Title: Lettered

Rating: M

Genre: AU/AH/Time-travel

Pairing(s): Bonnie/Klaus, Bonnie/Elijah, Klaus/Katherine (One-sided), Katherine/Elijah, Bonnie/Trevor (One-sided), Trevor/Katherine (One-sided), Matt/Elena, Damon/Lucy, Jeremy/Caroline, Stefan/Emily, Tyler/Rebekah, Kol/OC, etc.

Summary: Bonnie Bennett travels back in time once she convinces herself that she and her friends could've had a normal life if Katherine had been sacrificed when Klaus had planned. What she doesn't expect is for Klaus to be taken in by the mystery of her arrival and her behavior so much so that he is willing to seduce her in order to learn her secrets even if he has to use Elijah to do it. Loosely based on Cyrano de Bergerac. Klonnie/Bonlijah.

Warnings: Character Death, Violence, Time-travel, ect.

Chapter Two: A Flame So Bright

England, 1492

When Bonnie Bennett awoke the next morning she forgot momentarily where she was and what she had done. It was the necklace around her neck that served to remind her. She sat up on the straw filled mattress when she heard a rapping at the wooden door. A moment later a girl came in with a tray laden with food. Bonnie watched in confusion as the young woman carried the tray over to the wooden table that had not been there the night before.

The woman turned to Bonnie and smiled. "Good morning, Miss Bonnie," she said, with an accent that Bonnie could not place. Her long dark tresses hung down her back, her basic linen dress trailed across the stone floor.

Bonnie blinked at her in confusion. "Who are you?" Bonnie asked, hoping that she didn't sound rude.

The girl smiled prettily. She looked to be a year or two younger than Bonnie. She had tan skin and hazel eyes, and a beauty mark on her left cheek. "My name is Mirela," she said, "I am to be your servant."

Bonnie frowned, looking even more perplexed. "But I am a servant," she said.

The girl giggled, before coughing surreptitiously to cover it up. "Yes," she said, "To Lady Katerina and I am to serve you so that you might prosper in your serving of her. Mr. Trevor bid me to give you breakfast and to assist you in dressing. He wishes for you to meet him in the kitchens in an hour's time to go over your new duties."

Bonnie had never heard of a servant having a servant before. But Trevor had mentioned that some servants held a higher position within a household than others. "Thank you, Mirela," Bonnie said, "But I only have the one dress so I don't think I will need help with the changing part at least."

"Not anymore, miss," Mirela stated, "The Lord Niklaus stated rather fervently that he did not wish for you to have a dress that was not custom made to fit you, miss. If I am not mistaken, Mr. Trevor, had your measurements taken last night while you were being dressed and Lord Niklaus has had the seamstresses up since dawn. You have got six dresses in the trunk there, and two pairs of night garments, and some proper shoes, all new."

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she got out of bed. She could only imagine the treatment that Katherine was getting if they were going through this much trouble for her. "Is that so?" she asked, "Does the Lord Niklaus normally take such pains when dealing with his servants?"

"Not at all miss," Mirela said, giving Bonnie a look that made implications that Bonnie didn't like, "He has not been so attentive toward the others, no matter how close a relationship that he has had with them. Even the Lady Katerina has been wearing his sister's cast offs."

Bonnie cleared her throat and looked around her uncomfortably. It didn't make sense. Klaus had never shown interest in her in her time, not outside of trying to kill her or forcing her to use her powers at his behest. Usually their interactions were violent and included threat or force. He had never attempted to win her favor as he had with others, like Stefan and Caroline. It was odd as she had always suspected that the witches he had worked with before were treated differently than the way he treated her. Though, Klaus had seemed uncaring and nonreactive toward Greta's death, it was clear that she and he had had some sort of relationship beyond him using her magic, and he had respected more than her power. Bonnie had never been on the receiving end of Klaus' kindness and she suspected that now that she was there was some sort of ulterior motive.

Shaking her head, Bonnie sighed. It didn't really matter. She wasn't here to attempt to figure out Klaus. She was here to help him sacrifice Katherine so that she could go home.

"I think that I'll bathe before eating," Bonnie said, feeling unclean all of a sudden.

"I thought that you might, miss," Mirela smiled, "I took the liberty of filling your tub before I retrieved your breakfast. The water was rather hot and I thought it would need a little time to cool. It should be nice and warm now, miss. I scented it with lavender, I hope that it will please you."

It seemed the girl had thought of everything. "Thank you, Mirela," she repeated. Bonnie wondered if she would be expected to do these types of things for Katherine. She didn't like the idea of having to dote on the woman but it was a necessary evil it seemed.

Bonnie began undress and the girl moved immediately to assist her. She frowned, but allowed it. When she got into the tub, she was grateful that the girl seemed to be leaving her to wash herself alone at least. She fiddled with her necklace as she waited for the girl to leave the room.

"Would that be all, Miss?" Mirela asked.

Bonnie nodded and then her hands found her hair and she paused. "I seem to be having troubles managing my hair," Bonnie said, carefully, "Do you think that you could help me with it after breakfast?"

"Of course, Miss," Mirela agreed, "I come from a family of gypsies. I have tamed wilder hair than yours."

"You're Romani then?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes, miss," she said, "Will that be a problem. I know it is for some. It is the reason that I am usually kept in the kitchens and away from the guest. If my service displeases you then I will understand."

"Oh no," Bonnie said quickly, "I was only wondering where your accent came from. I am not sure about the other company that Lord Niklaus or Lord Elijah keep, but I don't have any problems or prejudices with your people."

"It has never been my lords that are the problem," Mirela said, "However, their guest are at times…but I have misspoken. I was told that you were of a different sort. An odd and intriguing creature the lord Niklaus said. A walking revolution, Mr. Trevor declares. And even still Lord Elijah describes milady as the picture of danger and grace. I had thought it all a great exaggeration. I am pleased to find myself wrong." She had never waited on a lady before but Bonnie seemed more gracious than all of the ladies that the lords of the house had ever entertained combined, so Mirela didn't mind being the maidservant to another servant.

:::

Elijah stood just outside the door of Bonnie's chambers his hand poised to knock. Though, Niklaus seemed to be particularly taken with Miss Bennett, so much so that he had advised Elijah to keep his distance, Elijah's own curiosity had won out over his brother's warning. Besides, he had promised Miss Bennett that he would call on her personally and so that was exactly what he was doing.

However, just as Elijah moved to knock on the door, it opened. Elijah's eyes widened at the sight Bonnie made on the other side of it. She had still been a vision the night before, even with her face scowling, her hair wild, and in an ill-fitting dress. But as she stood before him in a white silk dress trimmed in black, which hugged her body just so, her hair braided at the crown and pulled back with black lace and white flowers, and smiling rather openly at him, Elijah was taken aback by how beautiful she was.

"Good morning, my lord," Bonnie said holding out her hand to him. Elijah took it and placed a kiss on the back of it, though now that she was a servant in his household the act wasn't appropriate. Elijah doubted that anyone would believe her a servant. It wasn't just that she had soft hands and not the calloused hands of those that worked for a house hold. It was everything, her very person. She carried herself in a way that demanded respect and exaltation. He had never seen a lady do as much.

"Good morning, Bonnie," Elijah greeted, remembering her request from the night before.

Bonnie smiled as he released her hand. After cleaning herself and Mirela managing to work wonders with her hair she was in a more amiable mood than she had been. There was also the matter of her realizing that she would need to keep the position so she couldn't go around giving the Originals nasty looks.

"Would you be willing to escort me to the kitchens, my lord," Bonnie requested, "Mirela knows the way I am sure but there is a matter I wish to discuss with you before I bring the Lady Katerina her breakfast."

"Of course," Elijah said offering his arm to her in a manner that one would a lady. Mirela raised a brow at the act, from where she stood in the doorway but said nothing.

Bonnie looped her own arm through Elijah's and together they began to walk forward. "Thank you, my lord," she said.

"I trust that your accommodations are in order and that you slept well," Elijah stated, "As you look much changed from the night before I would hope that things are to your liking."

"Yes," Bonnie nodded, "I don't have a problem with my room, and Mirela is a godsend."

"Even being of Romani descent?" Elijah asked curiously. When they had given her to Katerina the girl would not have her.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I am in no position to discriminate and even if I were I would not," she said, "I look at the content of a person's character when I judge them not their outward appearance or their background. Mirela being Romani is no more off-putting than me being black, or a witch, or you being a vampire…sire."

"I agree," Elijah smiled, "Which is why my brother and I hired her when no one else would. It is just some of our guests are not of the same mind. I wanted to be sure that we had finally found the right place for her and it seems that we have."

Bonnie sighed. "I don't understand why I have a servant in the first place," she said, "That is what I wanted to talk to you about. I mean I want you and your brother to know clearly that I cannot be bought. I am offering my service to you on my terms and no amount of silk dresses, fine food, or personal servants will change that."

Elijah stopped and looked down at her. She was a brazen creature to be sure, but oddly enough it didn't much bother him. "We have promised that you would be well taken care of and that is what we are doing," he told her, "If it is upsetting you I could have Niklaus pull back a little, however, we are men of our word."

"And the Lady Katerina," Bonnie asked, "Is she as well taken care of as I am?"

Elijah shook his head, deciding to be honest. "No," he said, "Niklaus does not find her to be as valuable as you. Your power lends you his favor. However, there is also the issue of you being of greater interest to us both for another reason altogether. I would explain but I doubt that you would understand, but I will do my best to reign Niklaus in, you needn't worry, Bonnie."

"Thank you, sire," Bonnie said. As they walked Bonnie thought on his words. She could see Klaus being interested in her powers, but them being more interested in her than Katherine just seemed off. She didn't know why they would be and she was sure in her time that Katherine had had something going on with both Originals, even if Klaus had hated her. Bonnie shook her head deciding that it wasn't worth her harping on.

:::

Trevor smiled as Bonnie sat down next to him at the long wooden table in the kitchen that was used for preparation. She looked even more exquisite in the light of day and her presence was already distracting the other servants from their work, but that wasn't why Trevor smiled. Trevor was smiling at the sight of Bonnie preparing the tray with Katherine's breakfast in a silk dress. Klaus had put her in the position to look rather ridiculous due to her attire.

"Let Mirela deliver her breakfast," Trevor stated, even knowing that Katerina disliked the Romani maiden, "We must discuss your duties. You are inexperienced but there are ways to cover up the fact so that Katerina does not suspect."

"And if she did suspect?" Bonnie asked as she swiped a piece of meat from Katherine's plate as Mirela lifted the tray.

Trevor smirked at the sight, and the image the servants made reacting to her candor before he spoke. "Then I am sure she would start to wonder at your attire and then your relationship to the lords," he shrugged, "And we both know how much trouble that would cause."

"So," Bonnie said, dejectedly, "Do you think I can pull this off?"

Trevor nodded, smoothing a hand over his tunic. "With my help of course," he said, his hair falling into his face, "And what you can't learn from me, you can learn from Mirela. You will be fine, Bonnie. We will take care of you."

Bonnie winced at the wording. "Everyone seems to want to take care of me lately," she said.

"That's a bad thing?" Trevor asked curiously. Most women found it flattering but it was clear that Bonnie wasn't like most women.

"There was a time," Bonnie said, looking down at her hands, "That I might have been grateful for it. But now it's just weird." Bonnie thought of all the times that she had been left to deal with everything on her own. Then there was the fact that the very people pushing to care for her now were the ones that had caused her suffering in her time. "It isn't something that I am used to," she said.

"Then perhaps," Trevor said, hesitantly placing a hand over hers, "You were in the wrong place and now you are in the right one."

It was funny, because Bonnie had been thinking the exact opposite, before he had spoken. Still, the more she thought about it the more she realized he was right. If she wanted to change her future, she had indeed come to right place. Now all she would have to do was get rid of Katherine.

:::

Katerina Petrova was displeased. Lord Niklaus had promised her a new servant and yet she had been forced to put up with Mirela's incompetence. She had thought that she had more influence over him than that. It had only been a day, but he had seemed taken with her, at least she hoped he was. She was very taken with him. He was dark and mysterious, and he intrigued her. She had wanted to see him as means to an end, in order to secure her future, but upon meeting him, things had changed.

Still, both he and Lord Elijah seemed more than willing to take care of her and that within itself was something to grasp onto and use to her advantage.

It was midafternoon and Lord Niklaus had promised her a stroll around the gardens. She was waiting on him to call on her. She wore a red silk dress today, her hair down aside from the lovely comb he had given her. There were many ladies that vied for his attention but none as determined as she.

A knock on the door caused Katerina to start. She turned toward the sound. "Come in," she said, when no one moved to enter.

When the door finally opened, a maiden entered. Katerina swallowed at the sight of her. She was exotic, and beautiful, and given her dress Katerina didn't know what to expect. She was surprised when the girl bowed. "Lady Katerina," she said, her voice smooth, with a hint of danger under the surface that likely had men wrapped around her finger.

"Yes," Katerina said, frowning when her voice broke slightly.

"I am your new servant," the girl said, "My name is Bonnie Bennett. But you may address me as you wish, my lady." Bonnie had memorized the speech after talking with Trevor. She played the role of servant rather well it seemed, being ruled by the Salvatores and being friends with Elena had given her plenty of practice. "Mr. Trevor bid me to fetch you," she said, "Lord Niklaus wishes for you to accompany him in a stroll about the gardens." Bonnie fought the urge to roll her eyes. Klaus' wooing techniques left much to be desired, if walking about in some flowers was the best that he could come up with. Though, for the time, he probably didn't have many other options.

Katerina blinked. This girl did not look like anyone's servant. Still if her servant looked like this, then she supposed that Lord Niklaus would be doing much more than giving her a room to stay in and hand me down dresses soon. "Thank you, Bonnie," Katerina said, stiffly, "Shall we go."

Bonnie bowed, unsure what to make of the look that Katherine was giving her. "Yes, my lady," she said before she turned and led Katherine out of the door.

:::

Niklaus Mikaelson leaned against the stone wall that wrapped around the gardens. Trevor stood next to him as they waited for Katerina to appear. "Seduction is a tedious chore, Trevor," Klaus said, "You would do well never to attempt it."

Trevor grinned. "I would not dream of attempting such a thing, my lord," he said, "As I do not have your charm, nor your power, nor your good looks, I will simply have to settle for maids, prostitutes, and the act of compulsion."

Klaus chuckled, shaking his head. "You do yourself a great disservice," he said, "Were you that hopeless I never would have bothered to turn you."

Trevor nodded but didn't say anything. His mind was on the tutorial he had given Bonnie in the kitchens. The whole thing had amounted to them stealing food, having a water fight with the dish water, and him grilling her about her past and getting absolutely nowhere. She was a conundrum. She could keep any man interested without even trying and the fact that she was unaware of her own draw made it more intriguing.

"How is Bonnie fairing today," Klaus asked, as if reading Trevor's mind, "Does she like her accommodations? Is she adjusting well?"

"She seems to be adjusting fine," Trevor nodded, "Her room is to her liking. The other servants do not know what to make of her however."

Klaus had thought of Bonnie and little else after leaving her the night before. His existence had become rather boring, even with the danger and the quest to unleash his wolf. Bonnie was like this breath of fresh air, this challenge that he didn't know that he needed. "What do you mean?" Klaus asked, "Are they giving her trouble?"

Trevor shook his head, knowing he would have to explain himself before Klaus' temper caught up to him. "It is simply that," he sighed, "It isn't often that one sees a servant with a flame so bright that she outshines her mistress."

Klaus was about to ask him to elaborate when a movement caught his attention. He looked ahead his eyes immediately landing on Bonnie. She walked with her head up straight, her shoulders back, she was the picture of quiet defiance as she looked at him. Her gaze was hard as she met his head on and yet he was certain that she had somehow managed to become lovelier overnight. He could not help but stare at her as she approached.

Trevor cleared his throat and Klaus looked at him annoyed. When Trevor gestured to the person standing next to Bonnie, he realized that Bonnie wasn't alone at all, Katerina was with her. Klaus smiled at Katerina winningly even realizing what he had done. "Lady Katerina," he said, "You look lovely. I see that you have made use of my gift."

Katerina touched the comb in her hair as she and Bonnie stopped in front of Trevor and Klaus. "Yes, my lord," she said. She had noticed that his eyes had been on her servant first but she chose to ignore it, for now.

Klaus looked at Bonnie as he offered Katerina his arm. "Bonnie," he addressed, inclining his head.

Bonnie looked from him to Katherine and then back again. "My lord," she nodded. Even in front of Katherine she couldn't bring herself to be too civil to Klaus. Bonnie glanced at Trevor who offered his own arm to her. Bonnie raised a brow at him before she took it. She didn't see the point in Klaus brining her and Trevor along to woo Katherine but it beat her servant duties so she wasn't about to argue.

As Klaus and Katherine walked ahead of them Trevor and Bonnie lingered behind, out of earshot of the human Katherine but not of Klaus.

"What are your thoughts of the Lady Katerina?" Trevor leaned down and asked in a whisper.

Bonnie shrugged. She seemed the same but different than she remembered. There was less confidence, less attitude. She seemed to be rather insecure, but she hid it well. While Bonnie preferred her to what she would become, it didn't make her any less inclined to end Katherine so that she wouldn't become it. "I find her much like you described her," Bonnie said, instead of revealing her thoughts.

"You do not sound very impressed," Trevor grinned. He watched as Klaus pretended to listen to Katerina chatter about her home. Trevor knew Klaus well enough to know that he was listening in to their conversation however.

"Should I be?" Bonnie asked, seriously.

Trevor coughed in order to hide his laughter. "I will never get used to the things that leave your mouth, beautiful Bonnie," he said, "But you never cease to entertain."

Bonnie ran her free hand over her dress the material feeling odd against her skin. "I do try," she quipped.

Klaus had had enough of their banter and turned to interrupt their conversation. He had hoped to visit Bonnie that morning but circumstances had prevented that and even with Katerina present, Bonnie's growing fondness of Trevor made Niklaus want to make his attentions known. So focused was he on getting his manservant away from his witch, that he didn't notice when a mattock flew from the hands of one of the gardeners working nearby. The gardening tool flew through the air and headed straight for him.

Bonnie watched as Katherine let go of Klaus' arm and jumped out of the way. While she knew that if the sharp end of the tool were to lodge itself into Klaus' back, he would heal, Katherine did not. If Katherine found out what Klaus was, there was a chance that Klaus would be unable to seduce her and sacrifice her. Bonnie would have come for no reason, and everything would remain as it was. She couldn't let that happened, Katherine couldn't find out.

Bonnie ran forward, her skirts hindering her slightly. "My lord," she shouted. Klaus looked at her wide eyed as she tackled him to the ground, the mattock just missing her head as it flew over them as they hit the ground. Bonnie landed sprawled out on top of him, her hands resting on his chest.

Klaus blinked up at her as his hands came to wrap around her waist. He was surprised to say the least. Considering her speech the night before, he doubted that she was concerned about his wellbeing or ready to throw herself at him. Besides, she knew what he was so she must've known that he wouldn't be hurt. He looked up at her in question and her eyes shifted to Katerina before they came back to him giving him a pointed look. He realized then that she was protecting his interest or perhaps her own.

"Are you hurt, my lord?" Bonnie asked, making a show of raising on of her hands to cup Klaus' face as she looked to check for wounds that she knew were nonexistent.

"I am just fine, Bonnie," Klaus stated. He wondered if she realized how inappropriate a position they were in, not just because of their respective stations, but also because the gesture of touching his face in the manner in which she was doing could be considered intimate, even more so then her laying across his chest.

But he didn't mind the position or the gesture. He enjoyed the weight of her on top of him. He could hear her heart beat, feel her breath fanning across his skin, smell the lavender that her maidservant had used to scent her bathwater, and feel her power. He had been intrigued by her on sight, and still wanted to know what she was hiding. The want of her in his bed had never been absent during their brief acquaintance but now he wanted it more than ever. Her on top of him, her beneath him, in any position her could get her into as long as he could feel her power, taste her skin, and look into her eyes the way he was doing in that moment.

"Perhaps you should be more careful, sire," Bonnie muttered, starting to squirm when she felt an unmistakable hardness pressing against her stomach. She didn't like the way that he was looking at her, with such unrestrained and unapologetic desire. She had always wanted to feel wanted, especially after what had happened with Jeremy, but this was Klaus.

"I suppose I should," Klaus said, reaching up and wrapping the strand of hair that had fallen out of one of the intricate braid's that Mirela had put into Bonnie's hair, around his finger. She was very distracting and even as he knew that touching her was a bad idea he couldn't help himself.

Klaus managed to snap out of it when suddenly the gardener was there apologizing. Klaus rolled his eyes. If Katerina wasn't standing there he would sink his teeth into the idiot's neck and rip out his throat. Then suddenly he remembered Katerina and realized what his position must look like to her. "Perhaps you should rise, Miss Bennett," Klaus said stiffly trying to salvage the situation and yet giving Bonnie an apologetic look that was mixed with gratitude as not to alienate her as well. The witch's response was a roll of her own eyes. He smirked in response.

"Perhaps you should let me go," Bonnie muttered. Klaus raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed. "My lord," she spat.

Klaus reluctantly took his arms from around her and she scrambled to her feet. Klaus did the same, pulling his tunic down to hide his state of arousal and smirking as the gesture caused Bonnie's cheeks to flush. He walked over to Katerina who had been helped to her own feet by Trevor, dismissing the gardener as he went.

"If you will excuse me, my lord, my lady, sir," Bonnie said, bowing to Klaus, Katherine, and Trevor in turn.

"Are you leaving us Bonnie," Klaus asked, "After saving my life?"

Bonnie fought the urge to send him flying into the nearest brick wall. "I have my duties to attend to, sire," Bonnie said, using a phrase she had heard in a movie once.

"Of course," Klaus nodded, letting her off the hook if only to regain the ground he had lost with Katerina. As much as he wanted Bonnie, he still had his own agenda and he couldn't let anything get in the way of that.

He watched her walk away and even though he knew that she wasn't completely immune to his charms, he knew that she would be a hard one to win over. It was clear that she was wary of him and his need to seduce Katerina to get what he wanted wouldn't help matters. But he would find another way to reach her. He would have to. She was already getting under his skin and not having her was no longer an option.

:::

Bonnie had sentenced herself to cutting up potatoes and vegetables for the night's meal in the kitchens. She had been berating herself for about thirty minutes, for a number of things. For putting herself in a position to where time travel would be a viable option. For every interaction she had had with Klaus since her arrival. For being flattered by her actually being taken care of even if it was a ploy on Klaus' part. For being unable to forget the feel of Klaus' arms around her and the look in his eyes when he had stared at her.

Bonnie sighed shaking her head, ignoring the eyes of the other workers that were on her. She chopped the carrots in front of her brutally slamming the knife onto the wooden cutting board again and again. She just wanted to get the sacrifice over with so that she could go home.

Bonnie hissed in pain as her inattention caused her to slice through her hand with the knife she was using to chop the vegetables. The cut was nasty and the blood poured quickly out of the wound. She tried to focus her powers so that she could heal it but she was too out of sorts. "Son of a bitch," Bonnie growled, cupping her hand.

The other servants looked scandalized and Bonnie wanted to throw something against the wall. She was in pain in more ways than one and it was all becoming too much. She felt the tears stinging her eyes before she could stop them.

"Everyone if you would stop your preparations for dinner for the moment," a voice said, "I will attend to Miss Bennett."

Bonnie had never been so relieved to hear Elijah's voice before. She looked down at the table top as the other servants scattered. She felt and looked ridiculous. She was cutting vegetables in a silk dress in a time that she didn't belong in. She was an idiot to think that she could pull this off.

Bonnie felt Elijah approach her before she felt his hand reach out and touch her shoulder. "Bonnie," he said carefully, everyone having left the kitchen.

Bonnie bit her lip and hated how weak she looked as she turned to face him. "I'm a mess," she stated, "I've always been a mess. I want to go home and I don't…I can't. I don't want to be here but I can't be anywhere else. I can't even heal myself. I don't know what I'm doing."

Elijah had never been particularly affectionate and he had trouble forming any real attachments, however, he disliked seeing Bonnie upset. He lifted his hand to cup her cheek. "Hush now," he whispered, "Tilt your head back."

Bonnie's eyes widened as veins appeared beneath Elijah's eyes sand his fangs extended. She had never seen him with his face distorted in her time, he had always been perfectly preserved and restrained that part of himself. As he bit into his wrist she realized what he was offering and shook her head. "That won't be necessary, sire," she said, "I will be fine."

"The cut is deep," Elijah said, "You are losing a lot of blood and are too flustered to heal yourself. Tilt your head back."

Bonnie swallowed and then reluctantly she obeyed. She parted her lips to wrap them around the wound on Elijah's wrist, wincing at the taste of his blood. She closed her eyes tightly. She moved her mouth away the moment she felt her wound begin to heal. Elijah walked across the kitchen to grab a cloth and dampen it with water. He took Bonnie's hand and began to clean off the blood.

"I guess my blood doesn't tempt you, my lord," Bonnie whispered, frowning as Elijah's blood in her system was already skewing her view of him.

"I would not say that," Elijah said, as he looked down at her, "You may be a mess but I am sure that no one would ever have issues with finding you to be tempting in any respect." He regretted the words though they were true. His thoughts strayed to her continuously and he had not gotten to speak to her as long as he would have liked that morning. Now his blood was in her system and though many a vampire tried to deny it; that was no small thing.

Bonnie licked her lips and tried not to be affected by his words. "I am not sure that is an appropriate sentiment or that I believe you but, thank you, my lord," she said.

Bonnie was surprised when he set the rag aside and began to wipe the tears that had fallen from her face. "My blood is inside of you, surely you can call me Elijah," he said, surprising her even more.

Bonnie wiped at her mouth and shook her head. She had just made her situation worse it seemed. "Please," Bonnie sighed, "You caught me at a weak moment and as embarrassing as it was for me, sire, I don't think it would be wise for this to go beyond this moment." Whatever, the "this" that she was talking about was.

"I would like to know you," Elijah said, "You are in obvious need of a friend, if this incident was any indication."

"You can be either friend or my lord," Bonnie said, frowning, "Not both."

"Then I will be your friend and my brother may be your lord," Elijah offered. He wanted to know her, he had upon meeting her and even in the short time that he had been acquainted with her she had sparked his interest more than anyone had in a long time, even Katerina, in spite of the girl's resemblance to Tatia.

Bonnie knew that she couldn't possibly be friends with Elijah for so many reasons she didn't need to name. But she did need to calm down however and there were only two things that had ever worked for her better than anything else, reading and music. When she was calm, she was clear headed, and she needed to be clear headed. Especially with Original blood in her system. "Do you have a library, Elijah?" Bonnie asked, temporarily accepting his offer of friendship in hopes that she could regain her sanity.

:::

Elijah led Bonnie through the library watching as she ran her hand over the spines of the books.

Bonnie had never seen so many books in one place. She didn't even think that there was this much literature even available in the fourteen hundreds. Some she realized were hand bound and they were a various amounts of language. "They're so many," Bonnie said turning to him and smiling.

Elijah smiled back at her. "I am what one may call a collector," he said, "I have fondness for the written word, as does my sister."

"As do I," Bonnie said, turning back to the books, "You can always say more through the written word than you can through speech I think. You wouldn't think it to look at me but I've always loved reading. My grandmother used to read to me all the time before she…passed." Bonnie frowned. Though, thinking of her Grams was upsetting, it reminded her of why she was in the time and the place that she was in, in the first place.

"I am sorry, about your grandmother," Elijah said, "Do you have any other family?"

Bonnie turned to him, her eyes blazing with fire. "My father is away a lot and my mother was turned into a vampire," she spat, remembering his role in the matter. Her hands clenched into fists. "My family has always been disposable to everyone around me but me. This is what happens when we help your kind," she said, "We die, we suffer, we are destroyed, or we are pushed to the point that we don't have any other options. I hate what you are, more than I hate myself for dealing with creatures like you."

Elijah didn't look offended as he was not. He had met witches with similar opinions and he was certain that something or many things happened to push them into feeling that way. "Then why are you here?" Elijah asked curiously.

Bonnie blamed his blood for her revealing more of herself to him than she had planned to. "I am one of the one's that has run out of options," she said. Bonnie was silent a moment and then she looked at him. "Please don't tell your brother about the blood," she said. She didn't think that it would go over well. He was acting possessive of her already. Not that she was okay with it, but things were getting complicated enough and she didn't need anything else distracting her from what she had come to do.

"I had not planned on it," Elijah smirked. He knew his brother better than anyone and it was clear to him that Niklaus wanted Bonnie. He wasn't at all surprised by it. She was his brother's type. What Elijah hadn't counted on was Bonnie being his type as well. But perhaps it was simply curiosity on his part, even though his mind said differently. He wanted to ask more questions but he knew that it would be best not to push her. "Would you like to pick out a book?" Elijah asked, instead of prompting her more about her past, though with his blood in her system, she wouldn't likely deny him.

Bonnie looked over the shelves. "I wouldn't really know where to start," she said.

Elijah scanned the shelves and until his eyes landed on one book in particular. He walked forward and pulled it from the shelf. "May I make a suggestion?" He asked. Bonnie nodded, and he held out the book to her. "This book is a romance that was originally written in French," he told her, "Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye. The first ever book translated into English. I believe that you would enjoy it."

Bonnie took the book from his hands, unlike Elijah and his brother, the book was a welcome distraction. She could read when she didn't want to think about Klaus or Elijah, and she could think about how to move things forward with the sacrifice when she wasn't reading. It would keep her as calm and as level headed as she could be. "Thank you, my lord," Bonnie said, "For everything, today."

"We are back to me being your lord then?" Elijah frowned.

"I think that my lady must be done with my lord, your brother by now," she said, "Soon this conversation won't be so private. Besides, I really don't think that we could ever be friends."

"Because of your station or because of what I am?" Elijah asked.

Bonnie shrugged. "Both," she said, "And neither." It made sense in her head but it seemed that Elijah was confused. "I have to get to, Lady Katerina," Bonnie said, "Goodbye, my lord."

Elijah nodded and watched her go. He wanted to go after her, to tell her that they could be friends, that he could show her that even monsters like him were capable of caring. He wanted to change her opinion of his kind if only to keep her from looking at him in the way that she had when she told him of her family's fate, once more. He stayed still however, even in knowing that he would likely later regret his inaction.

:::

Katerina kept playing the incident with Niklaus and her maidservant in her head. When the girl had pushed Niklaus out of harm's way it had been unexpected. However, she was more put out about how long they had stayed there in the grass with the girl on top of him. How the girl's hand had cupped Niklaus' face, and how his had rubbed circles on the girl's back that neither seemed to notice. Then upon her return Katerina had found from the servants that the girl had spent much of the remainder of her day in the company of Niklaus' brother. That they had been shut up in the library alone for some time.

Katerina herself was an opportunist and her behavior was liberal but the girl just seemed indecent. The girl had been there less than twenty four hours and already she was throwing herself at the lords of the house. Katerina had only been among Niklaus and his brother one day more than she but she wasn't propositioning them both.

However, as she thought about the look on Niklaus' face when he had heard the news that the girl had spent the day with Elijah and had all but dismissed Katerina afterward, she thought she might. She had had no problem keeping Niklaus' attention before the girl's arrival but now it seemed that she had competition in the unlikeliest place. If a mere servant could afford to be indecent then so could she.

:::

Bonnie was tired. She was just now finishing her own dinner after waiting on Katerina at dinner and helping her get ready for bed. The brunette had kept giving her these calculating looks that reminded her of the Katherine that she knew in her time and it was annoying. She wanted to snap at her and tell her that she could have both Klaus and Elijah if she wanted, because she wasn't interested.

That wasn't necessarily true, especially where Elijah was concerned. But that was definitely the blood talking. But still, Bonnie found herself, walking across her chambers and sitting in front of the fire place, reading the book he had given her.

She found the solitude nice for once. She didn't really have to think at all. She did wonder what the others thought about her being gone but then she found that she didn't care. Once it was all said and done she would have changed so much that it wouldn't matter what they thought anyway.

Bonnie was in the middle of turning a page when a soft knock came to her door. She frowned and wondered who it could be. "Come in," she called after a moment, though she didn't want to see anyone.

It didn't surprise her all that much when Klaus was the one that entered, closing the door behind him. Not bothering to greet him she turned back to her book.

Unbothered Klaus sat down next to her much in the same way he had done the night before. He leaned over and read the spine of her book. "I never would have guessed you liked romance," he said.

"As someone who knows nothing about it," Bonnie said, continuing to read, "I doubt you would understand a desire to read such a thing yourself, my lord."

"Do you think that I have never been in love?" Klaus asked. Bonnie made a scoffing noise as she flipped a page. In truth he had not, though he had come very closer once, but his brother had come closer. "Or that no one has ever fallen in love with me?"

"Lying and manipulating to get someone to warm your bed does not count," Bonnie said, without looking at him, "Speaking of which, how was the rest of your walk with Lady Katerina, sire?"

Klaus smirked and Bonnie regretted bringing it up. "Jealous are we?" He asked. Given what had happened he had expected some embarrassment on her part, but there was none. Though, he expected it was because she had chosen to avoid the situation.

Bonnie sat her book aside and turned to him. "What do you want from me?" she asked, "It can't be sex because I told you that it would never happen and you have Katerina for that. I told you that I would allow you to take advantage of my powers already, so what else is there?"

"There is you," he shrugged, "There is that." Bonnie blinked at him as if she didn't see the difference in wanting her for power or sex, and just wanting her. Perhaps she did not. He would be happy to teach her. In spite of his day with Katerina, his thoughts had never left her. He would never say so out loud, but his desire for her had not ebbed but only grown. He wanted to pry her secrets out of her just as much as he wanted to possess her. "What I mean to say is," he said, "There is not just one thing that I want from you. You just make me want. That is it."

"I make you want," Bonnie laughed, "I inspire desire? Well, the only thing that you inspire in me is disgust."

"I do wonder about that," Klaus said, unsurprised by her words.

"I don't see why," Bonnie sighed, "Given what and who you are. But then again you are probably used to getting what you want and doing what you want." She realized they had stopped using honorifics completely and that seemed to be more intimate than Elijah asking her to call him by name.

"I am," Klaus agreed, "Which is why, as your presence pleases me, I will sit here and watch you read for a while. Because I want to."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You are the lord of the house so have at it," she shrugged.

Klaus stared at her a moment before he spoke again. "Thank you," he said. He watched as her head whipped around shocked. He was shocked himself, he usually didn't thank people, at least not sincerely, but it wasn't every day that someone outside of his kin protected his interest. "For today," he said, "In the garden."

Bonnie didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. Klaus could thank her. Klaus. For something as small as keeping his secret from Katherine and she hadn't even done it for him and yet…her friends, people she had given up everything for had barely acknowledged her existence let alone her sacrifices. She shook her head. It was all just so mindboggling. "I didn't do it for you," she said, after she composed herself.

Klaus shrugged, his side brushing her side as he did so. "It matters not," he said. Klaus kept his promise, staying a while to watch her read and though it made her uncomfortable Bonnie didn't object.

:::

"I understand now," Klaus said, as he entered Elijah's room without knocking, "It will not be a matter of just getting her into my bed. If I aim to know all I wish to know about her, she must trust me. I must make her fall in love with me."

"Katerina?" Elijah asked as he turned to face him from where he had been looking out of the window, his thoughts on Bonnie.

"Bonnie," Klaus said, not missing his brother's reaction. Elijah's lips pinched into a thin line but he said nothing. "I have figured out a way in which to do it," Klaus continued, "I was with her just know and she has a fondness for the written word."

"I am aware," Elijah sighed. He had seen this coming and yet it still stung, because he knew that for Niklaus he would step aside. He was his brother and that was the way of things.

"Good," Klaus said not bothering to ask him how as he had heard about their time in the library already, "Then you can help me with my plan."

"And what plan would that be?" Elijah asked, eyebrow raised.

"I plan to seduce her through letters," Klaus said, "When I approach her in person I often offend her with my mere presence. I could impress her on paper, especially if you were the one writing the letters."

"Excuse me," Elijah objected.

"You know of her love of literature and she likes the book you picked for her," Klaus reasoned, "You are always stringing a mess of flowery words together to make your women melt while I have a more hands on approach. My approach would not work on her, but yours might."

"And why would I use this approach for your sake and not my own where Bonnie is concerned?" Elijah asked.

"Because," Klaus said, sounding sure of himself, "I am your brother, and your love for me is greater than your interest in her." Elijah was unable to argue. "One letter," Klaus proposed, "We will not continue unless she writes back."

Elijah sighed, knowing he would agree even before the words left his mouth. "One letter," he said.

:::

Bonnie frowned at the folded piece of paper in Mirela's hand. A letter from Klaus. It didn't make sense to her as he had just left her, but she took it from the girl's hand anyway.

"Are you going to open it?" Mirela asked.

Bonnie thought she looked a little too interested in the letter's contents. She didn't want to open in front of the girl as the servants in the place didn't seem to know about to keep anything to themselves. However, as the girl had been told to wait for a response she had no real choice.

Biting her lip she unfolded the letter and read its contents.

Miss Bennett,

You asked me my aim and as I have no courage to tell you face to face that I have no courage, much less to tell what my aim is, I have opted to choose a second option; a letter. As one who respects the art of the written word I hope that this will find you well.

Before I address my aim I will tell you that I have no romantic intentions toward the Lady Katerina. I need her help for a reason similar to the reason that I need your power, and that is all there is. She is a means to an end and though you may criticize me for it, I cannot look upon her the way that I look upon you. And now for my aim.

You will laugh at my aim once you hear it. You find me so disdainful, so contemptible it will amuse you more than it shall move you, but I have prepared myself for as much. I have prepared myself for your ridicule and disbelief so much so that I have heard your words of mistrust and derision in my head many times, without you ever saying them aloud. But your mockery will not stop me, Miss Bennett. You aimed to hear my aim and so your will hear it, or rather read it. What do I want from you, you ask? I aim to make you love me.

You are laughing I presume, but I do not jest. I do not only speak of sharing my bed, or your power. Those things can and will come with time. I aim to share your heart. And you are laugh still, keep laughing, dearest, for I find joy in hearing it even if it is at my expense.

I know not what love is, or if I believe in it. But when I look at you. When I see your face, it is the only thing I want. The only thing I wish to believe in. I am mad. I know this, it is your own doing. I lay gifts and complements at your feet that mean nothing to you, but it is all I can do for I know not what love is, so how can I aim to win it.

My heart always timidly hides itself behind my mind. I set out to bring down stars from the sky, then, for fear of ridicule, I stop and pick little flowers of eloquence.

My gifts, my overtures, mean nothing. You have no want of them, and remain utterly unimpressed by physical assets and yet that is all I know how to give.

Perhaps someone like you expects vulnerability or a man without fear, as you yourself are fearless, a walking and talking revolt with eyes of fire and a will of steel. Am I your oppressor? Is that why you resist. Or am I unworthy to being a soldier for your cause, let alone a man on the front lines as I so long to be.

What am I to do then, Bonnie? How am I to approach you, when you have no need for my gifts and will scorn my every word? How can I declare feelings aloud that make no sense to me? Feelings that are as foreign as your behavior. Your candor, your brazenness, your fire, that breathes life into me so much so that whenever you rage against me I imagine that it is my pulse that is throbbing wildly instead of yours and my blood that is rushing through your veins, my breath that leaves your lungs, my emotions as much as I detest the very thought of them, that make you human.

Am I to tell you that I want to kiss you more than I desire my next kill? And what is a kiss, specifically? A pledge properly sealed, a promise seasoned to taste, a vow stamped with the immediacy of a lip, a rosy circle drawn around the verb 'to love.'

Or maybe a kiss is a message too intimate for the ear, infinity captured in the bee's brief visit to a flower, secular communication with an aftertaste of heaven, the pulse rising from the heart to utter its name on a lover's lips: 'Forever."

Or maybe it is as simple as the closing of the eyes and the holding of the breath, when your lips meet mine.

Do you laugh still, and believe me not? If so I will leave you with this. All our souls are written in our eyes, Bonnie. Upon our next meeting I task you to look into my eyes and read what they have to say. Perhaps, then your laughter will subside, your anger will evaporate, your guard will melt and finally I will able to read what is in yours.

Ever Yours,

Lord Niklaus Mikaelson

What the hell is this, Bonnie thought as she finished the letter. She wanted to laugh like he had accused that she would but she also wanted to scream and cry. A love letter from Klaus, it was just ridiculous. Shouldn't he be sending love letters to Katherine? She didn't know what to make of it at all. A part of her thought he was being an arrogant asshole and another thought he was serious but she had never thought him capable of such words. Of such understanding of emotions like love and the like. But did it matter it was Klaus after all. Besides she hadn't come back to read Klaus' love letters.

But the words were so beautiful, something she would never in a million years associate with Klaus. The fact that the words were directed at her was even more of a shock.

"It would be rude not to respond, miss," Mirela said. It would be rude. She was right. And with Elijah's blood in her system Bonnie didn't want to do anything to upset Elijah, including offending his brother. Sighing Bonnie walked over to the desk in her chambers and prepared to pen her response.

:::

Klaus,

First I will say, that I asked you to call me Bonnie. Miss Bennett, sounds condescending and if you claim to wish for me to believe the sentiments expressed in your letter, you must know that when a woman receives such sentiments, if they are given by someone who cannot even address her informally, she cannot be expected to believe them.

Second, I will say that I laughed. I laughed long and hard. I laughed at the mere thought of what I was reading. I laughed deeply and heartily at your expense; and as you so love the sound I doubt it will upset you to hear it. I laughed until my laughter stopped.

I cannot begin to understand you, my lord. I cannot make sense of hardly anything that you have written. Not because of the language, as I appreciate the eloquence. It is the content that perplexes me.

We have just met, and nearly all of our meetings have been unpleasant and still you wish to make me love you, even without knowing what love is? If you do not know what love is, why is it that you want it, and from me? How can you want something that you have no knowledge of? How can you even recognize that the thing that you want is love if you have never felt it?

I have felt it. Once. It is painful and dishonest and it can break you. Do you still want it? Does it sound appealing?

Maybe I am being unfair. Love is beautiful as well. The most stunning monster. The most exquisite weakness that you could ever think to lay your eyes on. You marvel at it, smile at it, cry your tears to it, and then it leaves you for another: a mother leaves for another child, an almost lover leaves for the ghost of lover passed on, a friend leaves for the love of a man, and you wonder if it was ever really there.

I don't know why I am telling you this. Maybe because if I believed even for a moment that you could feel such a thing for me, which I do not, I would pity you. As monstrous as you are I would find no pleasure in the pain that you might feel in knowing that I could never return those feelings were they real. You have failed at your aim before you have begun.

What is a kiss you ask? Surely you have experienced one. You have had many women in your bed so I am told. I could only guess that you have been kissed by nearly as many women as you have soiled. However, a kiss can lack intimacy, just as the act of sex can, or so I am told.

A kiss that has intimacy, is the closest thing to perfection that a human can perceive. But as you are incapable of intimacy and are not human, I am afraid that too is out of your reach.

I would never want to breathe your air or feel your blood in my veins. I do not and cannot believe that you have emotions or humanity. You mentioned a kill in your letter did you not? Not to mention your dismissal of the Lady Katerina. Oh look at that, I am laughing again. Because you are ridiculous and there is no other word for it I am afraid.

Do you have a soul? All I see when I look into your eyes is coldness. Blankness. Nothingness. But out of curiosity I will look again, and when I see what I know to be true, perhaps you will give up your pursuit.

Never Yours,

Bonnie Bennett

"She isn't very impressed with me even still," Klaus laughed after rereading the letter.

"But she has replied brother," Elijah said setting the letter aside, "You have gotten her attention as you wished."

"Then you agree that the plan will work if we should continue," Klaus grinned, sitting on the edge of Elijah's bed.

"There is hope of it working, yes," Elijah nodded, his posture stiff.

"Good," Klaus smiled, "Now get to work on that response, I will have Mirela deliver it in the morning." Knowing her wouldn't get an objection, Klaus left without another word.

Elijah crumbled up the letter forcefully before smoothing it out and rereading it again and again. Her response had made Elijah want her all the more. For the first time he wished that he was capable of saying no to his brother.