A.N: Hey there! So, this one shot is me trying a new thing:D Like a project =) I'm planning to write couple of one shots to see if I can make it into a full story, and if not…Well, we'll have one shots:D let's see how it'll work=) Please review and tell me what you think! =)
Also, special thanks go to ximenah for writing the oneshot that started everything=)
The palace had never looked so frightening, so… trap like to her. Ever.
As she walked down the hall, she could hear her heels echoing through the house. Her sister didn't say anything, she just kept her pace beside her, like a guardian with a prisoner.
Her heart was fluttering in her chest, and her head was still spinning, she took a deep, shaking breath, and entered the room.
Before her, her family had already taken their spots behind big, wooden table. Her father was frowning slightly, but her mother's face held no emotion whatsoever. She heard her brother move behind her, squeezing her hand in a supporting manner as he walked past her and took his place behind her, beside his other sister.
"Father?" she said softly and he raised his head
"Lilybeth." He acknowledged her presence. "Good day."
She nodded, not trusting her voice
"I'm sure you're wondering why I called for you?"
Countless scenarios were like a storm in her head, but she nodded again silently
"Well, we're all here for fortunate news." He said, sitting up straighter in his chair "We've made the required contacts, and in couple of months, you will be the wife of a Viscount in Scotland."
Lily practically felt the ground slip from under her, but managed to regain her balance. The words were spinning in her head, her heart pounding in her ears
"I beg your pardon, father?" her fingers clenched on her gown painfully, her breathing getting faster
"She will be a Viscountess?!" she heard Maggie's envious whisper behind her, but her brother shushed her
"We will tell you the details once they are clear." Her father said "I hope you realize how lucky you are, Lilybeth."
She could feel the tears filling her eyes, as Klaus' voice rang in her ears.
"How unfortunate." He said when he heard of her cousin's getting married, his voice like a silk and she shivered, holding onto her cloak tighter
"Unfortunate, my lord?" she asked "Not exactly a kind reaction for a marriage news, don't you agree?"
Klaus shook his head "A life, starting to crumble because of it."
"One would say it's a new life, for both of them."
Klaus eyed her up and down, his lips pulling into a small smile "You're envious of her, my lady?"
She blinked a couple times, a blush spreading over her cheeks
"I'm not envious!" she said with a high pitched voice, shocked "There's no reason to be envious!"
When Klaus didn't answer her, she huffed out like a spoiled child.
"I think I'm cold." She said, her nose up in the air "I had better go back to castle. Have a good day." She dropped a curtsey and spun around on her heels, but Klaus blocked her way
"My lord-"
"What is her name?"
She blinked up at him dumbly "I beg your pardon?"
"Your cousin?"
"Mary." She said, after a pause and Klaus offered her his arm. She frowned
"I would like to explain myself to you before you take me for a crazy man." He shot her a smile "If I may?"
She hesitated, but crossed her arms instead of taking his arm. Klaus chuckled as he started walking beside her
"She is not going to be happy."
"And how would you know it?" she dared him, then gulped "My lord." She added the title forcefully with distate and Klaus shrugged
"How many happily married couples that you see around you?"
A silence fell upon them as she forced her brain to find an answer
"They simply tolerate each other." Klaus said and she shook her head fervently
"You're wrong."
"Prove me." He said and she gritted her teeth
"There are a lot of people! In the towns and villages, and some people in my family- and I'm sure Mary will be happy too."
"No, Mary will learn to live with it, because she has to." Klaus said "She will be trapped in her house, if she's lucky, she might have the attention of her husband for a year, or maybe two. She will have children, I repeat, if her husband lies with her-" he ignored her gasp "What? A lot of men have mistresses, you do know that. Her husband will not want her anymore after she gives birth to those children, and she will be left with children that will be taken away from her for education. She will hate her husband, and in return, her husband will hate her, that is, if he is around. He will never get anything he truly wants, because every time his heart desires something, he will be reminded of his wife. Their life will pass away, and they will have nothing in the end."
Lily was shocked at the picture he described for their future, and pushed her hair away from her face
"If they love each other-"
"Love is a temporary thing." He waved his hand "Believe me, every marriage comes to this end."
"So what you're saying is that people shouldn't get married, because they will be unhappy." She could feel her heart break at his words, but tried not to show it.
"No, I'm saying that you shouldn't be envious of such thing." He said "Especially you."
"Especially?"
"It would be a shame to see you turn into that." He said lowly "To see this fire in your eyes die, until you're nothing but a shadow, surrounded by the ashes of your long forgotten ideas and feelings."
For some reason, tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back, taking a deep breath
"So, tell me, Lily." His voice felt like it was caressing her name, sending a shiver down her spine once again "What do you want?"
"No." She heard herself saying, but her voice felt like it was coming from far, far away. "No."
Her father's head shot up
"What?"
"I can't." She whispered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She could practically see her future now, a picture that Klaus had drawn long ago. "Father-"
"What do you mean, you can't?!" his voice rose and Lily cringed unavoidably "You ungrateful fool!"
"Father-"
"You listen to me really close, Lilybeth." He growled "You are going to marry him, and you are going to be happy about it. Or, if I ever hear any of this nonsense again, you will be sent to French court.."
"But I do not love him!"
His father's eyes narrowed "Marriage has nothing to do with love. It is a business that your family decides, and I've made my decision. Leave."
"No- father, I beg you-please-" she couldn't say anything else when her brother Thomas dragged her out of the room, She struggled against his grip, sobbing hysterically but he kept her head pressed to his chest while making her walk, muffling her screams.
"For God's sake woman!" he muttered but she fought with all power she had. Once they had reached to the hall that would lead them to her room, he covered her face with her hair in order to keep her from being recognized. She tried to silence her sobs but it was no use.
Thomas pushed her into her and Maggie's room, and closed the door shut behind them once Maggie was in.
"No, let me out-" she lunged to the door but Thomas pulled her back
"You need to calm down-"
"How can I calm down?!" she screamed "My life is over! Ruined! Can you understand this, you stupid bastard?! I'm getting married to some stranger, I will never see him again, I am losing the love of my life, and you dare to tell me calm down?!" she let out a hysteric laugh, and heard Margaret's voice behind her
"But you'll be a Viscountess, Lilybeth!"
"Shut up, Margaret!" Thomas ordered and Lily let out a sob, sitting down on the bed, hugging herself
"I don't love him, I will never, ever love him!"
Thomas got on his kness in front of her "Lilybeth-"
"Oh God, kill me…" she sobbed and and Thomas made her lie down on the bed. She curled up into a ball, pressing her hand against her chest, hoping it would cease the burning in her heart
"It'll be okay when you wake up." He assured her and she shook her head
"Don't let me wake up." She prayed silently and closed her eyes, sniffling.
But of course, she did wake up. But opposed to what she expected, it wasn't any nightmares, or the pounding in her head that woke her up. She woke up to a deep voice, whispering into her ear
"Lily…"
Her eyes fluttered open and found his blue ones. He was stroking her hair softly, but she raised her hand and stopped him, entwining her fingers with his. He turned her hand and kissed her palm, then moved to her wrist, placing a kiss just on her pulse. A tear escaped from the corner of her eye, dropping to the pillow, and Klaus raised his head, as if he had heard it.
Couple of months later, she would never be able to feel it. Ever.
The mere thought caused more tears to brim her eyes, but she reached out and touched his hair, the soft strands sliding through her fingers like water. She wanted to –needed to- touch him as much as possible, while she still could.
She sighed deeply, sniffling and kept running her fingers through his soft hair.
"Why are you crying, love?"
She had a feeling if she talked about it, she would completely lose her control, and the last thing she wanted, was to break down in front of him, so she stayed silent, focused on her breathing.
"How did you know?" when she talked, her voice was hoarse and he smiled down at her
"Kol said he saw you on the hall."
Lily made a small "oh" noise and pulled her hand back. Klaus brushed his knuckles over her cheek, then frowned slightly
"Your eyes are bloodshot. Who upset you?" his voice turned into a growl when he said the last sentence
"My head hurts." She whispered in an inaudible voice and he hovered over her, pressing his lips to her forehead. She closed her eyes, inhaling his scent and let out a soft whine when he made an attempt to pull back, her hand tugging at the fabric of his jacket. It made him chuckle, and kissed the top of her nose, then pressed his lips to hers. She curled her fingers in his hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer to herself. He pressed his body against her, holding her tightly, and deepened the kiss, making her lose herself in the bliss. His weight on top of him and his touches made her body ache for things that she had been taught not to want, and she scared even herself. She pulled back, panting, and pushed Klaus gently, even if it was the last thing she wanted to do.
"What's wrong?" Klaus asked once again, and she was back to the real world, just like that. She sat up straighter in the bed, sniffing, and folded her hands in her lap, avoiding his glances
"We have to stop."
A silence fell upon them for a minute and she fidgeted in the bed
"What?" his voice came out as a growl and she hugged herself, stealing a curt glance, then looked down at her lap again
"Klaus-"
"What do you mean stop?"
"You were right…" she whispered "That day. I shall never, ever be happy again!"
She pushed her body off the bed, and started pacing in the room, wiping her eyes but she was stopped by Klaus, holding her by her upper arms tight enough to hurt
"Lily! Tell me what's happening." He ordered, and she started sobbing again
"I will turn into that person!" she cried out, hyperventilating "I will never get anything that my heart desires, and my life will fade away before my eyes while I'm left alone, suffering! Klaus, I'm-" she sucked in a deep breath "I'm getting married."
Klaus looked at her for a second, and the stern look in his eyes softened
"Married?" he repeated and she nodded, wiping her eyes stubbornly
"Yes! Klaus, I- I don't want to become a Viscountess, I do not wish to be married, I do not want to be separated from you, I-" she couldn't say anything else because of the sobs, losing her balance, but Klaus caught her before she hit the ground. She clung to him, burying her face to his chest as he made soft hushing noises. His low laugh caused a vibration in his chest and Lily frowned, pulling back. When she looked up at him, she saw that he was trying his hardest not to burst into laughter
"You find this entertaining?" she asked disbelievingly and Klaus smiled down at her
"That's what was troubling you?"
She wriggled her way out of his grip "If my pain amuses you-"
"It doesn't, but you have no reason to be in pain for." He let out a clear laugh "Lily, my love, you can be exaggeratedly tragic…"
"Exaggeratedly tragic?!"
"Something as simple as that…" he shook his head, muttering to himself "Unbelievable…. Your beautiful eyes are tired from crying for that?" he tut tutted while Lily gawked at him like he had just lost his mind.
Forget that. He had absolutely lost his mind.
"Klaus-?"
"Sweetheart, no one is taking you away from me." He said in a way that one simply listener would've thought they were talking about nature laws. "No Viscount, or Duke, or king. Or even Pope. Ever."
"But- my family-"
"Your family can rot in depths of hell," he ignored her gasp "You will not be in anyone else's arms but mine." He pecked her on the lips "Don't worry your pretty head, alright?"
"But- I don't understand, you can't- you can't stop them!"
Klaus smiled at her reprovingly, as if she had just insulted him.
"You will upset me greatly if I hear you crying because of this matter anymore." He brushed her hair off her face, and kissed her on the lips once more "I will see you at dinner,"
"But- wait, where are you going?!"
"I have some wedding plans to ruin, love!" He winked at her and walked out of the room. Lily looked around in the room and blinked a few times dumbly
"God help me…" she shook her head and flung herself on the bed again.
