What Next

Everyone greeted the dawn and his family wished him luck in his future endeavors. The little rascals were on the verge of crying and they eventually did. Peeta calmed them and assured them of his swift return. His father and mother blessed him and wished him safe travels. He made certain to check on Marianne before leaving but alas she was still asleep for she had too much to eat the last night. Peeta was the formal type and respected sleep for it was one of his favorite things he practiced before meeting her. He smiled with a calm gaze fixated on her sleeping body perhaps one last time from the window, his heart full of optimism that he would see her as soon as possible. He kept staring, hoping he would see those sky blue eyes as a joyful refresher but Marianne was sleeping with ecstacy, Peter turned away and did not look back. And that was that, he left the little village for Philosophical studies with two goals now etched into his head; to finish successfully and come back to the girl he loved.

        Marianne joined the day two hours after her love's departure. She was with a dull mood laying in her little bed shaped in the fetus position (like a baby in the belly of the mother). Perhaps it was because she didn't get to see him one more time. Her cheeks were red, hair in disarray, eyes watered with soft woes. At this brief moment she couldn't differentiate left from right . Her mind oblivious to its surroundings, weeping slowly and feeling the salt of every tear rub against her lips. The more the tears, the more it felt like her chests were clogging, begging for air and escape with no one there but herself to do the comforting. This had gone on for the better part of an hour until a sudden feeling of ecstacy; A release from her relapsed mind. What she felt for young Peeta wasn't the most common of feelings, it was unconditional love and she knew it.

      It wasn't the longest of trips at the back of a carriage or the shortest either. The roads were rough and filled with potholes. What was supposed to be a day's journey became two. Gazing up on the gates of Amphire like a newborn experiencing vision for the first time; his eyes, as bright as crystals in dark caves, Peeta had a certain optimism of what the future held for him there. He settled in quickly. He had a close  relative from his paternal branch, an uncle over at Amphire he would be staying with. Those days whoever wanted to study had to be living close to the structure.

Uncle Erik was living ten minutes from University, this was to Peeta's convenience. Erik was delighted to see him. He last set  eyes on him when he was no more than three years old. Both men had one thing in common; they weren't the tallest of men. Uncle Erik helped Peeta settle in quickly prior to getting ready for his classes the next day. They were immediate. Amphire had a different smell from Lancanport, there were more people, some inebriated others without worry. The whole area was filled with green giving a cool effect for conducive learning wherever you were. Lectures were taught where ever there was space, churches, homes of volunteers. The buildings were made in association with The Church meaning it was a Christian setting. Most classes were taught by Reverends and senior scribes.

It was beautiful day to acquire knowledge. They were only so few at the gathering.

        Only a handful of people had a piqued interest in Philosophy. There was a certain ostracism with women who wanted education. Society believed a womans place was in the kitchen or knitting materials. Peeta took all this into account after spending three days at the capital. What inspired hi to take on this challenge was his favorite writer, Damien Petrova. His love for his writings were exquisite but extraordinarily uncomparable to what he felt for his neighbor next door. She was always a lingering thought in his head. He would complete writings and assignments and still think of the thirty few days they spent together. He could remember every moment of it like pages read aloud from an often recited poem. As he promised Marianne, he would write letters. Letters that reassured her of his love not forgetting to explain the challenges and everything. He would include everything , every single necessary detail and letters were what she  needed to make her mind sound.

"My love, I am adapting to this new environment, it is different from our little village. There's much people here. Everyone always has something to do. There are trees that have presumably stood tall here for hundreds of years. Everything here fascinates me. The scholars teach us like preaches from the Bible. I think there's a certain love for my questions from the scholars,they always seem to be interested in anything I say. Please remember everyday that you made me open to love and for that i will continue to love you unconditionally. I love you. Please wait for me just a little longer."

Love, Peeta.

    It would always take the better part of two days before messages are distributed to the Points of address meaning they wouldn't be fresh off the ink and quill. Marianne received the letter from a messenger exactly two days after. She would read the letter and picture his mouth uttering every writing, word for word. Reading Peeta's letters gave her a semblance of happiness and that was all she wanted at the moment, for her days and nights had become as lonely as the sun in space.