Okay, I am totally amazed, and I mean it...I'm so freaking amazed at how many of you are following this story, just from one chapter! SENDING LOVE TO YOU ALL!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!

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OVER NINE HUNDRED YEARS AGO...

A young girl, at the age of eighteen walked through the forest, taking in the few peaceful moments she had seldom been afforded. Her duties for the day were finished, and her mother had allowed her to take a few moments to herself.

Stopping at the edge of the brook, she leaned against the tree, and inhaled the sweet nectar of the flowers behind her. Placing her palms against the tree, she closed her eyes.

The wind blew through the trees, and she smiled as it blended with the music of the water rolling over the rocks. Though at the moment, another sound caused her to straighten. She let out a small gasp as a young man staggered into view, and very carefully knelt down beside the water.

Torn between running away and staying to help, she sighed, and decided on the latter, for something told her he needed help.

Approaching him, she tilted her head to the side. "Are you alright?" She asked, gently.

He jumped, and groaned as he lifted his eyes to hers. "Ye…"

She felt the world stop around her as she gazed into his eyes. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest, and slowly she knelt down beside him to examine his wounds. Lifting her right hand, she tenderly touched his face, and smiled, tenderly when he flinched at her touch. "What happened to you?" She asked, in a tender, soft voice.

He sighed, and felt her tenderness touch his heart. "Punishment," He answered his accent deep and lilting.

She frowned, and shook her head, as her fingers touched the scratches on his face, and the coming bruise underneath his eye. "That's barbaric." She stated, shaking her head once again.

He smiled, and nodded, as she moved to rip the inside of her dress, and dipped it in the water, before turning back to him.

"Tell that to my father." He muttered, wincing as she tended to the cuts on his face.

She paused, and stared at his face. "Your father did this to you?" She asked in mild fury. "How could your own father be so cruel?" She asked, shaking her head, her eyes flashing with anger.

He closed his eyes, and sighed. "You'll have to ask him." He whispered, winching as she touched the cut on his lip.

She shook her head, and pulled the clothe back to dip it in the water. "No man should ever strike his child, no matter what he's done." She muttered, firmly.

He smiled, and nodded. He didn't speak as she tended to his wounds, and as she touched the cut above his eye, she lowered her eyes to his. Time seemed to stop once again as they searched each other's eyes.

"Niklaus," He whispered, softly.

She smiled, knowing what he meant. "Niklaus," She whispered, trying out his name on her tongue. "I'm Caroline."

He smiled, and hesitantly lifted his right hand to her face, and brushed a blonde curl from her face. "Caroline, breathtaking," He remarked, in a sultry tone.

She felt her cheeks heat at his words, and dipped her head. "Thank you," She whispered, lifting her head to stare into his eyes.

He smiled, and couldn't resist stroking her face. "Pleasure,"

She smiled, and dabbed the cuts on his face. As she did, she continued to hold his eyes, wanted nothing more than to stay here for the rest of her life. She sighed after a moment, and dropped her hand in her lap.

"I think I saw some medicinal herbs close by. Wait here, I'll be right back." She ordered, lifting her right hand to point her finger at him, and stood up.

Klaus smiled, and shook his head as she disappeared behind the trees. He groaned as he shifted on his knees, and grasped his side.

"Your ribs too?"

He stilled, and lifted his eyes to hers as she knelt down with some herbs in her hands. "It's nothing, really." He remarked, but she shook her head.

"It's not nothing, Niklaus." She stated, shaking her head again. She moved her hand towards his shirt, and lifted it up to see a bruise forming on his side, and she groaned. "Oh, by the spirits," She whispered, shaking her head. "If I ever meet this man, I think I'll give him a piece of my mind." She stated, turning to grind up the herbs on some rocks.

Klaus shook his head, and grasped her hand. "Please, don't, Caroline." He stated, urgently. "I can take what he throws at me, but you…" He began, as she searched his panicked eyes. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you." He concluded, firmly.

She sighed, and shook her head. "He shouldn't have done this to you." She stated again.

He sighed, and nodded. "I know, but there's nothing I can do." He responded, as she dipped a strip of cloth on the herbs, and held it up to his face.

"Have you tried talking to him?" She asked, gently.

He sighed, and closed his eyes as the sting of the herbs on his cuts. "I have, but it doesn't do any good." He answered, lowly.

She sighed, and closed her eyes as her hand dropped in her lap. "That actually sounds like my father." She whispered, shaking her head. "He won't listen to reason when mother and I try to talk him down." She added, lifting the cloth to his face once again.

"Does he hit you?" Klaus asked, his voice choking as she tended to his wounds.

She smiled, and shook her head. "No, he's what the village calls…unholy." She added, softly. "Mother and I tried to get him to conceal his…" She paused, as Klaus realized what she meant, and slowly nodded. "Anyway, he left, and we had to move to another village, even after everything." She explained, shaking her head.

"So it's just you and your mother?" He asked, as she smiled.

"Yeah," She answered, dipping the cloth in more of the herbs, and touched his lip.

He hissed lightly, and she jerked back, slightly. "Sorry," She apologized, as he grasped her hand in his when she tried to pull it back.

He shook his head, and again their eyes met. "Don't apologize for trying to help." He whispered, his voice turning to a nervous tone.

She smiled with a blush on her cheeks, and dipped her head. "My mother says the same thing." She returned, as he smiled.

"She sounds like a very wise woman." He responded, gently.

She nodded, and bit her bottom lip. "She is." She agreed, moving to lift his shirt. "I need to tend to your ribs." She added, after a moment.

He smirked, and lifted his shirt, until he came completely off, and dropped it beside him.

She swallowed as she caught sight of his body, and averted her eyes for a moment, before clearing her throat, and focused on bruise on his side. Touching his skin, gently, she contained a shiver as her fingers grazed over his skin.

"I…uh…" She paused, clearing her throat. "I don't feel any broken bones." She concluded, sitting back.

He nodded, and smiled as she blushed even deeper. "That's good." He responded, as she nodded in agreement.

"I'll bind it. That should help it heal quicker." She remarked, ripping more of her dress.

"How do you know so much about medicine?" He asked, as she began to wrap his ribs, her fingers lightly touching his skin, sending shocks of pleasure through his body.

She sighed, and her breathe hit his skin. "My mother taught me." She answered, wrapping the binding one more time before tying it off. "Since we live alone, we had to know how to tend to wounds." She explained further.

He nodded, and lifted his right hand to her face, brushing a speck of dirt from her face. "Well, I thank you, Caroline." He whispered, searching her eyes.

"You're welcome, Niklaus." She whispered, watching him smile.

"Call me Nik, please," He returned, as she smiled.

"Nik, I like that. It suits you." She remarked, as he chuckled.

He didn't say a word as they sat there next to the brook, taking in each other's presence.

As they stood up, and Klaus pulled his shirt back on, Caroline caught his hand. "Will I see you again?" She asked, as he looked at her.

He smiled, and tentatively touched her face with his free hand. "If you wish it," He nearly choked out.

She nodded, and leaned forward to brush her lips over his cheek. "I wish it very much." She whispered, softly.

He smiled, and caught her eyes once again. "So do I, love." He whispered, as her face lit up.

"Love…" She remarked, stepping back. "I like that." She responded, moving to walk away. "I'll see you soon, Nik." She called turning, and walking away.

Klaus sighed as she disappeared from sight, and lifted his left hand to his cheek, and touched the spot where her lips had touched, and he closed his eyes. "I'll see you soon, Caroline." He whispered, dropping his hand, and opened his eyes where she had walked away.

"That's a promise." He added, moving, slowly, back towards his village, back to his devil of a father.

Caroline watched as a distance, and smiled, as she touched her lips. Only one meeting, and already she knew her heart was lost to him. It was an action that she knew; she would never want to take back.

She cared for him, and something in her heart told her that this was going to be the greatest adventure she would ever know in her life, and it was one she wanted to take.

As long as it was with Niklaus.

Please be kind!

I hope you enjoyed their meeting!

Next Chapter: Confessions of Love

Until Next Time...