So, President Snow has entered our story. We should all be scared right now. What does he want? And is it even remotely good? Probably not going to be good. And is anybody upset that Liz isn't pregnant? Because nobody has said that they wanted her to be pregnant with Miklisho's baby, and I would love to hear from someone who thinks that way, if there is one. So, here's the next chapter. Hopefully, it's a little bit better then the last chapter action wise. OK, I'll stop talking so you can start reading. Please, review and let me know what your thoughts are, and as usual, rate It and give me some baby names that Liz and Luke could name their son/daughter. And for my super fans, I need you to go on an elite mission-ok, not so elite, but it is a mission. I need some wedding dress ideas, because Liz and Luke are getting married soon probably. Oh, who am I kidding? You all know they are getting married! OK, now I really am done. See ya in the review world!
Chapter 19- The Rules
"It's a pleasure to meet you." I say automatically, but in reality, I am in awe. Shock even. Yes, that's the word. I am in shock right now. President Snow is sitting there right in front of my eyes. I look at him, hoping he'll keep the conversation going and not make me do it. Luckily, Luke does It for me, and I don't have to say anything else. This gives me more time to actually think of something I can say. What do you say to the President? I definitely don't know. "So, what brings you here, Mr. President?" Luke asks cheerfully.
"Well, I was in the neighborhood and thought I would visit Panem's two most popular teens." He replies. Luke sits down in a chair, and I sit on his lap. We kiss quickly. "Well, aren't you two in love? I thought it was all an act when I watched your interviews. I don't know, it just seemed like you were robots saying something someone had planned for you. And in the Arena, when the two of you were snuggling close in Luke's sleeping bag, I still had my suspicions. And then, when Alice Dawson showed up, I finally thought there was love in the Arena- between Luke and Alice.
"President Snow, I mean no offense, but Luke and I are very much in love." I reply. He raises an eyebrow and smirks at me. "Oh. Really? Prove it." He says. I can't help sneering at him. Did he even watch the Games? We were all kinds of in love!
We were practically naked when we were alone and at night, and to top it off, we were sleeping together. What more could he want? Oh...Oh no….I am not doing that. Not at age 15. "And how would you like us to prove it?" I ask through clenched teeth.
"Act like the two of you are the most passionately in love that anybody has ever seen! The Victory Tour shows the people that you are really, seriously in love with each other, and make all of it real. No lying. No faking anything. People will know. Convince me, and you've succeeded." He chuckles through his puffy, surgically altered lips. I glare at him. Luke wraps his arm around my waist and looks at me. "That won't be too hard, will it, honey?" He says, looking at me with a smile. I turn to him and smile. "That's right, sweetie." I reply. He pecks me on the lips once. "That's better." Snow concludes.
"Well, thanks for stopping by." I say. I bat my eyelashes just to make him a little more pissed off at me. I've decided that I hate him. "Oh, I'm not finished yet. I am here to tell you the rules." He says. Luke and I stare at each other, perplexed and confused out of our skulls. "The rules? What rules?" Luke asks. Snow throws a wicked grin at us. "Were you not aware that now that your Victors and everybody is looking at everything you do, that you have guild lines to meet in everything you do? Well, since that is occurring, I am going to tell you what you need to do, and when." He laughs. I stare at him through wide eyes. We just got finished being controlled, only to find out it hasn't ended yet.
"The Victory Tour is in one month. During that tour, you will be pleasant. You will be humorous. You will be normal. You will not make speeches, you will not back talk, you will not speak with the tribute families, and you will not speak unless you are spoken to, unless you are commenting on the atmosphere and the district environments. And once that tour is over, you have 3 months to make all your wedding plans and get the ceremony done. And once that broadcasted ceremony is finished, Liz, you are required to be pregnant with your second child in a 2 year timeframe. And then we'll see if I have anything more for you to do." He smirks.
I take a deep breath, trying desperately to keep myself calm. I'm 15! I am far too young to be thinking about my marriage, and BEING PREGNANT for that matter! I am so sick of this planning. This…control. I want my life to be my life, where I can make my own decisions and choices. I want to be able to decide when I get married, and when I am ready to let Luke possibly make me pregnant, if I decided I wanted to be pregnant at all. But none of that seems to matter with President Snow. He's already decided everything for us.
"Congratulations of your victory." He says. I stand up and take a step toward him, and Luke grabs my hand, pulling me back to him and keeping me from killing Snow. And trust me, I want to kill him right now, and right here. So, I turn on my heel and walk out. Snow asks Luke something, but by then I am too far away to hear Luke's response.
I turn the corner and head toward the examination room, where I can go in private. I find Katniss there when I arrive. Without thinking, I hug her and burst into tears. She rubs my back. "Shhhh. What's wrong?" She asks. "And it's a pleasure to be finally meeting you." I look up into her big brown eyes. "I am so happy to be meeting you too. And I am so sorry that I am coming to you like this on our first meeting. President Snow is here, and he's making all these demands of Luke and I. And I am so tired of being controlled." I weep. "Let me guess- he is telling you when to be married, right?" She asks gently. I nod my head.
"And he's telling me that I have two years to be pregnant with my second child. Not first, but second! I'm only 15, and I don't want to be married yet. I don't want to be a mother. I'm not ready! I'm not mature enough. I don't want to have a child in a world where the Hunger Games are still going on."
I keep crying and crying, and Katniss lets me cry until I am sure I have nothing left to cry out. "I remember when Snow made the exact same demands to Peeta and I. We were barely older then you, I was 16, and Peeta was barely 17, and we were so upset and scared and mad at everyone, because we had to do what Snow said, and people kept agreeing with him, even when it was so wrong and shouldn't be agreed with. I know what you're feeling right now to an exact amount. And I promise, as soon as you get married, he'll stop bugging you. He'll forget about you almost completely. Every few years he'll check in on you, make sure you're still alive, and then send some cameras to broadcast you, and then you'll never hear from him for a long time. And all you have to do Is do what he says for now." I cry some more and start hiccupping from lack of hydration.
"There is one way to fix things." She says. I look up at her and wipe my tears away with the back of my hand. "What's that?" I ask. "You have to break the rules." She states.
So, what did you think of this? Did you get a little shock at all? Did you enjoy the emotional moment between Elizabeth and Katniss? And what do you think Snow was asking Luke? All good questions! Please, review and send me messages letting me know what your thoughts are. Give it a rate and then if your truly a fan of mine, then submit some baby names and send me a link in a message to a wedding dress you think would look good on Liz. And I will choose which three I like the most and have the "Capitol people" vote on it, just like in Catching Fire! Thanks so much for reading this story, and I really appreciate it all. Delicious Love from MrsLukeCastellan. PS. May the odds be ever in your favor!