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"Your highness," Tyler greeted with a terse bow. "You should be outside, enjoying the gardens."
Caroline frowned. The kind guard had never been so formal with her before, and he seemed almost cold toward her attention. "If I didn't know better, I would think you were sending me away," she said, giggling somewhat anxiously. "You had offered to teach me a new card game. Have you changed your mind?"
Shaking his head, Tyler refused to look at her. "It wouldn't be appropriate, your highness," he stated clearly.
"Since when do you care for propriety," Caroline asked incredulously.
It had been the first summer she enjoyed at the Mikaelson estate, and Tyler's company played a large part in that. As a guard, he always seemed to be around and happy to listen. He had become a compatriot of sorts, especially when the Mikaelsons conspired to ignore her entirely.
Perhaps she had grown too close to the guard, but surely no one could blame her. Tyler was the closest thing to a friend the princess could find in this godforsaken castle.
Tyler, at least, looked pained at her obvious distress. "You are betrothed, your highness," he reminded in a hoarse voice. "I cannot risk my life or my livelihood."
Raising an eyebrow, Caroline's voice turned icy. "Are they at risk?"
"Your high-"
Before he could use her title again, Caroline turned on her heel to find the true source of her ire. She strode into his favorite sitting room, where he was studiously sketching in his ever-present notebook. Though tempted to tear it from his hands, Caroline merely stood in front of him with her arms crossed. "What did you say to Tyler?"
"Whatever I please, princess," Klaus said mockingly, not even bothering to look up. "He is my guard, after all."
"And he is my friend," Caroline yelled. "Though, I'm sure that means nothing to you."
Finally, Klaus glanced up with a particular fire in his angry expression. "He knows better than to claim what is mine," he answered.
"I'm not yours," Caroline snapped.
"I'd beg to differ," Klaus countered, setting aside his sketchbook. "Our fathers seem intent on making you my bride before the summer ends."
Scoffing, Caroline fought to resist her desire to break something. For as long as she could remember, King William brought her to summer with the Mikaelson family in hopes she would marry one of the young princes someday. While the older brothers had no time to spare for a young princess, the other siblings had been nothing but cruel. Klaus and Kol would often tease and exclude her from their games, and even Rebekah refused to acknowledge the other princess's existence.
At seventeen, Caroline was tired of it all. Rather than continue to try and make what friends she could with the Mikaelsons, she retreated to her solitude more often than not. It wasn't until Tyler often accompanied her that she felt truly appreciated in the foreign land.
As depressing as it was, however, her only worth would be the claim to her father's kingdom when he gave her away to Niklaus Mikaelson.
"Like you care," Caroline muttered, ready to stomp to her chamber and hide. Her father would have to drag her out himself if he expected any more from her, let alone for her to marry Klaus.
Before she could leave, Klaus jumped up and grabbed her arm. He turned her quickly, anger radiating from his expression. "Don't you turn your back on me," he yelled.
"I should have ran away ages ago," Caroline shouted right back, not cowered in the slightest. Her teeth were gritted, and her chin jut forward defiantly.
When Klaus reached up to grip her chin, Caroline expected him to shout again. She could hardly breathe when, instead, he swept down to place his lips firmly on hers. Like a gravitational pull, Caroline felt her body swaying into his as the kiss softened.
A long moment later, Klaus pulled away. Caroline found her eyes opening in wonder, despite her not closing them herself in the first place. His expression still held some anger, though, and it was enough to spur the young princess into action. She shoved him back, scoffing in complete derision.
"Don't think kissing me can erase years of exclusion and isolation," she spat, turning to rush out of the room.
Once safely locked inside her chamber, Caroline's chest heaved with gasps she would blame on the sprint away from her betrothed. She would never admit to the way her heart beat wildly after the surprise kiss. She refused to give him the satisfaction of having rattled her.
"Caroline," his voice called through the door, almost sounding concerned. "Caroline?"
She pressed her lips together tightly, completely astounded he had bothered to chase after her.
"Caroline, I'm sorry," Klaus said. "I'm sure that came as a shock to you."
When she made no answer, his forlorn voice continued. "I know my siblings and I have never been fair to you, nor has this arrangement between our fathers," he admitted. "I have found myself regretful of our history, and I had hoped to make this summer different."
Caroline thought back to her arrival at the castle weeks earlier. Sure, Klaus had been around more often than not, but he hardly made any effort to engage with her past a few barbs here and there. His inability to not infuriate her during conversation was what had led her to seek out other companionship in the first place.
"Every time I saw you speaking with Tyler, I grew angrier and angrier," Klaus explained. "I finally warned him away, only for you to be cross with me now."
She desperately wanted to respond, fire burning in her veins at his presumptuous meddling. Instead, Caroline remained stubbornly quiet.
"I apologize for not being more clear with my intentions," he said softly. "Please, Caroline. Allow me to acquit myself."
Silently, Caroline slunk away from the door. It was not her duty to soothe his ruffled feathers, no matter how distraught he seemed. She was righteous in her own despair.
"Caroline, open the door."
Rebekah's voice was haughty in its command, which made the order incredibly easy for Caroline to ignore. She merely continued to scrub her fireplace clean of soot and ash. An odd habit for a princess, perhaps, but cleaning had always relaxed her busy mind.
The knocking grew incessant. "I'm not sure why Nik is so taken with you, but if you don't open this door right now," Rebekah threatened, "I will remove you from his consideration with my bare hands around your neck."
"Because that will entice me to let you in," Caroline muttered to herself. Yet, she stood from her crouched position in the hearth and straightened her skirts. "I've asked for supper to be brought up to my chamber," she called through the door. "And I would happily remove myself from your brother's consideration, as 'taken' as he supposedly is."
"Open the door," Rebekah cried.
Caroline could just imagine the other princess stamping her dainty foot in frustration. Rolling her eyes at the even more insistent knock, she whipped open the door for Rebekah to nearly fall across the threshold. "That was rude," the younger girl spat as she righted herself.
"Says the girl making death threats," Caroline countered, eyes narrowing. "What do you want, Rebekah?"
"You're avoiding Nik," she accused.
"You avoid me all the time," Caroline pointed out, moving to sit on her bed. If she was going to be yelled at, she would much rather make herself comfortable. "Why should I care about your brother?"
Huffing, Rebekah sat at the foot of the bed. "Like it or not, you will be married to him," she said plainly. "It's just the truth, and ignoring your intended husband in favor of a petty guard would be an insult of the stupidest sort."
"Thank you for your opinion," Caroline snapped, crossing her arms. "You can go now."
Rebekah stood to leave, bored of the conversation. "He may be an arse, but for some reason, his interest seems sincere," she said. "As a fellow princess who will also be married to an advantageous match someday, I highly suggest making the most of this situation while he still cares."
With that, the girl sweeps out of the room, leaving Caroline to ponder her almost sage advice.
When her dinner was delivered shortly after, she was surprised to find that Klaus didn't use it as a pretense to see her. Instead, she found a piece of paper, rolled up and tucked into her tray.
Unrolling the parchment, Caroline's breath caught at the charcoal drawing. It was her, her eyes alight with fury and her cheeks blushing madly.
Even cross, you embody genuine beauty.
"I didn't know you drew so well."
Klaus turned, surprised to hear Caroline addressing him directly. He hadn't seen her in days, since she ran away from his kiss. His siblings teased him for his brooding, so he had taken solace in the outdoors. He had been sitting under his favorite tree when the princess approached.
"Hello, Caroline," he finally greeted, standing up. He left his sketchbook sitting on the ground. "Thank you for the compliment, though it is just a hobby."
Suddenly, she laughed loudly.
Looking down to see if his clothes were askew, he wondered what could cause such a burst of humor. "Caroline?"
"You," she said between gasping laughs, "you seem so scared of me. This from the boy who pulled my pigtails everyday when we first met."
"I don't-" Klaus was at a loss. She seemed almost hysterical.
"And now," she continued. "Now, you say you want to marry me in good faith, that you want a true romance with me. Even your sister comes to your defense, when she would rather shred my inferior wardrobe to pieces."
Klaus coughed, trying to collect himself in his embarrassment. "I've apologized for my behavior," he reminded her.
"You have," Caroline acknowledged, finally sobering. "But I'm not sure I can believe your intentions, even if you do think I'm beautiful."
Stepping closer, Klaus carefully watched her. "You are beautiful, and strong," he said. "I only wished to repair our relationship before we were wed. I find that you deserve better than a marriage of convenience."
Raising her chin again, Caroline steeled herself. "Well, then," she said. "You have many years to make up for."
"I do," he answered right away, dimples starting to appear in his cheeks. She was open to the idea. "How do you suggest I begin?"
Sniffing, Caroline made herself comfortable on the ground next to where he had been sitting. "You could show me more of your sketches," she said, handing him his sketchbook. "I'd like to see what else you find beautiful."
Klaus knew better than to expect a second chance, so he eagerly sat and opened the book to a drawing he made of Rebekah's closet. As he explained capturing the different fabric textures, he was thrilled to feel Caroline lean in for a better look.
All was not lost.