Fire is Raging On (A Hunger Games Fanfic) [#Wattys 2016]

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Twenty-nine

Peeta's POV

"So," Katniss says bumping my shoulder as we walk along the corridor. "What do you think they want to talk about?"

"Probably more planning," I say, taking her hand.

"You mean more talking between themselves while occasionally asking for our opinion?" She rolls her eyes and stops to look at a painting hanging on the wall. "You know, you're a much better artist."

Now, I roll my eyes. "I'm fairly certain that painting is hundreds if not thousands of years old. It's impressive, nevertheless. They didn't have all the material I do now at the time this was painted." The picture hanging on the wall is of a man wearing a crown very similar to the one Webster sometimes wears. The little plaque is outlined in gold trim and reads:

"King Henry VIII

Born: 28 June 1491 Deceased: 28 January 1547

Ruled: 21 April 1509 - 28 January 1547"

"Yes, see look at the years. By the looks of the painting, I would say it was made in those years," I say pointing to the little plaque. Katniss leans in a little in squints. "Need glasses or something, Sweetheart?"

Katniss turns to me, and I laugh. She removes her hand from mine and uses it to swat my chest. "No, it's just small print."

"Sure, it is, Dear."

She huffs and starts walking away from me, "Whatever, I'm going to the meeting. Maybe it's about getting Willow back."

That immediately sobers up my laughing mood. Willow, my baby girl. We have to get her back. We will get her back.

I've caught up to Katniss as she reaches the door to the meeting room we sat in only days before.

"Katniss," I grab her hand to pull her short of the door. "This is already different from the last war. Not because we're married, or because one of us being kidnapped and held hostage, or because of . . . Willow. They are including us in what's all is going on. The best Coin would do is tell us after the fact. They seem to care about our opinion. I think that will make a world of a difference."

"I know, Peeta, I know. That doesn't make this any harder though," she sighs. "Let's go in there and see what this is all about."

The two guards standing by the door open it for us as we approach. Inside the room, more guards stand around the perimeter. None of them look at the assembly gathered around the table. Webster and the foreign ambassadors from the previous meeting are gathered at the table. Well, the ambassadors that agreed to stand by us.

"Ah, Peeta, Katniss, right on time," Webster proclaims, "Come on in, take a seat."

"Webster," I nod taking the seat I last took in this room. Katniss takes the seat next to me.

"I trust that the training is going well. I believe I've been told you both are ready to head in with the first wave of soldiers," Webster says.

"Yes, it probably helps that we've already been in a war," Katniss says.

"Yes, it does indeed. That's where it is very useful to have you both here. I suppose we shouldn't waste time with idle talk." Webster claps his hand together, something I've noticed he does a lot of, and leans in instead of back this time. "We have the matter of war declaration. We have already decided to wage war on Panem, but we still need to declare war. That's why this meeting has been called. We need to draft up our war declaration, and I thought it might be useful to have all of us here for two reasons. One, it would show Snow that we are not bluffing about who is all allied with us. Reason two is that it would show Panem that Peeta and Katniss are on our side. Think of it almost like those propos that they did for the rebellion. This would be like one for this fight."