Estel Forbes: TVD

Mikaelson Ball

"Thanks for the dresses, both are beautiful" I tell Klaus.

"You're welcome" he tells me. "My mother is upstairs" he tells me.

"Ok, please keep an eye on Caroline" I plead.

"Of course" he says.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please" Elijah says on the stair case.

"Excuse me" Klaus says and goes to join his siblings on the stairs. I smile up at them, it's how they should be. A family. I notice a blonde haired woman looking at me and I stiffen. It's her.

"Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance" Elijah states. Pulling my attention away from his mother. "Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom" he says and descends the stairs.

I go up them. One I reach the first floor I see a door open. I take a deep breath as Finn appears. "Estel, my mother is expecting you" he states holding an arm out to me. I nod linking my arm through his and he starts to lead me to the room.

"Did your brothers tell you of my promise?" I ask him.

"Yes and it is a lovely gesture" he states. We stop outside the room and he  drops his arm. Waving me in. I nod and enter the room. He shuts the door behind me and I see Esther burning sage.

"Privacy spell" I state.

"Yes" she says simply. "You failed you mission" she states.

"I'm done trying to fix your mistakes. I just want a peaceful life with my family, what I have left of it" I state.

"Yes, I hard about your father Bill Forbes. He found peace" she tells me. I sigh glad.

"You going to kill me?" I ask.

"No, that is not my priority" she states.

"You're children, you want to kill them" I state.

"Very clever" she says.

"I maybe a lowly vampire Esther, but know I will do all I can to protect your children from you" I tell her.

"How can you protect them when you won't remember this conversation?" she asks me. "We're done, you are free of your mission. I'll handle things from here" she states. She chants and my mind goes blank as I leave the room. I pass Elena as I head back down to join the dance. No memory of what just happened.

Klaus pulls me in to a dance. "What did my mother want?" he asks and I frown. "Something wrong?" he asks.

"She must of wiped my memory" I tell him and he frowns. "Where's Caroline?" I ask worrying for my baby sister. We stop dancing and he leads me outside. I smile when I see Caroline patting horses. She loves them.

"You like horses?" Klaus asks her.

"I'm not talking to you until you tell me why you invited me here" she tells him.

"I fancy you, is that so hard to believe?" Klaus asks her.

"You fancy my sister?" I ask him and he nods. "That's a little weird" I tell him.

"It is" Caroline agrees.

"Why? You're beautiful, you're strong, you're full of light. I enjoy you" he tells her.

"Well I'm spoken for. By Tyler" she tells him.

"But I thought you two ended things" he states.

"Yeah, because of you and your freaky sire bond with him" she retorts.

"So you aren't spoken for" he says with a smile then looks at the horses. "You know, horses are the opposite of people. They're loyal. My father hunted me for a thousand years and the closest he ever came was the day he killed my favorite horse. He severed its neck with a sword as a warning" he tells us.

"That poor horse" I say as I stroke one of the horses.

"Did you ever consider sitting down with your father and talking it out?" Care asks him.

"You tried that with dad and he tortured you" I remind her. "God rest his soul" I state.

"Well, I'm afraid my relationship with my father was a little bit more complex than yours" Klaus tells us.

"Maybe so. But we let our father go with no regrets. And to answer your question, yes, I like horses. But I also like people and they actually like me so I'll be inside" she tells him and leaves.

"How long have you fancied my sister?" I ask Klaus.

"Since I saved her" he states.

"You mean from the bite you made Tyler give her" I state.

"I apologized for that" he reminds me.

"Doesn't mean I'll ever forget, neither will Caroline" I tell him. "Lets get back inside" I state and he nods his head. We head back inside. We're given a glass of champagne each. I see Esther on the banister.

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman. Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy then to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!" she says and drinks.

"Cheers" Klaus says to me.

"Cheers" I say clinking our glasses together. We enjoy the champagne. We then go to search for my sister. We find her in a room fall of paintings.

"See you found one of my passions" Klaus states.

"Oh. Impressive. I take it the curators at the Louvre aren't on vervain" she says.

"Yes, well that's their mistake" he tells her.

"What about these? Where'd you steal this from?" Care asks gesturing to her diamond bracelet and our dresses.

"Well, that's a long story. But rest assured it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful as you" he tells her flirtatiously. Caroline rolls her eyes expressively, Klaus looks away in embarrassment. She looks down and notices some sketches.

"Wait a second. Did-did you do these?" she asks him. Mildly impressed.

"Yeah, um...actually one of my landscapes is hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice. Have you been?" he asks her.

"I've never really been anywhere" Caroline admits.

"I'll take you. Wherever you want Rome. Paris. Tokyo?" Klaus asks. We all laugh.

"Must be really nice to just snap your fingers and get whatever you want. Is that why you collect hybrids? A little servant army to take you places and bring you things" Caroline states.

"You're making assumptions" he tells her.

"Then why do you need Tyler? Stop controlling him. Give him his life back" she tells him.

"You know, this has been a fun evening, but I think it's time for you both to leave" he tells us.

"I get it. Your father didn't love you, so you assume that no one else will either. And that's why you compel people or you sire them or you try to buy them off" Caroline snaps. Taking off the bracelet and puts it on the table. "But that's not how it works. You don't connect with people, because you don't even try to understand them" she rants before leaving.

"I'm sorry" I tell Klaus who looks upset. Before following my sister. "Want to go home?" I ask and she nods her head. We leave the ball. I drive us home. Once we get home we change and get ready for bed. As I pass Caroline's room I see her looking at a sketch of herself with a horse. "What's it say?" I ask her curious.

"Thank you for your honesty, Klaus" she reads.

"He really is an artist" I state looking at the sketch. "Good night Caroline" I tell her and leave. I go to my room and call it a night.

A/N

Picture above of Estel and the others dress for the ball.