A Russian Christmas

Christmas was how it usually was ever since I left Russia, lonely. The Americans celebrate on the 25th of December so the majority of students had gone home for two weeks to be with their families. Seeing as Rose's mother wouldn't abandon her charge in a million years, Rose was left in the Academy. The both of us chose to increase training during this time. The need to distract ourselves was one we found both understood. Of course on her Christmas Day I gave her the day off and she spent the full day with the Princess Vasylisa. I caught a few glimpses of her throughout the day. She looked content and happy playing about in the snow with her best friend. Her laugh was something so pure that it was an honour to see it even from a distance.

My heart did hurt for Ivan though as I recalled our many days in the Academy together. Our relationship was as close as Vasylisa and Rose. Lacking the magical bond of course. I missed him on days like this but I smiled at the memories.

Today however was on of the hardest. January 7th was Christmas for me and I could feel an almost surrealness to the difference of the two. The guardians had returned to their usual business selves since the majority of the students would be returning tomorrow. Their frantic nature mirrored the nature that had appeared on the 25th but the harsh reality of the job at hand was one I could not forget.

I had chosen to release Rose from daily trainings to allow her to prepare for the new term. She seemed pleased with herself and she deserved to. Her improvement over just two weeks had allowed her to master what had taken her classmates months to learn. She truly was a remarkable warrior. I wish some of the other guardians could see her potential like I could. Or perhaps I was slightly biased. But I did know that mentors tend to be harsher on their novices when it came to praise. To me anyway she was most likely the best novice I had seen since my time as a trainer and had even surpassed a few fully fledged guardians with her knowledge and dedication. Not to mention her grace when fighting. She was truly beautiful when her mind was focused. I could see it in her. A passion and fire that burned and silenced anything and everything that wasn't her foe and the fight at hand. Okay maybe I am a little biased. But that doesn't make it any less true.

I had called my mother and sisters the night before and I did not wish to interrupt their plans for Christmas with my lonely chatter so I decided to console myself with a full day of John Wayne movies. I hadn't had much time to look at them as of late but I liked the idea of distracting myself with the ever familiar accents and words. Or at least that was until there was a faint knock on my door.

"Dimitri?" A voice I never thought I would hear in such uncertainty called my name and I was off my couch and at the door in seconds. The door creaked slightly but as I barely noticed as it revealed the one person who could possibly cheer me up on a day like today.

"Rose." I said with a small smile, there was slight concern in me but it began to die as I noticed the small twinkle in her eye.

"Are you busy at the moment?" She asked, her voice still had a little hesitation in it. I looked to my left at where I had prepared to spend the day with my favourite cowboy.

"Not in the slightest" I replied with a smile. I realised at this point I would follow her to the ends of the earth. Especially with the way her lips were turned. Her grin made it even better and I almost thought she was reaching for my hand as she threw a "Come on then, Comrade"

She led me out of the guardian quarters and into the forest, thankfully there wasn't anyone around to see us go in. I doubted I could explain such a thing to the guardians if they asked.

Deeper in she led me and I almost couldn't see with the darkness of the day but something caught my eye. A slowing light in the distance.

"Rose...wh..--

"Shh Comrade" she interrupted with a smirk on her face "All in good time"

And indeed, a minute later we happened upon a small area where the trees covered the ground. The snow hadn't fallen here but my eyes were caught by the twinkling lights that were wound through the surrounding trees. It was still dark but held a magical glow that reminded me of the moonlight from home. When it did snow and the light reflected back at 3am. My mother and I decorating our home before neighbours arrived. My eyes nearly filled with tears and I distracted myself with surveying the area. A blanket lay on the ground. It was think and I realised it was there to protect sitters from the discomfort of the rocky ground. Upon the blanket Kay a small scarlet box with silver ribbon.

Seeing my face, Rose decided it was time that she broke down a few of our walls just for awhile. She took my hand in hers and as my eyes fixed on her face she whispered so I could only just hear her "Merry Christmas, Dimitri"

The shock was evident on my face "You did...all of this.. For me?"

She smiled softly "I figured since Siberia is so far away and the fact your people have a messed up Christmas date... Well, I figured you might be a bit left out in the celebrations."

"Roza..." I managed barely audible. "Thank you"

With this she grinned and pulled me towards the blanket. "Don't thank me yet, you haven't even opened your present!"

I laughed softly at her enthusiasm but in all honesty I was so touched by what she had done that I was still slightly in shock. I sat on the blanket beside her as she handed me the scarlet box. It was barely the size of my palm. And her look of eagerness banished my thoughts of stating how she shouldn't have and all that other stuff.

I pulled on the ribbon and carefully removed the lid. Inside sat a small silver charm of a rose. It was beautiful. It didn't look expensive but looked used, or rather loved. I looked up at her my eyes in an almost question. This charm had a story I was sure of it.

She nodded answering my question in the way that she does. "Lissa gave me this charm a few months after I met her. She doesn't even remember but I've carried everywhere with me. Through my happy times and my not so happy times. I want you to have it. I'm not even sure why but it just feels right." As she said this she was looking at the charm but now her eyes looked right into mine and I understood. This charm meant the world to her and now she was giving it to me.

I happened to have a thin string of fabric from my earlier clean up of the church. I had found it on the ground. I took it out of my pocket and strung the charm onto it fastening it in such a way to make a chain. I gently put it over my head and around my neck. My hand firmly clasped around the charm itself. "I will guard it with my life" I whispered fiercely. Wanting her to know that I knew how important it was to her and I was honoured.

She smiled and I realised she got the message. But now I was panicking. I had never got anything for her. I knew she wasn't looking for anything but she had given me something so precious and I hadn't even thought about it.

"Roza...I.. Wait." Rose was a little shocked by my sudden change from whisper to urgency. I rolled up the sleeve of my left arm and removed the bracelet that belonged to Yeva, my grandmother. She had made it herself from leather and string. She told me when I left Russia that it would be my link to home. But now as I sat in front of the beautiful, caring woman that had stolen my heart. As much as I missed Baia and my family, Rose was my home. This bracelet would link me to her and her to me.

"This belongs to my grandmother, it was meant for you." Rose looked more surprised as before and as I held out my hand requesting her wrist she gave it out if shock rather than compliance. I carefully placed the bracelet on her wrist and tightened it to fit. Our hands lingered together and I decided to forget about all the rules and barriers that separated us, even if tomorrow we must pretend to return, today was Christmas. And with that I pulled her close. "I love you Rose Hathaway" I whispered before capturing her lips with mine. I felt her smile and I felt small tears escaping from the both of us. Only around each other were we so weak and yet so strong. Only around her would my heart soar so high I doubted it would recover.

When we separated we smiled and laughed. I told her all about Baia and about our little traditions. She told me about spending Christmases with the Dragomirs. We sat there for hours, only deciding to leave when her teeth began to chatter with the cold.

And yes the next day we had to return to our boundaries and our rules but as she fought I noticed that she always wore Yeva's bracelet and I never took off her charm.

It was the best Christmas ever.