The Fire Inside

Amoret

Meanwhile, Camille and Finnick were standing with Eleanor, Margareth, and Matthew to look at trees for the ballroom. Their siblings were looking for the one in the entry hall. Camille kept looking back at where her children went down the hill.

Finnick pulled her away from their parents ever so slightly, squeezing her arms a little. "Cam, just breathe. You know Damien will keep her safe. And the boys too. And," he hugged her closely, "there are guards everywhere. We've even increased it with her here. She's completely safe."

"I know, I know...I can't stop thinking about it though." She ran her fingers through her hair before fixing her hat. "I just...I can't help it."

He smiled at her gently and laughed. "Are you sure you took your anxiety pill today?"

She glared at him. "Shut up."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." He beamed and kissed her nose.

"I'm so scared," Camille admitted. "I'm afraid we're going to lose her again."

He started walking with her towards their parents. "I know, and I get it. It's been fifteen years since we've seen her, and after everything, she's been through-"

"That we know of!" She interjected. "There are things that happened too that we might never find out, or that might come out later, and that's so frightening. I mean, what did our daughter go through? Our daughter, Finn!"

He pulled her close to him, smelling her hair to relax. "Shh, shh. I know. And it's terrifying. But that's in the past now, there's nothing we can change about it. What we can do is support her, love her, and enjoy our time with her, starting right now, on this trip. So take a few deep breaths," he encouraged, "and relax knowing the boys have time to spend with their sister."

"Okay." She took another breath, catching up with their parents. "Okay. She'll be fine. The boys will be fine."

"Exactly." He rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Everything's gonna be fine."

"What's going to be fine?" Camille's mother looked at them from the opposite side of a large tree.

"Nothing, Margareth." Finnick kept a hand on Camille's back, the soft fuzz of her coat warming his hand through the glove. "Just your daughter being anxious."

"Oh, this is what it's about." Camille's mother came up and looked through the line of trees. "Is Kova with the boys?"

Finnick nodded. "Yep."

"Oh, good." Eleanor sighed. "I'm glad she's interacting with the boys. She deserves it, after everything she's been through."

"I know," Camille sighed, "but I can't help but get nervous, after..." She trailed off, not daring to finish. Her father put a hand on her arm.

"Well," Eleanor said, "the quicker we pick out a tree the quicker we get back to the kids."

They had to find a pine tree that was a little smaller than the one for the courtyard, one that fits into the area in between the stairs.

"I think we found one," Eleanor said after searching for over fifteen minutes.

It was a tall tree, about twelve yards high, and had a large trunk. It would be a wonderful decoration for the Christmas ball.

"Perfect," Camille agreed.

"Okay, here we are then." Finnick took a ribbon that matched the one Damien had and tied it around one of the branches. "Alright."

"Okay, awesome, can we go now?"

"Cam, deep breaths," Margareth calmed her daughter. "We'll go meet them, but sweety you need to let loose just a little. I know she's been gone for so long, and it's hard, but she's also strong. She was able to handle being away from you for fifteen years, she can go another five minutes."