Queen Thorn (complete)

Chapter 4

"Dimitri, if you still loved her you would be with her now."

Dimitri's eyes danced with fire and fury as he told her, "I have already told you that if I knew where she was that I would join her in less than half a heartbeat. The fact that I don't know where she is, is the only reason that I am still here."

"Vasilisa, is all of this true?"

"Yes, your majesty." She answered sadly.

"So, you basically just lied to me in an attempt to keep Guardian Belikov within your grasp. Is that also true?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"Do you understand that our guardians are not to be used as concubines?"

"Yes, your majesty I understand that, but that was not what I was doing. I care about Dimitri a great deal, and I thought that in time he would come to care about me as well."

"Well, apparently he has told you repeatedly over the last almost three years that Guardian Hathaway has been away that he does not care about you in that way and that he is still in love with Guardian Hathaway. What about that is so difficult for you to understand?"

"Everyone always takes her side, what has she ever done that was worthwhile? She is just a blood whore and a dhampir."

"I am shocked at you princess, as I am sure that your family would be. The only reason that either you or Guardian Belikov are alive is because of Guardian Hathaway. Just because she allowed you to feed from her, to keep you alive does not make her a blood whore. It makes her a hero, not many guardians would be willing to do that for their charge. And she did this before she even technically became a guardian. So, you should be grateful that she was willing to do that for you. And if I ever hear her referred to like that again, I will have you put into a cell. Also, you do know that lying to the queen is against our laws do you not?"

"Yes, your majesty." A thoroughly chastised princess responded. And she did know, she was just hoping that she wouldn't get caught and that Dimitri would call her out on her lie.

"Very well, as your punishment. You are to 'volunteer' in the hospital for one hundred and forty hours a month for the next six months. Do you understand this princess?" I could tell that both Dimitri and Aunt Tati were taking great delight in this because they were both furious that Lissa had called me a blood whore.

"Yes, your majesty."

"Good. Now, Guardian Belikov do you stay with the princess or do you have your own apartment?"

"I have my own apartment your majesty."

"Good, please go and pack your belongings and get plenty of rest. So, that you are ready to begin your new assignment in your new home as soon as your new charge arrives."

"Yes, your majesty." Dimitri quickly left the room and Aunt Tati called for Ryan to come and take his new charge home.

Just before Lissa walked out the door Aunt Tati said, "princess, someone will be watching you just to make sure that you live up to your punishment. Do you understand?"

"Yes, your majesty." Lissa answered sadly.

Once Lissa walked out of the room I was released. But not before I heard my aunt thinking, "I hope you saw and heard all of that Rose."

*MEDITATION VISION ENDS*

Sooner than I would like, my friends and now guardians, all boarded the jet headed for court.

"Kiz bebek, I brought you some things that you will need to change into before we land. There is a garment bag hanging up in the bedroom it has a pants suit, a blouse and heels in it. Once you are dressed and have your hair and makeup done, I will place your tiara upon your head. Before the door of the jet opens; you, Adrian, Chris, Eddie, Mia, Sonya, Mikhail, Spiridon, Ben, Pavel, Sergei and I must all put cloaks on to cover our identities. Tati does not want anyone to be able to figure out who any of us are before they should. Once we are inside of her office she will take it from there." (baby girl)

"All right baba." (daddy)

"We land in an hour and a half so you should go start getting ready kiz bebek." My father told me after waking me up eight and a half hours later. (baby girl)

I sighed, my stomach was doing flips because I was so nervous about how everyone would react to our return, especially Dimitri. My stomach tied itself in more and more knots as I got dressed and fixed my hair and makeup.

As I walked out of the onboard bedroom and back into the cabin of the plane everyone gasped at me. My father had provided me with a black pinstriped pants suit, with a blood red lace V-neck tank top and a pair of six inch Jimmy Choo red pumps. When I walked in, he stood up and walked over to me carrying a black velvet box.

"Pavel, would you mind?"

"No, of course not." He answered as he also came to stand near me.

Pavel held the box as my father opened it. Inside, nestled on a bed of red silk, was the most beautiful tiara that I had ever seen. It was even more beautiful than Lissa's. That thought made me smirk internally.

It was sold gold with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and my birthstone aquamarines all over it. The gold was twisted into rose vines and the leaves were lined with small baguette cut diamonds. In the center of some of the leaves were teardrop shaped sapphires and aquamarines. The focal stone at the top of the tiara was easily a ten carat teardrop shaped ruby, a Ivashkov red ruby to be exact. With a smaller, five carat tear drop shaped sapphire on one side, and on the other was a matching diamond.

Baba lifted the tiara from the box and Pavel backed away. "On this day I pass the mantle of reign from father to daughter. My beautiful daughter, Rosemarie Rana Marisol Ivashkov, you are now the reigning princess of the Ivashkov family and soon to become our queen. Long and safely may you reign, my beautiful little girl." With those words he and everyone else kneeled. (daddy)

"You guys get up."

"Rose, you will have to say rise before we can do that." My baba instructed. (father) 

"Rise."