A.N: Hi people! =) it's the 5th installment of this oneshot project, I hope you all will like it! Enjoy, and please don't forget to review, it means a lot! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, the Vampire Diaries belongs to the CW and LJ Smith, and any resemblance between my OC's and real persons, dead or undead is purely coincidental
"I'm sure you will grow to like her." Lily insisted as they walked through the big garden with Thomas and Margaret. He was extremely pale and looked like he was sick, while Lily tried to cheer him up almost desperately, just a day before his wedding.
"I do not see why you're so upset." Margaret said. Their argument from before was long forgotten, for the sake of Thomas. He turned to her
"Do you really ask me this, Margaret?" he asked and Margaret shrugged
"Thomas, you're a man who is climbing upwards rather fast, not to mention, the Queen herself likes you. If you do not like her, you can easily take a Mistress."
"What if who I want can not be my Mistress?" he asked her "What if they marry her off too?"
"Then she can cheat on her husband with you if she loves you back."
"Maggie!" Lily exclaimed and Thomas let out a laugh
"You speak as if it is so common."
"It is common." Margaret shrugged "Ask Lilybeth if you do not believe me, there are some ladies among Queen's ladies in waiting who does this."
Thomas turned to Lily "Who does this?"
"I have no idea!" Lily exclaimed "Who does this, Maggie?"
Margaret smiled "Oh you need to catch up with the gossips." She said "Lady Jane, for example. Lord George does not know anything about it of course…"
"If he finds out, her life is ruined!"
"Lady Jane does not look that pleasant though, does she?" Thomas joked "Since Lord George's mistress is Lady Mary… Makes one wonder why we bother marrying at all, no one actually sleeps with their husband or wife."
"To become more rich and closer to the Queen." Margaret answered quickly
"But it is a sin." Lily said slowly "Lying with another, I mean."
"Oh please, as if the Queen's father did not-"
"Shhh! Margaret!"
"What? They all say King Henry was fond of ladies, first Katherine of Aragon, then Anne Boleyn, then-" Thomas covered her lips with his hand, smiling slightly
"Yes, perhaps I should follow King Henry's example." He looked reasonably more cheerful now "I shall let you help me with choosing my mistresses, Margaret, since Lilybeth will hardly approve."
She glared at both of them and crossed her arms "How funny of you."
"Tell us if anyone catches your eye who looks pleasant enough to be Thomas' mistress though, Lilybeth."
"Or who can cheat on her husband, it does not seem to matter, really."
"I am going back to the castle." Lily said and turned away from them, took a step, but then stopped. The Mikaelsons, -all of them- were standing on the other side of the garden, which was closer to the court.
It seemed to happen a lot these days, but Lily had found the solution in order not to stay alone with Klaus. She was always either with the Queen or her siblings, or the other ladies in waiting, and made herself always busy with whatever Queen had bid her to. She gulped, her eyes meeting Klaus', and after a second of hesitation, she turned her back to them, her heart beating in her throat.
"I thought you were going back to castle."
"I have changed my mind." Lily said "Lets walk, shall we?"
Thomas hardly smiled on his wedding morning, no matter how much both Lily and Margaret tried to cheer him up again. As Lily stood beside the Queen's seat, her hands folded, she tried her best not to look at Klaus. While her sister danced with many, Lily stubbornly stood where she was, as if rooted to the ground.
Klaus, on the other hand, as if mimicking her, did not dance with anyone either. His eyes were completely focused on her, as if trying to guess her next move, making Lily's heart beat faster and her cheeks burn.
Just when the memory of their last encounter was flashing through Lily's mind for the billionth time, she was pulled away from her thoughts and her head snapped up, alarmed
"Lilybeth."
"Your Majesty?" she bent down towards the Queen's side as the Queen watched the dancers
"Why are you not among the dancers? It is your brother's wedding, you must be dancing freely, not stay by my side." She said, her eyes gleaming playfully and Lily smiled
"I would rather serve your Majesty." She answered "Besides… I do not imagine anyone would want to dance me, I would rather stay where I can be useful."
"Oh, but I do believe some gentlemen would disagree."
Lily looked down, her hand shooting up to push a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Now, will you pick somebody among the dancers or will I choose one for you?"
Lily gulped "Your majesty-" she started, but she was distracted when she saw who had just approached the Queen and bowed down.
"Your Grace." Klaus said with such an ease that one simply listener would have thought he was a king acknowledging the Queen, not a lord.
"Lord Niklaus."
"I am afraid I have taken a liking to a jewel on your crown." He said, with an irresistible smile directed to her. Lily thought if it were anyone else, the Queen would've thought it was extremely disrespectful, but when it came to Klaus, it seemed to have been changed. "I have come here to tell you I wish to steal it."
"You would be accused of treasury," The Queen said, but she was smiling "Greed has been the cause of many men's fall from the beginning of the time."
"So do unrequited feelings, your grace." Klaus smirked "I do not believe punishment of treasury shall hurt more than cruelness of a lady."
"This jewel of mine is cruel to you?" the Queen asked "What a pity. What have you done to her?"
Lily felt the urge to hide behind the Queen's throne, but stayed where she was, her body trembling as she listened to their exchange
"I'm afraid she believes I'm interested in nothing of her." Klaus said and Lily suppressed a gasp. Even she could understand what this pun meant. 'Nothing' was just another word that was used to describe intimate feminine parts, as Thomas let her know with a play on words earlier. The conversation seemed to entertain the Queen, and she smiled, leaning her chin to her fist
"Is this true?"
"Of course not, your grace." Klaus said "Nevertheless, your jewel, just like her mistress, seems to be determined to be cruel to me, when I want to cherish her."
The Queen leant back, letting out a laugh
"Well, Lord Niklaus." She said "Can you show this jewel you speak of to me? So that I shall know if your intention of cherishing her is honest."
"Of course, your grace." Klaus smiled and his eyes found Lily, then he bowed down
"Mistress Chase."
Lily gulped and sunk into a curtsy. "Lord Mikaelson." She said faintly and the Queen looked at Lily
"Well, Lilybeth, it seems that you have to dance with Lord Mikaelson to show neither of us is being cruel to him."
"If- if it pleases your Majesty…" Lily stammered and turned to Klaus, then dropped a curtsy, took his hand and walked towards the dancers.
"The dance is over-" she said faintly when she heard the music fade away and Klaus smiled at her
"Another one is starting."
Lily's eyes widened as she recognized the music that started to play and some of the couples left the stage.
La volta.
The most intimate dance of all.
Lily wanted to step back and leave the stage, but it would be seen as refusal to Queen's order, so she just let Klaus hold her rather tightly and took her place as other couples formed a circle.
"So, shall I have to steal you away from the queen from now on?"
Lily looked up at him "My lord?"
"Why are you avoiding me?" Klaus asked as they twirled around.
"I was not-" Lily stammered "I- The Queen-" When she couldn't find a proper lie, she closed her mouth and let him run the dance as he wished.
"You know, I am quite envious of the Queen."
"Envious, my lord?"
"She gets to see you whenever she wishes." Klaus said, putting a hand on her back and the other on the bottom of her busk, making her gasp even if she was expecting it "To have you whenever she wishes…" he said, and snatched her up in the air easily, then held her and set her down to her feet gently "And you submit to her."
"And you wish me to submit you too."
Klaus only smirked "Would you wish to submit to me?"
Lily looked up at him and he lifted her up, and put her down again, this time closer to his body. She took a deep breath, but refused to answer.
"Why do I scare you so much?" Klaus asked softly this time and Lily averted her eyes
"Lily." Klaus insisted "Tell me. No court play, no puns. Just tell me."
Lily felt like she could cry anytime but tried to focus on the dance
"I fear that…" she took a shaky breath "That you may ruin me. And that I would let you, because what I feel may be too much for me."
"And do you think you are the only one who has this worry?" Klaus asked "What if you ruin me, Lilybeth Chase?"
Lily looked up at him "And now you're mocking me." She muttered, and Klaus could hear how offended she was.
"I am not." He said and Lily smiled softly
"And how could I ruin you, my lord?"
Once again, as the dance required, he raised her but this time slid her down, making her gasp as she felt his body against hers. She could hear the whispers around them, but focused very hard on not fainting. Her corset suddenly felt too tight, with every fast breath she took and she could swear he could hear her heartbeat.
"You have already started." Klaus said, his voice hoarse with desire and stepped back even if it felt extremely hard to. He placed a kiss to her knuckles and she dropped a curtsy, then turned around and walked back to the Queen's side, trying her hardest not to cover her burning cheeks and run away.
"I swear, Maggie-"
"No, I want to know why Lord Niklaus danced with you." Her sister demanded "And la volta, moreover!"
"I told you, Queen bid him to." Lily insisted "He had to obey, as we all do. You know how much the Queen loves la volta."
"It did not look like he was doing it by force." She said "In fact, it looked like he very much enjoyed it, so did you."
Lily heaved a sigh. It was all clear why Margaret was angry, Lily had been the same jealousy since her childhood. But, as this time someone preferred her, not Margaret felt so unreal that she could hardly believe it. And Lord Niklaus moreover.
"My lady." When she turned her head, she saw a servant "Your father sends for you."
Lily felt like her stomach dropped as she turned to look at the window of her father's studying room, then back at the servant. Thomas was called to the house but neither Lily nor Margaret could see him to ask him what was happening, so they had stayed in the garden.
"For me?" she repeated "Why?"
The servant stayed silent and she turned to Margaret, panic bubbling inside her stomach
"Do you know anything about it?"
Margaret shook her head and Lily gulped, then stood up and followed the servant through the garden to the room his father was in, with Margaret on her tail. She nodded at the servant to open the door, and stepped inside.
"Father?" her voice came out squeaky. Whatever it was, it must've been of importance, otherwise her father would not send for her to his studying room. As soon as she saw who else was in the room, her blood ran cold, her mother and Thomas was there too.
"Margaret, wait outside." Her father ordered her and she didn't dare to object, she just walked outside with fast steps, the servants closing the door behind.
"Lilybeth." Her father said as she took another step and stood before the table.
"Yes, father?"
"I have been hearing such an alarming news, lately." He said "And yesterday, I saw them with my own eyes in your brother's wedding."
Lily pulled her brows together, her brain working nonstop to understand
"Alarming news, father?"
"About an inappropriate affection with Lord Mikaelson."
She felt as if someone pulled the rug from under her feet but she managed to pull herself together
"The-" she stammered "The Queen- The Queen bid me to dance and-"
"And I suspect the Queen bid you to visit him late at night?" his father asked "Or for him to send you gifts?"
That was enough to silence her and she felt the fear numbing her brain, but managed to stammer
"Father I can exp-"
"Enough." His father raised a hand and stood up, walking closer to her, and Lily tried not to take a step back "Now, your mother has told you before there was to be no gossip on your name, and I thought you were educated properly enough to know how to behave."
"I do, father-" before she could finish her sentence, he struck her cheek and she found herself on the floor. The tears pushed at her eyes and she could taste the blood trickling down from her lip, but she managed to blink back the tears and lick her lip, then stood up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Thomas had jumped on his feet, his body tense and alarmed, but her mother stopped him, then turned to Lily
"Have you, or have you not lain with him?"
She shook her head stonily, "No, mother." She tried to keep her voice from cracking "I swear."
"If anything happens, your name, and you will be ruined, Lilybeth." Her mother said "A mere indecent gossip affects this family, and you are better dead than disgracing us. If a lady is bedded by a man out of wedlock, she is ruined, and no one would marry her. I will not have your foolishness affect a possible marriage of yours."
"Yes." She said through numb lips, without knowing what she was saying
"Of course this has not been heard by anyone, and you swear that you have not been bedded, or stained your name…" her father looked at Lily who shook her head slowly, as if in trance "Then no harm done, but it will not happen again, Lilybeth. He would not marry you, and your marriage is a matter of policy which will be decided by me." His father returned back to the table "You may leave."
She dropped a curtsy, then walked out of the room, her whole body trembling like a leaf.
"What happened?" Margaret asked her when she saw her split lip "Lilybeth-"
"Not now, Maggie, please." She said faintly "I need- I had better go to sleep, I feel dizzy." She walked past her into her room, then wiped her bloodied lips. She could feel the sobs rising from her chest but she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down and lay down onto bed, curling up into a ball, desperate to stop the trembling of her body.
The next day, Lily made sure she kept herself busy. She was running everywhere, making sure to stay away from specific halls and always with the Queen.
"Are you not going to tell me?" Maggie insisted as they followed the Queen into the garden.
"I told you, father was displeased with me."
"Why?"
"He did not say." Lily said stubbornly, "Where is Thomas?"
"I do not know but I can see his wife." Maggie said, making a face "He is not very wrong with not liking her."
Lily didn't answer and held her breath as her eyes met Klaus. His smile faded as soon as he took in the sight of her broken lip and clenched his jaw, then took a step towards her, but –thank God, Lily thought- Lord Elijah got into his way, muttering something to him. Lily averted her eyes
"Do you think they've done it?"
"Hm?" Lily turned to her sister "I'm sorry, what?"
"Has Thomas lain with Joan?"
"He has to, does he not?" Lily said "How else will he produce an heir?"
Margaret made a face "I pity him." She said as Queen excused them to change before the dinner. Lily let out a breath, desperate to get inside the castle
"Are you coming?"
Margaret shook her head, now aware of the Lords in the garden, a smile pulling at her lips
"See you in the dinner." Lily said and started walking to the castle. Once she got inside, she went to her chambers immediately and closed the door behind her, shutting her eyes and leaning against the door.
"Who did this?"
Lily's eyes opened and she stopped the shriek that was ready to escape from her lips at the last moment, covering her mouth. Klaus was by the window, arms crossed, and he looked like he was about to kill somebody. The fury radiating from him made Lily swallow loudly
"My lord what are you doing here?" she asked, alarmed "If- if anyone sees you-"
"Who did this, Lily?" the question turned into a growl as he approached her. Lily licked her dry lips, not looking him in the eye
"I-I hit a door."
"A door." Klaus repeated, leaning his hand to the wall beside her head "And who swung that door, may I ask?"
"My lord-"
"If you insist on not telling me, I'm going to your brother, I'm sure he knows."
"Please-"
"Who. Did. This?" Klaus stressed the each word, signaling that he was reaching the end of his patience. Lily hugged herself and walked past him into the middle of the room, taking a deep breath.
"My father was displeased with my actions."
"Your father.." Klaus said, the anger burning in his eyes "He did this to you? He hurt you?"
"It doesn't even hurt anymore." Lily said silently "My lord-"
"I'm going to kill him." Klaus said with an absolute determination in his voice and Lily's eyes widened
"What?! No!" Lily threw herself between him and the door before he could reach there "My lord-"
"Lily, get out of the way-"
"Klaus, please!"
That seemed to do the trick, and Klaus paused upon hearing his name from her. Lily gulped, the name somehow felt…right to hear from her own lips. Something she hadn't dared to do before.
"No one is to harm you." He said, as if this was a law of nature and it was ridiculous that one might think otherwise. Lily looked up at him
"But you would…" she whispered "If you harmed him."
"He hit you."
Lily tried to think frantically and decided to have a different approach
"What would become of me if something happened to my father?" she asked "I would have to leave the court."
"You could stay with me."
"All the titles and estates-"
"I have more than enough."
"I could not-"
"We could leave the court together." Klaus said, as if it was so easy "We could be together, forever."
"What about my siblings?" she insisted "What if-" she took a deep breath "You have promised me once I would have anything that I want, I want you not to harm my father."
Klaus let out a growl, turning around "Can you not see how hard it is?!"
"I can." Lily said, walking to him. "I swear, I can. But I'm asking you not to."
Even if she was afraid of touching him, the urge was too strong now and she reached out tentatively, putting her hand to his cheek. He closed his eyes at her touch and turned his face to kiss her palm that cupped his cheek.
"My love…" he whispered and Lily felt her heartbeat getting faster.
"My lord…" she pulled her hand back and Klaus looked at her reprovingly
"My name, Lily."
"I do not wish to disrespect you."
Klaus let out a chuckle "You are so lovely." He said, shaking his head slightly and entwined their fingers. Lily gasped, her cheeks burning
"Call me by my name."
"…Klaus."
"Not so difficult, is it?"
Lily shook her head and then lowered her head, looking down at their entwined fingers, covering her face with her long dark hair in the process. Klaus pulled his hand back, already missing her warmth, and tilted her head up. Lily held her breath as he brushed his thumb over her burning cheek.
"Forcing you is the one thing I want both most and the least." He muttered, his voice deep with desire "Do you consent?"
Lily looked up at him, her mind felt numb with fear and desire.
"To what?" she asked slowly and Klaus smiled, then leaned in and captured her lips with his.
Lily felt as if her whole body could explode from feeling too much at the same time. His lips felt like cool silk upon hers, making a contrast with the burning she felt everywhere. For one second, she wondered if her heart could break her ribcage, it was beating so fast that it almost hurt. She wanted this feeling, his touch, his kiss to last forever, only…
She did not know how to respond.
She felt extremely embarrassed by her own inexperience, but Klaus seemed to understand it because he pulled back without deepening the kiss, or doing other things Lily had only known from the whispers of the maids. His hand caressed the sensitive skin of her neck and stopped on her pulse point, where it was fluttering madly. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and she buried her face to his chest, as he held her tight. The warmth of her body, the still lingering taste of her lips on his and her scent felt suddenly too much for the predator inside of him and he pulled back, turning around, trying to calm himself down and turn his face back to normal.
"My l- Klaus?" Lily changed the sentence and reached out tentatively to touch his back, but then pulled her hand back "Is everything alright?"
He nodded, taking a deep breath but it only made the scent of her virgin blood lure him more.
"Have- have I done something wrong?" Lily asked innocently and Klaus repressed a possessive growl. If he stayed there longer, he would either bite her or do much more than just a chaste kiss.
"Of course not." He said, turning to her only after he made sure his face was back to normal. Lily was looking up at him with wide eyes that were swimming with new, inexperienced feelings and Klaus immediately decided he needed to hunt.
Now.
"Oh." Lily said softly "Okay."
She wished Margaret had told her how people acted after they kissed, because so far, she was clueless. Would he kiss her again? How was she to react if it happened? She felt also dizzy, and thought she needed to sit but would he see it as rude if she did?
"Lily?"
Her head snapped up "Yes my l-" she paused "Klaus?" she corrected herself like a child eager to fix her mistake before her teacher did, making him smile.
"Are you alright?"
She nodded, trying her hardest to calm her heartbeat down and took a deep breath "Yes, I am, I just feel…" she pushed a stray of her hair behind her ear, her eyes on the ground. She looked so innocent and out of his touch that he needed to clench his hands, not to lose his control.
"I-I must change before the Queen wonders where I am…" Lily said almost like apologizing and Klaus nodded
"Yes, I shall leave you to change." He said, turning to open the door, and something came to Lily's mind
"My lord?"
"Lily…" he said warningly
"Klaus." She said immediately "I apologize. I- I just wanted to tell you that-" she let out a breath at her own incapability of forming a sensible sentence and Klaus just watched her with a smile on his lips
"Yes?"
"Thank you for the drawing." She said and Klaus chuckled
"You liked it?"
"Yes." She nodded fervently "The artist you have chosen has quite a talent. He must be very well known in the future, along with many to model for him. And I am honored-"
"I choose my own models." Klaus told her "But thank you."
Lily frowned slightly, as if she couldn't figure out what he meant "You-you draw that?" she asked silently "You did not."
"Why not? Can't evil lords perform art as well?"
Lily blushed and dropped her glances to the floor again "Did you?" she asked "You- you are very talented, thank you…" she smiled as if she could not believe it "No one has ever drawn anything for me."
"Would you like me to teach you?" Klaus asked, trying to erase the images of other things he could teach her from his mind, repressing a growl of lust. Lily looked up at him
"Would you?"
"As I have told you, ask anything and you shall have it." Klaus said, striding the room in three steps and burying his nose into her hair. "Tomorrow?"
Lily nodded "At what hour shall I attend your lordship?"
"Still so formal.." Klaus sighed and Lily let out a soft laugh
"I apologize." She said silently "At what hour shall I attend you Klaus?"
Klaus chuckled "Before noon?"
"If Queen lets me," Lily promised and Klaus clenched his teeth
"I hate having to share you." He said, pressing a kiss to her temple "Alright. Before noon, if Queen lets you." He pulled back even if it was the last thing he wanted, and Lily smiled at him shyly.
"I wish you a good evening, my lord."
"And I wish you a good evening, my lady." He pressed a kiss to her knuckles, and pulled her to himself and kissed her on the lips, making her gasp. Then he turned around and left the room, before the lust and hunger could take over his control.
Lily, on the other hand, just pressed the tips of her fingers to her lips, trying to catch her breath. She took a deep breath, and fell onto bed, smiling, still unable to believe what had just happened.
"I'm not dreaming…" she muttered to herself and pressed a hand over her chest, closing her eyes in bliss.