So very sorry for the long wait! I have added links on my profile for my inspiration behind the gowns Katherine, Caroline and Elena wear later on in this chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. I just let them run wild throughout my imagination ;)

Somewhere out in the back of your mind

Comes your real life and the life that you know

It seems like it was the creation of some of those same old things

It seemed to be the only thing left out in the light

DPOV

"His Majesty the King" the announcer shouted as the door swung open and I made my way into my presence chamber. Today I was meeting with my fiancée and her father to make the arrangements for our wedding and upcoming coronation.

I walked over to His Majesty the Holy Roman Emperor of Italy and his daughter the Princess Katherine, my fiancée.

"Your Majesty" said the Emperor as he bowed low to me.

"Your Grace" I said as I copied his bow, though not sinking as low as he had done. He was in my kingdom. I turned to his daughter, she was quite beautiful.

"Your Majesty" she purred, sinking into a low curtsey. When she rose she held out her hand for me. I took it and kissed it softly.

"My lady," I let go of her hand and walked towards the window, motioning for my servant to pour us all a glass of wine. "I trust your visit to Italy was a pleasant one and that your journey here was without complication?" The emperor nodded as he accepted his glass of wine from the servant. "And my lady Katherine, have you been shown to your chambers yet?"

"Yes, your Majesty is too kind, they are exquisite" she said with a smile.

"Nothing but the best for the future Queen of England" I said taking a sip from my wine. "After we are finished here you can return to your chambers and meet your new ladies in waiting if you wish. I hear they arrived this morning and are eager to meet the beautiful Italian Princess" she blushed and nodded.

"Your Majesty, it has come to my understanding that there have been some issues in regards to the ceremony. Apparently the Archbishop is refusing to marry your Majesty and my daughter?" the Emperor shot me a disapproving look. If he hadn't been the father of my fiancée and the Emperor of Italy I would have stuck my sword right through his bloody heart. I really didn't like the Emperor, and his wife was a horrid woman. I was only going through with this marriage because it would tie our two countries together and give me the advantage I needed to take over France.

It was true, the Archbishop of Canterbury was not at all thrilled that I was marrying the Princess of Italy. He was not refusing, simply begging me to choose and England born noble lady to take as my wife instead. I would have been more than happy to oblige, but my Cardinals assured me that by taking Katherine as my wife and Queen, I would seal the bonds between England and Italy and triumph over France.

"Your Highness, shall we discuss this matter together in my Privy Chamber over some supper? The Princess should be able to go and meet her ladies now. Would you like that my darling?" not wanting Katherine to have to sit through supper while her father and I bickered back and forth about the Archbishop and his preferences.

"Your Majesty knows me too well" she smiled and curtseyed as she left the room. I turned back to the Emperor and motioned for him to follow my servants into the privy chamber.

"Your Highness I assure you there will be no problem with the Archbishop once I speak with him personally about the matter. You have my word."

"I'm glad we seem to be on the same page then your Majesty" he said giving me a stern look. God I hated this man. Just because he was old enough to be my father did not give him the right to act like it, and in my own kingdom of all places! I nodded, not trying to hide the pissed off look on my face at all. "Your Majesty there is also-"

"Please your Highness, I am going to be the Husband of your beautiful daughter, there is no need for formalities."

"Very well then, Damon I believe we have to discuss my daughter's dowry?"

Now were talking I thought as I took a bite out of my supper. "Your Highness I-"

"Your Majesty?" Oh how I wanted to punch that silly little grin off of his face, he was really beginning to overstay his welcome here.

I smiled at him across the table, "Jonathon." I drawled annoyingly, "I can assure you that the agreement set by my Cardinals will be more than sufficient, unless you have a problem affording such a dowry?" Now it was my turn to grin at the bastard sitting across from me. He started to look very uncomfortable.

"Of course we can afford the dowry Damon you do not have to worry about that."

"Excellent, than shall we retire this topic and discuss our plans for France?" I really could not give a fuck about the wedding plans. Taking over France was my main goal right now. I gave it all of my energy. He nodded and I motioned for our plates to be cleared away. "Shall we walk in the gardens?" I proposed. Jonathon nodded and we left the room and made our way out into the evening to discuss the future.

EPOV

The carriage pulled up outside of Windsor Castle. It was early in the morning the sun had only just come up a short while ago. I stepped out of the carriage and looked up at the giant structure in front of me. The palace was breathtaking. I had never seen such a grand building in all my life, and to think this would be my home from now until Christmas. I was pulled out of my thoughts by the King's guard that came out to lead us into the grand hall.

We followed him in through the large wooden doors. The inside was even more impressive that the outside. The grand hall was decorated in gold and red, in honour of the arrival of the Italian Princess. We were given a quick tour of the important parts of the castle, and then shown to our chambers. All of the ladies in waiting's chambers were connected to the Princess's chambers. We were to be put in pairs and then assigned to our rooms.

I was shown to the Princess's presence chamber where the other new ladies in waiting were currently waiting to be introduced to their new lives here at court. I was the last of the ladies to arrive and once I entered the room we were told to line up. The Mistress of the Robes, Lady Jenna Saltzman, then welcomed us to court.

"Good morning ladies, I trust all your journeys here were pleasant?" she said with a smile as she looked at each one of us respectfully. We all nodded and she continued. "You will all be given bed chambers in a moment; it will be two ladies to a room. Once you have been assigned a room there will be no changing, so please let us all try and get along shall we?" she smiled warmly, "Now, when I call your name please step forward and then move to the side of the room with your bed mate."

I looked at the other ladies, wondering who I would be partnered with. There was one girl who looked particularly evil. I prayed I did not end up with her.

"Lady Victoria Donovan" the girl I had been staring at stepped forward. Dear god please do not call my name please do not call my name, "and Lady Anna Seymour" oh I felt so bad for that poor girl. She looked as though she had been thinking the same thing as I had. They moved off to the side of the room.

"Lady Rebekah Howard" a tall blonde woman stepped forward; she looked a little intimidating, but not as much as Lady Donovan did, "and Her Royal Highness Princess Alexia Salvatore" there were several gasps from the other ladies in the room. No one had suspected the King's brother's wife would be sharing a room with another lady in waiting. Lady Howard curtseyed low to the Princess when she stepped forward.

The princess surprised us all but turning and addressing us, "My ladies, I know it may surprise you to have me stay with you while I am married to the King's brother. My brother in law see's it fit to have me wait on his little Italian whore when his majesty and I both know that for the time being I am placed well above her in the courts hierarchy. It is customary for every lady in waiting to share a chamber that connects with the Queens, and so I will on occasion be sharing a bed with you Lady Howard. For the most of our time at court however I will be sharing the bed of my husband the Prince. I look forward to spending my days together with you ladies" and with that she smiled and moved to the side of the room along with a partially stunned Lady Howard.

"Your highness I really must insist that you refrain from calling his majesty's fiancée a whore" Lady Saltzman said disapprovingly as she gave the Princess a curtsey.

"Lady Caroline Forbes" as I pulled my attention away from the Princess I noticed that there were only two of us left to be given a room.

"Lady Elena Gilbert."

Lady Forbes turned to me and smiled warmly. She seemed like a very nice person, I looked forward to sharing a chamber and bed with her. After we were paired off a servant showed us to our chambers. We were told to meet back in the Princess's presence chamber in an hour, where we would be formally introduced to her highness. After that we would accompany her to the great hall and dine with His Majesty the King.

The door closed and Lady Forbes turned to face me. "I know that in the company of the King and his favourites we have to be formal, but when we are away from their ears please, call me Caroline" she smiled. I really liked this girl, it seemed as though we would get along very well.

"And you must call me Elena, I feel the same way about formalities" I said with a warm smile. "Have you met the King yet?" I asked while we began to organize our gowns for the evening's festivities.

"No I do not even know what he looks like, although I have heard he is very handsome. More handsome than his brother the Prince, who I have seen before and let me say, he was a very handsome man" she giggled at the thought of the Prince.

"I have not met either of them. Tonight will be the first time. I hope I do not make a fool of myself. From what Princess Alexia says the Princess Katherine sounds like a terrible woman!"

"I have not met the Princess Katherine. My father says she is only agreeing to the marriage so that she can become the Queen of England. He says that she will send this country into ruin" she looked over to me then with worry in her eyes, "please do not repeat this, my father will be charged with treason for these words."

"I will not repeat them I swear" I said to her. She smiled again.

"So Elena, what are you wearing this evening?"

"I am not entirely sure. I hear that the Princess Katherine is wearing a beautiful red silk Italian dress to impress His Majesty. I guess I should wear something more toned down as not to offend her?" Caroline looked a little shocked.

"Elena, do not dress to impress the Princess, dress to impress the Lords of the Court!" she winked as she spun around and pulled a stunning pink gown out of her travelling chest.

"Caroline that's beautiful!" I was not sure I had anything like it to compare. I would have to beg my father for a new gown this Christmas.

"Here let me choose your gown for this evening" she draped her gown over the bed and walked over to where my chest was on the other side of the room. "Oh Elena this one is perfect, you will turn many heads in this dress I am sure!" she gushed over the gown she had in her arms. It was the royal blue gown my mother had had made for me on my sixteenth birthday. It was my favourite.

"That gown is my favourite" I told her, a small smile on my face.

"Then you shall wear it tonight, and maybe it will bring you luck… and a lord" Caroline laughed as she twirled back to her gown lying on the bed. We got dressed quickly talking lightly about what the evening would be like.

We arrived back in Princess Katherine's presence chamber an hour later. We were greeted by Lady Saltzman again who told us to line up the way we had that morning. Once we were lined up and presentable, Lady Saltzman left the room.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Katherine of Italy" was announced from outside the door. It swung open and in walked Katherine followed by Lady Saltzman. There was silence, except for the sound of her heels moving across the wooden floorboards as she made her way to the centre of the room. We all curtseyed low to her.

"So these are the ladies my future husband has appointed for me" she said looking over each one of us. To say she looked pleased to see us would be an enormous overstatement. "Well then. I shall have to talk to him about this" my lord, she wasn't even trying to hide her disappointment. "Ah Alexia, how quaint that you could find the time to serve me" she gave the Princess an extremely smug grin. I was starting to understand why Her Highness had spoken so poorly of her.

"Well your Highness it seems we are all able to find the time to participate in even the most tedious and degrading of tasks" Alexia replied. Oh the smoke was beginning to pour out of Katherine's ears.

"I would be careful your Highness, you may be of higher title than me right now, but one day I will be your Queen." Princess Alexia took several steps towards Katherine.

"That may be true your Highness, but if I were you, I would not be making enemies within my own court. You are not married yet" and with that Alexia gave Katherine a shallow curtsey and returned back to the line. Katherine huffed, turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Lady Saltzman indicated for us to follow Katherine to the great hall. As we turned and left she asked the Princess to stay behind, Alexia rolled her eyes and stayed.

As we left the room Caroline hurried over to my side, "Well this should prove to be an interesting evening, dinner with the King… and his bitch." I suppressed my laughter as we approached the grand hall.

Katherine stood behind the large doors, pushing her bosom up so that it was almost falling out of her dress. Princess Alexia had caught back up to us again along with Lady Saltzman and we all took our positions before entering the hall.

"Her Royal Highness Princess Katherine of Italy" the doors swung open and we all entered the hall behind the princess; all talking in the hall ceased as she made her way towards the main table. I was positioned directly behind Princess Alexia and therefore I could not see His Majesty or anyone seated at his table. Katherine began to curtsey, and the rest of us followed her lead.

What I heard next was the voice of an angel. It was as smooth as velvet, with a hint of danger in it. It was the voice of a dark angel.

The King called out to his fiancée, "My love, I trust that everything here is to your liking?"

"Of course, your Majesty is too kind to me. Everything is extraordinary" Katherine answered. Her voice sounded like a cat being strangled in comparison to his Majesty's. He must have motioned for her to take her place beside him, for she moved to take her seat at his table. The rest of the ladies followed and took their seats at the table next to his Majesty's.

I turned my head and looked over to where Katherine had taken her seat as I walked towards mine. I decided to allow myself to glance at his Majesty's face, to see if the rumours of his unworldly handsomeness had any truth to them. My gaze was met with a shock of raven black hair, and the iciest blue eyes I had ever seen in my seventeen years of life.

I felt a blush rise over my chest and face and I caught my breath as I realized that those icy blue eyes were staring straight back at me.

Kind of a cliff hanger I know, but the next chapter will be up soon! What will Damon think of the beautiful Elena? Please review! If I can get over 10 reviews from this chapter I will post the next one even sooner!

Xo E. S.