Kindling the Spark

Wedding

13: Wedding

Gale POV

I'm impressed with Katniss's acting ability. It's a lot better than it was last year. Then again, we've had a lot of practise, I think in disgust. It was probably a good thing that Katniss's time ran out before Caesar could question her more on the baby. It'll give us a bit more time to prepare for the doubtless onslaught of questions that we'll have to deal with today. The Capitolites seem very pleased with this piece of news.

A good sign. The more enthusiasm they show about a child of two victors, a child of Katniss and me, the better. The more chance that they will force Snow into cancelling the Games. I still have doubts that he will listen though. Snow could make it out that he has no choice in this as District 12 has no other female victor that could step in to take Catnip's place if she could drop out. Snow would have to change the entire Quarter Quell.

Which is against the rules that have been laid down seventy five years ago, at the start of Panem as I know it. The same rules that most of the Capitolites love. It would mean cancelling something that they have celebrated for their whole lives. The daunting task of what it will be to truly convert the Capitolites to the rebellion dawns on me suddenly. The realisation hits me like a ton of bricks. For our purposes, we need to take on their whole way of life against all of their upbringing.

It won't work just to have them enchanted by Catnip's fiery dresses and our love story. And it isn't just the end of the Hunger Games that we want. It's the entire system that we are trying to overthrow. And I doubt that many Capitolites are big on the idea of having to split their wealth among the Districts. About not being born superior. It will take a lot of persuasion to make them willing to give up their lives of effortless luxury.

But for now we don't have the time or the resources to do that. Now all that we can do is use the fancy outfits and the love story to enchant them. It's irritating, but it's all that we can do. It's quite surprising that they are taken in by it all and that they are so worked up about it really. I mean, nobody in any District other than perhaps District One was really interested in our love story, but for some reason it captured the attention of every Capitolite.

Portia should come in soon with my wedding outfit. It had better be something decent like most of the other outfits were. It's shallow, but I don't want to marry Catnip wearing some ridiculous costume. I'm hoping for something plainish, like one of the fire suits that I wore on the victory tour. Katniss looked amazing in her dress last night though. It may not have been the traditional District 12 style, but I can't deny that for once the Capitolites formed a decent style.

Portia entering the room interrupts my train of thought. She has her skin dyed pale green, the sort of colour of some leaves on sunny days. Green is Catnip's favourite colour. I've always preferred more metallic colours like gold or silver. Katniss says that green reminds her of the woods, the one place where she can feel free and herself. Gold and silver remind me of the woods as well, but in a different way. They remind me of arrowheads, of the wires in my snares, of hunting. Portia looks stupid with it though. Green is a nice colour, but not on a persons skin. For the one decent style that Capitolites have formed, I bet they've made one hundred others like this that make it look like people's bodies are decaying.

Hung over Portia's arm is a suit. It is charcoal grey, same colour exactly as coal dust. I'm not sure if she did that on purpose or if it's just a coincidence. Like most of my other outfits, it has buttons with tiny flames running through them and around the wrists are embroidered tongues of flame made from the fabric that Cinna designed for the fake fire. It must have taken ages for the people in the Capitol to make it. It probably cost a lot too. Probably more than a months wages for someone working down a mine in District 12. Probably more than a years wages knowing the wasteful, extravagant nature of the Capitol.