Well, I hope everyone who read Secrets Better Kept Secret is here and caught up, because here is Chapter One, this one is back with Lissa and Dimitri, and that's how I plan to keep writing this.

Also, please see my Profile Page for a general reference to Sovereign's appearance and voice.

Disclaimer: Go BACK to the Prologue and read it.

Chapter One

Two years.

Two years had passed, and I still thought about her every day.

But then again, Rose was the sort of person you never forget about, no matter how much she changed. I wished she was here with me, guarding Lissa, but she had gone, and she never left us any clues as to where she went. But I still held the hope that one day, I would find her. One day, I would bring her back. But then, my thoughts of Rose were broken by Lissa's voice.

"Dimitri? Are you going to keep walking, or just stand there staring into the sky for an hour?"

I looked over at her and heard her laugh, I just smiled and started walking. It was a nice day, which made this short walk across Court all the more pleasant. I decided I should probably apologize for stopping back there.

"Liss, I'm sorry for holding you up back there, I know that you have places to go and things to do, but I have a few things on my mind."

She smiled sweetly, "By a few things, you mean one thing. Rose."

I shook my head, "How do you always know?"

"That's easy, Dimitri. It's always Rose. Always."

"I'm sorry. It's just that I miss her every day, and I would at least like to know where she is."

Lissa stopped and turned to look at me, "So would I, Dimitri. We were like sisters, but after that incident, she changed."

I started walking again, "Yea, well. She isn't coming back any time soon, so let's get moving. You have a meeting to go to."

Lissa wasn't expecting me to start walking, but she caught up fast. And we got to the Council meeting chamber without saying another word. As we entered, we stood before the Moroi Council, made up of members from every family, now including the Dragomirs, who had Lissa standing in for them until she turned 21 next year, and could take the throne. In lieu of selecting a new King or Queen, the decision was made to have the Council govern the Moroi until Lissa was old enough to be crowned Queen and do it herself. She was also brought into the council part time to learn how the government worked. As I headed over to take my posistion along the wall with the other Guardians, Lissa headed to take her seat.

The next few minutes of the meeting passed, and nothing caught my attention, so I focused on guarding the room. Although the meetings were usually uninteresting, this one had a discussion that I found interesting.

"So, next order, the number of Guardians that are being hired away for private service."

I started to pay some attention to the new topic, and found it odd. Guardians that are being hired away from us for private service? What family would have the money to not only do that, but want to privately hire active Guardians.

"Most of the Guardians have refused to tell us where they are headed, and merely checking where their flights are going doesn't work. All of their flights that we have checked into head to different places in Central Europe, then they take connecting flights somewhere else, and we can't track the connecting flights. However, recently, one Guardian gave us a phone number. The number was for a satellite transmitted phone, and when we called it and left a message, we received the following message back."

The Council member who had been speaking pulled out a digital audio recorder and placed it on the table, she pressed a button and the voice that came from it's speakers sent shivers down my spine. It was a disturbing voice, it sounded like a very deep male voice, but it had a vibrating electronic undertone that sounded odd but strangely familiar.

"This is the High Lord Sovereign, and this message is to the Royal Moroi Council. Stop trying to find where your Guardians are going. I have been hiring them for the safety and well being of the family I am indebted to. I assure you that your Dhampirs are not being harmed, and are simply doing what they did for you, except they are being payed much better and are treated with more respect than you gave them. However, if you truly do wish to see that they are being taken care of, then have Princess Vasilisa Dragomir contact me, and make arrangements for her to visit us. This is not a trap, and she will not be harmed, but while I know most of you would attempt to bribe us to send your Guardians back, I know the young princess would never do such a thing, and she would also never falsify information about us. You have my instructions, either have her contact us, or don't. I really couldn't care, as I have enough work to do."

"That is the end of the message. And now we must decide if we want Princess Dragomir to investigate further."

Another Council member spoke up, "Excuse me, but I do believe that that choice should be left to the princess herself, as we shouldn't send her anywhere against her will."

"Well, Princess Dragomir, would you like to investigate this matter on behalf of the Council?"

Lissa sat silently for a moment, "I suppose so. It is in our best intrest for me to at least learn where the Guardians are going."

"Alright. We will set up the call for you later today, and hopefully you can arrange a visit to wherever the hell this person is."

After that, the meeting resumed it's boring, uninteresting state.

Well, there you go. More to come soon! Please remember to review and let me know what you think! :)