Hey guys!
I would just like to say, I am almost done with my other fic. Normally, that would mean that I have more time to write this one, but I have plans for two others, if anybody is interested;
- A Sherlock BBC oneshot, which will be very angsty. Sherlock gets shot, and is sent to hospital, where he is told that he won't make it through the next night. He tells John he wants to spend his last day with him.
- Another Klaroline fic. All of the chapters will be based on the songs from Taylor Swift's new album Red, in the track listing order. I tried to do something like this before, and I really like the idea.
Anyway, I will keep you posted on that second one, and tell you when the first chapter is up, in case anyone is interested in that.
Also, what do you guys think of the new cover? I made it on iPiccy, if anyone is looking for a good photo editor, that's a really good one!
Thank you for all your reviews for the last chapter! Thank you to;
Element Siren, I Love All Books TVD Klaroline, Mystery Girl3, NIGHTANGEL21, hellodaydreamer, Klaroline lover, SabbyDeeKnowles, TheElla015, IrishBeauty98, justine, mikaelsonwife, Sam0728, Pinkgem22, angel1725, JoMo5666, Kelli83, DreamsBeatReality, SarahCullen4, Sam, black111star, yourloved, Sanaya, VampireAngelRanger, crystalhoney, jinx-inside, and Midnight349.
Enjoy!
Megz
oxox
It was the next morning, and Klaus had left Caroline to get some sleep. He got out of the bed as quietly as possible, and, once he had his boots back on, he rushed, at vampire-speed, out of her room. They hadn't spoken at all last night, she had simply just slept in his arms. And he was alright with that. Holding her in his arms, he finally felt like he was needed, like he had a purpose. He finally felt like those thousands of years had been worth something. All those years of torture, of loneliness, were finally worth it. He'd just been waiting. Waiting for someone like Caroline to come along, and to make him better. A better person, and to give his immortal, endless life some meaning.
He went into a walking pace, and took his time following the winding corridors. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he just felt like going for a walk. It was only when he caught his reflection in the window that Klaus found he was smiling. Genuinely smiling. He hadn't done that in a while. Probably not for at least a thousand years. And he liked it. It filled him with joy. He felt he'd been weighed down by something for so long, and now he felt so light, and free. He felt like dancing, and, god help him, singing. He even felt like drawing again. And painting. Nothing in particular. Anything he wanted.
Drawing was another thing he hadn't done for so long. He didn't even know when the last time he'd done that was. He just never felt like drawing anything. Nothing inspired him. There wasn't a lot he could draw, locked up in a tower almost all day. Most people would think that a castle in the middle of the English countryside would have plenty of inspiration, but not when you'd already lived there for at least a thousand years. Klaus had already drawn the castle, and everything inside it from every angle imaginable. Now, he had a reason to draw and paint again. It was like, nothing had ever been clear before, but it was now.
He knew he had to be realistic though. Just because Caroline had asked him to stay with her last night, it didn't mean much. It didn't mean that she liked him, and it definitely didn't mean she was going to be marrying him any time soon. Last night hadn't meant nearly as much to her as it had to him. She'd been scared, and tired, and it would have seemed like a good idea at the time, but she'd regret it soon enough. In a few hours, she would wake up, and they would be back to just the way they had been before.
All the same, she'd still needed him last night, whether she liked it or not. She had asked him to stay, and she'd wanted him to. She had slept in his arms without any protest, and she couldn't exactly deny it. It was a start. It wasn't exactly what Klaus wanted, but it was a baby step. And if baby steps meant eventually she would warm to him, then he could wait. He'd been waiting his whole life so far, he could wait a little longer.
As he neared a corner, he could hear the clicking of heels coming towards him. He turned the corner, and saw his mother coming down the corridor. He tried to turn back, but she had already seen him. He really couldn't be dealing with his mother that morning. He was in an exceptionally happy mood, and she was going to ruin it, undoubtedly.
"Niklaus!" she cried, and he heard her footsteps speed up. Of course, he could always pretend that he hadn't heard her, but he'd already stopped to wait for her to catch up. He tried to hold his shoulders high, and braced himself for more scolding. To say his parents didn't approve of Caroline was an understatement.
Esther lifted her skirt slightly, so as to reach her son faster. Once she reached him, she smoothed it back down again, and fixed her hair. Klaus' mother had always been one for keeping up appearances, which was why she'd chosen all of the other girls. She wanted the monarchy to remain "pure". Klaus didn't understand what was so "pure" about any of his family, or what made Caroline the opposite. If anything, Caroline was the pure one. She would never hurt anyone, and was always thinking of others. Yes, she was stubborn sometimes, but he liked that, and she had a big heart. His family were murderous monsters that killed without mercy. They were anything but pure.
"I just wanted to let you know that we're having a ball tomorrow night." she said innocently, though Klaus knew she was going somewhere. There had to be a reason why. Aaaaaand here it comes . . . "You'll have to decide after that which of the . . . young ladies you have chosen for a wife. Tomorrow is your last night to make up your mind. You will be required to dance with all of them, but you can't escort any of them. Lady Katherine Pierce and Lord Stefan and Damon Salvatore will also be attending by the way, and will be staying here for a few weeks, so play nicely. And you better have an answer in two days as to which girl you have chosen."
"Or else?" Klaus asked, jokingly. But Esther didn't answer. She simply gave him a pointed look, and strode away once more.
It was the next day, when Caroline woke up to a box at the end of her bed. She had returned to her chambers once Meredith was convinced she was better, and had been there ever since. Anna brought all of her meals up to her room still, and she then stayed with Caroline for a while, and they talked. But Caroline was adamant that she got out of bed that day. She was so bored, and she despised having other people wait on her. So when she saw the package on the end of her bed, of course, she was intrigued.
It was a small package, wrapped very neatly in a deep red, expensive-looking fabric. And it was tied with a big, white bow. Attached to the bow, was a white envelope, with her name written across it neatly. Caroline pulled the package towards her, and turned the envelope over. It had a big, red, wax seal on the back, which had an 'M' printed into it. Written on the back, in tiny writing, were the words; "From Klaus."
She sighed, remembering what had happened a few nights ago. She hadn't seen Nik - Klaus since, though she knew he had tried to see her. She just had Anna tell him that she was asleep, or she was "indecent", and he went away. She knew it was wrong, but she didn't really want to see him after what had happened. She hadn't actually meant to ask him to stay, it just sort of . . . slipped out. It wasn't that she actually liked Klaus. She'd just been scared, and tired, and . . . she hadn't really known what she was doing. She'd slept in the arms of a killer. And she'd wanted to. Caroline was ashamed of herself. She had only been at the castle for a few weeks, and she'd sworn that she wouldn't let Klaus sway her. Yet, she'd given in to him so easily.
And now, he probably thought that he had even the slightest chance of being with her. She knew she had to squash that idea before it became any bigger, but . . . she had to admit, there had been something there. Even the smallest chance, that she could possibly consider being with him. Really giving in. But, he still killed people. It was wrong. It was so wrong. Yet, she felt drawn to him. She just couldn't help it. She felt a natural pull towards him whenever they were in the same room. He was like . . . something she'd never seen before. He was so opposite to her, yet, they were the same. He excited her. He was trouble, and danger, and . . . he was beautiful. But he was dark. He was a killer. A murderer. He was wrong. It was wrong, what she felt for him. And she knew it.
Which was why she would never let herself admit it. And she would never act on it. Her . . . feelings for Klaus, whatever they were, they weren't real. And they weren't right. It was sick. And she could never be with him. No matter what she felt. Caroline knew she had to tell him this, but, it would have to be later. She gathered up her courage, and opened the envelope carefully. Inside, was a very neatly and carefully written letter. She unfolded it, and held it out in front of her.
Dear Caroline,
I would like to let you know that there will be a ball tonight, and that you are required to come. I know that you would probably prefer not to, but don't worry, you don't have to be escorted by me. I am required to make my decision on my future wife tonight, so I am not allowed to escort anyone. You will, however, have to at least dance with me. Is that too much to ask? Just one dance? Well, save one for me anyway.
We don't have to talk about the other night, if you don't want to. We can leave it. I know it did not mean that much to you, so, we should probably just leave that there. It happened, and we don't need to talk about it. I understand. You were scared. It was nothing to do with me, it could have been anyone.
I thought though, that you would need a dress. Not that you don't have plenty, but, I had this custom made for you, with the help of your servant, Anna. It would make me incredibly happy if you would wear it tonight, though I can understand if you don't want to. I don't want to make it seem like I'm trying to cloud your judgement with gifts or anything. I just thought you might like it.
Don't forget that dance,
Klaus.x
Caroline tried not to think too much about the small 'x' at the end of the letter, and set it down carefully at the end of her bed. She focused more on the package that was now in her lap. She opened it very carefully, never having seen such a finely wrapped gift in her life. She pulled the ribbon off slowly, and unfolded the deep-red covering. Underneath, was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. She loved it, and it complemented her skin tone and hair colour perfectly. She jumped off the bed, and ran to a mirror in the corner. Holding the dress up in front of herself, she grinned. For the first time in her life, Caroline felt like a princess.
Now, Caroline had never really been one for attention, but, even she had to admit, she didn't exactly dislike having all the heads in the room turn to look at her. She knew she looked beautiful, though not in a conceited way. With Klaus' dress, and some help from Anna on her hair, she couldn't help but feel like the way she had imagined a princess to really be, with pretty ball gowns, and beautifully done hair. She knew everybody was looking, and a big, wide smile appeared on her face.
The dress really was perfect. Klaus had really got it right. It had quite a big skirt, though not so big that she couldn't walk in it, and it had two layers. The bottom layer was a light blue, with a flowery pattern, and a darker blue skirt parted to show that. The darker blue was still the top layer of the bodice, and was tied tightly at the back. The neckline was a bit lower than Caroline was used to, but it was lined perfectly with little, blue beads. The sleeves of the dress were tight, and long, reaching her wrists. It fitted her very well, and really showed off her small waist.
And Anna had really done a good job on her hair. She had tied it into so many intricate and complicated knots, but it had turned out really well. It was pulled back from her face, with a few strands hanging loose, and was perfectly curly. She looked very natural, but still perfect. She really couldn't think of any other words to describe how she looked. And everybody else in the room knew it.
And the room. It was amazing. It was covered with candles on tall, thin candelabras, and had a long, cloth covered table at the side, where all the guests would eat later. There was an orchestra sat at the top of the room, playing sweet and beautiful music, and a place in the centre of the room, where people were dancing. They were so elegant, like swans on water. Caroline had never seen people so graceful. She doubted she would ever be able to dance like that.
Unfortunately, a nearby man seemingly had other ideas. Her eyes widened a little, as Prince Elijah held out his hand for a dance. Unfortunately, when one is requested to dance by a Prince, it is unheard of to say no. So she placed her hand on his gently, and let him lead her towards the centre of the room. Elijah was not an unattractive man, though, when Caroline thought about it, most of the Mikaelson family could be considered quite attractive. Except maybe Mikael, of course. Elijah though, his face was very . . . defined. He had quite sharp cheekbones, and dark, mysterious eyes. Though Caroline knew he was attractive, it didn't change anything. He was still a Mikaelson, and yes, he was, apparently, the most honourable of the family, but she had yet to experience his company properly, so she would be the judge of that.
Elijah placed his hand carefully on Caroline's waist, and his other in hers. She rested her hand on his shoulder, and waited for the music to start. As soon as it did, Elijah was leading her into a slow and seemingly easy dance. Caroline was glad she was able to understand the steps, and hoped that the dancing didn't look too bad. Once she had settled into the dance and the music, she allowed herself to look up from her feet, and at Elijah. It was clear he wanted to talk. There was no other reason he would have asked her to dance so soon.
"I don't believe we've met," he whispered, as though he didn't want any of the other dancers to overhear their conversation. He wasn't even looking at her any more, probably trying to make it seem like they weren't even talking. So Caroline did the same, looking around the room instead of at him, and trying to look indifferent.
"Why don't we skip the small-talk and polite chit-chat?" Caroline replied. She knew he had something to tell her, or something that he wanted to talk about, and she hated it when people started "beating around the bush" as her mother called it. Thought she instantly regretted saying it so harshly. "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that. It's just . . . what did you want to talk about? As I'm assuming you wanted to talk to me about something."
"No, it's . . . you are correct. I do need to discuss something with you. Though it's a rather personal state of affairs, I hope you don't mind, as we've only really just met." said Elijah, now actually looking at Caroline, who nodded, to show him that she didn't mind. She knew she would probably regret it later, but she was interested in what Prince Elijah had to say. "Well . . . as you probably know by now, my brother, Niklaus, is a very complex man, and . . . I think, no, in fact, I know he has feelings for you -"
"I've had this conversation before." Caroline muttered to him under her breath, but Elijah carried on anyway.
"Hear me out. I've never seen him like this before, Caroline. When you were . . . sick, he was so worried, and he wouldn't talk to anyone. He locked himself up in the tower, only coming out to check on you. I tried to get him to talk to me, but he just wouldn't. Sometimes I would hear him, in the tower, he would throw things, and break them. He always was one for letting frustration out through anger. Anyway, as soon as you got better though . . . I've never seen him so happy. I don't know what you did when he went to see you, but . . . he just couldn't stop smiling. And I know Nik, he's my brother. He hasn't smiled like that for centuries."
"What are you trying to tell me, Elijah?" Caroline asked, trying not to look too guilty. She knew she shouldn't have let Klaus stay with her. Because now she felt like she was the one playing him. Funny how the tables could turn. Instead of looking at Elijah, as she knew that her eyes would give away her guilt, she focused on Klaus, who was stood off to one side of the room. He was watching her too, but she didn't look away. He was dressed in very expensive-looking clothes, and looked more handsome than Caroline had ever seen him. He was stood with Rebekah and Finn, but he wasn't talking to them. He was focused entirely on her. And as he watched her dancing with Elijah, Caroline could swear she almost saw a glint of jealously in his eyes.
"I'm telling you not to break his heart." Elijah whispered fiercely, spinning Caroline around quickly, so they were facing away from Klaus. And she knew he was serious. She could see it in his eyes, and the way that his eyebrows furrowed. But, she didn't know what to say. She couldn't take back what she'd done the other night, but she couldn't do it again. Klaus knew where they stood now though, didn't he? Well, if she was going to dance with him later, they could figure it all out then. "I've never seen him treat anybody like you. The things he does for you, the things he . . . changes about himself . . ."
"What do you mean?" Caroline replied, now slightly scared by how serious Elijah was being. She hadn't seen any changes in Klaus since she first saw him. Nothing whatsoever was different. Well, not as far as she knew. Though obviously there was something that Elijah was just itching to tell her.
"He's stopped drinking human blood, Caroline."
Well? What did you think? Don't worry, that's not the ball over. I have no idea how many chapters it will stretch over. It was only supposed to be one, but then I realized I had so much to fit in, and . . . yeah. PLEASE REVIEW!
