Pairing: Damon/Stefan (m/m) hand (mild)
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Mikaelson Guest House
Sunday Evening
May 5, 1855
"He is a little doll, is he not?" Rebekah said to her maid, Maddy.
"Yes, Miss Becca, he sure is!" Maddy smiled widely.
"I probably shouldn't spoil him but I cannot help myself. All I ever wanted were children of my own," Rebekah sighed.
"You will have them someday, Ma'am. You gots plenty of time. God provides," Maddy said casually as she folded the blanket on the chair that Rebekah had wrapped around Stefan after his bed. She would have carried him up to her bedroom herself but it might cause the servants to be suspicious that a 16 year girl had the strength to carry a nine year old boy up the stairs. So Stefan had to walk tiredly until Rebekah dressed him in a nightshirt and tucked him in her feather bed.
"You look happy, Sister," Klaus said coming in holding a candle and handing her a cup of chamomile tea laced with honey, just as she liked it.
"I am, Niklaus. Thank you for letting them stay. Handsome, but clever, too. I am sure they will someday help you with the accounts and businesses," Rebekah offered.
"They need not labor here for their daily bread. There is enough children working in these times. Let us just let them be boys. Now, you go to bed yourself, sweetheart," Klaus smiled tenderly.
"Yes, Brother, if you insist. I am going to sew Stefan some play clothes first thing in the morning. I might make you a new nightshirt, if fortune favors you," Rebekah teased.
"Oh, fortune always favors the bold. I love you, little Sister," Klaus said as he kissed her on the forehead and pulled the covered up. He gazed a moment at the sleeping child. Klaus brushed his free hand against his chubby cheek and impulsively leaned down and kissed him also.
"He's a jolly, little lad," Rebekah whispered fondly.
"And a naughty one. Cook is down mopping the floor in the kitchen. She said he sloshed half the water of the tub playing pirates," Klaus shared.
"He got a tad worked up," Rebekah admitted.
"Sister, promise me you shall not spoil him too terribly. He needs to learn to mind," Klaus said gently.
Rebekah conceded, "You are, Niklaus. Goodnight."
"I bid you goodnight," Klaus said blowing out the candle on the night stand and taking his candle with him. He did not need it to see, but it would look odd to the servants if he walked around in the pitch darkness.
Klaus headed to the boys' room. This was only a temporary residence, but the bedrooms were still large.
Klaus found the door opened a crack and entered to find Damon snoring softly on his side. Marcel was reading and Kol was in a third single bed tossing a ball up in the air.
"It is late, gentleman. Young Damon here must have been exhausted. You two, to bed also," Klaus insisted.
"Brother, I am not tired," Kol whined.
"I always find you sleep so soundly after a firm spanking. Now, hand over the ball and blow out the lantern. Marcel, put down the book," Klaus demanded.
"Yes, Papa," Marcel said complying.
"We have much to do tomorrow. I expect both of you to be good examples and be on your best behavior. Is that clear?" Klaus pressed.
"Yes, Elijah, it is," Kol mimicked.
"Very amusing. No now nonsense, sleep. I love you," Klaus whispered closing the door softly.
Klaus lightly stepped down the steps to their makeshift parlor. Elijah, as was his nightly habit, was edifying his mind with his large tome.
"A little light reading, Brother?" Klaus asked as he put down the candle and fell back into the stiff chair.
"The ancient Greeks did know about tragedy," Elijah said absentmindedly.
"Ah yes, I thought we could speak of our plans for tomorrow," Klaus suggested.
Elijah nodded and shut his book, "The new house? All should be in motion. The style shall be Greek revival. I suppose we will have to order the lumber from the Salvatore mills. There are plenty of laborers now. We need make haste, if war breaks out...," Elijah began.
"I do think the peace should hold a few more years, do not get vexed about that. These new boys? The younger one is quite a handful. I am not sure we should let Rebekah indulge him so. Did you see her slipping him those candies after supper? No wonder he was splashing water out of the bath worse than a berserker," Klaus commented.
"Was he gnawing on the edge of the tub, too, Niklaus? Calm yourself, he is just a little boy! How much trouble can he get into?" Elijah scoffed standing and patting Klaus on the shoulder.
"Perhaps I am rather fraught tonight," Klaus admitted. He followed Elijah upstairs and went to bed himself soon after.
Monday Morning
May 6, 1855
"Papa says you should get up and break your fast, Damon," Marcel said putting on his light jacket.
"Papa? Is he your father?" Damon asked in confusion.
Marcel laughed, "Yes, he found me when I was a child. It is a long story for another day. Best hop to it. Uncle Elijah does not like tardiness to the table."
Damon stripped off his nightshirt quickly and looked for his other clothes.
Marcel stopped dressing and stared, "Your arm? Is that a cigar burn?"
Damon flush and asked, "My shirt?"
Marcel blinked and grabbed one of his own shirts for the boy, "Here, wear one of mine."
"Thank you," Damon said tightly. "It was an accident. My father's cigar slipped. He did not mean to burn me."
Marcel heard the lie not only in his heartbeat, but in the burn scar itself.
"You need not lie, Damon. Nor be ashamed, I can tell that he held the ember there a while. I am sorry," Marcel said softly.
Damon continued to button his shirt, "As long as he did not hurt my brother, I cared not what he did to me." Damon found his pants and boots and donned them quickly.
Marcel grabbed his forearm gently, "No one need every hurt you again like that!"
Damon finally met Marcel's gaze, "I understand. I had a very...strange dream last night."
"Oh, you did?" Marcel replied as they exited the bedroom still buttoning their jackets.
"That fellow Kol was kissing a woman on the neck and she was moaning, but when he stopped I saw blood. Silly, I know, forget it," Damon brushed back his hair and decided to put the dream out of his mind.
"Huh, that is odd," Marcel said lightly.
"My father always was speaking of demons. That is probably its' origin. He did it mostly when he was at drink, which was nightly," Damon finished as they arrived at the table.
Stefan was already sitting with Rebekah and Elijah at the breakfast table. He was eating porridge and Damon's eyes got big as he wondered if there was sugar on top of it. Father would have never allowed that.
"I saw no need to make the child wait to eat. But next time, please be prompt," Elijah reprimanded.
"Sorry, Uncle Elijah, we were conversing about an interesting topic," Marcel said casting a sharp glance at Kol.
"Oh? And what would that be?" Elijah said taking Stefan's napkin and spreading it over his small lap.
"Damon dreamt that Kol here was drinking from a woman, like a demon," Marcel said pointedly.
Kol began to hum and asked Stefan if he knew the tune.
"Kol, not at the table, please," Elijah said sternly.
"Aye, of course, how inopportune of me. So lads, what would you like to do today?" Kol asked cheerfully.
"I want to go see Mother!" Stefan burst out as he knocked his glass of milk over.
Damon rose up to try to blot the milk up with his napkin. Elijah assured him, "No harm. The servants will take care of it."
Damon exhaled and sat back down. Stefan began to cry.
Rebekah hushed him. She cooed, "It is alright. It was just an accident, No harm done."
Stefan looked surprised, "Really?"
Elijah looked at Rebekah and then the boy, "Really, we have plenty more. Now, where is your mother?"
Damon cleared his throat, "We are not sure. Father had her sent away from consumption into the country last fall. We have not seen her since."
"Oh, how awful," Rebekah gasped. "Was she very sick?"
"She coughed up blood," Stefan said. "But she was getting better! Then, he made her go away."
Elijah said gently, "Consumption can be catching. Your father was probably afraid you would sicken, too."
"We think maybe she was sent to Harrison County," Damon interjected sadly.
"That is not that far from here," Marcel said softly.
"He said we cannot see her. No visitors are permitted and he said she was not any better," Damon said barely able to take another bite.
Marcel got up, "Excuse me, I need to help Papa with the new house. Uncle, do you need anything?"
"No, thank you, Marcellus. Kol, I will see you in my study after you finish your breakfast. Rebekah, will you take the boys into town for whatever they need?" Elijah asked before stalking off to his study.
Kol groaned and leaned back in his chair, "Bloody Marcellus!"
Rebekah snapped, "It is your own fault, you fool! Do not blame him. Boys, let us go. I do not want my brother's bad humor to ruin our morning. It is a lovely day to shop."
Damon and Stefan popped up to follow Rebekah quickly. Kol did suddenly seem like he was in a gloomy and rotten mood.
Mystic Falls
Town Square
"Cannot we just get our own clothes, Miss Rebekah? I have toy soldiers at my house," Stefan suggested.
"We can get your things when you father is out of town. It may be best if he does not see you for a while. How about you go pick out some new toys? We shall put them on my brothers' tab. I could use a new pair of gloves anyway. Kol likes to cut the fingers off mine when he gets angry with me, which is often," Rebekah giggled.
"That is naughty! He does wicked things," Stefan laughed back.
Rebekah tickled the boy softly, "Oh, is that amusing to you, you little imp? What lady walks around with her fingers bulging out of a perfectly good pair of gloves? I would look like a candidate for the insane asylum."
Damon even smiled, "Not you, Miss Rebekah, they would never put you in such a place!"
"Thank you, Damon. Do you have a sweetheart? A handsome boy like you must have girls all over him," Rebekah pressed.
"Father does not allow me to associate with young ladies. He thinks that I might get led down the path to hell," Damon repeated.
"Oh lord, did your father ever have any bloody fun in his whole life?" Rebekah gasped and covered her mouth and looked around. "Do not tell Elijah I said that! He threatened to wash my mouth out with carbolic soap if I cursed one more time this month."
Damon grew serious, "We would never tell."
Stefan agreed, "Never, Miss."
"You boys are sweet. Here is some money. Why do you not go to the general store? I will head to the milliner's and then meet you back here in a few minutes," Rebekah said. She might as well buy a new bonnet as long as she was in town.
Damon took the money, "Thank you. What shall we buy?"
Rebekah looked at him in surprise, "Why, whatever you two want? You are Mikaelsons now. Have fun, boys."
Stefan looked up at Damon with glee, "We can buy candies, Damon! I can get marbles, too."
"Sure, brother. If that is what you want," Damon smiled fondly he handed Stefan the money and the boy proudly slipped it into his jacket pocket.
"But maybe I should get Mother a gift. She likes flowers," Stefan said falling into despair.
"Stefan, look at me. Mother is ill. We cannot see her now," Damon chided.
"But you said she is in Harrison County. Ain't that coach going there?" Stefan said pointing at the sign on the coach several yards away.
"Is not," Damon automatically corrected. "It may be going near there, but that does not be we are permitted to go."
"Damon? Damon Salvatore? It is me, Fanny Maxwell! Remember? We met last summer at the church picnic when I was visiting my aunt," Fanny gushed. She had curly blond hair that peeked out of her bonnet. Damon noticed that a blush came to her cheeks when he leaned over to brush his lips over her small gloved hand, as he had been taught to do.
"It is a pleasure, Miss Maxwell. How is your dear aunt? I do wish you could visit your aunt more often. There has been talk that in a few years Mystic Falls will turn into a real town," Damon said conversely. He was captivated by this beautiful girl.
"Say, was that not your little brother? He just ah...hopped on that coach!" Fanny said pointing.
Damon was stunned. Brother? He had a brother and then it hit him. Stefan was gone.
"Oh Lord, he is only nine. I am going to skin that boy. Excuse me," Damon growled as he ran aimlessly after the coach yelling stop. Fanny shrugged her shoulders in defeat and brushed the dust from her skirt and turned to stalk off in the other direction.
"Miss Rebekah!" Damon hollered.
"Damon, whatever is wrong?" Rebekah said in slight irritation.
Damon huffed, "Stefan, um, took off in a coach to Harrison County!"
Rebekah stamped her foot, "Golly, I am going to skin that boy! Let us go!" They found the Mikaelson coach and Damon directed him to race in the direction of the first coach.
"I do not see them!" Damon said. Rebekah peered closed and told the driver to go faster.
"You can see that far?" Damon asked in surprised.
"Yes, I can," Rebekah said. "Do not worry. We will find him."
"And when we do, I am gonna really...," Damon started.
Rebekah put a hand on his arm, "He just wanted to see your mum, darling. He is just a boy."
Damon looked down, "I wanted to see her, too, but Father said we could not."
"So obedient. But you also protect him, do you not? From your Father?" Rebekah asked.
"I have to. He does not understand how Father gets when he drinks. Wait, they are slowing down," Damon shouted to the driver.
Rebekah jumped off the coach quickly than Damon thought possible. He blinked and followed her, almost stumbled. She caught up with the other coach on foot. Damon ran up huffing and puffing, but Rebekah was not out of breath.
"Are you out of your bloody mind?" She screamed at the driver. "Why would let a small child get on by himself You daft fool! Come, Stefan. We must go."
"No, Miss. We have to see Mother. Please," Stefan begged.
Rebekah looked at him with a serious gaze, "You will march your little behind off this coach and go with your brother right now if you know what is good for you!"
Stefan slowly hopped out of the coach and went to Damon. Damon grabbed him.
"What were you doing? I did not know where you were! Stefan, look at me. You cannot do that," Damon shouted. Stefan seemed to be in a fog.
"You answer me right now or I am going to give you a spanking!" Damon warned. That seemed to wake up Stefan and he covered his backside and turned as if to run back to the other coach. Damon caught him easily and dragged him back to the Mikaelson coach. He propped his boot up on the footrest and lifted Stefan over his left thigh. Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Stefan's little legs pinwheeled and kicked but Damon was determined to make it clear to his brother that this behavior was unacceptable. Whack! Whack! Whack!
Damon swatted Stefan's behind as hard as he could, but knew through the thick layers of his drawers, trousers and shirttail, the child probably felt almost nothing. Rebekah was still berating the coach driver and trying to figure how where a sanatorium was located.
Whap! Whap!
Damon felt a little better. Stefan finally let out a wail of frustration and began to cry. Damon picked him up and held him tightly.
"I want to see her, too, baby brother. But she is too sick," Damon said roughly. He soon felt Rebekah's hand rubbing his back.
"Come now, back into the coach, boys. We best get home before Stefan's not the only one getting a spanking," Rebekah quipped.
With his brother still cradling him, Stefan whined, "But I just got a spanking."
"Those little taps did not count for a spanking. You are a Mikaelson now. Now is as good as anytime for you to get Elijah's ruler on your bare behind," Rebekah said using her linen handkerchief to wear Stefan's tears away.
"Do not fuss about it, you are lucky if do not get a good strapping after all. Now sit still," Damon ordered, holding Stefan on his lap.
"I am not a baby, I can sit by myself!" Stefan argued.
"Fine," Damon said plopping his insolent little brother on the hard wooden seat across from them.
"Owwww, Damon. That stings," Stefan said wiggling to find a comfortable spot.
"Maybe you did give him a more proper smacking than I thought," Rebekah said impressed.
"No, Miss, he just likes to fuss," Damon teased as he gave his brother a small piece of candy he bought him at the store.
"What do you say now?" Rebekah prompted.
"Thank you, Damon, Here is your money back, Miss," Stefan said.
"Thank you, my sweet. You need not call me 'Miss.' It is just Rebekah," Rebekah offered. "We are to be family now."
"Well, thank you for the lovely morning, Rebekah!" Damon joked.
"Handsome, smart, and amusing. Who was that lovely lass you were speaking to?" Rebekah asked coyly.
"A Miss-Someone-Who-Will-Never-Speak-to-Me-Again, or Miss Fanny Maxwell," Damon explained.
"You can call on her later," Rebekah said.
"I do not know where she lives. I would like to bring my little brother here to make his apologies," Damon admitted.
"Do not worry, we shall locate her for you. I have my sources," Rebekah grinned.
An half hour later, they pulled up to the Mikaelson House.
Elijah said, "I was about to come looking for you!"
Rebekah nodded, "We had some issues." Rebekah filled Elijah in.
Elijah said, "Oh my, this will not do. It sounds like Stefan needs a little nap."
Damon wanted for his brother to protest, but the boy did not say a word.
Rebekah said, "He is rather tired now. I shall take him up."
Klaus and Marcel came in, "Brother, can I speak to you alone?"
Marcel asked Damon if he could show him his new horse.
Klaus grabbed Elijah's arm, "We checked into the records as you asked. It is not good. The mother, Lily Salvatore...She has been dead for months."
Elijah frowned and glanced upstairs, "Oh dear."