Peeta POV
"Well...it is a good morning isn't it." She muses as she strolls past glancing into every door. She looks positively giddy as she struts past. "Ah. There he is. My son. The apple of my eye." She deadpans.
The guards behind her step forward to unlock the door to my cell. One steps in and grabs hold of my shackles roughly jerking me to my knees. My mother steps in and stands before me.
"Son." She snarls.
"Hello mother." I attempt to greet her pleasantly but it falls flat.
"Yes, hello to you too." She practically growls. "Well son…once again you can't do anything right. I knew the moment you left that you were not merely seeking that lying harpy who flounced around like nobility but that you were looking for Everdeen. You traitorous bastard." She seethes. "My own son, my flesh and blood, how could you even consider betraying me? How have I wronged you? How could I have raised such a failure?" She acts with such pathetic attempts at shame.
"From the moment I learnt of your return I knew that you had found Everdeen and had begun to conspire against me. I knew that if I invited you here that in your foolishness that you would come. And here you are with a foolish band of rebellious scum. And I would bet my life that Everdeen is hiding among these wild and ill-mannered renegades. So here me now," She raises her voice to ring through the dungeon halls, "Everdeen if you wish to save your comrades from insufferable agony by means of torture you need only to come forward. For I will gladly take your sacrifice in exchange for freedom for the rest. If not then bear in mind that I will torture every individual that you lead here until one of them weakens and your identity is revealed."
She stands and waits in stony silence. Her lips are twisted in an ever present snarl as she waits. But no one speaks and as the silence stretches on her frustration grows.
"Very well then." She growls and turns to me. " We will begin with you. My worthless excuse for a son. Weak just as his father was weak. Guards please inform Commander Crane that his first visitor will be arriving soon." The guards scurry out of my cell, two remain and take their positions beside me. With rough and forceful hands they haul me to my feet.
My mother moves in front of me and roughly clutches my face with her claw like fingers. "At least for once you will prove to be useful." With a sharp and quick flick of her wrist her nails carve into the smooth expanse of my cheek. "Take him to Crane."
The guards push me forward and I nearly lurch forward onto the soiled stone floor.
"Wait!" I hear a gruff but feminine voice call out. "Take me instead. Let the others free." I turn my head to see Katniss standing at the gate to her cell. Her long fingers wrapped around the cast iron bars. "I'm Everdeen."
My mother barks out a coarse laugh. "So be it."
With a sudden thrust I hit the cold stone and the guards exit my cell. Panic overrides my system and I heave myself into the iron gate moments after it closes. "No! Take me. Please." I beg the guards who roughly push Katniss out of her cell.
"I'm sorry son." My mother sneers with no amount of sympathy in her words. "But she has volunteered herself as tribute." And with that they disappear into a dark corridor.
Katniss POV
The guards, with their iron grasp, drag me through the darkened corridor. The dusky smell of blood and other rotting things invades my nose the closer we get to the end of the passageway. It is nearly overwhelming and I force myself to breathe slowly through my mouth only in order to keep myself from gagging.
The large wooden doors that greet us at the end are foreboding and ominous. With a shrill creak they are pushed open by two guards.
Roughly the guards lead me towards a large iron chair in the center of the dark room. A quick glance around reveals walls lined completely with metal contraptions. Judging by the dark stains, which I assume are blood, these devices serve one purpose. Torture.
The near silence, except for my breathing, begins to fade as a sharp clicking begins to echo off the walls. The sound morphs into the harsh steps of the Queen. She storms towards where I've been chained to the cool metal. Hatred rages uncontrolled in her eyes as she comes closer.
"Now see here you pathetic fool don't think for a second that I believe you are the real Everdeen. His whore maybe… But never the less I'll accept your sacrifice…momentarily. I always guessed that Everdeen was merely a coward and I delight in being proven correct. To allow his little whore to volunteer in his place…pathetic. There is no honor in that. He truly is a coward."
Her eyes are alight with joy and giddiness.
"If you care for him as I suspect you do, then I imagine the sympathetic bastard will come and rescue you. That is where compassion is a weakness. When he does, I'll be waiting. So I'll allow you to pretend to be Everdeen for the time being. I will allow you to be the peasants' pathetic symbol of hope. And if Everdeen never comes I will graciously allow you to die in his place. But I bet Everdeen will come to rescue his precious whore and I intend to capture him when he does. Then he will die as well."
She smiles maliciously.
"Now I believe we have some business to attend to. Thank you for your gracious sacrifice." She walks away and begins to scan the walls.
Peeta POV
The entire group gathers near the doors to their cells. Nervous glances are exchanged as we wait. We all know what inevitably follows Katniss' volunteering. We all wait in anxious silence, preparing ourselves for what is coming. However no amount of mental preparation could have readied me for what came next.
Katniss' screams echo through the dungeon walls and no matter how hard I try to block it out the sounds reverberates through to my soul. It tears at my heart and I feel my entire being shatter. Knowing she's in pain rips into me slowly. No amount of ripping at my hair or screaming and shouting can cover the way Katniss' screams are heard resonating through every rock and crevice.
When it finally stops so does my heart. What has happened to her? Is she still alive? Of course she is. My mother is too cruel to end her torture so quickly. She will live to suffer the enduring agony.
The sound of multiple footsteps gathers our attention again. Through the dark corridor I can see the faint outline of many figures as they emerge into view. My mother walks before them and immediately behind her are the guards who are dragging Katniss' wilted figure.
The guards aggressively heave Katniss' sagging body through the gate to her cell and she lifelessly tumbles across the stone floor.
"Now see here," my mother scoffs, "this is what I will do." She gestures to Katniss' limp and battered form. "I will not be trifled with Everdeen. Even your precious little whore cannot escape punishment and neither will you. You cannot forever hide behind those foolish enough to do your bidding. But you can save the rest of your companions from this same fate. Just surrender yourself and I will allow your companions to go free."
With shaking arms Katniss' pushed herself up enough to stare at the Queen with fierce determination.
"I am Everdeen." Her voice is raw and gravely but her words are steady and filled with passion. My mother's hand swiftly cuts through the air and a loud crack fills the small space as the flat of her palm connects with Katniss' battered cheek.
For a moment she seems to contemplate allowing the anger I can see bubbling behind her eyes to burst forth. But instead she turns and calmly strolls past every cell and holds each prisoner in her powerful glare. Once she reaches me she smiles. Her lips curl wickedly and her teeth gleam like sharpened knives.
"Fine. Everdeen," she says in a mocking tone, "since you have so bravely surrendered I will allow your friends to go free. You will remain here with me."
With a swift kick from my mother's foot Katniss slumps to the ground of her cell once again. My sides ache as if I was kicked as well. My arms yearn to reach out and hold her tightly to my chest. To hold her in my arms where I could keep her safe and protected.
Katniss groans as she lies lifeless on the floor. My mother leans down and whispers menacingly into Katniss' ear.
She stands up with quickly, resuming her proper stance and the guards stand at attention around her.
"Take them away. Take them far away." More guards come rushing in from a side door and the separate into our individual cells. With a harsh hold the seize us and drag us out of the dungeon.
Katniss POV
My side aches from where the Queen's foot had recently made contact.
I can feel her presence looming closer and when her breath hits my ear I shudder. "Looks like Everdeen doesn't care like you thought he would. He still wouldn't stand to take your place. Oh well it looks like you'll have to die. He'll come to try and save you then, he won't be able to resist. But any plans he has to save you won't succeed. You must pay for your crimes after all. Don't think that I don't recognize you. I knew from the moment I saw your face at the ball the other night. I recognized you as the so called pretty face that my son went completely mad over. I remember you from the ball so many months ago when Everdeen had the nerve to steal from me. You will perish for aiding him that night. And when Everdeen and all of your precious companions come to save you I will kill them as well."
I can feel as she stands up and moves away from me.
"Take them away. Take them far away."
I can feel a certain blonde haired prince's blue eyes piercing through me but I can't find the will or the strength to turn over.
The sounds of more footsteps ring across the floor and I can here as they roughly jerk each prisoner from their cells. Inside I feel satisfaction swell within me. At least they will be safe for now.
"No!" Peeta's voice cracks as they begin to drag him from his cells. His protests can be heard as they continue to drag him down the corridor.
I muster all the strength I can and lift my head just as Haymitch passes me by.
Don't come back for me. I mouth and his lips set in a hard line of disapproval and understanding. My head falls back to the floor as I give in to the onslaught of exhaustion.
A/N: Hello my wonderful readers! You have been so amazingly understanding of my busy schedule and I appreciate it so much! I'm sorry that you had to wait so long for this chapter, I hope you enjoy it. Sorry about the multiple POV switches. Please review and let me know what you think!