DESTINED

Justice ⚖

Dimitri POV

"Belikov," he yelled, "You must know that you're banned from court."

"Pray, why's that?" I asked Guardian Jonah.

"You're working with Strigoi now. We don't trust you," he said moving an inch closer.

"You're all believing in rumors?" I was shocked, "It was all a rumor what you heard. We have the real queen and someone who is trying to grab her throne has bribed your commanders. Where's Hans?" I said.

"Hans has been murdered. And you are being suspected behind everything Dimitri. The guardians you took with you never returned and so didn't you. We all thought that you had led them to the lair of the Strigoi. So you have been branded as a traitor and so has been Rose. We have been searching for you for a long time," a person walking up to us, answered.

It was Nathan and behind him was the members of the council.

"I had gone to bring Rose back," I said coolly, "And the army was destroyed by a Strigoi team. The Strigoi had kept our queen captive. Christian and Rose had gone off to search for her and we were the last survivors to fight, sneak into their castle, brave dangers and bring the queen back and you accuse us?"

I was very tactful in keeping all the Strigoi matter a secret. I didn't want to bring more trouble. I could see Rose staring wide mouthed at me, blinking in astonishment.

I kept my face in a guardian mask as I looked Nathan in the face.

"The queen?" Ava Zelkos looked puzzled, "You found Vasilisa?"

"Yes," a commanding voice rang out, "Yes, they found me, risked their neck to bring me back and you bunch of imbeciles try to brand him as traitor. You have no shame."

And Lissa walked into the room, shaken, disheveled and yet carrying the air of a queen. Her gait, her stance, everything commanded power and dignity.

Seeing her at that moment, no one could have guessed her state a few hours before. She seemed to have healed completely.

I couldn't see any trace of the confused and frightened Lissa. She was once more the queen.

The members of the council immediately dropped to their knees, as is the proper etiquette to show for a queen.

I tried, to, but it was difficult with the handcuffs.

"Dimitri, Rose," Lissa's voice rang out, "After what you've done for me, you'll never have to bow before me. I'll upgrade you both to the status of the protectors of the queen."

I looked at her, and she winked.
I looked at Rose, who hadn't missed the exchange.

She gave a tight lipped smile.

"We're sorry, Your Majesty. We had thought that Dimitri had switched loyalties and so had Rose. Pardon us," Mary Conta spoke out.

It was so great seeing the members of all the royal families bow down before Lissa.

"Fine," she put on a regal air, and then turning to the guard chided, "Why are you still here? Go and remove their hand cuffs if you have any shame."

The guardian on duty quickly scrambled to free us.

I rubbed my swollen wrists and went and put an arm around Rose.

"Go and make an announcement to the world that we are back, I am going to call a press conference and then we need to have a council meeting. There are a lot of issues I got to know in this horrific journey and we need to solve every one of them. Rose, Dimitri, meet me tonight in my chamber," said Lissa, turning back with grace and stalking off silently with Christian.

610 words completed...
To be continued...

A/N Written for the black belt write to rank contest by action

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