A few minutes later, Elijah handed Rebekah his suit jacket and they shared a smile as he left her in her room and headed down the hallway toward the main staircase.
When he descended, he passed through the front parlor and into Niklaus' private study.
Klaus was seated in his office chair, with his feet up on his desk playing solitaire on his laptop.
Elijah wasn't sure why, but somehow found this extremely amusing.
After a moment of silently laughter to himself, he spoke.
"So, what did you wish to speak about?" Elijah asked as he approached the desk.
Niklaus brought his legs down and turned his chair away from his computer to face his brother with a broad smile.
"Many things… but first, your drink is on the bar," Niklaus nodded toward the opposite wall and the full bar along it.
Sure enough a bourbon neat sat in a tumbler on the bar counter.
Elijah walked over and picked up the bourbon and lifted it in a toast to his brother before taking a drink.
Niklaus stood and rounded the desk, taking a seat on the front, folding his hands in his lap as he eyed his brother.
"Do you remember when we first started searching for the moonstone and for Liliya's doppelganger?" he asked
Elijah straightened at Liliya's name, a sudden flash of anger coming over his face that his brother dare mention her, but he tried his best to hide it by twirling his tumbler in his hand.
"Yes," he said in a low voice, "we made the scrolls—the Aztec drawings."
"Ahh…some of your finest work…and mine, if I do say so." Klaus mused
Elijah nodded
The rouse was quite good.
Centuries before, when Niklaus decided to try to break the hybrid curse his mother and the witch Ayanna had placed on him, Elijah came up with the idea that they should invent ancient stories using his writing talents for the tales and Niklaus' artistic ability for the drawings.
They made scrolls and cave drawings—anything they could come up with in several different languages and cultures, because, as Elijah reasoned to Niklaus, the best way to find a doppelganger or to get your hands on some long lost moonstone, was to have every member of a warring species looking for it.
And the "Curse of the Sun and The Moon" was born.
It worked, too. Niklaus was satisfied knowing that both vampires and werewolves were looking for both and for a while, Elijah could rest easy knowing that his promise to his father was safe and that his plan to keep Niklaus from breaking the curse was still on track.
Of course, unbeknownst to Niklaus, Elijah possessed the moonstone and had for centuries since his mother's death, so he knew that it was safe and out of his brother's hands as long as he needed it to be. Elijah reasoned that if he had to eventually give his brother the moonstone to appease him, he would do it and say that someone else found it—but only because he knew that Niklaus would never find Liliya's doppelganger.
She simply did not exist.
Katerina, however, changed all of that—he had not seen her coming.
And when Trevor first told him of her existence, Elijah couldn't make himself believe it.
How could it be? His mother and the other witches had specifically chosen Liliya because she had been the last of her bloodline.
Niklaus' curse had been created on the condition that it could only be broken by a doppelganger that the servants of nature felt sure would never exist once they killed her.
Elijah felt angry at first, knowing that a doppelganger really did exist.
It felt like Liliya died for nothing—that she had sacrificed herself for nothing.
But, then he saw Katerina…
"Elijah?" Niklaus asked, trying to meet his brother's gaze and Elijah immediately realized he must have been in some kind of trance.
"I'm sorry…" Elijah said, shaking his head, "What did you say?"
"I was saying that the scrolls regarding 'The Curse of the Sun and The Moon' were some of our best work and we should replicate it tonight at dinner."
"What do you mean?" Elijah's eyes narrowed
Niklaus stood up from his desk and walked toward his brother
"I mean that I think we should enlighten the Salvatore Brothers—give them a story they can chew on. One that will ensure that I get what I want," Niklaus said, moving closer, eying his brother. "I need you to come up with a brilliant tale and I will follow along."
Elijah lowered his drink and set it down on the bar, "And what kind of tale do you wish me to tell? What is it that you want out of all of this?"
Niklaus smiled and moved in closer to his brother.
"I want Elena," he whispered
Elijah and Niklaus discussed the plot of their story for nearly an hour before Niklaus looked at the time and excused himself to change for the dinner party.
When he did, Elijah knew what he had to do.
It was clear that Elena was in danger.
Niklaus would never let her have a normal life as long as she was the key to him being able to sire more hybrids.
Damon had assured Elijah that Bonnie and her mother would get the 'mystery' coffin open and release the weapon inside it—they just needed a little time—hence the invented "truce dinner party".
But, on hearing what Niklaus had planned for Elena and what he was willing to say and do to make sure that it happened, Elijah wasn't taking any chances.
He needed insurance. If Damon were here, he would agree.
So, when he was sure that Niklaus had retired to his bedroom upstairs, Elijah made his way back through to the front parlor.
He stepped down the stairs into the room and was immediately standing at the foot of Finn and Kol's coffins.
He thought for a moment then nodded to himself. It was crazy and a bit drastic, yes, but if it worked the way he had planned, it would be just the insurance he needed to keep Niklaus in check if Damon's plan to didn't go through.
Like he told Stefan on the night of the ritual, he always had a back-up plan.
In one fluid motion Elijah stepped between the two coffins, and with each hand, flipped open the top half of the lid.
He then simultaneously grabbed the hilts of the silver daggers in each of his younger brothers' chests and pulled…
When the door bell rang at 7pm, Elijah looked the sound emanating into the upstairs hallway, before turning back to Rebekah, who handed him his suit jacket.
"You know the plan," he said, stroking her cheek, "Don't move until I come and get you."
Rebekah nodded, taking her brother's hand in hers on the side of her face.
Elijah released his hold on her and exited through the bedroom door.
Moments later, Elijah threw on his jacket and with vampire speed descended the stairs and opened the front door.
"Niklaus, our guests have arrived."
He stepped back, turning to the back parlor, where Niklaus had suddenly appeared and watched the Salvatore brothers enter.
"Damon, Stefan, Elijah tells me you seek an audience. Very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized men. Shall we?" Niklaus said, eying their guest, before gesturing to the dining table in the center of the room.
When Elijah saw the indignant look on Stefan's face, he moved forward, hoping the brothers would follow.
"It's better to indulge him," he encouraged
"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus." Stefan said finally stepping down the stairs, "in fact, I didn't want to come here at all." He then turned to Damon, "But I was told I had to because you would hear us out."
Klaus chuckled.
"Well we can sit and eat," he said rounding the table to his chair and sitting down, "or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours."
Nice, Niklaus. Elijah scoffed in his head and rolled his eyes as he watched Damon's look of nausea and Stefan's cool indifference. He must have been use to Niklaus' threats by now.
Despite the beginning hostility, when the meal was served and the wine was poured by the compelled young women Niklaus insisted on keeping at the mansion, the dinner seemed to become quite amicable.
That is, until Niklaus noticed that Stefan was not eating.
Elijah took a bite of his roast beef and eyed the youngest Salvatore.
When a vampire gives themself entirely over to their cravings, they usually don't eat human food—it curbs their appetite for human blood.
If Damon was right and Stefan was 'off the wagon', this was a sure sign that 'The Ripper' was back.
"You've lost your appetite," Niklaus finally observed out loud
Stefan just raised an eyebrow and left his fork untouched.
"Eat," Damon interjected, "I thought we were going to leave the 'Grumpy Stefan' at home."
Elijah tried hard to conceal his smile.
If Damon though his younger brother was grumpy, he should try living for a thousand years with his younger brother.
Finally Stefan smirked and sat forward, taking up his cutlery.
"That's the spirit," Niklaus said, then looked around the table, "isn't this nice? The four of us dining together? Such a treat."
He then looks directly at Damon, "Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger out of my brother?"
"Well, I knew how he felt about you, so I figured, the more… the merrier," Damon said cockily as he took a bite of his dinner and winked at Elijah.
"Well, Elijah and I have had our quarrels over the centuries, but we always make it through." Niklaus countered
"Kind of like, you and Rebekah, right?" Stefan interjected taking a sip of his wine, "Where is she, by the way? The last I checked, she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her."
"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows that I killed our mother, I've already come clean… to Elijah." Niklaus said, turning to his brother.
Elijah straightened and tried to keep his face placid.
Niklaus had never 'come clean' to him about their mother's death, not in a thousand years. When they had fought the previous night, Niklaus had alluded to the fact that he had something to tell him about her. But, then again, Elijah had known since the beginning that Niklaus killed their mother. His father had told him. It was a heavy burden, one that he had promised never to share with their siblings to keep them safe.
Niklaus was flattering himself now and it took all the strength Elijah had to not ruin his brother's moment.
"Hey Stef, remember when you killed Dad? You might want to dial down the judgment until desert." Damon said with raised eyebrows, then took a drink from his glass
"We're here to make a deal, Damon," Stefan said eying Klaus, "it doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses."
"I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us…pace yourself." Damon answered
When they reached the third course, Niklaus gave Elijah the signal and Elijah took a breath.
He did not wish to do this, but it seemed he had no choice in the matter as long as Niklaus was calling the shots at the table.
"So, Stefan," he said, folding his hands on the table and manufacturing a smile, "Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"
"I don't know," Stefan shrugged, "ask Damon."
Klaus laughed and Elijah mocked ignorance.
"I'm sorry," Klaus chuckled, turning toward his brother, "You missed so much. Uh…trouble in paradise."
Elijah turns back to Damon then looks to Stefan, intrigued.
From the Salvatore brother's facial reactions, it seemed to be true.
"One more word about Elena," Stefan threatened in a low voice, looking at the two of them, "and uh… this dinner is over."
"You know what," Damon interjected, "it's probably best just to leave Elena in the 'Do Not Discuss' pile."
"You're probably right…" Niklaus said, taking another bite
"Yeah." Damon added
"It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelganger is still so strong," Niklaus said, turning to his older brother, "What do you say brother, should we tell them about Tatia?"
Elijah faked nervousness, moving his napkin off of his lap and spreading it out on the table, "Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"
"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line." Klaus suggested
"We're not going anywhere Elijah," Damon said, raising his glass, "Please…do tell."
It's time. Elijah thought to himself, make it good.
Suddenly it came pouring out of him and he wasn't sure where it really came from—Liliya—Katerina? Maybe both…with a little flair.
"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty..." Liliya
"Every boy of age desired to be her suitor even though she had had a child by another man…"
Katerina
"And none loved her more than Niklaus." He finished, looking over to his brother, seemingly for his approval to continue.
Perhaps it was him simply participating or perhaps he was just trying to be cruel, when Niklaus threw back his head dramatically and added, "No… I would say that there was one who loved her at least as much."
He then eyed Elijah, who found it hard to hide his grief as he looked down to his folded hands.
Bastard,he thought
"Wait a minute," Stefan interceded, "So you both loved the same…girl?"
He then smiled devilishly
Elijah smiled and tried to play along, continuing the rouse, but struggling to keep up face. There had never been any contest when it came to Liliya's affections. Niklaus had pursued Liliya once, when they were teenagers, not because he loved her, but because he just wanted to take something away from Elijah. In the end, however, he failed. Liliya's heart had always been Elijah's and in the end she chose him. They were bethrothed and three months later his family took and sacrificed her in the ritual that bound his brother's werewolf curse forever.
But he couldn't say that.
"Our mother was a very powerful witch, she sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her."
Niklaus' face dropped at this and he looked down at his wine glass.
Is that Guilt? Does he remember? Elijah thought, catching a glimpse of his brother out of the corner of his eye.
Surely Niklaus knew what he did—he was in transition, but he surely remembered feeding off of his brother's fiancé?
Images from that night quickly flashed through Elijah's mind
Kissing Liliya for the last time…
Being tied to the tree and helpless as the witches took her from him to perform the ritual that would bind Niklaus' werewolf side…
Watching as Niklaus, who the witches had starved for days, stumbled out into the darkness of the full moon…
His father's voice yelling for Finn and Kol to hold Elijah as he desperately tried to free himself from his bonds to get to her…
Seeing Niklaus, in transition, grabbing hold of her and drinking her blood…
After a moment of reverence, Niklaus looked up to Elijah as he continued the story, albeit it was almost an insult to the true one.
"We would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed on the night we became vampires," Elijah said, unsure how long he could keep up the charade. He then took a drink and looked back to Niklaus who forced a smile. "Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time, Niklaus and I grew estranged. Harsh words were spoken…we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?" he said, looking to Niklaus, again, for prompting.
"But, in the end," Niklaus said, sitting forward and eying the Salvatore brothers, "we recognized the sacred bond of family."
"Family above all," Elijah said, grabbing his glass and raising a toast to his brother with a fake smile.
If he was going to finish, he was going to do it with flare.
Niklaus seemed impressed.
"Family above all," he smirked as he clinked his glass with Elijah
Elijah watched as Damon turned to Stefan and Stefan returned the look.
Clearly Niklaus had seen something Elijah hadn't. That they were fighting over the same girl and if Niklaus was smart, he was going to turn them against each other or make them see that it was best that they let her go… if they truly loved her.
It was a brilliant ploy, but it also made Elijah nauseous.
Niklaus enjoyed playing with people's lives.
He always had. It was a defense mechanism.
There was silence through most of the fourth course and when it was cleared, Elijah saw Damon looking down at his cell phone.
"So," he opened the conversation again, as one of the compelled women poured wine into his glass, "why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal."
"Well, that's very simple," Damon said, looking up, "Klaus gets his coffin back, and in exchange, he and the original extended family…leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan and Elena live happily ever after…no grudges."
Elena safe and living happily ever after…
Elijah's heart agreed.
"Deal sounds fair, brother," he said, turning to Niklaus
But, Niklaus wasn't having it.
"I don't think you understand," he said, "Elena's doppelganger blood ensures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me." He then took a breath and sat forward, eyeing Stefan sternly, "I will never leave her behind."
Stefan stared defiantly back at Klaus for a few moments before Klaus stood and pushed away from the table, taking his glass with him.
"But say I do leave her here, under your protection…what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies, caught between your feuding. You see, each one of you truly believes you are the one that can protect her and that is simply a delusion. Gentleman, the worse thing for Elena Gilbert is…the two of you."
Elijah watched Damon the entire time. He seemed to be the brother who seemed to be affected most by what Klaus was saying.
"I'm going to get some air." He said, looking to Elijah. And Elijah wasn't sure by the paleness that suddenly came over the young vampire, if he really needed air or if it was a signal to talk to Elijah in private.
Either way Damon left the table and Elijah decided to follow.
"Let me deal with it…" he said in a low voice to Niklaus as he himself left the table.