AN: Hey everyone! So first of all I want to thank all of you for making me reach over 100 followers, that's so amazing to me so thank you all so so much! Thank you also to everyone who have favourited this story, means so much to me that you like it so much to favourite it! : )
To Lady Syndra: Thank you so much for reviewing, it really means a lot. I am really excited by the way this story is going so I will definitely try and update it as much and as fast as I can : ). It means a lot that you like the story. I know I am really excited to write that part about the Katherine and Kol meeting as I have a lot of ideas for that already. Katherine won't know what hit her… : ) Thank you! Yeah it makes sense that they would have had some sort of female attention before Katherine, they are after all good looking men from an affluent family and their father was bound to have made some pushes to try and get them married. I heard somewhere that in another novel of the vampire diaries that Stefan had a fiancé named Rosalyn but there was no info about her. I hate writing poor Rosalyn getting hurt but I wanted to try and portray the ways in which Stefan's personality has drastically changed. Yes I think they will have quite a lot to make amends for but I can tell you that they may feel guilty about it for a while : ) Thank you so much for continuing to read this! : )
The New world
997AD
It had just passed midday when Kol entered back into the house. He was wet from washing up at the lake after a long morning of chores. Chores which, Rebekah and Esther noticed he had completed a full forty minutes faster than he would have usually. He was topless, holding his muddy tunic in his hands. He rushed passed the two of them, who were both kneading doe at the table and moved to the back of the house towards the boy's bedroom.
Rebekah looked on after him with a knowing smile and then popped her head back down to concentrate on what she was doing before her mother caught on.
Eleven-year-old Henrik, the youngest of the Mikaelson family was already in the room pretending to fight an imaginary foe with a wooden sword. He turned it on Kol as he entered.
"You dare to challenge me?" Henrik asked him still in the middle of his game. Kol smirked, raised his arms in surrender and edged passed him in an effort to get to his clothes chest at the foot of his bed.
"I would never challenge the almighty Henrik; I just came to change my clothes"
Henrik placed his toy on his bed and looked questioningly at his brother.
"Are you going somewhere?" Henrik asked eyeing the articles of clothing that Kol was pulling out.
Kol nodded, pulling the clean tunic over his head and moving to find a clean pair of trousers.
"Where?" Henrik asked questioningly.
"Nowhere special" Kol replied trying to make Henrik lose interest in the subject. He was the type of boy to follow a brother when he decided that they may be up to something interesting.
"Then why are you getting dressed up?" Henrik asked. Kol sighed. Henrik had inherited their mother's power of deduction.
"I'm not wearing anything special" Kol tried to argue but Henrik gave him a look that showed that he clearly didn't believe him.
"Your meeting a girl aren't you?" Henrik smirked victoriously as he compared this behaviour to their eldest brothers Finn, Elijah and Niklaus when they were interested in courting someone.
"What makes you say that?" Kol tried to avoid.
"Who is it?" Henrik asked interested.
Kol laughed a little.
"Ricky, when did you become a bigger gossip than 'Bekah?"
Henrik huffed.
"I'm not"
"Well then, mind your own business"
"You can't blame me for being curious" Henrik sulked moving over to his bed "Everyone thinks I'm too young to know anything".
"Maybe that's because you are" Kol laughed ruffling Henrik's trademark long hair lightly. Henrik pulled away and tried to flatten it down again not being able to help the laugh that escaped his throat. He grabbed his sword and began play fighting the air once again. Kol changed his clothes, making sure to tie the strings on both his tunic and his trousers. He gazed at himself in the small shard of reflective glass that hung on a rope on the wall and fixed his dark hair, making it sit better on his head.
"How do I look?" Kol asked Henrik who was mid kill of his imaginary enemy.
Henrik glanced over and rolled his eyes and Kol took that as his version of a compliment.
"I'll see you later Ricky" Kol said departing the room.
"I don't suppose you're going to tell us where you're going?" Esther asked as Kol passed not even looking up from the table. Rebekah however did glance up giving Kol a mischievous smirk.
Kol was about to speak when Rebekah interrupted them.
"Mother can us children not have our mundane secrets?"
Esther glanced at Rebekah knowing all too well that she was covering for Kol.
"Very well" she spoke "Don't be late" She warned Kol as he disappeared out the door.
The day was sunny yet on the cool side but Kol didn't feel it as he walked down the dirt path through the village. People were still going about their daily routines and Kol saluted a few as he passed. He turned into the field that lead to the woods and quickened his pace as the terrain became more rugged
It had been three weeks since the announcement of Alistair and Brenna's wedding and more importantly two weeks since Kara and Kol had declared their love for one another. Although it wasn't much of a secret, in the Mikaelson family at least, they still hadn't told anyone of their new found relationship. They had decided to keep it a secret as to not anger Kara's parents or brothers.
He moved down the well-known route and he made it to the area where the cave was situated in record time. The area had not changed much since they had been children, the wolfs-bane had become overgrown at one stage a couple of years ago and Kara had to replant a bushel at the other side of the cave. It made perfect sense now though as the two bushels at either side of the cave now protected the entrance completely from the werewolves ever being able to enter.
"Kara?" he called into the clearing looking for the woman that held his heart, the woman he was supposed to be meeting. She was nowhere in sight which was odd as she was always the punctual one.
"Kara?" he called again moving to the more densely wooded part of the expanse which held the lake and waterfall, only a stones-throw away from the cave.
It was there he saw her, kneeling on the grass by the lakeside using her magic to levitate a rock from the lake bed. Her expression was one of severe concentration and Kol didn't even want to breathe in case it would disturb her. He thought she looked beautiful, her hair flowing down her back, one hand outstretched to the stone and the other pulling at lumps of grass unconsciously. Without thinking he stepped forward to get a better view of her, breaking a small twig in half under his footing as he did so. He cringed, knowing that the sound would alert her to someone in the clearing.
Kara smiled and lowered the stone back into the water with a small splash.
"You're early" she said standing up but not turning around to look at him just yet.
He moved closer to her, walking down a small mounded hill in order to get to the lake side.
"Are you complaining?" he asked wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and moving her hair from the side in order to place small kisses on her neck.
"Definitely not" she replied closing her eyes at the sensation. She grasped his hands which were around her waist and leant her body further into his feather-light kisses. He held her tighter to him and she turned in his grasp to face him.
"I missed you" she whispered to him as he laid his forehead on hers.
He had been gone all day yesterday on a hunt with a dozen other men and missed their daily rendezvous. It was the first time they had been apart for longer than a few hours since they had confessed their feelings for one another and both found it heart wrenching and difficult to not be in arms reach of one another.
"I missed you too" He said cupping her face and looking her in her blue eyes "Too much"
He pulled her closer and kissed her, pouring the love he felt for her and soothing the apprehension he had felt by being absent from her into it and she responded whole heartedly. She ran her hands through the hair that met the nape of his neck which made him shiver. He sighed into her mouth and she pulled back to view him through hooded eyes.
"This is not what we came here for" she said breathlessly still unable to pull herself away from him.
"No its not" he agreed still holding her close, unable to part from her.
She stood on her tip-toes and consumed his mouth again, unable to fight his scent that was filling her nose with such longing, such comfort it threatened to overwhelm her. It never ceased to amaze her how much love she could feel for one person.
He kissed her back, the back of his thumbs caressing her cheeks. He slid one hand to the back of her head brushing under her hair to the base of her neck to pull her face closer and deepen the kiss.
His heart was pounding fast now, he wanted nothing more than to lye her on the grass right here and show her how much he loved her, to treat her like she deserved, like he yearned to. To worship and explore her body in ways he had only dreamt of but he knew he couldn't. He knew that they had to wait. Nobody knew of their relationship yet and to consummate it would be dishonourable to all of their families and although he could bare it, to brush it off he would never allow her to shoulder such shame.
He pulled away, his breath catching when he saw her swollen lips and longing eyes.
"Kara…" he began unable and unwilling to find the words to put an end to this tender, passion filled session.
"I know" she whispered back looking to the ground as the realisation hit her.
"Hey" he said noticing this and tilting her chin up so her eyes met his.
"Soon" he said with a smile kissing the tip of her nose "We're going to be together forever, remember?"
She couldn't help but smile back at him.
'He is so cute sometimes' she thought.
"I remember" she smiled at him goofily her eyes shining warmly at his.
He pulled her into an embrace and held her close to his own body; she laid her head in his chest and closed her eyes. It was times like this when she felt safe; the safest she had felt in years, hearing his heart beat in his chest. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed his hands up and down her arms.
"I love you" he whispered into her hair.
"I love you too"
Her eyes were still closed when he spoke next.
"Now come" he said releasing her but catching her hands with his own "Are you not supposed to be teaching me something"
She opened her eyes to meet his, a glint forming in both pairs.
"Perhaps" she said with a smirk as she walked a few steps away from him "But I do not think you are ready" She taunted making the smirk form on Kol's face also.
"Oh really?" he replied taking the same mischievous tone as her "Then how to I become ready?"
She put her hand to her mouth pretending to be in deep thought and Kol looked on amused.
"I have it" she began looking to Kol and pacing a few steps up and down the lakes edge "You must…."
She paused and looked at him knowing that the anticipation was annoying him somewhat.
"…Catch me" she blurted turning to run away.
It took a moment for Kol to catch on and before Kara knew it he was hot on her heels, chasing her through the gathering of tall trees on the far side, to over to the clearing by the cave and back towards the lake-side. It was the laughter that stopped Kara and she stopped bent over in laughter before Kol could catch her. The laughter was contagious and she had Kol in fits of hysterics within seconds of seeing her.
"What's to happen now?" Kol asked slightly out of breath "I failed in my task to catch you".
Kara sobered and walked to him slowly, his height towering over hers.
She put one hand to his cheek and smiled.
"You caught me a long time ago Kol Mikaelson".
He smiled sincerely at her and turned his head to kiss her palm.
"Let's begin then, shall we?"
Kol nodded still warmed by her tender statement
"We're going to start with the basics. Close your eyes and relax your muscles" Kara began watching Kol who was standing across from her obey her orders.
"Now think of a calming memory" she continued and Kol obliged "A warm memory and feel it enter your arms and legs almost like adding an extra weight"
Kara watched as he visibly relaxed.
"Good" she said happy with his progress so far.
She pulled a small crunchy leaf from the ground and held it in the palm of her hand.
He opened his eyes to gaze curiously at the dead foliage.
"Concentrate on it" she instructed "Let all other objects around you fade away".
He did, observing the leaf in her palm until eventually her palm disappeared from his view also.
"Now picture it floating, like the air is lifting it up, holding it"
This was harder to do but after a few long seconds he mastered that too. They both now watched as the leaf floated from Kara's hand and soared metres into the air. Kol smiled at his success feeling the magic, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time flow through him. It was an understatement that Esther and Mikael had been lax at teaching their children in the magic's. Sure they had taught them the basics as children but they had decided that if they wanted to learn then they should go about studying the grimoire themselves. None of them had, finding more fun in hunting or sword fighting or going to feasts and before he knew it years had slipped by without him even uttering a spell or incantation. He couldn't remember the last time he had made anything levitate and now feeling the power rush through hi made it all come flowing back. He smiled, at the adrenalin pumping through his veins and Kara couldn't help but mimic his excitement.
Gently Kol lowered the leaf back into Kara's outstretched hand and they both turned to each other with smiled plain on their faces.
"That was amazing, you haven't forgotten at all" she complimented.
"I forgot what it felt like" Kol grinned "I feel like I'm on a high".
Kara nodded.
"There's nothing like it"
"I can't wait to learn more" he said excitedly "I'm going to study our grimoire tonight and we can practice more spells tomorrow and eventually I will get as good as you"
Kara smiled a sad smile.
"Your magic is pure Kol, it's already better than mine. Mine is…wrong. I don't get that warm feeling when I use magic anymore. It's cold and hollow".
She then indicated to the leaf in her hand.
He watched as it slowly turned from a crispy brown colour to yellow and then green, as if it had just been grown on the tree and someone had plucked it from its roots.
Kol was in awe but Kara looked upset at the display.
"See natural magic would have never of allowed that" she explained letting it float the ground once again. "Everything is supposed to come to end, to die; giving it a renewal of life, like what I just did there no matter for how short a time is against the laws of nature. The laws of your magic".
Kol could sense she was becoming upset and pulled her into a hug.
"I thought we talked about this" he said soothingly laying his cheek on the top of her head "Your magic doesn't control you, remember?"
"I just miss it" she sighed into his chest "But now I can practice magic vicariously through you".
She smiled broadly and leaned into him.
Kol gave her a sly smile.
"I may have reconsidered this tutorage if I had known you had an ulterior motive" he said knowing full well that this was a lie.
Kara smirked.
"No you wouldn't have" she said wrapping both of her arms around his neck.
"You know me too well" he smiled grabbing her waist and pulling her in to him. Their lips met in a passionate, love felt kiss. They both knew that meeting in secret like this was dangerous. They only had their own will-power to stop themselves before they went too far, before they soiled both of their reputations and those of their families. They had resisted thus far but both knew it was getting harder and harder to stop.
A snapping of a twig made Kara and Kol part and they turned to see who had intruded on their moment.
It was Henrik.
He stood behind a bushel spying on them and when he realised he had been discovered he panicked. He ran, away from them and towards the village.
"Ricky?" Kol asked both surprised and angry.
"Ricky!" he called when his youngest brother had run out of their eye-line.
Kara was anxious and she put her hands to her mouth.
"Will he tell anyone?" Kara asked, her eyes wide with the reality of her parents knowing of their relationship.
"Not if I can help it" Kol said running after him.
He passed the clearing and the cave and only spotted Henrik up ahead when he made it to the field. He was running fast, but Kol was faster. He sped up, moving his arms and legs in sync and they were almost to the outer houses of the village when Henrik was caught.
"Let me go" he struggled as Kol dragged him behind a tree so that no one would see "I didn't mean to spy, I just wanted to see what you were doing"
Kol chuckled.
"Well I would call that spying".
Henrik calmed a little and looked to his older brother.
"You and Kara?"
Kol nodded.
"Yeah me and Kara"
Henrik smiled.
"Do you love her?"
Kol looked taken aback by his question. He had told Kara numerous times that he loved her but didn't expect such a question from one so young.
"Yes I do"
Henrik looked satisfied but also a little saddened.
"What's wrong?" Kol asked concerned.
Henrik shrugged.
"I just thought that maybe if you didn't love her then I would have a chance with her"
Kol laughed and thumped his brother gently on the shoulder.
"I don't get it" Henrik began "Why are you keeping this a secret? Both Mother and Father like Kara; she's Bekah's best friend and even Elijah and Nik like her".
Kol smiled at the thought of Kara in his family.
"It's not our family we have to worry about Ricky, it's hers. You know how strict her parents are about her; they would never let us court, let alone marry".
Henrik smiled.
"You wish to marry her?"
Kol nodded.
"Yes I do,"
"Good" Henrik replied "Because I approve".
"So you won't say anything then?" Kol asked.
Henrik stopped and thought about it before grinning wildly.
"I won't say anything, if you agree to do something for me"
Kol sighed.
"Like what?"
"That you will take me to see the werewolves on the next full moon?"
Kol looked at him in shock.
"What? No! Henrik we must never been out in the open during a full moon and you know that"
"But what if we hide and just watch them for a little while".
Kol grabbed him by the arms and forced him to look at him.
"They would sense us in a heartbeat, they are supernatural creatures and they have sight and hearing beyond our comprehension. Promise me that you will never venture out during a full moon?"
"But…" Henrik tried to argue.
"Ricky!" Kol warned,
Henrik rolled his eyes.
"Fine I promise" he said stubbornly "But you're doing all of my wood chopping duties for a full moon cycle"
Kol looked at him questioningly.
"For not telling anyone about you and Kara".
The realisation hit Kol and he smiled.
"Deal. Now get home before Mother realises how far out of the village you went"
Henrik nodded and smiled.
"Say bye to Kara for me"
"I will" Kol replied a little relieved that at least someone in his family knew.
With that Henrik turned and almost ran back towards the village, his boyish excitement outweighing the little maturity he had within him. Kol watched him go. Henrik's reaction at the discovery of his and Kara's relationship had warmed him. He felt like Kara was slowly becoming part of his family, something he had hoped would happened for years now.
He would shout it from a hilltop if it were solely up to him but knowing Kara's family and the secrets that they held he knew where Kara was coming from by wanting to keep it a secret.
He turned and walked back to the clearing by the cave to see an anxious Kara pacing in front of the cave entrance awaiting Kol's return.
"Did you catch him?" she asked frantically.
Kol nodded and pulled her into a hug to sooth her somewhat.
"Yes I did and he won't say anything".
"Thank the gods" she sighed into his chest taking in his scent to calm herself.
She closed her eyes, comforted by listening to his heart beat in his chest.
"I wish my parents were more like yours" she said with longing, her voice half muffled by his tunic.
"They have their problems too" he said with a small smile.
She looked at him incredulously with a smirk playing on her face.
He caught her point from the look on her face and smiled again.
"Admittedly neither of them cohort with demonic spirits"
Both of them laughed at this knowing that nothing would compare to that.
"Father has been even stricter with us lately, Nik especially".
Kara looked up at him, her chin on his chest but her eyes on his.
"He has always been more severe with Nik though" Kara said despondently knowing that this was the sad truth.
Kol nodded.
"Nik isn't my Fathers child" he said revealing the family secret that was only known within the confines of the unit.
"What?" Kara asked shocked. She always thought that Nik looked more like Mikael than any of the other sons.
"How do you know?" she asked hoping it was just some rumour.
"I heard Mother and Father arguing about it a year or so ago it seems Nik, Elijah and Finn knew it already, Bekah too I'm presuming".
"Oh my gosh" she whispered thinking hard of who his real father may be.
"Are you alright?" she asked her attention turning to the feelings of the man she loved.
Kol nodded.
"It was a shock but he'll be my brother no matter what, no matter who his father is".
Kara smiled.
"And just when I thought you couldn't get any more lovable Kol Mikaelson".
"Oh I am very lovable Kara Shepherd" he said his tone changing from one of seriousness to playfulness. He kissed the tip of her nose.
"And so modest too" she laughed.
He shrugged.
"That's why you love me"
She pretended to debate this in her mind but couldn't help but laugh at his cute shocked face.
"One of the many reasons" she finally said cupping his cheeks and leaning up to kiss him.
He kissed her back before she pulled away, moving to pluck a closed flower from a bunch of weeds.
"Now concentrate" she said her tone trying to be serious but failing miserably "Like you did with the leaf".
"What you want me to levitate the flower?" he asked a little dubiously. The flower was only slightly heavier than the leaf and Kol didn't really see how that would be progressing.
Kara shook her head.
"No, open the petals"
Kol sighed and concentrated. This would indeed be much harder, trying to isolate each singular petal and moving it hard enough to open it but light enough to not rip it from the flower. It was a test of control.
He cleared his mind, focusing solely on the flower and then on a petal. Kara could feel the magic pouring into the flower, making it vibrate slightly in her hand.
She watched as a single petal moved away from the centre of the flower slightly tilting back until it was opened. Kara smiled as a second petal began to copy the first.
They were interrupted suddenly by someone running into the clearing. It was Henrik again and he was as white as a sheet.
Kol, with his concentration lost forgot the flower and dashed over to his brother quickly whilst Kara followed. The flower falling to the grass.
"Mother and father told me to come and find you, they were all near the entrance of the village when I got there" he said breathlessly, his voice quivering.
"What is it?" Kol asked bending down to Henrik's height "What's wrong?"
Henrik swallowed, trying to lubricate his throat somewhat.
"We need to get back" he said nervously "Someone's been found, a body. He's been murdered"
Kara cupped her hands to her mouth in shock and Kol also looked bemused.
"Wha…" Kol began but changed his question mid-sentence "Who, who's been murdered?"
Henrik swallowed hard.
"Vilgard Bjornson"
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~TVD~
Mystic Falls
1864
Honoria Fell marched down the road, a wicker basket covered with a small white cloth under her arm. The basket was heavy so she moved it from one arm to the other every now and then to try and alleviate the strain. Honoria was a tall, authoritative type woman with brown curly hair which she mostly wore up and a fashion sense to rival that of the more wealthy people in London. She was from one of the mining towns in California and had once worked in Stanley Cartwright's dressmakers back when his father had been in charge. She met and married Reverend Thomas Fell not long after she had come to town and gave up her work as a dressmaker. She had been known to stitch a dress or two when she was so inclined but mostly her attentions were to her husband and to his vocation. Helping the people of Mystic Falls was a big part of that and that is what she was doing right now. She paced down the main street, saluting people who waved to her as she went. She turned down a lane-way and emerged at a side street which opened onto Fell's Lane, her home street which was so named to honour her late father-in-law. Her destination was Madam Pearl's Apothecary. She didn't live far from it but she had to gather supplies for her trip there today. The supplies which now sat under her arm in her basket were of great importance to the safety of a town, of an issue she had only been made aware of late last night when an emergency meeting of the town council had been called.
A small bell above the door rang out as she entered making Pearl who was conversing with Jonathan Gilbert turn to look at her.
"Honoria" Pearl greeted a wide smile, which she suspected Jonathan had put there plain on her face "Welcome, how are you today?"
"I am well Pearl, thank you for asking" she moved closer to the main counter to where Pearl was situated and it was then when Jonathan noticed the heavy basket on her arm.
"Let me assist you with that" he offered moving from his place across from Pearl to aid her in lifting the wicker basket to the counter.
"Thank you" Honoria smiled panting a little but hiding it well.
"Are these…what we talked about last night?" he asked Honoria, his voice low and with a slight whisper.
Pearl looked at them questioningly trying to almost stare though the basket to see what was inside. There was only a select few trusted people on the town council and unfortunately for Pearl Zhu she and her daughter had not resided in the town long enough to be considered for it yet.
Honoria nodded and removed the cloth revealing small vials of a clear coloured liquid.
"What are these?" Pearl asked picking one up to study it.
Honoria glanced to Jonathan before answering.
"An elixir" she replied "To protect one's self. Sell them at a reduced rate won't you?"
Pearl looked confused but nodded. It was a common enough occurrence for people to ask that items be sold at the apothecary and when the person asking was as influential to the town as Honoria Fell was then one didn't ask very many questions. Pearl turned to move the basket to the back room and Jonathan turned to Honoria.
"There is to be another meeting of the council tonight, at your residence"
Honoria nodded.
"I know it is more dangerous when night has fallen but we must wait until then".
Jonathan nodded in agreement.
"I wish to invite Pearl" he said his voice hushed in case Pearl may overhear him from the back room.
Honoria shook her head.
"I know you have feelings for her Jonathan but we don't know if she can be trusted" she whispered back.
Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the bell over the door once again. Both Jonathan and Honoria looked to see Kara Salvatore entering the premises.
Kara hadn't been in the apothecary very many times before and when she had she had just gone straight to Pearl Zhu with a folded note and she had given her what she needed. She had never taken the time to look around or browse the shelves.
"Kara" Honoria greeted turning her attention to the young girl "How are you dear?"
Kara looked slightly taken aback to see other people in the store. In all of her thinking about coming to the store and getting the Vervain she hadn't planned on other people being present.
"Mrs Fell, Mr Gilbert hello" she said sounding a little more nervous than she would have liked.
"Is everything alright?" Honoria asked. Kara smiled and nodded, warmed somewhat by her concern. Honoria Fell had taken to visiting their family not long after the influenza had subsided from the town. Her husband had been busy going from house to house organising funerals and memorial services for the deceased and she had felt it her duty to give emotional and moral support to those who needed it. She had visited the Salvatore's a couple of times during that long week. Stefan, who had been distraught over the death of his mother, spoke to her easily. He let out his emotions, pouring out the grief healthily whether it was by sobbing heartily or crying silently. Damon and Giuseppe were a different matter. They were trying to portray a strong demeanour, to be 'men of the house' and so did not want to open up about their feelings for fear that they would all come flowing out and they would not be able to stop it. She spoke to Kara too when she was recovering. Kara was lucky in that she was young enough to not take all she had seen to heart, it was scary to her and losing her mother the way she had was traumatic but she didn't think it affected her as much as it would have if she had been older. Having Honoria there, to hug if she so wished was just what Kara needed at that age.
"Is Miss Pearl here?" she asked Honoria and Jonathan.
"She'll just be a moment" Jonathan smiled and Kara nodded walking up to the counter where her neighbours were standing.
"I met Evan earlier today" Kara told Jonathan trying to make conversation "He seems well"
Jonathan nodded and smiled, clearly happy about the return of his eldest son.
"His arm will heal and he won't have to go back to that dreadful place" He stopped and realised what he had just said may be upsetting to her due to the fact that Damon was still fighting.
"Oh I'm sorry I meant no offense…" he began to apologise but Kara stopped him.
"That's okay Mr Gilbert, Damon's home at the moment anyway, he's on leave"
"That's great" he said "To go to the ball I suspect"
"Yes sir" she replied "A lot of people seem to be excited about it".
"Will you get to attend?" he asked half expecting her to say no. She had never been allowed to attend a ball yet and it was common knowledge that this was due to her health.
"It looks hopeful presently" she replied forcing a half a smile on her face "But my father may change his mind before then".
Honoria smiled at this knowing that although Kara was a sickly girl, Giuseppe obviously wanted to keep her his 'little girl' for as long as he could, and maybe longer than would be possible.
It was then when Pearl returned to the counter, her head down and a pencil and notepad in her hand.
"I have them marked at twenty cents a vial Honoria will that suit?"
It was then when she noticed Kara standing at the counter.
"Ah Kara Salvatore, what can I do for you today?" she asked her voice friendly and her demeanour welcoming.
Kara felt nervous in asking, especially with Honoria and Jonathan looking on but she conclusively determined that it would be no harm in asking for the herb since no one in the store was bound to know what she really needed it for.
"I have been looking for a plant, an herb which I have been told could help with…energy I have been lacking in" Kara lied somewhat proud of what she had been able to come up with on the spot.
Pearl smiled.
"Well I am sure I can accommodate you" she said indicating to her arrangement of jars behind her, some stuff with green leaves, dried flowers and even ground up seeds.
"What is it that you're looking for" she asked with a wide smile.
Kara took a deep breath.
"Vervain" she replied.
Kara watched as Pearl's smile seemed to slowly slip from her face, she felt Jonathan and Honoria's eyes on her.
The silence in the room was heavy and Kara felt as though she had asked for something blasphemous.
"I heard it was good for energy" Kara began trying to alleviate the awkward silence in the room "But it's out of season so it was recommended that I come here"
Silence passed over them once again but was soon disrupted by Honoria.
"Did you hear her Pearl?" she said directing her question to the shopkeeper.
Pearl looked to Honoria and then back Kara and just nodded.
"Yes, yes I heard you, my apologies" she said fidgeting by fixing her small shawl around her.
"I have none" she said "Whoever lead you to the herb was correct, it is out of season and I didn't think to dry some last spring, I'm sorry".
Kara looked dejectedly to the ground. This had been truly her last hope.
"Well thank you anyway Miss Pearl" she said mustering up enough pride in herself to speak the sentence without letting the disappointment show through too much.
"If you're looking for more energy I could recommend an alternative, I have some oil of oregano or some dried Eleuthero?"
Kara looked back and smiled.
"No, thank you" she said genuinely "I do not think the alternatives would work". With that Kara walked out the door, trying whole heartedly to try and prevent the tears that were stinging her eyes from falling down her face.
Honoria looked to Jonathan who in turn looked back at her. They were clearly thinking the same thing.
"Make those elixirs ten cents apiece Pearl and allow people to trade for them" she concluded turning to leave also. She nodded at Jonathan and left.
Standing outside the door she looked to see which direction Kara had went. It took her a moment or so but she finally spotted her walking fast-paced with her head downcast moving through the side street she herself had just come through.
"Kara!" she called out unusually loud for her normally conservative behaviour.
Kara turned to her, her saddened eyes now turning curious.
Honoria went towards her in a slow run, lifting the hem of her dress up as she went.
"Mrs Fell, is every alright?" Kara asked startled by her frantic behaviour and assuming immediately that something was amiss.
Honoria paused before speaking, looking as if she was trying to word something quite specifically in her mind.
"You need some Vervain?" she asked wanting to clarify that first of all.
Kara looked at her a little shocked at her bluntness before nodding.
"Y…yes"
Honoria wet her lips, her mind in deep thought, as if deliberating something.
"Mrs Fell?" Kara asked after a few more seconds ticked by.
Honoria looked to Kara, her eyes fixed and confident. She leaned in a little, close enough so that her whispered voice would be heard.
"Come to my house tonight, around ten, I can provide you what you need".
A wave of relief swept over Kara at the prospect of finding what she had been looking for but something in Honoria Fell's demeanour made her think that she knew that the Vervain was not a simple herb for giving energy for those lacking.
Kara nodded to her giving her a smile knowing that one way or another she would try and find out what Mrs Fell knew tonight.
"It is the upmost importance that you tell no one you are coming Kara, these meetings are only for the select few. You are only being invited because we know we can trust you".
Kara looked to the older woman in bewilderment.
"Meetings?" she asked "What..?"
Honoria shook her head to silence her as if deeming the matter too important to be spoken out in the open.
"Just come tonight" she finalised "If I know the matter of your ailment then you will have your answers then"
Kara closed her mouth in realisation and looked Honoria directly in the eyes.
"I'll be there, that's a promise".
Honoria nodded and gave her a small smile.
"Good, then I shall see you tonight"
Kara watched as Honoria moved away from her, watching her surroundings a little cautiously as she walked in the direction of her house at the end of the road.
Kara stood on the spot, mulling over the conversation she had just had. Was Honoria insinuating that she too knew what Katherine was? Was the meeting tonight to alert other trusted members of the town? The thought of that thrilled her to no end but she knew better than to get her hopes up. Right now, all she had to worry about was sneaking out of the house tonight unseen.
Thanks for reading everyone! : ) Hope you liked it! If you have any questions/comments/ideas feel free to ask. : ) xxxxxxx