"Come on then boy, I dare you to do it."

The man before him never moved, looking to the deer on the other side of the clearing, grazing lightly, then the one who had spoken laughed, grabbing the gun from the frozen figure before him, going. "Coward, aren't you? No wonder you've never killed a man... let alone a beast. Your father must be ashamed of you so much."

But at his words, the young man before him narrowed his sky colored eyes, reaching into his back pocket, the insulting man before him walking off, gun over his blue uniform clad shoulder.

But now he screamed, so loud that the birds resting in the trees took flight, the deer bolting in alarm as Niklaus yanked the soldier, his regiment leader closer, smirking into his ear.

"Call me a coward now?"

"You kill me... they will flay you alive before killing you-!" He hissed, wincing as the blade twisted in his back, making him gasp in agony.

Niklaus chuckled in his ear, going. "Not if someone comes up with the perfect lie-" he stopped as he heard barking, and laughed, patting his shoulder. "Your choice. I kill you swiftly now, or... our foes tear you apart. Painfully I might add."

There was silence, and Niklaus rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Tick tock, fool. No answer? Oh ok-" he rammed the blade in further, the tip of the blade protruding from his chest.

He was dropped to the floor, Niklaus staring at his reflection in the bloodied blade, feeling a chuckle escape his lips-

That feeling of power, to be able to do anything once you've killed a man was rushing through him.

Suddenly, the barking sounded closer, making his eyes narrow. The young soldier grabbed his leaders roll of parchment he was suppose to be delivering, but now he was dead, his blood figuratively on the young man who was running towards the camp, it was up to him.

When Niklaus reached the camp, he delivered the message, plus the... sad news,(!) of his leader meeting his death by their foes. The North.

"Thank you, Niklaus." He sighed heavily, putting a hand on the young mans shoulder for a moment before going back into the tent, leaving Niklaus to stand there, alone...

Silently smirking.

He loved to play games.

-HeartsAtWar-

"Nik! Niklaus! Wake up! Stop it!"

The mans eyes snapped open at that, and he snarled, pushing the figure aside, chest heaving, heart racing as the lamp was lit to reveal Rebekah, her eyes wide for some reason.

"What?" He asked, disgruntled, putting his head in his hands, groaning lightly as his head pounded.

"You were... screaming in your sleep-" Rebekah muttered, making Niklaus freeze, but look up, frowning. "What-?"

Rebekah sighed, sitting down next to her brother, taking his hands in her own, finding them to be shaking the tiniest of fractions as she went-

"You have just returned from war, Nik. It is understandable... you have probably seen things I could never imagine."

Niklaus looked to his hands in her own, pulling them away after a second, chuckling lightly. "I am fine, little sister. Do you see me breaking around the edges?"

"No... I see you breaking from the core."

He stopped dead, and after a second growled lightly. "I'm not... weak. Don't you dare call me that word. Get out."

Rebekah scowled, then got up, hissing back. "Fine. Suit yourself Brother."

The door slammed shut behind her, the sound echoing for a moment before Niklaus sighed, collapsing back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling-

Maybe he had seen... such things.

But he wasn't weak.

He refused to let himself be classed as weak-

Prove his first kill, his father...

Prove them right.

-HeartsAtWar-

Caroline lay in bed the next morning, feeling rather sick from the cold going through her body, plus that water.

Then there was the baby.

But... it couldn't have survived that dive into the quarry, she herself had almost died, then rescued...

By who she had no idea.

"Caroline?"

Her heart dropped as she heart her mother outside, and the young woman quickly moved her hands from her stomach, grabbing the book, opening at a random, dog eared page as she went-

"Come in."

Elizabeth, Liz Forbes walked in now, going over to her daughter, sighing lightly. "How are you feeling my darling?"

"Just fine Mother." Caroline smiled, using every fiber of her being to make it seem real, not fake... like it was. She felt terrible, confirming her suspicions that the baby had survived its mothers stupid attempt to kill them both.

She felt guilty, so very, very much about the fact she'd wanted to kill her own child, but still-

What was going to happen when the big secret was out-?

The father a soldier, passing through on the march to war that had caught her eye. A few drinks, a romp in the woods later... and she was left with the mans child.

She didn't even know his name.

"Caroline? Did you hear me?"

Caroline jumped at her mothers voice, going. "I ah- sorry, I was away with the fairies then... what did you say?"

"That man who saved you, he shall be over for dinner tonight with his family. You are well enough to make an appearance?"

"I do-"

"Excellent! I do not want them thinking my daughter an ungrateful little rich girl." Elizabeth scoffed, shaking her head at the thought. She patted her daughters arm twice, kissing her forehead before leaving.

Caroline sighed heavily, tears sparkling in her eyes once more-

That free will she had when she was a little girl was next to gone...

And she hated it. So much.

If this baby was what it took to be free once more, she welcomed the child.

-HeartsAtWar-

"At last, I thought you had died in your sleep."

Niklaus sent his father a dirty look as he walked into the dining room, late for breakfast, but he couldn't care less. Mikael always always insulted him as soon as he walked into a room with him in.

The young man sat down at a free chair, looing to the three other empty seats where Elijah, Kol and Finn usually sat, but they were still at war.

He needed to talk to Elijah as soon as possible, the only one Niklaus would actually tell about what was going through his head.

But he wasn't returning for another week.

A week to Niklaus felt like a year.

There was laughing now, Niklaus glancing up to see his little brother Henrik running down the corridor after their dog, the poor thing haring as fast as it could before the boy caught it.

Esther rolled her eyes, then set her cup down, getting to her feet, taking Rebekah with her to stop the boy from playing too much with the animal. The maids were useless when it came to stopping him.

Niklaus took a slice of toast from the rack, refusing to look at his father as they were left alone.

"We are joining the Forbes tonight for dinner. And you will be there, Niklaus."

He frowned, looking up, meeting his fathers disapproving eyes, scoffing. "Them? With their spoiled little daughter?"

Mikael smirked at that. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you saved that 'spoiled little daughter' yesterday."

The boy froze- he'd never met the girl in question, but he realized now...

Caroline.

That was the name, the only thing he knew about the pretty little blonde he'd saved.

Great (!)

Little rich girl was getting even more spoiled now.

Attention seeking little bitch.

"Fun (!)" Niklaus just went sarcastically, making Mikael go. "You arrive at six, no exceptions. Best suit."

"It's torn."

"Go get a seamstress then." He said coldly, getting to his feet, stalking off.

Niklaus tossed the rest of his toast down, feeling sour-

He just wasn't hungry now.

-HeartsAtWar-

"Ah Salvatore, stop staring at the girl."

"You can talk. Who have you not slept with in this town (!)"

"Ha-! You make me laugh."

Niklaus was sat next to Damon Salvatore on a cart, ankles crossed, watching the town bustle around them. They weren't friends, but merely partners in war.

They insulted each other more than anything mind.

But for the moment, Damon was staring, almost wistfully at the pretty brunette that Niklaus knew to be Elena Gilbert. She'd returned from Boarding School, and Damon was now more than smitten by how beautiful she'd become over the time.

"Admit it Klaus, she is a beauty."

Niklaus took her in, scoffing. "Of course, but she's not to my taste."

"Oh-? Then you didn't have relations with her sister (?)"

The Gilbert Sisters. All three of them. All the same... exactly.

Niklaus rolled his eyes. "Look- Tatia is still at Boarding School, Katerina too. Pair of bitches that belong there."

Damon smirked, then nodded. "Agreed, but still... you liked that Tatia, you and that brother of yours."

"Shut up."

The black haired man shrugged, shutting up and looking back to Elena who was with his younger brother for the day, being escorted around... it was clear she was more than taken with him.

To Niklaus' amusement.

To Damons annoyance.

Niklaus yawned, running a hand through his hair, sighing. "I have to attend a dinner tonight...all because I saved a little rich bitch."

At that, Damon smirked, making Niklaus hit his shoulder. Salvatore scowled, going to hit him back, but Niklaus grinned, jumping down from the cart, grabbing the mans legs, pulling them hard forwards, making him crash onto his back with a thump and much swearing.

Elena looked over, frowning lightly at the noise, then rolled her eyes-

That Mikaelson was nothing but trouble in this town.

And Damon Salvatore... a handsome, but...

Hmm. Intriguing man.

Damon threw a stone at Niklaus as he ran off.

Childish little shits.

-HeartsAtWar-

Caroline winced as her maid tightened her corset, hands tightening on the chair she was holding to stay steady.

"There, you look beautiful." The maid smiled, making Caroline nod, going quietly. "Leave me. I wish to be alone."

The maid was gone in a flash, and Caroline walked over to the window, watching the carriage arrive with the Mikaelson family inside. A quartet climbed out, making Caroline frown a fraction-

Where was her 'savior?'

The horses were led away from the carriage, a call for dinner in fifteen minuets through the mansion. Caroline sighed, looking down- everyone thought her a spoilt little rich bitch. The apple of her mothers eye after her father had fled.

That was true...

But she wanted, needed to rebel.

Caroline escaped down to the stables to see the proud and majestic horses of the Mikaelsons. She stepped forwards, smiling at the midnight colored one in its stall closest to her.

"Hello there beautiful." She told it with a lilting smile, raising a hand to its muzzle, stroking its silky hair for a moment before she heard-

"Careful. He bites."

She jolted away at that, turning around to face a young man in everyday clothes, crisp ones, walking in with a deep brown one by the reins, putting it in a stall, closing it behind him, going with a chuckle. "Watch out. Really. I caught him myself, wild thing."

Caroline scoffed, refusing to step away, going matter-of-factly. "Well, maybe you are too rough with them then."

"You have to be love." Niklaus smirked, stepping forwards, patting the horses neck hard, grinning as he added with a playful grin. "Bit like women these days."

Caroline scoffed, then slapped him, stalking out, reminding herself to have her mother throw the stablehand out for being such a foul man.

Niklaus just smirked after her-

Silly little girl.

If only that had been the girl he'd saved. One with fire.

He couldn't remember her face.

-HeartsAtWar-

Inside, Caroline took her place at the table, fake smile in place as she welcomed the Mikaelsons with her mother, Mikael going. "I apologize for my son... he has no sense of time."

Rebekah frowned, going. "But I swore I saw him going into the stables?"

Caroline froze at that, and at that moment the doors opened, the maid saying. "Niklaus Mikaelson for you all."

It had to be him... didn't it-?

The uncouth stablehand...

Great (!)

Niklaus stepped forwards, going with a chuckle. "Apologies for being late. My horse shod a shoe and I had to double back and get another horse."

"Perfectly understandable." Elizabeth Forbes chuckled, gesturing to the seat next to her... the one opposite her daughter... who was deliberately looking down at her empty plate.

Niklaus glanced to the pretty little blonde sat before him, glancing up herself, a light blush in her cheeks as they locked eyes for a second.

The dinner was a rather quiet affair, Niklaus giving his version on his little rescue, Caroline occasionally chuckling and nodding when it was called for.

She couldn't believe her savior was this, to her eyes, scruffy little soldier.

Handsome scruffy little soldier.

After the small dinner, Elizabeth called to Niklaus as he went to leave-

"Wait Niklaus! I am very sure Caroline has something to say to you"

He turned around, Caroline frozen to the spot. But she sighed. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."

Niklaus was silent, then he chuckled, stepping over, taking the girls hand in his own, raising it to his lips, saying softly. "No problem at all, Miss Forbes."

She couldn't help but smile a tiny fraction at his manners.

Mikael raised an eyebrow at the pair before saying, almost sharply. "Come Niklaus. Now."

He let her go, glancing back once more at the petite blonde before walking out.

All he was thinking was- maybe she wasn't some spoilt little rich bitch after all.

All she was thinking was- maybe he wasn't some scruffy little handsome young man with an inflated head.

They thought the other intriguing.

And the next! Thanks for the lovvveely attention and reviews! So lovely to see^_^ well, here's another to see if you're all still interested in more, and hope you like and review!x Nic

oh! i have twitter now if you want to follow:) ThisIsNiknakz93