WAR OF HEARTS ↠ KOL MIKAELSON [1]

2:04

[ THE STAND: CHAPTER FOUR ]

MARSEILLES, FRANCE: 1002 AD

The Count De Martel was hosting yet another grand celebration, as he often did, and the entire court had gathered in the sprawling courtyard. Music floated through the air, a soft melody played on instruments nearby. Guests mingled around tables laden with fruit, bread, and cheese. The sun cast a golden glow over the scene, but none of this mattered to Rhea, who sat among the ladies, bored out of her mind.

Nearby, Elijah, Ares, and Tristan practiced throwing axes at wooden targets, several women cheering each time they struck the mark. But Rhea's attention drifted. Her heart wasn't in the festivities—her mind felt heavy, weighed down by thoughts of duty and a future she wasn't sure she wanted.

A tap on her shoulder jolted her from her reverie. She turned to see Kol standing there, his usual devilish grin spreading across his face. His mischievous eyes gleamed, and though they often dropped formalities when alone, in public, they had to play their parts.

"May I steal you for a moment, my lady?" he asked with a wink, extending his hand.

Rhea's heart quickened. Despite her duty to Tristan, despite the engagement that loomed over her, it was Kol who made her feel alive. Kol, the one who truly saw her. And in moments like this, she felt the weight of her arranged future slipping away.

"Of course," she replied with a soft laugh, her heart fluttering as she placed her hand in his.

As they stepped away from the gathering, Kol's playful demeanor shifted, becoming more serious as they reached a secluded spot away from prying eyes. He kept their hands linked, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand, a gesture that sent a warmth through her despite the cool evening air.

"Why must you marry Tristan, my love?" he asked softly, the vulnerability in his voice catching her off guard.

Rhea's chest tightened. She had tried to push away thoughts of the future, of the inevitable duty she would have to fulfill. But Kol's question brought it all back.

"I'm delaying it as much as I can, Kol," she confessed, her voice heavy with the weight of it all. "I've charmed the Count into letting us stay here longer, but if I push too much, if I delay further, people will start to suspect something. And the Count..." She hesitated, her eyes lowering. "He's not a man who takes kindly to defiance. I fear what he might do if I refuse him too long."

Kol stopped walking, turning to face her. His hands cupped her face, his touch gentle but firm. His eyes, usually filled with mischief, now held a depth of emotion that made her breath catch.

"Run away with me," he whispered.

Rhea's heart skipped a beat, her mouth falling open in shock. Run away? Leave everything behind—her brother, her family, the life she was supposed to live?