"One lie has the power to tarnish a thousand truths." -Al David

Dearest Clara,

Today I came across a spring and I thought of you. It was youthful and resilient. There wasn't much to be seen around it―only gloom and obstacles―yet, the water flowed on. In the middle of an endless nothingness it was able to sustain life. It brought hope to a barren land.

In many ways this is how I see you, though for now you are so beyond my reach. You could bring air into my lungs which have yet to breathe since our last meeting. You could bring light to my eyes when for so long they have seen only darkness. You could be my salvation.

Perhaps these are simply the ramblings of a mad man. It is true that in wanting you I have lost all other thoughts, but if wanting you is cause for insanity then I fear my mind has been lost for a great deal of time.

I wish I could tell you these things in person―perhaps someday I will.

Sincerely,

Your Admirer

No matter how much he wanted to change, Klaus would always be selfish. It was a part of who he was to see what he wanted and to take it. As a child he was scolded for such behavior, but as a man he was praised. It was human nature, he deduced, that men should take what they wanted―be it land or women. Because of this kind of logic Klaus had never put another's needs entirely before his own.

That was still true.

As much as he wanted Caroline safe, he wanted her to come with him because she felt safer around him, not because in all reality she didn't have another option. Leaving her slightly in the dark about the dire circumstances gave him hope. If she chose to go with him, then maybe a part of her wanted him. Perhaps he'd been rationalizing for too long, but he hadn't thought he'd ruined his relationship with Caroline so completely. That was until he saw the fight in her eyes.

She still didn't want him. Was she really considering losing her life for this cause? Had he managed to cause her so much pain that she would risk her own life just to stay away from him?

An image of Caroline covered in mud, slightly battered, and exhausted from a lack of food, sleep, and water came to mind. Klaus had his answer. What he'd done to her had been unforgivable, which is why her next few words confused him so.

"I'll go with you."

Dearest Clara,

Tomorrow I am to journey to an unknown part of the world. I have never heard of people living in such a dank and unlively place, yet apparently there is something to be seen. I leave at dawn and until then I can think only of you.

Your sense of adventure is so apparent to anyone who dare look beyond the beautiful mask you choose to hide behind. I pray that you do not allow it to be stifled by your success in the higher parts of society.

You are something they are unacquainted with. You cannot be bought with parties or jewels because you are priceless. I know this now.

Sincerely,

Your Admirer

Klaus stared at her in stupor. This was what he wanted to hear, but it didn't feel the way he thought it would. True, he was her best bet, she knew this, but somehow her decision still felt foreign―as though this was simply a matter of convenience. Caroline's response made Klaus feel like he was no more than a stranger to her.

"I'll hold them off for as long as I can," Enzo promised.

Caroline gave his cheek a chaste kiss, "I love you."

He smiled, "family above all."

Klaus took her hand and began to pull her his way.

"Tell Ray I forgive him," Enzo called out after them.

As Klaus pulled her to where he had the horses ready, Caroline took a few moments to process the sudden changes around her. Enzo knew Ray?

"How-" she began to ask, but Klaus shook his head.

"Now is not the time."

Dearest Clara,

There never seems to be time anymore. Days go on like there is no end. Relaxation truly is a luxury and while I do not want for any necessity, I still fight for what I have. That is the nature of my job, I suppose, though it wasn't always this way.

There was a point in my life where I wanted nothing more than simplicity. I wanted to grow up and die in the same town. Never would I have guessed that the world would turn on its head.

I know that you have faced such events. No matter where you are today, you cannot deny that your world is no longer what it used to be. Whether it's changed for the better or the worse is a matter of opinion.

In this way, we are the same. Perhaps together we can decide the nature of our transformation.

Sincerely,

Your Admirer

The second Caroline consented Klaus dragged her towards his escape route, practically throwing her onto his horse, he mounted and set off to a gallop as quickly as the beast would allow. Putting space between him and his father was his only concern. Klaus would ride until he no longer felt like the old man could make it within an ocean's view of him.

Klaus hated that no matter how strong he became, Mikael would always terrify him. The man was the reason Klaus could go into battle and not blink an eye at the imminent threat of death. Whenever faced with life or death situations, Klaus felt almost at ease, because he knew what real fear was. The only thing Mikael had ever taught him was how to be afraid.

For years Mikael had been following his bastard son. Since Ester's death and the marriage of his eldest son, Finn, Mikael had nothing else to do. And so Klaus had learned to run. To become more of a legend than a person. He'd never planned to come out of the shadows until he'd met Caroline.

Looking at her now, he could tell that she'd flourished in his absence. How much of a fool he was to think that tearing away her petals would cause her to bloom.

As trees began to flood together forming into a solid wall of isolation, Caroline tried to focus on her own life rather than where they were currently heading.

She didn't know why she agreed, it was just something she saw in Enzo's eyes. Such sadness. He had been there for her in ways no one else ever had. He cared for her without wanting anything in return and for that reason Caroline trusted him explicitly. She could see the hope that he had. Enzo wanted her to take Klaus's hand and for that reason, and that reason alone, she was quite literally in the arms of her captor once again.

As she tried to ignore the future, the sun began to rise.

"Dawn is here," she commented lamely.

Klaus slowed the horse, "that it is."

"We should stop for something to eat so we don't tire unnecessarily," Klaus said rather reluctantly.

He wanted to get at least a few more hours of riding between them and Mikael, but he could tell Caroline was becoming restless.

In fact, she would've jumped at the opportunity to get off the horse had she been able to move her legs. "I might need some help," she admitted.

Klaus chuckled, getting off the horse and helping Caroline follow suit.

"You look wonderful, love," Klaus says trying to make any form of conversation.

"Food and water will do that to a person," she bit out, trying to keep her guard up.

The last time she'd been vulnerable she'd done the unthinkable and kissed him. The same would not be happening again.

"Caroline, I truly am sorry."

She huffed, apologies were most easily said when thought to gain favor. She would not allow pretty words to enchant her heart, not again. If anything the fact that Jesse, a mere simpleton by Enzo's standards, was able to woo her should be an ample warning. Caroline needed to protect her heart better.

"How has the time been to you?"

Caroline laughed at the absolute doe like look Klaus was sending her way.

Her laugh has changed, he thought, she used to make a sound that tinkled like bells, but now it is heavy and filled with bitterness.

"You don't deserve to ask me such questions," she reprimanded.

How dare he act like they were mere acquaintances catching up after a long leave of absence?

"You've abused me."

Klaus looked down, again pulling out the look that went against his seemingly brazen character. "I don't know what more I can do," he said, "I've apologized."

"Your words mean nothing to me. Not anymore."

Klaus's heart bled. That had been his new plan. Words. He'd sent her letters to show her that he was more than a brute, he'd wanted to come out of the shadows the moment he'd seen her but now he knew it would do no good.

"Stay here," he instructed, "I will go fetch us some water."

Once he was out of sight Caroline took a deep breath and looked around her surroundings. She needed to make a plan and obviously Klaus was too upset by some outside source of woe to care about her safety. He'd left her alone in the middle of the woods where anyone could get to her.

Needing to find a potential weapon for protection against bandits or Klaus―whatever threat first presented itself―Caroline made her way to the horse's saddle in search of a small blade she could use to injure an assailant.

Digging through she removed a few furs and a leather book. Scraping along the bottom, she quickly emptied the bag and when it was clear that there was nothing to be found Caroline began to put things back.

As she looked at the leather book, something strange came to her eye. It wasn't anything particularly odd, truly she wouldn't have looked had it not been for her own incessant curiosity.

Upon opening the book, Caroline knew not whether what she felt was shock or terror.

Her letters―everyone she'd sent to her admirer―were trapped in the bindings of what appeared to be a sketch book.

Horrified, Caroline looked at the pictures. The earlier ones were of beautiful landscapes, but as she went further they turned darker. Hope was no longer present. Disturbing images of women and children left impoverished, men dead, and perhaps worst of all the ones of nothing. The pages were far from empty, but there was no point of focus. It was like there was so much despair in the world that it couldn't simply be expressed in one image. There was so much darkness that there was nothing else to focus on.

Last night Caroline told the man with the predator gaze that she'd like to think everyone had hope. In these pictures she saw that this may not be true.

Despite the sadness, fear, and confusion Caroline felt, she continued to flip through the pages until suddenly the tone changed. Beacons of light came shining through, all of which seemed to be coming from a girl. From the back she looked elegant and poised as the emitted light in the darkness that surrounded her. Caroline went through several pages, never seeing the girl's face, but each time she showed up it was like she was bringing something hopeful to the scene. She was a healing force. Just when Caroline was about to give up, she reached one of the last drawing and stopped.

The girl was her.

"It took me forever to get your features even remotely correct, love."

She froze, knowing that whatever these were Klaus probably didn't want her to see whatever it was she was still holding in her hands.

"It's alright, Caroline," he said. She didn't believe him.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him, "did you draw these?"

He nodded, taking the book from her.

"You read my letters," she stated.

Again, he couldn't seem to find the words. He carried her letters with him everywhere, it was unlikely that she would never find out. Klaus only wished it could have been on his terms.

"Those were meant for Jesse."

Caroline now finally had a name and a face for her admirer and she didn't need Klaus perverting the memory of her correspondence.

"Caroline―"

"No," she interrupted, "you cannot take this from me too."

"Just listen―"

"Everything out of your mouth is calculated. Why should I let you explain yourself?"

"You shouldn't."

She paused. Admitting wrongs, apologizing, these were not things that the Klaus she had known would ever be able to do. Staring up at him, Caroline could see the earnest in his eyes as he stepped closer.

"You have every right to not hear my through, but I think you'll understand more if you give me a chance."

She stalled,

"Please?" he asks, "I dare you."

Her breath stilled at the hope in his eyes.

"You have two minutes."

Dearest Clara,

I hope you can forgive me. I fear I have done you a great wrong by concealing my identity, but if you knew who I was then you'd never open your mind or your heart to me. My deception was never meant to cripple you, but rather to enhance a part of you that I think you keep hidden from the rest of the world. I believe that together we could become something great, because when I am apart from you it changes how I look at the world.

If you should ever know the truth, I hope you remember what I am about to say now. I am hiding because I know I am beneath you. Most of the things I have said to you have come only from stewing in long lonely nights with alcohol being my only solace. I cannot say whether I would give forgiveness if I were in your position, but you are a much better person than I. Your heart is pure and for that reason I have the hope and the audacity to ask that someday, when you know the truth, you can see me in a positive light.

Sincerely,

Your Admirer