I Am The Mockingjay.

Chapter Twelve

Gale
   My heart pounds in my chest and rings in my ears. The bodyguards lead me through a series of hallways before I end up at the end of a long line. Wonderful.
   I try to keep my expression neutral but I don't think it works very well. This is going to be the death of me. Put me in the Arena, make me fight for my life but please dear God don't make me go out there on stage and make me actually SPEAK to all of Panem.
    I take another deep breath as I watch the first girl from District One go out on stage and hear the crowds go wild. It's only then do I realize that Dawn is standing in front of me.
   She looks straight ahead. She's in a long blue dress that trails on the floor behind her. The fabric moves like water around her but it's covered in red and orange and blue gems making her engulfed in flames as she walks. Her dark red hair is up in an intricate braid like a crown around her head, woven with strands of brighter red and gold that shimmer when she moves her head. Though I can only see the back of her neck I notice a chain, the one her boyfriend gave her no doubt.
   She's stunning. I blink my eyes a few times and remind myself that I need her to hate me. I look back up at the line and realize that we're almost halfway done. And suddenly I begin to feel my dinner rise up in my throat.
   I watch in terror as one by one, it gets closer and closer to my turn. My breathing gets more rapid for what seems like the millionth time. Think of her Gale...I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Her image comes into my mind and I slowly feel myself grow calm.
I'm coming home to you Katniss. I tell myself. When I open my eyes Rue is being lead up to the steps going onto the stage. She looks back at Thresh, her eyes filled with fear. I can see her swallow. Then her soft brown irises meet mine. She searches my eyes for any sign of encouragement. I give her a small smile and wink at her. Her anxiety seems to fade from her face. I nod towards the stage, urging her on. She nods back at me and then up she goes.
   I look back at the line and when I do I suddenly realize that Dawn is staring me down. I look down at her somewhat confused. Did she see my exchange with Rue? Her green eyes bore into my mine as if she can't figure something out and somehow my gaze will give her answers. Then, the crease in her forehead relaxes as if she's solved the problem. She then swiftly turns around and resumes her usual posture.
   I shake my head. You can't play the game right now Gale just focus on Katniss...
I wait. With my eyes closed I wait as Thresh goes up for his turn. Then Dawn.
   As she walks on stage, the crowd screams at her unearthly engulfed appearance. She looks straight ahead with confidence. Blue and orange flames dance around her body as she walks.
   As soon as she begins to speak I know what her angle is. Fiery. She shuts the crowd right up with her rage towards the games and how last year they took her brother. Everyone holds their breath as she replies to Caesar with implicit blasphemies against the Capitol. What the hell is she doing!?!? As if she didn't have a target in her back already going into the games. When the capitol is after her how in hell am I supposed to protect her?
    Caesar thanks her and she graciously thanks him in return before bowing and taking her seat. And then it's me. The bodyguards practically shove me on stage. And the crowd goes nuts.
Katniss, Katniss, Katniss, Katniss... I repeat over and over and over in my head. One step at a time I make it over to Caesar and shake his hand. Remembering to smile for Effie.
    "Gale Hawthorne..." Caesar says, picking over my name, "So, how have you liked your stay in the Capitol this far?"
   Well Caesar I'm about to be lead to my death but your hospitality has just been...wonderful. Is what I wish I could say but I have to be subtly sarcastic so I don't end up like my idiot District partner. So I comment on the first thing that comes to mind.
    "Bout as much as I like your hair, Caesar." I reply with a smirk. The audience busts out laughing, as does Caesar himself. Wow this is an easy crowd. His hair is a light blue this year, thank goodness it's not the crazy blood red it was a few years ago.
    "Well I'm glad you like it!" He exclaims still chuckling. I smirk again before continuing, "You see I told Portia that I wanted mine to look exactly like yours."
   "Oh?" Caesar asks.
    "Yeah but she told me it wouldn't be polite of me to come out here looking better than you so..."
   The audience laughs hard and Caesar sheepishly laughs as well.
   "Well I suppose we should thank Portia for saving my dignity then?" Caesar chuckles. The cameras find Portia in the crowd and she laughs as she shakes her head. She bows her head towards Caesar and I as if taking credit.
  After the laughter dies down Caesar turns to me, his face taking a more sincere shape.
    "So, Gale I understand that you have a rather large family back home, yes?" I can feel my own smile fade into a a small one.
    "Yes I have two brothers, Rory and Vick, and a little sister, Posy. And my mother Hazelle." I say softly.
   "Yes," Caesar copies my tone, "I think I can speak for the rest of us when I say that we were all very moved, when you volunteered in Rory's place."
   My face drops to looks at my hands in my lap. I nod my head slowly.
   "Did you get to see them before you left?" Ceases asks.
   Yes. Yes I did. But then you ripped them away from me.
   "Yes." I reply.
   "And did anyone else come to see you before you left?"
   "Yes." I swallow hard.
   "Someone important to you?" The audience has suddenly gotten very quiet.
    "Very..." I say, looking straight at the camera.  Making sure she can see me. The audience sighs deeply, I can see some brush away tears.
    "And you fight for her don't you?" Caesar adds.
    "I do...I am." I say.