(Disclaimer I do not own any of these fab characters just this little story, the rest belong to Richelle Mead)
Rose POV
Sitting back in the leather chair on the plane on my way to LAX airport to meet up with Tasha, I wonder if I should mention seeing Christian to her. I know these last two years has been hard for her not being able to even talk to him. I know Sparky would break the rules to talk to an aunt he loves and the family member that saved him from a fate worse than death, but Tasha will not allow it. She knows that if he does and gets caught then he risks being thrown out of Moroi society, and then Lissa would either join him in exile or be forced to leave him. Tasha is strong enough to make the right decision for him and leave without telling them where she went, or without giving away any contact details. Knowing Tasha as well as I do now, and knowing that one day — hopefully sooner rather than later — our world is going to have the biggest wake up call ever, I decide to be honest with her about where Christian is. Maybe it can keep her hopes up on seeing him soon.
Like me, Tasha also lost her close friendship with Dimitri the day she decided to hell with our rules and fought for her happiness with Craig, her human husband. I mean, come on, Craig was obviously a safe person to know our secrets. They'd been secretly dating for over a year by that point and he had known our secret for over 6 months. Tasha was prepared to compel him to forget if he didn't take it well. Craig is a realist and a totally down to earth all round amazing bloke who took it in his stride. It also doesn't hurt that he is a geneticist who looked at it all scientifically from an evolution viewpoint. Craig is the main scientist working on the medication created using my and Ivan's DNA that will help dhampir women to be able to reproduce with male dhampir.
It seems that dhampir were already able to reproduce together, however there was a problem with the foetal development following conception. The foetal matter broke down within the first few days of conception. No one ever noticed this as the foetal matter would just pass through as a normal monthly period. This, in turn, just made it look like dhampir/dhampir pairs were infertile. When Lissa healed me, the part of my DNA was not active and preventing me from conceiving was corrected. Ergo, Ivan's conception was possible. The medication we've been producing wakes up the non active nucleotide, allowing a female dhampir's body to aid in the development of the baby. The female dhampir will have to have a shot every 3 days throughout her pregnancy until birth. This is the best we can do until we can find a more permanent fix.
The reason Ivan is so important is that he is the first child born of two dhampirs, and we have the DNA proof of who his parents truly are. That is why I am so protective of him. I fear that some Moroi, royals especially, would hate that little tidbit of information getting out.
Our research is totally off the books. The women and men who are willing guinea pigs in are kept away from the wider Moroi society. They are happy to do this, as they are the ones I've gotten out of horrific circumstances forced upon them by our oh so lovely royal Moroi. The Moroi that know about our research are more progressive, people who think the current Moroi political system is outdated. Dhampir numbers have pretty much hit rock bottom, especially for those becoming guardians. More Moroi are being killed off every year by Strigoi, as they are left unprotected and unprepared. All the while, Queen Bitch and her entourage are swimming in luxury while their men are using dhampir women as play-things under the guise of doing us a favour by keeping our numbers up. It made me sick.
As we start to land, I feel excited to see my old friend. Looking back at our last four years of friendship, it's hard to believe that I was once jealous to the point of almost hating her. Now, Tasha is my rock helping me build my charity and advising me on where to best channel the funds. She helps me with the dhampir we aid in escaping communes, educating them, and eventually hiding the ones who want in on our reproduction experiment.
While still able to see Dimitri and Lissa, she would tell me all that was happening in their lives, knowing it would both painful but healing for me to hear about. Tasha also told me how much Dimitri did fight for me to keep me in the academy, and of his plans to send me to his family in Russia rather than allow me to go to a commune on my own. She told me how Lissa and him searched for me after Lissa graduated. I was grateful to be told this, though it didn't change anything. After her banishment, we would both often have a good bitch about the people who governed our world, and would make plans on how we would seek our revenge, to the point we'd be laughing so hard that we shed tears.
Flashback
Four years ago, I was in New York setting up my third office for my charity and a further base for my fathers businesses. The charity was getting more funding from dhampir that lived in communes that could afford to give a little, Moroi that were more progressive in their thinking and wanted more equality for dhampirs and non royals, and of cause my father funded it generously. As a paid employee, I too put large amounts of my monthly pay package into it. I had set up offices in Turkey and Russia where Baba and I are generally based, but now it was time to spread globally. New York seemed a good place to start, as Baba wanted more offices in the USA for his businesses as well. It was no secret that Abe Mazur, along with his army of private guardians, were in the US. And where Zmey went, his daughter Anna was always nearby.
Tasha, wanting to be more involved than simply putting funds into the pot, deciding to come see this dhampir activist. The dhampir woman that was either raved about for making a positive change in poor dhampir communities lives, or was likened to a used-up blood whore that got pregnant and was now a vengeful bitch to the Moroi men who are doing their part to keep dhampir numbers up. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at some of the rumours spread about me.
I was looking over the plans for the new office, Ivan in a carry cot my back, when a knock pulled me out of my thought. I turned towards the door.
"Hi, Ms Mazur. My name is Tasha Ozera and I was wondering if I could discuss a few charity ideas? I think could work along side the current work you're doing in dhampir communes?" I hear Tasha's voice at the door. Well, shit. I guess my hiding days are over.
"Hi Tasha," I say, and as I look up I see the recognition in her face. I also see confusion and trepidation. I guess Dimitri or Lissa told her about Ivan and the claim that he was Dimitri's.
"Rose, is that you? What are you doing here? Are you one of the girls Anna Mazur is helping from that commune a few hours away?" Before I can answer she spots Ivan. "Oh Rose, is that your baby? Did you have a boy or a girl? Did you ever manage to get the father to help? I know Lissa would like to know that you're both healthy!" Just as I am beginning to think I still could really punch this woman in the face, I see her look at Ivan who is just staring back at her and hear a small gasp as she takes in his eyes. I can see that she notices the fact that they're his eyes staring back at her.
"How…?" is all she manages to get out before Pavel comes into the office.
"Rose your father wishes to speak with you ASAP about the layouts of the offices and colour scheme. Oh sorry, I didn't realise you had company. I can come back later?" he suggests.
"That's alright Pavel. Can you tell Baba that I will be with him shortly? Thanks. I just need to finish up with Lady Ozera and I'll be right along." Turning back to Tasha, I pull a chair out for her as she looks like she's going to faint!
"You weren't lying. He's Dimitri's, he has his eyes," she whispers, still staring at Ivan.
"No. I was not lying."
"And you're Anna. Your Abe Mazur's daughter?" she asks, looking away from Ivan and looking right at me.
"Yep. I am his actual daughter. We obviously changed my name so I could hide from those who treated me like scum, and for Ivan's future prospects. Thanks to the society we live in, if he grows up a Hathaway he'll end up being a blood whore's son."
"If Dimitri sees him, he will know that he is his son, and then everyone will know that you are not a… God I hate that term, so I refuse to call anyone that," she starts rambling excitedly.
"Tasha, the Moroi can not know about Ivan, not until we have answers on the how to replicate the process for other dhampir couples. If they find out about us they'll either use us as lab rats or kill us to protect their own interests, keeping guardians and dhampir enslaved to them by the fact we have to keep Moroi safe for our own survival. You know this." She stops and thinks about what I've just said and realises I'm right.
"Dimitri then. He has a right to know." I bark out a laugh that shocks Ivan but instead of crying he just sticks his foot in his mouth. Oh my boy, you're so like your father I smirk.
"Dimitri has no rights when it comes to my son. One day he will know, but that day will be of my choosing and under my terms. He lost his rights the day he decided I was lying, the day he broke me in half." A single tear escapes my eye. I'm done crying hard for either of them.
Tasha looks like she's mulling over what I've said. "Okay Rose, I will support you and I still want to help with your charity, but on the condition that you will try to tell him again and before it's too late for him to have a relationship with his son."
"And if I don't promise to tell him?" I ask.
"Then I will leave here and tell Dimitri and Lissa that I found you, that you're going by Anna Mazur, that you're with your father, that Ivan looks just like Dimitri, and that they need to see you now."
Well that left me between a rock and a hard place with very few options.
"Your a right bitch you know that right?" I tell her, only half-joking.
"Yeah, I've been told that a few times."
End flashback
Leaving the arrivals gate at LAX I see Tasha and Craig standing together, waving at me, with little Luca balanced on Tasha's non existent hip. Giving them both a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, they move me towards the car park. As I'm walking along, I can't help but feel that both of them are tense and not conversing with me. It has been a couple of months since I've seen either, but we have talked a lot over Skype and both seemed fine the last time we spoke. I wonder if the banishment is putting a strain on their relationship. I hope not, for little Lucas' sake as well as their own. They really do make the perfect pair, with Tasha being brash and passionate while Craig was the more stoic, calming influence. Remind you of anyone else? And I know how those relationships can turn out…
"Okay guys what's up?" I ask.
"Not here. Let's get you back to our place, and have dinner and a rest. Then we can talk about all that's been happening," Tasha says. Sadly, after everything that had happened at court — her banishment and seeing what horrors really happen in our world, not just the ones committed by Strigoi — Tasha has become a little paranoid and doesn't trust talking in cars or out in the open.
"Okay Tash, let's head home then!"
The car journey was spent in quiet contemplation. I missed my little man and hoped he was settling down at school. I was glad that Pavel was the first guardian that would be staying with him. He was my dad's personal guardian, and had been with him since the beginning. More like my uncle and part of our family, Pavel would die for any of us, although with the fighting skills he has been passing down to me I actually feel sorry for anyone who gets in his way! Baba wanted the best for his torun, so he willingly sent Pavel to stay for the first month with Ivan. Pavel knows everything that happened, including who Ivan's father is, and will be able to steer Ivan away from them. He will also start Ivan's training privately, so when he comes of age there'll be no better fighter. We are planning to give him a better education than dhampirs typically get in academies, so that he will be able to live in the human world and make a successful future for himself if he so choses. But for now, the main objective is to keep him away from anyone that means to do him harm.
Arriving at Tasha and Craig's beach house, we unload the car and head in. I naturally go to the guest bedroom without having to be instructed and dump my bag at the bottom of the bed, having stayed here many times before. I don't bother freshening up. I'm sure I look fine enough for a drink in the lounge with my two friends that have both seen me in a worse state than this in the past.
"Hey Rose, what do you want to drink?" Tasha calls from the kitchen.
"Oh, just coke is fine thanks," I yell back. Yep very royal and lady-like, shouting at me from another room. I snicker at her antics.
Collapsing onto her sofa and pulling my feet under me, Tasha walks in with coke cans and glasses filled with ice. She too sits on the couch in the exact same position as myself on the other side so we are facing each other. Oh, this is going to be a very long talk!
"How's Ivan? Did he get to St Vladimir's okay? Did you cry?" she asks.
"Yeah he was so good. He settled right in and didn't cry at all — but I did! What does that tell you apart from 'jeez mum get a grip'?" I try to keep my voice light but you can hear the pang of hurt in it.
With a small smile she looks at me and asks, "did you see Dimitri?" I know what she's really asking; 'did you tell Dimitri?'
"What? You knew! Wait, how did you know when I didn't? God, woman! Did you honestly just let me walk right into that? I love you Tash, but right now various murder scenarios are going through my head." The hurt I felt morphed into anger.
Holding her hands up in surrender, she explained, "I just found out yesterday from a guardian friend who works there; he's one of the few people who doesn't give a shit about my banishment. He feels safe enough talking to me because he is a dhampir, so they wouldn't bother watching his movements. They arrived two days ago and even the appointment, which was being discussed for some time, wasn't finalised until last week. That's why your people didn't know about it when researching schools for Ivan." She takes a breather while we poured our drinks, and I let this knowledge settle inside me.
"So, you didn't answer my question. Did you see him?" she asks, again.
"No, I didn't. But I did see Chris and Lissa for a few seconds," I look at her as I know I'll see pain at mentioning his name and was ready to hug her if she needed it. Losing her nephew had been the hardest thing, and I think if it wasn't for little Luca she would have gone grovelling back to the council, begging forgiveness just to have Christian back in her life.
"Oh. I hope he is well." With that, I know not to say much more. It's clearly too painful for her to talk about.
As if sensing his mother's pain Luca runs in on his little toddler legs and tries to jump up onto the couch screaming, "Mummy!"
Tasha lights up and swings him up onto her lap, burying her face into his black hair. She holds him in that position for a few seconds then looks back up. Luca looks at me with those Ozera ice-blue eyes, and I'm instantly taken by how much he is starting to look like Christian. Well, a dhampir version of Chris anyway. Because of his parents and the banishment, he won't ever be allowed into our society therefore will not be able to attend our academies and become a guardian. But because he is not human he has to visit Moroi run hospitals. The royal snots probably think this way he'll end up in a commune un-promised, un-trained, and killed off by Strigoi, or perhaps that he'll end up in the human world, unable to father children, Tasha's branch of the Ozera family dying out with him. God, they are so dumb. Luca is going to be tutored by human teachers, giving him a better education than dhampir students receive at academies, and he will be taught how to fight by private guardians such as myself, who learn far more varieties of fighting than they teach in academies.
Don't get me wrong there are sanctioned guardians who are total gods, Dimitri for one, but that's because once trained by the academy they also learn other skills via a mentor while at school, or they teach themselves other forms of fighting techniques and even martial arts from the human world. But some just think that what they learn at school is enough to get them through. They are the ones who end up dead young, the ones who will probably never see their 22nd birthdays. And now that the age decree has been lowered to 16, even more dhampirs will die even younger, to the point where whole generations will be whipped out. Don't even get me started about the age decree… Sending 16 year olds out to be cannon fodder, missing out on an extra two years of intense training. The stupid, idiotic Moroi are killing them themselves. What's even worse is that they used my achievements to push that bloody law through! So I'm the disgraced dhampir that was kicked out before graduating, but still good enough to prove that 16 year olds are fine to fight Strigoi with consideration for my kills while still at school. Fucking arseholes.
"Dinner is ready," Craig yells at us from the dining room. We walk into the dinning room to see Craig dishing out Chinese takeaway onto three plates.
"Nice Craig, I thought I was worthy enough to cook for?" I roll my eyes.
Craig gives me a wink and laughs. "I'm too busy to cook. I have important, time-consuming work to do thanks to the two of you, you know."
Taking our seats, we settle down to eat and talk business.
