Epilogue / Dimitri's Happy Ending
The Same is Just So New
Rose and Dimitri get their happily ever after. Possibilities for their life together – One Shot. Continues from Aftermath and Life is Haunted.
Alternative ending for Aftermath, starts off from the last chapter where Rose leaves Adrian. Can be read alone.
Names in bold indicate POV
Song: Your love's a drug by Leighton Meester
DIMITRI
I thought I'd never see her again, as the day progressed my certainty of this strengthened. It broke my heart to think that I could never have my Roza again, never talk to her again, and never laugh at her sarcastic remarks - All the little things that made her Rose.
Where would I go from here? What would I do?
The only real possibility in my head was death, not because I couldn't see Rose again but because I couldn't stand to be myself anymore. I couldn't see anything worth doing after this point. I'd lost everything, literally. My life's work, the years of training, come to nothing. I couldn't fight Strigoi anymore.
I suppose that I could have tried to get hired as a private body guard for one of the wealthier Moroi. It was feasible; it had happened a lot in Russia.
Then hours after I'd heard classes end, there was a rustle in the leaves. Quiet footsteps echoing around the silent woods. The cabin door opening. The smell that had always lingered around me, no matter how red my eyes became. The voice that had been reason, strength, insanity, love and heart-break. The eyes that scanned the room before coming to rest on me. The voice that sighed like this was home. The eyes that begged me to be anyone but me and no one but me.
The voice that spoke my name.
The eyes that shone with love.
The person who could make this cold cabin suddenly feel like home.
"I always loved you." She said grinning and walking over to me.
"I love you now." I accused.
She laughed quietly, "Then you won't mind forever."
"Forever?" I asked, gazing into her eyes.
"I refuse to leave you, ever. So that means that we're going to be stuck together." She explained smiling.
"And yet, I wouldn't have it any other way." I whispered into her ear.
She sighed softly, "I forgive you."
"I love you." I said, testing the words aloud after all this time.
She pulled me down onto the bed and kissed me softly, I responded feverishly and she laughed in delight. I knotted my fingers in her hair and she pulled my shirt off. I kissed her and whispered ever-so-quietly,
"Forever."
Then I noticed the little black dress and smiled wickedly at her, remembering back to the day she'd gotten it. Remembering Lissa's words. Remembering how she's grown up enough to refuse to try it on.
"Rose..." I started pulling my lips slightly off hers, "This is the dress you were born for."
"I knew it would start religions and change the world..." She murmured.
I chuckled and bit her lip softly, "You don't need the dress to do that."
ROSE
Song: You and me by life house
I'd walked purposefully away from Adrian, I'd made up my mind. I had done the right thing with him. That wasn't love.
I never saw Adrian Ivashkov again.
I never saw 's Academy again.
Unfortunately, I can't say I never say Lissa Dragomir again.
In my thoughts and dreams and Lissa's thoughts and dreams I saw her. I saw Christian, after everything we'd been through. I saw Eddie grow up.
Distance didn't matter, there she was, pulling me in with her sadness that I'd left, her exhilaration at graduation. We left America, we went to Russia together, built a house, a life. Away from everyone but never alone. We were always together, Dimitri and I.
Lissa didn't look for me. It broke my heart the times I felt her agony that I was gone. The school didn't seem entirely concerned and she felt alone in her heart-ache. While everyone must have wondered where I was, nobody really needed to know enough to care more than that.
My mother must have noticed at some point, she would have been so disappointed.
I was pulled back into Lissa's head a few years ago against my will to find I would never be free of knowing my friend's futures. It felt wrong, unfair to be allowed this insight.
It was Lissa's wedding and she was kissing the groom to end the ceremony. She looked into his ice blue eyes and smiled through her tears of joy, he had cut his black hair. She wasn't changing her last name though; she wanted to remain a Dragomir. But I could tell from looking at his eyes that Christian Ozera didn't care what her name was so long as she was his.
I'd been trying to avoid being in her head since then. I knew she was still hoping I would find her. I knew she feared I was dead.
But I couldn't go to her.
Someday, I hoped to be able to contact her.
But right now, I had Dimitri. I would forever have Dimitri. I'd worked so hard to be here, fought so many wars. I deserved this.
I looked in the mirror, putting down the hair brush. I looked older, I felt older. I'd grown up for the moment Dimitri and I had left. But I knew more now.
I sighed and leaned back into the solid chest behind me, putting my hands on top of his arms that were wrapped around my waist.
Dimitri was happy here, completely and truly happy. He still had his family; we had gone to see them years before. They still loved him.
My only regret was leaving behind Lissa. She was the only true family I had, I didn't know my mother very well and I didn't even know who my father was.
But I was happy here too.
For all those years that had past, I still held to my decision to walk out.
It hurt sometimes; it gave me nightmares sometimes, it left me feeling cold and empty. Until I looked into his brown eyes and remembered why. Then I felt more alive than I ever had.
CHRISTIAN
I saw the look in her eyes sometimes, she missed Rose so much. I feared Rose was dead but I never voiced my concerns. The day we got married was the happiest of my life, no matter how cliché that sounded. I had lost my family, been socially rejected and labelled strigoi before I'd even become a teenager.
My life was complete and Lissa had gotten what she wanted, the queen had let her go to college.
There was just one piece of our lives that was missing and I knew that Lissa had never moved on from it, Rose Hathaway.
The queen was upset that Lissa had married me, but that didn't stop the queen from training Lissa to be her predecessor.
Life was perfect for both of us.
ADRIAN
I walked into the court, luggage in one hand and my other hand linked with hers. When we got to the foyer my Aunt was there, waiting to great us.
"Adrian! Congratulations!" She smiled happily at Cecilia.
"Oh! Yes, it's a girl! Can you believe it?" Cecilia said happily bouncing up and down.
"I'm going to have a daughter..." I said shaking my head and laughing.
"About time." Tatania said, patting Cecilia's arm.
Then my wife and I went to catch up on some sleep until the royal meeting the next day. My mother had called to give us her welcome; she was very impressed that I'd married a royal after so many years of telling her I wouldn't.
As we walked into the hall, hand in hand, for the breakfast meeting, I glanced at Cecilia's stomach; it wasn't very obvious that she was pregnant. She was still just as beautiful.
"Adrian Ivashkov? Is that you?" Someone asked from behind me, I turned around slowly.
"Well, well, if it isn't our old friend transformed from his party-boy ways." Christian Ozera said, looking older and regal next to Lissa.
"It's been too long." I greeted smiling.
Lissa quickly pulled me in for a hug, "I hope we've found you well?"
"Yes, Cousin. Let me introduce you to Cecilia, my wife." I smiled brightly as Cecilia offered her hand.
Life was wonderful.
THIRD PERSON (No POV)
Our five friends are no more. Instead of a group of teenagers we have this: Mr Christian Ozera and his wife Mrs Vasalissa Dragomir / Princess Dragomir, Mr Adrian Ivashkov and Mrs Cecilia Ivashkov, Guardian Castile, Mr Dimitri Belikov and Mrs Rosemarie Hathaway-Belikov. Ten years from now the names will still be the same, but the people will be very different.
Well, one of the names may change...
"Please welcome to the microphone to present the new royal laws and rights regarding Dhampirs, her honour, Queen Dragomir."
"Good afternoon Moroi and Dhampirs alike," Lissa began, "It's an honour to be here. These new ruling have taken much discussion, persuasion and perseverance. But today I bring you a great change, a chance to fight back and a chance to have a family. Under these new laws it will not be illegal for Dhampirs to marry, though we encourage them to remain guardians. Moroi will have the opportunity to learn combat at academies such as St. Vladimir's and if they wish to they may ask to be partnered with a Dhampir to fight along-side. Of course this will take time, effort and caution. We need to be security conscious and not let this get to the Strigoi's ears. We need to catch them by surprise.
I will not stand for any discrimination, no matter what your choice, it is yours alone. Dhampirs may marry, Moroi may fight but we will stand as one. This only links our races further, be joyous and remember this day. I once had a very close friend that many of you will know of, Rosemarie Hathaway, who taught me that everyone has a choice that is worth fighting for. She had to give up everything to protect me and when she fell in love, she had to choose between that and being a guardian. No more. If Rose was speaking to you today she would be celebrating this occasion and probably demonstrating how Moroi could fight, encouraging Dhampirs. Unfortunately she isn't able to do any of those things but I have someone to talk to you who fought with her, who know the advantages of Moroi / Dhampir team work. Please welcome my husband, Christian Ozera to explain how Moroi can be useful in a fight. Thank you."
Lissa smiled as the crowd cheered and stepped aside for Christian, taking his hand as he spoke.
DIARY
Dearest Diary.
Once this was addressed to Dimitri, now, I admit that it's only words on paper. I would never let my husband read this and see how much he hurt me.
We have just discovered that the queen has sent word around the Moroi – Dhampir society of the world, asking if anyone knows what happened to that promising Novice Hathaway all those years ago. Dimitri's sister sent us a letter telling us that the queen has made new laws. Fantastic laws. The laws Christian and I used to fight for. Tatania really has been reformed.
One of Dimitri's guardian friends said the queen mentioned my name in her speech.
It has been so many years in these desolate woods, I wonder what changed Tatania's mind and whether it was any of my friends' influence.
This diary somehow managed to follow me through all these years along with the black dress, my only possessions from my past life.
I managed to build a wall around my mind now, to keep me from Lissa after one day I saw her reuniting with Adrian and his wife. I shouldn't know who he married or if he did, I shouldn't know he's having a daughter to be named Rose-Anne. I shouldn't know his wife added the 'Anne'. I shouldn't have seen the memories in Adrian's eyes as he said 'Rose'. So now, I don't see them.
I'm Rose Hathaway and the trees of Russia are my house, my Russian gods arms my home.
DIMITRI
I ran the way through the woods from the market to our house. I walked in slowly and wrapped my arms around Rose's waist from behind, whispering in her ear the news I had just discovered.
"The queen's been asking about you." I told her.
"I know." She said smiling, "Why does it matter? She's probably just happy I'm gone."
"Oh, I don't think she's happy. Why would Tatania care enough to send her questions around the globe?" I asked.
Rose shrugged, "She's always been a mystery to me."
"The queen's never been a mystery to you." I said smiling into her hair.
"What?" Rose asked sighing.
I leaned in so that my breath brushed her ear, giving her a reason to be completely happy.
"The queen of our world; the beautiful and powerful Queen Dragomir."
She tilted her head to the side and I kissed her neck before returning to her ear,
"Lissa Dragomir."
"I think it's time we went on holidays, Roza. Don't deny the past forever."
She smiled sadly, "I haven't heard a Zen lesson in a while."