My home was in utter chaos, the final preparations had been finished and my family and I had moved in. Kyrin had his own study and space in the manor as well as Dante and Leon who had chosen there own quarters. Ezra had taken to all the basement floor and I had been left with the scraps.

Not that they were scraps at all. With all this space we all seemed to trip on each others toes anyway. The boys were less then pleased at playing peace keepers in this town but had ensured me that they would help.

After all there was no way i could do it alone.

"Rebekah went after Elena, Elijah stopped her. Esther is upholding your rules." Ezra informed stomping into the house as he wiped his shoes on the carpet. Tugging a box in his hands with him.

"The witch is playing nice?" I mused.

"For now but i don't trust her." He continued walking to where i sat in the common area. He tossed the box onto my lap as i eyed him.

"This best not be anyone's head." I shuck with distaste.

"Worse, it's a gift from Klaus." My suspicion grew as well as my caution.

"Do you think he's mad that i undermined him in his own home?" Kyrin came into the room, fixing a bow tie he was trying on.

"Completely different little sister, the Mikaelsons are having a ball and i suspect that's your invitation." Leon came down the stairs in a matching suit to Dante who followed closely behind trying to pin something onto his Shadowmates shirt.

"We got our invitations on this mornings rounds. All is well at the Salvatore boarding house." Leon nodded to me gesturing to his suit.

"You like?" I smiled brightly.

"You both look dashing." I mused as Ezra shuffled next to me onto the sofa i was lounged on.

"Go on then, lets see." I scoffed fiddling with the ribbon around the box.

"I don't think i want to go." Perhaps it was the nerves.

"Tonight is the night where we find any ill will lingering about, to miss it would be written failure." Of course i knew Kyrin was right. He always seemed to be and so i opened the lid. At first there was a letter, an invitation to a ball being held at the Mikaelson mansion, slowly i flipped it over.

Be my dance partner? ~Fondly Klaus

Ezra whistled lowly.

"He made the first move!" He called to my brothers who all looked less then excited including Dante.

"Please spare me." Leon mumbled. I pinched Ezra as i dug deeper into the box and the dress i found made me close the lid.

"I'm not going." I finalised standing with a huff.

"Your going Eris." Dante chuckled taking the box from me.

"It can't be that bad-" He cut himself off.

"The problem is that it's gorgeous." I grumbled.

"And it's your size.... How does he know your size Eris?" Leon asked in a panic i shrugged.

"We go to the party, we scope it out, we drink all their booze and then we bounce." Ezra stood rattling of his plan but i knew the first idea was a must.

"We have to go." I sighed out pulling the dress from the box.

"We already knew that." Leon muttered gesturing to all four boys who were already dressed.

"Tonight we make friends, speak our truce and threaten those who appose us." Ezra smirked pushing me up the stairs.

"Meaning we cant be any more late then deemed fashionable." I laughed at his joking mood.

"Dante will you come help me?" He turned to me with a smile.

"I'll be up in five." I nodded.

My room was a splendour of blacks and greys and the view from the balcony was immaculate. I wanted to linger in here and plot and scheme but i knew wars could only be won with an iron fist. No doubt someone would make a move tonight and they would become the example that needed to be set.

I hoped who ever became victim to the force of my family understood my reasonings, understood why we were going to do what needed to be done. To protect my friends and my family and the ones who i didn't allow to be anything more.

To get what i want in the end.

I almost hoped that everyone would hate me by the end of it so that they no longer had to fight for me or over me. There was obviously more to it then that but the reasons varied.

My eyes drifted to the dress that I had placed on my counter as i grasped my phone next to it, sending one text.

To cowardice to invite me yourself?

A teasing remark that offered nothing but playful glee, a moment later a spark of latent joy flickered through me mixing with my own amusement.

Your hideaway is more hidden then you think.

Indeed it was, should anyone wish to up rise against us they would have a challenge of finding us first and so my family remained safe in this town of home and horrors.

A necessary precaution no?

A moment ticked by and i doubted he had set his phone down between intervals, awaiting my response.

A clever one considering your plans, tell me how you pulled it off love.

My amusement was surely felt on his end, warming us both. I debated on telling him, perhaps playing it off longer.

Did you doubt anything else from war incarnate?

His surprise was dimmed as if the news was something he had suspected and yet never thought he would hear from me.

Everything you do is a surprise to me. Offer me the peace of knowing if i am to be stood up tonight.

I laughed coyly tucking my phone away without responding, peace from war, what a day that would truly be. A knock sounded on my door as i turned back to it, seeing Dante enter with his knowing smile.

Perhaps the genuine one that lingered on my face gave it away.

I grasped the dress from the counter.

"Will you help me?" He nodded at me as i spoke.

"Of course i will." He came forward as i looked out of the window, the last rays of light peaking in through my window.

"Give him a chance Eris." Dante whispered as he aided me into my dress, tying it up for me.

"And if im to afraid to?" The words left me weakly as his hands rose to rub soothing patterns up and down my arms.

"Then remind yourself who you are and how you came to be."