Chapter One.

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The year: 1078AD.
Location: Portsmouth, England.

Rayna had come to this land looking for a fresh start. Her family had died of a terrible sickness back in Norway and she desperately needed a life-long distraction.
That distraction came in the form of two Noblemen; Lord Niklaus Mikaelson and his brother, Elijah.

There was music playing and people dancing in extravagant gowns, Rayna loved nothing more than to just sit and watch as they danced the night away.
As she scanned the crowd, her eyes locked with a rather mysterious looking man.
Rayna was a curious girl, so she studied him as he enjoyed the company of a couple of female members of the court.
"I wouldn't mind him." A voice came, knocking her out of her absent-mindedness.
"Sir?" She asked, confused.
Looking up, she saw an extremely handsome man standing before her, dressed in rich looking clothes. She instantly rose and curtsied.
"No need, my dear. My name is Lord Elijah Mikaelson." He smiled, kissing the girl's hand, delicately.
As he touched her, a feeling that could only be compared to being struck by a small bolt of lightning, hit her. With that feeling, a darkness rose around Elijah in her mind.
"Lady Rayna, my lord; just Rayna will do." She smiled, bashfully.
"Well my dear, Rayna. What reasoning could there possibly be as to why such a beautiful looking specimen, such as yourself, is not dancing?" The nobleman raised an eyebrow, unable to keep his smirk hidden from her.
Rayna looked back to the courtier-clad nobleman, purely as a way to hide her blush.
"I have no one to dance with, my lord." She replied.
"Well now, it would appear, you do." He smiled, holding out a hand. "Would you do me the honour of giving me this dance, my lady?"
Rayna looked to the lord with admiration and curiosity, nodding as she took his hand.

As they danced, they fell lost in each other's eyes, forgetting that the rest of the world existed.
"Well, Lady Rayna with no last name." Elijah started, causing Rayna to chuckle. "Tell me about yourself."
Rayna blushed, she wasn't used to such male attention, or attention in general...
"Well... I'm eighteen years old, unmarried, orphaned, new to this land. I'm originally from Norway, lord." She explained.
"Norway? I used to have family there. We were one of the families to find the Americas and that was where I, my brothers and my sisters were born. Alas, there are only five of us left now." Elijah's eyes grew vacant, reminiscing the times of his childhood, when his family was full. "So, how did you end up here?"
"Friends of my mother and father took me in. They're actually over by the musicians, at this present time." Rayna replied, beckoning over to the couple admiring the instruments.
Elijah studied the pair.
"Ah yes, I've seen them in court a few times before. Did she give you that dress?"
The girl looked down, remembering she was wearing the black velvet gown that, indeed, her mother's friend had given her, and with that, she nodded her response.
"Brother!" A voice interrupted Elijah's eye contact, knowing it was him the voice was referring to.
He looked over at Niklaus and smiled rather reluctantly.
Rayna noticed it was the man previously wearing as many court girls as he could.
"Niklaus." Elijah greeted. "Might I introduce you to the Lady Rayna. She's from Norway."
The lord looked Rayna up and down, causing the girl to wonder what his thoughts exactly were of her.
"It's a pleasure, Lady Rayna. I trust that you are enjoying tonight's festivities." Niklaus greeted, kissing her hand.
Rayna smiled, curtsying, desperately trying to cover up the fact that she'd just received the same feeling she did touching Niklaus as she did Elijah, only darker...
"Yes, my lord. This night has been wonderful, thank you." Her smile brightened, trying to hide any fear or intimidation.
Niklaus smiled back, nodding.
"Well, it appears I've already been rude and interrupted your dance, so may I press and cut in?"
"Of co-"
"Actually, my lord." Rayna interrupted Elijah. "I'd like five more minutes with your brother, if you wouldn't mind?"
Niklaus clearly wasn't used to being rejected, but frained a smile and nodded anyway before disappearing into the crowd.
"If you were any one of these court girls, he probably would've executed you right there and then." Elijah joked. "My younger brother isn't one for not getting his way."
"Well, other people like a challenge, so here I am." The girl smiled as the lord spun her around to the music.
Elijah simply chuckled his response.

Rayna found Niklaus again, after Elijah and she were done with their dance.
The younger Mikaelson appeared rather grateful at the fact that she'd bother to look for him, and escorted her back onto the dance floor.
They danced, exchanging pleasantries amongst general chatter.

"My brother seems quite taken with you." Niklaus smirked, spying on Elijah as he watched the two of them dance.
Rayna chuckled. "He's a very charming man. As are you, my lord."
Niklaus smirked at her, clearly proud of his work.
"I'd be keen to see more of you, my lady." He said.
"I'm sure that could be arranged." Rayna replied, despite her instincts telling her to run; she simply could not shake the thought of first contact with the two.
She knew full well not to take her gut feelings lightly, and this was to be no exception.
Or so she thought.

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