A/N: Hope you enjoy! :D
Disclaimer: Jill and Eddie belong to Richelle Mead. I just play with them.
The Trouble with Dragomir Princesses
Chapter Two
Breakfast with Lissa was a nonevent. As usual. My only living Dragomir relative would've had more interesting things to say to a plank of wood. I honestly think she wished I hadn't existed. Then she wouldn't have had to deal with the stress of being Queen of the entire vampire world since she wouldn't have met the requirements to sit at the throne. She also wouldn't have ever known that her father had cheated on her mother and accidentally made me with another woman.
That's all I was to her it seemed. A mistake.
I ate as much of my breakfast as I could while we sat in silence. Rose usually ate her meals with us. Being the Queen's best friend and guardian had its perks. She went everywhere Lissa went as was required, and never took a day off unless it was to be with Dimitri Belikov, her dhampir lover. Rose always tried to keep the conversation going when we slipped into these lulls, but right now, I wasn't in much of a talkative mood. I'd planned on not being here at all.
I wished Christian would return from his trip sooner, since things always felt less tense whenever he was around. After Lissa became Queen, he'd taken it upon himself to see to it that the Moroi population began to fight for itself. It was slow going, but he seemed to be making some progress.
Typically Strigoi had worked alone; seeing as how hostile they were they tended not to work together. But lately there'd been an increase in covens, as we called them. They'd begun to band together and plot their attacks… and they were usually successful. In order to take down these covens, Christian worked with the guardians and developed a kind of strategic unit called the Royal Service Tactical Force. It featured a very small number of trained fire-wielding Moroi, and the guardians along with these Moroi would perform search and rescues and locate Strigoi covens to take down. It was hard work and required a lot of guardian support, but Christian helped as much as he could. As much as the guardians would let him. They weren't about to let Prince Christian Ozera – husband to the Queen and father-to-be – go off on Strigoi hunts, but they let him be in charge of a lot of the background stuff. I think he tried so hard because he wanted to right the mistakes of his family. His Aunt Tasha had recently been executed for assassinating Queen Tatiana. And although many never brought it up, his parents willfully turning Strigoi still affected the way others perceived him. Many still wouldn't accept him simply because of who he'd been related to.
Idiots.
I ate my breakfast as quickly as I could and then ran off to get ready for my training session.
Eddie turned out to be the one to take over my combat training while Morris was out of town for the week. This was quite the surprise for me because of the way I'd encountered him earlier in the day. It couldn't be just a mere coincidence. He also appeared to still be suspicious of me, so I contemplated whether he'd specifically asked to be assigned to me today.
I'd been learning combat for about three years now, ever since it started getting around that a select number of Moroi wanted to learn how to fight Strigoi alongside the dhampirs. Christian and Rose had been my first mentors, but ever since Lissa became Queen, I've been allowed to take more formal training. It was mostly centered on self-defense techniques, but sometimes Mia Rinaldi – a water user like me – would come in and teach me whatever offensive magic techniques she'd discovered. Water wasn't quite as handy an element as earth or fire, or even air, when it came to fighting Strigoi, but Mia had proven that it wasn't completely useless either, at least, as a distraction. We practiced ways to divert an aggressor's attention using whatever water was around, sometimes even using our own sweat if there happened to be no available water sources. It was gross, but it could theoretically work in a tight situation. Mia hadn't exactly been out to fight hordes of Strigoi or anything, but when she'd had a chance, she made sure to give them hell before they got a quick stake in the heart by a guardian.
So compared to most other Moroi, I considered myself pretty capable when it came to self-defense, at least against any attackers that hadn't yet joined the undead. But even though I'd learned many ways in which to disengage myself from an attacker, that didn't mean I could yet handle defending myself from a Strigoi, which was actually something Morris wanted to cover with me today before he'd had to make that trip home.
I'd just entered the gym where dhampirs came to exercise on their off hours. It was exclusively for guardian use, as most Moroi – royal and non-royal alike – have no need for punching bags, and probably wouldn't know how to throw a punch if their life depended on it. At most, Moroi will do simple weight lifting, but strenuous exercise was not something one would normally see a Moroi do. Especially not a royal. Forget about a princess.
I guess this was why when I'd run into Moroi after I'd been sweating it out in the gym for a few hours, they were surprised by my appearance. They probably hadn't anticipated seeing me around the Royal Court in a damp t-shirt or sweatpants. Maybe they'd expected glass slippers, or a luxurious dress that matches my pale jade-green eyes, and priceless jewels that dangle from every inch of me.
Yeah, because like I wear those every day.
I couldn't figure out why many Moroi were still so against learning how to fight. Or at the very least, learning to defend themselves. It would make a guardian's job much simpler if Moroi knew just a few basic moves and avoidance techniques. It wouldn't guarantee their safety against a Strigoi, but it would increase their and their guardians' chances of coming out of an attack alive.
Eddie was ready for me when I arrived. He looked comfortable in a pair of dark grey athletic pants and a white cotton t-shirt. We must've been shopping at the same store because we were wearing nearly the same outfit. However, I somehow doubted that his pants said Juicy across the butt like mine did today. Though it wouldn't have been any less true if they had, in my opinion.
Knowing the drill, I got down on the mat and began my warm-up routine. If I was ever in a position where I needed to fight for my life against a Strigoi, I'd probably die first of a torn muscle. But that didn't mean I had to start now.
"So, Princess," Eddie said after he'd finished his warm-up and shifted into a fighter's stance. "Let's see what you can do."
He nearly clocked me in the shoulder, giving me just half a second to react to his sudden attack. I dodged just as his fist went sailing by my ear. Moroi reflexes were just quick as a dhampir's, but he'd had more training. And he was not going easy on me.
I liked him even more already.
I barely had to think about putting my hands up to guard my face. I'd been doing this enough that it came naturally to me. I watched Eddie's body, focusing on the way he moved.
Okay, and trying not to get too distracted by how good he looked.
But it's important to know your opponent's movements. If you know how they move, you can begin to predict what they'll do next and maybe even be able to make an attack of your own. If Morris had taught me anything, it's that you have to be prepared for an attack. Never underestimate your enemy.
Eddie'd been clearly surprised by my moves. Like anyone, he'd probably expected the little princess to be useless in hand-to-hand combat. Think again, I thought just as my fist went out and connected with his shoulder.
He circled away, my hit sliding cleanly off. But I'd made contact. It still count.
He feigned right and I began to move in just as his foot came up. I ducked my head just in time, but the end of my ponytail felt it. He wasn't afraid to hit me. Which worked out well because I didn't want him to think I couldn't handle it.
I could handle it.
That was what I'd thought when his foot came out of nowhere and caught me by the ankles, sweeping me off my feet. I landed loudly on the mat, my elbows stinging.
Somewhere in there I'd forgotten to pay attention.
I got up quickly in one of those Jackie Chan style flip moves, sliding easily into my fighter stance. He grinned at me, but I wouldn't take the bait.
Time to pull out the big guns, I thought. Just as he began to kick up his leg, I noticed the flaw in his attack and used it to my advantage, feigning a strike at his groin. He saw me aiming for his vulnerable spot, but wouldn't have been able to stop me in time… if hitting him was what I'd planned to do. Which it wasn't.
I body slammed him and we fell together, him landing with a loud smack against the mat and me… on top of him.
My breath was loud in my ears. This guy really got me worked up. He felt hard beneath me, his lean muscles firm under my weight. His forehead sweaty, his scent an intoxicating mist to my senses. His smell invaded my brain like a noxious vapor, only sweeter and even more irresistible.
But just as deadly.
I got a good look at his eyes, focused directly up at me. They were hazel.
"You were going easy on me, right?" I asked after I remembered to breathe.
He blinked and smiled up at me. "Morris is training you up good. You're a tough opponent." We began to move out of that compromising position, untangling our limbs and regaining that personal, private space, unbroken when not sparring.
I sat back on my heels and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, sweaty and tired after our workout.
"So, you wanna tell me what you were really doing out in the courtyard this morning?" Eddie asked after our heavy breathing returned to normal. His question had completely derailed that image I'd held of his surprised hazel eyes, the way he felt as I pinned him beneath me.
I shook my head, erasing the rest of the memory like an image in an Etch a Sketch. "You'll think I'm crazy if I tell you."
"I've seen crazy. Trust me. Whatever it is, it probably isn't that bad." I watched him curiously, wondering if telling him was a smart move. "Just try me," he said when I didn't say anything. And he was too compelling, too nice. Too interested. I felt like I could tell him anything.
"Well… it's not something that's easy to put into words… I guess I'm just sick of this place. I can't go anywhere and I feel like this place is slowly sucking the life out of me. Too much political junk going on and I can't wrap my head around it all."
"Then is that what that was this morning? You were trying to escape?"
"No," I scoffed. He gave me a look and I knew he knew I was lying. "Yes," I sighed. "I just can't breathe here. Three years ago I wouldn't have had this problem. Of course three years ago I didn't know about any of this."
"Well I don't like that you were planning to leave without anyone knowing. It's too dangerous out there for Moroi, and especially dangerous for princesses. Even if they can hold their own against trained guardians." He smiled warmly at me. "But I get it. You're burned out with this place. The same scenery, the same people. The same bureaucratic crazies. So here's what we'll do. We'll see if we can get you away for a day. Would that help?"
"They'll never go for that. It's too risky."
"But if you could, would it help? You won't pull anymore disappearing acts if I can get you outside of Court for a few hours?"
"You would do that?" I glanced up at him, watching his eyes.
"If it keeps you sane, yeah. No offense to the Queen or anything, but I think you're the only person here that hasn't walked off the sanity bridge."
"I don't think it'll work."
"I'll talk to Rose. Maybe she can swing something with the Queen."
"Thank you," I said, and he smiled at me again. I'd never get tired of that. He stood and offered me his hand to help me up.
He started to pick up his belongings, our training session over for the day. I could hardly believe how quickly our hour together had come and gone. This would probably be our one and only session together unless I could convince Morris he wasn't a good enough teacher. I doubted I could do that to him though, no matter how super cute Eddie was. Despite that, I didn't want today to be over yet.
"Was there something else?" he asked, noticing I hadn't moved a muscle to help pick up the equipment.
"Yeah. Can you show me something new?"
He smiled, dropping his bag and readying his fighter's stance.
A couple days later Eddie came to me with the good news.
"You're going," he said with a smile. He stood next to me as I waited for the chocolate éclair I'd ordered at the café near the dhampir buildings.
"Where?"
"Anywhere you want… in the state of Pennsylvania." He must have seen the way my face fell at hearing that last bit because he added hastily, "But you get the day. Saturday."
"What the hell is there to do in Pennsylvania?" I whined, wishing I'd been allowed to go somewhere more interesting like… Disney World. Las Vegas. Hell.
Oh wait, I was already there wasn't I?
"I don't know. There has to be something," he said, determined to make this alright for me.
Instead of being a shithead, I tried to be a little more accommodating. I mean, he'd done so much for me already. "Well, I have been needing to buy Christmas presents."
"So go to the mall. There's a big one in Philadelphia that seems to be your style – the King of Prussia. It's about two hours away."
I considered my options. There wasn't anything around here that I hadn't already seen. But to be able to leave Court for a few hours and go shopping? It was the best deal I would get. "Philadelphia it is then," I said, giving him a small, appreciative smile, trying to show him how grateful I was for taking the time to set this up for me.
He threw me a boyish grin and patted my shoulder on his way back to patrolling the perimeter. I watched him as he walked away, thinking – okay, obsessing – about that brief touch and how his hand had slid slightly down to my shoulder blade before he headed off.
Was it crazy that I wanted him to touch me again?
