But He Chose Me

Chapter 6

Katniss

"I feel like I just unpacked all this," I say as I lay a pale pink gown on my bed for the day and pull more of them out of my wardrobe to fold neatly and put into my trunk to take to Peeta's York house. Johanna grabs a deep grey one and begins to gather its pieces together in a neat bundle. "Now I'm packing it all right back up again." Johanna chuckles, laying the dress down in my trunk and picking up another.

"Don't sound as though you've been fired," she says. "You are going to Peeta's house to help him with the fall festival in York. He wants to spend his birthday in the country with you." I stop and look at her a momement before it processes through my mind.

"Oh my gosh, Wednesday is the 18th," I say. "How on Earth did I forget his birthday? There's been celebrations every year for 19 years and I forgot that its for his freaking birthday." I sit down on the edge of the bed and run my fingers through my hair, still tangled from sleep.

"On the bright side, I highly doubt he expects a present from you since he knows about your whole money situation and you're going out to live with him for two weeks," Johanna says and I just look at her.

"Thats not the point, Jo," I say. "You know how much Edward is pressuring him to marry Elizabeth. Now that Peeta's a year older, it will just get worse." She looks at me with a knowing look.

"I thought you wanted him to marry the Spanish princess?" She says. I get up and stare at the painting hanging above the bed. The brush strokes he made just for me.

"I don't know," I say. "I'm still just confused about this whole thing. But if Peeta doesn't want to marry her, I would hope he would get the opportunity not to just like any other person would." She nods and goes over to close my trunk.

"Like Her Majesty told you," She says. "Maybe this trip will give you both some clarity." I hear her snapping the clasps and then feel her hand on my shoulder, breaking me from the trance of following the careful brushstrokes of my painting.

So calm. So sure of the meaning he wanted to express to me. The feeling of him protecting someone he loves.

"Come on, we better get you dressed and ready," she says. "You leave in an hour," i nod and slip out of my nightgown and she starts helping me into fresh undergarments.

Johanna ties the skirt tight to my waist as well as the bodice. I brush out my hair and she helps me put the top half in a coil behind my head and pins a pink cap in my hair. I put on my jeweled necklace and touch the jewel as it rests on my chest. I turn around in the mirror quickly and smile.

"I guess I'm ready," I say and Johanna shakes her head "What is it?"

"You do remember that you need to waer shoes right?" She says and I lift up my skirts to reveal just my stocking feet.

I laugh and she fetches me my black buttoned boots and something wrapped in butchers paper. I put on the shoes and look over the long, skinny object. Another present from Peeta no doubt. I tear off the paper and am confused to see it is a white lace parasol with small crystals and fringe hanging from the edges. Definately not exactly something Peeta would have sent me as he gotto know me.

"Who sent this?" I ask.

"Queen Mary ordered it from Paris for you," she says. I smile and open it, watching as it twinkles in the morning light of our window. I close it and stand.

"At least its something I can use," I say. "Its supposed to be sunny if I can believe anything the people guessing the weather say."

"Well, women know what women need," Johanna says and I laugh.