A Trail of Roses

Author: KittenCeez

Summary: A trail is laid before her. Where does it lead?

Rating: K

Disclaimer: All characters, places and names in this Vampire Academy fanfiction are the sole property of Richelle Mead and her publishers.

Rose yawned loudly. As much as she loved Lissa's new job as the moroi Queen, standing behind her listening to the Council argue (again) about this ridiculous guardian age law for the whole day, had sucked.

She and Lissa had finally trudged back to Lissa's chambers, finding Christian lounging on the sofa, watching television in his pyjamas. He sat up as Lissa approached him, giving him a tired kiss, "I thought you were going to be there all night…"

Lissa stood up, grumbling, "Thankfully not."

Christian looked to Rose, "Dimitri already headed back to your apartment a while ago."

Rose nodded, "Thanks Christian." She slumped into an armchair, placing her arm over her face, "If I had to listen to the Council bicker for one more minute, I was going to start throwing things and knocking heads together."

Christian grinned, "Always prone to violence, hey Rose?"

Too tired to take Christian's bait today, Rose simply held her middle finger up at him.

Lissa rolled her eyes, "Try to play like nice children while I'm gone." She went into the bedroom to change into her own pyjamas.

With Lissa gone, Christian asked, "How are things going in there?"

Rose turned her gaze to him, dropping her arm from her face, "Lissa thinks she's close to getting a majority vote, but it's the alternatives that those morons are arguing over. Zelkos is still pushing for moroi compounds and Dashkov still demands all dhampirs return to active service," Rose sighed, frustrated.

Christian grimaced, "Sounds like loads of fun," he said sarcastically.

Rose snorted, "Bucket loads…"

By then, Lissa had re-emerged, looking all cosy and ready to fall asleep.

Rose yawned again and stood up, "Alright, I'm out of here. Night y'all, see you in the morning Liss."

Lissa smiled, "Goodnight, Rose."

Christian stood up, "Oh, Rose, wait, this came for you about an hour ago."

"Huh?" Rose turned back around to Christian, as he picked up a sliver tray with a single red rose and a note addressed to her.

Lissa hadn't noticed the gift either, "Ooh, I wonder who that's from!"

With a confused look on her face, Rose picked up the flower and the note, opening it to read,

You want to wait two more years…

Rose turned the card over, finding absolutely nothing. The note had even been typed, revealing nothing of whom it had come from.

Lissa gave her a lost look, "What does that mean?"

Rose's shoulders slumped, "I have no idea…and I'm too tired to play someone's game…I'll deal with it in the morning instead. Thanks Christian."

Christian nodded, "No worries."

Rose walked out of their chambers, very ready to find her own bed and sleep. She completely missed the grin Christian gave Lissa.

Walking down the corridors to leave the Royal Palace, Rose walked up to the doors that would lead her into the courtyard. She stopped short when she saw another rose and note sitting right in front of the doors.

Looking around her, she glanced at the guardian on duty, hoping for an explanation, but only got a shrug as he looked up from his computer. Rose sighed and picked up the second rose and read the note to herself.

It's hardly much time at all.

Rose read the two notes together, her mind now starting to think a bit harder. She opened the door and walked out, noting it was still dark, but that the sun was just starting to lighten the horizon. Rose let her footsteps take her in the direction of hers and Dimitri's apartment. A flicker caught the corner of her eye and Rose's quick senses found her focusing on a single, lit candle. As Rose approached, she spotted a red rose with the note. She quickly read the note.

And for you, my Roza, I will wait forever.

Rose's breath caught in her throat, 'Dimitri?' she silently asked herself. Rose looked around her, scanning the street lit surrounds, finding no one around aside from the scattered guardian on night duty.

A little more alert now, Rose picked up the flower, adding it to the collection in her hands and continued walking, her eyes now more open as she started looking for this trail her boyfriend had left her.

As she predicted, she found another rose, sitting on the edge of one of the fountains that littered the Royal Court grounds.

But until you walk to take my hand…

Rose stared wide-eyed at this one, starting to piece together the puzzle. She swallowed thickly, looking around her for the next piece. She spotted it in the distance, hanging from a low tree branch with a short string of battery operated fairy lights. Rose hurried over, plucking the note and the rose from the lights.

I see no reason to wait any longer…

Rose looked around her, heart pounding in her chest. Her mind was going a million miles a minute. It was true, she wanted to wait until she had a 2 in front of her age until she would even think of marrying. They had discussed this a couple of times. Oh, she loved Dimitri so, so much, and would grow giddy and delighted at the thought of him calling her his wife. In fact, turning 20 was now less than two years away.

Rose shook herself. The tree had led her to the corner of the church, and Rose almost ran up the short steps and over to the next glittering puzzle piece, waiting for her on the top step. Rose found six more roses, delicately laid together in a fan with the next note laying in the middle. The whole piece had a circle of tea lights surrounding it.

Rose placed the bundle of notes and roses she had already collected down, picking up the next note. Shaking, she opened it.

…to ask a single question.

Rose was in near shock, she was a mix of love, nervousness and excitement. She looked up at the church doors, knowing they would be locked at this time of the night. Or well, should be…but maybe…Rose stood up and started to walk towards the doors, but the growing light on the horizon behind her caught her attention, and she glanced towards it.

There she found him, sitting on the bench where he had been publically interrogated after being restored. He was facing the horizon, watching the sunrise. Leaving the rest of the notes and the roses where they sat, Rose slowly walked towards the man that she loved so much, it almost hurt. Each footstep brought her closer, until she stopped near him.

Rose still held the final note in her fingertips as she stared at him. She could see that as calm as he looked, he was tense…he was probably just as nervous as she was. The sun hadn't yet come up enough to cast any direct light, but neither of them needed it.

After another quiet moment, Dimitri spoke, still looking out to the sunrise, "Roza, the last time I sat here, I was a very different man, and I know we have moved passed that, but it still upsets me when I think of how badly I treated you then." There was enough emotion in his voice that his Russian accent was really prominent, and Rose felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, and she felt she needed to remain silent. Dimitri stood up and came to stand in front of her, taking her hand. "I can never apologise enough for that, and I will never be able to repay you for saving me…"

Rose gave him a look, and was about to cut him off when Dimitri stopped her, "Wait, Roza, please let me finish."

Rose nodded, having automatically placed her free hand on his side, not noticing she had dropped the card. Dimitri gently ran his hand along her cheek, threading his fingers through the hair he loved so much. "I have so many things I could say about how beautiful you are, and what you mean to me, but none of that justifies how much I love you."

Tears were starting to cloud her vision, and Rose tried to blink them away, but failed as Dimitri kneeled in front of her. He had a happy smile on his face as he produced an antique diamond ring.

"My Roza, will you marry me?"

The tears were coming thick and fast now, as Rose nodded emphatically, managing to cough out, "Yes."

The ring was placed on her right ring finger, as per Russian tradition, and Rose barely had time to glance at it before Dimitri had stood back up and wrapped his arms around her. His lips met hers almost instantly, minutes slipping by as they showed their love for one another. When they broke apart, Rose's eyes had dried up from her tears, and she brushed her cheeks with her hand to wipe off any strays.

Rose smiled up at him, "I thought you promised Abe not to make me cry."

She was rewarded with one of Dimitri's deeper laughs. "I think happy tears are an exception."

Rose grinned and shook her head, hugging into his chest as Dimitri tightened his hold on her. "I love you so much," she said, her voice muffled by his torso.

Rose felt him press a kiss to her head. "I love you too, Roza."

After a moment, Rose stepped back and pointed up at him. "But, not until I'm in my twenties."

Dimitri laughed out loud, "Oh, Roza," and brought his arms around her again, lifting her off the ground as he spun her around, earning a squeak of surprise. Smiling brightly, and still hanging in the air, Rose's arms had settled around Dimitri's shoulders and she leaned in to kiss him again. They broke apart when the sun's rays washed over them.

Rose finally got to look at her engagement ring. "Dimitri, it's really beautiful."

Dimitri smiled fondly, nodding slightly, "It belonged to my mother."

Rose looked up at him in surprise, "Olena's?"

Dimitri nodded, "She wore it in happier times, before my father…" Dimitri broke off.

Rose knew the rest of that story, and put her hand up to shift Dimitri's hair back behind his ear. "I love it, I really do."

They stared at each other for a few moments longer, when the atmosphere around them began to change. Rose felt the beginnings of a blush creeping onto her face as Dimitri's eyes became more and more intense the longer he looked at her.

Rose unconsciously bit her lip, "Time to, uh, head home…now?"

Dimitri's lips met hers again, before he nodded, "Mm hmm."

Rose stepped back, allowing Dimitri to hold her close as they began walking back towards the apartment complex. They walked back past the church, Dimitri stopping to pick up the roses and the cards. The candles had gone already gone out.

"Oh wait!" Rose exclaimed as she ran back to the bench, picking up the final card that she had dropped. She ran back to Dimitri, letting him wrap his arms around her again after he had given the roses and cards back to her. As they walked past the fountain, Rose said, "So, a dozen red roses for Rose, huh? Real original, Comrade," Rose grinned up at him.

Dimitri raised his eyebrow, "There's eleven, actually."

Rose glanced down at the bouquet in her arms and counted the roses, "Really?"

Dimitri smiled, "Yes, in Russia, we give an uneven number of flowers as a gift. Even numbers are only given in sympathy."

Rose looked at her flowers, "Huh!"

Their path took them by the guardian headquarters, and they met Hans coming out of the building. "Good evening you two. Date night, huh?"

Dimitri smiled as they continued walking, keen to get back to their apartment, "Not entirely, Hans, although, I did put a ring on it."

Rose gasped loudly, "Did you just quote Beyoncé? I didn't even think they'd have her music in Russia yet!"

Dimitri laughed at Rose's continuing jokes about Russia and western culture. "I've lived in the US for how long now, Roza?"

They left Hans in their wake, watching them go with a surprised smile on his face.

Thank you kindly for reading!

This popped into my head the other day, complete with bunny ears and a fluffy cotton tail.

This is intended as a one-shot.

Please be so kind as to leave a review!

Love to you all,

KittenCeez

xxxMeowxxx