Alright, I have never written for this fandom before so pardon me for any mistakes I may make. This idea was one that my best friend and I came up with while roleplaying and it has been bugging me as of late.

Summary: The guardian shortage is more serious that is being led on. While most of the dhampir's do end up helping the moroi society, whether by creating more dhapir's or actually being guardians, there are some that break away from the mold and wish to live their lives as they see fit. The solution? Not giving them a choice. Beware the mark.

I own nothing.

They come first.

It is something that has always been burned into my mind, something that is burned into all our minds. It is something that we live and die by. Our thanks for the life we have, for the chance to have been born. We protect those who can further our species so that we may not die out. But what if it was all a lie?

What if in all reality it was just a way to chain us down to the moroi? To turn us into willing slaves? Or what if it was used to turn us into the perfect Guardian, one who would realize that they were disposable and that the moroi are worth their lives?

They come first.

I used to believe in this. How could I not have? The moroi teachers drilled it into us as kids and it was glorified as well. We would have guest speakers, Guardians who would tell us how happy he or she was protecting their charge. How the travel and adventure was great.

Not to mention my best friend would need a guardian, she was after all a princess and now the last of her kind. I was on the band wagon, really I was. Then I crashed and burned. I was brought back to life and bonded to my best friend. Won't say how but it happened.

During the first few weeks to follow I saw something I shouldn't have seen. I had been out late and had accidentally slipped into Lissa, something I had no control of at the time. She had been with Aaron and I had lost track of time. By the time I had come out of it, it was past curfew. The sun was high and I had groaned realizing I would only get a few hours of rest. The campus was empty, not even guardians could be seen. That made me stop and think for a moment before continuing on my way. That's when I heard the shouting.

Shouting?

It was not loud enough to be heard from inside the buildings, but for me it had been enough. Rather than head on in I had followed the shouts into the forest. The shouts eventually became clearer and I heard bits and pieces of it.

"No! I don't want to be marked!"

I froze, what on earth? Then I continued, trying to keep completely quiet. Soon I came to a building, one I had never seen before but then again, I'd never been this far out. There were no guardians outside but there was a window. I went to it and glanced inside, trying to remain hidden.

What I had seen had shocked me to the core.

A dhampir was tied down as four moroi surrounded her. Guardians were standing watch, making sure she would not escape.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO BE A GUARDIAN! FUCK YOU ALL!"

She cried though I could tell she was pissed. The redhead had fight in her but it was fading. "Oh god please don't!" she sobbed as she slowly began to lose hope, "I want to live!"

They were marking her, and suddenly I realized why the moroi where there. I felt a lump in my throat as I saw the change in her demeanor as her mark was apparently finished. They covered it up and sat her up. Her body looked worn though she sat straight up. She had that serene look many guardians seemed to have. Kirova suddenly stepped forward, in front of her. I could tell she had told her something, what I wasn't sure. But whatever it was the redhead smiled nodding as Kirova handed her a pair of scissors. The girl grabbed her hair, and wow was it long, at least to her waist, and quickly cut it off until it was the regular length female guardians had. She stood up, proud.

I ran.

"What the fuck?" I had cussed out, "what was that?" my heart was racing as my feet raced as well all the way back to my dorm. I slammed the door shut, stripping of my clothes to make it seem like I had been in bed. But I was much too wound up to sleep.

I grabbed my computer and went into google, but what was I to search for?

I shook my head slamming it shut. I had imagined the whole thing. I was going crazy, or something like that. I sighed looking at my bed as I suddenly became tired. Sleep sounded so good right then…I stood turning off the light before throwing myself to sleep.

The next day would be different; there would be no sign of the redhead. Hell, I had never seen her before, which only added to the whole, 'I imagined it' side. Or so I had thought. The next day I saw her. I was late for class and was rushing. She had been turning the hall when I rammed into her.

"You should be careful." She said in that serene voice that most was similar to what I had heard in certain guardians. Sure many had their own personality but now I realized…There was quite a bunch that acted similar to her. It made my stomach turn a bit.

"My bad, I overslept."

"Well you best get to class Novice Hathaway."

'She knows my name!' I inwardly panicked but I bit it down, I was friends with Lissa and we had recently been in an accident a few weeks ago that had killed her entire family with only us as survivors. Of course I was known.

I nodded straightening my stuff, "Um, are you new?" I asked her as I started to move.

She nodded smiling a bit, "That obvious is it?" she chuckled, "Yes, I just transferred in last night. Today is my first day."

I stopped realizing what it indicated, "Where you from?"

"Oh I was stationed in Court." She says and I got a real good look at her, she appeared to be at least twenty, twenty three tops. Her red hair looked well taken care off but the ends…They were butchered by a bad hand. Her eyes were the most emerald green I had ever seen. But they lacked something, something I could not place.

"Oh wow, sounds cool. How's it like?"

"Shouldn't you get to class?" she seemed to counter, trying to get off the subject. This sent my spidey senses into overdrive. It was a simple question to which she could have easily answered with an 'Oh it was great, nice place.' But here she was, avoiding it. I wanted to stay but I remembered what I had seen and realized now wasn't the time.

"Er, right. See ya then." I say quickly heading in late. Needless to say I don't pay attention the rest of the day.

So, what do you think? Honest opinions are great.