I shifted uncomfortably as I watched the Royals mingle. I felt like a kid playing dress-up compared to everyone else. Lissa was just as stunning as any princess should be in her pastel pink dress. Lissa floated from group to group, charming her way through each group.
"Are you alright?"
I looked to the side and found Dimitri standing next to me, standing in a guarding position but still attentive to me.
"I just feel out of place," I said with a shrug.
"I never expected you to be standing in the corner, especially dressed like that," Dimitri said quietly, giving me a soft look.
"Yeah, well I feel like I look like an idiot."
"You look beautiful," Dimitri said firmly.
I smiled to myself and let my arms loosen from around my waist. I felt like I needed to hide my stomach even though I wasn't far along enough to show. I rolled my shoulders back and discreetly adjusted the chest of my dress. Dimitri's eyes followed the motion and caught my grimace.
"What is it?"
I blushed a little, not wanting to mention it because I felt awkward, but I shouldn't have. He had seen me naked. He was partly why I was in this position.
"My boobs hurt and are swollen. The dress is a little too snug in the chest," I whispered and chewed on my lip. Dimitri turned his head a fraction and frowned a little.
"I'm sorry," he said and I could tell that he meant it.
"It's not your fault."
"Kind of is,' Dimitri replied, his eyes flicking down to my stomach. I blushed again and gave him a playful look.
"Right. I guess you are to blame. And then you're to blame for the puking and the weird dreams and the tiredness," I said with a smirk. "Does that mean I get to blame you when I get fat?"
Dimitri laughed quietly while his eyes moved over the room, taking in everything around us.
"Yes. But I doubt you'd be fat."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah? Tell me that in five months from now when I can't see my feet or put my own shoes on. With my luck, this kid will be huge just like you," I said before realizing the double meaning in my words. I giggled when Dimitri laughed too, sparring him a look.
Dimitri gestured to the dance floor. "You should get back to the party. You'll be missed."
I nodded and gave him a short smile and walked back into the crowd in search of Lissa.
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When the party had finally dwindled down, Lissa said she was ready to go back to our rooms. I was all too excited to agree. Lissa collected her wrap and clutch and I wrapped my arm around my waist. I hadn't thought about bringing a jacket. It was cooler than I thought it would be.
Dimitri nudged my shoulder, and I looked behind me to see his suit jacket in his hand. I shook my head, but he pushed it at me.
"Take it."
I took it with a quiet thanks and slipped it on, subtly taking in a breath. It smelled like freshly washed linen and him. I could barely keep my eyes open as we walked. Lissa gave me a sympathetic look as we walked, coming up to me and linking her arms around my waist.
"I don't know why you're so tired, how about we sleep in tomorrow?"
"That sounds fantastic!" I groaned. Lissa chuckled at me and rested her head against mine when someone walked into our path. Instinct kicked in and I pushed Lissa behind me while Dimitri stepped in front of us.
"I thought I had made myself clear," the man called out, "But clearly you're too stupid to listen to my warning."
"Who is that?" I asked Dimitri. I recognized him but I couldn't place him. "Is that him?"
"Rose, take the Princess back to your rooms. Do not make any detours," Dimitri said calmly, reaching behind him to rest his hand on me briefly. His hand rested against my stomach for a moment before moving the two of us back.
"Wait!" Lissa said slipping from behind me, and stepping in front of Dimitri to face him.
"Is this who threatened you?!" Lissa demanded. I looked up at him before moving towards Lissa, my eyes flitting from her to the man in front of us. Dimitri didn't answer but his silence was enough. Lissa turned on her heel and turned her gaze to the man.
Lissa took calculated steps towards him, and Dimitri and I followed after her, my hand gripping onto her shoulder.
"I don't know who you think you are, but you do not get to threaten my Guardian. I can promise you, that I will make your life hell. I suggest you take your despicable behaviour and leave Court," Lissa said firmly, the compulsion in her voice so heavy that feeling her Spirit vibrated through me violently. I stumbled backwards a little at the force and fell back into Dimitri.
The man laughed, tipping his head back as he did so.
"I had heard that the Dragomir Princess was skilled in compulsion, but that was impressive, if only it worked," he said with a smirk. He advanced us and Dimitri and I both moved for Lissa when someone called out to us.
"Ibrahim?"
I turned to find Janine a few steps away, conflict clear on her face. Janine looked from me and then to Dimitri, her eyes flitting around the three of us quickly.
"What are you doing?"
"We were just-"
"I wasn't speaking to you," Janine said sharply to me, coming towards us and standing between us and him, Ibrahim.
"Janine," he said with a Cheshire smile, but even from behind her I could tell how unimpressed she was.
"Don't," she snapped, "I made my wishes very clear. You were not to ever come near her!"
I looked at Janine and saw how rigid she was standing. I wanted to intervene but knew better too.
"Come now Janine, she's a young woman now."
"I don't care. I told you that you were never to approach her; that you were never to intervene. I made myself very clear, didn't I?" Janine spat, walking closer to him as she spoke. Dimitri moved between us, putting Lissa and me behind him.
"Janine."
"No!" she snapped, "I've heard enough! You threatened a Guardian, someone that Rose cares about very much. Someone that is my college! You had no right," Janine exclaimed, her hands flying out in anger.
"I had every right!" he snapped, jabbing his finger at Dimitri, "He was inappropriate with her. I saw them!"
Janine glanced over her shoulder briefly before looking back at him.
"I don't doubt that. And I can assure you that it was consensual, whatever you saw. But I am her parent, not you. There are worse people my daughter could be involved with. She could have ended up with a man like you," Janine hissed before turning to us and put her arm around Lissa and me.
"We are leaving. And if I hear anything of the sort that you have threatened Guardian Belikov, or his family again, I will make sure you regret it," Janine said boldly before leading us away. Dimitri brought up the rear, his hand on my shoulder as we walked. I looked back over my shoulder at the man in the flashy clothes as he stayed in his place, eyes hard on me. I turned back quickly and sped up a bit and stuck close to Lissa.
When we got back to guest housing, Lissa excused herself to get ready for bed while Janine sighed and sank down into a chair, resting her head in her hands. I slipped out of my shoes and wiggled my toes in the carpet and walked towards her, sinking down in the chair across from her.
"Mom?" I asked hesitantly. Janine took a deep breath and lifted her head, her hands laced loosely between her knees.
"Did he hurt you?"
I shook my head. "No. Who was that?"
"A snake of my past," she said quietly, frowning a little. I knitted my brows together and her eyes moved to Dimitri, her face hardening the slightest bit.
"I need you both to be perfectly honest with me," Janine said tiredly, "Is there something going on between you?
I looked at Dimitri and waited for him to look at me before responding. "There was."
"Was?"
"Until Zmey threatened my family if I didn't cut all ties with Rose. Friendship, everything. He threatened my mother, my sisters, and their children. I know what kind of man he is," Dimitri explained, and I could hear the sadness creep into his voice. Janine nodded along as he spoke, and she turned her eyes to me.
"Anything you like to add?"
I flicked my eyes back to Dimitri and was stuck. Should I tell her? Or would he prefer to keep his involvement a secret?
"I'm the baby's father," Dimitri said, giving me a hint of a smile. I gave him a tentative smile too. We hadn't had a chance to talk about the baby, but maybe we would have that time soon.
Janine took a deep breath through her nose and pinched her lips together.
"I am in no way condoning this," she said firmly, looking at the two of us. "What exactly did he see?"
"He saw us kiss," Dimitri said, "We had been doing our practices outside because of the nice weather. We were out by the lake and were practicing and we kissed. We didn't think there was anyone out there."
Janine sighed and looked even more tired than before. "How long has this been happening?"
"Well..."
"Rosemarie."
"Remember the trial? And Victor made a comment."
"Yes. I remember. What about it?"
"That night Victor laced a necklace he bought me with a lust charm. Dimitri figured it out before we went too far, but it went pretty far," I said rubbing my hands over the skirt of my dress, shifting uncomfortably.
"And after that?"
"We fought against it, our feelings I mean. I already had feelings for Dimitri when that happened, and it was like the charm just made all of our feelings stronger. Dimitri did deny me though," I said smirking at him.
"I kissed him before Christmas and that's why we weren't speaking then, he was mad at me because I wouldn't let up."
"I wasn't exactly angry," Dimitri pointed out but I gave him a pointed look. "After Spokane, we patched things up a bit and our relationship didn't actually start until the night of the attack."
Janine shook her head. "That's what you meant."
"Huh?"
"Nothing," she said quickly. "The bigger problem is that I don't trust Ibrahim. And I think it would be best for me to ask some favours. I can't say for sure what Ibrahim will do, but I want someone watching your family, Belikov."
"Why would you risk that?" he asked.
"Because if things go the way I want, I want my grandchild to be able to have a relationship with their father and their family."
I gave my mother a small smile and reached my hand out, resting my hand on hers. "Thank you."
"Why didn't the Princess' compulsion work on Zmey?"
Janine sighed and leaned back into the chair and pulled her hair out of the small bun she had it in.
"The same reason why compulsion doesn't work on Rose. He wears a charm. Rose wears my Nazar, and he has one similar. It was a gift, and I felt it was safer if Rose had it."
"So, while he's wearing it, compulsion doesn't work?" I asked.
"That's correct, but that's enough for tonight," Janine said and stood up, "You need to sleep. And you," Janine said pointing at Dimitri, "Are to meet me in the morning while these two are having breakfast. We need to have a chat."
I nodded and watched her leave, shutting the door softly behind her. I probed the bond carefully to see if Lissa had fallen asleep yet. It was safe to say because when I poked through, I saw Andre's face. She was dreaming, and I quickly pulled out to give her that privacy.
I sighed and stood up, pulling the pins from the back of my head and running my fingers through my curls. I looked at Dimitri tiredly and gave him a mute smile.
"I'm going to get ready for bed," I said quietly. Dimitri nodded and gave me an equally mute smile.
"Okay, sleep well," he said not moving from his spot. I shifted on my feet and chewed my lip, looking at him longingly.
"I know that with everything..." I started but trailed off, shaking my head the slightest bit.
"With everything what?"
I rubbed my toes over my other foot and toyed with the ends of my hair with on hair. "Will you stay with me?"
Dimitri had a solum look. "Roza."
I nodded and waved my hand. "Never mind, it's fine," I said and turned to go into my room, shutting the door behind me. I shook my head to myself and moved into the bathroom, turning on the shower, undressing, and getting into the shower.
I scrubbed the makeup off and leaned my head against the shower wall. I was tired of feeling alone. I understood why Dimitri was a little distant, but I had so many thoughts and emotions flowing through me that I didn't know how to process it all.
Crying in the shower didn't really feel like crying because of the hot spray of the water. Once I decided I had stayed in the shower for too long, I got out and dressed for bed, taking a moment to do what Janine said and moisturized my skin.
When I came out I wasn't expecting Dimitri to be sitting on the end of the bed. He wasn't looking at me but at the floor. I flicked the light out for the bathroom and cleared my throat quietly. Dimitri looked up and met my eyes.
"What are you doing?" I asked twisting my fingers.
"Doing what I should have done last week," Dimitri said and stood up, rounding the bed and turning the covers down. As he walked I noticed that he had changed too and put on clothes for bed. I watched him move and stayed in my spot, not really sure what to do from there.
Dimitri finished setting the decorative pillows on the bench across from the bed and held his hand out to me. I moved away from the wall and walked towards the bed, climbing onto the side closest to me and sitting near the top of it. Dimitri joined me on the other side and stretched out, getting comfortable on the mattress. I moved slowly and laid down next to him, rolling onto my side. He matched me and rested his head on his folded arm.
I gave him a small smile and pulled the blanket up, getting comfy in my spot.
"Other than what you told me at the party, how have you been feeling?" Dimitri asked quietly.
I shrugged. "Tired mostly. I feel like I could sleep for a month and still be tired. Food in the morning is still a little tough, and I haven't been sleeping well. I've been really emotional too, which I'm not fond of," I said tiredly, tucking my hand under my head.
Dimitri nodded and brushed his knuckles over my wrist. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for. Really," I said quietly, letting my eyes close. The smell of him was soothing and the mattress was so comfortable that I had been falling asleep easily here.
"Have you had any scans or assessments yet?" Dimitri asked.
I shook my head. "No. I'm supposed to have an appointment with Dr. Olendzki when we get back. She wants to do what she can before consulting a specialist."
"A specialist?"
"She said she doesn't have the equipment or the experience to be my primary doctor. She said that there is a Moroi doctor in Missoula who said they would take on my case. She also said that this doctor would understand the 'delicacy' of the situation."
Dimitri nodded again and ran his fingers over my wrist again. "I'm glad she was able to get a plan in place. It will take some stress off," Dimitri said.
"How have you been feeling about all of this? Everyone that knows has been asking me how I'm doing, but nobody has asked you."
Dimitri pursed his lips. "I'm okay, all things considered. I've been more concerned about you."
I shrugged. It didn't really seem like he was, but I guess he was just trying to protect his family.
"You have?"
"Of course. It may be hard for me to process what's happening, I couldn't imagine what it's like for you. It must be scary."
"It is. But it is what it is."
Dimitri's hand moved from my wrist and up to my cheek, cupping it softly and stroking his thumb over my face.
"I'm here, you won't have to do this alone," he said and pulled me a little closer, pulling my face to his chest. I cuddled closer to him and slipped my arm around his waist, resting my ear against his chest.
"Will you come with me? I'm supposed to be escorted by a Guardian and I don't know if Mom will be able to go."
Dimitri's hand was warm on my back, his fingers moving so gently that it was like a whisper against my skin.
"I'll see what I can do to get my schedule switched around. I will do everything I can to be there."
I smiled to myself and looked up at him. "Thank you."
Dimitri nodded and kissed my forehead. When he pulled away and gave me a small smile and then leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.
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