Chapter 7: Dimitri's Decision

After the escort took Rose away, I suddenly had no energy. My legs collapsed and I feel into a seat, no longer able to hold my head up. The weight of the last several days was crashing down on me, and I was exhausted. I covered my face with both hands, hiding from the world, hiding from myself. I let my eyes close and replayed the hearing in my mind. So much about the hearing had bothered me. So many things seemed out of place. Damon Tarus. Danellia. The evidence. The guardian. The janitor. Amborse.

Thinking his name made me curious. I ran my fingers over my head and through my hair and took in my surroundings. Several people were still standing around the courtroom, but no one worth my attention. Across the aisle, however, Ambrose was still seated. As far as I could tell, he hadn't moved a muscle since sliding that note into Rose's hand.

I knew there were a lot of people that I needed to talk to, and I wasn't afraid to use force. But right now, the logical thing to do was corner Aborse and see what he knew. Rumor implicated him in an intimate relationship with the Queen, and if that were the case, I wondered what his involvement might be. He probably would be able to enlighten me to people who would gain from her death.

I decided to wait until we were the last two left in the courtroom. Despite my eagerness to do something, I knew I had to be patient. Slowly, other's started to trickle into the hall way and outside. Amborse still unmoving. Only a few more individuals were lingering and I was able to listen to the conversations they were having.

One couple made plans for a romantic rendezvous. Not important to me. Others were talking about Rose's speech. Quickly, I was able to determine they had no useful information, and their analysis of Rose was making me irate. I didn't have the energy to be that mad. In the corner, three gentlemen maybe a year older than Rose stood in the corner. They kept shooting glances my way and I caught my whispered name. A few seconds of descrete listening, I was able to determine that they didn't believe I had been returned completely to my dhampir form, and they were planning a way to provoke me into an angry tirade. I didn't have enough energy to stay calm and wait for Amborse, so I stood to my feet and left the courthouse.

Many people had dispersed from the streets by the time I made my way outside, though a few clusters of people remained. I spotted Lissa and her gang across the courtyard and she gave me a sheepish grin. I could read in her eyes that she hurt for me, and at the moment, I was too angry for sympathy. I nodded to acknowledge her, and made my way in the opposite direction.

I was walked around the Royal Court, I ran through the bits of information I had discovered and those I kept locked away. Something was still nagging at me in the back of my head. A Strigoi memory I tried to repress with the others. I had traced Rose to the hotel in Vegas, were I found her with Victor and his brother. They had gone unseen and unheard for months now. He had reason to hate the Queen. Reason's to remove Rose from the scene. I couldn't help but wonder if he had anything to do with this plot. But, I knew Victor was plagued by his disease and his brother was bothered by Spirit. I wasn't sure if either were strong enough to pull off a murder like this without being caught.

Daniella's reaction at the hearing made me wonder what her involvement may have been. Something about her reaction both to her conversation with Lissa and the hearing made me certain she was somehow involved, but I wasn't sure if that was just a motherly concern because her son was publically known to be romantically involved with Rose. I could understand where that notion would have made her uncomfortable. According to the rumor's I overheard, the Queen wasn't quiet about expressing her disgust for the relationship. Could maybe Adrian be involved?

Considering Adrian meant questioning the affection he displayed for Rose. It was no secret that Adrian wasn't completely mentally stable. Would instability make him the perfect deceptionest? Could he be fooling everyone to believe that he loved Rose while he framed her for murder? Her certainly had access to Rose's room and would not have been questioned if he was seen entering the queens quarters. But something about that didn't seem right either. While I couldn't quite find it in myself to blame Adrian, though, really, I wanted to, I still felt that something wasn't as it seemed with him. He had an ulterior motive. I just didn't know what it could be.

As I wondered around aimlessly, I had a reoccurring thought. I tried to ignore it, to push it from my mind, but I couldn't. Before I had changed, I would have had access to all the information surrounding this case. I would have access to Rose. I knew I could get both of those things with force, but ultimately, to protect Rose, I knew I needed to use discretion. I finally found myself left with no other option.

I was acting out my decision before it was even made. I wasn't sure where I was going, my I followed my instincts. Within moments I was entering the building for which I was heading, and I checked the registry.

As I raised my arm to knock on the door, I knew this was my only hope of setting Rose free. I wrapped three times and waited. The door slowly opened.

"Ah, Dimitri. I wondered when you would come. Your grandmother told me to expect you."

Ibrahim's voice was friendly and inviting as he opened the door to let me in.

a/n: This is the end of this story. I have started to reread the VA series and will start writing from the beginning. As I delve more into the characters and analyze who they are, I may right from more perspectives, (has anyone wondered about Abe? How about Demka Grandmother?) and even continue through my thoughts for Last Sacrifice. No promise, but if there is something you would really like to see, send me a personal message and we'll see what I can do. Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think.