Esther needed help with the spell that transformed her family into the Originals. Ayanna helped Esther and Mikael with their spell but she warned them that it was dark magic.
Arianna was Ayanna's only child. A beautiful girl who was also a witch like her mother. Arianna was engaged to Elijah before Tatia appeared and tore them apart. I picture Arianna as Ashley Greene. Think Alice (Twilight) with the adorable pixie cut hair style and beautiful brown eyes.
Mikael could not let Ayanna or her daughter live. They knew the power of the white oak tree and he knew that the two witches were strong. Esther's magic could not stand up to their power...
Chapter one
I own nothing but Arianna/Nikki and the plot line that has been in my mind for a while. I wrote this story because I always felt sorry for the Donovan siblings. Even Vikki.
A thousand years ago...
Arianna smoothed out the dress. It had started off as a plain white cotton dress with lace edges that fell about her ankles. Her mother had bought it from a passing tradesman. Ayanna had spent a month embroidering it, adding pretty flowers to the bodice. Flowers that would match the work on the veil that she would wear over her long cinnamon colored hair. Arianna had sat at her mother's feet each night by the fire side as the sewing progressed. Her heart had fluttered as the dress grew more enchanting under her mother's skilled and nimble fingers.
Her mother was the strongest witch in their village so their little family was wealthy. Ayanna was a legendary beauty, her hair the color of golden sunshine and crystal blue eyes that showed her Nordic ancestry. Arianna's father had had dark hair and she had inherited his eyes that were an unusual golden tawny brown. He had died long ago but Ayanna refused suitors. Their cottage was large and had all the comforts they desired. There was a special pantry that was fragrant with magical herbs. Ayanna used these ingredients in her spells. The mother and daughter were content with their lot in life. Or they had been happy, before Tatia and her family arrived.
The wedding was to have been a grand affair. Ayanna was marrying her only prized daughter to another wealthy powerful family in the village. Mikael and Esther were close to Ayanna and Mikael loved the fact that his oldest son was marrying such a powerful young witch. Mikael boasted about it often, making his son uncomfortable. But Elijah was happy. He had grown up with Arianna. They had fallen in love and at first they had been afraid of their parents. When Elijah had declared himself, everyone had been encouraging. Rebekah who was Arianna's best friend began making plans for the wedding day. Even arrogant Kol and quiet Niklaus teased Arianna about her becoming their sister. Henrik, sweet little boy that he was, was happy to have a new sibling. But Henrik was gone now, taken by the wolves and leaving behind a shattered family.
Things had changed. A solitary tear trickled down the young girl's face as she crashed back to reality. She was not going to marry Elijah anymore. Tatia had destroyed their love. Arianna put a hand behind her neck, going to open the little mother of pearl buttons. She would never wear this dress now, Elijah would never see her in it. Arianna wanted to burn it. Its delicate beauty mocked her now because Elijah had fallen under Tatia's charm. Elijah and Niklaus fought for the new girl.
Ari lifted her braid and sighed. She never wanted to fall in love again and she had learnt the hard way, never to trust anyone. Only her mother. Because Ayanna loved her completely.
There was a crash from the kitchen and the young girl ran to her door. She opened the wooden door without hesitation. Ayanna had been mixing herbs and her pestle lay discarded on the floor.
Arianna looked at the intruders with wide eyes. "Esther? Mikael?" She had taken to calling them mama Esther and papa Mikael when she was to have entered their family, but she would call them that no more.
"What do you want with me Mikael?" Ayanna's voice was harsh and her body screamed of tension.
"You wear your wedding dress Arianna?" Esther's sibilant voice whispered. "Invite us in girl, let me see how pretty you are."
Arianna was frozen. Esther's voice was mesmerizing. Her words controlled the young girl so that Arianna almost automatically said, "Please come inside Esther and Mikael."
"No!" Ayanna shouted, "I did what you asked the spell is done. Tatia is dead and your sons feud no more. Leave me and my daughter in peace."
"You will not move." Mikael stared into the elder witch's eyes. "Do not move Ayanna."
"What are you doing?" Arianna's heart was pounding. This was not the kind mother like Esther that she knew and Mikael had always been stern. His hard features were normally harsh but handsome. But now, their faces were distorted by a different evil. Now they looked cruel. Pale and feral like, with black veins around their eyes. "Tatia is dead?" Her own brown eyes grew large in her small face. "Mother what have you done?"
"Run Ari! Get away." Her mother could not move but she screamed. Ayanna would never beg for her life but for her daughter, she would do anything. "Please Mikael."
Mikael walked to stand behind the young girl. "I cannot allow you both to live. My family is strong now and I will destroy anyone who knows of our weaknesses." He held Arianna in place with a hand around her throat. She could not breath as his slim fingers sunk into her air pipe.
"I never threated you Esther." Ayanna's voice was shrill. "I warned you not to meddle with dark magic but I helped you. I helped you to make your family immortal. My child is no threat to you. Let her go. Save her Esther!"
"You are a threat that I cannot risk. Both of you because little witches grow up and then they become even more powerful. You both must die." Mikael's voice was cold as he sunk his fangs deep into the soft skin of Ayanna's only child.
Ari felt the warm blood pour down her neck and the pain burnt her. His fangs were like fire in her throat. She felt a distant dismay, now her bridal dress was ruined. Blood would never wash out easily.
Esther grabbed Ayanna, her blood lust released as she watched Mikael feed. "I liked you Ayanna that is why I will give you a noble death."
Esther took out her ceremonial dagger and plunged the bronze blade into Ayanna's chest.
Arianna felt the darkness seeping in and she reached a hand out to her mother but to no avail. Ayanna watched as crimson droplets decorated her daughter's bodice like rubies. The elder witch should never have trusted Esther or Mikael. This was the same mad man, who when he had discovered his wife's cheating and he had realized that Niklaus was not his son, he had found the wolf who had bedded his wife. Mikael had not asked the man any questions. He had slaughtered the man and half the village. Mikael let his rage control him. Ayanna had made a mistake in helping them and now she and her child would die.
A trickle of blood ran out of Ayanna's mouth as she gasped. "I swear this to you Esther. Kill me now. Kill my daughter now. When you and your family least expect it, I will send my daughter to defeat you." She coughed as her body slid to the wooden floor. "Eternity is a long time Esther and I will send Arianna to stop you. One day."
"Do you think that her magic is so strong? Can she bargain with death?" Esther was terrified now as she looked at her husband.
Mikael shook of the shiver of fear that raced down his spine. He would not let Esther see his unease. "She's dead now." He threw Arianna's body beside her mother. The dark wooden floor was awash in blood.
The girl had heard her mother's words and she believed them. Her mother's magic was that strong and this was a prophecy bound in blood. Ari welcomed death's embrace because she would be back one day. She would have revenge for her mother's murder. The last words Arianna heard as she died, was Mikael's.
"Burn them both. Leave no trace of what we have done. Elijah must never know." His voice was chillingly cold. She had called this man papa.
Then all was dark... Death welcomed both mother and daughter.
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