Livia composed herself before finding Madge in her room. She sat at her dressing table, brushing out her wavy blond hair before a mirror.
She saw Livia's reflection behind her and smiled, "Look at you. Like you came right off the streets of the Capitol."
It was the first Sunday after the festival had Livia traveled into the woods again- the first time since she'd left.
She trudged through the snow, seeing the mockingjays hopping about on branches as they picked up on other birds' melodies, replicating them, and then transforming them into something new.
As always, they reminded her of Rue.
She hiked to the lake, which was a strenuous act- no doubt.
After a couple of hours, Livia reached an old house near the edge of the lake.
Although, maybe 'house' was too big a word for it. It's only one room, about twelve feet square.
It was made entirely of concrete-
Floor, roof, ceiling. Only one of four glass windows remained, wavy and yellowed by time.
There was no plumbing or electricity, but the fireplace still worked and there was a woodpile in the corner.
Livia started a small fire, counting on the mist to obscure any telltale smoke.
While the fire caught, Livia swept out the snow that had accumulated under the empty window- using a twig broom she'd made.
Then she sat on the tiny concrete hearth, thawing out by the fire and waiting.
But she didn't have to wait long.
"Took you long enough." Livia teased.
A bow was slung over his shoulder, a dead wild turkey- that he must have encountered along the way- hanging from his belt.
He stood in the doorway as if considering whether or not to enter.
"Well maybe if you didn't pick a place twelve miles away." Gale scoffed.
The pair sat beside the fire as Livia told him all about what's been happening- it was nice to talk about it to someone.
Livia began with the night she and Peeta were crowned victors of the Hunger Games, and Haymitch warned her of the Capitol's fury.
She told him about the uneasiness that dogged her even once she was back home, President Snow's visit to her house, the murders in District 11, the tension in the crowds, the engagement, the president's indication that it hadn't been enough.
He never interrupts, just listens.
Livia paused to take a drink of tea from the flask before telling him about her homecoming.
"Well, you really made a mess of things." He jeered.
"I'm not even done." Livia exclaimed.
"I'm surprised the president has found so much time to torment you- with his wedding planning and all." Gale joked.
"Well, with an uprising in District Eight, I doubt he's spending much time choosing my wedding cake." Livia quipped.
His eyes widened.
"There's an uprising in Eight?" He quizzed in a hushed voice.
"I don't know if it's really an uprising. There's unrest. People in the streets-" Livia started, not wanting to make accusations.
Gale grabbed her shoulders, "What did you see?"
"Nothing! In person- I just heard something", Livia started, before sighing, "I saw something on the mayor's television. I wasn't supposed to. There was a crowd, and fires, and the Peacekeepers were gunning people down but they were fighting back..."
