(Disclaimer: you know the drill. I don't own any of these characters, that would be Richelle Mead!)
"Mommy? Mooommmy? Are you okay?" my son asks, climbing onto my lap, a concerned look in his eyes.
"Yes baby. I'm fine, just lost in thought. Are you excited to see the school you're going to?" I ask him, giving him a squeeze.
"Yes, but I'm gonna miss you and Dede. Why couldn't I learn at home and stay with you?" I hate that he feels abandoned and I hate that I'm leaving him in that world, but I'm gonna make sure that he is taught my beliefs even while he is there. No royal snots or backwards dhampirs are going to wipe away my teachings.
"It's just not possible baby. But don't you worry, we will see each other lots and it will make it even more special when we are together. Now, we will be there soon and then you will see all the new children you'll be able to play with." I give him a big kiss and rock him on my lap while looking at my father over his shoulder for the reassurance that this is the right thing to do.
As we get to the gates and are ushered through by a guardian I thankfully do not recognise, I put on a pair of large sunglasses and make sure that my straightened hair and clothes are all smooth. I know I'll look a bit weird wearing sunglasses in the dark. I think it gives off men in black, FBI-wannabe-guardian vibes. Hopefully Ivan looks different enough to myself and Dimitri to not turn the heads of those that once knew us. The elementary teaching staff are different to the high school staff, so Ivan won't be around teachers who saw me five years ago. Unless they remember what I looked like over 15 years ago, I think we're safe.
We pull up in front of the administration building, and both Kirova and Alberta are waiting for us. I suppose the dhampir grandchild of the richest Moroi outside the big royal families is worth the almighty coming down! The four of us climb out of the back of the limo. My father walks up to Kirova and Alberta, shaking hands and making niceties, while my son, Pavel and I hang back. After all, I'm acting as guardian and a parent!
"And this is my daughter Anna Mazur and her son Ivan."
They both politely exchange hellos. Kirova escorts my father to her office to discuss schedules and Ivans personal guardian. Alberta escorts Ivan and I to the novice dorms in the elementary building. Pavel following us with Ivan's clothes and the few toys we brought with us.
"So Ms Mazur, you're one of your father's guardians. We've all heard about the good work you do for dhampirs in communes, getting them cleaned up and helping them learn skills for jobs in the human world," Alberta states. I'd long since gotten used to being called Ms, as I am un-promised and therefore not a sanctioned guardian.
"Sorry Guardian Petrov, is there a question in there or are you stating facts about my work and private hire?" I responded, referencing the obvious snub at being a private guardian and not promised.
"I'm sorry, I did not mean to offend. Your charity work around the world deserves recognition, and by all accounts your combative skills are well renowned. I just wonder why you never graduated. It's a shame," she says, sincerely.
"My little miracle is what happened. I became pregnant with my son and was told to leave." I know it is risky that I've revealed that I was pregnant at school, and that's the reason I didn't graduate. Especially if she finds out Ivan's middle name is Mason. If she sees me in him, she'll know who I really am! Worse, if she sees him in Ivan it could be disastrous. That would push planning up before we're ready. But then again, all this is public knowledge. Pavel gives me a warning look that would have scared the shit out of me if I didn't know he loved me.
"That seems to happen to too many female novices. It also happened to one of our best. Shame. I recon she would have been amazing…" Alberta looks so lost in that moment, so sad. I just wanted to hug her, but I know this is not that time.
Once we arrive at my son's dorm room, Alberta and Pavel leave us with the bags so we can have a few hours to ourselves before I have to say goodbye to the most important little man in my life.
Dimitri's POV
I can't believe we are back here. After almost five years, Princess Vasilisa has given up with court. The old-fashioned royals on the council just won't let any of her ideas through. She still has her seat on the council, but will only attend the main meetings or if anything big happens. Instead, she has agreed to come back to the academy so that Lord Ozera can finally start teaching offensive and defensive magic, the only good thing the council has agreed on so far. Lissa is going to help in the infirmary, and in her spare time will study up on all our histories to see if she can sway the council by using our past.
Coming back here for us was both hurtful and but an escape at the same time. Hurtful, because being back here brought up memories of Rose. An escape because of what happened with Tasha. Tasha had married a human and bore his child. She had managed to pull down the Ozera name even further into the mud and people at court took this out on Christian. Tasha has been permanently banned from our society, having been shunned. She and Christian are no longer allowed to contact each other. This has broken Christian's heart, as he now has no other family members that he can reach out to. As for my feelings on that matter, I can't believe she would be so stupid and reckless. What if said human had outed us? Then we would have more than Strigoi hunting us! That was over two years ago, and no one has seen or heard from her since. Well, unless you believe the rumours that she speaks often to "Zemy" and his guardian daughter Anna. I can understand why Tasha would be attracted to Zemy's daughter, as she is the founder of a charity that helps dhampirs in distress.
I wonder if Rose was one of those she has helped. I wonder if her child was still alive. It's not easy being out there on your own, and even though we know she is alive from the fact that Lissa feels the darkness leave her regularly, we know nothing else. The child could be dead, and Rose could be in a mental institution from years of taking Lissa's darkness for all we know. Those kind of thoughts when they come make me sick. We did look. We searched for her as soon as graduation was over. By then the anger and hurt had subsided enough for us to be able to forgive her. Our plan was to either bring her home where she would be able to raise the child at court, or set her up comfortably in the commune until the child could join an academy. We searched for three years. But we could not find her, or even get a whiff of where she went. She just disappeared late that Thursday night after finding out her fate, and was never seen or heard from again.
We did know that headmistress Kirova saw her in her office, where Rose informed her that she would be leaving that evening after curfew on her own. The headmistress gave her 150 and instructions on how to get to the nearest commune. We also know that Guardian Alto let her out of the gate where she got into a black SUV that was being driven by a guardian that was supposed to be her mother's friend. That's all we were able to find out. The SUV plates were partially hidden from the security footage and all variations came back to dead ends; the guardian was unrecognisable. We even sent guardians into the near by communes with her picture to see if anyone either fit her description or had seen her. From her phone records the last person she called was her mother and the conversation was a long one, and the last incoming call was to a disconnected number with no record to who it belonged to. A human advised us it was probably a burner phone.
I really hope that Zmey's daughter found her and gave her a future away from the life of giving blood and sexual favours that seemed to be the only way forward for her. I know Rose is a survivor, but I also know that life would have ended up killing her inside.
Janine Hathaway, when approached by either myself or the Princess, would be cold and mostly answered us with one word sentences. I mean, she was never the warmest of people, not even to her own daughter, but this was blatant rudeness. I think if she could get away with telling either of us to fuck off she would of done so gladly. I really don't understand where she gets the audacity to be that way. Yes, maybe we could of been kinder more understanding towards the situation, but in the end Rose did get herself into this situation by sleeping with a Moroi without protection. In the process, breaking a vow to myself as her love and Lissa as her bond mate and best friend.
If only she had told the truth about the father's identity, maybe Lissa could of helped. If only she didn't rip my heart out. Maybe I would have been able to see through the pain, hurt, and anger. But that anger clouded everything, the pain of her betrayal gripped my insides until I could not function like a normal being. But this was five years ago, and there's no point dwelling on the past. Even though all I seem to do is remember her and compare her to all the other women that I have had casual flings with since. I guess that after turning down Tasha as I was in love with Rose, and then being betrayed by the first person I loved enough to risk everything for, I've finally accepted that guardians should never enter in a relationship and should just scratch the itch when needed. I say finally accepted, but that's how I lived before Rose entered my life and now how I live again. Like all guardians do.
Do I feel guilt? Yes. As her mentor and teacher I could have tried to do more to get her graduated at least, then once the child was born she could have done what her own mother had done and still been a guardian. She would have been a great guardian one day. Does Lissa feel guilt? Yes, because no matter what happened and what words were said Rose was her bond mate and best friend. Also, the darkness fuelled her, causing her to be more cruel than she would have normally been. Would we change things if we could go back? Yes.
Flashback
"What should I do Mama?" I'm on the phone to my mother and have just told her everything about Rose's situation. Obviously I left out that she was once more to me than a student or that she claims the child is mine, even though it's impossible.
"Dimitri, you can't let them send the poor girl out into a commune like that. She won't have any options, you know what will happen to her," she implores through the phone.
"I know Mama, but she's already expelled. I tried but there's nothing more I can do." Frustration seeps through in my voice.
"Send her to us," my mother tells me.
"Mama, Rose does not speak Russian. How's that going to help?"
"Oh Dimka, she can learn the language but at least here she will have support until we can get her on her feet. We will help her. You know it's the right thing to do." With that we say our goodbyes.
Walking the grounds after, I don't know if I want to punch things or just sleep forever. She will be gone in two days and I haven't seen her since the meeting, but I know that if I see her now I will probably scream at her. How could this be happening? I tried to stop her getting kicked out. I don't want her to have a life like that, no matter what she's done. We had a plan, we had a way where we were going to be together. Even our charge was all for helping us achieve this. I know she isn't a slut, but maybe I was wrong when I took her virginity. Maybe now she needed more. All we had to do is wait 3 more months for fucks sake. I decide then and there that I will buy a plane ticket for her to go to Russia and get Mama to pick her up from the airport. Hell, I decided that as soon as Mama said to send her over. At least that way she has a chance of a settled life in Baia with a support network around her. Interrupting my musing, I look up to see Lissa running up to me and calling my name.
"Dimitri, please come with me!"
"Huh?" I have obviously missed a big chunk of this one way conversation.
"Please come with me to Rose's dorm. I haven't seen her since Wednesday morning and no one has seen her in the cafeteria all day. Meredith has left food outside her dorm room which hasn't been touched. Please, I think something is wrong."
"Princess, she leaves in two days. It's best we leave her to get ready. There's nothing more we can do to help." I don't mention my plan about sending her to my childhood home. I still don't want to see her again. We needed a clean break. My heart was no where near starting to heal, and I don't want to risk any more heartache.
"Dimitri, are you listening? No one has seen her! She hasn't eaten and her light have not come on once in her room! Please come with me! Christian won't as he can't believe she's leaving and blames everyone for turning their backs on her including himself. Please help me!" she begs. She looks like she's going to drop.
That had me worried now. Rose never missed a chance to eat. "Okay Princess, we will ascertain that she's okay and then I'm leaving." I am resolved not to see her, so I will escort the princess only. Then go back to my room to book the flight ticket for her.
As we make our way to her dorm, we spot the trays of food in front of her door. It is obvious that they have not been touched. Lissa pushes them away with her foot and knocks on the door. Nothing. She waits a few seconds before knocking again, but is still met with absolute silence. I try the handle to find that the room is unlocked. Rose is not there, but the room is not empty. It looks like she hasn't even thought about packing. Lissa walks into the room and looks around at the photos on the walls and inside the wardrobe, she then crumbles on the floor and starts to cry. Walking into the room to help Lissa up, I notice a few photos some clothes and toiletries are missing. That's when I know that she has gone. Left us in the middle of the night to make her own way out there.
Turning around I notice Alberta looking at us from the doorway. Her haunted eyes take in Lissa and myself, with a look that told us that our assumptions were correct. She tells us about Rose going to Kirova's office late yesterday evening and leaving the academy grounds last night to be picked up by a guardian friend of her mother. As Alberta was telling us the details, I see Lissa pick up Rose's cell phone and put it in her pocket. I know now that it was so she could look at the photos stored on it. She also took all the photos off of the wall, which she keeps in a box underneath her bed. That was the last time we were near anything that was Rose Hathaway, the girl we both loved and missed everyday.
End flashback
Rose POV
After spending my last precious few hours with Ivan walking around the grounds, I couldn't believe that it was all still the same. As we wander across campus, I look up to the window that was my old dorm and can't help but wonder if they ever did find the key. Laughing to myself, we move on to where the church is.
I had refused to go into the gym or the direction to the woods where our cabin stood. Those memories I was not ready to face yet. Maybe one day when Ivan was older I would take him to the cabin where I would tell him the story of his dad and me, but that could not be done until the truth was out. Also, at only four, I don't want to scare little ears!
The last place for us to go was the little graveyard where my best friend and my son's middle name's namesake was buried. Ivan knew that both his names came from very special and important people from Mommy's and Daddy's past. When we arrive at the gravestone, I lean over and brush off the build up of debris covering Mason's name and sit on the grass with my son, staring at it.
I didn't have to say a word. Ivan could read his own name and automatically knew who it was we were visiting today. Taking my larger hands in both of his while sitting on my lap, he leans his head into my chest and stayed there quietly letting me grieve a friend. A friend that I knew, if he was still with us, would have stood by my side no matter what science and others said. I don't know how long we were there for, but a clearing of a throat brought me back to reality. Behind me stood my father.
"It's time kiz. We need to go."
Taking Ivan's hand, we all walked back to the administration building where a teacher told me she would escort Ivan back to his room. After giving him a big hug and a few tears from me — and even from my dad as well! — the teacher escorts Ivan away from me. When they turn a corner out of sight, I turn to the limo door. About to climb into the limo after my father, I quickly look up that's when I see him and … oh shit … her. Christian was staring, first at Ivan, then at me. Shit. There's no way he recognised me with my new hair. Even my figure was different, and with these sunglasses on, there's no fucking way he could tell it was me. I quickly get into the limo in case they did recognise me, and came up to the car demanding an explanation. Once we were through the gates I release a breath that I just realised I was holding.
"What is it Rose?" my father asks.
"Fuck, how is it we totally overlooked that they would be here Dad? Lissa, Christian… I just saw them and he was staring at me. Did he recognise me? Shit, maybe we need to turn around and get Ivan and think of something else?" I know I sound like I'm panicking. Maybe that's because I was.
"Calm down kiz. The headmistress told me that Lord Ozera is a faculty member teaching offensive and defensive magics. Obviously Lissa is with him, and she will be helping in the infirmary and doing some sort of research. There is no reason for them to be anywhere near Ivan as he is A not able to do magic and B hopefully won't be injured any time soon." All I could think was that it would depend if Ivan had my attitude or his father's regarding whether he might be injured soon! After all, if I earned a dollar for every time I ended up in the infirmary here, I'd be richer than my father!
"What about Dimitri, Baba? He will be there too."
"What about him, kiz? He will be busy with the older novices, his charge and shifts on the grounds. Don't worry. Also Pavel will be with Ivan, no one will get through to him," his logic couldn't be faulted and it did calm me down some, but my gut was telling me this was it. This was the beginning where the truth came out and the dhampir will have to choose who really comes first. I was just hoping we could hang on for the few more months that were required for the plan to be a success.
Christians POV
"Lissa, did you see her? I'm sure that was Anna Mazur. Maybe she can tell me how Tasha is doing. If the rumours are correct, she is still in contact with her."
As I'm pulling Lissa along I notice that a little boy was separating from her and being escorted away to the elementary dorms and I notice the adults getting into a limo ready to leave. Damn, I'm going to miss my chance. Thats when she looks straight at me and I freeze, though I don't know why.
Lissa gasps. "How?"
I turn to Lissa just as the limo starts up and begins to pull away. Lissa is just staring at the back of the limo like it's something she's never seen before.
"Liss, babe, what's wrong? What happened?" I'm getting worried at her silence.
"That was Rose."
I look at her like she's nuts.
"Babe, that woman didn't even look like her. She has totally different hair, and it's also short! Rose would never cut her hair. Also, she was a bit skinner and darker than Rose…" I trail off. As I say all this, I realise how flimsy it all sounds. Lissa looks at me with an expression that says idiot!
"Chris, ever heard of hair-dye and losing weight? And why the big sunglasses when the sun is literally just coming up? I saw it in her aura, that was Rose!" she says the last part as she starts towards the teachers and guardian lounge.
"Babe, where are you going?" I shout after her.
"We need to see Dimitri," she informs me over her shoulder.
Lissa POV
Walking into the lounge I see the Moroi teachers on one side and the guardians and dhampir teachers on another. For years I've been trying to get the division to lift, and seeing this just makes me feel like I have totally failed. I know there will come a point where the guardians and other dhampir will walk out saying this is just not worth it. I know Meredith, who was in Rose's senior year and one of the few females to become a guardian in the last five years, gave up and left for the human world. I can't say I blame her. Some evil royal made up a rumour that she slept with him and let him feed off her. All of her hard work went down the drain, along with her reputation, and even fellow male dhampirs looked down on her. Yet we still cling onto the notion that Moroi are the ones that matter, as they can not reproduce without us. Thinking of Rose, I look around and spot Dimitri and Alberta sitting together.
Walking up to them I whisper, "we need to talk to both of you privately. Now. It's important."
They rise, and we all walk out. Alberta secures us in her office and turns to me. "Okay Princess, what's so important that you pulled us from our break?" Alberta, even though she has never been overtly rude, has not been warm towards us since Rose was kicked out of the academy. Not even to Dimitri, who once was her good friend. I guess, as well as her own guilt, there's also a lot of blame pointed squarely at us. Which, if I'm being honest, I feel she has a right to feel. Especially at me, anyway… Dimitri did fight for Rose to stay and graduate. I, however, did nothing — something I will forever regret.
"Rose. I just saw her." Well that got their attention! "She just got into a limo. She looked different. Her hair was shorter and dyed, and she was thinner. She was wearing sunglasses, but it was her. I could tell."
I see Alberta's shoulders slump. "Sorry to be the one to burst your bubble Princess, but you just described Ms Anna Mazur. Abe Mazur's daughter. She was here to enrol her son into this school," Alberta explains.
"No Alberta, that was Rose! I could tell by her aura. This girl is shadow kissed and the darkness in her was reaching out and touching my own. Only my own bond mate's aura would do that. It was Rose!"
For a few seconds I just stare at Alberta. I can see things clicking into place in her mind and a look of hope in her eyes. If I'm reading her aura correctly, she was feeling like an idiot. I have no idea why, but I'm sure she will enlighten us when ready.
"Wait a moment, are you saying that Anna Mazur is Rose? Are you certain? Firstly, she is the daughter of one of the richest if not the richest Moroi in the world. She has to be the most influential dhampir in the world. Her charity work and outspoken views on dhampir treatment make her almost as hated and feared as her father," Dimitri is half asking, half stating.
I think all of us could see Rose rising up to better herself. After all, the girl, even five years ago, killed strigoi as a novice. A spitfire, as Dimitri would describe her. And Abe Mazur, the mobster being her father, I definitely could see. Both were rule breakers, smart, and spirited, and both have the same sassy sarcastic mouth. I just hope his ruthlessness, and his ability to be cruel and dangerous to his enemies did not pass onto her.
"God, I'm such an idiot!" states Alberta. I guess I'm going to get that explanation for my aura reading. "I should have known, it should've clicked right away. Her son is almost four and a half, that would of put her at just over a month pregnant when she was forced to leave the academy. Her son's middle name is Mason." All of us hear the emphasis on his name. "The similarities between her story and Rose's. I bet having no where else to turn, she contacted Janine for help. Janine, feeling there was nothing left for her here, contacted Rose's father for help." Alberta's rushed explanation putting everything in place. "A father that just happens to be Abe Mazur; rich, dangerous, and able to get her a new identity and influence. It would also explain why she fights for dhampir rights the way she does. We were going to do to her what she now fights against."
"But why risk coming here if she didn't want to be found out? I mean, I know Rosie could be a little dense sometimes, but that seems totally out of it?" Chris asks, looking at us all. "Holy shit, that also means that Aunt Tasha knew all this time. She has been meeting with Anna Mazur, even becoming close friends with her over the last four years. Fuck, and she never said anything! Why?"
Alberta was the only one to answer his questions, as both Dimitri and I were stuck on Tasha's obvious betrayal concerning Rose, not telling us the truth yet knowing we were looking for her. "I obviously can't answer regarding Lady Ozera's motives concerning Rose, but on the first question she probably was unaware that both yourself and the Princess were here as you only took the position a week ago."
"I want to meet him. Her son," I state with force.
"Well you can't, he has his own guardian." We all look at Alberta in shock. Not even high up royals have personal guardians when children in academies. When I was a student here, Dimitri was my sanctioned guardian but wouldn't officially take up the post properly until I graduated. "It was one of the concessions that Kirova made to Mazur. This guardian is not part of the academy and won't take shifts. He will be with the boy 24/7 and has full rights to control who can visit. Wether it be royal Moroi or lowly dhampir. When he is to be relieved, Mazur will send another of his guardians to replace him. It is coming out of Mazur's funds so Kirova okayed it as it's not costing the academy anything. Also, I think it best for the child to be left out of this and in peace. He is only a babe."
"So I guess we will just have to wait and see when his Mum comes to visit and try to talk to her then," I state and start to walk out the office, followed by Christian and Dimitri. Stopping in the hallway out of earshot, I turn to the other two.
"Um, so are we really going to listen to her and not go near Mason?" I ask wondering why I didn't actually get his first name.
"Are you fucking joking? Cause we are not gonna drop this. We might finally get to make up for past mistakes!" Well, Christian's in. Dimitri is just nodding his head. I think he just wants to see Rose again, even if the only way is to see her in her son.
