Chapter 7

8 weeks later

"Niklaus," Aurora hummed between kisses. "Oh Niklaus."

Her lips tasted sweeter than anything Niklaus had tasted before. Her eyes were deep as ponds. Her hair smelled like summer rain. Her smile could bring any man on his knees. Her body was soft and warm. She was perfect in every way. A dream come true. A goddess. Niklaus hadn't known what true love was before he had met her. What he had felt for Tatia was nothing comparing to what he felt for Aurora. She was the one for him. His soulmate. He could have spent the eternity just tasting her perfect lips. Everything should have been perfect. Except…

"I can't," he murmured as he pulled away.

Aurora was breathing heavily as her eyes looked at him in wonder.

"What is wrong, my love?" she asked and gently touched his cheek.

Niklaus bowed his head. He couldn't bear facing her. The chapel was quiet, and he could easily hear Aurora's fastened heartbeat.

"I can't," he repeated tiredly.

Aurora was quiet for a moment before replying.

"Because of her?"

"Yes," Niklaus murmured.

"I do not understand," she sighed. "You said that you do not love her."

"I don't, but… I told you that I owe her my protection."

"But you do not love her," Aurora stated firmly. "You love me."

"I do, but I can't… I'm sorry."

"Niklaus," she hummed softly and cupped his face. "Listen to me, I know you owe her your protection and I love you even more for being such an honorable man, but there are other ways for you to pay your debt to her."

Slowly Niklaus looked at Aurora.

"What do you mean?"

She smiled.

"I can arrange her a good marriage with a wealthy nobleman. She would be well taken care of…"

"No, that won't be an option," Niklaus cut in. "I can't just hand her over to some stranger."

Aurora nodded.

"Alright, I understand. What about your brothers then? They are all unmarried, are they not?"

"Yes, but…" He paused and sighed. "I can't abandon her. She's a sweet girl and she trusts me."

"But you do not love her," Aurora argued. "Could you ever truly be happy with her?"

Niklaus sighed tiredly. The answer was no. He would never be happy with Fay after finding his true love. Yet he couldn't just abandon Fay. He owed her his protection. That was what he had kept telling himself ever since meeting Aurora. He had tried his hardest to deny his feelings, but he couldn't. He was in love with Aurora. She was the woman he was meant to be with.

No. He couldn't abandon Fay. Not even if that meant he would be unhappy for the rest of his life. That was what he deserved. He had hurt Fay. Taken her innocence. Let Mikael turn him into a monster. But if he wouldn't have done it, Mikael would have hurt Fay much more. That was what Niklaus kept telling himself, but it didn't really help.

"Do it, boy! Teach her obedience! Do it or I will! You worthless weakling! You are useless! No father wants a son like you! Do it!"

Niklaus turned away from Aurora and squeezed his eyes shut. He had done it. Taken her right there on the cold ground. She hadn't made a sound, but he knew that he had hurt her. Of course he had, it had been her first time. He had been sure that she would hate him. She should have hated him. Yet she hadn't.

She had said that she loved him, and she understood that he had just tried to protect her. She trusted him. She certainly shouldn't. Sometimes he had thought that he would prefer her hate. Why did she have to be so damn forgiving and understanding? So kind and innocent. That made him hate himself even more. He certainly didn't deserve to be happy.

"Niklaus?" Aurora's soft voice called.

"I'm a monster," he murmured. "I don't deserve to be happy."

Aurora stepped in front of him and cupped his cheeks.

"Look at me," she said firmly. "You are not a monster. Would a monster be willing to sacrifice his whole life for a woman he doesn't love?"

"It doesn't matter…"

"It does. You say that Fay loves you. If that is true, do you think she would want you to be unhappy for the rest of your life? Do you think that she would want to spend her life with a man who loves someone else? She deserves better, would you agree?"

Niklaus was speechless for a moment. He hadn't really thought of it like that.

"I don't know…"

"You know I am right," Aurora cut in. "She deserves to be with someone who loves her."

Niklaus bit his bottom lip, he wasn't sure what to think. Maybe Aurora had a point, but he still couldn't abandon Fay. Not without making sure that she was properly taken care of. He most certainly couldn't trust some stranger, but… His brothers. Definitely not Kol. Not Finn either, he would likely refuse anyway. Elijah.

A wife would be good for him and he would surely treat Fay well. She would be safe with him. Was there any way Fay would agree to that? Niklaus wasn't sure, but the idea was starting to sound better and better. He needed to find out would that be possible. That was the only way he could be with the woman he loved.