There has been a time jump between this chapter and the last. Things will be coming to a head in the next one.

Curiosity.

Curiosity rooted in the depths of her mind.

The desire to learn was unavoidable. She had always been a curious person. She had thought it had been stamped out of her. She had been certain she had left it on the shore of the country; trampled beneath her boots.

His eyes fluttered open.

Silken lips traveled over his jaw. A soft hand left a trail of fire up his thigh; it slowly pushed his shirt higher. Teeth scraped his throat; a groan rumbled in his chest.

His fingers tangled in her golden hair. "What are you doing, darling?"

"Waking you up, of course." Lexa's fingers ghosted over his hardening shaft. She grasped him and slowly pumped her hand up and down.

Kol lifted her head to meet her radiant eyes. This was a first. They had been married nearly a month and while she had always been willing Kol was the one who typically instigated these encounters; he had woken a few times to find that pale residue on his hands, but he had yet to discover the source of it. He came to the conclusion that the creamy substance was coming from her body. He searched for it at night, but he often became distracted by the goddess in front of him.

Elijah had once read to him the ancient texts from Greece that spoke of the Olympians. He was certain Lexa was Aphrodite come to life; she remembered everything he showed her.

Whether she knew it or not her she was a siren; he was certain she would be the death of him.

Kol hated to admit it but his brothers had been right; their mother was quite the matchmaker. He found his bride fascinating. She was clever, beautiful, and fierce; she also happened to have a wicked tongue that a lesser man might have tried to mute.

"What has gotten into you?"

"I'm not sure," she drew her lip between her teeth, "but I'll tell you what hasn't." She squeezed him and rubbed her thighs together.

"Are you accusing me of neglecting my duties?" He gasped dramatically.

"Well," her tongue darted out to wet her lips, "it's been three days, so…"

"It hasn't been…" Kol stopped when she lifted her brows.

"You've been training with your brothers," she reminded him. "Last night you barely made it to the bed before falling asleep."

"They can be exhausting at times," Kol chuckled. His abdomen quivered when she swiped her thumb over him.

"Would you rather go back to sleep?" She smiled innocently. Lexa removed her hands from his body and rolled to lie beside him on her back. She could feel his eyes on her chest when she laid her arm over the pillow; she had untied the strings of her shift so that the neckline had fallen to reveal the hard tips of her nipples.

Kol rolled quickly. He placed one hand on her left hip and pressed her into the mattress. "I'm starting to think you're a little minx."

"I'm definitely something," her eyes sparkled.

"Were you going to tell me what?" He peppered kisses across her breasts.

"No," she sighed and arched her back. "There's something to be said for mystery." She mentally cursed herself; she was getting comfortable with him and that was a dangerous thing to be.

"I want to know everything about you." Kol felt her spine grow rigid when his hand snaked around her back.

"Not all at once," she gasped.

Kol narrowed his eyes. She was hiding something; her voice had shifted an octave higher than normal.

"Of course, darling," he lifted his head meet her eyes. He caught the flash of a secret in the green depths. "I have the rest of my life for that."

Lexa sighed. Her face brightened again when he dropped the topic.

Elena braced her back against the trunk of a tree and gasped for breath. She was pleased to see that Elijah was not unaffected by their sparring; while he was not panting from exertion his breathing was a little laboured.

She had been starting to think he was unhuman; he never seemed to tire.

Elijah's eyes traced the movement of her hands when she drew a monogramed handkerchief across her brow. Something about it looked familiar.

"May I see that?"

"My handkerchief?" Elena glanced at the white material. The lace was damp with sweat. "I suppose. Nothing really special about it."

Elijah held the cloth in his hand and examined the crest. An ornate 'P' sat inside a shield that was wearing a crown. Green vines twisted behind the lettering.

"I've seen this before," he explained when he caught her staring. "The night I took you through the tunnels."

"Did I drop one in the tunnels?" Elena took back the lace. She tucked it back into her pocket.

"No," he shook his head. "Damon Salvatore had it, but the vines were a different colour."

"Red?" Elena could feel her stomach trembling.

"Yes."

"That wasn't mine."

She might have seen the light in Elijah's eyes if she hadn't been lost in her own memories.

She really should have known better than to travel the corridors alone; especially after what had transpired the previous evening. Her hand ghosted over the bruises on her throat; she'd had to dive into the box of powders to hide the marks.

She should have known better. She was not prepared to deal with him alone yet.

Her throat had swollen overnight so her voice was little more than a whisper. She couldn't have screamed if she'd wanted to. And that was all she wanted to do when the hands spun her into the stone wall.

His fingers had curled around her upper arms. His body had pressed her firmly against cold stone.

She had squirmed in an attempt to get free, but found she had no room to move with his knee firmly between her legs. She'd tried to scream for help, but he had crashed their mouths together. Her body had frozen when his tongue plundered her mouth she'd squeezed her eyes shut and prayed someone would round the corner.

He had slid the handkerchief in her mouth when he'd pulled away to whisper harshly in her ear. "You belong to me."

The sound of approaching footsteps had sent him off, but not before tears had begun to flow down her cheeks. She slid down the wall and gagged on the bitter tasting cloth; that was how Lexa had found her. Thankfully she'd been alone.

"I could have sworn it was the same symbol," Elijah frowned.

"It was," Elena chewed her lip. "When we were children Kat always used to pick fights. She hated sharing anything… so did I for that matter," she whispered. "She changed the stitching on all of her handkerchiefs so she would know which ones were hers."

"You don't get along with your sister, do you?" Elijah slid his sword back into its scabbard.

"Not since we were kids," Elena shrugged. "I wanted to learn how to use a sword and she… didn't approve."

"How old were you?" Elijah stepped closer and looked down into her eyes.

"Nine," Elena smiled. She was happy to lose herself in her childhood memories; they were a great distraction from her impending situation. "My brother taught me."

"Willingly?" Elijah smiled. "I thought Bulgaria's laws were stricter than Norway's."

"They are," Elena chuckled, "but he was seven years old. Jeremy hadn't quite grasped the concept yet. He still thought he had to whatever his big sister said."

"So how exactly did that work?" Elijah tilted his head. "You obviously didn't learn with him."

"I didn't," Elena shook her head, "he would learn and then teach me later."

"Was he the one who gave you the sword?" Elijah lifted the blade from where she had set it against the tree.

"No," Elena closed her eyes and laughed. "That was my father. I was thirteen when he caught Jeremy teaching me. He didn't say anything, and for three days I was certain I was either going to be disowned or shipped off to a convent."

"What happened?" Elijah passed her back the blade.

"He came into my room… our room…" Elena ran her fingers over the blue stones set into the hilt. "He told me a woman should be able to defend herself, and as long as nobody knew I could keep training with my brother. He gave me this. He asked Kat if she would learn as well, but she refused. Said she wanted nothing to do with something so dangerous."

"That drove a wedge between you," Elijah nodded. He was surprised when Elena shook her head.

"She is still my sister," she shrugged. "We have grown apart, but she is still my sister. She kept my secrets and I kept hers… we're still doing that," she murmured. "We've just grown apart since coming here."

"Why is that?" Elijah's eyes flickered over her face. The smile she had worn after sparring had slipped from her face.

"I…" she tipped her head back to meet his eyes. The thought that she should stop talking crossed her mind, but he was so easy to talk to.

He was not what she had expected from foreign royalty. She found herself looking forward to her evenings when she could spend time with him. They didn't always train. A few evenings has been spent exploring the tunnels under the castle; she'd marked several of them with chalk.

In his presence she was comfortable, and over the past few weeks she had come to trust him. He had taught her how to defend herself. He had shown her the secret passages in and out of the castle; she hadn't traveled the corridors alone since the second incident… which she hadn't told him about.

Elena appreciated everything he had done for her; her fingers ghosted over the necklace between her breasts. She had worn it since she'd received it.

"My lady," Adelaide slipped into Elena's chamber where Lexa was rubbing soothing circles into her shoulders. "Your highness," she dropped into a curtsy.

Elena had glanced up from the fire. She saw the hesitation in Adelaide's eyes when they darted to Lexa. She sat up straight and swiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Would you mind giving us a second?" Elena rasped. Her knees trembled when she stood up.

"I'll be right outside," Lexa nodded.

"Are you alright?" Adelaide waited until the door had closed before lifting the box from her apron.

"I… saw another rat," Elena murmured when she saw the door partially open. She wasn't concerned with Lexa hearing; it was the other courtiers traipsing through the halls.

"Oh," Adelaide nodded. She stepped closer to Elena. She would have asked if Elena wanted her to send for the prince, but she remembered that Elena was still denying their connection. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Elena shook her head, "the princess is helping me, Adelaide, thank you." Her yes fell to the slim box in Adelaide's hands. "What's that?"

"A gift," Adelaide whispered, "from the prince." She pressed the box into Elena's hands. "He asked that I deliver it discreetly."

"Oh," Elena frowned. She sniffled and eyed the box. What could he have possibly sent her? She lifted the lid and pulled out an ornate silver cross, the length of her hand, on a chain.

"That's lovely," Adelaide admired the twisting design.

Elena had nodded and lifted a small sheet of parchment. 'Something a little more discreet'.

"Thank you Adelaide," Elena dropped into the chaise. She puzzled over the elegant script when Lexa rejoined her.

"What's that?"

"A necklace," Elena whispered. She passed it to Lexa.

"Are you sure about that?" Lexa turned to her when the bottom half of the cross came off in her hands.

"She refuses to listen to reason," Elena admitted, "and I resent her for getting us both sent here."

"Do really hate this country that much?"

"Can you blame me?" Elena looked away to the snow covered clearing. "It's cold and bleak."

"It's winter," Elijah lifted an eyebrow. "Norway is beautiful in the spring."

"Does spring ever come?" Elena countered. "Winter seems to be never ending."

"Spring should be here in the next few days," he nodded to the forest floor. "The snow is practically gone."

"I'll believe that when I see green," Elena crossed her arms. She winced when her fingers closed over her upper arms; they were still tender from where Damon had grabbed her.

"Are you alright?" Elijah reached for her arm.

Elena inhaled when his hand ghosted over the fading bruises. He did not miss the second wince.

Elijah frowned. Her wince was not the result of a pulled muscle. It was the same flinch she had made when he had spotted the finger prints on her neck.

"What happened?"

She pressed her lips together and blinked back the tears as the memory flooded her mind again. She opened her mouth but was cut off.

"Do not tell me it doesn't matter," Elijah gritted his teeth. He had immediately assumed it was her betrothed who had harmed her the night of the wedding, but Elena had refused to confirm or deny anything and he could do nothing without knowing the truth.

"I…" she sighed. Her head fell back against the tree. "It was a few weeks ago," she shook her head, "the bruises are already fading." She shrugged.

"What did he do?"

Elena took a deep breath. "He grabbed my arms and pinned me to the wall." She left out the part where he'd forced his tongue into her mouth; he didn't need to know her first kiss had been forced on her.

"Like this?" Elijah gently took her upper arms and pressed her into the tree. "You should be able to get out of this easily."

Elena swallowed and eyed the foot of space still between them. "He was closer," she peeked up at him through her lashes. She shook her head when Elijah took a step towards her. "He used his body to pin me." She explained softly.

Elijah stepped forward again and pressed her body into the tree. His knee easily found a place between her thighs as his upper body perfectly molded to hers.

She was expecting a moment of panic, but it never came. Her hands came up to take hold of his elbows.

"That's a good start," his warm breath fanned over her chin.

Elena's eyes flickered to his mouth. Her tongue darted out to wet her lip. "What next?" She lifted her gaze to his eyes.

His thumbs subconsciously rubbed circles over her sleeves. "Use the tree," he nodded over her shoulder, "and your hips."

Elena shifted her hips experimentally. Her breath caught in her throat when she settled back against him. "How?"

"Plant one foot on the trunk."

Her thigh grazed the outside of his leg as she bent her knee.

"Push with your foot and hips," he instructed quietly. "Use your hands to try and push me down."

Elena swallowed before doing as she was told. The first time he didn't move and her center rubbed down over his thigh. The second time she tried he stumbled slightly, but her hips repeated the motion so her center ached. The third time she succeeded in pushing him to the ground. Unfortunately she forgot to let go of his elbows so she went down with him.

"That wasn't quite right was it?" Elena pushed herself up on her hands and looked down into his bright eyes.

"Not quite," he shook his head.

Elena gasped when her rolled over and pinned her to the ground in a similar position. Cold raced down her spine as the snow penetrated the thick clothes. Heat raced through her front wherever Elijah pressed her into the ground. The juxtaposition of hot and cold made her head swim.

"Do you remem…" Elijah trailed off when he met her fiery eyes. His gaze dropped to the soft petals of her lips when she bit them enticingly. The need to feel her mouth burned through him.

Elena inhaled when he leaned closer and paused a hairsbreadth from her face. Her hands landed on his chest, but made no move to push him away.

"Elena?"

She shivered when her name rolled off his tongue. Her eyes drifted shut when one of his hands lifted to cup her cheek. She knew she should push him away. He had touched her repeatedly over the last few weeks in the interest of teaching her, but this touch was different. This was not a teaching moment. This was a caress.

She could feel the question in the soft strokes of his thumb over her cheekbone. She knew what he wanted. She also knew that he would pull back if she told him to, but she didn't want that.

Elena tilted her head so her nose brushed gently across his. Their breath mingled in the cold air.

Elijah waited to see if she would push him back. He shifted his body to give her the room she would need to move it that was what she wanted. When she didn't use the space to move he lifted his hooded eyes to hers.

"Elijah," one of her hands slid around his back. Her free hand came up to graze the stubble on his cheek.

Warmth spread down her back when his lips glided over hers. She returned the gentle brush with one of her own and carded her fingers through his hair. The warmth turned into a flame when his tongue swept across the seam of her lips. She hesitated briefly before opening her mouth to welcome the soft exploration of her mouth.

The softest of sounds echoed off the surrounding trees. It took Elena a moment to realize they were coming from her in time with her hips movement against his leg. Her nails scraped his scalp.

Elijah pulled back with a soft groan and stared into her eyes. A flush had risen in her cheeks. His eyes grew round when she flipped him over and straddled his thighs.

"How was that?" She sat back and felt his hands settle on her waist.

"That depends," Elijah smirked and rolled her back, "we're you planning on pinning me down, or making a grand escape? Either way it seems to have failed."

Elena drew her swollen lip between her teeth. She felt her abdomen quiver when he bent to brush his lips over her cheek. He sucked on her neck before nipping the area and soothing it with his tongue. Elena didn't realize her hips were moving until he stilled them with his hands.

"What…" she grasped the back of his neck and blinked to clear the mist in her eyes. She came back to herself a few seconds later and pushed him back so she could sit up. "We… we can't…"

Elijah caught her hand before she could cover her mouth and ran his thumb over her knuckles. "Why?"

"I'm engaged," her lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm getting married in four days," the blood drained from her face.

"Is that what you want?" Elijah lifted her chin so she had to meet his eyes.

She swallowed and leaned against his hand. Her eyes squeezed shut as she sighed. "It doesn't matter what I want. I don't have a choice."

She didn't want to marry him, but the only way to get out of it was to ruin Kat. She was not a fool she knew the circumstances that had led Damon to possess Kat's handkerchief; she had a good idea she knew what the taste had been as well.

"I find it hard to believe that you would let anyone tell you what to do," Elijah said. "You're a singularly independent, stubborn, determined woman."

"No I'm not," she shook her head vehemently.

"You're going to argue with me about being stubborn?" His lips quirked up in a smirk. "Forgive me, Elena, but does that not prove my point?"

"Elijah," she sighed. "I don't have a choice and you know it. Woman don't have a say in this world, or have you forgotten that fact?"

"I have not forgotten," he frowned. "Can you tell that marrying that man is what you want?"

"It doesn't matter what I want," Elena cried.

"Elena?"

She sighed before crossing her arms. "No," she shook her head. "No, alright? I don't want to marry him. No woman wants an arranged marriage. I used to think I'd marry for love… of course that was before I understood how marriage works among the nobility. If love comes at all it comes later. The most I could hope for was affection."

"You said could," Elijah raised his brows. "You don't hold out hope anymore?"

"No," her lips pressed into a line, "I'm a forgiving person, but I won't forgive the things he's done."

"It was him then?" Elijah's eyes dropped to her throat.

Elena realized her admission. "It doesn't matter," she insisted.

"It does," Elijah's eyes narrowed.

"Has anyone ever told you you're stubborn?" Elena glared. "He owns me Elijah. He can do whatever he wants to me and there is nothing anyone can do about it."

"You're not married yet, Elena."

"As good as," she scoffed. "Physical abuse is not prohibited."

"It should be," Elijah growled. "Any man who would force a woman is a coward."

"Well it's not," Elena climbed to her feet. She drew her cloak closed to ward off the night air that had started over her when she was away from his body. "Unless he calls it off himself the only things that would stop this wedding are rape, adultery, or incest. None of that can be proven," she cast her eyes aside and dragged her boot through the snow.

"You're lying," Elijah stood and approached her. "It's not in your nature to be deceitful Elena. What do you know?"

"Nothing," she denied. She couldn't meet his eyes as she lied.

"It's not nothing," Elijah tipped her chin up. "You know something…. Something that would give you a way out of this marriage."

"Everything has a price," Elena focused on his chest. "This is one I'm not willing to pay."

"You'll marry a man you despise because you won't pay the price," Elijah shook his head. "What could possibly be so high? You wouldn't protect him if it were rape, or incest… that leads me to believe its adultery. Who are you protecting Elena? I know it's not him."

Elena swiped a tear from her cheek with her handkerchief and looked down.

"The handkerchief wasn't yours," realization dawned in his eyes. "It was your sister's."

Elena crumpled the lace in her hand and caught his sleeve. "Don't," she pleaded.

"Elena…"

"She's my sister," Elena took a shaky breath. "She'd be ruined."

"But yo…"

"Please, Elijah," Elena squeezed his hand, "please don't tell anyone. I'm going through with it because I can't ruin her…"

Elijah pulled her flush against him and settled his hand on her lower back. "I don't like this Elena. I don't want him laying a finger on you."

"You can't stop him," Elena carefully stepped back.

"Technically I could," Elijah's hand grazed over the blade around her waist.

"Status would not protect you from the consequences," Elena shook her head. "Please just let it go."

"I can't do that," he shook his head. His blood boiled when he thought of Damon touching her again; holding her down.

"You can." Elena turned and started across the clearing.

"No, I can't," Elijah followed after her.

"Why not?" Elena threw her hands up.

"Because," he caught one of her hands and spun her back into his chest, "I love you."

Elena gasped when his mouth moved over hers. Her toes curled in her boots as she returned the kiss. Her hand settled on his chest when he pulled back.

Tears welled in her eyes. Her voice was little more than a whisper; a soft croak. She wanted her next words to be a lie, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were true.

"It doesn't matter."

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