Hi, again!
I had a lot of ideas after chapter 23; hence, the short wait-time for this chapter. YAY! Things are progressing quite well for PK… except for the whole Coin-wants-to-kill-them thing. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next chapter in their story! Please review, comment, share advice/questions, etc...
Thanks for being awesome supporters of this story! I love reading feedback and PMs from you guys!
Blessings!
Disclaimer: HG isn't mine ;)
My head is throbbing. Command meetings are getting progressively more difficult to sit through. Part of me is trying to decode Coin's every word and action and the other part is trying to listen to Plutarch and Haymitch as they argue and debate everything from the rebellion as a whole to mine and Peeta's duties as the Mockingjays. Soon Peeta will be back with me, and this whole thing will be easier. He only has one day of therapy left. Thirteen's medical technology never ceases to amaze me. After his dosage of meds last night, he woke up this morning and didn't even need his crutch.
I take the elevator to the surface, as I do every day at reflection time. My GPS tracker, game bag, bow, and arrows all wait for me with a soldier at the checkpoint where I exit the fence of District 13. As soon as I cross into the woods, I pause to take a deep breath, savoring the rich scent of earth and the thick heat of summer that fills my lungs. If it weren't for the fresh air I receive during this short hour each day, I would probably go insane. Thirteen is too much white, too much filtered oxygen, and too little sunlight. I continue walking toward my normal spot, the farthest point I am allowed to travel without triggering the alert on my tracker - one of the many inconvenient regulations Thirteen has placed on my hunting endeavors.
Several broken twigs and boot impressions have paved a path in the dirt before me as I move closer to my normal area, signaling that I am not the first person to have made this journey today. I wonder who else comes out here; I wasn't aware that anyone besides Peeta and Gale and I had clearance to come into the woods. Gale started coming every so often once he arrived, especially since Peeta has been in the hospital. Maybe it's some sun-deprived District 13 citizen attempting to enjoy a few spare moments of solitude in nature before duty calls him or her back into the depths of the district. Since the tracks lead ahead but not back, there is a chance I may have company today at some point, unless this individual took a different route home. I should hold off on hunting today. I don't want to cause any accidents. Instead, a nice nap in a tree sounds like the perfect way to spend the next hour. A few minutes later, I approach a small clearing to find a small blanket lain out on the leaf-ridden ground and a brown parcel nestled in a basket. I guess the mystery person decided to have a picnic? I approach the set up cautiously, not wanting to get caught snooping if the person suddenly shows.
"Fancy meeting you here," a familiar voice speaks from behind me. I gasp and spin around in surprise.
"Peeta! God, you scared me!"
"I see you have decided to join me for an afternoon snack," he smiles mischievously. "How nice of you."
"Was I supposed to know about this? Did I miss something? I thought you were in therapy today," I say, confused.
"I was. But I convinced them to let me come out here to surprise you." He draws near to me, takes my hand, and leads me to the picnic blanket, where we sit across from each other, ready for an afternoon snack together.
"Well, you got me. I'm definitely surprised... What's all this about anyway?" I ask, curiosity gripping me.
"Patience, love. First, some cheese bread," he says, unwrapping the brown parcel. It's just like the brown parcels he used to leave on my porch before I knew he liked me.
"No," I say incredulously. "How!?" Thirteen would never make something as indulgent as cheese bread.
"I have my connections in the kitchen," he explains simply.
"Oh... I see..." I raise my eyebrows in understanding. "I guess that one of the many perks of being with a baker is the 'kitchen connections,' huh?" He laughs and hands me a warm serving of the bread.
I take my portion and lift it to my nose, inhaling the fresh-baked scent of melted cheese and garlic. I bring it to my mouth for a bite, and as I sink my teeth into the savory snack, I am temporarily transported to heaven. I close my eyes and moan in satisfaction. It's been so long since I've had anything that doesn't taste like cardboard that I forgot food can actually taste good.
"I'm glad it's to your liking," he laughs at my response to the bread. "Maybe one day, I will be able make you endless amounts of cheese bread, whenever you want it."
"That would be the best thing ever," I inform him.
"Katniss, that's kind of why I wanted to see you today. I know we've talked about this, but I told you that I wanted everything done properly, remember?" I nod. "So," he reaches into his pocket and pulls out something small, enclosed in his fist. "I wanted to give you something, but before I do, I need to tell you the story behind it."
"A story, huh?" I ask, smiling.
"Yes, a story. Would you like to hear it?" he asks.
"Of course," I encourage.
"Okay. Let's see... Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl with long, black hair and steel gray eyes. She was a huntress who provided for her family and sold the extra game to the local villagers-"
"Really, Peeta? A huntress?" I say, skeptical of where this story is headed.
"Really. Now, do you want to hear the story or not?" I nod vigorously, using my hands to signal zipping my lips. "Anyways, where were we? Oh yeah! She sold it to the villagers, all of whom admired her strength and her skill. One of her customers was a baker, who had three sons, one of which grew extremely fond of the huntress at a young age. He tried to be present each time she made a delivery to the bakery just so he could see her or, perhaps, speak to her, if only for a few seconds. One day, he couldn't take it any longer. She had just delivered game to his father, but those few moments were no longer enough. He snuck out the back of the bakery and followed her to the Hob, a place where some of the villagers bartered and traded. She never saw him because she was busy making purchases for her family."
"You followed me!? Peeta Mellark! I can't believe you!" I exclaim.
"Who says this story is about me!? For all you know, it could just be one of my brothers!" I flash him a look of disbelief. "Fine! It's me! You caught me! Now, can I continue?" I nod, smirking at him. "He wandered around the market, pretending to take interest in several items, but all the while, he was keeping track of the dark-haired girl. At one point, he overheard the girl talking with one of the vendors. He watched as she held out an item in her hand, explaining that it was a gift from her father that has been passed down through their family for generations, something extremely valuable. She wondered how much money she could get by selling it. The boy could tell that it was hard for the girl to surrender something so precious, but she had to in order to make ends meet. After she sold the item to the vendor, the boy went over and found it, asking the vendor to hold the item for a few days. The boy worked extra shifts and collected some of his savings to purchase the item from the vendor, and he did so successfully. He decided that he would find the perfect time to return the item to the girl, and until then, he would keep it safe. He wore it on a chain around his neck to every Reaping, just in case either one of them was chosen. If he was selected as a tribute, he would ensure that it found its way back to the girl, and if - heaven forbid - the huntress was chosen, he would give it to her as a token from her village, to remind her where she came from and who she is fighting for."
Tears have carved wet streaks into my cheek, as I realize what Peeta has done. He opens his hand to reveal a simple gold ring with a three inter-woven bands. The ring my father gifted to me on my tenth birthday, right before he passed away.
"Peeta..." I say softly, in between sobs, but it's all I can manage.
"Katniss Everdeen, you are my light, my song, and my love. I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine, forever - no matter what comes our way. So, with this ring, I want to ask you a very important question," he props himself up on one knee, "will you marry me?" Tears well up in his eyes as he voices the question that has been hidden away in his heart for so many years.
I smile at his sweetness and laugh breathily, tears still marking my face. "Yes. Peeta Mellark, I would love nothing more than to be your wife... no matter what may come..."
He scoots closer to me and wipes the tears from eyes before gently taking my left hand and sliding the gold band up my ring finger. His forehead rests against mine as he whispers, "I love you," again and again and again. I kiss him slowly until my breath is short and my vision is dazed.
"I love you, Peeta," I breathe in response. After a few more minutes of kissing, I come to a sudden realization, "Oh my god!"
"What? What is it?" he questions, suddenly concerned by my outburst.
"This is really happening. We are getting married!"
He laughs. "You've got that right, Mrs. Mellark-to-be."
"Oh my god. I'm engaged. This is crazy. Peeta, we are both crazy!" I tease him, planting little kisses in random places. His hand. His cheek. His hairline. "When? When is this happening?"
"Tomorrow? The next day? I don't know! You call it."
"As soon as possible," I reply.
"I'm on it," he says, grinning from ear to ear.
Suddenly, we are interrupted by an annoying beeping sound originating from both of our trackers. Time's up. We have to go back.
"Duty calls," Peeta sighs. "I have good news, though, before we go. I can come with you to training and evening meetings now. The doctor said I'm only needed for morning sessions."
"Oh my goodness! This news is better than good. I thought I was going to murder everyone in Command this morning, including Haymitch." Peeta laughs.
We pack up our picnic supplies, and begin the journey back to Thirteen. A few yards in, a sound freezes both of us in our tracks.
Meow.
We both turn and stare at each other in shock. It can't be.
Meow.
Oh my god. It is.
"Buttercup!?" I blurt out, searching the trees in the direction of the sound. After a few moments, I spot him coming toward us, meowing in a heart-wrenching manner. I run up to him and scoop him up. "Did you follow us all the way here? You crazy cat! Prim is going to freak out!"
"I can't believe he found us. After all the chaos of the past few weeks, I totally forgot he was left behind," Peeta says.
"I feel horrible, but I did too!" I pick up the wailing cat and shove her into my game bag, hoping she calms down before we get to the checkpoint. "It's gonna take some convincing for Thirteen to allow a pet," I conclude.
"We will figure something out," Peeta encourages. I hope he's right.
We successfully make our way past the checkpoint, back below the surface of the earth. I drop Buttercup off in our room before heading to training. I really hope he will be able to stay with Prim. Until we have the okay, I will keep him hidden. I don't want to break Prim's heart if Thirteen refuses to let Buttercup stay.
Today, training consists of practicing tactics for infiltrating the Capitol. Thirteen has recreated a Capitol-style street and has assigned several soldiers to pose as Peacekeepers, while the soldiers-in-training have to complete a random mission. This will be part of our final evaluation to enter the rebellion as soldiers; the other part will be physical fitness. Peeta struggles a little with discomfort in his leg - I can tell by the grimaces and winces that form on his face when he moves too quickly - but in another day or two, he will be as good as new. Although, he might have to practice a little extra to make sure he is up to par physically. Being on bed rest for even just a few days has probably put him out of shape - at least out of District Thirteen's standard of what is "in shape."
As for me, I do my best when I'm allowed my bow, but I'm not horrible with a gun either. They make me practice with both, informing me that I need to be prepared for any situation. Most of the time I enjoy the exhilaration that training brings; the rush I receive from making the shot or completing a mission is much like that of hunting game. The funny thing about today, however, is that I am constantly distracted by the sparkle of gold on my left hand. I don't think anyone has noticed my absentmindedness, but I keep having to shake myself from daydreams about being married to Peeta. I feel like I'm living a dream. Or jumping into the future several years. It's all too good to be true. Even so, by the end of training, I'm covered in sweat and my energy is completely sapped, and we still have a mandatory meeting to attend. I sigh, dreading whatever Command has in store for us this time. Maybe it'll be propos or interviews or heated discussions about the rebellion... I don't know, but whatever it is, I just want to get it over with so I can go to dinner.
The two of us walk into Command aching and drained. I plop into a chair and sink as far back into it as possible, hoping to become invisible. Peeta takes the seat to the right of me and takes my hand as a small act of comfort.
"So, now that we have both of our Mockingjays back, we need to catch up on our filming for new propos," Plutarch informs everyone, motioning toward me and Peeta. "We have a compilation of the hospital footage from Eight to show as soon as editing is completed. Hopefully, it'll air tonight or tomorrow, while the sting is still fresh. Next, I'm thinking the victors and the Mockingjays should share their stories about the injustices of the Capitol... Now, most people already know the majority of the Mockingjay story, so I want you two to share what it was like to be offered up year after year as potential tributes." He addresses Finnick and Johanna, "As for you, I think the people of Panem should learn what it's really like being a victor."
I'm not sure what exactly he is hinting at, but apparently, there's a lot more to these two people than we thought. I'm curious. Victor status is highly sought after by the citizens of the wealthier districts. Of course, when you pair a lifetime fame and money together, some people are bound to go so far as to volunteer for the Hunger Games. Even so, Plutarch's implication seems to mean victor status isn't all that it appears to be. Finnick's face loses its color as everyone turns to look at them. Johanna, on the other hand, just looks totally peeved that Plutarch even brought it up. Oh, yes, these interviews will be extremely enlightening.
"I like this idea. It seems like it will most definitely encourage the rebels. Good work, Plutarch," Coin affirms.
"Thank you, President Coin. In that case," he picks up a stack of blank paper and begins passing them out to each of us, "everyone's homework, so to speak, is to outline some of the major points you want to address during your interview or testimony." He continues passing out the paper, but when he reaches me, he pauses briefly, staring at me with a question in his eyes. I'm confused for a moment, but when he grabs my left hand and acknowledges the ring on my figure, I immediately know what this is about. Why didn't I hide the ring? I chastise myself. Crap. Crap. Please don't say anything. Crap!
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He pulls my hand up to admire the ring and smiles knowingly. I immediately yank my hand free of his grip. "It seems as though our Mockingjays might have some exciting new for us all."
I watch as everyone in the room glances from my left hand to both me and Peeta. I look at Peeta, unsure what to do or say. The last thing I want is all of Panem to get wrapped up in our personal affairs. He shakes his head, signaling for me to let him handle it.
"Trust me, if there's ever anything we want to share with you all, we will share it," he says sharply. Plutarch looks utterly offended.
"I think Plutarch, along with the rest of us, would like an answer. Secrets are not something we can afford in these difficult times," Coin interjects coolly.
It's no longer a silly question from a ridiculous ex-Gamemaker; it's an order from a commander to a soldier. Realizing we are trapped in a tight corner, I squeeze Peeta's hand, giving him permission to do what he has to do.
"Katniss and I are getting married," he explains calmly, looking anywhere but the shocked faces before us. On the surface he appears completely in control, but the white-knuckled grip he is exerting on my hand reminds me of his convincing acting skills.
"At seventeen?" I hear Effie gasp in the background. I catch a glimpse of Finnick and Johanna and am relieved to see their shocked yet empathetic expressions. I'm sure they understand the pain and frustration of having to divulge every detail about their personal lives to a camera.
"A wedding..." Coin says, not as a contribution to the conversation but as a thought spoken aloud. It provokes an unsettling feeling in my stomach. A few moments later, she addresses the room, "This is news, for sure, but it can definitely be used to advance the rebellion, to remind the rebels of the hope and new life for which they are fighting." She smiles subtly at me; I'm sure she knows just how much I hate this.
"We signed on to be your Mockingjays to fight and train and film propos, not to give Panem a play-by-play of our lives. I don't know what you have in mind, but I'm sorry. I'm drawing a line," I say forcefully, not breaking eye contact with her.
"And as the Mockingjays, it is your duty to not only follow the orders of a commanding officer but to assist in promoting the rebellion by any means necessary. Otherwise, your privileges here will be revoked and you will both be considered a threat. Either way, it's your choice," she refutes. I have nothing. No words to defend myself and, apparently, neither does Peeta. His quickened breathing and continued death-grip inform me that he is seething. "So what do you say? When is the wedding?"
"Tomorrow," I speak up regretfully on behalf of both myself and Peeta, who is still attempting to calm down.
"So soon? That will be difficult to arrange, but the sooner, the better. We need more footage," she responds matter-of-factly.
That's what this has become. More footage. Not the union of two lovers. Definitely not the hope and new life she claims as the reason for wanting to film our wedding. Just more footage.
Finnick clears his throat. "Well, since we are on the subject of weddings and such, I proposed to Annie last night," he admits. A few more seconds of shocked silence pass, and then he adds, "What would the Mockingjays say to sharing the spotlight with some friends in a double wedding? How do you feel about that, Annie?" he says, taking her hand in his to wait for her response.
"I don't mind at all," she says gently with a soft smile.
Annie and Finnick? A few days after our initial Command meeting with all the victors, I found out that Annie Cresta is the name of the girl who became mentally impaired as a result of her games. Finnick and Annie have been spending a lot of time together, but I figured it was because they are both from District 4. I haven't really talked with Annie much; she keeps to herself for the most part. Besides her instability, she seems sweet, but Finnick getting married seems a little out-of-character for him. He is known throughout the Capitol as a sort of "ladies' man," seen with a new woman on his arm almost every time he appears in public. Maybe the rebellion changes a lot more about people than I thought.
"A double wedding! Perfect! Just what we need!" Plutarch exclaims in his excitement.
Finnick makes eye contact with Peeta, communicating something furtively. Then, Peeta speaks up for us both, "That just sounds like a recipe for disaster," he teases, attempting to ease the tension. "I like it. What about you, Katniss? Double wedding?"
"Why not?" I say, going along with their little stunt but still hating it.
"Well, that settles it, then. We will be married tomorrow evening," Finnick finalizes. "Now, if there isn't anything else we can do for you all, Annie and I will be catching up on our beauty sleep for the big day tomorrow. Ta-ta, my friends." He turns to leave.
"Wait! What about the plans? Don't you want everything to be perfect?" Effie blurts before he gets to the door.
"I'm sure whatever you all come up with will be lovely. It will already be the perfect day because I will be marrying the love of my life," he says, pushing out the door, Annie following closely behind him.
Everyone's eyes shift to Peeta and me. Peeta clears his throat. "Yeah. I think we should go as well. Have a good night. See you tomorrow."
The room is dumbstruck. Expressions are frozen on faces, and silence permeates the filtered, District 13 air. We stand up, our chairs screeching across the floor. As we open the door to leave, a chilly voice bids us farewell, "Sleep well, Mockingjays. Big day tomorrow." I pretend like I didn't hear anything.
When we get to the elevator, Finnick is standing there with Annie, waiting for us.
"Hey," he says.
"Hey," I say in reply, smiling at both of them as we all step into the elevator.
"Sorry about all that. I know what it's like to have no privacy from the public eye," he explains apologetically.
"You don't need to apologize. It's fine," I say.
"It's not fine. I understand. Annie and I will have to face the same thing once people learn about our engagement, so I figured that a double wedding would help keep the focus balanced between us four rather than just you two. Hopefully, it will distract from the more intimate prying they are sure to do if we marry separately. After all, it's harder to film four people than it is two," he explains. "We have already considered the fact that something like this would happen, so it actually works out for everyone, if you ask me. I don't know. That's just what I was thinking. I thought it may help..."
"Thank you," I say quickly, before he can continue chastising himself.
"Yeah, thanks Finnick. We appreciate it," Peeta confirms. "Are you going to dinner now?"
Finnick looks at Annie, "No. I don't think so. Not tonight. We will see you at breakfast, though."
"Sounds good. You two need to go and do something special tonight, something that will be only yours." Peeta winks at Finnick, who smiles gratefully in return. The elevator opens at our floor, and we leave them to their own devices.
As soon as we turn to head to our compartments, I share my thoughts, "Lucky Finnick is a quick thinker. He probably just saved us all a load of grief and aggravation..." I can't help but think gratefully about how much less Peeta and I will be in the spotlight if we are sharing it with Finnick and Annie.
"I guess it is lucky," Peeta says distractedly as we get to the room. "Though, it's not so lucky to have to deal with this situation at all..."
"Katniss! Peeta!" I hear a familiar voice call from down the hall. It's Prim. She must be on her way to drop off her school stuff before dinner.
"Hey, Little Duck," I reply, noticing that Iris is following close behind. "Hi, Iris. Are you two ready for dinner?"
"Yeah! I'm so hungry! Today was so busy at school, wasn't it Iris?" Prim says, seeking support from her friend.
"Oh yes it was... We got to observe all of the different jobs in the district. It was interesting," Iris explains softly.
"That does sound interesting," I say. "What was your favorite job?"
"Mine was the hospital, obviously," Prim answers. I smile knowingly.
"I liked the garden. But I just wish it was above ground. I miss the sun," Iris says.
"Me too," I empathize.
"I think we all miss the outdoors. I'm sure we will have a chance to go outside soon," Peeta assures the girls. "I promise."
With that, we all drop off our belongings in our compartments and head to the cafeteria for dinner. We make it through the line for our servings of mysterious canned meat, soggy vegetables, and stale toast. If we win this rebellion, the first thing I will do is eat a home cooked meal complete with game which I will hunt and bread which Peeta will bake. Just thinking about real food makes the meal in my hands even less appealing. I find seats for all four of us at a table with Johanna.
"Interesting meeting we had today, huh?" Johanna initiates, almost as soon as we take our seats. I haven't talked to Prim about my engagement or wedding or anything yet; it's all happened so quickly that I was simply hoping to squeeze in a chat with her and Peeta tonight, but apparently, that won't be the case.
"Wait. Before we start discussing this, we haven't had a chance to talk to the girls," I explain, turning to face Prim and Iris. Although I don't really know Iris that well yet, I want her to feel like she's a part of the family, which is why I include her in the conversation. If further explanation is needed, Prim and I can find some one-on-one time. "Peeta and I are engaged." I pause for a moment, allowing them time to process. "He surprised me with a special picnic this afternoon in the woods. The wedding ceremony will be tomorrow evening, and Finnick and Annie will be getting married with us." I explain concisely.
"Married?!" Prim exclaims with a mixture of shock and excitement. "Already?"
"We know it's fast, but none of us know what tomorrow will hold, you know? With all this war and death and the chance that we will have to fight, we decided to celebrate the good things. I love Katniss to the moon and back times a million, and she is the woman I want to live with for the rest of my life, so why not celebrate life and hope and love?" Peeta answers. He takes my hand and kisses it gently.
"Ugh. Save it for tomorrow, Mockingjays," Johanna teases with mock-digust. Prim and Iris giggle. I laugh a little as well, but my cheeks flush at the implication I'm sure she's making. Quickly, I change the subject.
"I would love for all of you lovely ladies to stand up there with me tomorrow. What do you say to that?" I ask, including Johanna this time.
"I'll stand right in the middle of you two couples. Someone's gotta keep you all in check," she smiles.
"Yes! I've always wanted to be in a wedding!" Prim exclaims.
"What about you, Iris?" I encourage.
"Okay. Sounds fun," she says.
"It's official. I have the best bridal party of all time." I wink at the girls, and they smile in response.
"Katniss! What are you going to wear?!" Prim wonders excitedly.
"Honestly, I haven't even thought about it," I respond. All anyone ever wears here is the drab, gray District 13 uniforms, except for our special Mockingjay suits which were crafted by Cinna.
Cinna. That's it.
"I'll talk to Cinna and see if he can throw something together for us. I don't know how much he can do, though, since it's so last minute," I say.
"I think the whole thing is ridiculous. Coin should get married herself if it's such a big deal. You all should be able to have a private ceremony... Cameras suck," Johanna states.
"They are filming it?" Prim asks.
"Unfortunately, yes..." I say disappointedly.
"Aw man. That's not right."
"It's fine. There's nothing to be done about it. All that matters is we are going to be starting a new season together, and for that, I couldn't be happier," I explain, grabbing Peeta's hand to give him a reassuring squeeze.
After a few more bites of stale bread, I am done with my meal. A crumpled up napkin lies in the center of Peeta's tray, so I assume he is finished as well. We make eye contact and I nod, signaling I'm ready to go.
"We have a few things that need to get done before curfew, so we will see you two for breakfast, okay?" Peeta asks. They both nod, turning their attention to the rest of their meals.
Peeta decides to find Haymitch to figure out the Buttercup situation, and I part ways with him to see if Cinna has or can make anything for us to wear. Luckily, I don't have to go far to find him. As soon as I get to the floor of his compartment, I notice he is walking right to me, probably about to head to dinner himself.
"Katniss," he nods politely.
"Hey, Cinna," I respond. "I was looking for you to ask if there was any way you could whip up something nicer for all of us soon-to-be married folk to wear tomorrow. Not that we don't love these gray suits..." I pinch the fabric sarcastically.
"I can't say that I haven't prepared for an occasion like this... I did bring a few things from the Capitol... not exactly wedding attire but more formal. Would you like to take a look? I was going to ask tomorrow, but since you are already here..." he explains.
"Sure. Let's do it, but only if you have time," I say.
"For you, I have all the time in the world," he smiles.
He leads the way back to the elevator, and we go down several more levels, until we are a floor above Command. His workspace is one of the first rooms to the right, as soon as we get off of the elevator. The outside looks as plain and white-washed as every other room in every other hall of District 13, but when he opens the door, it's like the world suddenly comes to life. Evidence of Cinna's hand at work is present everywhere, on the sketches hanging on the wall, on the scraps of multi-colored fabric scattered across the tables and chairs, even on the revamped gray Thirteen uniforms hanging gingerly on a make-shift mannequin. For someone who worked with such extravagant materials in the Capitol, Cinna seems to be doing well for himself with the few fabrics and pieces he brought in addition to the drab outerwear of the District.
"This is incredible, Cinna," I say, taking in the space before me.
"Thank you. I do what I can. Obviously, Thirteen doesn't have much of an appreciation for fashion, but my work has been useful for missions that require disguises or for special occasions such as a public appearance or even a wedding..." he says with a wink. "Go ahead, take a look. All of the pieces on the left are available for use. I may have to tailor them a bit so that they fit well, but that will be an easy fix."
I walk over to the rack of gorgeous fabrics and colors and textures, and almost immediately, a dress grabs my attention. It is sunset orange, Peeta's favorite color. I pull the dress out to take a better look. The bust is fitted to the waist, where the silky fabric gathers with a braided belt of gold and flows out to the floor. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
"Can I try this one?" I ask, feeling the silky smoothness of the dress.
"Of course."
I slip the dress on, and Cinna pins it in a few places to show me how it will look with the alterations. Perfection. Peeta will love everything about it. My heart flutters with giddiness and excitement as I imagine the moment he sees me in the dress.
"This is perfect. Seriously, Cinna, I cannot imagine a more perfect dress," I say. Wetness is collecting in the corner of my eyes. I can't believe this is happening. I'm marrying Peeta Mellark.
"You look stunning, Katniss. Peeta will have to work to keep you to himself," he teases. "I will work on the fit, but it will be ready for tomorrow. Send Peeta, Annie, and Finnick to me tomorrow morning, so I can work on their garments as well."
"Will do. Cinna, you are a god. I thought I would be getting married on camera in those awful uniforms. Thank you. I've never worn anything like this before," I say gratefully, as I change back into my gray suit.
"Naw, I'm just in love with what I do. I'm honored to play a small role in your special day. It's the least I can do."
"Thank you, Cinna. I should head back to meet Peeta before curfew, but I really appreciate you and all you do." I hang the dress back up and wrap him in an embrace, before heading home.
"Thanks for being my muse. Sleep well."
"You, too." I make my way out the door and back to our compartment. Peeta is already back. He is laid out on his side on the bed, reading a book or a magazine or something. I don't know where he found anything like that because Thirteen isn't much about leisurely activities.
"Hey. Did you figure out the Buttercup situation?" I ask.
"Hey!" he says, sitting up. "Uh, yeah. I talked with Haymitch. He said, and I quote, 'With all the shit they are putting you two through, I'll make sure it's happens.' He also said to consider it an early wedding gift from Coin," Peeta explains. We both laugh. Buttercup will be as close to a gift as we will get from Coin, and it will be given extremely reluctantly, I'm sure.
"Well I guess that's good news," I say, taking my position next to him on the bed. As I push the book aside, I notice that it's a collection of pencil sketches of berries and plants with a familiar handwriting scrawled across the pages. This isn't just any book; it's my family's plant book. "Peeta?"
He notices direction of my gaze. "You left it out. I - I hope it's okay... I was curious... It's really incredible," he says nervously.
I smile. "You're fine. Remember how we are getting married tomorrow? What's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours. That's the deal. Besides, I think it's time you had a good look at that. It's been passed down through the Everdeen family for several generations. It kept our family alive when my dad died. I used it to collect food and herbs. We are supposed to add to it as we encounter new plants and such, but I've been bad at updating it," I explain.
"We should fix that," Peeta comments. "Maybe that could be a thing we do together in the woods or something. You can describe the plants to me; I'll draw them; then, you can write out all the plants' characteristics. That way, a little piece of both of us will be in it for whoever receives it after us."
"That actually might work," I say, pulling myself closer to Peeta for a kiss. "Let's start tomorrow."
"Sounds like tomorrow is going to be a great day, even with all the damn cameras," Peeta says. This time he pulls in for a kiss. And we keep kissing gently and lovingly until we both drift of to sleep, dreaming about each other and a future we may or may not have, one that is free and filled with peace and happiness.