523I hope you enjoy this new story that I have came up with. This story is going to be a little bit dark right out of the gate, so if you do not like that, please do not read, because this first chapter is dark and as some sensitive subject matters too. Also this is a historical pieces, I have been doing a lot of research for this story, to make sure that it correct for historical purposes and I hope you enjoy and if you have any questions, please send me questions you have and I will answer them. Please let me know what you think. No flames. I love the reviews I get, it makes me want to write more. Disclaimer: All the characters belong to the author. Except any of the characters I came up with, along with the story line. The story line is all mine. Remember no flames, but please review. With this story, I have made it my own but I am using the Vampire Diaries characters, so I hope there is no confusion. You will noticed the first changes in this vary chapter. Also you will notice that at certain time I will flip over to one of their past lives and then go back to the main story. I do this by italicizing for past lives and main story in regular writing. I hope that makes sense. If it gets confusing, please let me know.
Chapter One
The room was dark and only candles lit the small space. Inside the room one could smell candle wax and dust. No one had been down here in awhile; it was a small area in the temple of Aphrodite. Inside the small room one would find two people laying beside each other. If one was to see this they would think that it was a young couple that could not get a enough of each other, which to a point that would be true. Aleksandar wrapped one of his arms around her tiny body and when he did that, she did not care if they were to get caught or what was going on upstairs. Sweat dripped down his lean body and she watched has little beads of sweat ran from his shoulder down to his chest. She hated thinking the way she did, she thought of him in a manner that was not suited for her status, but he had changed her. He rolled over onto his side, while grinning up at her. He slowly leaned up and kissed her round stomach, while placing both of his hands on either side of her protruding belly. She could feel him rubbing circles into her skin and smiled to herself. He mumbled something, his lips barely grazing her abdomen and she let out a little giggle.
He loved her and their child so much and would do anything to protect them. Their child kicked at his hand, causing both of them to smile. He leaned up and kissed her before he got up and began to change into his clothes. She watched him has he began to get to dress and for some reason, she felt like something was off. He seemed so distant to her and she did not know why. He had been a little off for a while now, so she tried to let the nagging feeling of doom leave her. She slowly got up, her protruding stomach getting in the way, but she finally made it to her feet. When she was finally standing, she moved one of her hands gently across her belly. She began to smile has her small child kicked at her hand. It would be any day or week now, if she were counting right. She was surprised that her mother had not figured it out yet and she was scared for the outcome, of when her mother finally did realize what was going on. She feared for her unborn child's life, when it finally arrived.
She dressed in a beautiful light blue peplos, it had a small belt that helped hold up the kolpos that she was wearing on top. Putting the final touches to her outfit, she looked over to her lover and began to smile. He was getting dressed in chiton, which was ragged. The clothes he was wearing were slave clothes, but to her they mad him look even better. He was seven years to her senior. She was only seventeen, which for her status was old for having a child. Normally girls are married off at an earlier age. She watched has he finally finished dressing and smiled to herself. She loved the sight of his naked body, knowing that it only belonged to her. Just like she only belonged to him. She had not only given him her body, but she also had given him her heart. He just had no idea the amount of love she held for him and what she would do to keep him.
"Alek dear." She said in perfect ancient Greek. He gave her a small smile and turned back to facing the opening of the room. He was tall. To her, he had to be one of the tallest men in Pella that she had ever seen. Not that there were not tall men in Pella, but to her, he was very tall. He was one of the first people that she had seen with fair skin. His skin was starting to adapt to the dry heat of the Mediterranean sun, but you could still see a few blisters on his shoulders. She was lucky enough to be blessed with an olive skin tone. He rubbed the back of his neck, and tried to ignore the stares that she was giving him. He had no hair to grab a hold of like he used to when he was aggravated, they had shaved his head when he had been captured. She asked him once what his hair color had been, because she was curious about what their child would look like, but he ignored her questions. He knew what had to be done and he did not want to face her when he finally told her that he was leaving. "What is wrong dear?" She tried again, while coming to towards him. Her curly dark brown hair that went to the middle of her back, swished around has she walked. He looked down at her and she got lost in his dark eyes, they were so dark and she only had her own dark brown eyes to compare them to. He swallowed his pride, because he knew that he needed to tell her that he was leaving.
"I am leaving…going back home." He said in a broken ancient Greek with a Proto-Slavic accent. Sometimes she could barely understand him. He never once told her where his homeland was, but she had heard his owner saying that he was a barbarian. So she knew that the term meant he was someone who was unclean and was not Greek. She also knew that from his accent that he had came from the northern regions, the countries north of Pella.
"Okay," She said while smiling at him. "Let me get my things and we can try to escape tonight." She said while touching his arm. She was happy because she knew that he would find a way for them to be together. She remembered the stories that he had told her of his family and how welcoming they were. She knew that his family would love her and their unborn child.
"No," He said while shaking his head. "It's too risky," He said while pausing to stare at her. "Your too far along for a travel like that." He mixed up his languages and she could barely understand him, but she what she did hear made her mad. He could see the happy expression on her face change completely to one of being pissed. He knew that she had a temper and that she hated when people did things that she found to be wrong. He knew that she would be mad at him, for leaving but he had his reasons.
"Alek…what are you saying?" She asked while placing one of her hands on her stomach, like she was trying to protect the innocent life they created.
"You will be fine." He said while nudging her away from him. He could not bare the look that she was giving him; it was a look of pure sadness.
"What!" She yelled. "What when my mother finds out about this," She said while pointing towards her stomach. He loved that she was pregnant with his child, but he knew how much trouble it would bring them and their unborn child. "You know what will happen." Her voice raising at the end.
"It's for the best." He said while trying not to look at her, but she was not having it. She placed both of her hands on his face, making him look at her.
"What's for the best?" She asked. He knew that it was best not to answer her when she upset, because it would just make her more upset. "That our child will mostly likely become a slave," She bit out. He flinched at her raised voice and tried to look away, but she clamped her hands tighter around his cheeks. "Think about it…our child will become a slave while you have escaped back to your homeland," She said loudly. "Where it's safe." She hissed, her language becoming harsher. Before he could reply, the door was flung open. A group of guards came rushing through, followed by one of the largest landowners in Pella and also Alek's owner. Theodoulus, was not a very tall man, but of medium height and he was your typical Greek landowner. He came walking through the door slowly and a smile creped up on his face at the sight of the young couple. Alexis father followed closely behind Theodoulus and he was not smiling. She tried to shield herself from the roaming eyes of the men in the room.
"What do we have here?" Theodoulus said in her native tongue, while coming closer to her. The way her dress was, you could see that she was with child. Her father gasped at the sight of his little girl. She knew that her father was probably wondering what happened to his little girl, but she was not his little girl anymore. She was actually a lover to a slave.
"My Alexis." Her father whispered in a dialect of Egyptian that Alexis had only heard him use when he was sad or angry, and she was betting he was both.
"You are not need Pyrrhos," Theodoulus said while turning to face Pyrrhos, who looked to be grief-stricken.
"Theo…please old friend," Pyrrhos begged. Pyrrhos was not a tall man and Alexis looked nothing like him, what with his blonde hair that was turning white and his once blue eyes turning dull. "We go can go another way about this," She watched has her father came further into the room. "Things don't have to end so badly."
"Of course they do Pyrrhos…she went against our laws and against you." Theodoulos said while smiling at his friend. "Your family's misfortune will be hidden old friend." Theodoulos said while turning to stare back at Alexis.
"I don't care about my families misfortunes…she is my little girl Theo...the only child that me and wife was blessed with...don't do this to her mother," Pyrrhos said while turning to stare at his friend. Theodoulus just laughed more and it made Alexis fear for her life. Pyrrhos was also watching his little girl, wondering what he had done wrong.
"Do not worry." Theodoulus said while smiling at Pyrrhos.
"Father…please." Alexis begged has she peeked out from behind Alek's back. She wished that Aleksandar would say something, but it was like he was a statue. So she tried to hide herself again, but nothing was working. She hated the look her father was giving her, like she had disappointed him.
"Theo…be reasonable…I will make sure everything is taken care of," Pyrrhos said while trying to smile at his old friend. "We could go back to Egypt…and no one has to know."
"Everyone will know…and we cannot have that," Theodoulus said while shaking his head. "You will just say that she came down with something and passed away suddenly," Theodoulos explained, like everything could be fixed. She was terrified for what Theodoulos was going to do to them. She knew nothing good could come out of it. "There was nothing you could do," Theodoulos laughed loudly and smiled at her with a smile that sent shivers down her spine. Prryhos her father feared the worse for his little girl and knew there was nothing that he could do to save her. Even though he was an overlord that had little land here in Pella, but he had enough land back in Egypt to make him a very powerful man. Just not powerful enough to make sure that his daughter was safe. Theodoulus had his guards escort Prryhos out of the room. He did not want to leave his daughter, but knew there was nothing he could do to protect her. The door shut loudly behind Prryhos retreating form and Alexis stumbled a bit, while trying to hide herself behind Aleksandar. She watched has Theodoulus came towards them and she tried to pull Alek with her has she moved backwards, but she was caught by two big burly men. The two men grabbed her roughly and tied her hands behind her back, sitting her down on the ground a little too hard for her comfort. She tried to hold in her tears that were trying to make their selves know. She did not want anyone to see that she was weak. While biting her lip to hold back her tears, she stared at Alek who was staring right back at her. He feared for her and their unborn child's life.
"You don't have to do this." Alek spoke up. Theodoulus quickly turned to face the younger man and smirked at how Alexis was watching Aleksandar.
"Oh how touching…two lovers," Theodoulus laughed while talking to Alek. "If only you would have just left the girl alone." He spoke as though Alek was a child and needed to be reprimanded.
"And how is it your right to tell me what to do?" Aleksandar yelled.
"I am your owner…it gives me every right," Theodoulus laughed more. "My boy," He said while pausing. "You could have had something great," He smirked at Alek, who looked back at him with cold eyes.
"What being your slave." Alek bit out.
"Yes of course…what else is there for a barbarian like yourself."
"A lot actually." Aleksandar said through clenched teeth. Alexis watched has Theodoulus just laughed more and shook his head like what Alek was saying was nonsense.
"You could have had a lot…if only you would have just left the girl alone." Theodoulus spoke calmly, while his guards this time laughed. He kneeled in front of Alexis and smiled at her. "What a beautiful girl you are," He said while moving his face closer to hers. She wanted to spit in his face or back up further, but she could not. Her back was hitting a stone pillar and she had nowhere to hide or run. "You could have made some guy very lucky," He laughed while she tried to look away from him, but he grabbed her chin and turned her face to towards his. So they were facing each other, she could see how evil he was by looking at his cold dead eyes. "Oh yes," He laughed more. "That is right… your were not to marry anyone." He laughed more, while running one of his fingers up and down her cheek before standing. Everyone knew that Alexis's parents were planning making her a priestess, so she would not be marrying anyone. Alexis was beginning to cry. Trying to bite her lip from actually crying. She was still a lady from the upper class and she felt that she should still be treated as such, so she was not going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
"Leave her alone." Aleksandar screamed at the older man.
"Yes I shall," Theodoulus said while smirking at Alek. "I herby sentence you boy to my choosing and you Miss Alexis Dimitriou are sentence to death for consorting with a slave." He replied while reaching for his makharia, it was a one-edged sword. He presided to rip open Alexis's clothing and then he began to cut open her stomach. She screamed in pain has she felt the cold blade cut through her skin. It was pain that she had never felt before, and did not wish on her worst enemies. Halfway through, she could barely feel anything and her vision was becoming blurry. She managed to see the look of pure hatred coming from Aleksandar. She did not understand why he was looking at her with such a cold look. She finally figured it out that it was not directed towards her, but towards the man who was cutting his blade up towards her breast. She barely felt Theodoulus grab her child from within her. The moment she heard her child first cries, she knew he had done.
The child was so small and pink. Alexis could not see if her child was a boy or girl, only that they seemed to be upset. Aleksandar felt his heart constrict at what he saw, she had given him a little boy. The little boy was still little swollen from just being born and he looked like he had no neck, and a few traces of vernix still on his soft little skin. He also had a head full of light blonde hair. This made Alek wonder if Alexis had done him wrong, since his own hair had also been a dark brown color. Alexis tried to look at her child that was being held by Theodoulus but her eye sight was becoming blurrier from the amount of blood she was losing, she just had enough time to see Theodoulus throw her newborn child against the room. She kept her eyes on the little body that was still wailing more and more has it layed on the floor, not but a few feet from Alek. She hoped that Aleksandar would pick up their child. She watched has Theodoulus walk towards Alek who remained motionless the whole time. Aleksandar quickly picked up his little boy and the guards moved quickly towards him, until Theodoulus made a motion with his hands for them to stop. Alek hugged the tiny body to his chest. The child still cried more; he knew the child was hurt.
"You got what you wanted," Aleksandar yelled in broke Ancient Greek. "Are you happy?"
"Yes…very happy." Theodoulus laughed. Alexis watched has Theodoulus walked towards Alek with his sword hanging from his hand, it had her blood dripping down the blade.
"You are sick." Aleksandar said in more of his Proto-Slavic language while making Theodoulus laugh.
"You really are a barbarian," Theodoulus smirked. "I think I will kill you slowly…so you may watch your beloved die and listen to your child cry its last few cries." He said while slicing his makhaira across Alek's throat. Alexis watched has the blood trickled down the blade, before her eyes fully closed on her.
Royal Palm Beach, Florida – September 7th 2013
A young girl tossed back and forth, while clutching at her stomach. She had been having the same nightmare since her last birthday, which was almost three months ago. They were always so painful, like she was living it. She could not understand how it felt so real or how she knew how to speak that dialect of ancient Greek that had not been heard in more than a thousand years. She was starting to freak out when her history teacher this year started talking about ancient Greece and Alexander The Great. She soon learned that the place she was dreaming of was actually real. There had actually been a place called Pella. She could not find much information about the place, only what she could find on the Internet and through a couple of books that she got from the library. The information she did get, said that an earthquake had ruined Pella, so she did not understand why she was dreaming about that place. Also through her research she found that there had actually been a temple in Pella for Aphrodite, but nothing else. She was afraid to ask anyone for help or to tell them about what was going on. She was afraid they would find her weird and not understand. She always asked herself, 'How do I know about Pella? How could I know how to speak that language or understand it when people have not spoken it in a thousand years? Somewhere far off, she could hear her mother calling her name.
"Lena…Lena," Her mother called to her. She could feel her mother shaking her. "It's only a dream Lena…wake up sweetie," Finally waking up, but again like many times before, she woke up screaming so loud that she knew that their neighbors could probably hear her. She could see the concern look on her mother's face. Her mother was sitting on her bed, looking down at her. Elena looked every bit like her mother, the only difference was that she had gotten her fathers somewhat olive skin complexion.
Her mother Isobel, on the other hand had fair skin with the prettiest chocolate-brown hair, along with greenish blue eyes that resembled the Caribbean Sea, so clear. Elena always thought that her mother was the most beautiful woman that she had ever seen. "Are you alright sweetie?" Isobel asked her daughter, her Bulgarian accent flaring up. She had been the daughter of aristocrats back in Bulgaria. On rare occasions, she missed her homeland, but she was happy with her life now. Her family could trace their family heritage all the way back to the thirteenth century. It saddened Isobel that her little girl had never met her parents, but when she had told her parents that she had fallen in love with Elena's father, while studying at Duke University. Well her parents gave her two choices; either stay with the man or come home and marry whoever they chose. She of course chose love, and stayed with Elena's father. Elena had only met her cousins from her mother's side once or twice, because her mother's siblings found their parents to be unfair.
"Yes mother…I am fine," She said while trying to sit up, but her stomach still felt like someone was ripping it open. She tried to not show that she was in pain, her mother only knew about the nightmares, and she did not need her mother worrying about her. Her mother had threatened her a few times that she was going to send her to see someone about the dreams she was having. She put her head in her hands and sighed loudly. "I wish I knew why I was having these horrific dreams…what do they mean?' She asked, more talking to herself than anything else.
"Sweetie…dreams mean all sorts of things," Isobel said while smiling at her daughter. "You know before I was to marry your father," She said in her sharp Bulgarian accent. "I had these horrible dreams that mother and father would come for me…taking me away from your father," She said while smiling more at her little girl.
"What did you do to get rid of them?" Elena asked her mother.
"I don't really remember…just one day they were gone," Isobel said while patting Elena's leg. "Come downstairs…I have breakfast ready." She said while standing.
"Okay." She said while slowly getting up, the pain was slowly going away. It was Saturday, so she did not have to worry about hurrying up and going to school. She quickly changed into a pair of jean cut offs and a cute blue shirt with a scoop neckline and a little pocket detail on the front. Instead of brushing her hair out, she ran her fingers through her curly dark brown hair. She never liked brushing her hair or doing anything cute with it, so if she could get away with just leaving it down or pulling it back into a high ponytail. That is what she would do. She also never wore make-up, even though it annoyed her best friend. She slipped her feet into a pair of her favorite black sneakers. She took one last look in the mirror that hung on her closet door and smiled at herself, she was a beautiful girl. With her curly hair and dark brown eyes that she inherited from her dad's side of the family. Taking one more look around her room, to see if she missed anything. Everything seemed to be in its place.
Her room was the second biggest room in the house and it was done in more of a modern feel. The walls are a nice lime green color on the upper half of the walls, while the bottom half was white wood paneling. She had a few posters and pictures hanging on her walls, along with a large white monogram E on the wall were it hung over the head of her bed. There is also medium size to large starfishes on one side of her wall. They hung over her white hardwood desk. Her desk was very simple but still stylish at the same time.
The desk also only had one English dovetailed drawer. Her nice semitransparent acrylic chair set in front of her desk. Her Apple computer set on top of the desk, a long with her schoolbooks that were lined up at the back of the desk. Beside her desk was her white bookcase. On the opposite side of her room, across from the large windows looked out onto the front street of their gated community, sit a white five-drawer dresser with bun feet and antique-bronze hardware. Across from her desk sit her large full size canopy bed, which features paneling on its curved headboard and footboard. There are also light blue curtains that go around the bed at night. She noticed that her mother must have tied them to the bedposts this morning. Her bedspread had pretty tropical flowers of all different colors on it. Some of the flowers overlapped each other. Placed in front of her bed was a nice white storage trunk. On each side of her bed set two white beside tables with flat-panel drawer. Her bed also set on top of a nice ivory plush rug, because her floor was pale colored hardwood.
After making sure everything was in place, she left her room, skipping over to her parent's master bedroom. Their room was also in a modern feel with its soft grey walls. She could see her parent's large bathroom through the double French doors that led into the room. Her parents also had their own balcony that over looked the golf course out back and their large pool. Their large king size bed was the main focal point of the room, with its thickly padded and tightly upholstered headboard. She made her way over to her mother's side of the bed, where an iron antiqued mirrored top beside table set. She picked up the book that her mother left on the beside table and made her way down the staircase that led into her foyer.
The whole downstairs of her family's house was opened. The foyer opened into the formal living room and the living room opened into the dinning room, that leads into the kitchen and the kitchen leads into the family living room. There was one bedroom on the bottom floor of the house, it happened to be the guest bedroom that was attached to a bathroom. The only things not opened on the ground floor were the laundry room and the public bathroom. The whole house was very modern and Elena wished it had more of that old time feel, but none less it was very pretty. Elena's mother wanted the feel of the beach; she had the whole house's ground floor done in a creamy white color.
The floor in the foyer is done in Italian marble and that leads right into the formal living room. The dinning room has a nice ceramic tile and that leads right into the kitchen, which Elena was headed into. The family living room is done in a black onyx flooring because her father had insisted on the couches being black leather. Elena's father only let her mother choose which couches, which she chose two black Edwardian style couches. That room looked different from the rest of the house, it looked like it came from the Edwardian period. Elena made her way into the kitchen and could hear her parents talking. The kitchen was like something out of a magazine for cooking. It was very sleek looking, because it is so modern. The kitchen countertops were done in a dark brown granite and the cabinets are stained to match the charcoal gray ceramic tile floor, which mimics a limestone look. Part of the wall was done in Italian glass mosaic blending into the grays and browns of the wall. Elena could see her mother standing over the stove, while her father was sitting on one of the bar stools that sits at the island in the kitchen.
"Hey baby…did you sleep well?" Her father John asked, his Old Virginian accent seeping in. Elena looked nothing like her father, who has curly, dirty blond hair. He also has dark blue eyes and he is a tall man with olive skin. He is a very handsome man too; Elena's mother use to tell her that a lot of the girls during their college years were jealous that she was dating him. Her mother said it had something to do with him being on the football team and being the all American boy.
"John." Isobel said while turning around to face Elena; she gave her a small smile.
"Kind of daddy." Elena said while pulling out one of the bar stools beside her dad.
"Nik…did you get my suit from the cleaners?" John asked his wife while taking a sip of his coffee. Isobel's middle name is Nikolaeva her own father wanted her to be named after him and his name had been Nikolai. So her husband since they started dating in their college years, thought it was funny to call her that nickname.
"Yes sweetie…its in your closet?" Isobel said while turning back to the stove.
"Good…must have missed it," John said while turning to face Elena with a smile. "So what is your plans today Lena?" He asked.
"I need to meet Bon at school," Elena explained. "We have to finish our project for Monday," She said while taking the plate her mother was offering her. She hated that she just started school and already had a project due. "So I need a ride."
"Well be good sweetie," John said while getting up from the seat he was sitting in. "Your mom will have to give you a ride." He said while kissed the top of Elena's head while picking up his briefcase.
"John." Isobel said while John was heading for the front door. He turned around and kissed her quickly.
"Sorry sweetie," He said before heading for the door again. "I am running late."
"John," Isobel said again. "Are you forgetting something?" She asked while smirking at him.
"No I don't think so." John laughed.
"Your suppose to be driving me into work today and that also includes Elena." Isobel said while putting the dishtowel that she was cleaning with down on the countertop.
"Nik sweetie…I am running late," John said while turning around to face Isobel and then looking down at his watch. "Can't you just take your car?" He asked. John was dressed in a nice pink button and black dress pants. John was an English professor at Palm Beach State College. It is the reason for them moving down here. He got the job straight out of school.
"John…my car is in the shop," Isobel said while putting her hands on her hips. "Remember…you're the one that told me to take it into the shop," She said while coming around the counter to face John clearly. She was dressed in nice pair of jeans and a nice green button down shirt. Her long dark brown hair was up in a nice bun and she was wearing the beautiful heart locket necklace that Elena's father had given to her on their wedding night.
"I have to meet with the head of my department today," John said. "Remember one of my students was caught cheating." He explained while patiently waiting for his wife to blow up, like she always did over the littlest things.
"This is not my fault John." Isobel deadpanned.
"Okay…fine," John sighed. "If I get stuck in traffic…I will just tell him it was because my lovely wife wouldn't let me leave the house?" He said while smirking. "Wonder how that will look to the school?" He was baiting her, which never turned out good.
"Mom...maybe Bonnie can take us." Elena offered. Bonnie was supposed to be meeting her father for breakfast, that's why Elena had to meet her at the school, but she figured that Bonnie wouldn't mind coming back for them. Elena hated seeing her parents fighting, most of the time it was over the stupidest things.
"See," John said while smirking. "Problem solved." He said while heading for the door again.
"John," Isobel yelled. "We are not finish," She huffed. "I will not have Bonnie driving me to work."
"Maybe she will let you drive." John said while blowing his wife and daughter a kiss before trying to leave again.
"John…no," Isobel said while staring at her husband. "You promised that you would drop me off today and you are going to keep your promise and your also going to take Elena to her school," She said while picking up her purse. "Come on Lena." She said to Elena. Elena watched has her mother headed for the front door with her dad, who looked like he was not too happy. Isobel worked as an art professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University. It really was not art, more like folk art. She taught students about folklore and folk art, along with many other things that deal with that subject. She did a lot of research on the weekends.
"Yeah mom," Elena called out to her mother while quickly finishing her food and placing the plate in the sink before grabbing her messenger bag and heading out the door behind her parents. She was supposed to be meeting her best friend. Bonnie Bennett had been her best friend since before she could remember. Bon lived right beside her with her father. Her mother had run off when she was younger. Her father was never home, so Bonnie spends more time at Elena's house than her own. Elena quickly opened the back car door to her fathers 2010 Grey Audi S8. She placed her bag beside her and put in her ear buds in, because her parents were busy bricking back and forth, mostly John complaining about having to make a detour. It was a silent drive; and she was busy listening to her music, when she felt her father jerk the car left and then everything went quiet.