Forever Is Not Enough

Gifts

1864 - Mystic Falls, Virginia

It was Elena who showed Katherine to her new room. The interior of the house was craftily designed, though not too opulent. Each element in each room had been hand-picked and hand-crafted. The floor in every room was made of dark oak. Each room was decorated with shades of blue. "It was all my mother's design," Elena said as they made their way down the hall. "You will stay in Grandmother's old room." Her room was drenched in a grotesque peach color, to Katherine's horror. Yellowed lace hung in front of the windows and had been draped over the bed. Frames of all shapes and sizes covered a whole wall, the same cat scowling down from all of them. "Charlie," Elena explained. "The only living thing on this planet that Grandmother was ever kind to."

Katherine laughed a little as Elena made her way to the door. "You can take them down, of course."

"Perhaps."

"I can help," she offered.

"I would like that, dear."

Katherine remained elusive until the next evening. Her place at the table was empty during breakfast, which was more extravagant than usual. Her handmaiden, Emily, disappeared into her room around midday and neither of them reappeared until dinner. John had invited the Salvatore Family to attend, as well as the sheriff and his wife. Giuseppe Salvatore's land shared a border with the Gilbert's, and had been a long time friend of Grayson's. Likewise, he and John became close over time. His sons, Damon and Stefan, also attended. The sheriff came by extension of Giuseppe. He claimed it was his job to welcome all newcomers, which Katherine thought strange.

The room was alight with candles and laughter and no one seemed to notice the flirtation between Damon and Elena. Occasionally, she would brush her elbow up against his arm in an attempt to be closer to him, if only for a moment. He would smile briefly before sliding his knee up against hers under the table. Then, they would quickly draw away from each other, as if someone was bound to catch them. As the first course was served, Elena noticed Stefan watching disapprovingly from across the table.

Stefan was only a year older than Elena. Everyone around them thought they were sure to marry when they came of age, but neither had ever shared that assumption. At first glance, one would think he was jealous, but it was more likely that he thought it was unseemly table manners. She met his gaze defiantly, relishing the thought of her rebellion. His eyes did not linger long though, as he quickly turned his attention to Katherine, with whom he had been speaking all night.

"You said you've been traveling," John said to Katherine. "Whereabouts?"

"Emily and I had only been in Atlanta for a few days when I first wrote to you. We had just come from Europe, you see. We spent a few weeks in Spain, but most of our time was spent in France."

"Where did you stay?" Stefan said, looking at her intently. "Do you have family there?"

"Oh, no," she smiled. "We were seldom still in our travels, going from one friend to the next."

"It was good of them to offer you sanctuary," John said.

"Unquestionably," she replied. "None of my travels would have ever been possible without those kind enough to invite me into their homes - like you all." Her eyes landed on each Gilbert individually, a silent thank you hanging in the space between them. "I never would have made myself so scarce had I known..." The table hung their heads silently, just for a moment. It seemed bringing up the subject of Grayson and Miranda at the dinner table was too unpleasant still. Emily shifted uncomfortably where she stood.

As if sensing the need to change the subject, John turned to the Sheriff. "William, have you any news about the missing girl? What was her name?"

William leaned back in his chair, a grim look on his face. "Annabelle," he said darkly. Her mother runs the apothecary in the square. A few days ago, a man and his son came across a bloody gown while they were hunting in the woods north of here. She was only sixteen."

"Ah, but a bloody gown does not indicate that she is dead," John said.

William chuckled darkly, "A bloody gown indicates a bloody body that was once in it."

The ladies at the table sat their forks down upon hearing this, however, none of them were repulsed as they appeared. The sheriff cleared his throat, glancing at them all. "But perhaps now is not the best to time to speak of such matters."

John nodded. "You're right, but at least tell me you have caught the man responsible."

Katherine motioned for Emily to come pour her another glass of wine, keeping her eyes on the table.

"Not a trace."

"A damn shame," Giuseppe interjected suddenly. "Pardon me, ladies, but this town's virtue has been unsoiled since its creation. Up from the ashes we rose, and the threat of our extinction comes from a man who is too cowardly to even show his face... I cannot even describe the fury it arouses."

"Well said."

"Hear, hear."

Elena peaked up for a moment to catch John's eye. Again, he made a motion to change the subject. "We can speak of this later, sheriff, perhaps tomorrow."

After dinner, the sheriff parted with a warning to the ladies. "Be careful and never go anywhere alone," he ordered.

Damon made sure to kiss Elena's hand, offering a small smile and a wink before his father could pull him out of the door. He left in Elena's hand a small slip of paper. She had come to learn that Damon liked to pretend that their courtship was a very secret affair that only they knew about. The paper only held a hastily drawn picture of a rose, and the words, "This flower shall never die, nor will our love." Elena could feel her cheeks flush as she folded the paper up. This was a response to a conversation they had about a week ago; Elena lamented the idea of presenting of women with flowers when tearing them out of the ground was nothing more than a death sentence.

Katherine came up from behind her, snatching the white, little square from her fingers. "What have we here?"

Elena's eyes widened, unsure of how to approach the still unfamiliar woman. Forcing a playful smile, she reached out towards her, "Dear aunt, you would stoop to embarrass your loving niece this way?"

Katherine held the paper out of reach, "Would this happen to be from that brooding little puppy that just left?"

Elena smirked, "Which one?"

The two giggled and Katherine finally handed the piece of paper over without so much as glancing at it. "Just be careful; boys like that will just give you their attention to amuse themselves." Elena frowned at this, wanting to deny it, but knew there was no use. It seemed adults were always trying to warn her away from men, while simultaneously expecting her to find one and marry him quickly. "Will you go fetch your brother and bring him to my room? I would like to speak with you both."

Elena followed her orders without question, quickly retrieving Jeremy from his room. When the two arrived at their destination, Katherine was sitting in front of her mirror while Emily brushed her hair.

She stood, quietly shutting the door and took a small box from her dresser. "I needed to speak with you without your uncle present," she started. "This matter does not concern him." They watched her move across the room without a word until she quietly ordered them to sit. Standing in front of them, she opened a little box, revealing two silver rings. She placed one in each of their hands. "These rings have been in our family for centuries. They call me Pierce, but I am Petrova," her tongue curled around the name as if she was speaking another language, "as was your mother, as are you. The Petrovas are a very old bloodline, and we are known for our resilience. These rings will bring you luck. I cannot help think that if your mother had one, things might have been different."

Elena turned the ring over in her hand, but there were not any significant markings on it that made it any different from any other ring. It was just a simple silver band, though rather fat for so dainty a finger as her own, she thought. "I know I may still be a stranger to you, but it would make me feel better if you would wear them."

Jeremy shrugged and slipped it on his finger, "Of course, Aunt Katherine."

Elena followed suit, "Thank you."

Katherine smiled, obviously pleased, before leaning in to look them both in the eyes. "Now go to sleep, and do not mention this conversation to anyone."