Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites! :)
Surprised to see an early update? :D That's how it's going to be from now on, fingers crossed! :p
As it so happened, I was re-reading LUNAtic2111's 'Turn back Time' and bawling my eyes out yesterday. That story is one the best ones I've read recently in our archive. Read it if you hadn't already! Anyway, reading that fic reminded me of my own and hence the early update ;)
This is a completely new chapter that was not part of the previous version. Hope you enjoy it :)
Traasa
"I thought you said I was to be a spy," Gregory said, trying hard not to glare at the man behind the desk whose was referred to as M10 in the traasa circle. He was in charge of planning and had been the one to tell Gregory that he would go into spy training.
But for the past two weeks, all Gregory was forced to do was train in bomb making. He was sick and tired of it and wanted out.
Which was why he'd sought out M10.
"I'm tired of making..."Gregory trailed off when the man, M10, scowled up at him.
"We don't need whiny babies in traasa, soldier." M10 barked. "You do whatever work we tell you to do."
"Yes, but-"
"Shut your hole or I'll make you." M10 threatened. "I've got enough on my plate without adding you. You do what job is given to you and you do it quietly, understood."
Scared, Gregory nodded hastily.
"The spies are always directly trained by our leader," M10 continued. "And he's very busy with the whole Loha fiasco. You will train with him whenever he says so."
"Yes, sir!" Gregory saluted the man.
M10 nodded, satisfied. He seemed to have decided that Gregory wasn't so bad after all. "Sit tight, soldier. The leader will be free soon. If he succeeds, we gain important allies in the Lohan Court. If not, eh, no big deal. We can grand plans for Loha and for our dear darling future queen."
Rose
"Hmm..." I savored the taste of the traditional Lohan chocolate muffin, each piece a slice of pure heaven. "Good work, Lira."
Chef Lira bowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
I rolled my eyes, talking another bite of the muffin. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Rose?"
Lira blushed, mumbled something and slowly retreated. Grinning when a maid placed a plate of chocolate chip cookies in front of me, I took in the sight of the bustling kitchen.
My mother had ordered me to kitchen duty today, hoping that I'd learn something here. But so far, all I'd done was taste the amazing stuff cooked by the very talented chefs. After all, I didn't need to know how to cook, right? Russovia, being a bigger country than Loha, would surely have best chefs employed by the Crown. What then was the point in learning how to cook?
My mother didn't see it that way. She maintained that a wife should know all household duties. This was one of her desperate attempts at making me 'wife material'.
Chef Vikram approached me when I started munching on the cookies. "Do you like it, Princess?"
"Your cooking can never be anything less than amazing, Vikram." I retorted, smiling at my favorite chef. Growing up, he'd been more of an uncle than an employee. "These cookies are delicious."
Before he could reply, another voice sounded from behind me. "You like cookies, Rose?"
Oh, damn.
It was the mother-in-law!
Granted, Olena was far from the monsters who posed as the in-laws on TV but I didn't know how approving she'd be of catching me relaxing in the kitchen instead of working.
"Olena," I said sweetly, turning to smile at the tall, brown haired woman standing behind me. Her stature was regal, her head held high but her eyes, those damned brown eyes of hers that were so similar to her son's, were kind. Unlike Dimitri's captivating eyes that drew you in deep as you tried to figure out what he was thinking, Olena's eyes were open and very welcoming.
When she smiled, I felt myself relaxing. When I'd met her for the first time yesterday, I knew that I'd grow to love this woman.
"Yes, I do love cookies," I confessed when she didn't show any sign of disapproval. "Especially Vikram's chocolate cookies."
"The princess is too kind, Your Majesty." Vikram told Olena who chuckled.
"I'm sure the praise is not undeserved, Vikram." Olena told him kindly, her raegan accent a little thick. It was generally more pronounced that Dimitri's but of course, his was sexier.
Smiling happily, Vikram went back to his work.
"Do you bake?" Olena asked me as she helped herself to one of the cookies.
"I tried," I told her, remembering the disastrous episode. "But it wasn't very good." That was an understatement. "But I do cook. Some things."
I didn't want her thinking I was completely incapable. After all, mom had taught me, rather forcefully, to cook certain simple items.
It was strange, the way I didn't want Olena to think of me as incapable. Normally, I didn't give two cents about what others thought about me. Hell, the way I'd behaved with Dimitri yesterday was almost as if I wanted to goad him into seeing me as I was. I didn't pretend, not bothering to put on a mask a perfect princess.
But now I cared what Olena thought of me?
Strange...
Olena, however, didn't seem bothered by my lack of cooking skills. "It's completely understandable. Abe tells me you're more interested in charity."
"Among other things," I told her truthfully. "When I take up a cause, I give it my full attention. I like being more hands-on while dealing with my city, my country."
"I've heard," Olena said with a smile. "Everyone here seem to love you, Rose."
I laughed. "An equal number of people hate me, Olena. Not everyone likes to see their princess being so involved in politics."
Olena, to my great surprise, laughed at my declaration. "They're all such bores, Rose. If you ask me, you're doing a great job."
With that, she left with another sincere smile.
Smiling to myself, I called the head chef to me. "Maria, I'm ready now."
"For what, Rose?" Maria asked, a little wary. She was the most experience chef in the kitchen and the one who'd known our family the longest.
"I'm ready to learn," I told her confidently. "Teach me a new dish."
But my enthusiasm was wasted, for another member of Dimitri's family entered the kitchen, apparently looking for me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked the pretty twenty year old who now stood in front of me. She wasn't alone, however. A young boy, about ten years old, stood behind her. "Paul?"
He nodded shyly but stood his ground, looking at me with his uncle's eyes. Damn, did everyone in the family had his eyes? Paul hadn't been able to attend dinner yesterday, having slept off shortly after arriving in Loha. So, this was my first time meeting Dimitri's nephew.
"I'm really sorry for disturbing you like this," Viktoria said in a rush. "Mama said you were here so I came to introduce you to Paul."
"Give me a minute, Maria." I told the head chef before turning back to them. My eyes fell on the boy who looked so much like the younger version of Dimitri I'd met years ago. "Hello, Paul. I'm Rose."
"Hi!" He extended his arm for a handshake. Typical Belikov manners. "I'm Paul Voda."
Voda. Huh. That was Paul's father's surname.
"How do you do, Paul?" I asked, shaking his hand.
"Fine" he smiled, showing his dimples. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Yes?" I was curious to know what he wanted to ask me.
"May I call you Aunt Rose?" he asked with a grin.
That was not what I was expecting. Of course, I'd be his aunt if I were to marry his uncle. But giving my conformation would make me feel as though there was no way out of the marriage. But how could you explain that to a kid?
"You can call me that," I replied, swallowing. "Now, do you want some chocolate cookies?"
Dimitri
"What do you say to finalizing the nuclear deal tomorrow morning?" Neal asked me as we walked down the corridor leading to my suite.
"Sure," I replied. "My team has finalized the details. We can work out a solution tomorrow."
Abe nodded. "Then we'll see you tomorrow, son. We have a meeting with the Chief of the Army now."
"Of course." I said, shaking his hand. "See you at ten thirty in the morning."
When both men disappeared from view, I opened the door of the guest suite that had been assigned to me. Situated in the west wing of the Palace, it overlooked the vast grounds and...the Nakshathra.
Mentally going over the points that were part of the deal that was to be signed tomorrow between our countries, I put away the key and removed my shoes, loosening my tie a little. The temperature in Loha was generally higher than what I was used to. Air conditioning did help, of course, but the difference in the air density was still noticeable.
My back stiffened as my gut sensed something amiss in the room. It looked the same but...there was someone else here.
Cautiously, I looked into the attached kitchen, dining room and the bathroom. They were empty.
But my bedroom wasn't.
Sprawled on my bed was a female, someone I had no trouble recognizing.
Madhri.
The same woman who seemed to be despised by the entire Mazur family.
Neal had warned me about her.
About the possibility that this might happen.
He'd told me that she might try to make a move on me. But I had never imagined that she'd cross so many boundaries - by not just breaking into the room of a visiting monarch but also trying to obviously seduce someone who was supposed to be her brother-in-law.
Forcing down the bile in my throat at the sight of her barely clad body and her disgusting desperation, I averted my eyes. Clenching my teeth in irritation, I managed to grit out a, "Get out."
I heard rustling behind me. She must have gotten up from the bed. "Don't be like that, My King."
I could almost hear the pout in her voice and it only served to aggravate me more.
"I can give you pleasure you've only ever dreamed about," she continued, touching my arm.
I threw her off, disgusted by her behavior. I forced myself to turn around and look her in the eye, trying to convey the seriousness of what she was trying to do.
But the second I looked at her, those big blue eyes widened innocently. It was as if she had no clue what she'd done wrong, as if-
"What the hell's going on here?" A low, deadly voice filled the room.
The back of my neck pricked.
Rose.
It was Rose. Rose had just found Madhri in my room, dressed in scanty clothes and standing right in front of me.
Did she think I was-?
Yes.
The fire burning in those beautiful brown eyes convinced me that she'd indeed suspected the worst.
"Madhri, step away from him." Rose continued in the same, low tone as she strode over to us.
"But, Rose!" Madhri tried to protest but was silenced by Rose's glare.
"Leave." Rose said, her hands clenched as though she was trying to stop herself from throwing a punch.
Understanding this, Madhri quickly picked up her coat and vacated the room quickly.
I crossed my arms over my chest as Rose turned to face me. Her eyes met mine but I didn't back down.
My irritation spiked at the accusation burning in her eyes but now it was mixed with indignation. Did she really think I'd wanted Madhri? That I'd asked her to come to my room?
She barely knew me at all. How could she assume that I would do such a thing?
Both of us stared at each other for what felt like eternity, refusing to back down.
It was Rose who broke the silence. "Her room's at the south-eastern part of the Palace, next to the fountain."
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked gruffly.
She shrugged lightly but she eyes were hooded with anger. "So that you can continue this meeting. At night."
"You have no right-" I began, stepping closer to her. "-you have no right to accuse me of such a thing."
"What I saw with my own eyes isn't enough?" She asked, her eyebrows raised mockingly.
"What exactly did you see, Rose?" I struggled to keep my voice under control. "Don't jump to a conclusion without thinking this through."
"Are you saying you were going to reject her?"
"Yes." I replied, my voice calm. Getting angry at each other wasn't going to accomplish anything. "I think you know that too."
Rose didn't answer. Rather, she waited for me to continue, her face impassive now.
"Despite whatever suspicions you seem to be harboring about me," I said, stepping right in front of her. "You know that I wouldn't stoop so low as to sleep with someone who could be my sister-in-law."
Rose exhaled, her eyes echoing her frustration. "I don't know that, Dimitri. I don't know you."
I waited, knowing she would continue.
She did, when she grudgingly said, "But you're right, I don't think you'll stoop so low."
"Thank you," I said, relaxing a little. We were quiet for a moment before I said, "You know the solution to our problem, don't you?"
Rose moved to sit on the bed but stopped, grimacing a little. "I don't want to sit on the same place that filth was lying on."
Amused, I followed her as she sat down on the sofa.
Stretching my legs, I turned to Rose. "Do me a favor?"
"Hmm?" Rose asked, leaning back on the sofa.
"Get me another suite," I said, going back to loosening my tie.
"Sure thing, comrade." Rose said, smirking a little. "And as for your previous question - yeah, I think I know the solution." She met my eyes. "We need to get to know each other."
"Any idea how?" I asked, my lips curving up in a smile in response to hers.
"I don't think either of us are the type to sit down and have a heart-to-heart." Rose noted lazily before abruptly asking, "Are you free in the evening?"
"Depends on what you have planned," I said, a little wary of what she'd suggest.
Noticing that, Rose laughed, jumping up from the sofa. "Come to the Nakshathra at five."
I nodded my acceptance and Rose turned to leave. At the door, she looked over her shoulder and mumbled a soft apology before leaving.
What was she sorry about? For her immediate accusation? For not giving me the benefit of doubt?
Either way, with that small murmur of apology, my respect for this beautiful woman went up by several notches.
I found myself eager to see what she'd planned for us.
-x-x-
"Ready to get some exercise?" Neal asked me with a playful smirk. He and Eddie had offered to give me a tour of the Lohan Army Center on the Palace grounds. I'd already planned on challenging Neal to a sparring session. He hated workouts but I wouldn't let him slither out of this one.
I scoffed in reply to his question. "Do you need to ask?"
A look of surprise flitted across Eddie's face as Neal rolled his eyes.
"You really are different from what I've heard, Your Grace." Eddie said respectfully when he caught my eye.
"I told you," Neal pointed out but Eddie and I ignored him.
"What do you mean?" I asked him curiously.
Eddie shrugged. "I don't know how to explain it-"
Neal interrupted him. "Yes, you do. Dimitri, what he means is that he's heard all about your penchant for following the rules."
"As opposed to your penchant for breaking them?" I asked dryly.
Neal looked delighted, a devious glint in his eye. "Exactly. You know how I am. The world knows how I am. But you are a mystery to many, Sir by-the-rules-Belikov."
"That's one of the worse nicknames you've come up with," I told him.
"Forgive me, my creative juices are on a holiday." Neal retorted.
"What I meant was-" Eddie started again. "You seem so-"
"Straight laced?" Neal supplied.
Eddie groaned. "Stop interrupting me, Neal."
Neal held up his hands in surrender.
Eddie shot him another look and continued, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. All I was trying to say was that my perception of you, based on what I'd heard, doesn't exactly match with what I'm seeing now."
I frowned, not quite understanding.
But Neal did.
"Dimitri," he said patiently. "What Eddie means to say is that he didn't expect to see you laughing and joking around. He's only heard about the somber, serious man that you are."
I chuckled. "Is that so?"
"Forgive me," Eddie apologized as we approached the training center.
"There's nothing to forgive," I told him honestly. "You're not wrong. Not really. But I've known Neal a long time now. Wouldn't you agree that he tends to bring out the worst in people?"
Eddie laughed as Neal snorted. We climbed up the steps and into the main arena of the training center. Men were busy working out but they all stopped to stare at us, saluting as we passed by.
I nodded at some people, some soldiers who I knew while Neal called out his greetings.
"If that's what you say about Neal-" Eddie told me as he led us through the arena and into the staircase situated opposite the door. "-I'd love to hear your assessment of Rose."
"She's a terror," Neal told me conspiratorially as we climbed up.
I suppressed a smile, wondering how Rose would react to her brother's words.
"I'm sure she's better than you," I told Neal.
Eddie laughed again.
Neal, however, was far from irritated. His blue eyes reflected deep amusement. "Already siding with her, Dimitri? If this is the case before marriage, I shudder to think how whipped you'll be after."
Eddie pressed his palm against the keypad for authentication and the door swung open to reveal the training area for the royal family. But unlike most of training centers I'd been to around the world, the Lohan Center seemed to provide the same quality equipment for both the soldiers and the royals.
Giving the room a cursory glance, I turned back to Neal.
"What happened to the grand tour that you promised?" I asked, deliberately ignoring his teasing.
Neal feigned shock. "What, you don't want to spar?"
"I do," I admitted, straightening a crease in my suit. "But I'd rather see the facility before changing into workout gear."
Neal kept his promise, taking me through the endless corridors and rooms in the royal wing. At the armory, Neal and Eddie stopped to chat with the guard on duty. As they talked, I wandered away to look around. The Lohan center was impressive and I made a mental list of things that I had to add to the Army training facility back in Russovia.
Lost in thought, I soon found myself unable to recognize my surroundings. Pushing open a door that looked familiar, I stopped when the sounds of blades clashing against each other reached my ears. Walking towards the sound, I passed a few corridors and entered a balcony that overlooked a courtyard.
In the courtyard were two figures, covered in full body suits and practicing sword fight.
Even though sword fighting doesn't have a place in the modern day warfare, every soldier was taught the skill since it's believed that sword fighting sharpens the mind and increases concentration.
The figures in the courtyard had metallic masks covering their faces. But from their body structures, it was clear that one was male and the other female. Neal had said that there were some women soldiers in the army. But what would they be doing in the place reserved for royals?
It couldn't be Janine and it sure wasn't Madhri.
So, there was only one answer to the question.
Rose.
Looking closely, I could make out that Rose was clearly winning the fight. She seemed to be in peak condition, sashaying around expertly, dodging blows and using her sword in a way that indicated experience. She was beautiful to watch, her cat-like grace mesmerizing...
In a sudden move, Rose twisted around and ducked as her opponent's sword came sailing over her head. Smoothly, she went from defense to offense. With a powerful stroke of her sword, she succeeded in dislodging her opponent's sword from his hand. That stroke was so powerful that the man lost his balance and collapsed. She held her sword to his neck, clearly indicating that she'd won.
I clapped slowly, causing Rose to whip around in shock. The man who'd fought her bowed as I descended the stairs and moved towards them. Keeping my eyes fixed on her, I removed my suit coat and handed it to the man, rolling up my sleeves and motioning him to give me the sword. He did so, bowing and hurrying out.
"Ready to fight me, princess?" I asked, holding the sword in front of me, challenging her to a sword fight.
AN: I'm very excited to hear what you think about this chapter! Don't forget to leave reviews! :)
The situation with Madhri had the potential to cause a huge fight between Rose and Dimitri but they put out the fire before it even started. Do you think this temporary peace between them will hold? :p
Re-written sword fight in the next chapter. Start placing your bets on R or D ;)
