Chapter 7 – Monalisa
"Bonjour mademoiselle, would you like another cup of coffee or can I get you something else with that?"
Caroline looked up to the kind waiter and smiled. "Yes please, another cup and a nice butter croissant would do."
"Right away miss" he replied, in a thick French-English accent.
As Caroline looked around her, admiring the cobblestones and the Seine, she still couldn't believe she had done it. In just 24 hours she had already settled in a quaint boutique hotel in Paris, and was now sitting in a café having some breakfast. She bought tickets to the Louvre, Versailles, and the Eiffel Tower, and she was excited to visit them all. It didn't matter that she was alone. In fact, she liked the feeling of independence and the sense of adventure that came with it. She was incredibly lucky to be on this trip and would have loved to have her best friends with her, but at least it would give her some time for herself and some time to think.
The waiter arrived minutes later and Caroline enjoyed munching down on her croissant and taking sips of the delicious coffee. After she had paid, she took a train to Chateau de Versailles, the first destination in her itinerary.
As soon as the palace came into view, Caroline's jaw dropped. She couldn't contain her amusement. She was taken away not only by its incredible size, but also and most especially by the exquisite detail and the history behind it. As she strolled through the gardens, she felt like she belonged there and found herself dreaming of what it would feel like to be delighted with such royalty.
"Mary Antoinette is indeed one lucky lady," she commented, admiring the Petit Trianon part of the grounds.
"But it does come with a price, doesn't it? To live in a palace this extensive must come with strict rules, awful stepmothers – and wait, what else do they talk about in story books?" a voice answered from behind.
Caroline turned, lifted her sunglasses and tucked it in hair like a headband to find a gorgeous British man standing right in front of her.
"I don't think Mary Antoinette had awful stepmothers, but I totally agree – it must come with a price tag of some sort. Unless its genuine love, then I do repeat my statement – she is the luckiest girl in the world."
He laughed, "So you do believe in love, I take it?"
Caroline felt her cheeks turn red. This cute guy was flirting with her and she was playing with fire by flirting back. It couldn't be so bad, could it? "Of course I do. What made you think otherwise?"
He shuffled his feet, embarrassed. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea or anything, but most American girls seem to have a different opinion on it -at least, the ones I've dated."
Caroline smiled. "Well I'm not like other American girls."
"My apologies then, do forget I said anything. Could I make it up to you in some way, maybe a cup of tea or something?"
He did look awfully dapper in his polo shirt and khaki pants. And his accent, Caroline was a sucker for it. She found it hard to say no.
"Although I would love a nice pot of tea, I'm sorry. I've got a lot planned for myself today, and I would feel awful if I didn't finish it all."
He looked disheartened, but tried as much as he could not to show it. "Well at least I could offer you a ride. Where are you headed exactly? I might be able to buy you some time."
"The Louvre" she replied.
"Oh, that's definitely one of the most beautiful places I haven't gotten the chance to see here in Paris yet. I hear the Monalisa and the Wedding at Cana are, how should I say this, "to die for?"
Caroline couldn't help but chuckle at his attempt to incorporate American lingo. This guy wasn't so bad, and she wouldn't mind his company. In fact, why shouldn't she invite him to tag along? It was only a museum, not a date, anyway.
Before she could think twice about it, she said, "Then you should come. If you're offering me a ride, then you might as well come and see it for yourself. That is, if you aren't busy or anything."
He smiled at her, offering her his arm. "Let's go."
She held on to his arm as they made their way back through the gardens and out of the palace gates. He asked the valet to get his car, and when it arrived, Caroline couldn't believe what she was seeing – it was a yellow Lamborghini. This day was definitely full of surprises.
"We are going to the Louvre, in this?" she shrieked, failing to hide her shocked expression.
He seemed to be amused by her reaction. He opened the door for her and helped her get into the car. "Yes, we are. I hope you don't mind."
She couldn't help but smile back – now she was the luckiest girl in the world.
He took the drivers seat then and in a matter of seconds, they were off. They breezed through the traffic of Paris, taking small back roads and avoiding crowded lanes. Pretty soon they had arrived at their destination and were walking through the entrance of the Louvre.
"Thank you for the ride. I really appreciate it. It must be really popular with the girls that you date."
He nodded, "As long as you enjoyed yourself, that's good enough for me."
Boy did this Brit know how to flirt. She felt her cheeks turn red almost instantly. With her hand around his arm, they walked around the first floor, Caroline stopping every now and then to take pictures of the Greek sculptures. For fun they tried to imitate them in their poses, but since the sculptures were mostly naked, the both of them ended up laughing instead.
As soon as they saw the Victory of Samothrace though, Caroline's eyes lit up and she couldn't say a word. The gusts of wind that lifted her robes, the wet fabric seemingly clinging to her body and the strength, which seemed to bring the sculpture to life, left Caroline in a dazed state. She felt moved by its vigor and was reminded of her friends – Elena and Bonnie, and how admirable they were after everything that they had been through.
And here she thought she could forget about Mystic Falls, Now she was missing everyone and she'd only been away for a day.
She moved to the next floors, trying to distract herself. They roamed around the different rooms of paintings – from French to Northern Italian, Spanish and British artwork. Eventually Caroline couldn't tell the difference. Some of the paintings made her feel sad especially those that depicted bloodshed on canvas while others delighted her like the paintings of children.
She was dumbfounded by the intricacy and the size of the Coronation of Napoleon I and the Wedding at Cana but what she was most excited to see, and what brought her to tears was the prized Masterpiece of Leonardo de Vinci – the Monalisa.
For a few seconds, Caroline found herself holding her breath, taking it all in. As she stared at the painting and all its glory, she tried to figure out if it was indeed a self-portrait of De Vinci himself or not, as the rumors claimed. But it really didn't matter. Caroline was drawn to the softness, the sensitivity in her gaze and the enigmatic smile she had on her face. De Vinci wasn't just trying to depict her physical beauty, but of everything that he must have loved about her and that brought Caroline to tears. It was the most romantic thing she had ever seen.
As she wiped away her tears, she couldn't help but remember the drawing she had hidden in her drawer, the one that Klaus had given her after their night at the Original Ball. She pictured it in her head and realized that Klaus didn't just give her a simple portrait. There was so much more to it that she hadn't realized until now, and she was humbled. He depicted a light in her eyes – a mix of honesty and sadness, a sense of longing, and before Caroline even realized it, her tears were falling all over again.
She couldn't forget about Mystic Falls even if she tried.
"Hey are you alright?" her British companion asked, handing her a handkerchief.
She took it and dabbed at her eyes, trying not to ruin her makeup. "Yes, I'm sorry. I think I got pretty overwhelmed by the Monalisa."
He smiled. "Spoken like a true romantic."
She felt comforted by his presence but at the same time, she realized she didn't need another man in her life. She was already confused by her feelings for Tyler, and her strange feelings towards Klaus. She knew she cared about them both, and she needed to focus on that, and not try to run away from it.
"Thank you again for taking me. I really enjoyed this afternoon…" Caroline began, but paused when she realized she didn't know his name.
"Tyler. The name's Tyler."
What a coincidence, she thought to herself.
"Thank you Tyler. I'm Caroline by the way." she revealed.
"Would you like to go to dinner with me Caroline?" he asked kindly in response.
Instead of saying no straight away, she gave Tyler a hug instead. "I really appreciate your company Tyler, believe me I do. But to be really honest with you, I'm taken with somebody else. You're perfect in your own way and if I had met you first I'd probably say yes, but given the situation we are in now, I know someone out there is destined to be with you, and I'd simply be a bump on the road. Be patient, love is just around the corner" she whispered, before letting him go.
He looked at her with a pleased expression. "Thank you Caroline. You are indeed not like other American girls. The man who holds your heart is lucky. He better be sure to take good care of it."
She smiled back before walking away "Goodbye Tyler. And thank you again."
As she exited the Louvre she knew that she had an important decision to make. She should no longer have to live in confusion over her feelings. She took this trip for a reason, and was hoping to find answers – and fast.
She made her way to the last destination for the day – the Eiffel Tower. She decided to take the stairs, and with her vampire speed, she was at the top in a matter of minutes. It was already sunset in Paris, and the view was exquisite. The sky was a hue of pink, blue and orange. Coupled with the gorgeous old buildings and the Seine, it was like a dream.
She wished Elena and Bonnie were here to see this, her mother too. Also Tyler and Matt, they'd enjoy the view as well. It was funny because although she didn't want to think about him, at the back of her head she smiled at the thought of Klaus standing here next to her. He'd be able to see things she couldn't, like a painting, and couldn't help but wonder to herself what he'd say.
"It's beautiful. But I think I've found something even more breathtaking. Tu es belle."
It was like he was standing right behind her, whispering into her ear. She turned, but found nothing. She didn't know why she felt a pang of disappointment.
Suddenly she felt a vibration coming from her purse, which interrupted her thoughts. Gosh, what time was it in Mystic Falls right now? She had forgotten to call her mother. Sheriff Forbes must be worried.
She wasn't able to answer in time, and found that she had around 20 missed calls. There were some from Tyler and Stefan but mostly from Elena.
She dialed Elena's number and after only one ring her friend answered. "Caroline Forbes, where in the world are you? Can you imagine how worried we've been for the past 24 hours? Your mother has been asking so many questions. Tyler seems to have completely lost it. Damon and Matt are out looking for you, while Bonnie is trying a tracking spell but you seem to be blocking it. Stefan, stop it, let me talk…"
Stefan grabbed the phone from Elena, "Whatever it is and wherever you are, come back right now. I mean it Caroline."
Elena grabbed the phone back from Stefan. "Don't mind Stefan Caroline. What he means to say, kindly is, everyone is worried about you. Can you at least tell us where you are? I know you've been through a lot but.."
"Elena, breathe. Don't worry about me and tell the rest as well. I'm fine. Didn't my mother tell you? She probably forgot." Caroline said, calmly.
Elena sighed on the other end. "Stop playing games with us Caroline. You're mother's about to send a search party for you in the woods and you know how dangerous that could be for any human. Damon and Matt are trying to hold them off. She has no idea where you are and you didn't even call her. She's still your mother you know. No one knew where you went after the party."
Caroline couldn't understand. Didn't her mother send her here as a gift? Didn't the letter say she could choose the date especially when she needed it the most? How could she easily forget? This definitely wasn't right. There was something going on and Caroline knew that whatever it was – it wasn't good.
It took her a mere second to figure out who could be responsible. It sent shivers down her spine. She had fallen into a trap, and she was all by herself. No one could protect her. She wasn't a hundred percent sure or anything but what she did know what that her mind was all confused again and that could only mean one person – Klaus Mickaelson. She was both afraid and excited at the same time.
"Caroline, are you still there? Talk to me."
Caroline tried to sound as calm and unshaken as she could. "Elena, I need to ask you a favor and I need you to trust me can you do that?"
"I don't like where this is going but because I care about you and I know you'll do whatever it is you think you need to do anyway, I have no choice but to trust you. What is it?"
By the tone in her voice, she knew Elena was really worried. "I know it will be hard to wrap your head around it, and you probably won't believe me, but I'm standing on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower right now. I need you to tell my mom that I needed some time for myself and that you lent me keys to your parent's cabin or something. Tell her I'll give her a call soon, and that I'm safe. If that doesn't get to her, I give you permission to compel my mother- only for her safety."
"Wait a minute, you're in PARIS without me? How did you –"
"It doesn't matter how I got here. It matters that I'm safe. Can you please just do what I ask?"
Stefan had grabbed the phone from Elena. "I know I'm interrupting some girl pact or something, but the only way I'm letting Elena do this is if you let me in on what's going on Caroline. What are you doing in Paris?"
She knew Stefan could see right through here even if they weren't standing face to face. He knew something was up, and Caroline knew the only way to calm him down. "If you think I'm trying to look for danger Stefan, then you're wrong. I just need some time away from Mystic Falls, and I need time to think. After everything we've been through, can you please just give me this? I don't know who Caroline Forbes is anymore. I don't know how I feel about Tyler. I just needed to get out of there before I hurt anyone"
Stefan took a deep breath, exasperated. "Couldn't you just do your soul-searching somewhere nearer, somewhere where I could protect you at least? Bonnie cant even track you down, it's making me really worried that there's something bad that's about to happen."
She tried to calm him down. "Don't overthink this Stefan. I'm doing this for me, not for anyone else. You have to understand, when you know you can live forever, do you want to live in a state of confusion? Do you want me to live the rest of my life this way? I think I'd go crazy."
"Alright, Caroline I trust you. I understand where you are coming from. Just please be careful. You might be doing this for yourself, but you might not realize that you're in danger while you're at it. Don't let people in so easily."
"I won't. Take care of Elena and Bonnie for me okay. And tell Bonnie to stop tracking me, I feel like I'm being stalked. It's suffocating."
"I will. Wait, here's Elena, she has something to say"
"Stefan's so rude he keeps grabbing the phone from me when I have so much I want to tell you."
"Elena, it's like you don't know Stefan at all. He worries about everyone and wants to make sure they are safe especially if it someone you care about. He can't stand to see you hurt of all people. At the end of the day, I'm actually kind of hurt. He just cares about us because he cares about you."
Elena repeats what Caroline said aloud. "That's not true!" Stefan shouts from a far.
"Now back to what I wanted to ask. What should I tell Tyler? He's been worried sick about you. I know we can compel your mom to calm down, but you know for a fact that Tyler is a different story. I don't think I can lie to him Caroline." Elena admitted.
"I'm not asking you to. Just tell him what I told you and I think if he cares about me as much as he does, he'll give me some time to think things through. He's not going to like it and he'll probably want to chase me down, but try to placate him in some way and make him understand that this is for the better—that I need this more than anything right now."
"Okay, Caroline, I will do my best. But you promise me you'll message me once in a while and at least call your mother so she won't worry? Take care of yourself and oh, don't forget to bring me something European—hmmm like maybe, a man?"
Caroline thought of British Tyler and laughed. "Very funny Elena. You have two wonderful men there with you who will take you wherever you want to go. I don't think you need a third. Have you figured out who you want to be with yet?"
There was silence on the other end.
"I thought so. But I was only kidding okay? Please don't be mad, take all the time you need. It isn't an easy decision to make and I know that especially if you don't want anyone to get hurt." Caroline thought she was only talking about the Damon-Stefan-Elena triangle, but the advice seemed to apply to her as well.
"I really miss you Elena and I'll be home soon."
"We miss you too Caroline. We'll take care of things around here. I just hope you find what you're looking for."
Caroline put down the phone and tucked it back into her purse. A temporary sense of relief washed over her and she couldn't help but smile. Stefan and Elena had trusted her. Hopefully she wouldn't let them down. She knew she had lied to them, but only because she didn't want them to worry. A part of her was afraid of what was about to happen next, but there was also a part of her that was curious and excited. She didn't want to pull the plug on something she wasn't sure of—at least, not yet.
And there was a lot of that going around. She didn't know how she felt about Tyler, and why she kept thinking of Klaus. That was why she was in Paris in the first place right? To figure out her feelings and set the record straight? Or was it also because a part of her thought, or imagined, that Klaus would be there too? This was all confusing. A minute ago she was free of the whole vampire-witch-hybrid- original world that she was thrust into, but now she was back into it. She couldn't run away from it even if she tried.
She took a taxi back to her hotel and decided to take a nice cold shower. She was hungry and knew that she'd have to find some blood soon, but right now she need to clear her head more than anything. All these thoughts of Klaus, of Tyler and the real reason why she was here were giving her a headache.
As soon as she entered the hotel, she didn't notice the receptionist waving at her to stop. She had already entered the elevator when she heard her name being called.
"Miss Forbes wait. A telegram came for you today."
She held the elevator open as the receptionist handed her the letter. "Thank you." she managed to get out. She hadn't told anyone she was in Paris or where she was staying up until a minute or two ago, so it could only mean one thing – she was not alone. She felt goose bumps creep up her arm. It was like she was holding ice, but this kind of cold made her shiver all the way down to her core.
She unlocked her room and sat on her bed before slowly opening the envelope. She took the letter out, and another piece of parchment fell to the floor. She picked it up and as soon as she turned it over, she covered her mouth in shock.
It was a beautiful sketch of the London Eye. But that wasn't what took her by surprise. It was the signature. It had Klaus Mickaelson written all over it. She quickly opened the letter, read through it, and without thinking twice, stood and grabbed her carry on bag.
As she packed her things, she couldn't help but repeat his words over and over in her mind. "I promised I'd show you the world. And a promise is a promise Miss Forbes. You haven't seen anything yet." Attached with the sketch and the letter was a business class plane ticket.
Caroline didn't even know why she was considering this, but she had to follow her gut. Right now it was telling her to go and find out what this was all about. She always had a knack for adventure, and she wasn't going to wait for it to come to her. Caroline knew she might be stepping headfirst into a trap, but she was willing to risk it. She had more to lose if she didn't go – who knows what Klaus would do next?
It was time to put an end to her confusion. And she went all the way to Europe, why should she stop now? She quickly wrapped a scarf around her neck and grabbed her bags. She tucked the letter in her purse, and couldn't help but laugh crazily to herself.
She was heading to London.