Days went by, they turned into weeks, the weeks went by and turned into a month. In that time Anna had gone out over and over with the other Elites, hunting for Gunner but she always came back... She knew Sebastian and Serena would worry if she didn't. Still, the search was going out wider and wider and it was taking an increasing number of days for her to come back each time. Each time she came back she collapsed into bed from exhaustion and slept for a solid day. Seb argued with her about her wearing herself out so badly but it was like talking to a wall. Anna had become more and more determined. She was training harder than she ever had when she was at the courts which was also putting a strain on things... As much as she loved her friends she was barely spending any time with them at all. Seb couldn't really hold it against her, he remembered what losing Anya had felt like.

The Queen put a lock down on both the courts and the Academy, no Moroi in or out... no untrained Guardians either. The only ones allowed out or in were the Elites and the Guardians sent with them to supplement their forces. Gunner was a very wanted Strigoi, he was a talented fighter and his mother had created one of the largest armies of strigoi seen since the attack on Academy and the nest found shortly after all those years ago. It was a concern now that Gunner may be following in his mother's footsteps, creating yet another Strigoi nest but they could find no proof. The man was like a ghost, much as his mother had been.

In the meantime, Sebastian was also feeling torn. He wanted to be able to demand that Anna let him know the instant she found Gunner so he could help her bring him home but on the other hand he had a baby on the way and he had an obligation to them too. He kept these feelings from Serena, he said nothing about going after Gunner. He didn't need her feeling like she was making him choose. However, he rarely slept well lately... disturbing dreams he could never quite remember seemed to stick with him the moment he closed his eyes.

As for his family, they weren't making things any easier. They were pushing and pushing and pushing for him to have another Guardian and though Seb and Serena had both agreed they wanted another Guardian taking over they didn't want his parents influencing their choice. Finally, however, the Queen seemed to give way... She agreed that with the rising Strigoi threat, Sebastian needed a Guardian to protect him and his family. So, she'd sent a Dhampir Guardian named Airen Hugh to watch over them. Airen seemed easy going and trust worthy enough... She stayed out of the way and even seemed willing to help Serena with things now that certain activities were becoming difficult.

His family backed off on the Guardian thing but picked right back up on their vocal disapproval of 'illegitimate' 'mongrel' children. The first time his father had slipped and called his unborn child a 'mongrel' was also the last time. Sebastian lost his temper, lost his control, and used the training Serena had given him to slug his father hard enough that it had broken his nose. That was the last he'd heard of the name calling but they'd moved right along to picking at his choice to marry Serena. According to his mother it was all well and good for a Moroi Prince to have his fun with Dhampirs, even to occasionally produce possible future Guardians, it wasn't however... appropriate for them to marry their 'fun'. Also, his mother having scented blood in the water when she'd last spoken to Serena about the attack on her friends, had made it a point to bring up how miserable Anna looked and how it was a shame that her 'dhampir' friends weren't helping her...

Seb ran a hand through his hair, the ceremony was only three days away... the Queen had postponed it several times because of the happenings and Sebastian's own mental state. However, now people were beginning to raise questions... prying questions, and the Queen thought it best to silence them by getting things over with. Seb was feeling the stress. He'd never wanted the title, but now he'd be taking it anyway. He glanced at Serena, "Are you alright?"