Author's Note: Privyet, my lovely readers. I'm glad so many of you are still following me. So, I apologize for the long wait. However, I've been sick for the past week, and since laying in bed has now become the equivalent of the seventh circle of Hell, I decided I need to sit up and finish this chapter. It's short, because it's a little bit more of an intimate scene, and those can be difficult. Mostly, because I've had writer's block, and unless the scene has lots of adrenaline-inducing action or suspense in it, I get bored. But, no worries. Hopefully you like it.
Also, I must once again point out that this is my plot. Vampire Academy is not mine, and nor are the character names. They belong to Richelle Mead. But this is my story, and I claim it. Please do not plagiarize either mine or Richelle Mead's creations, or anyone else's for that matter. It's just wrong.
Also, well-constructed replies with constructive criticism are also much more supportive and appreciated than "Please Update." I have to go be an adult and support myself, so I don't have much time to write and update, but I'm doing the best I can. Please be patient with me, and tell me what parts of the story you really like and what may or may not need some work in developing characters or plot integrity. It gives me a lot of encouragement to continue and to be a better writer. That being said, please don't tell me where I should or should not take my plot. It is my brainchild, and I will go where I please with it. Just like I previously asked you to not plagiarize me or anyone else, I won't plagiarize your ideas. Use your ideas to create your own stories. You are talented and creative enough to write awesome stories with practice. Let the surprises of others' stories unfold before you. Enjoy!
Chapter Four:
The days passed in a much similar fashion, and Dimitri had to admit, he was certainly becoming accustomed to Rose's pretty face in his study. Her clothes had been finished, and she was silently pouring over the letter books while he reviewed this year's census. Dimitri would have preferred just to watch Rose, because she was much more interesting than these papers. Occasionally, he would stop reading to rest his eyes for a moment, and study Rose, memorizing every detail as she silently sounded out the words and letters, trying to make the muscles in her mouth remember how to form the sounds correctly. The afternoon sun was shining on her through the window, lighting up her deep, chocolate curls with a lazy golden glow as they hung over her shoulder in a dark braid. She'd managed to dodge the headdress today, and she looked so innocent, almost childlike in her teal damask gown, embroidered with intricate golden designs. The soft scent of vanilla, currant, and vibrant orange blossoms clung to Rose's smooth, silky skin, and it made Dimitri's mouth water as he took her in, his eyes lingering on the delicate features of her face, right down to the bow of her lips and the volume of her impossibly long, dark eyelashes.
Rose had fascinated -no- enthralled him, and he was beginning to find it extremely difficult to concentrate on his duty to his kingdom, when this beautiful angel was so close, yet so maddeningly out of his reach. The princes would have laughed at Dimitri and told him to become a man. He was the Tsar. He could take whatever he wanted, but Dimitri resented those remarks. Make no mistake, he wanted Rose, but he could not have her… at least, not if she didn't want him. For Heaven's sake, she didn't even speak or understand his language, and still carried herself around him like a skittish little bird, ready to fly off in a tizzy of flustered feathers if he did anything to spook her. Dimitri smiled: Rose reminded him of a little rosefinch, fine-boned and beautiful. There was a light skip to her step, and her voice was musical and sweet, her doe eyes sparkling with mischief behind those rosy cheeks of hers. The last thing he wanted was to scare her away when she brought so much joy to his life.
Dimitri stood up; he couldn't stand it anymore. Making his way to Rose, he gently reached out and took the book from her hands, and helped her into a standing position, gazing down at her face, for he towered above her. Rose looked up, confused, and Dimitri smiled, speaking in English.
"I think that's enough study for today. We could both use a bit of fresh air," he explained. "Will you walk with me?" Dimitri asked, trying to appear as gentle and non-threatening as possible. "The grounds are beautiful this time of year."
Rose took a moment to understand what he was saying, but her full, coral lips cracked a smile, and she nodded. "Da, I would like that, Dimitri," she replied. Dimitri smiled. She was getting much better at her English… and her Russian too… slowly but surely, anyway. Dimitri clasped her hands lightly for a moment, smiling, before he retrieved her cloak, and fastened it around her shoulders. It was lovely, made of emerald jacquard, and trimmed with soft fox fur, and it brought out the golden tone of her tanned skin. He tossed his own brown cloak about his shoulders, before carefully tucking her hand in his arm, and escorting her outside.
Dimitri felt a strange surge of delight as he studied the expression of wonder that crossed Rose's face. This had been the first moment she'd been allowed to step foot outside the palace walls since she had been brought here a slave. But, it was quite a bit cooler than Rose was used to, and she huddled closer to Dimitri's side, pulling her cloak more tightly about her willowy frame.
The gardens were unlike Rose had ever seen. So many plants and different creatures surrounded her; some familiar, others very new and strange to her. There were flying creatures in colors she'd never seen in her homeland. The blush pink feathers of a Rosefinch, or the bright orange and violet wings of a Violet Copper butterfly.
The sound of barking startled her, and she screamed in terror, and leapt onto Dimitri's back to get away from the enormous, wolf-like canines bounding for them, not realizing they were the Tsar's hunting dogs.
Dimitri scrambled to keep his balance when Rose scrambled up onto his shoulders to get away from his dogs, surprised and not realizing what devil had gotten into the woman. When it finally dawned on him, he bit his quivering lip, trying to keep a straight face. However, he was unsuccessful as a rich chuckle escaped his lips while he gently detached Rose from his shoulders and set her back on the ground, ordering the dogs to back down.
"It's all right, Roza. They won't hurt you," he soothed her, calling the dogs over to introduce them to their new mistress, and to get Rose comfortable with them. She was used to huge, leggy dogs with long whiskery beards and wirey hair, sagging ears and sopping tongues. She was used to dogs that were obviously domesticated and bred for utility as well as companionship, and not these terrifying wolf-dogs with wild, ocher eyes.
After a moment, Rose was able to become familiar and comfortable with the canines, and they soon grew bored of her, and began to pounce and chase after each other. Dimitri took that as his cue to continue their walk. Rose seemed to be a bit more skittish now after her run in with the dogs, becoming spooked at even the slightest snap of a twig. Frowning, Dimitri wondered if perhaps he'd actually taken a step backward in winning her affections, considering she seemed just as nervous, if not more, than she was when she first was brought to him. He looked over at Rose, and led her over to a stone bench situated beneath a trellis of climbing autumn roses the color of sunset. The area was comfortable and intimate, and perfect for a private conversation, he noted as he helped her sit. The heady spice of the roses was almost intoxicating as their fragrance clung heavily to the air. Taking his place on the bench next to her, Dimitri watched fondly as his charming escort studied the roses carefully. He couldn't decide if it was because she was being coquettish or not. Either way, he didn't concern himself with it as he reached out to pluck an elegant, half-opened bud from the trailing canes. Once he was certain there were no thorns on the part of the stem he'd managed to take with the bloom, he turned and gave it to her with a gentle smile. Rose glanced up at him; the deep chestnut of her eyes peeking through the curtain of her eyelashes, and a shy smile graced her lips as she took the flower with elegant fingers and held it to her face to savor the warm, sweet scent of the velvet orange petals.
"Spasibo, Dimitri," she murmured softly. She seemed to have picked up a few words in their lessons, and that made the Tsar's lips pull into an even wider smile. He was happy to revel in this moment, in her presence. This Rose was like spring sunshine at the end of a long, bitter Russian winter, and Dimitri just wanted to bask in her warmth the way new blades of rye begin to sprout from the soil, fresh and alive, reaching for that perfect sun.
"… Dimitri?" Rose's soft voice held a tell-tale inflection, bringing him back to reality. He looked at her expectantly, only to find she was looking at him strangely. "Are you all right? You seem dis… distracted…" she fumbled only slightly with the words. Her English was getting much better as well.
And then the Tsar realized what she had asked. He blinked a moment, clearing his head, and smiled at her, reaching out to take her hands carefully.
"Da, milaya. I was just thinking about some things… Roza, may I ask you something?" he asked, suddenly a little shy, but he managed to hold her gaze. Rose seemed a bit confused, but she nodded her head in agreement. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Dimitri studied her face, taking in every detail the way he had done more than a thousand times, though never became bored of it. "Roza…" her name felt like the most decadent prayer on his lips. "Do you like it here?"
Rose processed what he asked, and looked away, as if she were considering his question. She was silent for a long while, and it was agonizing for him. As for her, she was conflicted. Did she like this place? Well, she wasn't certain. On one hand, it was beautiful. More beautiful than any fairytale palace she could have ever imagined. More beautiful than the stone walls of the home she had been born into, and almost more beautiful than the loch and the storm-swept moors of her native land. On the other hand, she was a prisoner here. She was not allowed to leave, and she had been ripped from her home and kin, her family murdered, and stripped of her clansmen and anything familiar to her. Dimitri and the Queen Mother were kind to her yes, but no one else was. The princesses thought she was strange and were too uncertain to approach her.
Rose was uncertain of this place, and somewhat frightened of the people, the way they regarded her with stone-like faces and intense scrutiny in their eyes. There was an air of pensiveness about her as she studied the coral and deep orange petals of the flower in her hands, her luxuriously thick braid falling over her shoulder like a dark, silken rope.
"I have not been able to decide…" she started, inwardly panicking when she heard Dimitri inhale sharply. "It is beautiful here… but I still feel very much a stranger in this place," she added quickly, hoping to appease him.
Dimitri studied her for a moment, trying to discern what her true feelings were. After a moment, he relaxed, and carefully placed one of his hands over hers as they rested in her lap, still holding the rose. He smiled as he gently took the flower from her fingers, and reached behind her to tuck it behind her ear, pleased with the effect as the velvet petals brushed against her skin, setting off the blush in her cheeks.
"You are coming along wonderfully, Roza. You're intelligent and you're learning so quickly. I'm certain you'll adjust once you've fully learned the language… The people in my country may be very shy at first, but they're curious. You'll win them over in very little time at all," Dimitri said fondly as he looked at her, his honey brown eyes warm and tender. Rose felt her throat constrict uncomfortably with his gaze and looked away, unsure of how to deal with the emotions this inspired within her. Why did the Tsar have to be so warm; so sweet to her? It made her resolve to avenge her clan slippery and difficult to hold onto. Even now as he gazed at her, slowly inching his way forward, she could feel that resolve, that stone-hard anger she felt for the destruction of her birthright, her family, and her people slipping from her delicate fingers. It was so tempting to give in and surrender to the warmth that was Dimitri, like a golden sun after so many gray and stormy days, that warmth thawing the ice that had become her heart.
Dimitri's long, graceful fingers reached up to sweetly caress the elegant, sloping line of her jaw, marveling in the translucent softness that was her skin, her cheeks rosy from the brisk autumn air. There would be snow soon; the bite in the breeze was a tell-tale sign of Father Frost's coming upon the North Wind. The leaves in the trees were beginning to reflect the fire of the dying summer, gradually falling to prepare the branches to hold the weight of the cold, heavy snows that would soon fall. And with the winter came safety for the country's borders.
When the threat of invasion would ease, then Dimitri would have as much time as he liked to court his lovely ptichka. He was so desperate to win her heart, that it sometimes it hurt him. Dimitri had begun to consider a union with this woman that would be extremely controversial in his courts… but as he gazed at the delicate, feminine features of Rose's face and gazed into those beautiful brown eyes of hers, he was determined for it to be a fight he would win.
Rose succumbed to the intensity of his gaze, the warm, honey-like timbre to his voice wrapping around her like the irresistibly warm rays of the sun, and let her eyes close, a soft sigh of contentment parting her full, coral lips. Dimitri smiled ever so gently as he carefully pulled Rose into his arms and pressed his lips softly to her lips in the most exhilarating kiss he'd ever received from a woman.
The couple was so enamored in their embrace, they didn't notice the cold, calculating gaze of the man covertly watching them, his thin lips pulled up into a wicked smirk of satisfaction as his plan slowly began to fall into place, piece by delightful piece. Well played, little girl.