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Elena awoke slowly and peacefully in her bed. She brought the duvet up to her face to breathe in the soft fresh cotton scent. Her second day in captivity, but it didn't feel that way. Sure, Elena was trapped here but it wasn't like threats were launched at her constantly. She could relax, almost. It didn't have to be a horrible experience. But yet she wondered how long exactly she would have to stay here, Klaus had never said. I better ask that, she thought.
She stepped out of bed, drew back her curtains and let the sunlight blaze through. It was a beautiful day in New Orleans. She spotted an outfit laid out on her chair, and guessed that Lydia must have brought it in at some point. Perhaps it was best not to keep pushing Klaus on this, and so Elena grabbed the clothes he must've selected and headed into the bathroom to shower and get ready.
Elena found breakfast waiting for her downstairs; pancakes, her favourite. Lydia curtsied to Elena, as she handed her the pancakes and syrup.
"Morning, m'am" Lydia said.
"Oh Lydia, please, you don't have to curtsy. And please, it's Elena." Elena said with a reassuring smile, Lydia was clearly very nervous to get everything correct.
"Of course, Miss Elena. Master Klaus just wants us to treat you like a princess whilst you are staying here with us."
"A princess?" Elena said with a little giggle, almost coughing up a bit of her pancakes. "These pancakes are really good by the way" she added.
"Yes, a princess. He wants you to be happy, comfortable and safe whilst you're here. Er, for the sake of your blood donations. Speaking of which, he is waiting in the library for you, when you have finished your pancakes."
Elena made her way into the library after her breakfast and found Klaus sat in an old leather armchair, a book stretched out in his hand.
"Ah, Elena. I trust you slept well. The dress looks beautiful on you." Klaus said, still looking deep into his book. Elena was sure he hadn't even glimpsed her yet to know she was wearing the dress, but decided not to mention it.
"Yes, very well thank you. Are we off to explore New Orleans again today?"
"I unfortunately have some business to attend to today, so I'm afraid you must stay here. No leaving without me and all, love, you know the rules."
"Klaus how long are you expecting I stay here, exactly? In New Orleans?" Elena said, slightly more frightened of the prospect she might have to spend more time than she'd originally thought locked up in this mansion.
"Well, until your Salvatore's and their little friends come for you of course. By which point I'm sure I'll have enough blood stockpiled, and you'll have your answer for them" Klaus said with a smirk, finally turning around to look at Elena.
"You're expecting them to come for me?" Elena said, sounding shocked. Klaus' master plan really was just to stockpile blood and that's it?
"Of course, sweetheart. I'm sure they know that New Orleans is my city and as soon as they figure out you're with me, they'll come running."
"And you won't hurt them? You'll just let me go with them?"
"Yes, love. Unless you want me to hurt them" Klaus smirked.
"Why don't I believe you?"
"Look, Miss Gilbert. I need your blood for my hybrid army, and this arrangement is a lot quicker and easier than me returning to mystic falls every few months. Nothing more sinister than that, not this time. Now don't worry that pretty little head."
His hybrid army, his hybrid army that I have seen none of, Elena thought. Where are they exactly?
"Now I'm off to attend to that er, business. Enjoy your day, love. There's plenty to do here. I'll see you at dinner." And with that Klaus was gone.
Elena spent most of her day in the library. She loved to read, it allowed her to clear her head and focus on someone else's story.
Occasionally her thoughts would shift back to Damon and Stefan, but not often. She felt content in her own space, it had been so long since she had just herself to think about. It crossed her mind more than once that maybe she really should choose neither. For so long now she had been caught up in boy drama, it might be nice to be alone.
"He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." Elena read aloud to herself, unaware that Klaus was listening.
"Emily Bronte. Have you got someone in mind when you read that?" Klaus asked, making Elena jump and turn around.
She took a deep breath,
"I thought I might. But no." She replied, she had no idea why she would talk to Klaus about her love life of all things.
"And why is that, love?"
"Because I don't think I feel that way about Damon or Stefan. Anyway, I shouldn't be talking about this with you, Klaus."
"Why not? I think you'll find I have centuries worth of listening experience, and I give rather good advice. So tell me, do that Salvatore's not set your soul alight?"
Elena giggled, but then fell silent.
"When I met Stefan, I was lost. Nothing in my life made any sense, and he found me. He was my angel, but I didn't guess then that that wasn't how I'd always feel. It's like I owe him, for everything. And I want to be happy with him. But I'm not. It's not the love in these books, it's not-"
"-I love her and that is the beginning and end of everything." Klaus said, suddenly in front of Elena and looking deep into her eyes. Elena nearly gasped out loud.
"Gatsby" was all she could manage to say.
"You're a fan?" Klaus asked, still arguably too close to her.
"Of course."
Klaus smirked and stepped away from her. Allowing her to regain her composure and reply properly.
"No, it's not love like that."
"And Damon?" Klaus enquired.
Elena paused for a moment.
"Is a wonderful distraction, but that's not love either." Elena said, as if Klaus had got out of her in five minutes what she had spent the six months trying to discover for herself. She didn't want of either of them in that way, anymore.
Klaus just smiled. It wasn't a genuine, 'I'm happy for you Elena' smile, it was a smirk – as if he was happy she was miserable. She wanted to hit him. But before she could Klaus walked over to one of his many, many bookcases and picked out a single book. He opened a particular page, like he knew exactly what was on it.
And he read a passage aloud to Elena.
"And in the end, we were all just humans. Drunk on the idea that love, and only love, could heal our brokenness"
And with that, Klaus was gone.