So, this is a test. I honestly don't know where it would lead. It's just a crazy idea of mine (one of many) and you need to tell me if ít's worth continuing or not.

CHAPTER 1 – Friends

There were not many differences between St. Nicolas Academy in Svetlogorsk, Siberia, and St. Vladimir's Academy in Montana, USA I had to admit astonished. The buildings that spread throughout a huge campus seemingly had been very old and the student body attending it, was a mixture of Moroi, Dhampir novices and teachers. Even in the summer time at the beginning of a new semester a light cover of snow reflected the sparkling light of the sun. Before we had arrived, my mother told me that the sun would be out for only a few weeks, so the Academy was working on an ordinary human schedule.

"Rose!" I heard the voice of my mother, standing at the door to the office building, waiting for me impatiently. I knew that she wanted to return to the States as soon as possible. She would only drop me off. Not that I expected more of the infamous Guardian Janine Hathaway, a person that was also my mother. For a short moment I felt the pain returning. This had already happened once: at the age of 4 years my mother gave me to St. Vlad's to raise me since she had to return protecting Moroi and fighting Strigoi. I had felt rejected back then and as hard as I fought, the paining feeling of rejection returned again. Why could I never be good enough for my mother to accept me and to let me make my own decisions?

Just to annoy my mother even a little bit more, I took my time looking around at the new and unfamiliar buildings I would have to call home now. Honestly, what was she thinking enrolling me in an Academy in Siberia? It was even worse than being stuck in the mountains of Montana. This Academy here was situated absolutely in nowhere. I haven't even seen a small village on our way here, a drive of nearly 6 hours. The buildings had been built out of brick stones which used to be red but now had the grey color of every old building. High windows caught every ray of sunlight, reflecting it to protect the Moroi who couldn't really take much sunlight.

"Rosemary!" Oh, well this was almost as bad as code red, so I decided that I have reached my goals to unnerve my mother just a little bit more and followed her into the office building with a smile. While it had been nearly freezing outside, the offices where heated enough for me to get rid of my thick jacket. Breathing into my freezing hands, I took the opportunity to let ma gaze wander through the new surroundings.

We stood right in front of a desk, loaded with paper and files and an old computer. The lady that sat behind the desk, smiled up when she heard us entering and even stoop up when she recognized us. Well, she probably recognized only my mother and I had only been the tag-along. Stepping around the fully loaded desk, she held out her hand for my mother to grab it.

"Hello, my name is Anastasia Melnikova and I welcome you to St. Nicolas Academy. I hope your drive here went by without problems, Guardian Hathaway?"

Taking in her large and slender frame I guessed she must be a Moroi. When my mother only gave her a short nod, Mrs. Melnikova turned to me with a warm smile. Even her eyes seemed to smile and I decided that instant to like her.

"And you must be Rosemary Hathaway, I assume?" her English was spoken with a heavy Russian accent but it sounded really nice.

"Yes, but please call me Rose." I said, shaking her outstretched hand. "It's nice to meet you." I quickly added after receiving a stern look from my mother. Good behavior was very important, especially if you where talking to a Moroi.

"Well, Rose. I hope you'll get comfortable quickly at our Academy. I don't think it will be much different from St. Vladimir's Academy though."

She had returned to her desk, rifling through some papers before pulling out a file with my name on it. Handing me she file, Mrs. Melnikova said:

"Here, this is your schedule and all the other information you might need to get comfortable here soon."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

„Let me call up your roommate, so she can help you with your luggage and then I think you can join your first classes in the afternoon." Oh joy, I was so groggy I would probably fall asleep in my first class here. What a promising start.

While Mrs. Melnikova called out for my new roommate, I sat down on some chairs and leafed through the file, filled with information about after school activities, clubs and other things. Also there was a list of my teachers and my schedule included.

After a few minutes a girl entered the room from another door and stepped towards Mrs. Melnikova's desk. After they had exchanged a few words in Russian, both turned around towards me and my mother on the chairs.

"Rose, this is Viktoria Belikova, your new roommate. Viktoria, this is Rose." Mrs. Melnikova introduced us and we greeted each other with a short nod. Another short nod was exchanged when Viktoria had been introduced to my mother and after that we only had to finish some paperwork, before Viktoria showed me to our room we would be sharing from now on.

Since it was class time right now the corridors and hallways had been empty except for some Guardians watching the campus. The walls mainly where covered in pictures of famous Guardians and Moro alike and to my astonishment I even saw a picture of my mother. Knowing that she was no person that likes being praised, I didn't say anything but stored this piece of information back in my mind.

Arriving at the room, I heaved my big suitcase and backpack inside and looked around the room. It was fairly big and gave enough space for two people living here comfortably without going on each other's nerves every minute. It would be useful for me since I was used to have my own room as e did back at the Academy. Since the numbers of female Guardian novices where diminished the novices had been assigned to separate rooms a while ago.

Two beds had been placed at opposite walls, together with a big wardrobe and desks, facing the huge window with view into the gardens. A small door to my left lead into a small bathroom. Putting my suitcase and backpack in front of the empty wardrobe I turned around to my mother who still stood next to the door.

"Well, thanks for giving me a ride." I said, hating to say good-bye to her knowing full well that it will be long time since she would turn up here.

She looked at me a little awkwardly, obviously expecting something more but when I didn't say anything else she only muttered a quick 'Good-Bye.' and vanished. When my mother was gone I sat down on my new bed with a sigh, putting my face into my hands. I didn't want to show any weakness with Viktoria still being in the room, but I could feel her curious eyes staying on me all the time.

After a while I looked back up at her, seeing Viktoria still staring at me. "You're not very close to your mother, are you?"

"No." I answered shortly, not really wanting to discuss my personal hell with a complete stranger. "It's a long story."

Together with her I put all my belongings in their places and soon my wardrobe was filled with clothes and school supplies where stored at the desk. When the bell rang to signal lunch time, Viktoria and I went down to the cafeteria. As soon as we entered through the big doors, the always constant chatter stopped and every pair of eyes was set on us. Or to be more precise: on me.

Ignoring the stares, Viktoria grabbed my arm and pulled me over towards an empty table. On our way there we grabbed our dishes and something to drink. Luckily, the other students returned to their former chatter and left me alone to enjoy Russian food for the first time in my life. It was really good and when I asked Viktoria what I was eating she told me that it some kind of a standard Russian noodle dish.

Since we had been in the cafeteria very early, it filled up soon with more and more students, when suddenly the door opened again and a group of boys entered the cafeteria. It wasn't so much the fact that it was a group of Dhampir novices but the boy the group surrounded. He was tall, about six inches five or so and had dark brown hair, a little bit longer than it would be fashionable. But the most astonishing feature where his deep brown eyes, twinkling with joy and mischief in his very handsome face.

When suddenly his eyes settled on my face, I felt my heart beat speeding up and a soft blush grazing my cheeks. Our eye contact lasted mere seconds only but I had the weird imagination that he was able to look right down into my soul and into my own personal hell. When I finally broke the eye contact I looked back at Viktoria to see whether she had seen our small encounter and to my astonishment she looked at me and smiled.

"What?" I asked curious.

"Oh, you like him?", she asked me, still smiling.

"Yeah, he is somewhat cute, you know?" I said, trying not to be too obvious about me beating heart.

"Hm, I can't say. I guess as a sister you don't look at your brother in a cute way, y'know?" she answered, a full smile on her face.

"What? He is your brother?" I hissed at her, feeling the blush deepen even more. How embarrassing.

"I don't mind. You're actually not the first one. I just hope that …", Viktoria trailed off, leaving me with the feeling that she wanted to say something important for her.

"What do you hope for?" I asked, looking her straight into the eye. What I saw there, left me with a sad feeling: her eyes were mirroring a sort of pain from former rejection.

"I just hope that you don't be my friend because of my brother." She blurted out, not meeting my gaze. Her fidgeting body showed me that she didn't feel very comfortable with the topic of our conversation but now I had some idea what this really was about.

"Have there been girls before that acted like being your friend but wanted to get closer to your brother?" I asked her, not really believing what I just voiced out loud.

"Yeah." Viktoria said, still avoiding my questioning gaze.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. Please believe me that I had no such intentions, since I met your brother only a few minutes ago." I told her, trying to reassure Viktoria that I wouldn't use her like that.

"I know. I just don't want to be rejected again because of my brother." She said looking at me finally. She had said this in a low voice but I could hear the pain and felt the strength it must have cost her to admit such a weakness to me.

At this moment I silently made a promise to myself to try and be a good friend to Viktoria. Though she might never be able to take Lissa's place as my best friend, I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of my school time and would have to get to know some people after all.

"Friends?" I asked her, sticking out my hand.

When a smile graced her lips I recognized the familiarity with her brother for the first time. She had the same dark brown eyes but her hair was more a dark blond than brown. Taking my outstretched hand, Viktoria grinned at me. "Friends."

So, like it, loved it, hated it? Anyway, please tell me!

Lilian85