imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

s e v e n t y - f o u r

Today is the day of the Convicting, and I'm a bundle of nerves. I'm afraid I'll trip, or forget what to say. Even worse, I'm afraid I'll fail. The one thing I don't have to worry about is my clothes. My maids and Cinna confer with other dressers to make something suitable for me, though, I wouldn't use a plain word like suitable to describe it.

Follow again on tradition, the dresses are all white and old. Mine has a high waist and no strap on the left but does have a small, off-the-shoulder strap on the right, covering my scar and looking really lovely at the same time. The top is snug, but the skirt is billowing, kissing the floor with scallops of golden lace. It comes together with pleats in the back that fall behind me in a short train. I actually look like a princess.

Tig grabs the olive branch I'm meant to carry and situates it in my arm. We're supposed to place the branches at the foot of the king as a sign of peace towards our leading and our willingness to yield to the law.

"You look beautiful, miss," Annie says. I can't help but notice how calm and confident she seems lately. I smile.

"Thank you. I wish you were all going to be there," I say.

"Me, too." Stacy sighs.

Tig turns the focus back in my direction. "Don't worry, miss; you'll do perfectly. And we'll be watching with the other maids."

"You will?" That's encouraging enough, even though they won't be downstairs.

"We wouldn't miss it," Annie assures me.

Cinna gives me a hug then pulls me back to look in my eyes. "Good luck."

I give him a tiny nod.

A sharp knock at the door snaps us from our conversation. Stacy opens the door, and I'm happy to see it's Gale.

"I'm here to escort you to the Convicting, Lady Katniss," he says.

Annie pipes up. "What do you think of our handiwork, Officer Hawthorne?"

He smiles slyly. "You've outdone yourselves." Annie giggles, and Tig quietly shushes her as she makes final adjustments to my hair. Now that I know about Tig's feelings for Gale, it's obvious how perfect she tries to be around him. I take a deep breath, remembering the masses waiting for me downstairs. "Ready?" he asks.

I nod, readjusting my back, and go to the door, peeking back just once to see my maids' happy faces and Cinna's soft smile. I loop my arm around Gale's and head with him down the hall.

"How have you been?" I ask casually.

"I can't believe you're going through with this," he shoots back.

I swallow, immediately nervous again. "I don't have a choice."

"You always have a choice, Katniss."

"Gale, you know I don't like this. But in the end, it's only one person. And he's guilty."

"Just like Clove and Cato." I don't have to look up to see how disgusted he is.

"That was different," I mumble, not sounding convincing at all.

Gale stops dead in his tracks and forces me to look at him. "It's never different with them."

His tone is so serious. Gale knows more than most people do, because he stands guard during meetings or delivers orders himself. He's holding a secret right now.

"Are they thieves at all?" I ask quietly as we continue to move.

"Yes, but nothing deserving the years of jail they'll receive today. And it's going to be a pretty loud message to their friends."