Baby of Panem

Conditions

I sit in my room with Prim, Rose asleep in my arms. Prim and I both had free time and Rose, of course, had no schedule. Gale had a class scheduled for this time and my mom was working in the hospital wing. After yesterday's events, I was surprised I wasn't back in the hospital myself. I couldn't sleep last night, and I was barely able to think. Prim must sense that as she walks over and lays a hand on my shoulder.

 "Katniss, you can tell me. I'm good at keeping secrets, even from mom," she shows no emotion on her face, but broadcasts her sincerity in her voice.

She has changed. The little girl with the back of her shirt sticking out, my little duck, is gone. She knows that our mom can only know so much. She no longer begs to see the frosted cakes, decorated by Peeta, in the bakery windows. She stitches up bleeding wounds. She has turned into a young woman, even at her young age. Time and tragedy have forced her to grow up too quickly. I look down at the sleeping girl in my arms, my baby girl. My daughter. How will time and tragedy change her? So innocent as she sleeps, oblivious to the war going on outside, the war that her own mother started. Even when she is awake, she remains unknown of the outside dangers. What wouldn't I give to protect her innocence to this war? What wouldn't I give to protect her in the ways that I failed to protect Prim? I can't bear the thought of Rose growing up much too quickly, because of a war that I had started to save her father. There was only one way that I could protect her and everyone else. I had to be the Mockingjay, I had already decided that.

"I'm agreeing to be the Mockingjay," I tell her quietly.

 "Are you agreeing because you want to or because you feel forced to?"

 "I guess both. I mean, I want to. If it will help the rebels defeat Snow, I have to. But I don't know if I want us to win." I know that isn't true. One look into Prim's eyes and I know that she knows it too. "I mean, it's just that... well Peeta. If we would win, I'm afraid the rebels will view him as a traitor and execute him as one."

"Katniss, you don't understand how important you are to this cause. Important people can get what they want. If you really want to keep Peeta safe, you can." She looks at me. I never realized how important I was to them. They need me, more than I need them.

"So, I could demand immunity for Peeta and they would agree to it?"

"I think you could demand anything you want and they would have to agree to it. There's just no guarantee that they will keep their word."

"Yes there is. I'll make it public. Coin will have to announce it to the entire population of Thirteen."

"That's not a bad idea. Time's almost up. I have a shift at the hospital next. Gale has the next hour off though, you should talk to him. I'll see you later Katniss."

"I love you little Duck."

"I love you too." With that she left the room and I stood and laid Rose in her crib.

I could demand almost anything. The only thing I could think of that I really wanted was immunity for Peeta. I want him here with me as well, I want him rescued from Snow and brought to me. I waited for Gale to come into the room, he knew I would be here. I have double free time, since I have Rose and I'm still trying to recover. Rose, I have to demand her safety at all costs. She can't stay with me when I go to fight. I will demand that they allow Prim and my mother to care for her. I will demand that she stays in Thirteen with them. The door to the room slides open and Gale walks in. He is carrying a napkin in his hand.

"Just some stuff I didn't want to eat."

"Gale, you know the rules. You can't take food from the dining hall."

"What are they going to do? Coin took my communicuff already."

"I just thought of a condition of me being the Mockingjay. We are allowed to hunt. We will give all the food to the kitchen, as long as they let us hunt." I see his smile and he walks over to me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Hunting, that sounds like a good idea." He kisses my forehead gently and then pulls away from me.

"I have to go see Coin. Come with me?"

 "What about Rose?"

"That's why your coming with me. Will you bring her?"

"Of course, they might kick me out after yesterday though."

"Not if they want me to be the Mockingjay."

 "You might want to add Buttercup to your list. There aren't supposed to be pets here."

"Good idea." He leans over and picks up Rose. She stirs then relaxes into his arms, just like she did with Peeta. She looks so natural in Gales arms and he looks so natural holding her. We walk to command. Coin, Plutarch and their people are already there waiting for us.

I take a deep breath and open my mouth to voice my demands. Everything starts becoming jumbled together and I get a pencil and a sheet of paper. The first thing I write down is Peeta. Everyone watches me as I write my list. Rose. I write her name down under Peeta's. The two most important things first. Hunting. I write it down below Rose's name. I remember what Gale had said to me and write Buttercup below that. This is the only time I will be able to make an conditions. I try to think, What else do I want? I feel Gale's hand on my shoulder and cover it with mine. I couldn't do this without him. Gale I write down his name quickly. My thoughts are tangling together. I close my eyes and silently run through my list.

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. There is no District 12. I have a daughter. Her name is Rose. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. Snow hates me. Peeta has been taken Prisoner. He was thought to be dead. He is alive. He is a traitor, but he is alive. I have to keep him alive.

I watch the pencil move across the paper, almost as if it moves on its' own. I Kill Snow is written across the paper. This is the one thing that I have always wanted and if it shall be available, I will get the privilege. I gently brush Gale's hand off my shoulder and stand up.

 "I will be the Mockingjay. " I announce and then take a breath. "But I have conditions." I decide to start with the smallest one first, just to test this. "My sister will be allowed to keep her cat."               After some debate, it is agreed, but if it causes any problems it will be shot. Which is fine with me, I've wanted to do it since the first time it entered my house.

"I will be allowed to hunt. Gale will be allowed to come with me as well. We will give all food to the kitchen upon returning."

 "No. It's too risky," Coin says.

"Just let them hunt. It's your rebellion that you are trying to make her join remember," Haymitch interrupts. Gale and me can finally hunt.

"Everyone in district thirteen, including you," I look at Coin, "Will understand that Rose comes first. The second this war puts her in direct danger, I quit. In addition to that, you are to insure her safety as well as you can during this war." No argument follows, Coin just nods. She sighs, unhappy with the time we're wasting more than likely.

"You will rescue Peeta and the other victors at the earliest opportunity or you will find another Mockingjay." As soon as I say it, I realize that these people view him as a traitor, there's no more of a way to ensure his safety here than there is in the capitol.

"Fine," Coin is visibly too tired to argue.

"They will all be granted total immunity. You will announce it in front of the whole community. They will not be held responsible for any actions performed or things said before their arrival here."

"He's a traitor," one of the guys says, to Coin or me, I don't know which.

"Not unless you want to find another mockingjay,"I look straight at him.

"Total immunity. I'll hold an assembly tomorrow," Coin ends the discussion and sighs, "Anything else?"

"I kill Snow."