To Be Wed

Leaning over a table that had several pieces of jewellery scattered across the surface, Astra let her sharp eyesight flit over the various gold pieces that could easily resemble wedding rings. There was one that she had worn a couple of hundred years prior, still as golden and well-kept as the day that she had been given the gift. Sliding the ring onto the forth finger of her left hand, she held it up to see how it looked. It was more plane than it would have been had she also had an engagement ring. When the thought of such a ring entered her mind she felt her gut clench as her eyes fell back to the table, where a silver banded blue stoned ring sat on its side.

Picking up the small ring with gentle fingers, she looked down at the intertwined D and A, a long forgotten sense of longing rising in her. Looking over to the door of her old study, she quickly slipped the ring into her pocket for a later time, not wanting it to get lost among her other jewellery. Sliding the gold ring off her finger, she slipped it into her other pocket and returned her attention to the table for a ring that could suit Elijah.

"This would be easier if I collected male wedding rings," Astra muttered, turning her back to the table and walking over to a cherry wood box that sat on one of the large shelves. Sliding it off easily and placing it on the desk beside her, Astra pulled the lid off carefully and glanced inside, hoping that it was the correct box. A smile touched her lips when she saw the various knickknacks inside. Shuffling around them carefully, she was able to locate the one that she had been searching for and pulled it out, allowing it to fall down to the base of her finger. It was far too large for her, but she had kept it for a long time.

Sliding the thick gold band into her pocket with the other wedding style ring, she carefully placed everything back the way that it was on the shelves, making sure that the boxes were safe in their places on the shelf before she made to leave the study.

Elijah had dropped her off at her home and told her that their things should be there by morning, before he departed to finish with some of his loose ends from their last place. The human that was staying in her home and tending to it was the daughter of the prior-assistant, a middle aged English woman that looked far too lonely. She didn't live in the house, only came to make sure that it was running well for when her mistress returned.

"You old bedroom has been prepared for you, Miss, and I have also set up a room for Lord Elijah," Jessica said as she walked up to Astra, holding some of the sheets that had covered the furniture from the two rooms.

"Thank you, Jessica, you can go home now."

"Of course, Miss." Astra watched the human woman walk away before she headed up toward her old bedroom, thinking of the many times that she had changed it over the years so that it didn't look overly out dated. But no matter how many changes the room underwent, the memories of when she had first lived there, dressing up in fancy gowns and wearing a beautiful engagement ring on her left hand, never truly went way.

Stepping into the vast space of her bedroom, she smiled at the curtained bed that sat on a raised platform on the far wall, floor to ceiling two foot wide windows every three feet along the wall to her right, a door on the far left. She had remembered the times that she had sat on the balcony just outside those windows and looked out at the moon that hung in the sky, waiting for the day that she didn't have to fear when Klaus might actually break the curse. She dreaded the full moon every month for so many reasons.

Pausing just inside the room, she quickly turned on heel and headed for Elijah's room instead. Pulling the two wedding rings from her left jean pocket, she didn't pause as she opened the door and stepped inside. Jessica had cleaned the room expertly of all dust and age that had lingered there, smelling faintly of some kind of apple cleaner. Putting the two rings on the dresser that sat across from his bed, she knew that he would easily spot them. Elijah's attention for detail was always present, no matter where he was. Astra had learned that very quickly when he had always felt the compulsion to touch everything that was in his space, familiarizing himself with the belongings of whoever he was around.

Elijah's room wasn't as elaborate as Astra's was, solely because of the fact that—no matter what time did—the home is hers. He still had a king sized bed, the duvet on top brand new with a large assortment of pillows and cushions at the head of the bed. Two twin nightstands on either side, matching light fixtures, a large window with a window seat, walk in closet and a newly stocked washroom.

Running her long fingers along the dresser as she made her way from the room, Astra felt her lips twitch into a smile when she saw a small dream catcher handing in the corner of the room, behind the door. She remembered when Elijah had bought her that as a personal joke that had lingered between them for centuries. Closing the door quietly behind her, she finally parted to her room so that she could try and relax.

Less than two hours later, after lighting a fire and selecting a bottle of blooded wine, Astra reclined back in the large tub in her bathroom, her legs handing over the side with soap drying on her skin. A glass of the blooded wine was in her left hand—also hanging over the side of the tub—as she relaxed in the scented waters. Cherry.

Tires rolling up the cobblestone driveway causing Astra to unconsciously turn her head toward the open window, looking out through the darkness as though she expected to see the truck that Elijah was driving reflected in the open pane. Tapping her nails against the wine glass, she listened to every move that Elijah made as he walked up the stone steps of her home. Raising her wine glass over the rim of the tub carefully, she took in a small mouthful before placing the glass on the marble shelf behind her head, the white stone surrounding three sides of the tub. Adjusting herself in the soapy water, reclined her head back until her neck was draped over the curbed rim pleasantly.

As her door opened; she remained still. When she heard him stop before the bathroom door; she remained still. The bathroom door opened carefully and still she did not move. The ghosting of fingertips along her left cheekbone finally made her open her eyes, looking up to Elijah's chocolate ones. He seemed relaxed, meaning that he hadn't gone off and killed someone while he was 'tying up loose ends', otherwise he would have been far more tense.

"Welcome home, Lord Elijah," Astra greeted carefully. Elijah made his signature humming sound before he reached up behind her and took the glass of wine from the marble shelf, sitting on the rim on the tub carefully.

"Did you find the rings alright?"

"I put them in your room, the one just down the hallway," She replied easily, suppressing a pleasant chill when Elijah took hold of her long legs and adjusted them to drape over his left leg as he took a drink from her wine glass. The rare intimate moments that passed between them were a sort of gift for her, a moment when she could relish in the small pleasures that it brought. A tightening in her gut caused her body to relax, her legs sliding further across Elijah's lap as she let herself sink further into the cherry scented waters.

"When we arrive in the town we will be under the guise that we are a newly wedded couple. I'm going to be posing as the author of a book, doing research. You're merely with me for the trip. Elijah and Astra Smith." A small laugh bubbled up from her chest as the last name that Elijah had decided, but she nodded her head none the less.

"How do you plan to approach the girl again, Elena, I believe is her name?" Astra asked quietly as she pulled herself up carefully, taking the glass of wine and blood from Elijah's hand and reclining back once more.

"Not right away," Elijah responded, his elegant fingers lying across her calf and teasing along the prominent bone that stood out against her skin. "I want to observe for a while first, maybe plant some rumours elsewhere to throw off Klaus. That's your first job."

"Hm, my husband the mastermind," Astra teased gently, before she placed the cup on the shelf once more and pulled her legs from Elijah's grip, dipping them in the water once more. "Now leave, you're not going to get a free show as I finish washing." She could see Elijah's left eyebrow twitch just slightly as he repressed the urge to give her 'the look' before he silently stood up and let himself out.

Pulling herself up from the tub, she didn't bother to concern herself with the water that ran off of her body to pool on the floor, rippling around her feet. Pulling her hair out of the messy bun to shake it free, the tips tickling her back as she did so, Astra felt the cool air that filled the room bite at her wet skin. She supressed a shiver and pulled her towel off the hook beside the bath, pleased with the soft feel of it against her skin.

After she had dried her body and her hair as best she could, Astra stepped back into the cool bedroom, seeing that Elijah had turned on the wall lights, giving the room a deep red glow as it brought the burgundy paint out pleasantly. Stepping up to her closet, she flipped the switch to bring on the lights, pleased to see that there were some clothes inside for her to wear until the rest of her things arrived in the morning.

Pulling a hanger from the rack, she smiled at the wondrous feel of the midnight blue silk nightdress as it flowed over her arm. Lifting the material to her face, she relished in to smooth feel of it against her cheek and lips. For as long as she could remember, she had been a sucker for soft materials. Elijah knew her weakness and often lavished her with silks and cottons of all kinds when he got on her bad side to try and make amends.

Elijah had first found out about her addiction to soft materials when she first leant her head against his own, his soft hair on her cheek. She had nearly rubbing against him like a cat before she was able to compose herself. But he had quickly caught on to how she had made up many excuses to get to his hair, or his silk shirts. He had found it very strange when she suddenly became very friendly and wished to hug him frequently and he finally found out her secret after he eavesdropped on one of her dreams when she was caught rubbing her cheek against her pillowcase in her sleep.

Pulling the dress over her head, sighing happily as the soft material slid across her chest and back. Her nerves seemed to become hyper sensitive whenever she wore this dress to bed, but she didn't mind in the least. After having all of ones emotions and behaviour enhanced when turned into a vampire, sensitivity was the least of their worries.

Walking from the closet after pulling on a pair of underwear, Astra made sure to flip the light off before she made her way out to her balcony, hoping for the peace it would bring her as her thoughts began to rage about the coming storm over Mystic Falls. People were going to die, she could already smell it in the air. She just didn't know who yet.

Taking in a deep breath of the forest air, she was glad that she had preserved the land so that her home was far away from the town and roads. She didn't have to be bothered by the disgusting smell of cars and human filth.

It was times such as these that she missed the days that everything was nature. There were no cars, no fuel, or other ungodly power sources. The smell of fire smoke was all that permeated the air, or the different candle scents that her mother had chosen that morning. Her gut tightened with a painful longing for home, for the beginning years of Rome.

I know that I haven't been able to update in a while, and I'm sorry! I hope you like this chapter, it looks a bit more into the life that Astra and Elijah have built for themselves and the personal relationship. Please update, I'll try to have the next chapter up sooner.