By now it's dark, the last dredges of sunset slowly dispersing over the mountains. 

I've been doing a lot of walking today, and I know I'll be doing even more, since once I reach the mayor's house and confront her about everything with Altalune, it'll be a long walk back.

For now, though, I have time to think. I consider my Games: I'm beginning to process them, to deal with the shock and deep regret I feel from every little decision made during them. I think of Lua, of Apollo, and of course, of Terra.

Terra--my supposed 'great love,' the one I nearly died for, by my own hand, no less. My tiger. 

But was she my great love, really, or even a love at all? I've kind of fallen out of that trance by now, let the real world envelop me once again, and I've realized that time moved faster in the Games, whether it felt like it or not. Relationships didn't happen normally. If the same events occurred in real life, would Apollo actually have saved me? Probably not. 

I thought I loved Terra, but I didn't, not really. I liked Terra, that's for sure. I liked her a lot. But I didn't love her.

I don't know if I love Aeolus, at least not yet--I guess only time will tell. 

***

I knock once, twice, and on the third time finally hear movement from behind the door. 

After a long moment of suspense, I release the breath I'd been holding and try again. "Hello? Is anyone home?"

The door opens slowly, and Mayor Gallopetal seems surprised to see me standing there, which is good, that's exactly what I'd hoped for. I wanted to catch her off-guard, it means she's now more likely to tell me the truth, and all of it.

"Daphne," she says, more as a sort of hesitant acceptance and less of a question, and steps aside to let me in.

I step inside her foyer, looking around as I do: I've never been inside the mayor's house, barely even glanced at the exterior, and now I'm realizing it's much nicer than my own in the Victor's village. I've seen the Theodoros home many times and they're rich in the traditional sense as well, but Angler was exiled, and in contrast, Mayor Gallopetal seems to be in very good terms with whoever organizes housing decisions in the Capitol. 

"Your house is gorgeous," I say, stating the facts. She nods, as if proud of it.

"Thank you. Now, what is it you'd like to talk about, Daphne? I know you're not just popping in for a friendly little visit."

I take a seat. "I talked with Altalune earlier today."

I study her expression as I say it, expecting a little flinch or at the very least a hint of surprise, but find nothing. Either she's already been told, or she has a very good poker face. 

"And what did you two talk about?"

"I told her about what you said about her father, and she brought me to where you two had been meeting. She introduced me to..." What was his name again? "...your friend."

Another nod. "Ah, yes. I assume this means Altalune will be mad at me, next I see her."

I wince. "Sorry."

"It's alright, she'll get over it with time. But I will ask, what made you tell her? Surely you knew I'd tell her soon enough, if you already assumed we'd been meeting often."

"I really am sorry, you know."

"I don't need your apologies, just your thoughts. Why did you tell her? What was going through your head?"

I think on it, not expecting this sort of question. "I don't know. I guess... I thought she deserved to know."

"And why do you think she deserved to know?"

"Because the news concerned her father." Obviously. 

"And what if the man accused of treason had been someone else, completely unrelated to Altalune? Would you still have told her, since you already knew we had connections?"

"Well, I mean... no, probably not."

"Why not?"

"It's different. You're not her father--or her mother, I guess, sorry. You don't have that close familial connection."

"But I would assume part of the reason you told her is because you knew she wouldn't like that I was keeping secrets from her."

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"So why would my keeping of this secret from her not matter as much? I would still be speaking bad about the Capitol justice system, it would be the exact same consequences for me. The only difference would be the man involved."

"I don't want to disrupt you guys' relationship. I would've just let you tell her yourself."

"And if Angler was replaced with your own father? What then?"

This time, I really hesitate, caught off-guard. "I wouldn't tell her. That's my business, not hers."

"But it's mine, too, because I would be talking about his court ruling in a treasonous way. Which would give Altalune two separate connections to the accused... don't you think those two could add up to the full connection you attributed to her father?"

I blink. "I'm confused."

She nods, crossing her legs, one over the other. The room is silent, nothing but the sound of fabric crinkling. "That's expected."

"Then can you... explain it for me, maybe?"

Mayor Gallopetal just shakes her head. "All will be explained in time."

That's the same thing the man told me. Back at Altalune's meeting place, mere hours, ago, he said the exact same thing, and I didn't challenge it--but now, I have the chance to.

"And how long will that take? Days, years, decades? I don't know if I can wait that long. This is important to the Theodoros family, and so it's important to me, as well."

"Loyal, are you? Alright, then. You won't have to wait very long at all."

"You're going to tell me right now?"

She hesitates, standing and beckoning me into the next room. "Come, let's sit and talk." Not an answer, but it's alright.

We sit around her dining room table, right beside each other, leaving plenty of seats open. While she tends to the kettle, prepping us both warm cups of tea, I close my eyes and imagine who may fill those empty seats. Who would be invited to the mayor's dinner party? Victors, probably, and rich families in the District. Maybe there'd be one or two people who were there because they were friends with Mayor Gallopetal, not for their wealth. I bet they'd feel out of place, like they weren't meant to be there.

She sets a steaming cup of chamomile down in front of me, and I blink back into reality. "Thank you."

"Of course. So, what did you want to know?"

I stir my tea with a small, intricately-carved silver spoon, as it's still too hot to drink. "Everything, I guess."

"Everything? And what is everything? Would you like me to give you my backstory first, some context before we truly start?"

"No, that's not what I meant. Just--everything Altalune knows. Or at least, why she knows that."

Mayor Gallopetal leans forward in her chair, resting her elbows on the table. "Years ago, I founded a group here in District Four. Altalune joined recently, after hearing about it from one of our senior members."

"A group? What does your group do?" I try to keep my tone casual, stirring my tea again and then taking a small sip.

"Many things," she says, too vaguely. "We keep order, usually, but sometimes, we like to disrupt it. Challenge authority, as you saw me do in our little experiment."

That was an experiment?  "But... you are authority."

"Which means I have all the more power to go against my higher-ups."

"Like... President Snow?" I take another sip of the tea. It's over-sugared, but I don't mind. Maybe a sweet treat was all I really needed right now. 

"Snow in theory, although that is a much farther stage than we're at right now. Currently, we are reaching out to other similar organizations around Panem, one of which has offered to sponsor and host us, for time indefinite."

I yawn, glancing at the clock--it's early, but I've had a long day, and certainly have a right to be tired. "There's other organizations like that? I didn't know that..."

She nods, her movements sharp and almost eerily premeditated. "Many."

"How many?"

"Thirteen, I'd assume."

"Thirteen? There's one in the Capitol, too? Why would Capitol citizens be challenging themselves?"

She glances at my now-empty cup, changing the subject. "How was your tea, Daphne?"

"Delicious, thanks. But... why would Capitol citizens want a rebellion?"

"They don't," she responds, although her voice is fading in and out, and is that light flickering?

"What?" I mumble, confused as ever, my vision darkening.

"All will be explained in time," she repeats. People jump out of the walls, the chandelier soundlessly falls on the table in front of me, and chamomile tea fills my vision before eventually, I black out.