The Cruel Prince || Klena

10.

Henrik bounded up to Elena. "That's my little niece." He proclaimed. "That makes me an uncle, and more mature!" She couldn't help but laugh a little. "Run along Henrik." Rebekah scolded him. "Elena! Me and Freya were wondering if you'd like to join us for some tea? We're dying to get to know you, and we'd love to get you ready for the celebration. Elena quirked an eyebrow. They never stopped, did they?

Rebekah certainly seemed a whole lot less intimidating than her brother. Elena couldn't see the harm. "Sure." Rebekah squealed and grabbed Elena's hand, who flinched. Rebekah didn't notice, and her iron grip didn't leave much room for any kind of movement. Niklaus gritted his teeth and watched as Elena was dragged away. Rebekah liked to talk. A lot. And Niklaus didn't like that. At all.

She tugged Eena along and down a corridor until she reached her room. Elena blanched as she looked around. Rebekah's room was even more regal than her own. She had a large bed, complete with four flowing curtains on bedposts. They were bubblegum pink, which would not exist for a few more millennia.

Rebekah's room was decorated with various garlands of different flowers. She had a huge wardrobe, evident from the many pieces of clothes sticking out. Her floor was littered with books upon books. Elena could respect that. She loved reading. Two extremely large windows were on either sides of the room. Rebekah had a fireplace and on the mantle of it rested a mirror and many ribbons.

Elena could on and on about the luxuriousness of the room, but decided to focus on its inhabitants. Soon after Rebekah, Freya followed. Hesitantly, she joined the two on the large bed. "The dress looks good on you. I'm surprised it wasn't completely threads after sitting in Nik's closet all these years." Freya joked. Elena once again thought about the name embroidered inside. Camille. Something flashed behind her eyes. Colors, vague shapes.

She shook her head disdainfully. What was that? "This was her dress? Camille's?" Rebekah's smile wavered only a tiny bit. "Yes." She said, cautiously. Elena chose her next words carefully. "And she..she's..." Freya nodded wordlessly. "How? When?" Her voice was barely a whisper. Rebekah chewed her lip, and shot a look toward's her sister, who nodded.

"Camille was Nik's betrothed. Before you. She was-...she died." Was? Was what? "It was twenty years ago now, I believe. Yes, on the 22nd of June." Elena froze, and swallowed harshly. "20...22nd of June?" Rebekah nodded. "Is something wrong?" Elena shivered. "22nd of June, that's the day I was born. Nineteen years ago." Elena had been born exactly one year after the death of Camille. For reasons she didn't know, this rattled her.

She tried to change the subject. "What about the rest of you? Surely you have a gentleman or a lady waiting on you?" Freya looked at her, surprised. "Or a lady? You do not think it is a revolting thing?" Elena was confused. "Of course not. Why would I?" Where she came from, it wasn't common, but it wasn't frowned upon either. To them, anything was better than being a monster.

Freya seemed greatly disturbed, and Elena was greatly confused. Why did this bother her? Abruptly, she stood and left the room. Elena looked at Rebekah, but she only shook her head. "Well. Aren't you ravishing?" A sultry voice carried from the door frame. Elena's head snapped up. In the doorway stood none other than Kol Mikaelson. Rebekah rolled her eyes at her brother's antics.

"Enough, Kol. She is promised to our brother." Another Mikaelson sibling came into view. Elijah. Elena sat up a little straighter. It somehow felt disrespectful to slouch in his presence. "I apologize for my brother's...distasteful behavior. It seems he does not know how to properly speak to a lady." Elena watched as Elijah dragged Kol away.

"Tell me about Niklaus." Rebekah was surprised by the sudden interest. "My brother? Well, he is certainly a tough cookie to crack. He does not trust people so easily. Especially with what's going on." She clapped a hand over her mouth, as if she'd spoken too much. "What's going on?" Elena inquired, attempting to get as much info as she could out of her.

"Well, I'm not supposed to say anything, but I heard the subjugates gossiping. It's rumored there is an assassin in the castle. And it's the same person who already attempted to kill you at the Bonding Ceremony." She leaned closer. "And my father thinks it's the work of the Acerbus."

Elena considered this. "What if it was?"

Rebekah's voice dropped another octave. "Then may their best warriors have a proper burial. Attempting to kill the future Queen is an utmost disrespect. There would be war."