CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
snow

I gripped the warm mug of hot chocolate between my trembling hands as I stood in the kitchen of my home. My eyes were drawn to the window as I silently watched the flakes of snow flutter gracefully to the frosted ground. The snowfall wasn't heavy and every flake that collided with the ground lingered momentarily before melting away. It would have been a beautiful sight if not for the haunting memories that nawed at the edges of my mind.

In my peripheral vision, I watched Henrik silently come to stand beside me. We both looked out the window with grim expressions as we sipped on our hot drinks.

"Happy Birthday, Morgana." He spoke quietly and I grimaced.

I had always hated my birthday but it also happened to mark the anniversary of the day Henrik and I had first met. I was dying of frostbite as a timid eight year old when Henrik stumbled upon me and saved my life. The memory sent cold shivers up my spine.

"It's snowing." I told him lamely, nodding my head towards the window.

"It is." He confirmed, wrapping an arm around me and resting his head on my shoulder.

After being home for a few weeks, Henrik and I had quickly settled back into our old routine. We both missed the family we had found during our trip to America but it was nice to be home. It was only in the home that we had created that we both felt truly relaxed and at ease.

"It shouldn't be long now." I said and his hand tightened on my waist, understanding what I meant.

"They're making progress in Mystic Falls," He agreed, "We'll see them very soon. All of them."

"Are you nervous about seeing Finn and Kol?" I asked, moving away from him to place our empty mugs on the kitchen counter.

"Not as nervous as you are, I imagine." He quipped and I smiled faintly.

"Meeting two men that I am destined to be with is rather daunting." I grinned and Henrik followed me as I made my way into the living room and settled down on the sofa. The television provided background noise as we sat beside each other. Smiling softly at him, I pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth.

"I love you, Morgana." he said against my lips and the words made my heart pound furiously.

"Enough time has passed, Henrik." I began shakily, "I think that it's finally time that I tell you about my life before we met."

Henrik twisted to face me with wide eyes, "You don't have to Mor. If you're not ready then-"

"You told me your story, I think it is time that I finally tell you mine." I interrupted and he slowly nodded.

"Okay." He settled a hand over mine as I began to recount the first eight years of my life.

"My parents gave me away when I was born but I didn't go into foster care." I began with a shaky breath, "I was adopted by my godmother and her husband. I don't remember much of my godmother but she was kind, unlike her husband..."

Henrik sucked in a breath, "Morgana..."

I shook my head and continued, "My godmother died when I was five. I don't really remember the circumstances surrounding her death but I later surmised that it was caused by her husband. After she died, there was nobody to shield me from his wrath."

I didn't realise I was shaking until Henrik pulled me close and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I buried my face in his chest as he gently stroked my hair. Tears threatened to fall but I blinked them back as I pulled away from Henrik and looked up at his face. His eyes were soft and sympathetic but they also held a touch of anger that I knew was directed at the man who hurt me.

"What was his name, Mor?" He asked gently as I watched his fist clench and unclench.

I shook my head, "I can't remember. But anyway, on a particularly bad day on my eighth birthday, I escaped. It was snowing and I ran into the woods, desperate to get away by any means possible. I was wandering around for hours in the dead of night wearing only a nightdress. I remember the moment I stopped shaking and my body began to shut down. That was when you found me."

Henrik blinked back tears as he looked down at me, "I was terrified the day I found you. I had woken up in the middle of nowhere after being dead for nearly one thousand years. But then I saw your face for the first time and it gave me a purpose in this life, to be your protector."

"I love you, Henrik." I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him once more. I was eternally grateful that he was in my life.

"I love you even more." He insisted before pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. Before he could pull away, I deepened the kiss, bringing hy hands up to grip either side of his face. Henrik gripped my hips as I moved to straddle him and I moaned at the touch.

Pulling away briefly, I whispered, "I want to complete our bond, Henrik."

He blinked at me, lust clouding his vision, "Are you sure, Morgana?"

"I've loved you for fifteen years, Henrik Mikaelson." I told him as he scattered kisses across my neck, "I think that it is finally time that I showed you just how much."

He gripped the hem on my top and was about to pull it over my head when there was a knock on the door. We froze and looked at each other with wide eyes. There was another knock and I quickly scampered off his lap and smoothed down my trussed up hair.

"Are we expecting anyone?" I asked as Henrik made his way to the front door.

"No." He frowned before looking through the peephole. An excited look flashed across his face and he quickly opened the door.

"Who is it?" I called from where I sat on the sofa.

I turned my head in interest but my breathing faltered when five figures walked into the house, three that I knew and two that I was yet to meet.

"Hello, Morgana, it's wonderful to meet you. I hope we're not interrupting." a man said with a mischievous grin, "My name is Kol Mikaelson."

A/N: this chapter marks the end of the rewrite! For those of you who don't know, I have been rewriting this book for the past few months and I am finally up to date. Any chapters from this point forward shall be completely brand new!

I am very excited for part three of this book. Even though we are over thirty chapters into this book, this chapter really marks the beginning of Frostbite. To me, everything before this moment feels like a prequel of sorts.

It is important for me to note that this book has officially deviated from the cannon tvd plot. From this point forward, this book shall be set in England and shall focus more on Morgana's past.

If there is anything you would love to see from this book, please don't be afraid to comment because I would love to see everyones ideas! The next ten chapters will be pretty chill so if there are any specific romantic scenes you want me to write, just let me know!