Chapter 1

Florence, Italy 1374

"Good evening, my lord," a guard greeted Tristan respectfully.

"I do not wish to be disturbed," Tristan stated, glancing at both guards. "Unless the matter is urgent."

"Yes, my lord."

Tristan unlocked the large wooden door and entered the lavish bedchamber. He has had a very long day, but it wasn't nearly over yet. According to Julia's maid, she had refused to eat. Just like yesterday and the day before that. Tristan hated forcing her, but it seemed that she didn't give him much choice. She needed to eat and stay healthy.

Hopefully she would also be happy soon, at least for a little while. It killed him to see that silent despair and melancholy in her eyes. She didn't deserve it, any of it. If only that hypocrite old hag would have bothered to make sure that she was actually punishing the right people… Damn her and the Mikaelsons. None of this would have happened without them.

"Julia?" Tristan called while entering her chamber. The maid had lit up dozens of candles and prepared a bath for Julia. She was sitting in the large metal bathtub, her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees.

"Julia?"

She didn't say anything, she simply stared at the wall. Tristan walked over to the bathtub and got down on one knee next to it. Julia's light auburn hair tousled in wild curls across her shoulders and down her back. Her ivory skin looked pale in the dim candlelight and her hazel eyes stared into emptiness. Tristan sighed and gently touched her cheek.

"My jewel… Allow me to assist you."

She didn't resist when he washed her hair and began carefully rubbing her skin with a sponge. He started by rubbing her neck and shoulders, working his way down to her back. She had bitemarks all over her body, Tristan forced himself to ignore them. He didn't know which ones had been made by him, which ones by Lucien. It didn't matter, they were both equally guilty. And they were both punished. Because of the Mikaelsons.

His hatred toward them grew as he looked at his sweet little jewel. She didn't deserve any of this, no more than he deserved her. He spoke to her the whole time he finished bathing her, his voice was soft and calming. He told her about the new achievements of the Strix, the new members he had recruited, the new gowns he has had made for her, the vineyard he was planning to take her. She didn't say anything, but he felt her body relaxing slightly.

"You like this," she finally broke her muteness. "Bathing me."

"Yes, I do," he replied truthfully.

"Why?"

He smiled and touched her cheek.

"Because I enjoy taking care of you."

"You have to take care of me," she muttered absentmindedly.

"Maybe, but I do enjoy this. Washing every part of you."

"I am tired, Tristan," she said when he leaned closer.

"I understand," he assured and kissed her hand. "But I must insist you eat something."

She tensed and pressed her lips together.

"I am not hungry."

"Julia, please," Tristan sighed. "The last thing I want is to force you. Please do not make me do that."

"Then don't," she snapped. "Leave me be."

They both knew that he couldn't do that, no matter how much he wanted to. Neither of them spoke as he lifted her out of the bathtub and wrapped a bathrobe around her. Carefully he placed her at her dressing table and began brushing her wet hair.

"Forgive me," he said quietly.

She sighed tiredly.

"I am trying, Tristan, but this is getting harder every day."

"I know," he sighed and kissed the top of her head. "Believe me, I do. You don't deserve this."

"Maybe I do," she murmured. "It's getting harder to remember who I was before all of this, maybe I was a bad person…"

"No," Tristan cut in firmly. "You were not a bad person. You did nothing wrong."

He remembered the girl she had been when he had met her for the first time. Granted, he hadn't paid much attention to her because she had been a servant, but he remembered thinking that she was quite pretty. Aurora had been very pleased with her and Lucien had of course noticed her, as he had noticed pretty much all the females around him.

Of course, they had been brothers back then, Niklaus and Elijah Mikaelson. The whole thought was still unbelievable. After the compulsion had ended, Tristan would have been happy if he would never have to see Lucien again, but unfortunately that wasn't possible. Thanks to the old hag, they were stuck together. They were forced to work together. Lucien would soon come to pick up Julia, it was his turn. The thought made Tristan tense, but there was nothing he could do. This arrangement had worked for two centuries already, it was the best one they had been able to come up with.

"What would you like to eat?" Tristan asked gently after a long silence.

Julia looked defeated as she sighed tiredly.

"Anything is fine. You know I can't taste it anyway."

Tristan nodded.

"Some soup, perhaps?"

"Fine."

Tristan and Lucien had tried their hardest to find a witch who would be able to help Julia. Her condition was slowly but surely getting worse and he knew how terrified she was deep down. She would eventually lose all her senses, one by one. Tristan wasn't going to let that happen. He would find a way to help her, no matter what it would take.