The two soldiers looked anxious and seemed reluctant to continue.
"Speak freely, Soldier," Peeta said firmly.
"It's your wife, sir." Peeta sat up straighter.
"Lavinia? What's happened? Is the baby alright?"
"The rebels attacked, sir… you've been in the hospital for 2 days. Minister Antonius just discovered her. We've been given orders to bring you to them."
"Get this thing off me, then!" The soldiers ran to get the doctor, who nervously removed the cuff and the IV from Peeta's arm. He flung the blanket off and stepped gingerly onto the floor.
"Be careful, General Mellark. Your leg still needs to heal."
"Damn rebels," he winced as he put pressure on his injured leg. "Soldier, hand me those crutches." The Peacekeeper brought the crutches to him and he stood up.
"Take me to my wife."
The doctor chased them down the hall, crying out for Peeta to be careful and not to put too much strain on the injury and to remember to take medications. Peeta ignored him, his mind on his wife and what had happened. He couldn't remember a rebel attack. In fact…
No, he shook his head. It was a ridiculous thought. You must be mistaken.
The Peacekeepers drove him to the President's mansion and stood at attention as Peeta hurried inside. The President's wife was the one to welcome him.
"General Mellark, I'm so glad you're alright."
"Is Lavinia here?"
"Right this way, General." She lead him into the sitting room, which was full of people. A doctor leaned over Lavinia, listening to her heart. The President stood with several peacekeepers, all watching anxiously. The Minister was nowhere to be seen.
"What's happened," Peeta asked softly.
"General Mellark," Snow rushed toward him. "Thank god you're alright. I thought the rebels had killed you this time for sure."
"Lavinia?"
"She's alive," the doctor said gingerly. "But she'll never speak again. I've given her some sedatives, so she will be out for awhile." Peeta noticed Lavinia's jaw was discolored and she kept clenching her teeth in her sleep.
"I don't understand."
"They cut her tongue out, Mellark," Snow said heavily. "And they left her for dead. Minister Antonius discovered her on the outskirts of the city. He brought her here and I called for the doctor immediately. Thankfully, no harm has come to the baby." Peeta felt his stomach churn.
"I don't even remember them coming here."
"You fought bravely. But they managed to subdue you and you were injured in the process. Don't blame yourself, General." Peeta swallowed and knelt next to Lavinia.
"Thank you, Doctor. We will see that Lavinia has the proper care and is escorted to her home safely." The doctor nodded and stood. He bowed to the President and to his wife before exiting the house.
"General Mellark," Snow spoke, making Peeta wince. "What do you remember of the attack?"
"Nothing," he said miserably. "I came home to speak to Lavinia. I don't remember anything after that." Behind him, the President shot a pleased look toward his wife. Cassandra's response was to roll her eyes.
"Very well. Soldiers Cato and Felix will escort you and your wife home. You need to rest, General. I'm sure you are in pain." Peeta grimaced as he stood up but he refused help. He allowed the Peacekeepers to lift his wife and he lead the way to the door. He paused and bowed his head to the President.
"Once again, your kindness has saved us. I thank you for your generosity, Mr. President."
"No thanks needed, General." Peeta limped to the car, the soldiers following him. Snow closed the door and smirked.
"Once again, he doesn't remember a thing."
"And that once again lets Antonius off the hook? He's an idiot, Caius. Kill him already."
"He may yet be useful."
"You keep saying that and he keeps messing up! You really think the girl won't find a way to tell Mellark what happened?"
"She's from the worst parts of District 12," he shrugged. "She's likely illiterate. Most of them are."
"Caius, this is ridiculous. Why are you keeping him alive? How many times have you hijacked him? Just kill him and be done with him and Antonius already. Why do you persist in making things difficult for us?"
"Oh so difficult for you, Cassandra. Lying has always come far too easily for you."
"We grew up in the Capitol. We both come from powerful families. You know as well as I that lying is the only way to survive." Caius ran his fingers through his hair and made his way up the stairs.
"Your father is dead, Caius. Forget about promises or curses or whatever he's still holding over you. Just kill the Peacekeeper."
Aurelia Snow peered around the corner and strained to hear her father's reply. She chewed her lip and stared at the spot where the poor girl from 12 lay on the couch. She'd heard Minister Antonius bring the girl in earlier that morning. The garbled screams had brought her running and she stayed out of sight while her father and the Minister exchanged heated words. The girl writhed on the couch, unable to speak. Aurelia had understood immediately. She was now an Avox. She'd grown up with Avox servants, she'd become close with several of them. Now the General's wife had been punished.
She checked to make sure her parents were still upstairs before hurrying outside and around the house. There was a small door, hardly noticeable, but it seemed to be Aurelia's destination. She rapped on the door three times with her knuckles and leaned in close.
"Mockingjay," she whispered against the wood. The door swung open and she slipped inside.
Peeta watched his wife sleep fitfully. The drugs the doctor had given her didn't keep away the nightmares. She tossed and turned and fought with the blankets. He wanted to reach out to her but he didn't know how to calm her. What was she seeing? Her attacker coming after her with a sharp blade? He winced and lowered his face to his hands.
His leg ached but he didn't move to take any more medication or put any salve on it. His racing mind almost distracted him from the pain.
"I came home from District 12. I went to talk to Lavinia. Someone else was there." His handsome face twisted in frustration as he tried to sort through his memories. Why couldn't he remember? The last time, Snow had told him the rebels had knocked him out. He'd remembered a fight. He bore the marks of a fight. His back was still covered in scars. He couldn't remember the exact details but he knew someone had tried to kill him.
Something bothered him though. Avoxes were only known in the Capitol. It was the term given to someone who was considered a traitor in the Capitol. He remembered from his Peacekeeper training, Avoxes could be hunted in all districts. If they were rebels, the Peacekeepers brought them to the Capitol to become domestic servants. It's what Snow wanted to do to the Mockingjay. To cut out her tongue, to end her song of revolution. Peeta glanced at his wife. Why would the rebels turn her into an Avox? And would they even know how to do such a thing?
A memory stirred, like it was trying to push itself to the front of his brain. A man with red hair and a kind smile. Peeta frowned. Who was he and why was his face in Peeta's mind?
Lavinia's hand rested on the blanket and Peeta tenderly picked it up. He ignored the giant wedding ring and his fingers interlaced with hers. It was the first time he had touched her. He noted, with surprise, her hands were not as smooth as he expected. In fact, her palms were roughened and her right hand looked as if had been broken once or twice. No woman in the Capitol had such weathered hands. Many of them didn't work for a living. His fingers lightly traced over her calluses and he cocked his head. Strange.
"I'm done playing your game," he heard his own voice in his head. He dropped Lavinia's hand and gripped his hair with both hands. Maybe when Lavinia woke up, she could help him piece it all together.
Peeta heard the door open and he lowered his book. Lavinia peered out of the bedroom and took a hesitant step forward. He set the book on the table and stood.
"How are you feeling?" He immediately regretted it, knowing she couldn't answer. She nodded and leaned against the wall. How lost and frightened she seemed, he noted. Her eyes darted around the room, seemingly searching for something. His eyes widened as he remembered himself yelling at someone, "you bugged my house". He winced and rubbed his temples. When he opened his eyes, he leaped back, seeing Lavinia right beside him. She tugged on his hand and his brow furrowed.
"You want to go somewhere?" She put her finger to her lips, pointed at the ceiling, then rubbed her stomach. Peeta's head was starting to hurt.
"You… let's go get some food, I'm sure the baby is starving!" Her relieved smile told him it was the correct response. He offered her his arm but it was more of her supporting him as they exited the house.
"Do you want to go get something from City Circle?" She shook her head.
"Do you want to get something and take it out of the city?" Her eyes were pleading so he supposed that meant yes. This would take some getting used to, he decided.
Munching on sandwiches from a local bakery, Peeta leaned back against the sculpture and chewed thoughtfully. His injured leg was stretched out in front of him, while he pressed his palm to the fake grass beneath him. He had brought her to a park just outside the city, where a few couples were lounging on picnic blankets and sipping champagne. Peeta frowned. It seemed ridiculous to him. So much frivolity, even for a simple picnic. Back home-
He started to choke on his sandwich and Lavinia looked alarmed. She tentatively reached out to him, looking uncertain.
"Lavinia," he gasped. "The Capitol isn't our home, is it?" She swallowed and shook her head.
"Something happened… I mean, recently. Something happened at our house. We were attacked?" A nod.
"By rebels?" A vigorous shake of the head. Peeta stared at his sandwich.
"The Minister?" Lavinia's eyes widened and she clutched his hands, nodding.
"I… I thought so. I remember… but...the Minister attacked us? But why? Wait… he was the one who did… this to you?" She gingerly rubbed her cheek and nodded.
"Lavinia… I need answers. And I know you can't tell me but… I know something is wrong here. It's fuzzy but it's there. Pieces of memories, just floating around in my head. I need your help to make sense of it all. Please help me." Lavinia looked to the side, her face almost wistful. Peeta watched her as she rubbed her belly, closing her eyes and blinking back tears.
"Can you… um, can you write?" She bit her lip and held up her fingers, to indicate a little bit. Peeta's eyes widened as he realized his suspicions were correct. Everyone in the Capitol was educated. Her hands were roughened by work. His wife was clearly not from the Capitol.
Which meant, neither was he. He cleared his throat and shook his head.
"Ok, no, that's fine. Um, we can… I'll just ask questions. Ok? And you… you answer them." She raised her brow and he cleared his throat again.
"Ok, I remember going to District 12. To look for someone. The Mockingjay?" A nod.
"Alright, so when I came home from the mission, I found the Minister waiting to punish you. And I hit him. He stuck a needle… wait a minute… " his eyes became wider and Lavinia leaned back.
"He's hijacking me again," he said more to himself. "When I was first made a Peacekeeper, they told me I had to forget everything about my former life. They wanted me to become a ruthless killer, like them. But I refused. So they poisoned me. Beat me and starved me. Made me… a piece in their twisted game of what's right and wrong. Hijacking... someone told me." His breathing became rather labored and his eyes were wide. Lavinia watched him anxiously.
"They made me forget… everything. Or almost everything. And then… then…" Lavinia was actually leaning forward, as if hanging onto his every word, and jumped when he hollered in frustration.
"Damn it! I don't remember. What came after that… I don't remember! Why can't I remember?" Lavinia rubbed his arm and his eyes met hers, both holding back tears of frustration and misery.
"I feel like this is the most we have ever talked," he said softly. She gave a weak smile and nodded.
"This is fake, isn't it? You, me, the baby. None of it is real." She rubbed her belly but of course didn't say anything. He pulled his knees to his chest.
"It's all so messed up," he muttered. Lavinia touched his hand and cocked her head in question.
"I mean, everything in my mind… has this shiny quality. All of my memories are so intense or just… aren't stable. I know I sound like I've gone mad," he added in response to her alarmed expression. "I don't know how to explain it. I just know that… they have been messing with my mind for a long time. And I can't tell what's real and what's not real. Whenever I think that I am starting to figure things out, my memories get all jumbled again. It's so confusing." Lavinia moved closer and tapped the side of his head. His brow quirked in confusion.
"My mind?" A nod. "I was poisoned again?" She tapped his head several times and he closed his eyes.
"Yeah, I know they have done it several times. For some reason, though, each time they do it… it doesn't last. I mean… I still can't remember everything. But you see, the Minister's attack… that's all starting to come back. The President was there too, wasn't he?" She nodded, tapping on his head again.
"Yes. Snow has been doing this to me. For a long time now, right? He really wants me to forget… so help me remember, Lavinia. What does he want me to forget so badly?" She bit her lip then held up his hand. She tapped on his finger, where a wedding band should be. He frowned and looked at hers.
"Our wedding?" She shook her head but tapped on his finger again. She moved her hand down to his chest, right over his heart and he inhaled sharply.
"Our marriage isn't real. The baby… the baby isn't mine. You loved someone else. And they killed him." A single tear dripped down her cheek and he used his thumb to wipe it away.
"Why are they going to these extraordinary lengths? They used you as my pretend wife, they hijacked me, they sent me to 12 to destroy the Mockingjay-" Lavinia grabbed his hand, nodding, and tapped his ring finger again.
"I don't know what you're trying to tell me," his shoulders slumped, his head drooping. Lavinia sighed and dropped his hand. She looked around, searching for something, and then held up her bread. Peeta stared.
"Um… bread?" She nodded and pointed to him, then at the bread.
"Bread and me?" She huffed, clearly running out of patience.
"Ok, let's… let's just enjoy the fresh air." He wanted to know more, wanted answers, but she couldn't provide them. It was ironic, he thought, that he had asked her for them in the past and now that she couldn't give them, she was more than ready to open up.
"We can't let the President and the Minister know I remember what happened," he said quietly. "Who knows what they would do to you? They already did this because they think you told me something. Right? They did that and tried to make me believe you were a traitor. That's real?" She nodded warily. "We should try to leave the Capitol. Except there's no safe place for us right now." Lavinia turned his hand over and used her pointer finger to write in his palm. She did it several times, until he realized they were numbers.
"13?" She nodded frantically. He frowned, staring at his palm.
"Wait… District 13? You want to go to 13?" She nodded, squeezing his hands.
"You're insane. What makes you think they would accept us there? Everyone knows who I am. And the Mockingjay is in 13!" She grasped his face in both hands and nodded, her eyes wide and hard. He pried her hands from his cheeks and frowned.
"Alright, clearly you are somehow involved with the Mockingjay. I can't even remember her name right now. It… starts with a K. Is that right?" Another nod.
"But she's a rebel… she attacked me. She almost killed me." She grabbed his face again and shook her head slowly. His hands covered hers.
"Ok. I'm understanding you. We need to find the Mockingjay, to get answers. But we can't let Snow and Antonius know that we are leaving. Do you have any family that we can say we are visiting?" Her eyes fell and her hand rested on her stomach. He swallowed uncomfortably.
"Ok. We'll leave for 13 as soon as I can arrange passage. They don't know you have no family left. There aren't many soldiers I trust but there are a few who I think will help. I'll take care of it, Lavinia. I promise." He cupped her cheek and smiled. She covered his hand with hers and closed her eyes. Lowering his hand, she used her finger to write in his palm again. He stared, watching her slowly write out one letter at a time.
"R," he said slowly. She nodded, then continued. "O. S. A. L. I." Her nods became more emphatic each time he guessed a letter correctly.
"R. O. S. A. L. I. E. Rosalie?" She grasped his hands and nodded. He shook his head in confusion and she pointed to herself with both hands.
"Rosalie. That's your name? Your real name?" The most emphatic nod of them all. He collapsed against the statue behind him. He stared at his palm for a moment and swallowed.
"What is my name? My real name?" She hesitated, then took his hand in hers. She slowly repeated the process, waiting for him to speak the letter aloud.
"P. E. E. T. A." She closed his hand and brought it to his own heart. He swallowed, feeling his heart race uncontrollably.
"Peeta Mellark. Not Peter." Her eyes were glassy but there was a sense of resolution in them. The storms tossed but she seemed more determined than angry. He remembered asking her for the truth and she had tried to hide it. He couldn't say she deserved what she had gotten because he knew she had just been trying to keep her baby safe.
"Rosalie… you said the Mockingjay isn't an enemy. Right?" She crossed her arms and raised a brow.
"Don't look at me like that, please. I'm trying to sort through these memories and you have no idea how much there is to sort through. Tell me about the Mockingjay." She held his hand up in front of his face, as she had done earlier, and tapped the same finger. His brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to speak but she repeated her earlier action of pressing his hand to his heart. She held firmly to his finger, tapping it for emphasis.
"I loved her," he said in awe. She nodded and stretched her arms wide. He managed a weak smile.
"A lot?" Another nod.
"Then why can't I remember her? Her name, her face, what she smells like? I can't remember any of it. How could I forget someone I loved so much?" She gave him a sympathetic smile and tapped his temple again.
"Fine, I get it, they poisoned me. Is that what Snow wants me to forget so badly? Not what, but who?" She gave him a look that told him he was absolutely correct in thinking that.
"Who is she? Give me her name." She repeated the action a third time, spelling the letters in his palm.
"K. A. T. N. I. S. S." He frowned, more puzzled than ever.
"Katniss?" A nod. "I know I've heard it. People have been saying it recently. But I don't remember it. I don't remember saying her name. Are you sure you're thinking of the right person? This… Katniss is who I really loved?" She looked vastly irritated for a moment before her palm made contact with his cheek. It wasn't hard at all, and it didn't hurt but he blinked in complete shock.
"You just slapped me." She smirked, as if saying, I sure did.
"OK. The Mockingjay's name is Katniss. And apparently we're in love. I mean, I assume… it wasn't unrequited, was it?" She rolled her eyes and tapped his finger again. To demonstrate her point further, she held up her hand and tapped her wedding ring. His jaw dropped.
"I'm married… to the Mockingjay?" She nodded and crossed her arms again. He sighed and rubbed his temples.
"This is all so much. Are you finished eating? I think we should get back to the house and figure out when we can leave the Capitol." He used his crutches to get to his feet and held out his hand. She nodded and struggled to stand, grabbing onto him for support when she nearly fell. His eyes darted downwards and he bit his lip.
"We need to figure it out soon. I don't think you want to give birth in the Capitol." Her eyes flared with anger and he understood. He knew he needed to get her to safety and that was the top priority. If he could find Katniss along the way, he would get the answers he needed and maybe even fill in the gaps to his memory.
"Let's go," his hand went to her back and he tossed the rest of his sandwich into the trash as they walked toward the road.
Haymitch's brow was furrowed as he pored over the documents in front of him. His eyes darted across the page, grunting here and there. Someone moved to stand behind him but Haymitch had keen senses and he knew who it was without having to ask.
"Shouldn't you be with your new bride?"
"It sounded urgent. Color me curious. Although I have to admit, I'm surprised you didn't ask for the Mockingjay to come. Or… anyone else, for that matter." Finnick looked around the empty room, blinking in surprise.
"I don't trust many with this. And I have my reasons for picking you to confide in. So read this page right here." Finnick leaned in and read where Haymitch was pointing.
"I don't get it."
"You will. Read this one." Finnick obeyed and read two more pages before his eyes widened. Another page before his jaw dropped. On the last page, he actually let out a shocked curse, which he stifled with his hand.
"Do you understand the need for secrecy now?"
"Does she know?"
"Of course not."
"Haymitch, you can't keep this from her! She deserves to know!"
"I already told her that Ash's death was no accident. And she demanded to know who was involved. What do you think she will do if I tell her all of this?"
"Go running through the halls, screaming, most likely," Finnick muttered. "But it doesn't matter. She deserves to know. Does… does her mother even-?"
"I don't know. I don't think so, to be honest. She wouldn't have had access to these records. These were in the Justice Building, and I managed to salvage them from the debris. No idea how they survived but when the time comes to tell Katniss everything, this will all be laid out in print."
"It won't make it any easier. To see it in writing, I mean. And this needs to come from you. You know it does."
"He was my best friend. If I could have done anything to keep it from happening-"
"You couldn't have," the younger Victor cut him off. "It sounds like his fate was determined a long time ago. I of all people understand how jealousy and anger can fuel someone to take such actions. I saw it with my own eyes in the Capitol. Some of my would-be bidders, even, attacking the highest bidder. It's disgusting."
"It's fucked up," Haymitch murmured in agreement. "And you're right, I need to tell her. I just wish she had the boy back with her when I do."
"Do we even know if that is possible anymore?" He lowered his voice, even though there was no one in the room with them. "Boggs is saying he is lost for good."
"Peeta's love for her goes deeper than any of us realize. Even if he has forgotten her, there's a part of him that will somehow lead him back to her."
"That's great, but is it too much to hope that his memory returns before he kills her?"
"He won't kill her. Of that I'm certain."
"You have more faith than I'd expect from a Hunger Games Victor." Haymitch shrugged and closed the file on the papers.
"This rebellion started long before you were born. The fact that it might actually work, in our lifetime, is enough to keep me going." Finnick nodded, still staring at the folder.
"You know you have to tell Peeta about this too." Haymitch suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
"I don't think I'm the right one to tell him."
"But it involves him just as much as it involves Katniss!"
"Ash asked me to look after Katniss as my own daughter and I failed him. I want to be the one to tell her. As for Peeta… I think that should be left to his own family. His mother, in particular, has to face the truth sometime." Finnick looked doubtful as Haymitch tucked the papers into his jacket.
"Not a word to anyone about this, Finnick. Not even to Annie. Understood?"
"Understood. I know why you chose me to share this with. I do have an affinity with secrets, after all."
"I know you can keep a secret, Finnick, but I trust you. And you're more… mild-tempered than many people here. I'm afraid of what could happen if the wrong people find out."
"Understood," he said again. "Can we go have dinner now? I heard we were getting something OTHER than turnips!"
"Joy," Haymitch muttered, following Finnick to the dining hall.
I know this raises more questions than answers them but the plot is twisting and things will be revealed very soon! I know many of you feel that the story is dragging so I apologize for your frustration. Thanks for sticking with me and the story!
I am going on vacation to celebrate my birthday this week, so enjoy this one and I'll do my best to get another one up next weekend when I get back!
XOXOXOXO
