Chapter 21

I awoke early in the night. I sat up in Dragomir's bed. The air in his room was still, his scent beginning to fade noticeably. I swallowed back the need to cry. I couldn't feel him around me any longer. Dragomir really was gone.

I dragged myself out of bed. My body ached all over from having slept in the stiff plating of armor. I'd never changed out of it. I carefully, removed each piece layer by layer and took some of Dragomir's clothes from his closet. I threw on an all black ensemble, complete with a dark cloak. I was sure it would be quite a while before I wore any other color.

It felt strange, wearing his clothes, but they'd have to do until I got back to the estate and could put on something more befitting.

I slipped out of the bedroom and walked quietly down the long halls. The castle was deathly silent. I remembered it always being filled of bustling servants and aristocrats. Now, most of those people were dead or had fled the city. What was left behind was an empty shell, a shadow of what was once there before.

I wandered from room to room, taking in what I had made happen. Little of the castle was left untouched by the hand of destruction. Occasionally, I would pass the bodies of the dead or bloody stains. I felt no remorse. What happened was forced on me. I never wanted this. At least…that is what I kept telling myself.

I entered the castle's throne room. It was filled with my army. Gabriel and Julian were in the midst of a heated debate on whether or not they should leave the castle standing after they left.

"We should burn the damned place to the ground! This castle is nothing but an open wound! Leave it alone and it will only fester!" Said Julian. He stood in a powerful stance, his feet spread apart and fists on his hips. He still wore his battered armor. There were new nicks in the metal and his cape was now a tattered and torn shroud. He looked like a warrior king, fresh off the battle field.

"With all due respect, my lord, the castle has stood the tests of time and war. To destroy it would be a shame and a waste. We should use it as a resource." Gabriel retorted calmly with grace.

"Your majesty!" Someone in the crowd called out in surprise. Everyone turned towards me. Everyone, even my uncle, bowed.

"What will you have us do with the castle, your grace?" Asked Gabriel, deepening her bow with a hand over her heart.

"Yes, please tell these idiots that this castle will be better put to use as tender for a bonfire than as any sort of home." Grumbled Julian, rising out his bow.

"Gabriel is right, uncle. We can use it as a shelter for the homeless until the city can be rebuilt." I said, smiling apologetically at him. I didn't exactly want to see it still standing either, but it would be wasteful to do away with it all together.

Julian sighed heavily. "So long as I don't have to stay here." He crossed his arms over his chest, looking like a stubborn child who wasn't getting his way.

"Where's Stefan?" I asked, looking around the room for any sign of him. Every inch of my being cried out for him. I needed him with me, to calm me and make me feel like everything will be okay again. He was the only person in the world who held that ability.

"He's still resting." Gabriel replied as she stepped down from where the thrones were. "Come with me." She motioned for me to follow her.

Gabriel led me down several halls in silence. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came to escort you all home. The country is in turmoil, your highness. There's much unrest in the streets. As you can imagine, the Weak Blooded civilians are not very happy that their government has been commandeered. I suspect rebellion will be a great threat in the days to come. But do not worry, the Allseers will remain at your beck and call. We will not allow any harm to come of you."

"How many dead do we have?" I asked, finally gathering the courage to ask.

She looked back at me sadly. "Many, I'm afraid. All of the Pure Bloods that stayed in the city were killed. Besides those who are at the Allseer Estate and overseas and those who are here, no others have survived." We shared a mutual saddened frown. "I'm very sorry that we could not do more, Lady Dare. And I'm even more sorry that Dragomir and your mother could not be saved."

"As am I." I sighed. I lifted my eyes off the floor and tried to smile at her, to reassure her that I was fine even though I was not. "It can't be helped now. The past can't be changed. We'll find a way to get through this and the Pure Bloods will be stronger for it."

"That is all we can hope for." She said with a slight smile. She stopped and opened a door that was to the right of her.

Inside, a group of Allseers were gathered around Stefan's bedside.

"Everyone, clear out please." Said Gabriel. "Let us give Lady Dare and Stefan some time alone."

"Thank you." I whispered, as she guided the crowd out into the hall.

"No problem. Scold him for me, will you? He should know better than to keep a spell going for so long."

"Spell?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. "What spell?"

Gabriel's eyes widened. "You didn't know? Stefan kept a shield up around you all night, to prevent you from getting hurt. That's what took so much out of him."

"I see." I grit my teeth and my hands fisted at my sides. The bastard! I told him not to do anything stupid, but he blatantly ignored me!

"Don't be too hard on him." Gabriel smiled as she looked upon her little brother's seemingly sleeping face. "He can't help himself."

"I know. He's an Allseer. It's his duty."

"No." She shook her head and met my eyes, something she rarely did. "He didn't do it because he's an Allseer. I think you know that as much as I do. He loves you very much."

I walked over to the bed and sat down at the edge. I gently brushed strands of his hair away from his face. "You're right." I sighed, shaking my head in defeat. "I know he loves me. I love him too, that's the problem. I don't want him to get hurt anymore than he wants me to."

"I'll leave you two alone now." Gabriel bowed a final time and exited the room to join the rest of the group.

I reached over to a bowl of water that was sitting on a nearby table. I wrung out the rag that was soaking in it and blotted it across his forehead.

"Carmen." He breathed. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing his ebony eyes. His hand shot up to mine and pulled it away from his forehead. He tried to sit up, but hissed in pain immediately at the quick movement.

"Lay down, you idiot!" I scolded, pushing him back into the pillows. "Your wound still hasn't healed properly. You're too weak. You need to rest."

He relented and relaxed into the bed. He groped at the bandages that were wound around his stomach. "There will always be a scar. I won't let it heal completely. I never want to forget what happened."

"I doubt you're in danger of that." I said. "Let it heal. You don't need anymore scars."

"But I want this scar. It's the one I'm most proud of. I was so afraid I wouldn't reach you in time." His hand sought mine. It found it. He wound his fingers through mine. "I'm sorry about Dragomir. Had I been a little quicker, a little stronger, I would have been able to save him." He frowned at me, his thumb brushing the back of my hand. "I failed you again. I'm not a very good Allseer, am I?"

"You didn't fail me, Stefan." I assured him with tears stinging my eyes. I leaned foreword and pressed my forehead to his. My tears fell and splashed against the warm skin of his cheeks. "You could never fail me. You did all that you could. You tried to help me save him, even though you knew about he and I. I cannot thank you enough for that. I couldn't have gotten as far as I did, without you." I kissed his forehead and brushed my tears away from his face with my fingertips.

Then I slapped his chest, making him hiss at me with pain. "I heard about the shield spell, Stefan." I growled. "Didn't I tell you not to do something reckless? You almost died!"

"Augustus taught me how to do that spell. It was a valuable tool that I couldn't not use. Besides, you hardly left me any choice. You wouldn't stay with me, so I made the shield so that you were protected while I wasn't around."

"And what would I have done, if you had died too?" I demanded.

My words struck him dumb. He was quiet for a long while, before finally whispering, "I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to get hurt."

"The same goes for me. If you had died protecting me, I would have lost my mind, Stefan. You're too important to me. I never want to lose you." I smirked at him. "And I'm never going to. I'm never going to let you leave my sight again. You're stuck with me, my friend."

He smiled at me, his dark eyes brightening. "I think I can deal with that."

"I'll go get you a change of clothes. We'll be leaving for the estate in a few minutes." I said as I stood from the bed.

"What about, Dragomir?" Stefan asked from behind me. There was hesitation in his voice, perhaps a little fear. He was afraid of what my answer would be.

"What about him?" I asked, without turning towards him.

"You loved him so much. I can hardly believe that there's still room in your heart for your old childhood friend." He chuckled bitterly.

"I did love him. A part of me always will. He was my first love. I can never forget him." I turned my head to glance at him. Sadness had retaken his features. "But it doesn't take away from how I feel about you, it doesn't make me want to be with you, marry you, or build a family with you any less."

I went back to him and seized him into a tight embrace. I held him close to me, heart beating against heart. Neither one fighting for dominance, but both beating as one. "I love you, Stefan. I always have. I always will. Nothing will ever change it. You're a part of me, my other half. You keep me together when I feel like falling apart. I need you. More than you can possibly understand." I confessed and rested my face in the bend of his throat. I breathed his scent, all spice and electrified earth. The smell of thunderstorms. His arms wrapped around me and we held each other for a long time, simply breathing…being.

"I just hope you don't change your mind one day, because I'm not going to let you go. I've been doing that for years and I honestly can't take it anymore." He chuckled, but I could tell that he was entirely serious. I smiled against his throat. "You needn't worry." I said.

In my mind, I envisioned the cross-road, the one I'd been stuck at for so long. Who would I choose? On one hand, I could choose Dragomir. He was my first in so many ways. He was dead now, but I could still choose that path. I could live out my days, remembering him and clinging to the love we once shared. Or…I could choose the other path, the one where Stefan was waiting at the end, surrounded by our silver haired children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The place where unconditional love was alive and well, where one's feelings were never questioned. I stood at that cross-roads again. I looked down each, thinking, contemplating.

Dragomir's path was short and straight. It would be an easy choice, to keep loving him alone, despite his death. I'd cling to him and wait for the time when perhaps we could be reunited on the other side. It would be so easy to be swallowed up by my grief and live a life that was controlled by it.

Stefan's path was long and treacherous. There were many bends, many obstacles and dangers. It would be a difficult journey. I would face many hardships by choosing him. But…I'd have him to face them with me. I saw Stefan at the end of that difficult path. He was smiling. A little silver haired girl and a silver haired boy stood on either side of him. He raised his arm, offering his hand to me. My chest ached. I could feel my heart begin to race. Suddenly, my feet no longer hesitated. My choice was obvious and clear. I chose the crooked path. It was true that the journey would be the most difficult, but the reward was worth it. Knowing real love was worth any obstacle I'd have to over come, every bit of heart ache I met along the way. I walked…no…I ran down the difficult path.

"Stefan." I whispered, my eyes flashing open. "I want to break our binding."

He pulled away from me and shot me a hurt look. "Break our binding? Why?" He asked.

"I'm definitely not ready to be married yet. My heart needs time to heal, but I want you to spend your life with me…" I paused and smiled. "As my equal."

At this Stefan smiled widely with a laugh. He winced slightly and held his side. "Fine by me." He said. "We'll do that right after your coronation, your highness." He added the title with a teasing tone.

As soon as everything was in order, we all left the old castle. I took the liberty of snatching my father's skull from the castle gate. Whether he was evil or not, he was my father. We had never had anything to bury in the family crypt. His funeral was way past due. With cloaks covering our wounded and bloody bodies, and hoods drawn over tear stained heads, my army and I began our journey back to the Allseer Estate. Along the city streets, Weak Blooded citizens gathered in mobs. They threw slanders and curses at me, calling me the devil, calling for my death. One man tried to stab me with a small dagger, but was quickly done away with by my uncle, who skewered the man on his sword in one quick motion. The rest of the mob quieted down after that, seeing that my forces were not those to be dealt with. They stepped out of our way, allowing the last Dares and our small army to pass unscathed.

I was pleased to see that everyone at the Allseer Estate were okay. There were only a few minor injuries. Dayana and Strogonov, with the help of the Allseer archers, were able to push the enemy back. Therefore, preventing major casualties. It became clear that whether you lived or died depended on whether or not you were near the city.

As soon as we were inside, Jasmine rushed out to us and grabbed Julian by the arm. "Thank goodness you're here!" She gasped. "Come, you must meet your new son!"

"Son?" Uncle gasped with wide eyes. His mouth spread into a huge Cheshire grin. "I have a son?"

"You certainly do." Jasmine grinned back as she pulled him towards the room where Aurora was being held. "And what a gorgeous boy he is!"

We all hurried into Aurora's makeshift birthing room.

"Julian!" Aurora cried out when she saw her dear husband. He ran into her embrace and held her tightly. He kissed her with abandon, not caring that there were at least seven people in the room with them. "Thank the gods, you're alright. I was afraid you would be killed. You're not exactly a young buck anymore." She added with her usual humor.

"I did well enough." He laughed.

Aurora held up the little bundle in her arms. "I have someone I'd like you to meet." She said, angling the baby towards him so that Julian could take him into his arms.

Julian's legs shook and went out from under him. He collapsed into a nearby chair, with his son held tightly in his arms. "Aurora." He breathed. "He's perfect." He smirked charmingly at her. "We've made a handsome boy, you and I."

"Thankfully, he took more after my side of the family." Aurora laughed. Her eyes shifted to look at me. "Carmen!" She motioned me over. "Come meet your baby cousin."

I came over and looked at the baby over uncle's shoulder. He was indeed very beautiful. He was big with rosy skin. He had the Dare's trademark wild hair, but his mother's pale gold coloring. I pet the baby's forehead, stroking his yellow locks away from his forehead. The baby blinked, opening his eyes. My uncle and I gasped at the same time. The baby had two different colored eyes, one the dark red of the Dare family, the other his mother's teal blue.

"My god! His eyes don't match!" Julian gasped. He laughed. "Well…we never could agree who's eyes we wanted him to have."

"That's what I thought." Aurora giggled.

"Those eyes are very special." Said Jasmine. "They're called the eyes of truth. Years ago, when the Arcos family were still Pure Bloods, many of them had eyes like that one. They are the family gift, much like our all seeing ability. They hold the power to see the true nature of a person's soul."

"Well, whether he has special powers or not, he's special to me." Aurora gushed.

"He's beautiful, Aurora. You should be very proud of him, mismatched eyes and all." I said, smiling at all three of them. It felt so good to have a bit of happiness after all that had transpired. "Have you thought of a name yet?" I asked.

"Well…he was born exactly at dawn. Jasmine had to rush to close the curtains over the windows just as he was being delivered." She giggled at the memory. "I thought Sorin would be befitting. It means "sun" in the old language."

"I think it fits him perfectly." Said Julian softly, as he and Aurora smiled meaningfully at each other.

"I think so too." I said, my smile growing. It was a perfect name for a child that seemed to brighten everyone's life, despite the darkness that we'd all been through. All of that was forgotten, as we looked upon this desired child with all the love in our hearts.

Over the next few nights, we all worked to rebuild our city and our lives. Even my uncle pitched in when he wasn't busy playing with baby Sorin. We began repairs on the Allseer Estate and began rebuilding uncle's house. Dare manor would stay gone. Uncle had refused to become king. He always hated politics, and he was just fine with being my advisor for a while. Since I would be officially named Queen soon, I saw no point in trying to rebuild my father's house. I wouldn't be living in it. Since the only remaining city dwellers where Weak Bloods who wanted to kill me, and despite my misgivings, we decided to use the old castle as our official base of operations. I needed to be at the heart of the city. It was where I was needed.

I named Dayana and Strogonov my new captains of the guard. I could think of no better pair for the job.

Stefan, of course, remained faithfully at my side. After being forced to endure days of endless rest, he had regained his strength. His wound had healed as much as he would allow, but there was a new scar. We planned to break our binding right after my coronation. We made no immediate plans to be married, but we knew that it would eventually happen. I needed some time to myself for a while. He understood and has never been anything less than supportive.

The day of the coronation came more quickly than I would have liked. I had been overcome with nerves. I felt tired and my stomach was uneasy. That night, I paced around in my coronation gown. It was black of course, the color of mourning. I still was not ready to wear happy colors. I paced around in Dragomir's old bedroom, which I had been using as my own. I grasped my stomach, feeling it flip and twist with nerves.

The door opened, allowing Stefan to enter. He was being forced to wear a suit, but he'd refused to relinquish his Allseers' cloak. It looked strange over the tux, but I refused to fight with him about it. "Everyone's waiting for you." He said. "What's wrong?" He asked, noticing my frantic pacing.

"Nothing." I forced myself to stop and look at him. "I'm fine. I'm just nervous, is all."

He grabbed my arm as I tried to pass him. "You don't look fine." He commented, feeling my forehead. "Are you not feeling well?" He asked, his face pinched with concern.

"My stomach's hurting." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "It's nothing, Stefan. I'm just nervous about the coronation. It'll pass."

He brought his hand down to lightly lay it over my stomach. He passed it over my midsection gently messaging it through the fabric of my corset. "Stefan stop. What if someone sees?" I flustered, looking over my shoulder to make sure someone wasn't passing by the open door. If someone caught sight of this, they may get the wrong idea.

"I'm only seeing if something's wrong with you." He assured me. "You may not want me as your body guard anymore, but I still worry myself sick over you." He smirked up at me and continued his ministrations. As his hand passed over my lower stomach, he stopped. His eyes widened and he gave me a shocked look. "Carmen!" He gasped.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked, feeling panic swell up in me.

"I…I feel…life inside of you." He stuttered, staring at my belly. His eyes lifted back to mine. "You're with child, Carmen."

"Are you sure?" I cried out, my voice much too shrill. I covered my mouth to silence a scream of shock.

"You'll need a doctor to confirm it, but I'm certain that you are. When was your last…um…cycle?" He asked, his face going red.

I thought for a moment, counting the days. "Gods!" I cursed. " I forgot all about it. I can't even remember." I slumped down onto the floor, suddenly exhausted.

"This is bad. This is very bad." Stefan began to pace around as I was before. "Dragomir would be the father, wouldn't he?"

I shot him a glare. "No, I have hundreds of secret boyfriends." I replied sarcastically. "Of course. I've been with no one else. Why is this a bad thing?"

"We just overthrew the Constinesque family and now you're carrying the last of them. I don't think your uncle will be pleased." He said, shaking his head.

I dragged myself up off the floor. I brushed off my skirt and tucked a stray hair back into place. "Yes, well, I don't really care what he or anyone else thinks." I said, my hands instinctually coming to rest on my stomach. "I will keep this child."

"I never said that you'd have to give it up, merely that Julian wouldn't be very happy that you'd one day give the throne back to a Constinesque." Stefan explained. He stopped his pacing and cupped my face in his hands. "Aren't you scared? You're just becoming queen and you're having a baby out of wedlock."

"I probably should be." I smiled softly at him. "But I'm much too happy to care right now. I thought Dragomir was gone for good, and now I find that he's not completely gone from this word. A piece of him will live on in our baby. Honestly, I could not be more thrilled." I tried to study Stefan's expression, but I was at a loss. "Aren't you angry? I imagine that this will make you think twice about marrying me."

"Not at all." He grinned and touched his forehead to mine. "How can I be angry, when you're so happy? You want this baby very much, don't you?"

"With all my heart."

"Then so will I. The baby changes nothing. I will marry you, Carmen Dare and I'll raise the baby as my own. I promise you."

"Thank you, Stefan." I cooed and kissed the corner of his lips. "You're an impossibly wonderful man. I don't deserve you."

"Kiss me properly, then." He laughed and seized my face in his hands. He crushed his lips to mine, setting off explosions of pleasure within my body. We kissed with shared breaths and heartbeats for a very long time, neither one willing to break the connection of skin. Our hands swam in each other's hair as each of us strove for less distance between us. The spark that had always been there, jolted like mad beneath my skin. This was right. Everything was as it should be. Why had it taken me so long to realize it? It would have saved me a heap of trouble. However, had I chosen Stefan sooner, the child in my womb would have never been conceived and that was reason enough for me to accept the fate that was given to me with a smile and no regrets.

I finally forced myself to pull away. We blinked at each other, as our vision cleared. "We should…uh…get to the coronation." He said, suddenly bashful, absently fixing my hair. "I'm sure Julian will be thrilled to hear the big news." He smirked at me.

"Yes, no need to keep them in suspense." I braided his hair again, then we raced out of the room. With hands locked between us, we hurried down the halls of the castle, laughing hysterically like overgrown children. I couldn't remember ever being so happy.

As we came upon the door to the throne room, I thought of my baby. My free hand rested on my stomach again. I wished I could feel it move already. I wondered what it would be and what it would look like. I made a silent promise to it, to protect it and love it with all that I was, and to one day tell it about his father and the love affair that began with a waltz in the dark.

Stefan opened the massive throne room doors. He kissed my cheek and stepped to the side, allowing me to ascend the throne alone. Along the long isle, all of the remaining Pure Bloods cheered happily. There were so few of us now that we could all stand in the same room. At the end of the isle, my uncle, Julian stood by my throne, holding the crown that would soon be mine.

I walked slowly down the isle, my eyes shifting from smiling face to smiling face. Dayana and Strogonov bowed simultaneously as I passed them, their arms linked together and wedding bands gleaming from their hands. Jasmine and Gabriel were there with Gabriel's family. She held her little boy in her arms, with her husband close by her side. Jasmine gave me a knowing wink. At the front of the crowd, Aurora held her newborn son. She grinned at me and waved Sorin's little hand. She mouthed a "good luck" to me as I took each step up to the throne.

Julian had me kneel before him as he held the golden, ruby encrusted, crown above me. "Hundreds of years ago, this crown was stolen from us and now, thanks to you, it is ours again. You are every bit, the ruler I knew you could be and I know that you will be a queen that Diana would be proud of. This is your birthright, Carmen. Wear it with pride." He placed the crown on my head and he had me stand. I turned towards my subjects, each of them beaming with pride and joy. I no longer felt nervous or fearful. This was where I belonged.

From behind me, Julian announced my ascension. "All hail, Queen Carmen Victoria Dare!"

The End.

IMPORTANT! AUTHOR'S NOTE: FINALLY DONE! I hope that you've enjoyed "Black Waltz"! I've certainly enjoyed writing it. A big thank you goes out to all of my reviewers for encouraging me to continue and giving me a big kick in the behind when I didn't update regularly. A special thank you goes out to my pen pal, Faith, who's valuable feedback helped to inspire many of the scenes and dialogue in this story and who I couldn't have finished this story without.

If you enjoyed this story, I have exciting news. The tale of Carmen Dare is not over yet! I'll be making "Black Waltz" into a series. I have two other stories in the works. The next "Black Waltz: Silent Symphony" will be up within a few days. The third and final installment is called "Black Waltz: Last Dance" and that will come after the completion of Silent Symphony. Add me to your favorite or alert list so that you don't miss out!

Again, thank you for your support! I started out writing stories just to kill time, but thanks to you guys I'm actually thinking about maybe getting something published one day. YOU'RE ALL AWESOME!