Burning Heart ~ Cato 2 (Completed)

Chapter Eighteen

I raise my eyebrow, objections at the tip of my tongue. Cinna simply shakes his head no, continuing to lace up the dress. It was made with elegant white silk, had a low neckline and a tightly cinched waist with sleeves that fall from my wrists to the floor. And crystals. Everywhere. 

 "I don't remember it being this heavy," I comment, looking up at Cinna. His eyes catch mine in the mirror and I see the slight hint of mischief in them.

"I made a few adjustments to fit our agenda," He says, fluffing out the large skirt. 

"What kind of adjustments?" I ask him, cautiously. 

"Well, it wouldn't be your dress without fire, would it?" He asks before winking. "At the end of your interview, I want you to spin." He says, a glint in his eye.

"Spin?"

"Spin."

As I step off the elevator, ever tribute stares at me. Haymitch walks over and embraces me.

"How are you doing?" He whispers into my ear.

"Contemplating killing a man," I respond. He pulls back and makes a show of laughing. 

"I asked how you were, not what you were doing," He says. Cato pushes past him and embraces me. 

"Hey," He says softly.

"Hey," When he pulls back I notice that he is wearing something similar to that of a groom. His white suit is perfectly tailored and he keeps pulling at his white gloves. 

"I don't think white is your color," I joke. He looks down into my eyes and half-smiles.

"It's not yours either," He responds. He gets called back over to his district and Finnick and Johanna take his place. Johanna steps behind me and begins fixing the diamond noose hanging around my neck in the form of a necklace.  

"I can't believe Snow put you in that," Finnick notes, before nodding a greeting at Haymitch and leaving.

"Make him pay Ash. Make him pay," With that she follows suit of Finnick, taking her place in line. Haymitch takes my arm and we situate at the end of the line. My hands begin to shake. 

The interviews start, with the victors from one. Both of them go on into how the people from the capitol are going to miss them, as the girl puts on a dramatic display of sobs. Enobaria doesn't say much in her interview but flashes her teeth multiple times. The crowd goes silent as Cato saunters up on stage. 

"So Cato, what was it like for you when the Quell was announced?" Caesar asks. Cato glances back in my direction before responding. 

"I think it was the closest thing to fear I've ever felt," He turned back to me again, before continuing. "At first I wasn't worried then it really hit me. Ash didn't have a choice, she would go into the games. She didn't even have a chance. I knew that I had a good chance of losing the love of my life." Sighs and dramatic sobs come from the crowd.

"How did you feel when you realized there wasn't going to be a wedding?" Caesar asks. I fight the smirk from my face and Cato looks down at his hands before looking back to Caesar.

"Well Caesar, you see," Cato looks back at me, and I realize what he's about to do. "We are already married." Gasps of shock fill the audience and the sob show gets louder. Caesar seems taken back.

"How can this be?" Caesar asks, glancing at me off stage, and back to Cato.

"There is this ceremony back in 12, I was able to witness it during the Victory Tour," Cato says before giving a quick explanation of the toasting. 

"So you two are officially married?" Caesar asks. Cato lets out a laugh, and I am able to detect the insincerity in it. 

"Well, the officiator was ordained, but it's not legally bound," Cato says. Caesar nods. "We were going to wait for the actual wedding, but we just couldn't."

"So, was this before or after the Quell was announced?" Caesar asks. I tense up.

"Before, I don't think we would've done it had we known," Cato says, the lie simply rolling off his tongue. 

The interviews continue, full of accusations about how the Quell could've been changed. And then, it's me.

The tears and sobs are back when everyone catches sight of my wedding gown. It takes almost a full minute to get everyone calm enough for me to do my interview. 

"So, Ashlynn, how does it feel knowing you are going in against your husband?" Caesar asks. The crowd goes quiet.

"Oh, um, I," My voice wavers, and I just shake my head no. Caesar nods and plasters a large, plastic smile on his face.

"I love this dress!" He exclaims, running his hand over the fabric. I smile and look over to Cinna. He nods and I stand.

"It was supposed to be my wedding dress. Isn't it beautiful?" I ask and begin to spin. Screams enter my ears and I notice the smoke beginning to surround me. I panic, remembering the time in the meadow, and in the arena last year. My panic deepens as I realize this is real fire, not the fake flames from the chariots. Charred silk and crystals drop to the ground. I keep spinning out of fear that if I stop, it will burn me. The fire begins to engulf me, and then finally it stops. I stop and look down, sucking in a gasp. The white silk was replaced with gray feathers. I lift up my arms, looking at my sleeves, and feel myself shift. I hold my head up higher, narrowing my eyes slightly, looking up to where President Snow is standing, his hand pressed against the glass of his balcony, venom shifting in his eyes. I smirk as he places what I am. I lift my wings a bit more, daring Snow. 

He may be the president, but I am the Mockingjay.