𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑 ▸ Rose and Lissa have been best friends since kindergarten. Their friendship has grown and changed but they still have each other's backs - even as Queen and Head of the Queen's Guardians. Rose has always said she do '...
Rose was standing to one side, feet slightly apart in her at ease position near the edge of the Royal Council chamber, watching while Lissa elegantly maneuvered the Council into agreeing to the two of them participating in a six-month project with Professor Blundell. Before Rose knew what had happened, she was being charged with setting up the complicated security routines that would be required to ensure Lissa's protection. Since Professor Blundell and his partner were human, the guard detail would need to be a lot less conspicuous than it was at Court. Rose sighed, already anticipating the resistance when the other Royal Guardians realized they'd be trudging ward lines at night in the snow.
"We did it!" Lissa bounced with excitement once they were alone in her office.
"You did it," Rose corrected automatically, poring over a map and aerial photographs of Blundell's property, thinking about how best to defend it. It was bound by four roads, and there were no other properties close by, which might be handy. The wards could potentially be laid along the roadside, and Guardians could patrol in cars instead of on foot. The nearest town was a ten-minute drive away – Rose would have to see if she could rent a house there for six months for the Guardians.
Considering the area that needed to be covered, shift length, days off and peak time of risk, Rose eventually settled on a dozen Guardians including herself. That was easy – the whole Queen's Guard would go. Once that was settled, Rose flopped onto a chair in front of Lissa's laptop, checking out rentals in the area. As luck would have it, there were a couple of houses close enough that might do the job, so she printed out the details, ready to call later in the evening when it would be morning human time.
"Have you thought any more about where the main event will happen?" Even though they were alone in Lissa's office, Lissa had been insistent Rose not speak about the situation directly, in case they were overheard.
"Yes, I have actually. There's a private hospital a town over. They offer the appropriate services, and I've already booked in. I can do my appointments there, too."
"And does Prof. Blundell know?"
"Yes. That's how I've explained your presence. He and Gary think you're there to keep an eye on me and arrange everything when the time comes."
"You've figured out everything," Rose commented.
"Yes, I have," Lissa said with a grin.
"Have you told Christian yet?"
"I've told him about the project with Prof. Blundell," Lissa said carefully.
"But not the other?" Rose tested.
"It's not something I can do over the phone," Lissa replied testily.
"We could go to Russia. A short trip. You could tell him everything and then we could..."
"NO!" Lissa snapped. "I don't want to tell him anything until they get back, and you're not to say anything to Dimitri either," she demanded.
"I think you're making a huge mistake," Rose said softly.
"I've already made a huge mistake," Lissa spat back bitterly, all trace of her former good humor gone.
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