Today is the day.
Today is the day that I'm going to marry the love of my life. Tradition in District Twelve is that the bride and the groom are not allowed to see each other at all on the day of the wedding, so Peeta couldn't sleep in our bed tonight. He is sleeping in my old house in the Victor's Village. I didn't want to do that, so he volunteered. I snort. "God, I hate that word." I think to myself. I did have nightmares tonight, but it was mostly because of wedding nerves. I'm just about to get up when I hear a familiar voice.
"Get up, darling, it's a big, big, big day!" I wide open my eyes. No way! She survived the rebellion? I feel a little guilty. I haven't devoted a single thought to her since the war. Effie rushes up to the bed.
"Haymitch called and told me about the wedding. Oh, darling, I'm so happy for you! I always knew you two were perfect for each other!" she says with a smile. She hasn't changed a bit. Her clothes seem a little more discrete, though. But not much. "Let's get you ready, we don't want to show up at the ceremony looking like that, do we?" I sigh. I know that she didn't mean any harm.
"No, I guess not." I say, and get up from bed. Effie claps her hands and they rush through the door. My old prep team. I throw my hands up to my mouth. They're alive too? Maybe Paylor let them live for my sake. They run up to me and start hugging me. Octavia drops a small tear.
"Oh, Katniss, I'm so happy for you! I knew you were going to marry him, in the end!"
"So, you've been told about the love theatre?" I say, because generally, people still think that we got married secretly before the 75th Hunger Games.
"Oh, yes, darling, and we were very shocked. I can't believe you faked it all! But that doesn't matter right now. What have you done to yourself while we were gone!?" Flavius says with a shocked expression.
"Well... I have at least taken care of my hair." I say, picking up a curl from my shoulder.
"Beauty base zero it is!" Venia says, ignoring my comment. "We want him to recognize you, don't we?" I feel relieved. I really don't feel like being covered my make-up right now. My prep team pulls me into the bathroom and start working on me. They only shave my legs, because I only have to be pretty for one day. I'm lucky today. When they are done with my make-up, they start working with my hair. They braid it up to the simple braid I wore on my fifth reaping. When they are done, they bring in the dress. It is beautiful. Plain. It has long sleeves that go a little bit over the back of my hands, and it is made of the same material as the nightgown Peeta bought me a few months ago. Venia says it is silk. It feels like cool water pouring down my skin. The dress isn't backless, but the line goes a little below my shoulders. Otherwise, it is only plain white silk, that follows my curves, and falls down to the floor. The veil is made of simple tulle, and also touches the ground.
"The dress is beautiful." I say, spinning around.
"Cinna designed it." Octavia chirps. I sit down on the bed. I miss him so much. Cinna was my friend throughout the Games, he was one of my only friends back then. But when he helped me become the Mockingjay, they killed him. They dragged him away right in front of my eyes, and then killed him. All these memories make me start to cry. "Why? Why do always the people that I love get killed because of me? Because Cinna was killed because of me. It was me who did the trick with the berries five years ago, and started the rebellion. I start to sob. Venia looks at me compassionately and Effie shrieks.
"Oh, no, Katniss, now your make-up is all messed up! We have to do it all over again!" she says.
"Oh, it's okay, isn't that why we're here?" Venia says with a kind voice.
"But Katniss has to be at the Justice building in ten minutes! If she isn't, the whole day's schedule will fall apart!" she shrieks.
"Well, you'll have to work fast, then." I say when my sobbing has stopped.
Venia quickly redoes my face, and then I am herded into a car. I sit in the big back seat with my prep team and Effie. We are the last to arrive to the ceremony. I am left alone outside the big main entrance, when Effie and the others have rushed in through a back door to join the other invited guests inside. Suddenly, Haymitch appears on my side. I had entirely forgot! He is going to hand me over to Peeta, since I have no parents here to do that. I don't mind that he does that, it's better than nothing.
"Nervous, sweetheart?" he says. I don't think he is drunk, for once.
"No, not really." I say. "This is mine and Peeta's wedding. I can't wait to be married to him."
"Yeah, that's what he said too." Haymitch says. Then we hear music. Twelve's traditional wedding march."
"That's our cue." Haymitch says, and I put my hand through his arm. Then the big doors open. Benches stand on both sides of a path, leading up to an elevation in the floor. Then I see him. The man that I'm here to marry. The man that loves me. And the man that I love with all my heart. He has his hands behind his back, and when he sees me, his face lightens up. When Haymitch starts to lead me up towards him, I feel like ripping my hand off his grip and running into Peeta's arms. But I can't do that. Effie would probably faint. I'm losing my patience when I am about ten feet from him. I have looked him straight in the eye the whole time, neither of us breaking eye contact. When I finally reach him, and he takes my hand, I feel complete. This moment couldn't get any better. But I was wrong. When I shot a quick glance at the crowd, I saw her, sitting in the front row. Mother. She came. A huge weight that I didn't even know existed was lifted off my chest. I am so happy that she came. Then, when my eyes wander to the back rows, I see Gale, sitting in the corner. Wow. I really admire him for coming to my wedding, although the person I am going to marry isn't him. I look back at Peeta.
"All the people that I love are here." I whisper to him.
"Yes, they are. I love you." he answers.
"I love you too." I reply.
Then, the mayor, who is going to perpetuate us, speaks up.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, to witness and celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the union of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark." he says with a clear voice.
"Do you, Peeta Mellark, choose to marry Katniss Everdeen on this day; to speak the words that will join you with her as your wife, for all the days of your life?" he says, looking at Peeta.
"I do." Peeta says and smiles at me.
"Do you, Katniss Everdeen, choose to marry Peeta Mellark on this day; to speak the words that will join you with her as your husband, for all the days of your life?" the mayor looks at me.
"I do." I answer without taking my eyes off Peeta.
"Then, if you would, please turn to face one another and join hands as you each take your marital vows." since we are already doing that, the mayor looks at me and continues:
"I, Katniss Everdeen, take you Peeta Mellark, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." the mayor says.
"I, Katniss Everdeen, take you Peeta Mellark, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." I repeat. The mayor says the same to Peeta and he repeats.
"I, Peeta Mellark, take you Katniss Everdeen, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." he says and gives me a smile that makes me want to cry. We stand there, looking each other in the eyes in what seems like forever. Then suddenly, the mayor breaks the silence.
"May we have the rings?" the mayor says and Haymitch steps forward. He is holding a small pillow with two velvet boxes on it. Peeta picks up the one on the left and I take the one on the right. We open the boxes, slide the rings on each other's fingers and entwine them again. Peeta gives me a big smile and I let out a small laugh. I am more happy now than ever before.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." the mayor says. "You can now kiss the bride." he says to Peeta, and before I know it I'm lifted off my feet and kissed so passionately that I would have fell of my feet if I was standing on them. I put my arms around Peeta's neck and kiss him back just as passionately. The guests are applausing and cheering. Annie claps two year-old Naal's hands together. He looks just like Finnick. Johanna actually smiles. Mother looks like she is about to cry. Then, when we have broke away from our kiss and faced the crowd, we hear a door close. Gale just left the hall. I feel a little bit sad, but then I look at Peeta. I am not going to let Gale ruin this moment.
When I look deep into the blue eyes of my husband, I realise that there is nothing that I am missing right now. Finally, I have reached total happiness.