After Caroline and Rebekah got back from their walk, talking until they knew nearly everything about each other, they went into the house to help Esther with making a few snacks for when the men got back from fishing. Caroline chatted away with Rebekah and Esther at the table when Kol, Klaus, Elijah and Finn all walked through the door. Klaus sat next to Caroline while Kol sat beside Rebekah, both of them eating a few snacks, hungry from their trip. Finn and Elijah went to store the fish for tomorrow. Stefan and Damon then soon joined them all.
"Hey Care," Damon said, walking around Caroline and leaned in to kiss her cheek when she pulled away, earning a surprised look from Damon and most of the other people while Klaus tried to hide his joy when he saw her pull away.
Caroline quickly thought of a lie to clear up their confusion. "Damon, sweetie, you know I don't like public displays of affection." She glared at him but smiled sweetly all the while. Damon let out a forced chuckle. "Right." "Caroline can I talk to you in private for a minute?" Damon asked. Caroline nodded before getting up and walking outside with him.
"Caroline, you know we have to keep up the act." Damon said.
"You never had to say that we were together in the first place, what the hell were you thinking?" She hissed.
"I just wanted to annoy Klaus, a start on payback for everything he's done to us." Damon said.
"Oh don't talk to me about payback, Damon." She glared. "Besides, you're with Elena! If you wanted to get a rise out of Klaus why didn't you say I was with Stefan. I'm much less repulsed by him."
"Ouch, Blondie."
"Ugh, you're so annoying!" She yelled, exasperated. "I'm so sick of this, you and me are breaking up soon, got it?" She demanded, rather than asked, harshly.
"Fine by me." Damon shrugged. "But you do know the second you're free Klaus will follow you around like love sick puppy with more romantic drawing for you." He smirked, knowing she didn't want Klaus to give her anymore gifts. Caroline ignored him, walking back inside the house being followed in by Damon. Elijah then came out from behind their house after hearing their conversation. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, he knew it was rude and ungentlemanly, but the conversation intrigued him and he just couldn't help himself. He waited a few minutes after they left to go inside so that no one would get any suspicions. Fortunately for him, they didn't have a clue.
►►| Present Time |►►
"He's still not picking up." Elena said, infuriated with Damon for ignoring her calls and texts.
"I'm telling you, let's just go over there and and see what's going on. I'm sure there's an explanation." Bonnie said comfortingly.
"Sure." Elena agreed. Once they got there Elena knocked on the door impatiently.
"Now he won't even open the door!" Elena threw her hands on the air, exasperated.
"Elena, calm down. He's probably not home. Relax." Bonnie said, slightly irritated.
"You're right. I don't even know why I'm so freaked out."
◄◄| Past Time |◄◄
"Kol I am telling you, there's something suspicious going on with Caroline and Damon. I heard them talking earlier, it seems to be that they are faking their relationship." Elijah tried to convince his brother again for the fourth time now.
"Why would they do that? They wouldn't do it just for the fun of it, they would need a reason and until you give me an explanation as to what their motives are to have this fake relationship then I don't have any reason to believe you." Kol protested.
"Very well, then I will find out." Elijah said before walking off until he realized that he had to go in the other direction and he awkwardly turned around and had to face his smug looking brother again, he quickly headed into the opposite direction.
"Niklaus, I need you to go to the market and get me a few more herbs. I've seemed to run out, here's a list of the one's you will need." Esther said, handing him a sheet with her scribbled handwriting on it listing countless herbs that he will never understand.
"Mother can I join him?" Rebekah asked. "I love going to the market, they have beautiful new dresses each week." Rebekah beamed.
"Of course. Caroline, would you like to accompany them?" Esther asked Caroline, not wanting her to feel left out or alone.
"Sure, I would love to." Caroline smiled.
"Great! We can look at the new dresses and winter gloves they will be selling. We should get some before all the lovely ones are already bought."
"Rebekah you already have enough gloves, you do not need to waste anymore money on things you do not need." Esther scolded. Rebekah pouted before leaving with Klaus and Caroline to go to the town market.
Klaus had to keep pulling Rebekah's arm to make sure she didn't run off to the first clothing stall she saw, he noticed Caroline was more controlled and still and not making such a big deal about all of the dresses. He assumed that since she has been getting along so well with Rebekah that she would be running to look at clothes and jewelry too.
After he bought the herbs his mother needed at one of the stalls he was about to get Rebekah and Caroline and leave when they all noticed a man stand on the pedestal in the middle of the market area. They all knew that this meant there would be a big announcement they should be listening to. If they wouldn't then Mikael would have Klaus' head for not informing him about the news earlier. Everyone started gathering around the man.
"I hope you are all enjoying the new items in our market today. I have said something earlier about the possibility of Princess Tatia coming to our village but it was not yet confirmed at the time. However this news has been confirmed last night, princess Tatia is coming in two days. Although she does not have a place to stay yet so we will be needing a volunteer, I expect you all to make her comfortable and do as she requests. We do apologize for the late notice. If she enjoys her stay here then she might stay permanently and that is exactly what we need right now with our slight financial issues at the moment. Thank you all for listening and talk to me at the end of you wish to volunteer. Thank you." The man finished before stepping off the pedestal.
"Nik, I think we should volunteer." Rebekah beamed. She loved hanging out with Caroline and she would love to add another girl to the group.
"I don't think so Rebekah, we do not have any spare rooms left with Caroline, Damon and Stefan staying with us already."
"I'm sorry if we're causing any trouble." Caroline quickly apologized.
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that we do not have room for Tatia. You are not disrupting us at all." Klaus quickly explained, not wanting her to think that her welcome was unwanted.
"Please, please, please! It would be great. She could share a room with me. Maybe Tatia, Caroline and I could all share a room!" Rebekah rambled on, excited about possibly having another girl guest at their house.
"We have to check with mother first." Klaus sighed.
"Oh thank you, Nik." Rebekah beamed, hugging her brother nearly making him drop the bag of groceries for Esther.
"All right, all right. Let's just go. We have to get back soon." Klaus said as he pulled his sister off of him and then started following an almost running Rebekah and the more calm Caroline. Rebekah was a few feet ahead of him while Caroline was just a few steps in front of him.
"Caroline, are you excited about Tatia coming to town?" Klaus asked, talking to her for the first time during her stay.
"I don't know, I wouldn't say I'm excited but I don't mind having another girl to be able to talk to I suppose." Caroline said calmly. "What about you? What are your opinions on Tatia's visit?" Caroline asked, continuing the conversation.
"Well I cannot judge if I do not even know her yet." Klaus simply stated.
"It is good to know that you do not judge a book by its cover." Caroline said before her eyes went wide. What if they didn't think of that phrase yet? Oh God what if he asks how I thought of it. You see Caroline this is what happens when you open your mouth! Caroline mentally scolded herself.
"What do you mean?" Klaus asked, looking confused.
"It is an expression my mother used to say. It means that you do not judge someone at first glance or before you even know them." Caroline explained.
"I like that expression, your mother was a smart women." Klaus said.
"Yes, she was." Caroline said quietly, looking down at her feet as she smiled slightly, remembering that her mother really was smart. Sure she didn't come up with that expression but generally she was very smart. She missed her mother so much, at least she wasn't stuck in the past alone. Caroline didn't exactly like having to tolerate Damon's presence but she did not mind Stefan, he was her friend and she loved him dearly.
Luckily she didn't have to spend much more time talking on the worst topic she could think of because they had finally arrived at their house. Rebekah quickly ran inside while Caroline just slowly followed her in.
"Mother, mother!"
"Yes, Rebekah?" Esther asked her, nearly jumping up and down, daughter.
"It has been confirmed that princess Tatia will be visiting." Rebekah beamed. "However she does not have a place to stay, could she stay with us please?"
"Rebekah, dear, we do not have any more room." Esther smiled at Rebekah apologetically.
"That is not true, mother. I could share my room with Caroline and Tatia. Please mother?" Rebekah begged again.
After Esther considered it for a moment she thought it might not be too bad for her daughter to have another friend in the house. She then sighed, giving in to her daughter's wishes. "Fine."
"Thank you!" Rebekah hugged her quickly before rushing out of the house, dragging Caroline with her by the arm. They quickly walked back to the market to volunteer.
"Hi, my name is Rebekah Mikaelson." Rebekah smiled. "I would like to offer my house for princess Tatia." Rebekah said, trying to stay calm.
"Oh that's great, thank you. I will go tell the council." The man then rushed off.
Rebekah and Caroline walked back home, taking there time now. They didn't talk as much as usual but they still made small talk. When they got home it was getting dark, of course with how many times they walked back and forth from the market. The men finished their last chores of the day before they immediately went to bed. Caroline went with Rebekah to their rooms, they stayed up late talking about princess Tatia ; what they think she's like, whether or not they would get along, the fun the three of them could have together. Eventually they both drifted off to sleep.
I know this chapter is shorter than usual and I'm sorry about that but it's already been so long since I updated and I didn't want to keep any of you waiting even more. I'm really sorry about the late update by the way, you don't know how guilty I am about it! Please review and I'll try to update sooner this time.
Good night, sleep tight, don't let the dead bite ;)