I woke up on the morning of the Victory tour with my stomach churning. I didn’t realise that I was so nervous. I thought I was calm and collected. Apparently not. I said goodbye to Haymitch and Caius yesterday, Caius was reluctant to let me leave but I don’t have a choice. He keeps reminding me that I could just go into hiding but I can't do that, not yet.

Peeta had prepared breakfast already and he was trying to force me to eat.

“I can't, I’m really not hungry Peeta.”

“You need to eat something. Your first appearance is here at midday. Effie is on her way.” I groaned as he pushed a plateful of food in front of me.

“Why can't I just meet her on stage?”

“She’s coming down here to collect you, the prep team are on the train and you’ll get sorted out in there.”

“So I have to go to the train, then to the stage, and then back to the train?”

“The train is better equipped than anything here in 12 so they need all of their stuff to sort you out. God knows you need it this early in the morning.”

“Hey!” He grinned over at me and I took a violent bite out of my bread roll.

“Look, you’re not going to be any more prepared in the next two hours than you are right now.”

“How long until she gets here?” I mumbled into my arms as I buried my face in them.

“Well, judging by the way she’s walking, I’d give her about a minute.”

I groaned and sure enough there soon came a knock on the door. Peeta walked over and opened it.

“Peeta! How wonderful it is to see you!” She pulled him in for a kiss on each cheek and he smiled warmly.

“It really has been too long Effie.”

She beamed up at him and looked over to me. “My dear, are you tired?”

“Oh, yes, I am. I’ve been up all night… excited about the tour.” I lied.

“Well of course you were! This is going to be so much fun! Finish your breakfast and we’ll be off to get you ready! We have two Districts to cover today!”

Right, I kick off here and then have another appearance in District 11 in the late afternoon. “Can't wait.” I wasn’t really hungry.

I picked at my food and finally pushed it aside when Effie started going on about time. She was going on and on about ‘how the Capitol is going’ and ‘how excited they are’ for my visit.

“They cannot wait! Particularly due to the fact that Peeta will be joining you as your mentor. They love the two of you! You couldn’t have asked for a better tribute and mentor pairing. Let’s be glad that you ended up with Peeta. Not to speak ill of the dead but I think Haymitch may have just done more harm than good.” I stifled a laugh.

Effie and Haymitch had a strained kind of relationship. I would say it was love/hate, but I think it was more of the tolerate/hate kind. I’m sure Haymitch was glad to be stuck underground rather than be stuck with Effie in the Capitol with me for two weeks.

I wish Peeta had come along, but I can understand his reluctance. He had family to say goodbye to and all he had to do was squeeze into a suit. I was the one who needed the real work, apparently.

My prep team squealed when they saw me.

“We are so excited!” Clarina sang. “We are going to have you looking perfect in no time!”

I was pulled into a chair and examined thoroughly. I don’t think I will ever get used to being poked and prodded and stripped naked by these people. If there was anyone of right mind to witness this I would be totally and completely humiliated.

I had to sit through a body scrub – I was apparently not making full use of my shower facilities – and a lengthy tanning process.

After an hour my skin was flawless and glowing with a rich golden tan. My hair was washed about five times to give it volume and shine and they left it in rollers that made me look like a fool.

I sat in a chair with a towel draped over me and a member of my prep team tending to my feet, hands and face.

Claudine was making faces as she dusted my face with all kinds of powders and I had to really control myself to hold back a laugh. After another hour of making me acceptable for the public they all headed out so that Cinna could come in and finish the job. I wondered what kind of outfit he had for me this time.

He walked in finally with a big grin on his face. “Did you miss me?”

“Cinna!” I stood up clutching my towel and gave him a very awkward hug. “Sorry, I was instructed not to move because of this disaster area.” I pointed to my head full of rollers and he laughed.

“Well don’t worry, I’ll be getting them out in just a moment. He put down the black clothing bag that he was carrying and began inspecting my hair.

“Please tell me that my outfit isn’t as revealing as that last dress.” I cringed at the thought of trying to stand on a stage with that much of my legs on show.

Cinna gave a hearty laugh, “trust me, it’s not that bad.”

He turned back to the bag and pulled out a pair of black pants and a golden top.

“They really are enjoying this ‘Golden Girl’ thing. I figure it’s best to just give them what they want.” Cinna shrugged.

“I won't argue with that.” I groaned.

“Well get up and put these on. Don’t you ruin that hair.” Cinna raised an eyebrow and turned away so that I could change.

I pulled on the tight black pants and wriggled a little uncomfortably as I did up the buttons. The waist line sat snugly at the middle of my not-so hourglass figure and the cuffs stopped mid-calf level. I pulled on the top – carefully so that I didn’t pull out my hair rollers – and adjusted it to sit like it was supposed to. It was very short and sat just over the waist of the pants. The spaghetti straps widened to create a deep V shape that revealed a decent amount of cleavage and I tilted my head, wishing it was a little more modest.

I looked stunning of course, who wouldn’t after the prep team and Cinna had at them? I looked slim and the outfit created the illusion of a voluptuous figure. I looked down to see a pair of sky-high black stilettos by the bag. I pulled a face and grabbed them.

“And just how exactly am I going to get up on stage in these?” I asked.

He turned around and looked down at the shoes. “With great skill.” He laughed when he saw the look on my face. “Sit back down while I do your hair, you don’t have to worry about those shoes yet.”

He pulled out all of the rollers and brushed some more bronzer on my cheeks.

“You look stunning, as per usual.” He turned the chair around so that I could look into the mirror at myself.

My hair was bouncing around just below my shoulders, all the volume from the rollers really lifted it up, I looked like I belonged in an era of the old world.

“Put on those shoes and walk over to me, let’s make sure you can move in them.” He chuckled and I pulled on the heels.

My ankles wobbled a little. I have never felt as unsure of my feet as I have in the last few weeks. There’s no doubt that there’s more of this to come.

“You’ll be just fine, Olivia.” He put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a soft smile.

“Thanks Cinna.” I exhaled heavily and he pulled me in for a hug with a quick kiss to my temple.

“I wish I could tell you that it’s almost over but we both know that’s not true.” He said.

“No, now I have to go and meet Effie, that woman is always perky.”

He gave a hearty laugh and took my hand to help me out of the train and towards the back of the stage where Effie was waiting for me.

I was a little wobbly on my feet but I did pick it up after a while, until we hit the dirt road. Cinna refused to let me walk to far – not because I would hurt myself in the shoes but because I might get dirt all over my nice new clothes. It was funny having him worry so much, I know he just wanted me to look perfect.

I ended up having to climb into a cart and get escorted that way. In all honesty, I would rather have walked.

As Cinna helped me up the steps to the back of the stage Effie squealed when she saw me.

“My goodness! I almost didn’t recognise you my dear! You have done well Cinna!” She gushed.

“Is Peeta here yet? Oh, and thank you Effie.” She loved the acknowledgement.

I could tell that she was over excited. Not only did she have a victor, for the second year in a row, but she also had the only Capitol victor in the history of the games. Effie was one of those people who valued the Capitol over almost anything else, for her this was a real treat. Not to mention her ticket to the big leagues.

“He’ll be here shortly, now the mayor will be along to greet you, oh this is so exciting!” She bobbed off and out onto the stage.

As she left she almost ran into Peeta who dodged her just in time. He looked dashing in his navy suit and blue tie, which he was struggling to tie up properly.

“Where’s she off to in such a hurry?” He asked.

“How am I supposed to know? Didn’t your stylist help you with that thing?” I laughed lightly as he looked down and twisted the tie around the wrong way.

“She did, it was too tight.” He grumbled.

“Come here and give that to me.” I unfastened his tie and began to re-tie it.

“I’ve been able to tie these things for years, Caledon always had trouble.”

“Yeah well I didn’t even know what they were until last year. I don’t even have to be on stage for more than a minute.” He sighed.

“Yeah well I look like something from the old world and I don’t even know what.” I grumbled.

“Relax, you’ll be back home in no time.”

“Two weeks is going to be pretty difficult.”

“I was talking about the Capitol.” He smiled.

“I don’t really see it as home anymore, just the place where I grew up. Haymitch pretty much changed that in an instant.” I smoothed down his tie and he looked into my eyes without saying a word.

“Who is talking about that man in here? Not the way to start a Victory Tour.” Effie sang in her trill voice as she rushed past us.

“To loosen it just wiggle this bit and pull down.” I smiled and walked towards the side of the stage to look at the square.

It was slowly filling with people, not that any of them looked impressed. There were no people in the seats on stage where families would usually sit, I found that really quite sad. I’m all he has left.

I heard someone clear their throat behind me and I jumped.

“Oh! I didn’t mean to startle you Miss Hanspark!” I turned to see Mayor Undersee giving me a weak smile.

“Oh you didn’t Mayor Undersee, I’m just a little nervous is all.”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine. I just wanted to introduce myself but I see you already know who I am.” He smiled to himself.

“Of course, you’re the mayor. Everyone in the District knows who you are.”

“Oh, well, I didn’t think you would know, considering… well I mean most people from the Capitol wouldn’t know any of the Mayors in the Districts.”

“I’ve been living here for a few weeks now; I made sure to know who I report to.” I smiled.

This one wasn’t a fake smile like I would give to Capitol authority; Districts usually have leaders who care about the wellbeing of the people. He seemed pretty pleased with that so I just gave him a smile and he walked onto the stage.

“It’s beginning!” Effie came rushing past again, dragging Peeta with her.

He shrugged as they rushed past and I waited in the wings.

“Welcome, welcome!” I heard Effie speak into the microphone as the tour began.

There was no turning back any more, all that was left was to wait for my cue and head out onto that stage with a smile and say what I had to say.

What I really wanted was to say that we are on the same side.