Sorry this update is a little late! Without further ado, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a comment letting me know what you think!
We'd been traveling as a group for a few years now, learning how to control ourselves and avoiding Mikael as he tried to hunt us down. Elijah had insisted in the first few months of travel that we abandon everything of excess that isn't necessary for our survival or modesty. We each owned one set of clothes, stealing another one when they became too bloodied and only our most personal effects were still with us. Nik and I had our necklaces and rings from our wedding, I had my mother's grimoire, and the others had some other small things that were personal to them. Other than that, we had no possessions.
Elijah and Finn wouldn't allow Rebekah and I to take nice, brightly colored dresses either. We were stuck with the murky colored scratchy dresses of common peasant women, when we could be dressing like princesses if we wanted. This restriction didn't bother me nearly as much as it did Rebekah, however. She always was a fan of beautiful things, whether it was clothing, jewelry, or men. I saw how she stared longingly at the lavish estates we passed as we passed through the last one had been a marvelous castle, a few miles back down the road. I wish she could have the life she longed for, but it did not seem as if we would be entering good fortune anytime soon.
A rumble of a cart on the road up ahead caught all of our attention. We hadn't eaten in about three days and I felt my teeth begin to extend slightly in my mouth at the sound of the blood singing through the human's veins. There seemed to be at least five or six of them, which should be plenty to tide each of us over for another few days. I looked to Elijah, the one who normally directed our hunt, and he nodded at me before the others faded into the treeline nearby. I quickly sat on the ground and waited for the wagon to draw closer. When it was just about to come into view, I bit my tongue to muffle my yelp of pain before I snapped my ankle. I hissed out a breath before conjuring tears, partially real from the pain in my leg. I sat on the hard path, sobbing pitifully to draw their attention and hopefully make them stop and offer me aid.
I heard the wagon roll to a stop and a commanding voice from the driver's seat ordering me to move out of the way.
"I can not move, sir. My ankle is broken! Please, could you help me?"
"I do not have time to help you, wench. Now move out of the path or I will have my horses walk over you!"
"Christopher!" A feminine voice called from the back. "Brother, she is hurt! Do not threaten to harm her further!"
"We are expected at the Count's home in an hour's time, Kathleen! We do not have time to help an injured peasant girl." I heard a pair of feet hit the ground and make their way towards me. I looked up through my tears to see a young woman wearing a blue and white silk dress and a gold diadem nestled in her chestnut waves making her way towards me. "Kathleen, get back here!" The voice from before ordered, but the girl ignored him.
"Where does it hurt?" She asked kindly, touching my ankle softly. She scrutinized it for a moment before looking up at me again. "I think it may only be a sprain, the bone is still intact."
"Good, that means she can get out of our way now," Kathleen's older brother snapped.
She rolled her eyes at him before turning back to me. "Will you be alright to walk back home?" She asked kindly.
I nodded before making eye contact with her, my eyes holding remorse but also determined. "Thank you for your help. You are a truly caring person, which is why I am so sorry that I must do this."
Her brow furrowed in confusion before a look of horror crossed her face as my fangs extended and my eyes turned red. She stumbled backwards, right into Kol's waiting arms as he popped up behind her.
"Hello, love. You are a pretty thing. Good enough to eat, I would say." He smirked before plunging his fangs into her neck, his hand muffling her scream as he began the rapid draining of her veins as the rest of my family emerged from the trees. Each of them flashed to a person, grabbing them and sinking their teeth in. Finn only took a few sips before tossing the man to Kol to finish off, because Kol always had the strongest bloodlust and thirst. Finn hated killing people and drinking their blood, so he only took enough to survive on, always letting Kol finish off the victims.
I saw one of the maid servants in the back trying to escape and I flashed over in front of her quickly, before sinking my teeth into her throat and draining her dry. I briefly heard Nik telling off Christopher for insulting me before finishing the man off. I smirked as I let the limp body in my arms fall to the ground. I loved my husband's possessive side.
Nik and I had grown even closer in the last few years and I had grown to develop an attraction and love towards him in that time. He seemed to reciprocate my feelings as well, given how he pounced on me at any chance he got.
After we had all finished, I perched on the side of the cart and rubbed at my ankle. It was always sore after I broke it for this trapping stunt. The payoff was nice though, with normally a human apiece for each of to sate our thirst. Nik dropped Christopher's limp body before coming to my side and massaging my sore ankle softly. I smiled at him before pulling him close, kissing the remaining blood off of his lips.
"Christopher did not taste all that good," I remarked softly as I pulled back.
"But that handmaiden you had was divine," Nik said in response, a smirk growing over his face. "I think I might have to have another taste," he said cheekily before leaning back and planting his lips on mine again. I slid my arms around his neck, savoring his kiss before we were cut off by Kol.
"Come on, lovebirds, you will ruin our appetites. Who's ready for the next course?"
"You are all filthy gluttons," Finn said remorsefully as he leaned against a tree, shaking his head at his siblings' hunger.
"Now come on, Finn. You drank too. We can't survive without blood," I said, sliding off the cart and walking towards Rebekah.
"Such pretty clothes," she muttered softly, stroking the fabric on Kathleen's still body. "What a shame they'll go to waste." She stood up and stared pointedly at Elijah.
"Rebekah, we have discussed this-"
"No, you discussed this!" She accused, cutting Elijah off. "None of us had any say in the matter. This lot were traveling somewhere! Their cart is full of silks and finery. Six of them, six of us. They were headed to that castle up the road. Why can we not simply go in their stead?"
"Masquerade as nobles from a land that we do not know whose customs we cannot begin to understand? Ridiculous!" Elijah said in a patronizing tone.
"You saw the castle down the road! I was practically a gala! This bunch was headed there and look at them!" She said, pointing at Kathleen's body. "They're not any better than we are! We could live as they do, at least for a time. Think of it! Elijah, we could hide in plain sight, we could live ordinary lives-"
"Silence," Elijah cut her off, head tilted as he listened to a sound coming from the cart. A heartbeat. I saw Nik, Kol, and Finn stiffen up as they heard it too, watching as Elijah made his way to the covered half of the cart. I heard the heartbeat increase out of fear as the occupant heard Elijah come closer. Grabbing the covering laying at the bottom of the wagon, he ripped it backwards and a young man with long brown hair sat up, breathing heavily out of fear before leaping over the side of the wagon and racing up the road. He gasped in fear, breaths coming faster as Nik flashed in front of him, closing off his exit as the rest of us circled around him.
"Well aren't you a handsome one," Rebekah said, her gazed fixed on him. The man kept looking around frantically, trying to find an exit.
"He looks like dessert to me," Kol deadpanned, stepping closer to man, causing him to panic.
"Wait, wait, wait!" He yelled, holding his hands up in appeasement. "I can help you," he said, piquing Rebekah's interest. "I am- I am the personal servant to the Count de Martel, of the very estate you just mentioned!" His voice sounded frantic as he looked around at us wildly. "I was sent to escort these guests to his home for a lengthy stay. I know their customs, as- as well as the Count's habits." He paused and took a breath to steady his courage under our piercing gazes. "If you mean to pose as they family that you have slaughtered here, then you will need my help to carry out your ruse." His voice hardened in determination towards the end of his speech.
We all exchanged glances for a moment as he gazed at us, still anxious. "Please, can we keep him?" Rebekah pleaded with Elijah, almost as if she were asking to keep a stray dog.
"Rebekah, no!" Elijah snapped commandingly. "What is our most important rule?"
Rebekah rolled her eyes before reciting the phrase Elijah and Finn had drilled into our brains. "Never leave alive someone who has seen what we are," she said softly, her brothers repeating the last bit with her while I studied the human before me in silence.
"Thank you very much, a practise that has served us very well indeed," Elijah said starting forward.
"Elijah," my voice cut through the air. He paused, his brown eyes meeting mine. "Do not be so hasty in your destruction of the human. He could be of some use to us, but if you kill him, we will have no way of knowing, now will we?"
"Rebekah and Lisette are right. He may be of use," Finn said, putting a hand on Elijah's shoulder.
"Ahh, a proper family squabble," Kol cut in mockingly.
"Perhaps we should put it to a vote," Nik said, walking forwards as he offered his suggestion. I nodded my agreement. "All those in favor of letting him live?"
Rebekah, Finn, and I raised our hands.
"Lisette doesn't get a vote," Kol griped. "She is not part of the immediate family!"
"I was a part of this family before you were born, Kol, so close your mouth before I stuff a pinecone down your throat," I threatened.
Kol glared at me before turning to the others. "All in favor of gutting him?" He and Elijah were the only ones who voted. "Well, Nik, what shall it be?" Kol asked, turning to the only brother who had not made a choice yet.
"What will we do if he votes yes? Roll a die?" Rebekah asked incredulously.
"If we have to," Elijah said brusquely.
Nik walked up to the terrified human and stared him in the eyes. After a moment he turned to Elijah and spoke. "I choose to let him live," Nik said, before turning back to the man. I saw Elijah's jaw clench out of disappointment while Kol frowned at the loss of his dessert. "What is your name?" Nik asked the servant.
"Lucien," he said shakily. "My name is Lucien," he repeated, his voice gaining strength again.
"Well, dear Lucien, I think you had better get to the instructing, yes?" I asked, stepping forward.
*Time Skip*
Over the next few hours, Lucien told us everything we would need to know to pose as the children of the Count du Guize. Nik and I had to hid our wedding rings and pretend to be siblings, something neither of us was happy about, but we would have to deal with the predicament for the time being.
We bathed and changed into some of the clothing in the cart when Lucien was done speaking. Rebekah put on Kathleen's blue silk dress while I donned a red silk one of a similar style, also placing a spare diadem on my head. I gave my ring to Nik for safe-keeping until Lucien got a chain for me to place it on.
As we entered the room where the count held court, we were surrounded by the sound of stringed instruments playing and the chatter of multiple guests. All of rebekah's brother's stared up at the ceiling above us while we girls focused on the count, trying to size him up from afar. Lucien stopped us just inside the door. "There," he said, directing our attention to a man seated on an ornate throne at the head of the room. "You see the Count de Martel? Address him as 'Your Grace' and all other nobles as 'My Lord'. And when you speak to the count, you should speak of hunting. He loves his hawks and his hounds. And, um, bow deep, Lady Rebekah and Lady Lisette. He also relishes a… healthy cleavage." I scrunched my nose slightly in distaste as I felt Nik stiffen up beside me. Lucien looked back and rolled his eyes. I gazed at my companions and smirked too, seeing all of their eyes glued to separate spots on the ceiling still. "For God's sake, all of you, stop looking up!" Everyone's head snapped to look at him with comical synchronization, making me stifle a giggle.
Lucien sighed as he plucked at a piece of Kol's hair that had fallen out of place and set it back in order before turning to lead us to the count.
"Touch me again, and I'll tear your arms straight off," Kol said softly in Lucien's ear. I discreetly reached up and took a hold of Kol's own ear, yanking his head down to my height forcefully, making sure it inflicted a minimal bit of pain.
"Threaten the human again, dear Kol, and you will be missing this ear," I lowly, giving it a sharp tug and smirking at his wince of pain. I released him and walked up next to Rebekah to stand beside her for moral support.
"This isn't going to work, is it?" Rebekah asked me softly.
"Just speak as we practised," Lucien said reassuringly. "And know that you look lovely, My Lady," he said, causing Rebekah to smile softly. I smiled, glad that Rebekah was calming down somewhat.
I heard Nik and Elijah muttering behind us, but I paid them no mind. I was too busy focusing on the man sitting on the throne before us.
Lucien bowed deeply when we reached the count, his hand sweeping out in front of him elegantly.
"Lucien," the count said, catching our human's attention mid-bow as he straightened quickly. "You were sent to fetch the Count de Guize," he said, his tone even but a layer of displeasure was detectable beneath his words.
"Indisposed, Your Grace," Lucien said confidently. He paused for a moment to think of an excuse for the count's absence. "Gout," he finally clarified. "May I present his children? The Lords Finn, Niklaus, Elijah, and Kol," he said gesturing to each brother in turn. "Also their sisters, the lovely Lady Rebekah and the charming Lady Lisette."
The count stared at us in silence for a moment before climbing to his feet. "Your father never mentioned you to me in all our dealings," he said accusingly. All of the Mikaelson brothers looked to Elijah to get them out of this mess, seeing as he is the most eloquent of us all.
"Yes," Elijah began uncertainly, before his voice gained confidence. "Your Grace, do forgive us," he said, stepping forward with a charming smile on his face. "Father was forever distant with his travels, and uh, we were largely raised by servants. However, I do know that Father would consider it a glorious honor that we should be introduced to society by your noble hand, Your Grace." He bowed again while the count looked down his nose, looking slightly more accepting than before.
"Your Grace," Nik's voice cut through the air. "I look forward to hearing tales of your hunting escapades," he said as he walked forward to stand beside Elijah. "May I present our sisters," he said, gesturing to Rebekah and me.
We stepped forward and introduced ourselves. "Rebekah Du Guise de Rochefort en Seine," Bekah introduced herself, curtsying deeply and bending so the count could see down the front of her dress. The count's eye brightened approvingly. "Charmed," Bekah added, looking up at the count coyly as she rose again, his eyes following her figure.
"Lisette Du Guise de Rochefort en Seine," I said, dipping low just as Rebekah had. "Thank you for welcoming us into your home, Your Grace," I said as I rose.
"It is my pleasure, Lady Lisette. I hope you enjoy your stay here," he said, smiling down at me in the same unsettling way he had done with Rebekah, before he waved us away.
*Time Skip*
I stood beside Rebekah and Nik as we gazed out at the Count's gathering. Nik decided to leave us to go speak with Lucien, intending to question him a bit further about the Count and why the servant led us so easily into his master's home when he had seen how horrid we really were. Before he left us, he reminded us of our instructions to accept advances made by noblemen. Logically, since we were out on our first social season, Rebekah and I would be searching for wealth husbands like good little noble girls. The thought sickened me. I did not want to even think of cheating on my husband, but we had to stay true to our roles if we wanted to carry out our ruse successfully.
Bekah and I continued chatting, flashing coy smiles at gentlemen when they looked at us like Lucien had told us to. A sudden hush fell over the crowd midway through the party as heads turned to the door to watch a couple walk in, arm-in-arm companionably. I saw Klaus and Lucien talking in quiet voices as they watched the two newcomers greet the guests. Focusing my hearing, I listened closely to their conversation.
"The Count's children. The Lord Tristan and his sister, the Lady Aurora," Lucien said.
I dipped out of their conversation before turning back to Rebekah. "Did you hear Nik and Lucien?" I asked her.
"About the Count's children? Yes," she responded. "And I think you might have caught the eye of Lord Tristan. He's headed over this way now."
I felt panic seize in my chest as a wave of worry washed over me. What was I supposed to say to him?
"Excuse me," a smooth voice interrupted my panicked thoughts. "I spotted you from across the room and I knew instantly that I must introduce myself to the most beautiful woman in the room. I am Lord Tristan de Martel, heir of the count de Martel," the man introduced himself, holding out his hand.
"Lady Lisette Du Guise," I said, pushing down my worry and putting on a false sense of confidence. I placed my hand in his as Lucien had taught us and forced an elegant smile as he placed a kiss on the back of my hand.
Lord Tristan released my hand, turning to Rebekah and introducing himself in the same fashion, smirking at the coy smile she shot him. We made small talk for a while until he informed us he must return to his sister. As soon as he was out of earshot, Rebekah pouted slightly. "Why must he go for you? You already have a husband, and you don't need a lover on top of that."
"Trust me, dear sister, you can have him," I said, smiling playfully at her.
*Time Skip*
We had been at the Count's home for a few weeks now. Rebekah and I had established a close friendship with Lady Aurora. We even had begun to call each other by our Christian names, dropping all formalities in more relaxed settings.
Tristan had developed an infatuation towards me, and apparently Aurora was convinced he would propose marriage to me within the next year. I suppose we would have to leave by then to avoid that predicament. I doubt Tristan would take my rejection of his offer well. While he was very skilled at putting up a polite, noble front, he had a violent side that only came out when he was angered. I had seen it a few times within the past few weeks and I pitied any woman who ended up his wife.
Today boasted wonderful weather, and as autumn was fast approaching, the court took the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant day outdoor. I sat beside Aurora on the lawn with two of her other friends whom I was not very close to. We clapped happily as the axe Elijah threw sank into the center of the target, Tristan clapping my brother-in-law on the shoulder and congratulating him on his good aim.
When the men were done with their game, they made their way over to us, Tristan pulling Aurora to her feet as Elijah helped me and then the two other girls with us. The pair of them scurried off with Elijah to grab some food while Tristan guided Aurora and I over to group of his friends. I stood in silence beside him for a while before excusing myself to go eat some of the lunch that was provided. As I turned to step away, Tristan pulled me back with his arm around my waist and placed a heated kiss onto my lips.
I pulled back when he released me, feeling flustered. "Tristan, I've told you not to kiss me in public," I said softly as his friends chattered. "It is not proper!"
"Well how else is everyone supposed to know that you are mine?" He asked confidently. "Now go and get your food, but hurry back, Beautiful." He swatted my bum as I walked away, making his friends laugh boisterously.
I walked over to the food table, shame burning inside me as women in the court shot me nasty looks, either out of jealousy or disgust. Tristan treated me as if I warmed his bed like a common whore, even though I had never allowed anything to progress beyond kissing. I told him I wanted to remain a virgin for my wedding night, and surprisingly enough, he accepted that excuse, although he did promise that he would be the one to take it eventually.
I felt Nik's eyes burning into me from where he sat on the lawn, carving a small wooden horse, one of his favorite past times. I did not want to look at my husband, afraid that if I did, guilt would consume me and I'd break down. I could not have that happening, especially in front of all of these people, so I resolved to find him later and explain Tristan's inappropriate behavior.