A:N/ Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update last night, I just wasn't ready. Be prepared for this because my life is a little crazy at times, so I'll probably update every couple days. Here's an extra longish chapter. VOILA
~hipsterchica

Clove POV:
I walk into the grand dining hall. My white tunic is secured by golden rings that I keep playing with.
"Ah, good morning Clove, darling," my mother says with a bored tone.
"Good morning Clove," my father adds with a warm smile.
"Good morning, daddy," I say with a sweet smile as I take my seat on the other end of the table.

"Mother," I add. She rolls her eyes.

My father smiles. "We have big news for you!"

My eyes widen. "What? Tell me!"

He looks to his wife to tell me. She sighs and says, "We are preparing to pick a husband for you."

"Oh," was all I say, my heart sinking.

"Yes! We want you to be wed to Prince Gale from Sedat. Your union would be a great alliance for our two countries."

My eyes dart up from my lap. "But Prince Gale... he is dying, isn't he?"

Father sighs. "He is, but we hope that having a beautiful wife to look forward to would help cure him. If the gods won't then maybe you can."

"Are there any other options," I plead.

This time my mother speaks up. "If he dies before the wedding, we have another plan. We will marry you to a Challenge victor. This will incite joy among the commoners, having one of their own become royalty."

"Well, I did have this one in mind," I say as I drift back to the memories of the 69th Challenge winner.

His name was Finnick Odair. He was super tall, lean, and flat out gorgeous. Like every other female citizen of Panem, I fell head over heels for him. When I went in to meet the contestants, he gave me his flashy smile and I melted. I had pulled him aside and we talked almost every day leading up to the competition. On the last day, I told him to win for me while fighting back tears. He gave me a confident smile and kissed me, saying that he would.

Finnick was locked in a fight with the last gladiator, a girl named Saria. She begged for his

mercy then tried to kill him. Saria leaped up with her hammer to bring it down on his head
when Finnick took his trident and ran it through her throat. Soon after that, I was told that we could not be wed because he wasn't royalty. I had cried on our staircase all night, begging for my parents to let us, but they wouldn't change their mind.
"If that Odair boy is still single, then he may be a fine suitor. But until this Challenge is over, you are engaged to Gale. He is coming over tonight to meet you again over dinner and you will treat him with respect and kindness," my father stated.
"I hate that Finnick child. He is all sex-appeal and no substance. Too dumb to even figure out how to use a sword," my mother added.
Let me get this straight: my mother doesn't love me. Well, she did at first, but then the doctor told her she wouldn't be able to have anymore children, which meant no sons. Father offered to adopt a boy for her but she wouldn't have it. I was left to carry the burden of having to marry a man to keep the country under my control.
"Your tutor is here, Clove," my father said.
"I will go, then. Good day," I said, thankful to leave the room.
I hurried around the palace to the giant library. There was a tall, blonde man standing there, reading through some of the books.
"Hello, Haymitch."
He turned around and smiled at me. "Morning, Clove." We were on a first name basis.
"What are we learning today?" I asked.
He smirked at me. "Dodging."
While my father had hired Haymitch to teach me academics, we soon realized that I already knew everything. Once I had expressed interest in fighting, Haymitch agreed to teach me. He liked the idea of a princess who could defend herself.
I followed him to the large open room we had in the basement. This room was made for hiding from enemies, but it worked well if we just wanted to fight instead.
Pulling a key out of my pocket, I walked over to a large closet. Inside, we kept many different weapons- in case of an attack. I proceed to pull out racks of all different sorts- swords, tridents, axes, and my personal favorite, the knives. Haymitch came over and grabbed several knives.
"Now, in order to stay alive, princess, you need to not only fight, but dodge others. Hypothetically, you could lose all of your weapons and just have to run away," he instructs. "To teach you how to deal with this hypothetical situation... THINK FAST," Haymitch yells as he throws three knives at me.
I skillfully dodge them by twisting and contorting my body. "What the heck? I could have died!"
"Ah, but you didn't. The only way to learn is to do. Again," he spits out while throwing more knives.
"Jesus! Haymitch!" I yell while, once again, dodging more knives.

The rest of the day was quite boring. We went upstairs back to the library and actually had to study mathematics. I came downstairs for lunch and one of the lord's daughters came over to join me.
"Hello Katniss," I sighed.
"Clove!" she giggled obnoxiously while wrapping me in a surprise hug.
"Oof," was all I could manage.
After snacking on small sandwiches and tea, we went out to play croquet. Katniss was bragging to me about how she was to be engaged to another lord's son.
"Peeta is just SO strong and SO smart! He's also a really good baker!"
"That's wonderful, Katniss," I said in a bored tone while wacking the ball into the nearest hoop.
"When are you getting married?"
I immediately snap up and place my hand on my hip. "That's none of you business. In fact, I'm engaged right now."
Her eyes widen. "To who?"
"To Prince Gale of Sedat."
"But isn't he...sickly?" She asked cautiously.
"Yes. I intend to love him fully, though. I have the ability to look past sickness, unlike others," I said coldly.
Katniss looked down. She knew who I was talking about. There was a lady in waiting named Nana who fell in love with a soldier and was devastated when he left for war. During the war, his entire regiment was killed and the soldier was tortured. When he returned home, he had scars all over his body, including a disfigured face. The lady in waiting had met someone else during the war and ran off with him the next day. She had been one of Katniss's best friends.
"No, Clove. You're not like that. Not like that at all."

Katniss had to leave soon after. I went up to my room and read a book by a new author named Homer until it was time for dinner. I figured that I should begin to write my annual Gladiator Challenge speech, but I knew that I would end up winging it at the last second like always.
Hours later, Glimmer came bustling into my room.
"Princess, Princess Clove! We only have an hour to get you ready for your dinner!"
I sighed. "Alright, Glimmer. Let's get going."
Even though I wasn't happy about it, I was going to put on a pretty face and go through with the wedding. I knew that I would make a good wife and queen, one day. Glimmer began stripping off my day dress and pulled on a purple satin gown which reached down to my toes and had a huge slit up to the upper thigh with gold sandals that laced up to my thighs. She brushed out my hair and pulled it back with beeswax until it was in a high, poofy ponytail with a gold wreath on top. I enjoy makeup but I would never be able to put it on myself, so Glimmer painted charcoal above my eye lashes in a line, winging it out in several fancy swirls.
"Thank you, Glimmer dear," I smile at her. "I look really pretty."
"You always look pretty, Clove. It's really an honor to serve you and your family."
I bring her into a tight hug.
"Go on, he's waiting for you," Glimmer said, gleaming,
I turned around and walked out of the room.

The palace looked spectacular. There were grapes and linens hanging everywhere. At the head of the table sat my father in all of his glory. My mother sat next to him, looking at the ends of her hair.
"Is Prince Gale here yet?" I questioned.
"He is entering through the palace gates right now. Go back around the corner so you can make a grand entrance," father instructed.
I nodded and wandered back around. I began to play with my nails that were coated with a gold polish. Soon after, the doors flung wide open. I heard my father bellow out his greeting.
"Ah, Prince Gale, how great to see you! And the same to you, King and Queen Hawthorne."
"Hello, King Benjamin. You are looking quite well," a weak voice called out. "Clove is here, yes?"
"Come sit down and she will be here soon."
I took that as my cue. I came in, taking long strides, letting my dress sweep the dress in a regal manner. I was taken back at what I saw. The last time I saw Gale, he was looking healthy-ish. Now, he sat in a wheelchair, his cheeks hollow, skin paled, eyes vacant.
"Hello, Gale. I haven't seen you in a while."
He gave me a sad smile. "As have I, Princess. We grew up together and yet I hardly see you anymore."
I walked over to him and he kissed my hand. Crossing over to the other side of the table, I tripped on the table's leg.
"Clove! You are so clumsy," my mother scolds.
"I'll make sure to have my castle child-proofed for her," Gale laughs lightly. The rest of the table joins him and we chat through the rest of the night.

After the meal, the parents wanted to talk about wedding details, so Gale and I excused ourselves to the garden.
"It's so lovely here," he comments as I wheel him towards a bench where I sit.
"Remember when we used to come here as children," I ask quietly.
"Childhood was quite different. I wasn't dying then, but you were just as beautiful."
I looked up from my feet until I met his eyes. They were no longer empty looking.
"I have always loved you, Clove. Not as a sister but a lover. You mean the world to me. I know I don't have much longer to live, but will you do me the honor of marrying me and making my last days happy?"
I was breathless. "Well, yes. I will." I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, a smile playing on his face.

AWWWWWW hehehe until next time!