The Rebel Queen

5

I walk through the camp, nodding to my soldiers as I pass. Some of them stare at my companion, muttering about a snowflake, but my stern eye makes them turn away.I walk up the weapons tent nd start looking over the tools of war laid out on the table before me. I run my fingers across the intricate metal work on the handle of a blue steel sword. I pick it up and turn it over in my hand, watching it in the light. 

"Have you ever held a sword, Peeta?" I ask, glancing at him without turning my head.

"No, Lady," He says and I chuckle.

"So formal," I say. "You will be good to keep that tone in public. But I remind you, between you and I, I am no true queen. A simple warrior, that is all." I pull up the heavy blade and turn to him. "Did you still wrestle, still throw the bags of flour from the mill?"

"Yes," He says, looking a little surprised. "Yes, I do, or did, Lady." I flip the sword, carefully taking the hilt in my hand and holding out the pommel to him.

"It is well balanced," I say. "A tad heavy for me, but it should be little more than an extension of your hand with your stature." He looks at the sword and I give him a look. "You will take up arms." Peeta reaches forward and lifts up the blade.

"It is beautiful," He says and I look back at the table.

"Thank you, Snowflake," Thrush says, walking out of his tent with a bundle of blades. I glare at him and Peeta looks at me.

"Snowflake?" He says and I sigh, glancing at Thrush.

"It's what we call merchants," I say. "Though I am not so much of a fan." Thrush shrugs."You do realize that there are more than a few unsavory brown things I could use to describe you, but I would never be so rude." 

"Of course, sorry to offend," Thresh says, straightening up. "Who is this, Milady?"

"A new recruit from the 12 raid," I say. "Peeta, this is my weapons smith, Thresh. He is the one who makes almost all the weapons here."

"Don't forget also shoeing that stubborn stallion of yours," Thresh says, as he carefully lays out the new, fresh blades. Peeta looks over the weapons and sheathes the sword I had handed him as he walks away from me, looking over the laid out weaponry. "Does he even know what to look for?"

"Just because I've never held one doesn't mean I didn't read extensively about these kinds of weapons," Peeta says, not even looking up from the table. I straighten up and cross my arms. 

"Let him look," I say. "He might surprise us." I look over at Thresh. "I need a new bow and twelve straight sapling rods to make arrows from."

"What did you do to it this time?" He asks and before I can answer, Peeta chuckles.

"She got blown up," He says and I roll my eyes. Thresh glances at the tall blonde man and then back at me.

"Do you need any flint?" He asks and I shake my head.

"No, and I have the feathers before you ask," I say. 

"Anything else, Lady?" He asks and I shake my head. 

"No, thank you," I say. Thresh ducks into the tent and I glance at Peeta. He is looking at the shields and heavy fighting hammers. I walk slowly down the table, running my hand down the blades as I pass. "More thoughts on these dreams of hammers, Sunshine?" He glances at me and sighs.

"I would use sledges like this often, though not as well made and adorned with these protective runes." I nod, running my hand up one of the handles, feeling the grooves whittled in asking for the blessings of Thor in battle.