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 '...
"Was Lara ok?" Rose asked when she returned to the salon less than half an hour after she'd left her daughter with Ambrose.
"She's not stirred once," Ambrose replied confidently, searching Rose's face. She looked composed, so perhaps her meeting with her Majesty had gone well after all? It was well known Rose and Vasilisa had been best friends since childhood; it didn't seem likely Lissa would let Rose be removed as her Guardian without putting up a fight. "Everything sorted?" It was as much as Ambrose could ask in the very crowded salon where every word would be overheard and no doubt repeated by bored, nosy Moroi.
"In a manner of speaking," Rose said, shrugging noncommittally. Hugging Ambrose, and promising to catch up with him soon, Rose wheeled Lara's pram out of the salon and onto the pavement. With nowhere she needed to be, Rose wandered aimlessly around Court for an hour, trying to think of a way out of her predicament. Lara's hungry cries pulling Rose from her thoughts, she returned to the Palace and her rooms, not caring who stared at them as they crossed the Palace foyer to the elevator.
Back in her suite, Rose made up a bottle of formula and sat on the sofa feeding Lara, meanwhile looking around her. It wasn't much. On the dark side of the building, hers were probably the smallest quarters available. But Rose had once such high hopes for this tiny apartment. She'd imagined her and Dimitri living here with Lara as their daughter, watching her grow up together. A proper, loving little family. Yet it wasn't to be.
"Don't worry," Rose reassured the bundle in her arms. "Mama will think of something." Brown eyes meeting hazel-green, Rose silently pledged she'd do whatever she needed to keep Lara safe and protected. After a burp, then a bottom change, Lara's eyes were drooping. Deciding she might as well start packing, Rose put Lara into her cot for the first time. Tomorrow they'd be leaving here, so Lara might as well enjoy her cot at least once.
Silently going through her daughter's drawers, Rose pulled out the bare essentials. Wherever they went, they'd have to travel light. It would be a pity to leave so much behind, but there was no other option. Settling a blanket over Lara, Rose tiptoed out to the living room, pulling her phone from her pocket and dialing a familiar number. It rang for quite a while before it was picked up.
"It's Rose. Everything is so messed up! Can I come visit you for a little while? I hate to ask, but I'll need to borrow the money for a ticket...?"
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"Are you ok?" Densley asked suspiciously when Dimitri finally emerged from Christian's study into the hallway. Dimitri had heard Rose leave a few minutes ago, but he'd stayed sitting on the floor in Christian's study as he'd tried to collect his thoughts.
"I'm fine," Dimitri replied, not even looking at Lissa's new primary Guardian. Dimitri wasn't sure how he managed to get himself back to the gym where Christian was working, and it was only when he got there Dimitri realized he'd neglected to bring the forgotten training notes which was the reason he was in Christian's study in the first place.
