His kingdom. His prodigy. His legacy. Finally he was finished working toward these things. Klaus Mikaelson had found everything he had ever wanted in his nearly twelve hundred years of life. There was a time when he wished for nothing more than this moment, and here he stood united with his family and without enemies. His daughter, Hope, exactly what he had hoped for. She was fierce, brutal, calm, and she admired nothing in this world more than her father. Elijah and Rebekah had finally found their own happiness, and Klaus welcomed them and their respective families to his side. Kol was alive again, the why he wasn't fully sure of; Some business in Mystic Falls with the witches nearly one hundred and fifty years back. Kol was the only source of excitement in New Orleans anymore, and it wasn't saying much. His youngest brother was a troublemaker, sure, but he didn't cause the trouble Klaus had grown accustomed to. To put it quite simply, he was bored. And exceedingly so.

He stood in the grand staircase drink in hand as the bustle of preparations passed him by. The grand ball would be tonight in honor of Hopes engagement to Senator Tektor Greene. This move would secure the entire state of Louisiana for his family. Yet, something was missing. He sighed and finished his drink quickly, making his way to the foyer to pour another.

There stood Hope with her dark hair curling lightly at the shoulder and her long red dress accenting her beauty and elegance. She reminded him of her mother, Hayley. Such a sweet girl, such a liability. When she saw her father, Hopes eyes lit up in adoration. She smiled and approached him so gracefully she seemingly floated across the floor.

"Father."

"Hello, darling. You look stunning."

Hope blushed shyly and smiled at Klaus. She could read the sadness on his face as they embraced and it made her want to cry. How could she make her father happy? She'd done everything she could think of to make him proud, and he seemed to be pleased with her choice of mate. Yet there was something dark beneath his surface she couldn't lighten.

"May I speak with you alone upstairs?" She asked, her tone reminiscent of his mothers', the kind of request that couldn't be denied.

"Of course, love."

They walked up the staircase together arm in arm. When they reached the girls bedroom and closed the door Hope looked deeply into her fathers eyes with concern.

"You seem sad lately."

"How could I ever be sad on such a wondrous occasion?"

Hope chuckled nervously and continued. "Please, Dad, I only want you to be as happy as I am today. What is keeping you from this? I will surely murder it viciously."

They both laughed at the joke as Klaus put his hand on his daughters shoulder, "I am as happy as ever, sweetheart, though in my entire life I have never been so content. Surely I am just adjusting."

"Aunt Rebekah told me about life before I was born. You seemed much more alive back then… Is it my fault?" She was terrified to know the answer to her question.

"No, darling, I feel I simply need a new project. Everything here is perfect. Possibly too perfect. I -"

A ringing cellphone cut Klaus off and he reached into his pocket to answer. The voice on the other end was one he had never expected to hear and the sound of it sent a jolt of life through his entire body.

"She's back in Mystic Falls. And you will never guess where she went."