thank you Yoeda! ;)
Panem crumbled and its people suffered. President Snow ruled with an iron fist and whispers flew that he was starting to fade. But that didn't stop him from Reaping children for the Hunger Games, or the excessive taxes he pushed on his citizens, or the terror everyone lived in day in and day out.
District 12 was starving and both Merchant and Seam knew the pangs of hunger. People committed unspeakable acts to feed their families.
Despite her growling stomach, Katniss woke up with a smile. She glanced sideways at her little sister, who continued to sleep, before moving off the bed. She quickly dressed and ran her fingers through her hair. The sun had not quite risen yet so she grabbed her hunting jacket from the wall and laced up her boots. Summer had come early to the district and she was already sweating when she arrived at the lake. She tossed her jacket and her shirt aside and shoved her pants down her legs before leaping into the cool water. She shook her wet braid out of her face and relaxed on her back.
"Seriously? You're going to drown yourself on your birthday," came a laughing voice. She gasped and sank back into the water, coughing.
"Damn you, Gale. You scared me."
"Hey, come out of there. I have something for you." He turned away while she dried off and slipped back into her clothes.
"What do you mean, you have something for me?" He turned back to her and gave her a smile.
"Well I couldn't forget your big birthday, Catnip! You're free from the Reaping! It's official!" Katniss couldn't help but smile and Gale reached into his pocket.
"This is only temporary until I can get you a real ring." He withdrew a ring made of yarn and wire and held it in his shaking hand. Katniss stared with wide eyes and finally looked up at him.
"Gale-"
"Catnip, Prim's older now and doesn't need you to take care of her anymore. Your mom is better and, well, I figure now you can do something for yourself now."
"What are you talking about?"
"Marry me, Catnip! Be my wife." She took a step backwards and he frowned.
"You don't want to marry me?"
"Gale you're my best friend. But have you ever heard me say I want to get married?"
"It makes sense for us to be together." Her brow furrowed and she stepped back again.
"And that's the only reason to get married?"
"Well no, but I mean, it just makes sense! We've taken care of each other since we were kids. I could take care of you."
"How, Gale? You take care of your family already. Four extra mouths to feed and now you want to add on mine and Prim's and my mom's?"
"I wouldn't mind," he shrugged.
"Gale, we don't have to do this. I like being your friend but I don't really think of anyone…in that way."
"So you don't want to marry me," he said, lowering his hand.
"I'm sorry, Gale. You know how I feel about you. But I don't want to get married." He shoved the ring back into his pocket and his nostrils flared.
"Fine."
"Gale don't do this. Come on, come have a swim with me on my birthday."
"I have to get back to the mines. I just wanted to come tell you happy birthday." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and stuck his hands in his pockets.
"Don't forget, we have Rosalie's toasting this evening."
"Oh I completely forgot! You still want to go to that?"
"I don't particularly want to attend a peacekeeper's wedding but we've known Rosalie for years, so I guess we should go."
"Besides, it's Darius. He's always been a good guy." Gale shrugged.
"He's still a peacekeeper."
"Not all peacekeepers are terrible, Gale. And he'll take good care of her."
"I think this new trend is pathetic." She frowned.
"What trend?"
"Marrying peacekeepers for stability and wealth. It's sick. Almost as sick as the Hunger Games."
"Gale, some people don't have a choice. They're doing what they have to do to survive."
"You're telling me you would marry a peacekeeper just because he could keep you fed?" She recoiled at his tone.
"I told you I don't want to get married. To anyone."
"Ok fine. I'll see you at the toasting. Happy birthday, Katniss." She nodded as he turned and stomped, flat-footed, out of the woods. She sighed and dropped her hands to her side. How did this day go so wrong already? She turned back to her sparkling lake and sighed.
"I miss you, Daddy." Above her, the mockingjays sang, which was a clear sign that her father was with her. She smiled up at the sky and whipped around, her braid smacking her in the face. She crept to the hollowed in tree, where she kept her bow hidden. Actually it was her father's bow but he had showed her out to shoot. After his death, she'd started venturing out into the woods to bring food home to her family. She waited on the cold ground until a deer made itself known. She gasped at its majesty, silently thanking it for what it would mean to her family. It was quick and painless;
Katniss was an excellent shot. She wished Gale was still here to help her cart it back to town but she flung the deer over her shoulder and started back toward the Seam. Luckily it was still a young buck, its antlers not quite grown in. She made deals with Rooba, the butcher and Sae, the elderly woman at the Hob. They gave her good deals on the meat and she smiled as the coins clinked together in her pocket.
"Sit down, girl, and enjoy a bowl of soup for your birthday," Sae urged her and set a steaming bowl in front of her. Katniss accepted the gift but slipped a coin into Sae's pocket before she left. She wandered up and down the aisles, stopping when she saw the baker right in front of her. The old man had always been kind to her but she hated how sad he always looked now. Ever since the death of his sons, he'd been solemn and soft-spoken. His witch of a wife had practically taken over the bakery and ran the business with a hard heart. She never spoke either son's name and Katniss honestly believed the rumor that she had killed them both. The baker was purchasing a bag of flour when he spotted Katniss.
"Ah, I think it's someone's birthday today!" She blushed but nodded.
"It is, sir."
"Well happy birthday, dear girl. You're finally safe from the Reaping. Here's a little something for you to enjoy with your sister." He slid a giant cookie into her hand and her eyes widened.
"Sir, I can't-"
"Please, Miss Everdeen. Take it. My son would want you to have it." Her eyes widened even more at the mention of his son. He sighed heavily and stuffed his hand into his pocket.
"I, uh, have something else for you. It's a gift, you see, from…from my son." She watched him warily, afraid to receive any more gifts.
"I haven't been able to go into their bedroom in a long time," he said gruffly. "And I was, uh, cleaning some things out when I found this. He…he wanted you to have it." He handed her a rolled up sheet of paper with her name on it and her hands shook as she opened it. Her loud gasp made his eyes soften.
A dandelion, in incredible detail and beautiful color. Katniss had never seen such vibrant color on paper before. His name was scrawled at the bottom and she ran her finger over the charcoal.
"Peeta was quite fond of you, my dear," the baker said softly. "And I'm sure he would want me to wish you a very happy birthday." She nodded faintly and he gave her a weak smile as he flung the bag of flour over his shoulder and took his leave.
Katniss stared at the artwork in her hand her entire walk home.
"Peeta," she whispered.
"Happy birthday, Katniss!" She looked up to see her mother and sister standing in the doorway with broad smiles on their faces. She rolled the paper up and stuck it in her back pocket as she entered the house and accepted their kisses.
"My beautiful girl is nineteen," her mother hugged her tightly.
"Katniss, that cookie is huge! Where did you get it?"
"Oh the baker gave it to me. Have a piece." Prim shook her head.
"It's your birthday, Katniss, you eat it."
"I want to share it with you. He said to share it." Prim reluctantly accepted the treat and closed her eyes at the flavors.
"It's so good. That was so nice of him."
"What's in your pocket, dear?" Her mother indicated the paper and Katniss pulled it out. She wasn't sure she wanted to share the beauty with anyone else but she unrolled it and Prim gasped.
"That's beautiful."
"It's from Peeta. I mean…Peeta's father…he said Peeta would want me to have it." Prim and her mother traded looks as Katniss folded it back up.
"I need to get ready for Rosalie's toasting. Prim, are you coming with me?"
"Mom is taking me to deliver the Thorne's baby tonight but you have fun! Did you see Darius today?"
"No, I'm sure he's busy, Prim. Getting married and all."
"She's the fifth this month," Prim said uncertainly. "To marry a peacekeeper, I mean." Her mother looked quickly at her.
"Peacekeepers have money, Prim. And there are some, like Darius, who are good men."
"Are you ever going to get married, Katniss?" Katniss gave her sister a sharp look and sucked in her breath. She hadn't told them about Gale's proposal and she didn't know if she wanted to.
"I don't think so. No one around here I would want to marry."
"What if Peeta Mellark were still around," Prim teased.
"Primrose," their mother said sharply. Prim's shoulders fell when she saw the sadness on Katniss's face.
"Oh Katty, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease."
"It's ok. I'm going to take a bath."
She rounded the corner and heard her mother scolding Prim.
"You know how hard his death was on her. Do you like to see your sister in pain?"
"She didn't even know him. I don't understand why she's like this-"
Katniss closed her eyes and continued to her room. It hurt that her mother was the one who could see what Peeta had meant to her but her little sister couldn't. Prim was always observant when it came to Katniss. They were closer than close. But Katniss had always been closed off and the only person she did talk to was Prim. Why, then, didn't she understand what Peeta had done for their family?
She shook her head and stripped off her sweaty clothes. The little bucket they used was tiny but she bathed quickly and braided her wet hair down her back. There was a knock at the door and Katniss turned as her mother peered in.
"You dropped this in the kitchen," she held out Peeta's drawing and Katniss nodded as her mother set it on the dresser.
"Are you alright, Katniss?"
"Mom, you think there are more peacekeepers like Darius?" Her mother frowned only for a moment.
"I think a peacekeeper is just like a Capitolite. There are good ones and bad ones. Misunderstood and misinformed. Darius is a good man and I think he will take good care of Rosalie. Heaven knows she needs it, after everything that girl has been through." Katniss nodded and went back to braiding her hair.
"Why do you ask?" She felt her mother's hands in her hair and her own hands fell to her side.
"I don't ever want to get married…but I see how skinny Prim is and I think, it might not be such a bad thing, to be married to a peacekeeper. If he can keep us fed."
"So Rosalie has talked you into it?"
"I didn't say that," Katniss snapped. She gave her mother an apologetic look in the mirror and shook her head. "I'm sorry. What I mean is, people around the Hob have been talking about it and more young girls are signing up for it. It's much better than going to Cray."
"Yes," her mother said slowly. "But you forfeit what freedom you have, the right to marry who you choose."
"But I don't want to marry anyone, Mom. So it's kind of perfect for me, don't you think?"
"Oh Katniss," her mother sighed and slowly turned her daughter to face her. Katniss was startled at the tears in her mother's eyes.
"I haven't done right by either of you. I still regret leaving you to take care of this family. I was…sick for so long that I didn't see what was becoming of my little girls. And now…I want to talk you out of this, Katniss, but I don't know if I can. We need the money. Prim just took out more tesserae and that scares me."
"I told her not to," Katniss said angrily.
"I know but we needed the food." Katniss turned back to the mirror, squeezing her eyes shut.
"You have grown into such a beautiful, strong young lady Katniss. And we are alive because of you. Don't think that you have to do this. We can manage. Somehow, we'll manage without someone else's help." But Katniss heard the doubt in her mother's voice. She sighed and examined her hair.
"Thank you. It's beautiful."
"You are beautiful." Her mother gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and turned to go.
"Give my best to Rosalie and Darius." Katniss nodded and her mother left her to herself. Katniss stared at herself in the mirror, her eyes raking over her figure. Her mother was wrong. She was not beautiful. She was far too skinny and boney, her breasts flat and almost non-existent, and with a stick for hair. Her nose was too pointed and her features too sharp. There was nothing comely about her. What man would want to marry her?
She shook her head and grabbed her boots to lace up. The toasting ceremony was in half an hour and it was clear on the other side of the Seam. She grabbed her jacket and said a hurried goodbye to her family.
As she walked, her mind raced. Would it be so terrible, to be married? What would Gale say if she married a peacekeeper rather than him? Oh he would be livid for sure but did she really care? Could she see herself married to him? He was her hunting partner and really, the only friend she had if you didn't count Madge Undersee. He was right; it made sense for them to be together but was that reason enough to marry? Not in her eyes.
But then, she would never marry for love because there was no one TO love. Marriage was for convenience and stability. Her mother and father had fallen deeply in love and look what happened to them. When her father died, her mother had all but died as well. Slipped into a depression so deep that she hadn't noticed her own daughters were dying. She never wanted to end up that way. That's why she said she would never marry. Marriage also lead to children and she would not stand by and watch her child be Reaped for the Games. No, she never wanted to fall in love. And if she wasn't going to marry or love Gale, was it a bad thing to marry for stability? So her sister could develop curves, the way a fifteen year old girl should? Katniss would do anything to keep her sister happy. And that included giving up her own freedom.
The Peacekeepers' barracks came into view as she climbed over the hill. The Capitol had set aside a row of houses for high-ranking peacekeepers but their Head Peacekeeper, Cray, preferred to live nearer to town.
She was out of breath when she reached the bottom and took a moment to clutch the stitch in her chest. She saw Gale and his sister Posy waiting on the porch, saying hello to people. Or rather, Posy was saying hello while Gale was brooding, looking immensely moody. Posy caught sight of her and waved.
"Katniss! Happy birthday, Katniss!"
"Thank you, Posy," she said as she swept the little girl into a hug.
"Gale," Posy smacked her brother. "Say happy birthday to Katniss!"
"I already gave her my birthday greetings," he said coldly. "Have you had a good birthday, Katniss?"
"It's been great, thank you." He nodded, his jaw set. Katniss rolled her eyes. Really mature, Gale. An arm winded around her waist and she squealed.
"Why Miss Everdeen, taking the time out of your birthday to come spend it with little ole me!" She laughed and hit the young man playfully on the chest.
"I had to come see you make a fool of yourself!"
"A fool indeed! It's only fools that fall in love, isn't it? And I think I'm more of a fool than anyone because that creature yonder, that beautiful creature has rendered me speechless." Darius winked at her as he strode across the field to capture his bride in a kiss. Rosalie squealed but succumbed to the affection. Katniss watched them with a smile while Gale just grunted and threw back a glass of brown liquid. Posy squealed and clapped her hands together.
"It's so romantic," she sighed.
"Come on, Posy, let's go get some cake," Gale turned to go inside and waited for his sister to join him.
"You two go ahead, I'm going to talk to Rosalie." Katniss moved off the porch and toward Rosalie, who was the definition of a blushing bride. Her mother's worn dress and veil looked beautiful on her and her dark hair was cut just below her shoulders, signifying that she was a bride.
"Katniss!" She threw her arms around her and Katniss patted her on the back clumsily.
"Congratulations, Rosalie. You look beautiful!"
"Oh Katniss, I love your hair! It's so pretty! Thank you so much for coming!"
"Of course. You and Darius seem very happy."
"I know it's strange and that people aren't going to believe me," she said carefully, glancing over at her new husband. "But I really am. He's really a good man. And treats me like a woman instead of a piece of property."
"That's rare in a man," Katniss said honestly. Rosalie nodded and a dark look covered her face.
"After…well, everything, I didn't think it was possible to be happy again," she said softly. "But Darius proved me wrong. He found me and took care of me. Can you believe he is willing to raise another man's child as his own? And actually excited about it?"
"He's a good one," Katniss agreed. Rosalie had been one of the many young girls whose boyfriend had gotten them pregnant and abandoned them. Unfortunately for Rosalie, it went a step further; her family had kicked her out and her boyfriend had beaten her, hoping to get rid of the baby. Darius had found her, close to death at the fence and had taken her home to care for her. They quickly fell in love and he'd asked her to marry him several weeks later. After he'd taken her to Mrs. Everdeen to make sure the child was alright, he swore he would raise it as his own. Mrs. Everdeen was just as shocked as everyone else in the district. Rosalie was a lucky one, that was for sure.
"I'm very happy for you, Rosie," Katniss said. Rosalie squeezed her hand and they were cut off by more well-wishers. Katniss slipped back into the crowd, heading toward the food table.
The cake was quite beautiful and had to have come from Mellark Bakery. She caught sight of Madge in the corner and munched on the cake as she made her way over to her friend.
She and Madge had been friends in school, even though one was from the Seam and the other was Merchant. They didn't talk a lot and Katniss liked it that way. They rarely hung out outside of school and now that school was over, she didn't see her as much. Madge's face lit up when she saw Katniss.
"Katniss, hi!"
"How have you been, Madge?"
"I've been alright. I was hoping I would run into you today." Katniss leaned against the wall beside Madge and stuck a forkful of cake into her mouth. The flavors attacked her taste buds and she closed her eyes to savor the sweet that was flooding her mouth.
"I'm getting married," Madge said quietly. Katniss's eyes shot open and she gasped, nearly swallowing the fork.
"What," she choked out. Madge looked thoroughly depressed as she nodded.
"My father told me last night. A man sent a letter, asking for my hand and Father accepted his offer. Apparently he's a Peacekeeper from 2, relocating to 12."
"A Peacekeeper?" Madge's father was the Mayor so it was no surprise that she would have an arranged marriage but Katniss figured that she would marry higher than a peacekeeper.
"Apparently one of the wealthier ones in 2. Lucky me," Madge said viciously.
"Oh Madge, I'm…" she was about to say she was sorry but that was the wrong sentiment. Congratulations, wasn't it? Except Madge did not look the least bit happy about it.
"I'm sure he'll be a good man. Your father would want to make sure you are taken care of." Madge scoffed and shook her blonde curls out of her eyes.
"He just wants to make sure I'm married off before I'm twenty. He doesn't want me an old spinster. He doesn't care if the man takes care of me or not." Katniss chewed on her lip.
"Do you anything about him?"
"Only that he's relocating to 12. Apparently a big group of them are relocating together. I don't know why 12 needs so many peacekeepers but I overheard Daddy talking to Haymitch Abernathy just a few minutes ago. They are going to hold a giant auction, to find wives for all of them."
"An auction?" It made Katniss sick and Madge nodded darkly.
"These are some of Snow's best peacekeepers and they have agreed to pay a sum to "purchase" a wife," Madge looked positively disgusted. "Because I'm the Mayor's daughter, I'm not being purchased. I'm just being handed to him like some goddamn trophy."
"I'm sorry, Madge." Madge squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.
"Anyway, I want you to be there. I don't care about that bullshit about Merchant toastings in private, you're….well, you're my best friend Katniss. I want you there. I hope he wears a suit, like Darius. I hate those uniforms they wear. Makes them look like robots." Katniss was startled to hear Madge refer to her as her best friend; after all, they hardly talked. But she nodded.
"Of course I'll be there! I'll even help you plan it…if you want. Not that I would be any good at that," she added hastily and Madge gave her a sad smile.
"I know I won't."
"Maybe he'll be a good one, like Darius," Katniss offered. "Maybe you'll actually like him? You might even fall in love with him."
"Love," Madge scoffed. "It's a fairytale, Katniss. Don't buy into it."
"I won't," she replied stiffly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring everyone down. How is the cake?"
"It's delicious. Not that I have much to compare it to but it's from Mellark's, isn't it?"
"He makes the best cakes in the district. I hate that Peeta and Ryen are gone. With Bing taking over his father-in-law's business, there's no one to take over the bakery when Mr. Mellark wants to retire. Mrs. Mellark sure wants to close it down."
"That witch," Katniss growled and Madge looked surprised. Katniss just shook her head and fell silent; why was she being reminded of Peeta so much today?
"You're not having a piece?" She noticed Madge's empty hands. The blonde girl shrugged.
"Mother wants me to watch my figure since I'm to be a bride." Katniss did not miss the venom in her friend's voice. They fell silent, watching the festivities.
"Oh my goodness, I forgot to say happy birthday!"
"Oh, thank you."
"Gosh, Katniss, it's your 19th! You're free from the Reaping! That's a big deal."
"I know, I just…we don't really celebrate birthdays in the Seam. But Mr. Mellark gave me a cookie today."
"That's so nice of him. Well, let's pretend this is your birthday cake," her hand hovered over the cake, like a flickering flame, and she smiled. "Make a wish!" Katniss returned the smile and closed her eyes. She searched her brain until a wish, her only wish, came to the front of her mind. She pretended to blow out the flame and Madge clapped.
"What did you wish for?"
"Can't tell," she stared at the cake with glassy eyes. "Otherwise, it won't come true."
