Set in the mid 1800s; an old, traditional English town

*Elena*

Elena sighed and looked up at her mother.

"I don't even understand why I need to get married though, I'm perfectly happy with my current life!" She said, in reply to her mother's request to have lunch tomorrow.

"Listen, Elena. It is with great difficult that I persuaded Lady Mikaelson, and her son, to come to lunch tomorrow. You know how they, and everyone else, look down on us since your father made his money himself, rather than simply inheriting it like all the other in this town." Her mother was always bringing that fact up, Elena never really thought about where their money came from but her mother had always been bitter about it. "The only reason she agreed, was because she knows we're one of the richest families here!" Her mother continued.

"But I know nothing about this Klaus! I don't know him, let alone love him." Elena replied, irritated with yet another one of her mother's attempts to wed her off to some stranger.

"Elena, darling." Miranda Gilbert sat down at the kitchen table, next to her daughter. "Think of what this match could do for you! Lord Klaus Mikaelson! This marriage would cement your status in society, and once and for all establish the Gilberts as a reputable family in this town!"

Elena took a grape from the platter on the table, and idly played with it for a few seconds before popping it into her mouth.

"I know, I know. It just all seems so unfair."

Miranda sighed, and brushed a strand of hair away from her daughter's face.

"I love you, and I've always only wanted the best for you. I want you to grow up with all the things I never had, and Klaus and his mother can give that to you. You will never want for anything, honey, and nothing would make me happier than knowing you were taken care of. So will you please come to lunch tomorrow, and meet Klaus, for me?"

Elena sighed, popped another grape in her mouth and placed a short, sweet kiss on her mother's cheek.

"Of course, anything for you. I love you too." Miranda smiled gratefully at her, as Elena went upstairs to mentally prepare for lunch with her newest suitor the next day.

(**)

Elena sighed, irritated, and kicked off the blanket covering her. It was summer, but it was still unreasonably hot at the moment. For England, anyway. She tried to fan herself, but quickly gave up. She needed some actual fresh air. Slipping some shoes on, she quietly snuck out the back door downstairs and into the garden. She was enjoying the cool breeze through her hair, when some shouts and lights from the street interrupted her momentary calm.

Frowning, she headed towards the end of the garden, where a wall separated her from the street that ran behind her house. Through the gate in the wall, she saw flashlights, and she could hear distant shouts coming from further up the street. Her curiosity piqued, she stepped forward to look through the gate, when a figure vaulted over it and pressed against the wall, clearly hiding from whomever was out in the street. She gasped with shock, and stepped away, stumbling slightly. The stranger reached out, she assumed with the intention of helping her, when at that moment another voice called through the gate.

"Sorry to bother you this late at night Miss Gilbert, but have you seen any dodgy guys hanging around these parts?"

The man held up a lantern to his face, and she recognized the policeman's uniform. The light also allowed her to better study the stranger who was currently hiding in her garden. He had dark, almost black hair, and was dressed simply, clearly not belonging to this side of town. He held up a finger to his lips, and she saw a sparkle in his striking, blue eyes. He was handsome, even she could admit, with an air of mischievousness that appealed to her.

"Why? What has he done?" She asked, answering the policeman's question with one of her own. She knew she should tell him that the person he was searching for was a mere few feet away, hidden by the wall, but she first wanted to know what he had even done to warrant a policeman on the lookout for him.

"He's stolen something, he's just a common thief, nothing for you to worry about, miss."

Elena glanced back at the stranger, who held out an apple in his hand. She guessed it was what he had stolen, but why would the policeman be after him over a measly apple?

Biting her lip, she went against her better judgment and turned back to the man.

"No, I haven't seen him. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help." She said, with no idea of why she was protecting this stranger.

She glanced back at him, and he shot her a grin, which she assumed was his way of thanking her.

"No worries miss. Again, sorry to bother you at this time." The policeman nodded at her, and carried on down the street.

She turned back to the dark-haired man.
"I've never lied to a policeman before." She said, feeling oddly proud of herself.

"Well, there's a first time for everything." The man replied, winking at her. His voice was smooth, with a trace of arrogance.

He flicked his wrist, and the apple sailed gently through the air towards her. She stepped forwards to catch it, but she'd reacted too late, and the apple landed softly on the grass. She quickly leaned down and picked it up, brushing away the dew with her finger. When she looked up, the stranger had gone.

Frowning with confusion, she looked back down at the apple in her hand. If he had stolen it, and gone to all the effort of hiding from the policeman, why on earth had he left it with her?

(**)

"And a bag of flour, yes." Miranda Gilbert closed the door of the kitchen cupboard and turned to face Bonnie Bennett, their maid. "I think that's all I need." She said, nodding in satisfaction.

"Of course, ma'am." Bonnie bobbed a curtsey, and turned to leave the kitchen.

"Wait, wait." Elena cut in, standing up from where she had been eating her breakfast. "I'll come with you."

Miranda sighed. "Elena, you don't need to go. That's why we have Bonnie."

Elena shook her head. "I want to go with her. I'd like the fresh air."

"Fine. But remember, lunch is at 1. Don't be late. I'm sure Lady Mikaelson will appreciate punctuality." Miranda relented, and Elena grinned.

"I won't be. Bye!"

She took Bonnie's arm, and the two headed out the front door and into the sunny morning. They took the normal route to the market.

"You're unusually chipper this morning." Bonnie said, turning to face Elena. Though Bonnie technically worked for the Gilberts, as Elena was an only child, she'd come to consider Bonnie one of her closest friends. They were the same age and had similar interests, and now Bonnie really had become someone she could confide to, more of a sister than a maid.

Elena frowned. "Not chipper, more contemplative. I had a strange encounter last night." She proceeded to fill Bonnie in on the events in the garden, with the mysterious stranger.

"He doesn't sound like the type of person you should be associating with." Bonnie replied, looking slightly concerned. "And you definitely shouldn't have lied to the policeman, he was only doing his job."

Elena rolled her eyes, then mentally told herself off. Her mother was always reprimanding her on how unladylike it was to roll your eyes.

"Never mind him. Now what was on mother's list?" She said, deciding to change the subject.

The rest of the morning passed quite quickly, with nothing out of the ordinary occurring. They wandered the market, arm-in-arm, buying everything that her mother had requested.

Elena always enjoyed going to the small town market, which occurred everyday. She liked the hustle and bustle of the event, with people from different backgrounds all rushing around to buy whatever they needed. Most of the time, the only people whom she had any interaction with, were people from her social status; her mother's friends and their children. However, in the market, she got to witness families from different wealth backgrounds, and she enjoyed it. It made her feel less isolated.

As they passed by a fruit stall, a flash of dark hair caught her eye and to her surprise, she saw the mysterious stranger from the previous night walk in the opposite direction to her, towards the fruit stall. He didn't see her, and the shock of him being there when she hadn't ever expected to see him again started her, causing her to come to an abrupt stop.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie asked, frowning, when she noticed Elena had halted.

Elena didn't reply, and instead turned to watch the man approach the small stall. The owner had his back turned to him, as he was serving another customer, and to Elena's horror, she saw the stranger slip an apple into his pocket.

Bonnie tugged on her arm. "Come on, what are you doing? We need to get back before lunchtime, remember?"

Elena bit her lip, hesitating. The man turned, looked around to check no one had seen him, and then darted down the nearby alley. Bonnie pulled her again, and Elena made a split-second decision.

"I'll see you back at home. Don't worry." She told her friend, and then slipped into the alley, in pursuit of the mysterious stranger.

"Elena, wait! Where are you going?" Bonnie called out behind her, but she'd already gone.

She didn't even know why she was going after him, but there was a sense of adventure and intrigue about him that called out to her. Something about his sparkling blue eyes, and cheeky grin appealed to her, and she found herself drawn to him. Following him through different streets, she quickly realized she no longer knew where she was or how to get back home from here. She'd never been into this part of town, and though the idea scared her slightly, it also made her more determined to keep going. She was finally escaping the world she'd been confined to for so long, and it excited her.

The man darted left, and she followed but when she came out in the next alleyway, he had disappeared. Confused, she looked around but there was no sign of him anywhere. Her heartbeat quickened slightly, as slowly the feeling of dread rose inside her. She really hadn't thought this through. She was lost in a maze of streets, with no idea how to get back to the other side of town, or even the market. She was probably already late for the lunch with Lord Klaus; her mother was going to be furious with her. Just as she was starting to get tense, a hand gripped her wrist and spun her around. She found herself looking into unfamiliar eyes.

The man had long tangled hair, and was covered in a thin layer of grime. She recoiled from him, but his grip was tight.

"Well well, what's one of your type doing around this part of town? Thought you guys were told to stay away from us." He rasped, and she shivered.

"Let me go." She tried to say confidently, but her voice shook. She was terrified and she couldn't hide it. She now knew why her parents had always warned her about wandering off alone. She wished with all her heart that she had never left Bonnie.

He reached out a hand. She tried to pull back but he moved closer, pushing her hair out the way and touching her earring.

"Woah. This little thing could feed my family for weeks." He said, and she heard sorrow in his voice.

"Leave her, Barrow." A voice called out behind her, and she turned to see the dark-haired stranger she had been following.

"This is my territory, Salvatore." The man, apparently called Barrow, said in reply. "Get lost."

Salvatore, which she guessed was the other man's surname, shook his head.

"I know her, let her go." He said. There was menace in his voice and Barrow dropped Elena's hand. Apparently Salvatore had some influence here.

Elena rubbed her wrist; it stung from where Barrow had gripped it tightly. His shoulders sagged and he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Elena called out after him.

He stopped and looked at her suspiciously. Even Salvatore looked confused.

She quickly undid her earrings and held them out.

"Feed your family." She told Barrow.

He narrowed his eyes, and looked at the earrings warily, but with a glint of hope in his eyes.

Elena stepped forwards, and pressed the earrings into his hands. "Don't waste it." She told him, giving him a small, encouraging smile. He stepped back, and gratefully returned the smile.

"Thank you." He replied, and then ran down a side street.

Elena turned back to look at Salvatore, who had his arms crossed and was watching her. His expression was slightly amused.

"Thank you." She told him.

He shrugged slightly. "We're even now." He replied, and then turned to walk away.

"Wait!" She called out after him. "I don't know how to get back home."

He looked back at her, paused a few seconds, thinking, then sighed.

"Where do you live?" He asked her.

She told him her address and he nodded. "Follow me." He replied, before heading down another street.

She ran to catch up with him.

"Won't you tell me your name?" She asked, after they had walked a few seconds in silence.

"I don't really see the need." He said, frustrating her. The air of mystery surround this man was increasing with every sentence he uttered.

"Fine." She said, annoyed. "I won't tell you mine." She added, which made him grin for some reason.

"As you wish, Elena." He said, surprising her.

"How did you know my name?" She frowned at him, completely confused.

"That policeman called you Gilbert, last night. The Gilberts are one of the richest families in this town, and they have exactly one daughter. I'm poor, I don't live under a rock." He replied, amusement in his voice.

She smiled, in spite of herself. "Fine, Salvatore. Keep your secrets."

They walked on for a few minutes, in silence, before Salvatore spoke again.

"So what was the Elena Gilbert doing in these parts of town anyway? That's not at all in character for your type of people."

She flushed, remembering the reason. "I was following you. I saw you take the apple." She finally admitted.

"Ah." He said, and when she looked at him, she saw an arrogant grin flash across his face. "You were following me."

She rolled her eyes. "It's nothing like that." She pointed out. "I wanted to know why you stole that apple, and then left it with me. If you needed the food, there are plenty of other places to get it from. I know that stall owner; he's a horrible person. Stealing from him is just stupid."

"Right, because I'm sure the Gilberts know so much about stealing food." He said, making her flush again. There was something about the way he said Gilbert, a judgmental tone in his voice. For the first time, she actually felt embarrassed about her wealth.

"I didn't mean it like that." She said, annoyed. "I just don't understand."

He turned his head and studied her for a few seconds. The intensity of his gaze made her look away almost immediately. He was even more handsome in the daylight and she could feel her heartbeat quicken when he looked at her.

He was quiet for so long, she thought he wasn't going to reply, but finally he spoke. "3 years ago, my neighbor, Lexi, her child became ill. He was extremely weak, and Lexi had no money to feed him. She came to my brother and I, for help. We gave him what we could, but we too had hardly any food, and soon ran out. That night, I went into the market just after it had closed. That fruit stall owner was the only one still packing up. I asked for some fruit, I even had the money to pay, but that man refused. He said he was going home, even though he hadn't packed up the fruit yet. I could see it in front of me. I begged him, told him about the child, even offered to pay double, but he didn't give in. In fact, he called over a nearby policeman and claimed I was harassing him. They dragged me away, and I spent the night in a jail cell. When I returned home the next morning, the child had passed away."

Salvatore went silent for a few seconds, and Elena's heart ached with sympathy for the young child and his mother. Her mother had kept her so sheltered, she had never even realized the problems families were facing in her own town. Salvatore's voice brought her back to the present.

"Ever since then, every single day, I have stolen an apple from that stall. Obviously nothing I do will ever bring the child back, or ease Lexi's grief, but I will never forget what that man did, and the pain he caused."

Elena bit her lip, to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

"I'm sorry." She said. Salvatore didn't reply.

They walked on in silence. As they approached her street, he spoke again.

"I bet you're glad now that you helped me with that policeman." He said, with a small smile, trying to bring back some light-heartedness to the conversation.

She smiled back at him. "Don't you want to know why I did though?"

He shook his head, and grinned at her. "I know why."

She frowned, disbelievingly. "Why?"

"Because you crave adventure. You're bored with your life of balls, parties and suitors and you're looking for something more. I represented that. You saw danger in me, but at the same time you saw excitement. You saw what you were looking for to escape your current life. It's why you didn't give me in to the policeman. It's why you followed me into those alleys. It's why you asked me to walk you home, even though you should be completely terrified of me."

Stunned, she didn't know what to say in reply, as they reached her house. He winked at her, and started walking away.

"Will I ever see you again?" She called out after him.

"I wouldn't worry about that." He shouted back in reply, and she couldn't help but smile as her mother rushed down the path towards her. She looked so stressed she didn't even notice the stranger walking away.
"Elena, there you are, Klaus and his mother are already here! Go get yourself cleaned up, and then we can sort out this engagement, once and for all!"

Miranda ushered her daughter inside the house, towards her future husband, a rich lord, but her thoughts were filled with someone who was very much his opposite, in pretty much every way.

Hey, I hope you liked this story opening! I'm sorry that not much happened, but it will get better, I promise! I'm just scene setting and introducing characters at the moment, the good stuff will happen soon! So just please review and let me know what you think so far, so I know if it's worth continuing or not!