Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy or any associated characters (sadly). This all belongs to Richelle Mead. This said I do own my plot line and any original characters.

Authors Note: This is my first fanfic so please comment so I can improve!

They execute the traitors.

I froze. These words pierced me deeper than any sharp daggers. I heard Abe whisper something to me. When I did not respond, I felt Abe's hands guide me back to the boring cell. My trip to the cell, with plain walls and neutral colours— rather my current room— was haze. I stared at Abe, not comprehending anything, while my mind kept on replaying his words, like the repeated drone of an old car.

My whole body trembled, and my heart race, pulse flecking beneath my skin. I tried to control my breathing, but to no avail. Was that all I was now? A traitor? Fine, I had arguments with Queen Titania publicly. But this totally did not mean that I killed her.

I had a realisation: someone, from somewhere, for something, wanted me and Queen Titania out of their way.

When I felt a slight pain in my palms, I looked down and realised that I was crushing the letter Ambrose had delivered to me. few people as possible, that's what Titania said. But who were they? I hid the paper away.

Would it make any difference even if scream thousand times that I was innocent? Probably not, considering that almost every accused had said that they were innocents. What had really happened to my badass reputation? Ugh.

"Are you ok?" I heard concern in Abe's voice. It brought me back to the bleak present. But I still hadn't got used to the fact that he was actually my biological father. Though he looked worried and very, very fatherly at the moment, I knew, from my experience, he was shrewd underneath. Even dangerous. Still, it was not usual for him to lose control of his perfect mask. But I had to admit it: this was no usual situation.

I flopped down on the hard bed and nodded in reply. For once, I had no comebacks. I was in no mood for that. I think Abe sensed that I needed some time alone because he left me.

I didn't know how Lissa was coping this. In the court room, she had looked worried and strained. I went in to her head, curiously.

Lissa was standing , outside the castle, with Christian's arms around her, worried and angry. Christian was not only soothing her, I realised, but he was also restraining her. Probably from running off and yelling at other Moroi royals. If only I could find her sibling, she would be able to voice her opinion freely. Without her knowing, I took some of her anger away through the bond we shared, which made me angry.

Adrian, on the other hand was, was slumped against the wall. When I saw Adrian, a torrent of sadness poured into me. I hated to see him like that. Lonely and unstable. Especially, because I was the one who had done this to him. I wanted to help him. But how could I when I was struck in the prison, accused of murdering his aunty?

"Princess." A very familiar voice said. Dimitri. His face was so familiar to me, I could trace his face better than I could trace my back of my hand. He had his guardian mask on, but I could see some intense emotion in his dark eyes. There was no one behind him. His guards were standing outside my cell, keeping an eye on the 'murderer'.

'Princess, It's late. And there isn't much you can do here.' He said, his voice steady, his brown hair falling onto his forehead. Did it mean that he was encouraging her to give up on me? But then why did he wanted to protect me from those guardians when they came to arrest me? Still, he had been talking to Tasha, who always had a crush on him. My broken heart beat inside my chest as I kept hearing his voice: Love fades, mine has. My love for Dimitri would never fade, I knew, but it might grow for Adrian.

"Rose, Rose!" I heard a voice, and someone shaking me. I snapped out of Lissa's head and stared at the person in front of me.

I was speechless. The last person I was hoping to see stood there in front of me, looking very flustered.

Janine Hathaway. My mother was standing in front of me, in black, with not a strand of hair was out of her tight bun. What was she doing here? How did she knew I was in the prison so quickly? I had thought she was somewhere else guarding some lord, vainly hoping that she would not come here. May be she learnt it from Abe, her onetime lover. And what surprised me the most was that she was actually inside the cell.

'What are you doing here?' I asked, wondering whether she believed what most Moroi were saying: I killed Queen Titania.

Not many months ago, all I wanted was to grow up and live with Lissa and Dimitri. Now I didn't know. The only thing I knew was that I had to search for the Lissa's sibling. After that I didn't knew what I would do—apart from protecting Lissa, of course.

'Rose, why can't you keep your trap shut?' yelled my mother. Oh, thank you so much for comforting me, I wanted to say. I thought that was what mothers were supposed to do. Not that formidable Janine Hathaway was a proper mother.

Without much explanation, I knew that she was talking about my arguments with the late queen. Well, who wouldn't if they were in my shoes?

'Trap shut? Easy for you to talk when you just watch from sidelines. I am pretty sure that you would keep your trap shut too if your best friend was being discriminated because she is an orphan.' I yelled back. I wanted to hit her. I knew it was Lissa's anger that was driving me to think these things. But I couldn't help it.

'You never learn, do you? you're wild and totally irresponsible. I can see why they thought you were the murderer.' she replied, giving me a pure look of disgust and stalked out of the cell, locking the door behind her.

I slumped down on the bed again as I heard her thanking other guards for letting her in. I realised that my mother was right. Why couldn't I keep my mouth closed?