleXorchid – Cato struggles with not having control. But yeah, Deccia owns him.

Germany leger – Thank you!

Hahaha – Thanks lovely! We're up to the Victory tour now!

Ciaraaawrrr – You've been under a rock clearly! Hahaha welcome to Lady of the Lake!

CatoSkyOBSESSED – Looooove! You know Cato, he's emotionally constipated, and I'm so glad you liked Catpiss, the shower and Finnick's sex ed class ;) I'm so glad you reviewed

Eve – Update! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY!