Chapter 8

We somehow got all the stuff home and slept. When we awoke we awoke to a call from Tatiana needing me in a council meeting regarding the naming of the queens heir. I was on a plane with my guards within the hour and in court writhing a couple of hours. I was whisked away the moment I stepped off the plane and into the council meeting. Tatiana started immediately and got straight to the point- she wanted Lissa as queen by the end of summer break.

There were arguments about her age, spirit etc.. They all saw reason though when Tatiana said she felt Lissa was more adept to finding the perfect balance and compromises to settle the current issues plaguing the council and society. That she'd be fair and just and would put her people first- at that Tatiana allowed me time chime in and add that Liss would even sacrifice her magic to maintain a level head in order to serve wisely. The most controversial reason was that she would be able to bring our behaviours to the 21st century whilst maintaining the esteemed traditions and royal rites. Tatiana would not name her heir until there was a unanimous vote and eventually there was.

Three hours later and Liss, Dimitri and I were in Tatiana's meeting room informing Liss of the decision. To say Liss was shocked would be a gross understatement. When Tatiana explained why and that she's also have her LeHigh offer being played out Liss accepted (not that she could refuse). Liss was dismissed and Tatiana offered my a chance to go to uni for my own sake (and to help my political understandings in general) and I accepted. An hour later we announced Liss as Tatiana's heir.

The 4 of us joined the rest of council to plan the upcoming coronation. When all was decided we retired to our chambers. All except Dimitri and I who had to turn around and head to the queens private chambers.

What was waiting for us was unbelievable. 2 notes, 1 note that read "the new Dragomir watch your back you, Dimka and your children are not safe. I will get my Dimka at whatever cost. Lissa's throne will not be safe- I won't let you be the one to rebuild the Dragomir line with my Dimka. Tatiana will regret brining in the adaptations to the quorum law- royal dhampirs is an absurd idea. You will regret it Tatiana and Rose. Watch your backs!". I turned to Dimitri "that's Tasha, that has to be Tasha I mean "not rebuild the Dragomir line with my Dimka". She wants you and she wants Christian and Liss to rebuild the esteemed Dragomir line with only Moroi."

"Roza, shhhhh. It's ok i won't let her hurt our family. Our family is ours and she isn't going to meddle. I knew she was passionate and has been obsessed with me as long as I've known her but this is too far. Threatening the queen and my Princess and family is way overstepping it." He held me close and stroked my hair and I calmed down.

"Your majesty could you please have that note tested and tracked to see that it is Natasha Ozera's craftsmanship?"

"Sure Guardian Belikov, and here's note 2" she stated whilst handing over the other note.

"Dearest Tatiana,

The quorum law ought to be reversed a royal dhampir is not a good idea- Rosemarie Hathaway is the worst possible choice to be the Dragomir Princess and the future queens only family. That Guardian Belikov will be granted a lordship once married to Rosemarie is worse. You know as well as I the reputation that girl has for being an unreliable and untrustworthy rebellious bloodwhore. How you can believe her children are Belikov's unnatural offspring is disconcerting to say the least. There is another Dragomir, Eric's illegitimate daughter to a Moroi showgirl- Mastrano if I remember rightly. Find this child, revoke the quorum law changes and strip Rosemarie and Belikov of their titles- it's for the best." Dimitri read it aloud. How could anyone do this? "Hang on! Are you thinking what I am Dimitri?"

"Jill?!" He half questioned/ exclaimed.

"Yup." I turned to Tatiana "we already know her".

"I'll call her in tomorrow but I will not remove that quorum law change- I need you on council Rose and Vasilisa needs your support".

"Thank you your majesty" Dimitri and I said in unison after Tatiana sent us to bed.

We awoke the next day and were called in at 12 to meet with Liss, Tatiana and Jill. All was revealed and Jill offered her support and volunteered a blood and DNA test. When the results came back confirming Jill's lineage things grew uncomfortable. Liss could only think of her dad cheating on her mom, then did the math and realised that her dad was only trying to cope with the loss of her grandad- her mom hadn't been any help and he'd disappeared. Jill could only see her world turned upside down.

I turned to Jill "you'll adjust, I know what it's like to be thrown into royal life head first".

"Thank you Rose. This situation is similar yet different but I know you'll be there for me."

"So will I" Dimitri said from beside me.

"As will I" Lissa finally recovered "it's hard on all of us but we are one big family. The biggest the Dragomirs have been in a while if you include Dimitri and the twins. We are up against some opposition and we won't get through this without each other. I love you guys- yes Jill you too, you're my little sister officially but I've thought of you like a sis like I thought of Rose as a sis and need to embrace this change in the same way.".

We had a few hours to kill so Liss showed Jill the spa we'd seen last time and the 2 got extensive massages and they're nails done. Dimitri and I stuck to foot and hand massages. I don't know how or why she did it but I ended up with Ambrose again and Dimitri bristled beside me when images of the last time ran through my head- unwelcome. "Rose, what brings you back?"

"I think you know Ambrose."

"Ahh, Princess Dragomirs first royal duty."

"Ugh, drop the 'Princess' Ambrose"

"But it suits you Roza and your adorable when you have that "drop the title" moment and your face is always priceless. You need to get used to it milaya" Dimitri interjected.

"I don't know why I let you get away with it- very possibly because you always say 'my Princess'."

"Hang on, you 2 are the power couple. The one attain is changing laws for. Belikov and Dragomir" Ambrose said with a hint of awe in his voice.

"Yes" Dimitri and I said in unison.

"Rose do you mind me asking, but how far along are you with the twins?"

"Five weeks, but they develop at the rate of about a month a week due to magic use" Dimitri explained proudly.

"They're definitely yours aren't they?" Ambrose asked Dimitri.

"Yup, without a doubt. I'm bound to Rose so I know the truth. They're ours" he replied with pride and love for his family clear in his voice.

When we got back to the academy Tasha was waiting in the guardian dorm lobby. 'She has some nerve' I sent through the bond to Dimitri. 'You're not wrong there' came Dimitri's response mentally.

"Dimka, Princess" Tasha said curtly.

"Lady Ozera" Dimitri and I responded just as coldly and in unison.

"Dimka can we talk in private? Princess that ok?"

"No Lady Ozera, anything you can say to Dimitri I will hear anyway."

"Dimka?" she pleaded with Dimitri.

"What you have to say to me you can say to us. And it's Guardian Belikov to you Lady Ozera."

"Fine."

"We got your note you sent to Tatiana. Your support is much appreciated" Dimitri said coolly. "You're not getting near my family. I was never yours. The Dragomir line will be rebuilt with Rose and I. Tatiana is not removing those changes to the quorum law- accept it. If you want the Moroi side of the line to grow talk to your nephew. You've crossed a line and will be appropriately punished when the evidence shows your threatening note was indeed yours."

"But Dimka" she whined.

"Remove her" I said to 2 nearby guardians and recognising my authority they did. "If that added stress harms our children she'll pay" I said as Dimitri led me through the corridors and into his room.

"I agree" he said as I laid down on the bed. "Is it time to pick names?" Dimitri asked.

"Hells yeah!" I squealed. "We need a traditional Dragomir name for each and a Russian name for each" i said laying down the rules.

"Belikov- Dragomir or Dragomir- Belikov?"

"Hmmm lemme ask Liss what she would do if it was her and Christian- knowing them it's probably sorted." I opened up the bond with her and sifted through her memories to find they'd decided 'Dragomir- Ozera' on the basis the first name always held more power and was your main bloodline. "They're gonna go Dragomir first" and explained why.

"Okay now traditional Dragomir names now that we're gonna go 'Dragomir-Belikov'" he said enthusiastically.

"Rhea for our little girl?" I asked

"Rhea Dragomir-Belikov, sounds good" he tried it out and agreed.

"André?"

"André Dragomir-Belikov, perfect!" He said happily.

"Now, first names. Russian- no if, buts or maybes."

"No argument here Roza."

"Vaisya?" I suggested.

"You and Liss are gonna do that best friends thing and include the others name in your child's aren't you?" He asked, clearly amused.

"Guilty as charged."

"Vaisya Rhea Dragomir-Belikov. As beautiful as her mother. Yes!"

"Yes?!"

"Yes!" He leaned in and kissed me lightly then repeated huskily "yes".

"Hmmm, Kristofer?"

"Kristofer André Dragomir-Belikov. Perfect" he said with a smile.

When we told the gang Lissa and Christian swelled with pride and honour hearing versions of their names being handed on to our babies. The others laughed at "how totally typically royally" we'd picked the names, and the noticeable absence of English names. "Guys we have some news for you" Liss started nervously "their's gonna be a little Dragomir-Ozera joining the ever regrowing Dragomir line".

"Dragomir-Ozera's plural" I interject before anyone else has time to react. "I just checked your aura Liss- you have an extra three."

"Wow" Adrian was the first to recover. "Congrats cuz- Aunt Tatiana will be happy the line is recovering."

"There's another Dragomir in this room" Jill joined the conversation "me. Congrats sis."

That caught them off guard. "Wow, you Dragomirs are spreading like the plague now" Christian was the first to pipe up.

"You can talk Sparky- you're responsible for 3 of them!" I snapped good-naturedly.

"Too true Princess."

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't use my title."

I regularly did high intensity magic training over the next 3 weeks and as a result was at full term and in labor before I knew it. I was walking to morning training with Dimitri when the contractions started and 8 hours later I pushed Kristofer out followed soon after by Vaisya. We were kept in the clinic over the weekend and since I self-healed I was allowed to start training again- properly.

When I returned to classes on Monday Dimitri tailed me with the twins so I could feed them and what not. All the Moroi girls cooed and the novices wanted to know how much ass they would kick when old enough. Stan naturally didn't like them being in his class because he didn't like it when I was in class. I has some type of bond with them that let me know exactly what they needed and was able to tend to it before they could kick up a fuss.

It went on like this until trials 9 weeks later. Dad had stayed since my birthday and loves the twins to no end. Mom showed up just before trials- 3 almost 4 months pregnant! I got one las hold before handing them over to their daddy and being called "Princess Rosemarie Dragomir". The trials passed in a haze except for having to protect 2 'Moroi' from 6 'Strigoi' and get them to safety on the other side of the bridge put with 'Strigoi' on each end I had no option but to cut the bridge. The only other part I remember was having been attacked by Dimitri and when I'd eventually 'staked' he flipped me over and kissed me. When he pulled back and pulled me up he whispered huskily in my ear "that was a sample of what you'll get for your grad present tonight. Congrats milaya". Everyone cheered and whistled as we walked out of the arena hand in hand.

"How did I not see you coming through the bond?" I asked "and where are our twins?- never mind I found 'em they're with my mom".

"You didn't see me coming because you used your magic to block yourself off from all bonds and the magic. It sorta freaked me out when I went to check on you and came across wall but was able to use it to my advantage. I wasn't told until 2 minutes before hand I was your last challenge. Once you recognised it as me the wall to block me was dropped. And it freaks me out the bond you have with the twins, always being one step ahead of them, I'll never be able to be half the parent you will."

"Don't worry you'll be great- and they'll probably start to hate it when their older, me being able to tend to their every need before the can ask. Never being able to plan, hide or lie."

I stood through grad with everyone else. I was called forward when my score was announced and apparently I had to get a special mark to signify I was in the top 1% of the schools trial score history. Three hours later and all my friends and now hugely extended family was there. I talked to a few other novices and found they had a different course to me and asked Dimitri on our way to the cabin. "You were given a different course and 2 Moroi because you had so much extra real world experience. And they didn't exactly have a clue as to how you'd get out either."

"You mean they gave me a challenge they didn't know how to get out of?"

"Exactly."

"You say that like it's a good thing."

"That's cause it is milaya- proves your better than the rest, just as I always knew."

We reached the cabin and he picked me up and carried me across the threshold bridal style.

When he put me down he said "I have a question for you" and gracefully lowered himself down on one knee "Your Highness Princess Rosemarie Dragomir, I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Marry me, Roza" and pulled out a ring.

"Yes" I said quietly trying to not cry, then threw myself into his arms squealing "yes. yes. yes, yes, yes!". He slid the ring onto my finger and picked me up, spun me around and then took me to the bed. If I'd thought the last time here was bliss this time put that one to shame- not just the act which held all the same meaning and so much more, but because we were engaged had two beautiful children and I had just been marked as one if the top 1% in st vlads history.

Two days later at the Moroi grad I sat next to Jill who informed me Liss and Tatiana had invited her to Court for the summer. And that Eddie had grown a pair and asked her out. I asked her what her parents knew about her knowing her Dragomir lineage and said parents weren't informed of the latest updates. They were aware of her holiday visit to Court- but it was thought that was due to Eddie.

When we arrived at Court the following day Liss and Christian were direct to their own townhouse as were Dimitri and I. Both were courtesy of Tatiana and had fully furnished nurseries (with top of the line stuff much to my dismay). Tatiana gave Jill a unit. Eddie was given a room in guest housing but I promptly had Hans assign him to Jill and have another new graduate take his room.

Over the next 2 months we were busy prepping the coronation, in council meetings, visiting the doc with Liss, looking after the twins and catching up with each other. So it wasn't until after the coronation I noticed that I was month late. I told Dimitri and 15 minutes later he was back with a pregnancy test. I took it and my suspicions were confirmed. "Our family is expanding again comrade I said once I'd digested the positive sign.

"Really? How many do reckon it'll be this time?" He said clearly ecstatic at the thought of our quickly growing family.

"I'm hoping only 1" I checked my aura in the mirror "it's 3, I just checked- I have 4 auras".

"Cheer up Rose- I know you want a big family like I do."

"Yeah, but I start collage in four weeks."

"You can always defer a semester if you want."

"I'll call Tatiana now and update her."

"That's my Princess" he said with a massive smile on his face and in his voice.

I called Tatiana and he made the arrangements.

Over the next 6 weeks I kept using the magic, building endurance and finding new ways to manipulate it. I made sure I did a selfheal each day and constantly had my shield up, except for sleeping. Dimitri didn't like me using the magic- especially to purposely speed up the pregnancy but he understood the reasons.