Rose's POV

I woke up in a room that was completely alien to me. I would have liked to look around and get familiar with it, but I had a guest waiting to talk to me. Adrian. One look at his face and I knew exactly what he was going to say. I wasn't prepared for this but I wasn't going to stop it, either. This needed to happen.
I sat myself up and scooted over to the edge of the bed, ignoring my headache. I lifted my hand to touch his shoulder but I thought better of it. I was missing for two weeks and he didn't visit me upon my return. If that isn't a red flag, I don't know what is.

"'Done with this Dimitri and Adrian bullshit'? What does that even mean Rose? You broke up with me through a letter to Lissa?" I wanted my memories back more than ever. "Adrian I never.." I began but he cut me off, "I read his aura, you know. He obviously loves you. You said he wanted nothing to do with you."
It was barely past lunchtime and my whole world had been turned over and over, so many times that it's begun to spin. "He did say that! I wasn't lying, Adrian. And I honestly know anything about this stupid letter! I haven't even read it yet." I was getting upset against my better judgement. I wanted to speak to Adrian calmly, not cause a fight. I couldn't help the defensiveness in my voice, Adrian was attacking me with words.
Adrian searched my eyes for the truth, his expression turned from rage to a deep sadness. I decided that I would rather have him angry with me. "My aunt said you were compelled to write that letter," he paused, studying my face. I shrugged, not knowing what to say.

"I guess I can't blame you for that one. I shouldn't even blame you for your feelings or his. It's hard not to though. And now he's living with you..." He shook his head, laughing without humor. "Little dhampir, you are a train wreck." He didn't mean it as an insult but the words bit me anyway because he was right.

"Adrian, I love you."

"I know, and I love you. But you also love him in a different way than you love me, don't you? And he loves you, a lot. His aura is almost blinding when he's around you," I so did not need to be hearing this right now. "I asked you to give me a chance, and you did. I competed with a dead guy, so it was easy for you to be with me, but now he's not dead. I can't compete with him." If the topic wasn't so serious I would scold him for calling my relationship status a competition. I was about to protest but I couldn't see the point. He was right and I couldn't even say that I wish he was wrong.

Adrian saw that I was thinking exactly that. He clenched his jaw, "Well, I guess this is goodbye then." He stood up and took two steps before I grabbed his arm, "Adrian, wait-" I couldn't get out another word because suddenly his lips were on mine. The kiss took me so off guard and it was sloppy at first, but soon I had my fingers in his hair, pulling his face closer to mine if possible. Right as the kiss was getting passionate, he broke away. We were both breathing heavy, Adrian touched his lips, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"I need to stop lying to myself. We can't be together anymore. I'll see you around, little dhampir." He stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Despite how much that hurt, I was never more proud of Adrian. He finally stopped believing his vices were virtues, he wasn't using me as a crutch to be a better man anymore.

I wish I was more saddened by the breakup, but I mostly felt relief. I didn't even realize how much my little love triangle was weighing on me until Adrian walked out. But that didn't mean I was going to jump in head first with Dimitri, we had our own issues. I didn't have time to focus on my love life at all, now that I had to learn how to be a princess. With a sigh I promised myself that I would stay single for a long time. It would be difficult, especially having Dimitri around 24/7, but it was necessary. I was going to make the dhampirs proud, not concern myself with who was in my bed.

I grabbed sweats and a large T-shirt from the moving boxes in my new room. When I walked into the living room I had seven pairs of sympathetic eyes fall on me, the old man looked like he was going to kill something. "Good heavens, people," I said with a small smile.

I would have to talk Abe out of doing the things to Adrian he threatened him with if my heart was ever broken. "I didn't know it was a party," I said casually, taking the nearest seat which was next to Tasha. She patted my knee and smiled, "We were just talking about how ridiculous this all is. But it's a good thing, the dhampirs need more power in our government." She was beaming now, all sympathy about witnessing my breakup forgotten.

The others started a heated conversation about my new occupation, all the pros and cons. I'd been having this same conversation in my head all day, I was sick of it. Since they were more focused on talking to each other I was able to sneak away into the kitchen. I had to feel up and down the wall in the entryway to find the light switch.

When I lit the place up my jaw dropped. My new kitchen was the most gorgeous thing I had ever laid eyes on. There was an island and breakfast bar, marble counters, a double door fridge, stainless steel appliances for every type of food and drink and black wood cabinets that went on for days. The room was a hybrid kitchen and dining room, the black wood dining table was very square and modern, Ikea probably, and it looked like it could easily seat up to twelve people. I don't know how I could possibly use all this space, but I loved it anyway.

I ignored the sick feeling I got from being spoiled. I didn't deserve this, but I was going to earn it by being the best damn dhampir princess ever. Lissa came in seconds later with a large brown paper bag, "I know you probably shouldn't have Chinese two days in a row, but you don't have any food here." Now I was the one beaming. Nobody came looking for us so we ate together in peace. Hopefully I would still get my needed dosage of Lissa as a princess, I couldn't do this without my best friend. Lissa paused with her fork halfway to her mouth, "You know how cliché we are? The bestie princesses… It's like we came out of a children's bedtime story."

Everyone eventually left the suite once I convinced them I needed more rest. I wasn't really tired; I just couldn't stand their prying eyes. Lissa offered to get Dimitri and I groceries, I honestly don't know what I would do without her. I wasn't to leave my suite until further notice from the queen, the announcement was too controversial and I needed to lay low for a while.

I decided to help Dimitri put his things away. His bedroom door was open but I knocked on the frame anyway.

"Rose, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just bored. It's only dinner time and I have to stay here for at least two more days before showing my face," I groaned, leaning onto the door frame.

Dimitri's face softened, "I can't imagine you're seriously bored after a day like today." It wasn't exactly a joke, but it was close enough in Dimitri terms. I couldn't help but grin. I nodded to his boxes, "I hope you have board games or at least a deck of cards in there. Remember, you're stuck here with me."

Dimitri laughed, just a one short breath laugh, but it was enough to make me feel warm. "I wouldn't say I'm stuck here," his tone was suggestive. I straightened up and stared at him, wide eyed. He just flirted, or tried to. His face told me he hadn't meant to say that aloud, and he turned beet red. He turned away from me, focused on removing items from boxes.

"I'm going to watch some TV," I walked into the living room and sat on the loveseat opposite the flat screen. Instead of turning on the TV I found myself staring off into space. I thought this whole staying single promise was going to be a hard one to keep. I asked myself why I felt excited by the comment when I should be repulsed at the idea of moving on from Adrian so soon. I love Adrian, I shouldn't feel this content when he just broke up with me, but I couldn't find it within me to even care that I wasn't with him anymore.

Not turning on the TV was a bad idea because my mind started to wander. I was amazed at my own ability to function after today. I became a damn princess, Dimitri is my guardian and roommate, Adrian broke up with me, Mason… Well I wish I remembered more about him. I should remember more since that all happened before I was kidnapped.

Thinking about my time away from court was a blank canvas. If I was compelled to forget then I should still have little snippets. Memory erasure was nearly impossible to do perfectly, there was always a little detail the person retained. I recalled the voice in my head from last night, You're not going to be the infamous Rosemarie Hathaway that plagues Strigoi when I'm done with you. A shiver ran down my spine. I pulled my knees to my chest and tried to build off of that small memory, to no avail. I don't know how long I sat there, a rumble from my stomach snapped me out of my reverie.

There was a knock on the suite's main door. I started to go to the door but Dimitri was suddenly in the room and shot me a look that said don't you dare. Being the guarded and not the guardian was not something I would enjoy. Dimitri looked through the small hole in the door with his hand reaching for his stake. He moved his hand away from the stake and opened the door. Lissa and Christian walked in, carrying a couple thousand grocery bags.

I took as many bags as I could from Lissa and led them to the kitchen. Lissa and I started putting everything where it needed to go while Christian started making dinner for the four of us, bless him. Lissa handed me her iPod to put on some music. I chose Imagine Dragons, because they were the least depressing choice out of Lissa's music library.

By the time the chorus of Tiptoe came by, Lissa and I were dancing around the island. We playfully overdramatized the song by throwing our arms to the sky and making outrageous facial expressions, pretending to sing to an audience at a concert. Christian couldn't help but join in. I was spinning around with my hands raised high, starting to feel positive for the first time since this morning. I stopped spinning and saw Dimitri smiling at me from the doorway. My breath caught. No. No. I will not go down that road.

There was too much potential for a romantic moment here; all I had to do was grab his hand and lead him to the makeshift dance floor. I won't. I tried to ignore the guilt of moving on from Adrian so fast, it should hurt more.

I went to the iPod on the counter and browsed more of Lissa's songs. Christian then went back to cooking since the water began to boil. Lissa pouted when she realized that her dance partners had left her, but she recovered quickly and started to set the table.

"How can I help?" asked Dimitri's voice from behind me. Christian nodded to the chicken breasts, "Do you know how to bread chicken?" Of course he does, he can do anything.

I sighed at Lissa's small and almost pathetic music library. It didn't look like there was anything useful for me to do in here. "I'm going to take a shower," I announced. Only Christian responded with "Think of me when you're in there." When I was halfway through the living room I heard a smack and Christian cry out, "Hey! It was just a joke, babe."

I walked through my room, it took me more paces than should be allowed for a bedroom. Seriously how big could this suite be? My bathroom must have been made with the help of angels. There was an oversized bathtub that was obviously built for two people at once. I didn't want to think about what that could mean for me. The bathtub was surrounded by black and white swirled marble, the counter was set up the same way. There was a shower separate from the tub, it sat in the corner of the giant room, there were frosted glass walls and a door. I chose the shower, still a little perturbed that I was given a suite with a tub built for a couple and not a teenager who couldn't get her emotions sorted out.

I wasn't anywhere near dirty like last night, but I did need the hot water to relax my muscles. I wondered if the others would be able to hear me if I started singing. I stood in the steaming water until there was a knock on the door, "Dinner's ready!"

Christian and Dimitri had made chicken parmigiana; I was being spoiled with my favorite meals. We talked about unimportant things, topics that wouldn't induce stress. It was a nice distraction to laugh. We all laughed, except for Dimitri who would simply respond with small smiles. My own tension eased and I felt a calm that I think only these three could've brought to me in that moment. We all sat together at one end of the table, ignoring the long expanse of empty seats. I didn't need those extra chairs in my kitchen, because at this moment I was with all the family I would ever need.