Broken Souls

31

By the time Caroline arrived, and was shown to Sol's room, it had been five more dresses later. The siphon was exhausted, but was promised a break after one more. Caroline walked in the room as Sol was changing behind the closet doors, which led to a large walk-in filled with clothes. The blonde's awkwardly greeted each other, not having Sol as the buffer.

"Oh my god, Bekah! It has a cape! This is the dress!" The woman's eyes stared at hr reflection a moment longer before dramatically pushing open the closet doors, finding double the blond guests. "Oh, hello, Caroline." She waved before looking back at Rebekah who was surprised to see the girl so excited about a dress. "Look!" She twirls around before flapping her arms to show off the cape. "How adorable is this cape?!"

The blonds started to laugh at her antics, but Sol didn't mind. She was currently obsessed with the burgundy dress she was wearing. Rebekah said a lot of fancy things about the design that she didn't understand. Something about A-line, V-neck, and chiffon. Whatever that all meant, Solène was enjoying this dress. "Beks, I wanna wear this one. Do I have to try on the others?"

The blond debated, she did enjoy having a little fashion show to watch, but seeing Sol get so excited over her current dress was so adorable. "Have the tailor pin it up for you." She waved a dismissive hand.

Sol nearly squealed as she stepped up onto the tailor's platform as she looked back over to the blonds. "You have your dress, Bekah, but what about you, Caroline?"

"Oh, we've been so busy, I'll probably just wear something I have in my closet already. I used to buy a ton of dresses in the past."

"You should always buy something new for each event. It's not a good look to repeat outfits to such formal events." The eldest woman shook her head, eyes Solène who was wiggling her brows at her and tilting her head towards the dress rack. With a sigh, Bekah gestured with her hand to the rack. "Go on, try some on before the tailor has to go."

Caroline gasped at Rebekah's words. She was actually being kind to her. Was this the power of Solène? "Are you sure it's not a bother?"

"Go, before I change my mind."

Itching to try on all the available dresses, Caroline skipped over the the rack, looking through them all. A squeal escaping her lips as she plucked dresses off that she enjoyed. Hiding in the closet, like Sol before her, she marveled at the extensive wardrobe inside. Shaking off her amazement, she stepped into the first dress, a warm green halter top.

Stepping out, she showed it off, posing a few different ways. "It's a good color, but Beks already chose a green dress. Maybe something darker to make your hair pop?" Sol offered as the tailor worked around her waist.

"I agree. Darker tones would look good with your shade of blonde and paler skin," Rebekah advised with a nod.

"Noted, I shall return." Caroline smiled before disappearing into the closet once more. This time, the next person to enter the room was Nik. Well, he was still behind the door to be safe. "Is it alright to enter?" He asked, not wanting to see anyone indecent.

"It's alright, Nik. Is something wrong?" The hybrid stepped into his soulmates room, going breathless at the sight of her in her dress. When he didn't respond, she continued to speak. "Nik, what do you think about my cape? It's cute, right?" She tried to turn her shoulder to show him, but could only move so far with the tailor still pinning the dress up.

"You look ravishing, my love." He finally managed. "Just wanted to make sure Rebekah wasn't killing your little friend, who seems to have disappeared." His brows furrowed as he searched the room for the sunshine blond. Caroline took the dramatic entrance, exiting the closet in a midnight blue, off the shoulder dress. Nik eyed the women for a moment, surprised she was also trying on dresses, that Rebekah had let her do so, but quickly gathered Sol played a part in it.

"Niklaus," Sol's tone came out harsher than intended, surprising herself. Her cheeks flushed, clearing her throat as she dropped her gaze. She couldn't even run, stuck in place by the tailor. "Sorry, I- uhm- I wanted to ask, can this dress get pockets?" She quickly changed her tone to a playful one, looking back at the Mikaelson's.

Praying it was enough to distract them, she relaxed when Rebekah asked, "What on earth do you need pockets in a dress for?" Niklaus wasn't so easily distracted, but decided to ask about it later in private. She'd never called him by his full name before, nor with such a firm tone.

"To hold things, duh. Have you never had a dress with pockets before? It's magical." The witch laughed, noticing the tailor was done. "I want to show off my cape before I change. Please excuse me," she walked towards the door, pausing by the doorway. "You should go with that one, Caroline. You look absolutely gorgeous. I'd hit on you if I wasn't so spoken for." She joked before walking out of her open door. "Kol! Come look at my cape!" Chuckles were heard all over the house, Kol one of them as he found her in the hall.

"Watch!" She lifted the dress' skirt before running to him. When she reached his arms, she smiled up at him. "Pretty cool, right?"

"You look exquisite, my darling."

"I'm talking about my cape, Kol, not me." She rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips. Turning to Elijah, who'd walked into the hall to see the dress his soulmate was so exited about.

"I think that dress compliments you well. It's bold, yet very free." He placed a kiss to her temple.

"Thank you 'Lijah. You all are fitted for your suits then?" Her gaze jumped between the two brothers.

"All done," Nik spoke from behind her. "Despite Kai's constant complaints. Let me show you the painting, my love." His hand was placed on her waist, leading her to his studio. She quickly blew kisses to the brother's as she walked with Nik.

Entering the studio, she held up the skirt, being careful of any paint. Niklaus went further, moving to the covered easel. "When you spoke of your previous life, and how those low lives saw you, I wanted to show you how I saw you. How I see you everyday of our lives."

A gasp escaped her lips as the sheet fell to the floor, revealing a portrait of herself surrounded in bright blues and yellows. Pastel yellow streaks over her head resembled a crown. The expression on her painted face was as if she were laughing, but her current one was filled with tears. "It's beautiful, Nik. You made it just for me?" His feet took him to her quickly, wiping the tears escaping her eyes.

"It wasn't meant to make you cry, my love."

"They're happy tears, Nik. I love it so much. I'm sorry for earlier. I panicked a little."

A chuckled escaped his lips as he hugged her to his chest. "My Little Witch was jealous?" Placing a kiss on her head, he rested his cheek on her soon after. His body tensed after her next words, gasps echoing around the house. Kol's maniacal laughter the most prominent.

"It's not entirely my fault. You're the one who hooked up with her in the original timeline."