No One's POV

"How dare-" Niklaus hisses, eyes flashing again, this time managing to rip from Kol's grip, lunging towards Elijah, all intentions of ripping into his brother.

"Nik?" Arabella questions, her voice shy and confused in this new world she had suddenly found herself in.

Niklaus stops short, immediately hesitating, all thoughts of revenge derailed by Arabella's well-being and safety. It would always be what would matter to him most, in a thousand life times, in a thousand worlds.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Niklaus answers without pause to his mate.

"Is this to be our new manor? Our new home?" Arabella asks voice slightly Italian accented, frowning lightly in confusion.

"Yes, yes of course sweetheart." Niklaus automatically responds. "Now, are you hurt? How do you feel?"

"I- I do not know." Arabella replies, looking down at her dress, and smoothing it out carefully, a nervous habit she had, born from always needing to present a regal and elegant look at all times as an Italian upper class lady during the 1100s.

"Aren't you going to greet me, bellisimo?" Kol quickly asks, deterring the conversation, stepping out from behind his brother.

"Kol!" Arabella shrieks happily, quickly forgetting her unsure manner in favor of running towards the youngest Mikaelson.

"Hello, bellisimo." Kol flashes towards his mate, nose dipping down immediately to skim across her neck, scenting her pulse point.

"Kol, be careful." Elijah sighs, hovering closer, inner animal always a bit anxious.

"Always a bore, 'Lijah." Kol snaps, eyes flashing as he lifts his head up from Arabella's neck. "I think I can greet our mate without hurting her!"

"Kol!" Arabella scolds lightly, fingers pressing against Kol's chest to calm his restless energy.

"My apologies, my fair lady." Kol cheeks, nose skimming one last time against her up to her jaw this time.

"Arabella." Elijah speaks again, hand held out to his mate and wife, which in their past, she had actually been married to him.

It had been the only way back then, the brothers needed Arabella with them, and of course, at the time Arabella's father had been looking for a husband for Arabella and short of killing him, which would have hardly been the way to do it to earn her affections, marriage would be the next best route; Elijah had fit the demand easiest with his looks, charm, and manner, also Arabella had liked him, much to the dislike of the other brothers.

"Hello 'Lijah." Arabella smiles happily.

"Hello Elskan." Elijah greets, allowing his mate to carefully walk into his embrace, cradling her against his broad chest as if she was glass; his fingers cup the back of her head gently before he suddenly bites into his own wrist, holding it to her lips.

"Drink." Elijah commands, keeping his wrist to her mouth.

Arabella scrunches her nose up a little to show her distaste, something her father would have long scolded her for, it was not proper for a noble woman to be high spirited (then again her father also indulged her far beyond what was proper in many things), but this was not here or now.

"No, do not argue, Arabella." Elijah replies, already knowing that Arabella was hoping to.

Feeling his mate lick up his blood, Elijah drops his wrist, wound already sealing, as he sniffs her scent, her pulse already stronger.

"My love." Finn greets next, already moving to intercept Arabella, much to Niklaus irritation.

"Finn." Arabella turns towards the eldest Mikaelson to greet him.

"I am gratified to see you awake. However-" Finn waivers, looking worried.

"I understand." Arabella tilts her head to Finn's unspoken words as Finn strokes her cheek tenderly, always the most reserved one of the Mikaelson men, his affections, however, no less sincere.

"Yes, Elijah, how did she awaken?" Niklaus hisses, turning eyes onto Elijah. "Not that I am not overjoyed to see you, love." Niklaus adds to reassure his mate; the reassurance was unnecessary, Arabella knew Niklaus, better than himself.

"I did not- Damon and I had a deal. Yes. But to return the coffin only. I was to awaken our siblings, Niklaus. I know the risk. I would never gamble with Arabella." Elijah answers, his eyes darkening, it was easy to see that Damon was not as honorable as Elijah; no, this would not stand.

"Then it was the Bennett witch." Niklaus growls distastefully. "But even then-"

"She shouldn't have enough power." Elijah argues.

"Bennett?" Kol interrupts. "The Bennett line?"

"Yes." Niklaus answers with a nod.

"Hmm…" Kol hums thoughtfully.

"Do not fight, please." Arabella pleads, sensing that the Mikaelson family was not the same as when she had been laid to rest; they had squabbled before, been fractured even, but this was different, worse.

"Of course not, sweetheart." Niklaus immediately assures, finally walking towards his mate, sweeping her up and bringing her towards the couch. "I am only worried. For your safety. For your well-being, darling."

"I shall be alright. As I was before." Arabella replies, allowing Niklaus to settle her on the couch, himself beside her.

"You were hardly fine before, Arabella." Elijah disagrees, his expression dark as he remembers the entire reason she was laid to rest in the coffin, a decision that she and the brothers had made.

It had nearly broken them all together.

Finn being laid to rest only a year or two after Arabella, unable to be separated from his mate any longer, Kol ravaging town after town for decades until Niklaus finally daggered him, and Niklaus' paranoia and need to protect his family only increasing as well as his desire to break the curse.

"Then what happens, happens, Elijah." Arabella replies softly, her gaze lifting to Elijah's. "We knew that someday this may happen."

"No." Niklaus snarls, inner animal getting wound up. "This is a new world, Arabella. With new advances. And what you had then was a mystery. Not now."

"Let us not talk about such things at the moment, please. I am delighted and content to be with you once more. Is that not enough?" Arabella pleads.

"It is enough, Elskan." Elijah interrupts before any of the other brothers, particularly Kol can speak out, as he tended to be the hottest tempered, even over Niklaus. "But that does not mean we will not stop trying to do what is within our power to help you, to protect you, and care for you. You are our mate."

bellissimo ~ beautiful