Marriage was the least of my worries until now.
Peeta and Katniss have reached the Capitol at last where it's clear the Games left a lasting impression. Banners and signs ripple in the breeze. Our victors wave from parade floats, make appearances at fancy halls and mansions. If they were playing up the romance in the districts, now they're erotic. Kissing, holding hands, leaning into each other. The actions all get kicked up a notch, clearly playing to the audience's adoration. By the time they reach their interview with Caesar Flickerman, they've almost exhausted the whole "crazy in love" thing.
"Now Katniss, you've just come off a marvelous trip through all the districts and, after the party at the President's Mansion, the final stop is home. What can possibly be going through your head right now?" Even the most mundane questions sound interesting in Caesar's hands. "Is it everything you dreamed it would be?"
Probably that and more, considering that the districts are on the verge of rebelling. A nightmare within a nightmare. But of course, Katniss can't say that on live TV.
"Well, Caesar," she says. "Things have certainly been -" she hunts around for a word, "a ride!"
The audience laughs.
"And Peeta, what can you say about the tour?" Caesar smiles warmly. "The parties, the banquets, were they as grand as they looked on TV?"
"Well, I'm not sure I'm the right person to tell you, Caesar," Peeta gazes at Katniss before continuing. "My eyes were stuck on the prettiest thing in all Panem."
Katniss blushes and Caesar puts a hand to his heart.
"How sweet, how sweet," he mutters. "What has been the most memorable part?"
Katniss and Peeta glance at each other now.
"The people," Katniss says at last. "And the food."
I'm sure it has something to with the unrest she felt while on tour. After all, Caesar never specified memorable as being good or bad.
"Of course," Caesar laughs, oblivious. "Now, folks, I'm sure you all saw how fabulous Katniss Everdeen looked while on tour. We must have seen you in a thousand different dresses! We know that your apprenticing your stylist and learning to design. Were they all Cinna's doing or was there one you helped create?"
Katniss laughs. "Well, Cinna is just wonderful. He can turn… silk into anything. I - I helped with a few, but there was that orange one in District Eleven. I was definitely a part of that design team."
Where did this bubbly Katniss come from? She's been "in love" through most of the tour but today she's almost mad. I notice Peeta looking at her a little strangely too. He also seems a little nervous, which is odd considering he's usually the camera favorite. Katniss hardly said a voluntary word at their final interview last year.
"Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, you two are perhaps the most relevant love story of our time," Caesar continues. "Do you know how much you've inspired us to hold on to what we love? So young, so inspirational. What does the future hold for you?"
Peeta takes a deep breath, then drops to one knee. The crowd gasps collectively. My own heart plummets into nonexistence.
"Katniss Everdeen, you already know how I feel about you," Peeta says. "No speech, no amount of words could ever describe my love because words fade away. They disappear, but my love is undying. It doesn't matter where we are. In Twelve. In the Capitol. In the arena. You're always on my mind and I can still taste your kisses on my lips. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please, Katniss. Will you marry me?"
The Capitol audience surrenders to hysteria. People are on their feet, cheering, crying. Caesar looks like he's on the verge of tears himself. The camera switches to shots of the districts, seemingly besides themselves with joy. Everyone in the country just watched my son propose to a girl who he knows doesn't love him back and they're celebrating. Granted, I'm the only one who knows about their little act. Well, me and Peeta. And it was in his eyes just then. A flash of pain that only a father could be keen enough to detect.
Katniss gives him a smile that I wish I could believe is real. "I will, Peeta. I'll marry you."
As the anthem plays, I stare without seeing. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse for them, the whole thing becomes more twisted. I didn't even think it was possible. My son, not even of age, is being forced into marriage. Because that's what it is. The choice is marry Katniss or suffer the consequences. Be in love or expose the fact that the whole thing was created for the Games.
My wife's muttering obscenities under her breath. "The boy's not even of age." she snarls finally. "This is sick."
"The country doesn't seem to be bothered by it." As if to prove my words, the camera makes another round to the overjoyed districts.
She dismisses my disgust, waving it off like a fly in the summer. "Oh, they don't have a choice. In fact," she pauses, her mouth curving into a half smile.
"What? What is it?"
"This is the worst thing the Capitol could've authorized."
How'd she come to that conclusion? Our youngest son will be forever bound in a marriage that isn't real. Peeta, so young, so deserving of happiness, will never know true care and love.
"Come on, Mellark," my wife says. "Think it over. This marriage is the first step to unify the victors. And once the victors unify, the districts will follow. Don't you, this is happening at last? People tired of being treated like scum. We might actually have a say in our future!"
The idea of a rebellion seems to kindle some of her old luminosity. There's a gleam in her eye that I haven't seen in years. And of course the idea of ridding the country of its suppressors appeals to her, my wife who's never known justice. Unfortunately, I can't join in her titillation. The country feels more removed than the cruel, disgusting turn of events that is taking place on the screen at this very moment. A rebellion in the future, maybe. But Peeta is engaged now and worse, the Capitol is celebrating.
Our President himself makes an appearance to congratulate the couple. After grasping Peeta's shoulder and going so far as to embrace Katniss, he settles down the impassioned crowd with a hand. "What do you think about us throwing them a wedding right here in the Capitol?" he asks them. He's met with another roar of applause.
Caesar Flickerman, who's still dancing with excitement, composes himself enough to resume the interview. "Do you have a date in mind, President Snow?" he asks cordially.
"Oh, before we set a date, we better clear it with Katniss's mother," President Snow says good-naturedly. He must be referring to her reluctance at the rapidly escalating romance on the train platform. I wonder what she thinks about this now. If she thought a boyfriend was crossing the line, getting engaged steps way beyond that.
Peeta is quiet, standing next to the president respectfully. He's smiling, of course, but it's not the same smile that I know. It doesn't light up his face like it does when he's truly happy. Katniss, on the other hand, seems to be besotted with joy. She giggles and exchanges playful banter with President Snow, almost as if they've had many pleasant encounters. I wonder what's brought on this unusual burst of enthusiasm. Could she truly have some sort of excitement about the wedding? Then why did she freeze Peeta out?
After the interview comes arguably the most extravagant party of the tour. Held in the banquet hall of the Presidential Mansion, the starry ceiling, floating musicians, gardens, plush sofas, and walls upon walls of delicacies. My mouth waters just looking at some of the dishes.
Peeta and Katniss are crowd favorites of course. The camera follows them as they have their picture taken and exchange cordial words with high ranking Capitol officials. They spend an unproportionate amount of time on the romance stuff. Now that they're officially engaged, there's nothing inhibiting the media from going all out.
Katniss shares food with Peeta, they kiss, they dance. She in particular seems to be more vibrant than I've seen her all tour. I can't for the life of me figure out why all of the sudden she's shifted. Peeta is a bit more subdued. At least he doesn't seem practically intoxicated. He hardly ever leaves her side, though, which must count for something.
I realize with a start that the tour's almost over. Tomorrow, they'll have a final banquet. Even though it's here in Twelve, we won't be invited and so probably won't see them until the following night at the Harvest Festival. But after that, the country will move on the the Seventy-fifth Hunger Games.
"Aren't people getting sick of this angle already?" I ask as Katniss and Peeta lock lips for the umpteenth time tonight.
"Well, they keep us focused on this shallow stuff hoping we won't stir up trouble," she says. "It's revolting, isn't it?"
"I think the country is forgetting how young they are. We've made them symbols but have forgotten they're people."
"Cut the sermon," my wife rolls her eyes. "The country is in desperate need of something happy. Look at them, young love is the epitome of youth and innocent joy."
Of all things on my list of words that describe Peeta and Katniss's romance, innocent is not among them. It's built upon the framework of the Games, then embellished with deceit. Strategic, sadistic, inhuman. Those words, maybe. But innocent?
My wife also seems to be taking a different stance on the issue than she did initially. What happened to the "this is sick" attitude?
"I thought you were repulsed by this sudden engagement," I tell her.
She shrugs. "It might help bring the districts together." So she thinks that if it'll help the rebellion, it's a worthwhile sacrifice. For whatever reason, this idea of a revolution is really getting to her. I haven't seen her this lit up about something in a long, long time.
"This rebellion idea," I say slowly. "You're really into it aren't you?"
My wife scoffs. "I just think it's high time we speak up. Stop standing for what we've been letting happen for seventy-five years. "
Seventy-five years of the horror of the Games. Seventy-five years we've let the Capitol take our children. Maybe she's right. That no sacrifice is too great if we gain our freedom.