Chapter Three - Crushed Dreams

Although Dimitri was only gone for the best part of fifteen minutes, it felt like hours as I brought Lissa to a more calming point. She had stopped shaking and was thinking more logically now, and was comfortable when I left her side to look outside the window - stake in hand. As Dimitri had said, I could see nothing, just the bottom of the stairs which lead from the Royal's dorms. There were two Guardians near it that I recognised that usually patrolled the Junior dorms, and I imagined they'd upped the protection detail for the Royals due to the alert.

There was a knock on the door, and I quickly turned with my - well, Dimitri's - stake into a defensive stance, ordering Lissa to get behind me. I clenched the stake tightly, before hearing a comforting Russian accent. "Guardian Belikov." He announced, before I watched as the door handle turned. Sure enough, when the door opened, Dimitri was stood there, his other stake lowered cautiously to hip level. He closed the door and locked it behind him, and I let Lissa go sit back on her bed. "The perimeter is all clear. Seems there's more Guardians staked outside than usual due to the alert."

"Yeah, I could see two of them from the window." I told him, moving to sit on the end of the bed. I rested my elbows across my knees, looking up as he made his way back towards the window as he had done before. "Did you hear any news about what's going on out there?"

"One of the guards outside told me that they'd sent twenty Guardians for back up out near the entrance of the campus, but they didn't know exactly what the threat was just yet." Dimitri said honestly, sitting himself down on Lissa's desk chair half way between us and his view from the window. "They said they'd let me know if they heard anything sooner than an official announcement."

Dimitri, Lissa, and I spent the next forty minutes inside the Princess' dorm room, knowing that protocol said to remain in our allocated safety zones until an official announcement to do otherwise was made. As Lissa's current Guardian in the form of Dimitri, and her soon-to-be Guardian as I was, out safety zones was with the Princess. Wherever she went, we went, and first port of call was to remain in her bedroom where she would be most safe.

Since her initial fear from the code red alert, Lissa appeared to of settled down quite a lot despite the unknown. I was thankful for her constant chatter, as well as her attempts to include Dimitri in our conversations. It was a way to pass the time, and it was definitely better than thinking about what could be happening out there.

There was noise from outside the window, and I jumped to my feet instantly in a protective stance as Dimitri leaned towards it to listen carefully. "It's an announcement." He clarified, opening the window slightly so they could hear it. It was Alberta.

"The campus has been secured and all threats have been dealt with. You may exit your safety zones, though due to this morning's disruptions lessons are cancelled."

I let out a huge sigh of relief as I let myself fully collapse back onto Lissa's bed, letting my eyes close. I hadn't felt as as I had in the past hour since Spokane, though surprisingly this time was much more welcomed. I guess it was the difference that this time I was doing my job protecting my charge, whereas before it was the after effects of killing two Strigoi.

I sensed Dimitri come near me to say something when the alert sounded again, and I sat myself up to focus on it once again. "Novice Rosemarie Hathaway, please report to Headmistress Kirova's office immediately. Thank you." I furrowed my brows up at Dimitri who appeared to be equally as confused.

"What have you done now?" Lissa attempted jokingly from behind me, though I could hear the surprise in her voice.

I shook my head as I rose to my feet, looking over at my best friend sat on her pillows. "I've been here protecting you for almost an hour, heck knows what I've done!" As far as I knew, my attitude since I returned from the ski trip had been impeccable. Classes were only supposed to begin today, so I hadn't had the chance to mouth off to any of my teachers, and for the most part I'd been cooped up in my bedroom or spending 'mother-daughter bonding times' with my mother. Whatever Kirova was calling me for clearly was not just, but I was definitely curious as to what it was.

I turned to Dimitri with his stake still in my hand, handing it out to return to him. "Thanks for the silver, Comrade. Really made me feel like a Guardian." I smiled at him, hoping to Vlad that he could see in my eyes that my way of thanks was a way of telling him I loved him. He seemed to get the message as I saw a similar gleam in his eye as he nodded, placing the stake inside his duster alongside his first one.

"I will guide you to Kirova's office. Princess, if it makes you feel comfortable I shall make sure there is a Guardian posted outside your door for the rest of the day."

"Don't worry, Guardian Belikov, I feel okay now." She stood up from her bed and placed her hands in front of her stomach, poised perfectly as a Princess should be. "Thank you for your service this morning, I really appreciate it."

"It is my duty, Princess." He nodded with courtesy, though Lissa dismissed him with a wave.

"Please call me Lissa. It would make me feel a lot more comfortable, given that we're expected to spend a lot of time together." He smiled at her generosity before heading towards the door. I turned to face Lissa with a smile of my own, barely even seeing her face before she barreled into me with a tight hug. "Thank you, Rose. You were incredible." I returned the gesture just as warmly before letting her go, following Dimitri out of the room.

Stepping out into the hallway I could definitely feel the chill of the air, and I realised it must be almost 10.30pm by now given how much time we spent under alert. I wrapped my arms around myself to keep me warm since I didn't have a jacket, walking alongside Dimitri in casual silence.

We made it to Headmistress Kirova's office with no disturbance, and I knew that this is where we must part ways for now. I looked up at him with my arms folded across my chest, pressing my lips into a line as I looked up at him awkwardly. "So, are we still on for training tonight?" I asked hopefully, raising both my eyebrows.

Dimitri flashed a rare smile, and nodded. "Of course, Rose. Just because academic classes are cancelled does not mean you also escape training. You've still got two years worth of catching up to do, remember." I rolled my eyes at his comment, knowing he was only teasing. I gave him a mock salute like I had at breakfast, before opening the door.

"Wish me luck." I prayed in a sing-song voice, disappearing into the room I knew oh-so-painstakingly-well.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I realised Kirova wasn't the only one in the room, seeing Alberta stood to the side of her desk looking up at me expectantly as I shut the door behind me. "Guardian Petrov," I acknowledged politely, expecting she wouldn't appreciate me calling her by her first name in front of the headmistress. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Hathaway, please sit." Kirova addressed me first, gesturing to one of the few black leather seats sat in front of her desk. I obediently agreed, knowing from previous experience not to poke the angry bear. I placed my hands demurely in my lap, looking between my two seniors hesitantly. "An issue has risen concerning you, Novice Hathaway, and-"

"Look, if it's about that curtain going up in flames in the Moroi common room last week, that was not my fault." I pointed an accusing finger at her as I defended my case, being completely honest. "Sparky got angry and just spontaneously combusted."

"Novice, that's not what we called you here for." Alberta corrected politely, and I furrowed my brows at her wish a confused expression.

"It's not?" She shook her head, and I felt a blush creep up onto my cheeks as I realised what a fool I made of myself. Damn my smart mouth. "Well in that case, forget I even said anything."

"Hathaway, this is a serious issue." Kirova all but yelled at me, and I felt myself straighten up instantly both through respect for the superior and fear for angering the bear. I dipped my head down in an apologetic way, seeing out of the corner of my eye as she gestured for Alberta to continue.

"You're well aware that there was a code red alert just hours ago, yes?" She spoke matter-of-factly, and I looked up at her with a stern nod.

"Yes. Myself and Guardian Belikov escorted the Princess to her dorm room and remained there until the announcement was made that allowed us to leave. I also ordered Novice Castille to protect Lord Ozera in his room, and the same with Novice Reyes with Lord Ivashkov and Novice Knox with Mia Rinaldi. I hope they all got to their dorms safe?"

"Yes, Novice Hathaway, all of them were very successful in protecting their fellow students. Thank you for your professionalism with handing the situation." Alberta seemed to give me a genuine smile at that, and I couldn't help but feel proud in myself. Perhaps my actions showed I could be a capable Guardian in the near future, and as the mother I always wanted, I always respected Alberta's approval.

"However during the attack, several Strigoi broke through the wards." She was much more serious as she continued speaking, focusing her gaze on me. "Three Guardians were killed before they escaped - though not until they left a message." She paused hesitantly, and I could see her take a deep breath. "It appears the attack on the Academy was targeted for you, Rose."

I looked at her with confusion, my eyes momentarily darting to Kirova for any sort of hint that this was a joke. She seemed equally as serious, her hands folded in front of her at her desk as she looked down at a fixed point on the floor. I turned back to Alberta. "What did they want me for?"

"They never said. It was a male, previously Moroi, who said he was acting on behalf of somebody else. He only demanded we hand you over before the Summer Solstice."

"The Summer Solstice?" I looked at her with disbelief. "That's, like, five months away. This doesn't sound like a typical Strigoi attack."

"You're right, it doesn't. However we cannot take any risks, and so right now your safety is of our utmost importance." That was a surprise, I told myself. Dhampir never were a priority in this world, always coming second to the Moroi. To hear that I was suddenly important was definitely a shock. "Until further notice, you will be residing with your mother in the guest accommodations of the Academy. We will have guards surrounding your room twenty-four hours a day, although hopefully by the end of the week you will be relocated to somewhere much more safe off-campus."

"Off campus?" I growled, standing to my feet and slamming my hands on Kirova's desk as to make a point. "I'm graduating this year, I can't be shipped off campus for five months! I'll miss all my school work, all my training, not to mention most of my exams. How do you expect me to become a Guardian if I can't pass my exams?"

"Novice, we realise this may be a distressing situation for you, however that is why we are going to give you and everyone else involved a few days to think things over. Myself and the headmistress will think over what the best plan of action will be while you remain in the protection of one our most elite Guardians."

"My mother, great." I rolled my eyes sarcastically, still on my feet. "And what about classes?"

"An extra Guardian will be stationed in each of your classes." Alberta said with a tone of finality, nodding her head as she did so. "You are now to head directly to the guest accommodations where your mother will be awaiting your arrival. We will be in touch." My dismissal was very clear, though inside I still had a million things to say and shout about. I took a deep breath to calm myself as I thought rationally, knowing that shouting and demanding things would get me nowhere.

"Thank you, Headmistress Kirova and Guardian Petrov." The kindness in my voice was clearly strained, showing my dislike for staying silent, though I quickly turned on my heels to head out of the room before anybody could pass a comment on it. Although I couldn't help but slam the door shut on my way out.

I could feel the anger just seeping out of me as I stormed my way through the corridors, not even realising Dimitri had been waiting outside the door for my exit and was now quickly on my heels as I completely bypassed the guest accommodations where I was supposed to go, instead heading directly for the gym.

The moment I stepped foot in the gym I was thankful to see it was empty, using my momentum to carry me forwards as I instantly swung for a punching bag with as much power as I could. I screamed as I made contact, not caring about the pain I felt across my knuckles. I punched it several times in short bursts, shouting and screaming each time I made contact with the bag. Finding it to be a great stress reliever, I even started incorporating my legs, kicking and kneeing it several times intermittently with each punch.

The moment I felt the skin at my knuckles split was the moment I knew I should stop, and I gasped allowed as I forced my hands to stop mid-way towards hitting the bag for the ten millionth time. They were shaking as I curled my fingers to look at my knuckles, seeing blood seeping out of several cuts with bruises already forming. I was so focused on my hands that I barely realised the fingers encircling my wrists, and a soft Russian voice cooing me into security.

"Come on, Roza, you've hurt yourself." Dimitri was whispering to me, carefully guiding me over to the back of the gym where the medical kit lived. He sat me down on one of the benches while he went to collect the stereotypical bright green kit, collecting several items from it before appearing back in front of me. He knelt down on the ground and took my hands carefully in his, all the while I stared silently into his eyes.

He didn't try to force a conversation out of me as he expertly cleared up my wounds, before wrapping my knuckles in a protective bandage. He kissed each one softly, returning my gaze by looking lovingly into my own eyes. "There," he whispered against the bandage, and I could feel his warm breath against my hands. "All better."

"Hold me." I murmured, my eyes never leaving his. "I don't care who sees us, I just really need you to hold me." In a heartbeat I found myself sat on his lap on the floor, my body curling against his as I rested my head in the crook of his neck. I gripped his shirt as tightly as my injured knuckles would allow, willing myself not to cry in front of him all the while he muttered comforting words of Russian quietly into my ear.

We sat like that for the better part of half an hour, and I never heard a single person approach the gym during that time. At least our secret was safe, though a part of me wondered if it even mattered anymore since I would probably be gone by the end of the week. I pulled myself away from his chest slightly so that I could look at him, placing either of my hands on his shoulders.

"I might not be a Guardian." I confessed my biggest fear from my meeting with Kirova, not looking him directly in the eye. "There was an attack on the Academy, and they were after me. Kirova and Alberta are shipping me off for the next five months, which means I'll miss all my classes and all my exams. I'll never be a Guardian." I could feel the waver in my voice, but Dimitri hushed my worries away.

"Don't say that, milaya." It was another Russian word that I'd never heard him say before, though I didn't have enough effort to question him on the meaning. "You will be a Guardian, and you will be the most talented Guardian this world has ever seen. We'll figure something out that will allow you to still train, I promise you."

"How?" I cried out though without tears, looking into his eyes. "I've already missed two years of training, and missing another five months during the lead up to exams and graduation is going to throw me under the bus. I'll never be able to pass any of my exams."

"I promise you, Roza." He whispered, leaning in so close I could feel his breath against my lips. "And I never break my promises. We will figure something out, together." I nodded slightly, closing my eyes and leaning in the rest of the distance to press my lips to his. His kiss was warm and welcomed, the first one in a week since we'd been back from the ski trip. I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck as he wrapped his own around my waist, pulling me impossibly close as I deepened the kiss.

Dimitri must have sensed at around the same time as I did that we needed to stop, as he was the one who managed to break through his resolve and pull away from the kiss. I was panting heavily as I rested my forehead against his. "We will get through this." He assured me one final time before I finally believed in him.

It was odd, I noted, how my main fear was not being able to graduate. Not the fact that there was some unknown Strigoi after me. The thought made me laugh, in all honesty, since I knew most other normal people would be scared shitless over the thought an immortal vampire was after them. But not me - I guess I was just too dedicated in being a Guardian. Fighting Strigoi was in my blood, and so I didn't fear them. I embraced the fight.