A/N: So just letting you know this is a historical oneshot. With that remember that girls were married at a younger age. For this story Grayson is Elena's father and John is still an asshole. There are no vamps and Damon is a King and in his early 20's. So now that we have that settled…
EPOV
I woke up this morning happier than usual. Today the King was entering the city for the first time after his coronation. Father had decided to put on a tableaux vivants, or a small play in honor of the King. Ours would be one of many but he hoped that in his doing so the King would once more befriend my father. The previous king and my father, Grayson, had had a falling out and Grayson hoped that the new king and he would strike a bond.
The play was a traditional story in which there was a damsel in distress who would be saved by her knight. The boy we picked to play the knight was a boy who was said to have features much like the new king. I had not been introduced to court yet and so I had never seen the king before. But if he looked anything like his stand in, he would, undoubtedly, be handsome. The boy's name was Darren and we had spent quite a lot of time together the past three weeks for I was to be his damsel.
Darren was the son of a nearby gentleman and so his being in almost constant contact with me was not too scandalous. I had to fight to play the damsel for my father had wanted my elder sister, Katherine, to play the part. She had already been introduced to court and was not in danger of hurting her reputation. My sister was engaged to the King's cousin, Stefan. They were adorable together and had we been able to get Stefan to play the part of the knight I would have willingly conceded the role to Katherine. But alas he was to be in the procession and so I won the role.
The costume was a beautiful white gossy dress and my makeup was done to done to make me look most ethereal. I was allowed to wear my hair down as opposed to in an elaborate up-do, as was in vogue at court. I was so very excited.
We headed over to where the tableaux vivants were to take place and began to set up.
DPOV
I was to enter the city of Paris today and I was admittedly rather nervous. The entry meant so much and it really had an impact on the future relations between a king and his subjects. I had heard reports of the tremendous effort the city was giving to this ceremony. There had been weeks of preparation and today I would see the fruits of their labors.
As I approached the suburb of St. Denis I could see the people lining the streets and I smiled. I could do this.
The first part of the ceremony, I would receive a key to the city, which would signify a mutual pledging of allegiance. As the procession continued I saw children looking up at me in awe and I smiled brightly at them. There were banners welcoming me and many shouts of joy. There were a few plays I stopper to look at along the way, simple but entertaining. The procession had been carrying on for about two hours and I could see some more tableaux vivants in the distance. I hoped they would give me some entertainment for I knew there was about an hour or two more to go.
EPOV
I was freaking out. I admit it. We had been performing the same thing for what felt like an eternity and I had yet to see the king. Darren and I were having fun though and sat down for a few minutes to talk. We were admiring the stage and the set built upon it. There are a façade of a tower with a window for me to look out of but what I was standing on was a mere scaffold. There was a wooden dragon in front of the castle and a pretend horse for Darren to ride on.
"Back to your places quickly, the King is coming!"
I stood up and climbed the scaffolding to get to my window. As Darren stood up, however, he lost his balance and fell of the stage. There was a crack of bones and a cry of pain and I knew Darren was hurt. I tried to climb down to see if he was alright but Uncle John told me to stay put. He would see to Darren but the King was to pass here any minute.
"What do we do about the fact that I am missing the knight who is to rescue me?" I asked, worried that all our preparations would be for naught.
"Think on your feet," was the only response.
I could see the King approaching and did the stupidest, riskiest thing I could have done.
"Save me! Please save me!"
That got people's attention. We had been doing the same thing for the past two hours and in those two hours I had not spoken a word, only Darren had lines. My job was to swoon and sigh.
"I will save you, but what do I get in return?" A lower class man said in the crowd. This question received quite a few jeers and much laughter.
But I was never one to back down and didn't think of the fact that the King was close enough to hear my response.
"Please good sir, you could have whatever you wished but only men pure of heart could defeat this dragon."
DPOV
I approached the tableaux vivants and heard a cry of help, a woman. I quickly looked around and saw it was one of the actors in the play. I smiled laughing to think a man could make his voice sound so effeminate and laughed harder when I heard the reply. But as I got closer I saw that it truly was a woman and a beautiful one at that. Then I heard her reply, I took it as a challenge to which I would most willingly accept.
I dismounted from the horse which caused quite a clamor and walked over to the stage. I mounted the stage and looked at the woman.
"I am here to rescue you."
EPOV
I had no idea who this man was but I could tell he was of nobility. The fact that he had answered my "call of help" made me like him already.
"Please kind sir; it is what I have been waiting for, for quite some time."
He smiled and walked towards the dragon grabbed his sword and plunged it into his belly. The man laughed and climbed the scaffolding. He lifted me up as one would a bride and walked down stage.
"Well mademoiselle, what is my reward?"
I flushed not knowing what to say to this gorgeous man holding me in his arms.
He chuckled and put me down.
"It is a pleasure to have rescued you my lady, may I please know your name."
"Elena, daughter of the Duke of Mercoeur," I said bowing my head while I curtsied.
"Duke of Mercoeur, quite away from home are you not?"
"My father was hoping to impress the King," I answered honestly.
"And impressed me he has."
What?
This man was the King. Holy mother of Christ!
I was wide-eyed for a moment and then proceeded to give a curtsy that had one of my knees touching the floor. His fingers touched my chin and he looked at me in a reverent manner.
"Please never stoop so low before me ever again." He held out his hand and I looked at it unsure.
"I am the King, it will not hurt your reputation if you take my hand," he said gently.
I laid my hand in his and walked forward. We walked toward his horse and he mounted it then gave me his hand and pulled me up behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and the procession proceeded once more.
DPOV
I could feel her pressed against me and was slowly driven mad by it. Her soft contours formed to me and there was safeness in it, a sense of belonging in it. The rest of the procession was not dull for we spoke the entire time of things little of consequence but informative nonetheless. I found out that she had secretly wanted to be English as a little girl to which I laughed and asked why.
"We once had a visitor from England and his accent was so strange yet soothing, I wanted to sound like that."
"I assure you, your voice is quite soothing."
"Thank you, your highness."
"Please, call me Damon."
"I couldn't, it isn't right."
"Then I shall have to call you 'daughter of the Duke of Mercoeur.'"
"But that's ridiculous."
"And now you understand why I would like it if you called me Damon."
I could feel her laughter against my back and I smiled.
"Alright, Damon… Oh God that will take some getting used to. Wait, you don't expect me to call you that in front of other, do you?"
"No for they would consider it an impertinence, and I would loathe to do anything that harms your reputation."
"Thank you."
We arrived at Notre Dame and I knew we would have to part ways.
"I am afraid we must part but I hope to see you at court soon."
"Of course, your – Damon."
"Until then."
I walked away praying that I would see her within the month.
EPOV
"Mademoiselle, I am the Duke of Anjou and friend to the King. He bid me to see you safely to your parents."
"Thank you Monsieur."
"You made quite the impression. All the women at court will be jealous when you arrive."
"I am not to be presented for another year, until I turn 17."
"I am sure your father could be persuaded if it was the request of his majesty."
"One can only hope."
But it wasn't enough. Although my father wished to be in the King's good graces, he would not do anything so unbecoming as to introduce me before my time nor could he allow me to go without him and until the King invited him to court there was no way he could come. It wasn't until a year later that I would arrive at court, I would just have to live with that and think about him until then. There was a fluttering everytime I closed my eyes and saw him. His piercing blue eyes and raven black hair. He was so fierce but so friendly. My father was quite proud that I had made sure an impression but apparently it wasn't enough to convince him to let me go to court. It had been four months when a letter arrived at our house, written in Damon's own hand.
DPOV
My prayers were not answered for she did not come the first more nor the second nor the third and as the fourth came to a close I became proactive.
"Klaus?"
"Yes, Damon?"
"What do you know of the Duke of Mercoeur?"
"He hasn't been to court since you and I were but children. At least that's what I remember."
"Your father was always complaining to mine of him. They didn't get along."
"What were the reasons?"
"I don't know. Ask Lockwood."
"Send for Lockwood," I said to my page.
Tyler appeared moments later.
"Do you know why the Duke of Mercoeur and my father didn't get along?"
"I will be right back. I will ask Care, you know how she knows old gossip just as well as new," he said half laughing.
Tyler was back moments later.
"It apparently has nothing to do with the Duke of Mercoeur but his brother, who slept with your Aunt."
"Aunt Thalia?"
"That's the one."
"But why did he then banish the Duke of Mercoeur."
"That was what Care didn't know."
And so I wrote a letter to the Duke of Mercoeur, asking him what had happened."
The reply came a week later.
His brother had been banished but had lied as to the reason and so the Duke of Mercoeur asked the King to pardon his brother not knowing the great offense he was committing. I wrote back to the Duke and invited him back to court as well as his entire family – hoping he would bring Elena with him.
EPOV
I was going to court! My mother and I had new dresses made that met with the new standards of fashion. We would arrive at court in two days' time. I would get to see Damon. I was so excited.
We got to the palace and my eyes widened in wonder at how such opulence could exist on earth. We were taken to our quarters and a summons came but not for my father, for me. My father looked at me surprised not having realized how great of an impact I had made upon the King.
I was taken to the Kings chambers and left inside, alone. Admittedly I was quite nervous. This was rather inappropriate. Soon the door opened and in walked the Duke of Anjou.
"It is so good to see you mademoiselle. The King has not yet arrived but he asked me to keep you company, he had important matters to attend to. Ladies come in."
As he said this three women came in all dressed in the finest of materials.
"The king wanted to make sure we were not left alone unchaperoned."
"Well if you weren't such a flirt, it wouldn't be a problem," said one of the women. "I'm Rose by the way."
"Elena," I replied.
"So my dear, what shall we do while we wait?"
"Let us play a game!" said another of the women.
"Always games Anna? How about we get to know the young lady?"
"Klaus, please I hardly think an interrogation is necessary. And you must be tired after your journey. How about some conversation?"
"Caroline, conversation to you is synonymous with gossip."
"No, it just happens that conversation turns toward gossip. It is natural. So Elena, you have quite captured the Kings attention. You met in the procession did you not?"
"Yes, it was quite unusual."
"It was fate." I heard said from behind me. "Leave us."
I turned around to find Damon standing there as handsome as ever and my breath caught in my throat.
The room was empty and unconsciously I stood up and walked closer to him, he did the same. And soon we were right in front of each other. I looked up at him unsure of what was going to happen.
"I have thought of nothing but you and that beautiful voice of yours. If only, when we met I could have looked upon you for longer. Your face was slowly slipping from my memory."
"I am sorry I could not come to you sooner."
He took my hand in his and brought it to his lips and kissed it.
"You are here, that is all that matters."
"Now that I'm here…."
"You mean to ask what I want of you. Isn't it obvious?"
I shook my head for there were only two things I could think he would want. If it was to become his mistress I would say no for I couldn't stoop so low but yet denying him anything would break my heart. If it was to become his wife I didn't know what I would do and that terrified me.
"Silly girl, I mean to make you my queen. Will you do me the honor?"
I stood there silent and unsure. I was only 16 and a half. Was I ready to be married? My silence was unnerving to Damon and he quickly voiced his concern.
"Love, are you alright? Did you hear me?" Fear of rejection quickly seeped into his eyes.
"I heard you… I… I don't know what to say."
DPOV
"You don't know what to say?" His fear of rejection became anger. It was instinct in order to protect his pride.
"I am only 16. I don't think I am ready."
I felt like an ass for becoming angry. I couldn't believe I acted like that to her. I couldn't risk not having her. I would do anything.
"It's simple. We will wait. On your 18th birthday you and I shall be married, if that is in fact what you want, I didn't mean…I didn't mean to assume…If you don't want to marr–"
"I want to marry you, just not yet."
Her acceptance quieted all of his fears.
"Then may I ask something of you?"
"Anything, my love."
"May I kiss you?"
"If it pleases you."
"Yes, but does it please you?"
She blushed and I had my answer.
I placed my right hand on her waist. My left hand left her hand and it slowly travelled up her back to rest cupping the side of her face. I brought her closer to me and when our lips were but touching I stopped and looked into her eyes. She realized that she had to close the distance. She closed her eyes and did just that. When her lips touched mine, my eyes close. I felt the soft pressure of her lips against me and my passions for her increased. I brought her even closer until her entire body was pressed against me. My left hand moved from her cheek to the back of her head and my fingers weaved through her hair.
EPOV
My hands, which had been frozen at my sides all this time, slowly came to life. My left hand slid up his back and came to a stop in between his shoulder blades while the fingers of my right hand rested against his neck and my thumb caressed his cheek. The kiss became increasingly passionate and soon his tongue tracing my lips. I could not deny him and so I parted my lips and his tongue invaded my mouth. But it did not become a battle, more like a dance and a pleasurable one at that. Soon the sounds he inspired were difficult to restrain and upon my first moan he slowly dulled the passion behind the kiss and then pulled away.
"They are going to be the longest months of my life."
"I could be persuaded to get married at 17," I said coyly.
"Oh? How?"
But I didn't respond I simply pulled him in for another kiss.
A/N: so there you have it. I am thinking about doing another one shot that accompanies this story, that story will be soooooo smutty. But I haven't decided yet. Let me know if you want it. Please hit review and tell me what you think. :D