Hey y'all, s o this is a new short fanfic that I want to work with. Enjoy!

A Promise Made

Before his betrothed died, Klaus made her a promise that he would marry her sister, Caroline. Now, with her gone, Klaus decides to do just that, not knowing that the marriage of convenience that he has set forth may break Caroline's heart.


London, 1815

Caroline sat by her identical twin sister's side and held her hand as the tears came to her eyes. The doctor announced earlier in the day that Cara's life was coming to an end.

Though the family did not want to believe what the doctor was saying, they knew that it was true. After all, the fever that has been ravishing her body since the week before was not letting up and she was now suffering from a disease of the lungs.

"Don't cry," Cara rasped out as she gave her a small smile and placed her left hand on her right hand.

"How can I not?" Caroline asked her. "The doctor is certain that you will not survive." She told her, looking into the green of her eyes that rivaled her own bright blue ones.

"And I won't." She sighed. "Tis how the lord wanted it, sister... We can do nothing about it, but wait."

"You're only twenty one, Cara. It isn't fair and you know it."

"I agree," she sighed. "But I have found my peace and now I want you to do the same."

"Your betrothed is going to be heartbroken, sister... You know this, don't you?" Caroline asked as she placed her finger on her sister's sapphire engagement ring.

"Niklaus will get over it, Caroline. He will, I am certain of it."

"Perhaps he will, but will we? Me, mama, papa, our brothers?"

"Though it will be hard, yes you will." Cara stated, reassuring her. "Now, I must rest." She told her as her eyes closed slowly.

Placing her hand over her mouth, Caroline stood up and ran out of her sister's bedchamber. Once she was in the corridor, she slid down onto the floor and a sob escaped her throat. In her heart, the blonde knew that within a couple of hours, she would no longer have a sister that she could laugh with, sneak around with, and make fun of... Soon, her sister would be gone.


Two hours later, the Marquess of Kent made his way out of the carriage with his face pale and his eyes hollow. As he ran up the steps, he felt the thundering of his heart in his chest and swallowed.

Knocking on the door, the elderly butler opened the door for him and permitted him to enter with a look of pity on his face.

"She is waiting for you, my lord." The butler announced.

"Thank you, Hopkins." Klaus said before he entered.

Once inside, he immediately made his way to the staircase, taking it two at a time. As he approached Cara's bedchamber, he spotted her twin sister sitting on the floor with her knees tucked against her chest.

"Caroline," Klaus said, a sad smile on his lips.

"She's waiting for you." Caroline told him, looking up at him.

Klaus noticed that her eyes were puffy and the red veins within her eyes were visible. Her lips were chapped and she looked exhausted.

"Get some rest." He urged, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder, propriety be damned.

"I cannot," she told him. "Now go, Cara wants to see you."

Nodding, Klaus entered her bedchamber and moved towards the bed. His betrothed lay against her pillows, looking as pale as the sheets that were drawn around her tightly.

"Nik," she said, extending her hand for him to take.

"Cara," he whispered, placing his lips against her knuckles.

"You came," she smiled as she ran her hand over his cheek weakly.

"Of course I did, my love." He reassured her, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"The doctor says that I do not have much time left." She told him.

"The doctor is wrong, Cara. You'll get better and then we will get married. As soon as we are married, we will go on our honeymoon in Italy and live a long and happy life together."

"I want to believe you, Nik. I really do, but I also want to be realistic. I can feel my energy leaving me quickly and I can hear the angels calling to me."

"Do not speak of such things, Cara. Stay positive and you will get better."

"I will not," she shook her head. "The fever has won."

"N-no," he shook his head.

"Yes," she cried. "I need you to do something for me, Nik. Please..."

"Anything, my love. Whatever you wish."

"When I am gone, marry Caroline. She will make you a good wife and the two of you will need one another to get past my death."

"Cara, no." He shook his head. "I- I love you... Only you, and I care not that you and Caroline are identical. It's you that I have always wanted- ever since we were children."

Smiling sadly, she sighed before she urged him to move closer to her. Once he did, she gave him a kiss on his unshaven cheek.

"I know," she sighed. "But Caroline will make you a good wife, darling." She is the one that loves you so desperately, not I, she added silently.

"Love, please... You will get better and we will marry."

"I will not." She shook her head.

"Don't say such things!" He cried out, grabbing her hands in his own and looking at her with a frightened expression on his face.

"It is true." Cara stated. "Now promise me, Nik... Promise me that you will marry Caroline."

"I promise." He whispered as he clenched his free hand into a fist.

"Goodbye, Nik." She whispered as she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


Later that night, the Forbes family and Klaus gathered around Cara's bedside with tears in their eyes. She has drawn her last breath ten minutes ago.

"She's gone." Stefan Forbes said as he looked at the others with sadness in his forest green eyes.

With a sob, Elizabeth Forbes crumpled to the floor and leaned against her husband for support. Running his hands down his wife's arms reassuredly, Bill himself tried to keep his grief in check. He knew that he could not break apart- not in the presence of his family that looked up at him for everything.

"I'll take care of everything." Damon told his parents before he bent down and gave Cara one last kiss on the forehead.

Then, he stormed out of the bedchamber as if he was on fire.

"Damon is angry." Caroline whispered as Stefan wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to his side.

"He is grieving, Caroline." Klaus told her. "We all grieve in our own ways." He said with finality before he himself turned on his heel and made his way towards the door.

"The ring, Niklaus." Bill said as he looked down at the sapphire that glimmered on his daughter's finger. "Will you be taking it back?"

"The ring was meant for Cara and will always be hers." He told the older gentleman, looking directly at Caroline with his eyes burning with fury. "She is the only one that will ever have my love, no matter whom I marry."

With those final words, he walked out the room, not looking back at them.

Caroline shivered at his icy words, but before she could think further on it, she turned to her family and they all wrapped their arms around one another in comfort.


The next morning, the Forbes family garbed their mourning clothing and made their way into the carriage that would take them to the family plot.

The ride there was one filled with silence and for that, the blonde was grateful. She knew that there was no way in hell that she would be able to speak- not now... Not on the morn of her beloved sister's funeral.

Sighing, she placed her head against the window and watched the passing meadows. She was exhausted, Caroline realized. Completely and utterly spent, but it was no time for her to think of herself... Now was the time to think of Cara- the girl that she knew ever since she was born. Though, she saw that her family members grieved for Cara, she knew that they didn't feel as bad as she did. After all, she was the one that spent so much time with Cara when they were growing up. After all, the two were inseparable and now they would never see one another again.

She felt the lump forming in her throat as well as the tears filling up her eyes, but she pushed those feelings away. Now was not the time for her to think of herself. She had to think of her family- she had to think about what she could do to make it easier for them.

As the carriage came to a stop, the footman opened the door for them and they stepped down one by one. The skies were gray and the clouds were high in the sky. There was no sun glistening through those clouds and it seemed like London grieved for the loss of Cara Forbes, the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Flemming.

Cara's casket was being brought out as well and they joined the other people that were grieving for her loss. Those that attended were friends of the Earl and Countess as well as Caroline and Cara's own friends. The Mikaelson family was also there with shattered looks on their faces.

As the family of the deceased Cara joined the others, they offered them their condolences and soon thereafter the vicar began.

A little while later, Cara's casket was lowered into the earth...

After the funeral, the mourners offered their condolences and gave them reassuring words. Being unable to take it any longer, Caroline made her way towards the woods located behind the family plot. Once in the woods, she made her way over to the stream and sat down on a fallen log.

Then, she allowed her tears to fall freely- she cried for Cara's lost life, for her family, and for those days filled with joy and laughter that would be lost to her forever.


Klaus stood beside his family members and as he looked in the blonde's direction, he noticed that she was making her way into the woods.

Sighing, he felt for the ring in his pocket and followed her.

Though it would be improper if those around him noticed that he was following Caroline into the woods without a chaperone, he cared not. Also, he doubted that the mourners were looking for a bit of juicy gossip.

Klaus did not want to offer for Caroline's hand, but he wasn't about to break the promise that he made to a dying Cara. If she wanted him to marry Caroline then that was exactly what he would, but what he told the Forbes family the day before still applied. He would never fall in love again. He knew, however, that Caroline deserved love, but that wasn't something that he would be able to give her.

With that thought, he moved in the direction of the woods quicker and found her sitting by the stream on a fallen log.

As he approached her, he realized that her shoulder were shaking and that she was sobbing uncontrollably.

Sighing, he made his way to the log and sat down beside her.

Opening her bloodshot eyes, Caroline looked in his direction, but it seemed like she was looking past him.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Caroline." He told her.

"Likewise," she agreed, looking away from him. "What brought you here?" The blonde added, the curiosity evident in her voice.

"A promise that I made to Cara," he admitted, running his fingers through his already messy dirty blonde curls.

"A promise?" She asked as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Cara made me promise that I would marry you." He told her, not in the mood to beat around the bush.

"I-I beg your pardon?" She asked, the look of disbelief written all over her face.

"You heard me." Klaus sighed. "And with that..." He started, standing up and then kneeling on one foot.

"My lord, no." She quickly shook her head. "You know not what you're doing."

"I do," he assured her as he rummaged around in his pocket. "Now, will you marry me, Caroline Leanne Forbes?"

"Marry you?" She asked as he showed her the ruby ring with diamonds around it.

"Yes," he nodded. "Marry me,"

"I- I can't..." She told him, shaking her head. "You aren't thinking straight and I'm sure that Cara will understand why you broke your promise to her."

"I will not break my promise to her, Caroline. Marry me," he said again as his stormy blue-gray eyes darkened.

"Please, my lord... Think about this... Give yourself time to grieve before you make such a decision."

"I don't need to grieve." He lashed out. "Cara wanted me to marry you and that is what I intend to happen. I will not take no for an answer."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot agree to your proposal. I will not marry a man that is in love with my sister."

"Caroline, Cara wanted us to marry and if you truly love her, you will agree to my proposal."

"Will this be a marriage in name only, then?" Caroline asked him. "Should I agree, that is..."

"Yes," he confessed. "There will be no love in our marriage, Caroline. You will give me my needed heir and spare and then you will be free to do what you want and so will I."

"So, should I agree, this marriage will be the same as the many others among the ton?"

"Yes," he nodded. "So what is your answer?"

"I'll marry you." She told him. Even though it'll break my heart because I have loved you ever since I was a child of two and you were a boy of twelve.

"Good," he nodded, sliding the ring on her finger and then leaving her side. "We will marry within the week, future marchioness."


There you have it! So, what do y'all think about this one?

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~Hana :p