RPOV
"Mama?" cried my two children as we drove to wherever the jet was waiting for us.
"You need to stay strong for Mama and Dada."
I wanted to say it was going to be okay, but I couldn't. It wasn't possible in the world we lived in. I couldn't promise anything. I couldn't even promise to protect them because, as special as they are, I can't fight while pregnant. My husband wouldn't have it.
"Uncle Eddie?" I asked once I spotted the CD player.
"Yes, Rose?"
"Can I put a CD on? For Ivan and Riana?"
I was definitely in distressed mother mode. I was using my guardian skills to stay calm... at least on the outside. I had more to worry about than just the worrying situation at Court that was so bad Lissa had called me into service despite having no title and not being promised. I had my children's safety to worry about, and I couldn't afford to lose miracle number three.
Eddie assessed me out of the corner of his eye for a few seconds. "Sure."
"Thanks, Eddie," I smiled tightly and placed the CD in the player. It was a collection of Russian and English lullabies and children's songs. It usually sent them to sleep by five songs in.
"All good, Rose," Eddie said as the first lullaby started.
It was Ivan's favourite Russian one, which usually sent him straight to sleep. My eldest hummed along for little under a minute before he was out like a light. I smiled a little relieved that he was now calmed. He was a terror like me, but this was the first stressful situation he'd been in and he was starting to show some of his father's restraint. His sister was just as calm, but, then again, she always was-she really was daddy's little angel.
It took three more songs before we got to Riana's favourite and the most effective on her. Hers was an English lullaby-Hushabye Mountain from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. My girl loved that movie and that song in particular. She, like Ivan had, hummed along until she fell asleep. It didn't take long.
"They're adorable, Rose," whispered Eddie.
"Yeah, they are," I sighed and let my mask down as I looked adoringly at my sleeping angel children. "I'm very blessed to have them and love them to bits."
"So... married huh?" he softly teased. "And to Belikov of all people."
"Yeah. He's a big softie at heart, just don't tell anyone I said that-wouldn't want his stoic image ruined."
"Rumours had gone around the year after you disappeared that he'd gotten married, but no one believed since Tasha was still fuming and there was no one else we knew of. Now we know," he chuckled softly at the end. "How'd you land him, Rosie? How'd you whip your old mentor? And when did you fall pregnant with Ivan? Before or after you followed Belikov over here?" I let the 'Rosie' slide. I was mother so it didn't matter so much when I had much bigger things to worry about.
"How'd I land Dimitri, how'd I whip him? Simple. I was made for him. As for when I fell pregnant with Ivan? Before I left; I came here because of him, to protect him and so he could have both parents and a large, loving, non-judgemental family. I wanted him protected from the media and experiments," I softly explained. A range of expressions crossed his face.
"That makes sense," he tightly answered, his knuckles going white from how tightly he was gripping the steering wheel.
"Eddie," I sighed. "It's not personal. I would have told you and Christian as well, but I didn't have time. I had hours to escape once I knew; I barely got it all out to Lissa and earned her support before I had to turn in my drop out forms. Even just her knowing was dangerous enough." He relaxed slightly at that and understanding crossed his face.
"Yeah. I guess I get where you're coming from. Jill's getting judged for being the exalted Dragomir Princess who's in Senior and pregnant with one of her sister's guardian's dhampir child."
"I still can't get my head around that," I laughed quietly.
"You've been spying, huh?" he smiled in amusement.
"Hard not to. It's been my only way to protect her. I spy every time I take the darkness. I haven't been able to protect her body so I tried to protect her mind. She's learnt how to feel when I pull and tells me off every time."
"I guess you know Adrian's missing you despite being with Sydney-an Alchemist."
"Yeah, I know Syd. She helped me get here."
"How'd you end up with Ivan and Riana?"
"Ivan was accidental. Riana was a honeymoon baby."
"I'm guessing Bubby is simply because you and Belikov can't keep your hands off each other?"
"And because we wanted a third. If we all survive this, we'll be trying for a fourth," I sheepishly admitted.
"Court is in for a major shock," joked Eddie.
"Not really. Not compared to this situation."
"Rose, didn't Liss tell you that no one knows? She, Christian, her advisor-Ariana-and the guardians are going into panic mode. That means no one else is to know-Council included. This is the one time Lissa is throwing her weight around and hiding this in order to not waste time. You know she doesn't like doing this, being hypocritical, but she has to to make sure things get done. The controversy surrounding my own child is causing enough drama to use as a smoke screen that she's also working on that."
"I know," I sighed. "I know, Eddie. I feel for you, and her-both Jill and Liss. I'm just glad she hasn't figured out that I've got those two and Bubby. She's not using them for political games because she doesn't know Ivan was born."
"Thanks, Rose," he returned as he pulled over. Right between to the Royal jet and it's dummy.
"Wow. Royal treatment, huh? Queen's best friend also gets the dummy plane?"
"And dummy guards and body doubles for you and Belikov will be on it."
"Yet another smoke screen," I sighed while ejecting the CD and returning it to its rightful spot. "We're going to have to do something regarding the bundles of beauty in the back there. And their car seats and the luggage," I noted.
"Already thought of a plan. I'm going to get this SUV and its double to back right up to the respective luggage compartments, as will the SUV Belikov's in and its double. Belikov will hurriedly uninstall the seats and mirrors and hand it over to the loader. Meanwhile Ivan and Riana hide on Ivan's side of the SUV. You all have one small cabin bag each, don't you?"
"Yeah."
"Bring them on. The four of us will form a tight circle around you two. Belikov will carry Riana behind you with Ivan walking between the two of you."
"Got it. Call it over. I want this done, they're going to be crabby when I wake them." Eddie nodded. Through the earpiece he called over the plan to the guardians with my husband and the dummy set.
Half an hour later, we were in the plane's cabin. It had worked just as we had hoped. Riana and Ivan did as directed, too tired to complain; my firm yet loving tone had them worried enough to follow orders but not distressed enough to cry. They were going to make amazing guardians, I had to reluctantly admit it. I never wanted my babies out in the world, giving up their life for a Moroi who'd more-than-likely not give two shits about the person sacrificing their life to protect them. Lissa and genuine concern for her guardians in particular (which extended to all dhampir) was a rare case, just as Ivan Zeklos' brotherly love and concern for my husband had been.
"Mama? Dada?" Ivan and Riana kept asking as the jet took off. I looked to Dimitri because I didn't know what to say to them, what to tell them. This was exactly what I had wanted and tried desperately to avoid. This, right here and now, was my worst nightmare coming to life.
"Aunty Lissa needs Mama and Dada to move back to America. Aunt Lissa is the queen and rules all Moroi and dhampir so Mama and Dada can not say no."
"No one, not even Aunty Lissa, knows Mama and Dada got married and have you two. Once people know of you, and that you have two dhampir parents, a lot of pictures will be taken of you and us. People will say bad things about Mama and Dada, but you need to stay strong and not say anything back to them. You know who your Mama and Dada are and that we love you, that's all that matters. Okay? Can you do that for Mama and Dada," I looked seriously and lovingly at my babies, "Ivan, Riri? Can Mama and Dada trust you to not let others words hurt you?" They looked at each other seriously then nodded at me then Dimitri with their smiles on which were the ones we knew they weren't playing tricks on us. "We love you, babies." We'd die to protect them.
"Love you too, Mama, Dada," they returned.
"You two are perfect parents," sighed Eddie once Riana was asleep on his lap. Ivan had fallen asleep in Dimitri's lap.
"Not really," I sighed in return. Both Dimitri and Eddie shot me disbelieving and shocked looks.
"Roza, you are the perfect mother for our children," my husband cooed while rubbing my slightly swollen abdomen.
"Comrade, there's no such thing as a perfect parent. You can be brilliant and loving, but someone will always find something to criticise and find fault with. We've done the best we can up 'til now and we will continue to do so. But if we're both back on duty, it's going to make things that much harder to uphold the high standards of direct love and attention we've set for them. We've, or rather I've, sheltered them... I've sheltered us." I fell onto my husband's shoulder.
"Oh, Roza," Dimitri sighed. Mikhail removed Ivan from Dimitri-without waking my son. I collapsed into husband's loving and supportive embrace when he pulled me onto his lap and into his chest.
