Katniss has always been the individual who likes to look upon others with a welcoming and gracious heart. But war and loss have hit the mare hard, so she finds herself far more guarded than she should be. Perhaps it is a good thing that she is finally cautious. Perhaps her willingness to be open and welcome others has gotten her into far more predicaments than she really needs to find herself in. Perhaps this is just a foreshadowing of the change that is brewing and the change that will wash over her in the future.
To hear that the newcomer means not hard to herself or her court is comforting, if only a little bit. There is a part of her that is untrusting, unsure of whether or not she should believe the stranger. After all, it was a stranger who had tried to take her own life, only to take away the life of her lover. There were things brewing in the shadows that she could only hope to comprehend. Perhaps her hesitancy to believe this mare was a way in which she was protecting herself and her court.
But her attention is now on her court, watching the others move about the city. The air is filled with laughter and joy, feelings that she wished she could once again feel. It had been too long since she had truly felt joy, too long since she had truly laughed. When was the last time she had a laugh, a good throaty laugh that came from deep within her belly. Not since before Metaphor had been killed. Not since before her life had been destroyed.
Castalla asks about the magic here and Katniss answers with honest truth. The ground here is seeping with magic, just waiting for each individual to tap into it and begin to wield its powers. But what the mare answers is horrifying: that where she came from, people are hunted for their abilities. Why be given such a gift if it was only going to be taken away prematurely? It wasn’t right and it didn’t make sense. “What an awful place to live in.” Here it was only the seats of power that were enticing enough to kill for. She had seen many magics, all different and all unique, but none seen above the others.
When Castalla brings her gaze forward, Katniss meets it with her own. She can see the pain and anger in her eyes, the undertones in her voice are hard to miss. She knows that Castalla has come from a horrible place, a place where tyrants rule and the poor are the ones who suffer. Katniss had been born in a place like that…and it has been her mission since birth to put an end to such kingdoms. “I am truly sorry to know you lived under such tyranny. Novus is nothing like that place.” Her eyes are soft, trying to bring some comfort to the other. “We embrace our magic and use it to help others. Sure, there are some bad apples that use their gifts for evil, but most of us just want to live happy lives.” Happy lives that were not interrupted by death and destruction. Happy lives that brought children into this world and helped the elderly pass on. Novus, for the most part, was a happy place to live - probably the happiest she had lived in for some time now. She had her bitter memories, but most were pleasant.
@Castalla
