Elena's POV

My dreams were tormenting me. I couldn't sleep. Sitting up in bed, I glanced at the clock. 6:43. So much for getting any extra sleep on a Saturday. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was him dying calling out in pain. My subconscious was torturing me. Getting dressed, I walked downstairs seeing our maid, Emily sort through the mail.

"Anything from-"

"No, miss.. nothing today," she replied. I sat down at the table as my mother and Emily began serving the family breakfast.

I hadn't heard from him in a month and a half. Yes, it did take a while for mail from the front lines to come through, however it had been too long. Letters usually took around two weeks to come through, but this was unacceptable. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth week I had written a letter each. No response.

Standing from the table, I walked out without even excusing myself. My mother, Isabelle snipped at me in anger about manners. Hardly paying any attention, I grabbed my wrap and my shoes before walking out the door to the barn.

The grass crunched under my feet from the frost. That was when I realized how early it was. No matter, I still trudged on. When I reached the stables, the stable boy was mending to my favorite Appaloosa horse, Versailles. Alongside my horse was my father's horse, Brandy, named after his favorite beverage. Seeing Brandy only pained me because it made me think of him. It was his favorite horse as well.

Late nights, we would sneak out taking the horses for a midnight ride in the fields. He made me feel free. He opened my eyes.

"Aaron.." I muttered. He looked up doing double take.

"Miss Gilbert.. uh.. are you alright miss?" He asked seeing my bare feet and flushed cheeks from the cold.

"Aaron I need your help," I huffed.

"Sure, anything miss!" He nodded dropping the horse brush and standing with a slight stumble on a horse shoe.

"I need you to prepare the carriage. I am making a trip to the Salvatore manor immediately," I ordered. His face hardened slightly. I knew he had feelings for me, but I always acted like I didn't notice. He hated the Salvatore's.

"Miss.. I do not think your father-"

"Aaron, you already know he is not there. I am going to see Stefan," I sighed bending down to put my shoes on.

"You know he irritates me even more. He looks at you like you are a snack. I cannot allow it," Aaron shook his head looking down.

"Aaron, you work for me." I was beginning to become impatient. He giggled.

"I work for your father, Princess," he scoffed. My fingers shook as I tried the clasp on my shoe. I let out a breath in anger. "Here," he knelt down at the same time I stood clasping my shoe before beginning on the other one.

"I am serious. I just need to talk with Stefan. You can come if you please," I offered. I was rather good at bargaining.

"So be it," he sighed standing and rubbing his hands together. "I will get Versailles and Brandy ready."

Once the carriage was ready, we were off.

"What is making you want to talk to Stefan Salvatore?" Arron asked as he parked the carriage in front of the Salvatore manor holding out his hand to me so I could step down without falling. "You have never wanted to say a single word to him before. What is different now?"

"I think his elder brother, Damon, is in trouble. He hasn't responded to a single letter of mine for over a month," I teared up just saying it out loud.

"Maybe he just moved stations. It happens all the time in the military. My father is a veteran from the Black Hawk War back in '32 and he moved stations a lot, so it was hard to contact us. There is no need to worry, miss," he assured me. Aaron was being polite, and that never usually happened when the Salvatore's were involved. I shook my head.

"I know when something is wrong with him. I know. I love him.." I choked out beginning to cry.

"Miss Gilbert, I assure you we will find out what happened to him," he nodded his head.

I paused gathering myself and wiping my eyes before taking a step up to their door.

"Aaron please wait by the carriage," I asked as politely as I could. He hesitated until I gave him a stern look. Backing off, he went and stood by the carriage.

Damon's mother opened the door and smiled warmly. She always had a soft spot for me. His father on the other hand did not. Stefan over time developed quite a cold spot in his heart for me as well.

"Elena, dear, come in it is freezing. Helen is making breakfast for us. You should join," she offered.

"I apologize Mrs Salvatore.. I cannot stay for breakfast. I merely came to talk to Stefan about Damon. Have you heard from him in the past month?" I asked inwardly crossing my fingers hoping he was at least replying to them.

"No.. we haven't heard from him since he left about six months ago. You've been hearing from him?" A relief came across her face.

"Damon has been writing every two weeks to me, however, I have not received anything in a month and a half. I'm greatly worried.." I began to cry again just as Stefan's face appeared in the door. His expression cold as his jaw clenched.

"What are you here for?" He asked.

"Manners, Stefan!" His mother snipped. Stefan disregarded her comment.

"May I please talk to you?" I asked. Stefan hesitated before nodding walking out the door. Offering his arm, I took it walking with him. Aaron stood straight and alert watching us walk by. I nodded showing him I was alright before focusing my attention to Stefan.

"What would you like to talk about?" Stefan asked as we walked leisurely on the pavement. He seemed to relax. I knew he still cared for me, but he tried his best to follow his father's example and not care for anyone. I knew he would eventually break. Stefan's heart was nothing like his father's. Damon was the complete opposite of his father.

"Damon.. I was wondering if he was writing to-"

"Elena!" He dropped his arm completely letting my hand fall to my side.

"Don't even start, Stefan! I know you're worried about him as well! I know I broke your heart, but you know just as well as I do that you and I were not meant to be together. I also know that Damon has been writing to you. Your father may be hiding it from both of you, but I know he's been writing, and you do too. I'm going crazy thinking if he's been kidnapped or if he's dead, and I can't even think-" I broke down not understanding my own words bursting out of my mouth.

Stefan was rubbing my back softly and gently hugged me.

"Follow me," Stefan held out his arm. I clung to it for dear life trying to quiet myself.

Leading me to his house, we walked in and upstairs to his bed chambers.

"Stefan.. this is not appropriate at-"

"Shh!" He hissed patting the edge of his bed. I did as I was told, which was a first, and sat down where he told me to. Going through his dresser, he pulled out a wooden box and gently closed his door. Sitting down next to me, he laid the box on my lap. "Father says if I tell mother, he will burn them all. He says if she doesn't hear from Damon at all it will help her deal with the loss better if Damon doesn't return home. He would more than likely skin me like the cattle if he knew I was telling you, so if you mention this to him just know that you are signing my death certificate," he raised his eyebrows.

"That's barbaric that you aren't allowed to tell your mother. He is her son as well, not just Giuseppe's," I argued.

"Elena.. promise me," he raised his voice slightly.

"Yes, I promise," I agreed rolling my eyes. Stefan nodded opening the little box to about a dozen letters. I teared up just reading his handwriting. They were addressed to "Lillian and Stefan Salvatore" each and every time. His grudge against his father for signing him up for war was impressive. I didn't blame him, though.

"You should read this one.. I think you'll find it helpful as to why he may not be answering your letters," he picked the top one off the pile handing it to me. It was the most current dated one. The top one was only addressed to Stefan. I nearly ripped the paper open trying to read it.

Stefan,

I fear the southern troops are not as strong as they once were. The Union Soldiers have been taking more and more of us every day as hostages. Some they take, we find days later in ditches. They are usually the weaker ones. They may be killing off the weaker men and keeping the stronger as hostages.

What has this country become?

Please, I only addressed this to you because I do not want mother to worry. I apologize for pouring my heart out about the true natures of war. I cannot tell Elena anything of the sorts. I usually just mention how we sit around smoking and playing poker. I cannot tell her the truth, but the civil war is the worst thing I've ever experienced. I am worried to never see you or her again.

I truly despise father for this. Please, if I stop writing letters, I am more than likely dead or have been taken. I want you to help Elena move on. She deserves the world and so do you. Move on Stefan. Be everything father is not. He is not a true man. You are. Find a nice woman and settle down... but keep your paws off my girl..

I love you, brother.

Damon

I closed my eyes. Standing, I set the paper down on Stefan's lap. Without a single word, I walked out of his room, the house and began to run. I ran past the carriage with Aaron nearly screaming my name. Not a single tear escaped my eyes as I ran. My shoes in one hand, and the edge of my dress in the other so I wouldn't step on it.

I ran for nearly twenty minutes before coming back to my own house. Aaron was right on my tail yelling at me to get in the carriage. Ignoring him completely, I threw my shoes to the ground opening the front door of the house. My mother came to the door along with my father and brother when they heard the commotion, and all began to yell asking where I was. All I heard was white noise.

Walking clear up to my bedroom, I pulled out a blank sheet of paper and began to write before I stuck it in an envelope addressing it to his station. Opening a suitcase, I packed only essentials before walking back down stairs in my riding attire. I walked past my family who was still asking questions, out the door, and shoved my letter into the mailbox before getting on my horse and riding off into town.

Damon,

I am coming for you.

*yay I hope y'all like it so far! I'm going to try to write in the past and use as many historical facts as I can because I always wanted to write a Delena story in the 1800's and this is the route I'm taking! Let me know what you think of the prologue! You will get more info in chapter one so no worries there but just wondering how it looks so far?:) let me know with a review or two! If there are errors or you don't understand me let me know because I wrote and reviewed most of this at 2AM! Thanks! -Syd

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