Chapter 5
Later that evening Isabella stood quietly at the top of the stair balcony, watching as her Father's guests began pouring into the house. The very sight caused her stomach to churn from nerves. She counted about ten families so far with young and middle-aged bachelors. Some of whom she was not acquainted with, but that was just her Father all over. He wouldn't care if she was thrust into the arms of the most profane man in the world just as long as his reputation remained unharmed.
'Mother forgive me. I don't think I can do this.' Isabella thought to herself ducking behind a wall, so she was out of sight.
"Bella?"
A voice from behind caused the young girl to nearly jump out her skin. She twirled round and came face to face with her Sister in law.
"Elena, you scared me." Isabella gasps out putting a hand to her chest.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Elena giggles.
"No, no its fine. I was just…" Isabella trails off glancing over her right shoulder to the party down below.
"You were just hiding, is that it?" Elena questions dropping all humor after seeing the look of upset on the girl's face.
Isabella not saying word just sighs and slumps her shoulders. After tonight her life would no longer be her own. By will or by force one of those unlucky bachelors down there would be leaving here tonight named as her betrothed.
"Bella, look at me." Elena softly spoke, getting her Sister's attention. "You know you have absolutely nothing to be afraid of, right? Everything is going to work out fine."
"How? How can this possibly work out? I am only eighteen Elena and already my life is falling apart. I'm not ready to become a bride, especially to a complete stranger. I swore when I was a child that if I were to marry it would not be out of obligation or wealth. It would be for love and that alone in which I will ever consider giving myself to another. Only now… I am out of time" Isabella says narrowing her gaze to the floor.
"Well… Perhaps it won't be all that bad." Elena says. This causes Isabella to look back up at her. "I mean wouldn't you agree that marriage is rather the most ideal option for you right now?"
"What are you trying to say, Elena?" Isabella asks, frowning.
Elena knowing full well that if she didn't tread carefully for the next thing she was about say she would end up offending her Sister.
"I just meant that, maybe you should give it a chance. This way once you are married, you'll be able to rise out of your Father's power and finally be free." She says.
"But I won't, will I?" Isabella states shaking her head. "I won't be free. At least, not in the way I've dreamed."
Just then both women are startled when they hear Giuseppe calling up the staircase.
"Isabella! Where are you child?!"
Isabella closes her eyes for a second and silently wishes she could just disappear at that moment. She dreaded the thought of going down there and having to face all those people when she barely had the self-confidence as it is. She was bound to make a fool of herself tonight and when she did her Father would no doubt take a whip to her.
"Isabella!"
"I'm on way, Papa!" Isabella calls back. But before she could go anywhere, she felt Elena grab her hand.
"Bella, please. Do the right thing. If not for yourself then for Stefan and Damon. Do it for them" Elena pleaded.
Isabella not agreeing nor disagreeing quickly gives her Sister a hug before taking to the stairs going to join her Father.
Klaus had just arrived at the Salvatore manor after having compelled the girl from the florist shop. He had seen and heard Isabella talking with the girl and so had her tell him where she lived. He had obtained every bit of information of what 'Miss Hale' knew of the beautiful Isabella before compelling her to forget he was ever there.
He was not at all happy by how Isabella seemed to be the black sheep of her family. From what he understood her Father had a fetish for being somewhat of a tyrant to her. If there was one thing Klaus couldn't stand in life it was men who got off on abusing women. And the thought of this Giuseppe Salvatore laying a harmful hand on Isabella made Klaus's blood boil. It caused him to have flashbacks of the time Isabeta was beaten by Silas, it seemed like history was cruelly repeating itself. However, this time round Klaus would ensure to rid of all the poisonous filth without hesitation. This time he would keep his love no matter what he had to do.
As he walks round the manor he glances round the abode. It was quaint and humble, however there was a dark feel to it he could tell. He makes his way through the crowd of people nodding his head to anyone who greeted him.
As he comes to the main room, he stops upon catching the intoxicating smell of Isabella's scent. Klaus looks round the room knowing she had to be close by. And as few guests move from out of view his breath hitches.
There she was.
Isabella Salvatore.
She stood out amongst the crowd like a delicate angel. Beautiful as the moment he first beheld her in that street. He stood there taking every bit of her in. From her waist length chestnut brown hair that fell around her shoulders in stunning curls. To her ravishing midnight blue dress that complimented her soft milky white porcelain skin perfectly. And lips that begged to be kissed both gently yet passionately.
Klaus had difficulty controlling himself as he continued to see flashes of his lost love. One second she was Isabella and the next she was Isabeta.
She was currently stood off on the other side of the room with a gentleman who looked to be in his early fifty's. Klaus couldn't help but notice how distressed and out of place Isabella seemed. Not that he could blame her. After all, she was being pressured into marriage and Klaus was not blind to how seriously it was affecting her. But he would see to that. By the end of this night he would win Isabella's love and give her the life she deserved.
"Papa, I don't think I can go through with this."
Klaus overhears Isabella tell the man. So that was her Father. Well at least he could now put a name to a face.
"What do you mean you can't go through with it? Of course you can. You have no say in the matter." Giuseppe states, bitterly.
"No, I can't Papa. This doesn't feel right." Isabella says, timidly.
"Yes you can and you will child. Now stop with this nonsense, you're making a holy show of yourself." Giuseppe hissed upon noticing some of the guests looking at them.
"But Papa…"
Suddenly Isabella was cut off as her Father gripped her wrist so hard it caused her to whimper in pain. And for Klaus that was the last straw as he watched the man attempt to drag his daughter out of the room with no one coming to her aid. He would make him pay. Giuseppe Salvatore would die at his hands.
"Papa, your hurting me." Isabella sobs, fighting to get free.
"I will teach you to speak back to me! If you will not obey me Isabella then you will suffer the consequences!" Giuseppe seethes into her ear.
"No Papa please, not that!" Isabella cries as her Father moves and pushes her past the guests with an intent to commit evil.
Isabella now absolutely frightened looks round the room for her Brothers in hopes that they would come to her rescue. But unfortunately for her they were nowhere to be found. She knew her Father would surely kill her this time for trying to destroy his plans. But no matter what happened she would stand by her morals. And if she survived this punishment, she swore she would run as far away from this man as possible.
Without warning though her Father's grip suddenly vanished as he was forcefully grabbed from behind. Isabella spun round just in time to see him get thrown across the room. The guests cry and gasp out in shock as Isabella witness's them move away from a man who had his back to her. He had curly short dirty blonde hair. He appeared to be standing at her defense. Though she had never seen him before.
Two guests help her Father back to his feet and immediately Isabella sucks in a breath knowing there was going to be trouble.
"How dare you sir." Giuseppe says seething at the man who had thrown him.
"How dare I? How dare you." Klaus says leering at the eldest Salvatore. "Laying a hand on a lady in a such a sadistic manner. You should be ashamed of yourself."
Upon hearing the mans voice Isabella stiffens in place. Something about that voice. It was familiar, and yet she couldn't place it.
Giuseppe grits his teeth. "What I do with my daughter is no concern of yours." He says.
"I disagree. When I see an innocent young lady in distress because her Father is being a malicious bastard, you make it my concern." Klaus corrects him. He really wanted to tear Giuseppe's heart out.
Isabella's eyes widen at this man's straight forwardness. For a stranger to come along and confront her Father on his behavior was both brave yet concerning. Her Father was a powerful man and this gentleman did not want to make an enemy out of him. Awful things happened to people who enraged her Father. Herself included.
"And who are you to judge me?!" Giuseppe shouts.
Klaus smirks at him. "I'm Klaus Mikaelson." He says.
Immediately the entire room gasps in disbelief and horror. Everyone in Mystic Fall's had heard of the legendary Klaus Mikaelson, but suspected he was only a myth. Like a ghost story that you would use to scare others. No one would ever have suspected he was real. And yet here he stood. The man who could never die. The man who had burnt down cities and slaughtered thousands of lives in retaliation for the loss of his wife.
Before Isabella knew what she was saying, she finds herself uttering a name.
"Niklaus."
His breath hitches again upon hearing her call him by the name he had not gone by for over a thousand years. No one had ever called him that besides his family and his… Wife.
Klaus slowly turns to face her and the second his eyes found hers everything and everyone around him faded away. Suddenly gravity was no longer what was holding him to this earth. It was her. The beautiful angelic Isabella Salvatore.
"Oh my god." Isabella gasps. She carefully approaches the man whom she had dreamt of since she was a little girl. Hoping with all her might that he would not fade away this time. "It is you." She whispers in astonishment.
As she neared him Klaus willed himself to close the distance between them. And as Isabella came to stand before him, she slowly reached her hand up to cup his cheek. Klaus's eyes flutter shut as his wolf purrs in happiness at the familiar touch of its mate. He reaches up covering her hand with his own, nuzzling his nose into the softness of her palm.
"You are real." Isabella says, smiling as tears shone in her eyes. Just then though from behind Klaus she saw her Father aim a pistol at him and gasps. "No Papa!" She screams wide eyed.
Klaus immediately reacts to this. No sooner did the gun fire he rapidly swoops Isabella up into his arms bridal style. The guests then watch in astonishment as he vanishes into thin air with Isabella in hand.
Author's Note: That was quick thinking on Klaus's part. In the next chapter we will see Klaus and Isabella talk and get to know each other. And also, Stefan and Damon will be out on the hunt for their Sister. But will they find her?
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