Katniss
I kneel behind the queen, respectfully following her lead in prayers. I keep my eyes low and hold tight to the beautiful rosary that had been slipped under my door with a note from my prince, asking me to pray on his success in convincing his father to allow him to marry me. I know there be little hope, but while I do not know if I have romantic love for Peeta, I do keep him in my prayers each morning and night.
I hold the beads close to my chest as I stand and the Queen leads me and the rest of the ladies from the chapel. She stops suddenly and we all hault
"You may go ahead," the queen says. "I intend to stop by the garden so you should all take back your prayers to your chambers and join me in 15 minutes."
"Yes, Your Majesty," we all reply and as I begin to walk with the others she stops me.
"Lady Katniss, you will remain with me," she ssays and I stop and come back to her side as she begins to walk to the doors of her garden. "You have a new rosary." She gestures to the red beads in my hand.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I say. "A gift from an admirer."
"Surely my son is not just a simple admirer?" She says and I look down.
"No, he is not," I say. "I wish he would stop giving me so many gifts. People may begin taking me for a theif of Your Majesty's many lovely jewels."
"His Grace is determined to impress you," the queen says. "But you are a clever girl. You do not fancy jewels and presents. You want an intellectual." I look over at her and see a smile playing on her lips.
"You do not disapprove as I had assumed you would, Your Majesty?" I say. She shakes her head.
"I am the King's third wife, Lady Everdeen," she says. "It took him two wifes to find someone who suited him. Two young ladies lost their lives in the process. One in her childbed, the other by a executioner's blade because she was just a pretty little fool who liked pretty things. If my son has found in you someone he cares for as His Majesty cares for me without the unnecessary bloodshed, I would be glad for it."
"My Lady, I am of little money and stature," I say and she chuckles.
"I know who you are, Lady Everdeen," she says. "Your mother served with me in the French Court. I met your father a couple times as well, God rest his soul. I can tell you right now, if your parents never fell on hard times, I have no doubt Edward would not hesitate to bless this union." I look at her again and she takes my hand and squeezes it.
"Your Majesty, I do not yet know my feelings for the prince," I say. "I feel confused and unable to know if his efforts with his father would be worth the trouble. I enjoy his company, but I don't know if he knows if he really loves me or just admires me for my talents."
"You recieve his letters," the queen says. "You tell me." I look down at my toes.
"His Grace has requested that I join him at his house in York for the fall festival," I admit and she nods.
"You have my permission to leave my service and join him when he leaves court for York," she says. "It may allow you some clarity if you would be able to not worry about prying eyes." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small purse and hands it to me. "Send these 15 pounds to your mother with my good will." A tear runs down my cheek as I take her generous gift.
"You are too good to me, Your Majesty," I say. And she nods.
"You deserve every gift and grace Prince Peeta offers you, dear girl," she says as she stops us in front of a door. She raps it sharply three times and Peeta opens the door, shocking me. "I have no need for your service until after lunch, Lady Everdeen. I shall see you then." She turns to her son and he kisses his cheek. "Be good to her, Dear Child." Peeta bows to her.
"I will Your Majesty," he says and she leaves, continuing towards her garden. Peeta takes my hand and I look at him.
"She is the last one I would imagine would approve," I say and he chuckles, smiling at me.
"Katniss, I think she adores you as much as I do if not more," Peeta says. "If she is harsh with you it is only because she thinks so highly of you." He takes me into the room he was staying in and shuts the door.
The room is a complete disarray, with sheets laying all accross the floor, soiled in every color imaginable. There are eisels up against the walls and half finished pictures laying on tables. I reach out to touch an image of a white hare poking its nose from under a large bush, its fur textured with millions of brushstrokes.
"This has been my favorite room since I was a small child and Mother brought me in an art tutor," Peeta says with pride.
"These are your's?" I ask turning to him and he nods.
"13 years of practice pays off," Peeta says. "Do you like them?"
"They are lovely," I say.
"I hadn't finished many of these in a long while but I guess you could say I've been inspired," he says and he goes over to pull a sheet off of a frame in the corner. Underneath is the beautiful silhouette of a stag and a doe standing over a ravine at sunset. The trees hanging above them are nearly black with highlights of the sun setting the trunks ablaze in color. The same canbe said for the stag and his mate as you see the lines off their muscles and the shine of sun off his horns. I smile and walk over to get a closer look at it.
"Peeta, you talk of my talents when you have talents that cannot be learned," I say.
"It was a disaster a few months ago," he says. "There was just the stag. And half finish trees. I couldn't finish it. There was something missing and I half thought of throwing it in the rubbish." I look at him with shock.
"You wanted to throw this away?" I say and he nods. "What changed your mind?"
"The day I met you, I found it hard to sleep that night," Peeta says. "I couldn't get you off my mind. I found myself here. When I can't sleep I almost always find myself here. And I was staring at this half finished painting and then I found myself adding the doe and the sunset." I look at him and smile.
"It just came to you, huh?" I say.
"Do you want it?" Peeta asks.
"Peeta, you can't be serious," I say. "Its huge. It wouldn't fit very well in my room."
"I'll find somewhere for it," he says. "Maybe above your bed. That is if you'll let me give it to you. I don't want to keep giving you things if you don't want presents." I look over the painting again and smile.
"If you can find room, I do love it," I say. "It reminds me of the woods my father used to take me to when I was young. And of the wood you took me through."
"I can take you out there again, if you like," Peeta says, covering the painting back up. "Its only 10 and the mare you liked is still in the stables." I nod and slide my rosary into my pocket.
"I think I'd like that," I say. Peeta offers me his hand and leads me from his sanctuary to take me to mine.
Upon our arrival, Peeta's two horses are quickly made ready and he helps me up onto the mare, who's name I have learned is Scottish Scandal and that she is actually a morgan, a new variety of riding horse. The sorrel stallion Excalibur shakes his mane as Peeta mounts him and we ride out of the courtyard.
I feel free as I ride the horse through the trees and and over fresh fallen leaves. The wind running through my hair. I have settled more into riding again and end up stopping at the top of the hill to watch Peeta slowly working his way up the steep hill.
"I thought you were a trained horseman," I say laughing. "I have barely touched a horse in 10 years and I beat you up here." He dismounts, tying his horse to a tree and holding my reins to allow me to do the same.
"I have a proposition for you," Peeta says and I look at him.
"What is it?" I ask.
"I would like you to come to York with me Monday morning," he says. "Her Majesty has given me permission to take you for the fall festivities I plan to have in a few days. It would be for about two weeks."
"Queen Mary had mentioned it to me," I say. "Although, I was not aware it would be so long." I look down and kick at a clod of dirt. "Are you sure it is okay for me to go into your house and stay with you when we are not formally engaged?"
"You would have your own rooms and someone to help you dress," he says. "We would only have as much contact as you care to. I just want to show you one of my homes and some relief of your duties for a short time."
"What would I do?" I ask. "Besides being your company."
"I would ask that you proside over dinners and serve as my mother would serve during a feast," he says and I look at him.
"It sounds like you are using me as your wife everywhere but your bed, Peeta," I say laughing.
"Katniss, I mean no disrespect to you," he says. "If you don't want to accompany me, you do not have to. I just wanted to show you off a little and give you the chance to have some court experience." I shake my head.
"No, I'll go," I say. "I just like to see that you do indeed get flustered dispite your unshakable image."
"Oh I am going to get you for that, Katniss Everdeen," I catch his eye and run away from him and through the woods, laughing at him as he gives chase.
He chases me through the woods and I feel as though I have reclaimed my childhood. Like I finally after the long time of being a hard worker I can enjoy my youth. I stop at the edge of a rise look out over all the beauty of early fall color.
I squeal as I feel Peeta grab my waist and pull me back away from the edge and spins me around in his arms. I hit at his shoulders as he throws me over his shoulder and carries me back up through the trees.
"Peeta, let me go!" I squeal and he sets me down next to a tall oak tree, still holding tight to my waist. He shakes his head, obviously still out of breath.
"Not when I've worked so hard to get you," he says before leaning in and kissing me, soft and sweet. My hands find themselves on the sides of his face and I hold him to me. He leans his forehead against mine as he pulls away. I smile and laugh.
"What are you doing to me, Peeta Mellark?" I ask and he cups my cheek.
"Thats simple," he says. "I'm winning your game of cat and mouse." He kisses me again and the feeling in my gut tells me he's right.
I believe I'm begining to fall for a man I may never have.