Okay so as long as you guys review, I will update every day!
Hope you enjoy this Chapter and you better let me know what you think.
Thanks –Val
Chapter Five
Rose was looking at me like she had no idea where I was taking her, but she followed obediently anyway. I doubt she'd really object to anything that would get her in trouble, especially if she was with me.
I led Rose to the boundaries of the school where the woods were because Tasha had told me that she'd be staying in one of those cabins. We didn't speak at all as we walked and finally we reached the building.
Rose then asked, "What is that?" as we approached the small cabin made out of logs.
"Old watch-post," I explained, "Guardians used to live on the edge of campus and keep watch for Strigoi."
"Why don't they anymore?" Rose questioned.
"We don't have enough guardians to staff it. Besides, Moroi have warded campus with enough
protective magic that most don't think it's necessary to have actual people on guard," I explained. Except, now I realized that if humans staked the wards –that didn't leave much protection for the Academy.
Rose smiled really big for a minute and I had to wonder what the hell she was thinking. That faded when she heard voices nearby, and then her expression became puzzled, and then understanding. Who knew someone could go through so many emotions within a few seconds. Then again, I remember Viktoria, my sister, having similar reactions.
Ah, Viktoria. I was crushing on a girl just as young as her. I wonder how I'd feel if Viktoria had a twenty-four year old mentor hitting on her.
The thought made me sick. I was a pedophile, I realized. While Rose felt a school girl crush –I was attracted and maybe in love with a girl, and she was someone I was taking advantage of. It was wrong to feel that way.
I jumped out of my thoughts as we rounded the corner though, and I noticed that Christian and Lissa were with Tasha too and realized Rose must have sensed Lissa nearby.
Tasha was ice-skating on a frozen pond with Christian and Lissa and I couldn't help but smile.
It had been a really long time since I last saw Tasha and she was always a great friend to hang around with, she was really fun and smart and beautiful and we got along great. It was nice to actually have some company, other than Rose who was completely forbidden. With Tasha, I could actually lighten up a little. With Rose, I always had to be on guard to make sure I didn't do something that we would both regret later.
Lissa grinned at seeing her best friend and exclaimed, "Rose!"
Christian on the other hand glanced over less optimistically to have a third wheel tag along. Lissa then came over to Rose in an awkward stride; I guessed she wasn't much of an ice-skater.
"Thanks for inviting me to the party," Rose accused. Typical for a young girl –no typical for her age I corrected myself. I guess we both really were at different places in life.
"I figured you were busy," Lissa tried to defend. "And this is secret anyway. We aren't supposed to be here."
Christian skated up to Lissa as well as Tasha who asked, "You bringing party crashers, Dimka?"
I just laughed at that, "It's impossible to keep Rose away from places she shouldn't be. She always finds them eventually."
Tasha smiled at that and flipped her hair over her shoulder, and I had to admit she looked pretty good. Even with the scar on her face, she had beautiful large blue eyes and a warm smile.
Tasha then introduced herself to Rose and extended a hand, "Tasha Ozera," she said. "I've heard a lot about you, Rose."
Rose then looked over at Christian with a dangerous expression and I suppressed a laugh. Tasha however didn't and said, "Don't worry. It was all good."
"No, it wasn't," Christian countered.
Tasha then shook her head in exasperation. "Honestly, I don't know where he got such horrible social skills. He didn't learn them from me."
"What are you guys doing out here?" asked Rose.
"I wanted to spend some time with these two," explained Tasha. "But I don't really like hanging around the school itself. They aren't always hospitable...." I knew that too. People were always prejudicing against Tasha because she was Lucas Ozera's sister, Christian's father, and he and his wife had turned Strigoi on purpose. Even though she had fought them and gotten injured in the process, it didn't matter and people still judged her.
"Because ... because of what happened ..." Rose asked.
Tasha shrugged, "That's the way it is. But let's not stand out here, not when we can build a fire inside."
We went inside the tiny cabin and then the five of us sat down by the fireplace. Tasha and I spent most of the time talking to each other; we had a lot of catching up to do. Huddling around the heat, Tasha produced a bag of marshmallows that we cooked over the flames. It was easy with her, I didn't have to be serious the whole time, and I could just be myself.
Finally, Rose joined in and I was pretty surprised she'd exercised that much self-control and not opened her mouth for so long, "So are you coming on the ski trip?"
Tasha nodded, "I haven't been skiing in ages. No time. Been saving all my vacation for this."
"Vacation?" asked Rose incredulously. "Do you have...a job?"
"Sadly, yes," Tasha said, though she didn't actually sound very sad about it. "I teach martial arts classes."
Rose stared in astonishment; I guess the thought of a Moroi royal working to her was unfathomable. But that was just Tasha. Even harsher was the fact that it was in Martial arts, most Moroi were pretty… weak. They always needed strong Dhampirs to protect them.
"What do you think, Rose?" Christian teased. "Think you could take her?"
"Hard to say," Rose said. She was actually trying to be nice. I knew Rose would wreck her though if they ever got in a cat fight. I really couldn't imagine that happening though, unless….
Well, no it wouldn't happen, I would never allow it.
Tasha crooked a grin. "You're being modest. I've seen what you guys can do. This is just a hobby I
picked up."
I chuckled, while Rose could definitely kick ass that was only because she was a good fighter. Tasha could put up a fight if I remember correctly, "Now you're being modest. You could teach half the classes around here."
"Not likely," she said. "It'd be pretty embarrassing to be beaten up by a bunch of teenagers."
"I don't think that'd happen," I said. "I seem to remember you doing some damage to Neil Szelsky."
Tasha rolled her eyes at me, "Throwing my drink in his face wasn't actually damage-unless you consider the damage it did to his suit. And we all know how he is about his clothes."
We both laughed at that and it reminded me of when I was younger –when I didn't have to be so serious all the time. Back then, I could have dated Rose if we were the same age of course.
"Did you start learning to fight before or after that happened to your face?" Rose interrupted.
There went all her self-control.
"Rose!" hissed Lissa.
Tasha didn't get uncomfortable though, she was probably glad Rose was staring her flat in the face and actually noticing instead of pretending like the scar wasn't there.
"After," Tasha said, "How much do you know?"
Christian interceded, "The basics."
Tasha nodded, "I knew ... I knew what Lucas and Moira had become, but that still didn't prepare me.
Mentally, physically, or emotionally. I think if I had to live through it again, I still wouldn't be ready. But
after that night, I looked at myself- figuratively-and realized how defenseless I was. I'd spent my
whole life expecting guardians to protect me and take care of me. And that's not to say the guardians aren't capable. Like I said, you could probably take me in a fight. But they-Lucas and Moira-cut down our two guardians before we realized what had happened. I stalled them from taking Christian- but just barely. If the others hadn't shown up, I'd be dead, and he'd-" She stopped, frowned, and kept going. "I decided that I didn't want to die that way, not without putting up a real fight and doing everything I could to protect myself and thoseI love. So I learned all sorts of self-defense. And after a while, I didn't really, uh, fit in so well with high society around here. So I moved to Minneapolis and made a living from teaching others."
I knew Tasha had moved there and integrated herself with humans, keeping away from other Moroi. I also knew that she exercised magic as a defense, it was a crime in the Moroi world, but I didn't object. It could help against a Strigoi so why shouldn't she use it?
Silence fell then, but Tasha being Tasha lightened up the mood by telling funny stories. I liked her even though she was royal because she wasn't stuck up. And honestly, part of the reason I hated Moroi royal men was there arrogance in thinking that they were better than Dhampirs.
I actually knew a lot of the people she spoke of and chimed in every once in a while with a small detail.
Finally, Tasha peeked at her watch and asked, "Where's the best place a girl can go shopping around here?" she asked.
Lissa and Rose exchanged looks and answered in unison, "Missoula." Girls and their shopping, I'll never understand it.
Tasha sighed at that, "That's a couple hours away, but if I leave soon, I can probably still get in some time before the stores close. I'm hopelessly behind in Christmas shopping."
Rose groaned, "I'd kill to go shopping."
"Me too," said Lissa.
"Maybe we could sneak along...." Rose asked casting me a hopeful look.
I had to turn away from her pleading eyes and said "No," immediately.
Rose sighed at that but didn't argue fortunately.
Tasha yawned again. "I'll have to grab some coffee, so I don't sleep on the drive in."
"Can't one of your guardians drive for you?" asked Rose.
Tasha shook her head. "I don't have any."
"Don't have any ..." Rose frowned. "You don't have any guardians?"
"Nope," Tasha answered.
Rose shot up with a typical reaction, "But that's not possible! You're royal. You should have at least one. Two, really."
Guardians were distributed among Moroi in a cryptic, micromanaged way by the Guardian Council. It
was kind of an unfair system, considering the ratio of guardians to Moroi. Non-royals tended to get them by a lottery system. Royals always got them. High-ranking royals often got more than one, but even the lowest-ranking member of royalty wouldn't have been without one.
"The Ozeras aren't exactly first in line when guardians get assigned," said Christian bitterly. "Ever
since...my parents died...there's kind of been a shortage."
Rose grew impassioned, "But that's not fair. They can't punish you for what your parents did."
"It's not punishment, Rose," Tasha said calmly, "It's just...a rearranging of priorities."
Rose argued, "They're leaving you defenseless. You can't go out there by yourself!"
"I'm not defenseless, Rose. I've told you that. And if I really wanted a guardian, I could make a nuisance
of myself, but it's a lot of hassle. I'm fine for now."
I glanced over at her, "You want me to go with you?"
"And keep you up all night?" Tasha shook her head. "I wouldn't do that to you, Dimka."
"He doesn't mind," interceded Rose.
I couldn't help but smile, Rose thought she could speak for me. I agreed though, "I really don't." It's not like I get much sleep anyway.
Tasha agreed then, "All right. But we should probably go soon."
Our party then dispersed with the Moroi's going one way and Rose and I another. Tasha and I made plans to meet in half an hour.
"So what do you think of her?" I asked when we were alone.
"I like her. She's cool. And I get what you mean about the marks," Rose answered.
"Oh?"
She nodded, "She didn't do what she did for glory. She did it because she had to. Just like...just like my mom did. The marks don't matter. Molnijas or scars."
I was impressed, "You're a fast learner."
Rose lit up then like when I always complimented her. She was so irresistible sometimes.
Finally she asked, "Why does she call you Dimka?"
I laughed softly. "It's a nickname for Dimitri."
"That doesn't make any sense. It doesn't sound anything like Dimitri. You should be called, I don't
know, Dimi or something," Rose argued.
"That's not how it works in Russian," I explained.
"Russian's weird," Rose said.
"So is English," I argued.
She gave me a sly look, "If you'd teach me to swear in Russian, I might have a new appreciation for it."
Hah, yeah right. "You swear too much already."
"I just want to express myself," Rose argued trying to sound all innocent.
"Oh, Roza..." I sighed, "You express yourself more than anyone else I know."
Rose smiled at that and walked on a bit without saying anything else. It was easy like this and honest to God, I treasured these moments when we just got to be around each other. They were the highlight of my day.
Finally, Rose broke the silence, I knew she couldn't last very long, "You know, there's something funny about Tasha's scars."
"What's that?" I asked.
"The scars...they mess up her face. I mean, it's obvious she used to be really pretty. But even with the scars now ... I don't know. She's pretty in a different way. It's like...like they're part of her. They complete her."
I didn't say anything but gave her a sidelong glance. She got that too –I felt the same way. Our eyes met then and for a brief moment, I saw the attraction. I loved that Rose sort of got those things the same way I got them.
Then I pushed away those feelings and felt pride and approval instead, that was more appropriate, and told her "You're a fast learner, Roza."
Eventually, I left her at her dorms and came to my room to grab my jacket and my wallet to go meet Tasha.
I was on the way to tell Alberta where I was going when I knocked into Janine.
I nodded towards her and kept walking but she stopped me, "Guardian Belikov?"
"Yes Guardian Hathaway?"
"I just wanted to thank you for taking Rose under your wing. I don't know what she would've done without you. I know how much of a hassle she can be," she said.
"She's no hassle. Well, at least not most the time. I actually really enjoy working with her, she's really great. She'll make a great Guardian someday," I told her. Someone should.
"Are you sure we are talking about my daughter?" she asked.
"Yes," I answered.
"You're the first teacher to ever tell me good things about her," she said.
"Oh, well, you sort of just have to know how to deal with her, that's all," I explained.
"Yes well, I was wondering if I could spend some time with her tomorrow morning. I know that you guys have practice together and I was hoping that I could coach her tomorrow," she asked.
Damn, my favorite time of the day, "Sure." I told her, wasn't like I really had a choice. "That actually works out great since I'll be driving Tasha Ozera and probably be up most of the night."
"Oh, okay then. Great," she nodded stiffly and walked away.
Honestly, I couldn't picture Rose ever being that serious.
After that I met Alberta, told her where I was going and then went to meet Tasha. I hoped this shopping trip would be okay. I hated shopping, but Tasha was fun and she had an ability to make even the most boring things fun.
