We Are Shadows

Chapter 8

A/N:  Hi there my Cyber bookworms, thanks for all your well wishes over the last few weeks.  It has really kept me and my  fiancé going.  As promised here is the next chapter before I shut down for the holidays.  I don't know when I will be able to update again because my father in law is back in hospital now after having another relapse.  

In the meantime I hope you all have a very good holiday season and that whatever your belief or preference is, it will bring you love, light and happiness.  Take care everyone and have a great time. 

Chapter 8

RPOV

I was currently tucking into yet another fantastic breakfast prepared by Klara. I had been here at St. Basil's for five days now and each morning, and yes I mean morning because St. Basil's works on a diurnal schedule rather than the vampiric nocturnal schedule, Klara had brought me a huge breakfast and asked me how I was feeling. She is a really nice woman, a dhampir who decided at an early age that she didn't want to be a guardian but wanted to be a cook and a mother instead. She has worked at St. Basil's since she finished school at sixteen.

"This is fantastic thank you Klara" I said between mouthfuls.

"I'm glad you like it Rose" she replied with a smile.

"You are going to have to teach me how do to all of this" I said. "You can't keep running after me all the time."

"I don't mind cooking for you Rose. It's what I like to do" she said with a shrug to indicate she really didn't mind. "But if you want to learn I can teach you" she added. I nodded vigorously and she laughed at me.

The truth is I do want to learn. All of a sudden I had found myself thrust out of the safe place I had been all my life and even though I was now at another school, thanks to Alberta and Roman, I realised that the only skill I have is to fight. What if I found myself in a similar situation again? I need to be able to feed myself. Also, Roman had supplied me with this self-contained flat, well more of a cabin attached to the main guardian building via a little covered walkway, it would be a shame to not take advantage of the kitchen. I tried boiling an egg the other night and it was a disaster; I set the fire alarm off. Way to go Rose, you are keeping a low profile beautifully.

"I can start with the basics to get you familiar with timings" said Klara "then I can teach you a dish or two. I'll also bring you an easy recipe book round. Don't worry, it's in English" she added at my look of fear on my face.

There was a knock on my door. Klara motioned for me to continue eating and she answered it.

"Ah morning Klara, I'm here to see Rose" Roman's voice filtered through the door to where I was sitting at the table still eating Klara's huge breakfast. I swallowed the mouthful and called out.

"Morning Roman, come on in."

"Morning Rose" he said as he entered the room. "I see you, like the rest of us have fallen under the spell of Klara's cooking" and the dhampir woman blushed but smiled at the same time.

"I'll be away then and let you two talk" Klara said heading back to the door.

"Thanks again Klara" I shouted after her.

"You're welcome Rose" she said with a smile. "You know where to find me." With that she closed the door behind her.

"How are you Rose? Sorry I haven't seen you since I introduced you to Lydia but I've been busy" Roman said sounding a little stressed.

"It's alright Roman" I replied "Lydia has been keeping me very busy." Guardian Lydia Yanbayev was Roman's sister who had volunteered to teach me the theory that every Novice should know to graduate as well as stories about using it out in the field.

"Are you two getting on well?" Roman asked. "She can take a little getting used to" he said with a laugh.

"Oh we get on great" I said and felt a little mischievous. "She was telling me about the time that you were both in Omsk as back up for the local guardians" I added with a twinkle in my eye.

"She did not tell you that!" Roman spluttered going red in the face. "I'm going to kill her."

"Aww Roman don't be too hard on her" I said still giggling. "It is a funny story." Roman just humphed but I knew he wasn't angry. Apparently twenty or so years ago Roman and Lydia with a few others from St. Basil's were sent to Omsk to help out the local guardians track down a strigoi nest. It was unusual for that to happen so the story was noteworthy for that alone but Lydia continued to elaborate and told me that Roman had boasted he knew Omsk like the back of his hand and struck off in a certain direction. A little way into the trek Roman stood on some melted permafrost and sank to his knees. It took Lydia and the others ten minutes to get him out because they were laughing so much.

"Anyway I came with news" said Roman and I sat up straighter to listen. "Lana Tulov has arrived this morning. She has volunteered to help you with the academic part of your studies such as mathematics, literacy, Moroi history etc. She is a Moroi I've known for a long time. She used to be a teacher here but she married a dhampir and her colleagues were less than kind" he added with a snort of disgust when he spoke about moroi bigotry.

"I can't wait to meet her and I'm grateful that she is going to help me" I said in earnest.

"She was also keen to see her twins that are here at St. Basil's. Lana and her husband Nickoli live near Moscow so it is quite a distance for the children to go home very often so coming here gives her the opportunity to see them" he said. "It is also a great cover for why she is here" and I nodded in understanding.

"What about Nickoli?" I asked. "Has he come too?"

"No, he has his own construction business that operates in both the moroi and human world" Roman replied.

"He isn't a guardian?" I asked in surprise.

"No he chose to go into business instead" he replied. "His father was an open-minded moroi who acknowledged his children from birth. He supported them in their decisions and told them they didn't need to do what society expected if that is not what they wanted."

"Wow" I said. "I can see you know quite a few people who don't follow 'the rules'."

"Yes, well" he began.

"Oh don't get me wrong Roman. I have no love for the moroi rules. Look what they have done to me" I said. "I'm glad and grateful that Alberta knows you and you offered to help me. I just didn't realise that there were others out there that defy convention."

"You will be surprised of how many there are but unfortunately we are still in the minority" Roman replied.

"I'm sure" I added solemnly.

"Anyway the other bit of news is your training partner arrived last night" Roman said with a smile. "I finally tracked him down and persuaded him to help."

"I hope you didn't have to twist his arm too much" I said a little worriedly. "If he didn't want to help then he didn't have to."

"Believe me Rose I think it would be good for him to get back training again" he said.

"How so?" I asked.

"That's not my story to tell but let's just say he has become a recluse and really shouldn't be with his talents" Roman answered.

"Fair enough" I said. "When do we start?"

"Well Lana has just arrived so she has asked if you could start her lessons tomorrow" he replied. "As for training, there's no time like the present."

"Alright give me ten minutes to get my training gear on and I'll be with you." I said putting my plate in the kitchen sink as I headed for my bedroom to change.

Fifteen minutes later I was following Roman into the guardian's gym and towards one of the side rooms. As I entered my feet faltered and I came to a stop. When Roman told me that my new training partner was a recluse, I thought he would be an older guardian, battle scared and greying but what stood before me was not any of those, in fact he was the complete opposite. Roman looked at me and then the other person in the room and had a smile on his face.

"Rose, meet Dimitri. Dimitri, meet Rose."