Love, Labour and Loss
You've heard Rose's story, but what about before? A recently graduated Janine Hathaway makes to leave her mark on the world as a Court Guardian, but fate decides to intervene: propelling her towards a handsome Moroi with a dark secret and a world about to implode.
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy or anything surrounding it (but I do own this plot :D)
JPOV
I hate dresses. Pulling down, adjusting and readjusting the silky forest-green material over my body seriously made me consider changing into sweats. The skirt was long; it cascaded down, skimming the skin on my legs, before settling on the floor. I had worn my hair down, allowing the neat loops of ginger curls to frame my face and rest on my chest. I had even gone so far as to venture to the world of make-up. Mother had always said I could be pretty if I tried – possibly as close to a compliment that I could get from the woman.
I took one last look in the mirror before letting out a heavy sigh. This was it. Many of classmates had been longing and planning for this day since they had first become teenagers. The Moroi, particularly the royal ones as you could no doubt imagine, had been the most occupied with the event arrangements considering they only had to study academically rather than spending very waking hour pushing their bodies to the max to aid the desperate plea to keep both themselves and other around them alive.
They come first. They come fist. They come first. I chanted in my head as my fists balled in anger. Whilst I upheld this maxim outwardly, inside was another story. I had been subjected to taunting and teasing because of my rough complexion, 'stupid' accent and general un-femininity most of my life and it was heavily from Moroi of upper-standing. Petty, I know, but I was still a teenager with raging hormones and a juvenile mindset, despite my mother's preferences.
I closed my eyelids and let my mind clear of any and all thoughts. In spite of not actually wanting to participate in the forthcoming events, it was compulsory to attend the Graduation Ball if I actually wanted to graduate.
What it wrong to see that as a sort of blackmail?
Anyway, I figured that I would not throw away the years of training, studying and the shy of one-hundred percent I got in my field test and trails for some stupid social gathering, intended solely to keep the attention-seekers of the Academy contented one last time.
Contrary of everything I may have first believed, I would miss this place. Looking round my bagged up dorm room made it clear in my mind that this was, very much, an ending point: no more safe security of the Academy, I was about to be unleashed into the wider and unprotected world. I had spent my entire life preparing to be ready, to be a guardian, but in all honesty, I was terrified.
I inhaled quickly and mentally slapped myself for being so weak. I may have been alone but I was not going to be that person who wallows in their self-pity. Satisfied that I looked marginally presentable, I left my room and began to make my way to the main hall.
"Hath-a-way!"
The wolf whistle and whoop that echoed in the hallway brought a smile to my face. I stopped trudging along, relieved at the notion that I would not be turning up all alone.
"Hey Emyl." I turned to face my encore and greeted him with a grin. Emyl Burlatsky was one of the few friends I actually had at St Vladimir's Academy. He was also a novice – well, guardian now – and we got on a lot. He too would be going to Court after all of this so we'd be seeing a lot of each other which gave me a reassuring feeling that not everything would be different. Emyl was a good-looking fellow – his dusty brown hair, deep blue eyes and 6" toned body usually attracted a substantial amount of attention – so you can image how he looked in a tux. It was then I noticed that his eyes had not met mine. I frowned before realising that he was casting his gaze up and down my body, clearly enjoying the fact that someone, somewhere had managed to persuade me to get into a dress. Did I mention I hated dresses?
"Man, you clean up good, Jenny." He said finally meeting my eyes. I could feel the beginnings of a blush worm its way under my cheeks so I looked away in attempt to conceal it. "May I?"His voice had a devious tone to it and I saw that he was holding out his arm for me to take it. I gave him a playful glare and he chuckled. "Come on: humour me."
I rolled my eyes and linked my through his. Once there, he unleashed his trademark smug smile and began to lead me towards the hall. I could already see other people making their way towards to hall and, since Emyl had done such a goo job cleaning himself up, there were quite a few stares. This meant, by unfortunate logic, that there were many people also looking at me.
Sensing my discomfort, Emyl quickened his pace and we entered the party without too many gaping individuals. The Academy had gone to extraordinary lengths to make the Graduation Ball something to remember. The long, rectangular canteen hall had transformed into an exquisite ballroom, draped in a blood crimson and golden colour scheme. It was truly spectacular. The harmonic music filled my ears as the enticing food filled my nose. I all but moaned upon entering which caused Emyl to chuckle again.
"I didn't realise I had such an effect on you." He whispered wriggling his eyebrows. I narrowed my eyes and slapped his chest.
"Watch it, mister." I threatened and he just laughed. I shook my head a little and turned my attention back to the room. I had to admit, the Academy had done a fine job of making this look like fun but that did not mean I was going to indulge. They had said I had to attend, they did not say I had to contribute.
Since we were a little late, the party was very much underway which made it all the more effortless to find myself a quiet corner where no-one would be bothering me for the evening. Emyl, however, had other plans.
"What are you-no way."I said firmly as he pulled me towards the dance floor.
"Come on," he sang, keeping a solid grip on my arm. "I know you'll just stay in the corner all night, so just one dance?" he asked with a pout. The gesture was almost comical on his manly exterior and I struggled to form a decent comeback.
Taking this as a win, the smug Emyl smile returned. "Alright. One dance – though that is it." He chuckled again and I could not help but join in. Shaking my head, amusedly this time, I brought my arms around Emyl's neck and his hands drifted down to rest on my hips.
"You have been holding back on me, Jenny." He said after a moment's silence. I frowned up at him and he clarified. "I didn't know you could dance." He grinned again and I rolled my eyes.
"Ever the charmer." I teased and he smiled.
"Oh I try." He responded with a wink. "See this isn't so bad?" he said, a little hope seeping into his words.
"Mhmm." I hummed sarcastically.
"I'm being serious. You know, you are stuck here you might as well-"
"Emyl!" A voice called out from across the floor, successfully cutting him off.
"Harriet!" Emyl grinned as the beautiful Moroi girl wandered towards us. I smiled too. I liked Harriet. Harriet Conta was the type of person who couldn't give more than a shit about wealth, titles and all that. She was a genuinely nice person and I was almost certain it was impossible not to like her.
"Oh my daze, Janine! Is that even you?" she said: her dazzling blue eyes wide in joyful shock as she looked over at me.
"Heya, Harriet." I smiled and her grin only got bigger and brighter.
"You look beautiful." She whispered into my ear as I was engulfed into one of her infamous hugs. I could feel Emyl grinning behind us but I wasn't too fussed.
"Thank you." I said pulling out of her embrace. "You do too." And I actually meant it. Harriet normally looked good but today was exceptional. Unlike most Royal Moroi, she had kept her out-fit light and…pleasant. She wore a long, wafty light blue dress and her make-up was light, emphasising her natural beauty in contrast to some of the other individuals who looked as though they had fallen face-front into flour.
"Oh, thank you so much. I wasn't too sure about this dress but if you like it then it must be good!" she giggled. "But you should totally wear dresses more often Janine; they suit you so well and reveal all those curves you have been hiding." She winked and looked away to hide my blush. "Owww, I'm just kidding." She playfully nudged my shoulder and I offered a small smile.
"I know: its okay." I reassured her, knowing all too well how easily she worried. Seriously, Emyl and I had to take on shifts trying to calm her down before every exam she had to take.
"Thanks, gal." she rested her arm around my neck and onto my shoulder. "I actually came over to steal your dance partner." She nodded toward an uncharacteristically quiet Emyl.
"I'm just so irresistible." Ah, there he was.
"Yeah, you can take him." I said and he gave me a playful glare. "I'm going to go check out the punch." I said and waved my two friends off into the crowded dance floor. Like the good guardian I was aspiring to be, I had already managed a sweep of the room and deduced that the alcove in which they had set up the 'non-alcoholic' punch was my best bet for this evening. It was quiet, isolated and provided a good visual on the entire hall. Of course, I had been trained to use this as an opportunity to locate dangers but I'm sure my teachers won't mind me using my skills to avoid general people.
Thus, I decided to put my new guardian status to use. I surveyed the room, looking for danger, and when I found none I got bored. How people could tolerate these types of things, I would never know, but when the drum beat became louder and more defined, and the electric guitars were let loose, the entire room went ecstatic. I personally never saw the appeal of this kind of music but apparently everyone else did.
I rolled my eyes and groaned, realising that this was going to be my life for the next couple of hours. I suppose it is experience – being put in uncomfortable situations was just something I wasn't going to have to accept in my life, no matter how hard I tried. I only knew too well that they come first, but was it completely absurd of me to ask for a little opinion: just a little respect. I mean it can't be that difficult-
Ooofff.
"Hey watch where your going-" my breath caught as I met two swirling brown eyes. I refocused my vision to take in the rest of his features before I concluded that I did not know him. He was a Moroi – that was obvious enough – but his dark-tanned complexion could have led me a little astray. He had dark, I mean, really dark hair – the type of brown that could pass as black in certain lighting – and a thin rim of stubble around his mouth and chin. His ear was pierced with a golden loop and he wore an expensive suit accompanied with a rather elaborate scarf.
But I still had no idea who he was.
"Apologies: my bad." He gave me a bright, white smile – complete with fangs. I nodded and made to walk away but a hand stopped me.
Before I properly think, my reflexes took over and I grabbed the hand and twisted rather violently. The guy grunted in protest and I immediately let go.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry." I exclaimed quickly, checking that I hadn't broken anything or that anyone had seen.
Mercifully, no-one had, and the guy just chuckled. "Ah, I like a woman with a bit of spice." He jested, still clutching his shoulder. I bit my lip, feeling unbelievably awful that I had just injured this poor guy at a party in which he was suppose to be having fun. "Ibrahim Mazur."
"What?" I blinked.
He smiled, holding out his uninjured arm, "My name: Ibrahim Mazur."
Oh. "Janine Hathaway." I nodded, electing not to take his arm, in fear of damaging this one too. Sensing my predicament, the guy laughed again.
I scowled and his laugh died down to an amused smirk. "May I ask why the beautiful dhampir is standing, alone, in the corner as the world parties around her?" he gestured around him with some difficulty considering the state of his right arm.
I decided that I would show him why I didn't have friends. "Ask all you like, doesn't mean I'm going to grace you with an answer." I shrugged crossing my arms over my chest. "I don't know you; I doubt you are a peer of mine, so why should I answer anything?" I swept my face clean of any stray emotion and left it in a state of indifference. I expected to be left alone after that but the guy – Ibrahim – just stood with a lop-sided smirk and pleasant surprise written over his face.
Shit. That was not the outcome I was intending.
"Scottish." He murmured after a moment of just staring at me.
"Excuse me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow coldly.
"Your accent, it is Scottish." He clarified.
I narrowed my eyes. "So what if it is?"
The smile on his face grew. "You're right; I am not a student here. I was just invited to keep the party going."
"Oh, so you're the liquor provider." I nodded my head in mock interest.
The devious glint in his eyes had now reached the rest of his face. "That I am, Miss Hathaway."
"Guardian Hathaway." I corrected, already rather fond of my new title given that it was the only one I'd ever get. I knew that 'Mazur' was not a royal family name so it gave me great satisfaction knowing that I (the dhampir)got a title and he (the Moroi) was stuck with the lowly 'mister'.
Much to my irritation, he outright laughed…again. "Ah, of course. Please, forgive my mistake, Guardian Hathaway." He emphasised and I let a self-satisfied smirk leak its way onto my face. "May I have this dance?" he asked and I realised the song had changed from the up-beat drums to a softer melody.
My self-satisfaction dissipated very quickly and I desperately tried to think of a decent excuse. "I can't dance." Genius.
"Tsk, tsk Janine," Ibrahim mused, "you are very much lying - I saw you and you are quite the brilliant dancer."
"You were watching me dance?" I blurted out before my mind had time to censor my thoughts.
"Yes." He said simply, as if it was not creepy that a 20-21 year old was watching an 18 year old dance with her friend. He inclined his head a little and narrowed his eyes, almost as though he was studying me, but the cocky smile remained firmly in place. I felt a little uneasy under his gaze, but if he noticed, he didn't act on it.
All of a sudden, something behind me caught his eye and the smile faltered a little. I turned around to see a group of guys looking expectantly over at us – all of them over the age range of this Graduation Ball.
I bit back my laugh and turned to face Ibrahim. "Looks like your 'gang' is waiting for you."
His eyes found mine again and the smile returned. "It would appear so. I am terribly sorry to cut this so short, I would have loved that dance." He said in all sincerity but his tone of voice made it impossible to work out whether he was being sarcastic about it.
"Maybe another time." I said sarcastically.
"I'll hold you to that," He grinned and I rolled my eyes. "You look very beautiful in that dress, Janine." He said and I drifted my gaze from anywhere but him. Though I could not see it, I could feel his smile on me. He walked closer to me and tilted my head to meet his. He reached towards the table and picked up a single red rose from the bunch of flowers that lay as decoration on the table. He broke half the stem off and tucked the rose behind my ear. "There, now you are truly beautiful."
Too stunned to speak, my whole body froze. Ibrahim smiled again and took my hand to press a light kiss to my knuckles. "Until the next time: Guardian Hathaway." He said.
It took a moment but I regained control over my body and turned to call after him as he went. "I bet you have flowers for all the girls you like."
He stopped walking and turned his head over his shoulder. Though he was further away, he was close enough for him to speak normally and be heard only by me: "I may have all the flowers in the world for the other girls, but you are the only one worth my rose…"
Hello my dear comrades in Comrade
How lovely it is to see you all again :) For those of you who have been following my last story, thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews and feedback for the last chapter of Cold as Ice (sorry I couldn't thank you on that story). And to you all, welcome to my next writing endeavour :P This was an idea that has pottering about in my head for a while and since I had so much fun writing for Abe in my last story, I wanted to do it again. I haven't seen many Janine/Abe pre-Rose stories and I really fancied giving it a go.
What do you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? I'd really love to know, just to see if I should continue it. Currently, I am in my first year of A levels and I really want to get started on another story, just for a distraction and break from the stressful abyss that is my current situation xD
So please, do let me know :D
As ever, here's wishing you all the very best
Mariarty
