The Scars Not Seen: A Klaroline Fanfiction

19. Almost Gone

Almost Gone

Dover, England 1560

Rebekah ran as fast as her feet would carry her, her long dress swishing around her. Her normally impeccable hair fell lose over her shoulders as the wind whipped through it. Her mind was alight with worry and complete and utter panic. It was almost midnight now, and it was only thanks to the candles lit about her house and her superior vision that she managed to avoid running into something.

How could this have happened? How did we let it happen? The entire Forbes line… All gone…

As soon as she reached the attic of her home, she burst through the thick wooden door to her manservant's chamber, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Please, no, no… And then she saw him, sitting up from where he had been sleeping in his bed, shirtless and confused. Rebekah took no mind, however, too relieved at seeing him alive. She ran forward and embraced him tightly.

"Richard! Oh, thank goodness you're alright!" She gasped out, practically falling into his lap as he struggled to catch her in time. She ended up sitting beside him on his bed, her face tucked into his shoulder, arms around his neck.

"M'lady, I..." He hesitated, muddled as to what had gotten into Lady Rebekah. Still, he ended putting his own arms around her, holding her shaking body tightly to him.

"I was so worried you were dead!" She said thickly as she finally pulled back a bit so she could look into his face. "I don't know what I would have done if you were..." She muttered, glancing away.

Richard put all propriety to the side, unable to stand seeing his normally strong Rebekah look so hurt. He placed a tentative hand on her cheek, forcing her to look back to him. "M'lady, tell me, what has happened? Why the panic?" He asked softly.

Her small covered his own, sad eyes focused solely on his. "Oh, Richard... It's... it's your family."

He froze, panic rising up his chest, choking him. "What about my family?" He managed to ask.

He was surprised to see Rebekah's clear blue eyes fill with tears. "They..." She stopped for a moment, pulling his hand away from her cheek and holding it in her lap. "They were killed." She said finally.

"Killed? But that can't possibly be..." Richard muttered, going completely pale, shaking his head in denial.

"I am so sorry..." The blonde vampire whispered as she watched him break down in front of her. It seemed it was slowly sinking in as his dark brown eyes, usually so kind, so gentle, filled with agony, tears beginning to run down his cheeks. "They were attacked by one of our enemies, we didn't get there in time to stop them..." Rebekah continued, her own heart hurting, for him and his family.

"Did anyone survive?" He was barely able to say the words.

"Caroline. And the baby." Rebekah confirmed with a small, sad smile. Richard only looked ahead, his face now completely devoid of emotion, trying his best to keep it together. The only reason she knew he was being torn up inside was by the tight grip he had on her hand.

"The baby?" He asked in monotone.

"Robb's daughter." The Original said. Already an orphan and barely a week old.

"And Robb? Laura?" He looked hopefully to her, almost like a child would his mother.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, almost too quietly for him to hear. I am so, so sorry. You should never have to feel this pain. Not a good man like you. Not you. He only nodded, once again withdrawn, though she could still see the anguish in his eyes. He won't ever be the same after this.