Three Lives

Caesar and Jacob have been a natural team since they first appeared together a year ago. Their simple back-and-forth banter, their humor, and their ability to create heart-wrenching moments, like Jacob's confession of his love for Katniss, have made them a huge success with the audience.

Jacob walked calmly towards Caesar, his demeanor unchanged since Rue's death. He no longer worried about events from the past but focused on calming his anger towards the future, channeling all his fury towards the Capitol.

But this time, for obvious reasons, they felt that Jacob was very different, as if he was preoccupied with something. So Caesar directly steered the conversation to what the audience had been waiting for.

"So, Jacob, how did you feel when, after everything you've been through, you found out about the Quell?" Caesar asked, slightly shifting his gaze towards the audience as if expecting them to stay silent.

"I was furious. I mean, one minute I was watching Katniss looking so beautiful in all those wedding dresses, and the next moment..." Jacob's voice was cold.

"Did you realize there would never be a wedding?" Caesar asked kindly.

Jacob paused for a long moment, as if suppressing his anger. He looked at the audience, who were holding hands, then at the ground, and finally at Caesar before asking him, "Caesar, do you think our friends can keep a secret?"

An uncomfortable laughter emanated from the audience. What did he mean? Hide a secret from whom? If everything that happens in Jacob and Katniss's world is being observed by all of Panem.

"I'm pretty sure they can," Caesar said, a little confused.

"Katniss and I are already married..." Jacob said quietly. The crowd reacted with astonishment, everyone was confused, including Katniss, who was sitting not far away.

"But... how can that be?" Caesar asked.

"Oh, it's not an official marriage. We didn't go to the Justice Building or anything. But we have this marriage ritual in District 12. I don't know how it is in the other districts. But there's a simple union that all the residents of District 12 have," Jacob said, briefly describing the toasting.

"Were your friends and family there?"

"No, we didn't tell anyone. Not even Haymitch. And Katniss's mother would never have approved. But you see, we knew that if we got married in the Capitol, there wouldn't be a toasting. And neither of us wanted to wait anymore. So one day, we just did it in secret."

After saying this, Jacob paused and looked Caesar in the eyes before saying, "And for us, we are more married than any piece of paper or any party could have made us."

"So, this was before the Quell?"

"Of course, it was before the Quell. I'm sure we would have never done it after knowing about it." Jacob clenched his fists and looked at the audience. "Personally, I don't mind participating in the Games again, but all of you understand a bit of my anger, right?"

"We all know, Jacob."

Jacob smiled a little and shook his head. "But who could have seen it coming? Nobody. We went through the Games, we were victors, everyone seemed so happy to see us together, and then suddenly... I mean, how could we have anticipated something like this?"

"You couldn't, Jacob." Caesar put his arm around Jacob's shoulders. "As you say, nobody could have. But I have to admit, I'm glad you had at least a few months of happiness together."

At that moment, there was intense applause. As if everyone was excited, Katniss, in the distance, appeared devastated. The lingering smoke from the feathers made her eyes teary, adding a beautiful touch.

"I'm not glad..." Jacob murmured. "I wish we had waited until everything had been made official."

Even Caesar was taken aback by this. "Are you sure a short time is better than nothing?"

"Maybe I would have thought that too, Caesar." Jacob returned to his cold and distant state. "If it weren't for the baby, a new life on the way..."

As the news exploded, accusations of injustice, barbarism, and cruelty were thrown in all directions. Even the most Capitol-loving person, the most hungered for the Games, the most bloodthirsty, couldn't ignore, at least for a moment, how horrible all of this was.

Like the cannibalistic competitor that dissatisfied all viewers, this news was so grave and sad that no one could bear it. And Jacob had planned it for one simple outcome, to keep the entire Capitol occupied. He needed to do it to create distraction.