Here is chapter eight!

This chapter took me longer than expected, I was originally planning on having a general explanation of events leading up to the next point where the story would continue, but instead I expanded the chapter and included several flashbacks that help to peice together the 5 month gap that has happened. The amount of flashbacks I have added have also caused me to break the 5 month gap into two chapters. This chapter is part one and chapter nine will be part two. Chapter ten will be the return of the King to England and the story will continue from their.

Another quick note:

This story is not a book that will be published and sold throughout the world it is a hobby and a SIDE project that I enjoy when I have the time to work on it. As everyone knows life can get hectic and I myself am a full-time student and have a part-time job. I was unaware that I had a deadline to post certain chapters within certain time frames, and if the "guest" who left me the review stating that I had to update more frequently would like to send me a schedule of appropriate dates to post by, well lets be honest it wont make we want to update any quicker. If you don't want to wait for me to write out my chapters and post them, then dont. No one is forcing you to read this story, and if you are going to keep on being so negative with your reviews then just dont read the story, I wont lose any sleep. I appreciate criticism, but again this is a site for fun writing, this is not a university assignment with deadlines. As for the length of my chapters, once again I was unnawear of a minimum length requirement.

I apologize to all of my readers for not posting as quick as I should be, but as you all know, its not always that easy!

Sorry for keeping the people who actually enjoy this story from getting to the chapter by putting this here in the authors note, but again the reviewer didnt send me their name so I couldn't address them privately.

Hope this clears up some issues!

On with the show ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

To think I might not see those eyes

Makes it so hard not to cry

And as we say our long goodbyes

I nearly do

General POV

Five months had passed since Elena and Damon first met at court and many things had happened since that fateful day.

Elena had fallen in love with the King of England.

Damon had fallen in love with a woman who was not his betrothed.

"Elena can I tell you something" Damon grabbed my hands and looked me deep in the eyes. We were standing at the middle of the maze of roses, our secret meeting place in the middle of the night.

"Elena I just need to say this once, you just need to hear it. I love you Elena."

"Damon I love you too, but you're getting married in 4 days, it's not right."

"It is right Elena, just not right now," Damon paused and then looked up into Elena's eyes "Elena what if I told you I had a plan that would ensure us to be together?"

"Damon?"

"Once Katherine and I are married I will leave for France, stating that I cannot be free to love my wife and bring children into the world while the King of France still sits on his throne. Then, when I have conquered France with the help of the Italian army, I will claim that my marriage was never consummated and that I wish to have it annulled. The Pope will grant my annulment and we will be free of Katherine and able to be with each other forever my darling."

"Damon that sounds perfect, almost too perfect. Do you think it would really work?"

"My love I am the King of England. I will make it work. I won't go one more day without you once I return from France, that I promise you." Damon leaned over and kissed Elena on the cheek. Together they stayed in each other's embrace for the remainder of the night.

Four days later Katherine and Damon were married in a private ceremony in the Abby with only the highest of court members present. Katherine made sure her ladies in waiting would be present so that Elena would be forced to watch her marry Damon.

Elena watched as Katherine and Damon exchanged their vows.

They did not seal their vows with a kiss, as Damon argued that he would look forward to the kiss more upon his return from France. It would give him motivation to win his great war.

Elena lined up beside the rest of the ladies in waiting and together they all knelt at the altar. They all crossed themselves and then stood, turned and walked towards the side of the altar, awaiting the arrival of the Princess.

Before the doors opened and Katherine was announced, Elena stole a quick glance towards the King. He was looking straight back at her. She smiled softly and bowed her head, knowing that if their plan failed, Damon would be married to Katherine, and they would never get their happily ever after.

As if he could sense her worry, Damon threw her a devilish smirk and wink. He would see to it that Elena and he were married before the year was out.

All too soon the doors to the Abby were opened and Katherine made her way down the aisle. She was wearing a gold gown cut low around the neck, with flowers sewn into the bodice. She had a hefty crown atop her hair that looked too big for her head. She sneered at Elena as she passed her ladies and turned to smile at her husband to be.

Damon stared at Katherine stone-faced and nodded towards the archbishop to get started.

Elena couldn't help but notice that the King was dressed from head to toe in black, as if in mourning. She assumed this was no accident on his part and the thought gave her strength to stomach the rest of the ceremony.

"I, Damon, take thee to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, and thereto I plight thee my troth." Damon spoke as he picked up Katherine's wedding band and slid it onto her finger.

The King's vows were cold and lacked any emotion. Katherine's mother and father seemed none too pleased at the King's presentation during his marriage to their daughter.

Katherine then turned towards Damon with his ring in her hand, "I take thee, Damon, to be my wedded husband. I, Katherine, take thee to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, and thereto I plight thee my troth."

Katherine spoke her vows much more dramatically, drawing out the words husband, from this day forward, till death. Elena was certain she saw Damon roll his eyes when Katherine spoke about becoming poor. He knew all too well that if the kingdom fell tomorrow, Katherine would be returning to Italy with her family as soon as she heard word.

"The King and Princess will now seal their union with a kiss" spoke the archbishop. Damon then took Katherine's hand in his, pulled it up to his mouth, and placed a quick kiss on it.

Katherine did not seem too pleased about the lack of a real wedding kiss, but she obliged, not wanting to upset the hot headed King.

Once the ceremony ended everyone was instructed to attend a feast in the great hall, as well as a dance that would go on until the early hours of the morning. Katherine permitted her ladies in waiting to attend the dinner so long as they stayed seated at their table across the hall. All through the night not one lady moved, not even Princess Alexia who refrained from making a scene on her brother-in-laws wedding day.

"Damon I want to dance, please come dance with me!" Katherine was happier than a dog with a bone. She was on her fourth goblet of wine and was getting louder than Damon could stand.

"Then for heaven's sake go dance woman. There are plenty enough young lads here to entertain you for the rest of the evening."

"But I want to dance with my husband!" Katherine pouted. Suddenly Damon had a brilliant idea. He got up and walked over to the table where his members of court were seated.

"Gentlemen, it seems as though my delightful wife wants to dance with me. However I seem to only have enough drink in me to stomach one dance with her, what say you all take a turn with her when I'm done? And this favour consists of dancing ONLY, and yes I am looking at you Tyler Lockwood!" the men at the table all laughed loudly and agreed to help the King with his predicament.

Damon then walked over to Katherine, extended his hand and asked her to dance. They danced for a short period of time before Stefan asked if he could cut in and steal a dance with the Queen. Katherine obliged happily and was swept up into the younger prince's arms. Damon then made his move while his new wife was distracted.

He walked over to where the ladies in waiting were seated and asked his sister-in-law Princess Alexia to share a dance with him. She smirked, searched for her own husband, and accepted when she saw that he was dancing with Katherine.

"Why have you pawned your wife off onto my poor husband Damon?" she sighed once they were off in the middle of the floor."

"He is doing me a favour, there is only so much I can take of the woman you see."

"Is your Majesty regretting this marriage already?" she gave him a wide-eyed stare, "I am shocked!" she then threw her head back and laughed. Damon joined her and they twirled a little bit more.

"I see the way you look at Lady Gilbert Damon, what do you have planned for her?"

Damon smiled softly, "if you must know Lexi, I plan to make her my wife, but please refrain from telling your darling husband, he isn't one for keeping secrets and I am sure he will be none too happy about the fact!"

Lexi just stared at the King. "Damon how on earth may I ask, do you plan on achieving this? I'm not sure if you were completely present today but you married KATHERINE not ELENA."

Damon just gave her his cocky smile, "my dear sister, you forget-"

"-yes I know, we all know. You are the King."

Damon pouted, "you stole my line."

Lexi through her head back and laughed, "yes, and you threw my husband to the dogs!"

"Alexia, did you just call my darling bride a bitch?" the both looked at each other and began to laugh once more. With that they had made it back to the table where the Princess had been seated.

From across the room Damon watched as Lord Tyler Lockwood took over for Stefan.

"There your husband is safe and sound, why don't you go dance with him? And you are free from waiting on Katherine while I am in France," Lexi gave Damon a genuine smile and kissed him on the cheek. "Take care of my baby brother for me sister." Lexi curtseyed and made her way across the hall towards Stefan.

Damon then reached out to ask Lady Caroline Forbes to share the next dance with him.

Elena sat and wondered why Damon did not simply ask her to dance. Why he seemed to be asking everyone but. She continued to sit and watch as he twirled around the hall with every other woman but her.

Soon after Tyler and Katherine finished dancing, Lord Mason Lockwood, Tyler's older brother asked Katherine to dance. Katherine seemed delighted at all of the attention, until she noticed that her husband was not in his seat. She accepted Lord Mason and they began to dance, the whole time she was not laughing at his jokes, she was staring at Damon dancing his way through her ladies in waiting.

Damon dropped Caroline back off at the table, and then picked Lady Rebekah Howard for the next dance. Elena was becoming extremely confused, hoping she hadn't done anything to upset the King.

Damon and Katherine danced around each other all evening switching partners simultaneously. Once Mason gave his gracious exit, the King's best friend Lord Alaric Saltzman stepped up to the plate. At the same time across the room, Damon asked Lady Jenna Saltzman for the next dance.

"Tell me something Lord Saltzman, why is it that Damon prefers the company of Lady Gilbert over me?" Katherine was beginning her seventh goblet of wine of the night.

"Your Majesty is mistaken; the King loves you and spends all of his available time with you." Alaric replied.

"I am not mistaken. Damon and Lady Gilbert are constantly together. I know that when he says he is tired, he is with her. When he says he must meet with his cardinals he is with her. When he says he wishes to dine alone, he dines with her. When he prays, he prays with her. Why does she captivate him so much?"

"My Lady, I assure you the King is not interested in Elena in the ways in which you think. He has never asked her or anyone to become his mistress. He is faithful to you your Majesty."

"I do not wish to speak of this an longer, dance with me Lord Saltzman, it is my wedding day!" together they twirled a little while longer. Katherine becoming more and more the unbalanced drunk, Alaric becoming more and more annoyed at the Queen's antics.

"Your Majesty, I must beg you to be careful with my niece. She is the closest thing I have to a daughter and I swore to my sister I would protect her while she was here at court. I know that your new wife has not taken too kindly towards Elena, and I fear that while you are away in battle, that she might do something to have her harmed. Your Majesty I mean you no disrespect I only beg you for your protection if you truly care for my niece." Jenna was out of breath by the time she had finished her speech. Damon was smiling amused down at his best friend's wife.

"Jenna do you think Katherine would attempt to have Elena charged while I was away?" Jenna looked unsure as of how to answer.

"Your Majesty is the best friend of my husband and so I feel as though I can speak freely with you. Yes your Majesty, I would not put it past the Queen to do something like that to my niece."

"Jenna I have sworn to Elena that so long as I am King she would never have to face the noose or see the inside of a prison cell. I make the same promise to you. As extra precaution while I am away in France I will appoint Stefan and Alaric to watch over Katherine and make sure no harm comes to Elena."

"Thank you your Majesty, it will be a great relief when you conquer the French and return to England" Damon smiled at Jenna, and granted her permission to share a dance with her husband once they were finished.

Moments later, Lord Jeremy Gilbert stood and asked a very drunk Queen Katherine to dance with him. She happily accepted and fell into his arms rather sloppily.

At this point in the night Elena was very distraught. The king had not once asked her to dance and they only way she was allowed to leave the table was if Katherine dismissed her and she was too busy dancing with every man of the court to give her ladies any notice.

Suddenly a shadow blocked Elena's view of the hall. She looked up and was met with a beautiful pair of blue eyes, the same pair of blue eyes that stole her heart many days ago.

"Elena, come dance with me" Damon smiled down at her. Elena beamed up at the King. He hadn't forgotten about her! He was asking her to dance!

"Your Majesty I though you would never ask" she smiled and laughed as he swooped her onto the dance floor.

Damon and Elena danced the longest out of all of the other couples in the hall. Katherine changed partners several more times, too drunk to notice that Elena remained wrapped in the King's arms for the rest of the evening.

Damon excused himself after a short period to get ready for his journey.

Before leaving, he met secretly with Elena one last time in the maze of roses. She gave him a beautifully detailed kerchief of deep blue that matched his favourite dress of hers. The cloth had her initials sewn in a lighter blue that matched the King's eyes. Elena begged the King to return safely to her. Damon held Elena close one last time as she sobbed quietly, begging him not to leave her. He promised she would be well looked after while he was away and that when he returned he would announce his divorce from Katherine.

That morning as the sun began to rise up above the horizon, Damon led his troops towards the harbour, where they would set sail to the south. It would be months before word travelled of their progress in France. No one knew how many would make it back alive.

Weeks passed while the two armies fought and fought. Slowly England began to advance towards the heart of France, King Louis's palace.

A soldier ran towards the heart of the city, searching for the tent with the largest flag flying above it. He fell to his knees panting, and kissed the air towards the blue and red fabric that flashed six gold lions and six gold fleur de lis's. He had made it back alive, and now he would have to share his news with his King.

He asked the guard to announce his arrival to the King. "Your Majesty, a foot soldier requests an audience with you" the guard spoke quietly to the King. He nodded and the young soldier was allowed entry into the warm tent. The King was seated in a large wooden chair, his feet were thrown up onto the large table in front of him. Maps of the city and surrounding areas were strewn across the table with different knives and objects marking certain locations on them. The King was using another knife to slowly cut slices off of an apple. He looked as though he was enjoying his summer progress rather than in the midst of a bloody war.

"Your Majesty I have news from the front lines" spoke the soldier.

At this the King looked up towards the young lad dangerously, "and?" he pressed.

"We did it Sire, they have fallen back." The King smiled at this. He raised the hand that was holding the knife and used the hilt to scratch his bearded chin.

"And the King, what of him? Does he live?"

"Yes your Majesty, he remains prisoner. Our troops will keep him imprisoned until you can ride out to see him yourself." The soldier kept eyeing the apple in his King's hand, he hadn't eaten in what felt like days. The king slowly stood and offered the soldier a seat at the table. He motioned for a servant to bring the boy some wine and bread. The soldier thanked his Majesty greatly and dove in to the food hungrily.

"So it is done," spoke the elated King. "England has conquered France."

Thank you for reading! I hope everyone liked it, the next chapter will be mostly filler and then chapter 10 is when the real excitement will begin!

Thank you to everyone who liked/favourited/followed/reviewed this story, it means alot! :)

xo
E.S.