The Sterling Nightingale ⟷ Finnick Odair/OC

Like a chorus of notes spinning

Chapter Thirty Seven | Like a chorus of notes spinning

"She was pale as a statue, her hands were icy cold, her head and heart throbbed with the awful strain upon her nerves. Oh, this was cruel! Cruel! What had she done to have deserved all this? Her choice was made: had she done a vile action or one that was sublime? The recording angel, who writes in the book of gold, alone could give an answer." Emma Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel

Talk of the official wedding ceremony between Finnick and Sil soon becomes the most popular topic in the Capitol. In some circles, it even surpasses the importance of the rebellion. President Snow's motives become starkly clear – he wants to make the rebellion seem less important. He wants to undercut and minimize the rebel movements and give his loyal citizens something that seems far more fascinating to obsess over. It certainly plays to the Capitolites' diluted sense of right and wrong, as well as their innate lack of discernment toward the outer districts. What is the point of worrying about what a band of miscreants do, when they can instead celebrate the lawful union of their two most beloved Victors?

As for Sil, she spends the two weeks before the wedding deep in her planning. As difficult as it is to visit Dorsey at his shop, she manages to sneak away to do just that as many times as she can during Finnick's nightly absences. She also goes to retrieve the divorce papers that Barnaby has drawn up for her, and locks them away in her jewelry box while Finnick is gone, deciding that they'll be safe there from his wayward eyes.

To her utmost relief, District 13 also contacts them later that week. They've reviewed Peeta's files and have taken into account the Nightingale's description of the state of the other Victors. Thanks to Beetee's inventiveness, the rebels have also been able to create a more secured server for which to send messages back and forth into the Capitol, so she has been able to contact Coin directly. With both the rescue as well as the wedding to plan, Sil has hardly had a break at all. It doesn't help that she's dreading both, for various reasons.

Marrying Finnick for real is not something she would have ever thought would come to pass. A tight ball of nervous energy builds up within her whenever she thinks on it. It is yet another nail that is driven into their strange relationship; another reason for them to continue with their pretenses and pretend that everything between them is a lie. And, not only that, but when Finnick leaves the Capitol, she will be alone. His strength and protection have been something she's rather gotten used to these past few weeks. Having him near is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to her role as the Nightingale, but she can't deny that when she is just herself, she yearns for his company. He seems to make everything better without even trying.

In any case, by the morning of the wedding, everything is set. Rescuing Peeta, Johanna, and the other Victors will be the responsibility of the ground team sent from 13. Sil's main duty will be to bring Finnick to the rendezvous point so as to have him join the others and get out of the Capitol. And that is the part of the plans that has constantly evaded Sil.

She cannot force Finnick to do anything. She never could before, and she's got a feeling that he won't necessarily be pleased with her forcing him to go to District 13, considering that to his knowledge, she shouldn't know anything about the place besides the usual Capitol gossip. She can't come out and explain everything either. If she tells him that she knows about the whole rebel operation and has, in fact, been in on it from the very beginning, there's no telling what Finnick's reaction would be. If nothing else, he would certainly make it difficult for the rescue team to save him.

She's contemplated several strategies as to how to maneuver Finnick to the rendezvous point, but there are too many variables in place to have a concrete plan. Still, she comes up with plenty of options – plan Bs that will be put into place should the original plan fail. She spends hours going over these secondary plans, as if she is a soldier reciting strategy upon strategy.