Sorry for the long wait! I got a little tied up with a few things, but I have returned, and with full force! Which you will see soon!

I hope you will enjoy this chapter. I did struggle with it, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.

Please remember to review at the end! :)


Caroline sighed as she sat on the bed. Looking at the door, she tilted her mouth to the side, and slowly stood up.

Perhaps she should explore the realm, she was in. Moving to the door, she turned the knob, and opened it.

If she was going to give Klaus a chance, she needed to know about the land he ruled. Besides, how could she know everything about the underworld, if she didn't explore it a bit?

Her blue-green eyes moved over the corridor, which was made of marble, a gray marble, which gave off a slight coldness. She felt a chill run through her, wrapping her arms around her person, she continued onward.

She had no idea where she was going, only that she wanted to go anywhere, that wasn't her room. After searching for a way out, she exited the castle, and entered the realm of the underworld. Her brow furrowed as she looked around her.

The trees lining the pathway appeared to be dead, and yet they were still standing. She felt a cold wind blow in her face, and she wished she had a coat to cover herself. Everything around her was dead and cold.

How could she get used to this? There was not a sign of light anywhere. Walking down the cold stone path, she searched for any sign of light. She quickly realized being in the underworld, there was no light.

You brought the light, Caroline. She remembered. A smile crept on her face at the memory. No one had ever spoken that way to her. Sure, her mother had always said she was full of light, but it wasn't the same.

She moved gracefully down the path, and turned her head back and forth watching as the light emanating from her seemed to spread to the dead trees and flowers. She let out a small giggle at the scene.

Very quickly, the cold air deepened and she wrapped her arms around her tighter, trying to keep the cold air from freezing her, unsuccessfully.

She felt her teeth beginning to chatter, and she tried to think of warm thoughts. She paused when she found herself at the edge of the path, and no other path in sight. She turned around, trying to find any sign of another path, she could go down.

"Well, smart move, Caroline." She muttered to herself. "Get yourself lost in a realm you know nothing about." She stated, shaking her head.

Closing her eyes, she began to feel it would be best to return to the palace and perhaps ask someone to guide her, maybe Klaus could.

She smiled at the thought. What better way to get to know the man behind the title than to have him as a guide? She shrugged.

He probably would not do it. She thought grimly. It was only wishful thinking that he would even consider guiding her through his realm.

Sighing, she turned around and began her way down the path she had come.

"Wait, was this here before?" She asked herself, stopping when she noticed a boulder in the center of the path, blocking her way to the palace.

She turned around, and found another path to the right of the boulder, giving a shrug of her shoulders, she started down the path.

This was not the right path. She shivered and felt goose bumps form on her ivory skin, as she walked down the path. This path was much colder, and she noticed the trees looked very menacing.

Faces were carved on the trunks of the trees, and they seemed to follow her as she made her way down the path. Fear began to emanate from her body, and she picked up her pace.

Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea. She thought as she picked up her pace into a run.

She ran until she was away from the faced trees. She stopped to catch her breath, not from the run, but from the fear she felt.

She whirled around to find herself in a meadow, and the fear she felt previously disappeared into sadness. It was her meadow. The meadow she was tending to when she had been taken, but this was different.

The meadow was dead. There was no light, no flowers, not one.

Sadness seemed to engulf her more than ever at the sight. Tears filled her eyes at the horror.

She covered her mouth with her hands, and shook her head as she turned in every direction, to find it the same.

Everything was dead.

"You abandoned us." A voice drifted to her ears, and her eyes searched for the source.

"You left us." Another came.

Caroline shook her head. "It was not my fault." She stated, in the ever increasing darkness.

"You could have entered the cottage, and avoided capture, and we still would be alive." The first voice replied, darkly.

Caroline shook her head. "I couldn't." She replied, tears falling down her face.

"You are a traitor to your job!" A third voice shouted.

Caroline felt her heart break. "No, I never betrayed my station." She shouted, turning around only to face more darkness.

"You did when you sided with him!" The first voice shouted back.

Caroline shook her head. "I never sided with him! He stole me from my home, from my duties!" She shouted. "It was not my fault." She whispered, sorrowfully.

"You are giving him a chance!" The second voice shouted. "You signed our death warrant!" It shouted once more.

Caroline shook her head. "He's not as bad as I thought. He still has goodness in him." She defended.

"He will never be saved! He is evil! He is the destroyer!" They shouted together.

Caroline's body shook with pain and sorrow. "No, you are wrong!" She shouted, remembering the flower in the vase and the blanket he had placed over her. "He has kindness in him." She stated, trying to stay strong. "I've seen it." She added in a whisper.

"He has shown you what you want to see." The first voice stated. "He will never change." It added, harshly.

Caroline shook her head. "What do you want me to do?!" She shouted, tears streaming down her face.

The voices became silent, and Caroline sighed. She lowered her head, when they answered back.

"Die!" They shouted together.

Caroline jerked her head up, and her eyes widened. "What?" She let out breathlessly.

"Kill yourself, and you have fulfilled your duties to us. Your blood will forever be a part of us and we shall never die." They said in a creepy unison tone.

Caroline covered her mouth, and a sob escaped her mouth. "No," She whispered, shaking her head.

"Traitor!" "You left us!" "You sided with him!" They shouted at her, causing her body to tremble.

"Die, Caroline!" They shouted together.

Caroline shook her head, and fell to her knees. "No! Leave me alone!" She shouted, covering her ears. She tried to block out the voices, but they still managed to enter her mind.

Tears streamed down her face as the voices grew louder. "No." She whispered, rocking her body back and forth.

Suddenly a dark stoned dagger appeared in front of her, and she looked at it through her blurry vision. She shook her head, and moved her arms to encircle her waist. "No." She whispered, as the dagger began to call to her.

"Kill yourself. Spill your blood on the ground. Your work will be complete!" They taunted, as she stared at the dagger.

Shaking her head, she reached for the dagger.

~X~

Klaus approached her door, and sighed as he raised his knuckles to the cypress door. With another sigh, he knocked. He had thought long and hard about his treatment of her, and came to the conclusion that she was right.

He did treat her like a thing, not a person. He would never win her affection if he continued to treat her as such.

After two rapt knocks, he listened to the other side of the door, but heard nothing. With a furrow of his brow, he opened the door, and found the room empty.

His jaw jutted forward as he searched the room for any sign of her. His lips pursed together tightly as anger filled his soul.

How dare she leave?!

Turning on his heel, he stormed to his room, and slammed the door. With a wave of his hand, the looking mirror appeared in the center of his room.

"Find Caroline." He stated, harshly.

An image appeared in the center of the mirror, and his eyes widened. The anger began to leave him, as he took in the sight of her sitting in the center of a familiar meadow, tears streaming down her face, shaking her head.

Her mouth was moving, and he strained to read them as she continued to rant. With another wave of his hand, sound penetrated the mirror, and he listened for only a few seconds, for those few seconds were enough to know exactly what he needed to know.

"No, he has kindness in him. I didn't betray you!" She shouted, rocking back and forth.

His heart began to pound in his chest.

"Kill yourself! Let your blood spill! You will be redeemed!" The voices taunted.

Klaus shook his head. That was enough. Turning on his heel, he ran.

~X~

Caroline shook her head after she dropped the knife. "No, I will not!" She shouted, wrapping her arms around her person once more.

"Your mother is so disappointed at you. You betrayed her! She will never forgive you for siding with a monster!" The first voice taunted.

Caroline shook her head, as tears fell to the ground. "No, my mother will understand." She whispered, imagining her mother's face.

"Will she?" The second voice taunted. "She despises you for turning you back on what you were born to do. You have betrayed her, just like you have betrayed us!" It continued.

Caroline sobbed and bowed her head. Her heart began to ache at the thought of her mother's rejection. Her mother and she had always had an open relationship. They were always honest. What would she think if she found out Caroline had decided to give the most feared god a chance?

Caroline's body shook as the sobs overtook her.

"Kill yourself!" The voices replied in unison.

Tears poured down her face as she again reached for the knife.

~X~

Klaus ran as fast as he could. Even in his realm, he couldn't use his powers to appear in certain places, especially not this place, which moved so much.

The Despair Fields.

Klaus hated that place. When he had first been banished here, he had wandered down into the Despair Fields. The voices made him replay the most tragic scene of his life, and tried so hard to get him to kill himself. The voices were Mikael's torment.

Mikael had intended Klaus to die in the fields, but Klaus had proved to be stronger, than Mikael ever thought. His determination and anger gave him the strength he needed to overcome the voices.

They were Mikael's creation, designed to taunt and torment whoever wandered into their midst.

Klaus had no power over them, at least not at first. After he had taken up the mantle of the Lord of the Underworld, the voices began to fear him.

They would dare not go against him. Not if the price was her.

~X~

Caroline raised the dagger higher, tears poured down her face.

"Kill yourself!" The first voice taunted.

She raised the dagger higher.

"Return home! Spill your blood!" The second voice beckoned.

Caroline sobbed.

"Complete your work!" The third voice shouted.

Caroline closed her eyes as she threw her head back, as she brought the dagger down.

~X~

Klaus growled as he entered the meadow. The image disappeared, all except for Caroline, who was still bringing the dagger down.

Klaus' eyes widened and with a flick of his wrist the dagger disappeared, and he rushed to her.

Caroline opened her eyes, and caught sight of her rescuer. With a low cry, she dropped her face in her hands.

Klaus knelt down beside her, and with slight hesitance, took her in his arms.

"They told me I would repay my betrayal if I killed myself." She sobbed, as she clung to him.

Klaus clamped his eyes shut, and felt his heart break at the sound of her sobs. "It's over now, Caroline." He whispered, stroking her back. "It's okay. You're safe. You're safe." He whispered, softly.

Caroline nodded, clutched at his dark shirt. "They said that I had betrayed my mother." She sobbed harder.

Klaus shook his head. "It's over, Caroline." He whispered, stroking her back, as he felt her tears soaking his shirt at his chest.

Caroline sobbed until she couldn't cry anymore. Slowly she straightened and kept her eyes low.

Klaus watched her, and with a pained look on his face, he pushed her hair away from her face. "Are you alright?" He asked with softness he never knew he had.

Caroline nodded, as she wiped her face with her hands. Slowly she lifted her eyes to his, and saw pain hidden deep within his azure irises.

"Thank you." She whispered, searching his eyes.

Klaus opened his mouth, and his eyes transformed to shock, only for a brief moment, and then softened as he nodded.

For a moment time seemed to stand still, as they held each other's eyes. Caroline felt her heart beat firmly in her chest at the power she felt from his gaze. She knew this was what the voices meant, but she didn't care.

Not at the moment.

Klaus had saved her. He had shown her what she had tried to prove to the voices. His kindness.

With a slight blush rising on her cheeks, she lowered her gaze from his, and looked down at her hands.

Klaus swallowed hard at the feeling she was stirring within him. He had been alive for millennia, and yet in just three days, she had awakened his heart, and slowly brought light back into his soul. Granted it was only a flicker, but he knew she would bring a whole brighter light deep within his darkened soul.

"We should leave here." He whispered, slowly coming to his feet.

Caroline nodded, and shyly smiled as he extended his hand to help her up. She felt electricity crackle through her veins at the contact of her hand in his, as she stood to her feet. She felt her light pushing through her soul, and couldn't believe the power she felt, just from touching his hand.

With a jerk of her hand, she pulled it from his grasp, and touched it with her other hand.

Unfortunately, Klaus took it as a sign that she was repulsed by his touch, and stepped away from her.

Caroline tilted her head at his sudden mood change, and narrowed her eyes. "What's the matter?" She asked, calmly.

Klaus shook his head, as he turned on his heel. "Nothing, which concerns you." He muttered, walking away from her. "I suggest you keep up, Caroline. The voices may fear me, but they will do whatever they can from taking what I claim as mine." He stated, continuing down the path.

Caroline shook her head, and picked up her pace to catch up with him. "You know, someone could get whiplash trying to keep up with your mood swings." She stated, catching up to him.

Klaus glanced at her, but turned his attention to the path ahead. "Stop making assumptions." He stated, as they walked.

Caroline scoffed. "This is not an assumption. This is an observation." She replied, wiping her nose with her right hand. "One minute you are kind and comforting, and then the next you flip a switch and become cold and unfeeling." She replied, sternly, but with slight kindness.

Klaus stopped in mid-step and turned to her. "I'm warning you, Caroline." He replied, harshly.

Caroline studied his eyes, and frowned. "Why do you shut people out, Klaus?" She asked, innocently.

Klaus clenched his jaw and pursed his lips. "That is none of your business." He muttered, turning away from her.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Coming from a man, who just saved my life." She stated, following him.

Klaus stopped once more, and turned to her. "I've told you before I only protect what is mine." He replied, with a menacing smirk.

Caroline shook her head. "And I've told you, I'm not yours." She stated, folding her arms over her chest. "I think you saved my life, because you actually care, and that is what terrifies you." She replied, softly.

Klaus narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to her. "From now on, you will go nowhere without an escort. Is that understood?" He stated, through clenched teeth.

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "I'm not your possession, Klaus. Nor am I a child." She replied, stepping toward him. "I don't take orders from anyone, least of all you." She whispered, searching his eyes.

Klaus bit back his temper. Gone was the pleasant moment between them, all because of his insecurities. His fear of rejection.

"I only say this for your protection, Caroline." He whispered, his eyes never leaving hers. "There are things down here that will make all your nightmares come to life, and I won't always be there to save you." He replied, with a smirk.

Caroline searched his eyes, and for once, felt safe to be in his presence. She realized then that she was safe back there in his arms. He made her safe.

"You know, you have built up this reputation as being a hard, rude, unlikable man, but I know something that others may not know." She whispered, her eyes never his.

Klaus clenched his jaw shut. "And what is that?" He asked, through his teeth.

Caroline smiled. "You care." She replied, simply. "You can be kind and comforting when you choose to be, and it's that man who I chose to get to know." She added, moving past him towards the palace, which had come into view.

Klaus stood there watching her walk away. He felt his heart lighten as her words penetrated the darkness.

"It's that man who I chose to get to know."


What did you think?

I hope you enjoyed it. Remember to leave kind reviews! No harsh comments!

Next Chapter: Darkness (I'm sure though if you will enjoy it as much, but it is what it is.)

Oh, for those who have read the Swan Princess and the Rogue story, and who are waiting anxiously for the sequel, I have posted the title, description, and date of when the story will be ready. Check it out!

Until Next Time...