(AN - Enjoy :D)

(Disclaimer - Unfortunately I don't own the Vampire Diaries. Especially not Damon, which kinda sucks)

After all this was all over, Damon asked me about the first time I noticed my sister was evil. I replied that I didn't think she was evil, just a selfish bitch who didn't care about anything or anyone other than herself, even if it meant her family getting killed. That is where this story starts. Dear little Katerina getting herself in trouble, way over her head and picking the option that worked for her. And I suffered for it. But in a way I am grateful, if it wasn't for a train events that started when I was just nine years old, I would never have become the person I was to day. My name is Rayna Petrova, my life began with my death, and this is my story.

Chapter 1 – The Beginning of the End

(Bulgaria, June 1st, 1484)

"Katerina! Katerina!" I giggled as I chased my 10 year old sister down the path. She was only a year older than me, but we could pass for twins. The only differences being our height and mannerisms. Already at this age she was showing disregard for authority and duty, where as I was the quiet, obedient daughter who preferred to sit in the window seat with her sewing. My body may have been in my sister's latest adventure, but my mind was elsewhere. "Katerina, Governess will get mad if we ruin our dresses again!"

"Who cares sister? She is a horrid old toad!" Katerina replied, hitching up her skirts to run faster, I copied her, attempting to keep up.

"She will tell Mama though, and we will be awful trouble."

"You need to stop being a chicken Rayna! She is too busy with the rat to worry about us anyway. We aren't the heirs to this estate after all." The rat was our not so nice nickname for our new baby brother, Aleksander. Mother was weak after his birth, and so was he. At the present time, it was all most of our household was focusing on. The great family of Petrova needed an heir after all; this made it easy for Katerina and me to escape the confines of the house and into the grounds. I followed my sister to the great old Oak tree that stood proudly at the edge of our grounds. Katerina climbed it quickly, looking back down at me expectantly. "You are so slow Rayna!"

"I am going as fast as I can!" I said, as I grabbed one of the lower branches and swung myself up. She never once helped me, instead she sat on one of the higher branches, looking down at the path on the other side of the wall. I joined her minutes later.

After a few minutes, two young sweethearts were making their way down the path. They were from the village and wearing peasant rags, but judging by the looks on their faces they were the richest people in the world. They were happy and in love. I marvelled with my 9 year old brain, wishing for something like that for myself one day. Katerina watched them as well and said

"One day Rayna, I will have hundreds and hundreds of men look at me in that same way, and they will all fight over me. You will see, dear sister, I will put brother against brother and they will fight to the death." She smiled. It was a cold and powerful smile, and I had no doubt that she would accomplish what she set out to do.

It was the first time in our childhood I was genuinely scared of my elder sister.

(September 3rd, 1489)

It was late afternoon, when my sister appeared in my room. She lay back on my bed and smiled dreamily.

"Sister" I greeted her, "I see you have had a good day."

She nodded.

"Fillip is such a gentleman; He is so kind and courteous and handsome." She sighed happily. Filip was the latest in a long line of sweethearts, but I had never before seen such a reaction from my sister.

"Father went mad; he didn't know where you had gone" I remarked, knowing she wasn't listening to a word I was saying.

"Do you think father would mind if we were to marry" She interrupted.

"He is the Baker's son Katerina; Father has far higher hopes for you. That is what this Ball is for after all. He is going to parade you in front of all the wealthy single gentlemen in the country."

"Maybe I don't want to do better" she sat up and pouted, I swatted her gently on the arm "Father wants to marry me off to some rich suitor as an alliance, I want to be able to choose my own husband"

"We all do, Katerina" I said, thinking back to the day with the tree, my first taste of what a real love could be like, I pushed those thoughts out of my mind. "But you know that is not what happens in families like ours. My dear friend, Ilina was married last week, and she has only just reached her 15th year, you are at your 16th, and you are not married yet"

"I know Rayna, but what if he marries me off to someone old guy who I hate?"

"Father wouldn't do that to you Katerina, Mother would not let him. Now you must hurry and get ready, the ball starts in two hours, and you are not even bathed yet!" I shooed her out of the door.

"Relax little sister, It is fashionable to be late after all." She winked and hurried across the corridor to her own chambers.

An hour into the ball, and Katerina had yet to show her face. I was shadowing Father as he introduced me to many important people, some who leered at me, some who ignored me. Then there were some who were sizing me up to see if I would be a good match to their son. It was the same old situation.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Katerina walk gracefully down the stairs and into the ballroom, she made her way through the crowd towards me.

I excused myself from my father's side and went to meet her in the crowd

"He's here" She said an excited gleam in her eyes

"Who?" I asked, there were many people here

"Fillip, of course, I am going to meet him in the grounds, near the old tree house!"

"But you can't just leave!" This was over the line, she knew, but I don't think she cared

"Cover for me, say I felt ill and stayed upstairs" she pleaded with please Rayna"

"Fine"

"I love you sister" She kissed my cheek before disappearing out through the glass doors.

"Love you too" I smiled at her retreating back, before turning my attention back to my Father, and the long line of people wanting me to dance.

(January 1st, 1490)

I was sat in the Library, reading next to the fire, when Katerina walked in. She was scared, an emotion I had never been able to read on her face before, and I knew her better than anyone.

"Sister?" I said looking at her concerned. She came and sat in the chair opposite me.

"I have to tell you something" she said, looking down at her hands.

"Then speak and I shall listen."

"You cannot tell anyone, not even Mother must know"

"As you wish," I looked at her confused.

"You must swear! On all that is holy" She implored.

"I swear, may God strike me down if I reveal this to anyone" I said immediately. I had never seen my sister so uneasy. She was always so sure of herself, so confident.

"I am with child" she blurted out. "I haven't bled for two months, and I have been sick constantly over the last month. "My eyes widened, and I froze in shock, staring at her. She was almost in tears. "Please, Rayna, I don't know what to do!"

"Who is the father?" I whispered

"Fillip,"

"But he left, on the night of the party"

"I know, he said it was a parting gift. He kissed me, and touched me in places I shouldn't speak about!"

"Katerina, you will not be able to keep this hidden. You will be cast out"

"I know, but for now" She sobbed, and came over to me. I hugged her "Please"

"I won't tell Katerina, you have my word."

Nothing would be the same again, how could it be.

(August 16th, 1490)

She was screaming. There was nothing I could do, except sit next to her on the bed and hold her.

It was time, my sister's judgement. Father was pacing outside. I was terrified, for my sister, for my niece or nephew. And there was nothing I could do.

And then the screaming ceased. The midwife took the baby and wrapped her in a cloth.

"It's a little girl" She said grimly, this wasn't a happy time. No one was smiling.

"Let me hold her" Katerina said, barely able to hold out her arms. But mother shook her head, and the baby was taken outside.

"No...NO! Let me have her! What are you doing! NO!" She tried to get up, but I held her back.

"No, there is nothing you can do Katerina" My sister struggled "Please Sister!"

Once the baby was out of sight, she slumped against me. I couldn't say anything, so I just held her as she cried herself to sleep.

The next day, Father came into the room. I hadn't left Katerina's side all night, and I was tired, having been kept awake with her nightmares.

"Please excuse us Rayna, I must talk to our little Minx" He said, his eyes cold.

My eyes widened, but I left the room and walked into my mother's arms sobbing.

"Mother, what will happen to her?"

"I don't know child, but there is nothing we can do now, she brought it upon herself" I nodded, and Mother held me, until my Father came out.

"She has until the end of the day, and then she will be gone" He said, blankly, his face betraying no emotion.

"What will happen to her?" I asked him

"I don't know" He said, pulling both me and my mother into his arms.

The Butler walked past then,

"My Lord? How is Lady Katerina?" He asked politely.

"Who?"

"Your daughter, M'lord." He looked confused.

"I only have one daughter, and her name is Rayna" was his reply.

(September 1st, 1492)

It is a sombre household without my sister. There is no laughter, no sounds barely. Mother won't stop crying. Father barely comes out of his study. They had had high hopes for Katerina, she was the 'pretty' one of our family, the one who would have made a good match with any high class suitor that came her way.

I still live, I get courted, I eat, drink, go through the motions of life, but I am no longer there, my thoughts are always with my beloved sister. I was constantly wondering whether she was still alive.

My family was entertaining guests that week, a man called Niklaus Mikaelson, and his brother Elijah. They were merchants, gentlemen from England. I had the feeling that father was trying to marry me off to them, but I acted in polite indifference.

After dinner was ended, I had taken a short walk in the gardens, before returning to the drawing room, where I believed the rest of my family had retired.

That was the moment I was going to die.

My mother's body lay strewn across the sofa, her breasts soaked in blood, her hair in disarray. Father was tossed onto the floor, well... His torso was. His head was impaled upon a spike, next to the fireplace. My younger brother's throat had been torn out, but that was all I could see of him, thank goodness.

I couldn't move, think or speak. I could barely muster up the courage to scream. Yet when I did, a cold hand shot over my mouth.

"Now, now, this can go quite quickly if you cooperate my dear, or it can be painful and drawn out." I struggled, shaking, trying to cry out. But all my efforts where in vain. "Where is Katerina?"

He realised his hold on my mouth, and clutched my neck so I could barely breathe.

"I don't know!" I managed to get out between gasps.

"I think you are lying."

"Why would I lie? I haven't seen her in two years." He moved in front of me, and I found myself staring into the eyes of one of our distinguished guests, Niklaus.

"She is telling the truth, Brother." another man said, outside of my field of vision. I assumed it was Elijah and I heard him walk up to us. "Kill her now, be done with this."

"She is pretty; It is such a shame we have to do this." The first man said, looking me up and down.

"I know, but think of what Katerina will say when she finds out her beloved sister has been killed like this. You know how much she talked about her." Elijah said, the first man smiled, gleefully.

"True." he grabbed the top of my head and pulled it roughly to one side. He then bent his head to my neck. I felt his lips touch my skin gently. Then pain. I felt the most awful pain imaginable and then all of a sudden felt nothing at all, as I slipped to the floor in the bliss of unconsciousness.

((A/N - Virtual Cookies, Hugs and Kisses to Reviewers :))