Thank you all for your patient, this story is a slow moving but I promise it will get better. So here it is Chapter 7, I hope you enjoy it let me know how I'm doing. P.s unbeta'd please forgive my mistakes.
PS. I do not own the hunger games
The ship sailed easily, as it did the rain began to cease. The wind died down the sound of thunder faded away, and the lightening stopped illuminating the night sky.
Katniss shook her head with disbelief. The cold water did nothing to hide her shock had she not been the Pan she would have thought it a dream. It was clear they were headed to the island. Soon the rain slowed and the clouds began to move apart, in the distance she could see the crisp blue-black of the evening sky. In that patch of sky it looked as if nothing had happened.
"Primrose," hearing Peeta's cry from the balcony below caused Katniss to snap out of her traumatized state.
"Peeta," she whispered.
Katniss ran quickly from the balcony located in the attic down to the bedroom. She rubbed her eyes, and questioned her sanity. She had seen Snow's ship sail away in the dark angry sky. She did not want to admit that Snow had somehow made it here and gotten to Peeta's family right under her nose.
It all seemed like a chaotic hallucination.
Yet it was too fantastical to deny. Nonetheless she had seen the ship, saw the sails as they flapped in the wind, the way the sailors were hoisted on the mast holding on. The storm seemed to propel him quickly across the sky and there was nothing she could do. She felt helpless, having chosen to stay here with Peeta she gave Jo her stash of dust, never thinking she would need it again, but she was wrong.
She found the door to the nursery opened. Annie and Finnick stood there gazing at Peeta who sat on the floor with a letter in his hand.
"Peeta," Katniss whispered.
The room looked undisturbed.
Yet its occupant was no where to be found.
There was also the smell of white roses that lingered in the air. Katniss knew this scent all to well. The perfume was not like the sweet roses produced in nature, no these perfect inhuman creations were the ones Snow favored and grew. They held the stench of death within their perfume.
The room was silent, dead stillness, as if the joy had been sucked out of the room. Looking at Peeta bent over in pain caused uninvited tears to roll down her cheeks. All she wanted was to be a family with him and in the process she tore his apart.
To see him cry silently spoke to the depth of Peeta's heartbreak.
Katniss wanted to run to him, to hold him, but she couldn't she was frozen. "This is my fault, I hurt Peeta." She whispered into the room.
Katniss shook and not just from the cold because she was wet, she shook from the disappointment she made everyone feel. She lowered her head.
Finnick stood by Annie watching Katniss react to Peeta. He could see just how much she loved him. Her coming here was not some poorly conceived idea. This was real for her. He could see the draw between them. True love, it explained the way they cared for each other and felt each other's pain it was something that he did not see very often.
Annie looked to Finnick and then to the girl who rescued her. She felt bad for her and for the boy she clearly loved. She gripped Finnick's hand. Annie knew all about malice, she had seen it in her young life time. The people responsible for taking a child away from its home should pay but she kept quiet.
"What will we do?" Annie voice was so quiet it was nearly missed by Finnick.
"I don't know Annie, but I know Captain Snow will pay for this."
"Peeta," she softly called again. Katniss took one step into the room, she wrung her hands out of nervousness.
Peeta looked so dejected.
"He got Prim didn't he?"
"He's stolen her." Annie affirmed in a hushed tone.
Peeta looked up to see Katniss the girl who could fly in the clouds, and crow like a rooster stand in utter dejection. He gripped the paper tightly crunching it in his hands, he was angry, livid by what happened.
When he arrived here it was to see the way the wet curtains limply flapped in the rain. The double balcony windows that were in Prim's room were wide opened. Her doll lay on the floor by her canopied bed. It looked as if she was in another part of the house but, Peeta knew better. He had run to the window stood on the balcony shouting her name. It was then he saw it, the ghostly silhouette racing through the clouds.
There was no doubt in his mind the phantom ship belonged to no other than Captain Snow.
Finnick and Annie stood by him, a horrified look on their face. Peeta saw Annie cross her self at the sight of the vessel. Finnick pulled him inside the room. Peeta was desperate to lash out, it was then he saw the note with the white perfect rose on Prim's bed. It broke him in half; this was how Katniss found him.
There was a part of him that wanted to be mad at Katniss for what happened. But another part of him the largest part knew this wasn't her fault. Prim was missing, taken by that wicked man. He knew all to well, having been on Never Island just how, dreadful and spiteful that man was.
He wanted his Primrose back. He wanted her safe and sound.
He gazed at Katniss wearily and he could not hide the hurt and ache for his missing niece, "Katniss."
She took a tentative step backwards. Fear in her eyes. Peeta realized just how affected she was, she as afraid of his rejection for what happened.
"Come here," Peeta asked and watched her take a tentative step inside of the room. He was sure she did not know how to react. This was not part of her life. "I'm not angry at you."
"What's that?" Katniss asked unsure about many things, of what he held in his hands, if wanted her here or that he would love her after this.
"It's from Snow addressed to you." Peeta said flatly throwing the paper on the floor. He was disgusted by the note.
"I am sorry Peeta," Katniss heart sunk at his actions, Katniss had never seen Peeta upset or angry.
Peeta looked directly into her silvery eyes, not understanding why she of all people would ask for forgiveness. "Why?"
"It's my fault Peeta he came here because of me." Katniss whispered.
She knew her chances to be with Peeta had died because of what happened. The one thing Peeta loved the most was Primrose, his brother's daughter.
Primrose was the reason why Peeta left Never Island, why he refused to continue being a Lost Boy. The way he loved Prim, was one of the reasons she loved him so much, why she wanted to be with him.
To think of that precious little girl gone shredded her insides. Prim was a sweet innocent little girl, she only just a baby really.
Peeta stood up and walked over to her. He carefully examined her face. He reached out to cup her chin his fingers pushed aside her wet hair. He wiped the tears that poured from her eyes. Her face mirrored his own, pain and grief. He swallowed, she made the choice to be with him, but s he had no idea what Snow would do. "It's not your fault, Captain Snow is evil."
"No if I hadn't come, if I'd stayed as Pan he wouldn't have gotten Prim." Katniss shook her head. "You could have lived a peaceful life with out me."
"No Katniss, this is not your fault, Peeta is right, the Captain is evil. He wants to destroy your happiness, he wants to destroy you. That Pirate is out for blood." Finnick said convinced there was more but he didn't understand. He knew Katniss had not bothered the Pirates in a long time. He questioned how those sniveling brigands found her. "There has to be more to the story, more that we don't know."
Even as Finnick puzzled over this, Peeta was determined to drag Katniss from the dark hole she was spiraling down.
Katniss shook her head back and forth, "She's gone because of me."
Peeta gripped her by the arms and kissed her to stop her from speaking. She came here to be with him and he was not willing to let her go. Her body relaxed against his and she sighed at he separated from her. Peeta whispered against her lips, "You didn't know Captain Snow would come here. You came here for me. There is nothing wrong with wanting to grow up."
Katniss arms went around his neck she placed her head against his shoulders. She could on hear him, his words, his heart beat, because she loved him. "I was selfish and because of me Prim is gone."
"No, Katniss, no, don't think that. It is Snow who is the real enemy, he did this. That corrupt evil man did this so to hurt not just you, but me."
"Prim is such a sweet little girl, she was taken by force by him, Peeta, I get so mad." Katniss ground, out because she felt helpless.
Peeta chuckled, at her statement. He wanted for Katniss to stop this pity party. Besides he knew his niece better than anyone, once she figured out she was captured by Captain Snow she was most likely going to become a headache than a victim. "You'll be surprised by Prim; she's got more grit than what you know."
"So what do we do?" Finnick wanted to know.
"That's easy Finnick, we get Prim back."
Katniss looked up at Peeta. "Snow took Prim because wants me back. I have to go back to the island, confront him and rescue Prim."
"You don't have to do this alone Katniss." Peeta urged.
"Peeta this is my quest."
"We are a team now, a family, we'll go together," Peeta was not letting her to do this alone.
"But, Snow…"
Peeta did not let her finish. "Together."
Katniss understood, she was no longer alone. She did not have to depend solely on herself. She was part of a unit, which began with Peeta, "Fine."
"What's on the message he left? Maybe there is a clue in it?" Annie was curious about the letter she picked up the paper Peeta had crumbled up on the floor.
"Give it to Peeta he can read, better than we can." Finnick suggested.
Peeta took the paper and frowned. "It makes no sense. He wants you to finish the war, gives you two days to present yourself before him."
"It's clear Snow wants to continue playing war, by his letter." Finnick said picking up the note with the fancy writing on it.
"But I forbade for us to play war." Katniss said, "It was disastrous the one and only time we played it. Snow took it too far and did not uphold his end of the agreement to remain a gentleman. He did no see it was a game he made killing into a sport to send a message." Katniss whispered.
"I do not comprehend, why he would want to do this?"
"You haven't even bothered to fly by them Katniss, why would Snow want to play war all of a sudden? You've been busy spying on Peeta."
"You've spied on me."
Katniss turned pink.
Peeta grinned back.
Katniss tried to redirect the conversation, to lie, but failed miserably, how else was she supposed to excuse her behavior as the Pan. "Well,"
"Well Katniss have you been spying on me, wait was that you in the bakery that time?"
Katniss turned red, she ignored Peeta and addressed the room, "Finnick's right, I have been rather busy observing Peeta," Katniss caught the eyebrow he lifted. She shook her head clearing it, "To lead the boys in a good game against the Pirates."
"So how do we know what happened between when Katniss left the island and Snow getting Prim?"
"We don't, but some how I," Katniss began saying then stopped and changed her tense. "We have to get back to Never Island."
"But how do we get Prim we don't exactly have fairy dust?" Finnick asked the question that was on everyone's mind.
"How did Snow get here with out dust?" Peeta asked.
"He must have Jo?" Katniss uttered wondering, what in the world happened on the island that permitted Snow to sequester Jo, sail here and forcibly take an innocent child from her bed in the middle of the night.
"That is the only explanation," Finnick agreed.
They all stood there puzzling not noticing the little light shooting through the darkened sky. Annie looked toward the window, saw it and frowned. She thought it to be a firefly. Yet it did not behave like one as it got nearer and nearer to the window.
Thus far this evening, everything was reading like a strange fantastical dream.
The small ball of light zipped into the room and crashed into Katniss causing her to fall backwards. The room was filled with the sound of twinkling bells. Annie, who had not seen Jo, on the journey here because she was asleep, was fascinated by the little ball of light. She sunk to her hands and knees and watched as it grew and morphed into a miniature woman.
Katniss shouted, "JO!"
"Look it's a little person." Annie was amazed she reached out to touch the little creature. She was no bigger than a dandelion.
"Watch it Annie, that little sprite will bite you, if you're not careful."
Annie immediately withdrew her hand. She quickly stood back up and looked cautiously at the tiny woman with spiky black hair.
"Slow down," Katniss uttered as she watched her angry friend speak so rapidly she couldn't understand her. Jo was clearly upset.
"UGGHHH, Katniss will you listen!" Jo screamed shooting upwards.
"I am trying to, go slow, not everyone here can understand you." Katniss explained as she sat up.
The rest were watching the interaction between the fairy and the former Pan.
"Snow is on his way here! We got to take action."
"I know, he's been here, he kidnapped Peeta's little niece."
"I'm too late," Jo sat down on Katniss's shoulder upset because she could not make here on time. The storm caused her to stop flying and take shelter.
"We can still save her," Katniss looked to Jo had her hands buried in her face.
"It's going to be harder than you think."
"She's right if Snow doesn't have Jo, then how did he get his vessel to fly?" Peeta pointed out.
"Peeta's right how did he do it?"
"I think he got a hold of another fairy." Jo whispered.
Katniss was shocked, only she knew Jo's history. "How did Snow get a hold of another pixie, did the Guild of Fairies expunge another of your kind?"
"No, they haven't."
"How are you sure?"
Jo sighed it was time to confess, Katniss was not the only one going through changes. "Last year Gala came to see me."
Katniss whistled, "Gala the head of your people?"
"Well the Guild came to a vote in regards to my sentence. Believe it or not some asked for leniency. It seems they kicked me out but over time they came to see that I am no danger to them, so they have let me visit every once and a while. I was visiting some friends, when this chaos began. I am so sorry Peeta that this has happened."
"I know you are going to help get Prim back Jo, that's the kind of fairy you are."
"Jo, please, explain to me, how Snow flew the Skulls Majesty here."
"That's what I am getting at."
"There's another of her kind helping him." Funnily enough Annie understood.
Finnick, Peeta and Katniss asked at the same time, "How?"
"The only way a fairy can help a human if it we are kicked out of the Guild. At that point we need someone to believe in us to be able to function. If a fairy is kicked out and does not find someone to believe in them their light is extinguished forever."
"You mean they die."
Johanna nodded.
The information sunk in, Jo needed them to survive. It was rather sad indeed to know her light could easily be snuffed out the moment people stopped believing.
"I know of only one fairy that can make the ship fly despite not having goodness aboard. She is strong and cunning."
"Who, I thought you were the only one who was kicked out."
"Her name is Cashmere she was kicked out a long time before me. She was dangerous with her ability with fairy dust. Cashmere took her revenge and caused an uprising. She could make things happen and the Guild was afraid of her. I thought her light went out went out when she when expelled. I guess she survived and is doing Snow's bidding. This is not, a good turn of events."
"Pardon me but why would this be important?" Annie asked.
Finnick explained to Annie, "Because, the other fairy is far more dangerous than any of Jo's kind."
"So we have to stop another fairy that's more powerful, great." Katniss shook her head, going after Snow was one thing, going after Snow while he had possession of a fairy who could manipulate things to her advantage with out faith was another thing was like climbing a mountain with out food or clothing.
"If Gale hadn't wanted to play war this would have never happened." Jo fumed.
"Gale what does he have to do with this?"
Jo lifted her self in the air, and because Katniss had dust on her she to levitated automatically despite the internal turmoil.
"Gale attacked the ship, I told him not to play war but he didn't listen. He went ahead and got the lot of them tossed out into the ocean. He told him where you were."
Katniss was concerned, "Jo can we still go to Never Land?"
Jo laughed and her light grew bigger. "Katniss you're flying now."
Katniss looked down and grinned. She immediately flew around the room.
Jo who was perpetually bad mannered and grumpy, could not help herself, she clapped at the sight of Katniss doing easy summersaults in the air.
"Well Katniss are you ready to take on Snow?" Jo asked.
"Yes, but I will not do it alone." Katniss floated down in front of Peeta she looked at him sweetly. This was her last adventure and she was going to take it with him. "Together."
Peeta took her hands in his. "Together."
"All it takes is awe, wonder, faith, trust and a happy thought." Jo spoke, she was no sure she could take all of the gooey sweetness.
"I'm ready," Peeta looked to Jo.
"Are you ready to fly Annie?"
Annie's eyes were the size of saucers. "We're really in Scotland, I thought this was another of you tall tales Finnick."
"You have to have faith Annie."
Annie's eyes lit up with wonder. She looked at Jo then quietly uttered, "I believe."
"Jo, if you please." Katniss asked.
"My pleasure," Jo spun around the group.
They lifted up in the air and hand in hand they sped away to Never Island, to face Snow.
