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Elijah Mikaelson was an immortal.
He was an original.
One of the first vampires amongst the company of his brothers, the complex Klaus, then Kol who had his own issues and finally their brother Finn. Not forgetting their sister Rebekah, who was beautiful but inside she was as delicate as she was strong. She made bad choices for love but then none of them made smart choices. Still each of them had issues, but when it came to the Mikaelson clan, spats with siblings generally resulted in being daggered and rendered inert in your own coffin.
As Klaus strove to end the curse of the sun and moon he was trying to act as peacekeeper for his younger reckless brother both between Klaus and the inhabitants both mortal and immortal in Mystic Falls, but also between Klaus and his siblings he knew that he also had to face up to his own curses.
England 1232:
"Three towns over they said, and getting closer!"
"Murder," they continued to talk, "throats ripped out."
"Oh what are we going to do?"
"I'm scared; my Matthew has to go tending the sheep at night."
"Matthew!" scoffing tone," And who would want to harm a hair on his head?"
"Pah," indignant, "I was thinking for myself."
"Ladies," I finally interrupt, although neither of the comely women could ever be confused with the ladies of the manor.
"Elizabeth," one says my name her eyes glaring at me for interrupting their gossip.
I smooth a nervous hand down my skirt, a skirt that was made of quality hard-wearing material I had saved for months to buy at the local market, and I knew that was a mistake because their eyes went to what they would see as expensive material. I was already enough of an outcast as it was without flaunting an apparent wealth.
"Whoever it is who is doing these abhorrent murders, they are probably miles away now and there is no sign they are heading in this direction," I told them quietly.
To no avail it seemed as talk erupted once more, descriptions of people having their throats torn asunder and left to rot. Women, children, grown men, all murdered. They poured out grisly details scaring themselves even more.
I gave up on them then and moved silently away stepping down to the stream where I began my gathering of fresh growing herbs. Some flowers were growing under the tree and I lingered there touching delicate petals before adding them to my basket.
A shadow fell across my face and I looked up, my breath catching in my throat as I saw who was crossing my path, tall with blond hair, not the blond of my villagers, no he had the touch of brown in it, a combination of both.
"Hello there little one, I am…"
"I do not care who you are," I say standing up straight and clutching my basket to my hip.
I see from the temporary shocked expression on his face that he is startled by my disdain and it makes me raise my chin a little higher as I look at him.
"No? Perhaps you…"
"Nicklaus," A second voice calls before he appears to morph to stand before me too. This one with dark hair and eyes of a liquid brown with golden flecks in them and I feel a shudder drift down my back as I meet his gaze.
There is something about them that is fearful. Something that I should evade but somehow I know that running would be pointless.
"Excuse me gentlemen," I find myself saying before I turn my back on them and with three steps I've jumped across the running stream and I begin to walk away.
"Little…" the one referred to as Klaus begins to speak.
I turn my head and catch them moving, Klaus running towards me but then he is caught by the other one and they begin to wrestle as if testing their strength, before 'Brown –eyes' reaches my side.
"I am Elijah Mikealson," he introduces himself with a courtly bow.
I ponder what I am doing talking to these two men before I nod.
"I am Elizabeth," I whisper, "And now I have to go."
I flick my skirt before clutching my basket and begin moving away.
"We are heading to the village to await our sister at the Inn; perhaps we could walk with you?"
"You can walk where you like," I call over my shoulder and I move on to the well-trodden path knowing they are right behind me.
"I bet she tastes as good as she looks," I heard one say and even though I could not see who it was I would have bet a crown on it being the one called Klaus.
"Behave now brother, we do not want another incident to mar our progress," came the response.
"Do I detect a modicum of interest from you brother regarding this morsel?"
"You detect nothing but an interest in being more circumspect than of late," brown eyes replied.
I threw them a look over my shoulder and wished I hadn't when those brown eyes peered at me fiercely. A shudder ran down my spine and I sucked in a sharp breath before turning down another path that would lead me home, and to safety.
"Little fox is escaping," the one called Klaus muttered behind me.
"Good day gentlemen, if you stay on the path you are on you will reach the main village in no time," I call and hate the quiver that is in my voice.
"Klaus," A warning perhaps.
"Somehow Elijah you manage to spoil all of my fun."
So now 'Brown Eyes' had a name. Elijah. I say it silently inside my head wondering how it would feel if I say it aloud. Dismissing the sudden rush of blood to my face I race for home as if the devil himself was chasing me.
Mystic Falls Present Day:
"Why brother, I had no idea that you cared!"
Elijah starred at Klaus before wiping the blood drops fastidiously from his lips with a pristine white linen handkerchief before placing it back within his trouser pocket.
"It is you brother who seems to have a lack of care, and this drive you have to remove your particular curse will be the ruination of you, of us all," he stated firmly glaring at his blond haired sibling.
Rebekah was off amusing herself with a certain Mr. Donovan and he was stuck trying to nursemaid his brother who was once more hell bent on proving himself in the shadow of their father's dominance. As for Kol and Finn after years of lying in state at Klaus's leisure they were off on some frenzy.
"And what of your curses brother dearest? Rumour has it that Elizabeth was seen in Los Angeles. Rather too close for your comfort."
Elijah urged himself not to display his disquiet on his features. Elizabeth, a name he had no desire to ever hear again, especially in relation to the flame-haired witch from his past.
"It often amazes me brother that she remains the one person you have yet to do one of your secretive deals with," he murmured slowly as he stood from the table he had been sitting at and moved away to look out of the window.
The sky was darkening with a glut of heavy rainclouds and he thought it apt that they swept over Mystic Falls just as Elizabeth was mentioned. The one woman from his long and tortuous past that was able to infiltrate the leaden thing that passed for his heart.
"Surely brother, the mention of her name cannot bring forth an emotional response?"
"You jest Klaus, but I remember her being more than a match for you once upon a time," Elijah was stung into replying.
"Young vampires love to test their… powers."
"Well, she tested yours I believe," Elijah muttered and instantly regretted the loss of control. Any demonstration of weakness and Klaus was apt to use it against him.
"Interesting brother that you remember it that way," Klaus said slowly.
Elijah nodded, just once, acknowledging his brother's words before he stepped back from the window and walked slowly out of the room. He had no desire to remember Elizabeth in any shape or form but the memories he kept locked away refused to stay hidden and he had to remove himself from Klaus's presence before he gave in to them.