EPILOGUE

New Year's Eve – Ten months after the masquerade…

"Come on Katniss, hurry up! We are going to be late," Prim pestered as she flounced into the room.

Katniss fiddled with her pen as she stared down at the blank sheet of paper. She had been sitting there for over half an hour. She smoothed out the skirt of her soft orange silk gown over her lap. Except for this last task, she was ready to leave for Cinna and Portia's New Year's Eve party.

Prim flopped down on the couch, despite the voluminous tulle of the skirt on her sky blue party dress. "I can't believe you've put this off. I wrote my wishes days ago."

Peeta, who sat in the chair across from Prim, looked up from his sketchpad and said, "Now Prim, you can't rush a wish."

Prim blew out a breath. "I know. She shouldn't have put it off until now."

Katniss closed her eyes as she reflected on the past year. While writing wishes before had been a fun tradition, she had seen her own come to fruition due to her diligence and because of love. She now knew that she possessed the power to make her own wishes come true.

Katniss looked up from her task. "Prim, sit up. Effie has only stepped out for a minute. You don't want her to catch you sitting like that. Now both of you hush, I'm thinking."

She chuckled when she heard Prim mutter under her breath as her sister straightened her posture and crossed her legs at the ankle in the way Effie had always instructed them to sit, as a lady should. Her eyes moved over to Peeta and who was watching her intently. He gave her a smile that she knew was a promise for later that night. She blushed and ducked her head. Then put her pen to paper.

Harvest Festival – A year and a half after…

Katniss was catching her breath from the fast-paced reel when Peeta pulled her close, swaying her to the ballad the band was now playing. She tucked her head into his shoulder and breathed in his scent as they danced to the music. As the song drew to a close, Peeta whispered in her ear, "Why don't we go for a walk?" She smiled up at him and nodded.

They strolled away from the crowds in the square toward the bakery, which Peeta had reopened just last month after planning and rebuilding through the past spring and summer. He spent his days baking breads and cakes for the district with Katniss right there alongside him—when she wasn't out hunting. They still lived with Haymitch, as he was their family too. She imagined someday they would get their own place, but not today, and probably not tomorrow. Haymitch would never admit it, but he liked having his "kids" underfoot.

When they stopped in front of the bakery, Peeta kissed her slowly. As he pulled away he suggested, "Let's go around back. I want to show you something about the old apple tree."

Katniss bit her lip and smiled as she remembered what they had done at that apple tree two years prior.

Peeta took her hand and drew her around the side of the bakery to the back. To her surprise, the property behind the bakery had been strewn with paper lanterns of reds, oranges, and golds.

"Peeta, it's beautiful. What's going on?"

He stayed quiet and led her over to the tree where he had fashioned a bench that allowed them to sit at during their breaks from work.

"Katniss, would you please sit?"

She cocked her head to the side and her eyes narrowed. After a moment, she did as he asked.

Peeta rubbed his thighs and blew out a breath.

Again, Katniss inquired, "Peeta, please tell me what is going on?"

He looked at her with a tight smile, then closed his eyes and swallowed. When they reopened, he dropped down to one knee. Peeta reached into his jacket pocket and extracted a ring. Her breath caught in her throat as Peeta took her left hand and he looked into her eyes.

"Katniss. I love you so much. The last couple of years have become the best part of my life. We care for each other. We challenge each other. We protect each other. It is what we do. It is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Will you do it with me? Will you marry me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded, momentarily without voice. She mumbled, "Yes," then said it twice more, her voice progressively stronger each time.

He slipped the ring on her hand, which was perfect. Peeta had chosen well, opting for an oval cut emerald with two small diamonds rather than a large diamond solitaire. This suited her.

Peeta stood and pulled her once more into a passionate kiss. Katniss' hands drifted down to cup his backside to pull him closer, causing Peeta to pull back.

"Kat," he whispered. "As much as I'd love to repeat two years ago, we can't right now."

She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Why?" before gently nipping at his earlobe.

Peeta gave a little shudder and sighed. "Oh, Katniss, I wish we could right now. But we can't as you will see in a moment."

He stepped back, and then stood beside her to face the back of the bakery. He clasped her left hand and raised their arms in the air.

Peeta shouted, "She said yes!"

The back door opened and out poured Prim, her father, Effie, and Haymitch, who was carrying a tray full of champagne and glasses.

Prim called, "Of course she did. That was her wish!"

Katniss protested, "How could you know that?"

Prim shrugged her shoulders with a smirk as she handed her sister a glass of champagne.

December – Almost three years after…

"Oh, darling. You look so beautiful!" Effie gushed as she walked into the room. "Cinna, you really outdid yourself on that gown."

Cinna didn't look up from his task of fluffing out the voluminous skirt of the dress, which Katniss discovered had 984 feet of tulle because Octavia could not stop talking about it earlier. While she was being washed, waxed, buffed, and moisturized, she also learned the dress also had 94 feet of feathers and thousands of crystals. Cinna really had outdone himself.

"Katniss, I would kiss you, but I don't want to muss Cinna's handy work. Your father should be in here in a few minutes. He was just having a few last words with Peeta and Haymitch. Wait till you see Peeta!" Effie continued to prattle on. Katniss stopped paying attention and closed her eyes as she tried to recall her vows. She suddenly couldn't remember them. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Cinna noticed and gently touched her face. She opened her eyes and he murmured just loud enough for her to hear, "Katniss, any day of the week, no matter what challenge, I'd still bet on you. You'll do fine."

Somehow, Cinna always knew exactly what to say to settle her. She smiled and turned her head to the opening of the door where she watched her father and Portia enter the room.

"Katniss, it's almost time," informed Portia. "Cinna, why don't you escort Effie to her seat? Primrose. Rue. Follow me and we'll get ready for the precession. Let's give Katniss a few moments alone with her father.

Effie took Cinna's arm and exited the room. Prim and Rue, dressed in forest green silk chiffon, immediately followed Portia, leaving Katniss with her father.

"Papa, you look so handsome," Katniss said as she admired her father's grey suit.

Theron pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his eyes. "Mockingjay, you are the one who is breathtaking. I sometimes wonder if I could let you go but I know after talking to Peeta a few moments ago, I can't imagine a better man to let have you."

"Oh, Papa. I love him and I love you."

They heard a quiet knock on the door. It was time.

"It's time for you to meet your bridegroom."

They walked through the door into the staging area. Rue and Prim were already making their way up the aisle. Katniss and her father took their positions as Portia quickly adjusted her skirt and handed over the bridal bouquet full of greens and lilies and the occasional dandelion.

They approached the entrance to the assembly hall. Looking through the doorway, she could see the simple décor of pine greens and holly. Candles lit up the room. Rue and Prim stood off to one side while Haymitch and Peeta's friend Thom stood at the other. The crowd turned toward her as they passed through doorway. Then all Katniss could see was Peeta, dressed head to toe in white, a blinding smile across his face. One that match her own.

The opening chords of the bridal march broke her from her trance. Katniss gave her father a quick nod and Theron patted her arm.

Ready, she took her first step into a future where she knew that with love and determination, wishes came to be.

THE END

A/N: It's finished. I hope you enjoyed my Everlark retelling of the English fairytale Cap O' Rushes. If you have a moment, please let me know what you think of this tale.

I did base the wedding dress on the dress that is in Catching Fire. One of the collector's special magazine provided the details in construction.

Thank you to all that gave me support while writing this story including Pookieh and Victorianoir for beta reading, Fnur for technical fashion advice, and BaronessKika for pre-reading that first chapter. Of course thank you to all my readers who have given me encouragement along the way.

If you'd like more information about my fanfiction please visit my tumblr: dispatchesfromdistrict7

The characters are the property of the amazing Suzanne Collins and do not belong to me. You probably also have noticed I'll occasionally weave in one of the famous lines from her novels. Those totally belong to Ms. Collins too.