Before you click away, this is part of a prologue, so I won't actually be writing in the 1900's style the whole time! But I do hope you stay and read and enjoy!

Prologue (Part One)

"Eibhlín Nicbranagáin, she's just over dere." Eibhlín heard her mother's slight accent rise through the quiet conversations of the mourning crowd. Eibhlín looked around the crowd to find her mother. The silver and auburn hair caught the Eibhlín's sight. Now, looking directly at the slightly aging woman, a sigh left her lips.

"Not again." Eibhlín thought as she looked at her mother and shook her head slightly at the older woman's antics. "An' at a funeral, no less!" She sighed to herself as she stood at the edge of the small groups that had formed, away from people.

Eibhlín wanted to scream at her mother. For years her mother had been trying to find a proper suitor, and now, with Eibhlín having turned 22, her mother had thought her to be already past my prime. Without even the slightest knowledge, the older woman would want to introduce an unknown man to her daughter. After the first few, Eibhlín was tired of the whole ordeal and refused to talk to any man that her mother 'picked out' for her.

"She would throw me ta de wolves if she could at dis point." Eibhlín thought to herself as she scowled at the woman.

"Maybe if ya just find a suitor ya like, Ma will stop hasslin' every man she meets." The familiar voice rang in Eibhlín's ears. She turned around and and saw her brother, Séamus. Eibhlín let out an annoyed sigh before mocking him under her breath. "I am only sayin' what is true, deirfiúr leanbh."

"But at a funeral, deartháir?" Eibhlín whined, letting the words fall out of her mouth as if it hadn't been months since the last time she had spoken Irish. Séamus only chuckled.

"Aye, dat is a little too far, even fer our Mather." Séamus snickered looking at the older woman chat a young man's ear off while he rubbed his dark ginger beard. "But, I have ta go find Da. He went off ta de Lockwood's. He doesn' need any wine tonigh'." Séamus said aloud, slightly glancing down at Eibhlín cautiously. Eibhlín noticed but kept her mouth shut. "Stay out of trouble." He said and gave a smile, poking the short girls nose before quickly making his way around the crowd toward the large mansion. Séamus was almost as tall as their father, at almost 6'2"; he towered over Eibhlín's small 5'1" stature with ease. Even as he walked through a group of people, his curly red hair could still be seen from her short height. Eibhlín only chuckled before she began to drift to the edge of the openings woods. What was the point of talking with others when one could spend time alone. The woods would be a perfect place to keep to herself.

"Evelyn?" Eibhlín heard a soft voice raise her attention. She turned back around to see Marianna Lockwood walking towards her with Samantha Gilbert. Samantha gave a small goodbye to Marianna before she took a sharp left to turn back towards a larger group of people. Eibhlín tried to get the thought of Marianna butchering her name out of her mind. Those were not her thoughts, but the thoughts of her mother. It was all in the accent. Marianna pronounced it right, Eibhlín knew, but it just sounded strange in her ears. "Evelyn?" She heard Marianna's voice break through her thoughts once more.

"Hello, Ms. Lockwood." Eibhlín gave the taller woman a small smile as Marianna stood in front of the her

"Please, call me Marianna." Marianna gave a soft smile. "We are practically neighbors, after all." She cooed lightly. Eibhlín concealed the urge to roll her eyes at the statement.

"Aye, Ms. Lockwood...er...Marianna." Eibhlín said before she quickly correcting herself. Marianna's hands twisted lightly.

"I saw you without the company of your mother or father. No one should be alone in these dark times, Evelyn." Marianna said quietly. Eibhlín only gave a small smile at Marianna.

"Not like someone is gonna try an' kill me in cold blood." Eibhlín said frankly. Marianna's eyes widened at the statement. With a light touch, Marianna took Eibhlín's wrist and pulled her a small ways away from the group that was slowly making their way towards the two. Eibhlín followed quietly without question.

"How did you know that Zachariah was..." Marianna trailed off quickly glancing around her and Eibhlín cautiously. Eibhlín furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"We were not supposed ta know?" Eibhlín questioned. Marianna shook her head lightly. "Why would we not? Me Da is in de council. Zachariah was not de first an' I don' believe he will be de last." Eibhlín said quietly. Marianna's eyes widened again at the blunt remark, but Eibhlín ignored the shocked look on the woman's face and continued, "Should we not have de righ' ta know?" She cocked her head, letting her darkened orange bangs fall out from her black feathered hat. Marianna's eyes narrowed at the innocent look on Eibhlín's face.

"Yes, you should know, but you should not speak so bluntly about it." Marianna hissed at the younger woman before letting out a sigh and shaking her head. "I must say that I am glad your family moved here before all of the 'accidents' happened." She said in a hushed voice, changing the subject to Eibhlín's delight.

"Wouldn't dat be de way?" Eibhlín sassed. "A mysterious family moves ta Mystic Falls. De town's council members start dyin'. What an awful novel dat would make." Eibhlín said quietly shaking her head at the very thought of a book with such a plot. Marianna's eyes narrowed once more at Eibhlín casual comments.

"It would sound more interesting if people weren't actually dying here." Marianna hissed again in a low voice. "This is not a book, Evelyn; do not treat this situation as a novel. This is real." She continued, folding her arms sternly. Eibhlín couldn't stop her eyes from rolling now.

"I know dat dis is not a novel." Eibhlín spat back at her. "I was tryin' ta lighten de mood." She growled lowly towards the woman. Eibhlín hated being talked to as if she was a young child. She knew that the world wasn't a fairytale and that people were dying, but the only way she knew how to handle sadness were slight jabs at whatever situation was. Marianna was not enjoying any of the quips Eibhlín had thought of, unfortunately.

"You are not your mother." Marianna snapped lightly, " Ailís is the only light in these dark times," She muttered to herself more so than to Eibhlín. Eibhlín only let out a silent scoff before Marianna continued. "The brighter you become, the larger your shadow becomes compared to hers." Marianna growled back towards Eibhlín. Eibhlín blinked at Marianna's harsh words before rolling her emerald colored eyes once more. Her eyes darted anywhere to avoid Marianna's intense gaze afterwards though. Samantha Gilbert's eyes caught hers instead. Samantha turned her gaze quickly.

"Somethin' about her seems off." Eibhlín thought to herself. "She was involved in de council's 'accidents'…somehow…" Eibhlín's thoughts trailed off as she looked at the woman. Eibhlín knew not to blurt that piece of suspicion out loud though. She had no evidence or any proof. It was only a hunch and an underlining feeling. Besides, who would believe an Irish woman with no husband or suitor compared to a woman whose family was part of the Founding Family's?

"Evelyn." Eibhlín blinked and looked back at Marianna. Marianna's eyebrows were raised and her attention turned towards Eibhlín gaze.

"Aye?" Eibhlín trailed off as her mind tried to stay focused on Samantha Gilbert.

"What are you looking at?" Marianna questioned. Eibhlín then noticed the direction Marianna's gaze was. A quick lie would do.

"Just...me...Ma." Eibhlín said aloud. "She's tryin' ta find a suitor fer me." Eibhlín continued; glad to see that her mother was still talking to the younger man in the direction Eibhlín had been looking. Eibhlín let out a slight sigh, remembering the issue of her mother's quest to find suitors.

"Now, a beautiful young woman like yourself?" Eibhlín twirled around quickly to see a man with dirty blonde hair and dark green eyes staring at her with a small smile. "I would have assumed you would have more than a dozen suitors lining up to try and take your hand." He continued, a smile slipping across his lips. Eibhlín cheeks warmed to his words quickly as she tried to laugh off the comment. Marianna turned back towards Eibhlín and looked at the man.

"Ah, but ya find great suitors at a funeral. Did ya not know?" Eibhlín asked with a small smile. The man's sternum moved as he let out a silent laugh. Marianna glanced at the two before she gave Eibhlín a stern look. What was wrong now?

"Oh, Mr. Salvatore, I did not see you walking up to us." Marianna's softened voice rose up. Eibhlín fought to keep her eyes from rolling at the comment and sudden change of tone.

"Hello again, Ms. Lockwood." He nodded at her. "And hello Ms..." He trailed off expecting a name. Eibhlín blinked realizing that she had to introduce herself.

"NicBranagáin." Eibhlín before realizing she hadn't said her first name. "Er, E-Eibhlín NicBranagáin." Eibhlín stuttered out her full name, realizing how thick her accent really was when talking to this Salvatore. Eibhlín's ears burned down into her cheeks at how embarrassing she must have looked.

"Irish?" He asked with a mocked shocked expression. "I never would have guessed. The accent was hidden until just now." The man smiled with the sarcasm slicing his words. Eibhlín only snickered at the remark, her cheeks still burning. "Stefan Salvatore." He smiled holding out his hand. Eibhlín gave him her hand and gave a small curtsy while Stefan kissed the back of her hand, causing her face to continue to burn. Marianna looked at the two again before speaking up.

"Yes, Mr. Salvatore is Zachariah's nephew." Marianna spoke again. Eibhlín froze, feeling the blood rush from her face. How could Eibhlín even joke of finding a suitor at the funeral...this man's uncle's funeral, at that! How could she not see the small resemblance?

"Ah...I-I'm so-sorry. I didn'...if I had known...I apologize for makin' such a crude joke pertainin' ta me personal affairs, while ya grieve…" Eibhlín stuttered out a quick apology, her entire face lit up from embarrassment. Stefan only shook his head with a light smile as Eibhlín tried to dissolve into nothing, staring at her black shoes and black lace mourning dress.

"No need for apologizes. To be honest, the mood needs to lighten, and what better way to do that than with a beautiful woman like yourself telling funny jokes." Eibhlín looked back up at Stefan through her lashes. He gave her a reassuring smile as she raised an eyebrow at him. Marianna began to slink away from the two, seeing as though she was of no need in the conversation between the two. She began to walk towards Eibhlín's mother though, to Eibhlín displeasure.

"What better way ta start me career as a jokin' Irish woman dan ta start by gigglin' at a funeral." Eibhlín sassed at Stefan playfully. He chuckled lightly before a squawking caught the attention of Eibhlín and Stefan. Eibhlín's ears perked up suddenly as Stefan's green eyes slide over to the sound. A crow sat on a headstone, squawking. Stefan's attention was now fully on the crow. "Do I need ta leave ya and de crow alone?" Eibhlín questioned Stefan sarcastically, which only brought his eyes towards her. He shook his head with a small smile.

"No, Ms. Eibhlín." Stefan smiled cautious. Eibhlín raised an eyebrow at him. "Crows are said to be a sign of death. Do you really wish for me to leave you alone with one perched so near?" He asked. Eibhlín couldn't help but roll her eyes at the man.

"It is just a crow, Mr. Salvatore." Eibhlín smiled with a raised eyebrow. "No, once they start bringin' people along with dem, den we shall be worried." She shook her head. Stefan only raised an eyebrow at her with a small chuckle. But behind that smile, Stefan's whole body was tense. Perhaps he had a fear of crows.

"Eibhlín?" Eibhlín's mother's voice called. Eibhlín turned to see her mother giving her a very disapproving look with folded arms. She nodded for Eibhlín to come over to her. Eibhlín sighed quietly before looking back at Stefan.

"Now, we shall be worried, Mr. Salvatore." She muttered back to Stefan, glancing to her mother. Stefan's chest shook again with silent laughter. "I must go now, or else a crow is de least of me worries. It was a pleasure ta meet ya, Mr. Salvatore." Eibhlín smiled at him and curtsied in an almost sarcastic way. Stefan gave an amused smile back towards her.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. NicBranagáin." Stefan bowed back towards her. Eibhlín's breath caught slightly. Eibhlín gave a small smile before she turned away from him. No one even bothered to try and say her last name, let alone say it correctly…The warm feeling wrapped around her as she walked over to her mother quickly.

"Hello, Ma." Eibhlín greeted the older woman. Her mother only scowled at Eibhlín response before she grabbed Eibhlín's arm and pulled her farther away from Stefan.

"Do ya know what yer Da would dink about dis?" Her mother hissed lowly as she stopped and pulled Eibhlín behind a tree, without any sight of a group nearby. Eibhlín raised her eyebrow at her mother's actions.

"Dink about what? Dere's nothin' ta dink about!" Eibhlín protested. "I was talkin'. What is de harm in dat?" She questioned. Eibhlín's mother grumbled lowly, checking around her suspiciously, just as Marianna had done earlier.

"Because I love ya, I'm goin' ta tell ya dis…" Her mother trailed off. "Do not speak with dat…man." She whispered closer to Eibhlín. Eibhlín cocked her head, out of habit. Her mother sighed, checking over her shoulder again. "He is dangerous." She whispered again, more forcefully. Eibhlín back up from her mother cautiously, before her mother grabbed her arm.

"What?" Eibhlín questioned, unbelieving of her words. "Dangerous? He seems very charmin'!" She muttered back to her mother quietly only to receive a glare. Eibhlín shook her head at her mother before turning to walk walk away from her. Before she could even begin walking, Eibhlín's mother grabbed Eibhlín's long black coat sleeve.

"Listen ta me, cailín beag," Her mother growled lowly, making Eibhlín want to rip her arm away from the older woman. "Stefan Salvatore is a dangerous man, an' so is his deartháir." She hissed lowly, tightening her grip on Eibhlín's arm. "Stay away from dose Salavtore's at all costs." Her mother warned. "And if ya do not heed me warnings, ya will regret it for de rest of yer life." She finished and pushed Eibhlín away. Eibhlín stumbled before catching herself only to see her mother sauntering away like nothing had happened. Eibhlín breathed out, only then realizing that she had been holding her breath.

The quiet of the night was beginning to bore Eibhlín. She only heard the low sounds of her older brother's breathing from the room next to hers, and the sounds of crickets outside. There were no loud noises to lull her to sleep like usual. The Lockwood's weren't having any gatherings, and her father wasn't yelling drunken words. She tossed around in her bed again for the fifth time before looking out her window. With a slight groan, Eibhlín sat up and pulled herself out of bed. The cold wooden floor of her room made her shiver as she crept over to the large window to look out at the stars.

Eibhlín's window opened with ease as she stuck her whole upper body out the opening. Looking up, she breathed out an annoyed sigh. A large tree branch blocked her view of even the moon. Another grumble left her lips before she ran her fingers through the mess of ginger curls. She needed something. She needed noise. She needed lights. She needed people. Her breath caught as she saw her father stumble out of the house. She quickly pulled her body back into her room before peaking over the windowsill. Her father's large body swayed back and forth as he started heading towards the road.

"What makes him so intimidatin'?" She questioned herself. "What gives him any right ta be de way he is?" Anger began to bubble into her veins at the very thought of her father. "Why want a family if all ya do is..." The thoughts slammed into Eibhlín's head. She flinched at her own thoughts. She closed the window quickly and walked over to her closet. "He will not control me life." She hissed to herself. Before she even realized what she was doing, she began to look through her dresses.

Suddenly, a pale violet color caught her eye. She ran her hand over the soft lace before she took out the dress. She glanced over the features; a boned bodice and a two-tiered crinoline skirt. Without thinking, she pulled it out quickly and laid it on her bed before grabbing a light beige heel with a matching pale violet bow with a design across the front. She pulled her nightgown over her head and threw it under her bed. Before the nightgown even hit the ground, she was wiggling into her dress, lacing up the back with ease. As she sat on her bed, she slipped the heels onto her feet before she walked to her vanity. There, she pulled out a pearl necklace and bracelet.

"What are ya doin', Eibhlín?" Eibhlín questioned herself in the mirror as she clipped the necklace on and slid the bracelet onto her right wrist. She saw the ginger curls fall against her shoulders and her bangs sweep across her face. "Ya have no plan." She said to herself as she began to sneak out of her room. "If yer caught, Da won't go easy on ya." She thought to herself as she tip-toed down the hallway. "When has he ever gone easy on ya?" She glanced over to an open window that let in the night breeze. She took a breath in, practically tasting her freedom. Taking one more glance down the hallway, she scurried towards the stairs. Light footsteps began to patter behind her.

Without thinking, she sat on the edge of the railing of the stairs and slide down. Once she reached the bottom, she quickly ran to the door as the footsteps upstairs got closer to the squeaking of the stairs. Eibhlín took one breath in as she slipped out of the front door. She glanced at the door behind her before she started to rush towards the shadowing of the trees. She was not going to get caught.

"Just keep telling yerself dat, Eibhlín." She muttered to herself as she reached the cool shade of the tree line. She looked out in the dark of the light and saw a faint light break through the top of the trees. It wasn't the way to town, but it was light, and light usually meant noise. At least, that's what she hoped it would mean. She was going to find out one way or another. Without another thought of it, she began her walk through the woods towards the light in the trees.

As Eibhlín walked out of the tree line, she looked at a large tent in the center of a clearing. The clearing was a spot near the town, but nothing usually took place there, due to it being so isolated. People chatted to each other outside the tent with a cigars sticking out of their mouth. Eibhlín scoffed quietly as she walked past them.

"Why would anyone partake in such a harmful habit?" Eibhlín thought to herself. Ignoring the smell of the smoke, she walked through the loud tent's opening. She heard the ding of a bell and within seconds the sound of a punch. She knew all too well what that sounded like. She felt her breath catch before she heard cheering. She looked towards the cheering to see a boxing ring with a woman and a man boxing. Red curly hair bounced around as Eibhlín saw that the woman was actually winning! Eibhlín raised an eyebrow at the ordeal. The woman was bouncing around carelessly as the man tried to throw in a few punches, each missing. A smile spread across Eibhlín's face subconsciously as she watched the woman begin her actual attack instead of her defense. The bell dinged again. Eibhlín wiggled her way towards the front to see the man lying on the floor of the boxing ring. Eibhlín's eyes widen.

How could she have done that? Eibhlín looked at the woman bouncing about with a smile. The woman in the ring had very little clothes on, but Eibhlín guessed that if a woman were boxing, she could not wear a dress. The woman in the ring's eyes met Eibhlín's and she smiled, winking at Eibhlín. She must have looked like a bewildered child.

"Come then! You've all heard my bet!" The red head in the ring announced. "Do you wish to go home and say you didn't want to fight a girl?" She mocked the men in attendance. Eibhlín smiled at the woman's harsh words and so did some of the men. The men must have been watching before as well. Eibhlín saw one man jump up on the opposite side of the woman before getting into the ring. The red haired woman smiled at him and waited for him to take off his shirt. Eibhlín's feet were planted as she watched the woman in the ring.

What made her so strong anyways? Eibhlín wondered to herself as she watched the woman eye the man carefully.

The bell rang once and the woman was punching the man. Eibhlín blinked, trying to believe her eyes. Eibhlín looked around at everyone. People were talking to the person beside them, and others cheered the woman on. Everyone acted as if this was normal. This was nowhere near normal to Eibhlín. She had never seen a woman beat a man. It was always the opposite way around.

Watching this woman in the ring beat two men in a row had Eibhlín adrenaline pumping. If that woman could protect herself from the punches of a man, why couldn't Eibhlín? Suddenly, a grunt brought Eibhlín's attention back towards the woman and the man.

The man was trying to block her punches, but the woman's punches were quick, and before too long, the man fell on his back. The red haired woman's body swayed back and forth as she drank in the cheering. Eibhlín was in awe at the woman and couldn't help but cheer along with the crowd.

Translations:

Deirfiúr leanbh–baby sister

Deartháir–Brother

Cailín beag–Little girl

Hello third person, Irish words, and accents in the writing! I hope you enjoy. There are three parts to the prologue because I wanted to cut it down in size. I know what you're thinking, holy shit three! Yeah, I know, but I wanted you to get to know my baby Evelyn before. If she's a Mary Sue, please tell me (goodgodplease). But, I hope you enjoyed! If not, that's cool. I still love you. Okay. Bye.

-Nebula