Caroline went looking for Bonnie immediately, she found her with Katerina and Elena, cloistered in the corner of the courtyard. Bonnie reached out to her, pulling her into her side, and rubbing her arms soothingly. "Are you okay?"
Caroline sighed loudly, "It's hard looking into his eyes, and seeing no recognition."
Elena had completely paled at her arrival, voice strained, "Kitty, why didn't you tell me Caroline was alive?"
Kat raised a dark brow at her tone, "I wanted it to be surprise! E?"
Looking like she was about to throw up, Elena ignored Katerina, grasping Caroline's hands suddenly in desperation. "I'm so sorry, Caroline. I had no idea."
Glancing in confusion at Kat, "Do you have any idea what she's talking about?"
Shaking her head, she motioned them into the library, free from prying eyes. Bonnie helped Elena sit down, she was genuinely shaken, and Caroline filled a glass of bourbon, handing it to the sorceress, before kneeling in front of her, her hands on Elena's knees.
She met her eyes beseechingly, "Elena, what do you mean you're sorry?"
Taking a huge sip of the alcohol, the sorceress wiped her mouth with her hand. "Again, I didn't know you were alive."
Caroline nodded as if in understanding, moving from the floor to the couch, sitting close to Elena.
"A couple of weeks ago, Damon and I were at home, waiting on Rebekah and Stefan's arrival. Kitty, Elijah, Stefan and Rebekah, all come over on Monday nights for dinner and the Bachelor." Elijah watched the Bachelor? What have I missed?Another gulp of bourbon, emptying the contents. "Elijah and Katerina weren't able to make it that week, so while we waited for Stefan and Rebekah, umm Klaus showed up."
Handing the glass off to Bonnie, the witch returned with a full glass. "He was a wreck, he was a full wolf one second, a crazed immortal the next." Caroline took the glass taking a gulp of the amber liquid next.
"He fought me and Damon, our contractor is still trying to figure out a way to get rid of the huge claw marks in the walls. He just kept howling and sniffing the air, every millisecond he was human, he was screaming your name." Caroline finished the glass this time, handing it off to Bonnie for a refill. Gods, the pain he must have felt.
Genuine compassion lit the sorceresses eyes, "He was in such pain, Caroline. Niklaus Mikaelson may terrify me, and with good reason, but I wouldn't wish that kind of agony on anyone."
Kat moved to place a comforting arm around her sister's shoulder. "So when Rebekah and Stefan asked if I could make him forget you, so he wouldn't be in such pain. I… did it."
Bonnie gasped. Caroline's face went blank.
"Can you undo it?" She inquired, her voice monotone. She wasn't mad at Elena, actually grateful that she had given him some peace during the three years, she just wished it could have been reversed more easily.
Elena nodded frantically but then shook her head equally as frantically.
Katerina interrupted Caroline's response, "Well which is it E? You can undo it or you can't?"
Elena didn't even glance at her twin, focusing on Caroline instead, "I can try to undo it, but he's strong Caroline. He was able to fight my persuasion before, if I tell him to remember you, there's no guarantee his mind won't reject it."
"And if his mind does reject it?" Her voice full of dread.
Elena shrugged miserably, "I honestly wish I could tell you what will happen."
Standing abruptly, Caroline began to pace. "I have to tell him everything, and let him choose. I would want that choice for myself." She had forced him to give her the choice to stay with him before, she could give him this choice now.
A polite knock came at the door, before it opened revealing Freya. "Caroline, Klaus is looking for you, he's getting a bit-" delicate clearing of her throat, "a bit hostile, the longer he searches."
Some things never change, Memory or not.
"I'll be right there." She called.
Freya retreated, and Caroline turned back to Elena. "I'll tell him and let him choose."
Bracing herself, she exited the library, she took no more than two steps before she felt Niklaus come up behind her. Pretend.
"Something I can help you with, Your Majesty?" Without turning to face him, she could almost feel him pulling in her scent.
"I believe you promised me a dance, Miss Forbes." Though his voice was suave, she sensed his nerves. Was he nervous she would run?
Smiling to herself, she turned back to face him. Does he have to be so handsome when he doesn't remember me?
She curtsied low, using the opportunity to compose herself, for what was going to be a terrible awkward conversation. Hey I know we just met, but I know I'm your mate and the reason you don't remember me is because you thought I died and a sorceress compelled you to forget everything about me? Best case scenario he thinks I'm lying, worst case…
Coming to a stand, she smiled brightly masking her pain, "So I did your majesty."
He offered his arm to escort her to the ballroom, where soft trills of Beethoven originated from. She was thankful for her pageant phase, for classical dancing was something in her repertoire. At sixteen, she'd begged Annika to let her enter the Miss New Orleans pageant, she'd craved something normal, and thought that was normal. She'd even studied in between trainings to get ready for the great reveal to her foster mother so she could show her that she would be able to enter and win the pageant. Annika's face had fallen when she'd asked her and she'd pulled her and Emmaline aside. My loves, you are not humans, and you will never be human, I know it's strange to understand now. You are immortals, and as immortals you have gifts that humans will never have. Caroline, I have no doubt if you entered that pageant you would win it easily, but what then? Members of the Lore cannot be public figures, it draws too much attention. I'm sorry.
She hadn't understood then, but she did now. Even as Klaus took her into his arms for his dance, she remembered that lesson. Why be normal, when you can be so much more?
"I seem to not be the object of your sole attention, Miss Forbes. I'm heartbroken."
She chuckled at his wit, "I was thinking of the past."
"Why dwell on the past, when I believe your future might turn out to be far more interesting." There was no mistaking the heat in his voice.
Blushing at his innuendo, she cleared her throat gently, "What do you think of, um, your past?" Smooth, Caroline.
He raised a curious eyebrow as they twirled, "I've lived for over a thousand years, Miss Forbes, you'll have to be more specific."
She blushed again at his comment, did he have to be so Klaus about it? "More recent history then, say the last three years?"
His hand tightened imperceptibly on her waist, "Why would you ask that?"
"I spoke with Katerina earlier, she said this party was to celebrate your return after a three year absence?" She scrambled to cover her slip.
"My sister-in-law talks too much. I'd rather hear about you. Where did you come from?"
Goddamnit Niklaus. "I grew up right here in Val Hall with my aunts."
"Val Hall, huh? I've heard the place is madness personified."
She chuckled at the extremely apt description. "There was never a dull moment, that's to be sure."
His face and voice took a note of seriousness, "I doubt there's ever a dull moment with you."
She almost froze to the ground, coming close to stumbling, but covered it, "You'd be right."
His intense gaze locked on her face, his hazel eyes pulling her in. His voice was distant and puzzled as he continued to lock eyes with her. "When I first saw you tonight, I thought there She is. It was like you'd been missing, and when you faced me, I felt this rush of calm. Strange isn't it? That I could feel that way about a total stranger."
She opened her mouth to struggle through the truth, but the music ended and he stepped away from her. Bowing slightly his satisfied smile returned, "Till next time, Miss Forbes."
Turning his back on her, he went back to the crowd, missing her instinctive step to follow him.
The man will just not hold still. With the crush of immortals clamoring in curiosity at her, she felt the room to crowded, and the events of the last few days seemed to hit her all at once. Her breath was coming shorter, not now! Not now! Feeling the charge of electricity on her skin, she knew she had to get out of the public eye immediately. Trying to walk calmly from the room, she made it to Klaus's studio, slamming the door behind her, as the electricity began to spark from her fingers. Apparently, an anxiety disorder and god powers tied to her emotions were not an ideal mix.
No, no, no. Not now. But the feeling of closing in on her, her breath coming in faster pants, would not be denied. Leaning her forehead heavily against the wall across from the entrance, where she'd once caught Klaus sketching her from memory, she tried to stave off the panic attack building. Not when my powers are already acting up. The lightning was crawling up her wrists, control, control, breathe, breathe. She dug her claws in the wall in an attempt to ground herself. It didn't work.
She heard the door click closed behind her, without looking she shouted, "Get the hell out!"
"Last time I checked this was my studio." His voice was light with humor.
Glancing over her bare shoulder, Klaus stood with his back resting on the closed door. His satisfied smirk, the last thing she needed. Of course he followed me.
"Trust me, Klaus, you don't want to be in here right now." She could barely get the words out over her frantic breathing, the lightning climbing past her elbows.
He moved swiftly across the room, concern furrowing his brow, grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her to face him. He only glanced briefly at her electrified arms before holding her face delicately in his hands. Without saying another word, he placed a delicate kiss on her lips. Holding her breath, she slowly felt her eyes slide shut as she deepened the kiss. Backing her up to be wedged between the wall and him, she forgot herself as she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
He pulled back slightly, breaking their kiss, asking in a breathy voice, "Better?"
Her anxiety lessened, able to breath normally, "Is that why you kissed me? To calm me down?" Disappointment flooded her, dropping her arms from his neck.
Grabbing her chin, he forced her eyes to his, "I kissed you, because I couldn't imagine not kissing you, calming you down was an added side benefit." He emphasized his statement by placing another hard kiss on her lips. "What was the electricity about?"
She'd forgotten about the lightning climbing her arms, shoving away from Klaus she immediately started pacing,"Gods! I could have killed you! If you ever see me like that again, run Klaus. I'm serious, don't think about it, just run."
He snickered at her worry, stepping into her path to stop her pacing. Moving the lock of blonde hair that had come loose from her elaborate hair style away from her face. "I do as I please, Caroline, and I wasn't hurt by a little electricity."
Snapping her head up, she grabbed him checking where her hand had hit him, noticing that despite some charring on his suit collar, he was completely fine. How in the hell?
"You weren't hurt? At all?"
His brows came down in confusion, "Why would I be? It was just a little lightning."
"No Klaus it wasn't! last time lightning like that came over my skin I killed almost five hundred vampires and blew up a house in the Garden District!"
He stepped back, confusion at her statement making his head feel foggy. Shaking his head as if to clear his confusion, why did that sound so familiar? When the fogginess escalated to pain, he felt as if his skull was being torn in two, falling to his knees he glared at Caroline, but she wavered out of focus. "Who are you?" He growled.
"Klaus! What's happening?" Her voice was frantic, dropping to her knees, holding his head to hers.
"Who are you! Why do I know you but not know you! Ahh my head!"
When he fell to his side, cradling his head. She moved next to him, pulling his head into her lap, desperate she began whispering soothing words to him, pulling his hair back from his face. "I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry, Klaus, I'm so sorry."
When the pain began to recede at her touch, he couldn't help but notice she still hadn't answered his question. When she began to hum a soothing tune, he felt his eyes close in relief, and his mind drift. Who is she?
With his eyes still closed he murmured, "You didn't answer the question." Her hand stopped abruptly and her humming drifted off.
She tried for a casual laugh, "You know who I am, we were introduced earlier." She didn't think she pulled it off.
Pulling his head off her lap, and turned to face her fully. Kneeling, in front of her, his eyes looked so sincere and confused, her heart broke a little.
"I mean who are you to me Caroline. And I don't mean as my mate, something which I feel like you already know," she gave a small nod of her head, "I mean why do I feel like I know you but don't. Like your entire existence is just a complete blank?"
She felt the single tear slide down her cheek. No better time than this, "We do know each other Klaus." When he opened his mouth to interrupt, she laid a single finger against his lips. "Please shh. I have to tell you the whole thing Klaus, without interruptions, or i'll never be able to get through it all." After a second he nodded his head in silence.
She wiped the tear away, "The first time we met was when I lead Katerina, Bonnie and Stefan, to rescue you and your siblings from the island. When we managed to get you all away from the facility and back to New Orleans, you finally woke up. You'd been severely injured, and it took you two whole days to recover. When you did wake up, you informed me that I was your mate and that I had to do everything you said or face the consequences." A watery chuckle. "Gods I hated you. You were so arrogant, controlling and charming. I fought you every step of the way. But somehow, you made me fall for you." Sniffling, "Then Mikael captured me intending to make you watch when he killed your treasured mate, but when he tried to take my head, the lightning protected me, but the power was soon out of my control. I killed Mikael and his army, Freya had just enough time to throw up a shield to prevent me from killing you too."
"How can I not remember this?"
"A sorceress made you forget-"
"What. Sorceress." This uttered through clenched teeth.
"She did it to help you! You didn't let me finish. So when I killed everyone, I sort of blew up, I left only a small pile of dust behind. Everyone assumed I was dead. You assumed I was dead."
"But you weren't."
She shook her head solemnly, "No, I wasn't. I was teleported, ripped through space and time. When I woke up, I was in Valhalla." He kept his face a mask but she heard his heart skip. Rushing through the rest, she stumbled over her words,"Freyja was there and she told me who I really was. Apparently I'm Wöden reincarnated, and I need to find and destroy whatever shadowy being has been killing gods in their sleep for the last millennium. When I got back from Valhalla, I hadn't realized there was a time jump between, minutes for me was three years for you."
"And my memory?" His voice was soft and quite, but she felt the storm brewing.
"You invaded a sorceress's house, completely maddened, yelling for me. The sorceress erased your memory, hoping to spare you more pain." Caroline felt it wise to keep Elena's identity a secret, this was still Klaus after all.
He was completely silent starring at her, his eyes like lasers on her neck, "How am I to believe all this?" He jumped to his feet, pacing, throwing a fist through the plastered wall, the entire foundation shaking. "I recognize you as my mate, but you don't wear my mark."
"Oh!" She warily got to her feet, come on, stupid god powers, work!. Feeling targeted electricity on her neck, Freya's glamour burned away. "Freya and I didn't want to freak you out." She added carelessly.
"Freya? My sister is involved in this? How many of my siblings have been a part of this ignorance is bliss plot?" He spat the last words, so she mulishly pressed her lips shut. "Who knew about this?!" Klaus was starting lose his temper, reaching out to grab Caroline to shake her, he barely felt her skin before he was shot back by her leg coming up and her foot on his stomach, kicked him back into the wall.
"They just wanted to spare you pain! Is that so wrong?!"
He stood straight in a blur, "Yes! It is!" After a thousand years of betrayals, this seemed to dig the deepest. "My entire family, has colluded together to not only feign ignorance over my memory loss but likely caused it! And you! You, my mate for life, were going to go along with this? Till, what? you got bored of the game?" Klaus was unwilling to be rational, to erase the memory of his mate, there was no greater betrayal, even Ester's had not cut so deep. He ground his teeth, his siblings had stolen the memory of marking his mate! They knew how he longed for his mate, how his nightmares stole his sleep, and still!
"Oh!" Huffing in anger, she moved forward to get in his face, "It was agony to look into your eyes and see no recognition! Which is why I told you the truth when you asked! Maybe you need time to deal with this, I should go."
Making a move towards the door, Klaus suddenly blocked her way. "Go? I thought you were my mate?" The last said mockingly, "My mate belongs to me, with me."
"I would have said that was true, if you still had your memory and weren't being such a colossal asshole right now! But since you're determined to be a dick, I'll be spending the night with my aunts." When she moved to dart around him, he grabbed her arm to stop her. Leaning into his hand, she used all her weight to body check him back a few steps. Slipping from the room before he could recover.
"Caroline!" He roared, following her from the room.
She made it to the courtyard before he caught up with her, and even with the audience of immortals, he grabbed her arm, "You are not going anywhere!"
Whirling around, "Watch me." Sweeping her leg out, she took him to the ground, standing straight again. With a flash of lightning, she was gone.
Still filled with rage, he roared, "Freya!" Before stomping through the stunned immortals, towards his sister's scent. The wary immortals began to silently slip from the compound, though an entertaining and fascinating night, many knew when it was time to leave.
"Freya!" Throwing open the library doors, Freya was with the twin sorceresses, and things clicked for Klaus. Charging forward he had Elena by the throat, "It was you! You took my memory!" Just as Elena began to gasp for air, he was suddenly holding Caroline by the throat, her pale skin turning blue. In horror he let go, the illusion lifting as Elena fell to the ground. Baring his teeth at Katerina, "Don't try that again."
Freya moved to stand between her brother and the sorceresses, "Where's Caroline?"
"We will come to your treachery in a moment, sister. Can you repair my memory? Can you?" His tone left no room for denials or explanations.
Elena coughed, rubbing her throat, "I can try but you'll remember everything Klaus. Not just Caroline but also the years of pain you endured after she disappeared. I can't give you just some of your memories, it's either all or nothing."
"Do it." He muttered, bracing himself.
"No!" Freya threw her hand over the sorceress's mouth, stopping any command. "Niklaus, you don't know what it was like, at least take some time to think about it. You were in such agony for years! We just got you and Caroline back, what if you regain your memory only to go mad once more?"
"Then it would be my choice! My problem!" He snapped at Freya, he's eyes glowing. "Do it."
Bowing his head, he let Elena approach and place her hands on his head. "Remember everything. Remember." Her eyebrows came down in irritation, "Something's fighting me. It might be easier if you were asleep."
"No." He replied resolutely. His tone left no room for argument.
Freya began fretting, fidgeting with her amulet. "Remember."
"Remember." Elena's voice rose with irritation and the blue flecks of her magic began to pulse with her effort.
"Remember. Remember!" She yelled.
Then like the air being sucked from the room, every spec of her magic shot into him, and she collapsed. Both Katerina and Freya turned to Elena, failing to notice that Klaus's eyes had turned completely white. They'd flickered back to normal by the time Freya turned to look at him, "Niklaus?"
Katerina cradled her sister's head in her lap, ignoring his sister he addressed the sorceress, "When she awakens tell her she was successful. I remember now."
Without another word he exited the room, Freya racing after him, "Brother! Where are you going?"
Not even bothering to glance back he murmured, "To get my Queen back."
Val Hall stood proudly on the edge of New Orleans, the once picturesque ancestral mansion, was falling apart at the seams. The ground surrounding the manor was littered with lightning rods, marked lightning produced by the myriad of Valkyrie within constantly flashed. A dilapidated Bentley sat alone in the drive way, with what looked like beach sand, filling the passenger side. Eeriest of all were the spectral beings clad in red tattered robes that circled the manor. If you happened to see inside their robes you'd see decaying flesh before the illusion of the once beautiful woman took its place. Standing on the street, he saw several Valkyries peering at him from within, but not the one he was looking for. Looks like it's time to meet the in-laws.
He sent a glare at the wraiths circling the manor, warning them against trying to stop him. The wraiths seemed to screech at his arrival flying frantically around the manor. Moving forward, he felt the chaotic spirit of the wolf move within him, and knew his eyes turned white. He heard the screeches and gasps of shocks from within as the wraiths didn't bother to stop his approach, parting their circle to allow him entrance without the fee of a lock of hair. Most immortals were forced to offer up a lock of Valkyrie hair in order to pass, or be violently thrown back, the Ancient Scourge was resolute, never wavering except for now. He couldn't stop the victorious smirk as he stepped onto the porch of the manor. To prove a point, he raised his hand to knock loudly on the front door, the white paint peeling from the various claw marks on it. He could have burst inside, none could stop him, but he didn't want to wage war against the Valkyrie, Caroline would never forgive him.
The front door swung open, revealing a glowing Valkyrie, one he remembered from before his imprisonment. "Regin the Radiant." He nodded his head in her direction respectfully, his hands clasped behind his back.
The Valkyrie got right to the point, "What did you do to the wraiths?"
He slowly took in the at least twenty Valkyrie crowded in the entryway. Caroline was not among them. "I did nothing to the Ancient Scourge."
Regin held the door in a death grip, blocking his entrance, "Your eyes were white."
Raising a brow, he replied, "Were they?" His voice lilting with amusement.
Regin's eyebrows came down in confusion, "What are you?"
"I'm looking for my Queen."
Another Valkyrie came to stand next to Regin, her dark brown hair whipping around her head, "I would never give my daughter to one such as you." This must be Annika, Caroline's foster mother. Tread carefully.
He tried to stop the knowing smile stretching across his face, and failed. "It's a bit late for your permission, Valkyrie."
The screech Annika released had car alarms sounding, and his ear bleeding, still he maintained his knowing smile. "You can screech all you want, Valkyrie. You won't change the facts, you've acquired a new son-by-fate."
Yet another Valkyrie held Annika back from when she would have lunged at him. Was there no end to the amount of Valkyries under this roof?
Ignoring the struggling Annika, he addressed Regin, "Are you going to step aside so I can see Caroline?"
The last of the Radiant ones, Regin was rumored to be crass and cruel prankster, but when the immortal glared at the Hybrid King on their doorstep she felt something completely unfamiliar to her, fear.
Stepping back to allow him entrance, she stated, "She won't want to talk to you, saying something about what a fucking asshole you were before slamming the door. Octavia went up to keep her company."
He nodded regally, stepping past the front door. Hisses at his entrance echoed from every corner. His eyes swept the room briefly before following Caroline's scent to the third floor. If he thought the madness of Val Hall's exterior would have hidden an orderly, military existence he was quickly disabused of that notion. There were weapon imprints littering the walls, even a mace still impaled in one. There were various weapons littered on the floor, everything from a broadsword to what he was pretty sure was a type of bazooka. Armor and clothes were discarded in various piles through out the hallway. He turned the corner and noticed another Valkyrie sitting on the floor, leaning against a closed bedroom door. With dark brown hair, olive skin, and bright blue eyes, he guessed this was Octavia. She was shouting at the closed door, "Come on, let's go on a hunt, it'll make you forget all about him!" She was trying to sound optimistic but her venom at Caroline's choice in men was evident.
Octavia noticed his presence, lunging to her feet, before he could explain himself, there were two knives impaled in his shoulder. She let out a battle cry but he was ready for her, when she came flying at him, he stepped to the side just as she launched into the air, catching her in the midsection with a single hand, and slamming her into the floor. The echo reverberated through out the mansion; Caroline's bedroom door opening slightly as she stuck her head out.
"Klaus!" She scurried our of her room, noticing him holding Octavia pinned to the ground. "Let her go!"
Smiling, unrepentant, he made eye contact with Caroline, and his voice deepened, "As you wish, my Queen."
Taking his hand off the Valkyrie, he stood, dispassionately yanking the two blades out of his shoulder. He dropped the two knives on either side of Octavia's neck, embedding them in the floor, the message was clear, next time I won't miss. Caroline self consciously pulled tighter the cotton robe she was wearing, all evidence of the ball erased. "Thanks O. I think I'll take it from here." Opening the door to her room, gesturing Klaus inside. His smile turned dark as the other Valkyrie departed and he entered Caroline's room. He don't know what he expected when he entered her childhood bedroom, but he definitely didn't expect to see a wall covered with diploma plaques. All from Tulane, they ranged from medieval history and Chinese to social work and child development. He also noticed several had the words Ph. D. On it. Next to each diploma she'd taped a picture of her and Emmaline in her graduation robes. Emma wore matching robes in several of the pictures. Caroline noted his interest, "I, um, thought going to school was a good way to be more –" she broke off suddenly.
"To be more human." He finished for her. "An ideal I see Emmaline once shared?"
She nodded, moving to stand next to him. "School was also the only place Annika let us go without full armed body guards. I kept going back because I was looking for something I guess." She fingered one of her polaroids self consciously. "What are you doing here Klaus?"
He ignored her question, "So many of them have to do with child development, do you want children, Caroline?"
She blushed at the question, looking down at her bare feet. "I never thought about it. I don't know if I have what it takes to be a mother."
"You would be a fantastic mother." He said resolutely, turning to face her.
"How do you know that?" She titled her head slightly, facing him. "You don't know anything about me." Her sorrow laced in the statement.
He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, "You took two young witches under your wing, willing to battle anything to protect them, even lay down your life. I can only assume you would do the same for our children."
"But Davina and Bonnie were special… Wait, how do you know about that?"
Placing his hands gently on her arms, merely looking into her eyes. His eyes tender as he just simply gazed at her.
"Do you.. do you remember?" Hope, making her stutter.
He just kept looking at her saying nothing, as if memorizing every line and curve. Moving his hands up to cup her face, "Elena reversed her magic, shortly after you fled." He smirked at her blush. "She persuaded me to remember, I don't think she realized how vague the command was. She gave me back memories I didn't even know were missing."
Putting a hand on one of his, pressing it against her cheek, "What memories?"
"Let me show you," closing his eyes he placed his forehead against Caroline's feeling the rush of new power flowing through him, letting her see into his mind..
He kept his eyes alert as he prowled next to the horse with his King astride the steed. They were in enemy territory, and an attack could come from any quarter. His king sighed wearily, stepping down from his horse. Building a fire, the old king sat next to it letting it warm him. His king was old, older than the guise he wore suggested. His staff laid next to him and the firelight emphasizing the eye patch hiding his old war wound. A long grey beard, distracted people from his incredibly clever and tricky eyes. Moving to his king's side, his brother an all white wolf took up the other. The two wolves had been at Wöden's side for as long as he roamed the earth. They'd known him by many names, Óðinn, Wotan, and now Wöden. As Midgard changed so did their king. "Something's wrong, boys. I have tasks for you both. Freki I must let you be reborn, I will send you to protect my new self when I am reincarnated. there's a threat brewing and I'm too weak to stop it now, as Midgard advances my strength wanes. Geki, you're going to have to protect Freyja and I while we sleep."
"Freki, you will be reborn, as will I, but keep your memories guarded from your new soul, we mustn't overwhelm them until they are needed."
Caroline yanked her head back from Klaus's, her eyes slowly returning to their natural blue. "You were sent to protect me?"
He smiled and nodded his head, "I'm to protect you in the coming battle. There's something much more dangerous than the Accession, it's looking to destroy everything, mortals and immortals alike." His voice was grim, but at the same time his hands kept moving over Caroline's skin, reassuring himself of her existence.
Kissing him lightly, "I'm sorry you were in such pain for so long. I would go back and spare you it if I could."
"The past is done, to be honest I don't remember most of those years, I think my wolf took control, knowing I wasn't going to be able to deal." He tried to make it sound lighthearted but failed.
"Still.. I don't like the idea of you in pain."
"Caroline, I would go through it all ten times over, so long as it ends here with you. I love you."
She gasped, "I love you too. You know this means you're going to have to forgive your siblings." She let out a forced chuckle, at his dark look.
"I don't like this Caroline, you've just returned to me, and I have to place you in danger, yet again. It takes everything in me not to take you away from all of it." He squeezed her, placing a soft kiss to her hair, inhaling her scent.
She smiled wanly, "I know, and the fact that you haven't tried to force me away is a big leap for you." She chuckled at her comment, especially because it was clear Klaus had considered forcing her already.
"Will you come home with me? I-" he cleared his throat self consciously. "I don't like you being here with these people."
Caroline's head snapped back in surprise at that statement, "My aunts protected me for years before you showed up."
Klaus pulled away from her, only to start pacing frantically. "Marcel told me how they trained you, I can't stand the thought of you being the subject of such brutality." His eyes turned ice blue at the comment, his god eyes only appearing when he accessed Freki's memories or powers.
"Their training is what's going to likely save my life against this evil, cant you at least appreciate that?"
He sighed in defeat, "I suppose. It's hard for me to differentiate between what Mikael did to me and what they did to you."
She kissed him again softly, "If it makes you feel any better, my aunts have all gone through similar, but their trials were on the battlefield. They tried to spare me those hard lessons. Lessons they often felt cams too late."
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him, placing his chin on her forehead. "I'll call a truce for now. Just promise me in the future you won't come here without me. Some part of me still struggles to believe you aren't one conversation away from running from me."
She smiled softly, "Truce for now."