Of Cabbages and Kings - no wait – of Messages and Rings

Elena didn't think about it for very long. Pretending to be Katherine had worked fairly well when Katherine was standing there, pretending to be Elena. It hadn't worked at all when she wasn't.

And assuming the Katherine persona without her permission was a risk Elena was not willing to take.

She did hit the speed dial that had been set up for Katherine on her phone. She did not put it to her ear, and did not wait for Katherine to answer.

She did speak clearly and hold the phone in a position that, she hoped, would allow Katherine to hear.

"I'm not Katherine."

She waited a few seconds for a response. Nothing. No vampire on either side moved.

She listened to the phone without moving. It was not ringing, no dial tone. So she hoped for the best and pressed forward.

"I'm not Katherine, but I work for her."

The vampire nodded slightly. "I need to see her."

"But you don't know where she is," Elena noted. "You are not expected."

"No. But we were told we could find her here, or near here. We were told that our visit would not be unwelcome. We were told that we would not be attacked when visiting Katherine."

"You haven't been attacked. Do you even know her or what she looks like?"

"I've met her, though it was long ago. And she looks like you, though it did not take long for me to tell that you are human. A human working for a vampire? Yet you do not seem to be under compulsion."

"Don't rub it in." Elena said under her breath, though she thought all the vampires would probably be able to hear her. "Isobel?" she called and stepped back a few steps motioning for her to join her.

"At your beck and call is really not part of my assignment," Isobel said coolly.

Elena winced. Isobel was warm sometimes, cold sometimes. And she chose now to be cold.

"Please, just help me decide what to do."

Isobel's cold eyes did soften slightly. "You don't have any information. Find out what there is to decide."

When Elena nodded, Isobel returned to her original position, followed by Elena.

"Why do you want to see her?" Elena asked.

"I have a message for her – a message from Nathaniel."

Elena whispered now in Isobel's direction, "mean anything to you?"

Isobel heard and shook head.

"I can get a message to Katherine," Elena said. "If you would like me to."

"I would rather give it to her myself."

"Then you will have to find her yourself. But you cannot go near Mystic Falls."

"We were not informed of such a prohibition, and we were told that she may be there."

"No. You cannot go there. I can give her the message. If you do not trust me to do that, you must at least avoid the town."

The vampires whispered to each other briefly and turned back to Elena.

"You have her protection. We will trust you to give her the message. May I approach?"

'Vampire courtesy,' Elena thought as she nodded. 'As long as he's outnumbered.'

The vampire removed an envelope from a satchel he carried. It was a plain manila envelope, though thick. And there was some sort or writing or marking on it.

"They have Federal Express now you know," Elena said when she saw the envelope.

"Do you have a permanent street address for her?" the vampire asked.

Elena laughed softly to herself. The tension was declining. Then a concern hit her.

"Open it," Elena said.

The vampire was holding it out to her now. "No. She will expect to receive it with Nathaniel's seal unbroken."

"I'm not giving Katherine an unopened envelope. I've seen the news about cyanide and letter bombs. Open it, but go back there first."

Isobel's phone rang before the vampire could answer. Both Elena and the vampire watched her brief conversation – well her nods and "yes" responses.

"Katherine," Isobel said, turning back to Elena. "Take the envelope as is and don't be so dramatic."

"Just trying to watch out for her," Elena said as she took it from the vampire. She expected him to laugh at her, but he didn't. She did notice a distinctive ring on his finger.

"Did the ring come from Katherine?" Elena asked as he turned around.

"No. We have our sources, she has hers."

Elena nodded as he walked away. "Are you returning now? Will you go without hunting here?"

The vampire turned back to her. She thought she saw a glare on what had been a perfectly straight face before. But he nodded before turning back. When he reached the other, they left in a blur.

"They're leaving," Isobel said. "We'll leave you alone now. Oh, and hang up your phone. Katherine said something about it was not to be used as a one-way device. She expects to be heard next time."

Elena winced and did as she was told, wondering if she would ever get anything right when dealing with Katherine.

"Katherine will get the envelope from you later at your home." Isobel said as she turned to leave.

"Wait, can I ask you something please?"

Isobel turned back, her face showing curiosity.

Elena turned to Jeremy and Damon. All the other vampires were gone – or at least out of sight.

Jeremy looked stunned. She wasn't sure how to deal with him. She just spoke to Damon.

"Stay with him for a minute, OK? I need to talk to her."

Damon nodded. His face still looked serious.

Elena walked with Isobel – away from them.

"Thanks for helping." Elena thought she had to say it. "Even if it wasn't assigned by Katherine, it was still appreciated."

"We have a bond, Elena. I'd do anything for you, though you might have to ask, and I might complain."

"Yeah, I love you too." Elena replied, matching Isobel's mildly sarcastic tone. Then returning to normal, she said "Listen, you gave Alaric, your husband, a ring. Where did you get it?"

"He hasn't told you?"

"I haven't asked. I never wondered or cared. And does he even know?"

"Probably not. I got it from John Gilbert."

"Of course you did. 'Dad' - so in love and trying to protect you. Did he say where it came from?"

"Family heirloom. Your adopted family, Elena. He said there were two and his brother – your adoptive father - had the other."

Elena was thinking now. John Gilbert had worn one, probably her father's. Katherine must have taken it when she killed him.

"Do you know who made it, or how? Katherine would not have done it for the Gilberts."

"I don't know." Isobel said. "But apparently she's not the only one with magic jewelry."

Elena nodded.

Isobel waited a few moments as Elena stood there thinking. Finally she spoke.

"Are we done? After what just happened, I can't leave you until you're back with Damon."

"Yes. Sorry." Elena said as she walked back to Damon and Jeremy.

Isobel's word was good. She walked back to Damon with Elena but was gone as soon as they reached him.

"Jeremy?" Elena asked. She was concerned about what he was thinking.

"I'm fine," he said. It was a different tone now. Not the bitter anger there was before. But she was not sure what it was, and she couldn't read his expression.

"Promise you won't stop talking to me again, OK?"

Jeremy nodded. "We'll talk later."

Elena nodded and spoke to Damon. "Take us home. And will you talk to me?"

Damon's smirk was back. "As long as you wear the bracelet."

Elena gave him a shove as they started walking back into the woods towards the car. The smirk was welcome - something normal she could hold on to. She needed that bit of normalcy because she was not sure how Katherine would react.

Katherine would come after her envelope. Elena would give it to her, and apologize for misusing the phone – again. Elena would ask who Nathaniel is, Katherine would probably not answer. And then Elena would ask a favor of Katherine – the only favor she had ever asked Katherine for - excluding the phone. She would ask for the Gilbert ring to be returned to the Gilberts.