Good day to everyone reading this tale.

"Fairy tales can come true. You gotta make them happen, it all depends on you." – Tiana, Princess and the Frog

Disclaimer: I own naught but my own plot ideas that won't leave me alone.

Annie walked out to the terrance, wearing a very pretty dark green dress.

In hair, she wore the emerald green beaded headband her brothers gave her and her hair was curled.

Finnick swallowed as he saw her and stood up to pull out her chair.

"You look...wonderful." He breathed in her ear.

Annie blushed. Finnick himself looked very dashing, she thought, in a gold trimmed green doublet and dark green pants.
Soft music played in the background as they ate a delicious meal of fresh fruit, a fish course with buttery rolls, and then chocolate truffles which Annie tossed and Finnick caught in his mouth. She missed one and then he fed them to her.

When the meal ended, Finnick stood and offered his hand in an invitation to dance.

As they made their way through a waltz, Finnick smiled down at her.

"I feel as though these past few days have been a dream...or perhaps the rest of my life was a dream and I have only now woken up." He laughed a little while Annie just smiled back.

"I wish I knew your name."
Annie's face fell as she tried to think of a way to tell him. She was forbidden to write until she had finished her task.

Finnick saw her disappointment and frustration. "Why don't I call you Meri? It's Finnish for the sea and that's where we meet."

Annie smiled, it wasn't her name but it was a lovely name.

They continued to dance for a little while longer until Finnick stopped.

"Meri, my life has changed since you entered it. Even before I knew you, you helped me with the knots to tie when my hands trembled and with having fun at the beach."

Annie blushed and smiled at him again, it was so nice to have found someone to talk too and how told her such sweet things even though she didn't really deserve them.

Finnick continued. "When I thought you had gone, my heart was broken. I didn't know how I would go on living."

As Annie shook her head, he patted her hands. "I know you didn't mean to leave forever but..."

Finnick knelt down on one knee. "Meri, you hold my heart. You are the only one for me. Will you marry me?"

Annie's eyes filled with tears. How she wished she could shout her answer.

Instead, she took his hand that had clasped hers and kissed it before smiling back at him.

Finnick's smile could have replaced the sun at that moment.

He laughed with sheer joy and twirled her around.

Annie couldn't remember the last time she was this happy.

Neither of them noticed Ruby hiding in the corner and observing them.

She had a most unpleasant look about her, like she bit into a lemon.

Ruby had hoped to get rid of Annie, or perhaps have her work as a maid. Instead, she got engaged to the future king!

Then her face turned predatory and she ran off to Father Heavensbee, eager to share what she saw.

The next morning, Annie and Finnick were walking in the castle courtyard on their way to ride to the beach when the Queen stormed in, her purple skirts billowing all around her.

Heavensbee was close behind the queen and Ruby was further behind him.

"Finnick!" The queen called his attention in a loud voice.

Finnick sighed and turned around.

Annie was worried, however, especially when she saw both Heavensbee and Ruby behind the Queen.

"Yes, aunt?" Finnick asked, crossing his arms.

"Do you intend to marry this-this-this dumb girl?" The queen fought to keep control.

"Yes, I do." Finnick said with a small smile toward Annie.

"But surely you must be joking." The Queen laughed a bit nervously. "Even if you got the girl pregnant out of wedlock, you don't have to marry her. After all, it's not like she can tell anyone it was you. "

Finnick frowned and went to speak but the Queen went on with her vitriol.

"She's...decent looking I suppose...but what kingdom does she unite us with? What gold can she provide? How many soldiers does she bring? There is no need to rush to become king. After all, you are welcome to rule along side me whenever you would like. "

The Queen stopped her speech and drew her hands close, with a challenge in her eyes and a smirk on her face.

Finnick went and put his arms around Annie.

"Her kingdom is her heart, which she has given me. Her gold is her smile, which shines like the sun. Her soldiers are her kind acts."

Annie smiled, for she knew Finnick would not abandon her now. He did tend to be poetic about their love, which she loved in turn.

The Heavensbee's lip curled. "But what kind of lady is she, if that is the word to use regarding her...virtue? Does she even have a name?"

Finnick withdrew his arms and walked towards his aunt and Heavensbee. His mouth was set in a firm line and his fists were clenched.

Anger poured off him and everyone looked afraid.

This was the Finnick who won their naval battles.

This was the Finnick who used his trident to save his ship when it had been breached.

This was the Finnick who was the lone survivor of the last battle, the lone victor who emerged from the wreckage covered in salt and blood.

Everyone avoided eye contact and looked for Peeta, who could usually calm Finnick down.
But Peeta had been painting all night and was later getting to his duties than usual.

However, gasps and whispers emerged from the crowd when Annie went up to Finnick and touched his shoulder.

When he turned his glare on her, she smiled and rubbed his arm and shook her head. She had seen her brother Gale lose his temper, even when it had been justified and knew that no good could come of anger like this, anger such that you could barely speak.

Finnick's look softened just a little and as she continued to stare with a plea in her eyes, he gave a small nod.

When he resumed his walk, his anger was contained, but only just.

"Aunt, Heavensbee, as your future king, I will say this only once. You will never say such things about my future wife ever again."

As the Queen lost her confident look and Heavensbee looked nervous, he continued. "We have agreed to call her Meri. She is a lady in every sense of the word." He added a significant look to quell that rumor before it started.

"We are going to be married as soon as possible."

With that, Finnick turned around and he and Annie got on their horses and rode out of the courtyard.

Peeta had just arrived to catch the end of the speech and followed after them, to act as their chaperon.

Secretly, he was hoping to find that girl with the voice again.

As the days leading up to the wedding passed, Annie felt like she was living two lives.

During the day, she would take "princess" lessons from various tutors. At first, she had forgotten her lessons from her youth.

Slowly, the ideas and mannerisms came back to her and she surprised her tutors with how quickly she picked up skills like curtseying and walking properly and dancing steps.

She only disappointed them by pretending she didn't know how to read, to stay within the bounds of the curse. They had no ideas about how to teach her and the queen discouraged it.
Finnick was only disappointed since he had hoped that Meri could write what she wanted to say.

They spent what time together they could. Finnick never failed to make Annie smile with his boyish antics and the way he looked at her.

She in turn brought him peace when his nightmares and bad memories threatened to drown hm. She also helped him to have fun and shed some of his burdens.
She played her recorder and he played his lute or drums and they had fun making up new songs, or simply trying to play over each other.

However, at night, Annie worked on the fifth shirt. She had eventually finished weaving the cloth and all that remained was to sew the pieces together.

Her pace had slowed since she had to be careful no one heard her and it took her a while to find a place.

She ended up working in the castle mausoleum and carefully snuck back to her room in the morning.

Ruby and Heavensbee remained suspicious of her but had no clue she left her room at night.

The day of petitions came and Annie deemed ready by her tutors to sit alongside Finnick and the Queen since she was to become the new queen in a month's time.

Annie was glad she had met the royal dressmaker, Lady Effie, who although entirely too talkative for Annie to try to sign with, had an excellent eye for what looked good.

She gave Annie a beautiful wardrobe, full of elegant but simple gowns in all the colors of the sea and a few in the color of spring flowers.

Today, Annie dressed in a pale green dress that had white lace lining the sleeves and the neckline. She wore a small pearl chocker, given to her by Finnick.

Annie watched as the people came forward to ask for alms, or help, or justice.

She saw how Finnick would try to intercede when he thought the Queen was too harsh or too stingy with the royal treasury.
However, the Queen still had the final say until their marriage and she was holding on to her authority like she was a miser and it a coin of hers.

Annie suddenly spotted people she recognized, it was the two sisters from the woods.

Peeta was standing along the wall and he immediately straightened up and turned pink.

The two girls knelt before the Queen. The eldest looked up with her piercing gray eyes.

"Your majesty, my name is Katniss and this in my younger sister Primrose."

"They were brought in for hunting in the royal woods, your highness." Heavensbee interrupted.

The girl's eyes flashed but she continued. "We ask your forgiveness, I had no other way to feed my sister."

"Be that as it may, you still broke the law and the law must be upheld."

The Queen sniffed and moved her hand to have the girls escorted away.

"No, please! I beg you, spare Primrose, I am the one who broke the law, I'm the one -"

Katniss was cut off by a sharp jerk of her arm by a guard and Annie couldn't take it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Peeta standing up but she knew his plea alone wouldn't be even for the nature of the elder sister's "crimes".

She stood up and ran over to the soldiers taking the sisters away. She gestured for the to stop and to her surprise, they did.

Finnick had stood up and had followed her. "What is it Meri?"

Annie gestured to the two girls and put her hands in a prayer.

"You want them to be spared?"

Annie eagerly nodded her head.

Finnick looked again at the girls. "Do you know them?"

Annie just gave a slight smile and shrug.

He turned to Katniss. "Do you know the future queen?"

Katniss hesitated and Peeta stepped forward, glad of a chance to help.

"Your highness," he addressed Finnick. "I believe Annie stayed with them when she was on the beach. After we returned to gather her things, I saw these two girls near the same area."

Annie nodded when Finnick looked at her.

Katniss looked confused and suspicious at his help but took a look at the soldiers behind her and Primrose and nodded.

"We can't let them go back to starvation, now that they can't hunt in the woods." Peeta stated.

"Very true" Finnick turned to Annie. "What do you think, my sweet?"

Annie thought for a moment. She then gestured for Rue to come forward.

When Rue reached them, Annie went to grab Primrose's hand but stopped as Katniss reached out her arm.

Annie smiled very gently at Katniss, asking her to trust her.

Katniss looked and saw the kindness in Annie's eyes and let her arm go.

Annie put Rue and Primrose next to each and gestured.

Finnick looked confused. "You want Primrose to...wait on Rue?"

Annie shook her head and Rue spoke up. "Beggin' your pardon your highness, but I believe Annie wants Primrose to be her second lady in waiting."

Annie nodded when Finnick glanced to hear for confirmation.

"Very well." Finnick said.
"Now I hardly think that this is appropia-" The Queen began before Finnick held out his hand.

"Now, now, Aunt, Meri has the right to choose her ladies in waiting, and as the future Queen, she should have more than one." Finnick smiled.

The Queen simply nodded as her mouth twisted, saving her battles for later.

Annie beamed at Finnick and then hugged Primrose.

"Oh, thank you so very much Princess Meri! Why it is so wonderful of you." Primrose babbled excitedly as she dropped a hasty curtsey.

"But, begging your pardon your Highness, but what about Katniss?" Primrose gestured. "Should she be another lady in waiting?"

Katniss looked terrified at the thought.
Annie shook her head no and then gestured toward Katniss.

When Katniss looked at her, Annie grabbed flowers from a nearby plant and put them in her hands.

"Your highness... do you want me to arrange flowers?" Katniss made a face and Peeta chuckled while Annie shook her head.

Peeta spoke up. "I think she means for you to work in the gardens, milady." He blushed when Finnick raised his eyebrows at the title.

"Very well, it is decided. Katniss will now garden the future queen's flowers while Primrose will wait on her." Finnick declared before offering Annie his arm as they walked back to their thrones.

Rue and Primrose walked off quietly giggling.

Katniss eyed Peeta suspiciously while he blushed.

"Um...I could show you where the gardens are..."

She didn't want any more debts to him but she needed to work on repaying the future queen, so she simply nodded and they walked off, a careful distance between them.

Annie smiled at Finnick, grateful for his help.

He smiled back, thinking of her golden heart.

The queen frowned at a picture of the future should Annie remain by her son's side.

She called Heavensbee to her side. "We must keep a careful eye on the girl, use your resources."

"It will be more difficult my queen, since Ruby is no longer one of her ladies in waiting."

"Still, there's something about her...we need to find out more about her origins, her background." The queen declared.

"I will do my best, your majesty." Heavensbee gave a deep nod. "Mayhap her new...friends...know something."

"Hmm" The queen made a small noise of agreement as she continued to watch Finnick beam at Annie.

I couldn't resist adding a bit of Peeta and Katniss in my story, I hope you liked it.