Title: Salem

Rating: T

Genre: AU/AH

Pairing(s): Bonnie/Klaus

Summary: In 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, Bonnie Bennett is on trial for witch craft after an accusation by Elena Gilbert causes witch hunter Niklaus Mikaelson to turn the girl into the courts. However, like with most things in Salem, everything is not as it seems.

Klonnie Appreciation Week Theme: Historical & Fairytale

Warnings: Language, Violence, Non-Canon, Moderate Sexual Content, Character Death, etc.

Author's Note: This is a repost of a contribution to Klonnie week. I will be reposting others in time. Some are being rewritten and reposted. Others will not be returning due to lack of readership. Some things you need to know regarding this particular fic, this fic is completely AU and everyone is human except the Bennetts and Klaus. Other than that things are pretty self-explanatory. Also most everything in this story is not what it looks like so keep reading until the end. Minor edits from the original. Anyway hope you enjoy and please if you love me then leave feedback! Happy reading!

Salem

"Until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in Heaven."

― Arthur Miller, The Crucible

They walked her through the courtroom with shackles on her ankles and wrists. They sat her down in the seat of the accused and she was once again placed on trial. She had no defense. Only judge, prosecutor and jury.

She was stiff and immobile as she sat and faced her prosecutor Niklaus Mikaelson. It had been days of this. Days in which he had ripped her to shreds. Days in which countless townspeople had taken the stand and accused her of crimes that she did not commit.

He was a monster. A fiend and she knew that he got some sick sort of pleasure out of watching her suffer. And so did she…her accuser. It was not enough that all of her family was dead. It was not enough that she had nothing left. No…she had to die as well.

She had been dragged through the mud. She had been starved and imprisoned. Beaten into confessing and now she had to sit small and powerless as she was crucified by everyone she had known her entire life.

She looked into Niklaus's eyes and cringed as he smirked. He was the devil. The devil masquerading as an angel. He had done this before. He had been to other towns. Caused the deaths of other innocent women. He was evil, the very epitome of the word.

She looked down at herself. She was dirty. Her dress was ripped. Her brown curls lip and tangled. Her whole body was covered in cuts and bruises. She was not herself in more ways than one but she had stopped trying to defend herself long ago. No one listened. Not to the truth. Only to the lies.

She listened as the rest of the town shuffled in behind her. Filling the benches so that they would could watch the show.

She turned her head slightly and watched as her accuser took her seat just behind her. She was sitting next to their oblivious friend Caroline Forbes who still thought the other girl righteous and good. She thought a lot of things that were untrue.

Her accuser wore a floral dress. Pink and white and yellow. She was the picture of quiet innocence as she gripped a sweet plum in her hand and took a bite. As the other girl met her gaze she grinned. She hoped that the bitch choked on the pit.

She thought about the time that she had thought them friends. She had been dumb then. Dumb and naïve.

:::

Bonnie Bennett and Elena Gilbert watched as Bonnie grandmother was buried in the ground. They both wore black dresses. Sheila Bennett had been a slave and so there was no fanfare for her burial. Her grave was marked by a lone wooden cross that Bonnie had woven lavender around. The woman had died while doing a magical favor to save her fiancé Stefan Salvatore.

Stefan had been ill. Sheila had expended too much power in healing him and she had died that same night. Bonnie had no one left. Her father had been sold. Her mother had run. It was only her now that her grams was on the other side.

The Gilberts were the only ones in Salem that knew the Bennetts were witches. They called themselves their friends but Bonnie knew that one could not be a friend and a slave at the same time even if the Gilberts treated their slaves better than most. Besides they kept their secrets but it was at a price. That was how they operated. The Gilberts kept their secrets as long as they served them quietly and allowed them access to their powers. Now that Sheila was gone, since Bonnie's mother had fled shortly after her birth, Bonnie was the next in line to serve.

"She was a good woman," Elena smiled, "Your grandmother. I am sorry that this was her fate…and because of me."

Bonnie gave her a forced smiled. Even this the girl made about herself. She had always been that way from the time when they were children. "I don't blame you," she told Elena as they turned away from the grave. It was a lie but Bonnie knew better than to tell the truth, particularly to whites. Especially whites as self-absorbed as Elena Gilbert.

As they walked away from the grave they looked up in time to see a formidable black carriage pull into town. Bonnie's eyes narrowed as she felt a sudden surge of power as she watched it pull to a stop.

Elena frowned as the doors to the carriage opened and an unfamiliar man stepped out. He was dressed in all black and there was a gun strapped to his hip. His shoulder length hair hung low framing his face. His ice blue eye immediately shifted in their direction and Elena cringed at the almost animal look in them. He grinned and began to walk toward them.

"That must be the witch hunter that Alaric was telling me about," Elena leaned down and whispered into Bonnie ear.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow in turn. Alaric Saltzman was a judge and a deacon. He said a lot of things but Bonnie never listened. She wished that he had as the stranger stopped in front of them and smiled.

"Would you young ladies be so kind as to point me the direction of the courthouse?" He asked, his accented voice smooth.

Elena opened her mouth to speak but Bonnie beat her to it. "If you would be so kind as to tell us who you are," she stated.

Elena gave her a warning glance but the man merely looked amused. "My name is Niklaus Mikaelson," he said, "But most call me Klaus. I am in the business of hunting witches. It seems there have been some strange occurrences in the area as of late and I have come to investigate."

Elena cleared her throat as Bonnie's eyes narrowed. There had been some strange occurrences as of late. Dark magic that Sheila had been trying to discover the source of before she had died.

"I have heard of you before," Bonnie revealed, causing Elena to turn to her in surprise. Bonnie ignored her. "You name is rather infamous," she smiled. She took a step forward and placed a hand on his chest. "Tell me Mr. Mikaelson," Bonnie said, eyeing him brazenly, "Are you as good of hunter as they say?"

Elena watched as Bonnie shivered and something passed between the two before the man spoke. "I am," he said, gripping her hand and bringing it to his lips, "And you should be aware, Miss Bennett, I always catch my prey."

Elena moved forward and grabbed Bonnie's arm pulling the other girl back to her side. "The courthouse is that way," she muttered pointing the right.

"Thank you," the man said but his eyes were still on Bonnie. He gave her a once over and then nodded to them both. "I hope to see you again, Miss Bennett," he stated. They watched as he turned and walked in the direction of the courthouse.

When he was out of earshot Elena turned to Bonnie a look of panic on her face. "Bonnie," she hissed, "He knew your name. Have you seen him before?"

"Not exactly," Bonnie said, shaking her head, "But as I said I have heard of him."

"You must be careful," Elena scowled, "He is a danger to you. You must stay as far away from him as possible."

Bonnie grinned. "But he is so very handsome," she laughed, "Perhaps being hunted by him would not be so bad."

"I mean it Bonnie," Elena glared.

"Yes, Miss Elena," Bonnie stiffly, "You know I always followed orders like a good little girl."

Elena frowned at Bonnie's tone. The girl had changed since Sheila's death. Or perhaps the changes had started right before. She had become harder. More guarded. "I did not mean it as an order Bonnie," Elena sighed, "I simply do not wish to see you hurt."

Bonnie nodded but her frame was still taut. "I know Elena," she said, "Do not worry. I will be careful."

:::

The first person that would testify at the trial on this day was Elizabeth Forbes. She had always been an outspoken woman and she thought that in this case that she was bringing a sinner to justice.

As she took her seat in front of the crowd, the accused watched her with a sense of detachment. In the first days of the trial she had screamed and cried and declared her innocence. But it was clear not that the girl had been defeated. In a way Liz felt some sympathy for her but she would have to tell them what she had seen.

Klaus stood in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest. He had a charismatic personality, she would give him that. Since the first days of the trial he had had the townspeople eating out of his hands.

"Mrs. Forbes," Klaus said, "Tell us what you witnessed on the night in question."

Liz cleared her through. "I saw Bonnie Bennett making a deal with the devil," she stated, her voice calm and even, "She wanted him to help give her powers of some sort. She blamed Elena Gilbert for the death of her grandmother. The devil agreed in exchange for…." She cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"In exchange for what Mrs. Forbes?" Klaus asked. Liz hesitated. He reached out and placed his hand over hers. "It is alright, you are not the one on trial here," he said, "That evil mistress of the damned is the one on trial and she must be brought to justice."

Liz nodded, her expression morphing to something akin to determination. "He offered her power and revenge in exchange for indecent sexual favors," Liz murmured.

A snicker came from the audience and everyone turned toward the girl who had fingered the accused for witchcraft in the first place. She covered her laughter with a cough and continued to eat the plum in her hand.

Klaus barely managed to hide his own grin as he turned back to Elizabeth Forbes. "Tell Mrs. Forbes," he said, "What exactly happened and start at the beginning."

Liz cleared her throat and dabbed her forehead with the handkerchief in her hand as stared at the crowd. She smooth her other hand down her blue dress before she began to tell her tail. "I was coming home from visiting Mrs. Lockwood," she said, "She was ill you see and as our children are to be married I thought that it would be the nice Godly thing to do to go and see about her wellbeing."

Klaus nodded. "Of course," he agreed, "Go on."

"It was rather late and I had to journey alone through the wood," Liz frowned, "But I was carrying my husband's hunting gun and so I was not too worried. I was rather deep amidst the trees and that's when I heard voices…"

:::

Bonnie bit into the sweet plum in her hand as she walked into the forest and waited. It did not take long for Klaus to appear. For months now he had been haunting her dreams, promising that he would come to her. Promising her freedom. Promising her greatness.

She eyed him as she came from the cover of the trees. Before her grams had died she had been practicing dark magic. Doing favors for the other slaves in exchange for spell supplies and stolen valuables from their masters. That was the strange magic that her grams had been trying to root out the source of and that was how Klaus had heard of her.

She had known of the hybrid for quite some time. She had never planned on joining him, no matter how many persuasive dreams that he had sent in her direction. She had wanted to stay with her grandmother. But thanks to Elena her grandmother was dead and Bonnie was tired of being so powerful and so powerless at the same time.

That was why she had stuck out of the Gilbert home under the cover of darkness to meet the monster that had come to Salem to seek her out.

She leaned her back against the tree behind her as Klaus stopped in front of her. "I did not believe that you would come," she said, "I thought you would settle for haunting my dreams and waiting for me to come and find you."

"You made me wait too long," he smiled, "It was easier with the others. I did not have to chase. That's how I knew that you were different. That and your power."

"Can you really help me get what I want?" Bonnie asked as she polished off her plum and threw the pit to the ground. "The power and the revenge?"
A nod and then. "I can."

"What do you want from me in return?" Bonnie asked. She knew already. He had sent her images. Tormented her mind with a number of indecent things. This was what he did. Seducing witches so that he could take advantage of their powers. But she was different she knew. He wanted more from her. He invaded her mind enough to know that she was all that he thought about.

"I think you know," he whispered.

Bonnie reached for the dagger in the sheath at his side and pulled it out. He did not seem wary as gripped and twirled it in her hands. "My power," she murmured. She dragged the knife down the front of her dress, cutting through the material. "My body," she said. She didn't object his hands reached out and ripped the material further and revealed the chemise underneath. "And my blood," she finished. She sliced the knife across the palm of her hand and gasped slightly as she drew blood. She waved the wound his direction and watched in fascination as his blue eyes yellowed.

"Are we in agreement then?" Klaus asked, just to be sure that he had her consent. At her nod her gripped her wrist and licked the blood from the palm of her hand. He was kissing her a moment later, his lips hard and bruising. He had thought all those weeks he had spent invading her mind that he had been taunting her but in reality he had been taunting himself. But he had gotten what he wanted in the end, he had claimed his prize, even if he had had to hunt her down to do it.

They pulled apart at the sound of a loud gasp. They turned and Bonnie recognized Liz Forbes looking out from behind one of the trees close by. Bonnie looked startled a moment but Klaus shook his head slightly. "If you would excuse me, love," he said, "I have someone to compel. I'll only be but a moment."

Bonnie watched as Klaus sped toward Liz and wondered what cover story that the hybrid would place in her head.

:::

The next to testify was Stefan Salvatore. He was pained at having to speak against the accused when her grandmother had saved his life but she was not just suspected of witchcraft but the brutal murder of his former fiancés family. They had split when Stefan had attempted to defend the accused and she had since taken up with the witch hunter, Niklaus. "Because he believes me and wants to bring my family's killer to justice," she had said. He had no choice but to help to bring her to justice in hopes of getting the woman that he loved back.

He watched as the witch hunter walked before him. He glanced over the man's shoulder at his fiancé and she smiled at him. He looked at the accused and she looked at him with pleading eyes. She had been saying things, making wild claims. That she wasn't who they thought she was, that she had been framed. But if that was true then he never would have witnessed what he had witnessed a few weeks before the accused had taken in.

"Mr. Salvatore," the witch hunter spoke, "If you could please…tell these good God fearing people what you witnessed a mere fortnight ago from today."

Stefan took a deep breath and nodded. "I saw the accused in the woods late at night," he said, "I was out collecting firewood and she was there in the clearing…she was laying on a blanket in the nude." There was a collective gasp and Stefan cleared his throat. He watched as his fiancé pulled another plum from the basket sitting at her side. Funny up until recently she hadn't had a taste for them.

"Was she alone?" The witch hunter asked, regaining Stefan's attention.

"No," Stefan answered, "I had thought that she was at first but then…there was a wolf." Stefan paused. He knew he sounded insane but he knew that he had seen what he had seen. "But the wolf," Stefan frowned, "He transformed into a man and the two proceeded to engage in….intercourse." He frowned as his former fiancé hid a smile behind her hand. He did not see how such a disturbing occurrence could be considered amusing. The accused herself looked horrified.

"If you had to guess the identity of this wolf that transformed into a man," the witch hunter said, "Who would you say that he might be?"

"When I thought he was merely a wolf I thought that he might be her familiar," he reasoned, "As who else but a witch would lay nude beneath the stars at night." The witch hunter nodded amicably. "But when I saw the wolf transform into a man I knew," he said, "I knew that he was the devil…"

:::

Bonnie laid down on her back the woolen blanket. She stared up at the night sky as she enjoyed the feel of the air on her nude skin. A lone wolf walked toward her but she stayed still and unafraid. As the wolf stopped next to her it took the form of man and Bonnie smiled lightly as she looked up at Niklaus. His naked form seemed to glow in the moonlight.

"When we leave here," he said, "When you finally get your freedom do you wish for us to go our separate ways?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I did," she whispered, "After I learned all that I could learn from you of course. But now…it seems that I have made the unfortunate mistake of beginning to care for you."

He leaned down and kissed her lips. "I have made the same mistake I'm afraid," he grinned as she pulled back, "As far as you wishing to remain at my side…I am glad to hear it."

Bonnie glanced toward the trees and frowned as she saw someone peeking out from behind one. "We have an audience," she said.

Klaus looked toward the trees and could clearly see Stefan Salvatore using one for cover. "I'll compel him later," he responded, "In the meantime how about we give him a show?"

Bonnie laughed in response and tugged Klaus's arm until he climbed on top of her.

:::

The accused was not allowed to speak in her own defense. Given the damning evidence against her, her testimony was not needed. She was taken to the holding cell that she had become familiar with and was made to await her execution.

It was dark, dank, and dirt. She was shackled and her head had been shaved. She looked as mad as her accuser actually was. She had once thought the girl a friend and she had been wrong. Wrong enough to damn herself to death.

Her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps. A few moments later her accuser was standing in front of her cage smiling. Her throat was dry and her lips were chapped but she glared at the other girl and spoke anyway. "Are you happy now?" she asked, "You've won. You've gotten everything you wanted."

The other girl shook her head. "Not everything," she said, "I won't have that until you're dead."

She snarled loudly and the other girl laughed. She had thought the girl was an angel once. A healer. But she was the devil. A demon. She hadn't found out until it was too late. Until the night that she had been arrested.

:::

Elena Gilbert smiled as Bonnie Bennett came into her room after her brother's funeral. Elena's whole family had become mysteriously ill in a matter of days and she has lost everyone. Bonnie was all she had left.

"Bonnie thank you for coming to check on me but I think for right now I wish to sleep," she said.

Bonnie laughed. It was such a hard and unfamiliar laugh that it took Elena aback and made her cringe. "I'm not here to check on you Elena," she said, "I had thought you were naïve before but really you are simply stupid."

Elena frowned as she turned toward Bonnie. The girl had been acting strange. Disappearing at all hours of the night. It had started before her grandmother's death but it had gotten worse afterward. Still Bonnie did her work and she listened to Elena and she did magical favors for her when she asked and so Elena had not seen any reason to inquire about the girl's odd behavior. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you find it odd that all of your family is dead?" Bonnie asked, instead of answering her question, "That you are now the sole heir which means that whoever you marry will receive all of your family money and property?"
Elena's brow furrowed in confusion. "You think that Stefan would do something to my family so that he would inherit all of my land?" she said, "That's impossible. He's sweet. He's a gentlemen."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He wouldn't," she said, "But I would." She pulled a plum from the pocket of her apron and took a bite of it as Elena processed her words.

"You?" Elena asked, "You're my friend and even if you weren't…how would killing my family help you inherit anything?"

"I'm not your friend Elena," Bonnie spat, "I'm your slave. You can't' have it both ways. But I'm not any of that anymore. I'm nothing to you and you are nothing to me but the key to my freedom."

Elena took a step back. "I don't understand."

"You see," Bonnie sighed, "Killing your family as just my final act of debauchery. I have been up to a lot of mischief lately. Soon they will come and arrest me thanks to Klaus telling them of a tip that you gave him." Elena looked even more confused but Bonnie just smiled. "I may have committed the crimes but I am not going to be the paying for them," she said.

Elena watched as Bonnie waved a hand over herself and whispered an incantation. The next moment Bonnie began to transform. Her skin paled and her hair darkened. Once it was all over Elena was looking not at Bonnie but at herself. The girl looked exactly like her down to the last detail.

Bonnie pointed to Elena and repeated the inaction. Elena screamed as her own body transformed. Bonnie ignored her terror as she took of her dress and put on one of Elena's own. Elena's own clothing disappeared in favor of one of Bonnie's dresses. She turned toward the looking glass in her room and she no longer looked like herself but Bonnie.

"Don't be alarmed Elena," Bonnie said, "It's called a glamour. One of the many things that Niklaus taught me. You'll have your own body back soon enough, right after they hang you for witchcraft. Do you understand now Elena? You said you wanted to pay back my grandmother for giving her life for you and now you will finally get to. You will go on trial in my place. And I will marry Niklaus in your body and we will have all of your family's wealth and land to do with what we wish."

Elena had never felt more confused and betrayed. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, "I love you like a sister?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I'm tired of being your slave," Bonnie stated, "I'm tired of doing your bidding and living under your thumb and being in your shadow. My entire family is dead or has been sold. Most of them died as slaves to your family and I will not meet the same fate. My mother was right to run. I was tired to having so much power and yet being so powerless. Why should I? What makes you so much better than me? What gives you the right to use my body and my magic as you see fit? It ends hear. It ends tonight. My only regret was that my grandmother had to die before it did."

Elena was about to respond but there was a pounding knock on the door.

Bonnie smiled as she smoothed her hands down her dress. "I had better go and answer that," she said.

"Bonnie wait, please," Elena objected but her voice was not her own. Bonnie had her voice. Her face. Her body.

She listened Bonnie opened the door to her home and spoke. "She's in my room," she said, her tone frantic, "You must get her before she runs."

It did not take long for Niklaus and the others to come barreling into her room and come down on her. She screamed and she cried. She tried to tell them the truth but it was all in vain. Bonnie watch smirking as they dragged Elena way and the supposed witch hunter Niklaus winked at her over Elena's shoulder.

Elena kicked and fought as Bonnie ate her plum. Elena had never liked plums, surely someone would notice and ask questions. That gave her hope.

:::

The day that the accused was to be executed was one week after the accuser married Niklaus Mikaleson and sold off her families land for a large prophet. She and her husband watched as the accused was brought up to the gallows in front of the townspeople. The crowd screamed taunts at her. Though, some of the more sympathetic members stood and prayed.

The newlywed Mikaelsons stood by the black carriage that Niklaus had ridden into town in. they would leave after the deed was done. His wife had wanted to bear witness and as there was not much that Klaus would deny her he had agreed.

As they place the rope around the neck of the accused she was asked if she had any last words. "I die so that others can find happiness," she said, "And soon I will be with my family. I am at peace with my fate."

The rope was tightened around her neck and in a flash the floor opened beneath her and she dropped. Her neck snapped and it was over quickly. But as she took her last breath her form changed and the town stared in horror at a dead Elena Gilbert.

Laughter rung out and they collectively turned and saw that it was not Elena but Bonnie Bennett who stood at the witch hunter's side. The moved to go after her but they were soon surrounded by flames that trapped them in place. The flames spread and began to slowly consume the whole town. The townspeople screamed and cried and begged but it was to no avail.

Bonnie turned away from the scene. This was not her home anymore and these had never been her people. She had gotten her freedom and her revenge. There was nothing in Salem left for her.

"Are you ready, love?" Klaus asked. At her nod he opened the door to the carriage and help her inside. He followed her and sat down beside her. "Where would like to go next?"

"I believe my father was sold to a man in a small town in Virginia," she answered, "I'm sure it would look as lovely as Salem while being consumed by flames."

"As you wish, my dear," Klaus said, lacing their fingers together and lifting her hand so that he could kiss the back of it. He knocked on the ceiling of the carriage signaling the driver to move. "As far as witch hunts go," he stated, "This one has been my favorite." Bonnie smiled as the black carriage took off.

End Notes: So nothing much changed from the oriignal. Really I just updated. I am just coming back from a really dark place and I want to thank those here and on tumblr who had helped me stay above water. Until next time. Thanks for reading.