"Thrown out?" Elena asked, switching glances between both sisters.

Katherine nodded, continuing "Our family, your true ancestors... they disowned both me and Ana. My indiscretions were not tolerated at that time. I had a baby out of wedlock. The shame. And Ana..."

"I was born a bastard child, Elena. My mother had an affair from my father, and it led to me." Ana murmured, keeping her eyes on the ground and not willing to face Elena or Katherine.

Elena leaned in "And both were kept secret?"

Humming, Ana added "Though my father still whispered around court about my illegitimacy."

"My baby was given away." Katherine continued, gazing at Elena "Both me and Ana were banished to England, and we had to learn to adjust. So I quickly became English, and tutored Ana in English language, too."

Ana interrupted her sister, saying "It was there that a nobleman Klaus discovered me and my sister. Whilst Katerina dabbled with his brother, Elijah, I found myself falling deeper in love with Niklaus. By the end of the year, we were engaged to be married."

Her mouth hanging slightly ajar, Elena watched Ana with a different demeanour than before; one with respect and sympathy.

"When I found out what both brothers were, and what they wanted from me.. I dragged Ana with me and ran like hell." Katherine croaked, smiling at her sister, almost like she was relieving fond memories, memories that Ana simply wanted to forget.

★·'¯'·★

In the dark of night, Katerina and Ana Petrova dashed through the woods, a trail of vampires speeding behind them. Ana went to open her mouth to ask Katerina why they were running, but the doppelgänger put a hand over her sisters and her mouth to create complete silence. Both sisters stumbled and racked against a tree, sitting silently.

"They're here." The voice of Elijah rang out through the woods, loud and clear "Katerina! Ana! I know you're both near! I can smell your blood. Please, Ana, we won't hurt you. It's pointless to run. Klaus'll find you wherever you are."

Ana turned to Katerina, her eyes wide with alarm, and she listened to the voice of a vampire say "This way. There's more blood over there."

Once the horde of vampires was gone, Ana turned to her sister "Katerina, what's going on? Why does Elijah think we're running?"

"Because we are, or we will be, at least." Katerina explained to her sister, rising from the ground. "They're monsters, Ana, and so is Klaus. You can't marry him."

Ana shook her head "No, Katerina. I love him, I don't care that he's a vampire. Plus, there are ways to resurrect you after the curse is broken."

"Wait, you knew about the curse and vampires the whole time?" Katerina asked, an eyebrow raised in judgement.

"Of course." Ana said "I'm happy to marry a vampire, sister. As long as Niklaus loves me, which he does."

Before Katerina could disagree, a vampire came speeding out of nowhere and put each of his hands on the girls mouths.

He looked around, before turning to Katerina and saying "Head east. I can't lead them astray much longer."

"We can't run anymore." Katerina pleaded, and Ana instantly caught onto what was going on here. Katerina had toyed with yet another man.

The man shook his head, glancing at Ana's irritated face. "Never mind. There's a cottage. You'll be safe there. Go now. Go!"

★·'¯'·★

"So..." Elena started, switching gazes between the Petrova sisters "What did Klaus want with you both?"

"With me, it was simple. All he wanted was to marry me and to be able to call me his ." Ana answered, purposefully glaring at her sister when she said the word wife.

Katerina laughed dryly "It doesn't matter if your sister dies, as long as you get the perfect white wedding. He wanted the same thing he'll want from you, Elena. He wants to break the curse."

"By sacrificing the Petrova doppelgänger." Elena finished with a nod of her head.

"He wanted to drain every single drop of blood from my body." Katherine emphasised, bags beginning to reappear under her eyes.

Elena watched the captive vampire, sucking in a deep breath at the mention of her death. This ritual seemed deadly, and Elena found it difficult to believe that Ana was so supportive of the idea.

Using the stick, Elena pushed the small, plastic cup of blood towards Katherine, raising an eyebrow as she did so. "What does the Petrova bloodline have to do with Klaus?"

Eyes blinking open, Katherine slowly picked up the cup of blood, letting her sister answer this one "The damned witches who created the curse bound the sacrifice by Petrova blood, meaning no Petrova blood, no curse to break."

"Witches are crafty with their spells." Katherine added, nodding at her sister "The doppelgänger was created as a way to be able to undo the spell. Once the doppelgänger reappeared, the curse can be broken."

"So you ran before he killed you, dragging your younger sister with you." Elena concluded, looking at Katherine with heavy judgement clouding her brown eyes.

Pursing her lips, Katherine nodded "Something like that. Of course, it worked out well in the end, seeing as I'm finally reunited with my stubborn little sister after a good five hundred centuries."

Ana glared at her sister, hoping to get the Petrova explanation over and done with.

★·'¯'·★

Katerina rushed through the forest, blood trickling down her forehead and her teenage sister panting behind.

"Where are you taking me, Katerina?!" Ana whispered, though with her voice slightly raised "Do you not understand that I am engaged? Klaus will be wondering where I've gone."

Shaking her head, Katerina replied "Nevermind that now, Ana. We shall be dead before sunrise if any Mikaelson catches us."

Hand clasped around her sisters wrist, Katerina rushed up to the cottage door and banged erratically, yelling "Help. Please help us."

The door opened to reveal an old woman, and once again Katerina pleaded "Please. Help us."

"I don't invite strangers into my home." The woman explained, shaking her head at the two girls.

Ana frowned at her sister "Katerina, this is a fool's errand. Why not abandon this idea and return home, with me? I will make sure that you don't die in the ritual. I will make Klaus ensure it!"

"No, Ana." Katerina scolded her sister, turning back to the woman. "Trevor, he said that you'd help me."

"Damn him. Always making promises I don't want to keep." A woman behind the old lady tutted, and the lady opened the door to reveal a young-looking lady staring back at a frightened Katerina and an impatient Ana. "Let them in. Bring them water and something to eat." The stranger compelled the old lady, turning to both sisters once the woman was gone.

Katerina breathes a sigh of relief, her sweaty hand intertwined with her sister's as she said "You must be Rose. Thank you. Trevor said to show you this to prove we are who we say, that you would help us- to freedom." Katerina explained, presenting the moonstone.

"I want nothing to do with your fickle idea of freedom." Ana snapped, and Katerina gaped at her sister, taken back by her sudden change in demeanour.

Rose eyed the moonstone, asking "You stole this from Klaus?"

"It was to be part of the sacrificial ritual, so I-I grabbed it, and my sister, and made my escape." Katerina mustered, looking up to the vampire.

As if something had just hit her, Rose whipped her head around to Ana. "Please tell me that you aren't Ana Petrova, Klaus Mikaelson's pet?"

"So they call me his pet now?" Ana asked, smiling to herself. "Yes, I suppose I am. Why?"

"This could not get any worse." Rose inhaled, a hand clutching her forehead "People do not escape from Klaus, especially people who meddle with those he believes to be precious." Rose scanned Ana like she was a ticking bomb. "Look, everyone who tries to run ends up back in his grasp, and anyone who helps them dies."

Ana grinned, responding "Then it's simple: take me home."

Nudging her sister harshly, Katerina begged "I know the risk you bring on yourself by giving us aid."

"I am risking nothing." Rose remarked "At nightfall, I will bring you and Ana back to Klaus and beg him to show us both mercy. Ana will be fine, you always will be when you have the big, bad wolf looking out for you."

Displeased with this reaction, Katerina scrambled after Rose, yelping "No! No!"

Rose shut the door on both sisters, knowing the wrath of Klaus Mikaelson would soon hit them like an avalanche.

★·'¯'·★