Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Academy.


Ch. 4 Royal Summons

Most of the next hours consisted of my family, Lissa, Dimitri, and Adrian trying to come up with strategies to get Queen Tatiana to change her mind about having Dimitri executed.

The more time went on without a reply from the Queen, the more nervous I was. In the message sent to the Queen, we had requested that the Queen listen to Dimitri's side of the story and reverse her order to kill Dimitri upon sight.

Adrian had admitted he'd had a bit too much to drink and apologized to me for speaking so crudely about me (exactly what he said, I didn't want to know).

Suggestions varied between working compulsion on the Queen and rallying families against the decree (highly unlikely) and threatening to have the royal families in a revolt against Court (again, not likely to work and it would just end in royal deaths).

Finally, around noon, Father decided to adjourn our meeting. "There isn't much we can do until the Queen summons us to Court," he said. "In the meantime, let's go to bed."

"Dimitri, come with me," I murmured, holding my hand out to him. "Let's go to my room."

There was absolute silence in the room. When I looked at Father, his face was livid.

"WHAT?" he bellowed. "You're going to bed with Belikov under my roof?"

"They are married," Mother said, although she didn't look very pleased at the thought of me and Dimitri in the same bed. "And Rosemarie is an adult. They can make their own choices."

"You can't be serious," Father said, rounding on me and Dimitri. "You won't sleep in the same bed while living in the same house -"

"We already consummated our marriage vows," I said indignantly, "and I'm an adult. Not to mention plenty of other royals marry very young."

That quieted Father and before he could think of something else to say, I dragged Dimitri out the door. "Good night!" I yelled over my shoulder before leading him up the stairs.


"Roza, is that such a wise idea?" Dimitri asked as we walked into my bedroom.

I rolled my eyes as I locked the door behind me. "Not exactly, but Father won't kill you. He might threaten to beat you up and break your kneecaps, but he won't kill you."

Dimitri winced as I flounced down into my chair. "Please don't remind me of your father's invitation to go out to the woods for a 'chat.' Especially when it involves weapons."

I paled at the reminder but decided to set that aside after combing out my hair and rose from my chair. "So…what do you think of doing things in my bed besides sleeping?" I whispered.

Dimitri kissed my cheek. "I would love to, but given how angry your father was? I think not - no sleeping together. The best thing would be for me to sleep in the guest chambers…"

"I don't want to sleep without you," I murmured. "We only had that one night where we made love, and you had to leave the morning after. If we can't make love now, I want to be by your side at the very least."

"Fine," Dimitri agreed.

I kept my eyes on him as I shimmied out of my red silk (death) gown and my petticoats. His eyes lingered on my legs.

"Help me out of my corset," I demanded.

"As you wish," Dimitri murmured, looking amused at my bossiness. He came over and quickly began to undo the laces, and my corset fell to the floor.

I stood before Dimitri wearing absolutely nothing . I turned around and smiled cockily at him and placed a hand on my hip. "Enjoying the view?" I asked huskily, coming a bit closer to him.

"Yes," he murmured, kissing my neck and putting his hands on my shoulders. He ran his hands down my sides to my waist and sighed. "Roza, you're making it so hard for me to not want to drag you to bed and fuck you senseless." Lust burned in his eyes.

I smirked at him and turned my back to look for my nightgown. I felt Dimitri wrap his arms around my waist and he kissed my neck, making me shiver all over. "Didn't you say no sleeping together?" I asked without turning around as I threw on my nightgown.

"Yes, but it doesn't mean we can't do other things…" Dimitri trailed off and put his hand under my skirt to suggestively run his hand up my thigh. I shivered at his touch, which made me burn for so much more.

"Too bad," I said, spinning around and sticking my tongue out. "No lovemaking, no naughty things."

"Roza…" Dimitri protested.

I planted a kiss on his lips before jumping onto my bed and beckoning to him. "Just come here and sleep with me."

Dimitri groaned but took off his shirt and boots before joining me. He wrapped his arms around my waist again and nibbled on my ear, which made me giggle. "Just sleep now, Roza," he murmured in that sweet honeyed voice.

I laid my head on his chest and sighed. "How could I possibly sleep? What if the Queen summons you and…" I couldn't bear to finish the thought, and let my voice trail off.

"Don't worry so much," Dimitri murmured, kissing my forehead. "We'll find a way for things to work out. Sleep."

I sighed again but decided to take his advice. "Well…in that case…good night." I closed my eyes, but it took forever for me to sleep.


Dimitri POV

I awoke a few hours from when I'd fallen asleep and squinted at the sky. It was a few hours after noon – in other words, it was now mid-afternoon.

I pondered my options. I couldn't sleep anymore…but I didn't really want to stay here. I wanted to return home and see my mother and my sisters. I had sent a letter to my mother saying I was alive and married…but I wanted to see my family in person. It wasn't safe for me to leave the Mazur residence, but I wanted to see them.

I saw that Roza was still asleep and smiled. She was sleeping so deeply and I kissed her forehead.

I quickly got dressed and scribbled a note for Rose so she wouldn't worry. I went down to the main foyer of the Mazur residence and requested a guardian to let me out of the gates. He even offered to take me straight to my home, as he knew a way that wouldn't attract much attention.

I put on a cloak to disguise myself and we set out through the streets of Moscow. Since Moroi and dhampirs often ran on a human schedule to avoid humans noticing us, it was harder for me to stay hidden.

We arrived at my home and the guardian said he'd wait, but I sent him back to the Mazurs. I instructed him to only send guardians back if I hadn't returned in four hours.

I threw back my hood at the gate, and the guardians opened them for me. They were too stoic to register surprise at my appearance.

I walked along the winding path that took me up to the manor and let myself in. "Please awaken Dowager Princess Belikov and my sisters, and tell them I'm home," I instructed one of the maids, who hurried away at my request.

Within minutes, my family was all gathered in the dining room. "Thank God you're safe!" Mama cried, hugging me tight. Sonya and Karolina had been too shocked to say anything.

"But the Queen will be after you if she knows you're here," Viktoria piped in.

Karolina finally found her voice. "What happened to you? You only sent a message saying you had to leave, and then we heard Queen Tatiana sent out a decree asking for you to be brought to her if you were seen or killed on sight. And then you sent another message saying you're alive and married to the Mazur princess!"

"I have married Rose," I confirmed. "We fell in love and got married, and she's now my wife."

Mama looked concerned. "But the ancient feud between our families…This goes against everything that Belikovs have been taught."

"We must forget that now. If the feud was so old that no one remembered why we hated it to begin with, then we must put it aside. We have bigger, pressing issues."

Mama nodded. "Ivan took over your seat as the Belikov prince while you were away. He did vote against the law ordering guardians into service at age 16, but that's the only good thing he's done. I suspect he won't give up his seat so easily even though you're back."

I sighed. "Of course. Uncle Ivan pretending that he cares about the Moroi and dhampirs. I will have to change who will take my place if something's to happen to me."

"I fear the Belikov family line will slowly come to an end because of your marriage," Mama said with a sigh. "But as long as you're happy, nothing else should matter."

I sighed with relief. Thank God at least Mama would accept my Roza. Viktoria would support me as well, and I thought my other 2 sisters would accept Rose in time. I made a mental note to myself to add my sisters to the line of succession after me – and to put Uncle Ivan at the far end. "We'll worry about the line of succession and Belikov heirs later - "

"What's this talk about Belikov heirs?" a man's voice boomed out from the door.

My sisters curtsied as my uncle came into the room. He was my father's younger brother, and had hoped to become first-in-line to become the Belikov prince. However, after I'd been born, he'd been pushed farther down the succession, as I was first-in-line. After my father died when I was 12, he'd helped Mama, the Belikov dowager princess, learn more about politics.

I didn't really trust him – I believed he was trying to get into her good graces and marry her to become the Belikov prince. Because anyone who married the Belikov dowager princess would take precedence over me as the prince, and I suspected Uncle Ivan wanted to eventually become king.

"Nothing that matters much," I said coolly.

Ivan raised an eyebrow at me. "Is that so? Look at you, the prince back from exile." There was an undercurrent of bitterness in his voice, and I knew Mama was right – he'd wished I'd just stayed in exile.

"I do thank you for voting wisely on the guardian law, even if it didn't turn out as hoped," I said. "I'll resume my duties as the Belikov prince."

"Are you even considered a Belikov now, with your marriage to Princess Mazur?" Ivan shot off. "You sound more like a traitor to your own family! Our family has feuded with the Mazurs for centuries!"

"We have more important issues on hand than an old feud," I said sharply.

"Such as reversing the guardian age," Viktoria chimed in, "and getting the Queen to listen to Dimka's side of the story."

"What exactly led you to attack Lord Ivashkov anyway?" Karolina asked. "You're normally so level-headed and calm."

I sighed. "He and some of his friends drank too much and spoke crudely of Rose. I couldn't let them talk about my wife like that, so I got into a brawl with them."

Ivan opened his mouth to respond but a messenger came racing in. He was wearing the royal colors on his uniform, which made me nervous. "Message for Prince Belikov!"

I stepped forward and accepted the rolled parchment. My heart thumped when I saw the royal seal holding it shut and I broke the seal.

To Prince Belikov,

Lord and Princess Mazur have written to me on your behalf, asking me to reconsider my order that you be brought into my custody if seen, or killed on the spot. I have given it much thought, and I find it highly unusual that the Mazur family would ask that their longtime enemy be granted leniency. I will only listen to your side of the story, and I don't promise anything else.

Be in the throne room at 8 in the evening today (human time) with my grand-nephew Lord Ivashkov and Lord and Princess Mazur.

Tatiana Ivashkov

I looked up from the letter. "I've been summoned to Court by the Queen. I must be there at 8 today."

"Get some rest until then," Mama urged, putting her hand on my shoulder.

I sighed. "I promised Rose I'll return to her after coming to see you. I'll come back tomorrow night and sleep here."

"If the Queen lets you live," Ivan muttered.

Viktoria was livid at that and stormed over to our uncle. "Don't you dare wish ill of my brother. He's done a far better job than you ever did of being the prince!"

"Viktoria!" Mama scolded. "Respect your elders!"

I decided to leave before tensions really escalated between my immediate family and my power-hungry uncle, so I quickly said my farewells and left.


Rose POV

"Are you sure the Queen won't execute Dimitri on sight?" I asked, my hands curling around the summons my father and I had received only a few hours earlier.

Adrian snorted and leaned back in his carriage seat. "My grand-aunt is mean, but she's not that cold. You and Belikov both have written proof of her promise."

The four of us who had been summoned were riding in a carriage to the Royal Court. Lissa had wanted to come, but I insisted that she stay at home.

"Either that or check up on your own residence," I'd ordered.

Lissa did have her own residence, as the only one left in the Dragomir family. But her father had left provisions in his will that the Mazur family would take her in if something happened to him or his wife, and that the Queen could oversee the maintenance of the Dragomir home until Lissa turned 18. Lissa had protested at not coming along with us, but agreed to stay at home.

I looked over at Dimitri, who was seated next to me, and squeezed his hand tightly. He smiled warmly at me as the carriage lurched to a stop in front of the gates that led to the palace.