I woke up that morning to Bailey's voice.
"Mommy?" She said. She sounded scared. I sat up and looked at her. Her face looked afraid.
"Baby… whats wrong?" I asked.
"Mommy, whats wrong with your hands?" I looked down at my knuckles to see they were red and bleeding.
"Oh.. Baby, its nothing. Mommy went to the gym last night. I'm okay. I promise." She just stared at me for a second before walking over to me. She picked up one of my hands, and kissed my knuckles. It stung, but I didn't care. I wrapped my arms around her, and held her close to me.
"I love you so much baby." She wrapped her little arms around my neck.
"I love you too momma." It took a lot to keep a hold on my composure. I got up, her trailing behind me. I wrapped my knuckles and then started getting Bailey ready. I found her a cute little dress, and did her hair. I then got dressed in my uniform, pulled my hair up into a pony-tail to show off my marks. I really didn't want to go to Lissa's coronation, because I knew he'd be there. I also didn't want to go because Liss and Adrian were going to be there. I didn't want to talk or see either of them, but I had too. Lissa was still my charge, no matter how bad she pissed me off. No matter how much she hurt me in the process. As I was gathering my things and grabbed my stake to put it in my belt, Adrian knocked on the door. Bailey opened it.
"Uncle Adrian." She said.
"Hey Bailey. Where's your mom?"
"Hiding from you." I muttered, walking out into the main room.
"Rose-" I put my hands up.
"I don't have time for it. I'm already late." He nodded.
"I have to be up at the throne with Lissa. You have to watch her. You keep her away from him at all costs.. Do you understand? Let her anywhere near him.. Your ass is mine." He nodded.
"Got it." I sighed.
"Thanks." Bailey was staring at me.
"What happened to your hands?" Adrian asked.
"Gym." He nodded, knowing already what had happened.
"Can we go?" Bailey nodded.
"Auntie Lissa's going to be a good queen." I smiled.
"Your right baby. She will." I took her hand as we walked down the hallway to the throne room. Lissa met my eyes, and a look of sadness washed over her face. I saw her glance across the room. I saw him. Thank God he wasn't looking my way. I kissed Bailey.
"Be good for Uncle Adrian.. Kay?" She nodded. I met his eyes.
"Remember what I told you. Stay on this side of the throne room please. He's over there." I said, jerking my head towards him. He nodded. I walked through the crowd, and to the throne where Lissa and Tatiana were standing. I felt his eyes on me the moment I was in front of him. "Rose-" I stopped her.
"Don't." She stared at me for a second, and nodded. I stood, staring out towards the huge crowd that had gathered in the throne room. I took a step away from Lissa, and put my arms behind my back. I let my guardian mask slip over my face. I couldn't help but let my eyes flicker to where he was standing. His eyes were on me. I quickly averted my gaze to Bailey who was smiling next to Adrian. She waved at me, and I smiled at her. Queen Tatiana began talking.
"I've been the moroi queen for sometime." She said. Yeah, too long. I said in my mind. I heard Lissa think the same thing through the bond. It took everything I had not to bust out laughing.
"Its time that I step down and let a new person take my place. Someone with fresh new ideas, someone who will lead the moroi society just as well as I ever could." I couldn't help but smile at all the smart ass comments I could come up with. I looked back to where Dimitri was standing to see him smiling too, probably thinking the same thing. That smile made my heart clench. All I could see was Bailey. She was the spitting image of him. I had to pry my eyes away from him. I looked over to Adrian and Bailey standing on the other side of the throne room. She looked at me and smiled. Adrian saw the struggle on my face.
"You okay?" He mouthed. I gave a slight nod, and he nodded back.
"I now hand over my throne, to the new Moroi Queen, and the only Dragomir left… Vasilisa Dragomir." Lissa's face was radiant. She stepped up and sat down in the throne. The throne room erupted into cheers and clapping. Bailey was jumping up and down, screaming. Tatiana then turned to me.
"Rosemarie Hathaway?"
"Yes?" I said, voice strong.
"Do you promise, and swear to protect the new moroi queen with your life, putting her before everything you stand for. Having her come first?" I took a deep breath.
"Yes. I swear to protect my charge with my own life, putting her before everything." I said. She nodded and smiled at me.
"Then I give you the new moroi queen and her guardian." I took a step towards Lissa's new throne. She smiled up at me, and then out to the crowd. The throne room started to empty out. Tatiana stepped forward and smiled at the two of us.
"You'll do a fantastic job. Both of you will." We smiled and nodded.
"Thank you." She smiled and walked out. Bailey ran up onto the throne platform and threw herself into Lissa's lap.
"Congratulations Auntie Lissa." She smiled and hugged her.
"Thank you sweetheart." I smiled. She got out of Lissa's lap, and walked over to my side, taking my hand. I looked back to where Dimitri had been standing to see him still here.
"We have to go." I said quickly.
"Rose.. Wait, we have to talk about this." Lissa begged. I shook my head.
"There's nothing to talk about." I snapped.
"Rose… Please?" Once again, his voice saying my name sent a shiver up my spine. I turned to Adrian. "Take her back to the room please. I'll be there soon." He nodded.
"Come on Bailey."
"But momma." I shook my head and knelt down.
"Please.. Go with him. I'll be there soon. I promise." She stared at me for a second, and nodded.
"Okay." She finally murmured. I kissed her forehead, and she walked off with Adrian. I took a deep breath. I heard his footsteps as he came up behind me. I took a few steps forward and turned to face him and Lissa.
"Why didn't you tell me he was coming?"
"Because I knew you wouldn't come to the ball. I knew you wouldn't come to this. I couldn't tell you."
"You lied to me."
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to.. But I wanted you to be here for all of this." I shook my head.
"Rose.. Don't be upset with her. I asked if I could come. She didn't invite me." I turned my glare on him.
"It doesn't matter. She should have told me."
"I asked her not to."
"I don't give a shit what you asked her. She should have told me." I snapped at him. I was honestly ready to deck him in that beautiful face of his. I wanted to punch him just once. One good time and I'd be satisfied.
"I knew coming was a bad idea." He said.
"No.. Dimitri.. Don't say that. I'm glad you came." She said.
"Aren't we all." I said before I turned around and started to walk away.
"Rose… Please, I'll be leaving soon. There's no need to be upset." My heart was screaming NO DON'T LEAVE, But my mind was screaming Get the fuck out.
"You don't have to leave so soon, I just want you to stay away from me." I saw his guardian façade slip a little bit. The hurt filtered through that mask. I wanted to run to him, and hug him, and tell him how much I've missed him, but I couldn't.
"Rose… Please?" Lissa begged.
"You want to talk to me Lissa, come by my room. I'm done talking here." She said nothing else as I walked away.
DIMITRI'S POV
I stood there, and watched her walk off. I could hear her words again and again in my head. "I just want you to stay away from me". It stung. It hurt a lot more than it should have. No matter how long I'd been gone, my feelings for her hadn't changed. I watched as she slammed the door and disappeared. I turned to Lissa to see she had tears streaming down her face.
"I should have told her."
"I'm sorry your majesty." She narrowed her eyes at me.
"Don't even Dimitri." I cracked a bit of a smile.
"Sorry. She has a right to be upset. I left her. I understand why she's acting this way. Honestly.. I'm waiting for her to punch me in the face." I admitted.
"Me too." She said.
"Dimitri, why did you leave?" She asked. I sighed.
"I left to protect her. To protect her career. After we.. Slept together.. I knew that if I stayed, our relationship would only complicate her being your guardian, and protecting you. I would distract her, and she'd be more worried about me than protecting you, and I couldn't have that. I left to protect her, and you. I cared for her that much. I cared enough to walk away. It wasn't easy. It's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life." She just stared at me.
"You shouldn't have left."
"I had too." She shook her head.
"You didn't. Things could have been changed. Things could have been arranged, and everything would have been fine. You jumped to conclusions to quickly."
"I'm thinking that too now, but its too late to try and make things right." Lissa sighed.
"Just keep trying. I know how much she loved you.. I mean loves you. I know what you mean to her. I know if you keep trying.. She'll crack." I chuckled.
"Or crack my jaw." I said. She shrugged.
"Oh well, your tough. You can take it." I laughed.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her fight in a while." Lissa laughed.
"Well, you'll find out." I smiled.
"I'll see you later Queen Lissa. Thank you for inviting me today and inviting me to stay here." She smiled.
"Your welcome Dimitri. You can stay as long as you like." I nodded. I knew I wouldn't be staying to long though.
"Thank you." I said. I did a little bow before I turned and walked out. I walked back to my room, needing to be alone.
