WHO: Katherine and Isobel WHEN: Backdated to Sunday night WHERE: Cabin 23, porch WHAT: Katherine comes to have a little talk with Isobel. RATING: Relatively low STATUS: Complete
Katherine and Isobel had been sitting on the porch for a while, talking and drinking--mostly catching up. Katherine told her about the things that had happened between Isobel's arrival here and Katherine's--which even though Katherine had been here much longer, wasn't that far apart, and Isobel actually came from before Katherine, which seemed strange. She assured her that the Gilbert device had gotten to John after all and that Isobel had reported back to Katherine well before the plan went into motion.
She didn't add all of the stuff that Elena had told her, however. She didn't want to overwhelm the woman, and most of the stuff probably wouldn't matter to Isobel anyway. She'd been long gone from Mystic Falls by that point, and while Katherine suspected that Isobel had an attachment to Elena--and someone else there--she wasn't going to press it. Isobel hadn't said much about what happened in town, other than the important stuff, but Katherine had noticed a big change in her attitude. One that hadn't lasted long as Katherine recalled and was absent now.
"So," Katherine said, pouring herself another glass of wine after finishing the last one, "there was actually a reason I came," she said finally. She might as well get into the other stuff, the stuff she wasn't sure how Isobel would take.
Isobel turned her attention to Katherine, curious. Did she have another assignment for her? Even here? Isobel wasn't entirely sure she could handle another one--not after the one she had just completed, and definitely not if it included getting Elena ready for the sacrifice that Katherine had mentioned at one time. But, she knew well that no one told Katherine no. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad. "Well, what is it?" she asked good-naturedly, trying not to sound impatient. That was another thing people didn't do with Katherine.
Katherine took a long sip of her drink, eying Isobel as she did so. While she didn't intend to demand that Isobel comply to what she was about to say--just strongly suggest--she did want to make sure that it was established that she still called the shots. Maybe that would help in Isobel's decision-making. She could hope. Finally, she took a breath before starting. "It's been a long time, for me anyway, since I sent you on that assignment," she said finally. "A lot has changed since I've been here, and I would like to make it very clear that I don't want to see Elena hurt, no matter what is going on back home, here that is my priority."
Isobel blinked. That was absolutely not what she had been expecting to hear. Katherine had told her about her plans to sacrifice Elena. When she'd sent her on the assignment, she had given specific instructions not to kill Elena and not to touch the Salvatores--okay, so she might have put the idea in someone else's head to get rid of the Salvatores, but she still felt like she followed those instructions to a T. Now, however, not wanting Elena hurt, yeah that was surprising. And it was something she could handle. She let out a slow breath, not even realizing she had been holding it. "I can assure you that if anything happens to her, it won't be by my hands."
Katherine gave Isobel a leveled look. "Technically, the Salvatores wouldn't have died by your hands either," she pointed out, "but it was still on your instructions, after I gave you explicit instructions not to touch them." That was a part of what made her suspect that there was more to Isobel's feelings toward Elena than she would let on. She had gone after Stefan and Damon, who were both linked to Elena. Probably, in her own way, as an attempt to protect her daughter. Katherine felt a stab of pain at that thought. Isobel had willingly given up her daughter and she was still able to be there for her--in her own way. Katherine had had no choice and never found out what happened to hers. "But that is beside the point," she added. "I just want to know I can trust you."
"You have my word," Isobel said, looking Katherine in the eyes. She didn't want to betray too much, but she did want Katherine to know that she wasn't going to hurt Elena, of all people here that was the one person she didn't want to hurt.
"I hope so," Katherine said seriously. "And on the subject of the Salvatore brothers, they are to remain unharmed as well. I don't want to know your reason for going after them, but I want you to know that that still applies."
Isobel nodded. "That's already taken care of. Elena and I have an... understanding where the Salvatores are concerned. "As long as she doesn't tell Alaric something she knows, I won't harm any vampires here, and she specifically named Stefan and Damon."
Katherine didn't know what Isobel didn't want Alaric knowing, but it didn't matter. The woman's husband was the other person Katherine suspected Isobel still had an attachment to, and it sounded like whatever it was, Isobel really didn't want Alaric knowing it. That was good enough for her. With manipulative people, insurance was the best way to know when they could be trusted, Katherine knew that well, and she avoided it for that reason when she manipulated people. Now, she liked to put it in place when she could. "Good. There's just one other little thing," she added. "This is my request to keep you safe. Peterson, the man who brought us here, doesn't like when his employees are harmed by other people and he will go to drastic measures should that happen. Not too long ago, a girl was tortured. Peterson put a bounty on the person responsible, then publicly tortured him as punishment. He takes it very seriously."
Isobel certainly didn't want to be tortured, but she did have certain needs. "Okay, so no hurting the employees. What about blood?"
"Guests are apparently okay, I still wouldn't kill them but you're able to feed off them. You can also get blood bags from the medical center." Noting Isobel's expression. "I know, but it beats starving yourself, believe me."
Now that the important topics were covered, Katherine felt like she could relax a little more. She still wasn't sure how well Isobel could be trusted in some cases, but at least it had been brought up. She could only hope that this time, Isobel would keep her word.