"Will you stop making me out to be a brat? I am not a brat."
"A thousand years of life experience says otherwise."
- Disturbing Behavior 3x04
Five times in which Klaus spoiled Rebekah and one time in which she was a brat.
1876 - Church Hill Downs
"Vagrant? Who gives their horse such a demeaning name?" Rebekah scrunched up her nose.
"Someone with a wicked sense of humor," Klaus smiled, as he slid his betting slip across the counter to the attendant "And I'm willing to bet on an animal with a name like that."
"Kindred spirit?" Rebekah smirked at him, as they made their way through the crowd.
"You know you are very fortunate that you are even here," Klaus scoffed at her "Women are frowned upon at these types of affairs."
"I want to see the horses," she insisted, rolling her eyes at his comment.
"You will and hopefully with Vagrant crossing the finish line in victory."
"Now Nik," she pushed further "Can't we go see them now? All of these old men and all of this talk is boring me."
"Then go," he shrugged "My fun is just beginning..."
She watched as he made his way into the crowd, no doubt planning to compel the men to place impossible bets with him they would most certainly lose.
Somehow she managed to wind her way through the crowd and make it to the stables. It was hours still before the race began and it was empty except for the loud breathing of the beautiful creatures. She walked across the mud and hay covered floor, paying no mind to the fact that it was ruining the bottoms of her shoes. At the end of a long line of stalls, she found him.
A beautiful, jet black horse.
She stopped in front of his stall and studied his face.
His eyes were piercing and dark.
They were almost lonely, as if there was a story to be told behind them that no one would ever know.
He reminded her of someone.
He reminded her of her brother.
She slipped the white glove off her hand and carefully reached out to touch him. Her hand finally made contact with the patch of hair between his eyes, which closed softly as she pet him.
"You must be some kind of horse charmer miss."
Startled, she turned to find a young man, dressed in overalls that were covered in dirt and hay walking toward her.
"What do you mean?" she put on her most pleasant and seductive smile.
"Well, Vagrant here doesn't take to kindly to people," he reached her, matching her smile with his own dimpled one.
"Is that so?"
More like Nik than she thought.
"He's real stubborn," the boy insisted, opening the stall door and taking out a brush to use on Vagrant's coat.
"Well that explains why we get on so well together," she smiled.
"You know, you really shouldn't be down here. This place isn't supposed to be open to the public," he glanced up at her.
"Are you going to ask me to leave?" she cocked her head to one side, her blonde curls gathering around the side of her face from underneath her brimmed hat.
"No," he laughed as he continued to brush Vagrant's shiny black hair "I must admit you being here sure makes it a lot prettier."
"I would much prefer to be here, than upstairs in that stuffy parlor. All those men flashing their money around and drinking their scotch and brandy," Rebekah rolled her eyes and sighed heavily "It bores me."
"Bores me too," he laughed "Of course, they wouldn't let me in the door of that place. Maybe I'll have a different feeling when I make a fortune or two and I got somebody wading in mud taking care of my horses."
She studied him as he made long brush strokes through Vagrant's mane. His dirty blonde hair falling into his piercing green eyes, he was a beautiful man. Normally, she wasn't drawn to the poor, rugged type but something about him was so innocently fascinating to her.
He finished with Vagrant and came back out of the stall.
"I'm Matthew," he introduced himself, as he locked Vagrant back in.
"Rebekah," she answered without a second thought.
Normally, she didn't give away her name so easily but he was so beautiful she found it hard to resist.
"Rebekah, that's a beautiful name," he smiled at her.
"Rebekah, what in the bloody hell are you doing down here?" Klaus' aggitated voice brought her back to reality, as he walked into the stables.
He immediately caught sight of Matthew and his eyes narrowed even more. She watched as his entire body stiffened as he realized what he had walked into.
"This place is filthy. Go back upstairs and get yourself something to drink. This is no place for you."
"I'm visiting the horses," she glared at him "They're the only interesting thing around here."
"I doubt that," Klaus sneered as he continued to stare at Matthew "Now I said go."
"Is this man bothering you?" Matthew stepped closer to Klaus, his eyes matching the look he was getting from him.
Klaus smiled smugly and reached out, taking Rebekah by the arm.
"That's none of your business, stable boy," he insisted.
"Nik," Rebekah whispered, almost pleadingly "Leave him alone."
"I suggest you let go of the lady."
Klaus froze, his gaze locked with his sister's. She could see the anger and superiority bubbling up inside of him and she slowly closed her eyes and began to imagine she was somewhere else. Anywhere else. Because she knew this scenario, this place, all too well.
"All right," Klaus let go of Rebekah's arm and lunged at the boy before she had a chance to say another word.
She grimaced as she heard Matthew scream out in pain and kept her eyes fixed on Vagrant's dark ones until she heard him stop struggling. There was nothing she could do for him. The horses in the barn were going crazy, neighing and butting against the stall doors. Then an eerie silence took over. A sound she had come to know.
She felt Klaus walk up beside her and she shook her head slowly.
"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice breaking.
"Oh Rebekah, he was a nobody. Do you honestly think anybody will miss him?"
"The horses might," she continued to stare at Vagrant.
"Oh don't be ridiculous," Klaus sighed, wiping the corners of his mouth with his thumb "So this is Vagrant is it?"
"Yes," she bit back, continuing to pet the quiet and unalarmed horse.
She had noticed that the other horses had responded to Klaus' violent kill but Vagrant had remained calm.
Klaus studied his sister's face as she seemed to be communicating with the animal without words. She seemed so incredibly connected to the creature that it both fascinated and angered him. A stray tear slid down her cheek. It had been years since he had seen his sister cry.
"Don't pout," he sighed with annoyance, hiding his concern "It doesn't suit you."
"I just wanted to come look at the horses," she cut her eyes over at him "He was just doing his job."
"Yes well, he wasn't doing it very well was he…conversing with you instead of preparing for the race. Come on, I have to dispose of the body."
"Now, let's see if your boy Vagrant will come through for us," Klaus surveyed the pack of horses.
Rebekah refused to reply. She stared straight ahead and silently looked for Vagrant at the starting line. She wasn't positive but she would almost swear their eyes locked together for a brief moment. She felt so drawn to that horse, as if she could save and protect him from the harshness of what the world had become.
The gun went off and the men started yelling and swearing and waving their arms. It was one of the most ridiculous things Rebekah had seen in the many centuries she had been on earth. They were a group of men, with no more lofty ambitions than to bet their life savings on such beautiful creatures and their ability to run a silly dirt path.
She had to admit though she felt pride filling up her insides as Vagrant sailed across the finish line first. The men erupted again, some in joy and some in dispair.
"You were right brother," she finally spoke coldly to him "It looks like Vagrant has earned you a small fortune."
Klaus licked the satisfied smile off his lips, watching Rebekah as she watched the horses rounded up and the riders usher them back to the stables. He could almost see the light drain from her eyes when Vagrant disappeared from view.
"Where are you going?" Rebekah sighed as he stood.
"To collect my winnings."
She waited for over half an hour for Klaus to return before she ventured in search of him. She wanted nothing more than to go home to their plantation house and try to wipe the events of the day from her memory; all except Vagrant, of course.
After searching through the stands and the parlors, she finally caught sight of her brother conversing with a group of well-dressed men just outside the stables. As she approached, the men dispersed leaving just Klaus with a proud smirk on his face.
"What on earth are you doing now?" she sighed "I want to go home."
"You can't leave your horse behind," he turned to her.
"My what?" she was growing impatient, tossing her head to one side.
"Vagrant, he's yours," he pulled the door to the stable open.
"Mine?" she raised a curious eyebrow.
"Mhm," he nodded smugly "Now with the way you're dressed, I would assume that I will be the one riding him home and you will take the coach?"
Rebekah knew it was an attempt by her big brother to make amends for his kill. His way of apologizing without ever having to admit any wrong doing or expressing one ounce of regret. But she was so bonded to that horse that she was willing to take it, even if she wasn't going to admit that he was forgiven.
"No," she reached out and pushed passed him "I'll ride him."
"You're quite the lady, aren't you?" Klaus watched her saddle up the horse in one of her best dresses.
"Go fetch the coach, brother," she jumped into the saddle "And stay out of my way."
Klaus stood in the doorway of the stables and watched Rebekah speed across the grounds, her hat sailing off her head as she went.