Chapter 3

Caroline POV

I was cold. I was tired and cold. And sore. How I thought I'd be able to escape the journey without a single cut or bruise is beyond me.

I sat in the cart as they approached the village and thought about the day before.

We had just set up camp for the night after a long day of journeying. I reached for the bow to go see if I could find something to eat for dinner that night.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" Father barked.

"Father, im just going out to see if I might find a rabbit for some stew tonight." I explained.

"Hunting is a man's job. And no matter how much i wish you werent, you are a woman. You belong here doing woman's work."

I scoffed in disgust. "Woman's work? A woman can do anything a man can do, we'd just do it without behaving like the sun shines out our ass because we caught a squirrel."

"Caroline!" mother gasped.

I didn't see it coming. I don't know how I didn't see it coming. But before i knew it I was on the ground, holding my face from the stinging blow father dealt.

He stood above me, face contorted with rage.

"Mind your tongue, you ungrateful brat. I can promise you that if you behave like this when we greet the chief and his family tomorrow, your face will not be the only part of you to feel my wrath." He said, deadly quiet.

As he walked off into the forest, bow on his back, I glanced over to my mother. She looked sadly at me and just shook her head before going back to preparing their meal.

I wiped the back of my hand against my split lip to stop the bleeding and silently moved to help mother finish supper.

"We're here," father said, looking at me.

I snapped out of it, self consciously touching the cut on my lip. How do I explain that away? I thought.

I looked ahead and saw a large hut near the entrance to the village. Outside was a group of strangers. I took the time to take them all in. There were the two oldest who i assumed were the mother and father of the group. The father, Mikael I remembered, had a smile on his face but it didn't reach his eyes, which were cold and calculating instead of welcoming like I'd expect. I shivered, for reasons unknown to me. Next to him was who i assumed to be his wife. She was beautiful with long blonde hair and an open friendly face. Then there were the children but I was interrupted in my perusal by my father's voice.

"Chief Mikaelson. We extend our gratitude for giving us a place in your village, especially on short notice. Allow me to please introduce my wife Elizabeth and our daughter Caroline." He gestured to us women to step forward.

Mother came up beside father with a slight bow to Mikael and his wife. "Thank you so very much for your generous hospitality, Chief Mikaelson," she said.

Mikael smirked. "Welcome William and Elizabeth. As long as you advance the wellbeing of our village and not hinder it, we are happy to have you. And please call me Mikael. Let me introduce you to our family. This is my wife Esther," he said, gesturing to his side. "And these are my children; Finn, Kol, Rebekah, Henrick and….where's Elijah?" he asked looking around.

Just then, a young man came out of the forest at a fast walk and my breath caught.

"Father, I apologize for my late arrival. Time seemed to get away from me. My apologies, Mr. Forbes." Elijah said, with a bow to his father and a hand extended to mine.

Mikael sighed. "and this is Elijah."

Father looked at Elijah's hand then back up at the man himself. He turned back to Mikael, dismissing Elijah without shaking his hand. I could see Elijah's confusion as he stepped back beside his brother. Who I realized Mikael never introduced.

"Who is the other man? Beside E-elijah?" I cursed to myself for stuttering over his name. Smooth, Caroline, real smooth.

All eyes snapped to me. Mikael looked irritated having been interrupted. Father looked furious. He turned and put an arm around my shoulder. To others it would appear to be an embrace, but to me I winced as I felt his fingers dig into my flesh.

"I'm sorry, Mikael, please forgive my daughters rudeness. What she lacks in manners and intelligence she makes up for in, beauty. I assure you." Father said, with a knowing glance at Mikael's sons.

My cheeks reddened with embarrassment at father's assessment of my Worth as I mumbled apologies. I was more than just a pretty face, dammit.

Before Mikael could speak, however, Esther stepped forward. "That is alright, child. This is my son Niklaus," she said, moving to stand beside her son. I didn't miss that she had said 'my' and not 'our'.

Niklaus shot a small smile my way and I smiled back.

"Don't just stand there children, introduce yourself to the child," Mikael urged his children.

Quicker than I thought I was surrounded.

"Hello. I'm Niklaus but you can call me Nik," he smiled. His smile slowly faded as he looked at me. "my mother makes a salve that works wonders for scrapes and bruises," he murmured, looking at my lip while touching his own similar cut on his mouth. I gave him a sad smile.

"Thanks Nik."

"Im Henrik!" an excited little boy jumped up and down in front of me. I started laughing.

"Well hello, Henrik its nice to meet you, I'm Caroline." I was pleasantly shocked when he threw his arms around my waist. I wrapped my arms around him for a quick hug while I chuckled.

"Come on, Hen, don't crowd the beautiful maiden. My name is Kol. Aren't you a tasty thing," he said with a wink as he grabbed my hand to kiss it.

I rolled my eyes and withdrew my hand before his lips made contact.

"Hi Kol."

If I thought I had offended him, I didn't have to worry. He smiled and laughed as he stepped back.

"Hello Caroline, I'm Rebekah. Thank the gods you're here. Life was starting to get dreadfully boring," she smiled warmly.

I smiled back. "Well, I'm anything but boring."

Rebekah clapped and sighed dramatically, "a woman after my own heart." I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"a pleasure to meet you Caroline. I am Finn." He stated politely.

"Nice to meet you Finn."

I turned to the last remaining Mikaelson and the butterflies in my stomach erupted. My cheeks heated immediately and I cursed my reaction.

"Welcome to our village, Miss Forbes. I am Elijah. Some fresh new faces are exactly what is needed in these parts," Elijah said with a warm smile.

I couldn't help but smile back. "Thank you, Elijah. And please, call me Caroline. Miss Forbes is my mother and thankfully I am not her," I joked.

Elijah smiled wider and nodded his head. "Well if you will excuse me, brothers, sister," he smirked, "and Caroline, I have somewhere to be. It's been a pleasure," he bowed slightly to me and turned to walk back into the forest.

"More like someome to be with," Rebekah muttered. "Strumpet."

I looked at the siblings curiously.

"It's a long story. I'm sure you'll catch up quickly," Kol said. "Come, let us give you the tour of the village." He tried to hold my hand and with one look from me, withdrew it with a laugh. "Okay, Okay. I get it. You're off limits," He said as he held his hands up. I laughed and lightly punched his shoulder. "and don't you forget it."

His siblings all laughed.

While Finn opted out of the tour to take Henrik inside, Rebekah, Nik and Kol took me around the village to get me accustomed to my new home. I, however, couldn't help but keep looking around for a different Mikaelson.

Rebekah took notice and leaned in to whisper, "he's with Tatia. She's the town tramp. Child out of wedlock."

"Doesn't seem like there's any love lost between the two of you," I murmured.

Rebekah grew angry. "She doesn't deserve a good man like Elijah."

I just nodded. I felt a pit in my stomach. So he was taken, courting another. But why did I even care? I shook off my thoughts and focused on the siblings and their walk through.