A Tale of a Boy and His Flower

The Wedding

The next few days bring a flurry of activity as the event is planned. The differences between the Capitol and 13 are thrown into sharp relief by the event. When Coin says "wedding," she means two people signing a piece of paper while wearing a nice dress and joining compartments. Plutarch means hundreds of people dressed in finery at a three-day celebration. It's amusing to watch them haggle over the details. Plutarch has to fight for every guest,every musical note. 

After Coin vetoes a dinner, entertainment, and alcohol, Plutarch yells, "What's the point of the propo if no one's having any fun!"

 It's hard to put a Gamemaker on a budget. But even a quiet celebration causes a stir in 13, where they seem to have no holidays at all. When it's announced that children are wanted to sing District 4's wedding song,practically every kid shows up. There's no shortage of volunteers to help make decorations. In the dining hall,people chat excitedly about the event.Maybe it's more than the festivities. Maybe it's that we are all so starved for something good to happen that we want to be part of it.

 Despite reservations on Coin's side that my dress is too extravagant, and on Plutarch's side that it's too drab, the wedding is in full force. The three hundred lucky guests culled from 13 and the many refugees wear their everyday clothes, the decorations are made from autumn foliage, the music is provided by a choir of children accompanied by the lone fiddler who made it out of 12 with his instrument. 

So it's simple, frugal by the Capitol's standards. It doesn't matter because nothing can compete with the joy I'm feeling. The joy I had been deprived of for years. 

Zach will conduct the ceremony, since it's similar to the one used in our district. But there are unique touches of District 4. A net woven from long grass that will cover us  during our vows, the touching of each other's lips with salt water, and the ancient wedding song, which likens marriage to a sea voyage. 

Right now I'm standing in front of a mirror shaking so bad I can barely stand. Katniss and her prep team came to help me get dressed. Johanna is sitting in the back of the room enjoying the morphing. 

I try to focus on how beautiful the dress is instead of how nervous I am. Katniss's prep team finishes styling my hair and applying makeup. I haven't been this dressed up since the games. 

"Nervous?" Katniss asks as she clasps a necklace on me. 

I try to nod and swallow a lump in my throat. "What if he changes his mind or leaves me at the altar or what if-" All my worries spill out of my mouth overloading onto Katniss. 

"Relax ginger," Johanna says from the back, "Finnick's been waiting for this day since he was 18. He's probably more scared of you leaving him at the altar." 

Katniss agrees. "She's right. No one can question his love for you." 

A small knock on the door sends me nervous flying once again. Katniss goes to open it and Zach stands at the door with a nice shirt and pants on. 

"Ready?" 

Katniss looks back at me and I nod. I walk out of the room and take Zach's arm. He will be walking me down the aisle before marrying us. 

"You cleaned up nicely." I say trying to distract myself from a thousand thoughts filling my head. 

Zach gives a low laugh. "So did you."   

We walk down the hallway and stop in front of a set of double doors. I can hear people taking their seats from just beyond them. 

"Ready?" 

I take a deep breath and nod. 

The children start singing District 4's wedding song. Annie sings the solo part, I had never heard her sing before but didn't want her to stop.