AU set after 4x23. In which Klaus becomes the rightful owner of New Orleans and Marcel is more of a right hand man sort of guy, who's kind of OOC in this one. This is my first attempt at writing Klaroline and humor isn't exactly my strong suit so constructive criticism will be much appreciated.
"We found a daywalker, a mere girl, wandering about in the French Quarter, Marcel. Without permission."
"Bring her in." Marcel smiles at the prospect of threatening another upstart vampire. He mentally starts preparing his now-now-you've-broken-the-rules-however-shall-we-punish-you speech and sits back expectantly, watching two of his men drag her in. Though he's seen plenty of blue-eyed blondes before, there's something about her that intrigues him; the rapidly healing scratch marks on the men's faces is a testimony to that.
"Let me go," she snarls.
"Now now," Marcel starts, his voice all velvet and chocolate, "you know the rules-"
"Rules-schmules! I didn't do anything. I came here as a tourist for god's sake! I was just minding my own innocent business when these manner-less gits accosted me and dragged me over here." His men look slightly offended while Marcel frowns, taking that as a personal insult.
"Careful little girl," he says menacingly, "you're walking on thin ice as it is."
She merely scoffs and opens her mouth, no doubt a sassy and/or witty retort on her tongue when one of his minions, who's been riffling through her luggage like, well, a manner less git, gives a start of surprise and shows Marcel the blood bags underneath the false lining of her suitcase.
"What?" she shrugs, her eyes widening slightly, "I prefer it from the bag. Judge me all you want."
But one sniff of the blood and Marcel knows it isn't human. It's vampire- but no not even a normal vampire's…
"Why," he asks through gritted teeth, "do you have a hybrid's, the Original hybrid's, blood stored in bags with you?" He's this close to ripping her heart out.
She doesn't even try to deny it. "You recognize the smell of Klaus's blood? Creepy."
Marcel raises a perturbed brow in question (seriously who is this girl?) and she sighs in exasperation, finally saying, "Fine. It was a gift from him. You know, if I get in trouble with a werewolf. Believe me, it sure has come in use…"
The men around her shift uncomfortably and look at Marcel, who doesn't know where or how she got the blood though he's sure he doesn't want to; scenes of creepy voodoo rituals involving his sire's blood pop into his mind and he shudders. He bets it has something to do with Sophie the Sabrina wannabe and company. Pesky witches.
"You're clearly delusional if you think Klaus would gift you, a baby vampire with a bad attitude, his blood. Now you have ten seconds to tell me what use you have of his blood in I'm sure, another yet-to-succeed plan to take Klaus down."
"Take Klaus down? Please," she snorts, "been there, done that, bored already."
Despite his better judgment, Marcel feels a flash of admiration for this girl. Too bad her short but illustrious life would soon come to an end. "Well let's see what Klaus has to say about that," he says evilly.
"Wait what Klaus is here?" the grin on Marcel's face widens at the panic in her voice though he can't help noticing that it's more on the nervous side than well, sheer deep terror.
"Not so confident now are we, Miss…?"
"Caroline Forbes," she replies in a resigned voice after a long drawn-out mental battle.
Silence. There's a moment in which all the air from his lungs seems to rush out, then-
"Wait you're Caroline Forbes? THE Caroline Forbes?"
"What is THAT supposed to mean?" she bristles.
The care-a-damn attitude, the casual way she spoke about Klaus, the gift (of course he would've given her his blood)- he should have known. Fighting off an overwhelming urge to slap himself, Marcel frantically orders his men around, "Unhand her, you brute! And you, put everything back into the suitcase and get a glass of the finest red wine for Miss Forbes." They shoot him mildly disapproving glances while a few of the slower ones give him blank looks of confusion, but they obey him nonetheless.
The expression on Caroline's face softens a little. "So you do know me."
"Only by reputation," he says apologetically, "brief snatches of conversation here and there between Elijah and Rebekah." Marcel can't help the note of awe creeping into his voice. Here's the only girl Niklaus Mikaelson, the most powerful being on the planet, would do anything for. A girl he actually…cares about. Marcel recalls his words from earlier and winces.
"Well then, Miss Forbes, allow me to show you the way to the Mikaelson Manor. Klaus will be happy to see you."
Caroline doesn't respond. "Let's go Miss Forbes. Better not keep him waiting heh heh…" he trails off nervously.
"Oh I'm sure he has better things to do," she says hastily, "how about that glass of wine? Then I'll be on my innocent touristy way."
"No Miss Forbes, I think it's a better you accompany me," Marcel overrules her. The thought of what Klaus would do on finding out that Caroline came to his city and left without meeting him, sends a shiver down his spine.
So that's how he finds himself making awkward small talk with a vampire he was making scary faces at barely minutes ago, as they walk towards Klaus's mansion. She tells him she's been exploring the world on her own and had honestly no clue he was in New Orleans and really this isn't that big a deal-
"Klaus, someone's here to see you."
"Not now Marcel. I'm busy," he replies, not looking up from the easel where he's painting (as usual) something dark and lonely, no doubt.
"Yeah this was fun. So I'll just go-"
Marcel blinks and suddenly Klaus is standing there looking at her with an expression he's never seen before (hope?). He may have vaulted over a table in the process of rushing towards Caroline but Marcel pretends he didn't notice that.
"Caroline."
"Klaus." Despite her initial reservations, there's a tiny smile playing on her lips. Marcel clears his throat awkwardly and Klaus shoots him a murderous glance as if he's interrupting an intimate moment (which he probably is).
Caroline takes this as her cue to break the intense eye-sex she's been indulging in with Klaus and walks casually over to a couch and takes a seat.
"So what brings you here love?" Klaus asks, a secret grin on his face.
"Well I didn't know you were here. I was just taking in the sights when I…met Marcel."
Klaus looks at him suspiciously and Marcel gives him what he thinks is a sincere and reassuring smile. He must have shown too much teeth because the glare on his sire's face intensifies. Damn. Note to self- must work on said sincere and reassuring smile.
"And when he found out who I am he brought me over here very nicely," Caroline says nonchalantly, "what polite, well-mannered henchmen you have, Klaus." Marcel is so grateful that she didn't complain to Klaus about him that he decides to ignore her last remark.
Slightly mollified now, Klaus pours himself a drink and asks, "So what are your plans now, Caroline?"
"I don't know," she leans back and looks at him through her lashes, "stick around for a few weeks. See the sights and all". Klaus nods and takes a sip of scotch, pleased. At that exact moment Caroline looks at Marcel with a smirk which lets him know that he owes her one and that she's thinking of all the different creative and humiliating ways he could pay her back.
"New Orleans will be fun."
Marcel gulps.