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Dimitri
"You should've seen them!" Viktoria exclaimed, shooting me a sly look. "They were totes eye-fucking."
"Viktoria, language!" My mother said sharply, without looking up from her knitting.
Karolina shot a nervous glance at Paul but his gaze was clued to the television, having missed the word entirely.
"I missed all that," Ivan whispered, clutching his heart dramatically.
I rolled my eyes and returned to my book, making myself comfortable on the couch. It didn't look like they were going to stop anytime soon.
"So did I." Karolina, unlike Ivan, sounded genuinely upset.
A weight lifted off my couch when Sonya stood up and walked over to Karolina who'd been listening to Viktoria's stories about our time in Loha.
"It's okay," I heard Sonya say soothingly. "You can see the videos. Besides, the photographer has promised to send over the pictures tomorrow."
"I'm sure Vika has captured some." Ruslan noted, walking over to sit between me and Viktoria. "Haven't you, sister?"
"Maybe." Viktoria shrugged when she caught my eye. "You guys were too cute! I couldn't resist."
It was a regular Tuesday night, a mandatory family night for us. For the first time in a long time, all my siblings were under one roof and naturally, the topic of the evening was my engagement ceremony from two days ago.
"Well, show it to us!" Karolina said eagerly.
"Patience…" Vika sang, searching for her phone among the various newspapers scattered on the coffee table. "Aha! Here it is."
Everyone crowded around Viktoria to see the pictures. Tired of the noise, I stood up to make myself a cup of coffee.
I needed caffeine to survive this hoopla.
Unfortunately, my well deserved break was not to be, for Ivan had followed me into the kitchen. He had a smug look on his face and I knew there was no getting rid of him anytime soon.
"Well, well, well…" he said, crossing his arms as he scrutinized me.
"Do I have something on my face?" I asked him dryly.
Ivan nodded.
I rubbed my chin automatically, wondering if the pen ink stain I'd gotten this afternoon was still there.
My best friend simply smirked. "You do have something on your face, Mitya but not the pen mark. It's happiness."
I snorted, turning to switch off the coffee machine. "You're being ridiculous and you know it."
"Am I?" Ivan came over to stand next to me, pouring himself a cup of coffee as well.
Taking a sip of my coffee, I let my silence answer him.
Undeterred, Ivan shot me a grin. "So tell me, how's my sister in-law doing?"
I clenched my fingers around the cup. "Future sister-in-law, Ivan."
Ivan's gray eyes turned piercingly clear. I met his eyes squarely, knowing he wouldn't see anything that I didn't want him to. Rose, well, she was not a topic I was willing to discuss even though it was becoming increasingly difficult to not react when her name was mentioned.
Ivan smiled, knowing what I was doing. "I hope for your sake that you don't shut her out like you do the rest of us."
I exhaled, hanging my head.
"She called me Ice prince," I admitted reluctantly.
Had I mentioned it any other time. Ivan would have laughed. But he wasn't much in a laughing mood right now.
Neither was I.
I knew how I was; I knew my positives and negatives perfectly. I'd never considered my mask as a negative until I met Rose. She'd called me out on it, the same way I'd done with her lack of trust in me. She knew I was trying to be more open with her but...it was hard.
"Don't push her away," Ivan cautioned.
"I'll try not to," I promised him truthfully. "But she pushes me to my limits."
Ivan smiled suddenly. "Good. You need to be pushed."
I inclined my head with a smile.
"So," Ivan leaned forward conspiratorially, his serious demeanor vanishing abruptly. "How far how you two gone?"
I scoffed. "You think I'd tell you if something happened?"
"Not that anything did-" I added when his eyes lit up.
"You're smiling," Ivan noted slyly.
I took at him blandly. "I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that smiling had underhanded meanings associated with them."
Ivan rolled his eyes. "Tell me, is she as sarcastic as you are?"
I laughed, turning away to wash my mug in the sink. The coffee was no longer as hot as I wanted. "Ivan, she's a hundred-no, a thousand-times worse."
My phone rang abruptly.
I consulted my watch before picking up the call.
"I'm impressed," I said into the phone without a preamble. "You did learn to look at the clock, after all."
Soft laughter rang in my ear, the sound reminding me of refreshing water drops on my face from the treva waterfalls.
"I couldn't let your efforts go to waste, could I?" She asked me innocently.
I shook my head, feeling like I'd drunk several cups of coffee instead of taking a single sip. "I'm glad to have been of service."
"Don't get used to it" She said glibly. "Just because it happened today doesn't mean you can always expect it."
"I know better, Roza." I said, picturing her leaning back of her chair the way she always did, with the chair resting on its hind legs. "Trust me, I've learned my lesson."
"That's Rose!" Ivan exclaimed, abruptly reminding me that I had an audience.
"Who's that?" Rose asked curiously.
Ivan's grin widened to the point that he looked almost wicked.
Aiming a glare at his direction, I quickly left the room. "Just the pest of a best friend."
Rose laughed again. "He sounded pretty excited."
"He is," I assured her, walking past my squabbling family members in the living room. Climbing up the stairs of my mother's palace, I walked over to the balcony.
"At least someone is," Rose mumbled.
Before I could ask her to elaborate, she switched the topic: "Did you realize that you've left your beloved duster here?"
"I noticed," I said, collapsing on a chair in the balcony. "I have five more so I can spare one."
"If I'd known that, I wouldn't have tried to return it to you."
I laughed, knowing that wasn't true. "What would you have done with it? You had a good laugh when I gave it to you."
"Of course I did." She said immediately. "It's a living proof of our cowboy obsession."
"Living?" I asked, amused.
"You know what I mean." I could almost see her roll her eyes. "It serves the single purpose of fulfilling your fantasies."
I laughed, knowing there was no correcting her.
"Hey, have you tried wearing that wretched duster while riding your horse?" She asked, partly curious and partly teasing.
"I have no intention of being a cowboy," I told her even if it wasn't strictly true.
"You can't fool me," she said lightly. "I know that it's your life's ambition."
"Sure," I played along. "I was just about to abdicate the throne and settle down in a farm to play dress up."
"If only," she said, laughter ringing in her words. "I would have joined you except I can't live without electricity. Or plumbing."
"All villages have electricity-" I told her. "-and plumbing. Do you really think I'd take you to a village without either? I value my life too much, thank you!"
"Alright then," she said cheerfully. "I'll pack my bags."
"Speaking of," I ran my hand through my hair, wondering if I should say something. I wanted to. "When are you coming to Russovia?"
My mother had made her promise to visit us as soon as possible. Of course, I knew she couldn't come anytime sooner than a week. She had to handle her duties and clear her schedule. But I hoped that was sooner rather than later.
She sighed. "I don't know. I didn't want to say anything to Olena but I'm not sure my mom is on board with that idea."
I frowned. "Why not?"
"You know her, rules and all that." Rose sounded miffed. "We've not exactly been on speaking terms after the…um, after the whole Ransham fiasco."
Of course…
I pushed away the twinge of guilt when I remembered how I'd spoken to her, especially after whatever Janine had told her. She'd already been angry before she found me. More than that, she'd already been hurt and I'd just added ghee to the fire.
Rose and Janine's relationship had been complicated enough before that disaster of a day.
"Hey, maybe you can talk to her." Rose said suddenly. "She'll say yes if you ask her. After all, you're her perfect son-in-law."
I shook my head. "You know she loves you, don't you?"
I didn't understand their relationship but I knew that much.
"Yeah, right." Rose said, disbelief evident in her voice. "But let's not talk about that."
"Alright." I conceded. "Did you get the recording…"
Ivan
"His Royal Highness - The emperor of Russovia!" announced the palace herald, banging his long baton on the ground three times.
The double doors of the meeting room were thrown open and guards stood to attention on either side of the door.
As usual, a jolt went through my heart at the announcement.
Logically, I knew it was my best friend but at the same time, it wasn't.
This was the emperor of Russovia.
And I was just a humble servant, insignificant in front of the Crown. Of course, being the heir of one of the four royal families of Russovia, I wasn't exactly insignificant but it's the feeling, you know? That annoying little feeling that you don't matter in the grand scheme of things…
Anyway, I digress. Loyal servants that we are, we rose to our feet the moment Dimitri's tall frame entered the room.
He spared a nod in our general direction before sitting down at the head of the table.
We followed, seating ourselves around the table. This was the Council of one of the greatest countries in the world. Hard to imagine it like that, when I knew everyone seated around the table and all their dirty secrets.
Let's take Nathan Ivashkov, for example.
He was the heir of the Ivashkov family, one of the famed quadruple: Ivashkov, Belikov, Zeklos and Vamos. He was, for all intents and purposes, the overload of vast amount of wealth and power. But how could I view and respect him for that, when I knew he met his mistress thrice each week - on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at sharp one o'clock in the noon? When I knew what dirty deals he made on regular basis to keep his family power intact?
No, he was nothing but a dirty piece of shit.
Anyway, I digress. Again.
Dimitri looked down the table with a hard, stubborn mask set on his features.
I knew why, of course. He and I were the only ones that did.
You might have guessed my work by now.
Well, apart from being the Minister of State for Home Affairs, I was in charge of a fairly wide network of spies. It was a family business of sorts. After my old dad passed away, I inherited the Zeklos household and the spy network.
I manage it well, I think. All in a day's work.
I pick up reports before it even reaches the intelligence agency of the country. My findings are directly given to Dimitri. Sometimes its good news but it's almost always bad news.
Like now.
"Ivan." Dimitri's steely eyes met mine. "Why don't you tell the council what happened twenty minutes ago?"
I nodded and turned to look at the others around the table. "Traasa has struck again."
There was collective gasp around the table.
"They attacked one of our villages: Halvi in the Sayona province."
"That's under my protection," Nathan Ivashkov realized, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Indeed it is, Lord Ivashkov." Dimitri's tone was flat when he spoke.
Unfortunately for all of us, the areas of Russovia bordering Yavana come under the Ivashkov domain. Traasa's base was there but we didn't know the exact location despite our best efforts to locate it. We needed the Ivashkovs to cooperate with us but they, well, they were mostly corrupt and lazy.
Dimitri would need proof if he was to act against such an old family but apart from hearsay, we had nothing.
That didn't mean I couldn't rattle Nathan.
"They destroyed every inch of fertile pastureland in Halvi, Lord Ivashkov." I told him.
Perhaps I would have enjoyed watching him squirm if the situation wasn't so grave.
"It's a very bad situation…" The Prime minister, dear old Raisan Valeroi, noted shakily. He was usually the epitome of serenity but now, his blue eyes were wide with apprehension.
"It is," Dimitri acknowledged. His face was set in a hard mask, betraying nothing of the turmoil that I knew raged in him.
"The farmlands were set ablaze roughly twenty minutes ago," I continued, knowing this would be hard to hear. "The fire spread to engulf the buildings and the bordering forests."
"The people?" Oksana, the sweet Minister of Justice, asked me hesitantly.
"Not many deaths." I said, much to general relief. "It appears that most of the villagers had gathered at the town square for a celebration of some sort. So they were mostly out of harm's way."
"But their home and livelihood is completely destroyed." Amartya, Karolina's husband and the Secretary of State for Health pointed out grimly.
"I've dispatched a team of a hundred medical personnel to help them," I told the Council.
"Send in the Aroshya unit of the army to Halvi." Dimitri instructed. "They can help in evacuation and security."
"Yes, Your Grace." The prime minister nodded, obtaining permission to leave the room to do so.
"Ruslan," Dimitri turned to his brother. "Send Ayudha unit too but order them to go in plain clothes. I want them to search for any militants who might be hiding close by."
This was the side of Dimitri that everyone admired: Efficient, smart, ready to do anything for his country. I may be biased but he's the best damn thing to ever happen to us.
"Hans, coordinate with the air force and monitor the situation aerially," he told the Chief of the Army. "I want updates every thirty minutes."
Hans saluted and left with Ruslan.
"Amartya," Dimitri turned to Karolina's husband. "Make arrangements to send food, water and anything else the people might need."
"Lord Castor, send some of the best agents from the Central Analysis Department to assess the situation," Dimitri continued, relaying instructions to others until it was only Nathan Ivashkov, Shambav Vamos and I in the room with Dimitri.
The heirs of the four royal families of Russovia.
"Is it safe to assume this is a planned attack?" Dimitri asked, eyes flitting between us sharply.
"It is, Your Grace." Shambav Vamos had served in the military for eighteen years before retirement. He was known for being exceptionally shrewd and merciless.
Dimitri nodded thoughtfully. "Traasa has done it again then."
A sense of unease settled in the room. None of us liked to think that traasa was capable of inflicting so much damage but the facts must be faced.
Lord Vamos stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Despite our best efforts, they seem to fester like fungus."
"An attack so close to the Feast..." Dimitri mused, rubbing his chin. "It's a clear message to us. The Feast is to celebrate the harvest and what better way to hamper the festivities than to destroy the harvest?"
It was clear that Dimitri wasn't asking us for an answer.
He allowed himself a small sigh before familiar determination masked his features: "I'm going to Halvi."
Protests rose from all three of us.
I knew he'd do this.
I shouldn't be surprised but I would try my best to stop him.
"No, Your Highness. That wouldn't be prudent."
"You can't go there!"
Dimitri arched an eyebrow coldly. "Can't I?"
"Your Majesty, it's not safe for you." Nathan said hastily.
Dimitri shook his head stubbornly. "I need to be there."
He quelled further protests with a hard stare. "I will not entertain any protests. You will be in charge while I'm away, Lord Vamos."
For his part, Lord Vamos only looked faintly surprised. "What about young Zeklos here?"
Yes, I was usually the one in charge; had been when Dimitri was in Loha. Ruslan, the prime minister Raisan, Lord Vamos and I had jointly handled everything but the responsibility had been mine.
"I've given him another task," Dimitri said without elaborating. "Thank you for being here, gentlemen."
It was clear dismissal.
I remained seated, wanting to talk some sense into him. But at the same time, I knew nothing I said would change his mind.
Dimitri was stubborn like that.
He always tries his best to the right thing. Even if the 'right thing' poses a mortal peril.
Once we were alone in the room, Dimitri leaned back in his seat and fixed his eyes on the ceiling. His features had relaxed a little, the first sign that he was back to being my best friend.
I approached him slowly. "Are you sure about this?"
I was answered by a nod.
"So I should go ahead with the plan?" I asked, toying with my pen. It was a nervous habit of mine that refused to be tamed.
A nod again.
"Are you sure that's wise?" I couldn't help asking him. "We have so much going on here-"
"Ivan, I promised." Dimitri said, leaving no room for arguments. "I told them you'd be there today. You will go."
"Won't she ask-?"
"Don't tell her," he said sharply. "Make up some excuse. I should be back before nightfall so it won't be too hard for you to distract them."
"I'll try," I promised.
"Take her to my mother's palace," Dimitri said, running his hand through his hair. "That'll be enough of a distraction for all of them."
I could see that he wanted me to do this.
Wanting him to have something to look forward when he entered the disaster zone of Halvi, I agreed but couldn't help adding, "Just be careful in Halvi."
My best friend smiled slightly. "Stop worrying about me, Ivan. Go, have fun."
I sighed. "I don't know, Dimka. You put yourself in danger and tell me to go have fun?"
Dimitri fixed me with a hard stare. "I mean it, Ivan. Stop worrying. You really think the Royal Guard would let anything happen to me?"
I shook my head slowly. "I trust them with your safety. A lot more than I trust you to look after yourself."
Dimitri rolled his eyes. "Just go, will you?"
With a grin, I saluted him, "Aye, aye, Your Majesty!"
I left the room quickly, hoping against hope that he'd be safe.
I had a lot of work to do and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited about it.
Rose
Why was it that time always passed sluggishly when you wanted it to go faster?
I tapped my foot on the ground, in tune to the song blasting from the speakers. I'd completed my work out minutes ago and was now reduced to staring at the clock.
They were hiding something from me.
Neal, Lissa, Eddie…even my parents were in on the secret.
Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be bad going by the huge smiles on everyone's faces. I'd confronted Neal yesterday and he'd assured me that I'd be told about it today at noon.
It was twelve in the afternoon and nothing had happened yet.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, I felt the presence of someone behind me.
I turned around quickly.
There was no one there.
Grabbing the knife that I always hid in my boots, I silently stood up and looked around.
I heard light footsteps, almost completely muffled by the carpet.
Someone was hiding behind my huge sound system.
"I know you're there," I said into the air, my voice casual. "Come out before I hurt you."
A curse word sounded from behind the speakers. A mop of raven hair appeared, followed by a disgruntled face.
"Christian Ozera," I said grandly, throwing the knife into the air and catching it hilt first. "You thought you could surprise me, huh?"
Christian huffed. "This was why I almost failed Stealth and Detection test during training."
Christian was one of the black cats, a secret order of the Army specialized in assassinations. They were trained to be silent and deadly.
Christian and I had both taken our Army entrance tests together but had been drafted separately. I was not permitted to be a working part of the Army; it was more of a honorary title. But I'd taken my exams all the same and passed like the others. While Christian had been sent to train with the Black Cats, I had opted for law enforcement unit and worked in collaboration with our Investigation Bureau until recently. The only problem was that I rarely got cases to myself; there were always people willing to do my work for me which I detested. So, I quit and had been looking into more options when the betrothal was announced and everything went to hell.
"I've always been better than you," I pointed out.
"Dream on, Rosie." Christian said with a smirk.
It was weird to think that I'd honestly missed having Christian around.
"So, you back for good now?" I asked him curiously. He'd been absent for almost three months before he came back for my engagement.
Christian shrugged in reply. "Maybe. You see, I just took a decision that will change my life. And probably yours."
I looked at him blankly. "What did you do?"
"Why don't you put that pea sized brain of yours to work and guess?" Christian retorted.
He ducked the next second to escape the knife I'd thrown at him.
We both watched as my knife embedded itself on the opposite wall.
"Shit, Rose!" Christian laughed in disbelief. "Your tendency for violence is same as ever."
I glared at him. "You deserved it."
Christian rolled his eyes. "God save the man marrying you. Is he aware of how dangerous you are? Poor guy! He may very well be murdered in his sleep if he puts one toe out of the line."
I smirked, sitting down on the carpet. "I think he's aware of what he's getting himself into."
Christian followed suit, folding his legs under him as he shot me a sardonic glance. "Really?"
I grinned. "Oh, you stupid mortal. Have you seen Dimitri fight? He's probably as dangerous as I am, if not more. Plus, why on earth would I want to murder him? If it had been you I was engaged to, I might have been tempted to finish you off."
Christian raised his eyebrows. Both of them, much to my satisfaction. "You seem to very fond of your husband."
"To be," I corrected him. "Husband to be."
"But you're not denying that you're fond of him," Christian noted.
"What would you do if I wasn't fond of him?"
"Need I remind you of my proficiency in murder?"
I scoffed. "Anyway, let's not deviate from the topic. Tell me what you did to change your entire life?"
"I signed up for something special," Christian said, annoyingly vague.
I narrowed my eyes. "Is this about my bridal retinue?"
As per our custom, a group of the people accompany the bride to her new home after the marriage. They, along with the hundreds of gifts, form the dowry. It was a tradition followed by most of the kingdoms. This group would become a part of the bride's new home and would generally consist of soldiers, servants and friends of the bride.
They're like a gift to the groom's country, to help ease the bride to her new surroundings and enrich the culture of the groom's country.
Of course, Loha had the dowry system banned ages ago but not for royal marriages. It was crazy but we were part of a greater world, after all.
I rarely thought about who'd accompany me. Liss would, of course. So would Sydney, being my P.A and all that. Now that Christian had brought it up, I had to ask: "Did they decide who'll go with me?"
"Yes," Christian smirked. "Mason and your personal guards will go, of course. I think Mia wants to come too. Doctor Olendski has been chosen and so has Alberta."
Alberta Petrov was the head of the third regiment and as such, well versed in warfare. Abe must have hoped that she'd help combat traasa.
But how did Christian know so much? Unless-
"You're coming, aren't you?" I asked, holding my breath as I waited for the answer.
"Oh, Rose!" Christian sighed dramatically. "You know you couldn't live without me."
I snorted, barely containing my glee. Yes, Christian and I didn't get along well. We were too much like each other to be best friends or something. But we did care about each other. And honestly? I wanted him there because he was almost as much a brother to me as Eddie. We all grew up together. I couldn't very well take Eddie with me to Russovia, so I was glad Christian's coming.
Besides, this may push Christian and Lissa back together as both would be coming with me to Russovia.
"Christian, you can keep telling yourself that," I replied, mimicking his smirk. "But in reality, it's you who can't live without me."
"Yes, how could I forget?" Christian said sarcastically. "You're the air I breathe, Rose."
I put on an expression of fake happiness. "We're going to have so much fun, Christian! You can help me pick curtains, we can do each others' hair, maybe even get manicures and pedicures together."
"Hell yeah!" Even Christian faked an excited expression. "Let's kick your husband out of your room so that we can decorate it together."
"Aw, Chrissy!" I laughed. "Give me a hug!"
Christian jumped up from his seat beside me. "No way, Rose! You stink!"
I was about to chase him when a movement caught my attention.
Neal entered my gym, looking strangely pleased with himself.
"What did you do?" I asked him automatically.
Neal held up his hands but the grin remained on his face.
"It's time," he said cryptically, greeting Christian with a nod.
I jumped. "Ooh! My surprise! Is it here?"
Neal exchanged an amused glance with Christian. "You could say that."
"Give it to me." I demanded.
Christian burst out laughing but Neal shook his head in warning. "Rose, take a shower. Then we'll show the surprise, okay?"
I frowned. "Why is my taking a shower so important?"
Neal looked at me in exasperation. "Because you stink, firefly. Now, off you go. Your surprise is waiting for you."
I left, muttering under my breath about beastly brothers and torture.
After a hasty shower, I out on a nice purple sundress and went over to my living room where Neal and Christian were talking quietly.
They quietened when they saw me.
"Well?" I looked between them. "Where's my surprise?"
"So impatient," Christian muttered, huffing when I punched his arm.
"Rose, leave him alone." Neal drew me away from Christian gently, putting an arm around me and leading me to the door. "Your surprise is waiting for you, remember?"
I perked up, allowing Neal to lead me out of the Nakshatra and into the main Palace. Christian followed, muttering mutinously every time I questioned the nature of the surprise supposedly waiting for me.
"It's in there?" I asked when Neal stopped me in front of the door to one of our many suites.
Neal nodded silently, stepping back to stand beside Christian.
Shooting them an apprehensive glance when they exchanged a smirk, I slowly opened the door.
What I saw was definitely not what I'd expected.
A tall, blond man with light brown highlights in his hair lounged in an armchair in the middle of the room, greeting me with a smirk when his gray eyes fell on me.
I blinked and slowly turned back to Neal.
"Did you bring me a stripper?" I asked him blankly.
Neal merely smiled but Christian guffawed loudly: "Only you, Rose!"
"What?" I asked him impatiently. "Didn't you say it was a big surprise? What's a bigger surprise than getting me a stripper?"
Neal's blue eyes assessed me and the man at my back, not saying anything but Christian was just plain amused.
"Besides, he does look like one." I told them, sweeping my hand back to gesture to the strange man.
Christian burst out laughing again, holding his stomach as he laughed.
I turned back to the blondie who seemed very amused. "Well? Explain yourself."
"Actually, ma'am." The blondie said as he stepped closer with a grin. "I could be a stripper. For you. But I must warn you, my fees are exceptionally high."
I scanned him from top to bottom. "Well, you don't look like you're worth much."
Christian couldn't seem to contain his hilarity. He laughed harder than ever, clutching the wall for support.
But Neal was not amused.
"Rose," he said strictly. "Cut it out. I know what you're up to."
I shrugged innocently before deciding that I'd had enough fun. I turned to the blondie and said, "You owe me one hell of a surprise, Ivan. This-" I gestured to him "-doesn't really meet my expectation."
The blondie - Ivan - gaped at me as did Christian. Neal, however, had already figured out that I was simply acting.
"You know him?" Christian asked me in shock.
It was my turn to laugh now. "Had you fooled, didn't I?"
Ivan quickly got over his surprise and looked at me in admiration. "Dimitri warned me to be careful around you."
I smiled smugly. "What can I say? Dimitri's good at learning his lessons."
"How dumb do you think she is?" Neal asked Christian exasperatedly. "Of course she'd recognize her fiance's best friend."
Christian rubbed the back of his head guiltily.
Ivan swept me a bow. "I've heard a lot about you, princess. I must admit, I did underestimate you but you've set me straight, thank you."
I eyed him. "I can see why you're Dimitri's best friend. Tell me, are you always this formal?"
I knew he wasn't. Dimitri was not the talkative type but the one topic that he would often open up about was Ivan and his family. I'd heard so much about Ivan from him that I felt as though I knew this man standing before me.
Ivan straightened up, looking at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes that reminded me of Neal. "No but my best friend- your fiance- keeps bugging me to maintain decorum."
I sighed, rolling my eyes. "He does the same to me too. It's so annoying!"
Neal chuckled suddenly, drawing our attention. "I'm sure you both will bond spectacularly over Dimitri's annoying habits but we're on the clock here."
I looked at him in confusion.
Neal gestured to Ivan to explain.
Ivan grinned happily. "Your surprise is sadly not my glorious self, Rose."
"What is it then?"
Ivan exchanged a look with Neal. "I was sent here by Dimitri to…"
"Spit it out!"
"I was sent to fetch you," Ivan finished with a smirk. "I'm taking you to Russovia, Rose. To reunite you with your dear fiance."
AN: "Affinal" means "concerning or having a family relationship by marriage". Here, it signifies Rose going to Russovia for the very first time :)
So, what did you think? Liked it? Bleh? Leave a review and let me know :)
