Masterpiece

When the prep teams burst into the living room the next morning, their distraction comes at just the right time. I've been up for quite a while taking care of today's schedule. It's ten in the morning, but Katniss and Peeta are still asleep. I haven't seen Haymitch either.

On the way to their bedrooms, he crosses our path after all. He's only wearing a bathrobe and I wonder where he was going. Haymitch's eyes meet mine and I feel the blush flare up in my cheeks. I really hope my makeup can cover that up! The right corner of his mouth twitches as he reads my gaze. I avoid his and mumble a good morning as I knock on Peeta's door.

Haymitch shakes his head and comes to my side. I have no choice but to look at him now. He nods towards Katniss's door. I raise an eyebrow in surprise. Peeta slept in Katniss's room? Tears will definitely flow today. Sighing, I walk to her bedroom and knock discreetly before opening the door a crack. Peeta's prep team squeaks with delight and bursts loudly into her bedroom, followed closely by Katniss's, all of whom look a little pale on the face though. When they find the two curled up in bed, one of them starts to cry. I force my lips together. The sight of them breaks my heart too, but in a different way.

For the first time I get a glimpse of how deep their relationship is. For a while it didn't seem like anything would ever come from Katniss. But the boy changed her. Two so young people who are bound together in a unique way. They don't deserve this.

Quickly, I lower my gaze and flee the room. I know I shouldn't be so attached to them. A professional relationship. But over time they have become so much more. My stomach squeezes and I automatically put my hand to cover my mouth. Over the course of the night it has become a reflex. But nothing comes.

"Finally understood that the shit is going to hit the fan soon?" I hear Haymitch ask when he sees me. He leans against the door frame of his room and examines me curiously.

"Manners," I chide him in my usual, arrogant tone, and for a moment my worries are forgotten. Scolding Haymitch has become a habit for me over the years. I look at him and suddenly realize that he might be the only one staying. If neither Katniss nor Peeta make it out of the arena alive, then he'll be the only one left for me. A broken team. Once again.

For an instant, my eyes widen in shock and Haymitch, who has some comment on his lips, shuts his mouth at the change in mood on my face. He takes a step towards me and returns my gaze with a questioning expression.

"I'll retire," I tell him instead.

Haymitch immediately understands what I'm saying because he nods without much regret. It hurts to see that he doesn't seem to mind much. In the next moment I ask myself why this fact bothers me. Without another word, I turn and leave. I bite my lip as I walk into the living room. It will take the prep teams about an hour to get the two ready. Cinna and Portia never take long to put their costumes on. I can't wait to see what masterpiece Cinna has created again this time.

oOo

Time flies and soon we are ready to leave. Seeing Katniss in the dress brings tears to my eyes. Katniss sighs at the sight of me and I can imagine how her morning went. "Sorry, dear," I apologize and stroke her arm. Then I have myself under control again. I give her a bright smile. "You would have been the most beautiful bride." And she really would have been. I think of their marriage, which will probably never happen now.

Katniss looks stunning. The dress is all white and made of layers of wide tulle that falls to the floor in voluminous waves. At her waist it starts to fit tight and mold to her body. Cinna really tried not to make it look entirely like the Capitol.

At that moment Peeta arrives and they really would have been the perfect couple. Portia and Cinna have definitely agreed on their costumes as Peeta wears a white tuxedo. When I see the gold chain around his neck, I smile happily. We are a team

It doesn't take long before we are driven to the opera. We are one of the last to arrive. Most of the other victors are already there, talking to each other in a large crowd. Haymitch joins them without another word. I stick with Katniss and Peeta and talk about their costumes and how lucky they were with Cinna and Portia.

Katniss hardly seems to be listening to me. Her eyes never stop roving over the other tributes and her expression is thoughtful and troubled. Peeta just nods with a friendly expression. Eventually I fall silent too and we just stand there waiting for the interviews to finally start.

We follow the other's interviews with a mixture of surprise and dismay. Even Haymitch joins us, but he doesn't look pleased.

"Who believes that?" Katniss asks disapprovingly when Cashmere explains that she can't stop crying.

Haymitch nods to some of the other escorts who are wiping tears from the corners of their eyes. "Apparently most." Most Capitol residents are naturally gullible and very easily persuaded. The victors seem to take advantage of that. "They're angry, Katniss. They would say anything to prevent the Games. I advise you to do the same", he says and throws a long look at the two.

Haymitch is right. The following victors deliberately use clever puns to express their anger. When Finnick addresses his beloved one last time, half of the room is already crying. Johanna, who has never minced words, brings shame to the entire District 7 with her naughty behavior. Because the Capitols' nerves are frazzled, the interviews drag on.

Then the time has finally come and Katniss is picked up by security, who take her to the stage entrance. We crowd around the screen. When Katniss takes the stage in her wedding dress, one can hear the audience screaming all the way to us. On the screens we see the commotion that starts in the audience area. The entire Capitol has been waiting for their marriage and now they are being put back into the arena to die. Not even they can ignore this terrible fact.

Caesar tries hard to keep the crowd under control; however, he smiles sadly. He, too, cannot hide his regret. He gives Katniss a convincing smile and gestures to the crowd. "Well, Katniss, apparently this is a very moving night for everyone. Do you want to say something?"

Katniss nods painfully. I can see that she wants to rip the dress off her body. But it's so incredibly pretty. "Just that I'm so sorry you all can't come to my wedding. But I'm glad you can at least see me in the dress. Isn't it just beautiful?" As she says the words, I know what Caesar is going to ask her now. His eyes sparkle eagerly, and he nods at Katniss with a smile. Katniss stands in the middle of the stage and starts spinning. It's a stunning sight and even better than last time.

I gasp in surprise when suddenly sparks begin to fly and a blink of an eye later, the dress is on fire. Katniss bravely keeps spinning until there is nothing left of the beautiful white dress. A few people around me gasp in shock. It has transformed into a black robe hanging down her body. And yet it looks extraordinary. The fabric of the dress seems to consist of many layers. At that moment, Katniss stops and looks down at herself. She raises her head and stares at the audience. The spectators lean forward in astonishment. Then, as if someone had given her silent instruction, she raises her arms to shoulder height and the audience falls silent.

It's so quiet I can almost hear Haymitch's face freeze and become dead serious from one second to the next. Oh Cinna!

Now it dawns on me what material the fabric of the dress is made of. Feathers. Katniss arms, wrapped in a plumage. Wings. Katniss has turned into a mockingjay. The message couldn't have been clearer.

As the crowd starts screaming, I turn my head to Haymitch. My fear is reflected in his eyes. We both know what Cinna wanted to say. I go with the Mockingjay. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Cinna on the monitor, prompted by Caesar to rise and bow. A masterpiece. It couldn't have been done better.

"Oh no, Haymitch, what has he done?" I loudly ask, staring at him in shock. Unlike the rest of the Capitol folks, I understand what goes on behind closed doors.

"Not here," he murmurs under a breath. His eyes are compellingly fixed on the screen.

And suddenly I'm afraid that Cinna might not survive the night. Will they execute Cinna for this? They wouldn't dare execute him in public, would They? After all, they would then have to explain what they were executing him for. He's become a very popular man in the Capitol. One would ask questions. And what about Portia? She's my friend, but she belongs with Cinna. They probably even worked on it together ...

In the next moment I wonder how I even came up with those thoughts. For people in the Capitol, the dress was just an attraction. But Panem does not only consist of the Capitol. What will the people in the districts think of this? And suddenly I realize that maybe they could read more into it.

Images flicker in front of my inner eye. Katniss pulling out the berries in the arena. Seneca's execution. Katniss speaking a clear message on the Victory Tour. She was too young. Katniss causing more through her words than she herself comprehends. Katniss risking her own life at her cousin's lashing. We all saw it live on TV. Katniss, whose symbol of the mockingjay has become far more in the districts than the regime would ever tolerate.

Peeta's interview is almost over when it dawns on me. My eyes widen instantly and I cover my mouth with my hand so the others can't see my gasp of shock. Haymitch must have noticed something is wrong because he gives me a look. He's not curious, he doesn't ask questions. He silences me and forces me to turn my thoughts to the interview.

"If it weren't for the baby," I hear Peeta say and jerkily turn to the screen. It must be a tactic because Haymitch doesn't look the least bit surprised.

"Is it ... is that-" I don't get any further because at that moment, the people who have been holding back and damming up their feelings, completely freak out. I jump back in surprise, because I can't remember an interview where the audience showed such a reaction.

People scream like crazy; some start to cry. The atmosphere is so tense that the cameramen struggle to keep the audience out of the recording area. Now everything goes very quickly. Caesar, unable to control the crowd, sends Peeta to join the other tributes on the platform above the stage. One can hear the people backstage. They are so loud that they drowned out the signal.

Caesar gestures wildly with his hands to the director, who also seems to be completely overwhelmed with the situation. This is the moment when the victors suddenly join hands. Together they turn towards the audience and raise their clasped hands in the air. Their expressions are serious. Calculating.

They present themselves as one team. It's the night before the Games when the tributes should be mentally preparing to kill the others. After all, the point of the Hunger Games is to defeat each other, not stand together against the Capitol.

I catch a glimpse of Haymitch, who is looking at the commotion gravely and clearly dissatisfied. The anthem is played on stage, so loud that we automatically step away from the screens, even though the sound is coming from the stage. Then the lights are turned off.

In the dark we stare at an equally dark stage. We can see the shadows of the victors descending from the podium and disappearing into the darkness. Then the screen goes black. A bad feeling rises in the pit of my stomach, and I feel for Haymitch's arm to not lose my orientation. "Haymitch?"

"I'm here, sweetheart." His hand finds mine and holds me tight. The silence is overwhelming. They must have gotten the audience out.

We remain silent for a few minutes, as do the other mentors and escorts backstage, until the light suddenly flickers and comes on again. Haymitch immediately lets go of me and walks towards Katniss and Peeta, who are descending the stage stairwell. They unsmilingly press their lips together and their eyes flash with alarm. An escort of Peacekeepers marches behind the victors. This evening definitely didn't go as planned.

By the shoulders, Haymitch pushes the two of them in my direction and we want to leave the opera together when three Peacekeepers block our way. They're pressing their guns to our chests and it's obvious that things are getting out of hand.

"Miss Trinket, a car was readied for you. A squad is already awaiting you; they will drive you home immediately," one of them informs me through his helmet. Haymitch freezes beside me.

I back away from the Peacekeeper and lift my head in disgust. "Really, that's probably the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time," I snap at him. "I won't go anywhere. I have a task to fulfill and I will finish it. Now make way." My voice is deferential and usually that's enough to get people out of my way. Not so these Peacekeepers. They stand glued in their places, and when I take a step toward one, he unlocks his gun.

I eye him, expectantly. I know he won't shoot. He's just bluffing. "We have our orders." His hoarse voice has taken on a dark tone.

Suddenly I feel Haymitch's fingers on my arm. His warning is clear. "You do realize that you're not allowed to take up arms against a resident of the Capitol, right?" I wrenched myself from Haymitch's grasp and placed my finger on the Peacekeeper's chest. "If someone in the higher ranks gets wind of this ..." I muse aloud, "Or even the President himself ... What do you think he'd do to you, Mr. ... what's your name again?"

My game has the desired effect. He immediately withdraws the weapon, but hesitates for a second before giving way. Visibly satisfied, I give him an exaggerated smile and walk past him. When his hand tightly closes around my upper arm, I wince slightly. The Peacekeeper turns me around one last time and takes off his helmet. He's from the Capitol, I notice right away. "But at your own risk, Miss Trinket," he says, abruptly releasing me. The threat is unmistakable.

Haymitch has also stopped and watches him with a sullen expression. Then he waves to me. "Come on."

Katniss and Peeta hold the elevator door open for us. It's been a while since the four of us rode the elevator together. "You definitely know how to deal with people," Katniss remarks as the door closes behind us. The corner of her mouth twitches.

I smile slightly at her. "Most people are easy to read," I explain to her. "Human's instincts are always self-directed first. They would hardly put themselves in danger for a greater cause." I look into the faces of my three victors from District 12 and immediately know that this is not true for all people. Tonight proved it. I think about saying goodbye to them soon and I automatically feel sick. Instead, I beam at them as we exit the elevator.

Dinner is quieter than ever. Nobody says a word, not even me or Peeta. And this fact makes the situation quite clear. Every time I think about the interviews I think of Cinna and Portia paying for their betrayal. Then I think of Katniss, Cinna's muse who has become an icon in the districts. And then I think that today I'm going to lose them all. Cinna , Portia, Katniss and Peeta.

I can't look up from my plate. I can't look them in the face because I embody what they're supposed to loathe. I drew their names. I sentenced them to death. Bristling, I realize that I would have rather lost another two innocent children than the two I am about to lose for the second time. It's a horrible thought, I know, but I can't stop thinking it. They will tear my heart apart. They are my family, after all. The family I never had. And now they want to take my family away from me again. It's ridiculous. Maybe I'm ridiculous. But I don't care.

I bite my lower lip in desperation. A ridiculous attempt to keep my emotions in check. Ridiculous. I quietly lower the fork. I won't be able to eat another bite. In 12 they would probably hate me even more for wasting valuable food, but I can't.

When Haymitch gently kicks my knee under the table, I startle. Three pairs of eyes stare at me. I protectively curl the corners of my mouth into a smile. Katniss and Peeta look down at their plates in silence again, but Haymitch's eyes lock into mine. He raises his eyebrows questioningly and for a moment I think I see my face reflected in his eyes. I shake my head in silence and look away, so my eyes don't give away too much.

But time does not stand still. It runs away from you just when you least like it, when you want to stop it. We face the two. Katniss and Peeta stare uncertainly around the room, not knowing what to do. Haymitch expectantly looks at me and I hate him for it. He always has to shrug off and pass all the work on to me; even now. Even this of all things.

"Well," I start quietly, looking both of them in the eye as encouraging as I can. "I guess it's time to say farewell." I can't. How am I supposed to tell myself that I might never see them again? One of them for sure. Farewell. To them, it must sound like I've already given up on them. "For now," I finally add with a wry smile. "We're still a team." Laugh like everyone loves it.

Katniss smiles sadly at me and hugs me tighter than I expected her to. "I'm so proud of my victors." I wrap my arms around Katniss and hug her tight before breaking away and hugging Peeta. It's alright. "So proud ..." My voice breaks and it's the first time I lose my composure in front of them. I pull away from Peeta and smile at him, tears blurring my sight. It's really alright. And suddenly I don't care if they see me like this. I don't want them to die without seeing a piece of me. I want them to know that I really loved them. "I'm so ... you both deserve so much better."

"Thank you, Effie," Katniss says, and I see the faint astonishment that has crept onto her face. It must really surprise her to see me like this. Peeta nods silently and presses his lips together, affected.

For a moment we look at each other and it may be the last time. It may be the last time and I just have to tell them, even though it's actually quite out of line. And for the first time I drop the mask, look at them with my eyes and let my smile die. "I'm so sorry."

They are the last words to my victors, to my family, to the people I truly love. Because after I say the words, I turn on my heels and flee the room.

-

Hi guys,

I hope you liked this chapter!

Skyllen :)