Lottie Salvatore // Vampire Diaries

Chapter 1

Mystic Fall, Virginia 1864

Friday evenings were always the best nights of the week. Father often worked late, so my brothers, Damon and Stefan, and I could go to the town market or stay home and play football in the garden without him being angry with me. I loved my father dearly, however, he had quite a temper. This of corse worsened when my mother died. I was only twelve when she died, and as the eldest girl, and only girl, in the family, all the household duties fell to me.
My father always says I resemble my mother everywhere but my eyes. I have dark brown hair and striking green eyes. My brother Damon always says that for someone so short, I always seem to be looking down at my feet. My eldest brother Damon has my mothers eyes. I often see her in him when he smiles, which is a rarity since our mother died. I can tell he worries for Stefan and I. My younger brother Stefan is a spitting image of my father in looks, but couldn't be less like him in his manners. He was kind and gentle and loved a good laugh.

By the time my thirteenth birthday passed, I learned how to cook, clean and garden. The next five years, I learned how to navigate home life, to make sure I make it to Friday.
It was late July, my favourite time of year. The birds sang and the air was warm. Friday at last! I think. As I returned from school, I find my father in the sitting room with a book in hand, his brows furrowed as he read.

"Hello father," I say, walking over to him, "I wasn't expecting you home till later"

He looked up at me, removing his reading glasses. "I thought I would come home early tonight. I have something to tell you and your brothers"

"Of course, shall I get started on dinner then?" I say, "I was thinking of doing mother special stew."

Mothers recipe had a way of calming my father like no other food, or thing, for that matter. My mother had taught me many of her recipes before she died, but none of them were quite like her stew. Fresh vegetables, chicken, and herbs that made my mouth water just thinking about them.

I watch my father, assuming he thinks of the same delicious dance of flavour in the stew. "Yes, that sounds perfect."

I smile and race to the kitchen. Though I did hope for a night in which Damon, Stephen and I could relax and I didn't need to think of my father reaction to every move I make, I was happy to be preparing this meal. I cut the carrot, potatoes, and turnip, then add them to my mother's old pot. As I do this, I think back to a time with my mother that I had sliced my hand while chopping a carrot. I was about seven. It was quite deep. I had to get stitched by a neighbour and everything. I was told to make the stew myself, as my mother had to run and get some bread.

Bread. I think I forgot bread.

"Hello, Lottie," my brother Stefan says, "what are you making us toni- what's wrong?"

He must see the panicked that has crept up on me. "I forgot to get bread" I say, "but it's alright, I'll be into town and back in no time. Do you have any money?"

Stephan nods, and hands me the money. Without any other word, I sneak out the back door and head to the market.

I am lucky the market is open later on Fridays. I walk straight to the backer, and buy three loaves of bread. On a normal day, this amount would do us for a week, but my father is planning to have a party tomorrow night to show off how successful his is life as a single man with three children is.

I walk away with the three loaves in my basket, when I man not too much older then me bumps me and sends one of the loaves flying. Surprisingly, he cashes them, and smiles at me.
"Quick reflexes" he smirks. "This bread any good?" He takes a bite out of the loaf, and nods in satisfaction.

He is tall with brown hair and dark eyes. Eyes that feel as if they could see what I was thinking. He is quite handsome, but was likely not interested in a young girl with me no free time. After a moment of slight staring, I realize he holds the bread out to me with a smile.

"What the hell?" I yell, dropping my eyes to the bread I just paid for with a bite out of it.
He turns to the backer, "I'll take three more of these" he says to him, pointing at the bread he just stole from me. "I'm Kol, by the way. Just moved to town yesterday."

"You know I could have you arrested for steeling." I say, glaring at him.

"Do it then." He smirks

"Maybe I will!" I won't. My father is expecting dinner soon. No matter how much I want to make this man's day worse, I decide it's not worth the hassle father would give me. I let out a huff, then turn and begin to walk away.

"Hey," the man's voice rang behind me, "I never got your name"

"That's because I never gave it" I shoot back, not bothering to turn to him. "I don't introduce myself to thieves."

I continued to walk, then feel a hand grab my arm, pulling me to face him. "At least let me give you this." He holds out a new loaf of bread.

I take the bread without saying a word, and continue to walk toward the house. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, but I wanted to test the bread to see if it was any good anyway." He says with a chuckle. I continue to walk, and Kol follows quickly behind. "Plus you're pretty, I wanted to get your attention."
This makes me blush slightly. Men my age aren't usually so forward, and he was very handsome. I stop, take a quick inhale, and turn to him. "Thank you for the bread" I say sincerely.

"Shall I get your name then?" He says, smiling at me.

I look down at my feet, and feel the smile creep up on me. "I'm- "

"Charlotte!" I hear Damon yell.

I look over to the house, and see Damon running towards us, "Yes, Damon?"

"Who's this?" He asks, looking Kol up and down with a smirk. He was always so annoying whenever a guy would talk to me, "What are you intentions with my sis-" he's interrupted by my elbow in his rib. "Ow!" He says with a glare towards me.

Kol and Damon introduce themselves, then I try to tell Kol that we are in a rush, but the conversations doesn't end before Damon invites him and his family to my fathers party tomorrow night. "Everyone who's anyone in the town will be there" Damon says imitating my father.

"Well then I'll be there!" He says. We say our goodbyes, and Kol walks away. Damon and I rush inside, and I finish dinner.