Part 25

6 months later

Dafne was sitting at the table, wearing a brand new forest green silk gown and a beautiful diamond necklace. Her hair was up in a complicated plait coiffure. She had more or less got used to the gowns and the coiffures, but she didn't like them much.

"You look absolutely stunning, my love," Tristan said smiling.

Dafne smiled as well.

"Thank you."

The dinner was just as elegant as always, Dafne had noticed that Tristan was a perfectionist. He wanted everything to be flawless. She remembered the look on his face when she had arrived at dinner for the first time wearing the gown he had given to her. That had happened shortly after her "accident" in the garden. After that she had decided that her hostility was taking her nowhere with him. She needed to try something else.

Somehow she had hoped that flirting with him would be enough, but he still hadn't removed the mark. She had let him touch her and kiss her and so far he had settled for that. He considered himself a gentleman. He gave her gifts and flowers all the time, but not the gift she would have wanted from him. She couldn't deny that she was frustrated.

"How is your soup?" he asked politely.

"Wonderful," she replied. "How was your day?"

"Busy," he sighed. "But that doesn't matter now. I have been looking forward to this the whole day."

"Our dinner?"

He smiled and reached for her hand. She gave it to him and allowed him to kiss it.

"Spending time with you."

"That's a very sweet thing to say."

"It's true," he stated. "I have truly enjoyed our time together."

"I am happy to hear that."

There they were, cozily having dinner and talking like they would have been lovers. To him this probably was courting. To her this was a desperate way to get her freedom back. Things had been tolerable with Aurora and sometimes Dafne felt sympathy for her and even for Tristan, but that didn't change the fact that she was being kept here against her will.

Maybe if Tristan would have removed the mark and given her a choice, she would have decided to help Aurora, but on her own terms. Right now she was nothing more than a servant. A servant who had her own living quarters, a huge wardrobe, jewelry and everything else she asked, but still a servant.

After all these years, she was right back where she had started from. The only difference was that she had stayed with Elijah willingly; he hadn't kept her against her will. Sometimes she still thought about him and even dreamt of him. He had after all been the first person she had ever loved. Perhaps if he would have felt the same way, things would have turned out differently. Not that it mattered now. She wasn't with him, Klaus, Kol or Lucien, she was all by herself. It was clear that no one would help her. Once again she was tired. So very tired.

"Dafne? Is something wrong?" Tristan asked.

She forced herself to come back to the reality and looked at him. Should she try to mention the mark? If she would, she needed to do it very carefully; the last thing she wanted was to waste all her hard work. Tristan wasn't stupid, she had noticed that.

"I am a little tired," she replied.

"Oh. Did you have a rough day?"

"Not really, Aurora had a good day. I just…"

"What?" he asked when she didn't continue.

"I… I have thought about things a lot lately," she started, trying to choose her words carefully. "About you and me. I would like to know where we are going."

Tristan seemed surprised.

"Well… As I said, I have truly enjoyed our time together and as you have probably noticed, I am very fond of you."

"But you don't trust me," she stated, keeping her tone of voice as calm as she could.

Tristan was quiet for a moment before replying.

"I do trust you, Dafne. And I can't express how grateful I am for everything you have done for my sister."

She was just about to ask why did she still have the mark then, but he continued before she managed to start.

"There is actually something I have wanted to ask you for a while now."

She looked at him cautiously as he moved closer to her and took something out of his jacket pocket. It was a small box. He smiled when he opened it. A ring. Oh no…

"Dafne," he said and took both of her hands. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

She was completely speechless; this was that last thing she had expected.

"Tristan…" she finally managed to say.

"I know that I have made mistakes," he cut in. "But please try to understand my situation. I needed to help my sister. And you have done it, you have helped her. For that alone you have my eternal gratitude." He paused and kissed her hand. "I love you, my sweet Dafne and I want to give you everything."

"Everything?" she stated cautiously.

"Yes," he replied smiling.

Slowly she touched her wrist.

"That will be removed of course."

"Before or after the wedding?"

He smiled.

"Say yes and I will have it removed right away."

Quickly she considered her options. She finally had a chance to get rid of the mark; she couldn't afford to waste that chance.

"There are many perks of being Lady de Martel," he said after a moment of silence. "There is wealth of course, but also power. You would become one of the most powerful women in the world. Everything that I have would also be yours. What do you say?"

What could she say? This could be her only chance. Slowly she nodded.

"Yes."

Tristan kissed both of her hands before pulling her onto his lap.

"You made the right choice, my sweet Dafne. I promise you."