Rosemarie Hathaway

Killing the Queen of Moroi deserves a party, that's the first thing Wes says to me when we get back. 34 Strigoi had died, I should be feeling a sort of loss but it was either muted or non-existent. I didn't even care that I didn't feel remorse or any sadness, it should've bothered me that we probably killed around 100 Moroi and Dhampirs but it didn't.

The party was in full swing after 20 minutes, there were maybe 50 Strigoi, I was pretty proud of myself. I watched Sam slip out to go feed Lissa, on public events like these I had to keep the locations of my 3 prisoners secret, otherwise Strigoi would try feeding from them. About 15 minutes later a Strigoi rushed in shouting, "HELP! DHAMPIRS ARE OUTSIDE!" A glint of server emerged from his chest, his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he collapsed to the floor, he was stone dead. Dimitri stood there with a stake in hand, he must've escaped and raided the vault, the question was how did he do it? I always kept a Strigoi on his cell, he was too dangerous otherwise, unless attacking Moroi Court meant that they had come here. As soon as I thought that, my mother and her team burst in with their stakes at hand, they struck down any Strigoi near. For every guardian that fell, 3 Strigoi must've, Wes was stabbed but they missed his heart. He jumped to the platform I stood on and grabbed Sam, he drunk him dry before I could even tell him to stop. All the other Strigoi (maybe 20) escaped through other exits, Wes the traitor had run out as well, I froze when my mother pointed her stake at my heart.

Adrian was at the other end of the room, he held a silver stake, 2 guardians grabbed my arms and tried to pin me down. I resisted and someone hit me in the head, that was going to give me a huge headache later. Stalking towards me he raised it with 2 hands above his head and brought it crashing down, I flung the guardian holding my right arm in front of me. The stake went through his neck as I threw the other guardian holding me down against the far wall, kicking out at Adrian I hit him in the jaw and he fell off the platform. He was just unconscious, Dimitri ran over to me and with a sad look he said, "I won't let you keep killing, even if it means that I have to kill you." I couldn't do anything, Dimitri had me pinned down giving me no leverage, he was about to stake me when he noticed something behind me. Concentrating I could hear a heartbeat, was it my mother wanting to kill what she made? Dimitri asked hopefully, "Lissa?" I was able to look far enough around to see Lissa holding the stake Adrian had dropped, she clenched her teeth and staked me. Pain rocketed through my body as I blacked out.

I woke up, had Lissa killed me and missed? Something was wrong, it was like someone had put a dampener on all my senses. My skin was still pale, but not Strigoi pale... then it came to me. I was a Dhampir again, everything I had done came back to me, drinking people's blood. Although I didn't like Tatiana, I didn't want her to die from being sucked dry by a Strigoi, let alone the fact that the Strigoi was me. Tears came to my eyes, I hate crying but I sobbed into Lissa. Grief and guilt was consuming me, how I had changed the life of a guy named Sam. He could've been something and instead I turned him into a servant for Strigoi. How many guardians were dead because of my actions at the Court? I looked up at everyone, Dimitri caught my eye as we looked at each other, then all hell broke loose. A new squad of guardians had come in the room and one of them yelled, "STRIGOI!" A sharp pain echoed from the back of my head and blackness surrounded me once more.

Opening my eyes, I was in a cell, what happened? It coming back to me, I ran and gasped at my reflection in the bars. I wasn't a Strigoi, but why am I in a cell? Someone said, "she's awake, let her in." Who are they letting in? Lissa walked in with a concerned look on her face, she walked cautiously over to me, "are you okay?" I was stuck in a cell and all I know is that Lissa turned me back into a Dhampir. Instead of answering I asked, "what happened?" She frowned, "Christian persuaded Queen Tatiana and the Council to rescue Adrian, Dimitri, and me. When you killed her the Council decided that they had to act so they were going to rescue us an... and kill you." I looked into her eyes, "I want to protect you, it's what your parents wanted" what I wanted too "and I'm indebted to you since you saved me." Lissa's next words startled me, "they don't know whether you are a Strigoi or not." I was angry for a few moments, my eyes were proof enough and I'm guessing that I could walk in the sun. Lissa must've guessed what I was thinking when she said, "the Council thinks that you might still have... urges." I gave her a questioning look, "they think that you might still want to bite us." Regret filled me, of course, I would want to be sure too after what I... did. She continued, "people want to see you." Who would want to see me? "Adrian, your mother and she says that she's with your father" my eyes widen "also, Dimitri does too."

Dimitri wanted to see me? I couldn't see him, I loved him but after what I had done, no. He would be disgusted in me and that would be worse than never seeing him again. With a firm voice I said, "I can't see Dimitri, please!" My desperation must've shown through because she said, "all right, but I'm sure that he still loves you, he's asked for you a lot." It hurt me beyond words to stay away from Dimitri but to see hatred at me fill his eyes, that would be unbearable. As soon as Lissa left I leaned on the only furniture in the room, a simple white bed, I had to make up what I did somehow. Protecting Lissa and giving my life for her is the only way I know how and I while I know that the amount of people I killed or lives I've ruined will be a train reaction. They had family and friends that loved them, what if I had lost Dimitri to a Strigoi. I almost did, and that Strigoi would've been me. When I was a Strigoi I didn't care about anything or anyone, that was part of the lure. Immortality, strength, speed, but to not care and not be blamed for the choices I make gave me peace. Now, I'm torn about what I've done.

Around a week later, I was called to trial for the Moroi to judge whether I was a Strigoi still or not. Also, if I should be blamed for the murders I had committed. One guard said that I would be lucky if I got community service, he was a friend, everyone knew someone that had died on that day. My "interviewer" was a Moroi with a long nose and dark green eyes. His straw colored hair was pushed back from his forehead and every 5 seconds he pushed it back with his hand. With the stupid name Edgar Fyre and at age 28, he was the perfect boring interrogator. "Are you able to go in the sunlight?" He asked. "Yes." It was all very curt and civil, somewhat so at least. "Have you had the urge to drink blood?" "No." "Why did you kill Tatiana?" "She was the Queen of the Moroi." "EXACTLY, NOW YOU EXPECT US TO LET YOU GUARD THE NEXT QUEEN?" "What do you mean?" I wanted to guard Lissa, not whatever candidate was running. "Lissa was appointed Queen by the Council." My eyes widen and he concludes the questioning.