(PROLOGUE :
THE END OF ALL ENDINGS)

✧࿐ ཾ✧

PORTLAND, OREGON [1908]

WHAT WOULD YOU FOR the person you loved? I know what I would do—anything. For the one I loved, it was limitless what I would for their safety and sanity. Admittedly, that was due to my hopeless romantic tendencies, but it was an admirable concept in my mind. Self-sacrifice, however small, was honourable. In my case, I was preparing to leave behind the only city I never knew and the only place I called home to start a new life with a man that I hadn't known all that long. It was crazy and spontaneous, exactly like him and that was why I thought the idea was perfect. Everything could go wrong, but it wouldn't. Love conquered all.

Love conquered all, I thought once more, needing to a double take of the large clock that hung in the city centre train station. Love conquered all, I reminded myself again, glowering in the direction of a brick wall as the hands on the clock ticked forward. Love conquered all, I chanted in my mind, squeezing my eyes shut tightly and wishing that my sweetheart would materialise in front of my concerned eyes. That didn't happen.

"Where are you Kol?" I murmured under my breath, feeling rather exasperated. Subconsciously, my foot had slipped into an infectious rhythm as it tapped away at the pavement in anticipation.

In his typical condescending tone, he had drilled the time six a.m into my mind at least one million times. He said that if I was a minute late, our plans would fall apart and yet, he was the one who didn't show. Part of me thought, or at least hoped, the city clock was too fast. I strove to delude myself into believing that he was coming, I was not lingering hopelessly on a Sunday morning—in my best Church dress, no less— for a man that had no intention of fleeing the city alongside me. Unfortunately, that was exactly what was happening. Here I was, holding out for the man that had promised me a future of magic, the man that had vowed we would travel the world together before starting a life as a couple somewhere far away. Freedom was ahead, he said. Yet, where was my freedom? It would never be in reach now. I risked the wrath of my controlling parents for no other reason than to not even make it onto the train.

In the distance, I recognised a familiar striking shade of brunette hair. Vaguely familiar, but familiar all the same. "Kol?" I implored to the man excitedly, almost bouncing on my heels with happiness. Much to my disappointment, the man promptly turned round when he felt my presence and revealed himself to be no other than the Baker's Son. As in, not the man I expected him to be nor the one I cared intently for. Deflated, I mumbled a low apology to the boy before scurrying off to search for Kol. Maybe I misheard him, we were meant to meet somewhere else. That had to have been it.

Optimistic as ever, I skipped towards the grey stone steps that were placed in the centre of the station. Lifting the skirt of my blue gown up, I perched myself on the steps, humming a joyful tune. Everybody had to pass by these steps, if Kol was here, I would definitely spot him from my prime position.

Some people would pause to kindly tip their hats in my direction, inquiring if I was lost. With a giggle, I would shake my head 'no' and they would continue with their days. Faces—some long, fat, thin and freckled—blurred past whilst I waited for Kol. People came and then they left, none of those people being the man I wanted to court. I was simply alone. In a similar position to how I was three months ago, actually. During that period of time, I was engaged and it ended in tragedy, sadly. Some of those days I had spent wallowing in self-pity, that was until Kol came along and showed me that the world had so much more to offer to me. Before the incident, we were together as such, but when I grew distant in the wake of death, he fought for us to remain close. When I thought of that endearing boy, I could not picture the same man that abandoned me today.

From afar, I had caught one man's eye. Heading towards me, he gave my shoulders a firm shake to draw my attention to him, an action that resulted in my back snapping up and posture straightening upon instinct. "I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you." The stranger apologised, a smirk tugging on the corners of his round, pinkish lips. "Are you Charlotte Hatton? Not to scare you, it is just that you happen to fit the description I was given." He leaned over my shoulder, his hovering presence sending shivers down my spine.

Pinching my lips together, I gave him a close-mouthed smile, ensuring that the polite gesture only remained for a flash. Without a doubt, I was cautious of the stranger that knew my name for several reasons. First, he had a muscular, stocky build that suggested he was well provided for. Although my family had food on the table, we were not of his social class, meaning it was unusual for him to speak to me. Secondly, the tall man had an accent, British, I believed. That informed me that he wasn't from around here, therefore he should not know of me otherwise. If that wasn't enough to ward me off, the rich fabric of his stark white shirt and black velvet of his hat did. He was too composed. Suspiciously so.

A long silence invaded the air, the background noise of the crowd buzzing in my ears. Confused, I remembered I never did answer the man. Unable to rely on my voice, I briskly nodded.

"You are a hard lady to track down, it is just wonderful I finally found you." He was notably relieved, but I took a one staggering step back in response. There was a sinister twinge in his voice when he accentuated the word 'wonderful' and I was wary of it. "You are not compelled to listen to anything I say, but I'd advise it. You see, I come with news, rather distressing news. Now, I suppose I should introduce myself before before I continue further. I am Klaus Mikaelson." He paused, expecting some form of reaction from me, but I had long mastered the art of keeping my expression blank and features neutral. "I'm Kol's brother, as you may have figured. He asked me to pass on a letter on his behalf." Klaus clarified.

Drawing my eyebrows together, I looked to meet his ice coloured eyes, immediately taken aback by the coldness within them. "May I implore why he couldn't have told me the contents of the letter in person?" I wondered, bowing my head before I clammed up anymore under his intense gaze. For eyes of ice, one look from him was scorching.

He opened his mouth, closing it again promptly after presumably changing his mind about the correct response. "I think the letter will answer that." He settled on, ominously speaking. "Good day, Miss Hatton." He bid goodbye, handing me an envelope. Not quite leaving the premise though.

Frowning, I analysed the envelope carefully. Charlotte Hatton had been scribbled messily onto the front, large loops and cursive font forming my name. Some parts of the paper had blotches of thick ink poking through, the edges on the envelope being frayed and torn. Almost as if it had been opened previously. Despite the warning signs being there, I slowly peeled open the envelope. The man, the one who had claimed to be the brother of Kol, moved to the side when I opened the envelope. Still, he refused to stray too far from my side. Reflecting on the oddity of the conversation, I shrugged his strange behaviour off—Kol had warned me on several occasions how bizarre his family could be. Nonetheless, under the man's piercing gaze, I read the letter inside my head.

Dearest Charlotte,

I'm sorry.

There's no appropriate way to begin this letter other than by apologising, which I will attempt to refrain from doing for half the letter. I just needed to say it in the simplest way possible, you know how bad I can be with words. So, Charlotte Hatton, I'm sorry.

My intention was never to cancel our rendezvous, I just couldn't put myself through with it as I looked back on how deeply invested you have gotten with me. I suppose I should tell you now, everything was a ploy. Every sweet nothing that I whispered into your ear meant exactly that, nothing. I have never loved you, I can't believe that I'm finally admitting everything was part of a well orchestrated plan.

So, this is me saying that we have got to end now. I didn't know to what lengths our relationship was until we planned this, until we planned to run away. I never doubted you would fall for my charms, but I never thought you would get so caught up in me or I would be so blinded we would be as foolish as to try and escape our lives. I'm not somebody who enjoys being tied down to a city like this and after your father's passing, you will gain many of his responsibilities. I can't stay with you, especially throughout all that, I need to move on, you are just one of the many women who got their heartbroken by me over the years. I lusted for you, but I could never love a girl like you.

An apology is rather out of the ordinary for me, maybe I'm not even sorry, maybe I just pity your poor soul. This isn't me begging for your forgiveness, this is me giving an explanation in hopes of you respecting my last wish for us. My last wish is for you to leave me after this, I don't want to be thought ever again, or at least thought of by you.

Yours,
Kol M.

Wounded, the air got knocked out of my lungs as suddenly the light piece of paper hung heavy in my hands. I read it a second time, trying to imagine Kol saying those words, speaking like that to me. It was impossible, but that didn't prohibit pain from invading my body. Every part of my body ached, it was the only thing I knew. It was the pain I felt when I found my father lifeless on the floor, it was the pain I felt after I was my fiancé was murdered. It was the pain that couldn't be described by words, it was the pain that could only be compared to events.

Rimming my bright blue eyes, glass tears leaked out, new shards of anguish breaking in my mind as the letter repeated on loop in my head. Already, I had it memorised and I already wish I hadn't. To think that this was some form of corrupt game to him drained me whole. Wrung out, I was empty of all emotion. That was the only appropriate reaction. If I felt nothing, I couldn't be enraged at myself for still loving him in spite of his treacherous words.

"This isn't him." I murmured under my breath, furiously slapping away hot, violent tears. "He wouldn't speak like this, he would never leave me. I know him, I do." I squeaked out, my voice cracking as I allowed my body to crumble into a heap in the middle of the fairly empty station. "We swore on forever."

All the words seemed wrong, it all seemed as if it couldn't be him. He never spoke like that, he would never say those things. However, this was, without a doubt, his handwriting. Despite it seeming rather unlike Kol, there was nobody who could have known about my father's passing. The funeral was small and exclusive, not many were aware of his departure from the living quite yet. It was only logical for it to have been Kol who wrote the letter.

Shaking my head, I allowed my body to collapse further, into a small ball, as I finally admitted it. There was nobody else who could have wrote the letter, the letter even faintly smelled like him. But it smelt sour to me now, just like his name tasted in my mouth.

"Hello again." Klaus appeared directly in front of me blurred vision. Except, he didn't dare try to hide the coldness intended in his tone this time around.

"No, I——" I tried to forced the words to leave my dry mouth, my hands pushing against the gravel of the ground in meek attempt to rise to my feet again. "I don't thi——" I furthered, until I halted again. When my eyes connected with those of the Mikaelson, a inexplicable magnetic force drew me up from the ground with incredible ease.

For a reason unknown to me, Klaus was greatly satisfied by this detail. "Now, take this knife and stab it into your heart, love." He instructed venomously. For a reason unknown to me, I was greatly obliged to do as he commanded. And I did.

I remembered the feeling when I first rammed the dagger into my heart. Nothing. Nothing as in the knife that was driven into my heart was incomparable to the feelings created by the blade Kol Mikaelson had wielded. Heartbreak was soul-destroying, I would always vouch for that.

✧࿐ ཾ✧

A.N: This is longer and fresher than before. I am already overwhelmed by the support and am so excited for you meet the new and improved Lottie. In saying that, the concept will be the same so you should all still love it, but more is being added and developed further. Whilst I do that, I'll leave the other two books up on my profile.

There's nothing I love more than comments or ideas about what you want to see. If you didn't get your opinion in the first draft, now is the time.