Forever Love-Klaus Mikaelson

SEVEN

     It was her nameday. She was officially seventeen. She had gotten congratulations from her family but that was all as there was still work to be done. She had chores to do.

      There was a small reprieve. Niklaus came to her while she was sitting on a base of a tree that had been cut down. She was threading new garments for her family. She saw the slight smirk on his face as he came up to her and she knew he was up to something.

       "I see you acquired a new dress on this day," he noted as he sat down beside her on the base.

       "Yes," she bit her lip as she stopped threading to look at him. "Do you like it?"

      "I like anything you wear," he admitted. "For it is you that I find beautiful."

      She rolled her eyes while blushing, "Nik."

      "I brought you a gift," Niklaus said, admiring her blush before he spoke, and she looked away from his face to finally notice that he had his hands behind his back. "Do you remember the day we met?"

      "Of course I do," Lya said quickly. "I gave you a sunflower."

      "That was not all you gave me," Niklaus responded before revealing his hands and showing a sunflower contained in one of them. "I hope this gives you as much joy as you have given me."

       Lya smiled widely and carefully took the flower from his hand. She brought it close to her face as she examined the yellow flower and inhaled its scent. It was her favorite flower and she glanced at Nik, knowing the blue-eyed boy was the reason for her choice.

      "I had my mother do a spell. The flower will be preserved, perfect..." Niklaus said, his fingers touching the petals of the flowers gently before letting his hand fall. "...for as long as you live."

      "I love it, Nik," she grabbed his hand, entwining it with hers and squeezing it gently. It was such a simple gift yet her heart felt strange and a warm fluttering spread through her; she felt so touched. She directed her eyes to his, smiling softly, "And you have given me joy, Nik."

       "I have?" he questioned, smiling, as the only thing he wanted to do was please her.

      "Joy as wide as here to Hel," she answered, creating a metaphor for infinity, as she rested her head against his shoulder. "I love you, Nik."

       He kissed the top of her head softly thinking about how he'd gladly pick flowers for eternity just to make her happy. Gods know how much she loves flowers. And he think he loved her even more because she loved flowers, not jewels or fine clothing; she loved things that were pure and that made her even more beautiful in his eyes.

      ____________

     Later that day, she was eating dinner with her family. She had helped her mother make the meal and all of her brothers had commented on the flower she now wore in her hair. She had taken the sunflower and cut the stem before tucking it into the hair on the back of her head with the braids in her long hair holding it together. Once her brothers had found out that Niklaus had given her the flower, they all teased her about it.

      "Are you going to tell her father?" one of her brothers asked once her face wasn't as red as a rose.

       "Tell me what?" Lya asked, directing her attention to her father.

      Her father cleared his throat while she noticed that her mother had formed a smile on her face. She looked back at her father once he began to talk, "As you know, Lya, you are of age..."

       "Yes, I know," she answered meekly.

      Panic set in. Her hands became clammy in her lap as she thought about what her father was going to say. She was already predicting she would have to marry someone and all the faces that flew through her mind brought her dread as they were not Niklaus.

      "There were many suitable choices, but I want you to be happy, Lya," her father spoke. "I have made an arrangement with Mikael. He was adamant about Elijah..."

       Her eyes went wide and she felt sick. The thought of being wed to Elijah was mortifying. Not that he wasn't attractive because he was, but he was Nik's brother and she had never thought of him in a romantic sense. The pain that would accompany that arrangement would be worse than death. She'd rather die than see Niklaus in pain because out of the two of them, Niklaus would be hurt the most.

    "But I said no," her father's words calmed her for a moment, relief flooding her chest. "We came to another arrangement."

       "What arrangement?" Lya asked.

      Her father shared a look with her mother and they entwined hands on the table. Her father looked back at Lya with a faint smile as he answered her.

       "My daughter, you will marry Niklaus."