ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʏ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɴᴏᴡꜰᴀʟʟ

𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

Maude Ivory's calming demeanor had taken the Covey household by storm. Ever since she was ten, she was the undesignated peacekeeper, her Pa and Ma had proudly brought her to many different family gatherings, hoping she could soothe the tension with her easy-going smile and warm brown eyes. 

Clerk paced on stage, hands quivering around the neck of his fiddle, as Lucy Gray's hair was being finished by Barb, who, as picky as she was, managed to finish it within just a few seconds of their performance. 

"Where is he?" Barb demanded, walking up to Clerk with her hands on her hips, "where's your brother?" 

Clerk spluttered excuses, ultimately coming to the confession that he had no idea. Barb eyed her youngest cousin, who shrugged. 

"We'll be mighty fine without the accordion," Maude grinned weakly. Barb sighed, giving in to Maude's charisma. 

Lucy Gray walked behind them, throwing her arms around her family as she laughed off the tension. 

"Billy Taupe'll be here, everyone," she hummed softly, adjusting a daisy in her hair. 

"I wish Sessile was here," Clerk mumbled, and Barb tutted in disappointment. 

"You know that Sessile is pregnant. It would be stressful for her to have to worry about performances this late in the pregnancy." she reprimanded, "don't worry about her. She'll be here to watch with her husband." 

"Hey Covey!" one of the groomsmen hollered, as Barb chuckled to herself, resting her hand on Lucy Gray's shoulder, "take care of em."

"Ardere!" Maude bounded over to the older woman, "what brings you here? We thought you would be at home-" 

"It's a weddin'," Ardere chuckled, "I haven't been to one of these since the Capitol rounded us up. It's gorgeous, ain't it?" 

White ribbons were hung throughout the courthouse and every person, young and old, was dressed in the finest attire that could be scrounged up from their closets. Five small tables were scattered in a pattern around the stage, which was really just a huge box with a fancy arch. 

The Donners' immediate family was gathered in a corner, hushed whispers between the mother nad father as they glanced wearily at the empty table in the back. 

Suddenly, the Coveys were tugged harshly by their elder adopted sibling, Bar dragging them farther away from the entrance. 

"There are Peacekeepers coming to the weddin'." Barb hissed.

Lucy Gray stiffened at her words, eyes widening in shock as Maude started to tremble. Clutching her younger cousin's hands, Lucy Gray rubbed soothing circles into the top of her hand. 

"Can ya do it?" Barb asked, eyeing Lucy Gray, who swallowed, her stricken expression now masked with her usual charismatic smile. 

"Was there ever any doubt?" 

---

Coriolanus adjusted the cuff of his suit, the adoringly bright royal blue of his cufflinks were noticeable even from afar, and Yarrow chuckled as he walked alongside him in a button-up polo and slacks that matched a grape ascot tied loosely around his neck. 

Beside him, Sessile fidgeted with the string of her loosely-fitting lavender sundress, the ruffles of her sleeves were draped over her shoulderes, and her hair was done up in a bun. Yarrow left the trio to jog over to a small meadow, plucking a bright purple flower and gently tucking it behind her ear. 

Sessile's cheeks burned pink, and Coriolanus almost gagged at how sweet they were being. It had been years since he had witnessed true romantic infatuation since the death of his parents, and even that itself was scarce.