Hello My Readers!
What's this? Another chapter?! 3 Chapters in one month, say what?! Haha :P This chapter is short, but I wanted to get it to you all now because the next few chapters are going to be CRAZY!
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If you have read Not How It Should Be, that story will be updated in October 2017. During that month there will be chapters coming every week :) So I promise I have not abandoned it! It is just being rewritten :)
If you have read Love Story, that story will be updated in December 2017. This will also have chapters coming every week during that month :) I have not abandoned either of them :)
I am very much hoping to finish Remember I Love You by the end of the year, so fingers crossed! And then hopefully begin the squeal after going through and smoothing out some chapters :) But I have already started editing so that shouldn't take long!
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Please stick with me a little while longer! :)
I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
The Christmas Ball was the highlight of the year for Moroi society; especially if the Queen was attending.
Dimitri and I had been to many Christmas Balls in Russia with Tatiana, and Adrian before he went to rehab. The amount of hype and the party that happened was crazy. But also so much fun!
This year, though, Abe wanted to play up the spoiled daughter. Considering the amount he had to threaten, it was a good idea to keep reminding the Royal Moroi that I was a Mazur. Dimitri and I were going to be announced with all the Royals at the ball - and we would be the center of attention the moment it happened.
"I'm planning on announcing our engagement tonight," Lissa told me as we all made our way to the ball. "I'm hoping it will draw the attention away from you and Dimitri."
"Lissa you don't have to do that," I told her. "We can handle the heat, not to mention you don't need that negativity in your life."
"But Rose, our engagement will get out soon," Lissa argued. "It might as well come out now."
"And what are you going to do when all the obnoxious Royals say you shouldn't be groomed for Queen because of Christian?" I argued back. "I hate to say it, but you should give them time to remember that Christian is a victim too. That way they can see how good the two of you are together."
"She's right," Christian spoke up. "Unfortunately my parents made a mistake, and I pay for that. But you shouldn't jeopardize being Queen just to take the attention away from Rose and Dimitri."
"When do you think you'll stop paying for it?" Lissa asked after she agreed with him.
"I am not sure, babe," Christian wrapped his arm around her. "But I think that I need to start getting rid of my bad boy rep."
"You know, Christian," Dimitri started as we neared ball. "There are a lot of programs here at St. Vlads that could help with that. Not to mention all of your extracurriculars will be announced at graduation."
"That's not a bad idea! If it's announced that I was reading to the blind or teaching kids how to cook, it would defiantly paint me in a better light," he said thoughtfully. "What do you say, babe? Want to better the community?"
Lissa laughed at Christian and quickly agreed. I could so see the two of them being the power couple for the rest of the school year. It would help better Christian's image, and it would definitely help bump Lissa to the top of the list for Queen. She was already in the top five, that was announced after her parents died, but because of us leaving she could use the extra help.
Lissa and Christian were excitedly talking about the community service they could do on campus, as we approached the line to be announced at the ball. The line was wrapped around the building with all the Royal and distinguished Moroi to be announced. It looked like we were going to be standing here for a long time.
"Maybe you and I can do some community service too," Dimitri suggested as he wrapped his arms around my shivering frame.
I had a light wrap that was around my shoulders; I was sacrificing warmth and comfort to look good. And now with the long wait, I was regretting my fashion choice. I leaned it to my fiancée's warm embrace, savoring it.
"What kind of community service were you thinking?" I asked him as he held me tightly. I always felt so safe in Dimitri's arms.
"Maybe when we get back from Russia, or if we decided to stay at St. Basil's," he threw in really smoothly. "We could work with the junior high novices. I think you could be a great role model for some of the female novices."
"I like that idea," I told him, turning around and smiling. "You know what we should also do?"
"What, baby girl?"
"I really want to find a way for Dhampir women to have better jobs! Right now, their options are Guardian or Blood Whore," I explained to him. "There are so many other jobs they could do that Guardians are filling, and they would be more nine to five, so they could still have children and be with them!"
"Really?" Dimitri asked surprised. He knew first hand the struggle female Dhampir's had, but never had he heard me say things should change.
"Yeah," I whispered out. "Especially, because if we want a family, I want to be there for our children. And I don't want to be held back because of a Guardian schedule."
"Roza, I love you," Dimitri said softly.
The two of us held on to each other tightly as we waited in line for the ball. This would be the first time Dimitri wasn't going as my escort but as my date. It was going to be a night we would never forget.
"Princess Vasilisa Dragomir, daughter of the late Prince Eric Dragomir and Princess Rhea Dragomir, escorted by Lord Christian Ozera, son of the late Lord Lucas Ozera and Lady Moria Ozera," the herald announced. Lissa and Christian stood at the top of the staircase, looking like the perfect picture for a Christmas card.
Dimitri and I watched as the Royals fawned over them, Lissa and Christian walking down the stairs and into the ball room. Christian escorted Lissa to the center of the space, in front of the Queen. Holding her hand to stabilize her, Lissa took a deep curtsy as Christian made a deep bow.
"Uh, before we are announced, I think I should warn you about something," Dimitri whispered to me.
"What?" I asked him as I watched Lissa and Christian interact with Tatiana and the other Royals.
"Well, you see..." Dimitri began.
"Oh look!" I exclaimed pointing toward Lissa. Tatiana had taken a tiara that was being held by one of the other royals. She gestured for Lissa to curtsey again and placed the tiara on her head.
The Queen never crowned any royal! Especially any of the Princes or Princesses; it basically hinted that one was higher than the other. Tatiana publicly crowning Lissa was her telling the world she would be her successor, which meant that soon the announcement would come, and Lissa would be groomed to be Queen.
"Roza," Dimitri said softly.
"I am so happy for her! I knew Tatiana wanted her to be Queen, but to make it so public," I gushed as I watched the crowd congratulate Lissa. As the crowd gave Lissa some space, Tatiana gestured Christian forward.
"Roza, I just want you to know that," Dimitri tried again.
"Oh my god!" I squealed. "Do you see that?"
Christian stood before Tatiana. The room had gone quiet watching what was about to happen. Taking the blue sash that was used to show the consort of a Prince or Princess, she draped it across Christian.
Lissa and Christian stood before the crowd accepting their congratulations. This was a big deal for them, and I wanted to enjoy the moment.
"Roza, I am sorry," Dimitri said suddenly. The crowd had died down, and the herald was gesturing us forward.
"Why?" I asked as we approached the top of the stairs.
"Guardian Dimitri Ivashkov Belikov, son of Prince Randall Ivashkov and Olena Belikova, escorting his fiancee Novice Rosemarie Hathaway-Mazur, daughter of Abe Mazur and Guardian Janine Hathaway," the herald announced us.
"So that was a nice little surprise?" I said to Dimitri as he took me in his arms for the first dance.
"I talked to Aunt Tati earlier today, and we both decided it was time," Dimitri sighed. "Not to mention she strong-armed me into it - but after hearing her reasons, I agreed."
"What was her reason?" I asked him as the music started and Dimitri slowly, skillfully moved us around the room.
"Partly so people would back off about our engagement," he told me truthfully. "The other part is she wants to have a Guardian representative on the Royal Council and claiming my father would help with that."
"She wants you to sit on the Council?" I barely squeaked out. My mind was swirling.
"That's the plan, yes," Dimitri smiled at me. "I think it would do wonders to have a Guardian on the council! Not to mention a Dhampir!"
"But, oh God! What's that mean for now?" I asked him. "Not to mention your job and your position on the Guardian Council you were just offered!"
"That's the beauty, this could become my actual job after you graduate," Dimitri went on. "And I will be the bridge between the two councils! Not to mention we can get things changed!"
"Babe, I," I stuttered out. "I need a minute."
"Roza?"
"I just... I just need a minute," I mumbled. Dimitri danced us off to the side, and the two of us stepped outside, into the courtyard.
My thoughts were racing, and I felt overwhelmed. So much in our life had changed in a blur. We went from me coming back to the Academy, and Dimitri working there, to Dimitri working for my father, to getting engaged, to announcing our relationship, and more. I couldn't handle it. I felt sick. My stomach was churning, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.
"Rose, Rose!" Dimitri exclaimed. "You're having a panic attack, take deep breaths baby."
Dimitri spun me around, so I was facing him. He lowered the two of us on to a bench, and was coaching me on how to breathe.
I wanted a quiet life. I didn't want to be in the spotlight anymore. I wanted to go back to my life when we lived in Russia. When Dimitri and I weren't walking on eggshells around each other, and Mack was alive. I had a family. I wanted away from all of it.
"I can't," I gasped out as my breathing came out in harsh pants.
"Rose, baby, I am here for you," Dimitri whispered out. "Deep breaths, baby girl."
I took deep breaths, my mind still spinning. I matched my breathing with Dimitri's, focusing only on that. I let everything around me disappear and focused on Dimitri.
"That's it, babe," Dimitri said softly. "Deep breaths, in and out."
After a few more minutes of slow, deep breathing, I felt like I was going to pass out from being so relaxed.
"There you go. Better?"
"Yeah," I whispered.
"What's wrong?" Dimitri asked me after he gave me a minute.
"I... I don't know if this is what I want," I told Dimitri.
"Want what?" He looked at me a little confused.
"This," I gestured all around us. "This life. I don't know if I want this. I don't know if I want to be the center of attention and the difficulty it brings."
"You mean me?" Dimitri pulled away from me shocked.
"Dimitri, that's not what I meant," I said trying to explain.
"No, I get it," he said. "I think we just need a minute. I am going to get a drink and mingle; you do the same."
"Comrade?" I asked as he went to walk inside.
"Rose, I think we both need a minute to calm down. We can talk on the plane tomorrow," he told me not looking back.
I knew he was right, but now I was pissed. I don't know how long I sat out there pouting, but I didn't want to be in front of everyone. And frankly, everyone would probably be alternating between fawning over Lissa and Christian, and Dimitri and me. I didn't want to deal with it.
"I've been looking everywhere for you!" I heard a voice say from behind me. I looked toward the voice and saw Mason and Shane walking towards me.
"Hey, guys! You clean up good!" I told the two of them. They both looked really nice in their tuxes. It was always so weird seeing my classmates all dressed up.
"Not as good as you do! Damn Hathaway," Shane exclaimed as he looked me up and down. "You look like you should be on Christmas Card."
"Aww, Shane you are so sweet," I smiled at him. "So you were looking for me?"
"Yeah, we are heading to Spokane to go after the Strigoi like we talked about last night," Mason grinned at me. "Are you ready to head out? Everyone is freaking out over Lissa; we should be able to get out fast and be back by tomorrow night."
"Mason, I don't think that's a good idea," I told him honestly. "We don't know how many Strigoi there are, and we don't know if we can take them out."
"Well, I think we can do it!" Shane told me. "Are you coming or not? We don't have time to waste."
"He's right, Rose," Mason said to me. "We need to leave like now. Are you in?"
"No, I can't help you guys be stupid," I snapped at the two of them.
"Whatever Rose, you were all for it yesterday," Mason snapped back. "I guess you aren't the same girl you were two years ago."
Before I could respond, the two of them had turned to leave. They were going to get themselves killed. Why did I tell them where the Strigoi were? It would be all my fault if they didn't make it back.
I was half worried they would get hurt, and half confident that they wouldn't find anything. Not to mention I don't think they could get out of the academy without getting caught. Not without a Moroi who could perform compulsion.
After a few more minutes stewing outside, I made my way back toward the ball. It had been a while since Dimitri and I had our little tiff. I didn't want to call it a fight because it wasn't a fight.
"Rose, have you seen Mason and Shane?" Eddie came up to me as soon as I made it inside.
"I saw them like fifteen minutes ago," I told him as I followed him around the ballroom. "Why?"
"Well, they wanted me to go with them to hunt Strigoi," Eddie told me. "I don't know how they found out where they were."
"That might be my fault," I told him truthfully. "I was crabby because the shit I got in the meeting and last night..." I trailed off.
"Oh, Rose! What are we going to do? Serena is super busy with getting things ready for her family to come visit and Dimitri will have a cow!" Eddie grumbled.
"Do you think we should go after them?" I asked him.
"We could," he said to me. "At least to bring them back. They couldn't have gotten far."
"Maybe we should tell someone?" I speculated as we made our way towards the door.
"And risk Serena's job because she told me where they were? Or risk you not graduating because you leaked confidential information? Or risk Dimitri's spot on the Guardian Council?" Eddie asked me, each point he made just proved how much I had screwed up.
"I guess we are going, but we both need to change!" I told him looking down at the ball gown I was wearing.
"Going where?" I heard behind us.
"Christian, Eddie and I were just..." I stumbled over my words looking at Eddie for help.
"You can give me some bullshit answer Buffy," Christian said to me. "Or, you can let me come with you. I need to get out of here."
"Fine!" I grumbled. "You and Eddie go change, and we meet at the gym in fifteen minutes. Got it?"
The two of them nodded and made their way to their dorms. I could tell Eddie was filing Christian in. I booked it to the apartment. It was going to be a long night. Hopefully, I would be back in time to leave for Russia.
Mason and Shane couldn't have gotten far.
After quickly changing into a pair of workout leggings and a comfortable top, I threw on a sweatshirt and gym shoes. Might as well be as comfortable as possible. Quickly french braiding my hair down my back, I was ready to head out. Right before I left, I saw my backpack that I used as a gym bag.
Thinking fast, I emptied the back pack throwing in some protein bars and water bottles along with a first aid kit and my wallet. I wasn't sure how we were going to get to Spokane or how long we would be gone. I saw one of Dimitri's stakes and quickly grabbed it, shoving it in the hideaway pocket in my sweatshirt. Got to love Dhampir training clothes from St. Basil's.
Looking around the apartment, I didn't see anything else I should take, so I quickly made my way out toward the gym.
"About time," Christian mumbled as I made my way to him and Eddie. I noticed Eddie had also changed into training clothes and had a backpack as well. Good thing we both were thinking ahead.
"Shut up," I grumbled. "So Eddie, I am thinking that we should get off Academy grounds and make our way toward the bus station. From there we can come up with a plan."
"Sounds good with me, Christian you good?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah, anything to get me away from the Royals for a while," Christian told us. "So let's get out of here."
"Fuck!" I groaned looking at the bus schedule. We had been able to get off of campus and to the bus station fairly quickly. It turned out that Christian was pretty good at compulsion and got the Guardian at the gate to freeze the security camera and drive us to the bus station.
"What?" Christian asked as he came over. He had been raiding the vending machines. Apparently, my protein bars and Eddie's snacks weren't good enough.
"There was a bus headed to Spokane an hour ago. It was an express, too! We won't make it in time," I told him. "We are going to have to see them there."
"Damn!" Christian mumbled.
"I was hoping to be back in time to go to Russia," I told the two of them.
"Hate to break it to you, but that was never going to happen," Eddie told me.
I glared at the two of them. "I guess we have to get on the bus that's coming in twenty minutes and meet them there."
"We should probably make sure we are all stocked up too," Eddie said. "Fill any of the water bottles we drank and go to the bathroom."
"Good idea, man," Christian slapped Eddie on the back and headed toward the bathroom.
"Why did we take him with us?" I asked Eddie.
"Because he could be helpful and he didn't give us much choice," Eddie grumbled. "I am going to go with him. Do you need anything?"
"Nope, I am going to go buy the tickets," I told him. "When you get back I'll go pee. We should make sure one of us is always with him."
"I agree," Eddie nodded before heading toward the bathroom.
I quickly bought the tickets and waited for Eddie and Christian to get back. It was going to be a long bus ride. I just hoped we could get Mason and Shane back without a big fight.
And that we would all get back safely.
Thank you for reading! Did you like it? I know it was short, but it needed its own chapter.
What did you all think of Dimitri accepting his father? Big things are a happening :)
Please take a minute to review! Reviews keep me going :)
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