No One's POV
The next day broke on the Mikaelson mansion, finding Arabella sitting at the grand piano in the music room, softly playing.
"Ella, love..." Niklaus calls softly, his footsteps wandering in.
"Nik." Arabella pauses immediately.
"Are you happy here?" Nikalus asks, folding his arms around his mate, his nose dipping into her neck, settling against the crook of her collarbone.
"Why would you ask that, Niklaus?" Arabella questions instead, answering Niklaus' question with a question.
"Becuase I desire your happiness Arabella. Above anything." Niklaus answers. "Your happiness and your health." At that Niklaus skims Arabella's neck gently, her pulse strong and scent normal; whatever plauged her held at bay by Elijah's blood the day before and thus far other forces that had forced the brothers and Arabella to decide to lay her to rest for centuries not at play.
"I feel well, Nik. And I am happy." Arabella answers, hand raising to cup Niklaus' face.
"Very well, Ella." Niklaus answers, lips pressing against her neck lightly. "Now, what do you think of having a ball?"
"A ball?" Arabella echoes.
"Yes. Here, at the mansion." Niklaus confirms, his fingers trailing along Arabella's arms, drawing mindless patterns.
"I do enjoy dancing."
"Yes, I am aware." Niklaus smiles.
"Is- is there a reason for this ball?" Arabella asks.
"Need there be one? Other than to introduce this lovely little town to my mate?" Niklaus asks instead.
"No." Arabella giggles as Niklaus noses at her neck again, feeling his teeth nip against her skin.
"So, shall we have a ball then, sweetheart?"
"Very well. May I have a new dress?"
"The most beautiful dress." Niklaus assures. "And I do believe I have a sparkling tiara somewhere…"
"If I must." Arabella sighs teasingly.
"I shall tell Rebekah to begin planning. She will be pleased."
"She always was." Arabella remembers.
"She'll want your input at some point." Niklaus points out. "But first…" At those words, Niklaus sweeps her up into his arms suddenly. "You must eat something."
Arabella sighs at that, resting her head against Niklaus' shoulder as he carriers her out of the piano room and into the living room.
Finn was already in the living room when Niklaus and Arabella came in, food laid out on the coffee table.
"I see you've managed to convince Arabella to eat something?" Finn comments patiently waiting for his mate.
"Not quite." Niklaus mutters, settling down with Arabella in his lap.
"Nik, this is not proper." Arabella objects immediately.
"It is a new era, Ella." Niklaus reminds, a slight smirk tilting his lips. "Women do it all the time. Especially when one is in a relationship with said man. Besides, you were hardly one for propriety in many cases, if I remember correctly… There is not anyone else around, so it isn't even improper. We often did this when-" Abruptly Niklaus cuts off.
"Nik-" Arabella softens, hand falling to Niklaus' chest.
"Excuse me, Arabella. Finn." Niklaus lightly transfers Arabella to the couch to sit next to Finn. "Make sure she eats, brother."
"I'm sorry." Arabella says in a small voice, watching Niklaus exit stiffly, clearly thinking of bad memories.
"It is alright, Arabella, my love." Finn replies, pulling Arabella closer to himself, offering her the plate of food. "Now, let us feed you a small snack, shall we?"
"So… It's what? Team meeting at the Salvatore house?" Damon comments snarkily as he pours himself a glass of bourbon, Bonnie, Elena, Jeremy, Stefan, and Caroline all assembled at the Salvatore Boarding House.
"Damon? Seriously… Shut up." Stefan sighs.
"Okay. Okay. Geeshe." Damon holds his hands up in surrender. "Kill a guy for trying to lighten the mood."
"So, Bonnie. You got the coffin open?" Elena asks hesitantly.
"Yes. Abby and I did." Bonnie nods.
"Okay, and-? Spill. What was in it?" Caroline asks, not really completely up to speed since she had been trying to track down Tyler, her father's death, and in general was really dealing with a lot of her own drama and heartache.
"A girl- well, a young woman. Maybe 18 or 19? Not sure. Anyways, a woman was in there." Bonnie answers.
"A girl? Okay, so, what- a super powerful witch?" Damon asks.
"I- I don't really know…" Bonnie replies, trailing off.
"What? What do you mean?"
"Well- I just- she- she was really confused. I mean- I would be too, obviously. Who knows how long she's been stuck in that coffin. We know Finn has been there the longest right? So- so maybe she's been in there longer? But- anyways… She- Abby was there when it opened. And- she just- asked for Elijah. And she kept asking. She wouldn't answer any questions. She just wanted to know where Elijah was."
"So you make her tell you!" Damon gestures with his glass.
"I'm not going to hurt some confused person!" Bonnie argues.
"Okay- okay." Stefan interjects. "So that's it? That's all you got?"
"Yeah… I- I'm sorry."
"Well… Maybe we can still use it. Or- or something." Elena tries to be positive. "Once she's- she's not as confused. Elijah and the Originals must have changed since she's last saw them, met them, right? Get her on our side."
"Maybe. I wouldn't hold our breath." Damon mutters.
"Okay, well… I got something." Caroline pipes in now, pulling something out of her bag. "Found it on my porch."
"Please join the Mikaelson family this evening at seven o'clock for dancing, cocktails, and celebration." Caroline reads the invitation out loud for everyone's benefit as she's already opened and read it.
"You're joking, right?" Damon snarks. "They're holding a ball?"
"I guess so." Caroline shrugs, placing the invite back in her purse. "Did you guys get yours? They're probably inviting the whole town."
"I wasn't home earlier." Elena shakes her head.
"I was with Elena." Bonnie adds in.
"And I wasn't looking on our porch." Damon offers.
Caroline rolls her eyes, quickly flashing to the front door, seeing the familiar white envelope before coming back into the room.
"Okay, so what's the game plan?" Caroline asks, tossing the invite at Damon's face purposefully.
"I say we go." Elena says. "See what they're playing at."
"Seriously? That has bad idea written all over it. Just a few days ago Klaus wanted your head Elena! You'll be walking into the proverbial lion's den!" Damon growls.
"Then go with me. But I want to go." Elena shrugs.
"Stefan, back me up here." Damon pleads.
"I think it's a good idea. We need to know what we're up against." Stefan just shrugs. "Besides, if that new girl is with them. Then we can figure out if she's going to help us."
"This is insane. No. I'm I the only rational one here for once!?"
"I'm going, Damon. Whether you like it or not. If you won't take me then I'll go without you." Elena says defiantly.
Damon and Elena both glare at each other.
"Fine. When do I pick you up?"