𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝑃𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒

If his father’s ire is a risk that Katherine does not want to take, then so be it. He will not say anything further on the matter. In fact, he rather not talk about his father to begin with despite the casual way he speaks of his anger issues. The last thing the eldest Salvatore wants is for his father to ruin the happy mood that has settled itself over the two of them. 

“The widower.” Damon says without hesitation as he follows after her with ease, instantly upon being tugged, his hand moving away from hers but only so that he can offer his arm for her to loop hers into so that he may guide her in the right direction. It has been a while since he’s seen the man, but he is certain he still has the fastest horses. He makes a hobby out of breeding and training them. It seems to keep him sane after his wife died. 

Curiosity fills him and he’s never really been one to hold back on that, especially not when it concerns her. There is still so much that he does not know about her, so much that he wants to know. Some questions she answers, others she doesn’t. He respects her privacy but it doesn’t stop him from asking any questions he has. 

   "the widower, then." she glanced toward him. "and you sound remarkably certain that his horses are the fastest." her gaze drifted ahead again as they continued toward the man's estate. "do you actually know something about horses, or is this simply one of those areas in which you have decided your confidence is sufficient expertise?" there was genuine interest in it because she was also aware that damon was good in improvising.

   his question made her fall briefly silent. not because she lacked an answer, but because she had learned long ago that the safest answer was rarely the first one that came to mind. there were still many things about her past that remained better left untouched, particularly with someone who was becoming increasingly interested in knowing her.

   "i've known horses since childhood," she finally said, her tone easy. "i had a pony of my own when i was young. proper riding came later, though. considerably later."

❝You know this explains a lot, this world kept pulling me in, maybe thats why I was never going to be able to just blend in. I would like to know more, could you tell me about how it all started, who was the first one? ❞

   "if you're looking for someone to explain the history of doppelgängers, i'm afraid you've chosen the wrong person." a small shrug followed. "i know what i know because certain people have had very specific uses for people who look like us. beyond that, i couldn't tell you who the first doppelgänger was, why they exist, or what obscure piece of magic decided that repeatedly producing women with the same face was a worthwhile idea."  

   there was a faint dryness to her tone. katherine had spent centuries being hunted because of what she was, not studying the origins of the phenomenon itself. she knew one thing with certainty: klaus needed a doppelgänger for his ritual. the rest had never been particularly useful to her. katherine herself wasn't too pleased to know now that someone shared her face even though a human doppelgänger did come in handy for katherine's purposes.

   "but you do seem to have discovered something rather interesting about yourself." her eyes moved over elena thoughtfully. "you speak of this as though the supernatural world simply found you and dragged you into it. and yet, from what i know, you've surrounded yourself with quite a remarkable amount of it."

Favorite TVD Characters: Katherine Pierce

THEME: Space

made from resources found on pinterest

no credits needed, but reblogs are always welcomed!

Not that Anthony would let her meddle as he called it, she called it caring. ❝you are most welcome Miss pierce❞ 

Daphne smiled. She liked that Miss Pierce was unaware just how the ton operated. ❝oh there are plenty who would wish to be, but they are not true friends. They either want connections because I am a dutchess, want to marry one of my 3 eligible brothers, or even secure matches for their sons or brothers with my sisters.❞ she explained ❝none want to know me for me❞ Daphne was used to it, but it still wasn't a good feeling 

⠀⠀⠀⠀the explanation answered a question she had genuinely struggled to understand. slowly, realization settled. "i see." they weren't interested in daphne, they were mostly interested in what might daphne could offer. something that must feel rather exhausting after a while. and also lonely.

⠀⠀⠀⠀a thoughtful silence followed, then another question occurred to her. "although i do wonder why do you believe i'm any different?" there was genuine curiosity in her tone even though the question must sound strange.  "i, too, am unmarried. would i not represent precisely the same opportunity? a potential acquaintance. perhaps even a future connection. what convinces you that my intentions are somehow... purer than everyone else's?"

“This will never work, you know. The bad hair cut, the doe eyes, you’ll never pass for me.”

@survivingpierce

Her descendant’s words, though dark and contradictory to her own statements, caused the corners of mouth to lift ever so slightly. ❝Ah,❞ her eyes lifted once more, tracing the carefully painted lines on the canopy. ❝but one does not necessarily exclude the other, does it? Aren’t fear and comfort just two sides of the same coin?❞ she questioned in a light tone.

❝Mortals fear the unknown; so they invent divinity that would make sense of all the things they can’t yet comprehend.❞ Her eyes wandered over the church, eyes drinking in the many different faces of art. Architecture, painting, sculpture; all working in unison, forever bound by the same purpose — to offer mortals a taste of what the artist imagined heaven to be like. ❝All for the comfort found in the illusion that there is some higher purpose to it all. That there is something out there that will deliver justice to those who were wronged. That all this suffering is not, in fact, pointless.❞

Something in her eyes dimmed then as she recalled her own faith in gods. And how it died within her, piece by piece with every passing year. ❝That there is still happiness to be found on the other side of eternity…❞

Internally, she shook off the thoughts and willed composure to return. ❝Fear may be the starting point; but it is most certainly not the reason. After all, how can we fear that in which we do not yet believe?❞

She let out a silent sigh before continuing. ❝Though you are not wrong; even the most peaceful of religions can turn into tools of control and violence. You just have to give it enough time.❞

Tatia willed the smile to return to her lips before speaking again. ❝But there is one thing prayers are capable of achieving still. Just as well now as they always had.❞ She paused then, to take a deeper breath in. ❝They give people hope.❞

Something she missed terribly from her human years.

When Katherine used the word ‘observation’ Tatia visibly flinched. There was something disturbingly depersonalising about the word. Tatia had centuries to learn and accept the fact that many saw a doppelgänger as nothing more than a tool. A magical object rather than a person. And she knew that Katherine had to learn that lesson too, very early in life; and in a much harsher way than Tatia ever had to.

But that didn’t make it any easier to hear Katherine refer to herself that way. To her the suggestion that this is how she believed Tatia saw her.

There were no more discernible shifts in her expression after that, save for the slow knitting of her brows as Katherine continued to speak. 

❝Do you think I’ve done it for my own sake?❞ Tatia questioned. A faint shake of her head followed. ❝Aside from a handful of situations where it did indeed benefit me to be mistaken for you… Well, let’s just say the troubles caused by the resemblance far outnumber the perks.❞ And though the phrasing could almost pass for playful, a sudden tiredness came over her voice.

Silence followed her words. Silence, during which Tatia allowed herself a moment of peace and quiet… before her words could disturb the fragility of it.

❝It has been going on ever since word of your existence reached me,❞ she finally spoke, her head once again turning to the direction of the pews. ❝At first, I dismissed the resemblance as accidental, just like you apparently did. The existence of such a thing as a doppelgänger had never even crossed my mind before that point.❞

A sigh escaped her lips before she continued. One of her hands rested absent-mindedly on the pew end. ❝By then, you were already turned and on the run from Niklaus.❞ Already suffering the consequences of being born into her lineage. ❝That alone proved beyond reasonable doubt that the resemblance was anything but accidental.❞

Tatia’s brows knit together more tightly now, lips pursing into a line. ❝Had I learned of you sooner… Before he did,❞ her hold on the pew end tightened involuntarily. ❝I might have been able to spare you that fate.❞

When her knuckles began to go white from the tension, she let go.

❝Unfortunately, that was not what happened,❞ she continued after a moment. ❝So instead, I did what little I could. A false sighting here, a false trail there. Just enough to make them waste their time chasing ghosts.❞ With those words, she turned her head back to Katherine.

❝I always tried to keep the locations believable. But I never expected to actually find myself in the same city as you.❞

⠀⠀⠀⠀when the unkown doppelgängers gaze wandered across the vaulted ceiling and stained glass with something almost resembling reverence, katherine's own eyes followed only briefly. "i'll grant you one thing," she said at last as her gaze lingered upon one of the towering arches. "it is... beautiful." the admission came easily enough because she did not and could not deny that this place had its own appeal… somewhat. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀"the architecture. the craftsmanship. the paintings." one shoulder lifted faintly. "humanity has always been capable of extraordinary things when sufficiently motivated." her attention shifted back to the other woman. “that, however, has never convinced me the illusion itself is any less of an illusion.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀"if anything, beautiful illusions tend to be the most effective." katherine took an unhurried step through the aisle, fingers brushing lightly across the polished edge of one of the pews. "history has demonstrated that rather consistently."

⠀⠀⠀⠀her voice remained conversational despite the unusual topic and the fact that she disagreed with her doppelgänger. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀"there was a time when men could purchase indulgences." she glanced toward the altar. “pay enough money and someone would assure you your sins, or those of your parents, your spouse, your children, your ancestors, perhaps even those of very beloved neighbors, would somehow become lighter. less time in purgatory. less suffering after death." fascinating (in a negative way) that even such things were tried to be bought with money. as if it didn't really matter what you did anyway, as long as you only have enough money to buy a corresponding indulgence letter.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"an impressive business model. people surrendered fortunes because they feared what came after life. the church, naturally, was more than happy to profit from that fear. some of this revenue was invested in these impressive structures. something that could still be understood in principle, but a lot of it also went into the private coffers of those responsible."

⠀⠀⠀⠀her gaze returned fully to tatia. "entire families impoverished themselves purchasing comfort they could never verify and faith became commerce." katherine inclined her head slightly. "bread and circuses. only with incense instead of gladiators." it's probably no surprise that katherine wasn't a believer. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀"hope," she continued evenly, "is undoubtedly useful. it simply becomes dangerous the moment someone discovers it can be sold."

⠀⠀⠀⠀silence settled briefly before the other woman spoke of prayers offering hope, causing katherine to neither laugh nor argue immediately. instead she studied her carefully. "perhaps." the word carried little conviction.

⠀⠀⠀⠀katherine had very quickly broken away from faith and religion after her newborn was taken from her because an illegitimate child was considered an unforgivable disgrace. and when the mikaelsons wanted to sacrifice her for her blood, as if she had ended up among man-eating canibals, even though these people had pretended to be wealthy lords with manners and etiquette, it was all over. why would she believe in anything higher?

⠀⠀⠀⠀of course, katherine herself was also afraid of death. not for what came after, but simply because she felt she hadn't lived properly yet. every effort had failed. even the last time, when elijah threw her away like garbage because he preferred to turn to his time and attention to his violent brother.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"though i suspect you did not seek me out merely to debate theology." her eyebrow lifted. "or have you? because if your intention is to convert me, i should warn you in advance that your chances are... exceedingly poor. i've developed something of a resistance to missionaries over the centuries." the amusement faded again almost immediately as the conversation returned to matters considerably more interesting.

⠀⠀⠀⠀she noticed the tiredness that entered tatia's voice, noticed how differently she spoke whenever the discussion shifted away from abstract philosophy and toward herself. that interested her considerably although katherine couldn't really make sense of that reaction. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀"you mentioned benefiting from being mistaken for me. i find myself curious." katherine has made a profession out of ensuring there were as few witnesses, and considerably fewer loose ends, as possible. one cannot ensure survival if there are people who cannot keep their mouths shut.  “those opportunities should have been remarkably rare.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀her eyes narrowed just enough to signal the calculation taking place behind them as she continued to listen. and with every passing sentence another piece settled into place, although they were admittedly very little pieces of a big unkown game.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"you make it sound like like you witnessed my existence from almost its beginning rather than inherited stories about it." it was the wording; it sounded somewhat wrong. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀which would suggest that this doppelgänger was considerably older than katherine is. somehow that was something that katherine had not predicted or even expected. it was unusual, considering that there were remarkably few beings older than katherine whom she encountered with any regularity.

⠀⠀⠀⠀those who survived that long generally hid exceptionally well or simply lead a rather inconspicuous life. some were even good at lying low and leading their lives so normally, that they appeared tiringly boring. however, this was often also due to the fact that daylight jewelry remained a rarity, and age was no guarantee that you would receive it. as far as katherine knows, rose, her involuntary creator, had none. and many of her enemies didn't have any either, which made things easier for katherine, at least for the day. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀yet the apparent older doppelgänger seemed to belong to neither category because she didn't appear as if she was a vampire. and katherine has also not spotted any hint of a dylight jewelry (even though she could carry it anywhere on her body). something that only deepened the mystery.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"you don't carry yourself like a vampire." katherine stated with a perfectly composed expression. "and yet you speak with the familiarity of someone who remembers events no human possibly could." 

⠀⠀⠀⠀"then explain something to me. why? why would my survival have mattered to you? what possible investment did you have in a frightened human girl you'd never met?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀her eyes never left the other woman, still feeling suspicious about whatever this encounter was. "you make it sound like you know klaus mikaelson." there was no uncertainty in that conclusion. "well enough to know precisely what he intended."

⠀⠀⠀⠀another thoughtful pause followed. "and despite that, you attempted to interfere. why?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀the question lingered between them. "a personal grievance? some unfinished quarrel?" her brow arched ever so slightly. "curiously... he never once mentioned another doppelgänger escaping him. for a man who never tires of recounting old victories that omission strikes me as rather deliberate." it struck katherine as odd and she knew that something wasn't making sense. what did this doppelgänger gain from spending her own time on katherine? on spying on her, on creating false trails? || @xnokturn