AN: Were getting closer and closer . . . ;)
Chapter 6
Rose Pov
"It's going to be televised live?!" Meredith screeches out, making me roll my eyes.
Alberta sighs, hating having to repeat herself, "No, not televised live, but trials and competitions will be recorded and distributed so that everyone may see all of you and your skills. This is a good thing, if you're able to impress Moroi you may be offered jobs in a number of different sectors than just one on one body protection. As well as be used for learning purposes for the upcoming generations."
"Yeah, this is how legends are made!" Mason shouts from behind me, pumped at the thought of getting to show off what he's got.
Usually I would join him, but something isn't sitting right, I just don't have enough info to know exactly what yet.
"Are there any other updates, Guardian Petrov?" Mikahil asks coolly.
She nods and paraphrases what was sent over from the council, AKA the heads of all 12 Royal families and the three Monarchs.
"What we know so far is they want this to be a good showing of your strengths and equal the playing field as much as possible, while also weeding out the weak. So you are all to keep your ranking on your personal Top 5 to yourselves. The first competitions will be blind to rank and chosen at random, so Number 1 can theoretically fight against number 5 and then you will be re-ranked on how that fight goes."
I look over to everyone and see Meredith's face pale, her arms crossed against her chest.
"Sweet," I say, "I love the element of surprise."
Alberta carries on, "That's the only update for now, we'll probably find out the rest once we've landed which should be in about an hour or so."
Meredith scoffs and jumps up, locking herself in the bathroom, making me roll my eyes.
What the hell did she expect this to be? Fun play time at the nickel arcade?
I go back to my drawing of a goddess warrior riding a dragon breathing fire and try to drown out the noise of the plane and the fact that my ears are killing me but it's short lived as Mikhail for some reason sits next to me.
"I was gonna say something smartass but . . . that drawing is actually phenomenal, you're really talented."
I side eye him but choose to play nice as long as he does, "Thank you, i'm gonna call it 'Aunt flo comes to town'."
He laughs and I smirk, caught a little off guard.
"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before."
He shrugs his shoulders, "I haven't had much to laugh about in a while."
"Transfering Schools from Washington must have been hard." He'd come to our school freshman year and never really tried to fit in. Which I don't look down on him for. It's a good quality to be able to stand on your own, but still it was odd how he kept his distance from everyone.
He just nods.
We sat in silence for a while until I couldn't take it anymore.
"So . . . what was your reading about? You got to hear mine, fair is fair."
He snorts, "Yeah, not going to tell you that, but . . . " He licks his lips and turns away, contemplating his words carefully before looking me full in the eyes for the first time, "My Aunt is the real deal, she's never wrong. I've ignored her readings before and . . . completely fucked up my life in doing so. So . . . just wanted you to know that."
With that, he gets up and goes back to his seat.
My stomach clenches and I have to catch my breath.
I hope I'm not being foolish but I've always been able to trust my gut and it's telling me to believe.
DIMITRI POV
"You are such a happy baby aren't you, precious?" I whisper to my niece, Zoya, as she suckles at her bottle, her little chubby fists clutching at the air as I rock us back and forth in my grandmother's chair. She'd been down for a nap when I'd first arrived so I hadn't been able to meet her until now. Seeing her over facetime hadn't done her cuteness any justice and I found myself melting while holding her.
The sun shines through the blinds and I shield her from it. Getting babies on the Moroi time schedule is always hard in the beginning so when I heard her start to cry in the middle of the "night" I rushed to her so that Kaolina could sleep. No need for both of us to be awakened, plus I'll be leaving again soon, and I don't know when I'll be able to return, so I'll need to get as much time with her and Paul as possible.
I get lost looking at her tiny little body swaddled in my much larger arms, my hand alone being half the size of her. I usually am very comfortable being bigger than everyone around me, but sitting in this little chair, holding practically a newborn, I feel like an overgrown ape, clumsy and awkward.
"You look good holding a baby, Dimika." I look up and see Yeva coming down the stairs, her frail body not making a single floorboard creek. She's always been good at stealth, making the rest of us sound like elephants stomping around.
"I was just thinking I feel like a giant, awkward oaf holding someone so tiny."
"You haven't been awkward since you were a boy, but being 6'2" at 12 will do that to a person."
We smile at one another as Yeva sits at the couch, her hands clasped in front of her.
We sit in silence for a long while as I rock Zoya and she finishes her bottle and I burp her.
"Ask me Dimika, I know you're curious."
"You could always just tell me."
"Where would I be if I gave everything out for free?"
I shake my head trying not to be amused but failing. She has always been a hard nosed woman, strong in her convictions but she also has a humor like no other person I've ever known.
"I don't want to know."
"You do."
I sigh and look at Zoya.
"Is she Moroi?"
"No."
No children then, but I always knew I'd probably never have any, but the finality was still . . . a lot to process.
"I don't want to play 20 questions, Babushka." Lies. I want to know everything, I want to hear that we are fated for one another and will live happily ever after but from what I've seen in my life . . . It's hard to believe such a thing exists and I don't want to get my hopes up further.
She rolls her eyes, stands and motions to take Zoya.
"This is not like you, my boy. You've always been serious about your duty but your spirit was always lighter than what I see in front of me. I know you have been through much and you will go through even more but do you know what that means?"
I look at her, knowing she's not expecting an answer and touch Zoya's little foot, waiting.
"It means you are still alive."
"I'm sorry, Babushka, this is all a lot to take in."
"I know, Grandson." She heads to the stairs to retire again for the night but before she steps onto the stairs, she turns around with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Usually I would not reveal so much, but you have many trials ahead of you, Dimitri, so . . . I shall take pity. She knows of you as well. You both have a hard path in front of you and I'm only telling you so you do not waste time. This life is short and nothing lasts forever."
"How does she know of me?" I ask incredulously, but Yeva doesn't answer.
My chest starts to ache with her parting words and I begin to accept what is about to come. I'm going to be given something I've only ever dreamed of having and my life is going to change forever.
"She knows of me as well." I repeat to myself, and for some reason knowing she's expecting me like I am her, makes me feel lighter and anticipation fills me at the thought of meeting the woman that will complete me.
But it couldn't be happening at a worst time.
The next morning I had to be off and head to St. Basils which is luckily only a two hour train ride but saying goodbye to my family so soon makes my commitment feel really not worth it.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer Mama, I promise i'll be back soon." I say, hugging her much smaller body to my chest.
She laughs through her tears, "Oh, I know you will, Dimika. For one I will be extremely cross with you if you don't and," She cups my cheek, "You'll need to bring your love home to meet her new family."
I sigh, "Mama-,"
"Don't start with me, Dimitri. You know as well as I do that it is a blessing and no one deserves this more than you, my son." She pulls me down to her height and kisses my cheek, her tears transferring to me.
I don't say anything and just hug her again before doing the same with my sisters and niece and nephew.
When I get to Yeva, she just looks at me knowingly.
"Okay. I will accept what comes to me."
Yeva smiles and we embrace.
"She will be as beautiful and sharp as a Rose."
AN: Please please please review it makes my day!
