This is my fanfiction, based on a novel, based on a screenplay.

Characters belong to The Vampire Diaries (L. , Julie Plec ect.) and plot idea belongs to Sarah Blakley-Cartwright and David Leslie Johnson.

There is no exact date for when this is set, but I always picture it to be around the Middle Ages.

From the top of the tree, Caroline could see everything. From here she could overlook the sleepy village of Mystic Falls. Being up here meant she could escape from everyone and get away from her 'need to please'. Caroline was always attempting to find acceptance, but rarely found it.

Even at age seven, she knew that, somehow, she was different from the other villagers. No matter how much she tried, others would notice and would often keep their distance. Even her friends did – with the exception of Bonnie.

Bonnie Bennett was the one person in the world to whom Caroline felt connected. They were practically sisters, and treated each other as such. After Bonnie's parents abandoned her, Bonnie had been taken into the Forbes residence. The only relative Bonnie had left was her Grams, who had been deemed 'unfit' as a guardian because of whispers of witchcraft in the town.

Caroline looked down to the village and thought about why she had climbed the tree in the first place. She wasn't allowed to of course, but that wasn't it. It wasn't for the thrill, as that has been lost last year when she had made it to the top the first time.

She climbed so high because she couldn't breathe down there, in the town. If she didn't get out the unhappiness would take over and she would be trapped trying to fine acceptance when there was none. Up here in her tree, she was free to be herself. There was no one up here to please. Freedom.

"Caroline!"

The voice of Elizabeth 'Liz' Forbes called her back to earth. By the tone of her mothers voice, Caroline knew it was time to go, and began her descent. Looking across she could see the steeply pitched roof of Bonnie's Grams house. Despite town rumours, Caroline and Bonnie were allowed to visit Grams quite often and the kind old woman had soon filled the role of Grandmother in Caroline's life as well.

The house in the middle of the woods looked almost as ancient as Grams herself. Though to Caroline, Grams was one of the most beautiful woman she had ever met, inside and out. She was a strong woman and was not one to back down, something which Caroline admired.

Caroline, herself, leapt of the lowest branch on to the porch. She had been sat in the tree all afternoon, listening to the low murmurer of her mother and Grams from inside the home. Their voices had seemed more cautious today, as if they were keeping secrets...

Before Caroline had time to dwell on the thought, Liz called again.

"Girls. Come on! We need to be back early for tonight."

Quickly going through the open door, so no one could see she had been in the tree, Caroline saw Bonnie sat next to her mother clutching a doll in scraps that Grams had donated.

Caroline wished she could be more like her. Bonnie was kinder, more generous, more patient. Bonnie would have never climbed the tree, knowing it was a dangerous tree to do.

"Girls, It's a full moon tonight. And it's our turn."

Looking back outside, Caroline saw some markings in the earth.

Niklaus.

Before he left, Niklaus used to leave messages for her by her by drawing arrows in the dirt so she would know where to find him (often hiding in the wood).

He had been gone for months now. They had been inseparable, but after his younger brother had been killed on a full moon, his family had just left.

Niklaus had never judged her. He had understand her.

Grams pulled Caroline and Bonnie into a hug, pulling her back into the room. Grams wished them good luck for the night. Caroline couldn't help but think that Grams smelt of crushed leaves mingled with something deeper, something profound that she could not place.

Soon a wagon, pulled by two workhorses, came over and stopped in front of the house. Caroline's farther, Bill, sat in the back. He pulled the two girls up, and Liz followed.

"Bill," she hissed. "I'm surprised you're still conscious at this late hour." Even as a child, Caroline could pick up on the ever present hostility between her parents.

The wagon jolted off back to the house.

As they reached home, Liz and Bill spoke to each other in low voices and headed of to the stable, coming back with Vicky their pet goat.

"It's time now." Bill announced in a solemn tone.

"Time for what?" Bonnie asked.

"It's our turn." Bill wasn't a man to sugar coat things for the girls, so told them how Vicky was going to be this months sacrifice.

The two girls said goodbye to their beloved pet as Bill steered Vicky away.

That night Caroline lay awake in her bed. She had seen Vicky birthed on the floor of the stable and had taken care of the precious goat ever since. She knew what she had to do.

Seeing Bonnie was asleep, Caroline slipped out of bed and climbed out the window.

It was a cold dark night, and the full moon hung lifeless overhead. Caroline headed towards the sacrificial alter. Hearing Vicky's panicked bleating she rushed towards her pet and started untying the tether.

Caroline's breath hitched when she sensed something move besides her. She froze before slowly turning around to see a huge black wolf standing behind her. They looked into each others eyes. Eyes that saw her. Cold, merciless eyes.

Closing her eyes, Caroline waited to feel the snap of it's jaws and the ripping of claws, but felt nothing.

A gush of wind whet past her. When the silence became unbearable, Caroline opened her eyes.

Nothing was left but the broken tether still tied to the stake, lying slack on the dusty ground.

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