Chapter 3: Marry the Man

One day, around lunchtime, a few weeks after my strange coupling with Darius, Mother comes in from the Hob bursting with news. She tells me and my stunned sister that Darius the Peacekeeper asked her for my - my! - hand in marriage.

I am stunned and wonder if my kissing him and then sucking him off made the young Peacekeeper fall in love with me or something. I am scared and unsure, which Mother notices.

"Katniss, he's a Peacekeeper! He's offering to marry you!"

I look to Prim. Marrying Darius would give us advantage and favor amongst the few people in Twelve who are left. I could provide for my mother and sister better. We might even live somewhere that is not the Seam. Peacekeepers have a barracks, a compound, near the Justice Building where they board.

I have to do this. For the sake of my family. I nod shakily.

"Tell... tell him to come by tonight and we'll have a Toasting."

I don my mother's old wedding dress that night. Darius does not own a tuxedo, preferring instead to wear his Peacekeeper uniform and stop by during his routine patrol.

Darius and I Toast a piece of bread over the fire. Then, the red-headeded hunk takes my face in his hands and presses his lips to mine in a chaste and tender kiss. I close my eyes as I kiss him back.

I don't quite know if I can love my new husband yet, but maybe with time, we could make it work.