Chapter 10

The next morning the entrance to the cave was still surrounded by a dozen men who were obviously intent on waiting the cave dwellers out.

"Let me at them I'll rip their throats out," Klaus growled with a grin as they stood back past the threshold. Caroline's fever had broken in the middle of the night with the help of Klaus' blood but she was still weak so he had her cradled in his arms.

"That won't be necessary," Bonnie said. "Kol – may I?" He nodded and she closed her eyes drawing on his latent energy and the energy of nature around her. Before their eyes all of the men fell to the ground. "They should sleep until night fall and by then we'll be long gone."

They mounted the horses and Bonnie dropped the barrier. They calmly passed the men lying about the cave entrance and then nudged the horses into a run headed towards home. By evening they couldn't smell a single wolf so they knew they were out of danger. They pitched shelter beside a pond again. Elena couldn't be certain but she thought perhaps it was the same pond they had encountered on their way up.

As dinner was being prepared Elena and Caroline were walking and enjoying the serenity of their surroundings.

"It's so beautiful here," Elena smiled.

"It is but I'll be glad to get back. I wouldn't want to live here."

"Even if it meant a lifetime with Klaus?" Elena asked gently. "This one who smiles a lot and plays with his brothers – who still remembers what it's like to trust unconditionally?" Caroline glanced over at where Kol, Klaus and Elijah were talking in the distance. Klaus looked over and his eyes met with Caroline's and he smiled.

"This one is so easy to love Elena," Caroline sighed happily.

"What are you two thick as thieves about over here?" Bonnie asked as she joined them.

"Love and Originals," Caroline smiled. "Of course I hear you're getting married."

Bonnie blushed, "In the 1100s Caroline we'll be going home soon remember – besides he made me promise. The way he was looking at me I would have given him the moon if I could."

"So you're giving him your heart?" Elena asked.

"I think I did that two nights ago," Bonnie sighed.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

"I'm going to miss all of this," Elena said after dinner where she was sitting beside the pond. She had removed her slippers and was dipping her toes in. "It's so beautiful here a different kind of beauty than it is in my time."

"Is that what you're going to miss?" Elijah asked. Elena's heart sped up and her eyes melted into his.

"No…I'm going to miss you and the way that you make me feel. Elijah I…I love you Elijah," Elena confessed.

"I love you too Elena and I know I'll see you again in a thousand years but I want to marry you in the here and now. Is there something preventing that?" he asked.

"No," Elena said. "You're not married."

"Are you?" Elena blushed.

"No I'm not married," she replied.

"Then if I'm going to rewrite a chunk of history let it be for the most important reason of all," Elijah grinned.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

In the end Klaus had persuaded Caroline with kisses. Under the moonlight beside the crystal clear water of the pond and surrounded by nature's majesty three couples stood opposite one another. In a clear voice Elijah recited the marriage ceremony as was the custom of their people. It was short and sweet but meaningful. The women each vowed to love, honor and cherish while the men vowed to provide for, protect and love always and forever. Each couple sealed the ceremony with a kiss and Bonnie had been asked to spell the rings that Elijah gave her which matched the originals. Rebekah stood up for all of them and she eagerly gave everyone a teary-eyed hug when it was over.