The Lady of the Lake

So here we are, and a Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and that you were all spoiled rotten by your loved ones!

Many of you will have seen that there is a new Story up, it's the Lady of the Lake: Behind the Scenes, and features the drabbles as requested by you guys! So far posted are Finnick the Mentor and May the Waves Carry You Home.

I'm also posting more of the requested graphics on the Tumblr! Which is located as always here at

thgladyofthelake

This chapter features the culmination of the Victor Training, some Group discussions and Sky and Katniss chatting.

Next chapter will hopefully finish up our time at the Capitol.

Review Responses are at the end of the chapter as always!

Enjoy!


Chapter 34

It's one thing knowing that people have a reason to keep something from you, one thing knowing that these are people you love and trust, and you would give your life for. But emotions are another matter altogether.

To say that I'm not happy with Cato, Peeta, Finnick and everyone else keeping secrets from me is putting it mildly.

Right now the only person who isn't lying to me is Katniss, and I can hardly moan to her about the unfairness of it all because she has absolutely no idea why there would be secrets to begin with.

The end result is me having a restless night, despite the warm security of Cato's arm curled around my waist, the large hand placed protectively over the faint burgeoning swell of my belly.

It also means that when we gather in the training room and are assigned the compulsory training exercise I'd been dreading, the agility obstacle course I'd so badly flubbed last year, I'm not very receptive to Cato and Peeta's protective hovering.

Their anxiety only serves to remind me just how poorly I did at this last year, and reminds me that for all their care and devotion now, they are keeping secrets.

Finnick is worried too, but he didn't see me go flying off the damn thing the year before like Cato and Peeta did, and their worried eyes keep tracking to my stomach, hidden under the loose fabric of my training shirt. Not that the baby bump is obvious…I'm sure the gamemakers would just think I was being over zealous in eating the rich Capitol food if they caught a glimpse of it.

Finally it's Enobaria who rescues me from Cato, rolling her eyes and snapping her fingers at him.

"Heel Puppy, your bitch doesn't need you panting and nosing at her crotch."

"She has such a way with words," Sefir mutters behind me, snickering softly. Ria, behind him, rolls her eyes and flicks his ear, causing the bigger man to swat at her irritably.

"Don't let her hear you snickering at her," the woman warned her partner lightly, "I will not be helping you if you pick a fight with Enobaria."

"Sky'll back me up, won't you Sky?" Sefir nudges me, "You and me…we could take her."

I just blink at him, "Are you nuts?"

"Nothing has been proven," Sefir grins down at me and then peers down the line at Cato who has moved meekly back into line before Enobaria, "He's not a puppy, he's a pussy."

"You really want to die, don't you?" Fells mutters from further back down the line, rolling his amber eyes.

"What did you call me?" Cato swings around and moves back up the line towards Sefir, who is pulling a face and folding his arms, "I could take you, right now."

"How about we all play nice," I speak up, stepping between the two men, "Sefir stop yanking Cato's tail. He doesn't like it."

"He really doesn't." Finnick contributes, shaking his head, "I'm the absolute expert on it, and can verify that."

"And Cato," I glare at my husband, ignoring Finnick, "Just get a hold of yourself. You know he's pushing your buttons, and you're being idiotic enough to fall for them. He's not that subtle."

"Probably can't even spell it," Is Gloss' dry contribution from the beginning of the line, just in front of Cashmere who is ignoring the ridiculousness, and talks quietly with Enobaria.

"I heard that you tosser." Sefir meanders away from Cato, taking the offered distraction to go poke and prod Gloss.

Cato lets him go, but his blue eyes stay on me, icy blue eyes that for the first time in far too long are shuttered and angry. Directed at me. I glare back, annoyed even more by his petulance and then turn away from him deliberately, stalking back to my place in the line.

I'm halted when his hand snaps out, grabbing my wrist, the grip a little too tight to be anything but confrontational, and Cato yanks me back into his personal space, looming over me, using that old trick of trying to intimidate with sheer bulk.

Last year I would have just let him, waited for him to realise that he's being a bit too tight. Not everyone has small, breakable wrists. This year though, I'm so not in the mood. And Deccia taught me to defend myself. Not to hurt, just to evade and escape.

I step to the side, body twisting so Cato's arm is awkwardly extended and then I wrench away, moving against the bend of his arm. No one can hold on when their body doesn't bend that way. Cato's nostrils flare and he steps forward again but I counteract the surge of anger and aggression with a kiss.

It's not a happy kiss, not soft or gentle, but chiding, fond, and exasperated, and after a moment Cato relaxes a little, enough to curl his arms around me, protectively, tucking me in against him.

Sometimes he just needs that primitive reminder that yes…I am his.

"That's one way to solve an argument," Fells mutters, "Maybe we should try that next time Enrid."

I hear Enrid scoff quietly and then growl back, "Unless you would have me rip out your tongue. I would advise against it."

Easing back from Cato I grin slightly at the bantering going on behind me, before I turn to go back to my place in the line. But I look around towards Enrid, Fells, Rilka and Sigrin. The two women are chatting together, deep in conversation, two dark heads bent together. But Enrid and Fells are standing, mirroring one another, arms folded, eyebrows arched and pulling faces. I think Fells is imitating Enrid, judging by the scowls the expressions are making.

Katniss is standing near the back of the line, her head bent towards gentle Seeder from District 11 and Cecelia from District 8. It's interesting that these are two of the women that have gravitated the most towards Katniss, but then, it's also not unexpected.

Seeder is warm, kind, motherly, and she'd reassured Katniss, who passed on the news, that Thresh and Rue's families were alive and well. It'd been a comfort, especially to Katniss, and made the recalcitrant young woman more open to friendship advances.

Cecelia too is warm and motherly. She's a mother of three children, but had walked up onto the stage during the Reaping with poise and restraint, smiling at the crowd. She has chestnut hair tied back in a loose bun and warm golden brown skin and hazel eyes and she seems almost to radiate comfort. It's strange to think of someone like her winning a Hunger Games, but somehow she did.

Her District partner, Woof, stands nearby, gazing off into the middle distance, seemingly unconcerned with everyone around him. Chaff, the other District 11 Victor has meandered down the line to tease Enrid and Fells, being as he cannot resist trouble. Johanna is with Finnick, Blight beside her, and I give them both a small smile.

"Into formation!" Atala's voice calls out eventually and everyone shifts back to their proper places in cue, "Lets begin."

Cashmere and Gloss perform like the young, athletic, Career Tributes they once were. Their Victories are not so long past, and both seem to have maintained a level of fitness. Both post reasonable times and hit counts.

Cato does similarly to how he did last year; he's built for strength, not speed and agility. He's fast for his size, I'll grant him that, but he's not as fast as Cashmere and Gloss.

Enobaria flows like water around the obstacles, but she refuses to move at a speed faster than a trot, and the feral grins she shoots at the trainers wielding the batons makes them hesitant about smacking her. So she doesn't get hit, but her time is slower.

After that it becomes a bit of fun, competition without being overly competitive.

Beetee and Wiress from 3 are older, and are hesitant on the course, but they complete it, to applause from all of us, to the bemusement of the Gamemakers.

Finnick shows off, and beats Cashmere and Gloss. He then showboats around on the last podium until Cashmere sneaks up behind him and tackles him onto the mats below. She gets up, still flawless and graceful, but Finnick grunts breathlessly about a sharp elbow in his tackle box.

Even Cato looks sympathetic.

Enobaria just salutes Cashmere with respect.

I take my time. They know I'm pregnant, and they know I sucked at this last year. I try to go as fast as possible. I get smacked a few times, but I get to the end relatively unharmed, and jump off the podium to show my empty hands to Cato.

No baton this year.

He grins and down the back of the line I can hear Katniss laughing.

I turn and grin at her before joining Finnick to watch the others.

In the end Finnick is the winner and receives a kiss on the cheek from Seeder as a prize.


The rest of the day is spent training loosely.

Peeta paints with the two Victors from 6, a pair who are obviously morphling addicts. They are lost in their own little worlds, but they find some kind of comfort with the paints, and with Peeta, who seems to bond with them the most. They adore him, and follow him with their big, sunken eyes, rather like devoted puppies.

Sefir takes Katniss to the weapons station and teaches her about daggers, because "The bow is good and all, but you can't shoot someone fucking on top of you."

It's a pointed comment; and Katniss shivers at the same time I do, the reminder of the Feast, and Thresh killing Clove, permanently fresh in our minds. She accepts however, and the pair of them train, the strong man showing her how to use her smaller size to her advantage.

Seeder and Cecelia join her, and Woof and Chaff follow soon after. The six of them train together, the sound of laughter and good natured bickering filling the close combat stations.

I return to the edible and poisonous food station, and find myself trailed by Enrid and Fells. It turns out Fells is hopeless but Enrid is incredible at identification. The two of us help the blond haired man attain some kind of standard of knowledge, but the process is long, and the two of them continually argue about something or other.

Soon enough the day ends, and we return to our floors and our beds.

Exhausted, I fall asleep almost immediately, and I don't wake until morning.


"We are not performing animals," Finnick declaims, gesturing grandly with one hand.

Haymitch, unamused, just turns to eye me.

"Don't look at me," I retort back at him, rolling my eyes, "He was like this before I came onto the scene. There's only so much I can fix."

We're in the garden on top of the roof, and the morning training before assessments will start soon. All of the Victors and their 'mentors' are on the roof, including Katniss, who looks bemused to see us all conspiring as a unit.

Finnick sniffs, "Those of you who cannot understand greatness- oof!"

Johanna had brought a muffin up onto the roof to eat before training, and it was this that'd been pegged, accurately, at Finnick's head. Snickers rise up from all around and Johanna smirks, holding her hand out to Blight.

"Pay up." She grins as the man puts his own muffin in her hand, sighing sadly, "Next time, don't steal the last blueberry muffin, and we won't have this problem."

"As I was saying," Finnick shoots the two a look, which Johanna just returns impassively, "I personally absolutely refuse to be any more of an entertainment for their benefit than I absolutely have to."

"What are you saying?" Sefir asks, frowning slightly, "We're already going to play nice in the Arena, no bloodbath, no slaughtering of anyone…"

"We are?" Katniss sounds shocked, but pleased.

"And we've already decided to protect one another and watch each others backs." Ria continues in her soothing voice.

"We have?" the girl from 12 blinks at us all, "Why didn't someone tell me?"

"We're telling you now." Cato reminds her, grumpily, tugging me back against his chest protectively. I roll my eyes; he's still pissy at Katniss for the Games last year.

"What I mean is," Finnick flails his hands, obviously not used to being ignored; "We don't perform like good little Tributes for the Gamefakers down there."

"Not get assessed?" Rilka frowns slightly, "They'd take that as outright…"

"No, no…too literal my dear," Finnick looks out over our faces and grins, "We just…don't show any kind of Arena skills. Like Peeta for instance…you can paint right? And Fells, you can juggle."

Everyone looks at Fells, who shrugs sheepishly.

"Who cares what mark we get in the assessment?" Cashmere murmurs, warming to the idea, "Why give them something to use against us."

I raise my hand, "They usually provide weapons for the Arena based off assessments." I remind them, "We may not be going to hurt one another, but they will send things against us…"

That makes everyone quiet, and Finnick deflates slightly.

"Then we show them small things," Gloss says firmly, "We show them our preferred weapons…not how good we are as such, but that we're proficient."

This is met with murmurs of agreement, and then we all head downstairs.


"What did you do?!" Cato roars it at Peeta as I roll my eyes.

We're back on the roof, but this time it's just Cato, me, Finnick, Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch and Mags. It's evening, and the Training Scores have been posted. Cato received a 10 again, probably since they vividly remember how vicious he was in the Arena. They gave me a 4.

Peeta and Katniss received 12's.

The impossible scores of 12. Clearly the Capitol is furious with them, and this is supposed to make us, their competitors, turn on them.

What had they done? What could they have done to anger the Gamemakers so?

Katniss looks stubborn and mulish, but Peeta is calm, meeting Cato's icy eyes straight on. He knows Cato now, and he knows Cato is just worried about him.

"I painted…." Peeta says simply, "I painted two scenes from the Hunger Games last year."

I stare at him, surprised, and Cato blinks.

"What scenes?" I ask quietly, my stomach clenching.

"Rue…covered in flowers." He replies and my eyebrows shoot up. It'd been removed from the recap, but Finnick had told me about it, "And…" he hesitates and then continues quietly, "And the final moments at the cornucopia. The parachutes, and you…and Cato."

Me crouched over him, shielding him with my own body. The parachutes in the air, Panem's declaration that they wanted us to survive.

Oh Peeta.

"And you Katniss?" Finnick turns to her and she shrugs uncomfortably.

"I hung a dummy," she nudges him, "Used the knot you showed me. I hung a dummy…and I painted…Seneca Crane, on its chest."

Silence, then.

"Holy shit." Cato muttered.

"Well…" Finnick shakes his head, "Sourpuss I think you succeeded in pissing them off. You too SunBun."

Peeta just gives him a look.

"No shit," Haymitch mutters, and Mags just shakes her head.

"You're lucky we're not playing this like a normal Hunger Games," Cato growls at them both, "Or you'd have a target on your backs so big…"

"Cato," I rub my hand gently on his arm, "They know."

There is silence then, for long moments as we all look at one another, and then Katniss speaks.

"So…how was it decided to team up? All of us?"

"Well," Finnick purses his mouth, "We all know each other pretty well, us Victors. None of us were overly keen to try and kill one another. We figured…we'd stay loyal to one another…and let it be a Game against the Gamemakers."

Katniss smiles, one of those rare, but oddly captivating smiles, "I'm glad."

She's quiet after that as Cato and Finnick bicker over training scores. Finnick got a 10 too, and is flaunting it. We all walk out of the garden, ready for bed, and interview preparations the next day, but Katniss gently catches my arm.

"Sky," she murmurs, as Cato pauses, looking back towards us. I wave him on and turn back to her, "Could I have a quick word?"

"Sure," We walk back under the canopy and then stand there, looking at one another, the windchimes tinkling around us, "What's on your mind?"

"The Games," Katniss rubs her face, "Even though we're…going to work together, in the end only one person is going to survive."

Not if the Rebellion has its way, I think, but keep my face neutral, "Who knows what will happen…"

"It's not going to be me," Katniss says, her voice completely calm as she states it, "The Capitol won't allow it…and I don't deserve it. Not over you…not over Peeta."

There is something raw about the way she says his name, a longing, but also so much fondness, and exasperation. He confused her back when we were Tributes, and now…it seems she still doesn't understand what her feelings for him are.

"Katniss…" I begin, but she holds up a hand, stopping me.

"I want you to promise me, that if it came down to it, if you could save Peeta, or you could save me…I want you to promise it would be Peeta. I know you love him…" her grey eyes bore into mine, "But you try to save everyone. I want you to make sure he stays alive. For me."

I shake my head but she touches my arm gently.

"Sky," she says quietly, "You…you and Peeta…you're too good for the Games. There's something about you…about both of you. The rest of us…we've killed, and we'd kill again if it meant our survival. But you… you two, out of everyone, deserve to live."

I swallow, but then slowly I nod, "I promise you. I'll protect Peeta."

"With your life." Katniss meets my eyes again.

I nod.

"With my life."


As always feel free to ask your favourite characters questions over at the Tumblr, everyone is fair game and will answer your questions honestly. It's also a ton of fun. Also check out the Lady of the Lake: Behind the Scenes. And please request as many drabbles as you like to fill it!


Loopyloola – I like Sefir too, he kinda sauntered, fully formed into my head. And the secret plan is certainly killer!

Whisperinthenigh – I will always keep writing!

Angel2u – Well that will be next chapter! And you'll see.

SkullKey4758 – I think everyone is being tortured! Sky's not happy, but there isn't much she can do about it.

WonderGirl556 – There will be a ton of Skato in chapter 35. Last bit of lovin before the games!

Ravenclaw Slytherin – Updated!

Coco2008 – I missed you! And yes she's pregnant! I'm glad to hear your story is going well! :D

Reviewer08 – Ahaha yeah Sefir and Gloss were kinda fun to write, and same with Team Sassypants (Finnick and Johanna). And I gave Darrien's POV in the drabble! Hope you liked it!

Sarah'1595 – Nope, plan is different. And yeah, there isn't really any way to get out of it when you Volunteer and then find out you're pregnant afterwards. Quell starts soon!

Luli Cullen – Thanks! Xoxo

brunetteAnnabeth - :D Updating now!

Frostivy – The Haymitch and Deccia drabble will be the next one posted in the Behind the Scenes story. And yes…there is definite Haycia? Haccia? Potential there.

ManAndWomenMerelyPlayers – I figure Cato had a meltdown behind the scenes, probably at long suffering best bud Peeta. And the others are concerned but know there's little to be done about it, other than keeping her safe. I have a ton of fun with Sefir and Ria, and Cashmere and Gloss too. I figure the Careers got a bit of a bum rap in the books. Katniss clearly dismisses them as people…and as such our perceptions of them are coloured by this. No one asked it for Spoiler Saturday, I think everyone wants to get to it in their own time. Even if my time is evil. And I'll definitely write up Katniss' thoughts on Sky during their Games

Mt – Ahaha, no one asked anything for Spoiler Saturday this week. Merry Christmas to you too!

EGilly – Sky's not happy, but she's also quite pragmatic…in this occasion anyway.

Cookiecrazy224 – I can definitely do a Darvel drabble. They need some love! I miss those boys

A-Bookworm-Named-Steph – Oh wow! I'm so honoured this one is your favourite!

Eve – I'm glad I cheer you up And yeah Sefir is a ton of fun, and yes the Games are going to be INTERESTING.

Amaya-hime – There will definitely be more Sefir and Gloss fun, and it kind of makes sense in this world that Peeta would be less dependent on Katniss, he's not isolated, and although he loves her, he has others who understand him now, and are like a family. And I'll definitely write a holidays with the Victors drabble for you!

Stolen-fun . hehe – Ahahaha I laughed too, Enobaria is a classic. I love her.