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Katniss Rose Baird had few certainties in life: her family was large and full of music, and the love that bound all of them together was sincere and the highest form of protection she could find within the Seam.
She was an orphan, or a half-orphan. Her aunt Maude Ivory had never lied to her... She had explained that her mother's name was Lucy Gray Baird and that she had had to run away shortly after her birth because the mayor hated her. There had been rebels, the mayor's daughter had been killed, and because the mayor's daughter was dating Lucy Gray's ex-boyfriend, well, the mayor had had every intention of blaming her and killing her. After all, even before the murder, he had already tried to get rid of her by sending her to the Hunger Games, from which, however, Lucy Gray had come back victorious.
There was a lot of bad blood between them, which was also why Katniss Rose was not supposed to tell anyone, not anyone at all , that she was Lucy Gray's daughter. Instead, the world had presented her as Barb Azure's daughter; the only one who was old enough to pass herself off as her mother.
Hence, half an orphan. Lucy Gray had run away into the woods heartbroken at having to abandon her child and no one had heard from her since. That, too, was a certainty.
And as for her father…
Aunt Maude Ivory had shown her a video once. A small recording enclosed in a video camera, which had immediately become her most precious treasure.
His father had been a Peacekeeper but, unlike what this usually meant among the women of the Seam, he had been a Peacekeeper who had loved his mother. And mum had loved him.
It was so obvious from that video. They were always hand in hand, always close. Lots of kissing. The way he looked at her, entranced. This was her ultimate certainty, a certainty that warmed her heart and anchored her firmly to her very roots.
Maude Ivory had not wanted to tell her anything more. From the video she had only understood that he was called 'Coryo', but she did not know his true identity. Oh well. Not that she really cared.
The only thing that mattered was love.
And, despite the secrecy, over the years Katniss Rose had shared that little information with two people: her two best friends, Thomas Hawthorne and Hyacinthe Smith. To them she had also shown the video, secretly from all her aunts and uncles who, in a moment of grace, had left her and Charlie Brown at home alone with her little friends who had come to visit her to do homework all together.
"You look like your daddy," Hyacinthe had commented, smiling serenely.
"In my opinion he's a prince" Tom had added "Look at him, he looks just like a prince. Wouldn't it be nice if he came to rescue you, to take you away from District Twelve?"
Katniss Rose had laughed, amused. Her friend Tom was famous for making up the most disparate kinds of stories and being great at telling them.
It was sort of the only way they all survived life in the Seam… Fairy tales, and music. Hyacinthe, on the other hand, who had grown up and lived in the merchants' quarter, being the son of the pharmacists, had shaken his head at Tom's phrase. He was not a boy who believed much in fairy tales.
Yet Tom, in a way, had seen right through it.
It had been years later, five and a half months before his twelfth birthday.
It was then that she had discovered the whole truth.
Peacekeepers had come knocking on the front door. Aunt Maude Ivory had answered, holding her stomach, and Katniss Rose had heard only that President Snow had summoned them to the capital immediately and that they should all come and bring their musical instruments. Maude Ivory had glanced first at Sarah and then at her, and Sarah, nervous, had gone to fetch a heavy hooded cloak and put it on her, trying to hide every last strand of blond hair, while Maude Ivory told the Peacekeepers that her husband and CC were on duty at the mine and they needed time to get organized.
Katniss Rose was very puzzled by the whole situation. President Snow ? Summoning the Coveys?
Aunt Sarah was pale and looked frightened. Maude Ivory herself had come to her side, clasped her hands tightly and whispered in her ear: “Keep your head down. Don't look at anyone. Hide yourself as much as possible; never take off your hood. I will explain later.”
Katniss Rose, her heart beating wildly, had done the only thing that could give her any comfort in that situation: she had grabbed the camera with her most precious treasure - her parents, happy - and put it in her pocket, clutching it in her hands.
Then Maude Ivory had explained it to her for real, on the train. Wringing her hands, whispering in a half-voice as she looked around nervously, as if afraid of being spied on. Making her swear not to tell anyone, ever.
There were tears in her eyes at the end.
"... I don't know what kind of man he's become over the years, Katniss Rose," she finally concluded, her lips quivering "Mama has... Done something that maybe he hates her for now. And he hasn't... Behaved well either" she added, then swallowed "I don't know how he might take the news of your existence. Please. Stay hidden as much as possible, I, we... We don't know him anymore. Maybe we never knew him."
Katniss Rose listened, but it was as if she wasn't really there. I mean, these things couldn't happen to her, right?
She was just a half-orphaned little girl from District Twelve, an inhabitant of the Seam. How could she be the president's secret daughter?
She thought of Tom - she hadn't even been able to say hello to her friends - laughing and telling her “Did you see that? You really are a lost princess. I told you so”. Hyacinthe would smile and shake her head, struggling to believe it.
She was struggling too.
Besides, what did it mean that mummy had done something wrong? So maybe daddy hated her now? And that he had done the same?
No, that was not possible. Katniss Rose clutched the camera hidden in her cloak pocket and lowered her gaze, nodding slightly to let her aunt know she understood.
It was not possible. They loved each other so much! They were so happy, in the video.
She would never have believed they hated each other, ever!
They arrived in the capital after a day's journey. They were on one of the most beautiful trains Katniss Rose had ever seen, and the luxury confused her and at the same time gave her the confidence that President Snow cared for them.
Dad. Dad?
It was such a strange concept. The president had been appointed only a few months before and Katniss Rose had hardly paid attention. She had only seen it on tv because it was a school day and the school had forced them all to watch it, seating them in the auditorium. She had been bored and distracted many times. She tried to concentrate, to remember his face. Did she really look like him? Mah! She remembered that he was blond too, that's for sure. Aware of Maude Ivory's hawkish gaze, which wouldn't stop keeping an eye on her, she didn't dare slide a lock of hair out of the hood, but she wished she could.
Was it really the same color?
Once the Peacekeepers arrived, they made them get into many luxurious cars - she was always half-hidden and close to Maude Ivory - and followed them to the most enormous house Katniss Rose had ever seen.
It was a gigantic palace, towering high. Was it the president's house? Her daddy's house?
They took them to the fourth floor and there a few maids took their things, showing them a few rooms and finally gathering them in the main hall, where a table had been set and filled with delicacies. Katniss Rose swallowed, her mouth watering, but did not dare to approach because all the adults seemed nervous and did not pay attention to the food.
Then President Snow entered the room.
Katniss Rose, half-hidden behind Charlie Brown, sharpened her eyesight, drinking of him.
It was true. Their faces looked so much alike.
It was true! He really was her daddy.
In an instant of pure wonder, Katniss Rose recognised him.
President Snow seemed as fascinated as she was, only he paid no attention to her and instead looked at the rest of the Coveys; his mouth was slightly half-closed, as if he didn't quite know what to say.
Then aunt Maude Ivory marched determinedly towards him and slapped him.
It all happened so quickly. Katniss Rose hardly had a chance to be afraid. A Peacekeeper raised his weapon and President Snow stepped in, pushing Maude Ivory back.
“ No!”
The Peacekeeper was disarmed by another and a flood of huge, warm, welcome relief invaded her from head to toe.
He had protected her. Dad had protected aunt Maude Ivory, even though she had just slapped him.
It was obvious he loved her. It was obvious he cared.
It was obvious he was a good person.
"... Out."
"President, she hits you..."
"And she obviously had good reason. OUT! All of you!"
Katniss Rose couldn't take her eyes off him, she really couldn't. Even in his fury, she felt safe. He was scolding the men who had tried to hurt aunt Maude Ivory.
She didn't know what to do. She felt stuck, pinned to the ground by too much emotion.
She saw aunt Maude Ivory shouting at him, held back only by uncle Liam, and dad approaching her, laying his hands on her shoulders.
"Maude Ivory. She 's here."
She knew, before anyone even explained, before she even saw her with his own eyes.
Mum .
There was such emotion in dad's voice. It could only have been love .
And, after all, wasn't that how it worked in fairy tales? Tom always told them. Everyone was happy ever after.
"... I'll send her down to you after breakfast. I came to tell you this."
Soon she would meet mum too. She didn't have to hide from her, did she? Did she? She knew of her existence!
President Snow - daddy, daddy, boomed in her mind - took his leave and Maude Ivory was immediately beside her.
"It's mummy, isn't it?" she asked, in a low voice.
Then she burst into tears.
It was all so... too much . Too much all at once.
Maude Ivory rocked her, stroking her hair and humming to her.
“Come, let's eat something,” she finally persuaded her. Charlie Brown looked at her frightened and held out a handkerchief. Katniss Rose wiped her face and blew her nose, still sobbing. She forced herself to eat something to make her aunt happy... Besides, she had never tasted pastries before. After the first one, her stomach opened up again and the sweetness wiped away all traces of tears as she continued to eat.
Finally, after an hour or so, there was a knock at the door.
One of the Peacekeepers opened it and let in a maid and a woman, who was all veiled and unrecognizable, before closing the door behind them and leaving them alone.
Lucy Gray almost tore the schawl from her head and brought a hand to her mouth, excited and at a loss for words.
It was her. Impossible to be mistaken. Katniss Rose had seen the video so many times she had memorized it by now.
It was her mum, really.
With an excited squeal she tore off his hood and ran to her, stopping a few steps away. She looked down at her and her eyes filled with tears.
"Is that you?!" asked Katniss Rose, almost pleadingly "You're my mummy, aren't you? Aren't you?!"
Lucy Gray burst into real tears and fell to her knees before her, holding her in his arms. Katniss Rose also felt the tears mounting again.
"It's me," mum finally murmured, between sobs, "It's me!"
Katniss Rose held her tightly. Now that she had found her again, she would never let her go.
"Can we be together forever now? Please?" she asked her, and Mum cried harder. After some time, she moved away from her, only to get a good look at her and caress her face.
"Of course," she replied, ardently, "Of course we'll be together forever."
"And with daddy?" added Katniss Rose, barely hesitating.
Mum smiled so big she lit up all over.
"And with daddy" she confirmed, and Katniss Rose felt a most powerful warmth invade her "Who, however, doesn't know you exist yet" Mum added, giggling slightly "What do you say, shall we surprise him? In a few days I'll have to play and sing for him. Can we wait a while before we tell him?"
Katniss Rose nodded. She was so happy that she would have done anything for her mum.
In the end, what was a few days compared to almost twelve years? Nothing at all.
She was going to be a good little girl, and then she was going to get her daddy as a prize.
Mommy looked past her, back at the rest of the Coveys. Katniss Rose turned with her and saw that aunt Maude Ivory was crying, moved. Aunt Barb Azure was also teary-eyed. CC and Tam Amber simply had their mouths wide open in disbelief.
"Well?" asked Mum, "Is no one coming to hug me?"
Then it was chaos. Everyone converged on them, amidst tears and cries of joy. Katniss Rose somehow managed to break free from the stranglehold of the smothering hugs and slipped back in next to Charlie Brown, who had stayed behind with Aunt Sarah, Aunt Grace and Uncle Liam.
They spent the rest of the morning chatting. Somehow they all managed to sit on the sofa and in the armchairs. Mum had asked her to climb on her lap and was cuddling her as she recounted where she had been and what she had been doing. Apparently north of Panem there was another country, Canada.
Katniss Rose listened with only one ear, lulled by her mother's melodious voice that she heard echoing in her chest, and by the scent of roses she emanated. At some point, almost without realizing it, she let herself drift off into a dreamless sleep, feeling perhaps for the first time truly calm and safe.
Everything was fine. She was no longer a half-orphan, for she had found both her mother and her father.
More. She had turned into a princess.
They woke her up for lunch, and Katniss Rose ate every delicacy with gusto. The food in Capitol City was so different from the food in the District! So much better. Much richer .
In the afternoon the Coveys all started playing and singing. Maude Ivory had brought her mother's guitar with them and she took it in her hands almost reverently, her eyes shining again.
Katniss Rose, together with Charlie Brown, Sarah and Grace, sat down on the couch, a little apart. Uncle Liam, on the other hand, who had a wonderful voice, sang with them at the top of his lungs. It was a joy to listen to them, like that, in the midst of their element.
It was a joy to not only see her mother, but to see her so happy and content, at ease in the midst of the music.
Aunt Maude Ivory had told her that she had been the star of the Coveys… The heart of the band. Knowing it and seeing it were two totally different things.
Then came another unexpected guest.
Charlie Brown had whispered to her that, that morning, while she had been sleeping blissfully in her mother's arms, a doctor had turned up. There had been a moment of sheer panic because they had not been able to hide her and the woman had immediately realized that she was President Snow's daughter. She had also recognised mum. She and mum had talked and the doctor had seemed kind and sworn to secrecy for a few days; then she had gone off with Maude Ivory to one of the rooms to make sure all was well with the baby. Apparently her father had sent her to them for this, because he was worried about her aunt.
However, their new guest was not a doctor. Unsure if she could be seen or not, Katniss Rose wrapped herself in her cloak and put on her hood, nervously and surreptitiously observing what was going on.
The woman was tall and had the same blond curls as her and her father. Blue eyes too.
Another relative?
She froze at the sight of Lucy Gray, remaining wide-mouthed. The Coveys stopped playing and Katniss Rose saw Maude Ivory give her a nervous look, then pull her hood over her head better.
"... Lucy Gray?!" the woman finally exclaimed "Is that really you?!"
Mum had put down her guitar and the Coveys had huddled around her. Katniss Rose, taking advantage of the tense moment, had slipped off the couch and approached them.
"And you are...?" Mum had asked, squinting, "Maybe..."
"Tigris!" the woman had exclaimed "Coryo's cousin!"
Coryo's cousin. Daddy's cousin?
Katniss Rose came closer still, until she found herself half-hidden between her mother's legs.
"Tigris!" she exclaimed, smiling and throwing her arms around her neck. Tigris let out an excited cry and pulled her close.
"What happened? Which way are you coming from?! What...?"
Before mama could answer, however, she stepped out from behind her shadow and removed her hood. I mean, dad's cousin was a friend of mom's, right? And she had asked him to keep it a secret just from dad.
And Katniss Rose was too curious. And hungry .
She wanted to know everything about her family!
"So you're an aunt too?" she exclaimed, aloud, and saw Tigris turn to her, his mouth still open in a sincere smile. That immediately froze on her lips, as silence fell between them.
She saw it, Katniss Rose. The realization struck as she recognised her as her father's daughter.
So it really was true, she looked so much like him. Or maybe, well, it was also the fact that she looked like her mum. I mean. It wasn't too important.
“... Oh” slipped from Tigris's lips, as her eyes widened and a quick sequence of confusion-terror-hope appeared on his face.
Mum giggled, embarrassed.
"Ah, well," she commented, "Um, yes, that's exactly what it looks like. Can you please keep this a secret from Coryo? I want to surprise him, um, after the party."
Tigris opened and closed his mouth several times. Finally she coughed, and swallowed.
"... The party" he murmured "Yes. Coriolanus asked me to dress you, that's why I'm here".
Then Tigris turned to his mother again.
"Are you sure he doesn't know...?"
"Very sure," Mum replied, seriously. She gave a small sad smile "I didn't know either, the last time... The last time we saw each other".
Tigris' lower lip trembled. She could tell she was desperate to ask something, but she forced himself to restrain herself and brought her attention back to Katniss Rose.
She smiled, sweetly.
"May I know your name, young lady?" she asked her, cheerfully.
"Katniss Rose!" she introduced herself, straightening up nicely, like the polite child she was.
Tigris lowered himself, so that they were at the same height, and began asking her questions about her life. Katniss Rose answered everything, thrilled to be able to share her heart with her family... With a relative of her daddy's. Mum took her by the hand and led her back to the sofa, where they all ended up talking.
"... And then I always knew that daddy and mommy loved each other so much!" was Katniss Rose saying, proudly.
"Really?" asked Tigris, smiling kindly.
"I have proof!"
"Proof?" intervened Mummy, amused. All the while she had held her in her arms, tenderly stroking her hair. Katniss Rose contracted in her grip, to be able to move better, and slipped a hand into her cloak pocket, pulling out the camera.
"Of course! Look!"
"Oh, Katniss Rose, did you bring it?" intervened aunt Maude Ivory, surprised, touching her lips with two fingers.
Katniss Rose did not answer her but started the film. Aunt Tigris and Mama leaned their heads closer to stare at the small screen, curious.
"... Wow. What a memorable day that must have been," Tigris finally commented. A tear had escaped her eyelashes and Katniss Rose touched it, wiping it away. Mum giggled.
"Yeah, quite a lot. We were... Well, we were at peace."
"Why did you laugh, Mum?"
Mum laughed again, then tickled her, making her squeal. Luckily aunt Tigris had taken the camera in her hand, saving it from the attack.
"Because that was when we made you, my love."
Aunt Barb Azure burst out laughing while uncle CC had taken on a terrified expression.
"But how?! With everyone around?"
Uncle Tam Amber was trying not to choke from laughing, covering his mouth with his hand.
Maude Ivory put her hands on her hips, answering in her mother's place.
“Well, you didn't see anything, did you, CC? Don't be such a goody-goody, that your son was born when you were barely eighteen.”
"I was seventeen when you were born!" intervened mum.
"So was I," replied aunt Sarah, mussing uncle CC's hair.
"But how are babies made?" asked Katniss Rose, curious "Why must no one see?"
Aunt Tigris turned towards the back of the sofa. Judging by the way her shoulders were moving, she was laughing without making a sound.
Mum smiled, impassive and cunning.
"That's a good question for you to ask dad in a few days, what do you say?"
Uncle Tam Amber lost all semblance of modesty and burst out laughing without holding back.
"What? What's so funny?" asked Katniss Rose, confused.
Mum snapped a kiss on her cheek.
"We'll talk about it in a few years and you'll understand. Now... Tell me again about your friends in Twelve? Who was the one who was good at telling stories?"
Distracted again, Katniss Rose answered her mother, full of enthusiasm. They spent most of the afternoon like that, chatting, no more playing and singing.
Then Mum had to go back upstairs and Katniss Rose's heart barely squeezed.
But she would see her again soon. Just one night. And then a few more days.
And then she would get to meet her daddy too.
Katniss Rose would be patient, a good girl.
She managed to catch a glimpse of her daddy before time after only a day. For a moment she was convinced she would be discovered; she had no cloak to hide her after all. But Dad was totally focused on mum.
She played and sang and was indeed the Coveys' brightest star. Dad couldn't take his eyes off her, amazed. And mum abandoned the guitar to throw herself into his arms, kissing him.
Emily, the pretty maid who had accompanied mum the other day stood aside, in between her and that wonderful vision.
“Children, come and take your afternoon nap,” she was saying, nervously, trying to push her and Charlie Brown out of the room.
But...!
Katniss Rose wanted to protest. It was so nice . Daddy was kissing mummy and she could see the love .
They loved each other. They still loved each other! She had been sure of it, but seeing it was different. They were so beautiful together!
"Remember what mummy told you!"
With one last snort Katniss Rose executed, walking out and being good. She just had to be patient for a few days, she knew.
And then she would have her family!
After about half an hour her mother came looking for her.
"Katniss Rose, can you bring the camera with the video?"
She did and mum introduced her to a boy, Beetee. He told her that they were planning to make a copy of the video for dad to see... If she agreed to part with the camera for a little while. She would get it back, Beetee reassured her, telling her he would take good care of it.
Well, having a copy wasn't bad. For years she had been gripped by the terror that the camera would break, after all, and that she would lose the only memory she had of her mum and dad. She handed the camera to Beetee, who thanked her, and actually gave it back to her shortly afterwards, after connecting it to a computer. Katniss Rose started the video and saw that everything was fine.
She was happy.
She stayed with her mum all the rest of the afternoon, cuddling and being told about her lovestory with her dad.
"You love him, don't you?" she asked her at one point, "I saw it, how you gave him a kiss."
Mummy smiled.
"Of course I love him, darling. It's impossible not to love him. Do you know? Our love is written in the stars."
"Really?"
Mum laughed and they continued chatting until evening.
Then only the waiting remained. Long days spent with her family, eating good food, singing, playing music. Beetee working on the computer in the corner, mum teaching her the song she had written for dad. Tigris, who had returned to take everyone's measurements and promised her a beautiful dress.
An anxious sense of anticipation until the day of the party. Katniss Rose had put her hooded cloak back on and kept her gaze down as they left the house and got into the car that would take them to another house. The Coveys chatted among themselves, excited.
Tigris had arrived early; the clothes were ready and on display in the living room where they had been taken but no one had dared touch them until her aunt had shown up. She had personally helped her put on that princess dress, which was a beautiful light blue and decorated with tiny snowflakes that sparkled under the snow.
"I look like a princess!" exclaimed Katniss Rose, looking at herself in the mirror, after aunt Tigris had also styled her hair.
"You are a beautiful Snowflake," her mother told her, coming up behind her. She, too, had a dress similar to hers.
She was so happy! They looked just like mother and daughter. She liked the nickname Snowflake! It also called out to daddy.
"Tigris, will you help me with the veil?"
Aunt Tigris helped mummy and Katniss Rose stood still for several minutes, admiring herself in the mirror and touching her hair.
Then they were all called to order by Emily and Katniss Rose put her cloak back on, just as she had been told to do, so she could hide in the backstage until the time was right.
She waited. And she waited. She heard mama sing the song for papa and her heart warmed. Then another song again, and then the video Beetee had set up.
She was impatient. More and more impatient.
And finally mum called her.
Katniss Rose took off her cape and flew out from behind the scenes, straight for her daddy.
Finally.
"So you're my daddy? Is that true?"
She knew it was true. Mummy couldn't have lied to him, and there was the video and everything.
But Katniss Rose wanted to hear it from him.
What if he didn't like her? Doubt assailed her, paralyzing her. What if he didn't want her? It was an irrational fear, she knew, but it took her breath away. She stood in suspense, Katniss Rose, as her father sought confirmation from her mother, as he realized that yes, this was really happening. That he had had a daughter with mummy and that that daughter was her.
"Yes," Dad finally replied, in a whisper, his voice hoarse, "I... Can I...?"
Doubt was swept away by the warmth, the emotion of her daddy. Katniss Rose smiled and threw herself into his arms and he lifted her up, crying.
It was true. It was all true!
Her daddy had recognised her. Her daddy loved her mommy.
There was only one possible conclusion.
"So!" she exclaimed, clamoring for her daddy's attention "Now you are going to marry mummy and we are all going to live together, yes?"
"... If mummy wants it" murmured daddy in reply, looking at her.
"Of course," she replied, serene.
And so everything would be all right.
Katniss Rose continued to smile and hug her daddy. He smelled like roses.
She felt the urge to run, to scream... To talk to Tom and Hyacinthe, to share her happiness with them.
After all, it wasn't every day that she not only found her lost parents, but even turned into a princess.
This would be her life from now on.
And she could not be happier about it.