It seems so much longer than four years, yet that's all it's been. It's probably because so much has happened in that short time span, making it seem so much longer. Lissa changed the quorum law, Jill took her spot on the council last year, and has surpassed expectations, the movement for moroi combat training is gaining momentum daily, moroi using offensive magic is currently under discussion, and Dimitri was offered the position of advisor to the Gaurdian Council. Of course, it's not only the changes to moroi law that we've helped implement that's kept us all busy. No, we've had to plan weddings, help defend our friends relationships from their parents, had three pregnancy scares (Lissa, Sydney, and then Lissa again), waited in the hospital for a proud Mikhail to come tell us whether it was a boy or a girl, and supported the Dragomir princess, when she hooked up with one of her gaurdians. Today, we were kept busy with making sure one of those weddings, went according to plan.

"You look amazing," I told Lissa, as she examined herself from every angle in the full-lenght mirror. Wearing an A-line, pure white silk gown, with the sleeves and neck made of lace, and a veil pinned in her hair, I thought she looked breathtaking. I also didn't need a bond, to tell that she was nervous. Her eyes were bright, and she spoke slightly breathlessly.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah," I nodded. I was really trying not ot tear up. In just ten minutes, Lissa would walk down that aisle, meet Christian, and they would become husband and wife. The happiest day of my best friend's life. I felt joyous, and overwhelmed, for her. I really hoped I wasn't going to start crying during the ceremony. I was on maid-of-honour duty today, not gaurdian duty, but I still didn't want to compromise my tough-girl status by turning on the water works. "You are beautiful."

Lissa's other bridesmaids, Jill, Mia and Sydney, all of us wearing the same short sleeved, jade green dresses, came in just then, and after fussing with Lissa's skirt a bit more, and fixing her veil, it was time. Lissa made eye contact with me briefly, before grabbing my hand, and I supported her to the vestibule of the church. An hour, and thirty minutes later, in a beautiful and moving ceremony, with all their family and friends, the Court's church completely full, Lissa and Christian were married. I did in fact tear up a little. But only a little.

The reception looked incredible. It took place in the large hall in the palace, with everyone from the church in attendance. The walls were draped with both the Ozera and Dragomir family crests, the tables covered with bloodred tablecloths, real candles on every table, and fake crystal torches, that could easily pass for real, all along the walls. It was a great party. Currently, the band was playing Party Rock Anthem, and only the guests under the age of twenty-five were dancing. Christian had clearly coerced the band into it, and him and Lissa, Jill and Eddie, and Sydney and Adrian, were rocking out. Adrian was demonstrating the shuffle to a laughing Sydney. I couldn't see Mikhail and Sonya, as of three years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Tanner, anywhere.

Dimitri was over at one of the tables, talking to his parents, grandmother, and sisters, while I brought Zoya and Rurik over to one of the tables at the side of the hall that still had cupcakes, and was trying to decide whether I wanted the strawberry one, or the chocolate one. The kids had already grabbed theirs, and run over to my parents, to show them the pretty cakes. My parents were surprisingly good with small children. I'd been apprehensive about introducing my mother and Olena, but they'd really hit it off, and, to Dimitri's intense embarrassment, had had a 'who was the crazier teenager?' competition, the both of them crying with mirth, between me and Dimitri. Naturally, I won.

I had just decided on the chocolate cupcake, and maybe come back for the strawberry one later, when I heard something that peeked my interest.

"Yes, Annabella is delighted with the clinic. It did take them two tries, but at her age, the fact that she got pregnant at all is simply fantastic."

"Still, though, a sperm clinic. It would be mortifying if it got out, wouldn't it? And can the child take the Lazar name?"

I froze, and looked out of the corner of my eyes, to see two middle aged moroi women, having just sat down at one of the tables near me. I pretended to deliberate my cupcake decision a bit more, so I could listen to them gossip about their friend's husband's fertility troubles. Apparently, she was able to carry a child, but he couldn't get her pregnant. Hearing this I could barely breathe, and I kept hoping that they would mention the name of the clinic. Eventually, when a fast paced waltz started, Dimitri came to ask me to dance, putting an end to my eavesdropping. Behind him, I could see my mother dancing with Ben, and Olena being twirled around by Abe.

"What's that look for?" Dimitri asked with a smile, leading me towards the dance floor. "Should I be worried?"

"Should you be worried? Absolutely," I responded lightly, as he spun me around, before putting one hand on my waist, and catching my left hand in his right. "But I'm not going to tell you now. It'll ruin the party."

"Oh, this should be good. Just give me hint. Is it to do with Lissa's new proposal? An idea for the upgraded curriculum? Please don't tell me you want something like this, for our wedding?"

I rolled my eyes, and unconsciously fingered the simple siver band, and princess cut diamond on my ring finger. On the inside, it had a thorny rose engraved, surrounding the words, moya lyubovʹ, my love, in russian. Dimitri had proposed three months ago, catching me completely by surprise. We'd talked about marriage sure, I wanted to marry him, but I hadn't thought that he'd ask so soon. It hadn't been anything big, or fancy. He'd just brought me breakfast in bed, and asked me. I'd responded 'yes' immediately.

"You know full well that if I had my way, we'd have grabbed Lissa and Christian last month, and signed the papers in the court house." Okay, that wasn't entirely true, but I still didn't want a huge fuss. Dimitri wanted one even less. We'd decided to get married on the beach, in Hawaii, with a Justice of the Peace. We even had everything planned, and organised. Olena had wanted us to get married in Baia's gigantic cathedral, but neither Dimitir nor I wanted something so religious. My mother didn't care as long as we were happy. It was the same with Abe and Ben. Which was lucky, as they were paying. The wedding was taking place in May, in just seven months.

Dimitri dipped me, and brought his lips to mine, before righting me and saying "You're not going to tell me are you?"

I shook my head and smiled. Dimitri gave up, seeing a lost cause, and we danced for the rest of the song. Once it was over, Ben cut in, and Dimitri grabbed Lissa, twirling her around. He didn't need to know quite yet. I wasn't even sure if it was a viable option, if we could actually do this. All I knew was, that I had to see if it was possible. I loved seeing Zoya and Rurik, when they came over every August, loved playing with them, and reading them stories. But in the last five months, since Mikhail and Sonya's daughter, Celia, had been born, I practically exploded with jealousy when I saw the three of them with their parents, knowing that Dimitri and I could never have that. Never have our own family. Have to settle for being the cool aunt and uncle. I didn't know that moroi sperm clinics even existed. Now I did, and I was going to find out everything I could. I was going to try, and make this happen. But I couldn't tell Dimitri just yet. I couldn't get his hopes up.