What a Difference a Year Makes (Revised)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The next day people were still ranting about the contest and the news of the husband and wife team had reached further than the walls of the school. Parents arriving for graduation were talking among themselves about the apparent spectacle our fight was; some of them approaching us directly to ask about it. It got to a point where I just wanted to go hide away but I really needed to be visible, to find out what was going to happen to us after graduation which was tomorrow afternoon. Would we be allocated anywhere? One thing I did know for certain was that where ever we were Dimitri and I would be together; that was non-negotiable and people needed to realise that.

We were sat in the food hall at lunchtime surrounded by people talking about the fight, some lamenting over not seeing it when Roman tapped Dimitri and me on the shoulder. "You lot better come with me" he said ominously and I got a sense of foreboding.

"We will be back soon Vika" Dimitri said as the five of us, the St Vlad's gang as people called us, followed after Roman. We all traded silent glances of worry and questioning looks, wondering what was in store for us now.

We entered Roman's office and he motioned for us to sit down. He looked at us as if he really didn't want to say what he had to.

"Spit it out Roman" said Alberta, knowing full well this was not going to be pleasant.

"I've just received this letter from Court, from Head Guardian Hans Croft who is writing to me to convey orders from Her Majesty, Queen Tatiana. She heard about the 'flagrant disregard for the moral code', as she puts it, at St Vladimir's and she heard about the contest yesterday which she says 'should never have been allowed to take place'." You could tell Roman was not happy imparting this information, he was clearly against what the royal moroi thought about Dhampir relationships but he continued nonetheless. "Queen Tatiana however, states that you may graduate but not part of the public graduation ceremony." There was a knock on the door and in walked a guardian with a tattoo gun. "I can graduate all three of you now..." pointing to three scrolls and three boxes of stakes "however, the Queen didn't want any of you to receive a promise mark...." he held up his hand to stop the obvious retorts that were going to come from us "....but I am disobeying that order. I just think it is very unfair. The promise mark isn't just a promise to protect royal moroi, to me and from the conversations I've had with the three of you that you feel the same, it is a promise to protect everyone against the strigoi threat."

We were stunned that Tasha and her minions would take it to court and that the Queen would go this far as to stop us from being guardians. Dimitri looked angry, Alberta was just shaking her head, Eddie, Mason and I had looks of horror on our faces. I just couldn't believe people could be so cruel.

"Novice Ashford, you are up first" Roman said and Mason moved over to the chair where the guardian with the tattoo equipment stood. His promise mark was done in under a minute and when he stood up; you could see the look of relief. It was done; no one would take it from him now.

"Rose, you're next" I went and sat on the chair and put my hair up into a twist so that the guardian, Andreev, could tattoo my neck. I felt the sting of the needle but again it was over in seconds.

"Castile, last but not least" and the procedure was repeated.

Andreev said something in Russian to Roman, who replied solemnly.

"What did he say?" Eddie asked me quietly.

"He said that he couldn't believe that three novices who have already seen battle would have been expelled over something like this, and Roman replied that they were idiots" I answered.