A/N: There's not much I can tell you about this chapter. There was a cliff hanger at the end of Chapter 6 that I don't answer in this chapter, so you'll all have to be patient and see what's happening ;) This chapter is back to Rose's point of view but I think that's pretty obvious…I hope you're all having a lovely weekend, and thank you for all the positive reviews. If you read this a review would be nice but you obviously don't have to. Thank you again all of you lovely readers!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, Richelle Mead does.

Chapter 7

The next few days were a blur. Adrian and Cooper were there, and she was there, but never completely there like they were. Dimitri's funeral was first and had been simple. Guardians had come along with their Moroi's for Lissa's funeral that was to be held the day after his, and most of them had been allowed time off to come if they had made it into town. She didn't have the courage to go up and face him alone but had wished to see him one last time. Adrian and Christian escorted her up to the front of the small chapel and as she looked down at his serene body just lying there lifeless, she fell apart all over again.

The next day as Rose sat in the front row of the church during Lissa's funeral, she tried her best to take in her surroundings. The casket had been picked out by Adrian and he'd done a nice job. She wasn't sure when he told her that he would be doing the arrangements if he'd do a good job or not, but mostly she had regretted the fact that she hadn't been able to do it herself. They'd asked her to speak and so she did. As she scanned the crowd before her, Rose saw a room full of familiar faces. Christian and Tasha Ozera, Eddie, Alberta, even her mother was there, but none of them mattered. She had been halfway through her speech when Lissa's ghostly apparition stood in the aisle in front of her. She had held onto the podium and tried to be polite and continue but she hadn't been able to. Lissa's ghostly finger pointed out towards Tasha as she sat beside Christian reverently.

She did it, Lissa whispered.

Rose looked over at Adrian panic-stricken. He stood up and came to assist her off the stage but Rose had to know what Lissa was trying to tell her. She'd suddenly been so over-whelmed with a sense of urgency that it was starting to frighten her.

"Who did what?" Rose asked her loud enough for the room to hear.

Adrian's hand pressed on her lower back as he continued attempting to push her off the stage, but it was no use she was too strong for him as she continued to resist him. "Tell me what she did!"

Lissa shook her head, you're not ready yet.

Rose had blacked out after that. When she woke up she was laying on one of the couches in the side rooms that sat adjacent to the church. There were a number of people surrounding her but she couldn't really remember who they were. Dr. Olendzki was checking her vitals, and agreeing with whatever it was that Adrian was saying. What had Lissa wanted to say about Tasha? Dr. Olendzki prescribed her a tranquilizer and sent her on her way. They entered the church once more and as Rose sat there watching Christian and Adrian as well as several other Moroi royals carry out her body it was like she was reliving it all over again.

Currently though, Rose was prowling around the courts grand ballroom. It was a beautiful room and one she hadn't meant to fall into, but once she had she wasn't able to leave. She settled in the middle of the dance floor, laid down and started looking up at the ceiling. It was the most beautiful fresco she'd ever seen. A stormy sky opened up to a heavenly scene full of angles and cherubs, but the most striking thing about the image was its colors. The sheer array of grays, blues, and blushes swirled violently on the plaster surrounded by gold leaf, spoke wonders to her.

Cooper was probably flipping out because she hadn't left a note, but she didn't care. Rose let her body relax as she sank into the coldness radiating from the pale pink marble floors.

Rose had almost fallen back to sleep when she heard it, "Where are you little Dhampir?" Adrian asked as his voice came floating down pleasantly into her head.

She wasn't exactly sure what he was capable of through their bond so she projected to him where she was the best she could. Rose couldn't recall doing this with Lissa but she hoped it work, she'd always just been able to tell. It'd be kind of cool if she were ever in a pinch and needed some backup, but a little intrusive at the same time if she were going to try and do something without him knowing. Before Dimitri's funeral had started, Adrian had given her the make-up that he'd promised her. Having been afraid to use it when they'd gone to the funerals she'd finally gotten the chance to try it out that morning. Rose hoped he liked it which was a weird feeling for her, but she knew he'd like it anyways.

He entered the room a few minutes later, a cigarette in his hand.

"Those things will kill you," she remarked sitting up and turning to face him.

"I highly doubt it. If anything will kill me it will be you" Adrian smiled down at her, "What are you doing in here?"

Rose shrugged, "I just happened to be walking by and came in here, but then I got sucked into the painting." She pointed up at the fresco, "It's so beautiful."

"Have you seen it when the ball room is actually in use?" He asked, even though he knew she hadn't.

"No, why?"

"It's even more beautiful." Adrian put out his cigarette and came over to sit beside her. "Maybe we can come to one of the parties they throw in here one day?"

"Maybe, but I'd only be your guardian and even that's on the assumption that your aunt lets me guard you. The woman has it out for me."

Adrian smiled, "I'm sure you won't have to worry about her too much."

"You seem so confident in her liking of me. I'm not sure I've told you just how much she really doesn't like me, I'd almost venture to say that she hates me on the best of days."

He reached down and took her hands in his, pulling her up from the ground. "I've got you so you've got nothing to worry about. Don't worry about how my aunt feels about you; I like you so that's all that should matter."

Adrian pulled her body close against his own as if they were about to start ballroom dancing, "Do you dance?"

Rose laughed, "Not this kind of dancing."

"Then let me teach you."

Rose put her head on his shoulder, "Not right now, let's just slow dance here for a while."

"We don't have any music though, Rose."

She placed a small kiss on the side of his neck, "is that going to stop you?"

It didn't and they danced for a while before Adrian eventually commented on how lovely she looked and asked her how she was feeling. It was nice to be asked instead of him self-imposing his knowledge on her.

"Eventually, I will teach you. It will be necessary at our wedding." Rose couldn't tell if he was joking so she just let it go.

She smiled, "if you'd like but I've got two left."

"That's not true; if you can fight you can dance."

Rose stopped moving, "well I'm not so good at that these days either."

Adrian's arms wrapped around her once more in a tight embrace. "We'll get you better, don't worry love."

Rose nodded as she saw Lissa's ghost walking casually around the room smiling, "I hope so."

"Come on, we've got an appointment."

She looked over at him, "What do you mean we've got an appointment."

Adrian smirked, "You don't have any clothes. You've been wearing that same shirt now for three days; I can't let you go around looking like that."

"Are you always like this?" Rose asked as she followed after him down the hall.

"Like what?" He asked curiously.

"Always this nice and giving to people, don't you ever just get sick of me?"

He smiled, "Not always, but no I don't get sick of you, ever. It's kind of sad really."

"I would so get sick of me," she sighed in a huff. "I'm a bitch."

"Well I won't argue with you there."

She shoved him away from her as she kept walking, "You're so full of shit."

"But you like me anyways."

Rose smiled over at him, "I only like you a little bit."

"A little bit is an improvement from 'Oh my God Adrian you're such an ass get away from me!" Rose couldn't help but laugh as he mocked her. Even in the worst of moods he always seemed to make things better anymore.

Adrian took her too what looked like a tool shed on the outside grounds of the palace. When they entered the building it was cold, and only got colder as they walked down a flight of stairs. A brightly lit shop opened up in front of them. Several women and men lined the walls talking to each other, holding mounds of jeans and brightly colored fabrics up to each other in order to compare them against one another.

One of the older women in the room saw Adrian and ran over to him. "We've been waiting for you Lord Ivashkov. If the Miss will please take off her clothes and put on the robe we've laid out for her we can begin."

Adrian checked to make sure Rose was all right, and then excused himself to make a phone call.

"Ma'am," Rose replied quietly.

"Yes Ms. Hathaway?"

"I don't have any underwear on…and I'm not really comfortable being naked…do you think that?"

The older woman smiled then took her arm, "Don't you worry about a thing. We've got your sizes already picked out so just select something you would feel comfortable in and come back out and we'll get started."

Rose followed after her opting for a pair of midnight blue lace panties with matching bra. When she put them on they felt amazing. She'd never felt more attractive in just a pair of underwear before. Rose wrapped the terry cloth robe around her body and went back into the room where the designers were waiting on her.

The robe wasn't on for long once they'd started. Adrian had returned from the call and sat watching her in the corner. She blushed as she felt his eyes drift over her body, but was soon distracted. The people who'd been standing along the walls came at her in droves. She had to step back and compose herself for a moment before allowing them to come at her once more. Rose had had a flashback to the strigoi attacking her and felt stupid once she'd remembered where she was.

By the time they'd finished she had a completely new wardrobe. Lingerie included. She didn't know where she'd wear half of the stuff but Adrian seemed pleased. Rose changed into one of her new favorite dresses; it wasn't much but came with a sweater that she'd liked.

"I can't believe you wouldn't leave the room when that silly French woman came at me with those nighties. It was sooooo embarrassing the way she was just came at me with no shame and started pulling at my bra and looking at my boobs in front of everyone."

"I don't know why you feel like you had anything to be embarrassed about. I was enjoying it especially when she made you take it off; it was like a dream come true."

"Oh I can only imagine the scandalous rumors that'd get started if people knew you'd seen my breasts in front of a room full of people. We're probably having orgies with the entire staff and don't even know it. But thank you for the compliment," she replied sarcastically.

Adrian laughed, "If only you'd just have sex with me, I could die a happy man. I meant to tell you earlier but I got sidetracked. We've been invited to have dinner with some friends if that's alright with you? I told them I'd be more than happy to go but that I wasn't sure about you. I didn't think you wanted me to speak for you."

"As long as Cooper can come too."

He nodded, "The invitation was extended to him as well."

"Who is it from?"

"Tasha Ozera she's heading back home tomorrow and wanted to visit with some friends before leaving."

She'd been holding onto his hand as they'd walked back to her apartment but let it go suddenly. Hearing Tasha's name brought back the memory of Lissa's funeral. Rose had been reluctant to say anything to Adrian about it before so hadn't mentioned it and didn't feel too comfortable talking about it now either. "Have you accepted?"

"Yes, but I'd happily make an excuse for you if you'd like. I just told you I'd accepted."

She shook her head, "Right, sorry. No of course we'll go, I'm just being stupid. After effects of all the cloth shopping, they've sucked my brains out."

"The pronouns you are using this evening are making me quite happy."

Rose laughed, "That's so stupid Adrian! Although, if I'm going to feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman I might as well give you that chance you've been waiting for shouldn't I? Besides we'd be going together so we would be a couple of sorts, if that makes sense."