(Disclaimer I do not own any of these characters that would be Richelle Mead)

Lissa POV

Four days sitting in this hall and I can honestly say I'm ready to slam my head into the desk. The solutions have gone from the very reasonable let's just let the blood analysis go through and once the findings come back we can discuss the future. To the crazy we should compel everyone to forget. Idiot compel the whole populace yeah because that's achievable! Not even 1000 spirit users have that much power. To that suggestion I noticed a few lifted eyebrows from the guardians standing at their posts around the room. I'm just glad they were still here.

Over the last four days the council hall has become busier with more and more members of the royal families coming in to throw their weight around, non royal Moroi wanting to see what will happen and off duty guardians and non guardian Dhampir arriving at court to watch the proceedings. But the rules still stand only the head of each family making up the 12 seats of the council with the 13th seat being the Queen will decide on the outcome.

I know it's all going to come to a head soon. The Alchemists arrived three days ago to work on the blood if the go ahead goes through. Hans Croft the head of the Guardian council therefore leader of all guardians gave us until the end of today for a ruling on the go ahead of the blood analysis. Hans has also advised that he has told the guardians it's up to them on what they want to do without repercussions if we vote against the analysis. The Guardian council have agreed that if the vote goes ahead and comes back no they will have the blood destroyed knowing full well that the guardians will just leave to find the subjects of the reports themselves, where they can provide more blood and they still get the answers. Some of the council members shouted that they mean to do us harm but the more likely thing is that they will just up and leave.

"People people we have less than three hours to give our decision to the guardians before they take things into their own hands" Prince Szelsky voice shouts over the din. "I still stand by that we should let the analysis go threw and move forward with the findings. This obviously isn't a hoax and certainly not containable any longer. It's time that we start changing otherwise strigoi will be the least of our worries."

"How can we trust that the Alchemists are not working with Rosemarie Hathaway and will give the results they want to give. This still could be an elaborate hoax to put an end to our society. I mean the little blood whore obviously hasn't worked alone she hasn't the resources to pull this off on her own. She was kicked out for getting pregnant in school maybe this is her vengeance." Nathan Ivashkov yells back. I want to scratch his eyes out and by the look on Guardian Hathaway's face I'm not the only one.

"I agree with Nathan we all know the child Miss Hathaway was carrying was Adrians." Priscilla Voda says looking at everyone around the table. Guardian Hathaway actually snorted at that which was loud enough that no one could ignore, this causing many murmurs to break out around the room.

"Really cause you'd think I'd remember doing the deed with Rose considering I'm supposedly the father." Everyone turns around and looks to a now standing Adrian in the observation seats. "For the last time I have never had sex with Rose. Oh I wished but no her heart belonged to another." He dramatically says with his hands over his heart.

"If your saying you know who the father is why not just tell us?" Badica asks him.

"Nope I think I'll wait for the blood work to confirm that." Adrian smirks while taking a seat making it obvious that he knows more then he is letting onto.

"Guardian Hathaway you obviously know something about this?" Prince Badica turns to look at her.

"Haven't got a clue on the fathers identity My Lord." I notice Prince Szelsky smirk at her. He knows she is lying I mean he has been her charge for over 20 years.

That's it we again digress into petty squabbles looking at the Queen wondering why she hasn't put an end to this I see her staring at me. She gives a little smile and nod to me. Weird.

"I second the motion to get the blood analysis started. As for making conjectures on who the father is there's no point as until the blood works come back no proof. Compelling the entire populace is well a stupid idea, immoral and totally impossible. Doing nothing won't bring violence as the guardians don't need to." I yell out above the squabbling royals so that they hear me.

Ivashkov interrupts my speech god I hate that man. "That's right they are loyal and will follow our rule."

SHIT. At that the guardians on the walls actually look murderous which considering they hardly show any emotions says something, they start looking at each other some are openly talking to the one next to them breaking protocol. One of the Dhampir in the crowd shouts.

"What are we your fucking dogs?"

Standing up at the table now I turn to Nathan "Shut up you fool." Yep I've lost patience. "No the Dhampir don't need violence they just need to leave. Without them here what are we going to do. Stay behind the wards forever? Switch to day light hours so we can feel ill our entire lives, and patrol the wards at night? How are we going to get food and other essentials in and how are we going to go anywhere apart from fly from one warded area to another? Think about it the Dhampir don't have to do anything but sit back and watch us get picked off one by one by either strigoi or our own stupidity."

"Would never happen they need us just as much as we need them. Even if this isn't a hoax and they start reproducing together what are they going to do without us? Go live in communes and starve." Priscilla Voda shouts at me, ha looks like I'm not the only one losing patience here.

Prince Zeklos is the one who answers that one. "Priscilla as someone who's never left the comfort of court don't throw ideas around without knowing the facts. The Dhampir could all indeed go to communes and have a happy healthy life there. It's total fabrication that the communes are just blood whore dens full of whores and pimps. Mostly the communes are a mix of Dhampir, Moroi who have given up on our way of life and humans living and working side by side. Dhampirs can easily mix with humans as they look more human than Moroi. So yes Priscilla there is very much a threat of them leaving. I also vote for the bloods to be analysed."

"Well I vote no and I can safely assume the same goes for Voda and Tarus." Nathan Ivashkov states with nods from both Princess Voda and Prince Tarus.

Okay six votes in, six to go, well at least we are getting somewhere but I know it could all go to hell any second so I push forward before anyone can say anything to bring the progress made crashing down.

"Just remember those who have not voted yet that this is for the future of all our kinds. The Dhampir are only asking to have a voice, respect for what they do meaning a fair wage, pension and leave. Also more consequences for those that abuse them and the system that is supposed to support and protect them. If this turns out to be true we can finally stabilise our Dhampir numbers probably even increase them, which will in turn mean more guardians to fight the strigoi. This in turn will make it safer for all Moroi." With that I sit as there is no more I can do. If this doesn't turn them around I don't think nothing can.

There is shouting for and against starting up in the observation seats looking around I can see Mia standing up shouting at what looks like Jessie. Yep definitely Jessie. All I can hear is him saying how dare she talk to him that way and begin to lift his hand. Before anyone can intervene Eddie stands up and grabs Jessie's whist in a death grip that looks like it's actually broken bones.

"Get off me Dhamp how dare you grab a royal." Jessie shouts out but you can see the panic in his eyes. Oh hell this was not what we needed.

"I don't see a royal I see a man who was going to hit a women half his size obviously because he is a coward just like he was at the academy." Eddie says back with an eerily calm voice.

The council members look like they are going to explode, there goes the progress we made. Looking around the hall that's when I spot her Tasha hidden in the back it looks like she is about to make a big entrance I shake my head at her if she comes out now there will be no salvaging this. Tasha nods and sits back down that's when I see the man sitting next to her holding a child that looks so much like my Christian that straight away I know it's her son. Wait the man must be her human husband oh this is going to be fun.

Prince Zeklos saves the day. "Sit down Jessie and shut up otherwise just leave now, one day my boy you will come undone I swear. Guardian Castile, Miss Rinaldi except my apologies on behalf of my nephew." With that the crowd quietened down. Jessie is folding himself around his whist. Yep definitely broken.

Voting went on and two hours later after a few more arguments and name calling. Really to think we are the leaders of a society and the best we can do is call each other vile names like high schoolers, no wonder we're going extinct, it was a six/six split. Great the Queen gets the final vote oh well bye bye to our guardians then. The split looks set in stone. At the same time obviously being appraised that the vote is about to be given Hans and the other Guardian council members enter the hall and walk to the front so they are standing in front of us waiting. The Queen standing up to address her audience.

"My vote will be the one that decides then I see." Looking at each member of the council and lingering on me. "This has gone on long enough answers are needed and I feel a change is coming for all my people. And yes when I say all I also mean the Dhampir as well. I vote yes to the analysis of the blood. Get it done as soon as possible I want the results back quickly."

Well knock me down with a feather that is not what I expected. The room is in total silence I guess no one was expecting the Queen to vote in favour. All of a sudden you hear a loud "YES" come from the back. Everyone looks up and there stands Tasha holding her son and her very human husband besides her. 1 second 2 second and blowup.