Family Of Blood

xXx

The lone man stepped through the ruins now, kicking a rock out the way as he did so. It had been so very long since he had stepped foot upon the ground that was once his home. He was suprised there was still something left of the place. It had been somewhat a thousand years.

But then again, his "father" had ordered the finest materials to build the stately house with its high walls and large grounds with its apple, orange... so many fruit trees.

He stopped before the place where the open brick fireplace had once been, a place where he and his many siblings had sat, listening to their fathers stories.

Their father, not his he later discovered.

Klaus listened to the drip of water from somwhere now, remembering back to 1066, his father of sorts had come back from the Battle of Hastings, the battle won. It also sparked the change of his family and life.

Things had been so very different back then, all gentlemen wanted was the affection of a lady.

Then again, his own "damsel in distress" certainly was able to fend for herself...

July 1067

"Come brother you're lacking!"

"Oh really?"

The sound of the young mens laughter echoed through the hills, mingled with the clash of wooden sword on sword. Seventeen years of age and already well trained in the art of swordplay since a tender age.

Klaus clipped his slightly younger brother in the side now, making him curse and retaliate with a swing, but missed and ended up flat on his back, his brothers wooden sword at his throat.

"I win." Klaus grinned, entending a hand and pulling his brother who was out of breath up.

Elijah sighed now and just said. "You gave me no chance."

Klaus smirked. "You really think the enemy would be as leniant? You suprise me brother." then caught him unawares on the back of his head with his sword. "And never let your guard down!" he laughed, then ran down the hill as his brother chased him.

Back on the estate, the pair entered the mansion and stepped aside as their little sister ran by towards the gate where the days supply of bread and finest cuts of meat had arrived. No doubt to try and get the best apple once more before her older siblings did so.

Klaus collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling with its dark oaked beams. Now he closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the little girl playing on the swing he and Elijah had erected on the white ash tree. So innocent to what was coming to her in the future.

Elijah came in now and kicked of his leather boots and sat down on his brothers bed. "Mother is calling for you."

Klaus groaned now and shook his head. "Can't she do whatever it is herself?"

"Don't be so selfish."

He rolled his eyes and got of now, walking towards the door picking up one of his brothers boots and lobbing it with precision through the open window.

"Niklaus!"

Downstairs, Klaus stepped into the main room where his mother was sat in front of the hearth with her youngest son of six years old on her lap, teaching him to read. Only the commoners couldn't read.

And they were far from common.

She smiled now, her ebony hair framing her face in a way that made Klaus wonder why he was the only child in the family with such a light shade of hair. The other siblings were either their fathers brown or mothes black.

"Niklaus darling, could you go into the villiage and collect the new cloak fastenings? I'm sure your father would like a suprise when he returns."

Klaus was silent, then bowed his head a little. "Yes mother." then turned away, collecting his own deep red cloak and fastening it about his collarbone and went to the stables where he met the stableboy and asked for his horse to be made up for a short ride.

The young man nodded and hastily set up the ebony horse and bowed once more. "All ready Master Niklaus."

Klaus rolled his eyes now- did no one understand the concept that he hated that name? Sounded too much like the Britania name of Nicolas.

He pulled himself up onto the horse now, egging it on into a canter, slowing down a fraction while the men at the gates pulled it open for him and he was gone in the swish of red.

Klaus now sighed as he walked around the grounds, tracing its solid green flooring for traces of the white ash tree his sister had once played on, then remember his "father" had burned it. Who knew where his sister was to this day- alive? She was an Original. He and his six siblings had all been.

A family of vampires, but he, with a difference- the fullmoon hurt, trying to change him in ways that wasn't associated with being a vampire.

It made his father wonder just what was wrong with him, why the moon affected a vampire in a similar way to a werewolf.

His mother had encouraged her children to write and read more, setting them up for the future where she had high hopes for them.

That was life. Before he was cursed anyway. It had been a whole different life at that- training up to be a knight when he and Elijah turned eighteen, like their father.

Yes, a whole different world of chivalry and warfare, witch burnings and great fear of the creatures that roamed the land at night.

Including love.

It had been too many years since she had last crossed his mind. She was dead now, she had to be... fragile and human, so delicate like the lillies in the summer, the pink roses in the spring.

Lucianna...

Who would have thought a monster like him could have once been in love?

And how it helped make him the man he was to this day...

A/N: A few versions of this fic have been playing out in my head, but finally, this one has stuck! Klauses story from before he was cursed up to the sacrifice. Because we all know they're gonna kill of the hot bad guy-_- they always do. So! reviews are much loved, because I have no idea if people are interested in reading more or not. x