Katniss

I great guest after guest at the middle of the ballroom of the York house, telling them to have a good time in no matter who they may be. I honestly forget half of their names just after I greet them. I smile as I notice a friendly face and curtsey low to Peeta's mother.

"Your Majesty," I greet her. "So lovely to see you." She bows to me herself and takes my hands, leading me from my place.

"I will tell you that the spoiled brat His Majesty tried replacing you with is driving me crazy," she says. "Thank goodness Prince Peeta's birthday gave me an opportunity to get away from that little witch." I look at her and see sincerity in her eyes. "Are you enjoying this holiday?" I nod, smiling.

"Very much," I say. "A much needed rest from the city. I'm actually sleeping tgrough the nights here." She smiles, the light reaching her usually stern eyes.

"Thats good," she says. "Johanna had mentioned to me how terrible you suffered from night terrors." I look down and Queen Mary lightly touches my arm. "What's wrong child?"

"I have had different dreams," I admit. "Impure dreams about His Grace." She smirks and shakes her head.

"He's an attractive young man who's courting you," Queen Mary says. "We can't control what slips into our thoughts in dreams. It may be you finding that clarity you are searching for subconciously." I look over at her, surprised she would speak so freely about the fact that I had told her I was dreaming about being intimate with her son. But I shake it off, she is wanting desperately for me to marry the prince. She would support anything to show signs that I return his favor.

"Is she pretty?" I ask. "Princess Elizabeth?" She shakes her head.

"She is mildly good looking," Queen Mary says. "Nothing compared to you. An empty shell of a statue is the term I believe you tend to use, Lady Everdeen." She squeezes my hand and kisses my cheek. "I'm going to go visit with my son a little if you will excuse me." I nod and release her hand.

"If I don't see you before you depart, Goodnight, Your Majesty," I say and she nods.

"To you as well, Sweet Girl," she replies and I walk back to my place in the center of court.

More guests file in, one after another. I feel all their eyes on me, but I don't even pay attention. I just do my job as Peeta had asked me to, not wanting to embarass him when he gave me this honor. As the final guests arrive, I carefully take my place at the table at the right hand of Peeta. Queen Mary is seated on the other side of the seat belonging to the prince and Annie next to me. We all stand as Peeta comes to stand at my side and raises his glass.

"To another year of serving England," he says and I raise my own, feeling bold.

"And many more healthy years for Your Grace," I say and he smiles at me before we all take a drink of our glasses and we sit down to the great feast. There are countless rolls and large bowls of a stew set infront of all of us. I glance at Peeta and he nods to it.

"Its lamb from the fields," he says. "With plum sauce." I carefully take a bite of the warm stew and smile at the decadent food. I finish what I can and then look to a servent as he comes to collect my still half full bowl.

"Please take this and share it with the poor," I say. "I would hate for it to go to waste as dog food if there are hungry in the village." He looks a little shocked at me but then nods and takes my bowl. Peeta grabs his arm as he tries to continue gathering the left overs.

"I would like that all of us follow Lady Everdeen's example and all the left over food be given to the lower quarter after it has been divided amoungst your families," he says and the servent nods.

"Yes, of course, Your Grace," the servent says obviously a little flustered by the whole thing and he leaves with our bowls and Peeta looks at me.

"Thats why I need you around," Peeta says after he leaves. "You think of things like that to help benefit those less fortunate than us." I smile and tentatively reach for the warm apple cider veing divided out. I take a sip and look to Peeta.

"Well, it comes from having a few hungry nights to know that food is a gift not to be wasted," I say. "Besides, it gives them a chance to share in the celebrations." He chuckles and kisses my hand.

"Clever as always, Lady Everdeen," he says and I squeeze his hand.

"Well I have to be," I say. "Its why you enjoy my company so much."

"One of the many reasons," Peeta says. Lively music starts and people begin to gather in the dance floor. Queen Mary appears behind us with a gentle touch of the shoulder.

"Why don't you two join in the dancing?" She says. "I'll take care of anyone who cares to want to bother you on a special day like this." I glance at Peeta and he stands up.

"Do you want to?" He asks. "You'd be the center of attention if you did." I stand up beside him and shrug.

"They already had been staring anyway," I say.

"Lets give them a reason to look," Peeta finishes and he leads me to the floor and the dancers leave space for us to join into their dancing.

We go round and round. Partners changing sides and the spinning of skirts unfurling.  The warmth of Peeta's hand against mine everytime we join again. I smile at him and he smiles back as continue the dance.

It is like the whole world fades away. The eyes, they mean so little when mine are locked with his. I just allow him to spin me around and around on the endless dance floor.

Slowly people start to leave. Its late on a rainy night after all. They come to bid Peeta goodbye and some of them kiss my hand as they leave. I start to suspect that there was ulterior motives in having me serve the way I did at this feast.

Peeta wants them to see me, see that I'm capable of the duties that would be demanded of me as queen. He's having me win my own support amoung those who may sponser my campaign to be the first first wife of a prince to come from such a humble begining.

As the final few people mill around, I go to the window and watch the rain hitting the colored panes. The soft sounds in the quiet room are calm, soothing almost. The quiet of a storm is more soothing to me than any lullaby, the ocasional thunder like the heartbeat of mother nature herself.

"You look happy?" Peeta says as he walks up behind me. "Nowhere near as tired as I figured you'd be this late." I glance back at him and then back out at the storm.

"I've been having pleasent, refreshing, good nights sleeps since we've been here," I say. "I feel better than I have in weeks."

"I'm glad those nightmares are finally leaving you be," He says and I turn away from the window and towards him. "And the pleasent ones have found you." I smirk.

"If only you knew," I say as I walk past him.

"What do you mean by that, Lady Everdeen," Peeta asks and I shrug.

"Lets just say, my dreams have been very pleasent as of late," I say.

"Care to tell me about them?" He asks and I look back at him and laugh.

"Dreams are the wishes our hearts make without our minds' consent," I say. "And as I told you this morning, wishes only come true if they stay secrets." Peeta comes to my side and we walk slowly towards the spiral staircase that leads to our bedrooms. He offers his hand as we mount the steps and I take it, pulling up my skirt with my other hand so I don't trip.

"I think they were impressed by you overall," Peeta says eventually. "Not everyone is going to instantly fall in love with the idea of you, but I think you gave them something to think about." I nod and then look over at him.

"You enjoyed showing me off then, Your Grace?" I ask. He kisses my hand and smiles.

"You called me a bird once," he says. "A peacock who loves to show off if I remember correctly."

"I knew only of you and your ways at court, Peeta," I say. "Now I do. You aren't like that at all."

"More of a song bird?" He asks jokingly and I nod.

"Yes," I say. "Your words, your voice is a powerful thing. I see that now."

"Well, even a male bluebird needs to give a little show to keep attention," Peeta says.  "Tonight, I will admit I used you to both our adavantages." I smile and we stop at the top of the long stairs.

"Well, I don't mind so much when I have control of how they see me like we did here," I say and he nods.

"You enjoyed yourself tonight then?" He asks and I nod.

"I did," I say. "At first it was a little overwhelming, but I think I found a way through it." We stop at my door and he smiles at me.

"I'm glad you had a good time tonight," Peeta says. "I did too."

"Well I should hope you would have enjoyed your birthday, Peeta," I say and he smiles at me as I lean against my door. 

"As long as you were here, it could have been a disaster and I'd of enjoyed it," he says. He gives my hand a squeeze and I lean forward and kiss his cheek. As I pull away he shakes his head.

"What?" I ask.

"Its my birthday and I don't even get a proper kiss goodnight," he says. "What must you think of me, Katniss." I smile and lean in and gently kiss his lips. He cups my cheek, refusing to let me go until I finally take a step back.

"Better now?" I ask and he smiles. "Goodnight, Peeta."

"See you in my dreams, Katniss," he says and I smile and turn into my door. I close it and lean bavk against it, holding my chest.

Whether I admit it to myself. My heart knows what it wants. And it has made the choice to long for a man who has the slimist chance of anyone to marry me.