Thanks the amazing Anastasiadreams for editing this story.

###

The soldier came at her fast, trying to pin Caroline against the pillar. She ducked under his arm, grabbed and twisted it behind his back, slamming him face first into the pillar. She twisted further, putting pressure on his arm socket until he screamed. He tried to get himself out of her hold by kicking at her but she hooked her leg under his and pushed him down. He landed in the dirt.

"Once again, Lockwood. You're not following direction. You fight with your emotions rather than your head. In battle, I would have already pushed a dagger through your ribs or your back," Caroline said, offering her hand to help him get up.

He glared at her. Refusing to take her hand, he stood up and poised to face her again.

Contempt churned through Caroline and she bit the inside of her cheek to prevent it from showing in her face. Lockwood's disobedient attitude became tedious long ago. Maybe she should teach him a lesson but seeing him across from her with his nose flaring, he looked more like a petulant child and less like a warrior.

"Take a seat, Lockwood," Caroline ordered.

Lip curling, he shook his head. "I don't need to sit down. I'm ready to go again."

His defiance had her biting back a sigh. Her face went carefully blank and she noticed the other trainees shifted uncomfortably. She turned away from him.

"You're done, Lockwood." Her tone, glacial to her own ears, made Stefan approach them but not before Lockwood decided to push his luck.

"I'm not done," Tyler said and he placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to force her to turn.

Caroline bent forward and volte-faced, elbowing Tyler in the stomach with her right arm. She finished off by jamming her left purlicue into his throat. Tyler reached for his neck as he struggled to breathe.

Caroline stood still, forcing back Kali's influence over her. The Goddess of war pushed her to continue the assault. Brushing back the hair that escaped her braid, she inhaled deeply.

"Like I said, you're done. Go sleep it off." She signaled Stefan to take over and walked away to monitor the archery training on the other side of the yard.

She spotted her slave, Klaus, watching her impassively. Another recalcitrant Caroline wasn't in the mood to deal with today. Ignoring him, she continued on her way while his gaze burnt a hole on her back. When she reached the other training area, another reprimand was in effect.

"Gilbert, Donovan, sit down!" The head archer ordered. "You haven't been practicing and your heads are not here. April, come show them again."

The boys retired to the corner and raven haired April stepped up with her bow and arrow. She aimed and nailed the target; the two boys watched the floor, faces red.

"Now you see that? April's dedication shows. She's been practicing with Vickie and learning from her. It should make you rethink whatever it is you are doing. Now go practice together. April, I want you to help them out. Vickie, I want you to lead the practice."

The foursome walked away. April walked ahead, her body exuding confidence after the praise, chatting away with Vickie. Donovan and Gilbert, shoulders drooping, followed behind.

"I guess we are all having problems with men?" Caroline asked.

The head archer turned, her delicate features marred by a frown. The woman ran her hand through her short cropped hair. "I don't know where their head is at. They're not as good as they should be by now."

Caroline sighed. "I understand that."

"I saw you with Lockwood. Maybe your approach is a bit harsh. Men have tender feelings."

"Wasn't Jeremy just sniffling?" Caroline commented dryly.

The head archer threw her head back and laughed. She was 20 years Caroline's senior and the Goddesses had been good to her. Caroline often teased her mother drank from Hebe's cup of eternal youth at some point. Elizabeth's body, lithe and agile, from constant training and conditioning, shook with merriment. The sound provoked Caroline's own smile.

###

Klaus observed the scene from a distance. Caroline seemed comfortable when talking to the woman that many in Astydamea seemed to be intimidated by. He didn't know much about the woman but now he would make a point to learn as much as possible about her. The head archer handed Caroline something she removed from a pouch. It made the warrior smile brighter and the older woman touched her cheek while mirroring the gesture.

The smile transformed both their faces making Caroline look like someone's sweet intended and not the infernal fighter he knew her to be. Klaus cursed himself to hell. Why did the thought stick in his brain? It shouldn't matter, not after the way she pounded men's faces into the dirt day after day during training. The training in Astydamea followed a regimen. They alternated days between defense and offensive attacks. Their land attacks were lethal thanks to the strict discipline.

Even in his anger and malcontent, Klaus appreciated her organization and teaching skills; envied the way she controlled her temper with Lockwood. After weeks observing the man, Klaus' first opinion of Tyler was that he was a fool. He was too emotional to be a soldier and his mental state relied too much on his physical strength. Tyler didn't connect his brawn with his brain which suited Klaus more than well.

Stalking to the other side of the training yard, Klaus stopped to grab a pouch of water. Lockwood sat in a corner staring at the floor. His body tight with anger, his lip curled.

Klaus' impression was that the other man sulked. Squelching his disgust, he approached Lockwood offering him the water. "I think you need this."

Eyes narrowed, Tyler glanced up from the water to Klaus. "Did Caroline send you?"

This was going to be easy. "No."

Tyler scoffed. "I don't believe you. You're her slave, her plaything now. You don't do anything without her sanction."

Anger rushed through Klaus' veins but he stomped it. One day when he did what he wanted and this was all over, he would shove the words down Lockwood's throat. Everyone in Astydamea would pay for calling him a slave and treating him like property. He'd been swearing that to himself every night. Those were the thoughts that kept him from sinking his foot into Lockwood's neck at the moment.

"Caroline doesn't have to tell me to bring water to a thirsty soldier. I've been a general before and recognize when someone is working their hardest and doing great at it. I happen to think you seemed more than ready for another training session."

Tyler's eyes filled with resentment. "She doesn't listen to anyone. No one can contradict the warrior. I only wanted to tell her I was ready to go again."

"I know. Listen, Lockwood, Next time someone puts you in a hold from behind, hook your leg under the person and yank them forward. They'll lose balance and you can throw them into the floor," Klaus said.

Tyler seemed to be mulling the technique. Klaus almost chuckled. It was the exact thing Caroline had done to Tyler but the idiot didn't seem to realize it.

"I have to go. I am sure Caroline is leaving and I must follow her," Klaus rolled his eyes.

Lockwood's lip curled as he glanced in her direction before looking back at Klaus. "Klaus, I don't know why you're doing this but thank you."

Klaus nodded before walking away.

###

Klaus looked around the room trying not to focus on her figure. "I brought your wine," Klaus said.

Caroline stood in front of a window with her back to him. Her hands rested on the sill. It had been a long day of training. The ease with which she brought men to their knees, kicking them on their backs, made him wince with memories he would never forget. She was tireless, unrelenting. He summoned the hate, not wanting to relate but seeing her bask in the silence after a physically strenuous day reminded Klaus of the many times he had done the same. Shut off the noise and everyone around him and enjoyed his alone time.

"Are you going to pour it?"

Sharp with a hint of annoyance, her voice infiltrated his thoughts effectively vanishing any thoughts of solidarity. Her tone not unfamiliar but being on the receiving end of it definitely was. Klaus clenched his jaw.

"Where? I don't see any cups in the room," he snapped.

Turning around to face him then, her gaze found and pierced him.

"So you brought wine but no cups? How am I supposed to drink?" she asked.

"Warriors drink directly from the jug when they're on the battlefield," he informed her, derision dripping from his lips.

Caroline's eyes widened for a moment before a smiled grazed the corners of her mouth. She strolled towards him slowly, swaying her hips. This was the woman, not the warrior who approached. Against Klaus' will, adrenaline rushed through his veins.

"We're not on the field, Klaus. We are in my chambers." She ran her fingers softly over his forearm, pausing to squeeze his bicep.

Tongues of desire slid over his skin. He wanted nothing more than to drop the jug on the floor, grab her by the hair and crush his mouth against hers.

"Here," she continued, "I am also a woman... with needs. You understand?"

He nodded.

"Right now I need… you to bring me a cup to drink my wine." Her tone didn't change. She was still purring and his body reeled but the meanings of her words were clear.

Anger shot through Klaus. She thought she could put him in place. Did she know how many men way bigger than her he had taken down with his own hands?

Impervious to his thoughts, she continued caressing his arm. Her face came closer to his and for a second his anger vanished and he was lost in her eyes as they roved over him. Her fingers softly caressed his cheeks and jaw. Her touch womanly and arousing.

"You have beautiful lips, Niklaus," she said, her tone tender, "I'm looking forward to feeling them on my mouth…" Her breath glided over him. "My body." She pulled him closer rubbing herself on his thigh. "Between my legs."

His cock strained painfully against his breeches.

"When?" The question slipped from his lips before he could stop it.

She brought his head closer and whispered against his mouth, "Maybe when I finally get my wine."

She dumped the icy words on him, freezing his blood. Her eyes glittered; bore into him until his blood boiled. She toyed with him as if he was a boy. He would need to show her differently. Dropping the jug, Klaus' hands moved quickly and grabbed her. One at her hip and the other entangled in her hair, he snatched her to him.

Her widened eyes spurred his anger; he crushed his mouth to hers. His teeth collided with her lips letting him taste her blood. He rocked his hips against hers and Caroline's mouth gasped open, the sound bouncing against his skin and rippling through his body. His tongue boldly barged in to stroke hers, her fingernails digging deep into his forearms before releasing to rake up his arms, circling around his shoulder blades and pulled him closer. Hands entangled in his hair, pulling at his curls while her tongue stroked back against his. She let him taste the hunger inside. A second later, Klaus found himself flying and landing on his backside.

Klaus blinked.

"Go get me the cup for my wine." Ice dripped from her lips, shining in her eyes and effectively killing the remnants of the heat she tattooed in him. Caroline turned her and went back to look out of the window into the forest.

Mired in frustration, Klaus got up and stalked out of the room.

###

"This is truly excellent, Lady Rebekah," Bonnie said with a smile, holding out the scrolls for Katherine and Elena to see. "The plan is detailed and well drafted."

Rebekah blushed under the praise, making Caroline think that she never received a compliment before.

"Thank you, your highness," the girl whispered.

After her arrival, Bonnie learned that Rebekah had knowledge of herbs and taking care of the sick. She often helped her mother, a healer, in tending the wounded and women during childbirth. The queen assigned the girl to work in the construction plans for The House of Sekhmet, a center where the ailing could go recuperate without contaminating the rest of the population.

"Your kingdom was lucky to have you. Don't you think, Caroline?" Bonnie said, passing her the scroll.

Caroline looked over it and nodded. "I like your plans on dividing the wounded from the sick and the children."

"Lady Rebekah, feel very proud. You got a compliment from Caroline who will most likely be sending most of the wounded to the House," Katerina quipped.

"Did you have one of these structures in your kingdom?" Elena asked.

Rebekah shook her head. "I once suggested it to father but he said I should worry about learning things that would help me care for my household and husband and leave those ideas to the men in the family."

"You're married?" Both Katherine and Elena echoed.

"No," Rebekah said. "Father had not chosen a husband for me when..."

"Why would your father choose your husband?" Elena's pretty face was marred by a deep frown.

"It is the way it's done. Do you choose your own husbands here?" Rebekah was aghast.

"Of course we do! Who else would do it for us?" Elena asked.

"Why the men in charge, of course. Your fathers or brothers or a male guardian," Rebekah explained.

Katherine laughed. "Well here, we are in charge. Why should anyone choose the consort or father of my children for me? It's my body that will bear fruit, if I let it."

Caroline released a long breath. For the better part of an hour she feigned interest in the conversation, buying time to regain control of her emotions. She would have preferred to spar with someone to burn out her anger but that wouldn't have been fair to her sparring partner. The encounter with her slave left her on edge. Just as she suspected, it would be hard for him to adjust to his new place. He kissed her, boldly, without her permission.

His mouth possessive, leaving no doubts in her mind that he would be, just as passionate as she thought. But it wasn't that simple. They weren't just to be lovers. He was hers but refused to accept it. The battle of wills was inevitable. Caroline just wanted to delay it.

Bonnie moved to stand by Caroline. "You will learn lady Rebekah, that here we live a different style than you are used to. A woman's mind is her own and men are second to us. You've been working very hard and thriving it at it here. You've taken charge of your life. It will do you good to do so in other areas. It is only natural for a woman to indulge her body like she does her mind. "

Rebekah's eyes rounded like saucers before her face reddened. "I..I'm supposed to wait till marriage..." clearing her throat, "At least I was supposed to."

"Our society, unlike yours, does not believe that a woman or man needs to be a virgin on her marriage bed. Since you are now a citizen of our city, who lives by our rules, you have choices now," the queen informed her.

"Would you still like to wait?" Elena asked.

Rebekah looked at her feet. "I don't know any of the men here."

"She likes Enzo. She's been watching him train."

All eyes in the room turned to Lady Hayley who had been silently sulking all afternoon. There was something in the woman's voice that grated on Caroline, effectively pulling her thoughts from Klaus, and turning them to the conversation at hand.

"Enzo is with Caroline," Bonnie answered Hayley, her cutting tone not missed by anyone in the room.

Caroline thought of how she no longer allowed Enzo to visit her bed. Since Bonnie had gifted her with Klaus, her carnal thoughts almost never strayed from the slave and for some reason she refused to satisfy the urges he stoked with Enzo. It angered her that she couldn't make herself do it. Sending him away the first night, had only been the beginning. She never called him back to her chambers. She took a deep breath.

"Lady Rebekah has my blessing to pursue Enzo. He no longer shares my bed," Caroline announced.

Rebekah's gasp, echoed, but went ignored. The queen and the twins stared at Caroline with open interest; she pretended not to notice as she addressed Rebekah. "He will be a good lover to you. He is experienced and intuitive. He's also discreet."

Rebekah flushed even deeper.

"Lady Rebekah, there is no need to embarrassed. If you stopped thinking about sex, the way your former culture meant it, you will find that this is a natural occurrence between men and women." Caroline waited till Rebekah nodded. "I will send Enzo to you tonight."

"How come it's so easy for you to give him away? Don't you feel anything for him?" Rebekah asked in a voice tainted with resentment.

The tone in the other woman's voice was unmistakable. Caroline pinned her with her gaze. "I have a great affection for Enzo. He's been a good friend and a good lover. But what it was, it no longer is."

Rebekah eyes flashed with emotion. "Will you gift my brother to the first woman who asks when you tire of toying with him?" Silence veiled the room, coating it with thick tension.

"No, Klaus is mine. He is my property, given to me by the queen and no one will take him from me," Caroline said, her eyes widening at the words that came from her lips. Her fingers pressed firmly over her mouth to block anything else she might say.

All the other women seemed taken aback and looked at her in shock. Caroline turned on her heel and left the room.

###

"How are you faring, Niklaus?" Elijah asked.

For 30 minutes they had eaten in silence. Klaus and Kol came over to Elijah's quarters to visit. Hayley was at her duty station in the palace.

"How do you think I'm faring, Lijah? I am that woman's lady's maid. Today she was testy because I brought her the jug of wine she requested but didn't have any cups," Klaus grumbled.

"How would she drink it with no cups?" Kol asked.

"Shut up," Klaus snapped.

"Does she mistreat you?" Elijah asked softly.

The concern in his brother's voice both touched Klaus and ignited his anger. He drank his wine in one gulp. This was what the mighty Klaus, who inspired fear in the hearts of men, had been reduced to. Pitiful looks and inquiries because he was now under a woman's thumb. He laughed derisively.

"Mistreat me? You mean other than teasing me constantly with her body? Ordering me around and not giving me the pleasure her actions promise."

"Tell me more," Kol said, leaning over.

A look from both Elijah and Klaus had their younger brother shrinking.

"This is a society unlike anything I've ever known. These women…They are like men. They rule like we do and with the same confidence if not more." Elijah's voice betrayed his frustration. "They're not like any other women I know. There is intelligence and their economic system is brilliant. It makes ours look like it was concocted by children."

"You have to learn everything they do. All three of us need to. Learn their system Elijah. Find ways to get closer to the ones you work for. Kol, you need to learn everything about the queen. I don't just mean her bed but the way she rules and how she does it." Klaus looked from one brother to the other. "I'll learn everything about the warrior of Astydamea."

Klaus thought how he would get to know Caroline better than she knows herself. He would make her scream in pleasure until she knew only him; bend her to his will and her loyalties would be to Klaus alone.

"What are you planning, Niklaus?" Elijah asked. A deep frowned marred his normally impassive face.

"We're going to take this place and we are going to take these women. We will unite the kingdoms," Klaus said while toying with the challis in his hand.

"How will we do that? There are plenty of men here and they have yet to do it. How can we?" Kol couldn't seem to understand.

"That's easy. They've never been anything but second class. But we have. We've ruled and commanded. Let's see how confident these women are when they're taking care of our households and tending to our meals."

"Let's identify other males we can use. I already have that dumb kid Lockwood on my list."

###

"Why are you here?" Liz asked Caroline when her daughter was done with her bath, moving to offer her a robe.

Caroline showed up at Liz's quarters trying to hide the agitation her mother could see lingering in her eyes. Liz went to gather dinner and wine, letting her daughter bathe and giving her the space she obviously needed while staying nearby.

"Maybe I just miss being with my mother," Caroline said offering the smile that slayed her Liz' heart every time.

"I don't doubt that." Liz smiled, moving to run her hands over her daughter's wet hair. She took the comb from Caroline's hand and began to comb the tresses.

"This was my favorite thing when you were a child. I cherished the moments when you were just mine and William's. I loved coming home and feeding you or holding you at night when you had a bad dream. Nothing filled my heart more than your face pressed against my chest."

Caroline turned to look at her mother. "I loved those moments too. When I was sick you and father let me climb in bed with you and he told me the great warrior I would become."

Pain oozed from a wound that never fully closed; Liz winced. William died before he saw Caroline's blessings come to fruition, before her battles and accolades. "He sees you from the great beyond, Caroline. I am sure he smiles like I do." Her daughter looked down and Liz knew it was time to move on. "Are you going to tell me why you're here, hiding from your slave?'

Caroline's gaze flew to hers, eyes widened, lips parted. She stayed like that for a breath. She took the comb from Liz's hand and stood up holding it in front of her. "I'm not hiding, mother."

For a second Liz wanted to laugh. The Goddesses blessed Caroline with strength, beauty and a terrifying physical ability. She could take down armies but here, Caroline was a daughter, the baby Liz nursed at her breast.

Liz moved to put the plates on the table in silence knowing her daughter stared daggers at her while stewing in her own defensiveness. She placed the food on them and sat down. Only when Caroline did the same, Liz looked at her. "You probably should bed him. Take your control back."

Caroline looked down at her food, picked up her bread and looked back at her mother. Eyes sharp and intense, she finally released a breath. "It's not that easy. He's mine and he's a foreigner. He's stubborn and won't listen. He's used to commanding and resents me though I had nothing to do with this. I'm always wondering what the hell he is up to because he always looks at me like he either wants to murder me or…"

Caroline's apprehension was so strong, Liz felt it in her own body. She released the long breath she had been holding. Finally, understanding dawned on the head archer. "You fancy him."

"What? No!" Caroline would have bolted except Liz reached and held her hand down.

Liz fought the urge to smile knowing her daughter wouldn't welcome it. She pressed her lips together. Denial was only the beginning. "He challenges you. You are used to having your way with any of the men in Astydamea. Enzo was easy. So was Tyler at some point. The slave is unpredictable and it excites you on a level you have yet to comprehend."

"I don't want him to," Caroline grumbled.

Joy and worry mingled in Liz's heart. She squeezed her daughter's hand. She was happy Caroline came to her but at the same time, she wondered how her daughter would deal with the slave. "I know you don't but give it some time. Remember Caroline, he is yours not the other way around."

###

Caroline didn't come back to her quarters.

Klaus stayed awake most of the evening in wait. He even made the rounds, to see if he saw her. He didn't ask for her, of course. He never would. No one seemed to miss her or talk about her absence.

Could she be dousing the flames he stoke in her earlier with another man? His whole being went taut with rage imagining her in another bed, tilting her head in sleep for another man's kisses. Would she sigh against him, her warm breath brushing over his chest? The thought made Klaus murderous. This was another offense he would add to her growing ledger.

He stalked the main hall after dinner and saw the one they called Enzo, her former lover, in talks with Damon. Both heavily drinking, neither able to stand up.

She wasn't with Enzo. Relief spread through Klaus but his thoughts pointed an accusatory finger. The whole evening he told himself he only wanted to find out where she was so he could put his plan into effect. Ignoring his conscious, he lay in the bed, twisting and turning about the absence of her warm body pressed next to his.

Restless, his ears trained to the door and the hallways beyond. He finally succumbed to an uncomfortable sleep. Waking up in the early hours to find she was still missing, Klaus got up, washed himself, and went out to search for her.

He finally spotted Caroline stalking out of the palace gates. Storming through the gardens, she headed for the forest. Shoulders squared, she walked with firm long strides. Her feet light, stealth, barely crunching the leaves she stepped on.

Klaus took off after, staying far back. He didn't think she would welcome his presence. The woman seemed intent on something and he needed to know what.

Following her, he inhaled the woodsy musk with blends of citrus, flowers, and sandalwood. Her hair hung loose, bouncing with each step of her long limbs, cutting through the air before tumbling over her shoulders. A majestic bird with plumage shades of azure and cerulean flew over them. Klaus briefly followed its flight. He'd never seen the like. When his gaze returned to her, he found Caroline glaring at him.

"I came here to be alone. Turn around and go back to the palace."

She continued her journey, without waiting for his answer. Klaus waited until there was a reasonable distance before he began to follow again.

Caroline walked till she reached the river banks, then sat down and took off her shoes. She hugged her knees to her chest and watched the water. There was silence for a very long time which Klaus used to inspect the area. Heavy trees on both sides reflected on the river currents, creating a green blur with periodic patches of the blue sky.

Klaus was enthralled by the vegetation and animals around them. In another life, he would have captured this sanctuary and the beautiful woman with her golden waves sitting across from him and searching for something he didn't understand.

"I used to come here when I was a little girl."

Her voice startled him out of his concentration. Still sitting in the same position, Caroline's voice sounded like it traveled with the river.

"My father taught me to swim in this stream. Then, we would race to the other side to the strawberry fields. I still remember the first time I beat him across. He was so happy and proud. Then his eyes looked sad and wistful."

Klaus moved to sit by her. "Why?" I mean, why was he sad?"

She turned to him. Her eyes, almost as green as the river and just as bottomless, threatened to swallow Klaus. "Because my time was coming."

"Your time?" he asked.

She lay on her side on the grass facing him. "I was born one of the four. My destiny was already laid out. My time with my parents was coming to an end. I would take my rightful place."

Her tone ate at his insides. This was a side of her he hadn't see in the month he had been under her charge. He had seen her ruthless in training, held her in bed but he never saw her soft, almost vulnerable. Part of him took notes for his plan but another part of him was genuinely curious.

"I don't understand," Klaus said.

"The Goddesses choose the rulers of our nation. The Four are born on the same day at the same time. At the age of 17, they come into their blessings from the Goddesses and take power. Bonnie was born to be queen. Kat and Elena are the wise council and I… "

"And you're the mighty warrior," Klaus said.

Caroline nodded.

"Where's your father now?"

A cloud came over her eyes and she looked away from him for a second. "He died a month before my blessings."

"And your mother?"

"You met her yesterday. She's our head archer."

Understanding dawned on Klaus. Now he understood the familiarity between them. "Oh, the one that made the boys cry? I see the family resemblance now."

She blinked a few times before she broke into laughter that shook her body. Klaus watched her roll on her back and hold on to her stomach. The sun shining on her face, the rays playing with her hair. She looked soft and relaxed.

He tried to vanish the thoughts. He didn't want to let her affect him so. "How come you didn't come to bed last night?"

"I missed my mother's house. I needed her to hold me and make me sweets," she replied softly.

The answer baffled Klaus. She had everyone at her feet but needed her mother to hold her. Klaus supposed that's what made her a woman. He couldn't help himself and the comment just slipped out. "I can't picture you needing to be held like a child."

"Why not? You've held me every night since you came to Astydamea," she retorted

Taken aback, Klaus stared at her for a few seconds. Then a thought formed in his head. "So only your mother and I get to hold you at night?" He cursed himself the minute the question was out of his mouth.

"Are you looking for reassurances, Klaus? I hope not. I owe you none."

The words were a fist to his stomach. Once again she managed to put him in place, remind him of who he now was. Even when he had a plan to execute and told himself to swallow the offenses, it was nearly impossible not to react. He gritted his teeth. "How you enjoy lording your power over me," Klaus spat.

Caroline stood up. Her face clearly conveying their time in the river banks was over. "My powers are Goddesses given, my beauty belongs to time which will take it away when it sees fit. The way I see it, you and my mother are the only things that truly belong to me. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy that…" She turned away from him but shot over her shoulder, "I never lie, Klaus."

With that, she began to walk towards the castle. Behind her Klaus followed, tension pulsating through his body; apprehension, a cloud, hanging over his head.

That is all for now. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Did you?