Breaking Walls (A VA Fanfic)[ON HOLD]

Ch. 12

I'd like to say that it was my keen senses that noticed that I was about to get kissed by the man I love, but the truth was that even though my senses were on high alert, they were on the wrong side of the war. Honestly, they liked Dimitri more than me. A lot more.

They were screaming for him to just get over with it, before my stupid brain would get in the way and ruin everything. But, of course, something just had to go wrong. Or right. I don't know anymore.

Later on I would try my best to think about this incident logically - if that's not impossible.

For now, a door slammed open, jolting me so far that I fell off the couch, and looked up at the one and only Head Guardian, Alberta.

"I don't want to know what was just about to happen," she said. "I'm not stopping you guys, but just be careful."

I gave her a confused glance and said, "You're not supposed to be out in the rain. Your orders."

"The rain stopped. You didn't notice?" she asked.

Dimitri answered for me, "No."

She sighed.

"Don't let whatever's between you guys to distract any one of you. You're both Guardians. And I expect you both to keep this relationship strictly professional in front of others. That's the only reason why I'm not changing your mentor."

That last part was directed at me. Alberta glared at Dimitri. Before she could say anything, I piped up, "There's nothing going on between us."

Alberta's glare on Dimitri subsided into a soft, amused smile.

"We'll see about that. She's still in denial?" she asked him.

"Yup," he answered.

"Well, I guarantee that you'll change that. In the meantime, I'm not going to give you that 'If you hurt her, you'll die' speech. Understood? I'm certain I don't have to give you that speech. Please don't prove me wrong."

"Understood," Dimitri answered.

"Good," Alberta said. And then to me, "I'll leave the scheduling of training sessions to Guardian Belikov. Meanwhile, tell me how many Strigoi you've killed."

From my sitting position on the floor of the cabin, I responded with a simple, "No."

Dimitri got off the couch and sat beside me. Wrapping his arms around me, he said, "How will you be accounted for you're bravery then?"

"There are so many ways to be brave. I don't need to kill Strigoi to prove that."

He looked taken aback, suprised that I could say something smart for once. Then he sighed and said, "Roza, you've already killed the Strigoi. You can't change that now. We need to know how many."

Alberta, who had been quiet through this short talk, proceeded to sit down on the floor beside me. She gazed at me sternly, and told me, "It'll be easier for you if we have a little, quiet ceremony. Only me, you, Dimitri, and the tattoo artist. How's that?"

"How about we don't have a ceremony at all. I don't want the marks. End of story," I replied.

"I'm sorry, Rose," she said sighing. "But you have to get the marks. They're not optional. We'll have to force you if you don't give in yourself."

"I'd like to see you try."

Dimitri turned me around in his embrace. He looked at me pleadingly. I realized that he didn't want to force me to do anything. But I really didn't want the marks. I was seconds away from being hysterical.

"Rose, please," he said, almost a whisper.

OK, I'm hysterical now.

"I don't want the marks," I said, trying to keep my voice level.

"You need them," Alberta said.

I looked at her and responded, "I can live without them. I don't want their memories to be permenantly etched onto me. I don't want to feel the marks against my neck and remember how I killed each one of them."

"Think of how many souls you've freed. They would want to be remembered," she told me.

"There was another way. There's always another way. What about spirit? They could have come back to life, back to good. And I chose to kill them."

"That wasn't your choice to make. You can't wield spirit," Dimitri said.

They were trying their hardest to convince me, but I've found a way out till now. But I knew I would crack. Part of me wanted to just give in and get it over with, but my stubborn side wasn't going to go down without a fight. I didn't want to be forced, but neither did I want the molniga marks.

Dimitri brushed a stray lock out of my face. "I'm sorry Roza," he said. "But you don't like the spirit, right? Think about how we're going to have to force you if you don't agree."

"You can't use compulsion! It's illegal!" I said, almost shouting.

"It's the least painful way," Alberta said.

"But-but...that's just not right!"

"Roza, just please agree. Give in."

"For someone who keeps telling me to do the right thing, do you realize what a big mistake you're making right now?" I said, glaring at him.

He flinched and I knew I had hit a nerve. His black eye was still clearly showing, and it's a wonder why Alberta didn't ask about it. But seriously, how dare they think they can threaten me right now? And who would perform the compulsion: Either Lissa or Adrian. Probably Lissa.

My temper was rising. I had killed 35 Strigoi. I should be damned right thankful that I haven't had nightmares yet. But, I didn't want to be compelled...this is torture.

When nobody said anything I decided to finally give in. This isn't fair, but life's unfair. I didn't want this. But I knew I didn't have a chance. That didn't mean that I wasn't going to let them feel bad about all this.

"You're forcing me either way," I said quietly, averting my eyes from their stern glazes.

Dimitri wrapped me in a hug. "I'm sorry Roza. So, so sorry."

Alberta got into a kneeling position and touched my open hair. "I'm sorry too, Rose. But, please tell me how many you killed."

"Why can't you just give me another battle mark?"

"If it's countable, then we can't. You know that Rose," Alberta told me.

"35," I murmured into Dimitri's neck. I doubt she even heard me.

"Huh?" she asked. I wasn't gonna repeat myself again.

"35," Dimitri whispered to her, loud enough for me to hear the awe in his voice. I was 17. And I had already lost count of how many Strigoi I had killed. I didn't want this.

"Oh Rose," Alberta muttered as she got up. "I'm giving you both 2 hours. Nobody knows that you are here, so don't get caught. In 2 hours, Belikov, bring her to her dorm. That's where the ceremony will take place. Also, Rose, pick up all these pins and tie up your hair."

That last part make her and Dimitri laugh.

"No," he told Alberta. "She won't tie her hair as long as I'm around."

"How will she get the tattoos then?" Alberta asked.

Dimitri waved her off, still bear hugging me, saying, "We'll deal with that later."

"2 hours. Be there. Don't let her change her mind, Belikov," she said as she walked out of the cabin, closing the door softly behind her.