Bless her heart she looked stunned out of her mind. Just like all the other non-royals and non-guardian dhampirs we had asked.
"Your majesties I would love to help. But I am not sure that I am qualified for something like that."
"The only qualifications that you need is being a non-royal and being someone that the people can talk to and connect with. With your jobs at the café/coffee shop and department store. We feel that our people may see you as more approachable than they might see some of the others of us. Which is why we specifically asked you, Mia, Sonya, Oksana, Dr. Oldenzki, and St. Vladimir's headmistress Ellen Kirova. To be the non-royal council. We want people that their peers feel that they can easily approach and talk to about anything. And to us you seem like that type of young lady. If you are worried about your jobs or your mother don't be. Because your bosses will be glad to give you the time off for the meetings. And if a meeting happens while you are with your mother. We will send two people, that we trust, to stay with her while you are in the meeting."
"That is all very generous of you your majesties."
"So my wife and I ask you Amanda will you help our people?"
"Well, when you put it like that I can't really refuse can I?" She asked with a smile. As everyone else chuckled quietly around her.
Everyone that was present welcomed Amanda to our new and finally settled councils.
Before the meeting was dismissed it was decided that in two days. Everyone would bring their families that were able to attend to a celebratory dinner. Celebrating the reconstitution of the councils and the extending of our families.
(DPOV)
When mama found out about the gathering we were having she wanted to do the cooking. But Roza and I told her that there was no way she could cook for over sixty people and still be ready to be a guest at the dinner as well.
She argued saying that she wanted to do it. So we told her that could set up the menu cook the black bread and a few other dishes. But she had to be finished by three so she would have time to rest and get ready for dinner. She'd clapped her hands delightedly then asked who would serve. We laughed before telling her that the wait staff of the palace would do the serving. She tried to object but Roza convinced her.
"Mama if we don't let them do their jobs they will lose them. Then how will they feed their families?"
That shut my mother down instantly. She hadn't thought of that she had only thought of how much she loved to cook for her friends and family.
Our lives progressed over the next week. A lot of things about our world changed some people were happy with the changes some were not. But as I told my Roza, "you can't please everyone."
We had gone to Roza's doctor today for her second ultrasound. Where we got pictures of our children. We got five pictures but after the appointment we went and had twenty copies made. When we arrived home we handed them out to our families. My family arrived a week after Roza and I had.
Roza's coronation gown was finally finished as was my uniform. Just in time for our coronation next week. It had to be put off for a few weeks because Roza was having terrible bouts of morning sickness. It was so bad that much to her irritation she had been put on bed rest. As she was too weak to get around by herself. Now she was past that thank God so the coronation was back on track.
Finally, today was the day the day that my beautiful wife became queen and I become her king.
Roza and I stood outside the throne room surrounded by our guardians. Today was going to be a long and nerve wracking day.
Tatiana had informed us that one or both of us had to make a speech after we were crowned. I pleaded with Roza to do it because I wasn't comfortable talking in front of large crowds. While she was used to being the center of attention. Thankfully after a little negotiating she agreed. Of course our kind of negotiating wasn't the usual type of negotiating that everyone else did. No our type of negotiating was more the who gets to be the dominate one in the bedroom for the next week type of negotiating.
Although it was my turn I gave in to letting her take my turn too. Which would mean three straight weeks of my dominant Roza. And God when she was dominating she was really dominating. And I loved every fucking second of it.
Now I just had to get my mind off of her dominating me and back to our coronations. Which with her standing beside me dressed like that wasn't easy. I could not believe the dress she wore it had me floored from the moment I first saw her in it and I still couldn't get back up.
She wore a red mermaid high neck cap sleeves rubies and crystal sweep train dress. The sleeves were mesh covered in rubies and crystals, the midsection was also mesh, all the way around her sides, on the mesh on her stomach were more rubies and crystals. The collar around her throat was almost solid rubies with the exception of crystal X's all the way around. A pendant of rubies and crystal hung from the collar. The upper bodice was more mesh with a sweetheart neckline. All over the back of the bodice was mesh almost completely covered in rubies and crystals. The dress also had a slit which stopped about three inches above mid-thigh.
"Prince, Princess, Queen Tatiana is about to start her speech would you like to watch?"
"Yes, thank you Guardian Sullivan."
Guardian Sullivan turned the monitor on so we could watch Tatiana's speech.
(TPOV)
"We are all here today to crown my niece Princess Rosemarie Esmeray Hathaway Mazur Ivashkov Belikov as our new queen. And my nephew in law Prince Dimitri Alexie Belikov as our new king. My nephew will be the first king we have had in almost two hundred years. Today we also set another milestone in our history. Today we crown our first original vampires as our monarchs in over two thousand years. This is also the first time that we will be doing simultaneous crowning's. I will be crowning my niece and at the same time our former queen Ekaterina Zeklos will be crowning my nephew. Let me introduce to all of you Princess and Prince Belikov."
The footmen opened the doors and in walked Rose and Dimitri hand in hand. They were led by their head royal guardian Alberta Petrova surrounded by thirty-nine of their remaining guardians and followed by their second in charge Guardian George Steel.
Thirty-nine guardians would give them eight guardians per six-hour shift. Plus, an extra seven for days off and in case someone is injured. Plus, the head and second in command they had a grand total of forty-one guardians. Hopefully that will be enough to keep them safe.
Everyone kneeled as soon as Rose and Dimitri walked into the throne room.
Once they were on stage Ekaterina and I motioned to the pillows that they were to kneel on at the front of the stage and said, "please kneel."
Still hand in hand they knelt on the pillows then we began.
"Princess Rosemarie/Prince Dimitri, I ask you do you vow to put your people first?" We asked together.
"I do." Rose answered in Russian, Romanian, Turkish, Scottish Gaelic, and English. Because she had ancestors from each of those former countries and she was raised in the US. Although she is Turkish by birth.
"I do." Dimitri stated in Russian and English. Russian because all of his ancestors were Russian and in English because that is where he now resides.
"Princess/Prince, are you willing to give your life for your people?"
"I am." They both said together.
Although with them being immortal that would be a difficult task. But I knew that they would still give their all in.
"Princess/Prince, do you vow to always do everything within your power to protect and honor your people?"
"I do."
"Princess/Prince, are you willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that the moroi, and dhampir races flourish and thrive in the future?"
"I am."
"I finally ask, do you Princess Rosemarie Esmeray Hathaway Mazur Ivashkov Belikov, voluntarily accept the mantle of queen to the dhampir and moroi world?"
"I do."
"I finally ask, do you Prince Dimitri Alexie Belikov, voluntarily accept the mantle of king to the dhampir and moroi world?"
"I do."
"Who are Princess Belikov's birth family?"
"I am." Replied Janine, Nathan and Adrian.
"Who are Prince Belikov's birth family?"
"I am." Answered Olena, Yeva and all three of Dimitri's sisters with tears in their eyes. Tears of pride I imagine.
"Who is the head royal guardian for Princess and Prince Belikov?" I asked.
"I am." Answered an extremely proud Guardian Alberta Petrova.
"Who is the second in command of Princess and Prince Belikov's guardians?" Ekaterina asked.
"I am." Answered Guardian Steele.
"So be it." Ekaterina and I said together.
Ekaterina and I lifted crowns from a pillow that was now being held by Nathan. And placed them on the heads of our new monarch's.
"I now surrender reign of our empire to you my niece and nephew. Rise, her royal majesty Queen Rosemarie Esmeray Hathaway Mazur Ivashkov Belikov and King Dimitri Alexie Belikov. Never shall you kneel to anyone again from this day forth every knee is to kneel as every head shall bow to you. Everyone kneel to our new queen Queen Rosemarie Esmeray Hathaway Mazur Ivashkov Belikov and our new king, King Dimitri Alexie Belikov."
Everyone in the room except the on-duty guardians were on their knees to our new king and queen. Although everyone bowed their heads in respect.
"Rise." Rose and Dimitri said in one united and powerful voice never once having relinquished the others hand.
"As you all know one of the two monarchs must give a speech." I turned to Rose and Dimitri, "who will give the speech?"
"I will." Rose answered.
(RPOV)
After Dimitri and everyone else sat down Dimitri on the king's throne I began my speech. "I must admit this is something that neither Dimitri nor I ever saw coming." The people laughed.
"I realize that for some of you this is an odd thing to have happened. Trust me it is for Dimitri and myself as well. I would like you all to know that we have finished reconstituting our councils. I ask that the members of our councils please rise and make their way to the foot of the dais. I want everyone to know who you are that way should they need to talk to you they will know where to go."
Every member of both of our councils came to stand in front of me at the foot of the dais. "Thank you all so much"
Looking back at the audience I continued with my speech. "You will notice that as we said the moroi council is not all royal anymore. Neither is the dhampir council all guardians. We chose the people that we did for several different reasons. We thought that the non-royals and dhampir in our world would be more comfortable talking to these people. The members of the non-royal council all have jobs in what some people consider the more approachable sector of our world. We have the headmistress from St. Vladimir's Academy Ellen Kirova, the lady standing next to her, is Sonya Karp who is former professor at St. Vlad's. Dr. Oldenzki is the doctor at St. Vlad's academy. Oksana, lives in Russia and she is a homeopathic healer."
There was no need for them to know that Oksana was a spirit wielder at least not yet if ever.
"Mia Rinaldi is about to start college and she will be majoring in business. And Amanda Miller works two jobs here at court to take care of her ailing mother." I said giving a little information on each member before continuing on to the next.
"When you leave today there are pamphlets at each door telling you a little about each of the new members of our councils and how to contact them. Please don't leave without picking up one of those pamphlets. If you should ever lose your pamphlet you can obtain another at council headquarters. Thank you to the non-royal side of our moroi council you may retake your seats."
After they sat down I continued. "For the royal side of our council they are as follows Princess Vasilissa Sabina Rhea Dragomir and I am sure that you all know her. Also on this section of the council is Lord Christian David Ozera, Lord Adrian Maximillian Ivashkov, Lady Amelia Szelsky, Lady Pricilla Voda, and Lord Ivan Zeklos. Please do not consider any of them as unapproachable just because they are royals. Royals are no better than anyone else. Anyone that tells you differently is lying to you. You may all take your seats now and thank you."
I again waited when they were all seated I again continued. "I also want to introduce to you the non-guardian side of the dhampir council. Ladies and gentlemen you all know my mother retired guardianJanine Hathaway, this is Eddie Gabriel Castile he graduated second in our class at St. Vlad's. The gentleman standing next to him is Mason LeDale Ashford and he graduated third in our class. Next is retired guardian Mark he is husband to Oksana, next to him is Ambrose who you all know works in the royal salon, and last but certainly not least of the non-guardian side of the council is retired guardian and my grandmother in law Yeva Belikova. Most of you know or have heard of Rhonda the court seer, well she and Yeva share a gift. Which I am sure you have all figured out what that is. Thank you all, please be seated."