Walking through the busy market place she browsed through the aisle looking for everything on her list. She was in a slight rush as she had to get to her rehearsals for the annual ball for the Mikaelson family. She was a ballet dancer who did this every year. Each year it was a masquerade ball in which they did a performance. She wasn't paying attention and she walked right into the third oldest son, Niklaus. But she didn't know it was him. She nearly stumbled back and her grasped her elbow holding her steady.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry. Are you alright?" she asks. She was entranced by his sea foam green eyes, light brown hair and dimpled smile. She couldn't help but smile softly at him. She couldn't shake the feeling that she knew him from somewhere. But she just couldn't figure it out.

He just stares at her for moment. She was lovely. Soft caramel colored eyes, short light brown hair that reached her shoulders and she was about 5'3" so she was slightly shorter than him. He just stood there still grasping her elbow. His eyes flicked down and saw a gold necklace around her neck. It had a pendant shaped like an eye with a sapphire for the pupil.

"I'm quiet fine. But are you alright? You seem to be in rush." He asks looking at her.

She nods and straightens up. "I'm fine, just in a rush to get to my rehearsals. So I'm in a bit of a rush."

He nods and releases her elbow and smiles at her then heads out on his own way. Her friend and fellow dancer, April, comes over and looks at her.

"Christi, do you know who that was!" she asks containing her excitement to keep it on the low.

"No who?" she asks as she finishes up her shopping and goes and checks out quickly.

"Niklaus Mikaelson! Christi with the way he was looking at you I think he's love struck with you!"

"I doubt it April. I mean he could have a princess, duchess, lady, and all those other titles. Why would he want a common girl like me? My father is a blacksmith and my mom is a maid for his sister. I doubt he'd even look at me once he finds out who I am. It's whatever. Come on, we're going to be late for rehearsals."

The two girls leave the shop and head over to the studios for last minute rehearsals before the ball tomorrow. Suddenly Christi wasn't looking forward to the ball. She played with her turkey eye necklace. Her mother had given it to her when she turned 16 to bring her luck. Her mother wanted better for her daughter. She hoped that someone with a noble title would catch some interest in her and give her a better life than one she had. Now at 18 she was still unmarried and in the kingdom of Crux. In Crux if a girl reached 21 and was unmarried she was considered an old maiden. Her parents were worried about her not marrying before she was 21.

The next night was nerve wracking. There he was sitting there on the throne next to his mother, father, and brothers and sister. She sighs as 'Bust Your Windows' by Jazmine Sullivan starts. She pulled her mask down that covered the top half of her face on and went out with the other girls. It was a Waltz/Tango number they were doing. They did half of it with just the group of dancers before the crowd started to join in with them. A few of the men cutting in with the female dancers. She looked up as Klaus cut in with her and her partner from the studio. He gave her that smile from yesterday and she returned it back to him. She knew it was him just from the cologne he was wearing. It was the same as yesterday. He spotted her necklace and looked at her.

"You're the girl from the market yesterday." He mutters softly so only she could hear.

She nodded and cast her eyes downward.

"And you're the prince."

He nodded as the song ended and he took her by the arm and lead her away and into the garden. She smiled softly as he pushed her mask up softly he looked her right in the eye. She got lost in those…what she was thinking gentle…eyes. He pushed some hair out of her face and smiled at her.

"You know, this party just isn't the annual ball." He said then paused to hold back his anger for a moment despising this ball, "It's for me to choose a wife. At the end of the night everyone will be taking off their masks and I have to present the white rose to the girl of my choosing. I want you to be that girl."

"Why me? I'm just some common girl. There are girls so much more pretty than I am. Girls who come from blue blood."

"So?" he asks cocking an eyebrow, "I know what I want. And I want you. And I always get what I want."

She smiles at him and nods. She never thought she would have this chance but it was actually happening. Her parents hopes for her were actually happening. She was going to marry into noble blood and they wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. He gave her that dimpled smile and gently pushes her mask back into place then leads her back inside as he hears the announcement of him having to make his choice.

"Act surprised love."

She nodded and smiled as they went their separate ways before the crowd could see them together. Everyone had removed their masks and were standing off to the sides and the dance floor. All the girls of noble blood lined the front while all the girls of common blood lined the back. There was very few of them there but there was some of them there. Christi was behind the Gilbert twins, Elena and Katerina. She had seen them a few times in town and they were identical. Katerina was the rudest of the two but Elena was the kinder one of the two. She looked across the room and she saw Caroline Forbes. She had once been betrothed to Niklaus but broke it off and hadn't been seen in Crux in a few years. Now there the gorgeous blonde stood with a child no older than four at her side. She was eyeing Niklaus with a look that could kill. He just ignored the look and made it seem as if he searching the girls for his bride. He stopped in front of the Gilbert twins and Katrina nearly squealed with excitement and Elena just tensed. She knew why Caroline had left and it was all because of the man standing in front of her. He reached between them and took Christi's hand and lightly pulled her between the twins acting surprised as he presented the white rose to her which she gladly took. Katrina just screeched and stormed out of the ballroom in a fit. Elena and Caroline just looked worried for her. Like they knew something about Klaus that no one else knew.