What a Difference a Year Makes (Revised)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

6pm found us sitting in one for the private lounges at St Basil's discussing options after filling in Abe on the situation.

"Well Kiz, there is nothing I can do against the Queen's decision but I do have a lot of other options open to me that royal moroi don't and I have never sought their approval on anything. You too are not reliant on them to survive and I'm sure you wouldn't leave your fellow exiles out in the cold" Abe said matter of factly.

"Of course not Baba, but I have always been looking forward to getting my first allocation. Originally it was guarding Lissa but her not talking to me since February and then signing her name to the complaint letter to get us expelled and exiled, that now is never going to happen. I just thought that I would get something else. It's going to take a lot to get used to" I said in a slightly distressed tone.

"Just remember Kiz, whatever you do now, doesn't mean that it's permanent. Who knows what will happen in the future. Maybe attitudes will change but until then at least you won't starve, your fellow exiles and the rest of the Belikovs won't be without what they need."

"You guys keep saying that we are not reliant and that we won't starve but sorry if we have no job, how do we survive?" Eddie enquired clearly as if he was talking to a child.

"Eddie, Mason, Alberta there is something I think we should tell you. Please hear us out until we have finished then you can do the whole useless objection thing after like I know you will" I said glibly. "As you know my father..." pointing to Abe "...is a very rich man and even though he never knew who I was until recently, he knew that my mother had conceived a child with him." Abe nodded for me to continue. "Since that day Baba has been placing money into a trust fund for me which was signed over to me on my Birthday; so on that day did I not only turn 18 but I also got married and essentially became a multi-millionairess and Dimitri as my husband also has access to that money."

"What Rose is trying to say is that all of you could live quite comfortably on that money for a time without even making a dent in it. The interest alone covers what your outgoings would be. As for a place to live the wedding present I got Rose and Dimitri can house a small army of guardians without them bumping into each other, let alone five of you" Abe explained in that 'I'm a rich man and have worked hard for it so why not spend it' kind of voice, and as I predicted the objections started to roll in.

"Absolutely not" "I couldn't possibly use your money" "I don't want to take your money" "I can't use your trust fund to pay for my family" and so on.

"I told you Baba that they would be like this. Dimitri, it is our trust fund not mine, you are my husband, what is mine is also yours. Eddie, Mason, Alberta I know what you feel like because I would have the same objections but look at it logically, we are all without an allocation, two of us have the means to support the group until we sort out our situation and decide what to do. If the situation was different and it was one of you that could support Dimitri and I you would wouldn't you? So let us do this and then we can see where we go from there." They considered my words for a moment longer then all nodded as if an edict had been passed.

"Right I suppose we better get on the road to Baia because we really need to be out of Roman's hair before the Queen finds out he disobeyed her by giving us our promise marks and letting us stay" Dimitri said with a confidence that I knew he didn't really feel "and whatever you do don't mention the money situation to mama, she gets very upset about money being mentioned." Everyone agreed to this last request and we walked towards the store room to start packing our belongings into one of the vehicles that Abe had brought.