AN: I do not own TVD or TO.

Loyalty.

Loyalty was the foundation of her personality.

For as long as she could remember she had supported her sister and her sister had supported her. That was how it had always been. That was how it would always be. Wouldn't it?

Elena slapped weakly at the hands shaking her arms. She buried her face in the pillow and mumbled incoherently.

"Come on, 'Lena," Kat crossed her arms. She tilted her head and examined the rat's nest that was her sister's hair; it looked like someone had been running their hands through it. "Elena," she perched on the side of the bed and smoothed out the knots with a brush, "it's time to get up."

Elena shook her head. She sighed into the pillow as Kat continued to brush her hair. She had felt her heart shatter when she'd walked away; the hurt in his eyes was a stab to her gut. She hadn't wanted to harm him and she knew deep down that he knew that too, but she had spoken the truth: it didn't matter. The fact that he loved her would not change things. The fact that she loved him only made things more tragic.

She wanted to shove Kat's hands away. She wanted to hate her. She wanted to never speak to her sister again, but she couldn't do it. It didn't matter how distant they had grown; they were sisters.

She wished vehemently that it had been someone else; anyone else. Maybe then she could have told the queen; she could have been free… at least from the marriage to Damon.

Elena stifled a sob. She knew she couldn't ruin someone else.

Silent tears flowed from her eyes. The pillow grew damp beneath her.

"What's wrong?" Kat sat the brush aside.

"Why?"

Kat's eyes grew round at the question. "Why do I want to know what's wrong?" She pushed Elena's hair over her shoulder so she could see her sister's blotchy cheek. "You're my sister and you spent the night crying. You haven't done that since we arrived."

"That's not true," Elena rasped.

"It is," Kat insisted. She combed her fingers through Elena's long locks. "You've grown increasingly happy the past month; last night was the first you've cried." She would have reached out if she had not been afraid Elena would pull away from her.

"Why did it have to be you?" Elena's fingers tightened around the scrap of lace she had held all night.

"Why did what have to be me?" Kat shifted when Elena sat up and pressed a slip of cloth to her chest. She caught the lace before it could fall; it was unnaturally stiff in her hand. "Where did you get this?" Kat traced the red vines.

"From my betrothed," the word left a sour taste in her mouth.

"Elena," Kat dropped the lace into her lap. She reached for her sister and frowned when she backed away. "I…"

"Don't," Elena shook her head. She didn't want to hear the apologies; she wanted to stay angry. "Just go… please…"

Kat tried to catch her sister's eyes before sighing and climbing to her feet. She paused at the door. "I thought you hated him," she stood in the threshold.

"I do," Elena caught her eye.

Kol carefully lifted her arm from his stomach. He righted the blankets over her sleeping form and kissed her brow before dressing and slipping from the room. He saw her roll over and curl into a small ball when he opened the door.

His path towards the kitchens was quick. He had every intention of returning before she woke up with breakfast. He paused outside of the kitchen when he heard a couple of servants gossiping; normally he was not one for such talk, but the mention of his own name made him stop.

"All I can say is I hope the next wedding's not so hasty. We had to throw the last one together in a matter of weeks."

"Why so fast?"

"I haven't the faintest idea. The last time a wedding was planned that quickly there were certain 'time constraints'… if you know what I mean."

Hushed giggles made their way around the corner.

He rolled his eyes. Didn't the servants have anything better to talk about? They all knew that wasn't the case. The knowledge that the wedding had been rushed was news to him. He had known the engagement was moved up but he hadn't known the full extent of it.

"Maybe there was another reason."

"Or not… it is possible to alter such things."

"Mother," Kol pushed open the door of the queen's study.

"Good morning, Kol," Esther looked up from the leather bound book. "You're awake early today. The sun has only just risen; I didn't think we'd get you out of your chambers today."

"I went to the kitchens," Kol paced across the room. He braced his hands on the edge of his mother's desk.

"Oh?" Esther tilted her head.

"Yes," Kol's eyes narrowed, "and I heard the most interesting bit of gossip."

"You shouldn't put stock in rumors, Kol," Esther tapped the book. "I thought you knew better than that."

"I do," Kol gripped the table, "but I thought I'd ask you to dispute this one. The servants mentioned that the wedding was moved up… that it was thrown together in a matter of weeks. That you fully intended to have us wed the second she arrived here."

"Is there a question in there Kol?" Esther sighed.

"Why?" He stepped back from the desk. "Why were we married so quickly?"

"It was time," Esther closed the book. She stood and placed it back on a low shelf.

"Time?" Kol crossed his arms. "Time for what mother? Caroline and Sage were in the castle for weeks before their weddings. Finn and Nik were both older too. Why was it time for me?"

Kol felt a muscle tick in his jaw when she didn't answer. Realization filled him when she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"This had nothing to do with me, did it?" He didn't need an answer. The shift in her face was enough.

"Kol," Esther called after his retreating back. "Kol!"

Lexa's eyes fluttered open. Her arms stretched out reflexively reaching for him. She sat up slowly when she realized he wasn't there. The sheets were cold beneath her fingers.

The blankets slipped. She shivered when her upper body was exposed to the room.

Gritting her teeth she swung her legs from the high bed and stood. For a brief moment she felt like a newborn colt. Her knees knocked together under her weight; her thighs trembled. Her stomach shook when she bent at the waist and scooped up her shift.

The material had barely settled over her body when her stomach heaved. She had just enough time to reach for the basin before she lost the remnants of the previous night's dinner. Lexa heaved until there was nothing left to come up.

She straightened up and ran a shaking hand over her mouth.

A low moan escaped her mouth. She sat back down and dipped a cloth into the pitcher of water. The cold water soothed her senses. She had to force herself to stand when she saw the pale residue on the cloth. Her fingers traced the exposed scar on her cheek.

She had just finished blending the paste into her skin when the door was thrown open. The sound made her jump and sent the small dish she had been using to the floor where it shattered into several smaller pieces.

"You startled me," she gasped. She twisted on her stool when he didn't respond. "Kol?"

"Do you know why we were married so quickly?"

Lexa's eyes grew round at his tone. She had never heard him speak like that. She swallowed when she stood and took in the harsh set of his jaw.

"Do you?" His voice rose in volume.

Lexa flinched back when he advanced and bumped into the vanity. "O-of c-c-course not," her trembling fingers tied the strings of her shift.

Kol misinterpreted her trembling hands as an admission of some sort. "Don't lie to me," he tipped up her chin.

"I'm not," Lexa pressed her lips together. She could still taste the bile in her mouth. "I was expecting to be here at least a month before getting married."

"The wedding was pieced together in a matter of weeks," Kol's eyes flashed. "It was heavily implied that this was for your benefit."

Lexa felt her stomach quiver for an entirely different reason. Her heart pounded with anger. She had not missed the implication in his voice. Energy coursed through her body.

Clouds rolled over the sun as she pushed him back. "What are you trying to ask me Kol?" Her hands flexed at her sides.

"The servants suggested an impending time constraint," his eyes narrowed. He gestured wildly towards the bed. "That such things can be faked."

A fierce wind buffeted the window pane.

Kol blinked at the sting. His hand cradled his cheek where a red print had been left behind.

Thunder rumbled overhead as she threw open the door and stormed down the corridor.

Kol picked up the broken glass as the lightning flashed. The bright light illuminated the pale paste. When he slapped the glass down on the vanity it was whole again.

"Henrik you need to be more careful," Elijah caught Adelaide's arm.

"I'm careful," Henrik insisted. He had been running through the corridor when he'd collided with Adelaide. A basket full of linens had tumbled to the floor.

"You're going to hurt someone barreling around like that," Elijah glared. He pointed to the fabric scattered around his feet. "Clean this mess up and apologize."

"That's alright," Adelaide was already kneeling on the ground.

"No, it's not," Elijah helped her back to her feet. He gave his brother a pointed look.

"Sorry," he mumbled. He sighed before dropping and gathering the material back into the basket.

Elijah caught sight of a 'P' encased in a shield. It was quickly concealed in the darkness when the sun was swallowed behind dark clouds.

"That's odd," Elijah murmured. He approached the window as the thunder sounded.

"There was no sign of a storm today," Henrik passed the basket back to Adelaide. He examined the sky with his brother. "Was there?"

"No," Elijah shook his head.

"The weather has been known to change on a whim," Adelaide whispered beneath her breath. A tiny shriek escaped her mouth when the lightning flashed.

"Is that a new fashion trend?" Henrik nodded behind them.

"Is what a n…" Elijah's eyes widened when he saw where his younger brother's gaze had gone.

Alexandria's shift had slid off of one shoulder. A bright flush stained her exposed clavicle and the tops of her breasts.

Elijah tore off his jacket before she could storm passed them. He saw fire flash in her green eyes when he stepped in her path; his limbs seemed to freeze. Before he got a chance to drape the fabric over her shoulders she had shouldered her way around him and disappeared around the corner.

"No, Henrik," Elijah shook his head. He rolled his shoulders as the lightning flashed again.

Lexa felt some of her anger begin to dissipate when she stormed past the guards and pushed open the door to the bedchamber.

Elena lifted her head and propped her chin on her knees. Her moist eyes flickered from Lexa to the raging storm outside her window.

Lexa took a deep breath when the heavy door drifted shut. She crossed the room and fell onto the bed beside Elena.

Heavy rain beat down on the window when the tears started to streak down her face.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Elena whispered. She laid down and blinked slowly.

"Do you?" Lexa's voice trembled. Her gaze flickered Elena's swollen, red rimmed, eyes.

"I shouldn't…" Elena drew in a halting breath. "It won't make a difference."

"It might help to talk," Lexa reached for her hand. "It helped me…"

"Then why don't you go first?" Elena huffed. There was no humor in the short laugh.

"Because," she whispered, "I'm still fuming. And if I talk about it now… I'm… I'm likely to start a small fire somewhere. It gets harder when I'm emotional."

Elena nodded. She had suspected the storm was less than natural. "Me first, then?" She turned her head to stare at the ceiling. "Do you remember when you found me…"

"Yes," Lexa nodded. She didn't need to be reminded of the incident in question it was forever sealed in her mind.

She rounded the corner and narrowed her eyes when she heard footsteps hastening in the opposite direction.

"Elena," her eyes grew wide. She sprinted the short distance and dropped to the ground in time to see her pull out the white handkerchief that she had been gagging on.

"I never told you who did it," Elena drew her lip between her teeth. She could feel his hands on her arms: harsh and demanding. She closed her eyes as she launched into the full explanation. She told Lexa about what Damon had done on her wedding night; she told her about the next morning.

"You can't marry him," Lexa propped herself on her elbow. She closed her eyes and exhaled when the sudden movement made her stomach heave.

"I don't have another choice," Elena shook her head. "You and I both know we don't have a say in such things."

"But you have a way out," Lexa reminded her of the handkerchief.

"I can't do that," Elena drew her knees into her chest.

"Why not?" Lexa raked her hand back through her hair. Her insides shook as she shifted to sit. "After everything I've seen it's not like she deserves your loyalty."

"Regardless she has it," Elena tucked her hair behind her ear. "She's my sister, Lexa. I can't ruin her. Could you ruin your sister?"

Lexa crossed her arms over her stomach and focused on her knees. "I don't have any sisters." The rain slowed outside.

"Could you ruin me?" Elena shifted to look at her.

Lexa didn't have to think about it. She shook her head vehemently. "Of course not. You're my best friend… you're my only friend."

"It's kind of like that," Elena smiled softly.

"Oh," Lexa nodded. Her eyes flickered over Elena's face. "There's more to it isn't there? You haven't said a word against your impending marriage until now… what's going on?"

"I guess it's just… catching up to me," Elena shrugged.

"You know I always hate when people lie to me," Lexa smirked and tilted her head. "Who's the man?"

"What?" Elena's eyes grew wide as she spun to face her.

"The man," Lexa enunciated. "The man you've been spending time with. The one you are in love with. Don't think I haven't seen it in your face."

"Lexa, I…"

Lexa arched a brow. She smirked even as the blood drained from her face.

"Are you feeling well?" Elena focused on her cheeks. "You look a little peaky."

"Do not try to change the subject," Lexa exhaled. "I'm just fine. My stomach just a little upset. We're focused on you right now."

"It doesn't matter," Elena shook her head.

"It does," Lexa sat forward and took her hands. "It matters to you, and since it matters to you it matters to me."

Elena chewed her lip before nodding. She had been right earlier; it wouldn't make a difference. Lexa had also been right; talking about it seemed to lift a weight from her shoulders.

"I'm in love," Elena met her bright green eyes, "and he loves me. And I can't do anything about it…" She felt the tears well in her eyes. "I think I hurt him Lexa. He told me he loved me and I said it didn't matter, but it does… it meant everything to me to hear that."

"What you meant was that it didn't make a difference," Lexa pulled Elena into a hug. "Does he know about your engagement?"

"Yes," Elena sniffled.

"Then I'm sure he understood." She rubbed circles into Elena's shoulder.

Elena let Lexa comfort her for a minute. She jumped when a fist pounded on her chamber door.

"Lexa," Kol's voice reached them through the wood. "I know you're in there."

"I don't want to talk to him," Lexa whispered.

Elena's eyes darted from Lexa's wide eyes to the chamber door and back. She nodded once before climbing to her feet and pulling Lexa towards the wall.

"What are you doing?" Lexa hissed. She could hear Kol's insistent pounding on the door.

"You can explain later," Elena murmured. Her fingers found the locking mechanism and pulled the hidden door open. "Wait here. I'll take care of it."

Lexa peered into the dark tunnel. She was going to ask how Elena knew about the door and where the path led, but she heard the door being pushed open. She stepped inside quickly and held her breath when she was plunged into darkness; the voices on the other side were muffled by the heavy wood.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest when he burst inside.

"Where is she?" Kol peered around the room. He tore back the curtains by the window.

"Lexa's not here." Elena's hair fell over her shoulder when she shook her head.

"She is," Kol's eyes flashed desperately. Outside the storm picked up again.

Elena glared when he started searching her room. "There is nobody in here but me. Surely you can see that." She sniffed.

"Kol, what the bloody hell are you doing?"

Elena swiped at the remnants of her tears. She shivered suddenly feeling very exposed in her long shift.

"I am looking for my wife," Kol glared.

"That does not give you the right to burst into a lady's chambers uninvited," Elijah snapped. He frowned when he saw the wet tracks on Elena's cheeks below her red rimmed eyes.

"I know she's in here," a vein throbbed in his neck in time with the lightning flash.

"It appears that Lady Elena is the only one in this room," Elijah approached his younger brother.

"Henrik swore she came in here," Kol paced the length of the chamber.

"Henrik swears there is a ghost in the great hall call Mildred," Elijah rolled his eyes. "I saw her as well; she headed further down the hall."

Kol's eyes made one last sweep of the room before nodding.

"My sincerest apologies Lady Elena," he dipped his head before storming into the hall.

Elijah waited until he could no longer hear Kol before addressing her. "Are you alright Elena? Did he do something again?" He reached for her arm.

"I'm fine," Elena swiped at her cheeks. "I haven't been within twenty feet of him in over a week."

Elijah lifted her chin with his knuckle and met her sad eyes. "What's wrong?"

Elena felt her lower lip tremble. No amount of effort on her part would have stopped it. She blinked back a fresh wave of tears while wondering how she had any tears left to shed.

"I…" she shook. She felt the cool silver of her necklace press between her breasts when he wrapped his arms around shoulders.

She should have been ashamed of the way she clung to him. She should have pushed him away. She should have done a lot of things, but in that moment she wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around her.

His heart beat was calming beneath her ear. His hand was soothing in her hair.

Elena wrapped her arms around his back. She stood there for several minutes before a bloodcurdling scream echoed over the stone walls. It was followed by a fierce pounding on the walls.

Elijah's head spun from the corridor to the wall behind Elena.

"Elena?" He watched her step from his arms when a small scream penetrated the wall.

"She didn't want to talk to him," she whispered while pushing the lock.

Elijah sighed when he spotted Lexa stepping back through the wall. "You're going to have to explain that," she gasped.

"Why were you screaming?" Elijah spoke up. The noise in the corridor had quieted for the time being.

Lexa's eyes widened when she saw him. Her gaze darted from Elena to Elijah and the wet stain on his chest.

"Alexandria?"

"I thought I heard someone," she swallowed. "It was really dark, and I heard footsteps."

"Probably a servant," Elijah said. He watched Elena push the door shut again.

"Whatever it was," Lexa shivered, "it was terrifying. I was certain I was going to die."

Elijah was going to assure her that the notion was ridiculous. That she was perfectly safe in the tunnels as only two people actually knew the paths, and both were in front of her. Before he could open his mouth however a loud wail reached his ears; it was a wail he had heard before.

It was the same sound his mother had made when Freya died years ago.

Who is it? Things are picking up now...

The next chapter is going to have a time jump... several weeks forward in time.

As for right now: supper and then the next chapter for Lexa's (DWTH).