"Okay Dimitri, Tristan you cover us at the back. Asenath you cover us from the front. We do this quick fast and easy, no showing off. Christian if you have to use your powers use them… no showing off"
Christian smirked at Lissa; they had been dancing around each other for too long. They had been avoiding a confrontation but he could feel the tension between them. He could tell that they were going to be having words after all this royal shit was done and Rose was safe with them.
They all nodded and ran through the corridor. Well, she did say quick…
I looked around the dank room for the forty fifth time; and you can bet your ass that I've been counting. I ran a hand through my hair feeling as dried blood flaked off and landed lightly on the floor. If only I could sleep, but I already knew that to be an epic fail. Trying to sleep had resulted in listening to tiny mouse feet run back and forth… and back… and forth…
Finally the noise had just become too much and I had to start pacing. As I walked back and forth around the room which by the way was small so I could only walk so far before having to turn back around.
"HEY! Bitch, I've come to feed your undeserving ass." Good old Catalina Reveres.
I sighed loudly and rather condescendingly for a prisoner of… war? Was this war? I mean Alexei WAS trying to kill royal Moroi so that does go under the category of war I am correct on this right? Snapping out of my musings I looked over to the girl slouching against the now open doorframe.
I had moved, attacked, and escaped without even knowing. Damn I was good. I looked back down at the slouched Catalina.
Huh… stupid wench.
"Okay now everybody, I know were close just a little farther ahead and… where is she?" Lissa looked around the small not to mention EMPTY room. Oh wait, nope it wasn't empty there was a girl slumped against the door frame.
Christian leaned down to check for a pulse, finding one he nodded. Lissa looked around the room with a frown… something was off.
"Listen here princess Dragomir…" The airy voice sounded in front of her, looking around she couldn't see anything that hinted to a womanly voice such as the wavering one calling her.
Moving to walk out of the door she headed down the hallway, her posse following behind her.
"Roza is in danger… you need to help her and…"
"WAIT! Don't leave!" Lissa shouted aimlessly at the voice but to no avail she didn't hear it again.
"Come on people we need to get moving and fast!" Lissa nodded to the right passage and they all hurried down the stairs.
I felt so weak… so very weak.
The world was a mirage that I saw at every turn. In this world Strigoi leered at me my 'uncle' Alexei at the head of him. Every so often he would take a dagger and scratch it down my arm. The pain became nothing after awhile.
"You have got to be kidding me… you're really taking this?"
I looked at Anastasia through half lidded eyes. She was beautiful as usual I just don't know why she's here though I mean didn't she sell me out or was that just my imagination?
"You don't understand Roza… I am his blood relative directly, he can control me…"
I raised an eyebrow, really? She was trying to pull this bull shit over me? I think not…
….
"Are you really singing in your head, know what don't answer that… you need to get the dagger… their bleeding you… you have powerful blood streaming through your veins… you cannot let them get it…."
Okay, so apparently I have powerful blood streaming through my veins… is anyone else confused or am I the only one?
"Gosh you are SO stubborn… your dead but living… through your blood runs the blood of the dead… the blood of the living… and the blood of the Romanovs…"
Okay…
"You have unimaginable power Roza! Now use it otherwise you will bring about the destruction of Moroi and Dhampir and ultimately the humans…"
Damn it, now this was just ridiculous. I don't even know where I am never the less how to get out.
"You're chained in the torture room, your blood is currently going around the Romanov insignia and you're about to be killed by your uncle… GET THE HELL OUT NOW!"
Okay so it was time to take action unless I wanted my uncle to kill me, what a weird twist of fate but at least it was creative I mean… how many people could say they were killed by their Strigoi uncle, Prince Alexei, to kill off three different races… pphh… no one. Exactly…
Bu,t I didn't fancy getting killed anytime soon so, escape it was.
Opening my eyes I could see the Romanov family crest and my oh-so-precious blood precariously swirling around it… let me be the one to say weird.
The room was empty at the moment…I think, unless they have the ability of invisibility. They had actually left the dagger… or maybe it wasn't THE dagger but it was a dagger.
I could just push it over with my feet so I did so.
Well… I did escape the chains I'm proud to admit… it was really hard… and so many intricate twists it's too hard to explain.
"Ah!"
I felt like I was on fire but I didn't see any fire. I looked over to Anastasia who looked scared as all get-up. My entrails were turning to mush… I could feel it.
Anastasia soon disappeared and in her place stood a man with ebony hair, he was about my age and he wore a black robe.
"Rose…"
I nodded, was he just going to say my name or was some progress going to be made here?
"My name is Liath, keeper of the Underworld." So much for being my age…
"Oh, is that supposed to mean something to me because… it doesn't…" He grinned and shook his head, his wondrous ebony bangs shifted to the side for me to see his dark green eyes.
" Rose. You are supposed to be dead and you damn well know it. My name does mean something to you at least somewhere in your mind because you have met me before. I came to you in this form the last time you were supposed to die. Now, I will grant Lissa Dragomir's wish to have you live but this time it will not be taken lightly, now, listen closely…"
Lissa ran fast towards the smell of bloodshed that she couldn't bring herself to get used to. It seemed like Rose would be around there somewhere…
"Get out of here… things are going to start happening and Rose wants you out of here…"
Lissa looked around for the sound of the airy voice only to gasp as she saw that it was the ghost girl who had sold Rose out. "What are YOU doing here? Shouldn't you be killing Rose?" She sneered at the ghost.
"No, now get out of here or die."
Lissa nodded and rounded up their rescue posse telling them that it was time to go, that Rose had already escaped in a typical Rose way; and they believed her.
The group stood there, watching as the castle exploded. It just… exploded.
Lissa stood there eyes wide before she crumbled to her knees, "She's gone." Tears streaked her face, big fat tears that pooled and fell over and over again. The others were in a state of denial.
"She's dead. I thought she had just left. I thought she had really died but… no. she didn't die did she? But she's not here so she must be dead. Nobody could live through that, not even Rose…"
Christian kneeled down next to the distraught girl, "Rose is not dead." Lissa looked up at her ex-lover "But, how can you be so sure Christian?" Christian pointed to the figures appearing from behind the smoke. "Cause she's heading straight for us."
I trotted over bits of stone and brick. Stairs laid to my left, a door to my right. I grabbed Anastasia's hand for support and watched the forms clear before me. My friends and, I looked at Adrian with a hint of a wicked smile, family.
Lissa watched the figures appear out of the smoke as if they were goddesses coming down from the heavens in clouds of mist. That was Rose!
"Rose!" I smiled a real goddamn smile because dammit, I was happy! I was happy to be alive! I was happy that my Uncle was dead!
But everything comes with a price…
"The Romanov sister's will be you're entourage, but you will be the leading Guardian. You Rose, will be the defender of the Moroi, of the Humans and even the Strigoi. You're duty is to keep it in balance. Keep the balance and all is well, but if the balance is disturbed things such as this will happen. Risings to purge the world into disaster, this is what we hope to avoid by putting the Guardian's into effect. The Earths safety rests in your hands, Rose you will see many different things, and you will see some of the world's oldest secrets but, don't be scared. Don't back down. You are invincible. You are eternal. You are Rose."
My price birthed a whole new species of Guardians.
And my price would stay a secret. I watched as my aunts dispersed into the smoke. They would meet me back at the palace. The Guardians would be working with the royal family, and only the queen and those to follow would know about us.
I was tackled to the ground by Lissa and I hugged her back; maybe my secret wouldn't be a secret for long but I would keep it a secret for as long as I could. My eyes met Dimitri's, he smiled, I smiled.
Because I have a family; the realization creeped up on me before I could register it I was a bumble of tears in no time at all, crying with the best of them.
It's funny; it took one member of my family to die. The only one I considered FAMILY to die, before I realized I had more, and I hadn't found my family, but they me.
Dad...Asenath, Tristan... Christian, Lissa... Olga, Marie, Anastasia, Tatiana... Dimitri...
They had found me…
My family.
And everything was okay as long as I had them, and them me.
THE END.
Okay. So if you have any questions just holla… I mean review or something and if you think I should write a sequel or whatever tell me and suggest something because I have a few ideas. I hope you liked this story as much as I did for all its quirks and oddities.
Phedre Serenity Rosamund ;)
