Dawn. It is a time of morning that Katniss enjoys more than anything. Each morning, she begins her day with a patrol of the boarders, watching as the sun finally blankets Denocte in light. There’s something calming and soothing about watching the sun peak up over the peaks of the mountains and reflect off the water in the lake. It’s soothing to watch the court finally come alive. Katniss has always enjoyed being one of the first to greet the new day and she doesn’t think that will ever change.

But on this particular morning, after her patrols are completed, she makes her way into the citadel. She needs to speak with her new Sovereign. She has so many ideas that no one else seems to take to heart. The soldier knows Denocte needs protection and she wants so badly to offer that. Her hope and dream has always been to be a leader for Denocte. Maybe not as their sovereign, but certainly as their Champion of Battle. She wants to prepare Denocte should anything come array. She can remember when the food stores were sent ablaze. There had been no militia, no soldiers to protect the citizens or their food. It had been chaos and Katniss wants nothing more than to change that.

However, Katniss realizes that before she can go to her new king for his blessing on the matter, she needs to greet him as an individual. He needs to see that she is honest and true, that she is a good citizen of Denocte. How can she expect him to trust her on these matters if he does not know her? And in the same breath, how can she trust him if she doesn’t really know who he is?

And so, this beautiful dawn, Katniss heads towards the citadel where she might have an audience with Ira. She listens to the steady clip clop of her feet against cobblestone streets and it brings her comfort. As she comes to the entrance, she looks to her left, a spot of soot and burned stone that serve as a constant reminder of her loss. It is the place where she sent Metaphor to live amongst the stars. She cannot stand there long and stare, for it will no doubt bring tears to her eyes. She only offers a silent sigh and a look of grief before she turns back forward and steps into the fortress.

She is met with guards, guards that she has trained personally. They know who she is, but as they were trained, they need to know her business. “I come seeking an audience with Ira.” They look to one another for a moment before they slowly part and let her by. They know her and trust that she will not harm the new Sovereign. She silently thanks them with a simple nod before she steps into the citadel in the hopes of meeting with Ira on this very blessed Monday morning.

@Ira