TIME

Allura POV:

1578. Carlisle, Cumbria, England.

The dark room enclosed by four walls of brown rock smelled like a mixture of musky dirt, dead rats, and dried blood. Though the rest of Carlisle Castle was much nicer, down here in one of the dungeons, it was only one step above from Hell.

The middle of the day arrived with no sun. These harsh winters only brought the dreaded cold, lonely hours, and thick clouds that blocked the golden rays of sunlight. If there were even any this time of year.

In the dark room, with only the small square window of gloomy light streaming in, Kol and I faced one another, analyzing each other through narrowed eyes. We studied our movements, anticipated each move, tensed at any little, sudden twitches. We were both breathing hard, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Kol and I both wore form fitting black clothes, easy to move around in. However, mine was already starting to tear, the material near my shoulders ripping apart from the beatings I'd taken from him. My long hair was messily placed around my head, covering half my face. The bruises and cuts from minutes earlier were starting to heal, though, they were still sore.

Finally, I saw my chance.

Kol let his guard down for one second, and I struck forward. My right fist connected with his face, and his head snapped backwards. I kicked his legs out from under him, sending him to the ground in a heap. Landing on top of him, I pushed him face first into the muddy floor, and twisted his arm against his back at a painful angle.

"I win." I stated through my teeth.

"Oh, I don't think so." He grunted, and used his vampire force to flip us over, so that he now straddled me. His hands held my wrists above my head, while I tried to struggle out of his grasp. "I win." He smirked at me, his disheveled hair and dirty face hovering above mine. If I wasn't so furious right now from him disabling me, I would've thought it was adorable. "You never give up, do you?"

"No, I don't." I lifted my right knee up quickly and it connected with the place right between his legs. He groaned in pain and rolled off of me. He stayed on the ground for a few moments while I stood up, looking down on him in victory.

"That was an unacceptable move." He groaned again, rolling over. I smiled.

I won.

"I was going easy on you." He stated, finally standing up as well, his full height towering over me.

"Sure." I smiled gleefully at him.

"I was." He continued, refusing to accept defeat.

"Of course you were." I smirked, "Yes, I'm sure that using your vampire strength against me counted as you going 'easy'."

"Well, if you expect to win against vampires without using your powers, you're going to have to learn to fight against my full strength." Kol stated, "Many times during training today I could've killed you. You're lucky I love you."

He held his arms out, and I stepped into his embrace. "I am lucky. But you shouldn't go easy on me. You should fight me like I am your greatest enemy."

"I know, I just hate it when I hit you." Kol touched the side of my ribs, and I winced in pain at the healing bruise where he had kicked me earlier. "I'm sorry." His eyes turned dark.

"No, please, don't be sorry." We had been training for the past few weeks. In case my powers were ever taken away, or if I had my ring on—like at that moment—I'd be able to defeat anyone who came against me. Though Kol had been very hesitant about it at first, he finally realized that it was important for me to learn how to physically fight without magic. "You're teaching me to defend myself."

"We could stop, if you want." He said in a low voice, his eyes tender, "I control this castle. I have many loyal guards, vampires, and witches at my disposal. They've been trained to protect you before me. And I'll always watch over you. You don't have to go through with this." Pain was clearly shown on his face, "Hurting you, hurts me."

"And I have told you many times," I continued, "We both heal very quickly. It's impossible for either of us to die. This exercise teaches us to become stronger." I touched the side of my ribs again, glad to find that the pain had somewhat subsided. "See? It doesn't hurt anymore."

He gave me a bittersweet smile, and stroked my face lightly. "Aren't you brave." He paused for a moment, simply gazing at me. "And strong. And beautiful." He leaned in, kissing me lightly. I melted into his embrace, and didn't protest when he deepened the kiss.

It'd been about eighty-six years since I started living here with Kol. So much time passed. So much that had changed. My parents were most likely dead, not that I was too shaken up about that, though it still left me with a bitter memory. They wouldn't have to deal with the guilt for eternity. Belle—the only reminder of Elijah—was probably also dead, along with Ceithan.

It'd been a long time. Eighty-six years since I'd seen...

Since I'd seen Niklaus. Kol's brother.

Somedays, I found myself wondering what Niklaus was doing. Did he miss me? Was he looking for me? Or had he given up?

Either way, I lived with Kol now.

At first, I was hesitant to be romantically involved with him. I felt as if I was cheating on Niklaus, and in a way, I was. But Kol... he'd definitely changed since the first time I saw him. He was... more caring, compassionate, and selfless. Though he could still be cocky, haughty, and arrogant, at least he loved me and respected me.

He stood behind me all these years. Entered me into his daily schedule with ease. Trusted me with secret information. Protected me with his life. Loved me with his soul.

"Come on." Kol said as he pulled away from me, settling for my hand instead, "Let us change into our usual attire for the day."

Kol and I slept in the same bedroom a few floors above the ground. The room mostly consisted of white, black, and dark brown colors. Our huge bed had clean white sheets, and candles placed around the room illuminated the furniture. The fireplace burned with fervor, keeping me warm in the winter, and creating a yellow-orange glow upon the white sheets.

A stone balcony was connected to this room, where in the summer, Kol and I could sit in peace, soaking up the rays of the sun. Perhaps winter seemed beautiful in its own way... but at the moment, I didn't see it. The season brought nothing but death and despair from the cold, fields containing no crops, and forests with no animals to hunt. Everything food related was to be preserved in salt or, well, the ice.

At least children and adults were able to have some fun, sliding and falling across frozen lakes and ponds. I loved to play too, but it still wasn't enough to suppress the feeling of interminable gloom.

I changed into a white and gold silk gown adorned with red rubies that hung to my feet. Opening up a box filled with the jewelry Kol had given to me, I picked out a ruby ring with a gold band, a ruby pendant necklace with a gold chain, and a ruby hair piece with flowing gold strands that entwined with my hair.

For a moment, I held the sapphire ring in my hand. It only disabled my powers if I was wearing it, but simply carrying the ring could not release its magic. I tucked it into my long sleeve, where only I knew it was there.

Right after Kol and I were done changing, he came over to me with a smile on his face. "Why, good afternoon, my angel." He gave me a bow, and gently brought my hand to his lips, "And to what do I owe the pleasure of being in such a beautiful creature's presence?"

I giggled, pulling my hand out of his grasp, "You are so silly."

His face contorted in mock offense, "Me? Silly? Preposterous! I'll have you know that it is you who is silly, for you are lost, darling. You do not belong in this world. Heaven is far, far away."

I shook my head, rolling my eyes, "Such a flirt."

"Oh, but I only flirt with you, love." He smiled cheekily.

"And why do I find that so hard to believe?"

"I tell the truth and swear on it, that I do not flirt with other women. I may use my charms once and a while to our advantage, but—"

I cut him off, raising my eyebrows, "Charms? What charms?"

His eyes darkened as a sinister smile appeared on his face. "You better take that back."

"No, I don't think I will." I stated, shaking my head.

"Take those words back or I shall have to punish you." He stated jokingly, taking a step towards me. His smile grew bigger.

I leaned towards him, lowering my voice to a whisper, "I'd like to see you try."

He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me closer to him. I giggled as he ran his fingers across my body, sending shivers of pleasure throughout. Bringing his face closer to mine, he started to kiss me feverishly, as he breathed, "You little—"

But something cut him off.

We both stilled as a knock came from the door. Still breathing heavily, Kol groaned in frustration, forcing himself to move away from me a little. "What is it?" Kol asked in annoyance.

A familiar voice sounded from the other side of the large wooden doors, "I bring urgent news."

"Does it require my immediate attention?" Kol questioned, his gaze devouring my features.

"It does."

Kol sighed, and after waiting a few seconds, he kissed me briefly, then moved away. Facing the doorway, he called, "Come in."

The large doors opened, then closed behind Benedict. Benedict was a handsome vampire whom Kol trusted, and that was hard to come by. I was the only person on Earth who Kol trusted completely. Benedict came in a close second, but there was always a sliver of mistrust and uncertainty between him and Kol.

I never heard the true story to why Kol had turned Benedict centuries ago, nor did I ever ask, but I believed it had something to do with Kol saving his life. It would explain why Benedict was so loyal to Kol.

Benedict was also one of the few who knew what I was and what I was capable of. At first, I didn't know whether he would keep my powers a secret. After all, everybody feared me, even vampires. But after decades of spending time being around him, I'd come to relax and even enjoy his company. He was a great man, and he'd do anything for me.

His hair was jet black, and cut fairly short. Benedict bowed, "My lord," His piercing jade green eyes landed on Kol, then lingered on me. "Enchantress." Everybody who wasn't close to me knew me by this name.

I cleared my throat, suddenly aware of what Kol and I were doing right before he showed up. "Benedict, what is the news that you have brought us?"

He kept staring at me, and I had to clear my throat again, forcing him to pay attention... that we were not alone. Kol looked at me, then back at him, and narrowed his eyes. Ah, perfect.

Benedict blinked a few times, "Oh...right...of course, the news." I almost rolled my eyes. He continued, "A crime has been committed."

"Another one?" I queried in disbelief, "Just last week I punished a murderer and a thief."

He shrugged, "There are always bad people in the world."

I sighed, "How bad is this criminal? What has he done?"

"The man we currently have in custody is about thirty years of age, and used to work as a farmer. He has raped six of our maids and a noblewoman. The woman reported the man to one of the guards two days ago. We captured the man yesterday, and he confessed to all of his deeds." Benedict stared heavily at me, "This man is unlike the others. I believe he may be insane, or possessed. His actions do not make sense, nor does he seem to care where they will bring him. I highly suggest you be careful when dealing with him."

Kol spoke up, "And I suggest that we kill him."

I rolled my eyes at him, "You wish to kill everyone."

Kol smirked, "Everyone but you, of course."

Shaking my head, I looked back at Benedict. A flash of pain appeared in his eyes at our exchange, but he composed himself before Kol could see it.

"Take us to this criminal." I commanded, pretending I didn't see anything.

Benedict nodded, and turned around to walk back out the doors, "Yes, follow me."

I was encased in between four men as the five of us walked back down to the dungeons, entering an even lower level, under the room that Kol and I were training in. Two vampire guards walked in front of me, while Kol and Benedict flanked me on either side. I was in the middle, protected, as always.

There used to be dozens of criminals down here in these small, dingy rooms, awaiting their trials. But once I came to the castle, we started following our own rules.

I decided their fates. I decided whether or not the person should live. Usually I did. Usually I tortured them with my powers, then set them free.

But there's always that one. The one who refuses to change. Who has no morals. No sympathy. Nothing. The one who kills, rapes, steals, commits treason—never once regretting his actions.

I had a feeling this criminal was one of the ones.

We came to a halt in front of an old blue-gray stone door, with only a tiny barred opening at a tall man's eye level to see through to the inside. Meaning, I couldn't see the inside. But I already knew what it looked like, for I've been in there many times. This time, however, felt different.

The man held captive in there was the only criminal in this castle. When I came to this estate eighty-six years ago, there were many prisoners down here. All of them committed acts of treason against either the King or Kol. But then, we set up a new system. I punished the ones who weren't as much as a threat, while I'd let either Kol, Benedict, or another loyal vampire kill the nasty, feral ones.

Since then, there had never been more than one offender down here in the dungeons. Somehow, it was more depressing with less criminals down here. People were afraid to commit a crime. They were afraid of me. My powers hurt more than hell itself, from what I've heard.

I jumped slightly when somebody's hand brushed against mine.

"Sorry." Kol muttered, and I looked up to meet his dark brown eyes, instantly relaxing. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine."

A half-smirk crossed his features, "If you do not want to do this, only say the word, and I'll gladly kil—"

"No." I shook my head, "Let us go in."

Kol nodded. I turned my head the other way, to see Benedict's jade eyes on me. He gave me a concerned look, referring to the prisoner. "Don't get too close to him. He's very dangerous, especially to women."

"I'm sure he is." I stated, "But do not fret, I can handle myself."

Kol and Benedict shared a look while I ignored them, giving the two vampire guards an order: "Open the door."

Replies of "Yes, Enchantress" and "Of course" came from them. The door slid open, the metals scraping against each inharmoniously, the sounds echoing throughout the cold dungeon.

Once all five of us had stepped in, a guard let the door slam shut, and it remained silent. The small, moldy room was familiar with its stench of fleas, dead mice, and a rotting criminal. The accused man's hands were tied with rope to a post above his head, while he slouched, his knees resting uncomfortably on the ground. Previously, he had been staring at the floor. But once all five of us filtered in, he finally raised his head slowly, to survey the room.

He wasn't exactly handsome, nor was he and eyesore, but there was definitely something... unsettling about him. His dark almost-black eyes were big and seemed to bulge out from the rest of his face. His hair was a dirty sand color, and his white and brown clothes fit loosely around his big frame, covered in mud.

When his eyes met mine, he unashamedly ran them down my figure. A knowing smirk crossed his face at my discomfort, and I could already feel the other four vampires in the room tense up by his reaction to me.

"Well, well, well." His gruff voice intervened the silence, "What do we have here? Another willing victim, I presume." My face twisted in disgust. Turning to look at the guard closest to him, the criminal chuckled, "What did I tell ya? The ladies simply want me."

Trying to swallow the vile rising in my throat I stepped closer to him. Kol and Benedict moved to follow me, but I gave them a look, and they reluctantly stayed where they were. Looking down at the sinister villain again, I asked him in an icy voice, "What is your name?"

"Don't have one."

"What do you mean you don't have one?"

"What is your name?"

I started to become frustrated, "This is not a negotiation. Tell me who you are or I'll kill you now."

"Ooh, so much fire in such a small girl." His cynical smile unnerved me. I'd never had to deal with such a man before—at least, not to this extent. Whoever this man was, there was obviously something off about him. "I wonder if the rest of your body hiding under that dress of yours is as... comely as your face."

In a blur, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. With his demonic face appearing, Kol vampire speeded up to the man and grabbed him by the throat. The man barely let out a whimper from fear as Kol's grip on him tightened.

"You do not speak to her in such a manner, ever!" He growled. "Do you understand me?" Kol held the man in a death grip. If the man had even nodded, it would've gone unnoticed.

"Kol."

His head turned around, and his eyes met mine. The veins on his skin disappeared while his fangs retracted. A look of slight regret replaced his anger. Slowly he let go of the man, and the human slumped to the floor in defeat, breathing heavily as his previously blue face turned gray, red, then back to his normal tanned skin.

Kol gave me a slight bow, and backed up against the wall. "I apologize."

"No, thank you for that." I stated. Benedict, who stood a few paces away from Kol, seemed a bit disappointed when I said this. As if he thought I'd praised Kol instead of him. I turned back to the man in drabs. "Will you choose to behave yourself finally?"

Silence rang in my ears as I waited for him to reply. After about a minute without speaking, his head poked up, and he looked at me with a strangely intense gaze. He whispered, "I know you."

My whole body froze over as I stood still. His gaze held mine for several moments, unwavering. The back of my neck grew uncomfortable as a mixture of cold and hot anxiousness washed over me. I could feel the stares of four vampires on me, as they waited either for my reaction, or instruction.

No, he didn't know me. And I didn't know him. We were strangers to each other, so what was his game? Maybe he was simply trying to make me nervous so that he could somehow manipulate me. I wasn't falling for it.

He continued, "You're the girl my master's always talking about—small, young, slender, dark hair, golden eyes, fair, extraordinarily beautiful..." He chuckled, "Oh, lord, he'd go on for hours simply describing you. It was quite comical, really."

I refused to be fazed by this. I had no idea how he knew who I was, or what I looked like. He was probably lying anyway. "Who is this master of yours?" I questioned.

The tied up man went on, "My master is obsessed with finding you, to the point where he can be observed as a mad man. He's been searching for you for a long time. How long, I'm not sure. But I've been sent here by him—as many others have been sent elsewhere—to see whether or not you occupied this castle." He gave a half-smirk, "My lord will be glad to know that you are here."

My lord... my lord... why did that sound so familiar?

No. It couldn't be...

I shared a concerned look with Kol, both of our expressions mirroring each other. We carried the same thought.

"Yes," I replied, turning back to the man, "And in the meantime of your... expedition, you decided to rape seven of our women."

"What can I say?" He shrugged, "A man has his needs."

I didn't want to look at him anymore, forcing myself to keep his gaze instead of tearing my eyes away from his. I wanted to rip him into little pieces for the disgrace he'd brought upon the women. But I had to figure out who this "master" of his was. Whether he was telling the truth. Could it... could it possibly be...?

"Do not get me wrong, though, if I had known there was such a lady as you out there," he shook his head with a sly smile, "I wouldn't have gotten caught so soon."

Kol, who had been holding himself back, seemed to be on the edge of snapping the dirty man's neck. I could see the tense veins in his hands and the hard set of his jaw as he tried to control himself. Benedict reached for the sword by his hip, his fingers touching the hilt in anticipation.

This was ridiculous.

"Who is your master?" I asked, my tone more cutting edge

He continued as if I hadn't of said anything, "Then again, he is very possessive and secretive. Didn't even give me your name. Told me he'd kill me if I so much as touched you." He snorted, "Man as powerful as that. Never imagined he'd be brought down by a woman. Even if she is pretty."

My eyes narrowed at his attempt of dodging my inquiries. I walked a little closer to him, about only two paces away, and knelt down to his eye level. His eyes followed my movements curiously, as if this all amused him greatly.

I lowered my voice, speaking barely above a whisper. However, in this enclosed room, everyone could hear it. "I'm only going to ask one last time... What. Is. Your. Master's. Name.?"

A mischievous smirk crossed his face, and he cocked his head to the side.

"Well, why didn't you just ask?" He paused for a second, "His name... is Klaus. Lord Klaus."

Klaus.

Niklaus.

He was looking for me.

Of course he was. After all that time... after eighty-six years... he still hadn't given up on me. Never stopped looking for me. Never moved on.

My heart constricted.

What did this mean? I hadn't seen him in so long... I could barely even remember what he looked like. Just some pictures that come and go in flashes. Splotches of blue eyes. The Autumn day—when I last saw him. Memories of the past...

Flickering my gaze, I stood up from my crouched position, and my eyes met Kol's. His held emotions of sadness, fear, and rage. He was worried about what would happen next. What I would decide to do about Niklaus. Would I stay with Kol, or go? It was an easy enough question for me to answer, but I suppose he didn't catch on as quickly as I did.

"Ah, so you recognize the name, eh?" The prisoner deduced, and clucked his tongue, "Well, now that you know everything you need to know about me—and about master, might I add—what about you? What's your story? You claim that I am the monster in this castle, well, I disagree. I'm sure you've done much worse things, perhaps even killed someone."

I stiffened.

"I was right, wasn't I?" He smiled creepily. "How many? One prisoner? Two? A dozen? I bet you killed all of the criminals down here, just for the sake of feeling alive. Don't worry, you're not alone, honey. I've murdered a few back in the day, not that they didn't deserve it, however."

"You best shut up now." Benedict spoke up, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter.

"Or what?" He questioned, "You'll kill me? I've already figured out the ending to this story. Might as well have some fun while I still can." He eyed Benedict up and down, then looked at me, "And who's this? Your betrothed? The man seems a bit uptight to me."

"Who I am betrothed to is none of your concern." I stated. "What I'd worry about if I were you is whether or not I want to get out of here alive."

"So you're not planning on killing me?" He questioned.

"I'm certainly considering."

"Well, ya might as well do it." He shrugged, "Got nothing left to lose."

"Are you willing to pay the price for your actions? Are you willing to change?"

He shook his head, "Nope. Never will."

"You'd be willing to die for your actions?"

"Seems like the most noble thing to do." He answered.

I scoffed, "You would never be noble, not in a thousand years."

He raised his voice, "Then we have a problem there, don't we, Enchantress?" He scrunched his eyebrows together, and the crescendo of his voice made me jump a little. "For if you do not condone my sins, then why even bother trying to change me? I can not be changed. I will not be changed. I am who I am."

I stayed silent for a few moments, "What is it that you want?"

He raised his chin slightly. "Give me death."

Swallowing, I called out, "Kol—"

"No, no." The prisoner cut me off, "Not from him. From you."

I looked at him warily, querying, "Why?"

"Death won't be so horrid if it is given to me by something beautiful." He stated.

I tried to keep my cool composure, "Fine." I held out my hand, seeing Benedict's concerned look. He seemed to know what I was implying, and pulled his sword out from its sheath. The metal scraped against each other for less than a second before the gleaming sword was held out to me. I gently wrapped my fingers around the cool hilt, waiting as Benedict let go of it. The sword was heavy, and I had to hold it with two hands to stop it from plummeting to the ground.

The hilt of the sword was made out of black wood, decorated with onyx and jade gems. I faced the prisoner, and turned the blade of the weapon around. He recoiled from it slightly, then relaxed as he finally accepted his fate. The blade was only an inch away from his neck.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Kol give me a worried look. Was I going to be okay?

"Do it." The prisoner stated bluntly, closing his eyes, "Do it now."

I looked into his dark brown eyes, seeing my own silhouette reflected back. This man was a bad man. He was a terrible, cynical, disgusting, horrible, disgraceful, and unpleasant man. But something glittered in his eyes. Something that told me... he wasn't all gone. He still had a soul. He was still human. After all the lives I had taken, I wasn't sure I could deal with killing another person, even if the criminal was dangerous and a threat to others.

I lowered my weapon, and the man opened his eyes questionably, somehow sensing the fact that I was refusing his dying wish.

"No. If you want to die, then it will not be by my hands." I told him. "I can not do this for you."

I handed the sword back over to Benedict, his concerned look piercing me.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." I responded, "I just... need to go back up to the grand hall for a moment. I'm sure you can handle this." He stared at me for a while, but slowly started to nod.

"Would you like me to accompany you?" Kol spoke up, his eyes pleading with mine.

I shook my head, and he slumped his shoulders. "That will be unnecessary." I stated.

Turning around I started to walk out the stone doorway.

"Wait, where are you going?" The prisoner called out to me. I didn't acknowledge him, "I thought we had a deal. Come back here and kill me." A pause, "Enchantress!"

I didn't stop walking, didn't stop to turn around for one last time. I simply moved forward, listening blankly to the fading shouts of the criminal as I walked up the staircase, and out of the dungeons.

Though much better than the dungeons, the main hall was still gloomy from the Winter weather. Maids, butlers, cleaners, workers, and cooks bustled about, each one minding their own business. I received a few half-hearted greetings, but no one was really in the mood for chatting.

"Enchantress."

Looking to my side, I saw a man in full-blown metal armor rushing towards me. Usually, guards who were on the lookout outside the castle never came in—except for when they were sleeping, although, even then, the guards have their own private quarters near the posts. Luckily Kol was still downstairs, otherwise this man would've been given a good scolding.

"What is it?" I queried.

His breathing was quick, "Excuse me, but I bring urgent news. A man has arrived in an expensive coach, dressed richly with many adornments. He claims to know a young, beautiful girl with dark hair, and he wants to see her. I assume he is referring to you."

"In the Winter?" A bad feeling filled me as a prickling sensation started up my neck. I shivered, but not from the cold. "What fool would dare trench through the snow and ice to visit this castle? Even if he did bring horses?"

The guard shook his head, "I do not know much about him. I could get rid of him, if you'd like."

I weighed the options in my head. Deciding that I needed to know, I questioned, "What is his name?"

"He calls himself Klaus."

Oh, what a day.

School started, so now I'm busier than I could ever imagine was possible. Then there's also the fact that I had to rewrite this chapter, because I stupidly forgot to save my draft and then I was automatically logged off (don't you hate when that happens?).

Nevertheless, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. I've already written part of the next one, and I'm so excited about the story... I have so much planned out.

Thank you so much for those of you who reviewed and followed this story. Love you!

-Spiralcloud