World So Cold

“Who the hell are you?” I spat.

“Who I am is of no importance. But if you must know I am Henry. And to answer the next question, I’m here for you.”

“Well, I don’t want you here so I suggest you leave before I kill you.”

“You can try, dear Catherina. But unfortunately, you will not win.”

Try me, I growled. He seemed a bit taken aback by the Power entering his mind but shook it off quickly.

You are not the only one able to do this little trick so I suggest you don’t get too cocky he said with a smirk.

Never thought I was. Just don’t feel like wasting my words on you, I said while returning his smirk.

He then ran at me in a blur of motion. I had just enough time to dodge to the side. His fingers just brushed my jacket. With my heels and a well placed kick I managed to puncture the back of his calf. He gave a cry and his leg buckled. Once on the ground I wasted no time in pulling off his head.

He knew too much. He never could’ve lived. Even if he had left I would have hunted him down and killed him. Anyone who knew the name Catherina would be killed. I couldn’t let that happen to me again.

Standing up and straightening my clothes I watched as his body turned to ash. He was an old one. I’m sure he wouldn’t be missed. Looking around I got that paranoid feeling again in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t feel like it was safe to be here any longer.

Listen

I had lasted a couple months in Fell’s Church without having to leave. I should probably go back there. Even though he was there, I was at least safe. No one knew about Catherina. No one knew who I was.

Becoming a raven I flew up into the sky. I was no longer worried about someone sensing who I was. I just needed to get out of here as fast as I possibly could. And that meant flying. I soared through the sky as fast as I could to get to Fell’s Church. It would take me about 10 hours of constant flight. That meant by the time I got there it would be about seven o’clock at night. Just when darkness would settle.

As I flew I couldn’t help the thoughts that crowded over my mind. The memory that I had suppressed for so long came to the surface. The one I wish I could have forgotten. If I could forget one thing I wish it was this.

I go out of the carriage in a hurry, impatiently waiting for the driver to open the door. As I walked briskly up the steps again the thought crept into my mind. Why hadn’t Damon told me he was back? As I came into the house one of the servants saw my arrival.

“Good morning, Ms. Medici,” he said with a low bow.

“Good morning,” I said returning the pleasantry. “Where is Stefan?” I asked.

“Mr. Salvatore is upstairs doing his studies. I’m sure he’s quite busy. His brother I know is in the garden.”

“Thank you,” I said giving him a kind smile. “I’ll go see Damon. Don’t want to disturb Stefan.” I then walked through the winding halls to the garden in back.

As the familiar and wonderful smells engulfed me I couldn’t help but think of the purple rose that still lay on my vanity. It was dry and brittle but still intact. As I walked through the garden in search of Damon I heard voices coming from the maze followed by laughter.

I walked through the maze in search of the voices. I could tell one of them was Damon. I would know his voice anywhere. I walked through the twisting turns in the maze getting farther away and closer depending on which turn I took. I knew this maze by heart though. I had walked it many times with both Damon and Stefan.

The voices suddenly stopped and so did I. After a seconds pause I still continued on, eager to see Damon. Finally as I came around one turn, I saw Damon. As I did I stopped in my tracks, my breath hitching in my throat. Tears instantly sprang into my eyes.

I clasped hand over my mouth to stifle the sob that threatened to escape. There was Damon, his back to me, with his arms around another woman. Her name was Katherine, Katherine Von Swartzschild. As she pulled out of the hug Damon quickly pecked her lips.

“Damon!” she protested, blushing madly. “What if someone sees us?”

“I don’t care,” said Damon trying to kiss her again but she wouldn’t let him. “Let them see my love for you.”

“You love me?” asked Katherine, wide eyed and innocent.

“From the first moment I saw you,” said Damon his voice dripping with sincerity.

Not being able to see or hear anymore I turned and ran. I quickly and easily found my way out of the maze. There I ran into Stefan, literally. Blinded by my tears I ran into his chest. “Sorry,” I mumbled into him. His arms wrapped around me protectively.

“What’s wrong, Juliet?” asked Stefan stroking my hair soothingly.

“He said he loved her,” I whispered, the tears falling down my face and soaking his shirt.

“Who?” asked Stefan. He pulled away to look at my face and wipe away the tears.

“Damon and Katherine. In the maze,” I said taking a shuddering breath to try and calm myself. I saw Stefan’s face harden and his eyes dart to the maze.

“I’ll be back,” said Stefan and then hurriedly walked away into the maze leaving me standing there. I stood there almost in shock. First Damon and now Stefan, both of them were abandoning me for Katherine, for a woman that plays them both.

I walked briskly to the carriage that was waiting at the front of the Salvatore home. Luckily I met no one else on the way out. “Are you okay miss?” asked the driver as I got into the cab.

“I’m fine,” I said but by the tone of my voice even I didn’t buy it. He gave me one last concerned look before shutting the door and going to drive the horses. The clip clop of their hooves was the only thing being registered in my mind. The rest of me was numb.

I couldn’t cry now. My body was left in shock. I could tell my expression must resemble a startled animal, my eyes wide and terrified. I could feel that my body could do nothing but breathe right now. I felt like that’s the only thing I was able to do.

As we arrived at my house I waited patiently for the driver to come to my door. He opened it for me and I thanked him, my voice monotone. I walked through the house returning hellos and greetings from the servants that helped to run the house. As I came to my bedroom door I quickly opened and shut it.

I leaned against the door and took another deep breath. I was home. I was heartbroken. It felt like my heart had been torn out, like I wasn’t able to feel anymore. My eyes swept over my room. It looked the same as when I had left. Yet I was such a different person then.