Part 31

France, 1002

Klaus clenched his fists and tried his best to look calm. He didn't like this at all. The whole court was present in the throne room; Count de Martel had an announcement to make. Unfortunately Klaus knew exactly what that announcement was. Tristan was sitting beside his father, his face was callous, but Klaus could tell how satisfied he was. Of course he was, he thought that he was going to have Nadine. He certainly didn't deserve her. Klaus had confessed his feelings for her last night and asked her to come with him, but of course that couldn't happen right away.

Klaus had been forced to take her back to Tristan's chamber. Watching her lie down beside him had filled Klaus with nasty jealously. It had also made him more than sure of his own feelings. He wanted her to be his. He wanted to protect her and take her far away from this place. The thought made him smile. He looked up and met Aurora's gaze, she was smiling at him across the room. The guilt hit him immediately. He should have never used her as some kind of distraction after he had thought that he had ruined everything with Nadine.

Aurora was a sweet and innocent girl, she deserved so much better. Klaus was truly disgusted with himself for toying with her feelings like that. Maybe he hadn't meant to toy with her, but he nevertheless had. He had kissed her and encouraged her obvious infatuation to him. That had been nothing but a cruel and selfish thing to do. He needed to try his best to fix the damage he had done before he would leave.

"What is all this about?" Kol snorted carelessly, he was standing next to Klaus. Finn was standing few steps away from them and Elijah with Rebekah. Klaus didn't notice his ice-cold glare.

"I think…" Klaus started, but Count de Martel stood up before he managed to continue. The whole room was immediately quiet.

"I have some very exciting news!" he announced and glanced at Tristan who stood up as well. "My son has found himself a bride!"

Almost everyone in the room looked stunned, especially the Lady Giselle. She stared at Tristan disbelievingly.

"As you all know, Lord de Leclair recently passed away without an heir," Count de Martel continued."But now I am pleased to announce that his heir has been discovered."

Everyone looked at the doors when a servant entered and bowed.

"May I preset the Lord Lucien de Leclair and his sister, the Lady Nadine de Leclair."

Many people gasped when Lucien appeared in the doorway arm in arm with Nadine. They both looked like royalties, although Lucien was clearly nervous. Nadine was wearing a beautiful creamy gown and her hair was up in a stylish coiffure. She looked absolutely stunning. Lady Giselle's face was quickly turning red, she looked like she was about to faint.

"What…" Kol murmured, but Klaus barely heard him, he was staring at Nadine.

Unlike Lucien, she didn't look nervous; she seemed to be very calm. Everyone was staring at them when they walked across the room side by side and bowed in front of the throne.

"Your Grace," Lucien murmured.

Tristan walked over to Nadine and kissed her hand. Lucien seemed reluctant to let go of his sister, but he didn't have a choice, Tristan took her hand and led her next to the throne with him.

"My bride, the lovely Lady Nadine de Leclair!"

The lords and ladies who had managed to get over their surprise started to quickly congratulate him and compliment his bride. Nadine stood next to Tristan obediently; he wrapped his arm possessively around her small frame. Kol was looking at them very strangely, but Klaus didn't notice that. He did however notice how Finn was looking at Nadine. The realization didn't please Klaus at all, although he couldn't really blame his brother. As long as Finn would understand that he couldn't have Nadine. She belonged to Klaus.

Italy, 1114

Klaus looked at Finn's daggered body carelessly before closing the coffin. Good riddance. He had no intention to pull the dagger out any time soon. Perhaps not at all. His other siblings thought that it was because he didn't trust Finn. Well, he didn't, but he also had another reason. A reason he would never share with anyone. It didn't matter, not anymore. He had lost her. She had actually chosen Tristan over him. The man who had humiliated her and treated her like a slave. To her even a man like that had been better than Klaus.

It didn't matter. She didn't matter. He didn't need her or anyone else. In fact, if she would be here right now, he would rip her heart out. He would. But first he would make her beg for mercy. Except that she couldn't beg since she couldn't speak… All she could do was look at him with her damn doe eyes and maybe touch him with her soft lips… He cursed the day he had ever laid eyes on her.

But then again, she had done him a huge favor. Thanks to her, he wasn't weak and pathetic anymore and he never would be. He marched to the parlor and glanced at his siblings. Elijah was holding Rebekah who was still sobbing. Well, she could only blame herself, she had betrayed her whole family by foolishly falling for a hunter. Kol on the other hand seemed to be in an excellent mood, he had blood all over his face and a wine goblet in his hand. He and Klaus had finished off the Brotherhood of the Five for good.

"Brother!" Kol greeted him cheerfully. "I am in the mood for some dessert, care to join me?"

"Yes," Klaus replied smirking. "I believe so. The night is still young. And so are the lovely maidens who aided those hunters by distracting us."

"Niklaus," Elijah stated tensely. "Those girls are innocent; I do not think they understood what they were doing…"

"Who cares," Kol snorted. "Come on, Nik, let's go and have some fun!"

Klaus glanced at Elijah before following Kol. For a very brief moment he saw something strange in Elijah's eyes. Not judgment, not accusation, not even his typical fatigue. No, what Klaus thought he saw was guilt. Klaus didn't give the matter much thought, it didn't interest him. He had much more important things on mind.

Valencia, 2 days later

Tristan pressed his lips together and took a quick look around. Fortunately there was no sight of Lucien. The whole thing was nothing but ridiculous. Nadine was Tristan's wife for heaven's sake; Lucien had no right to stop him from speaking to her. The only reason why Tristan had waited for this long was simple; he hadn't wanted to upset Nadine by fighting with her brother. And he had needed to look after poor Aurora. Now Nadine was finally alone, sitting in the garden. Cautiously Tristan approached her, she was staring in front of her and her hands were folded in her lap.

"Nadine? May I speak with you?"

She didn't say anything; he waited for a moment before sitting down next to her.

"Nadine?"

"Don't," she said quietly, avoiding his hand when he reached for hers. "Please."

He felt a nasty sting, but he had no intention to give up. She was his wife, the woman he loved more than anything. Nothing could ever change that.

"Nadine, please hear me out. I know things are a mess, but I need you to know that I love you. I couldn't bear the thought of you hating me…"

"I don't hate you," she murmured, she was still staring in front of her.

"What?"

She sighed tiredly and looked at him.

"I don't hate you, Tristan."

He wasn't sure how to reply.

"That's…nice to hear."

She smiled, although there was something sad about her smile.

"You have been a good husband and a good maker and I sincerely thank you for that."

"No…" he murmured. "If you mean this is a goodbye…"

The next thing he realized was her twining her arms around the back of his neck, pulling his head down. A tear rolled down her cheek when her lips brushed feather like against his.

"Please, don't make this any harder," she pleaded.

His eyes widened.

"What? Nadine, what are you talking about?"

She pulled away and cleared her throat.

"Lucien wants to leave."

"No," Tristan said firmly and took her hand.

"He needs me," Nadine said quietly.

"I need you," Tristan argued. "You are my wife."

She was quiet for a moment before replying.

"Yes, I am and it would be a lie to say that our years together would have been meaningless to me. I could try to deny it because of…our past, but the truth is that I do love you. I can't simply turn it off, even if I would want to."

For a moment Tristan was speechless. He hadn't expected this. Nadine leaned closer and touched his cheek.

"It's strange…." she murmured. "A part of me wishes that I could hate you. It would make this a lot easier."

"Don't go," he murmured.

"Lucien needs some time," Nadine sighed. "Right now he is a mess, you have seen that. I need to be there for him. Can you understand that?"

No, Tristan certainly couldn't. At the moment he truly hated Lucien.

"I am not asking you to wait for me…" Nadine continued, but Tristan interrupted her by capturing her mouth in a fiery kiss.

"I will wait for you," he murmured in her ear. "As long as I have to."