Disclaimer: This fanfic is rated 'E' for adult themes which are now in full effect. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games or Betrothed, although I wish I did, and have taken creative liberties with respect to character traits and canon elements.

Chapter 9 – The Hopeful Prince

It had taken little time to fall into a routine with his wife. As she slept in the day after their wedding night, wrapped around his body as though she always belonged there, Peeta had wasted no time having her things moved to his chambers. Thanks to her penchant for sleeping in, he took his sweet time before forcing himself out of bed. Anything to allow him just a few more moments to watch her sleep. It was difficult to leave her most mornings, for he would rather spend his time in bed with her than with his advisors.

To break up the monotony of the days, he was tempted many times to look in on his wife. He did not wish to smother her; rather, he hoped to give her space to become comfortable in her new role—not only as his wife and Eternal, but as a Princess of the Blood. He'd mollified himself with regular reports from Finnick on how she was doing, and news from Lady Madge on how she was faring the odd time she made an appearance at court.

He had tasked Finnick with assigning her guards, which she was initially unhappy about. But after assuring her that they would keep their distance and not interfere with her day-to-day activities, she had relented. Knowing she was protected made the hours spent away from her more tolerable.

However, he quickly learned it was impossible to stay away from her for too long. Since the wedding, he'd taken to ending his days quickly so he could share an evening meal with Katniss. He hadn't meant to interrupt her the first time, but when she'd asked him to stay and sit with her, he could not refuse. Sharing meals with his wife had become a secret indulgence of his.

He'd found it fascinating to watch her expression as she sampled whatever foods the cook had prepared for the day, taking note of which delicacies she preferred over the others. In turn, it had become a source of entertainment for her as well, as she found it amusing when he would sneak a few bites off her plate when there was something in particular that she claimed was delicious…which included almost anything and everything she ate. To his amusement, her appetite put those of his soldiers to shame.

After learning which dishes were her favorite, he'd tasked the palace cook with preparing special treats for her throughout the day. His wife's handmaid had also been forthcoming with his wife's preferences, which had proved useful for preparing this evening's events.

Apparently, courting one's wife was easier said than done. But he was determined to become acquainted with her.

"Remind me again," Finnick said with an amused roll of his eyes. "What will this romantic outing of yours involve?"

"A walk through the woods."

Finnick lifted an eyebrow. "And?" When Peeta didn't reply, Finnick shook his head. "Are jewels and fine poetry not to her liking?"

"Perhaps if she a lady of the court. But then again, perhaps not." Even if she had been a born and bred lady, he had a feeling his wife would still not be one impressed by material gestures.

This was new territory for him. The usual ways of wooing would not work with his wife. The evening before, he had spotted her in the courtyard with her handmaid, who was following close behind her with a basket of flowers. Behind them were her guards, which he was happy to see had kept a respectable distance. It was from her guards he had learned that when she wasn't with him in their chambers or accompanying him in the throne room , she preferred to roam the palace grounds.

Peeta glanced at the window for the hundredth time. The sun would not be up for a few more hours, but he had cleared the rest of the day so he could spend it with his wife.

"And the preparations for afterward?"

"Yes, yes, it's all taken care of," Finnick said with another roll of his eyes. "The cooks have been at work all evening."

"Good," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Peeta had spent most of the evening holed away in his antechamber, first meeting with Seneca and then his generals and advisors.

Seneca had been busy yet again, this time planning for the coronation. When the ancient texts had started to trickle in from the surrounding royal libraries, there had been nothing in the manuscripts regarding the coronation of a Princess of the Blood. They would have to improvise, but Peeta felt it was a necessary step to solidify Katniss's position as a Princess to not only his court, but to the people of the Seam. She was now destined to rule her realm at his side. If they saw one of their own on the throne, he was certain it would ease some of the tension within the realm. And convince the people they had a voice within his court.

As expected, Seneca had been quick to oppose the need for a coronation ceremony at first, but even he could not ignore the increase in attacks on their guards and supply caravans. Peeta's generals had nothing but more reports on the troubles the rebels had been causing.

The past few days they had grown bolder, attacking a caravan en route to the palace from the Eleventh realm. The contents had included supplies needed to begin restoring various buildings and infrastructure surrounding the palace and arterial roads. Thankfully no injuries had been reported but he had a feeling in his gut that it would only be a matter of time.

Despite the uneasy news, the past few days had also brought with them some hope. A handful of villagers had made the trek to the palace to hear his counsel. Most of their requests were what he had expected: requests to open up the trade routes, or permission to farm their plots and keep a portion of their harvest for themselves.

Peeta had quickly discovered that the King's Council had been taking more and more each year from the farmers. He'd been discouraged to hear that some farmers had been pushed beyond their limits, to the point they could no longer manage their plots which lay fallow throughout the realm. The majority barely had enough to keep themselves alive for most of their harvests were shipped off to the other realms, but no resources seemed to make their way back into the realm in return. It was just another one of the many wrongs he was determined to set right.

He was surprised when a handful of Seam residents had inquired about positions in his service, bolstering his hope that his efforts so far had not gone unnoticed. That his presence within the realm could be seen as one of an ally, and not an enemy.

This morning he had asked Haymitch to attend court to act as a mediator of sorts. Seneca had quietly voiced his displeasure, but Peeta had paid him no mind. Despite the man's disheveled appearance, Haymitch had proved useful in verifying certain claims or providing context to what those from the Seam sought. With the added ease he brought when those from the Seam realized the man's role in the proceedings, Peeta had every intention of offering him a new role in his court, should he choose.

Peeta glanced up from his musings to find Finnick smirking. "And shall I have the maids set a place setting for yourself this evening?"

"Of course."

Upon their return from the woods, a feast of all her favorite foods would await them. He couldn't wait to see her face light up at the sight of the spread he had planned for her.

Peeta stood and moved to the looking glass in the corner of his antechamber. There was no need to be worried, but he'd be lying if he wasn't a little unsure if his wife would appreciate the simple gesture of taking her on a walk and feeding her. Such things she did on her own each day, perhaps his presence would only make her favorite pastimes awkward. As he rubbed at the gold fastening of his cape, he noticed Finnick shaking his head in the reflection.

"Not a word," Peeta muttered. He straightened his shirt, then took a deep breath. His aura flickered, and a moment later, a knock at the door had him smiling.

Finnick strode to the door and paused. "I'd wish you luck, but something tells me you won't need it."

"Watch your step,"

Peeta lifted the lantern higher to illuminate the fallen tree trunk across their path. When he offered a hand to help his wife, she stared at it for a breath, then back up at him. Without a word, she fisted the skirt of her dress and tied the ends about her waist.

His eyes darted to her bare legs and before he could help it, the image of her tanned limbs wrapped around his back the night before invaded his mind. If all went well this evening, perhaps he'd find her limbs wrapped around him again sooner than later.

With a haughty tilt of her head, Katniss hopped over the fallen tree trunk and continued down the darkened path. Peeta shook his head as he stepped over the log and followed after his wife. It was plain to see Katniss was at ease amongst the trees.

When she'd arrived at his antechamber, her aura had pulsed with an unease which was also evident on her face. He'd kept his smile in place despite tamping down his disappointment at her first reaction to his summons. She needed time, and he needed to keep reminding himself of it. Unease was better than fear, and far better than her ignoring his request at all.

The unease quickly turned to eager curiosity when he asked her to accompany him for a walk in the woods before dinner. Her slow smile had his aura fluttering with such contentment that he was momentarily stunned. The glint in her eye was evidence she felt it as well, and before he could embarrass himself, he ushered her down the hall as Finnick kept his distance behind them.

Peeta had explored the forest within the palace grounds the first week he'd arrived, which now felt like a lifetime ago. But as he meandered down the weathered trail with his Eternal by his side, it was as though he was seeing it with new eyes.

She impressed him with knowledge of the various types of flowers and herbs and mushrooms that lined the path, ones that he'd normally pass by without a thought. He listened intently as she rambled on about the specimens she collected here and there, tucking them into the pockets of her dress. But the simple joy that radiated through her aura when she spotted something new was infectious.

"You must have had a wise teacher," he mused as Katniss pinched a few leaves from a plant and popped them into her mouth. She offered him some and he rolled the leaves between his fingers as he brought it to his nose. Mint. The corner of his mouth lifted before he followed suit and touched the bruised leaves to his tongue. The slightly sweet yet sharp taste filled his senses followed by the tell-tale cooling effect that lingered.

"My father used to take me foraging in the woods when I was very young. Everything I know I learned from him. Well, except for some of the more medicinal herbs and plants. Those I learned from my mother."

At the mention of her family, he bit back a frown. It was a topic he sensed she was sensitive about, given that they had not yet made an appearance at the palace. Seneca had assured him time after time that his summons had gone unanswered. As such, Peeta was hesitant to broach the subject and thought it best to wait for her to steer their discussion in that direction.

"My mother used to say my place was at the farm, but each day after my chores were done and my father returned home from the quarry, we'd spend the rest of the afternoon in the woods. That's where he taught me first to track the wild game that roamed the forest, and then when I was old enough, how to set traps and hunt."

"You know how to hunt?"

Her aura pulsed with uncertainty, but then she nodded. "Yes, nothing too large of course. But smaller game, such as squirrels and fowl."

"And what do you hunt with?" he asked, curious yet also proud of how resourceful his wife was.

"My father's bow."

"You don't have have your own?"

Katniss shook her head. "It's the one I learned with, and after he passed, well, it only made sense that it became mine."

"Oh, I am sorry for the loss of your father."

"Thank you, but it was a long time ago. After that, the management of the farm fell to me."

Peeta frowned. "Not just yourself, I hope. What about your mother?"

"After my father passed, it wasn't long after that my mother succumbed to the wasting sickness. She would not move from her pallet for weeks. When she was not crying, she was sleeping, and not very well. My sister and I had to coax her to eat, but even that was a struggle as most days we were only able to get a few spoonfuls of broth into her. But month by month, she slowly started to improve."

"And now?"

Katniss looked away and down to her hands which were fidgeting with a twig. "She has her good days and her bad ones. I've accepted that she will forever be a husk of the woman she once was."

Peeta responded with a solemn nod. "And your farm?"

"Our fields have been left unplowed for several years now. The same year my father died we lost our ox to thieves and I could no longer plow the fields. I've had to rely on hunting and foraging to provide for my family, along with whatever odd jobs I could find to make a few coins here and there. We've managed so far with a few chickens and my sister's beloved goat."

The corner of her mouth lifted and she shook her head with amusement. "You know, if it wasn't for that goat, we may have never met?"

"Oh?" Peeta asked, his curiosity sparked. "Why is that?"

"The day I met Lady Clove I was on my way to the Night Market to sell the rounds of goat cheese my sister makes. I thought, if there was one good thing to come with your return to the realm, it is the Night Market."

"I am glad to hear that it has been a source of added income for those of the Seam."

Katniss sighed long and low. "I am not the only one, you know. To have a farm fall to the wayside due to circumstances beyond our control. The people of the Seam feel abandoned. Everything from the quarries and our crops are sent to the other realms, but we receive nothing in return but burdens and more taxes."

Peeta paused as he allowed her words to sink in. Her words mirrored those of the villagers who had come to him earlier in the day. Perhaps if she was interested, she could join him and Haymitch during his court sessions.

Katniss turned back to face him as she continued down the path backward. "If you truly wish to understand the people you were sent to rule, then I would be more than happy to-"

His feet moved to reach her the moment she started to topple backward. He arrived a breath too late, and pain throbbed through his aura as she crumpled in on herself.

"My Light, where are you hurt?"

"My ankle, but it's nothing. I assure you, I'm fine…really."

Peeta lifted the lantern to get a better look, and frowned. A gnarled tree root was the cause of her fall, and judging by her pinched features, she was holding back the pain he was feeling through her aura.

Gently, he probed the area around her ankle and she hissed. "It's most likely twisted. Here, take hold of the lantern."

"I told you, just give me a moment and I'll be fine."

Before she could voice another protest, he shoved the handle of the lantern into her hand and lifted her into his arms. She weighed nothing and so with quick feet, he traced back the trail they had come in on. How foolish he was to not make sure the trail was completely cleared before taking her this far into the forest? It was his fault, this stupid idea of his.

"Slow down, or else you'll trip as well. And then who will rescue us?"

He shook his head. Peeta could see perfectly clearly in the dark; the light of the lantern had been for her benefit alone. If only he'd been paying more attention instead of letting his mind wander.

"I can see perfectly fine," he muttered, quickening his pace. The end of the trail was in his sight as the glow of the castle beckoned him closer.

There was no one in the courtyard as he rushed through, and the halls to their chambers were just as barren. The moment he crossed through the open door into their room, he sighed in relief at the sight of Finnick and his wife's handmaid.

"Fetch the healer, immediately," he shouted to the girl as he made his way to the bed and gently laid his wife down.

"No, that is not necessary," Katniss countered and her handmaid paused. "It is nothing more than a twisted ankle. I will be fine, there is no need to fetch anyone."

Before he could protest, she turned to scowl at him.

"I found some wild lettuce while we were out in the woods. It is good for pain. All I need is some hot water to make a tea and I'll be fine."

"At once, Princess." Rue scurried over to the table that had been laid out with the lavish dinner he had requested.

He spotted a questioning look from Finnick but he shook his head. He'd never heard of wild lettuce before but he would humor his wife's wishes for now. However, if her natural remedy did not work within the hour, then he would be stepping in.

The girl returned with a steaming cup of water and as he turned his attention to removing his wife's shoes, he watched from the corner of his eye as Katniss crushed some leaves and dropped them into the cup. She eyed him as she waited for her tea to steep.

"I can sense your worry, but believe me when I say I know what I am doing."

Peeta nodded and turned to find the worried faces of Finnick and the handmaid just behind him. "Leave us for now, but check back within the hour."

Finnick nodded and the handmaid curtsied before they both took their leave, shutting the door behind them. With a heavy sigh, Peeta looked back to find his wife sipping her tea, her narrowed eyes just visible over the rim of the cup.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Did you really not know what was happening in the Seam? With the farmers?"

They were back on that topic? Perhaps her ankle didn't pain her as much as he assumed. He would humor her, though.

"When I first arrived, no, I did not. It wasn't until I started to dig into the reports from my generals that I noticed the discrepancy from what the King's Council had led me to believe. This past week some of the villagers sought my audience and I was able to hear firsthand some of the troubles they have been facing. But I did not realize their true depth of suffering until you shared with me your own life account this evening."

Katniss slowly nodded but then shut her eyes. "The tea is already working. My ankle no longer hurts."

Relieved, Peeta gently touched her ankle which appeared more swollen now, but he no longer sensed pain from her aura.

When she opened her eyes, she lifted her cup out to him. He slid closer up the bed, but before he could take hold of the cup, she dropped it into his hand. "One of the side effects, however, is that it makes one rather…drowsy."

"I see," he said and carefully placed the empty cup on the table next to the bed. If that was the case, then their night had been cut short. He made quick work of removing his boots and tossed his jacket onto the floor. The moment he reached for the buttons of his shirt, she shifted on the bed.

"Peeta," she mumbled and he turned to face her fully.

Reaching up, Katniss straightened his crown that he had felt fall askew while carrying his precious cargo back to their chambers. He caught her hand as she pulled away and his thumb stroked a circle in the center of her palm, eliciting a pleasant shiver to course up her arm. Emboldened, his lips replaced his thumb and her eyes fluttered shut.

"You do not…play fair," she whispered.

The effects of her remedy were taking effect much more quickly than he anticipated. But it was probably for the best. Better for her to sleep off the discomfort than suffer through it awake. She reached up, and the gentle touch of her fingers against his jaw thundered in his veins.

"Sleep, my Light."

"But..do you not…hunger?" Her voice, heavy with exhaustion, murmured against his neck.

If she only knew. As a Prince of the Blood, he had once thought he was an expert on hunger, but this…what he felt for his wife, his Eternal…was an entirely new kind.

"Do no worry," he said as he ran the pad of his thumb across her pulse point. "I will survive."

Her soft chuckle tickled his skin, sending a ripple of desire down his spine. But not a moment later, she had drifted off to sleep. With a heavy sigh, he climbed in next to her and pulled her close. He didn't dare remove her clothing for fear of jostling her too much and exasperating the problem.

Glancing over to the candle-lit table, Peeta frowned. There was no use trying to salvage the dishes. He would ask his wife's handmaid to clear out the food and distribute it amongst the staff, for there was no use wasting perfectly good food. Without dinner, his wife would be hungry when she awoke the next day.

Maybe then he could try again.

The view from his privy chamber window had Peeta smiling, despite the slow shake of his head. After learning of his wife's skill with a bow the day before, he had ordered for an area of the courtyard to be cordoned off just for her. Finnick had been beyond ecstatic to establish a series of stationary targets for her to practice on, and eager himself to use the course to test his skills with his trusty trident.

Katniss was with her handmaid and already dressed in her nightclothes as she showed her companion how to stand with her shoulders square as she took aim at the tree trunk before them. Her stance was solid with no evidence of her twisted ankle from the evening before.

He had learned a lot from observing his wife, such as how she had taken it upon herself to treat the young girl more as a companion than a servant. How patient she was when explaining how to properly hold the bow and what he assumed was to tighten her core as his wife motioned to her middle and mimed holding in a breath. He had a feeling his wife was unaware of the effect she had on people, especially on those who truly wished to know her.

She was so beautiful in the glow of the lanterns. The way the loose hairs that had escaped her braid fluttered about her face as she drew her arm back to take the shot. Her form wasn't quite like those who claimed to be experts from the Capitol, where form and finesse were practiced. No, his wife had relied on speed and accuracy for survival. From what he understood, Katniss was used to a smaller, lighter bow that allowed her the agility to hit a moving target. He would task Finnick with overseeing a new bow be made to her liking.

"I had to see it with my own eyes, the effect of an Eternal."

Peeta turned to find Rilen leaning up against the doorway. It'd been almost a year since he'd last seen his brother, but he appeared the same as always. "Did you just arrive?" he asked, turning his attention back to the scene in the courtyard.

"Hours ago, thanks for noticing."

"I've been preoccupied."

Peeta had spent the better part of the evening waiting for Rilen, watching the dirt road that led to the palace for any sign of his arrival. He'd attempted to pass the time studying the most recent maps his generals had produced. Fixing the road network was high on his list of projects he'd hoped to have started on by now, but the longer he had waited for his brother, the more agitated he grew, eager to crawl into bed with his Eternal. For once he was there, there would be no pulling him from her side until morning.

The colors along the horizon had started to shift and blend, signaling the sun's arrival. He had yet to close the window for the night, which had led him to find his wife in the courtyard and once there, he'd been unable to leave his post at the window.

Rilen joined him and chuckled when he saw what held his brother's attention. "I can see why."

Frowning, Peeta looked at his brother. "Did you have any trouble on the road?"

"Besides the sheer number of potholes? Which you should really do something about, brother. But besides that? No. Why?"

With a heavy sigh, Peeta relayed the issues he'd been facing with the band of Seam rebels, about the attacks on the caravans from the Capitol and the failed attempts to enter the village to conduct the census the Council requested.

"Well, it's a good thing I arrived without my usual entourage then. I thought it best if I wanted to make good time for the coronation."

"I take it you were not stationed far?"

"No, after my reaping ceremony, I found myself in the Seventh Realm."

"And how did that go?"

"As it does every year. We all can't expect to be blessed by the goddesses at once, can we now?"

His brother's telling smirk had Peeta frowning. "And are you happy with your selection this time around?"

Rilen barked out a laugh. "I grew tired of her within the first month. But not to worry, once we arrived in the Seventh Realm I traded her in for one of the locals. They do grow them different there."

Like the Twelfth Realm, the Seventh Realm was located on the outskirts of the kingdom, where nomadic clans roamed the forests. It was another realm the Council had thought was best to settle before the clans banded together and became yet another problem for the Capitol.

"Have you at least attempted to remember this one's name?"

"She won't let me forget it," Rilen said, his grin growing even wider. "Her name is Johanna, and you'll know who she is when you see her. She wasn't very happy with me though when I told her she couldn't tout her axe around whilst within the palace walls."

As long as his brother was happy, and his company did not pose a threat to his Etneral, then they were welcome. To be on the safe side, however, he'd have a word with Finnick to vet his brother's new mistress.

It was their eldest brother Graeme who had always been the one who lived and breathed every protocol and order their father and his Council had issued. Rilen on the other hand…well, it was because of him that Peeta realized there was a way to carry out his duties to the Kingdom whilst still holding onto a shred of himself.

They were both quiet as they watched his wife let another arrow fly. Pride filled him when it hit the dead center of her intended target. Rilen's low whistle had the corner of Peeta's mouth twitching.

"Looks as though you'll have your hands full with that one. And can you imagine how surprised I was to learn that your Eternal was not of noble birth?"

Turning his attention back to his Katniss who was already lining up her next shot, Peeta frowned. He'd been unbelieving himself the night of the reaping ceremony when the goddess's light had encompassed her instead of Lady Clove. All their lives, the Princes of the Blood had been taught that Eternals were only born to noble bloodlines. It was becoming clear that the ancient texts were either wildly inaccurate, or they had not been privy to the full truth of them.

"Come on now," Rilen said, nudging him with his elbow. "Are you really going to make me drag it out of you?"

Peeta smirked. "What is it you want to know?"

"Everything. Did you know the moment you saw her? What did it feel like? What does she taste like?"

"Some things are best left between a husband and wife, but I'll share with you what I can. No, I did not know she was my Eternal when I first saw her, but I did take notice of her. It was impossible not to." Peeta relayed the events of the reaping ceremony and answered almost all of his brother's prying questions. But he couldn't blame him for his curiosity.

"Well as jealous as I am, I'm also happy for you. Just from looking, I can sense something has changed within you."

Interesting. Perhaps it was his aura that his brother sensed or-he stopped, his eyes narrowing as he glanced down at his hand that was resting against the window sill. A sliver of morning sun had made it through the open window and enveloped the back of his hand, and…he hadn't noticed. Lifting his hand, he turned it in the sunbeam and looked to Rilen who was frozen in place, staring with the same look of astonishment upon his face.

"Does that not bother you?" he asked as his brother finally stepped away from the window and behind the cover of the wall.

"No," Peeta replied, still in awe as he fisted his hand and then spread his fingers out wide.

The rays of the sun would not harm him for a short period, but by now his skin should have itched with the telltale feeling of discomfort that was impossible to ignore. He had yet to feel anything, but a few moments later the familiar itch beneath his skin could be felt. He pulled his hand away and closed the window, brow furrowed as he made his way to the mahogany table at the center of the room.

After Rilen settled in across from him, he let out a disbelieving laugh. "Well then, I take it that is a new development? Makes me wonder what other secrets have been kept from us."

Peeta flipped his hand back and forth, studying it intently. It had to be a side effect of feeding from his Eternal, one that none of the ancient texts had mentioned. Was this what it meant when they said his Eternal would be his freedom? That she would one day make him strong enough to walk in the sun? It was impossible to think or hope, but so was the hope of ever finding his Eternal.

Rilen was quiet, a pensive look on his face. "I think you should keep this to yourself, for now at least."

Peeta agreed wholeheartedly. If news of this was to make it back to the Council, whatever peace he had hoped to find here in the Twelfth Realm would be shattered.

Before he could answer, his aura flickered in that familiar that signaled his Eternal was approaching. In an instant he was on his feet and at the door to meet her.

"Oh, there you are," she said. "I began to wonder when you didn't return for supper." Perspiration dotted her forehead and the thick braid that hung over her shoulder was slightly disheveled. "I hope you don't mind, but I could not wait to try the targets that Finnick set out."

"My Light," he said with a soft smile and then leaned down to greet her properly with a kiss. She melted into his touch and the quiet whimper that escaped her when her eyes fell shut had him smiling wider against her lips.

The clearing of his brother's throat startled his wife and she squeaked, burrowing into his chest for cover.

"Katniss, this is my brother, Prince Rilen."

"Princess," Rilen said with a knowing smile as he stood, then dipped his head in greeting. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance finally."

Peeta watched as the two regarded each other, her eyes wide before dipping her head in return. When his brother's gaze lingered longer than needed, however, his protective instincts kicked in and his fangs lengthened in response to the potential threat.

Finally taking notice, Rilen waved him off. "Put those things away, you have nothing to worry about. You'll have to forgive me for my curiosity, Princess, for it's not every day a Prince of the Blood encounters a mythical Enternal."

Katniss cleared her throat and inched away from the cover of his embrace. Crossing her arms tight over her chest, Peeta smiled when she gathered her confidence and faced his brother head-on. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Prince Rilen. Have you just arrived?"

"I have, but I must be getting back to my entourage. Oh, that reminds me," he said, turning his attention to him. "I brought with me Lady Trinket and Lord Cinna. I thought you might consider their services for the coronation."

"Who?" Peeta narrowed his eyes.

"The Council believes I need help with my…public image. They were sent before my last reaping to help keep me in line, but you can imagine how that went. Like teets on a bull, utterly useless."

Katniss snorted a laugh beside him and he shook his head. "And you think they'll be useful here?"

"Lady Trinket can help the Princess with how to conduct herself during the ceremony, and Lord Cinna is revered in the Capitol for his latest fashions. He'll ensure the Princess outshines them all."

"She already does," Peeta said as he peered down at his wife, then pressed a kiss to her temple. "But fine, we will meet with them tomorrow. Now, we bid you a good night, brother. I will find you in the morning."

"Sweet dreams," Rilen said, and before his brother could say another word, Peeta lifted his wife into his arms and carried her to their chambers and straight to bed.

He no longer had to dream, for she had already come true.

Author's Note: Late to posting this chapter but hope you still enjoyed it! A few interesting revelations in this chapter, along with some new characters to help move things along. Thank you to all of you who are still keeping with me with this story and a few of you have left some wonderful comments and messages that I still need to reply to. It's been a busy month but I've read them all!

Huge thanks to deinde-prandium for her speedy beta skills and catching all my silly mistakes when I'm up late writing :)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and if so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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