Vampire Academy and the Little Dragon

Kaida was pissed.

She was on the plane, bored to death.

They had decided to take Kaida and Akeno with them, but that was it so far.

That is, until Dimitri came up to Akeno, whom Kaida had convinced to let sit with her thanks to anxiety and herself.

“What are your names? I’m sure your parents would love to know you’re coming home.” He told them. Kaida scoffed.

“Like I’d tell you, and besides I don’t even know my parents.” Kaida told him defiantly. “But you can call me Kaida, and she’s Akeno. Be warned, that is not my real name, and you won’t get Akeno’s last name. So give up on sending us home.”

Akeno sighed though, taking out an ID Kaida had never seen before.

Dimitri’s eyes widened.

“Hey Dimi.” She muttered.

“Alena!”

“Alena?”

Kaida stared at the two of them like they’d just grown a second head.

“Dimi, this is my best friend, Keitha Maeve Miandre.”

Dimitri looked at Kaida then, “Keitha?”

“Kaida. It’s Kaida. I hate that name. Keitha. I don’t know what my mom was thinking when she named me that.” Kaida grumbled.

“Kaida, être gentil.” Akeno, or Alena, told her but Kaida shot her a look.

“Vous avez menti à moi.” Kaida’s tone turned hurtful

“J'expliquerai plus tard. Ce n'est pas le temps.” Alena told her. Kaida huffed, laying back and closing her eyes. In minutes she was asleep.

“Karolina, you’re sure you want to give her up?” An older woman asked the girl Kaida assumed was her mother. She had a feeling that the older woman was her grandmother.

“Yes.” Her mother responded.

“Your brother has taken a liking to her.” Her grandmother pointed out. “He enjoys the idea of being called ‘Uncle Dimitri’.”

“Dimitri will get over it.” Her mother said sadly looking down at the little Kaida in her arms.

Kaida awoke to Ake—Alena whom was telling her something, but Kaida didn’t hear to. She was too caught up in what she had just found out.

Dimitri Belikov was her uncle.

When they landed, they were driven to the academy. Kaida was distracted as they were escorted, her body was on autopilot as she mulled over the new information.

Her mother was named Karolina. She was Dimitri’s older sister, and she’d been very young when she’d had Kaida.

“Hey, Comrade.” Roses’ voice brought Kaida out of her thoughts.

“You want to talk now?” Dimitri questioned. He was still walking, still looking forward.

“Are you taking us to Kirova?” Rose asked. Kaida was trying to remember who they had said Kirova was when her ‘Uncle’ answered for her.

“Headmistress Kirova.” Kaida nodded, her brain remembering it then.

“Headmistress. Whatever. She’s still a self-righteous old bit—”

Rose stopped when the guardians led them through double doors and right into a cafeteria looking place. It looked like breakfast time, because the place was packed full. Kaida glared, hating the attention.

Kaida may have been mad at Akeno for lying about who she was, but she was still Kaida’s best friend, which is why Kaida kept Akeno close. She knew Akeno hated attention way more than Kaida did.

When they were out of the cafeteria, they entered another room, and sat down.

The woman who sat behind the desk seemed beyond angry.

There were 4 adults in the room; the headmistress and another woman, Kaida’s ‘Uncle’ and one other man.

Kaida didn’t like the other man.

Something seemed off about him.

“Vasilisa.” The man said causing Rose to jump. He stood from his chair as Lissa jumped up and ran to give him a hug.

“Uncle.” Lissa whispered seeming on the verge of tears.

Akeno must have sensed Kaida’s confusion because she leaned over and whispered into Kaida’s ear, “That’s Prince Victor Dashkov. He’s sick.” Kaida looked back to him noticing how frail he looked.

Then he smiled. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you safe, Vasilisa.” He said before looking at Rose. “And you too, Rose.” Then he turned towards Kaida and Akeno, his eyes widening when he saw Akeno. “Princess Alena! How are you?” Victor said with a big smile towards Akeno.

“Prince Victor, I’ve been well, and you?” Akeno replied.

“I’ve not been so well.” He answered.

That was the end of their conversation.

All was silent then, at least for another moment. Kaida ignored Kirova as she lectured Rose and Lissa until she turned to them.

“—A trust that you violated, not only by taking the princess away from here, but also by involving her with two humans!”

“If I may, this girl is no human,” Victor interceded, motioning to Akeno. Kaida couldn’t help but wonder if the woman had heard when he called her princess the first time. “This is Alena Zeklos; their lost princess. And I have a feeling this girl”—this time he motioned to Kaida—“is no human either.”

Akeno smiled, “Victor, always the observant one.” She rose confidently, pulling the same ID she had shown to Dimitri earlier out of her pocket and holding it out to Kirova. “He is right. I am Alena Zeklos, and this is my best friend, a dhampir I found whom was raised as a human. I recognized Lissa and so we went with them. Rose did quite the job protecting Lissa, as Kaida protected me.”

Kirova eyed the ID suspiciously before sighing. “I still cannot pardon the action. Rose is going to be sent away as soon as possible.”

“I… What?!” Rose muttered astounded.

“You can’t do that! She’s my guardian.” Lissa exclaimed standing.

“She is no such thing, particularly since she isn’t even a guardian at all. She’s still a novice.” Kirova said.

“But my parents—”

“I know what your parents wanted, God rest their souls, but things have changed. Miss Hathaway is expendable. She doesn’t deserve to be a guardian, and she will leave.”

Rose just stared at Kirova before finally speaking again. “Where are you going to send me? To my mom in Nepal? Did she even know I was gone? Or maybe you’ll send me off to my father?” Kirova obviously was displeased with the way she was being spoken to, but Rose’s next words set off more than one fuse.

“Or maybe you’re going to try to send me off to be a blood whore. Try that, and we’ll be gone by the end of the day.”

“Miss Hathaway,” Kirova hissed, “You are out of line!”

Kaida had had enough of sitting and being the angel for once, so standing up she gave Kirova a look that could freeze hell over.

“You know what? You’re out of line! If it was Lissa’s parents that wanted Rose to be her guardian then you should honor that. That has not changed and never will! You send her away, you might as well kill off Lissa too, cuz I’ve never seen a better match… well besides Kena and myself.” Kaida was breathing hard when she finished. Kirova as well as everyone else (with the acception of Akeno and Dimitri) looked at her with shock, then Dimitri said four words.

Just four.

“They have a bond.” He was looking at Rose and no one else. “Rose knows what Vasilisa is feeling. Don’t you?”

This caught Kirova even more off guard as her gaze shifted between Rose and Dimitri (with the occasional glance at Kaida as if waiting for the fuse to reignite).

“No… that’s impossible. That hasn’t happened in centuries.”

“It’s obvious. I suspected as soon as I started watching them.” Dimitri said simply. Kaida’s eyes widened.

“Way to sound like a stalker.” Kaida said monotonously, getting a laugh out of Akeno and Victor.

“That is a gift, a rare and wonderful thing.” Victor muttered from the corner he was in.

“The best guardians always had that bond, in the stories,” Dimitri added.

Kirova seemed outrages that she wasn’t getting her way.

“Stories that are centuries old!” she exclaimed. “Surely you aren’t suggesting we let her stay at the Academy after everything she has done?”

Dimitri shrugged. “She might be wild and disrespectful, but if she has potential—”

“And Lissa’s parents wanted it—” Kaida began to add.

“Wild and disrespectful?” Rose interrupted. “Who the hell are you anyway? Outsourced help?”

“I think she just proved his point.” Kaida muttered to Akeno, who nodded in agreement.

“Guardian Belikov is the princess’ guardian now.” Kirova informed her, a look going to Akeno and Kaida. “Her sanctioned guardian.”

‘And my Uncle!’ Kaida shouted out in her head.

“You got cheap foreign labor to protect Lissa?” Rose asked snobbily.

Kaida felt like punching her until she saw her expression. One of regret.

Kirova’s hand went up in exhasperation as she turned to Dimitri. “You see? Completely undisciplined! All the psychic bonds and very raw potential in the world can’t make up for that! A guardian without discipline is worse than no guardian.”

Kaida looked over to Akeno, whom looked sad.

She’d have to ask about that later.

“So teach her discipline. Classes just started. Put her back in and get her training again.” It seemed Dimitri had a solution for everything.

“Impossible. She’ll still be hopelessly behind her peers.” Kirova retaliated.

‘Hey this is like a game…’ Kaida thought. ‘Kirova serves it back, let’s see if Dimitri—’

“No I won’t!”

‘Rose tries to intercept it—’

“Then give her extra training sessions.”

‘But Dimitri gets to it before her and it’s back to Kirova.’

“Who’s going to put in the extra time? You?”

‘Kirova goes for the point.’

There was a moment of silence.

“Well, that’s not what I—”

‘Dimitri hesitantly hits it back—’

“Yes. That’s what I thought.”

‘Satisfied with her opponants reaction, Kirova pounds back an impossible hit!’

Dimitri looked at Rose and Lissa taking a deep breath before…

‘But wait. Is he—I think he is—’

“Yes. I can mentor Rose. I’ll give her extra sessions along with her normal ones.”

‘And he’s done the impossible! He’s hit it back!’

“And then what? She goes unpunished?”

‘Kirova, infuriated that her opponent is still in, swings furiously hitting it back once more.’

“Find some other way to punish her. Guardian numbers have gone down too much to risk losing another. A girl, in particular.”

‘Dimitri has hit it back! But wait; I think it’s out of bounds…’

“I’m inclined to agree with Guardian Belikov. Sending Rose away would be a shame, a waste of talent.”

‘Referee Victor has deemed the ball in bounds!’

Kirova looked out the window and when she turned back around Lissa’s eyes met hers.

“Please Ms. Kirova. Let Rose stay.”

To anyone who hadn’t been on the run with them, Lissa probably just looked like a pleading girl, but Kaida had seen this many times before, and knew Lissa was using her ‘compulsion thingy’.

Kirova sighed.

“If Miss Hathaway stays, here’s how it will be.” Kirova turned to Rose then. “Your continued enrollment at St. Vladimirs is strictly probationary. Step out of line once, and you’re gone. You will attend all classes and required trainings for novices your age. You will…”

‘Blah, blah, blah,’ Kaida began humming the popular song by Ke$ha, closing her eyes.

“KAIDA!”

Kaida opened her eyes to see that both Rose and Lissa were gone.

“Now you two.” Kirova began, massaging the bridge of her nose. “What are you two planning on doing?”

“I’d like to stay.” Akeno said. Kaida as well as everyone else looked at her. “I’ve been in hiding long enough. I’d like to be able to tell people, ‘My name is Alena Zeklos, and I’m a Moroi princess.’ I want to be with my own people. So, I want to stay.”

Kirova nodded before turning to Kaida.

“I’m not sure. I don’t wanna leave Akeno, or I guess Alena, and I really don’t have anywhere else to go, but I don’t know if I belong here. I wasn’t raised in this world—”

“All the more reason for her to stay. She could train with Rose and Dimi. Besides, If they’ll allow it, I’d like for her to be my guardian once we are out.” Akeno pointed out.

“I can vouch that she has the potential. She took out four of our best guardians. The girl has skills.” Dimitri told Kirova. “I wouldn’t mind having her as well as Rose.”

Kirova nodded, “Then it’s settled. You two will begin class. Miss Dragomir can make sure you know all the rules and such, Miss Zeklos, and likewise with Miss Hathaway and Miss…” Kirova trailed off, not knowing Kaida’s last name.

“Miandre.”

Kirova had a hint of a smile then. “Welcome to St. Vladimirs.”