Chapter 18
Rose POV
Dimitri had finally resigned as a guardian of the court and they found a replacement for him and myself to guard Liss. After 18 years of living on the reservation with the boys at La Push, the Strigoi and the cold ones were getting bolder in their attacks. Lissa had kept me informed on the inner workings of the court all these years and would borrow Pavel and Sergei from my father to come and visit us on many occasions.
The Moroi were getting attacked more frequently but most refused to acknowledge that help was needed. The Cullens didn't visit very often due to being exposed and I understood. Dimitri and I visited them often wherever they managed to relocate to. I watched my girls grow older and I was happy in the life that we had, even though I constantly missed my friends. We also paid several visits to the Belikov's over the years. The saddest part of our lives was when Yeva passed from old age. We were all devastated by the news and even Abe had come to the reservation to travel with us to Russia for the funeral. Abe and surprisingly Janine loved the girls and Janine and I were much closer than we had ever been.
I was sitting on the front porch of our home watching my now teenage girls laugh and play with the boys. The boys, well more like men now, considered them both to be like nieces and they often called the boys their uncles. Renesmee lived here on the reservation with us now since she had married Jake and everyone had their imprint and were starting families of their own.
Caleigh and Anna were four when I got pregnant the second time with our little boy. Joshua Aiden Belikov was now 14 and I could see the signs in him that I did with the girls. The girls phased for the first time when they were 16. Dimitri wasn't happy with that but it wasn't like he could do anything to stop it. Caleigh was dark grey in her wolf form and Anna was a deep black in hers. I could see that it wouldn't be long before our son would eventually phase.
I could feel that the time was coming that Yeva had mentioned all those years ago when the girls were born. Soon the Moroi would need our help. I still managed the cold ones from time to time, whenever I was made aware of the occasional rouge or newborn army, but I could feel the day coming when myself and my daughters would have to go to court and destroy yet another threat.
I was pulled from my thoughts as I heard the phone ring and I stood to retrieve it. I answered it quickly and was surprised to see that it was Lissa calling.
"Hello." I answered.
"Rose, It's Lissa. How are you and the kids?" Lissa asked and I could tell that her voice was strained a little. Lissa and Christian had been married shortly after the girls were born and the wedding was a disaster because the Moroi at court refused to allow me to be a part of it. Such prejudice was the last straw for me and Dimitri. We didn't hold Lissa responsible of course, but the damage had already been done thanks to the Moroi and the guardian council. Two months after, Lissa announced she was pregnant and I was happy for her. Since then, she had a total of four children; three boys and a girl. The first boy was slightly younger than our daughters. They ranged in age from 17 to 13.
"Good Liss, how about your little family?" I said laughing. I heard her laugh as well.
"Fine." She paused and breathed a heavy sigh. "Rose, the court needs you. We are expected to be under attack by all things immortal. Strigoi and cold ones being the main issue, but there have been a few sighting of children of the moon close by." I swore that I could feel the color drain from my face. I wouldn't involve my daughters unless it was absolutely necessary, and my son was still too young for these types of things.
"How long do we have before they are expected to attack Liss?" I asked.
"By the end of the week Rose. The Moroi are scared and guardians are being lost. I told them based on their treatment of you and Dimitri not to expect help, but there are Moroi that are now begging for your aid." She said sadly and I knew that she wasn't pleased with asking me this.
"Very well Liss. I will make some calls and see what can be done. I need Sydney to get me all of the information on the recent attacks and have them available. Call Abe if you must. I will have to talk to Dimitri and he won't be pleased with this. I want to speak to the Moroi when I get there also." I said and she agreed. She wished me luck and we ended the call. I sighed hard as two firm arms wrapped around me.
"Roza, what's the matter?" Dimitri asked. I turned around in his arms to face him.
"That was Lissa. Remember what Yeva said after the girls were born about the Moroi one day needing the help of me and our daughters? That day has come." I said and he looked at me in disbelief.
"We can't Roza. After all they have done to us. Roza they persecuted us for something that was out of our control and we no longer are tied to protecting the Moroi." He said.
"I know Dimitri, but this is what I was meant to do. Regardless of how they treated us, we have to help, at least for our friends' sakes." I said. "I need you to stay here with Joshua while I do this and I will call Jasper, Peter, and possibly the Brothers to assist. I will try to keep the girls out of it but I can't guarantee it. I see the signs in Joshua and he will be phasing soon." I told him. "I need to talk to the elders before anything is decided but I have to do this." He looked in my eyes and his shoulders sagged in defeat.
"I know Roza. Please come back to me safely. I can't survive it if something happens to you or the girls." He said sadly and kissed me with as much love as he had. We broke apart soon after and Dimitri stayed to watch the kids while I went to talk to the elders. The only elder that really knew about me from the beginning was Jacob's father, seeing as he was the only original elder remaining since I was welcomed here. Sam had taken the place of one of the elders seeing as he was the oldest here now besides Billy. Jacob would take Billy's position after him. Quil took his father's place on the council.
I walked into the council meeting building where I knew I would find Billy, Sam and Quil. Luckily for me it was meeting day so I didn't have to look for them real hard. Emily took the place at the reception desk and I smiled at her.
"Emily, I need to speak to the council. I received a call from the Moroi and my services are needed." I told her and Emily went straight for the phone and told them I was here and said it was urgent. She put the phone down and nodded for me to enter the meeting room.
"Rose, what can we do for you?" Billy asked and I smiled. Like Jake, he was a good friend and very understanding.
"I have been asked to assist in a rather large immortal problem from Lissa." I stated.
"How big of a problem?" Sam asked.
"Strigoi, Cold ones and Children of the Moon." I stated and their eyes widened. "All are ready to attack the court by the end of the week. Yeva mentioned something like this when the girls were born. She said that the girls would have to assist. This could get really ugly."
"You have whatever you need from us Rose, but we won't be able to send others so you may have to rely on the Cullens." Billy said and I nodded.
"While I am away, I need someone to keep an eye on Joshua. I see the signs in him that I saw in the girls before their first phase. I will be leaving with the girls as soon as I can make the necessary arrangements." They nodded and promised to keep an eye out for Joshua. I left the meeting hall and went to make arrangements. I called the Cullens, and the Volturi, along with Peter and Charlotte. I left messages for them all to arrange a conference with me immediately. I went to my computer in my office and was surprised that the Cullens and Peter and Char were waiting for me. Aro and his brothers were on conference within minutes.
"Hello Rose." They chorused and I smiled a little.
"Hey guys." I greeted. "Just a minute and I'll get the girls since they are a part of this too." I saw them nod and I stepped put the door and called for them. "Caleigh, Anna. Come here for a minute please." I sat back down just as they walked through the door of the office.
"Okay I received an urgent call from Liss, saying the court was going to be attacked by immortals." I said but Aro interrupted.
"Which type?" Aro asked.
"All three types simultaneously." I answered and Caius growled as did some of the others. "Yeva mentioned when the girls were born that this day would come. I had hoped she was wrong but I can't get that lucky. The numbers like they are expecting means there is no way my daughters and I can do this alone." I said. "The timing really sucks especially since Joshua is showing the same signs the girls did before they phased so the wolves are needed here."
"We understand Rose. What do you need us to do?" Aro asked.
"They are poised to attack by the end of the week at court. I need all of the fighters I can get. Christian and Abe will be able to help with their magic but I need them above the fight. Guardians can't fight your kind so it might be best to keep them out if we can."
"Mom, what if the guardians use the silver bullets? They can shoot them from the roofs. It won't affect the cold ones but it would be effective against the Strigoi and the children of the moon." Caleigh said and I smiled at them. They haven't been in such a big fight like this but I did make sure that they were always prepared.
"Perfect Caleigh. I will call grandpa and have the bullets made as soon as we are through here." I said and she smiled. I need those that are fighting to meet me near the court. Carlisle, do you still have a home stationed nearby?" I said.
"We do Rose. It's in Bethlehem PA not far from the court, but far enough that the others who are attacking wouldn't get wind of us." He said and I nodded.
"Perfect. Have everyone meet there. I need to go to court beforehand to give the Moroi a piece of my mind but I will meet you all there as soon as I am finished." I said and Emmet laughed.
"Give 'em hell Rose!" Emmet said and I smiled while my girls giggled.
"Of course I will Em. Thanks guys. I need to call Abe and get some things arranged but I will be in touch. You all know how to contact me." I said and they all nodded before saying their goodbyes and the video conference ended. The girls and I packed a few things and I called Abe to make the necessary arrangements. We had everything set up to leave the reservation first thing the next morning, headed for the Moroi court.
That night, Dimitri and I waited for the girls to go to bed and Joshua was with his uncles staying at their home. We shared what could possibly be our last night together, but I didn't think of it that way. I knew that somehow, we would come out of this alive, or at least I truly hoped we did.
The next morning the girls and I got up early to set off for the one place I dreaded more than anything. I didn't know how my little meeting with the Moroi would go, but since they needed my help I was in charge this time. I allowed the girls to come with me but I made sure that if there was a problem, they were to run to the location the others were meeting us at and not look back. As long as the girls were safe, my life was forfeit.
We got a mixture of looks from the Moroi and the guardians once we arrived at court. Some of the guardians looked at my girls with lust in their eyes and a cold glare from me caused a halt to most of them. We took our bags to the room that Lissa had provided in her wing of the palace and we made our way to the meeting hall. I had Lissa set it up where the councils would both be present and since the room was too small for everyone in court, the CCTV circuit was rigged for broadcast of the meeting. I walked into the meeting hall flanked by my daughters. Lissa was in her seat at the front of the room and stood up to welcome me. In an uncharacteristic move for a queen, Lissa stepped towards me and hugged me tightly. Once the quick greeting was over, she returned to her position.
"This meeting is to discuss the serious threat to the court and our way of life. Eighteen years ago, the Moroi society made the worst mistake of our existence, we allowed our own prejudice exile a very important person from this court. I opposed this action but the Moroi, behind my back as a whole I might add, made it impossible for Rose Hathaway to stay here at this court for any length of time. I am appalled at this action just as I was those years ago." Lissa said. Some of the Moroi actually had the nerve to look remorseful.
"Now there is a war coming to our doorstep with the immortal world. Within the week, they will be within these wards. I managed to get Rose Hathaway to agree to help us in our plight, but make no mistake, the damage you all did those years ago is still there. Rose wished to address the entire court so I now give her the floor." Lissa said and I nodded.
"Make no mistakes or assumptions to my reasons to be here. I am here for one reason and one reason only and that is for those of you that stood by me like they said they would. I have known some of you for many years, defended you and nearly died for some of you. I am only here for those that are worthy to be deemed friends in my eyes. With the exception of a select few, you all turned your backs on me when all I did was get bitten by a shape shifter. I was graced with the power necessary to defend this court, but because I was different, I was shunned by my own society. I am ashamed to say that I was once a part of this society. I have met cold ones that had many time over, more loyalty than you have shown. When I had my children, you all wanted me and two innocent children killed because of you stupidity and prejudice."
"You turned away from me but I have just enough dignity and honor to not do the same to you. I will defend this court so long as Vasilisa Dragomir remains Queen of the Moroi. After that, you will have to find someone else's feet to grovel at."
"I would like for Lissa, Christian Ozera-Dragomir, Eddie Castile, Mia Rinaldi, Jill Dragomir, Adrian Ivashkov, Mikhail Tanner and Sonya Karp, Abe Mazur and Janine Hathaway to all come forward please." I said and my friends and family made their way to stand with me. "These people are who I fight for. I fight for them and their children. I fight for my husband Dimitri Belikov who was also ostracized from this court. I fight for all of the Belikov family in Russia. The rest of you can kiss my ass for all I care." I said and gasps went through the room at my harsh words.
"Now there will be many different immortals attacking this court. I cannot do this alone but since you asked for my help, we do this my way. First, the guardians will not be fighting on the ground with the cold ones. They will be on the roof with weapons designed to kill the Strigoi and the werewolves. Make no mistake, the children of the moon are very different from my daughters and I so if the three of us are hit by the guardians, I will take it personal and I will kill anyone that harms them or me. Second, there will be cold ones on our side. They do not hurt innocents and they are here at my request so deal with it. Some feed on animals alone. My daughters, the cold ones and myself will take care of the cold ones."
When the fight comes, the guardians will go to the roof. The Moroi will be sent to safe zones. They will stay there until notified otherwise. Abe and Christian, I have a special job for you two." I said and I saw them both nod. "Now I have to meet up with my fighters so I will be leaving the grounds but I will return with my fighters. The cold ones that will arrive will be introduced so there are no mix ups. Lissa I return to floor to you." I said and my friends and the girls sat down with me while Lissa resumed her post.
"Your majesty, surely you don't think that this is necessary." One of the Moroi questioned and I smirked, knowing what was coming. "We have always been defended by the guardians and that has been enough. Why do we need Rose here now, especially bringing the enemies with her?" I snorted and Lissa smiled indulgently at me.
"You sir are for lack of a better description, an idiot. If the guardians don't stand a chance against the cold ones, one on one, then how would they fair during an attack?" Lissa said and raised an eyebrow. I laughed and muttered "idiot". He shut up pretty quick and the meeting ended soon after. Boy this would be some fun.