CHAPTER 21. Training.
Peeta's guest room was warm and cozy. Like the rest of his house, it had been furnished with an artist's eye using luxurious yet understated pieces.
Katniss crossed the carpeted floor to reach the open window and looked out.
Tall firs and maple trees swayed in the late spring breeze. The familiar melody of rustling leaves dancing in the balmy air lifted her spirits.
When she spun round towards the room, her eyes twinkled like stars. "You can see the woods from here!"
Leaning against the doorframe, Peeta tried to ignore the mad fluttering of his heart. Other than his family, no one had ever seen the second floor of his house.
He had set up the guest room with his brothers in mind —foolishly thinking that one of them might stay over some time. He had never imagined Katniss Everdeen would be the first person to use it.
Despite the circumstances, the thought of Katniss sleeping just a few doors down was making him lightheaded.
"There's a bathroom there," he said, motioning to a door to his right. "And that dresser has some sleep clothes. They might be a bit big for you, but you can take anything you need."
Katniss's cheeks turned a lovely crimson as she whispered her thanks.
Retracing her steps back to her host, Katniss let her eyes linger on the rustic wooden bed, the light blue comforter, the armchair facing the fireplace. Everything was new, untouched, but it had been set up with such care —and such affection— that it made her feel instantly at ease.
One of Peeta's paintings hung over the mantle, a watercolor of the sun setting behind a line of ramshackle houses. The familiar sight pulled at her heart.
There -outlined against the backdrop of soft pink, blue, and orange strokes- was the place she called home.
"You painted the Seam!" she exclaimed.
Like a child who's been caught spying, Peeta blushed. "Yeah, I've been painting all parts of the district lately."
"For the exhibit?"
Peeta nodded.
The exhibit had been Effie Trinket's idea, a collection of Peeta's paintings to go on tour across Panem and finish in the Capitol.
Peeta knew it was just a ploy to keep him in the spotlight —something that seemed crucial to his escort, for some reason— but he didn't mind.
He wanted everyone to see District 12 the way he did: a place of beauty and resilience, a source of pride.
Peeta had never talked about the collection with Katniss before, but the Capitol presenters had mentioned it several times during their broadcasts. It stood to reason that she knew about it.
Straightening up, Peeta moved to stand next to her. An anxious tremor coursed through him, so he shoved his hands into his pockets to keep them from shaking. "Do you like it?"
Katniss studied the painting. She loved her district, with its flower-dotted Meadow, flowing streams, and lush forest, but she had never found any beauty in the run down-houses in town or in the rickety shacks in the Seam. Still, under Peeta's brushstrokes, her hometown looked so stunning it seemed almost magical.
"I do," she said with an emphatic nod, "You're very talented."
"Thank you," Peeta mumbled before turning towards the door and pointing out into the hallway. "So… I'm on the door at the end of the corridor. Come knock if you need anything, OK?"
Katniss nodded. "OK."
A shy smile turned Peeta's lips. He wanted to thank her again for being there, for taking such a huge risk just for his sake, but he wasn't sure he could do that without bursting into tears. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable, so he reached out to squeeze her shoulder and said, "I'll leave you to it, then. Goodnight, Katniss."
Katniss mirrored his movements, letting her small hand linger on his bicep as she wished him a good night.
With his heart hammering in his chest, Peeta turned and walked away.
XXXXX
Exhausted after the day's events, Katniss climbed into bed and pulled the covers all the way up to her chin.
The empty mattress was much too big for her, but the luxuriously soft linens and the soothing sounds of the nearby forest were so comforting that she soon began to relax.
She was just about to drift off when President Snow's words came tumbling back into her mind.
"Tributes will be chosen from those between the ages of seventeen to nineteen who have never registered for Tesserae."
Uneasy, Katniss grabbed on to the blankets, childishly wishing they would shield her from the president's words.
She still couldn't believe what was happening. How was it possible that the same tesserae which had put her in danger all these years were the one thing keeping her safe?
If I hadn't registered, I would have been called this year, she thought, shivering despite the warm blanket cocoon that swaddled her.
After the harsh winter, and all the new restrictions, many households had caved in. Even Rory had been on the brink of registering at one point. With such a small pool of candidates, her odds would have been terrible.
The sudden idea that she might have been chosen as Peeta's district partner made her want to scream into her pillow.
Horrified, Katniss curled into a ball and tried to push the fear out of her bones by figuring out who the actual candidates were. Seventeen to nineteen. No tesserae. That's…
The realization came to her in a flash. It crushed her like a ton of bricks and left her gasping for air.
Madge! Madge was eligible!
With a sharp breath, Katniss sat up and pressed a hand to her chest —right over her pounding heart. How did I miss this? she chided herself.
Katniss had spent years sharing her lunch breaks with the mayor's daughter. Madge had always been a pleasant companion, but the girls had never spoken much. Until recently.
Madge's connection to Peeta and the time they all spent together in Victors' Village had strengthened their bond. Lately, Katniss had even started thinking of Madge as a friend.
"Great friend," Katniss grumbled, punching her pillow in frustration. With an annoyed huff, she plopped down on the mattress and brought her hands to her face.
In the dark, lonely room, Gale's old conspiracy theories came back to haunt her.
"Everything always happens for a reason," her hunting partner always said. So, what was the reason for this?
According to Peeta, the reason was fear.
President Snow was afraid of the rebellion and of the victors' influence over their districts.
But victors aren't the only ones who can convince and mobilize people, Katniss thought, government officials can do that too.
Mayor Undersee was not what one would consider stern. If anything, he had been too lenient. Under his care, the Hob had flourished. Cray and his Peacekeepers had prospered by turning a blind eye to the poachers and illegal traders, and the coal mines barely made their quotas.
Could the Capitol be punishing him for allowing certain irregularities to go unchecked for so long?
Sniffling, Katniss remembered Gale's angry comments before the last reaping and the way he had criticized Madge's dress and pin. He had been full of fire, but he had been blind.
The little golden bird was the symbol used by rebels all over Panem. And, in a matter of weeks, Madge -the privileged merchant girl with the pretty white dress- would stand in the main square while Gale and his siblings watched in safety from behind the Peacekeeper line.
With a heavy heart, Katniss got out of bed and walked over to the window. For the second time that night, the sight of her woods bathed in moonlight brought her peace.
"I'll go to town tomorrow," she told herself. "As soon as curfew is up, I'll say goodbye to Peeta and go see Madge."
XXXXX
True to her word, Katniss visited Madge the following morning.
The mayor's daughter greeted her friend with an unexpected hug and a tired smile. Her pale cheeks betrayed the sleepless night she had spent tossing and turning until dawn. The spark in her blue eyes told a different story.
Madge Undersee wasn't done fighting.
Forgetting the worry which had been pressing down on her chest for the last few hours, Katniss smiled back.
"I was about to have breakfast." Madge gestured to a bowl of cereal waiting on the kitchen table. "Do you want some?"
A shy smile danced briefly on Katniss's lips as she remembered the cinnamon rolls Peeta had baked that morning —warm, spicy, moist. She had never had anything quite so decadent before. "No, thanks," she answered, following her friend to the table. "I already ate."
The girls sat down. Madge grabbed a spoon and began stirring her cereal.
Katniss leaned forward. After casting a furtive glance around the room to make sure they were alone, she whispered, "Peeta wants to start training."
Madge's spoon hovered in mid-air. "What?"
"He wants to start practicing his wrestling routines again, and to get information on the other victors," Katniss explained, unable to hide the eagerness in her voice. "I'm going to ask Prim to help him with basic first aid techniques, and I want to teach him how to shoot, but I don't know if I'll be able to manage it without a bow."
Madge opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.
Katniss shook her head, silently berating herself for her outburst. This was a busy household, there was no time for rambling. Looking straight into Madge's surprised eyes, she finished, "Anyway, I was thinking… you might want to join us?"
Madge's spoon landed back in the bowl with a soft plop. "Join you?"
"Yeah. Wouldn't you like to train too?"
Straightening up on her seat, Madge crossed her arms over her chest and sucked in a deep breath, her shoulders fell as she gradually released it. Despite the tears shining in her eyes, her voice didn't waver. "When do we start?"
Relieved with the answer, Katniss relaxed back in her seat. "As soon as possible. I have a few errands to run, but as soon as I'm done, I'll go back to Victors' Village and start planning."
Madge went back to her cereal. A crooked smile turned her lips. "So, how is he?"
Katniss blinked a few times. "Who?"
A sudden peal of laughter poured from Madge's lips. "Peeta, Katniss. How is he taking the news?"
"Oh! Um…" With an embarrassed chuckle, Katniss looked away and hoped her friend wouldn't notice her flaming cheeks. "He's… OK, I guess; determined to do something. He told me he doesn't want to just sit around and wait."
"Good," Madge said around a mouthful of cereal. "He shouldn't. It's probably better if he faces his odds."
Katniss nodded. She didn't understand how Madge and Peeta could be so levelheaded under these circumstances, but she admired their fortitude and courage. Seeing their resolve made her even more determined to help them in any way she could.
She was about to voice her thoughts when a sudden knock on the door cut her short.
Scowling at the interruption, Madge stood up. "Let me get that."
Curious, Katniss swiveled in her seat and trained her eyes on the door. Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline when she saw Gale's tall frame appear on the doorstep.
She knew he worked there. He had told her as soon as he'd gotten the job a couple of weeks back. He had rushed over to her place to tell her the good news and, oddly enough, to thank her. According to him, being her partner had worked as a recommendation in the Undersee household.
It was still odd to see Gale there, though, standing stiffly among the luxurious furnishings of the affluent merchant home.
"Good morning," Gale said, standing ramrod straight but keeping his eyes glued to the floor.
Madge took a step back, opening the door to let him into the house. "Morning."
"Hi, Gale!" Katniss said, swiftly getting up from her chair.
Gale looked up, startled to find Madge had a visitor. "Hey, Katniss!"
Katniss walked over to her hunting partner and pointed to the street outside. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"
"Uh... Yeah." Gale turned to Madge, apology, and a hint of sadness danced in his gray eyes. "I'll be right back."
Madge nodded.
Gale went out into the street.
Before following him, Katniss faced Madge. "I gotta go. There are a few things I need to take care of, but I'll see you later. OK?"
"OK. I'll probably stop by the Village after lunch. Maybe I'll see you there?"
Katniss smiled. "Sure."
Madge reached for Katniss's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Thanks for stopping by, Katniss."
Katniss squeezed back. "You're welcome." Tilting her head towards the kitchen table, she said, "Enjoy your breakfast!"
"Yeah," Madge deadpanned as she closed the door behind her visitor's back.
Squinting against the bright morning sun, Katniss climbed down the steps and walked over to where Gale was waiting. "So, how are things at home?"
"Fine." A small smile turned his lips. "Everyone's OK. We were all very relieved by the news. How about you?"
"Yeah, it was… Pretty much the same, I guess."
Pointing his chin toward the house, he asked, "How's she doing?"
Katniss narrowed her eyes. Was Gale really asking her about… "Madge?"
"Yeah."
Dumbfounded, Katniss shrugged. Her visit hadn't been long enough for her to know. "I think she had a rough night, but she seems… fine now."
With a quick glance around to check for unwanted witnesses, Katniss closed the distance between them and lowered her voice. "Listen, I… I need your help. I need you to teach Peeta and Madge about snares."
Gale's eyes widened, but his nod was immediate. "Sure, I'll stop by your place after work. We'll talk about it then."
Satisfied, Katniss patted his shoulder. "Good. Now, get back to work! I have a reputation to keep, you know? I don't want the mayor to think I associate with slackers."
"Alright," Gale chuckled, his feet already taking him up the steps to Madge's back door. "I'll see you later."
XXXXX
With a tired sigh, Katniss propped her elbows on her desk and rested her chin on her steepled hands.
At the front of the class, Mrs. Russell talked to her students about their new assignment, a research project on the risks of sinkholes.
Tapping at the words she had written on the board, the teacher asked, "Does anyone have any questions?"
Exasperated, Katniss rolled her eyes. How many papers had they written about sinkholes through the years? Five? Six? She had already lost count.
Tuning her teacher out, Katniss stared at the clock on the wall and began counting down the seconds left till the end of the class.
Three. Katniss closed her notebook.
Two. She dropped her pencil case into her schoolbag.
One. The notebook followed.
Zero. A loud buzzer rang through the school, indicating that the day was finally over.
"That's it for today." Mrs. Russell clapped her hands together and smiled. "Class dismissed!"
Without a second thought, Katniss stood up, pulling her bag with her, and rushed to meet Madge at the front of the room. "Ready?"
Madge hoisted her backpack onto her shoulders. "Yeah, let's go!"
Together, the two girls left the room, instantly picking up their pace to avoid the avalanche of people spilling into the crowded corridor.
"Are we meeting Prim?" Madge asked once they'd reached the stairs.
"No, she's going to Penny's today. I told her I'd see her at home. Do you need to go over to your house?"
"Nuh-uh, my mom isn't expecting me until later. Let's just go over to Peeta's."
Katniss smiled. She had waited all day to hear those words.
With determined steps, the two friends walked out of the school and turned towards Victors' Village.
XXXXX
"OK, keep your feet apart and pull your shoulders back," Katniss instructed as she modeled the stance.
"Like this?" Madge asked.
"Mm-hmm. Now bring your chin down a little, don't look up." Katniss walked over to her friend and gave her the makeshift bow they used for practice. It was a far cry from a real bow, but Katniss hoped it would be enough to teach Madge and Peeta the basics of shooting. "Now, lift your arm and hold this."
Madge did as she was told, patiently repeating the motions of aiming and releasing until Katniss was satisfied.
"Good job!" With a proud smile, Katniss took the bow from Madge and turned to Peeta -who had been following the exchange from a few steps away. "Alright, you're on!"
In the days that followed the announcement, a new routine had emerged. Katniss still went to school during the weekdays but, as soon as her classes were over, she rushed over to Peeta's house to help with his training. Madge and Prim usually tagged along.
An odd group of people began to gather at the victor's home. Their sudden appearance made Katniss leery.
Where had all they all been in the past year, she wondered. Why hadn't they visited more often? Were they hoping to somehow profit if Peeta was reaped?
They were petty, ungenerous thoughts, and Katniss wasn't proud of them. She knew some of these individuals were there at her request, and that she owed them her gratitude. But the precious time she usually spent with Peeta had been cut short by all these comings and goings, and she was growing resentful of the constant intrusions.
As days went by, though, she came to accept the truth: No one was there to curry favor or to reap a benefit, they were simply trying to help.
Everyone had a valid reason to be there. Just like her.
Prim -who had gladly jumped at the opportunity to help Peeta- took care of his goat, a mottled male with elegantly curved horns she had named Dandy. Besides providing useful explanations about first aid and medicinal herbs, she treated Peeta and Madge's sore muscles at the end of each day.
Madge was there to train next to Peeta, of course, but she quickly turned out to be a vital source of information as well.
The Capitol newspapers she sneaked from her father's study showed the predictions on who would become the victor of victors. Not surprisingly, Peeta was at the top of the list, only behind Finnick Odair -one of the most popular victors of all time- and a couple of careers.
For those who knew to read between the lines, the papers also painted a clear picture of what was happening in the rest of Panem. Seafood shortages, a lack of fabric for the Capitol's fashionable looks, and an increasingly short supply of new electronics; problems the government easily blamed on bad weather or maintenance issues in the factories. But Katniss knew enough to understand these were just excuses. The scarcity crippling the Capitol's lifestyle had but one cause: the rebellion.
Rye —Peeta's middle brother, and one of the new additions to Katniss's life— became Peeta's wrestling buddy.
As far as she knew, Rye had only been to Victors' Village a couple of times before. Now, he was there practically every morning.
The brothers practiced for two or three hours every day. By the time Madge, Katniss, and Prim arrived, they were both a sweaty, muddy mess.
After a quick shower, Peeta moved on to other stuff –usually working around the greenhouse- while Rye focused on Madge, teaching her basic wrestling moves and self-defense techniques.
Sometimes, when she was having a bad day, Katniss remembered the anger she had felt towards him after the last reaping, and she started wishing that he had volunteered to take Peeta's place when he had the chance.
But those spiteful thoughts never lasted long. As soon as Rye smiled at her, with that stupid dimple and those big doe eyes of his, all her resentment ebbed.
No, Rye hadn't volunteered, but he was a good guy who was doing everything he could to help his brother. How could she fault him for that?
Gale was another regular visitor. His new job at the mayor's mansion let out earlier than the mines, and he had a valid excuse to stop by Victors' Village, so he was free to lend a helping hand.
After all the years of hearing his rants in the woods, it was odd to see him talking to these blond merchant kids -who hung to his every word- as he happily explained everything he knew about tracking game and setting up snares.
"I've only used these concepts to track down animals," he said one afternoon, staring intently into Madge's eyes. "But once you're out there… Well, we all need water, right?"
Madge clenched her jaw, but to her credit, she didn't look away. "Right."
The last fixture in these sessions was Haymitch. The older victor never trained with Rye. He preferred to spend his energy scowling and grumbling insults under his breath. Still, he listened to everything Prim, Gale, and Katniss had to say, and he treated Madge with a kindness and respect that were almost endearing.
"It's probably because of Maysilee," Peeta said when Katniss mentioned his mentor's behavior one afternoon.
A pang of sorrow pierced Katniss at his words.
Was fate this twisted, she wondered. Would Madge end up going to the Quarter Quell with her aunt's old district partner?
Was that why Haymitch had stopped drinking and showed up for training every day? Did he think he could repay Maysilee by helping her niece?
Thousands of questions swam around Katniss's mind in those days. Sadly, there weren't many answers. Defeated, she held her tongue and watched as the world turned around her.
But a few days after Peeta's comment, Katniss discovered something else: Haymitch Abernathy was as smart as a whip.
Now that he wasn't drinking, one look into his sharp gray eyes was all it took to understand that the victor was not the buffoon she had taken him for.
No, there was no doubt in Katniss's mind. Haymitch hadn't won his Game by chance but —much like Johanna Mason just a few years back- by, somehow, outsmarting his competition.
XXXXX
Days bled into weeks. The usual people came and went, followed by some new additions: the blacksmith, his son, the carpenter's apprentice, a couple of old traders from the Hob, a messenger from the train station…
Katniss only recognized a few of them, but Peeta seemed to know them all. He greeted them with a kind smile and a soft pat on the back and invariably laughed at their jokes. In exchange, they gave him goods, knowledge, tools…
Somewhere deep in her gut, Katniss had the feeling that Peeta would have liked to include more trainees in his program. Madge wasn't the only girl who was eligible for the reaping, after all.
Unfortunately, not everyone had a valid excuse to visit Victors' Village.
With Thread in charge, any suspicious behavior would be noticed. And, after the long, harsh winter, no one in District 12 was reckless enough to get on the wrong side of the cruel Peacekeeper.
XXXXX
Katniss was cooking dinner one night when Prim walked into the kitchen.
Humming quietly to herself, Prim opened a cupboard and grabbed plates and glasses to set the table. "Have you heard the news?"
"What news?"
Prim's bright smile lit the room. "Nona Gowan is marrying Jesse Wright!"
Katniss stilled. Nona was one year ahead of her in school, and Jesse was one of Gale's best friends. People in the Seam usually got married young, but this didn't sound right. Maybe Prim was confused. "Isn't Nona too young to get married?"
"She's already eighteen. They're going to the Justice Building on Monday to get an appointment. They'll probably have to wait for the school year to be over, but they said they wanted to get ahead of the rush."
"What rush?"
"The rush of people getting married." Prim grabbed the salad Katniss had left on the counter and carried it to the table. "Penny said that one of her cousins is openly courting now and that she'll be getting married soon too."
Speechless, Katniss turned away and tried to focus on trimming the green beans she had brought from Peeta's greenhouse while Prim chattered, happily recounting what she had seen on the Meadow.
Apparently, Nona and Jesse had used some relative's birthday party to announce their engagement to all their friends and family.
The announcement wasn't unusual. Courtships before the age of eighteen were never encouraged, but they weren't specifically forbidden. Many teenagers who were still eligible for the reaping often saw each other in secret.
Despite their dire circumstances, the people of District 12 still chased after love. For many, the last reaping was an invitation for marriage. There was never a shortage of couples waiting to age out so they could make their courtships known.
Perhaps, since the Quarter Quell was sparing so many this year, people felt that they were free to start planning ahead.
Katniss had never understood how her neighbors could be so eager to start a family of their own. How could they turn a blind eye to all the threats parents faced every day? Poverty, starvation, reapings… Just the thought of these horrors was enough to send her into a tailspin.
But she was enraged by the fact that these love-stricken fools were planning weddings when Peeta, Madge -and many others- still had a reaping to face.
Oblivious to her sister's thoughts, Prim sighed. "Isn't it romantic?"
"Not really," Katniss bit out. "I don't see why they're in such a hurry."
"They said they've been waiting for years." Ignoring the scowl settling on her sister's face, Prim insisted, "Years, Katniss! Can you imagine that? Finding the one you love and waiting for such a long time. They just don't want to wait anymore."
A familiar cold, dark void opened in Katniss's chest, and pushed all the air out of her lungs.
Her knife clinked as it hit the bottom of the sink, and she grabbed onto the edge to keep her balance. Her hollow voice bounced off the walls. "What about the others?"
Prim's smile disappeared. Shaking her head, she rushed to her sister's side and wrapped an arm around her back. Although she knew what her sister meant, she still asked, "The others?"
"All the nineteen-year-olds who were already engaged. The ones who thought they were safe but who have to go through another reaping now."
Turning in place, Katniss pulled Prim into her arms. Her cheek landed on top of her sister's blond head. "How do you think they feel, Prim? Watching their neighbors celebrate while their lives get thrown away. I think they deserve better than to have others flaunt their future in their faces."
"They do," Prim admitted, tightening her hold on her sister. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Katniss sighed, exhausted.
In the last few weeks, her nightmares had returned with a vengeance. The old stand-in of her father was still the most frequent one, but there were others now.
Strange, terrifying dreams of Peeta dying at the hands of every mutt she had ever seen filled her nights. Sometimes he was alone, but there were other times when he was with Madge. Whatever the scenario, though, the cousins always died, leaving Katniss to wake up tangled in her sheets with a panicked scream lodged in her throat.
Katniss pulled back to look at her sister. The carefree joy in Prim's eyes had been replaced by frustration. "This is not on you, Prim."
"I know, but…" Prim shrugged. "I wish there was more I could do, you know… to help Peeta."
Katniss ran her fingers down one of her sister's braids. "I think you're doing plenty."
Prim smiled, thankful for her sister's praise. "I love you, Katniss."
Pulling her sister back into her arms, Katniss whispered, "I love you too, Little Duck."