Hey guys, hope you're all well. I'm not sure if those of you who follow this story received a notification when I uploaded the last chapter (Chapter 10), so make sure that you read the previous chapter before this one if that is the case! Not really sure what went wrong with it (if anything), but just thought id mention it before we get on with this chapter. Anyway, thanks a lot for reading, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
"How long did you say the journey would take?" I asked Dimitri as I eyed the ship that we would soon be boarding, it would carry us across the sea and to the neighbouring Kingdom.
I was completely and entirely unfamiliar with ships and boats, I had never set foot on one in my life. But even to my untrained eye, this boat didn't seem like it would be big enough to comfortable fit all of the people milling around the deck as well as Dimitri and myself.
"Over a day." Came Dimitri's vague reply. I didn't need to look up at him to know he had a small smile on his face.
His response was useless and he knew it. I voiced my worries to Dimitri and he explained that the ship was in fact, not small, but it wasn't their largest either. The smaller the boat the quicker it went. I let the subject drop after he assured me and calmed my worries.
My stomach twisted and turned as I stepped onto the plank that was used as a bridge between the safety of land to the swaying of the boats deck.
Dimitri lifted his hand, offering for me to take it to help steady myself as I walked the short distance across the plank of wood and onto the ship.
I gripped his hand tightly into my own and found that I didn't let go even once we were both on board the ship. The swaying made my head spin.
The captain of the ship showed us to our rooms, I was thankful that my room was right opposite Dimitri's.
I felt the air leave my lungs as I eyed the small room. It was about a quarter of the size of my bedroom back at the castle. There was a bed and little else in the room. I didn't plan on spending much time in here.
Dimitri was still standing just behind me in the doorway; his hand was still clutched in mine.
He must have read my expression, as his voice was soft and yet left no room for argument when he spoke. "This is a generous sized room. They could easily squeeze at least four guards in here if they had to." He explained. I finally released his hand as I put my suitcase on the bed and he crossed the hallway and entered his own bedroom which was identical to mine.
Seconds turned into hours and hours turned into days on this ship.
I had no idea how long we had been sailing for after we pushed off from the docks and lost ourselves in the gentle waves.
I had left my room as soon as my luggage hit the bed and I had found a rickety bench out on the deck.
It was there that I spent the rest of my day. I watched the sun set over the waves and the moon take its place.
A few sailors and guards milled around the boat, and other than bowing their heads to me they mostly ignored me. I was grateful to have the time alone.
I felt suffocated even out in the open, and it took me a while to figure out why.
I was surrounded by nothing but water, literally encased in damp wood.
I was a living, breathing flame, and someone thought it was a good idea to let me onto a boat.
Part of me was worried that I would sneeze and the whole boat would go up in flames. And the other part of me felt completely and entirely suffocated being surrounded by water. I had absolutely nowhere to hide.
My hands started to shake from the cold and the panic started to slowly spread throughout my whole body until I thought it would consume me entirely.
I closed my eyes and forced them to stay that way. I tried to calm my breathing but it was like the harder I tried the worse it became. The panic spread through my veins like wildfire.
A distantly heard a door open somewhere on the ship and then I felt a warm breeze tangle itself in my hair like a sigh of relief.
I didn't open my eyes as the bench dipped beside me, I didn't need to look to know who was sitting next to me. His very presence made my blood burn and the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention.
A shiver ran down my spine and he must have seen it because another warm breeze tenderly caressed my skin and a light weight was suddenly laid over me, and the indescribable scent of pure Dimitri flooded my nose.
He had covered me with his duster.
I couldn't keep the smile off my face even if I tried. "Thanks Comrade." I said as I finally sat up and opened my eyes, taking in his appearance.
He gave me a sidelong glance. "Comrade?" He questioned, his voice was light.
I shrugged. "I don't know, it kind if suits you. You are a warrior after all."
"Hmm." Was his only response as he suppressed a smile.
We sat in silence for some time.
I finally leant my head back against the wooden wall behind the bench and sighed. "Damn, boats are boring." I said.
I heard Dimitri's throaty chuckle from beside me before I heard rather than saw him move. "Maybe this could help?" He replied.
I lifted my head and looked down at what he was holding out to me.
A book.
I felt my heart clench, a blind panic suddenly crashing through my body.
I found myself staring at the book like one might look at a noose that was about to be tied around their neck.
My breathing became laboured and sweat began to pool in the palms of my hands.
Of course Dimitri would assume I could read, why would he think otherwise? He must forget that I have had no education, that I have never had a home or a family or even a friend. He must have forgotten, or he wouldn't have let himself grow so close to me.
I shoved his hand and the book aside, looking away from him. I wanted to get up and leave, but honestly, where else could I go?
"What, don't you like to read?" He asked, simply curious.
I laughed humourlessly and finally let myself hold his gaze. There was nothing condescending in his eyes at all, he just wanted to know this about me.
"I've never... I don't..." I sighed. "I can't." I admitted finally, almost in defeat.
I saw his eyes widen in surprise and he finally lowered his hand and put the book beside him on the bench. I couldn't even read the title of it, I knew the letters but they simply blurred across the cover. The pages were folded at the ages and worn from use, making me wonder how many times he had read that particular novel.
"I'm sorry... I didn't even think." He replied, his voice quiet and thoughtful, he sounded almost ashamed.
"Well no, of course you didn't. Why would you? You don't see me as some homeless girl; I don't even think you see me as an Assassin, do you? What am I to you, Dimitri?" I demanded. I hadn't intended for my voice to be so harsh, but I was embarrassed, and it was a horrible feeling. I found myself covering up my hurt pride with misplaced anger.
He held my eye contact and didn't reply straight away. But when he did, his words held so much meaning. "It's not what you are, Rose, it's who you are."
His words struck something deep in my chest, but they made me wondered if this man actually knew who I was either. Sure, we had grown closer recently, and we shared some unspoken bond, but he didn't know how truly broken I was, I wasn't entirely sure if I even knew the extent of my own personal damage.
"When will we be reaching land?" I asked after some time, changing the subject.
I watched as Dimitri cast his gaze across the ocean. "About an hour." He replied.
I stood up then and placed his warm duster on the space I had just vacated. "I need to go and get changed. Alberta showed me how to do everything and said I wasn't allowed to get off the ship unless I was presentable." I said the words with an eye roll, though I knew that Alberta didn't care about what I wore, it was the King that cared. His Son's fiancée had to look the part when she met his neighbours. I was supposed to be a Princess after all.
Dimitri didn't say anything as I walked away, but I could feel him watching me.
When I reached the tiny room, I opened my luggage bag and out spilled an explosion of silk and other finely made materials, as well as all the cosmetics I would need to make my face look like that of a Princess.
I was pleased to see that there was a mirror in the bedroom, it was smudged with grease and cracked around the edges but it would do.
I replayed Alberta's words in my head as I covered my skin in powder and painted my eyes and eyebrows with their respectable colour. Alberta had left a deep dark red lip colour that would match my dress.
I really had no idea what I was doing with my hair and so I left it down.
Next was the gown, this was always the worst part.
I slipped on the underskirts first and pulled the corset up and around my waist and breasts.
There were two laces that needed to be crisscrossed over and over again at the back of the bodice, and it had to be done tight. Alberta had not explained how I was supposed to do this on my own.
I kept trying, to no avail. I knew I needed help.
There was no way I would ask one of the sailors or guards for help with this matter, I knew who I had to ask.
I checked the hallway was clear before knocking urgently on Dimitri's door. I prayed that he was inside.
The door opened and I threw myself inside, I didn't want to be seen in the hallway wearing so little.
I slammed the thin door shut behind me and looked at Dimitri where he now stood in the centre of the cramped room. He had not unpacked his luggage, but there was a book on the bed.
His eyes roamed my body and I cursed myself for blushing. "What are you doing?" He asked finally, a little breathlessly.
"I need your help." I said, turning so that my back was facing him. I had had no luck at all with the corset, meaning that my whole back was exposed.
I thought I heard Dimitri's breath catch in his throat as he took in my appearance.
He took a small step towards me. "I don't think I can help you..." He muttered, though I felt his hands hover over my back.
"Well I was hoping you'd be more helpful than the other guys on this boat, but I can go and ask them if you think that's for the best." I replied, keeping my voice completely sincere.
I heard a growl rumble from deep within Dimitri's chest before I felt him carefully brush my hair away from my back and pick up the laces.
"Ok, so get the two sides and bring them together at my back, then you need to thread the laces through each side and tie them at the top. And unfortunately it has to be tight." I instructed as I felt him get to work.
His hands worked the laces gently, I would feel his hands brush up against my back every few seconds and I would shiver every time at the little shock that the contact would cause.
"I had no idea these things were so complicated." He mused. I felt his breath wash over my neck when he spoke.
The laugh that escaped my lips held no humour at all. "Me neither until I came here, and became Princess Hathaway." I couldn't keep the bitterness from my voice even if I tried.
Dimitri's fingers trailed along my shoulder as he spoke. "I can't imagine what it must be like to have to pretend all the time." His voice was barely a whisper.
I felt as Dimitri tied the laces at the top of the corset when he was finished, and pulled my hair over my shoulders so it fell down my back again. He was twisting a few strands around his fingers when I turned around to face him.
"I don't have to pretend all the time." I replied finally, my voice was rougher than I thought it would be. I saw the look of recognition pass over his bottomless eyes and knew that he had caught the meaning behind my words. The only place I didn't have to pretend was with Dimitri.
We were standing so close; his hand was now cupping my neck.
I brought my hand up and gripped his wrist with it and lifted it so his large rough hand was cupping my cheek instead. He watched my every movement as I slowly turned my face and pressed my lips against the inside of his wrist.
"Roza." He whispered as his thumb brushed my temple.
I had never heard him call me that before, but the way the R rolled off his tongue made me want to hear it again.
"Thank you." I said when I finally pulled my lips away from his warm skin and took a step back.
I immediately felt colder without the touch of his skin against mine. But I forced my limbs to move as I left the room and went back to my own to finish dressing.
The deep red gown was impossibly tight around my waist and breasts, making them look fuller than they were. The sleeves went down to my wrists but hung off my shoulders, leaving them bare.
Dimitri was waiting in the small hallway when I opened my door. He took my luggage carrier from my hand. His eyes shone with the words that he did not speak.
He was wearing the proper Ivashkov's guardian uniform today; I had never seen him wear the full uniform before. I supposed he never had to wear it in his home, because everyone already knew who he was. But here, people needed to know his status.
We walked to the deck together and he then helped me off the boat when it had moored.
The boat had pulled up right beside the grand castle, and I could see several people waiting on land ready to greet their new guests.
I could see even from here the differences between this land and the Ivashkovs Kingdom.
Where the Kingdom I had left behind was flat land, this land was made up of steep hills, fields and woodland. The size of this castle was similar to that of the Ivashkov's if not a bit smaller, though it didn't seem nearly as intimidating.
Alberta and Dimitri had both been educating me on this Kingdom and their royal family. The Queen was Her Majesty Tatiana Drozdov. Though she does not have a blood related heir to the throne, she has many royal advisers and followers who would be fit for the job. I remember questioning Dimitri about her family, and lack thereof, and he said there was very little information about the matter, it was rumoured that she had a son, but he had not been seen since he was small, some say he died, some say he left.
We would be meeting with two of the Queens most trusted followers, a Lord and a Lady.
The King's words played over in my head as we approached them. I was to stay close to these people and find out any information I could. I would eliminate any threat or anyone who stood in my way. And though he had not spoken the words aloud, I knew he had hinted that I should cause some damage from within the walls and I could not return until the job was done.
Dimitri and I approached the pair, there were several guards stationed around them, they were dressed similar to Dimitri and his men, though rather than the emerald green band around their arm, they had gold, which must be the royal colour here.
I noticed the girl first. It was hard not to notice her really. She was tall and willowy; she had pale blond hair that fell in perfectly tended locks around her pale face. Her eyes were jade green, like that of matured leaves on a tree. She had a pure, genuine smile on her face with her hands crossed politely in front of her. She wore a beautiful gown the colour of the sun just before it sets. She seemed to radiate pure innocence in a way that made me feel almost protective of her. How was it possible that the world had not ruined her yet?
By her side was what could only be described as her polar opposite. Though he was also pale and tall, that was where their similarities ended. Where the Ladies hair was fine and blond and perfectly tended, the Lord's mop was a mess of black atop his head. His piercing eyes were pale blue and as cold as ice. He didn't seem unfriendly as much as simply guarded and untrusting.
The pair stood close together and I watched as they shared a glance which instantly warmed the man's eyes and I had to wonder if they were a couple.
We finally reached the pair and the woman's face lit up in a radiant smile as she took in my appearance. She outstretched her arms and pulled me into a tight embrace.
My muscles locked up on instinct before I remembered who I was supposed to be, and wrapped my arms around her thin waist.
It was like a mouse embracing a lion.
I saw Dimitri shaking the Lord's hand out of the corner of my eye and finally the girl released me, she was surprisingly strong.
"Welcome!" She beamed. "I'm Lady Vasilisa Dragomir, but please call me Lissa. And this is Christian, Lord Ozera." She introduced. The man inclined his head with a smirk.
"It's nice to meet you." I replied, keeping my voice light. "I'm Rose." I said, not bothering with my formal title. "And this is Dimitri Belikov, Captain of the Guard." I explained as I gestured towards Dimitri who stood tall at my side.
We exchanged a few more pleasantries before the couple guided us up and into the castle. There were lots more people in the castle here than I was used to, and not just staff, but other finely dressed folk too. Everyone smiled and greeted us as we passed, and Vasilisa did not stop speaking the whole way.
Gold curtains and rugs were furnished throughout the castle and the whole place had a light and airy feel, it was decorated with paintings on almost every wall and flowers in intricately designed vases on every spare surface. Where paintings were not hung on the walls, there were windows instead. The hallways were so light and almost every window looked out onto endless green hills. Such a stark contrast to the cold and lifeless halls I had become accustomed to.
As I walked the unfamiliar halls, lead by a girl who shone as bright as a star, I was beginning to wonder why the King had sent me here to ruin it all. These people were walking me through their home to meet their Queen, they were trusting me, they had no reason to fear or doubt me.
Little did they know they had just let a wolf into their pen of sheep.
There we have Chapter 11! So we have finally been introduced to Lissa! I think it will be difficult to create their friendship, and I want it to be genuine. In the VA books we are so familiar with their friendship from the start, so I'm a little worried about creating that for myself in this completely different world, but I think I'll be able to pull it off. So yes, they've let a killer into their home, but remember, all is not as it seems. And yes, I realise that Tatiana was not a Drozdov, but the Ivashkov name had already been used for Adrian and Nathan and they're just not related in this story I'm afraid, hope that doesn't cause any annoyance or confusion! Anyway, I'm really excited to get into the rest of the story now that we've been introduced to Lissa and Christian and soon Tatiana! Again, thank you so much for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing, I appreciate it so so much. Please let me know what you think of this chapter, and thanks again for reading!