Chapter 26: Blood is the New Black

Author's note: In this chapter, Klaus is a ruthless human king who is at war with a mysterious kingdom that's rumored to be full of supernatural creatures, which he knows to be utter nonsense. He defeats an intriguing blonde warrior during battle and throws her into his dungeon in a misguided attempt to coax her into joining his army...and possibly his bed.


"How did I escape? With difficulty. How did I plan this moment? With pleasure."
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo


The sun's harsh rays glinted off the metallic helmet of Klaus' fierce opponent. He noted with interest the dried blood that clung to the row of sharp spikes jutting down the middle of the warrior's headpiece. Clearly, this was an exemplary soldier in the army of his enemy. Klaus felt his heart roaring in his chest as he could almost taste his inevitable victory. Out here in the midst of battle, with blades singing the sweet sounds of violence, was where he belonged. As ruler of the Kingdom of the Golden Dagger, he could have forfeited his place on the battlefield, and instead remained sequestered in the safety of his castle with Elijah, his most trusted advisor, and the rest of his court, but he was a ruthless king and intended to flaunt his superior strength and put his enemy in their place once and for all.

The nimble warrior swung a curved sword in a narrow arc that nearly sliced off a few of Klaus' dirty blonde curls, but as a trained fighter, he managed to duck just in time while delivering an answering blow to the enemy's elaborate iron breastplate. The satisfying clang of a well-placed blow to the intricate design on the armor fueled his ego and renewed his energy. As sweat ran down the hard planes of his handsome face, he sneered at his opponent, a warrior of the Crimson Kingdom, and delighted at the soldier's answering snarl, although all he could see from the fierce helmet was rage-filled blue eyes. There was something in that ferocious gaze that spoke to him, and he suspected that long after he had slain his opponent, he would remember the exact cerulean blue of that piercing stare.

His enemy was slight of stature, but carried their toned body with the confidence of a well-seasoned soldier who had survived the ravages of war time and time again, and slaked their thirst upon the defeated cries of their conquered. It was almost a pity to cross blades on opposing sides with this magnificent warrior. In another time, Klaus felt confident that he could have used such enviable skills to help lead his armies on the battlefield.

The Crimson Kingdom always had been a mysterious place to his people, a land rumored to be full of magic and immortal beasts who supposedly drank the blood of the innocent. Its citizens were secretive and odd, always keeping to themselves and never wanting to interact with neighboring kingdoms such as Klaus'. Intrigued by the mystique of the Crimson Kingdom, Klaus had authorized his soldiers to kidnap two of its residents and bring them to his dungeon for questioning.

Only a few days had passed since then, and he had yet to see any evidence of immortality or beastlike behavior from this Matt and April whom he had kidnapped. They were clearly as human as his own people and knew nothing of interest to him. It was just as he suspected — the supernatural did not exist. A fact that his mother, Esther, never would have accepted if she was still alive. Esther, also known to his people as the Mad Queen, had been plagued by crippling delusions for years which led to her attempting to kill her children on numerous occasions, convinced that they were evil creatures. Her reign over the Kingdom of the Golden Dagger had been fraught with conflict and scandalous rumors, from her nonsensical belief that she was a powerful witch to the even more ludicrous tale that she had mated with a troll and that Klaus was his son.

The warrior of the Crimson Kingdom planted the toe of their gray leather boot on the damp clover in the meadow and in a blindingly fast move, swept the other leg around, cleanly knocking Klaus' sword from his grasp. He spat out a myriad of curses, hell-bent on retrieving the sacred sword of his ancestors, and quickly rolled until he safely landed near the buried bronze hilt. Before he could wrench his sword from the damp earth, he was stunned by a gloved fist appearing out of nowhere and driving forcefully underneath his jaw, making him see stars.

The triumph he saw in his opponent's blazing eyes antagonized him, and he used the rage that coursed through his body to force himself to his feet. He saw on the horizon how the banners of his kingdom fluttered in the light breeze, majestic gold and ivory emblazoned with a slim dagger. The sounds of the surrounding battle gave him strength and he glimpsed out of the corner of his eye that his men were proudly holding the line on the battlefield. He remained confident that he would protect his land and his people from the Crimson Kingdom invaders.

Even now, he scoffed at the notion that this neighboring kingdom would show such weakness in starting a war with his people over the kidnapping of two insignificant peasants. Clearly, the Crimson Kingdom's ruler was a pitiful excuse for a king and Klaus had decided to set his sights on claiming their land and its people for his own. The king of the Crimson Kingdom was said to be a vicious, cold and calculating man, but given the immediacy with which he had sent his invading army to Klaus' kingdom over such a petty matter, indicated his obvious madness and inability to properly lead a nation.

Klaus yanked his sword from the earth quickly, the heavy bronze grip reassured him of his prowess as a warrior and he slashed the point perilously close to his opponent's neck, confident of his victory when the soldier surged forward, fearlessly moving with Klaus' blade in a beautiful silver dance of metal as the warrior brought the curved blade around, surprising Klaus when a narrow swath of his pale skin was sliced from his forearm.

Hissing as his blood dripped onto the battlefield, Klaus let out a vicious war cry, momentarily stunning his opponent which gave him the precious seconds needed to knock their own sword out of their hand and force them to their knees. He smashed the flat of his blade against the ominous spiked helmet of his opponent, effectively knocking it from their head and causing the warrior to collapse onto the blood-stained battlefield.

With the invigorating echoes of the battle surrounding him, he swung his mighty sword overhead, muscles tensing as he prepared to deliver the killing blow and take his rightful victory over this worthy warrior of the Crimson Kingdom. However, his gray eyes registered disbelief as he dumbly stared down at the golden woman before him. The sun's rays highlighted her blonde hair that had been pinned beneath her fierce helmet, whose curved metal arches had cruelly hidden her stunning beauty from the world.

That this angelic being had been such a powerful force against him was a revelation to the king and he was in awe of her magnificence. He immediately knelt before her unconscious body, quickly binding her wrists and ankles with sturdy leather straps and hauling her over his shoulder. He noted with cool confidence that his army had easily beaten back the Crimson Kingdom invaders, who seemed to have immediately retreated beyond the hills. With his glorious victory nearly secured, Klaus absconded with his precious war prize back to his castle.


The dungeon was cool and damp with the smells of decayed moss, unwashed bodies and the slightest taste of fear, mingling together to hang heavily in the air. Klaus came down the long, winding staircase, his heavy footfalls echoing against the rough-hewn stone. He could feel the blonde warrior's fiery gaze upon him as he sauntered down the narrow passageway to her prison. He felt the weight of his ancestors' sword within its leather sheath, and he enjoyed the way her eyes wandered curiously to the masterfully forged bronze hilt.

"See something you like, love," he asked with a knowing smirk, his dimples flashing innocently as he came to a stop mere inches from the iron bars of her jail.

She scoffed, rolling her blue eyes. "Hardly. Just trying to determine how such an inferior weapon managed to narrowly best mine." She cocked her blonde head, adding wryly, "Speaking of which, where is my blade? It offends me that it may bear smudges of my enemies' fingers rather than their blood."

Klaus let out a delighted laugh, his interest in the intriguing woman growing. His forearm ached where she had sliced into the flesh during their battle, but if anything, it made him more determined to know her. "I've no further interest in marking you as my enemy, sweetheart. What is your name?"

"I am Caroline," she answered confidently, and as she saw his mouth open to introduce himself, she held up her hand to stop him. "You are Klaus, ruler of this kingdom."

He grinned with pleasure. "Splendid, I see my reputation precedes me. It was unclear on the battlefield if you knew or if it was mere luck you chose to face me."

She let out a short laugh, her tone mocking. "Of course I know you, Klaus of the Golden Dagger Kingdom. And I need no luck on the battlefield — I make my own."

He stood a bit straighter at her laughter, his anger simmering just below the surface. "Have a care, sweetheart. I am king of this realm. In fact, they call me Klaus the Ruthless."

Caroline snorted, her body shaking with laughter. "Actually, they call you Klaus, the Troll King, behind your back, as you well know."

"That is a filthy lie told by insignificant peasants! There are no trolls or other supernatural beings or magic! There is only the human world and I shall rule it all, starting with your precious Crimson Kingdom," he seethed, stepping closer to the iron bars in an effort to make her submit, to bend her to his will.

"You think you could rule my homeland better than the king," she asked lightly, her tone mocking. She shook her head, her golden curls tumbling around her shoulders now that she had removed all of the pins.

Klaus found himself mesmerized by the soft movement of her locks, but quickly tried to reassert his dominance. With a smirk, he answered, "Of course, love. After all, the rumors of your pitiful king have reached my ears. Apparently, he spends his days attempting to stave off a civil war between your people, all because of a pair of brothers in his court who fell in love with a simpering maiden. A king who chooses to intervene in a ridiculous love triangle rather than lead his people is a pathetic excuse for a ruler."

Caroline wrapped her gloved fingers around the iron bars of her prison at his taunting, growling as she ineffectively pushed against the cool metal. "How dare you challenge the worth of my people's king. He possesses the best possible trait a ruler can have — a heart. He genuinely cares about his people which is why we're here to take back what was stolen. You had no right to imprison what is ours."

He favored her with a smug grin, delighting at her indignant tirade. "About that — I must question the wisdom of a king who deems it necessary to wage war on his neighbors simply over two missing peasants."

"Every life matters to my king," she swore, her blue eyes burning as she stared at him unflinchingly.

Raising a surprised brow, he countered, "Truth be told, love, I had considered releasing Matt and April after a bit, but now, I think I may place your king in a cell next to theirs."

Her blonde curls swirled around her like a golden halo as she shook her head. Frowning at his words, she asked curiously, "What did you hope to achieve in taking them? What did you gain?"

He clasped his hands behind his back, leaning in closer to his captive. "I wished to prove to my people that rumors of the supernatural in the Crimson Kingdom were falsehoods. Your people are no more immortal than we. There is no magic, no monsters. Just humans."

Caroline shrugged, her heavy breastplate shifting slightly as she acknowledged, "Deep down, we're all human. Despite how some refuse to behave like it."

Klaus enjoyed the glare she threw at him, hoping that he would have more occasions to see that fire within her burning so brightly. "Let's not quarrel, sweetheart. I've actually brought you here to discuss your future in my kingdom. You're obviously a skilled warrior in your homeland, and there is a place for you in my army."

She loosened her grip on the iron bars, regarding him skeptically. Her tone was flat as she inquired, "And your bed?"

He smirked, allowing his gray eyes to roam across the delicious lines of her toned body. "One step at a time, sweetheart."

Caroline gave him a cunning smile. "Don't waste your time. I won't be in here much longer."

Puzzled, Klaus started to ask what she meant when he heard the alarming noises of splintering wood and crashing stone. "What was that sound?"

"Triumph," she answered sweetly.

He whirled around, taking a few steps toward the entrance to the staircase but was taken by surprise when a man seemingly appeared out of nowhere, standing beside Caroline's prison. The dark-haired stranger bowed low, and with a mischievous grin addressed Caroline cheekily, "It's unbecoming to play with your food, my king."

Caroline sighed. "I suppose you're right, dear Enzo." Then, before Klaus' baffled gaze, she effortlessly bent the iron bars until she could slip through them. Brushing off her gloved hands, she regarded Klaus with amusement when she saw how he had drawn his sword at Enzo. "None of that, please," she told him briskly, swatting his prized possession out of his hand as Enzo whisked him back inside the cell previously occupied by Caroline. Dumbfounded, Klaus watched as she easily bent back the iron bars to prevent his escape.

Gray eyes calculating, Klaus said, "He called you king."

Enzo chuckled, and Caroline dismissed him with a gesture, commanding, "Go find wherever Klaus has placed Matt and April." Once he flashed away at that same disturbing speed, she turned to Klaus, a hand on her hip as she explained impatiently, "Of course he called me king. I am the king, you asshat. In my kingdom, titles are bestowed based upon ability, not something as trivial as gender."

She cocked her head to the side, studying him curiously. "You saw fit to threaten what is mine, so now I will take it back as well as claim what was once yours." Her tone grew playful as she repeated his earlier words. "You're obviously a skilled warrior. Perhaps there is a place for you in my army."

Klaus seemed to come back to himself as he took in this odd turn of events. He was clearly angry at her words, but also intrigued by the mysterious warrior king. With a smirk, he asked, "And what of your bed, sweetheart?"

"One step at a time," Caroline chuckled, startling him as black veins crawled underneath her eyes and sharp fangs framed her sly smile.