Youth ☽ ☾ Klena

12.

'Elena! Can you come down?' Elijah called from the parlour, spreading the books apart that were already sitting on the coffee table. Elijah, per Klaus' request, was to teach Elena reading and writing. Of course, Elena could already do that but for a twelve-year-old, she was rather lacking. She read a lot, that was a bonus, but due to her lack of education, she had stuck to the easy ones and never tried any complicated literature that Klaus would prefer she read.

'Coming!' Elena called, rushing down the stairs, wearing a floor length summer dress. It was warm outside and Elena was beginning to enjoy the extravagant clothing she was being given. Although what she was wearing was rather simple, it still displayed elegance and grace.

'Are you ready?' Elijah asked, standing and smoothing his suit out. She nodded and fell onto the sofa next to where Elijah was once sat. Elijah simply went to grab another book off the shelf and placed it on the table before sitting back in his original seat on the leather couch.

'Let's begin then.' Elijah smiled warmly to Elena, it was a smile he would only show Elena and began a simple lesson on vocabulary. It lasted only half an hour before both of them were tired and Elena had learned more than any child would normally in a week of English courses.

Elijah had learnt a lot over the years. English was one of them but so was teaching and it could be said that when you reach a thousand-years-old and you still have your patience, you really are the perfect teacher.

'Thank you, Elijah!' Elena smiled, rushing back up the stairs and into her room where she would begin reading her new, slightly harder, novel on her balcony.

'Elena, wait!' It was a familiar voice calling her, not Elijah but Klaus. She smiled brightly, turning to the man that was starting to not seem so tall in comparison. 'I thought that if Elijah was to teach you English, I would cover some other subjects.' Klaus smiled one of those rare days and Elena was glad to see that everyone was happy in the house today. It wasn't very often, sadly.

Klaus led her to the art studio and Elena couldn't calm the buzz running through her. She had very rarely seen the art studio and she had never really gotten the chance to look at her father's- actually not her father's- paintings.

It was disappointing, Elena, whilst growing up, had stopped seeing Klaus as a father but a brother. Elijah worked as the strict father role as she and Klaus were more friends than anything. Although, they did have the sibling-like arguments. Rebekah worked hard to be like a mother to Elena but was often out of the house but when she did come back, she loved Elena like the child she never had.

Klaus opened the door to reveal the brightly coloured art studio. Of all the rooms, it was the brightest- and most beautiful. Nothing could compare to a thousand years of practice and some natural born talent.

The paintings were the best Elena had ever seen and she couldn't help but stare in awe at the framed ones lining the walls. 'I chose these ones!' She exclaimed, motioning to all the framed ones. Klaus nodded, seemingly impassive to the subject.

'I want to be able to draw like you!' She squealed, running her hands across the wall, following the paintings one by one. Elena, unfortunately, had more of a knack for writing and reading than she did art but she would give it a go nonetheless.

The problem was more so Klaus' temper. Klaus would never hurt Elena or blow up at her since the incident when she was ten but he did struggle to keep himself under control and would end up fleeing the room if it was too much. Unfortunately, teaching took a lot of patience that he didn't have. He tried his best, though, and for this session alone it was enough.

He sat Elena on the stool and grabbed a brush, putting it in her hand and taking her through the basics of colour and simple outlines of faces, flowers and even a few landscapes. Elena enjoyed the whole experience but it was clear she didn't have an eye for the subject.

Elena's drawings came out messy and ugly but simply the time together made neither care. It was also best not to be better at Klaus at something- he didn't take it lightly.

The session was finished after two hours of splatting paint onto the canvas and Elena left with a large grin on her face. The girl's dress was now tainted with reds and blues, a few dots of green running down one side but aside from the ruined dress, her day had been perfect.

Elena was becoming aware of her surroundings but she was closed off, making her more naïve than she would have ever been if she had grown up normally. She still did not understand the concept that she had been stolen away nor could she ever see through the lie that her brother was dead.

She still mourned her brother but learned to live her life to the full and Klaus was helping her every step of the way. Despite Klaus' lack of will to give Elena any answers, he fulfilled all requests that she had.

Her room could only be described as one of a horrifically spoilt child but when a child was brought up with nothing else, it was fair that it had to be somewhat compensated with objects such as toys and luscious decorations.

Elena was content with her life for now and that was all that mattered to any of the family. And, to Elena herself. Elena was happy, and though that wouldn't last much longer, it was what mattered for now.

It was true, though, that it wouldn't last much longer. Well, to Elena, she had much more time but for a vampire, a year or two could go by in seconds, just as it did for Klaus. He knew sooner or later he would have to talk to Elena about the ritual- and everything he was made would fall down.

word count: 1033

published: 1.03.17