Just a random one shot.


When Elijah first saw her, the young woman who had just entered the room, he couldn't get his eyes off her. Soft red curls, bright green innocent eyes, shy, but somewhat curious smile… She was no doubt the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Elijah found himself staring at her until she approached him. No, not him, Count de Martel.

"Father," she said smiling.

"Tristan," Count de Martel stated, addressing the man who was standing next to this beauty. Elijah hadn't even noticed him.

"This is the Lord Elijah, Count de Guise's son," Count de Martel continued. "My son, the Lord Tristan."

Reluctantly Elijah glanced at the Count's son who greeted him politely, but quite coolly.

"And my daughter, the Lady Aurora."

Aurora… It meant sunrise. The name certainly suited her; her skin reminded Elijah of the warm light of the morning sun.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lord," she said smiling and curtsied.

"The pleasure is mine, my lady," he murmured and kissed her hand.

Her scent was sweet and her skin felt just as soft as it looked. She was truly breathtaking.

As the days went by, Elijah's feelings for the Lady Aurora grew and he used every opportunity he had to enjoy her company. She was always polite to him, but she was also distant. The reason for that became clear to Elijah when he saw how she looked at Niklaus. She loved his brother. She loved Niklaus, not him. In that moment Elijah felt something very unpleasant beginning to form within him. Yet he controlled himself, just like he always did. No one saw what he was feeling, but his heart was aching.

He had lost his sunrise. Why had she chosen Niklaus over him? The thought haunted him, filling his heart with bitterness. He needed to get over that, Niklaus was his brother after all. They were family, blood. That was all that mattered. Then came the night when they needed to flee. Elijah was rushing to the stables to get their horses when Aurora was suddenly there, standing right in front of him.

"Elijah? What is wrong?" she asked.

"Our father is coming, we need to leave," he replied.

Her eyes widened.

"I will come with you."

"No!" Elijah snapped. He didn't want to risk her life and he had every intention to make sure that Niklaus wouldn't do that either. "This curse is ours and ours alone to bear…"

"But I am like you now," she argued.

"No, you are not," he responded tensely. "Aurora, please…"

"Look, Elijah, I do not know what I have done to offend you so badly, but I am asking you to understand that I love your brother," she cut in firmly. "He needs me and I am coming with him."

"What do you mean he needs you?" Elijah asked sharply.

Aurora blinked and lowered her head.

"Nothing. What he told me will stay between him and me, I will never…"

Before Elijah realized what he was doing, he had grabbed Aurora's chin.

"Tell me!" he snapped.

"He killed your mother and let you all to believe that your father did it."

They were both equally shocked by her words; she covered her mouth with her hands as soon as Elijah took a step back.

"No… Why…why did I just tell you that, I promised him never to tell another living soul…"

"He…killed mother," Elijah muttered, he didn't want to believe it. How could have Niklaus done something like that? "He lied to me… To all of us…"

"No, Elijah, please listen to me," Aurora pleaded. "You don't know how much he has suffered, he never meant to…"

"How can you defend him?" Elijah snapped.

Aurora's hands were shaking, but she kept her head high as she looked at Elijah.

"I love him. With all my heart."

There was no doubt that she meant it. Something very dark took over Elijah as he stepped in front of her. Niklaus didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve her love. That love should have been Elijah's. He understood that he would never have her heart, but neither would Niklaus. She gasped when he grabbed her.

"He does not deserve your love!" Elijah snarled. "You will see him as nothing more than the deceitful monster he is!"

Her face went blank and she repeated his words back to him. It took few seconds before Elijah understood what had happened. He could control her thoughts. She could be his, he could tell her to love him… No, he would never sink so low. But… She didn't move as he gently ran his fingers over her cheek.

"Forgive me," he murmured and softly touched her lips with his. The brief kiss was nothing but bittersweet, he knew that he would never taste her lips again. As he sent her to her chamber, something in his heart died. His sun had set for good.