The Heavenly Appeal {A Vampire Diaries Fan Fiction}

{23} A Bed Of Roses

I hope I won't disappoint with this update. I had to edit this out a million times and there were at least two completely different outcomes to write on. Guiltily, I chose the softer, safer, less passionate version, but I'll make up for it in the future chapters. -Her Lady

Chapter Twenty-Three

A Bed Of Roses

=-The New World-=

1025

"How could I believe . . ." I struggled with the fluency of my sentence, bewildered beyond apprehension. Compared to the rest of Niklaus' schemes for power and survival, this was to be his most discourteous deed yet. It was not the act of murder or greed that I would have expected from a heartless man such as he, but it - this - did not fail to remind me about his lack of congeniality. After days of danger and confusion, here I stood across from the clueless woman - a marvelous beauty who I called a friend; but instead of feeling the happiness I thought I would've felt with seeing Tatia again, I was only horrified.

"Why do you appear so surprised? Twas not the first time for my brother to manipulate a woman before."

"To use Tatia only for her body and to do an insensible thing afterwards? It is despicable!"

"You are blind to see that he has done her a favor," Elijah murmured from the closed door.

Anxious, I shivered at the absence of sympathy in his voice and faced the dark-haired immortal. "A favor? Is she not aware of the mourners outside her door?"

"No."

I repeated with incredulity, "No . . ? What of her grasp of actuality? Is that gone as well?"

"Perhaps." He kept at a distance and leaned against the wooden post, his intelligent yet glacial brown eyes focused on me. It was rather patronizing to realize that he was aware of my feelings for him. How could he act so . . . casual when I was practically wrapped up in shy nerves?

Pushing aside my uncertainty for where we stood, I pondered over what he meant. Tis not the right time? Then when would be the right time for him to answer me, to reject or reciprocate my affections? Did he doubt my emotions? Or worse, had he been hasty to assume probabilities that weren't really there with Niklaus and I? It seemed like everyone knew about the kiss before I subconsciously forced myself to fight Niklaus' compulsion.

"Then how is it a kind act upon her? Have courtesy not to say such things," I chided bravely, forcing back the guilt and looking back at the brunette. As she cooed at her gurgling baby, she hummed a cheerful tune, though to be honest, there was not much to be cheerful about. Tatia had been more than ecstatic to greet me again, but I began to suspect something incredibly wrong when she began to eagerly introduce me to Elijah - as if we had been strangers. "I can only guess Niklaus has compelled Tatia."

"Impelled by his power to forget . . . Is that not what you want for her?" At my outraged expression, Elijah merely continued, "He has taken the pain she would have confronted from losing her caretaker, Ellinor. Would you rather have her cry and mourn?"

I shook my head, denying to understand his twisted logic. "Better to grieve for someone you cared for, than to forget they ever existed."

"A fool's vision, indeed."

My hands clenched into fists as I exhaled slowly in a failed attempt to calm myself. "Who is she now without her past recognitions? Ellinor, as cynical as she seemed, was the echo of Tatia's mother - a figment of her past, and she is now dead! It is an insult to her memory! Does that not hold any value to your morality?" I whirled around, scowling in displeasure when he remained unmoved. "Who are you, or your brother, to decided what she remembers? To kill without any careful heed of the consequences? Those men and women outside have lost so many! Do you not feel any guilt?"