Timeless

Chapter 2

Sometime later Caroline picked herself up off the ground. She allowed herself a good hour of crying and self-pity before she decided to get up and carry on. Another servant came in and informed her of dinner plans that evening and that Lord Klaus expected her. Lord Klaus. Caroline rolled her eyes at the demand, as if she had a choice. She had to eat after all.

Her eyes flicked to the dress again. It really was very pretty. Long, green velvet, with gold trimmings around the bodice; the sleeves fit like a glove and the dress hugged her body tight. She put it on and twirled around in the garment, letting the skirts fly around her feet. A small giggle escaped from her lips. It was all a little surreal. She was in a tower, in a castle, wearing a rich gown like some fairytale princess. So where was her knight in shining armor to save her from the beast?

There was a small reflective glass on the table near her bed and she tried to see herself. She wasn't sure how she looked; the mirror wasn't nearly big enough to get the full effect. Seriously, how did medieval woman survive without full-length mirrors?

But then she realized, she couldn't be accepting dresses from Klaus. Who the hell did he think he was? She walked back over to the bed where she left her clothes and yanked the dress off, balling it up and tossing it into the corner. She slid back into her t-shirt and jeans. Then she emptied out her pockets and counted her currents assets. Besides her clothes she had her cell phone, a stick of cherry lip balm, and fifty cents. She grabbed up the lip balm and swiped it across her lips. Her cell phone battery was running low, but it wasn't like she had any service in fourteen hundred and whatever. Her finger pressed the power button and the phone chimed as it clicked off.

Again a knock sounded at the door and she was summoned to dinner, this time by a male servant. She gathered up her belongings and shoved them under the bed, checking to make sure the dagger was secure and hidden within her boot. The man gave her a strange look as she appeared in the doorway, but said nothing.

When she arrived in the dining hall she saw a long wooden table stretched across the large room. A whole feast was laid out on top of a rich purple table cloth; fruits and breads and different kinds of cakes. There was also a spread of meats and cheeses. She noticed each wooden chair had been carved with it's own ornate detail. Some depicted mountains or animals. Klaus sat at the head of the table in what appeared to be the grandest of all the chairs. To his right was another man. It took her a few moments to realize it was Elijah, Klaus's brother. She hadn't ever had any interaction with the man back in the present—future—whatever, but Elena had always said there was something about him. Although, she never specified what that something was.

Klaus smirked at her as she entered, gesturing to the chair on his left. It was carved with delicate vines and roses, the details so fine that it almost seemed like the plants were real. Caroline stuck out her chin and approached the two original vampires unflinchingly, taking her seat next to Klaus.

"Good evening Caroline. Was the dress I sent up not to you liking?" Klaus inquired smugly.

"No," she answered, "it was fine."

"Well I'd rather hoped you'd be wearing it."

Caroline gave him a sour smile. "Well we can't always get what we want can we?"

Klaus returned her look with one of his own and signaled to the servant who stood up against the wall. The small man stepped forward; Caroline noticed his hands shaking a bit. "Would you care for some wine?"

She nodded and the man poured some red liquid into the golden goblet in front of her. Caroline didn't know a whole lot of history, but she was guessing from the size of the dinner, the fineness of the plates and cups, and the artful seating, that Klaus and his family were loaded.