"I wanted to ask you to be my maid of honour." Elena said when she was having tea with Caroline the next day. The two women were sitting on the terrace at Lockwood Manor, drinking tea and discussing the affairs of other women around Mystic Falls. They were gossiping like any other women would do.
"Me?" Caroline squealed happily.
"Well you are my best friend. It is going to be a small wedding with just you as my maid of honour and Damon's father as his best man. I would be honoured if you would be my maid of honour." Elena said.
"I will. I would be honoured to be your maid of honour." Caroline enthused.
"Is everything all right darling? I heard you scream." Tyler asked rushing to the terrace.
"Yes darling. Everything is perfect. Elena just asked me to be the maid of honour." Caroline cheered and Elena beamed across from her.
"That is great Caroline. I am pleased to see you so happy." he said.
"I am ecstatic Tyler." Caroline corrected.
"Thank you Miss Gilbert for making my wife so very happy." Tyler said thanking Elena genuinely.
"She is the only person I know that would be fit to be my maid of honour. Caroline is my best friend. Which brings me to my next question. Mr. Salvatore is sending out the invitations to the wedding, and he wants to invite everyone that is influential in this town. That includes that Michealson's. If it makes you uncomfortable at all Caroline, just say the word. If you don't want Niklaus there, we can not invite him." Elena said.
"It is right for the Michaelson's to be at this wedding because of their history with Giuseppe Salvatore. I am not ashamed of my relationship with Niklaus only because it brought me closer to my husband. I have nothing to hide from him. I am fine with him being at the wedding." Caroline assured Elena.
"Thank you. That makes my life so much easier." Elena said relieved. It could be social suicide for the family if she opted out of inviting the Michaelson's.
"How are things between you and Stefan?" Caroline asked curiously, having heard all about the pouting younger Salvatore.
"He is just as unbearable as usual. He always seems to be there when Damon and I find a moment to be alone. We don't always want to have to rush up to our quarters for a moment of privacy. We should be able to whisper to one another, or steal a kiss or a touch, or a hug without having to answer to Stefan. We are almost married for heaven's sake, and we are having a child." Elena ranted.
"I can understand how irksome that must be." Caroline sympathized.
"It is very irksome. Yesterday Damon and I were sitting in the library, I was reading and he was just sitting by my side. The baby starts kicking so I place Damon's hand on my belly so he could feel it also. Stefan walks in and stares at us aghast as if Damon touching my belly is a cardinal sin! It is beyond annoying. Or he "accidentally" follows us to the lake, which is our private spot. It is the one place besides our quarters that we can be alone. Where we can kiss ardently, but then Stefan always appears. He has taken it as his own personal mission to make sure that I am protected. The issue is that he wants to protect me from his brother. He is driving me insane." Elena ranted.
"Well in a couple of weeks he won't be able to do anything about it anymore. You will be married and you will officially belong to Damon. It won't be his issue anymore." Caroline assured her friend.
"It's not his issue now. It is mine. It's not my fault I fell for Damon and not Stefan." she huffed.
"I know Elena. Stop worrying about it. Stress is not good for the child." Caroline said calming Elena down. Elena nodded and took a deep breath.
"I'm fine. But I better be heading home. I have a dress fitting with Anne in one hour." she said standing up and smoothing her dress.
"It was lovely to see you. Be sure to call for me if you need any help with the wedding." Caroline insisted as she kissed both of Elena's cheeks.
"I will. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon." Elena said as she walked towards her carriage.
Once she was back at Salvatore Manor, she met Stefan on the stairs on her way to her quarters.
"What is it Stefan?" she asked not willing to deal with him now.
"I just wanted you to reconsider Miss Elena. Damon is not the man you want to settle down with. I assure you of that fact." Stefan told her.
"What proof do you have?" she asked running a hand through her hair..
"Unlike I, who has saved myself for marriage. My brother has had several sexual relationships with several different women." Stefan whispered conspiratorially.
"I'm aware of Damon's past Stefan. It does not trouble me. What troubles me is that you would use something like that against your brother, to try to ruin our relationship. That is what is troubling. Now if you'll excuse me I must head to my quarters to try on my wedding dress for the first fitting." she said brushing past him and heading the rest of the way upstairs.
"Just think about it Miss Elena." Stefan called after her.
"Stefan?!" Giuseppe asked standing at the foot of the stairs.
"Yes father." Stefan asked meekly.
"You will stop trying to stop these nuptials. They will happen one way or another." Giuseppe stated.
"Father. This is wrong. I feel it deep in my bones." Stefan begged.
"It is right. Someday you will find a woman who will be your wife. But it is not to be Miss Gilbert. Drop it now Stefan." Giuseppe ordered.
As strong as she tried to be in front of Stefan, hearing about Damon's past from someone else was hard on her. She knew he had taken sexual favours from women on occasion, but she hadn't known about relationships.
"Are you alright ma'am?" Anne asked when Elena walked into the room with a frown on her face.
"I am fine. Where do you want me to stand?" she asked brushing her maids inquiry off.
"Just in the dressing room. The gown is going to be so beautiful when it is done. I just need to make sure that there will be enough room for your belly in the dress. It needs to be too big now because your stomach is going to grow more before you get married." Anne said helping Elena out of her dress and into the white silk garment. It had a low neckline, long sleeves and lace. It was very modern but very in for the time at the same time. The dress was perfect.
"I'm sure it will be fine. Now do you want to tell me what's on your mind?" Anne asked gently urging Elena to sit down.
"I'm worried that I won't be enough for Damon in the future. He has had several other relationships. What makes what he has with me so special? I'm sure he could find a woman who is more experienced in giving a man what he wants than I am. There are things that other women know how to do that I don't. I feel inexperienced and very insecure knowing all about his past. Yes, he's mentioned it to me, but I've never heard about the sheer number before." Elena said uncertainly.
"That sounds like something you have to talk to Master Salvatore about dear. Did Stefan talk to you?" she asked knowingly.
"Yes. He's trying to ruin my relationship with Damon." Elena nodded.
"Don't worry about it now dear. Just focus on the baby and the wedding." Anne urged. When Elena was clothed again in her cream coloured dress she walked out of the room and downstairs, heading to the library.
"Elena! How are you feeling today?" Damon asked rushing over to her and kissing her cheek.
"I found out some interesting news today." she probed, deciding that she wanted all the information about his past so there were no more surprises.
"What sort of news? Should we sit down?" he asked gesturing for her to walk into the library. He shut the doors behind him and she sank into a large winged chair.
"Your brother told me something about you." she probed.
"Oh. Elena, you should know by now that you can't listen to anything Stefan says." he said kneeling down in front of her.
"So you haven't had relationships with several women?" she asked raising her eyebrows.
"I see. You do not trust me then?" he asked standing up.
"I never said that. I want to know the truth Damon. I want to make sure there will be no secrets between us. I want us to be open to one another." she insisted.
"You already knew that I had those sorts of relationships. I told you a long time ago. I am not discussing this again." he said firmly.
"I knew you went for sexual favours. I did not hear of any relationships where you spent more time together. More than once." she insisted.
"I am not discussing this now. Or ever. That part of my life is over." he said closing his eyes, willing himself not to get mad. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't her fault, it was Stefan who was trying desperately to sabotage their relationship.
"You want to keep secrets from me. That is not a good start to a marriage Damon. But I cannot change your mind." she said standing up.
"Not having trust is not a good start to a marriage either." he stated.
"Do I have a reason to trust you?" she asked as she walked past him and out the door.
"Don't walk away Elena." he called after her. She didn't turn around and all he could hear were her heels clacking on the marble floor.
"Damn it." he shouted to no one in particular.
Elena found herself at the lake and she sank into the grass not caring about potential grass stains on her dress. She had no doubt in her mind that she wanted to marry him, with or without all his baggage. She just wished he would open up to her. She knew it wasn't a conversation he wanted to have, but he needed to be more open with her. She laid back on the grass and stared up at the clouds. The fluffy shapes calmed her down and she left her troubled thoughts behind her and focused on the clouds. Her eyes drifted shut and she fell into a deep slumber.
"Where are you off to brother?" Stefan asked Damon as he threw open the front door.
"I am searching for my fiancée. Something she will never be to you. Stay out of our relationship Stefan. I am warning you now." Damon said pointing a finger at his brother.
"She was supposed to be mine Damon. Mine. You always take what's mine." Stefan whined petulantly.
"I don't know which life you've lived, but everything is always handed to you. I've always had to work for whatever I got. Stay out of my relationship and mind your own business." Damon warned his brother. Stefan stared ahead passively and Damon strode away. He walked to the stables and found Gypsy still in her stall, shaking his head he took Mezzanotte out and saddled him up before making his way to the lake. As predicted he found her there, her eyes were closed and her lips slightly parted. He got off the horse and went to sit beside her.
"Elena." he called softly. She jerked away and stared up at him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked sitting up.
"We need to talk." he said taking a deep breath.
"About what?" she asked.
"What happened earlier. I hate that you don't trust me. I will tell you anything you want to know." he told her taking her hand in his and stroking the back of it tenderly.
"How many women have you had?" she asked.
"6 of the town women and 4 whores." he told her.
"10 women." she said her eyes drifting shut.
"What's wrong?" he asked pressing a kiss to the back of her hand.
"I can't keep up with that. I can't do the things that other woman can do. I'm not as experienced." Elena fretted.
"Do not worry my love. I am happy with whatever we are doing. If you want to learn I can teach you. But don't be worried, I love everything we've done together." he assured her.
"I'm just worried that I'm not enough for you." she whimpered.
"That is not a problem. You are perfect for me." he promised her kissing the top of her head.
"Will you teach me what you like?" she asked hopefully. She wanted desperately to please him better than any of the other women he had ever had. She needed to know that he wanted no one but her.
"Of course." he assured her.
"What do you like?" she asked clasping his hand tight within hers.
"I like what we do. That is my favourite. I had never made love before the first time with you. Before you it was sex plain and simple. But now its different. I like it when a woman uses their mouth on my penis. That feels amazing. I always return the favour." he explained.
"People actually do that?" she asked her eyes wide.
"Yes. You don't have to do that. You are too good for actions like that." he assured her.
"I want to try." she said
"Are you sure? You don't have to. I don't want to put you in that place." he told her uncomfortably.
"How do you do it?" she asked her nerves steeled.
"Most of the time the woman drops to her knees in front of me. But that is such a place of dishonour, a place of humiliation. I do not want you there. If you choose to do that, I will lie in a bed with you with me. You are my equal, you are not below me." he told her.
"Thank you for not thinking of me as subservient." she said.
"I could never think of you as subservient." he assured her leaning in to kiss her lips.
"You're really going back to him, just like that?" Stefan asked riding his horse through the trees.
"Damn it Stefan, can't you leave us alone for a single moment?" Damon demanded, his arm wrapped tight around her shoulders.
"I came to tell you that dinner is almost served so you may want to come back to the house and get ready." Stefan said.
"Fine. Are you ready?" Damon asked. Elena nodded and let him pull her to her feet. He helped her mount Mezzanotte before climbing up in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he sped them back to the stables with Stefan somewhere behind them. He leaped from the horse and helped Elena down as Stefan galloped into the stables. Damon put Mezzanotte into his stall and shut the gate before taking Elena's hand and walking with her into the house.
After dinner Damon led Elena up his quarters.
"My rooms are bigger and my bed is more comfortable. Better for the expectant woman." he said gently pushing her into the room.
"Thank you for being so considerate good sir. What can I do to repay you?" she asked dramatically.
"Hmm, I'm sure I could think of something. But alas my darling it is time for bed, you had a trying day." he said in character.
"Bed? I'm not tired."she whined with a pronounced pout on her face.
"Too bad Miss Gilbert- soon to be Salvatore, it is bed time. I must get you out of this dress and into your night-dress." he said undoing the buttons on her dress and pushing the garment down. He didn't ogle for long, but just pushed the night-gown over her head and gestured for her to climb into bed.
"What about?" she asked.
"Tomorrow my darling. Tonight just sleep." he insisted kissing her hair.