New Recruits

June, 2011

Set near the end of Silver Shadows, as far synching the timeline goes.

Rating-General

First Person POV- Rose

A couple months of planning can lead to quite remarkable results. Ever since our visit to St. Vladimir's in March, Dimitri and I had been working with the Guardian Council and others on a creating an assembly like the one we had while at St. Vladimir's. Today was the day of the assembly. The new European graduates were already at court. They would have their showing banquet tomorrow. The European Academies graduate earlier than any other academies. We are planning to hold the same assembly for the rest of the Academies as their graduations happen.

"The crowd is huge." I whispered, after peering out at the audience. We were behind a curtain in the largest meeting room at court. Every seat was filled with a new guardian. A few guardians tenured guardians were present, taking places near the edges of the crowd. Lissa wasn't present, though I wished she was.

Christian pushed me aside, sneaking his own look. He let out a low whistle. "Wow. No wonder they stagger the graduations."

Mia took a peek next. Her eyes were wide when she looked back at the rest of us. "Hopefully we don't forget anything."

Sonya gave us all a smile. "You will all do fine. Besides, Dimitri and I have the hardest part."

Dimitri nodded, looking like he was about to go fight a battle rather than talking to newly minted guardians.

"It was your idea comrade," I told him.

He raised an eyebrow. "I know."

I peeked out again and gasped. I looked at Dimitri and then at the crowd again.

"What is it?" He asked.

I looked at him, eyes wide. "Your sister is here. I knew she graduated, but I thought she was going to stay in Baia with the rest of your family."

He glanced out at the audience now. I told him where she was, and knew he had seen her when he muttered something Russian that I didn't understand. He was surprised. "That's what I thought too, but that's definitely Viktoria."

A few minutes later, still surprised, we made our debut on stage. Hans was the moderator of our discussion. He was directly involved in planning the assemblies for new guardians. He had been in favor of the idea as soon as Dimitri brought it up to him. I was starting to like Hans, he wasn't one to hold back on a new idea if it seemed beneficial.

We were introduced to thunderous applause. I still wasn't accustomed to my celebrity status, but at least my friends were just as uncomfortable in front of this type of audience as I was, if not more. Just like at the Academy, we were seated in a semi-circle.

I listened as Hans introduced each of us, and our positions at court. Sonya was introduced as a Spirit Researcher. Christian and Mia were introduced as Moroi combat trainers. I saw Mikhail standing along the wall, close to the stage. I knew that his presence was an encouragement to Sonya.

Mia, Christian, and I gave brief descriptions of fights we had been in with Strigoi. Mia's account, which was only our time in Spokane, was the shortest. My story was focused on my time in Russia and the restorations of Dimitri and Sonya, since Mia and Christian's stories had covered Spokane and the school.

While Mia, Christian, and I held the room's attention, Dimitri and Sonya's discussion of their time as Strigoi captivated the audience. Hans led the conversation.

"From the reports of Lord Ozera, Guardian Hathaway, and Miss Rinaldi, it seems that Strigoi work with one another on a regular basis. It has been taught for a very long time that Strigoi don't work together. What would you say was typical?"

Sonya and Dimitri exchanged looks with one another. She indicated that he could go first.

"It varies. All Strigoi, except for some of the oldest, work loosely with one another. They don't hesitate to remove the threat of a rival, but they also know that they need one another and human servants in order to survive. When a strong leader emerges, Strigoi follow that leader. That was how they planned the attacks on the Badicas, Drozdovs, and on St. Vladimir's."

Hans considered his words briefly before responding. "Are those Strigoi still a threat?"

Dimitri shook his head. "The Strigoi who were responsible for planning the Badica and Drozdov massacres were killed in Spokane by Guardian Hathaway. There are still other Strigoi interested in accomplishing their goal, which was to attack every royal family, and eliminate the royal families if at all possible."

There were several gasps at that statement. I knew, of course, that Isaiah and other Strigoi had wanted to eliminate the royals. Until now, it had only been an assumption that Isaiah had been the leader of the massacres. Mia and Christian shifted in their seats, no doubt thinking of Spokane, or even Mia remembering her mother.

Dimitri continued. "The attack on St. Vladimir's was a cooperative effort between several bands of Strigoi. It isn't unusual for Strigoi to test the wards around secured areas. They realized that the wards around St. Vladimir's were being intermittently compromised, so they gathered in order to breach the wards when they were weak."

A chill ran down my spine. I hadn't known that particular detail before.

"The wards were being weakened due to unauthorized elemental combat being practiced on top of the wards. Protective and combative magic conflict when they interact." Dimitri finished.

Hans nodded. "Mrs. Tanner, would you say that your knowledge is similar."

Sonya tilted her head in thought. "Mostly. The information on the attacks which Guardian Belikov mentioned is what I heard. However, my experiences as a Strigoi were considerably different from his. I did work with other Strigoi, but I preferred solitude. I had a few connections in the area where I lived, but I only spoke with them maybe one or two times each month."

She drew a deep breath, clearly uncomfortable talking about this subject, though she had agreed that these talks were needed. "Since I wasn't seeking power over other Strigoi, I was seen as a minimal threat. So long as we all respected our individual territories, we cooperated."

Fingers steepled beneath his chin, Hans looked thoughtfully between Dimitri and Sonya. "So, you are both in agreement that Strigoi regularly communicate and work together."

They nodded. Sounds of unease came from the audience. They had, like me, been taught that Strigoi seldom worked together, let alone in large groups.

"How large are the groups of Strigoi, on average?"

"It varies," Sonya replied. "I had around ten contacts in my area, and we all loosely answered to the same, more powerful Strigoi. He wasn't in charge of us, but we knew that he was the alpha in our area. I know that he had contacts which went beyond that region."

She looked at Dimitri, knowing that his story was very different. "I don't know what that region is like now that he is dead. Guardians Belikov and Hathaway killed him shortly before my restoration last year."

Dimitri drew in a deep breath, glanced at his sister, and then looked away. I looked at her. Viktoria was intently watching Dimitri, face set like stone. "I worked with thirty to one hundred Strigoi, as well as many humans."

His statement drew gasps from the audience. Christian and Mia were also rather shocked by the news. I wasn't entirely surprised. I knew that Dimitri had been well connected as a Strigoi.

"Some of them were survivors from the assault on the academy, including the Strigoi who killed and turned me. It was a business hierarchy, initially run by a..." He hesitated, likely not knowing how to describe Galina. "A turned dhampir who I had known before either of us was turned. During my time as a Strigoi, I overthrew her, and took over her network. Much of that network has now been eliminated due to efforts undertaken by independent contractors of the Guardian Council."

Hans nodded. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. The "independent contractors" were dhampirs and fighting Moroi who worked for my father. Actively seeking out Strigoi was still seen as unusual in our society, but my father knew many people on the fringes of our society whose views were different. They had been using Dimitri's knowledge of Strigoi networks to seek out and eliminate groups of Strigoi for the past several months, with good results.

"Are these large networks common?" Asked Hans.

"Sometimes," Dimitri replied. "They require a strong, smart, and often ruthless leader." Dimitri's voice, which had been very neutral and factual, grew bitter at these words. He had just described himself as a Strigoi.

I looked to where Dimitri's gaze had drifted, to Viktoria. She was biting her lip, forcing herself to remain strong as she listened to her brother's story. She was so much like him.

"However," Dimitri continued, returning to his neutral tone. "Whenever the leader is killed, as happens frequently, not everyone follows the new leader. Strigoi are selfish and often self-defeating."

The discussion continued for some time. Hans would ask probing questions of both Dimitri and Sonya, teaching the guardians about Strigoi from an insider's perspective. Hans then moved on to asking Christian and Mia about their role as leaders in training Moroi fighters. They explained the new program and mentioned that there would be a demonstration later in the day. Sonya spoke briefly about the baby steps we were making toward creating a vaccine to prevent Strigoi conversion.

Questions from the audience came next. A few asked clarifying questions about Strigoi, Moroi combat, and the vaccine. The person who asked about the "independent contractors" was told by Hans that the information was classified. Having gone through a very similar, though less thorough, discussion at St. Vladimir's, most of the questions didn't surprise me. A few were interesting and some were rude.

"How old is the oldest Strigoi?"

Dimitri and Sonya looked between one another.

"The oldest I knew about was around three hundred," Sonya said. "Though I never met that Strigoi."

"I heard rumors of Strigoi who were over a thousand years old. The oldest I met was four hundred." Dimitri said.

"Do Strigoi ever use weapons?"

"They can," said Dimitri. "A Strigoi can use a gun as easily as anyone else. They could use any number of weapons if they wished. But Strigoi are proud. Using a weapon would be seen as a sign of weakness."

Sonya added more. "That is also why Strigoi never use body armor. Strigoi would be much harder to kill if they simply wore protection over their chests. They don't because to do so would be seen as weak."

"Does it hurt to die?" That question came from a female graduate. Unlike some of the more impertinent questioners, she seemed very nervous. "I'm sorry for asking such a personal question. I just... well we will all die one day. We might be turned against our will."

Dimitri looked at her, face filled with compassion. "It depends on how you die. Being turned, it hurt for a moment. I don't remember it very well. I won't lie to you, some deaths are painful. Many guardians have watched colleagues die in battle. Most of you will face similar situations. The life we have sworn to as guardians is not an easy path to walk. It is, however, an important duty."

"Thank you," she replied.

There was only one uncomfortable question directed at me. "Guardian Hathaway, is it true that you have given blood to Moroi?" The guy's tone was curious, not accusing. He actually seemed embarrassed to be asking.

I sat up a bit straighter, feeling too many curious eyes on me. I tried keeping my face and voice neutral, but I remembered too well the stigma attached to my actions. "While on the run with Queen Vasilisa from ages fifteen to seventeen, I was her protector. In order to keep her alive, I needed to ensure that she had blood. So, I kept her alive with my blood. I don't think that any of us should hesitate to protect our charges, or to keep them alive." My tone was a bit defiant, but hey, he deserved it.

He nodded. "I agree, thank you Guardian Hathaway."

Weird. That was definitely weird. I glanced at Dimitri. He gave me a very slight shrug. The reaction to my statement was surprisingly neutral. Sure, some had seemed shocked, but I had stated it in a way that allowed little room for argument. How could a dhampir, raised from birth to believe Moroi came first, argue against giving blood to one if necessary for their survival?

When the formal question and answer session ended, anyone with lingering questions was allowed to step forward to ask us individual questions. We stood for this part, allowing the new guardians to approach us. Mikhail stepped beside Sonya, warily eyeing anyone who drew close to her.

Viktoria lingered near the edge of the crowd, waiting until they dispersed to talk to us. She wore her hair up, like I did. She was smiling at us.

"So, are you surprised?" She asked, directing her words at Dimitri.

He hugged her, smiling. "Very." He pulled away slightly, looking at her. "I thought you weren't going to enter guardian service?"

She shrugged. "I wasn't going to, but I changed my mind. Mama and grandmother said that they think I should return home one day, but they didn't mind too much. Lina and Sonja were more surprised. Paul thinks it's exciting."

I laughed, hugging her. "I'm happy you joined. I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too. You all did a great job talking today. Do you have to do it again?"

We all nodded. "At every orientation," Dimitri said. "It was my idea, and the guardian council approved the plan. Everyone needs to know what the Strigoi are really like."

"And that we're doing everything we can to fight back," Christian added. "Who are you, by the way?"

She held out a hand. "Viktoria Belikova." She tilted her head toward Dimitri. "His youngest sister."

Christian grinned, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you."

She was introduced to Mia, Sonya, and Mikhail, each of them greeting her warmly.

"We're all supposed to meet Lissa for lunch," Rose said when the greetings were done. "Join us, Lissa would love to meet you! Unless you have some assignment or another? I skipped out after orientation last year, so I don't really know what normal assignments they have new guardians do."

Hans, who had been nearby, snorted. "Belikova right? She has nothing assigned until the luncheon tomorrow."

I grinned at him. "Don't worry, I don't think she'll follow in my footsteps."

He muttered something under his breath before walking away.

"Why doesn't he like you?" Viktoria asked.

I sighed. "Long story. Come on, let's introduce you to Lissa."

We left the room together, walking across the courtyard to one of Lissa's drawing rooms. She was waiting for us, curled on a plush chair, writing in a journal. She looked up, smiled, then noticed Viktoria.

"Hello." Her tone was friendly, though questioning.

Dimitri stepped forward with his sister, a smile on his lips. "Queen Vasilisa, may I present my youngest sister- Viktoria."

Viktoria bowed. "Your majesty."

"She has just entered guardian service," Dimitri finished.

Lissa stood, her smile lighting her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Rose has told me so much about you!"

"Rose?" Amusement was clear in Viktoria's voice.

Laughing, Lissa shook Viktoria's hand in greeting. "Dimitri too, but he doesn't talk much about his personal life. I have to hear it through Rose." They all laughed. "Come on, lunch is ready. I know you dhampirs are hungry."

We followed Lissa into an adjacent room where the meal was already prepared. One of the attendants set another place for Viktoria, and we all sat down to eat. We told Lissa about the meeting, saying that it went well. Lissa told us that her meeting had also gone well, when the quorum law was voted on next month, it should be struck down.

"I think I should ask for you to be my guardian," Mia told Viktoria, some time later. "Now that I'm out of school, the fact that I'm working for the crown should get me enough standing to be assigned one."

Viktoria smiled. "That would be fun. The hardest part of deciding to be a guardian is not knowing where I'll be assigned."

Lissa considered the Belikovs thoughtfully. "Most women in your village remain at home after graduation don't they?"

Dimitri and Viktoria both nodded. "It's tradition," Dimitri answered. "Some do join for a few years, though they return when they are ready to be mothers. Our mother and sisters were never guardians, though our grandmother was."

"So, why did you break tradition?" Christian asked Viktoria.

She shrugged. "I wanted to see more of the world. I also wanted to be known as more than Dimitri's little sister."

Dimitri raised an eyebrow.

Christian laughed, amused and bitter. "You're in good company. Most of us here are trying not to live in someone else's shadow."

He was right, I realized. Christian had family's actions hanging over him. I had spent years trying not to live in my mother's shadow. Lissa had the weight of her family line resting on her shoulders since she was fifteen. Why wouldn't Viktoria also want to be seen as her own person?

"Oh!" Viktoria had been looking at Christian, amused by his observation. Now, she seemed startled by something. She opened and closed her mouth a couple times before looking around the room. Her eyes fell on Dimitri. Her tone had an odd quality when she spoke again. "Mama wanted me to bring pictures of Mark and Oksana's son. I have some in my room, and some on my phone."

Lissa, Christian, and I all drew in sharp breaths. Sonya, Mikhail, and Mia looked at all of us appraisingly. Dimitri reacted as if the news were perfectly ordinary. He gave her a smile before glancing at Lissa and Christian.

"Would you like to see them? I'm sure she has pictures of everyone else too."

Viktoria followed his lead. "I do."

Lissa took a steadying breath. "I think it would be lovely to see the pictures of everyone. Why don't we go back into the lounge?"

We agreed, following Lissa and Christian into the adjacent room. Lissa whispered something to Christian, squeezing his hand. He nodded, giving her a small smile.

We stood clustered in small groups to look at the pictures. Christian remarkably managed to maintain some semblance of composure. His baby cousin, Vladimir, had Christian's eyes. Mia, seeing the picture after Christian, gasped. She looked between him and the baby as realization triggered in her mind.

"Is this?" Mia's voice trailed off.

Christian met her gaze steadily, though his face gave everything away. He nodded. "He's safe, and they all look happy."

Viktoria nodded. "Mark and Oksana love him. My sisters are thrilled that their girls will have another playmate who is close in age to them. Mama and grandmother give Oksana and Mark unneeded advice on everything. Vladimir is a very happy baby."

Lissa was holding Christian's hand, comforting him. "It was the right choice," she assured him.

He nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Sonya and Mikhail seemed to understand exactly what was being discussed. They weren't stupid. They knew that Tasha had been pregnant and that something had been done with the child. Sonya was looking at the picture now. "Oksana is the other spirit user you met?"

"Yes," I said. "She and Mark are bonded. They taught me a lot about being shadow-kissed, charms, and were the ones who told me that Strigoi restoration was possible."

Sonya rested a hand on her lower abdomen. Mikhail placed his hand above hers. "I'd love to meet her one day," Sonya said.

"Me too," Lissa agreed. She was distracted by a picture of Zoya and Katya, Dimitri's nieces.

I was watching Sonya and Mikhail, studying their posture. "Are you pregnant?" It was probably rude to just ask, but I still wasn't the best at filtering myself.

Sonya and Mikhail, rather than being offended, smiled shyly. "About two months," she said. "It's still early, so we weren't going to say anything yet."

"Oh that's wonderful!" Lissa exclaimed, beaming at them. She had passed Viktoria's phone back to her.

Sonya agreed, though she seemed hesitant. "Yes, it is. I just worry. I worry about spirit and if being restored will have any impact on the baby."

Lissa nodded. "Well you know I'm always here to talk, especially about spirit."

"I do," said Sonya. "Thank you. Well, I didn't mean for my news to distract from the pictures. Please, share more. I know Christian wants to see more."

He did, though his agreement was rather snarky. We spent time looking at the pictures, congratulating Sonya and Mikhail, and catching up with Viktoria. Mia was going to put her name in for Viktoria, which was a very possible placement for Dimitri's sister. The future, for a change, was looking fantastic.

AN:

I love your comments, they always make me smile :)

I'm sorry that I didn't respond to everyone's comments. My August was crazy. I'm also in fall semester of grad school. Year 2 of learning to be a counselor O_O it's a lot of work, so writing time is very limited.

The next chapter catches up the Bloodlines characters, changes some things that happen in The Ruby Circle, and gives the Palm Springs group some closure and direction.

The chapter after that is called "Last Goodbye" and I love it. I can't wait to share it will all of you. (I just need to write the other chapter first.)

After that, 5 chapters which cover Tasha's trial, the events of Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice, and the execution. The SB chapter is already over 12k words, and I haven't written the actual murder scene yet, or the courtroom scene. The outline for the LS chapter is leading me to believe it will be even longer.

And for you dearhearts who read Vodka and Whiskey, yes there is a chapter 3 being written.