Splitting Our Odds Into Evens

A Promise Before the Fall

A FEW DAYS LATER...

Bonnie stood in front of the tall mirror while the tailor worked quietly on the laces of her corset.

Bonnie's eyes stayed fixed on her reflection.

The dress was beautiful. There was no denying that. The silk hugged her waist before falling into a smooth, elegant skirt. But that wasn't what held her attention.

It was the color.

Green.

Deep emerald silk that shimmered when she moved.

Her brows slowly pulled together.

"I thought my dress was supposed to be burgundy," Bonnie said, glancing at the woman through the mirror. "Like everyone else's."

"No, miss," she said simply. "This is the color Mr. Mikaelson requested."

Bonnie blinked. "Kol?"

The woman nodded, tightening the corset another inch. "He said green was your favorite color."

Bonnie stared at her reflection again.

Green is my favorite color.

That wasn't the strange part. The strange part was that her color was different from everyone else's.

Bonnie hummed at that. Something suspicious was going on here. She just didn't know what yet.

The tailor tugged the corset tighter.

Bonnie immediately sucked in a breath. "Okay—not that tight, please."

The woman loosened the lace slightly. "I'm sorry, dear."

"It's okay." Bonnie rested a hand over her stomach without thinking. Her fingers lingered there for a moment. Then she said casually, "I'm expecting, by the way."

The tailor froze.

Bonnie saw the woman's eyes widen in the mirror.

"Oh!" she gasped softly. "Congratulations!"

Bonnie smiled. "Thank you."

"Oh, Mr. Mikaelson is going to be thrilled," the tailor said. 

Bonnie let out a small breath of a laugh. "He doesn't know yet."

The tailor's eyebrows lifted and she met Bonnie's gaze in the mirror. "Then when are you going to tell him?"

Bonnie shrugged slightly. "Soon." Then she tilted her head, changing the subject. "This ball is so random, though. I didn't expect it."

The tailor chuckled. "Well..." she said. "I've been working for the Mikaelsons for twenty years now."

She tied the final lace and smoothed the back of the dress.

"And if there's one thing I've learned—"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"—it's that everything they do is unexpected."

Bonnie laughed quietly. "Yeah," she said. "That sounds about right."

The tailor stepped back. "All done."

Bonnie turned slightly toward the mirror again. A smile spread across her face. "I actually really like it. Thank you."

***

Kol moved quickly through the compound, his footsteps echoing against the stone floors as servants rushed past him carrying trays, flowers, masks—things he barely registered.