YOU GUYS...5X11 KILLED ME AND I WILL NEVER RECOVER. So here's an update in celebration of Klarokissday/Klaropocalypse! (And remember, don't give up on Klaroline-this isn't the end, it's just the beginning!) I also wanted to get this out before I start classes again tomorrow. I will try my best to update as frequently as possible! Thank you so so much for every review/follow/favorite, it definitely motivates me to write. Happy reading!
Chapter Eight
Stefan's impromptu visit had at once both comforted and unsettled Caroline. She had not expected him to advise her to accept the throne if by some misfortune Klaus chose her out of all the others. After preparing herself for the day, she did what she had promised him: to ponder his advice and weigh all of her options.
As many of the other candidates chose to explore the outside of the castle due to the lovely weather, Caroline avoided venturing where there was a chance of being interrupted by anyone. She needed a quiet nook in which to relax and think in peace. And there was nowhere better in the castle to do that than the library.
She wandered through the corridors, recalling the library's location on the first floor near the ballroom from her first tour of the castle. She descended the marble staircase and passed by the ballroom, the sight of its door sparking memories of the evening with Klaus, his large calloused hand encasing her softer hand, his dark gold hair glinting from the candlelight glittering down from the crystal chandeliers…his warm breath on the back of her neck as he held her flush against him on the balcony, his hand fiddling with stray wisps of her hair…She wondered what else those strong hands were capable of doing…
No, Caroline reined in her musings harshly, suppressing her overactive imagination before it took her into realms of thought she was not yet ready to explore or acknowledge. Thankfully, by this time she had arrived at the entrance to the library. Grasping the handle firmly, she pulled it open slowly, the door creaking on its hinges from the movement.
Caroline stood in awe of the beautiful room. It was two stories high, containing shelves upon shelves of books of every subject—dusty old tomes of history, leather-bound collections of poetry, books of legends and folklore, and the like. To her left, a spiral staircase led to the second floor, and to her right a large desk stood, scattered with pieces of parchment, quills, and inkwells. An enormous hearth adorned the wall directly opposite the entrance, with a number of comfortable armchairs and sofas in front of it. Above the hearth, Caroline noted with interest a large ornate painting of what she believed to be the river on the grounds in the back of the castle. On either side of the hearth two large bay windows with seats attached at the bottom stretched to the ceiling, the green velvet curtains pulled back to let in the soft waves of sunlight.
The tranquility of the room seeped into Caroline's being. She began to relax, wandering around leisurely and inspecting the different volumes, occasionally reaching out and running her hand over their spines. The place felt less intimidating and more cheerful than the sheer opulence of the rest of the castle, the very air rife with a feeling of serenity.
Caroline continued on in this manner for some time, her unhurried footsteps gradually leading her to one of the bay windows. The sun shining through the glass felt wonderfully warm on her face. She sank down onto the window seat, her back resting on one wall, bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her knees. She closed her eyes, resting her chin on top of her knees, reveling in the comfortable quiet.
"Dreaming about me, sweetheart?"
Caroline's eyes snapped open, groaning inwardly at her bad luck. She should have known he would find her here.
"You wish," she muttered under her breath, not caring about how rude she sounded.
"I do indeed," Klaus agreed complacently, gracefully making his way towards her, an amused expression on his face. "And please, don't trouble yourself on my account," he raised his hand to prevent her from standing in his presence and making the expected courtesies.
Caroline snorted and stood up anyways, dropping him a quick curtsy before turning her face to the window once more and avoiding his gaze.
Klaus dropped into the now empty window seat, stretching his arms behind his head and obstructing her view of the grounds, that infuriating smile still plastered on his features.
Giving up any hope she might have had that he would leave her alone, Caroline shot him a glare. "Is there something you wanted, Klaus?"
His smile widened even more at her words. "Ah, so I see you've finally dropped the formalities."
"Well, it is not as if you have given me much of a choice!" Caroline threw her arms out in exasperation.
"No, I suppose not," Klaus mused, stroking his chin with one hand pensively.
The action drew Caroline's attention, her eyes taking in his strong, scruffy jaw and those full lips. An unbidden image of those tempting lips caressing her skin prompted Caroline to flush with embarrassment.
She looked away, hoping against hope that he had not noticed her body's reaction.
"You have a splendid library here," she said politely, in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "I have never seen so many books in my life."
Klaus smiled at that—a genuine smile, if Caroline's eyes did not deceive her. She thought it suited him as it softened his features a bit and made him appear less cynical and cavalier.
"I am glad you enjoy it. You are free to come here and read to your heart's content," he replied.
Caroline found herself smiling back gratefully in spite of herself.
"Thank you," she said truthfully.
Their gazes locked for a beat, unblinking. Caroline shivered, feeling the goose bumps rising on her skin.
She broke away from Klaus's stare, rubbing her arms as she made her way towards the fire and the painting that hung above it.
"This is quite the impressive painting. That particular rock and that clump of silver maples look familiar. If memory serves, it depicts the river out on the grounds, does it not?" she asked, gesturing towards the painting and glancing at Klaus, who lazily came to his feet to stand by her side.
"Quite the astute observer, aren't we, Caroline?" he drawled, looking up at the painting. "You must have fond memories of the place if you can recall such minute details." He shot her a meaningful grin.
A flash of a muscular chest and abdomen glistening with droplets of water obscured Caroline's mind and rational thought for an instant. Mentally shaking herself, she rolled her eyes at his insinuation and shrugged.
"It's an example of natural beauty untouched by gardener's hands, a spot of refuge from the world; how could one not recall the details?" she said casually. To prove her point, she continued with her train of thought. "Rivers are places of solitude, where the water drowns out one's thoughts and cares. The painter has managed to capture that aspect perfectly, or so I believe. This painting…it's just…" she struggled to find the proper words. "There's something…lonely about it," she concluded rather lamely, her brow crinkled in thought as she studied the painting.
Klaus turned to look at her then, studying her intently. "I'm going to take that as a compliment."
What?
Caroline's eyes darted between his face and the painting, realization dawning on her. "Wait a minute…did you do this?" she asked incredulously.
Klaus looked down at the floor with a hint of what Caroline would label as embarrassment if it weren't for her firm belief that nothing could fluster the Original hybrid.
"Yes, I did. Art is something of a passion of mine," he replied, lifting his head to face her once more.
Caroline gaped at him. Clearly, there was much more to Klaus that what met the eye initially.
Catching herself staring, she fidgeted with her hands and looked back at the painting. "It's lovely. You have a gift," she murmured honestly, sneaking a glance at him.
Klaus seemed taken aback by her compliment. "Thank you," he replied, so quietly that Caroline almost didn't catch it, a small smile curled on his lips and a tinge of vulnerability in his stormy blue eyes. Caroline's breath caught at the sight.
As suddenly as it appeared, that look was gone, replaced by his usual mask of smug arrogance. He moved closer to her, his chest now brushing up against her upper arm. Spinning to face him, she eyed him warily. He surprised her by reaching out and slowly tucking a stray curl behind her ear.
"In answer to your original question, Caroline, there a great many important things I want from you, none of which you are ready for," Klaus remarked seductively, fixing her with a heated stare, his hand lingering on the side of her neck before bringing it back to his side.
Caroline's breath hitched, her eyes widening and heart racing. Surely he couldn't mean…?
"No need to get all flustered, love. All in good time," he continued smoothly, his supernatural senses picking up on her almost imperceptible reaction. "I do, however, have a less important subject to discuss with you at the moment."
"And what exactly would that be?" Caroline snapped, her temper flaring at his insinuations.
"The fact that you are not what you appear to be. You are not really a vampire, are you, sweet Caroline?"
Caroline's face drained of color, her eyes darting about wildly. How did he know? Oh God…
"I'm waiting, love. Answer the question," Klaus pressed her, his face hardening at her reticence.
"No…no, I am not a vampire," she responded finally, realizing that lying would prove useless.
Klaus smiled at her, a venomous glint in his eye. "I appreciate your honesty, Caroline." He leaned in closer, invading her personal space and trapping her arms in a vice-like grip. "Now, if you are not a vampire, I would like for you to explain to me in detail what you are and how exactly you came to be among the candidates when the Council's decree summoned only the vampires and witches of Mystic Falls," he hissed, and Caroline thought she saw a flash of yellow pass through his blue eyes.
She was fairly caught. Stefan warned her that revealing her identity as a witch was perilous, but she also knew she could not blatantly lie to him, the Original hybrid who could detect a falsehood as easily as snapping a neck.
Closing her eyes in panic, she suddenly remembered the story Katherine and Elena cooked up for her. Throwing caution to the winds, she opened her eyes to meet his.
"I'm a human," she stated, slumping her shoulders in defeat. She dropped her gaze, concentrating on a slight crack on the floor. "I was in the marketplace on the day when the guards were rounding up the candidates, and I somehow got mixed up in the confusion and ended up in a carriage with the others. I know I should have rectified the mistake and returned to my home, but I…I've never really been anywhere before, and I wanted to see the castle for myself. I've always dreamed of seeing it, ever since I was a child." She finished her tale, praying that her slight manipulation of the truth had been convincing enough.
Klaus tilted his head to the side. "I see."
After what seemed like hours, he released her, his face expressionless. He clasped his hands behind his back, slowly circling her, a skilled predator stalking his prey.
Caroline held her breath, nearly paralyzed with dread at his close proximity and wondering what he was planning to do with her.
His accented voice pulled her from her haze of terror. "A very dramatic and traumatizing experience for you, I'm sure. That still doesn't explain your appearance as a vampire, although I would hazard a guess that it has something to do with that necklace that is constantly gracing your pretty little neck?"
His soft, dangerous tone sent shivers racing down her spine.
Thinking quickly on her feet and determined to keep both her and Stefan's magic powers a secret, she straightened up and fixed him with as brave a look as she could muster under the circumstances.
"I have a friend back home who is a witch. She did not like the thought of my wandering about the streets as a human and risking my life as a potential food source for a vampire, so one day she gave me this necklace that she spelled so I could blend in with the vampires. It also contains vervain to protect against compulsion for good measure."
To her alarm, Klaus's hand darted out towards her neck, but instead of choking her to death as she had initially feared, his hand lowered to her chest, one long finger stroking the pendant in a languid manner.
Her heart stilled, entranced with his deliberate motions.
Lazily, he curled his fingers around the necklace and pulled it up slightly for his inspection, fingers brushing her chest gently in the process.
That small touch lit Caroline on fire, spreading from where his skin had touched hers all the way down to her toes.
Suddenly, Klaus dropped the pendant back in place. Caroline froze, waiting for the blow to fall.
"You are lucky indeed to possess a devoted and ingenious friend, sweetheart. Many would kill to have such loyalty," he breathed, his tone light, but surprisingly sincere.
Caroline stared at him. "Yes, I suppose I am. But…forgive me, but are you not going to lock me up in the dungeons and torture me for my actions?"
Without warning, Klaus laughed at her. "Now why would I want to add even one blemish to that lovely complexion of yours?" he chuckled, looking her up and down with a searing gaze. "Besides, who am I to deny you your childhood wish of experiencing all that my castle has to offer?"
Hardly daring to believe her ears, Caroline still hesitated, wringing her hands in anxiety. "So…you are not angry with me?"
"On the contrary, sweetheart, I believe I am more upset at myself for allowing you to slip past me undetected for this long. Although in my defense, you cheated," he teased, nodding towards her necklace.
Caroline exhaled in relief, a shaky laugh escaping her lips. "So it would seem."
He continued grinning at her. "I am glad we cleared up that little matter. And as much as I want nothing more than to continue this interesting conversation, I have business elsewhere."
All of a sudden, his hand reached out and grasped hers. Caroline snapped up to face him, their eyes locking. She could lose herself for hours in those eyes of his, their fathomless depths calling to her.
"Enjoy your time with your friends here, Caroline. This might be over sooner than you expect."
Before she had a chance to question his cryptic remark, he had flashed away, with a blast of air that rustled her skirts.
Caroline sank down into one of the armchairs, trembling, her confident façade rapidly crumbling as the knowledge of staring death in the face once more and escaping by the skin of her nose crashed over her.
The fire blazed forth out of nowhere, a slight wind whipping around the room.
Her restraint on her emotions had finally cracked and her magic was seeping out of her.
Dreading the consequences if someone witnessed her magic, Caroline dropped her face into her hands, taking deep, steadying breaths, willing herself to calm down, just like Stefan had taught her the first time her powers had appeared.
The minutes crawled by, and eventually the fire resumed its cheerful crackling and the wind died down, leaving nothing but a heavy silence in its wake.
She sighed, sinking back into the comfortable chair and tilting her head to look at the ceiling. Her mind had settled enough that she remembered why she had come to the library in the first place, before the king had interrupted her.
Could she marry someone as bloodthirsty and vengeful as Klaus? As much as she hated to admit it, but her few encounters with the Original hybrid had revealed some things about him that she had not expected. His artistic talent, for example. Or when he had given her a shawl that night on the balcony to keep her warm, or his apparent yearning for loyalty from those around him...and the way he looked at her, like she was some sort of riddle that he was desperate to unravel, his gaze a mixture of appreciation and something else she dared not name.
But all these thoughts were shattered as the memory of his threat to kill her friends resurfaced—and that fact that he had definitely thought about killing her twice.
How can I give up my life for someone who doesn't even care for me, let alone care for the rest of the population of Mystic Falls?
Stefan believed she could help the witches. Caroline knew that their people were suffering, and it would only grow worse with time. Even if I was queen, would I be able to do a damn thing to help them? Klaus would never relinquish any part of his authority to anyone, least of all the queen that only exists for appearance's sake.
Her thought returned to this afternoon, to their playful banter, before he had confronted her. He acted so differently when they were alone. He was still every inch the ruthless Original hybrid king, but she caught glimpses of humanity in him when she least expected it, something she was sure had never happened in the public view.
Could I live with him if it meant I had a chance to stop the witches' persecution? Could I give up my freedom for that cause?
At this point, she honestly did not know what to think.
Caroline groaned, her mind going in circles, all of her thoughts blurring together into a jumbled mess until she could not focus anymore.
She rubbed her temples in frustration, defeated. Forcing her body out of the chair, she decided that a quick walk outside would help ease her troubled mind, hoping that she would never have to make that choice.
"I would like to inform you that the Council, at King Niklaus's request, has decided to begin the process of your individual interviews with the king tomorrow, instead of waiting out the rest of this week."
Bonnie's calm words at dinner that evening were met with a stunned silence, followed by the rumble of female voices overlapping in fear and anticipation.
"Tomorrow?" Elena choked out, glancing around at Caroline, Katherine, and Lexi, who had equal looks of fear and confusion on their faces.
Caroline's heart rate sped up, her mind instantly recalling Klaus's parting words to her that afternoon.
"It appears so," Katherine replied seriously, downing a goblet of blood. "At least we can get it over with that much quicker."
"I suppose," Elena said apprehensively. She sighed, leaning her elbows on the table with her head in her hands. "I am definitely ready to go home."
Caroline glanced at her friend intently, knowing exactly why-or, to be more precise, who-she wanted to return to.
"I'm more interested to know who will be going first, or if there's any specific order to it," Lexi chimed in, twirling a lock of hair around her finger absently.
She was cut off by Bonnie's voice ringing out over the hubbub.
"I have compiled a random list of your names which we will follow as to the order in which you meet with the king. I will now announce the candidate who will be the first to go."
The silence was deafening. All eyes were on Bonnie as she unfolded the piece of parchment in her hands.
Caroline held her breath. Please, please don't let me go first.
Bonnie looked at the list of names briefly, then raised her green eyes to her audience.
"Lexi Branson."
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