YAY! I finally got my inspiration!
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR PATIENCE! IT TRULY MEANS ALOT TO ME!
Please remember to review at the end! :)
"Congratulations, Caroline. You are now the Fleur for the people."
Those words echoed in her mind as she awakened the next morning, and for some reason, it wasn't the words themselves that radiated through her being, but the sound of his voice when he spoke.
She slowly sat up in her bed, and pressed her hands in the mattress beside her. His voice…
Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the sound of his voice, and yet it wasn't too hard to recognize at all. No, it was as if his voice was ingrained in her heart and mind.
Lifting the covers from her body, she slowly climbed out, and stood up to greet the morning air which was coming through her bedroom window. Walking carefully towards the window, she sighed as she leaned against the edge of the window, and gazed at the horizon.
She could see smoke from a distance, and wondered if that was her mother's fire, letting her know everything was well. She smiled as she thought of her mother. Her mother was a strong woman, and intelligent. It was because of her advice that Caroline was able to make it this far, and to build a tentative friendship with Rebekah.
Caroline let her head bow as she thought again of the days before. It was unreal to believe that something like this could happen in such a short time. For years, she had been taught that Fleurs sometimes had a week before the King would see them, and yet for her, she only had nearly three days.
His voice rang through her mind once again, and she wondered, if he appeared the way his voice suggested.
His voice had been soft and yet full of danger. Full of hope, and yet devoid of emotion. She could sense the loneliness and the solitude in his tone, though he had attempted to hide it.
There were moments last night where she wanted so badly to turn around, and see him, let the rules be damned, but she couldn't. She just had to hope she found favor enough to someday earn the privilege to see him.
"He approved." She whispered in the silence of the morning. Attempting to make the words mean something, and sink into her soul, telling herself that it was a start.
It was a start, for now her work truly began.
Moving her eyes to the ground, she inhaled sharply as she covered her mouth with her hands. It was a dream. It had to be. There was no way he could be here. He couldn't.
"Wolf…" She whispered, behind her hands. Whirling around, she quickly changed into a simple light blue dress, and raced out the door, down the corridor, towards the gate which she suspected led out to the garden. Sprinting out into the garden, which was directly beneath her window, she turned as she stopped in the center where a stone fountain caught her attention. It was of a lily, with water emerging from the center, flowing off the petals to the bowl underneath.
She smiled, as she recalled what her mother had informed her about the lily. A symbol of hope and resurrection. It was the symbol of the Fleur.
She turned around, forgetting for a moment the reason she came down to the garden in the first place. "Wolf?"
Rustling from behind her, caused her to spin back around, hoping to see her friend, but instead a tall medium built man emerged from the shrubs around her. He was dressed in semi-regal clothes, tan shirt with semi-puff sleeves and tan pants and boots. His eyes twinkled with a mischievous boyish charm and yet spoke volumes to Caroline. This man could kill her if he so chose.
"Now, I've been called many things, but wolf is definitely a new one." He remarked, with a devilish smirk.
Caroline straightened her back, keeping her head high as she glared at him, taking from his stance that he was not the King, perhaps one of his other brothers.
His brown eyes moved up and down, leering at her body, and Caroline felt the urge to step back, but she stood her ground.
He smirked, and took a step forward, before hitting his knees with his face contorting in pain. He turned his head, and glared as an ebony skinned girl stepped from the shadows, and moved in front of Caroline, protectively.
"I told you, Kol, no, I warned you." She remarked, folding her arms over her chest.
The pain seemed to ease for him, for the anger in his eyes melted as he looked at her. "Oh, darling," He began, slowly getting to his feet, embarrassment flashing across his face. "I wasn't going to hurt her. I was merely going to introduce myself." He confided, holding his arms out.
The young woman scowled, before rolling her eyes. "I'm sure." She returned, before turning to face Caroline. "I'm sorry about Kol. He can be a devil at times." She apologized, kindly. "I'm Bonnie." She introduced, bowing her head.
Caroline studied the young woman, and slowly bowed her head in return. "Caroline." She responded in kind. "You're a witch, aren't you?" She asked, absently.
Bonnie smiled, briefly, before feeling Kol step behind her.
"Not just any witch, Bonnie is a Bennett." Kol remarked, proudly. "Aren't you, darling?" He asked, for confirmation, kissing the back of Bonnie's head.
Bonnie rolled her eyes, and slammed her elbow into his stomach before focusing on Caroline. "I'm sorry. Kol doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." She responded, and Caroline smiled, accepting the young woman, as something told her that she was a kindred spirit.
"Caroline!"
Bonnie stiffened, and felt Kol copy her actions. She frowned, and moved to step away. "I…uh…" She began in a near panicked tone, and Caroline looked towards the doorway of the palace. When she turned back around, she watched as Bonnie's form disappeared into the shrubs, and slowly she lifted her eyes to Kol who sighed as he watched Bonnie go.
"She's not allowed to leave her room and socialize with us." He remarked, lowly, and Caroline tilted her head.
She opened her mouth to ask, when Rebekah made her appearance next to her.
Rebekah sighed, and gazed at her brother. "You got her out again, didn't you?" She asked, though it was more of a statement.
Kol rolled his eyes, and turned his head away. "Don't start, Rebekah." He ordered, his voice tight and unbudgingly.
Rebekah glanced at Caroline, and shook her head. "Don't tell the King." She responded, shifting her eyes to her brother, who smiled in gratitude.
Caroline, still confused at the events surrounding her, nodded her head.
Rebekah reached forward, and threaded her arm through Caroline's. "Let's take a turn, shall we?" She asked, and Caroline nodded, as they moved through the garden, leaving Kol behind, even though he didn't notice for he had ran in the direction of the Bennett girl.
"Why can't she leave her room?" Caroline asked, quietly, and Rebekah stilled.
"It's for her safety and ours." Rebekah answered, though sadness filled her words. "Bonnie is the last of the Bennetts, and staying here, protects her from the outside world." She explained, gently.
Caroline stilled her steps, and frowned. "That doesn't…" She began, shifting her eyes around the garden.
"Make sense?" Rebekah concluded, and stopped in her tracks. She nodded, and turned to face Caroline. "When mother created the curse, the Bennetts were the only ones who seemed to understand and help us, not judge us. In return, we promised them sanctuary." She explained, lowering her head. "It wasn't much at the time, but we appreciated their kindness, and they became our family."
Caroline turned her head, and lifted her gaze to the tower just in front of them. "Is that his rule?" She asked, curiously.
"It's a rule we agreed on, though Kol has since spoke out against it." Rebekah answered, defending her brother.
"It doesn't seem right to keep her locked in her room just because she's a witch." Caroline remarked, clasping her hands in front of her body.
Rebekah smiled, faintly, and bowed her head. "It isn't just that. Bonnie and…the King don't see eye to eye at times." She explained, lifting her head at the second sentence. "She's very outspoken." She added, forcibly.
Caroline smiled as she seemed to understand. "Outspoken when she should remain quiet." She concluded, folding her arms across her upper stomach.
"But that's not Bonnie's nature." Rebekah smiled as she remembered times when Bonnie scolded Klaus when he had left the walls at night to meet with the Fleurs.
Caroline slowly moved down the pathway, and stopped in a small gazebo with roses growing along the tresses and hanging down from the ceiling. She sighed as she slowly sat down on the stone bench. "How many rules are there?" She asked, absently.
Rebekah lowered her head, sitting down beside the other blonde. "Just two," She answered, truthfully. "Never go past the walls after dark, and finally, leave the witch alone." She paused, and smiled. "Although the last one can be revisited especially since Kol won't leave her alone." She added, shaking her head. "She's the only one who can actually control him." She concluded with a small laugh.
Caroline smiled at the laugh, and bowed her head. She pulled at her fingers, resting in her lap. Her mind ran over the rules, and she swallowed. "Does he ever leave the tower?" She asked, absently.
Rebekah lowered her eyes, and her jaw clenched. "The King only leaves when no one is around to see him leave." She remarked, sadly.
Caroline looked at her friend, and reached over to squeeze Rebekah's hands, which were resting in her lap.
Rebekah seemed to understand the act, and sent her a small smile. "No one can know of this." She whispered, and Caroline nodded. Rebekah inhaled deeply. "The King…my brother…has not allowed us to see him since we were turned." She confessed, and Caroline lowered her eyes.
"You have not seen him since…" Caroline remarked, trying to understand the situation.
Rebekah shook her head. "Not really, Elijah has to a degree, but…he will not turn around to face Kol and I." She continued, finally turning to face him. "If he allows you to see him, and you survive…" Rebekah began, but bit her tongue to keep from saying anything further.
Caroline lowered her eyes. She understood the unspoken request, and soft expression appeared on her face. "I will tell you." She promised, and Rebekah turned her head to look at her kindly with relief.
"Thank you."
~XXX~
"They can't leave the walls of the castle at night, for the Five lurk in the shadows, waiting…"
"Never go past the walls after dark…"
"Will they ever be free?" Caroline asked, her mind replaying the words her mother spoke to her during one of her lessons.
"Free of what, Caroline?"
Caroline whirled around to face Elijah, who was standing in his regal stance with his hands behind his back, and his eyes moving around her, trying to find any danger, for Rebekah had left for reasons that were her own a few moments before with a promise to return if Caroline had need of her.
Caroline swallowed, and bowed her head in respect, her senses taking in the scent of the flowers around her. "It's nothing." She answered, keeping her head down.
Elijah hummed, and stepped towards her. "I do not believe so. Your words were full of sadness, and your eyes speak the same volume." He returned, watching her carefully.
Caroline slowly raised her head, and her eyes focused on him. "I was recalling something my mother once told me, about never leaving the castle after dark." She finally admitted, gauging his reaction with curiosity.
Elijah slowly nodded, and sighed. "The Five…" He muttered, and Caroline nodded, slowly. "Do not worry about them. They cannot get through the barriers, and will not dare touch the Fleur of the people." He remarked, firmly, a dangerous tone on his voice.
She read into the danger, and circled the inside of the gazebo, her eyes glancing over the roses. "Can they truly harm you?" She asked, innocently.
Elijah's silence answered her question before he spoke. "If they persist, they can go far worse." He finally answered, causing her to turn and focus on his face. "You worry for us." He observed, and Caroline lowered her eyes in confirmation. He stepped forward, his voice low and cautious.
"Do not show it to him, Caroline." He urged, watching her eyes lift to catch his. "Besides, you shouldn't worry about us. We have survived this long. We always do." He added, stepping back. "If you will excuse me, I crave sustenance." He admitted, with a bow of his head, and left her in the garden, alone.
~XXX~
Kol frowned as he lifted his hand and gently rapped on the door. Slowly, it opened, and he tried to smile, but the pain on her face stopped him.
"I'm sorry." He choked out, and she lowered her eyes before moving to the side, allowing him to enter her chambers.
"I should have resisted." Bonnie returned, closing the door, and slowly turned to face him.
Fear flashed across his face as he faced her, and she shook her head, roughly, and rushed towards him. "I'm not her, Kol." She vowed, touching his chest. "I'm not Davina."
He tried to smile, and barely succeeded as he touched her face. "I'm not him, either."
She nodded, and searched his eyes. "We'll make it, Kol. I promise."
He smirked at her promise, and watched her green eyes glow. "I thought that was my line."
She shrugged, before letting out a small laugh as he took her in his arms, and held her close. Both afraid that at any moment, the other would disappear.
~XXX~
Caroline remained in the garden, sitting in the gazebo, surrounded by the aroma of the roses. She felt peace engulf her in the garden, and absorbed it all in.
"Do you find my garden pleasing?"
The sound of his voice caused her to jump out of her seat, and straightened her back with her head bowed. "I…I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I…I didn't mean…" She stuttered, closing her eyes.
"I said, do you find my garden pleasing?" Klaus asked, as he watched her through the thorns behind the gazebo.
Caroline swallowed, and slowly nodded her head. "Yes, very much." She answered, somehow sensing him behind her.
He hummed, and pushed through the thorns, feeling the scratches on his face and arms heal as he approached her back. "May I ask why you have left your room to venture into the dangers of the garden?" He asked, watching her.
She tilted her head, slightly to the side, and her brow creased ever so slightly. "Is the garden dangerous?" She asked, innocently.
"Everything is dangerous." He answered, keeping to the shadows of the roses, as he stepped around her. "You didn't answer me." He concluded, and she shifted to the side, trying to keep her back to him.
"I…thought I saw a friend earlier, and came to see if I was right." She complied, gently.
"What friend?" Klaus demanded, his eyes watching her, judging her movements, before approaching her back.
She felt heat pool through her body, and she bit her lip. "The wolf…" She answered, shakily, but not from nerves.
Klaus lowered his eyes, and tried to stop his smile, but he couldn't. He felt a warm sensation pierce through him, and it made him feel… "Why would the wolf be here?" He asked, stoically, pushing down the feeling.
She shook her head, slightly. "I'm not sure." She answered, honestly. "Perhaps, he missed me." She added, with hope.
Another smile touched his face, before he wiped it away, and turned his head. A passing thought flashed through his mind, and he wondered just what would happen if he spoke it out loud.
They were not formal out here in the garden, for it was away from the confines of the castle, still… "Do you wish to see me, Caroline?" He asked, absently.
Caroline's head jerked up, and she kept her eyes straight ahead. Curiosity filled her being, and oh how she wanted to turn. She wondered for a fleeting moment why he asked such a question, but something told her, he was curious. He was searching for an answer. He was testing her.
"Only if you wish it." She finally answered.
Klaus scoffed, and shook his head, closing the distance until he was a hair breathe away from her. "That's not what I asked." He remarked, his breathe touching her ear.
She swallowed, and stepped forward, away from his heat and charge. Something about him affected her, and she wasn't sure what exactly it was. "It's not up to me, Your Majesty." She urged, hoping to keep the hope and her life in tack.
He turned his head to the right, vaguely acknowledging the roses. "What if it were?" He asked, turning back to her, wanting an answer, any answer.
"But it's not." She acknowledged, confused as to where this conversation was taking.
Aggravation filled him, but he kept his temper in check. This was what she was how she was raised. To accept his rule, and to never question it, and yet, he sensed defiance in her. He sensed a fighting spirit that longed to get out, and somehow, he wanted it to.
Caroline sensed his aggravation, not understanding how she could at the moment, and chose her next words carefully. "If it were up to me, I would wait until we trusted each other completely before I would see you." She answered, hoping she chose the right words.
Klaus stepped forward, two steps. "You don't trust me?" He asked, but his voice wasn't filled with aggravation, instead he was amused.
She slowly shook her head. "I don't know you enough to truth you completely, Your Majesty." She answered, feeling more confident with each word.
He smiled, and this time didn't try to hide it. "Well then, how can I rectify this?"
She smiled at his tone, and for some reason, her body relaxed only a fraction. "I'll leave that to you, Your Majesty." She answered with concealed joy. "If you will excuse me, I must go in for dinner." She added after a breath, and started to leave, hoping that she didn't overstep her bounds.
"Caroline,"
She stilled with her right foot in the air, and brought it back, even with her left.
"You will join me for dinner this evening. It's not a request." He ordered in a loose tone.
Caroline opened her mouth, and tipped her head forward. "If you wish," She returned in a clipped tone.
Klaus hummed. "You did say, you would leave it up to me, Fleur." He remarked, approaching her carefully.
She lifted her head high, and her eyes focused on the sky. "I did." She returned, closing her eyes.
"You do not like being ordered around, do you?" He observed, tilting his head to the side.
She sighed. "It's not my place to go against your…order." She remarked, lowering her head.
He took a few steps, and leaned close to her ear. "Well then, I'll leave you with this, Caroline." He began, inhaling deeply. "You are the only person who can." He acquiesced, before speeding away, leaving her alone in the garden once again.
Caroline let out a breathe, and turned her head to look in the direction he had went, and in her mind, she wondered…who was he?
Please be kind! If you don't like this story, I'm not forcing you to read it!
I want to thank you all for your continued support! It has meant so much to me during these past few weeks!
Also, to the guest who left the review saying and I quote..."why don't you just write the flower instead of Fleur...you think you're oh so smart." I'm sorry, and I say that sarcastically, but I have discussed this with a few people who write and speak French, and they concur with my spelling. I am smart, maybe not as smart as some, but I am smart in my own right. I am hoping to be a teacher soon, and I believe in spreading knowledge around, especially history and language. If you can't understand that, I'm sorry.
And FYI, I chose the French title as a homage to the original French fairy tale. I hope you can all understand that.
Next Chapter: Disagreement (Caroline shows her fighting side. YAY!)
Until Next Time...
