Chapter 1: The Girl From the Seam

From the safety of the trees, Katniss sneered at the scene before her. The procession of never-ending carriages that rolled along the main road stretched through the village and beyond. The first had arrived weeks ago, kicking up a dusty trail on its path to the dark castle that loomed in the distance.

If the elders were to be believed, centuries had passed since the Capitolites last filled the Seam and taken residence in the old palace. Rumor had it the Prince had returned, sent by the King to renew their royal presence in the outlying lands of the kingdom. Many surmised that as the youngest of the King's three legitimate heirs, the Prince had drawn the shortest straw. His misfortune? Being sent to the furthest lands to restore peace and order between the Capitol and their realm.

There was no love lost between the Seam and the Capitol. Allegiance to the crown was a farce, for how could any of them respect a ruler who never bothered to visit and in return, only took and took and took, never giving back to his people? For decades they had been the forgotten lands, so no one believed the King's renewed interest in the Seam was for their benefit. To the Capitolites, they were nothing more than savages. To her people, the Capitolites were to be feared, their strange ways and religion casting a mysterious unease over their presence.

Those from the Seam were simple people, farmers and stone masons. Most of their lives were spent servicing the many realms with what they produced. It was forbidden to trade openly with the neighboring realms, forcing them to rely on the trade routes enforced by the King's Council.

But they had their ways, skirting the strict laws to keep themselves fed through hunting and foraging the wilderness that surrounded them. It was forbidden to do so, outlawed long before her time. But that did not stop them, especially Katniss.

Years had passed since her father's death and yet, the numbness of loss was still present in her mother's eyes. On the worst nights, her screams into the nothingness haunted Katniss's dreams.

'Where are you?' Her mother would murmur, over and over during the worst of her episodes. 'Where have you gone?'

With her mother bedridden most days with the wasting sickness, management of the farm had fallen to Katniss. While her younger sister tried to help, she could only do so much. The fallow fields were a bitter reminder of just how physically inept she was. Katniss was not built to be a stonemason either, her thin frame and lack of bulk rendering her useless to help with even the most menial tasks at the quarries.

That left her to take on odd jobs here and there for the surrounding farmers, for coin or trade…and of course, selling what she could at the village market. Cheese and milk from their only goat, eggs from the few chickens they managed to keep alive, and anything she brought in from her hunts.

It was those early days, when food was scarce and the gnawing hunger in her belly so deep, that finally forced Katniss into the unknown of the woods. If it wasn't for Gale, her efforts to provide for herself and her family would have ended in utter failure. But sooner than she anticipated, she was fending for herself, driven by a feral determination to see that her family would not starve. And thank the gods, starve they did not.

At times she would return from the woods with her foraging pack so full there was extra to trade. For with trade, the opportunities to keep her family out of hopelessness seemed possible. But as of late, no matter how much she sold and traded, it was never enough to keep a steady supply of food in the larder or wood for the fire.

If there was one glimmer of light with the return of the Capitolites, it was the return of the castle night market—and with it, a chance to once again trade and sell with others who braved the trek. She had heard the influx of noblemen was because the Prince's return had coincided with the annual reaping, a significant event for the Capitolites that she did not quite understand. If the chatter amongst the village busybodies was to be believed, it was when the ladies of the Capitol presented themselves to the Prince in hopes of gaining his attention and the blessing of their goddesses.

Or in her opinion, presented themselves like lambs to the slaughter.

As the last of the carriages rolled through, Katniss finally emerged from the cover of the trees and shouldered her pack. It was heavy with carefully packaged rounds of herbed goat cheese that she and her sister, Prim, had spent weeks preparing. She hoped the Capitolites would see them as a delicacy and fetch a higher price than when she sold them in the village. At Prim's insistence, Katniss had also dragged along her sister's precious goat named Lady, an ironic name, as it followed behind the carriages of courtiers.

Katniss was deep in thought, trying to decide how much to charge for her wares, when the carriage in front of her suddenly stopped. A woman peered out of the window and, waving to her, called out to gain her attention.

"You there! Come here!"

Confused by the spectacle the woman was making, Katniss decided it was best to keep her head down and ignore her. But the woman continued, her tone growing agitated as she continued to call out, finally shouting, "You with the goat, come here, you savage girl!"

Releasing a frustrated sigh, Katniss pulled a bleating Lady along with her as she approached the carriage with a scowl.

"So you do understand me," the woman said, finally sliding back down into her carriage. She openly stared at Katniss, no doubt judging her threadbare clothes and bare feet. "Turn your face here, so I may better look at you."

Appalled by the woman's order, but not wanting to draw more attention to their interaction, Katniss narrowed her gaze as she tilted her face toward the woman.

"Dirty as you may be, I think you will do perfectly. I am in need of your services for one week. I will pay you handsomely if you agree."

The promise of payment had Katniss perking her ears. "What kind of services?"

"With this being my first reaping, I wish to stand out from all the rest of the court ladies being presented this year. And what better way than to have a Seam savage carrying the train to my dress as I am presented to the Prince?"

Katniss balked. The woman could not be serious. As if sensing her trepidation, the lady in the carriage held out an ornate bag and shook the contents. "I will pay you four tessera for your time, and all I ask is for you to help me with my daily routines and be present with me at the reaping."

The breath whooshed out of Katniss's chest. Four tessera? That was more than a year's wages for just one week of service! She would be a fool to turn down such an offer.

With the extra money, they could finally patch the roof and purchase a cow or perhaps even two! And the expensive tonics the apothecary swore would bring her mother back from the void. Such an offer would be life-changing, but the thought of it was almost too much.

"Well?" the lady from the window snipped, her impatience causing her lips to purse in an unflattering manner. "Do you accept my offer?"

Not wanting to appear as desperate as she truly was, Katniss nodded and answered with a curt, "Yes, I accept."

The woman's devilish grin almost had Katniss regretting her decision, but the clinking of coins in the pouch as the woman shook it again, diminished any lingering doubt. "I shall pay you one tessera when you find me at the castle, and the rest after the reaping. When you arrive, tell the guards you seek Lady Clove. My lady's maid will see you safely through to the scullery."

Katniss had no idea what a scullery was, but from the way Lady Clove wrinkled her nose, Katniss assumed it was a place a lady would never be caught dead in. With another answering nod, Katniss stood for a moment longer, unsure if there was anything more to say or do.

Lady Clove gave a dismissive flick of her hand and then turned to whoever was in the carriage with her. The carriage swayed back into motion and despite the sound of the hooves and creaking wheels, Katniss could make out the high-pitched laughter from within.

With such an offer, now was not the time to waste on hurt feelings for it was obvious Lady Clove and her company were laughing at Katniss's expense. Let them laugh, they would be gone from her lands soon enough, along with their arrogant Prince. When the carriage rocked rather heavily to one side, no doubt from hitting one of the many large dips in the dirt road, Katniss smirked. Served them right, to have the nobles witness firsthand the neglect the Capitol had on the Seam and their so-called "King's roads."

As Katniss turned and made her way back to the village, her mind filled with all that they could do with their windfall. New clothing for all of them, and even a pair of sturdy sandals. If she could manage to haggle a deal with Greasy Sae's husband for his extra cart, it would make her life so much easier. She would finally be able to—

"What are you doing out on the road this late, Catnip?"

Katniss looked up to find Gale approaching from the trees that lined the dirt road. "I was on my way to trade at the night market when—"

"The night market? Are you crazy? That's no place for a young woman alone, you know that."

Frustrated at Gale for berating her like a child, Katniss pulled off to the side of the road with Lady and shot him a withering look. He'd been acting strangely over the past few months, as though he had a say in the decisions she made. The possessive look in his eyes was a recent addition too, one that any other woman would have found appealing but instead made her feel off-kilter. "I know how to handle myself. You are not my keeper."

Gale snorted. "You may know how to handle yourself around the village, but alone in a castle surrounded by Capitol guards twice your size? You better think again."

He was wasting her time. With a loud huff, Katniss shook her head. "If you would just listen, I was going to try my luck at the night market when I was made an offer of a lifetime." Ignoring Gale's skeptical frown, she crossed her arms. "One of the ladies staying at the castle asked for my services for one week and in return, she would pay me handsomely."

"And you believe her?"

"She promised me a quarter of the payment tonight when I arrive at the castle, and the rest after the reaping. Now if you're done wasting my time, I have to return home, inform my family, and then make my way back to the castle. Hopefully all before the sun sets."

"It sounds to me like a trap."

"No one asked for your opinion. What I would ask of you though, is if you could look in on my mother and Prim while I am away?"

Gale stared off beyond the trees, to where the castle was starting to flicker to life with torches.

Kicking his shin with her foot, Katniss asked again. "Will you look in on my family?"

"Yes, yes of course. But on one condition." Katniss raised her eyebrows. "While you're at the castle, gather as much information as you can on the Prince and these Capitolites. They think so little of us they'll forget you're even there. It's the perfect excuse for us to be in the castle."

The "us" that Gale had referred to was a group of men from her village who were on a mission. They had taken it upon themselves to make sure the Capitolites who were trespassing onto their lands knew full well that they were not welcome. Weeks ago, on the day their scouts had observed the first carriage from the Capitol, the group of rebels had gathered in the evening to deliberate the return of the monarch. Had they returned to claim what little the Seam lands had left to offer? Or had they returned to take control and force their "civilized" Capitol ways upon them, just as the elders had warned?

Katniss thought it was all rubbish. Not at all interested in getting involved with whatever the men had planned, Katniss had brushed off Gale's attempts to get her to join them. She would not be a piece in anyone's game, especially when the life of her family balanced precariously on her success as their sole provider.

"I told you before, I don't want anything to do with what you and those men have planned. Leave me out of it. All I ask is that you look in on my family, Prim especially. Can you promise me that?"

Disappointment tugged at his features, but at the mention of her sister, his features softened and he let out a deep sigh. "Yes, of course." He looked back up the road towards the castle once more and shook his head. "If you're still set on this crazy idea, then you should get going before it turns dark. You don't want to keep them waiting."

Katniss hurried home to find her family just as she had left them. Her mother was huddled on her pallet, staring blankly at the wall, and Prim was seated at the worn table where she plucked dried leaves from the mint springs that Katniss had gathered during her last foraging trip.

With nothing more than the clothes on her back and a small round of goat cheese tucked in the pocket of her dress, Katniss was ready to depart. She was quick in sharing the good news with her family, and after saying her goodbyes, she assured them that Gale would be by regularly to check on them.

The sun had dipped just below the horizon by the time she arrived outside the castle walls. She had kept to the road and followed close behind a carriage, preferring not to call too much attention to herself but still weary of the darkened woods that could have been filled with Capitol soldiers.

The guard posted at the castle wall had given her a lewd once-over, leering a little too long at her exposed legs. The hem of her people's standard dress fell just below her knees, which was scandalous by Capitol standards where the fashion was high necklines and skirts that grazed the floor. With a grunt, he waved her off towards the soldier camp, muttering something about how a Seam girl like herself would be more than welcomed there.

Holding back her outrage, Katniss balled her fits and lifted her chin. "I am here by the order of Lady Clove. I am to be of service to her, and only her, during the reaping. Her lady's maid is waiting for me."

The man eyed her up and down once more before nodding over his shoulder. "Go ahead then, but I warn you. Watch your step, or you may find yourself with unwanted company."

Katniss ducked her head and hurried off in the direction the guard had indicated. She peered around, unsure of what or who she was looking for. A light touch at her elbow had Katniss wrenching her whole body away, ready to flee. But it was only a woman dressed in a long black dress. She looked no older than Katniss, but by her pinched features and dark hair that was pulled into a tight knot atop her head, the woman was all business.

"Are you the one Lady Clove met along the road this afternoon?" Katniss nodded but didn't miss the wrinkle of the woman's nose as she too assessed her from head to toe. "Good, follow me then. We have much to do before the night is through."

If she had known what was in store for her, Katniss might not have followed so willingly. Surrounded by four other women all dressed in long black dresses, she was stripped of her tattered dress before bucket after bucket of frigid water was dumped over her head. She was scrubbed from head to foot until her skin was raw and her hair was free of tangles. Asking for her dress back would be pointless, but Katniss was silently grateful when she was handed a brown, shapeless sack to wear instead of one of the long black dresses.

"You are to sleep with the maids during your stay, but you are here to serve Lady Clove." Katniss followed close behind as the woman in charge led her through a maze of dark, dank passageways that wound through the underbelly of the castle. "If you are a smart girl, you will listen, observe, and not speak unless you are spoken to. Am I clear?"

Katniss nodded and then came to an abrupt halt when the woman swung open a heavy wooden door. Peering into the room, she found four straw beds lined along the back wall, three of which appeared already claimed. The woman ushered her in and quickly pointed out the chamber pot, a pitcher of fresh water, and then handed her a fabric bundle tied at the top.

"This is your dinner. I will fetch you in the morning when you are needed." Katniss stared at the woman and then looked about her surroundings. What was she supposed to do until then? Before she could ask, the woman clucked her tongue. "Oh, and I almost forgot." She dug a hand into her skirt and pulled out a coin purse. "Payment as promised, however, I suggest you keep it somewhere safe."

Katniss held back from snatching the coins out of the woman's hand. This was why she had endured being groomed like a cow at auction. This was for her family. For their future. Survive for one week…that was all she had to do.

The next handful of days she spent "surviving" did not go as she had expected. When Katniss wasn't confined to the maid's quarter, she was with one of Lady Clove's servants, shadowing their every step as they went about their day. She was not expected to help with their work, and when she was shown to Lady Clove's rooms, her only instructions were to be silent and stay out of the way. With not much else to do, Katniss found herself observing these strange people and their even stranger ways.

They kept odd hours, with most of the palace quiet during the day, and only coming to life just before sunset. The milk-pale complexions of the courtiers were a stark contrast against the deep, rich colors of their costumes. It wasn't until days later Katniss realized it was actually a pale paste that they used to paint their faces with to achieve the look. Why someone would present themselves in such a way was beyond her comprehension.

It wasn't until the sixth day that her mundane daily schedule changed. After waking that afternoon, she was taken directly to Lady Clove's chamber where to her astonishment, she was set upon once again by the women in black. She was bathed this time, with a sweet-smelling liquid that made her nose twitch. After that, the torture had begun. Every hair on her arms and legs was plucked and the hair on her head was tamed of snarls and styled into loose, voluminous waves. Then she was made to stand on a stool in the middle of the room with only a thin band of fabric across her chest and another one around her hips that barely covered her private areas.

"The reaping is finally upon us," Lady Clove said, circling Katniss with a critical eye.

She motioned to two of her servants who stepped forward, each with a bowl in one hand and a strange brush in the other. Lady Clove took a step back and then snapped her fingers, setting the two women in motion. Katniss gasped but held still when they began to sweep her skin with the brushes.

"You are to follow behind me and hold my skirts as I am presented to the Prince. Do you think you can manage that?"

Katniss could not help but glance down at her body as the women continued their work. Her skin was covered in a golden iridescent power that shimmered with even the smallest of movements. A loud clap echoed through the room and Katniss almost lost her footing on the stool.

"I said, can you manage that?" Lady Clove repeated.

"Yes," she replied while trying not to flinch as the powder was brushed along her belly.

"Good. As we make our entrance, you are to keep your eyes on the floor and no matter what anyone says, you will ignore them. You are to be seen, not heard."

Like a trained animal. Katniss was tempted to deny the woman what she wanted and bare her teeth, but instead, she forced a nod.

"Now, when we first enter, you will be wearing this." Another woman stepped forward with a garment draped across her outstretched arms. Lady Clove fanned out the gold fabric that looked soft to the touch. Katniss let out a breath. If all she had to do was wear a cloak as she carried the woman's skirts, then it was not so bad. She could do this.

"But when I am called forth…" Lady Clove paused and an unsettling smile spread across her face. From beneath the cape, Lady Clove lifted a second garment and Katniss balked. "The final effect will be revealed."

"Where is the rest of it?" Anger boiled through Katniss when Lady Clove continued to smile at her. "I cannot wear that!"

"You can and you will," Lady Clove said, the look in her eyes daring Katniss to protest again. As if she needed a reminder, another woman in black lifted a change purse and shook the contents.

Four tessera, she reminded herself.

Katniss swallowed back the biting remark that sat perched on the tip of her tongue. Fine, if she was to be paraded around in front of these Capitolites as part of their ridiculous rituals, then she would wear the offensive garment. But she would enter with her head held high and curse every last one of them.

Author's Note: Welcome to my new WIP! Keeping true to form for me, this one is an Everlark Fantasy AU with a bit of a darker feel this time. This story has been a long time in the making, having started it almost two years ago with a goal of writing most of the story before posting it. So I'm hoping to keep a somewhat consistent posting schedule as I have quite a few chapters already done and queued up.

Shout out and thank you to a few wonderful folks, to Louezem for prereading and being my sounding board after writing in the void for so long and to deinde-prandium for her speedy beta skills and insight, both have helped me mold this story into something worth sharing! Also thank you to mega-aulover and to mollywog for prereading this first chapter to help me get a feel for first impressions :)

Thanks for reading and love to hear your thoughts!

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