BIG APOLOGY for not having this up a LOT sooner than it should have been, even BIGGER APOLOGY for it being so short! But I wasn't liking the way it was reading out so I re-wrote it a couple of times. I can live with this version though! And it is only Damons POV, Elena's will be next!

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Through the hourglass I saw you
In time you slipped away
When the mirror crashed I called you
And turned to hear you say
If only for today
I am unafraid

Take my breath away

DPOV

"Would you care to move somewhere more private Elena?" I adored the way her name sounded falling from my lips. Her eyes flashed up to meet mine. She gazed at me with a troubled expression. She got up out of her curtsey and allowed me to lead her into my privy chamber. I wasn't sure I would be able to ask her to be my mistress tonight. She was so beautiful I would be content just to look at her all night long. I motioned for her to take a seat at my table. She sank into the chair, she seemed to be uncomfortable. "Is there anything the matter my lady?" I asked her.

"Why no your Majesty of course not, I am just so shocked that you would invite a someone such as myself when you could be in the presence of your beautiful fiancée." She looked up to me, there was something strange in her eyes, almost a look of longing.

"She really is not that beautiful" I blurted out. She gave a small gasp and then covered her mouth with her small hand. She looked mortified.

"Your Majesty?" I looked up at her, she was the beautiful one. Why couldn't Elena be the Princess of Italy? Then I would be engaged to her, to an angel. I quickly shook the thought from my head. I was the King. I could have anything I wanted. I was going to marry Katherine, have my army, take over France, and take Elena as my mistress. I was going to have it all.

But if that was the case, then why did I still feel as though that was not enough? I pushed the thought from my head and focussed back on the beautiful creature sitting across from me. I walked over to her, took her chin in my hand and angled her face up towards mine. I leaned in and kissed her lips. The feeling was unlike anything I had ever felt before. I had kissed hundreds of women and never had a kiss felt this mind-blowingly perfect. At first she froze at the contact of my lips on hers, but after a few seconds she melted into the kiss. I pulled her to stand, wrapping my arm around her waist, and pushed her up against the wall, knocking over a chair in the process. She moaned into my mouth, which sent me into overdrive. I pushed her roughly into the wall, kissing her viscously, letting my hands roam down her arms and across the front of her dress. I removed my lips from hers and continued to kiss her feverishly along her neck and collarbone. Her hands wrapped into my hair pulling it as she moaned again.

And just as fast as it began it ended.

She pushed her small hands against my chest. She was strong for a small young woman.

"Your Majesty please, I really must protest"

"Not a standing up type of girl Elena? As you wish, the bed is this way" I waggled my eyebrows as I took her hand and pulled her towards my excessively large bed.

"No your Majesty please, I cannot do this" I stopped dead in my tracks. Was she actually refusing me? "Please I beg you let me return to my chambers" she looked so flustered.

"You do not wish to be my mistress? Elena I am the King of England, any woman would kill to be in your position right now" I stared at her.

"Your Majesty, I am not married, I have never loved another, I am pure in every way, and I wish to remain that way until I am married. I beg you to understand." She looked at the floor.

"I am calling your bluff Elena" her head snapped up, her eyes met mine, she was shocked.

"Your Majesty?"

"You kissed me back, you cannot deny you want me just as much as I want you" I gave her a sly grin and watched as a blush began to rise over her neck and cheeks. I knew it!

"Your Majesty please, I pray you, let me return to my chambers."

"Elena… I… ok. You may return to your chambers" I gave up, defeated. She looked at me, with a strange look in her big warm brown eyes.

"Thank you your Majesty" she curtseyed and turned to leave.

"Elena wait" I called after her. She spun around her hair whipping around her beautiful face. "Do you truly believe in all of that?" I asked her. She looked puzzled. "Marrying for love rather than advantage?" I looked down at my feet when I spoke to her.

"Yes your Majesty I really do" she blushed as she confessed and I nodded.

"And you believe that you will find your true love, and be happy with him for the rest of your life?" I raised my eyebrows as I asked the question. She smiled at me.

"Your Majesty nothing would make me happier." I looked down at my feet. I decided to make this more interesting.

"And what does this perfect husband look like Elena?" she flushed and started to play with her hands.

"Well he is tall, and handsome, strong but gentle too. He's a hard worker, but loves to relax and have fun."

She closed her eyes and smiled. I liked this girl, she was sweet and genuine. She was real. I started comparing her to Katherine, which was not a good idea. She was much better than Katherine in all aspects. Expect for the fact that by marrying Katherine I gained the treaty with Italy. Then I found myself second guessing the treaty. I quickly pushed that thought out of my head.

"You do not love her" My head snapped up at her comment. She spoke so quietly I thought I was beginning to hear things.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your Majesty forgive me, I speak too boldly."

"Yes you do. You speak very boldly for a woman to a King Miss Gilbert." My head was racing. I could not get her words out of my head.

"I believe I have overstepped my boundaries your Majesty, please I pray you forgive me, I did not wish to upset you." She was speaking so quickly, and her curtsey was so low to the ground I thought she would melt into the floor at any second. I walked over to her, and brushed my fingers through her hair. She looked afraid, her big brown eyes full of worry as she looked up at me.

"Elena, would you like to see something beautiful?" my question seemed to catch her off guard. She half smiled and nodded her head shyly. "Have you ever been out to the maze of roses at night? It really is mesmerizing."

"No your majesty, I have never been to the maze of roses, I have only ever heard of its beauty from my brother when he comes home during the Christmas progress." She blushed.

"Brother?" I asked her, "You have a brother here at court?"

"Why of course your majesty, Jeremy Gilbert." My heart nearly pounded out of chest as relief washed over me. Jeremy and Elena were brother and sister; therefor he was not courting her. Not that it mattered of course, I was engaged.

Of course, well shall we walk together then?" I asked as I held out my arm for her. She wrapped her travelling cloak around herself, pulled the hood up and took my arm with a smile. As we left the room I met my closest friend outside my chambers, Alaric Saltzman.

"Your Majesty" he said as he took a bow, and then looked up towards Elena. "I see you received my message Elena, I trust that you and Jenna have been reacquainted?" I was once again at a loss for words with Elena. How on earth did she know my best friend? I have known Alaric since I was a child. His father was a member of my father's court and he and I would be tutored together, as well as play sports together. He has been my best friend for years, even when we don't see eye to eye. He knows everything about me, and I him. Elena has never even been to court before for god sakes! She cannot possibly know him!

Elena nodded to Alaric and smiled. "Okay I give up, how on earth do you two know each other?" I asked the both of them. Alaric smiled and Elena blushed.

"Lord Saltzman is my Uncle Your Majesty" Elena said with a small smile. "He is married to my mother's sister Lady Jenna Saltzman" she said as she turned and smiled at Alaric.

"Of course he is" I said as I turned and smiled at Alaric. I was sure there was a reason Alaric was stalking around my chambers but I was eager to get outside and walk with Elena. "Well Alaric, Elena and I were just on our way out to the maze of roses" I gave him the look that meant he was not welcome to join us, he nodded in understanding.

"That sounds wonderful your Majesty, but the Princess Katherine is requesting your presence in her chambers tonight" he looked from me to Elena and then back to myself. I felt Elena shrink into her travelling cloak as Katherine was brought up. I knew the right thing to do would be to let Alaric walk Elena back to her chambers and to join my fiancée in hers. But I was Damon Salvatore King of England, it would make no sense for me to do the right thing.

"Alaric, tell Katherine that I will be working through the night and that I will join her tomorrow night. Tell her I am sorry, and tell her not to visit me, as I need to be alone to concentrate. Keep two guards posted at my door all through the night and if anyone asks, I am working," I quickly moved back into my chambers and grabbed my riding cloak that was strewn over a chair. "Also please make sure that Miss Elena Gilbert has made it back safely to her chambers, she left my presence chamber earlier after I formally welcomed her to court." I turned and winked at a very puzzled Elena Gilbert. "It's not every day that my best friend's niece joins my court." Alaric smiled in understanding, although looking uneasy. I turned and offered my arm to Elena, "shall we?" she pulled her hood up over her head as she took my arm.

Once we made it outside I directed us towards the maze. It was a warm night though autumn was well upon us and it felt like June. Elena's hand was wrapped around the crook of my elbow as we got closer and closer to the entrance. Her breathe caught as she took in the beauty of the maze. Its walls were gigantic rose bushes trimmed perfectly straight and even. The maze was a giant square and at the very centre there was an open circle. It was a stunning maze with the roses adding beautiful splashes of colour throughout its walls. Two stone statues were placed on either side of its entrance.

"Beautiful isn't it? I used to love running through it when I was a child. My mother would chase me for hours, both of us getting lost in its midst." I looked over at Elena then, she was looking up at me, a strange emotion in her eyes.

"Forgive me your Majesty, I knew of your mothers passing, I am very sorry for you. Queen Anne was a true inspiration to her country and people."

"Don't apologize Elena, I have only happy memories of my mother, and not even her death can take those away from me." I smiled at her, "Shall we then?" she looked hesitantly towards the maze entrance. "We will not get lost I promise you"

"How can you be certain?"

I reached into the pocket of my cloak and pulled out a ball of blue ribbon. "My mother taught me this trick the first time I walked the maze, you tie the ribbon to the stone statue, and then unravel it as you walk, once you make it to the centre, you follow it back out. She smiled and incredibly bright smile.

"That is brilliant! Your mother was such a smart woman your Majesty"

Looking at Elena, her skin illuminated by the moonlight, in that moment she reminded me so much of my mother; strong, beautiful, kind and smart. I wanted to know her, more of her than I already did. As we entered the maze together, the ribbon unravelling behind us as we moved forward, I felt as though my whole entire life was unravelling as well. I made a promise to myself in that moment that I would find a way to spend the rest of my life with Elena, even if it had to be in secret, at the Maze of Roses, after midnight, every night for the rest of my life. I would find a way for her to be mine, forever.

Hope you enjoyed! I will have the next chapter up shortly! Review! ;)

Xo E.S.