Hello my readers wherever you are, please enjoy the next chapter.

I am sorry for the delay in updating but I am now done with classes for the summer.

Then I had to catch up with my actual job, but now I found the time so here is the next update.

Please give me some feedback if you can.

Disclaimer: We all know who owns what by now.

From last time:

Just as the first rays of sun entered the room, Annie pushed out her baby.

But room was filled with silence.

Somehow, Annie knew this was wrong but she was too exhausted to do more than wave her hand weakly as Peeta rushed to get Finnick while Katniss threatened the court physician to "Do something you worthless coward or I'll shoot you." and Rue and Prim looked at the baby.

"Finnick, Finnick!" Peeta yelled.

Finnick was out of bed for the first time in days and had just finished getting dressed when he heard Peeta's cries of alarm.

Instantly worried about Meri, he got to the door just as Peeta was about to knock and Peeta ran into him instead.

"What is it? What's wrong? Is Meri in alright?'

Peeta gasped as his leg throbbed and his heart raced. "In...labor...baby...not crying..."

Finnick had started running at the word "labor" and Peeta followed behind and directed him where to go, for Finnick had been running in the direction of her old rooms.

Just as Finnick burst into the door, a baby's cries were heard amidst the court physician exclamation of "Your Majesty!" and Prim and Rue crying in relief.
Peeta collapsed to the ground in relief and to get off of his leg. Katniss quietly went to sit by Peeta and nodded at Annie who smiled in relief at the sound her son's voice.

Finnick picked up the his son tenderly and swaddled him as best (which wasn't very good) he could before walking over to Annie.

"Here he is, our beautiful baby boy" He chocked out, eyes bright with unshed tears and joy.

Annie held out her arms and as she held her son, her heart had never been so full. She beamed down at him and knew he had been worth everything in her life that led her to his moment.

Finnick couldn't believe his eyes, at this wonder, miracle that he and Meri had created.

He was so perfect and small and red. Finnick smiled, reaching out to touch his face.

A little while later after Annie had gotten into a fresh gown and fresh sheets on the bed, Finnick was walking around with their son, cradling him close.

"I'm going to teach you how to swim, how to sail, how to tie knots, how to ride, how to hunt, just you wait till you get big enough." He beamed at his son and then looked at Annie.

"Can we call him Tristan?" Finnick continued. "Is...is that alright?"

Annie smiled and nodded. She liked the name.

Finnick sat down next to her and handed her the baby to be fed.

"I'm...I'm so sorry, my love, for doubting you. I let myself get confused."

As Annie had her hands full with their son, she could only listen but her eyes acknowledged his apology.

"I know you were there, somehow, taking care of me when I was ill."

He looked ashamed. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. But I will be here to protect our son, I promise you that."

Annie smiled, a smile of tenderness and love and Finnick knew their time of separation was over.

Annie slowly regained her strength during the first week, now that Finnick had her moved back to her old rooms and made sure substantial meals were regularly brought to her.

Annie once again shocked the castle with her refusal to use a wet nurse but Finnick supported her and no dared stand against the king, especially when it came to his pride and joy, the future heir to the throne.

He visited Annie and Tristan as often as he could, for duty never stops for a king.

He did sneak away more than usual to see his newborn son and wife, revealing in the miracle that was his.

Annie managed to smuggle in the last shirt, to try to finish it for the deadline was only days away as the sixth anniversary of the curse approached.

One night, Finnick was stuck in a late meeting with Heavensbee and Heavensbee drugged him with some leftover sleep syrup from Prim's batch.

Meanwhile, the Queen snuck into Annie's room just after she had finished feeding Tristan and both were fast asleep.

She grabbed the baby and smeared pig's blood on Annie's hands but Annie was to exhausted to do more than stir.

She handed the baby over to Ruby who tried to sneak over to the castle gates unnoticed.

King Snow was waiting there and he took the baby.
He intended to turn it into his worst mutt yet.

However, Katniss had been kept awake by nightmares and was seeking peace in the garden when she noticed Ruby sneaking out with a large bundle in her arms.

Katniss's instincts peaked and she quickly grabbed her bow and followed Ruby.

When she saw King Snow take the bundle, she was immediately suspicious and worried.

So, she stalked King Snow into the woods.

When Annie awoke the next morning, she felt something was wrong. She instinctively looked for Tristan and jumped out of bed when she saw he was gone.

She ran, panicking, even though she knew rationally that Rue or Prim could have taken him for a walk. In her heart, she felt that he was in danger.

So, Annie ran holding her arms out, in silent question as to where her baby was.

However, she ran into the Queen who smirked at her worried face.

"Oh, so at last you have been found out. You killed your baby for your witchcraft." She said with a malicious look in her normally calculating eyes.

Ruby had spread the word ahead of Annie so that even those who didn't believe the witch rumors cringed as they saw the blood on her hands and the wild look in her eyes.

Those who already believed held out crosses and muttered. Some even shouted "Witch", "Devil" or "Begone" at her.

She made it out to the courtyard, where Peeta saw her and started making his way over.

However, the Queen's voice rang out from Annie's window just as Finnick entered his wife's room.

"She murdered her child, see the guilt on her hands!" The Queen pointed dramatically.

"She must be punished for her crimes." With this statement, the crowd cheered and jeered as Annie was dragged off by the castle guards, the ones more loyal to the Queen and Heavensbee than Finnick. The more loyal guards simply watched.

Meanwhile, Finnick was staring in disbelief at the empty cradle.

"Where's...where is my son?" He asked in disbelief that he was gone.

"Poor dear, is this the first night you were away?" the Queen asked.

Finnick blinked. "Yes it was...but what does that mat-"

"Meri murdered your child." At Finnick's look of disbelief. "She was found with blood on her hands. She did it for the same reason she worked with nettles, even stealing them from a graveyard. We found a shirt underneath her head this same morning with the blood on her hands and your son missing. She bided her time till you weren't around and then struck." The Queen looked him straight in the eye and said with all of the sincerity she could fake. She's a witch."

Finnick wanted to argue but the weight of losing his son overwhelmed him as he stared at the cradle and saw the traces of blood. The sincerity from his aunt and his old doubts in what Meri was doing with the nettles and his failure to protect his son all combined into a storm of emotions and he simply shut down as he collapsed onto a seat with his head in his hands.

The queen smirked, with Finnick in shock, she wouldn't even have to drug him.

She left the room quietly, with the illusion of giving him peace but locked and barricaded the door as soon as she left.

She needed no interruptions with her plans this time as her lips curled into a truly wicked grin.

She must look into that berry now, nightlock was it? She tried to remember as she headed into the wine cellar.

Annie was thrown roughly into the dungeon with all of her shirts and tools, even her belt with brother's faces. She winced as she was still sore from giving birth and her landing was rough as her hands and feet were bound.

Heavensbee came to the door, "Be prepared for church's justice to prevail on you, you heathen, you pernicious vixen, you vile snake, you witch." He said dramatically.
Annie wondered how long he'd go on when he took a breath and continued. "You're to be burned at stake, tonight at sunset.

Annie's eyes widened with shock and fear. She never imagined it would get this far.

Still, as Heavensbee shut the door, she rallied and frantically started to trying finish the sleeve of Rory's shirt despite her hands being bound. It had gotten ripped apart at the seams while the guards had handled it.

She was her brother's last hope for tonight was the last day of the six years and right now she could do nothing for Tristan but trust that Finnick would take care of him.

So, Annie sewed as best she could and prayed.

She prayed that Finnick would believe her innocence.

She prayed that Tristan was safe.

She prayed that her brothers would get here in time for her to save them.

All she could do was try to sew and thus she did.

Katniss tracked Snow for a few hours, all the way to woods where she and Prim used to live before they came to the castle.

She still wondered what he was doing when she heard a baby cry.

"Tristan!" She thought and immediately notched an arrow.

"Don't bother firing, my dear." King Snow said, his back still facing away from her.

Katniss narrowed her eyes and moved a bit closer.

"I am holding Tristan, ready to inject him and...change his life to one with more... purpose."

"Inject him with what?" Katniss spat, lowering her bow but moving closer all the same.

"Why, with a potion to turn him into a mutt." King Snow smiled a benevolent smile that chilled Katniss to the bone.

"He will be my best creation yet." King Snow crooned. "The Queen was so nice to trade him."

"What?" Katniss gaped.

"Oh yes, you don't think I would take the risk of a war to steal him myself." He tsked. "No, no, no."
"I always keep my involvement in my kingdom and let others come to me."

Katniss knew this to be true, while King Snow controlled everything, he only went himself if the royal family was involved and he never let his hands be caught doing dirty work outside his own borders. Then...he must be telling the truth that the dowager Queen gave up Meri and Finnick's son as a a trade. Katniss was filled with disgust at the dowager Queen.

She pulled her bow back up and pulled the arrow back.

King Snow chucked. "Katniss, my dear girl, I am still holding the baby with a needle ready to inject him in his heart. If you shot me, I will inject him and turn him into a mutt if the shot doesn't kill him."

Katniss lowered her bow.

"There's a good gir-" King Snow was cut off as Katniss fired.

He dropped the needle as the arrow pierced his wrist, deadening his nerves, and causing him to drop the needle.

He growled and tossed Tristan in the air.

Katniss ran forward, desperate to save Tristan from injury.

She caught him and immediately darted toward thew woods, for they had always been her sanctuary.

King Snow followed her after pulling out the arrow and wrapping some cloth around his wrist.

He was cackling madly but keeping pace just the same, his eyes had a wild look like all of his guise had fallen away and only the mad wizard was left.

"Katniss, my dear." His voice seemed to echo all around her as she fled, clutching Tristan. "It's no use to run...I can find you wherever you go..."

Katniss ran harder but she also knew King Snow would follow her so she looked for a way to trap him...there!

Katniss ran but slowed just enough to let King Snow think he had a chance and sure enough, he came upon her.

She jumped just as he lunged and fell right into the nettle patch that Annie had used.

Katniss heard his mad laughter suddenly chock off and she crept to catch up him.

She saw the white of King Snow's throat stained by blood and how the nettle had pierced his neck, close to the life source that pumped there.

He had been pierced all across his body, near his wrists and shoulders too but the cut on his neck seemed to be the final death blow for him.

She shuddered at the grotesque site for only a moment and then began making her way back toward the castle, holding Tristan close and trying to quiet his cries.

The castle courtyard have never looked more like Hell than it did on the day the young Queen was to be burned.

Torches surrounded the edges and cast a red flicking glow as the sun continued to sink.

The stake was assembled and surrounded with wood that was covered with pitch, to speed the flames along.

People, those who worked in the castle and nearby nobility filled the courtyard to see the witch's execution.

Prim and Rue were huddled together in a corner, fear on their faces and disbelief in their eyes. Peeta stood behind them, trying to be source of strength but he worried at the absence of Katniss, Finnick and Meri.

The Queen and Heavensbee assembled on the balcony in a show of elegance and control.

"Bring out the prisoner, Queen Meri." The Queen demanded. She looked like the mistress of Hell, with her black dress with its red and purple accents and her lavish jewelry.

Meanwhile, Finnick smelled the pitch from his place in Annie's room and suddenly the different scent snapped out of his shock.

He needed to save Meri, he couldn't explain it but he knew she was the one in danger now. That pitch had to be for her, he trusted his gut in this, for he had no other choice, not when his shock and doubts had let him get trapped him in this room.

He knew in his soul that she couldn't harm their son and his soul had finally gotten through to his head and hurting heart.

He tried to open the door and realized it was locked. He pounded on it and yelled, trying to get out and save his wife.

"Open this door at once! Let me out!" He yelled but no one came, none dared disobey the former Queen. Those that did move, were glared into submission by the devoted followers of the dowager Queen.

When the day came for the sentence to be executed, it was the last day of the six years during which she was not to speak, the day where she could deliver her brothers from the power of the curse. The six shirts were ready for Annie's efforts to sew the sleeve had been successful.

Annie was brought out on a wooden cart and jeers started, "Witch", "Murderess", "Demon" etc.

People threw rocks at her too but she clung to the the shirts, for she couldn't fix them if they ripped now.

She had been allowed to put on her belt, though she was stripped out of her nightgown and given a plain white shift to wear. It left her shoulders and ankles bare. They unbound her hair too, taking away every piece of finery and trying to remove any hint of royalty to demean her. Heavensbee intended to scandalize her by having her appear as was only proper for a husband to see, to paint her as a prostitute of the devil..

Annie held her head up high and even those who jeered noted how she still appeared as a Queen despite her plain garb, unbound hair, bruises and dried blood on her hands and ankles. Her bearing was proud, no air of shame, no air of sensuality like Heavensbee intended. She appeared every inch a royal.

She had also been given the six shirts, to burn the Devil's work with her Heavensbee scoffed but Annie was grateful she had them with her, if only her brothers would come soon!

As they tied Annie to the stake, Peeta who had been worried since Katniss and Annie disappeared, desperately looked around for Finnick.

As their was a silent pause once Annie was tied, Peeta heard a thumping noise coming from the castle. He immediately straightened up, guessing what or rather who it was and then ran to to the stables.

The Queen continued with her diatribe.

"This...dumb girl, this servant to the Devil, you see before has committed heinous acts. She bewitched the king to fall in love with her. She does the Devil's work with her shirts of nettles. She called forth evil spirits to attack the king in the graveyard. She even murdered her own child!"

Gasps and murmurs broke out over the courtyard.

Annie refused to let her head fall or her face show emotion. Inside, she was as frightened as she had ever been in her life. She struggled to get her hands free, she had no chance of untying the knots but she wanted her hands free.

"Even now, she keeps silent to protect her master, the witch!" The Queen jeered.

"However," she paused and the courtyard grew quiet.

Heavensbee spoke. "If you speak now, and renounce the Devil by burning the shirts, we shall show you mercy. We make your a death a clean one, by hanging, rather than burnt at the stake."

Finnick tried even harder to break down the door at this mocking of Meri's muteness and at hearing her fate, to no avail.

"Any last words?" The Queen called.

Annie knew, that if she wanted too, she could speak and spare herself the pain of burning to death. However, she hoped her brothers would come soon so that she could save them and that hope was enough for her to remain silent through her suffering as she had these past six years.

Annie remained stoic in the face of the Queen's taunts.

"Very well, the witch's silence has sealed her fate." The Queen nodded regally. "Light the fire and burn the witch!"

She had two goblets of wine, ready to toast to the witch's death. The goblets gleamed with the light of dying sun, and their contents looked almost black.

Heavens and the Queen smiled, truly evil, wicked smiles of glee as Ruby brought a torch to Annie's stake and they each picked up a goblet.

With a sly glint in her eyes, Ruby touched the torch to the bottom and the fire started.

Sorry about the cliff hanger but the next chapter will be the last one and it fit better to split up the chapters.

Let me know what you think so far and your opinion on what my next story should be.

Kit Centric one where I combine Grimm Brothers Bearskin with Cinderella 2015?

Or an Ella centric one where I combine Grimm Brothers Allerleirauh (thousand kinds of fur) with Cinderella 2015?

Or an Ella centric one where I combine Grimm Brothers Goose Girl where Ella is a princess but forced to work as a goose girl while another one girl pretends to be the princess who is to marry Kit?