Hey dolls!
I'm so sorry I've taken so long to update this story.
As soon as the inspiration came, I wrote it all and decided to post it.
I just felt so bad for not updating for so long, so I wanted to share it as soon as possible.
So here it is raw and unedited.

Chapter 8

Days passed and although Caroline gradually improved in her combat training, her concentration had noticeably dwindled. The excitement faded.

One morning, Klaus sensed Caroline's head was elsewhere. He caught her distantly staring off. She hardly said a word that morning. She immediately started on her run and just nodded when he gave her instructions. Her lips pressed into a hard line replaced her usual smile. Her mind was distracted and her body showed it. She took a punch so hard; she didn't realize it until a second after she retracted her arm.

"Stop." Klaus finally said.

She furrowed her eyebrows at him for his sudden interruption.

"Out with it."

"Out with what?" She asked with slight irritation, clearly not in the mood to talk.

"You've been distracted this whole morning. You hardly said a word. You're not even paying attention. You nearly tripped on the jump rope circuit earlier."

She rolled her eyes as he pointed out her mistakes. It wasn't as if she hadn't been victim to his criticism before, but today she really wasn't in the mood.

"So what?" She replied.

"So either come out and say it or just accept it and move on."

She scoffed loudly. "Easy for you to say."

She thought the training would take her mind off things, but it failed. Needing some time alone, she walked away from him without saying another word.

Since her conversation with Tyler, she's been distracted. Tyler was avoiding her. He never came to dinner because he claimed he was buried in work, which also happen to be the same reason he didn't come to bed until five in the morning. She guessed he planned to sleep when she would wake up for her morning training. She pretended to sleep, which he never noticed. He lied down on the opposite side of the bed, hugging the edge, just like he had been doing recently.

The bruise faded and her body erased any evidence of the darkest shade she's seen of her husband. She was glad it was gone. Staring at it only reminded her or forced her to think the worst of her husband. Isn't that what marriage and love was about? Wasn't she supposed to love him - every side of him? Ignore the bad and cherish the good.

Her marital instinct told her to work this out with her husband to ensure the prosperity of their marriage. But there was one problem. She didn't know how. Her parents weren't exactly role models for marriages, since theirs ended in a divorce. Her parent-in-laws we're dead. Katherine and Stefan had an odd, but typical, loveless Karinan royalty marriage. She was too ashamed to seek advice from Bonnie and Matt, since they were her servants.

She had no idea how to handle her situation. Tyler never said it, but she presumed he was suspicious about her and Klaus.

The truth is, there was nothing to be suspicious about between them. They haven't kissed or hugged or anything of that sort. He's pulled her into his arms but only for protection from her own clumsiness of Radical encounters.

She sighed by the time she reached the back entrance of the palace. Her head and emotions were all over the place.

She loved Tyler. Of course she did. He was her husband. But things have changed. They fell in love and married early, but they were too young; they hadn't yet grown into themselves. They changed over time slowly and almost unnoticeably. And that change only weakened their bond over time.

And then there's Klaus. Her bodyguard. She shook her head at the mere thought of living the cliché to cheat on her husband with her bodyguard. She held too much integrity to do such a thing.

But there are those times when Klaus is genuine. She shared a deeper level of intimacy with him that felt foreign, yet inviting. She felt it in the way he touched her, stole a glance at her, elicited a laugh from her, or just plainly listened to her.

Preoccupied with her thoughts, Caroline didn't see where she was going. She ended up bumping into her lady in waiting.

"I'm sorry, Princess Caroline." Bonnie politely apologized.

"No. No. I'm the one who should be sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

Bonnie just smiled politely, like she normally did. She glanced at her watch. "Shouldn't you be on your workout? I have it listed that you have another thirty minutes or so."

"Ugh, we just decided to call it a day." She answered, trying to sound casual. "What's on the agenda today?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Well, since you received your finishing school certification, you are only scheduled for Coronation Rehearsal today. However, that will end two hours before dinner, which you will have alone."

"Alone?"

Bonnie shrugged. "It was at the request of the Prince."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "But of course." She replied sarcastically.

"He has allowed you to do as you please without having to confirm anything with him."

The Princess eyed her lady in waiting to see if she was joking, but Bonnie was just as surprised. There was no way Tyler would let her outside the palace for fun and do what she pleased. This had to be a joke.

"So long as you take Klaus with you."

"Of course…" Caroline said. "I'll go ahead and get ready for the day. I'll see you later, Bonnie."

Bonnie continued down the corridor, on her way to the kitchen. When she turned the corner, she saw Klaus carrying a black duffle bag with him.

"Good morning, Klaus."

He nodded and greeted her in return.

"Is Caroline upset?" She asked straightforwardly.

"Shouldn't you ask her?" He retorted. He hated answering questions about other people, especially when the question was directed toward another person.

Bonnie scowled at him for his bluntness. "Very well." She nodded at him curtly before walking away and going about her business.

As Klaus walked backed to his bedroom, he couldn't shake off the thought of Caroline. She was terrible at hiding her emotions. She was distracted and the way she lashed out at him suggested he might have something to do with it. Perhaps it was when Tyler yelled at him and Klaus fired back. It may not be the first argument he's had with Tyler, but it was the first Caroline's seen.

She had every right to be protective over Tyler. After all, he was her husband. He really didn't think she'd be upset with him over just that. No. He shook his head refusing that was it. There had to be more that happened that he didn't know about.

Sitting outside on the grass, Klaus read a book in the late evening. He checked his watch and saw it was nearly time for supper. He closed the book and shoved it into his pocket. As he stood up, he saw Caroline walking slowly toward the tree she loved. She wore a casual blue dress with some ballet flats.

He jogged over to catch up to her before she reached the tree. She saw him approaching, but decided not to acknowledge him.

He greeted her, but she didn't give him so much as a glance, let alone a word.

"Bonnie said you had a free evening. Don't you want to take advantage of it?"

They reached the trunk of the tree. She looked up, trying to spot a branch.

"No." She answered.

"I thought you might want to go to the beach."

"No."

The loquacious Princess seemed to be out of words these days.

Her arms went up as she reached for the tree, but Klaus grabbed onto one and pulled it down. She winced as she saw his hand reach for hers, afraid of what was to come. But instead of a rough forceful tug she expected from her husband, Klaus reached for her hand gently and she was reminded that she was with Klaus and he wouldn't hurt her - he'd protect her. His eyes were searching hers, trying to understand what was bothering her, but she pulled away from him grasp too quickly.

"What happened?" He asked.

She pretended to dust off her clothes. "I don't want to talk about it."

He wasn't sure what happened and he admitted that he was concerned, but he respected her privacy.

He let out a deep breath. "Very well." He said, stepping backwards. "I've been told I'm a very good listener." He casually told her as he gave her space.

The next day the ballroom was full of every Karina royal, from the top of the hierarchy to the very bottom noble men and women. The Royal Evening Dinner was traditionally held exactly one week before the Coronation. Tyler chose Caroline's evening gown: a royal blue gown accented with the finest crystals and hand stitched by the same seamstress who decorated his mother's and grandmother's gowns. It was an honor to wear it, but Caroline felt unworthy.

She stood on a platform in her dressing room. Her reflection looked back at her and she still couldn't recognize herself. Her hair was tied back into an elegant bun, with loose curly strands framing her face . Her hairdresser did an excellent job at making her look royal and play the part.

The seamstress and her helpers were busy doing the finishing touches.

Bonnie walked into the room holding a Karina royal pillow with the Princess tiara placed upon it. The diamond jewels twinkled at her, almost like it was mocking her - telling her she wasn't worthy to wear it.

"Are you ready for your tiara, Princess Caroline?" Bonnie asked, wearing a bright warm smile. There weren't many who could hold the Princess tiara and Bonnie relished the fact that she was one of the chosen few.

Caroline nodded, as she slightly bowed preparing for placement.

The seamstress was done with her alterations and allowed Bonnie to step on one of her stools. Bonnie delicately placed the tiara on Caroline's head. She smiled at the blonde Princess, thinking she was absolutely beautiful and proud to be her Lady in Waiting.

"You look absolutely stunning, Princess Caroline."

She smiled back. "Thank you, Bonnie."

She stepped off the platform and Bonnie helped her slip on her white silk gloves. They were so long; they passed her elbows. All the servants, including Bonnie, were on their way out. Caroline spun around to look back at her reflection one last time. She shook her head at the sight of her.

"What am I doing?" She uttered under her breath, but it was loud enough for Bonnie to hear.

Bonnie waited until the last servant exited to close the door.

"Is everything alright, Princess Caroline?" Bonnie asked.

"Hmm." Caroline sighed. "Oh yes, of course."

Bonnie frowned at Caroline's obvious white lie and false smile.

There was no use lying to Bonnie.

"I'm not Queen material, Bonnie." The blonde princess confessed. "I'm not even Princess material. I was never meant to be Queen. I was meant to just be Caroline Forbes." She sighed, finally admitting that out loud to herself. "And now it's too late…"

"For what it's worth," Bonnie started, "I will be proud to have you as my Queen of Karina." Bonnie knew she was never to speak her opinions to Royals, much less the Princess, but she felt like it needed to be said before she finally left to give Princess Caroline some time alone.

Caroline appreciated Bonnie's words. In fact, it warmed her heart knowing that at least one person truly wanted her as Queen. Meanwhile, the Royals didn't like her solely because she wasn't a Karinan-born. They barely gave her a chance when she first moved to Karina and was pronounced their Princess. She tried her best to get along with them, but they just pretended to be nice to her face, while talking bad about her behind her back. But it was too late for her to walk away from her position. The Coronation was soon. A part of her wanted to be Queen to help Karina prosper, but the other part of her wanted to crawl back to the little town she came from.

She sighed in defeat and decided to head downstairs for the cocktail hour before the dinner to socialize with the other royals. It was expected for every royal to socialize, despite the fact that a majority of them acted fake to each other.

The men were dressed in their fancy suits, while the women were dressed in elegant gowns. The bodyguards were all in position standing along the walls and doors, dressed in their uniform. It made it seem like a prison, but with fancy decoration. Servers held a platter of some scrumptious hors' d'oeuvres. However, she's learned from her first dinner with royals that the "Princess must never partake for it would be rude for her to talk with her mouthful." She rolled her eyes at the memory of Tyler pulling her aside into the foyer and chiding her like a child.

As soon as her shoe touched the last step of the staircase, she felt the weight of her title on her shoulders while she proceeded across the room. Tyler was easy to spot. People always surrounded him. Both men and women adored him, which is a great quality to have for a soon-to-be King. However, sometimes it was obvious that they only liked him because of the sole fact that he would become King one day and that day was soon.

Tyler spotted Caroline approaching him and welcomed her. She walked to his side and smiled at the crowd, playing her part as the lovely wife. Tyler kissed each cheek and she forced a grin. She already knew people were watching and pictures were taken. No matter what was going on in their personal situation, no one outside the palace should ever know.

"You must be excited to be Queen soon, Princess Caroline." A royal woman said.

Caroline didn't recall her name, but had seen her face one or twice in the past. She never knew every single royal by heart. They all just started to blur together.

"Yes. It is truly an honor." Caroline answered, almost robotically. She had rehearsed her answers a billion times in the past whenever having to interact with royals. Tyler's new addition to the test bank was solely to address questions for the Coronation. It was almost like this was a classroom where she was being quizzed.

"Will you join Prince Tyler in making decisions for Karina?" The royal woman followed up.

Before Caroline responded, John Gilbert answered for her.

"Don't be silly. The Queen has other things to take care of." He replied.

Caroline glared at him for answering on her behalf. Unfortunately, Tyler noticed her glare from the corner of his eyes and pinched her arm warning her to stop.

John Gilbert went on to make some sexist jokes, to which everyone laughed, except Caroline. She wanted to be as far away from him as possible tonight, at least during the cocktail hour. She whispered to Tyler that she should go fraternize with the other royal women to be polite and friendly.

A few social circles away, she saw Katherine batting her long eyelashes at a man. Her lips curled whenever she finished a sentenced, which usually meant that she was persuading the old man for something. Caroline waited until the man walked away to approach Katherine.

"What'd you get?" Caroline asked, skipping any introduction.

Katherine grinned. "I convinced him to let me make a guest appearance at the Karina Fashion Show next year."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Well, if Karina proceeds with the budgeting plans, then there won't be any funds for the Fashion Show next year."

The brunette furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Seriously, Katherine. You haven't seen the papers?"

She realized how ignorant she appeared right now and felt a need to defend herself. "I was preoccupied with other things."

"I'm sure you were." The Princess replied sarcastically with a laugh.

Katherine took a hold of Caroline's hands. She narrowed her eyes at the blonde with a troubled look. "Caroline, you should be careful. There are people out there that are dangerous."

"I know, Katherine. The Radicals. That's why we have Klaus and Alaric. What's gotten into you?"

The brunette was about to say something, but she saw Klaus approaching them. She thought it best not to say anything further.

"Just be careful. Don't trust everyone so easily." Katherine said before letting go and walking away.

Caroline felt like scratching the back of her head, feeling so confused by Katherine's strange behavior and cryptic words. She's been acting weird and warning her lately. Caroline wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Good evening, Princess Caroline." Klaus greeted her.

His formal attire surprised her. She wasn't expecting him to dress up in a suit and bow tie. In fact, she wasn't expecting to see him at all. He was never formally on duty within the confinements of the palace, so she wasn't expecting him to be present. His facial hair was neatly shaved and his hair was nicely combed back. Her cheekbones started to hurt and she only realized then that she had been smiling ever since she laid eyes on him.

During this rare moment, he smiled back at her, longer than the normal few seconds. His grin made his dimples more prominent.

"Klaus," was all she mustered up to say, slightly breathless.

Taking her by surprise, he reached for her hand and bent down to kiss the back of her hand. Even with her conflicted heart, she still wished she wasn't wearing her gloves.

She chided herself silently for indulging in the fantasy. She quickly withdrew her hand and smiled politely at him. Her cheeks felt hot and she worried if her cheeks looked a shade darker than crimson.

"You look lovely." He complimented her. The statement alone crossed boundaries, but he didn't care. Her beauty should be acknowledged, even if it came from her bodyguard.

Her lips parted, but no words came out. His quiet charm hit her like cupid's arrow at this moment. Her cheeks felt hotter. A cold towel against her face sounded amazing right about now.

"Are you alright, Princess? You look a tad flushed."

She wanted to scream at herself for not saying at least one word or even a letter. Despite her feeling like they were the only ones in the room, she forced herself to be reminded that they were in a room full of people, Royals nonetheless!

"I'm fine. Just overwhelmed... with the guests." She quickly replied.

He nodded. "I hope it doesn't have to do with whatever has been troubling you."

She furrowed her eyebrows at him. "How do you know something's been troubling me?" She asked, curiously.

He playfully smirked at her, displaying his prominent dimples, again. "You're not exactly best at pulling off a poker face."

She sighed. He was right. She was horrible at hiding her emotions. Her emotions could never be masked. It was one of the skills she couldn't acquire.

"I'm overwhelmed, Klaus." She confessed. "I'm overwhelmed by all the royal guests. I'm overwhelmed with all the preparations for the Coronation. I'm overwhelmed by…" She let her words hang in the air, unable to complete it. All of sudden, she realized it didn't take much for her to confess to him. It was as if he knew her as long as she knew Bonnie. She couldn't explain why it felt so easy to talk to Klaus.

A long line formed over his wrinkled forehead, feeling sorry for the Princess. He knew she's been going through something, but he wasn't sure what it was exactly. In a normal conversation with normal people, this would be the moment where he hugged her for consolation. Sadly, they weren't normal. They were far from it. She would be crowned Queen of Karina soon and he served as her personal bodyguard. Touching her intimately would be inappropriate, especially considering where they were and who they were with at the moment.

"Princess Caroline, may I offer a piece of advice?"

She nodded.

"It's your life Caroline, just as it is your legacy. Do as you please, because it is yours. If you let other people tell you what do, then it wouldn't be your life anymore, would it?" He winked at her and offered her a comforting smile, which she returned. "Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, you're stronger than I initially gaged." He teased to lighten up the mood.

His small joke, lighten the air and she felt a little better, even allowing herself to laugh.

Their laughter attracted others' attention and Tyler was among them. He glared at Klaus and his wife laughing publicly with him as if Klaus was their equal. Tyler stomped over to them, leaving his previous conversation. His conversers didn't mind, since they, too, were drawn to Klaus and Caroline.

Taking Caroline by surprise, Tyler gripped her right waist tightly making her startle. The sight of him made her jump a little. She was thankful that the bruise that marred her skin in that same spot was long gone, otherwise she would've winced and caused a scene. When Tyler glowered at her, she worried how much he's seen. She did nothing wrong, except maybe have a laugh with Klaus and allowing him to kiss her hand. She sighed, knowing how bad that probably looked to the others. Knowing her husband, he always worried about what the others thought.

"Hey, babe." She greeted him, hoping her pet name would soothe him.

He smiled, but it never reached his eyes. Instead, his eyes glowered down at her.

"We should start dinner, before it gets too late." He said, calmly with a familiar coated voice. She's heard him use this voice, thousands of times. He spoke with this voice whenever he spoke about conflicting and sensitive subjects, especially regarding government politics. Usually, the recipient of the message was the person he was mad at it.

It took every ounce of strength to restrain herself from rolling her eyes at him. Luckily, she managed to force a smile.

"Of course, dear." She said, silently praying dinner won't turn into chaos, as she let Tyler lead her away from Klaus.

John deemed himself the host of the night, leading the conversation at the royalty end of the table. He, Tyler, Stefan, and a few other council members endlessly discussed foreign policy. Meanwhile, the women gossiped about the latest news, always careful not to talk over the men. Caroline just kept quiet, not wanting to participate in either conversation. She just watched people eat and talk over dinner. She pretended to listen to the people around her, but her eyes kept wandering to the far end on the opposite side of the table, where the lowest of the low noble men and women sat. That side erupted into laughter every other minute and she secretly envied the people sitting on that side. Among them were Klaus and Alaric. They may not belong with them, but they at least looked the part dressed in their suits.

The crowd at that end became rowdy again with another laughter, sounding like a joyous thunder. Caroline looked over to them again, but this time her gaze caught Klaus' attention. He nodded at her, almost as if to ask her how she was doing. Caroline was about to make a subtle gesture toward Klaus, when she heard her name tossed around in Tyler and John's conversation.

"Training?" John Gilbert questioned sardonically.

"Yes, training, as if it is something a lady in her position should should spend her time on." Tyler replied sarcastically, which earned him loud laughs around the table.

Caroline, however, was the least bit amused. She had no tolerance to be mocked, especially not in front of a crowd of people who barely liked her.

"My position is the very reason I am training." She defended herself, otherwise who else would?

Tyler glared at her for being rude and speaking out of turn, using his eyes to command her to watch her tongue.

"That is true." Katherine agreed, trying to dissipate the tension in the air. "I mean, we've both encountered Radicals recently. It's unsafe for us women to walk around in public these days."

"Hence, the reason for personal bodyguards." Stefan chimed in. He rarely ever said anything at the table, unless it was something to do with business or politics. Even then, he was reluctant to give in his word or a piece of his mind. It had to do with his upbringing. He knew how to demonstrate humility, whereas other royals didn't.

Tyler scoffed at the mention of personal bodyguards, which didn't go unnoticeable. Raised eyebrows came around from a few royals who were tentatively listening or engaged in the conversation.

Mason Lockwood decided to change the topic for the men, while Katherine went on to talk to the other royal women. Caroline waited patiently and quietly for the night to end.

After dessert, everyone went to the ballroom to dance. Ballroom dancing was the only type of dancing allowed. It was a way to honor old traditions. Many men and women partook in the dance, but Caroline stayed next to Tyler's side as he talked business with other councilmen. She wished he'd lighten up a bit and ask her to dance, but she knew it wasn't going to happen.

Tyler and John quietly excused themselves from the ballroom to go talk business in Tyler's office. Caroline was partially sad that she didn't get a dance with her husband, but the other part of her was relieved that she didn't have to listen to more talks about politics and business. Finally feeling a free moment to herself, she strolled over to the refreshments area and picked up a glass of champagne, which she quickly downed in one gulp.

"Quite a thirst you got there." Klaus commented, walking around her.

"How are you enjoying the night?" She asked, trying to sway the conversation in a different direction.

"It's been a pleasant evening so far."

Their conversation was interrupted by some drunken noble woman asking Klaus for a dance. She was definitely pretty with her long hazelnut hair and curvy body, but Klaus rejected her offer without giving more than a second to think about it.

"Why did you turn her down?" Caroline asked, once the dejected girl walked away to find another dance partner.

"I won't dance with women in a drunken stupor." He firmly stated.

"At least someone asked you to dance…" She muttered under her breath, but Klaus heard it.

He was about to say something to her when Bonnie came to Caroline with a worried and furrowed brow.

"What's wrong?" Caroline asked Bonnie.

"Tyler has requested to speak with you in your bedchamber." Bonnie answered. "He didn't look too happy."

Caroline bit her lip, feeling her heart quicken with worry and fright. She excused herself from the ballroom to head upstairs. Just as she proceeded up the stairs, John Gilbert was on his way down wearing a smug haughty smirk. He had the nerve to arrogantly wink at her, which made her feel more uncomfortable.

She took a deep breath to prepare herself before pushing the doors open.

"Hey, babe" Caroline said, imitating a cool tone, as she entered the room and walked toward the bed.

Tyler closed the door and locked it, before shoving his hands into his pockets.

"What are you up to with Klaus?"

The question took her by surprise. She turned around to face him. His eyebrows were pulled together and his lips were pressed into a hard line. She couldn't see his hands, but she imagined him forming fists.

"Nothing." She answered.

"Nothing?" He asked for clarification.

She took a few steps toward him. "Yes." She verified. "Nothing. What is this about?"

He nodded his head and walked toward the dresser. He grabbed a dark yellow letter-sized envelope sitting atop the dresser. She didn't notice it when she first walked in. Her heart started to pound against her chest, fearing the contents of the envelope. She reminded herself that it had to be nothing. There was no physical evidence of her close encounters with Klaus. Maybe it was Klaus' employment contract.

Tyler walked toward Caroline. He stopped at the foot of the bed, only an arm's length away from her.

"Nothing, huh." He said under his breath. His voice still leveled. He opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. He used the envelope as a cover, preventing her from seeing it. He stared at it, looking disgusted.

As she tried to take a step forward, Tyler threw the contents and envelope down onto the bed.

"Is that nothing?!" His nostrils flared as he yelled at her.

Candid photographs of Caroline and Klaus were spread out on the bed, enough to cover the sheets. There were several from the beach, others at various events where the two were unnecessarily close, and some photos of her training with Klaus touching her inappropriately. There was even a photograph of them sitting on the grand tree at night.

Caroline couldn't believe the press was sneaking around taking pictures. Of course, she knew about the paparazzi regularly taking pictures of her out and about, but for some reason she completely forgot about it when she was out with Klaus. She scolded herself for being so careless in public. If anyone saw the pictures and didn't know the truth, Klaus looked like he was her boyfriend or something equivalent.

Tyler walked away, fuming with anger. He tried his hardest to contain his furiousness.

"Are you still going to tell me that's nothing?" Tyler asked her, trying to sound level-headed as he faced her, pointing at the photographs.

She shook her head, still staring at the pictures.

"Tyler, really, these pictures are nothing."

Tyler couldn't take it. He couldn't restrain himself. He stomped toward her and before she could react, his hands clenched around her tiny throat. He drove her toward the nearest wall, slamming her head hard against the wall. Her head rung with pain, making it hard for her to see him clearly. His massive hands clutched her throat, making it difficult for her to breath.

"Do you still choose to lie to my face?"

She tried to shake her head, but he had too much control over her. She felt the air escaping her and she tried her hardest to hold onto the very little air she had left.

"I will not have an unfaithful, disobedient wife." He yelled at her.

He released his hold on her throat, but gripped her arms tightly. Redness started appearing around his hands, contrasting against her porcelain skin. He pulled her away from the wall, only to slam her against it again. Her head rung with pain, causing her to yelp out loudly.

"I will not stand by idly while my wife makes away with her bodyguard. Have you no shame?!"

"Tyler, please, listen. Klaus and I don't –"

She didn't see it coming. Tyler slapped the right side of her face forcefully causing her to look to the left. She cried out at the stinging pain from the hit. Feeling free from his hold, she reached up to touch her face, but it only made the pain worse.

"You best be mindful with Klaus." He warned, not feeling the least bit sympathetic for his wife's pain caused by his own hands. "I'll tell everyone you retired for the night."

Without a second glance, Tyler left her all alone.

Uncontrollably, the tears started flowing from her eyes, ruining her makeup and dress. The salty tears stung her hand-stricken cheek, but she couldn't stop herself from crying. Not having the will to stand on her two feet any longer, she collapsed onto the floor, leaning her back against the wall. She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face into her knees as she sobbed loudly.

She hated the paparazzi who took those misleading photos. She hated that those photos convinced Tyler that she was unfaithful. She hated herself for being so careless with Klaus in public. She hated Tyler for hitting her and abusing her. But most of all, she hated herself for being weak when she needed to be strong. She learned how to fight back and yet she let him abuse her, without any resistance.

The next morning, Caroline woke up to find a note in place of her husband's side of the bed. He clearly hadn't slept in their bed last night, but had the time to order a servant to deliver a note. She sighed loudly as she opened the note. Apparently, her husband deemed her too sick to see to her duties for today and decided to cancel everything on her schedule.

Her head pounded similar to a hang over feeling, but she decided to stand up and go run a bath. As she passed the full sized mirror she caught a glimpse of the red marks on her arms. She remembered the events of last night: her head slammed against the wall, her husband tightening his grip on her arms, and him slapping her face. Those hands that she remembered caressing her as they made love had somehow become hands that she feared. The man that vowed to cherish her, had abandoned any ounce of love and care that he once shared. He did not treat her like his Princess or wife. Instead, he treated her like the common whore of the night.

Not being able to bear another second looking at herself, she tore her eyes away and went to run her bath. The warm water stung her arms and face, but she needed a bath.

Sitting down in the tub, she couldn't shake the memories of last night. They kept replaying over and over. She'd never seen him so angry with her. There was only question that kept gnawing at her: should she stay or should she go?

"Bonnie!"

Bonnie stopped in her tracks when she heard someone beckon for her. She turned around and saw Klaus approaching.

"Where is Caroline?"

"Princess Caroline does not feel well today." She answered.

"Is she alright?" He asked, unable to mask his concern.

"She just needs rest." She replied.

Klaus frowned at the information. He strolled by the bed chambers casually last night, sometime after Caroline entered. He wasn't certain of what happened in there, but he was positive that he heard Caroline scream and the echo of a slap - though he wasn't sure if it was Caroline or Tyler. Since Tyler came out afterward and said Caroline went to bed, Klaus guessed that it was Tyler who slapped Caroline. The thought of Tyler slapping Caroline made Klaus flare with rage, yet he wasn't sure why. Perhaps he felt like he should have been there to protect her as her body guard.

"You care for Princess Caroline, don't you, Klaus?" Bonnie asked.

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her. Of course he cared about Caroline's safety as her bodyguard. To ask if he felt anything beyond that was out of his scope of employment and he didn't want to answer that.

"For her sake, end this training and any other activities you two may have. Your relationship with her should just be to guard her."

Bonnie knew it wasn't her place to say anything, but she had to say it. She was the one to deliver Tyler's note to Caroline this morning. She saw the redness and the marks on her. She felt sick to her stomach that the Prince laid a finger on the Princess. Last night, before she went to fetch Caroline in the ballroom, she overheard John and Tyler talking about pictures of Caroline and Klaus. She heard how furious Tyler was when John showed him the pictures. Bonnie never saw them and she truly believed there was no physical intimacy between Caroline and Klaus, but she knew the two had another more romantic intimacy – the type that doesn't require physical touch, yet the soul yearns for it. She knew, because that is what she felt for Matt for a long time before they married.

She just wanted her Princess to be safe. She didn't want last night to occur, again. She didn't want her Princess to suffer through that kind of abuse.

"That isn't up to you, Bonnie." He spat back, with annoyance. "Nor is it up to Prince Tyler. If Princess Caroline wishes to cease training or anything else with me, then I will dutifully obey."

Bonnie shook her head at his response as she walked away, not wanting to deal with him any longer. She wished her Princess to be happy, though she didn't know if Caroline's happiness lied with Tyler or Klaus.

The clock struck midnight, yet Caroline was still awake lying alone on their big mattress. Tyler went on a short trip with John Gilbert to some other country for whatever political reason. Caroline was actually thankful that she didn't have to spend the night with him. She hadn't seen him since the royal dinner. She hadn't seen anyone, besides Bonnie – who only came to check up on her or deliver her food. The food went to waste, since she never had an appetite. She spent the whole day laying in bed, closing her eyes, trying to pretend she didn't belong to this world full of crowns, royalty, and politics.

She tossed over to her side to face the window. The moonlight came through the bedroom window, lighting up the dark bedroom chamber.

She hated how pathetic she was – laying there just waiting for her husband's next move. Was this the life she wanted for herself? Was she a woman her parents would be proud of? A woman who gets beaten by her husband and does nothing about it? Her father would be so ashamed. Her mother would be disappointed with her for not fighting back. This isn't the life she imagined she'd be living when she agreed to marry Tyler. She had a fairytale image of her marriage to Tyler. Was she so weak as to allow her husband to continue demonstrating his power and control over her?

No!

A voice in her head shouted. Without thinking for another second, Caroline climbed out of bed and went to her closet to change. She put on an all black outfit and her running shoes before quietly exiting her bedroom.

The lights were dim in the corridor and the air was still. The servants were probably in their living units downstairs, since she hadn't seen any lurking around. She had to walk in the shadows to by-pass the guards that were stationed at various points in the palace. Luckily, she was light on her feet and it helped to be wearing all black, with her blonde her hidden in her black jacket hoodie.

She made her way down to the foyer, but there was one problem: there were two guard posted at the front doors. There was no way to get around them and if she did, she forgot that the front doors were too big and hence would make a loud noise if she opened and closed it.

There had to be another way out.

The kitchen! She remembered sitting down in the kitchen with Matt and seeing vendors come to deliver food supplies using the back door. She quickly went down to the kitchen, making sure not to be spotted on the way. The darkness made it hard for her to see, but since she usually came down to visit Matt, it was easy for her to maneuver her way around the kitchen. She pushed through the door and was welcomed with more darkness. When she reached for the light switch she found herself standing in a storage room, with food on the other end that required a some type of security clearance. How could she have been so stupid as to think it would be that easy to escape through servant entrances. Of course there had to be security measures to prevent just anyone from entering or exiting the palace. She sighed, feeling defeated.

She was about to return to her bedchambers, when she spotted a window off to the corner of the room. It was closed shut with a lock and latch. She managed to unlock it and push the window up. The air hit her face feeling a sense of victory. She climbed out of the window, feeling her feet touch the ground. She quickly closed the window as soon as she got on the other side.

She finally did it! She made it out of the palace, without being stopped. The brisk air hit her face like a refreshing dive into the ocean. Running never seemed this easy before. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to leave.

Unlike other palaces, the road to the Karina palace was a winding one. She broke into a sprint, running for what seemed like her life. With all the training from Klaus, her sprints were faster and she felt the adrenaline kick in.

The palace gates were in her view and within reach. It would take her less than a minute to get there. The adrenaline coursing through her veins gave her that extra push to get there.

Just as she reached her arms out to push the gates open, someone behind her used one arm to grab her around her waist and the other hand to cover her mouth. The stranger carried her roughly to the nearest bush. The hand covering her mouth stifled her frantic screams.

This was it! She tried to run away and now she was being punished. It had to be one of the Radicals. And now she had to pay for her mistake.

End of Chapter 8

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xx,
Britannia