When he was again standing in front of me my father said, "I am so proud of you kizim and again thank you for doing this. I know that you are scared and worried but you will make the most amazing queen that our world has ever known." (my daughter)
Then I was surrounded by the people who were not only my biological family, but also those that had become my emotional family.
"Thank you all so much. I don't know how I would be able to do any of this without all of you."
"You are an amazing woman Thorn. You always have been; you will do just fine." Donnie said.
"Thanks Donnie."
I looked at my father again. "Now what do I do?"
"Now, we all need to get our cloaks on, we will be landing in a few minutes. Now, when we land no one cloaked can speak. Richard, when someone asks questions you will be the one to answer them."
"Yes, sir."
"All guardians surround Rose. Adrian, Mia, Chris and Sonya stay covered and quiet but a little away from Rose. So that no one gets her mixed up with any of you as no one will be able to see any of our faces. Also, keep your hands hidden."
The fasten seat belt light came on and the captain announced that we were coming around to make our landing.
My hands shook but my baba saw it and took my hand in his in a show of trust, solidarity and love. "It will be fine kizim, just take a deep breath." (father, my daughter)
I did as he said, but my nerves still made my stomach roll.
Too soon, as far as I was concerned, we were on the ground and taxiing down the runway. "I think I am going to be sick." I whispered to my father.
"You are royalty Rose, just take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth, and make all of them respect you. They may not all like you, but you force them to respect you."
"You are right baba, thank you. I don't know what I would do without you." (daddy)
"That is something that you will not have to worry about for a very long time to come kiz bebek." (baby girl)
"Did you talk to mom?"
"Yes, and I will say that she is less than a little pleased with me."
"Did you tell her she has to retire?"
"Yes, she will be joining us sometime within the next few days. She has already put in her resignation but there will be more paperwork for her to fill out once she gets to court. And she promised that she will be at your coronation. She actually said, 'Satan and all his minions couldn't make me miss that.' Then he laughed hysterically.
I laughed with him, "thank you again, baba." (daddy)
"Nothing to thank me for little girl, that is what fathers are for." After that we stopped talking. Everyone already knew what they were supposed to do so there was no need for more words.
Richard, Mishka, Donnie, Ben and Eddie exited first. Then my father, who waited at the bottom of the stairs for me with his hand out to help me off the stairs. Once I was down I was surrounded by my four present guardians.
Richard being the only one without a cloak, Dimitri walked up to him. "I am the princess's head guardian Dimitri Belikov. Which one is Princess Ivashkov?"
Richard pointed at me and Dimitri walked over to me. "Princess Ivashkov."
He bowed so gracefully, just like he does everything else. I will still never understand how someone who is as tall as he is could possibly be so graceful at everything.
"Princess Ivashkov, I am the head of your royal guardians, Dimitri Belikov. I give you my solemn vow that I will protect you to the best of my abilities for as long as you need me." I nodded at him.
"Please allow me to introduce the rest of your core team of guardians. Guardian Alberta Petrova, guardian Petrova was head guardian at St. Vladimir's for over twenty years. Guardian Yuri Lazlo, also a guardian of high rank at St. Vladimir's academy for thirteen years. This is Guardian Emil Pierre, another guardian of high rank from St. Vladimir's he also served there for thirteen years. This is Guardian Celeste Maynard, yet another guardian from St. Vladimir's, she served with great distinction for ten years. And finally Guardian Serena Morgan, also a former St. Vladimir's guardian, she also served with distinction for ten years. The six of us, along with your present four guardians will be with you as your core team. Is there anything you need before we escort you to your aunt, her royal majesty Queen Tatiana Ivashkov?" I shook my head at him.
"Very well, please follow me and we will get you into the SUV. I will be driving, your previous four guardians and anyone else that you wish, may accompany you in the middle SUV. Everyone else will be spread out between the other two."
Again, I nodded at him, I turned to my baba and he knew what I was asking so he nodded to me. So, it would be Dimitri, Eddie, Mishka, Donnie, Ben, baba and myself in one SUV. Everyone else would either be in the lead or following SUV. (father, daddy)
When we arrived at the SUV, Dimitri opened my door for me. When he offered me his hand to help me into the waiting SUV I gave him my freshly manicured hand with blood red metallic painted nails.
As soon as our hands touched the familiar sparks flew between us. When Dimitri felt it, his head jerked up trying to see my face inside my hood but eventually he gave up and helped me into the SUV.
As we rode straight from the airstrip to the palace, Dimitri kept looking at me in the rearview mirror. Once we arrived at the palace we were led straight to Aunt Tati's office. When we walked in I could see the happy tears in Aunt Tati's eyes. It had been several months since we had seen each other after all.
"Oh, my little one, you are finally here. Which one is my niece?"
I raised my hand.
"There you are."
She walked up and hugged me. "I have missed you so much child."
From the reflection in the window I could see that everyone that had arrived with me was behind Dimitri and the others.
"Did you get the chance to meet your new additional guardians?"
I nodded.
"Did they meet you?" This time I shook my head.
Again, looking at the reflections in the window, I watched as my family removed their cloaks. My aunt turned me around to face the room. "Newly assigned guardians, please allow me to introduce you to my niece, the Princess Rosemarie Rana Marisol Ivashkov, our future queen."
When she introduced me, I lowered the hood of my cloak before removing the cloak entirely and laying it across the back of a nearby sofa.
Dimitri and the others gasped loudly, as I smiled at all of them. I then walked over to Alberta.
Alberta wasn't a woman to show her emotions, especially not in front of others, but I saw the tears in her eyes.
"Mommy Allie?"
She captured my face in her hands. "Rose?"
I nodded at her and she pulled me into a fierce hug. "Oh Rose, I have been so worried about you."
"I am sorry to have worried you mommy Allie, but I did what I had to do."
"I know you did child, you always do, and it is all right. Just please don't do that again. That is three times, and I don't think that my heart could take a fourth."
She ran her hands down my face, "my baby girl," and again I was pulled into a hug.
After Alberta hugged me again, I was passed around from Alberta to Yuri to Celeste to Emil and finally to Serena.
All of whom hugged me, and told me how glad they were that I was all right and home.
Serena spoke up. "Kido, you have really got to stop with the disappearing acts, you are going to make us all old and gray before our time."
Everyone in the room laughed as she hugged me again.
I was afraid to look at Dimitri but I finally did. And when I did the world disappeared, just as it always does when the two of us look at each other, more especially when we touch each other.
"Roza?"
I smiled a little and nodded at him. "Where have you been Roza? No, scratch that, I know where you've been. You have been fighting strigoi."
He took my hands in his and looked me over searching for injuries.
"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
I shook my head.
"Please say something Roza."
"Comrade." I whispered, and with that one word a damn burst inside both of us.
He crushed me to his chest as tears rolled down his face. Saying my Russian name over and over again like a prayer. "Roza, Roza, my Roza."
The way he emphasized the word 'my', made it sound so very possessive and protective that it made my heart race.
Then he started speaking Russian. When I heard his words I was so glad that my baba had taught me to speak Russian. "ozhe, pomogi mne; YA lyublyu tebya tak sil'no. Ne ostavlyay menya snova, Roza."(father, God help me; I love you so much. Please, don't you leave me ever again Roza.)
"Net, ya bol'she nikogda tebya ne ostavlyay, ya tak lyublyu tebya, tovarishch. Pozhaluysta, nikogda ne otpuskay menya Dimitriy. Obeshchay mne, chto ty bol'she nikogda menya ne otpustish'" I said, as I wiped his tears away. (No, I will never leave you again, I love you so much Comrade. Please don't ever let me go Dimitri. Promise me you will never let me go again.)
I could tell by his sudden pull back, and the look of shock on his face. That he was stunned that I not only understood his words but that I could respond to him appropriately.
"Bozhe, ya tak sil'no tebya lyublyu, moy sobstvennyy mstitel'nyy angel. YA nikogda ne otpushchu tebya ot moikh ruk, kogda-libo snova, moya Roza." (God, I love you so much, my very own avenging angel. I am never, letting you out of my arms, ever again, my Roza.) Dimitri and I stood there in each other's arms, quite literally afraid to let go of each other.
When I looked up at him I saw more tears in his beautiful dark chocolate brown eyes. "
"Pozhaluysta, ne plach' moyu lyubov'." (Please don't cry my love.)
"Kak ya mogu, Roza? Iz-za moyey gluposti my poteryali stol'ko vremeni. Milaya, mne tak ochen' zhal', kak ya k tebe otnosilsya. Mne ochen' zhal' rebenka. Pozhaluysta, pozhaluysta, prostite menya." (How can I not, Roza? We have lost so much time, because of my stupidity. Milaya, I am so so very sorry for the way I treated you. I am so sorry baby. Please please please forgive me?)
"Vy davno proshcheny, moy russkiy plyushevyy medved' srazhayetsya s Bogom." (You were forgiven a long time ago, my Russian teddy bear battle God.)
He laughed, "I have missed you so much milaya moya." (my dearest)
"I have missed you too, Comrade, more than you can even imagine."
Then his amazingly soft but firm and hungry lips took possession of mine, and the world ceased to exist. The only thing that existed for either of us was each other.
After our kiss ended and we pulled back, Dimitri still refused to let me out of his arms. Although, it wasn't like I was really trying to escape I was quite comfortable and happy where I was. These arms that were covered in rippling muscles and could break bones in microseconds, but were gentle as feathers with me. Were my refuge, my sanctuary, my home looking into his eyes I felt all of his overpowering love for me.
"I love you too, Comrade." He looked stunned at first but then he relaxed with a smile.
"You are still reading me like I am an open book, lyubov' moya." (my love)
Smiling I said, "actually, I don't even have to look at you anymore to know what you are thinking."
Dimitri and the new arrivals all looked confused. "What do you mean milaya moya?" (my dearest)
"I can actually read your mind now." I watched as all of their mouths fell open.
"How is that possible" Alberta asked. She was wondering if I could show them.
"Yes, mommy Allie, I can show you if you like."