"How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?"
x
It was the winter of 1028 now, and the day of Niklaus' seventeenth winter.
Azalea was warm in bed with her sixteen year old sister Rebekah, both girls asleep... but not for long. The elder girl woke up now, groaning a little, pushing her sisters arm away as she got up, walking over to the window, pushing open the wooden slats that were acting as curtains of sorts...
And gasped, eyes widening, grin following suit.
"Bekah!" She laughed, turning and jumping onto her sister, waking her up with a start, hissing. "What Lea-!"
"Look outside!" Azalea grinned, pulling her up to her feet and over to the window. Rebekah soon grinned too as the pair saw the amount of snow that had fallen during the night.
"Oh-! Snow!" Rebekah laughed, grabbing her sisters arm excitedly, then the pair almost yanked each other out of the room as they ran into their brothers room, and jumped onto the three of them.
"Niklaus! Elijah! Henrick! Wake up! It's been snowing!" Azalea laughed, shaking them in turn.
Niklaus groaned, opening his eyes, then understood what the girls were on about, scrambling to his feet, running over to the window, grinning as he faced the snowfall outside.
"Wow. It has been so long since it last snowed." He missed now, then Azalea smiled at him, leaning forwards and kissing his cheek, saying softly. "Happy birthday."
Niklaus chuckled, then smiled back. "Thank you."
They all hurriedly got dressed into their warm furs and clothes, running outside into the snow, laughing the whole time.
Mikael stood with his arms crossed in the doorway of the house, watching with a resigned look- he stood no chance in getting them to behave at the first snowfall of the winter. And it was Niklaus' birthday...
Maybe he'd let them off for just once.
Literally just this once.
Elijah stood under the white oak, arms folded like his father, keeping out the way of the snowballs that were flying around.
Azalea and Niklaus were locked in an epic snowball fight by now, both drenched in slush and ice. Rebekah was no better, lobbing one at her elder brother, hitting him on the back of the head.
"Got you!" Azalea laughed, catching Niklaus over the head with a load of soft white, drenching his now shoulder length brown-blonde hair.
"You wait." He smirked at Azalea as she backed up, laughing. He advanced on her, grabbing her from behind and pinning her arms to her side.
She slapped his arm, pushing him away into the snow, chuckling and taking off into the woods, Niklaus chasing after her as fast as he could.
"I'll catch you Lea! I always do!" He laughed now, catching up swiftly, pushing her a little, making Azalea trip, but he grabbed her, pushing her against the frostbitten tree.
"I rest my case." He smirked now, trapping her arms against her sides once more, grinning as he did so. Azalea rolled her eyes and met his own, frowning a little at Niklaus' expression; his brow was furrowed the slightest fraction, and she didn't move as he leaned forwards until their lips were just the tiniest of fractions away from each other, then he frowned himself, backing off, silent with his brow furrowed deeply.
"I don't..." he just muttered, then turned around and Azalea watched as he ran off back towards the house, stood there with mixed emotions at his actions.
She hadn't been expecting that.
-AtY-
Later that morning, the noon sun shining and sparkling as it collided with the snow and ice, making it almost fairytale like. Like the stories of princesses, dragons, castles and knights in shining armor Esther had told her brood when they were very young.
Azalea was stood in her and Rebekahs room, staring out the open window, silent.
Elijah passed the open door as he made his way to his and Niklaus' room, stopping as he saw his seventeen year old sister stood there, deep in thought it looked like. The now twenty one year old man frowned, then raised a hand knocking on the oak doorframe. "Azalea?"
She glanced around at his words, then smiled as he walked forwards.
"You seem troubled?" Elijah frowned as he walked over, then looked out the window too, spotting Niklaus brushing down his deep brown horse.
"I truly do not know what to call it Elijah." She said quietly, confusing him. He watched his brother wipe snow from the horses deep dark mane.
Azalea sighed, then just said. "Niklaus... tried to kiss me."
Elijah hadn't been expecting that, and his eyes widened a fraction, then he said in surprise. "Excuse me-?"
"You heard me." She said quietly, sighing once more and walking over to the bed, sitting down, staring at the floor, not knowing what to say or think.
Elijah was silent, then he sat down next to her, sighing too. "You believe Niklaus is in love with you?"
"I have no idea, Elijah... but you know as well as I do what Father would think of his actions. He tried to kiss me Elijah. I don't... know what to say to him."
Elijah frowned, then shifted his position a little. "Just... what do you mean? You make it sound like you... know about his feelings for you-?"
"He is my brother Elijah-!" She snapped now, getting to her feet, eyes blazing. Elijah was silent once more, then just said softly. "Not just your brother. Your best friend. I know that, Azalea."
Azalea met his eyes at that, then scoffed. "Yes, he is my best friend... but that is all I can see him as."
"Can... or scared to?" Elijah asked, and Azalea slapped him with a snarl of. "How dare you-!"
Elijah rolled his eyes, rubbing his slapped cheek, courtesy of his sister. "Azalea. You can slap me all you want, but-" he stood up, taller than her by more than just a fraction, leaning forwards and saying. "But I've seen it in your eyes, sister... and I've seen Niklaus' own reflected back."
Azalea was silent, then she sighed. "I'm sorry I slapped you."
"I'm used to it." He grumbled, then put a hand on her shoulder, leaning forwards and saying in her ear. "Talk to him."
"I don't... know if I can..."
Elijah scoffed, stepping away. "So this is the fearless Azalea? You were the one that stood up to Father that time he shouted at Niklaus for no reason. You yelled at him 'You foul pig! You deserve to live in the sty with them treating your son like that for nothing!' Hmm? I truly thought Father was going to hit you when you said that..."
"But yet again, I got away with it." Azalea snarled, shaking her head. "When I came to this family... he said he would treat me like all his children, and yet, all these years later... he has never done anything to cause me to hate him."
Elijah was silent, but then Azalea added with a sigh. "And when Niklaus is around... he takes pleasure in torturing him. And I don't mean physically. He's so nice to me because he knows that will hurt Nik even more. I am a weapon to Mikael... you know that as well as I do."
The young man was silent, knowing that his adopted sister was speaking the truth, and he groaned, putting a hand to his forehead. "Azalea-"
"Shut it Elijah. I know what you are going to say- me and Nik cannot be together, even if we both wanted to." She said, walking back over to the open window staring out at the young man who was now pulling himself up onto his horse, setting off towards the main part of the village. Azalea sighed, leaning her head against the wooden frame as Elijah said quietly.
"That I believe you both truly care for each other?"
Azalea frowned, then looked to her brother. "Excuse me?"
Elijah chuckled, stepping forwards and kissing her cheek in a flash. "I'll let you in on a little secret... Niklaus cares for you more than you realize. When you have nightmares... he comes into your and Rebekahs room and holds your hand, recite you a lullaby until they were gone. I think he's lonely at times... and you are the only one who really understands him." He chuckled. "Don't tell him I told you that. He would kill me."
Azalea was surprised by this new information, her heart beating faster at the thought of him taking such good care of her while she as even asleep.
She glanced round now, but Elijah was already gone. Azalea bit her lip a little, brushing her immensely long fire red hair back behind her shoulders, thinking-
What did she think, truly, about Niklaus-?
-AtY-
It was a little later now when the family feast had started, the celebration in question was Niklaus' birthday.
Mikael was in rather a good mood for once, sat beside his wife, watching his family eat, talking and laughing. He brushed his hair from his sharp eyes, then sighed, leaning back in his seat, the woman next to him inclining her head, saying as she put a hand over his own on his leg.
"Come, Mikael. You are in a rather good mood my love."
He leaned forwards too, then grinned. "You know why."
Esther rolled her eyes, a light smile upon her face. "Mikael..." He smirked a little, then his eyes flickered back to his children, and he just said. "Children."
They all fell silent now, Elijah among them feeling annoyed at still being called a child. But then again... he called them all that.
"Your mother has something to tell you all." He told them, putting a hand on his wifes shoulder for a moment. Esther chuckled, then just said. "Our family is growing once more."
The family understood what that meant now, and Henrick grinned- he wouldn't be the youngest of the family anymore once this child was born.
Azalea smiled at that, then nodded to her mother. "Seven children not enough for you?"
Esther scoffed, then told her. "Eight don't you mean?"
With that, Niklaus chuckled, saying to Azalea. "More like Father needs to keep his tunic on for longer."
The table fell deadly silent as Mikael slammed his wooden goblet down, mead spilling out onto the wooden table, but it was ignored as his eyes narrowed as he said in a low and deadly voice to his son.
"Excuse me?"
Esther raised a hand to her husbands now, saying, eyes almost worried. "Mikael-"
The man shoved it aside now, standing up, his chair falling over backwards with a crash that shook the tense silence. He walked around to his son, stopping before him, yanking his chair around, leaning forwards and putting a hand either side of him on the wooden table.
Mikael leaned forwards until his nose was nearly touching the young man before hims, saying in a low voice that personified hate.
"Are you married, boy?"
A silence...
"No."
"Do you own your own home? Your own land?"
"...no."
"Well then my boy. Do you have a family that you have to lead? No. You do not." He reached forwards, making Rebekah flinch, thinking her father was about to hit her brother, but he merely picked up his sons own glass of mead, taking a swig, setting it down and saying in his sons face.
"Your manners are becoming intolerable. Maybe I should send you away..."
Niklaus scowled, then went to talk, looking to his mother, but Mikael grabbed his sons chin, yanking him to the front, snarling into his face, almost yelling.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you! You little-!"
"Mikael!"
His eyes flickered to his wife now who was stood up, her hands on the table, eyes narrowed. "That's enough. You've made your point."
The table was in complete silence, all of them too scared to speak up in case their father started on them. Mikael stared into Niklaus' eyes, then smirked. "Boy." He backed off now, finishing off the mead, tossing the empty goblet onto the table, storming out the room, leaving the family with racing hearts... racing with fear.
But none more so than Niklaus. The hate and revulsion in the elder mans eyes... it frightened him.
Terrified him.
The table was silent, then after a few minuets, Esther muttered. "Finish your meal." She sat back down, eyes tracing the grains in the wood, a hand rubbing her stomach for a second or two-
Her husband could be so very...
Volatile.
-AtY-
Later that night, Mikael had calmed down enough to show the family the 'new magic' the neighbors had given him, a gift from the far, far East. He was told that it was nothing like he'd ever seen... and when it was demonstrated before it, he found it brighter than the full moon on a clear night. Brighter than the sun... and louder than a stampede of wild animals.
A mixture of chemicals and other attributes that, once come into contact with fire, exploded, a light show like no other before.
Azalea was being led by her fathers hand through the icicle adorned trees now, and she knew he was up to something, that smirk told her so. The rest of the family walked behind, Niklaus at the back, his eyes dark as he looked at his father, not saying a single word since the confrontation.
"Father, can you tell us where you are taking us?" She asked with a frown, and Mikael smirked, pulling her forwards more so she was walking beside him.
"It's a surprise my dear." He told her now, and Esther rolled her eyes, pulling her wolf fur wrap around her more, fighting the cold away, Rebekah huddling closer for warmth.
Elijah dropped back a little as they turned a corner on the forest path, the flames, the torches leading the way with their orange, dancing and flickering light.
"You have not said a word Brother." Elijah told him quietly, and Niklaus scoffed, looking to the man and young woman at the front of the party.
"Father does this to hurt me. Favor Azalea... treat her so well. Father is trying to get me to hate Azalea... and it's working."
Elijah scowled, then glanced to the others that were well ahead, yanking his brother aside and slamming him into a tree, pinning him there by his shoulders, hissing.
"Maybe Fathers intention is that... but Lea knows."
Niklaus scoffed, pushing him away, hissing. "You wouldn't understand. You have never-"
"Been in love?" Elijah finished eyes hard. "Klaus... I know you love her. She knows that too."
Niklaus was silent, then shook his head. "You're bluffing."
Elijah stared at his brother, then said. "Am I?" He scoffed this time, backing off. "You'll end up losing the only person who truly loves, truly understands you if you are not careful. Understand that, Brother?"
The younger sibling was quiet, then Elijah scoffed once more, walking on and leaving him stood there, feeling more than a little conflicted.
-AtY-
The group made it to the clearing now, ice sparkling in the moonlight as Mikael stood before them all, smirking.
"Now this is a type of magic even you Esther have not seen before."
Esther frowned as her husband walked forwards, then lowered his flaming torch to the collection of the strange powder, igniting the fragment of rope, backing off hurriedly, the family frowning, but then it ignited, shooting upwards and into the air, exploding above the trees, a fire display.
Rebekah had grabbed Azalea in surprise, fear and excitement when it exploded, asking her father in a hushed, enthralled voice. "What was that Father-?"
Mikael walked to another one now, then looked back as he ignited it. "The wolves have traveling family. One of them bought this back from the far, far East. A whole different world to ours. They say this..." he waved a hand to the next explosion. "Display was found a thousand years ago, and now they have perfected it for celebrations."
The family was in shock, then Elijah spoke. "What do they call this... powder?"
"Magic." Mikael chuckled, and so did Esther, stepping forwards and looking to another fraction of powder, shooting it high into the sky where it seemingly caught fire, creating patterns across the sky.
"They call that magic? Ha." She said smugly, sending another pile into the air, spelling out her name in their native runic symbols. Henrick grinned, then called. "Spell mine Mother!"
Niklaus walked forwards to where Azalea was stood as the sky was lit up once more. He glanced to her, then Azalea felt firm and comforting fingers twine with her own, holding her hand tightly, looking to him after a moment, a light smile on her face, squeezing it a little.
No words were spoken...
But none were needed.
-AtY-
Later that night, the deep wooden bath was bought out at last, Azalea itching for a nice warm bath. God... it had been a while. Yes, it took next to forever to fill the entire thing with warm water heated over an open fire... but it was a nice break.
Even if they had to share... and the men had it first.
Typical. The women were last in everything in this day and age.
The wooden tub was full now, only one more half bucket of warm water to pour into it left. Azalea walked back into the main room where it was set before the fireplace, stopping dead as she found her adopted father already in it, eyes closed, the flames casting an amber glow about his face.
She came to her senses and poured it in, Mikael not saying or moving once.
As Azalea went to leave, he finally spoke.
"Why are you so loyal to Niklaus?"
She stopped dead once more, then she looked back to the man, only his head, shoulders and strong, rather muscled arms on the side showing. His long ragged brown-blonde hair hanging behind him.
"He's family." Was her answer, and the man chuckled, still not opening his eyes as he said. "Come here."
Azalea hesitated, then stepped forwards, and Mikael finally opened his sky colored eyes, staring at his adopted daughter for a moment, then raised a hand, putting it over her heart.
"You mean well in your heart, my girl... but Niklaus can and will lead you astray."
She was silent at that, then she just said quietly. "I care about him, Father. He is my brother."
Mikael was silent, chuckling, but said nothing else...
She'd been led more astray than he had first thought.
-AtY-
Later on, Azalea was lying on her and Rebekahs bed, staring at the wooden beams set into the ceiling, but then she heard footsteps, looking up to see Niklaus walk in, his longer than ever hair damp and ragged, wearing just his deep brown trousers.
"The bath is now free." He told her, and Azalea nodded, saying nothing.
Niklaus waited for an answer, but nothing came. He sighed, then walked over, sitting down next to her. "What's wrong?"
The girl was silent, then she turned over, meeting his eyes as she asked quietly. "Tell me, right now... what do you feel for me."
Niklaus didn't answer, but he leaned forwards, his hand touching her own for a second, but she pulled away, waiting for his answer. He grabbed it now, raising it to his lips for a moment, going quietly against it.
"What can I tell you that you do not already know?"
Azalea sat up at that, looking down at the hand that was holding hers, then met his eyes, saying nothing as she leaned forwards herself, hesitating for brief second, raising a hand to his cheek, her lips meeting his for a moment, savoring the touch, the sensation and taste. Niklaus was the first to pull away, but raised his own hands, taking her soft face in them, his thumb tracing her gentle features, then pulled her closer, hesitant, eyes glancing to the door, but Azalea turned his head back to her, kissing him once more, soft, but there was more than a little passion underneath it.
"Azalea..." he muttered against her lips, then chuckled. "What was rule sixteen of that 'Love Rule' thing?"
She chuckled at that, but the young man just said softly against her cheek-
"'A man in love is always apprehensive'"
Azalea smiled a little, then kissed him once more for a moment or two, a hand tracing the muscles on his chest that were well developing by now at the age of seventeen. A strong, untamed and wild young man he was fast becoming.
Niklaus didn't move or make a sound as she took his face in her own hands this time, pushing his damp shoulder length brown-blonde hair back, tucking it behind his ears, thumbs tracing his lean features, his sky blue eyes that were fixed on her own emerald ones.
"Happy birthday Nik."
Azalea reached under her pillow now, bringing out a long necklace of leather, on the end of it, a wolf fang, a few semi-precious stones that she had found in the caves the last time they had hidden from the wolves- something called Lapis Lazuli her mother had informed her, and a series of wooden carvings that read-
"Always and forever." Niklaus mused, tracing a finger over the runes, looking back to Azalea. "Thank you. I love it." He put it on as she watched, hanging half down his chest.
"Go have your bath. Before Henrick steals it." Niklaus muttered now, a finger messing with the wolf fang. Azalea nodded, kissing his cheek, getting to her feet and walking off without a single look back.
But within the silence...
A storm was raging within Niklaus' mind.
Once more, got too carried away with the length... but oh well, more for you to read:) Happy Bonfire Night people in the UK:) added a bit of that into this chapter for you all^_^ hope you like this extra long chapter, getting more into the story, action and romance now:) thanks for the lovely reviews and comments! Next will be up soon- hope you like like and continue to read and review x Nic