Rose Hathaway

We arrived at St Vlad's just as the Moroi day was just beginning. I bet Kirova had purposely planned for this. That woman hated me. I felt confident that Lissa would survive Kirova's wrath, but I knew with certainty that I would probably face much harsher consequences than ever before. I'd be lucky if I got to come back to school at all.

As we were led through the throng of students whispering away in the courtyard, I caught sight of Lissa's ex-boyfriend. Standing next to him, gripping his arm, was a pixie like Moroi. She looked young. "Lissa, I hate to say it, but I think Aaron replaced you with doll like version." The mysterious girl was definitely Moroi with her pale coloring and extremely thin waist, but she was shorter than most Moroi. Her face was framed in blond ringlets and her large eyes were staring daggers at us.

I felt Lissa's confidence was slipping and being replaced with apprehensive fear. "It's okay Liss. I won't let anything happen to you. We are going to be just fine." I whispered in her ear as I squeezed her hand gently. She gave me a small nod and we followed the Guardians the rest of the way to Kirova's office in silence. Her office was filled with a handful of people, but I didn't really look at them. Narrowing my eyes at Kirova's calculating stare, I gasped when a Guardian grabbed my arm and led me to a chair directly in front of Kirova's desk. Lissa sunk into the chair next to me.

Turning my attention quickly to the Guardian standing over me, I took in her auburn hair and the angry disappointment of her face. "Mom," I hesitantly mouthed. I hadn't seen my mother in over a year. She was the epitome of the Guardian lifestyle. This was going to be bad. It was going to be more than bad.

Janine didn't say anything, her face going blank as she slipped behind the perfect emotionless mask that Guardians wore. Sighing, I turned my attention back to Kirova as she began her speech on our behavior. This ultimatum had to be her best one yet. She spoke generally of responsibility and how reckless our behavior was. When she started talking about how self-centered our actions had been, I tuned her out, instead concentrating on the likelihood that I could escape through the office window.

"Novice Hathaway," Her disdainful voice calling my name pulled me from my plotting. "You completely ignored one of the most sacred rules for our kind. A Dhampir Promise is only worth how much a Moroi can trust you to protect them. Trust, Miss Hathaway, do you understand? You violated and stripped any sliver of trust you had with this academy when you took a Moroi Princess from the safety of this academy."

"Rose didn't force me to leave." Lissa said, before I could say something that would bite me in the ass. "You make it sound like she kidnapped me when it was my idea. I'm the one that wanted to go."

Kirova shushed her and began drumming her fingers on her desk as she stared us down until we all thoughts of arguing left us and we slunk deeper into our seats. She was about to start her rant again when there was a soft knock on the door. The door opened slowly to reveal Victor Dashkov. Lissa jumped from her chair and ran to him. He enveloped her into a frail but tight hug; a look of relief filled his withered face. Victor was sickly and his disease made shaky and much to pale for even Moroi standards. It had taken a huge toll on him since I had seen him last. He looked twice as much older than he had at the funeral service for the lost Dragomir family members.

"I am so glad you are back with us, safe, Niece." His raspy voice came as a surprise. At my small gasp he looked to me. "Ah Rose, you're safe also. This is a good day. A very good day," He wasn't really her uncle, but as a very close family friend they used the terms Uncle and Niece loosely. It was more to show profound familiarity than actual family relations.

Kirova allowed us a moment longer to hug and give hellos before coming around her desk and firmly pulling us back to our seats. "As I was saying, Princess Dragomir, I do not care whose plan it was. Rose was more likely, as she probably was doing it for the fun of it. Then again, we do have the issue of destruction of school property that was never dealt with. The two of you left before it could be settled."

Kirova leaned back against her desk, and looking at me blankly added, "The issue here is that Rose took a Moroi, a Moroi Royal at that, out of this school and outside the safety that this school offers. Forgive me if I don't see any logic or lack of fault in this stunt. As a Guardian, or in her case, a Guardian in training it is her duty-"

"Duty?" I screamed at her. "I kept her safe. I did what needed to be done to keep her safe when none of you would."

"That is enough Hathaway. This school is not only heavily guarded, but is magically protected. Unless there is something you aren't telling us, there was no reason for you to remove Vasilissa from such a secure environment. So what is your excuse? Did you do it as some twisted joke or is there something we should be made aware of?" Kirova was the closest to spitting mad as I had ever seen her.

I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth and stared at the floor.

"No answer? Well if you can't give, or don't have an explanation, that makes my next decision much easier," she said calmly, almost too calmly. This was it, I knew. "You will be removed from these premises and you will not be coming back."

"What, no!" Lissa and I both screamed. Lissa stood and grabbing my arm, tried to lift me up from me seat. I sat watching Kirova as my eyes began to fill with tears.

"Please you can't send Rose away. She is my Guardian, just like my parents wanted." Lissa pleaded.

"Miss Dragomir, Rose is not a Guardian, but a Novice, and although I respect your parents and what they wanted, her actions have changed things. She is no longer fit to become a Guardian and therefore is expendable. She will leave this school." Kirova said sternly.

"Is that why my mother is here? Are you sending me off with her? Or what, are you both plotting together to send me to my father?" Kirova narrowed her eyes at my words, and I felt my mother's hand grasp my shoulder tightly in warning. "Maybe that isn't a good punishment either. Do you plan to send me off to be some blood whore? Try and do that and I can promise you Lissa and I both will be gone-"

"Rosemarie if you do not shut up and listen..." Janine hissed at me.

"What, now you decide to step in? Now you want to play mother?" I glared up at her as I spat the words before they had fully formed as thoughts. My mother flinched and removed her hand from my shoulder. She almost looked hurt before her face once again took on its stoically blank expression.

"Miss Hathaway you have completely stepped out of line. I am fin-"

"They share a bond like in the stories." The Guardian who had tried speaking to me on the plane spoke out. "The Dhampir, she knows what the Princess thinks and uses it to communicate. I'm right, aren't I, Rose?"

"That is impossible!" my mother gasped.

"It's not. I observed them carefully, and I assure you, it is there."

"No one has shared a bond in centuries. If it's true, then it is rare and should be treasured." Victor piped in.

"Kirova, all of the stories speak highly of Guardians who were bonded to their Moroi charges. They were always the best Guardians of their time. Surely-"

"You're all getting ahead of yourselves. You are speaking of century old stories. Surely you're not thinking that a bond would be worthy of keeping her here at the academy?"

"Kirova, my daughter is wild and insolent, but if you look at her marks in her novice classes, she is full of potential."

"Gee Mom, now I'm some sort of insolent heathen. Think much –"I interrupted.

"You're mother has been reassigned as Vasilissa sanctioned Guardian." Kirova said.

"Oh, so the great and wonderful Janine Hathaway, who abandoned her own daughter, is acceptable, but I'm not? How do you know she won't abandon Lissa as she did me?" I seethed. "I would never leave Lis-"

"Miss Hathaway, you are undisciplined and I don't care if you share a psychic bond with every Moroi in this school, you're done. All the raw potential you have was once worthy enough to let you slide by. I see now that only left you unruly. It is better to have no Guardian than it is to bestow a Moroi one that lacks discipline."

"Then teach her self-restraint. The year is just beginning, she has plenty of time to learn," Victor suggested.

"Even if I could find some poor soul to punish by giving them the job of taming Rosemarie Hathaway, she is still hopelessly behind the other students in her class. It would be impossible-"

"I'm not behind, I'm not. I kept training-"

"She can be given extra training." The unnamed Guardian spoke up again.

"Again, who would want the job?" Kirova asked pointedly to the Guardian, "You, perhaps?"

"Well I, uh, not necessarily me," the Guardian stammered.

"Exactly what I thought," Kirova said knowingly.

"I may have been absent, but you are still speaking of my daughter, Kirova." My mother stated in a stony voice. "Perhaps I could use my time here, to get to know Rose better. With her mother's influence, with my influence, I am sure she will improve."

"Guardian Hathaway, your reputation precedes you, but Rose's reputation-"

"My daughter, Kirova," my mother said icily.

"Even if I let her stay, am I supposed to let her go without some sort of punishment?" Kirova asked in disbelief.

"Find another way to punish her." Victor suggested.

"Guardian numbers are at an all-time low, especially females." The unnamed Guardian said. I think she was going to be my second best friend if I was able to get out of this mess.

"I agree with Guardian-" Victor began.

"Davis." The Guardian supplied.

"Yes, I agree with Guardian Davis. It would be an awful shame if you wasted the talent that Rose possesses." Victor continued. Kirova placed her head into her hands and took several deep breaths. When she lifted her head, she glanced at me and then Lissa.

"Ms. Kirova, could Rose please stay?" Lissa asked her as soon as she had Kirova's full attention. She was using compulsion. I hoped she knew to be very careful. There were too many people in this room that could witness the dangerous action.

Kirova threw her hands out and stormed behind her desk. "Oh fine. You all win, but there will be stipulations. Rose will not be allowed any social events outside of meals. That means unless you are in class or training, you will be staying inside your dorm. Disobey any of the rules I have set for you or any rule of this school and you are out, for good."

"No social events? Are you trying to keep me separated from Lissa? She's my best friend, my sister almost. Are you afraid we might try to run away again?" I asked.

"Actually, yes, and I will take every precaution to prevent that from ever happening again." Kirova said hard-heartedly.

"Kirova, if I may. Perhaps if Rose and I stayed in one of the smaller rooms in guest housing it would deter any acts of defiance. As for her interaction with Lissa, knowing her mother is always just a few feet away and listening, will keep them both in line." My mother asked, stressing the word listening. I balked and then smoothed my face when Kirova caught my expression and smiled.

"Fine, Rose can stay as long as she lives with her mother in guest housing and she will be limited only to social activities as long as you are with her Janine. You will also mentor your daughter, but the duties to your daughter cannot interfere with your duties as Vasilissa's Guardian. Am I clear?"

My mother readily agreed but I could not. "I'm not four; I don't need mommy to hold my hand." I snapped at Kirova.

"My offer is more than you could ever hope for. You will either accept it or you will leave." Kirova was not going to back down.

"Fine, I accept." I huffed and glared down at the floor. Truthfully, Kirova had caved a lot more than she really should have. I'm not sure if it was Lissa's compulsion or the fact that she had a roomful of people standing against her, but I would never get a better deal.