Baby of Panem

Mockingjay Duties

As promised, Coin holds an assembly the next morning. I walk into the giant room beside Prim and my mother. Gale was watching Rose in the basement with Beetee while they were working. They had been excused from the assembly, luckily for them. They knew my conditions already and they didn't need any convincing.  I'm just hoping the rest of 13 is as willing to go along with them.  Ever since the broadcast I've heard multiple murmurs about Peeta and where his alliances lie. People talking about him carelessly as though I can't hear, as though his daughter isn't in my arms, just a couple feet away from them. They also haven't met my eyes when we've passed. He is nothing but a trader to them. 

Coin approaches a microphone a few stories up and greets all the district 13 citizens and welcomes their guests from district 12, meaning everyone who came from my district is seen a guest here. Shortly after Coin welcomes us, she begins to talk about why she called the assembly. 

"Katniss Everdeen has agreed to be the face of our rebellion. In exchange for her cooperation, I have agreed to several compromises. Firstly, all opportunities will be assessed to safely extract the victors being held in the capitol," I hear a very audible sigh as she continues, "Peeta Mellark..." She is cut off by a sudden chorus of loud objections, gasps, and screams. She takes a moment to allow the reactions before continuing. 

"Johanna Mason, and Annie Cresta. Once they have been freed and brough to thirteen, they will be pardoned of any and all crimes committed against the rebel cause." There is again another loud outcry of disagreement, "However if Katniss is unable to fulfill her duties as promised, the entirety of the deal will be off. Thank you. Please resume your daily schedules." 

Coin doesn't seem happy about making the announcement, but the important thing is she made it. I leave the room with Prim and go to the basement. As I approach, I see Gale walking back and forth with Rose leaning on his shoulder, a piece of cloth draped over his shoulder and an empty bottle on the desk across the room. He is patting her back and I think I hear a faint humming coming from him. I lean against the doorway to watch them. I know that Gale has always wanted children, and in a different world, I believe things could have been different. I could have been different. He smiles widely as he sees me standing there. 

"Hey," he walks over to me, and I reach out for Rose, cradling her against me as he walks back across the room to get her things. "Are you hungry? I was going to grab some lunch if you want to join." 

"Sure," I kiss the top of Rose's head as he walks back to me, motioning me to go on as he carries her stuff. We walk in silene to the cafeteria. As we walk in, he begins to tell me something. 

"Katniss," he starts. 

"Effie!" I can't believe that she is sitting in front of me, I quickly walk toward her and she gives Rose and I a hug, "What are you doing here? How are you here? Did they rescue you?"

"If that what you want to call it," she scoffs as she pulls away, "We were both in the dark Katniss. How are you adjusting?" She notices Gale sitting down beside us, "It's so nice to see you again. Rose is just getting so big," She reaches out for her and I don't think twice before letting her hold her. "I've never gotten to see her besides on the screen in the arena. She's beautiful Katniss. She has Peeta's eyes." She puts a black book on the table. I open the book to see sketches of different outfits jumping off the pages, all centered around the mockingjay pin.

"Cinna?" I ask her as I flip through the book. I see his signature and his classic encouragement written on one of the pages. I'm still betting on you. 

"He made us promise not to show this to you until you agreed to be the Mockingjay on your own. He believed in the revolution, and he believed in you. But he knew the choice to take this risk had to be yours," She smiles at me as Rose begins to wrap her fingers in the cloth on Effie's head, taking pack of her usual wig. "We have it. We have the Mockingjay outfit. We don't have a prep team here in thirteen, but we have the outfit, and we will make you the best-looking rebel in history."