Rose Point of View:
"I can't Roza, I'm on duty, you know how that works."
"It's not like strigoi are running around in Victoria Secret?"
"What would you do if you would see a bloodsucker now? With the right answer I might probably kiss you before going back."
"Stake them of course."
"Rose, no one gave you a stake. next?"
"Seduce them, perfect place for." I say amused, but deep down I know the real answer just too well. Joking normally always helps. 'Run, as fast and as hard as you can'. I'll never get this out of my head.
"Oh Roza. What would I do without you?"
"Your life would be boring without me. Only your western to entertain you, your duster to keep you warm."
"Guess you're right. Get dressed now. You're also on duty." I lean forward and kiss him, without tongue, but long enough to gasp.
"As you wish Comrade." I say while staring at him and taking off the lingerie I'm wearing.
"Rose! What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm following your orders." Still staring in his deep brown eyes and dress myself now, to be honest, I'm feeling better with my casual clothes. "You go first, they don't need to know yet. We'll meet you outside."
I sucked at being a Guardian today, I was behaving like a normal young woman, trying on underwear with my best friend, something I shouldn't do when I'm on duty, seducing and teasing my boyfriend, even though he was also on duty. If this would be a test, I would've failed. I'm not proud of me right now, I was taught otherwise, I was taught to take everything seriously, even shopping with my best friend. I could blame it all on the pregnancy but no, it was me. On the way to the academy, tears are trying to escape, but I quickly blink them away, it was too late, Lissa apparently saw them. She moves closer to me, as best as she can and hugs me.
"I sucked at being your Guardian today Liss. I did everything wrong." I whisper so nobody else can hear us, not even Dimitri.
"I felt totally save with you. I convinced you come with me, and said you should come as my Guardian, but we all know you were there as my best friend, and my moral support." She smiles a bit, she won't use compulsion on me, but her charm mostly because of the element spirit works on everyone, even on me.
"You felt save? But I didn't do anything. I didn't pay enough attention."
"Yes I did, every charge you had, felt save with you. Spokane, you saved 3 people, and yourself. The attack Rose, Christian felt safe, even though he was surrounded by Strigoi, his magic may have helped him but he got weak after time went by. It was all you." We're still whispering, through the bond I can feel a lot of emotions from her side, and I could feel that she really meant it. I'm so overwhelmed and hugged her once more.
"Thank you. You're coming to my trials next week?"
"I wouldn't miss this."
Today is my trial, I can't stand still, Dimitri is on duty until my test. I'm so nervous that I'm going for a walk, but this wasn't a good idea. Turning around, and going back, it was too late.
"Rosemarie." Says a woman with auburn curled hair. Damn. What is she doing here? My bump is already showing a bit, who called my mother? I'm glad she came, but now I need to face her in person with the truth, and the truth is, I'm pregnant by my very hot mentor. Janine Hathaway won't be happy. She will be even more pissed off when she hears who the father is. "Why didn't you tell me you graduate earlier? Headmistress Kirova informed me a couple days ago."
"Mom." I force a little smile "It's no big deal. You could have informed me you're coming."
"I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Oh okay, thanks for coming." I feel like somebody is spying on me, since I'm talking to my mother, but I could also feel there is one more thing why she's here. "Somebody is spying on me since I talk to you, I can feel it. Do you know something?"
"Ibrahim" she's saying more to herself than to me and shook her head. "Couldn't he be even more noticeable?" Janine sighed.
"Who is Ibrahim? I thought Lord Szelzky is your charge?"
"I'll deal with with him okay? My charge is still Lord Szelzky. Now, get ready." I nod and walking away to get ready, opening the door to my room, I almost got a heart attack.
"What are you doing here? You're on duty? Believe me, you need to leave."
"I'm off since 15 minutes. Why should I leave?"
"Janine is here. She surprised me. I would suggest you to run, far away."
"I didn't see that coming. No Roza, I stay."
"You don't understand, my graduation is definitely not the only reason she's here. Then there was a moroi spying on me, too noticeable.. the name was Ibrahim, my mother said she would deal with him. She clearly knows him, maybe too well."
"Don't worry Rose. Focus on the trial, not on your mom or Ibrahim. Get ready."
"You make it sound so easy." I gave him a little kiss and push him out the door with a smile. "See you later."
I'm standing in front of the arena and it makes me shiver. I never felt so nervous before, wet palms. This is huge, I wonder what's inside. Dimitri is making his way to me, taking my hand, interlace our fingers and dragging me inside. Fortunately he realized soon enough what he did and let go. I wouldn't have had the power to let go. I'm on cloud 7 when I'm with him.
"You okay? I'm there, the whole time. I know you can do that."
"Let's get over it." I managed a little smile. "What do I need to do exactly?" I ask Dimitri but instead of him Alberta is answering my question. Works for me too.
"Rose, I'll explain you, You'll guard a moroi from the start to the end, there are gonna be Guardians playing Strigoi, your Moroi is also played by a Guardian. It's not just about your fighting skills today, but you'll find that out soon enough. Good luck."
"Thanks. I'm ready.." I look one last time over the crowd, they're all there, Eddie, Lissa, Christian, Adrian, my mother, this old man named Ibrahim, and Dimitri. I shoot them a smile and step in the main hall of the arena. Let's go. I'm gonna rock this.
My trial reminded me of the night of the strigoi attack, except this time I fought alone against the 'strigoi' not with my moroi. Every guardian held themselves back in the combat, I know why, but it still sucked. Daniel who played the Moroi, made also a very good job, comforting him in doing some risky moves was a lot harder than I thought, every third phrase was 'You can do this. You're doing great.' After an hour my trial was finally done. Dimitri stood already near the exit waiting for me.
"I'm so proud of you Roza. You did great. Couldn't have done it better."
"I had a great teacher, the best actually." He just smiles, one of heart melting smiles, they're so rare when there are people around us, especially my mother. Speaking of the devil, there she comes.
"You were amazing. I'm so, so proud of you." Wow, I wouldn't have expected that. I feel a smile of my own spreading over my lips.
"Now what happens?" I ask
"Now you become a guardian."
I swallow hard, I receive the guardian title when I get the promise mark, but I won't guard anyone, not even Lissa. I'll guard my and Dimitri's son or daughter. Then it hits me, she still needs to know, and most important I need to know who the heck is that old man?
"So Mom, I think we should go for a walk?" looking from the corner of my eyes to Dimitri, hoping he would get the message. "Catching up what happened since we both saw us the last time."
Glad he got the hint. I'm walking away with my mother, about to say something when she speaks and it completely caught me off guard.
"Something's wrong with you, even if I don't know you like Guardian Belikov does or Princess Vasilisa, I sense if something's wrong, call it mother instinct.." And there he is, my knight in shining armor or duster, just in time.
"I'm actually doing fine, really fine, funny you mention Guardian Belikov, because this is gonna be hard for you." My mom has mother instinct or whatever they are called? Okay. New to me.
"Belikov!" she straightens herself and I feel bad for him. Very bad.
"Mom!" I shoot her a furious look "Mother instincts.. well we'll see in 6 months if it's true."
"WHAT? Tell me you're joking Rosemarie Hathaway! Are you throwing yourself at every guy or what?"
"I'm not joking, but now I know what you think of me. At least my baby will grow up with the father, and knowing who he is. I'm not a slut like you think I would be." If gazes could kill, she would be dead. I'm not a whore. Yes, I had always fun with boys, kissed them, but nothing more happened.. Okay Rose, it's now or never. I take Dimitri's hand and interlace our fingers. He stiffens at first but very soon he relaxes. "Look MOM," I formally spit out the word mom "is this joking to you? I mean you were also in this situation." and showing her my very small bump. "That's why I got the permission to graduate earlier, but I never expected Kirova to call you. And I hoped she wouldn't."
"You seriously are pregnant. Are you so stupid to not use a preventive?" Yikes, Janine is really in best form today, where are our baby steps, we made after Spokane? Gone, totally. I drag him away from my mom for about 6 ft to talk to him in private.
"Are you alright Comrade? I mean, I'm sorry to push you into cold water like that."
"I'm fine with it, Roza." He's smiling at me and I know he told the truth. "I also have a feeling your mother's going to have one ugly conversation with me."
"You're about to go face down Strigoi, and my mother's the one you're scared of"
"She's a force to be reckoned with. Where do you think you got it from?"
"It's a wonder you bother with me then."
"You're worth it, believe me." We're going back to her and he had actually the guts to start a conversation with her. Brave.
"Guardian Hathaway..-" Dimitri starts "You know dhampirs can't have children together right? That's what they taught us in school. Right? Teachers are also saying condoms are not necessary when it's about 2 dhampirs because nothing would happen, and we can't get sick."
"That's right, but your goal?"
"I am the father of her unborn child, You know Rose is shadow-kissed, and this status has healed her fertility, she can have kids with our race." I watch him the whole time, while he's speaking with my mother, he's good! And dead soon.
"You had sex with my daughter?" uh oh.. She's furious, very furious. "You bastard! Sick bastard. She wasn't even 18 yet when you touched her. What were you thinking? Ibrahim will kill you!" Yep, like I said, dead very soon but if she or this Ibrahim guy would ever touch Dimitri, then they are dead too.
"STOP!" I yell and point to her chest, hard. "You don't get to call him a bastard, are we clear?" I can't let darkness to win over me, other way I really would kill her. So I squeeze Dimitri's hand, pulling him closer to me and inhale and exhale a few deep breaths. "I get that I'm a shame on you now, it wasn't planned at all, I didn't knew until after it happened that it's possible. I wanted to be Lissa's Guardian, I trained so hard since I was back. Guess what, I'm still pissed off that I can't be Lissa's Guardian now, or a Guardian at all. And believe me, I Rosemarie Hathaway, had so much self-control to not kick, punch someone, or anything what has gotten in the way. And who the fuck is Ibrahim? Why should he kill him?"
Speaking of self-control, Dimitri lost his. He starts laughing, at me not with me, these kind of laughs that brings your heart to melt. "What's so funny Comrade?"
"You and Self-control doesn't match, Roza." He stops laughing but his lips were still twitching "You thought about kicking, punching and all the other stuff, and it helped that you could stake dummies, spare in combat class, spare in our practice."
"You might have a point." I grin up to him before looking to my mother again. "Janine Hathaway is speechless?"
"God, Rose..You can't get pregnant by a Dhampir, I do believe you that it wasn't planned and you want to be the Princess Guardian. You really think you're a shame on me? You aren't! Oh Ibrahim? He's kind of related to you."
"if you think so...wait, he's related to me? Are you telling me that he's my father? Because I don't have any other family." I ask in disbelief but deep down I know the answer, even if I only saw him for a few minutes and didn't even talked to him.
"Yes."
"Good God, you brought my father here..Threaten Dimitri that this Moroi over there would kill him, mom wake up! He's a Russian God! He could take him down."
"I'm what?"
"Nothing"
"You underrate him Rose, Ibrahim Mazur, the Zmey, could kill him, and make it look like an accident."
"Roza, your Mother is right, I know him from Russia. He's a feared and very respected man in the Moroi world. Before you say something, I didn't know he's your father. And no, I didn't wanted to tell you earlier because of your trials."
"Well then, call him, but be quiet, if not, you'll get killed by me, and I'll also make it look like an accident. After all, he's apparently my father and I bet we have a lot in common?" I smiled innocently at her.
"He needs to know. I'll call him over." says my mother
"He doesn't need to know, or not yet.. There are still 6 months left. My decision." I know it's not only my decision, also Dimitri's, but I guess now it is better to leave it like that, if this Zmey is really that bad.
Janine Point of View:
She really is Abe's daughter, her threat, it is like he would have said this, but then again, her actions in the past, and her character, she has more from Abe than from me. I'm shocked, I still can't believe she's really pregnant, from her teacher! I need to report that. Because of Belikov she can't be a Guardian, except if she will give the child to an academy. I'm a Guardian, I need to do the right thing, means, report the father. For her own good, but it's also very clear that she loves him, she won't forgive me, and I'll never meet my grandchild. The baby steps we made, are gone then. I need to talk again to Guardian Belikov, finding out what are his intentions with my daughter, after this talk I'll make my decision. A tough one, losing my daughter and the grandchild she's carrying. I'm just wondering if Guardian Petrov knows who the dad is.
"If you think so." It isn't a good idea to not tell him. "Rose, do you mind if I talk to Guardian Belikov, alone?"
"An interrogation? Are you serious Mom? That's ridiculous." She looks up at him, he nods and smiles lightly. I never saw him smiling, except when he's with Rosemarie.
"Roza, like I said before, you are worth it." he's whispering but I could hear their conversation. "You are worth every interrogation." She nods and squeezes his hand before we walk away.
"So Guardian Belikov, is it just a fling for you?" I ask with my Guardian mask on, like he has his on too. In that moment Ibrahim comes running to us. Great.
"Actually," he says casually. "I'd like to come along. I also have a number of questions."
"No, Rose isn't a fling, I fell in love with her, already after a few weeks she was back at the academy. I tried to deny it, to get her out of my mind because we're both going to be Princess Vasilisa's Guardians, I'm older than her and I'm her mentor. As you know Guardian Hathaway, I even considered taking Natasha Ozera's offer, but in the end, I told no to her."
"Why, I thought she was in love with you?" I ask Dimitri. I'm clearly confused. Why saying no to such an offer? Someone like me, realized that she was into him, even though I didn't saw her that much.
"Yes, she was. Is. And that's why I had to say no. I couldn't return that. Couldn't give her what she wanted when my heart is somewhere else."
"You clearly love my daughter, I can speak for Janine and for me when I say that. But.. Did you also sleep with her?" Asked Abe suddenly, this isn't going to end well. I know the answer, but he doesn't. Yet.
"Yes, I did." he slightly nods. Brave Belikov, hope you wrote already your testament. "We both wanted it." That won't help.
"So you're the father? Guardians are speaking. A lot. Her pregnancy is a hot topic around here," He doesn't seem angry, but I can puzzle his emotions, strange, why not angry? Now he turns to me. "And she doesn't seems to me like a girl who sleeps herself around. Janine!" He spit my name out, with pure anger in his voice.
Author's Note.
I just found out, with copy paste from Wattpad to FFN there are sometimes words missing afterwards, so if you see a sentence and it feels like it doesn't make sense, I'm really sorry. I edited this chapter again and sometimes only ONE word can make a lot of difference. And even the autocorrect changed some words without me realizing it after paste.
I'm definitely gonna check the chapters here at FFN more closely before posting.