Dimitri's POV


To say that I was relieved by finally having a break was nothing compared to the relief Christian must be feeling, because although I couldn't actually know what he was thinking, but his face was an open book. I think maybe because of my many years concealing emotions from others I had learned to read theirs instead. His body language showed physical tiredness obviously, but his expression showed – probably much like my own if I wasn't masking it – frustration. A lot of frustration. My guess is that we wasn't expecting this whole endeavour to be so difficult. Most ideas are easier to conceptualise than to actually put into practice. Creating a Moroi combat class fell right into that category. His first problem was getting Moroi students willing to participate, since the class was still on testing stages and wasn't mandatory yet. Apparently – and I honestly couldn't blame them – most Moroi didn't want to get beaten up – they didn't have as much stamina as us Dahmpirs and weren't as muscular, so even what we consider a warm-up run would get them exhausted. After that barried we found the other problematic: Dahmpirs and Moroi fighting together. We were used to fighting for them, not with them. Finding a mid-term and a balance without slowing the Damphirs too much and without pushing or exposing the Moroi at the same time. That was the stage we were in. Excluding completely the issue that arouse when some Dahmpirs starting arguing and bitching at the Moroi, who obviously answered back.

I wasn't used to teach combat anymore, no more than I wasn't used to teaching it to someone who wasn't a quick-learner as Rose had been, with her everything seemed so easy. Sure she was exasperating, physiologically, but it was always easy for her to learn, in a blink of an eye she would have mastered the exact movement you had just made. So yes…much like Christian I was frustrated. My head was buzzing violently, so when he told me we would take a half an hour break I almost jumped up and down…almost.

We were at the staff room in the academy gym. Christian had moved from the chair to a more comfortable couch in the back corner. I reached my computer and opened it. Trying to focus on the important task ahead, putting as much distance from me and fighting Morois as possible, at least for 30 minutes.

"I can't believe you still haven't decided!" I heard Christian said from the other side of the room, with a very appalled tone to his voice, probably as a response to my very intense look at the screen while I rubbed my temples with my thumbs.

"It's not as easy as you might think" I responded, not bothering to look at him. My hand slid down to the touch pad and opened the travel agency website again.

"It is!" I felt the frustration from before prominent again in his speech "Just pick a dam place, any place. All she cares is being with you. You could be in a caravan in the middle of nowhere and she would be ecstatic about it." I knew he was right. I wasn't going to confirm it though – he's ego was big enough as it is – but I knew. Rosa wouldn't care about where we would spend our honeymoon, me neither. I think both of us were happy if there was only a bed and each other's company, the rare pleasure of being completely alone, the freedom of it. Nevertheless, I still had the uncontrollable desire to please her. I wanted to make her happy, no matter what, I knew that she wasn't the type of person who completely revelled in the whole wedding business, but she got herself excited because she knew how much I longed it. I wanted to give this to her, almost like a present, something that could make her give me one of those wide, bright smiles that seem to overpower the sun, to make of her over-dramatic reactions, almost childish, where she would start jumping up and down and giggle like a kid in Christmas morning. I couldn't help but grin to myself picturing Rose's reaction when she found out what I was planning. It was priceless just the anticipation of it.

"So….where did you choose?" Christian interrupted my thoughts, making me sift at the thought that I was probably smiling like a fool for the last minutes and quickly adjust my expression to a more professional one.

"I was thinking Nagano, in Japan. It has this amazing chalets, snowy mountains, hot springs…"

"Bbbrrr…I'm getting cold already" he interrupted me with a stern voice, although I could detect a bit of playfulness.

He was right, it was an all year snow resort. A cold destination, especially weird considering we would be travelling in August. But I thought she would like it, recalling to a conversation during Christmas holidays.


"I'm going to hit play!" I yelled spiritedly, hearing a groan coming from the kitchen followed by a low Don't-you-dare, almost like she was talking more to herself than to me. Finally she appeared before me juggling a huge bowl of pop-corn and two cups of hot chocolate. Odd choice I admit but I indulged her.

"I'm here, I'm here" she said while putting the items on the coffee table in front of the couch before snuggling in close to me. As we both laid on the couch – I was against its back and she was on the other side, with her back against my chest, and her hair so close that I could smell the Yasmin perfumed shampoo she loved. I sifted one arm underneath her pulling her even closer to me, as if it was possible. She smiled softly and reached out to pull the coffee table so it met the couch creating a kind of platform, almost like an extension to the couch itself. It also allowed her to be as close as she could to both me and the pop-corn bowl. I smirked to myself, knowing she couldn't see me.

"So how are we supposed to get out from here, with this whole set up?" I asked trying to conceal the playful tone from my voice.

"We aren't" She tilted her head back so she could look me in the eyes and grinned mischievously. I smiled back and kissed her forehead. I reached my cup of hot cocoa taking a sip from it while trying not to slip anything on Rose. She put away the remote control as the movie she had arranged had started. It was a romantic comedy – which was not a common choice for her, but I knew when she really felt like she needed to relax she would choose one of those genres, as she said, it had some amount of humour, a cute guy and it didn't demand too much logic from her. This particular one was actually appropriate for the time of the year. The excess of snow in the movie balance the snow that fell outside our window. It was about this girl who was working on a chalet in the snowy mountains of Austria. There was some kind of love affair and someone who wanted to sabotage her… classic cliché plot. I didn't mind though, I was in some kind of trance cause by Rose's shampoo scent. My hand drifted to her hair and started playing with her curls as she started laughing at something that had just happened in the movie. I pushed the black strands away, revealing her neck, I lowered my head and started to bestow gentle kisses on her shoulder moving slowly up her neck. I smiled, knowing she was getting distracted from the movie. She shivered slightly. I let go from our embrace to reach a blanket, pulling it to cover us, mostly her and proceeded to my ministrations on her neck.

"You know what we should do? We should totally go to a place like this, and wait until there is a huge blizzard and just stay stranded in a little cabin with nothing but body warmth to keep us alive." I laughed at her comment, not because I would actually mind the idea, but I guess my mind wondered far back to an episode also in a cabin. But most of all it amused me the concept itself, that it was so hard for us to be completely alone, without duties or worries that she had to concoct the scenario of being trapped in a blizzard.

"Wouldn't you be too cold?" I asked encouraging her fantasy further, already knowing her answer.

"Dah, body warmth! I'm pretty sure you could warm me up" she put on a feline mischievous smirk and pressed herself against me, rubbing her hips against mine and then, pleased with my response moan, tilted her head back and kissed me.


"She will like it" I smiled unconsciously, still recalling that night.

"Okay you my friend, are getting soft. Rose is rubbing it off on you" From this comment I realised Christian was watching me and trying to return to my usual neutral expression "Okay, it you guys dig that kind of thing…just don't expect me to go running to start you guys a fire" I looked at him holding back a laugh.

"I don't think that would be necessary"

He put on an amused but slightly discussed look "Okay okay, no details. I definitely don't need that image in my head."

I did, although I was able to control my mind from going there. I was about to book the flights when my phone rang. I reached it from my pocket looking at the caller ID I saw the target of my fantasy.

"Hi Roza, how are you? My voice suddenly became relaxed and almost giddy. I couldn't help me, she had that effect on me, even if it was just on the phone.

"I'm fantastic, I just spent 3 hours sprawling on the grass, catching a little sun. It was absolutely perfection. I miss it so much" she said almost without breathing in between. I could hear the excitement in her voice.

"Yeah I know what you mean" I answered.

"Hum…" I could hear her stretch on the other side of the phone "Why can't we be in the sun, like…always?"

"I don't think Lissa would like that very much"

"Argh I know, but she was in the shade, I bought a huge parasol and a blanket! Tell I'm not considerate!" I missed that teasing tone she made so often.

"You are indeed, I can't believe she hasn't given you a medal or something" I answered jokingly.

"What are you doing?" I heard her yawn lazily.

"Nothing" I quickly closed the laptop in reaction to her question, even though I knew she was miles away and couldn't possibly see it. It was instinctive. I had however caught Christian's attention. I sent him a severe look in anticipation. The silence on the other side of the line started to worry me.

"Nothing?" How did it get to this point, this girl had me completely bewitched, she could realise I was lying from the phone "Where is Christian?" she asked suspiciously. Well at least that I was hiding something.

"He's resting, we're on a break" I looked over to the couch where Christian had a look like he was up to something. I intensified my murderous expression, trying to prevent him from saying something he shouldn't.

"Okay…" she wasn't quite convinced but she decided to drop it. For now at least, I almost had a sense that I would hear about this later "I'm going to enjoy the sun a little longer, Lissa is getting sleepy." I smiled at the image of Rose laying on the ground with the morning sunlight illuminating her skin, her hair. I was snapped back by her yawn again.

"I'm thinking you are getting sleepy as well… Goodnight Roza, sleep well" I said with a hint of a smirk.

"Yeah" she laughed softly "Goodnight Comrade, don't stay up too late" I waited for her to hang up before I put the phone back in my pocket. I re-opened the laptop. Looking at the images from the travel agency I started to doubt my choice.

Why had I decided to do this as a surprise? If she had helped me chose it would have been so much easier. I tried to picture her reaction when she found out, the simple image of it gave me motivation to continue. I rubbed my temples again, this headache didn't seem to go away. Our conversation had me second guess myself. What if she didn't want to go to a cold country? Maybe she preferred the sun, the warmth. I exited the flight booking page and went into the destination list. Thailand, Hawaii, Costa Rica. They weren't able to make this easy on me were they? I actually like the idea of being in a beach, maybe even a deserted island, with Rose, enjoying the sun drinking Mai-Thais or something. But what would she prefer?

"Having trouble?" Christian asked, I guess my face was letting on my predicament.

"I don't know anymore…I thought she would like the snow, and the chalets but…I don't know anymore… maybe a beach, maybe she would like it better…" I was rambling. I think I was getting tired as well. Maybe i just needed to sleep on it.

"As i said before. Anything you choose she'll love it"

"You are no help at all" I browed a few more pictures of beaches and palm trees. I was getting more and more accustomed to the idea, sure it was more cliché but we could always go to Russia for the winter holidays, where she could enjoy the snow...

"Okay I'm super tired, let's just call it a day. We'll continue the training tomorrow. Come on" Christian got up and started walked to the door. I gathered my things and, putting my gym bag on my shoulder followed him out. After we notified the novices – who were actually relieved the lesson had been cut short – we headed outside, crossing the field onto the accommodation block where Christian was staying. He walked net to me, I had to slow down to keep up with his pace, he was exhausted. The fields were deserted, the 8 a.m. sun was shining through the trees. Hitting my face like in a warm embrace. My mind wondered back to Rose. Yes, I could fully imagine us, with nothing but sand, crystal clear water and sun shine. I smiled interiorly, I could hardly wait to tell her.


Hi wonderfull readers, I know i'm a bit late posting this, but i had a hard time writing this one. I really wanted to do this in Dimitri's POV but it took a while to get the courage to actually write it. I hope i did a good job and he wasn't too out-of-character. (it's easier for me to write Rose)

Chapter 8 is called: The Rings

I'm planing for this story to have 10 chapters, maybe with a bonus chapter of them in their honeymoon if it has a good response until then.

I hope you all like this one. Please review, you know i love hearing from all of you :) ly