What If

Chapter Three:

Two months after the Victory Tour
Katniss

I slowly fluttered open my eyes, the faint light spilling in through my curtains awakened me. I was instantly hit with the same sensation that had been plaguing me for a few weeks now—nausea.

I rushed to the bathroom attached to my room, instantly falling down on my knees in front of the toilet. After I finished vomiting, I wiped my face clean and sighed.

The vomiting hadn't started until around two weeks, give or take. I had first assumed it was food poisoning, but wouldn't it be gone by now?

I chalked it up to my body not being used to a regular supply of food, especially richer tasting foods. I just wasn't used to it, that's all. No need to worry anyone.

I pushed the thoughts from my head and crawled back into my lavish bed, my face instantly hitting the expensive pillow. Thankfully, I was able to achieve a few more hours of dreamless sleep.

This dreamless sleep was interrupted by the sudden burst of light and sounds of shuffling feet and excited voices. I instantly shot up, my eyes scanning the room with panic. For a moment, I felt as if I were back in the games.

"Good morning, or should I say afternoon?" Octavia, a member of my prep team, squealed excitedly as she entered my room. She wore a bright smile on her pale green skin. "You do sleep a lot!"

"What—what are you all doing here?" I asked weakly as the rest of my prep team walked in, bags of supplies in hand.

Flavius clucked his tongue. He was a short, plump man with bright red corkscrew curls. "Wedding dress day, of course!"

"Haven't you been getting reminders? Besides, it's all anyone in the capitol can talk about!" said Venia, who was a thin woman with very angular features, spiky hair, and gold tattoos lining her eyebrows and leading onto her forehead.

I groaned and rolled back over. I'd been dreading this day since I got engaged. Playing dress up for the capitol? Not my cup of tea.

The three of them gossiped and squawked while they set up their supplies, thankfully allowing me a few more moments of rest.

I blinked my eyes open and positioned myself so I was sitting, but my blankets were still sprawled over me. I watched as the three of them opened my bathroom door and then littered my bedroom with supplies.

My room was surprisingly clean. I didn't own much stuff to dirty it with, and my mother often came in and dusted when she wasn't busy healing patients.

After they had finished setting up, I was promptly pulled out of bed and yanked into the bathroom where I was stripped of my pajamas and given a thin robe to replace them.

They started by bathing me and then pulling my hair back while they worked on my skin. I was given several different types of lotion and oils to coat my skin with. Then I was shaved since it was only temporary (thank God I wasn't waxed, I had a feeling Cinna played a part in that decision.)

Then all of my nails were filed perfectly (I was scolded by my prep team for biting them) and painted a soft cream color, which I was told was the first of several nail colors.

My hair was then dried and put into an intricate bun with several braids to accommodate the first dress. Ribbons of several different colors were also braided in, and I was told they'd match the headpiece.