Sorry, but I know this is just another filling chapter. But the action as well as our cutest Russian Guardian will reappear soon! I promise!

Still enjoy the chappie, though!

CHAPTER 9 – Wedding Preparations

It had been busy weeks of preparing a big wedding with so many Moroi, humans and Dhampir's attending, that the security had been on high alert. Together with my father's chief of securities, a very experienced Guardian named Kevin, I was allowed to plan out the security measurements for the wedding. This was using up most time of the day, thinking and speaking about plans of the building and gardens as well as keeping in contact with local security forces.

Since my father was not only active in Moroi politics but also in the human politics, he had many friends and even more enemies. This is what put such events as a wedding on high alert. It also had been a good possibility for me to get my mind off thinks I really didn't want o think about.

As I was their daughter it had also gotten my responsibility to plan out the clothing, luckily together with my mother. Sitting over fabrics, colors and cuts of different dresses had brought a closeness I had never thought possible. Somehow I started to have an actual daughter feeling towards my mother. The fact, that my mother had started to treat me like a grown woman, was also very helpful. And to have a father, that loved my mother and me dearly was the best think on earth. Long talks between us three had also explained many things that had happened in the past and the hatred I had always felt towards my parents had changed into love. My world was almost perfect now.

The day of the wedding was moving closer now and there where many appointments in the city I had to attend to clarify the last details. One of these appointments was to check on the braid maid's dresses as well as the wedding dress of my mother. I hadn't seen it before and I was nearly as excited as my mother when we entered the store, at least five Guardians trailing behind.

When my mother had tried on her dress I was astonished how beautiful she looked. Since she had quit her job as a Guardian, she had had enough time to visit all possible beauty spas to get her skin back to the soft feeling it usually would have. Her brown eyes, so much like mine, were sparkling with joy and happiness. Honestly, I had to choke back some tears that were threatening to spill seeing her so happy. Deep down inside, a very hurtful thought fought its way to the surface. Would I ever be able to be as happy as my mother would be in her future? Would I ever have the possibility to marry the man I love? Surely not, I answered the question myself dryly before shoving it back somewhere in the back of my mind.

After the seamstress had made the needed changes, it was time for me to see my dress for the first time. My mother had chosen it keeping it a secret until today.

When the clerk appeared back again, carrying a big black dress I was as excited as I was on Christmas before getting presents. I knew it would be a wonderful dress. Nearly running towards the dressing room, I quickly got out of my jeans and t-shirt and opened the big bag in awe. Out came a wonderful strapless dress in Bordeaux red, which just reached above my knees. It was simple but jet so beautiful that this time I really spilled some tears. It was the perfect dress for me and it astonished me that my mother had found it for me.

I put it on quickly, taking the dark brown looks out of the pony tail and letting it spill down my back. Taking a glance at the nearby full length mirror, the sheer beauty of this dress took my breath away. Stepping out of the room I saw my mother looking at me in awe.

"This is perfect, Rose." She said, walking over to me and stepping around me. Even the seamstress didn't have to change anything since it fit perfectly.

"Yeah, can I keep it?" I asked jokingly, still staring down at this dress. For the first time in so long I felt absolutely happy.

My mother only laughed. "Yes, of course."

After I had taken off the dress, feeling a little bit sad, we looked at the braid maid's dresses. Since the braid maid's would come here tomorrow for the last fitting, our job was done quickly; we left the store after only one hour and headed towards an Italian restaurant. Today was a women's day, as my mother had proclaimed this morning, so we would only do things we wanted to do.

While enjoying pasta and pizza, my mother and talked about possible hair styles that would go with my dress nicely. In the end we decided that I would leave my hair day, only some strands in the front pulled back to put them up in the back. One dark red rose in the hair would make my outfit perfect.

Since the rest of the day also belonged to us, we decided to go to the nearest mall to get some jewelry for my mother and me. Walking from shop to shop we stopped here and there to also get some other needed stuff, the Guardians always trailing behind. Some passengers looked at us questioningly when they saw us two women being followed by five huge men, all dressed alike with grim faces.

Not caring at all, my mother and I entered every store we wanted, making the Guardians only blush and feeling uneasy when we entered the Victoria's Secret store. Being as dutifully as they had been taught, they followed us after a short second of hesitation.

Laughing silently at our five guys, my mother and I took our time to select some different kind of underwear. After we had settled on what we wanted we left the store, letting our Guardians carry the bags.

Shopping definitely made me hungry, so I pulled my mother over into a small café to get something with enough calories to make me happy. When we both had received our orders, we chose a seat far enough from everyone else, so we could talk without being overheard.

"How are you doing?" my mother asked me, looking at me with concern written in her eyes. I had told her about all my problems a while ago and we have come to an understanding, that I would tell her when things changed. She had promised me to help me whenever needed in return.

"It's okay. The wedding is taking my mind off things and I can sleep better now." I said, trying not to look at her.

I knew that she could read me as much as I could her and she would find out that it wasn't entirely true. I still had my breakdowns when thinking about Dimitri and Lissa. Even though Lissa had promised to call me weeks ago, she never had. Still feeling hurt with disappointment I had stopped going in her mind to watch what she was doing. I secretly had practiced to strengthen my inner walls to keep from being pulled into her head by strong emotions. I had finally succeeded and hadn't taken my walls down for some time now.

"But you're still fighting, am I right?" she asked quietly.

I nodded. There was nothing more that needed to be said. My mother probably knew as well as I how much it hurt to have to stay away from a person one loved with all her heart. The only difference was that her prince had returned and they would now have their happy end finally. My happy end would never come and this was knowledge I still yet had to cope with.

We enjoyed our coffee and cake in silence, watching people walking by and families discussing loudly further plans about what to do here.

After a while I needed to excuse myself and went to the restroom. The ladies' restroom was empty when I entered and I stepped to the huge mirror and looked at myself.

I still looked the same I did just yesterday but still I felt that something inside me was different. I had been happy all day long and hadn't had one thought about the past. It still pained me to see my mother radiating off so much happiness and love, but I knew that I was one reason for her happiness. Our lack of some sort of relationship in the past had pained us both, neither one of us being able to get over ourselves to reach the other. I had convinced myself that my mother didn't love me and just wanted to get rid of me by handing me over to St. Vladimir's Academy and letting them handling my education. Now I know that she did for total different reasons. But I also knew it wouldn't help dwelling in the past but to make the best of the present to get an even better future.

When suddenly a wave of nausea hit me, I felt bending over as if I would have to vomit. When nothing happened, I slowly turned around. When I heard a sound that sounded strangely like giggling, I stepped towards the small storage room, where all the cleaning supplies were stored. I was surprised when I opened the door to only see blackness. Still being aware of the nausea, I slowly took out my stake, to be prepared for everything that might be in there.

But what happened next, I was not prepared for. When a strange smelling cloth was laid over my nose and mouth and a strong arm was wrapped around me and pressed my own arms firmly against my side, I started to squirm and tried not to breathe. I knew that this must be chloroform on the cloth and I started to feel the effects immediately. My thoughts where getting dizzy and I felt my body strength leaving me, all muscles going lump.

Before I lost myself in the darkness I heard a sentence being hissed into my ear: "Hello, Rose Hathaway!" Then everything went blank.

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Thanks still for reading!

Lilian85