Title: Remember, Love
Summary: Elena Gilbert is betrothed to Stefan Salvatore but on the night that they announce their engagement, a terrible accident happens that leaves Elena without her memory and far away from the only home she's ever known. Stefan's brother, Damon, is the best guard on the royal guard and is given the assignment of bringing back his brother's future bride. But what happens when the journey back makes them realize they belong with each other. Will he betray his brother? Or will he help Elena find out who she really is?
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"But, mother, I'm not ready to get married. I'm only eighteen."
Elena's mother, Miranda, tied up the sashes on Elena's back with expertise and placed a soothing hand on her daughters shoulder. Their eyes met in the mirror and Miranda saw all the hopelessness in her daughter's eyes. Elena had yet to meet her would be suitor but their marriage had been arranged since their births. It was a way for their families to unite and form a bond to stop the feuding that had gone on for centuries. Miranda and her husband, Grayson were merely a duke and duchess under the Salvatore domain and when King Giuseppe had formulated the plan as a peace offering it had been hard to refuse.
"Prince Stefan is more than a suitable match for a husband," Miranda assured. "Giuseppe chose him over his own brother to rule. That's certainly saying something."
All Elena knew about the royal affairs were that Giuseppe hadn't chosen the eldest Salvatore because Damon had been far too reckless. If all Elena could look forward to in her marriage with Stefan was that he was not as reckless as his brother, that wasn't much to look forward too. Elena had always enjoyed a little spontaneity in her life; a little fun. It seemed the love she had been hoping for was further out of reach now, as her wedding day grew near, than ever. Elena had always wanted the kind of love that seemed all consuming. The kind of love where passionate and silliness went hand in hand. She wanted a love that couldn't be denied and that despite fights and distance would still be as real and true.
Looking in the mirror, she put on the final touches of her makeup. "Guess I'm ready now."
Miranda smiled at her daughter. "Just wait till you meet him."
The party was in full swing by the time the Gilbert family pulled up. Together they made their way into the castle but Elena was pulled aside for her entrance with Stefan as her family continued their way into the ballroom. The room she was brought to was dark with only a few lit candles illuminating the room. It casted a romantic lighting to the room and Elena wondered if it was to aide in her approval of the prince. As she waited, Elena browsed through the selection of books on a nearby shelf. She scanned the titles but didn't take them in as she contemplated all the different ways she could escape out of the room. But then the loss of her family rooted her feet on the hardwood floors of the room.
Suddenly, the doors opened wide as two dark figures emerged and seemed permanently attached by the mouth. The man was gripping the woman's dress and bunching it up until all of it was fisted in his hand. Moans escaped the woman as he kissed down the length of her neck. The couple didn't seem to notice Elena and she decided to make her presence noise by clearing her throat. Instantly, the couple stopped and the woman blushed and cowered into the man's embrace. The man, on the other hand, starred unabashedly at Elena causing her to shift awkwardly on her feet.
"I'll see you outside, Caroline," the man said as he pushed the blonde back out the door. She nodded and fixed her dress and hair as she shut the door behind her. The man walked towards her and Elena was forced to press her back against the bookcase. "And who might you be?"
Elena jutted out her chin and answered, "Elena."
"Oh, little Stef's soon to be bride. He definitely hit the arranged marriage jackpot." The man eyed her body appreciatively. Her crimson dress gave little to imagination as the sashes wrapped around her body in an elegant dance meant to flaunt her figure. His eyes lifted to her face to take in the olive tones of her skin and the beauty of her face that was framed by long luscious curls. Nodding, he gave her some room by walking towards a nearby chair and taking a seat. "Why did they hide you in here? Stef should be showing you off proudly to the whole kingdom."
"We didn't have our entrance yet." Elena stated and then squared her shoulders as she asked, "And who are you?"
The man waved his hand dismissively in the air. "No one of consequence."
She took a moment to take in the man before her. He was inhumanely beautiful and as she stared words like: gorgeous, handsome, darkly seductive, and lustful; came to mind. With his dark features that rallied his crystal blue eyes that stood out even in the darkness he was remarkably good looking. Dressed in a tuxedo with a black undershirt and tie, Elena could still see the hard muscles in his arms and chest. He had a slim body type paired with broad shoulders. A smirk seemed to be ever present on his face as he continued to stare at her and Elena crossed her arms over her body. "That blonde didn't seem to think so."
"Jealous, are you?" The smirk widened and he stood from his spot on the chair and walked towards her again. His finger ghosted across her skin sending shivers over her body. He noticed and inched closer to her face, his breath sending her into a haze. "You can have a taste of it, too. If you want. It seems you could use a hand unwrapping yourself out of that dress. You're not off the market yet, ya know. We could have a little fun."
"I've been off the market since I was born," she responded with ire evident in her voice.
He still drugged her with his voice as he continued, "Take it you don't like being a readymade chess piece in this kingdoms little games, huh?"
"You talk like you're speaking from experience."
"You could say that."
In her mind, her reasonable mind, she knew she shouldn't be this close to a complete stranger on the very night she was to be engaged. But as she drowned in the blueness of his eyes she knew she couldn't walk away even if she tried. This stranger stirred emotion's inside her that she had only read about in dirty books her nanny hid underneath the floorboard in her bedroom. Elena was stuck against this bookcase trapped by this man that had ever inch of him screaming "sex." And it was only making things worse that she wanted him to close the distance between their lips and take her before she could only belong to one man.
But then the door opened and the spell was broken. The man backed away from her just as another man entered, clearly intoxicated. "There you are, Damon!" he slurred. "I can't occupy all these women by myself." Then he seemed to notice Elena. "Oh, seems you wrestled up a hot one all on your own."
"I'll be right out, Mason," Damon answered and the drunken partygoer exited the room.
Elena seemed to find her voice. "Damon? Damon as in 'Prince Damon' Stefan's brother!" She began to pace around the room, imprinting her footprints on the Persian carpet. Her fingers ran through her hair as she wished helplessly for a time machine or the gift of being invisible.
"You forgot 'all around sex god and ladies' man,'" Damon smirked.
Her eyes stared daggers into Damon's until she remembered her place. She curtsied and reluctantly whispered, "Your Royal Highness."
Damon strutted over and lifted her by her shoulders so she was standing tall again. "No need for that. I do not gloat in the royal perks as my family does."
"You should have said who you were."
"And ruin our little moment? No way."
Elena sat down on the nearby chair as her face fell into her hands. "I've ruined everything," she sobbed. Not that she wanted to get married to a stranger but her family's happiness was contingent upon it. And by allowing her soon to be fiancés brother to nearly kiss her would once again put the two families into feud.
"No, no," Damon responded as he awkwardly patted her head. "Your secrets safe with me."
Her head rose from her hands as she stared at the older Salvatore in wonder. "Really?"
He nodded and puckered his lips. "Sealed with a kiss?"
Before she could answer the doors opened again and revealed the rest of the royal family accompanied by her parents and brother. Elena immediately curtsied as they approached. "Your Majesty's."
"You may rise, dear," Queen Isabella stated as she approached and took Elena's hands in her own, sending a reproachful sideways glance at Damon. "You will soon be a part of our family and soon others will bow down to you and my son."
That was when she saw him. Stefan approached her and took her hand from his mothers. "Hello, Elena." She took in the classically handsome man before her with the fine facial features. He had high cheekbones and a square, masculine jawline. His pale complexion worked well with his emerald green eyes that were the same color of holly and reminded her of the leaves of an oak tree on a summer day. His rumpled dark hair seemed soft and luxurious even without her fingers touching it. Stefan had a slim muscular build with broad shoulder and long legs making him taller than his elder brother. He was wearing a tuxedo that still showed his lean, flat muscled body. He was a sculptors dream and yet Elena still didn't feel the chemistry she had felt with Damon.
"Your Royal Highness."
Stefan smiled and his teeth sparkled in the candlelight. "You may call me Stefan. We are soon to be married."
"It's nice to meet you, Stefan."
"I know this day has been scheduled since your birth but I'm old fashioned," he smirked but it didn't send sparks through her in the way Damon's had. Stefan pulled a box out of his pocket and opened him just as he got down on one knee. Elena's hands clasped over her mouth and unconsciously her eyes sought Damon's, catching the hurt crossing his features. It was quickly masked by a bored expression and Elena was forced to look once again at Stefan. "Elena Gilbert, will you marry me?"
Her brown eyes lifted to parents who gave her an encouraging nod. She smiled down at her prince. "Yes. Yes, I will."
Stefan slid the 18-karat emerald cut diamond on to her finger and stood placing a chaste kiss on her cheek and clasping her hands in his own. He seemed completely enamored with her as if he had, as Damon said, won the arranged marriage jackpot. Their families hugged them and whispered congratulations and soon the doors were being held open as the couple made their way to the ballroom.
The descended the stairs as royal fanfare played in the background. They reached the first landing and the royal guard announced their engagement as they continued down the stairs to an outburst of applause of camera flashes. Together they made their way to the center of the dance floor as the waltz began. Stefan pulled in close and they had their first dance.
It didn't escape Elena's attention that as Stefan held her in his arms, she longed for it to be Damon's
On the ride home, Elena stared dejectedly out the window as her family animatedly talked about the ball and the upcoming nuptials. But all Elena could think about was the problem she had unconsciously worked herself into. She had the hots for her fiancés brother. He seemed like a playboy and someone who didn't normally care about much but underneath it all she saw the boy who was always seen as second best. It was enough to break her heart. And that tiny break had given Damon enough space to work his way into her heart.
"Elena, did you have fun at the party?" he father asked as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
She nestled into her father's embrace. "It was fun."
"Not sure if I'm ready to let my little girl go be a young woman."
Her father kissed the top of her head just as Elena saw head beams coming straight at their limo. The opposing car made connection and crashing into their car and sending it rolling over the side of the road. It continued to roll until it made contact with a ditch. By then her entire family had been thrown out of their seats and were now lying at unnatural angles. Elena herself had hit her head and was no fighting against the unconsciousness as it threatened to overcome her.
"Help!" she screamed into the darkness.
But her voice just echoed with no hope of finding home. Blood trickled down her face as she tried to get out of the car but proved too weak to do much but sob over her unmoving family. The darkness took over and Elena slipped away into the deepest parts of her own mind.