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We hope you join us in celebrating our next featured artist the week of September 20!
Because there were so many winners on the @klaroline-events 2020 Bingo, I'm helping out @itsnotacrimetoloveyou with some of the drabble awards. Hope you guys don’t mind this. You were in for an exclusive Luiza piece and instead you get me! lol I promise I’m doing my best.
This is for @klavscaroline and her GORGEOUS manip with the theme "Rome".
Years of fighting as a gladiator had Niklaus prepared when he is caught with the Emperor’s wife, Caroline, in the Sanitarium after dark.
So I have to clarify that my knowledge of Ancient Rome is extremely limited, and even though I DID consult with Prof. Google for some of the stuff in the drabble (like to find out what a sanitarium was and how Emperors and Empresses were addressed at the time), I'm sure it's all shades of wrong. Hopefully I'm not offending anyone, but just take this as a grain of salt, ok? Ok, then.
Also, I added a TWIST to the plot. lol Sorry? I think?
Your manip was way too gorgeous, @klavscaroline, and I could never match it, but I hope you like this. :) Also, congrats on your full card and THANK YOU for always making such amazing KC content!
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Caroline slows down her purposeful steps and smooths out the concern creasing her expression into practiced aloofness before she enters the sanitarium.
To her luck, there's only one patient there, accompanied by the physician who's seeing to his wounds. The other fighter was killed in combat at the arena, his body simply carried out to be ditched in a shallow grave somewhere.
The man has been undressed of his tunic, left in only a loincloth hiding his modesty. A light sheen covers his sun-tanned skin from the exertion, dirty blonde curls matted to his forehead. Normally, these would be sights that would make Caroline's insides twist rather inappropriately. Now, however, all she can focus on is the blood. All over the man's discarded tunic, all over his torso, gushing from a wound on his shoulder.
She swallows back the bile that rises to her mouth, suddenly raked with nausea. When his piercing blue eyes meet hers, her heart gives a violent lurch. Despite her nerves, she lets out a relieved breath. Thank the gods.
"My queen," the physician says, blinking with surprise. It's not common for the Empress to go down to the sanitarium, especially after a fight, especially on her own, and especially when there's a man being treated there. It’s not a very womanly environment, the smell of blood and sweat staining the air.
"The Emperor wants to know what's his best warrior's condition," she announces solemnly with as bland an expression as she can muster.
"Just a superficial wound, my queen," the physician offers. "No damage to the muscle tissue. Provided it doesn't get infected, he should heal well."
"Then what are you doing there, standing? His wounds need cleaning and dressing. Go see to it."
"Y-yes, of course," the man stammers, startling out of inertia. "I will be back in a moment."
The man scurries out of sight, leaving the two of them alone.
Klaus arches his eyebrows at her, an amused smile playing on his lips.
Caroline's pretense calm explodes into nerves. "How can you be so careless?" she snaps.
"Is that the Emperor asking?"
She simply ignores his attempt at a humorous jab and proceeds with the scolding. "You fight like a lunatic, Klaus. One of these days -"
"I will die. And so will every other man on this land," he says with a lightness that does not belong to a man with an open wound on his shoulder. "I can assure you, however, that my death shall not happen at the arena."
She huffs out in indignation. "Your hubris really knows no bounds."
"You say that based on a little scratch?"
"A little scratch!" she parrots, taken with heat as she walks over to him. The physician left a basin with clean water and a towel beside it. Caroline wets the towel and proceeds to clean the wound, being as gentle as possible, even though he hardly deserves it. Not that it makes a difference; Klaus keeps his too-sharp eyes trained on her, his features as bland and agreeable as ever. Doesn't even wince when she rubs the towel against the cut. It looks terrible, but it is definitely not as bad as she'd envisioned as she watched the combat from the stands. "Do you feel no pain?" she asks, a light thrum of fear coloring her voice.
"Of course I feel pain."
"Doesn't that hurt?" She touches the towel across the wound again, most of the blood now gone from his shoulder.
"Yes. But pain is good. Pain reminds us to be afraid," he says, lips curling upwards a tad more, eyes glowing with fire and danger. Oh, Niklaus..., she thinks. Such a force of nature. Caroline had no mercy on her poor heart when she got herself involved with him.
"Pain makes you reckless," she admonishes.
"No. What makes me reckless is the fear of pain. I try to avoid it."
She scoffs. "You could have me fooled." She puts the towel down, her fingers grazing over a pair of scars not far from the new one he'll likely get. Sometimes, at night, while he sleeps, she counts the scars on his back, his arms, his legs... There are so many. She swears he gets a new one every day, growing them as though one who grows hair. Some small and almost imperceptible to less attentive eyes, eyes not used to roam over the plains and valleys of his body with such regard; some so large they bring a chill to her heart, thinking of how close she's come to losing him. "Soon enough there won't be a single unblemished patch of skin on your body."
He holds her hand, presses her palm down against his chest, above his heart. Its strong, steady beats give her a measure of comfort. "Does that concern you?"
Caroline’s lips twist. "What do you think?"
With a swift and agile move, Klaus wraps his arms around her and pulls her up on to the gurney, rolling over so that her body is pressed down underneath his. A man with a gash on his shoulder and dozen other bruises should be howling in pain right now, but Niklaus merely smiles, a large and predatory grin that looks absolutely sinful on his rosy lips.
Still, Caroline's heart drums away in her chest, her eyes flitting nervously to the entrance. "What are you doing?" she grits out. "He'll be back -"
"In a bit," Klaus remarks with all the calm in the world. "He went all the way to the dispensary for his dressing items. The Emperor's best warrior can only be treated with the best. If I get an infection, it will be his head hanging outside the walls."
"Someone could walk in -"
"Yes?" he edges his face closer, his mouth hovering an inch away, chest to chest, hip to hip. "And what would you do?" he whispers, warm breath ghosting her lips.
"I would..." Caroline breathes out, the hand that should be shoving him away sliding up to his hair. "Scream."
She pulls his head down, cutting the final space between them, mashing Klaus' mouth against hers in a plundering kiss. All the worry, all the prayers she made for the gods to protect him, the breath she held as she marched down to the sanitarium after watching him being helped out of the arena - it all bleeds out of her in that kiss. She relishes the taste of him, that urgent and hungry tongue that wrestles her into submission.
Another day she could've lost Klaus; another day he lives to make her heart swell with joy and lust.
"Now would be the moment to scream."
Klaus jumps from the gurney like thunder, grabbing his sword in the process and pointing it straight to the throat of the intruder. Caroline's heart stutters to a stop.
The Emperor stands there, totally unfazed by the sharp sword aimed at his neck, his classic stoic expression unmoved. He merely cocks Klaus a curious eyebrow. "Not contented enough with sleeping with your Emperor's wife, Niklaus?" he asks flatly. "Are you going to commit regicide and fratricide all at once now to add to your list of misdemeanors?"
Klaus puts down his sword. The light wince as he does so does not escape Caroline's eyes. He's in more pain than he's willing to admit, the arrogant bastard.
"You know better than to sneak up on me like that, Elijah," Klaus grumbles.
"And you know better than to straddle my wife in a sanitarium, Niklaus." He turns his pointed gaze to Caroline, then. "I expect this kind of barbaric behavior from him, but you, Caroline? I'm disappointed."
She averts his gaze, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as she stands to her feet, fixing her tunic and her hair. "He grabbed me," she says, the excuse weak to her own ears. "I was merely here to check that he hadn't lost a limb or bled to death with his carelessness."
Elijah lets out a weary sigh. "You two are free to conduct your activities however you please, so long as it's away from prying eyes. That was the deal. I have far too many responsibilities to suddenly find myself dragged into a scandal between my wife and my brother." He fixes his dark eyes on his younger brother then, a smile finally breaking onto his handsome face. "I would so hate to have to punish you for your indiscretions, Niklaus."
"You don't seem fazed by the prospect, brother."
"Then don't test me. How's your wound?"
"A scratch."
"It's not just a scratch," Caroline cuts in sharply. "The physician said it's superficial, but it's at risk of infection."
"How much longer do you intend to keep putting your life at risk at the arena like you’re a common gladiator, Niklaus?" Elijah asks.
"How much longer until you find me a real war to fight?"
"I know you were far too restless to sit through our childhood lessons, but let me remind you that the general idea is to keep the Empire at peace."
Klaus snorts. "You and your philosopher's heart."
Caroline feels her blood boil at his derision. "Most men choose to fight so that they can preserve their lives and that of their families," she starts, spitting fire at him. "You, on the other hand, run in the opposite direction. Like a madman without a purpose, you chase mortal danger like that is the sole purpose of your existence. And then you laugh at your brother's concern - at my concern. Like we're idiots for even caring. If you can't grow yourself a philosopher's heart, perhaps you should at the very least grow yourself a conscience."
Klaus stares at her with wide eyes and parted lips, somewhat taken aback, while Elijah's mouth ticks up into a smile, a flicker of humor and warmth in his brown eyes.
"I am ever glad to have wedded such a wise woman. If my appeals fall on deaf ears, perhaps hers might reach you," he says. "I have business to see to. Please, refrain from fornicating out here. And Niklaus..." he waits until his brother has turned back to him. "Get this wound cleaned up and dressed, soon."
With all the grace and poise befitting of the Emperor, Elijah turns around and leaves.
Klaus gives her a near diffident look under his fair lashes, having the decency to appear guilty.
Caroline folds her arms across her chest. "I can't keep watching you challenge men to try and kill you every fortnight."
"I'm a warrior, Caroline. My brother's a diplomat, a ruler. I'm a fighter. He's the brain, I'm the muscle. You knew that when you married him... When you married us."
Caroline puffs out in frustrated derision. "I married him because I had to. Because it was the bargain he stroke with my father. But perhaps I made a mistake, then, when I fell in love with the wrong brother."
"Don't say that," he retorts, genuinely stricken. "You know I'm a jealous man."
"Oh? Are you challenging Elijah next, then?"
"Of course not. If I killed my brother, the Empire would descend into chaos and I would be forced to take his place and murder my way through countless political intrigues, which would leave me with little to no time for the one thing I'm truly passionate about."
"Arenas," she offers with disdain.
"You." Klaus' eyes soften then, no longer wild with raw excitement; something tender and gentle shining through the stormy blue. A look, she knows, only bestowed to her. It tugs directly at her heart, and she feels a glow of affection rising through the anger and the concern. "I'm addicted to you, Caroline. The arenas are a mere distraction. You are the sun of my life."
She bites back on a smile. The same wicked tongue that lashes out at enemies with the more depraved of curses can also worship and conjure the sweetest of promises. "If what you say is true... Then, as your queen, I command you to stay away from the arenas until your wound is fully healed and no longer at risk of reopening. You shall stay with us, at the royal chambers, where you can be cared for by the Emperor's physician. The Emperor demands so."
Klaus smirks lazily. "Well, we wouldn't want to vex the Emperor."
"No, we absolutely wouldn't." She checks that her clothes are all perfectly in place, squaring her shoulders and straightening her posture as she prepares to leave. "Now lie down and wait for the man to return. Then ask your servants to prepare your relocation. It might be awhile before you go back to your own home, so bring whatever you might need. I shall have a warm bath ready for when you arrive."
Klaus walks over to her, taking her hand and lifting it up to his lips. "That's very kind of you, my queen," he says, the thrum of his voice traveling through her like a lightning bolt.
"Yes, I am infinitely generous." She edges closer, narrowing her eyes with malicious intent. "And expect to be rewarded for it."
She waltzes out to the sound of Klaus' rich laughter. Oh, how she loves that sound...
I’m soooo late but here I go with my first fic rec : )
Title: Saints and Sinners on AO3 and FF
Author: @klavscaroline
Status: In-progress
Why you should read it:
If you LOVE both Gossip Girl and Klaroline this is the perfect story for you! It has the very best of both worlds and I absolutely adore it (especially the GG dialogue which is so deliciously on-point).
What I love best:
The storyline is instantly interesting not to mention fast-paced and completely addictive. I love the writing style, visualisation and characterisation. The chemistry between Klaus and Caroline is soooo good, not to mention SO hot in parts!
There is no denying that I love this author (and her amazing edits) but I could read this type of fic all day everyday. So, let me just say THANK YOU for bringing it to us!
Have a read, I’m sure you will love it just as much as I do : )
klavscaroline replied to your post “if klaus had a part in lizzie's life, sort of step dad or something,...”
@suraiya i just read it! it was awesome!! i've never even watched legacies before but you make lizzie such a funny and compelling character. her insults and sass are on point. gahhh if klaus hadn't died in TO, this could've been T_T
ADDS YOUR NAME TO THE SHORT BUT SLOWLY GROWING LIST OF LEGACIES CONVERTS.
also lmao i don’t watch legacies either, just the lizzie-centric episodes. which is amusingly how i also got into tvd - all the kc gifs on tumblr when they first popped up back in 2012. join the club!!
24. Would you say your writing has changed over time?
Absolutely! I started writing officially when I was 12 (so ten years ago) and oh god it was terrible. I had good ideas but I didn’t have the knowledge I have now to produce something in good quality. The biggest things I’ve improved on are grammar, characterisation, and dialogue.
I think that I’ve improved even more in the last two years. Psychedelic Kicks’ first 2 chapters are 2 years old and chapter 3 is over a year old, and honestly, I’m so glad I didn’t continue it until now. I think I have a much better grasp on the three aspects I mentioned above. I think that grammar and characterisation are things that can be taught quite easily, though it does take time ‘absorb’ them, but dialogue is something you can’t teach. You learn how to write dialogue as you age because you start to understand nuances and what a realistic conversation looks like. And that is something you learn by experience.
I think a mistake that newer writers can make (and that I have made in the past) is that when they want to deliver information through dialogue, they give it to the reader too easily, especially with conversations on ‘difficult’ topics. Real people aren’t as forthcoming with certain information. Real conversations have a lot of breaks and interruptions by the environment they’re in and by other people’s speech.
This isn’t to say my writing is perfect because I’m constantly improving but it’s good to look back and realise certain aspects of my style and quality that have changed.
Anyway, thanks for the question and I hope you like my terribly long answer 😂
i know it's been forever and i'm probably the millionth person to ask you this, but I just reread Delirium and I was wondering if you'll continue with it? It's such a great story and I would love more than anything to read the rest of it :)
Yes, re-reading the chapters as I update right now. :)
