VA Chapter 3

With a new understanding between us, we started off back to my room. I could feel he was happy walking beside me, but we both knew that we had a long road ahead of us before anything about our relationship could even be contemplated.

"Little Dhampir," he said with grin, "you kissed me back you know."

Ugh, "Only a little," I said smiling while rolling my eyes. "Don't go thinking you're luck's changing!" I heard his soft chuckle beside me and didn't know if it was fair for him to have hopes that might end in tragedy.

"No getting around it you know, from now on, whatever you say to me, I will always know that deep down, you want me." The smile on his face was so real, it permeated every word he said. "And just to let you know, I fully intend to remind you of that every chance I get!" He was now laughing with all honesty and he managed to dodge a punch that I had lined up for his arm. We walked together in this almost happy mood and Adrian managed to fire off a few more comments about my kissing skills...

We got a surprise when we entered my room. Mom, Lissa, Christian and Eddie were all sitting around in silence. At first I thought something may have happened while Adrian and I were gone, but I soon found out that plans had been made. Before I could get into exactly what they were, a knock at my door behind me had my mother up and across the floor before I could turn and open it. Obviously she was expecting someone. I stared in shock when I saw Alberta standing there.

"Come in Alberta." My mother said. "There are things you need to hear. I know that as his friend, you will want to help any way you can."

"As 'who's' friend Janine, who are we talking about?" Alberta looked around and saw who was in the room. She was more taken by my uncertain face I think.

"Mom," I said, "No, she'll tell."

"No, I don't think she will."

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Alberta said.

Giving the now well read note to Alberta, Mom went on to explain a little on what happened in Siberia. Alberta had already made her own correct conclusions about the extent of the relationship between Dimitri and me. She was there at the caves when Dimitri was lost; she knew that the pain and anguish in my screams meant that our feelings went beyond mentor and student.

Alberta agreed that this was something that had to be kept between those of us who stood in my room: for now, at least. She would start to increase security at the wards and would keep us informed if there was any change.

After she left, the plan to find Robert Doru started to unfold.

"The only way Victor will tell us where his brother is, is if we are able to free him from prison." I said. "You know that he will accept nothing less."

"I don't know how you will accomplish that Rose, the prison he's in is high security, and you know that. To house Moroi who have powers beyond that of normal mortals, our prisons are built to keep people in. Getting him out is not going to be easy." Only my mother could state something so obvious.

"You know, Rose," Christian said, "I know Aunt Tasha would only be too willing to help."

"I'm sure she would." I thought to myself. Christian hadn't said too much up until now. I knew he only said what he did because he knew we needed all the help we could get. Things between him and Lissa were nowhere near fixed, but they were in the same room at the moment so that was an improvement.

"Thanks Christian, if you can get hold of her and see if she'd be willing to help, that would be great." Part of me wanted to suck those words right back into my mouth, but deep down, I really didn't hate Tasha Ozera.

"Mom, the prison Victor is in, do they allow visitors?"

"Yes, why?" she asked.

"Well, it would be good to get some firsthand knowledge of the layout to his cell." I didn't know if this would actually help, but it was something. "Do you know if there are plans of the prison, and if so, where would we be able to find them?"

"Plans?" Mom really spoke the word to herself, but she said it loud enough for all to hear. "The only place they would possibly be would be at Court. Where though, I couldn't even begin to speculate."

"Lissa," I said, "do you think if you went there, maybe under the pretence of visiting the Queen, that you could somehow garnish information regarding 'plans'....." This time I actually raised an eyebrow. Dimitri had tried to teach me, but I hadn't actually got the hang of it...

"I can try Rose," She didn't sound very confident though. "Who would I even ask though?

"Why not start at the top?" With that, everyone looked at me like I'd lost it... Even Adrian put in a protest.

"Rose, she can't use compulsion on my Aunt, she'll get caught." He said.

"Not if she only does it a little bit, she's done it before with others to get information she wanted."

"Well, if, and I'm not agreeing with this yet, if we were to try that, we would have to get her in a room either by herself or with very few of her people around. I could possibly distract one other person in the room while Lissa worked with the Queen." I could see by his expression that he wouldn't be as hard to convince as he tried to make out he would, but I didn't want to push my luck. "But we have no reason for an audience with the Queen, and if we are able to get Victor out, people may put two and two together and get "US", if you know what I mean...." He had a point, but I wasn't going to let it show.

"Not if our visit isn't remembered." I said.

Everyone chimed in then, telling me that even Lissa wouldn't be strong enough to mystify that many people. Which was true, but then something else occurred to me.... There was someone else that could help. I didn't know if she would, or even if I could get hold of her, but I had to at least try...

"Mom," I said, "I need you to get hold of my father." Suddenly, the room was dead quiet. No-one expected that remark to ever come out of my mouth. "I need him to find someone for me. And he knows where she is."

I reminded everyone about Oksana and her ability. She would be a great choice for something like this because she was more or less, unknown. She could do and ask things that wouldn't link back to us. The only problem I could foresee was if she wouldn't agree to help.

"HELL YEAH!" Adrian yelled while jumping up from his place on the sofa... "With three spirit users working together, especially with two as powerful as Lissa and Oksana, this may actually work." The excitement that came over his features was powerful enough to seep into me, even if just a bit...

I know she did it reluctantly, but my mother rang Abe for me. I didn't know if it was something that I should ask but I thought with their history and obvious, (to me anyway) lingering affection on both sides, she may have more luck. As soon as my father picked on the phone on his end, I saw my mother's face and knew that I'd made the right decision.

All eyes were on my mother as we watched the one sided phone call.....

"Hi Abe, it's Janine." Her eyes were closed and her face softened just a bit.
"No, no, nothing's wrong. Yeah, she's doing really well." There was a pause while my father was speaking.
"Yeah, me to," she said while looking straight at me.
"Abe, there is a reason for my call. There is something going on here and we need your help....."
" Well, maybe, but if we do need you here, I'll call......"
"Abe, we need to get hold of a Moroi that Rose met in Baia, named Oksana. Are you able to get hold of her?"
"I know it's a strange request, but we need to ask if she and her husband would come to the US. We need her assistance."

There must have been some sort of acceptance to my father's answer because my mom walked away from us and went to talk outside for privacy. As she was leaving my room, I could hear that she was telling him of the stake and the 'veiled' threatening note from Dimitri. I knew she would tell him of the plan to break Victor out of jail which gave me a flashback memory of my father's own note to me regarding Victor. He knew that this would be the only way I would find the answers I needed. But would he help?? I guess we'll soon find out.