Chapter 6
1000 A. D.
Leaning against the trunk of an oak tree, Kol was chewing on a piece of straw absently. He was at the edge of the village and even from there he could see the agitation as people were running around like headless chickens. Men were trying to build a gigantic fire before the night came and women were making sure there was enough food to honor the goddess Frigga. Of course, a pig had already been chosen earlier by the Heads of families to be sacrificed when the moon hit its apex but it didn't stop the villagers from trying to win the favors of the queen of Asgard, wife of the god Odin.
The straw broke inside his mouth and he spat the pieces, slightly grimacing when one piece stuck to his tongue. He quickly glanced around to make sure nobody was looking at him and opened his mouth to remove it. Not that he truly cared if someone actually saw him. Unless the person was Rebekah, as she would have never let it go. And Henrik, because he rather liked his little brother thinking he was flawless.
Once he had dropped the offensive piece of straw on the ground, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Tatia and Nora were taking too much time. The brunette had insisted on helping Nora to dress and dye her hair so she could infiltrate the celebration. All the people were to wear a mask, so one more woman wouldn't be obvious. Especially when alcohol would make it difficult to count. Or to be aware of what was going on. Honestly, Kol had no doubt that by the end of the night, married women would be fulfilling their conjugal duty and pleasing their husbands to 'honor' the goddess of fertility while the rest of the village continued the celebration until dawn.
It wasn't the first time Nora sneaked into the village, nor would it be the last. And each time Tatia had offered her help to disguise their common friend, the two women had taken a very long time to get ready. Usually, it didn't bother him. Much. But Nora had only been back from her last travel - wanderings, really - for three days and he hadn't been able to spend much time with her.
She wasn't often away but when she was, she could be gone for a week or two, days spent exploring the lands with only a sword fastened to her hips. He had given her the weapon after sparing with her and making sure she could use it to defend herself. To his surprise, she could. Actually, he would even go so far as to say she was a quite good swordswoman. It didn't mean he liked having her away and alone, though. Especially when she still had difficulty to differentiate edible fruits from inedible ones.
More than once, he had wished he could go with her. Yet, he was stuck here as he couldn't leave his family unprotected. No matter how much he cared for the redhead, his family would always come first. Always. It was necessary, now more than ever, that he stayed in the village as just a month ago, Mikael had been a heartbeat away from killing Nik. Four inches left and his older brother would be dead. Even now, a whole month later, it was hard to realize he had been this close to lose his brother. He could barely sleep now. Most night was spent listening to his family breathing. His siblings, to be sure they were alive. His parents, to be sure Mikael wasn't awake, trying to kill Nik.
He was tired. So damn tired. And stressed. And so ready to leave that damn house and village. He just had to wait for Henrik to be old enough - and strong enough - to travel. He would ask his siblings to leave then, to find a new home, away from Mikael. They would never be afraid of the man again, he vowed. He would kill him himself if he had to, if it came to that. His magic would tear the man apart and his siblings would stop fearing the monster wearing their father's face.
A cracking noise startled him and Kol snapped his head to the side to look at where the sound had come from. There, a sneer distorted his face, Mikael stood. Was the man real? Kol thought about him for two minutes and he just appeared? Really? Couldn't Nora and Tatia do the same? He wouldn't be waiting then.
"Kol," his father called out to him harshly, "Don't you have something better to do than lurking in the dark?"
There was twists in his stomach as he looked directly into the blond man's cold hard eyes. There was no room for love, even for his own family, in the hardened heart of their father.
"Boy, do you need me to repeat my question?" Mikael asked, stepping forward, the sun going down in the background casting shadows over him, making him more threatening than he already was.
"No," Kol said hastily, even as his left hand trembled. He clenched his fist, his nail digging into his skin. He wasn't scared. Not anymore. He was a powerful witch, perfectly able to defend himself and his siblings against Mikael.
That was right. He wasn't a little boy anymore. He was a powerful witch.
A hand on the oak tree, he felt Nature' power hidden beneath the bark, flowing through it to make his own blood sing. He raised the strength of the Earth as his own armor and sword while his father remained unaware of the power around him.
"No," he repeated, his voice steady, even confident, and a humorless smile flickered about the corners of his mouth, "I have heard you the first time Father. It is, after all, quite hard to miss your caring voice and loving words."
"Careful boy, it is not too late to teach you some respect. Now, I won't ask again. What are you doing here hiding like a whore?"
His smile broadened as he stared at the man with a steely gaze. "Why Father, do you speak from experience?" The magic around him fizzled in response to his anger. No, not his anger. His fury. His hand was still shaking, but it wasn't from fear anymore. Maybe… Maybe if he hadn't been thinking of the man before, he wouldn't be that angry. Maybe he would have been just scared. Or, at least, less insolent. He didn't know, and frankly he didn't care. It was the first time, after all, that he was alone with Mikael since he almost killed Nik.
"How dare you?!" Mikael snarled. He tried to slap him hard but Kol raised his fist and squeezed. The magic in the air pressed against his father, hot and cold, furious and wild. It pushed the man down, made his blood heat. He fell to the ground, hands on his temples and his nose bleeding.
They were far enough that no one paid attention to them.
"No," Kol snapped, "How dare you?! How dare you come and treat me like dirt?! How dare you scare us?! How dare you try to kill my brother?! You speak of strength but the truth, Father," he spat the word, disgusted, "is that you are weak! You are weak-minded! You pride yourself on the strength of your body but your mind is weak and you know it. You prey on Nik to feel stronger but the thing is, you will never be. You will always be a coward and a monster, only finding joy in hurting other people. People more vulnerable than you."
He clenched his fist tighter and relished in the cry of pain that slipped from his father's lips. That was what power was, Kol inwardly mused. Having the man he hated on his knees, crying from pain. For once, Mikael wasn't the one causing pain but the one bleeding.
And it disgusted Kol too, how it pleased him to see his father like that. Nature was there to help him, its power running through his very blood and hurting the blond man in a way he had probably never been before. For what could a man with only a sword do when facing such power? Steel couldn't help against Nature. Nothing truly could.
Once, Henrik had told him Kol could not be wrong. What would he say if he were to see him now? There was such a thin line between good and evil and contrary to his little brother, Kol wasn't void of darkness. It was there, deep down inside himself. It was there, no matter how much Kol strove for being good.
He stopped, one hand leaving the tree and the other opening, bloody nail marks on his skin.
"Hurt Nik again," he said softly, "and I will kill you."
"Are you…Are you threatening me Kol?" Mikael panted, wariness in his eyes.
"Of course no Father," he denied, his smile back on his face, "it is a promise." He crouched in front of his father, elbow on his knees, and his head tilted to the side. He almost missed it, but a shudder ran through the man before him. "And because I am such a good 'boy' Father, here is another promise. The day our house ceases to be the roof sheltering me from the cold of the night and the Gods' whims, the day the doors of the village see my back for the last time, it will also be the last day you ever see me. Until then, I suggest you stay far, far away from Nik." He stood up and added, "or any one of us, for that matter."
He turned and made to leave. He was going to find Nora and Tatia. He couldn't stay here any longer, not with Mikael on his knees. He needed to put some distance between them. Nothing good ever came from being close to the man and it was becoming harder to resist the temptation to hurt him more. To make him bleed until he begged him to stop, just like the man loved doing to Nik. He didn't want to be that man. Should he kill Mikael, it would be to protect his siblings, not to stroke his own ego. Not to prove himself a powerful witch.
Mikael's voice stopped him, "do you truly believe Niklaus is worthy of your devotion? Do you really think he would do for you what you do for him?"
He didn't look back. "Of course. He is my brother."
There was no point in trying to make him doubt Nik. Nik was his brother. One of his five siblings, the only people in the world Kol knew would always have his back. Well, Finn, he wasn't sure, but Elijah, Nik, Rebekah and Henrik? They were his world. He would protect them, always, and he knew they would do the same. They would always look out for each other. Though they did not share his love for magic or even understood it, they cared for him in a way nobody did. It was an unbreakable bond, the only thing in the world he fully trusted.
"Mark my words Kol. Continue to put your siblings on a pedestal, and you will find yourself alone. Before you realize it, they will have left you."
He shook his head and left. Mikael was a fool. Trying to reason with him was pointless.
People were dancing beneath the stars. A mask hiding their face, they were twirling and laughing around a big fire. Even with most of her face hidden, Tatia was easily recognizable. Her smile was bright and her long dark hair was twirling with her. Men wanted her and women wanted to be her, to be the one looked at. Nik and Elijah weren't any different, both captivated by her.
And yet, Kol couldn't see her appeal. Couldn't even really see her, actually, for his eyes were glued on Nora. She was twirling too. Her laugh was louder than anyone else and most people were looking at her with amusement. Some women were a bit affronted at how loud she was, but she didn't care and neither did he.
Her hair appeared to be a dark brown and he found himself missing the red, especially as the red rose he had once enchanted for her was adorning her hair. She was radiant. Every time she danced close to the fire, the flames would be brighter and ready to embrace her in their warmth. Every now and then, she would look at him and smile broadly, silently asking him to join her. He didn't though, happy to look at her. Seeing her like this almost made him forget his altercation with Mikael.
"One could wonder who is the lucky, or unlucky, woman you are staring at, brother," Elijah suddenly said while laying a land on his shoulder.
He took his eyes off Nora and glanced at his older brother, a smirk stretching his lips, "They could, but it doesn't mean they would get the answer."
"Even your own brother?"
"If you must know, I was wondering who have the worst luck. The pig fated to be sacrificed, the goddess Frigga who will have to oversee the coupling of many people tonight, or all the people whose toes Nik has stepped on while trying to dance."
Elijah's face split into a wide open grin when he heard his reply and he nodded, "What a dilemma! Though I must say, Henrik isn't doing any better than Niklaus. I expect at least one person blind in one eye by the end of the night, should he continue to move his elbows in such a way."
Kol burst out laughing, "Too true, brother!" He wiped a tear in the corner of his eye and added after he caught his breath, "Although, please, do not forget it is the first celebration he attends. Besides, an event like this would be less attractive without its fair share of injuries, don't you think?"
"It would, if we weren't a part of the said celebration."
"Please, Henrik's elbows could never reach your face. Nor Nik's, his head is far too high in the sky for that."
Elijah shook his head with a fond expression on his face, "well, there are other parts of my body Henrik could reach, parts I am rather attached to."
"I see you don't deny anything about Nik." Kol's grin faded and he cast a worried glance at his brother, "Are you still upset with him about Tatia?"
Pain twisted Elijah's features as he turned his head to stare wistfully at the woman. Beautiful, dancing as if she had nothing to worry, with Nik holding her hand and smiling broadly. As if they were as free as the wind. Sometimes, Kol wondered when his friend became a master at hiding the ache in her heart in front of the others. How many people knew of the pain her smile hid? Did they even remember Leif?
"I have no right to be upset with him," Elijah murmured sadly, "their love for each other is obvious."
Kol couldn't help but snort. "Please, refrain yourself from drawing hasty conclusions," he deadpanned, "I love Nik, he's my brother and I want him to be happy. Yet, I doubt his happiness lies with our dear Tatia." His gaze briefly went to Nora who had stopped dancing and was staring at him with her brow furrowed. "She cares for Nik, of that I am sure, but love?"
"She's fated to love him, Kol. I… just have to accept it."
"Damn it Elijah!" Kol snapped, "she's not fated to anything. Before you decide what is good for her, maybe you should speak with her. She's a woman for Gods' sake, not some simpleton unable to make her own decisions."
With that said, he left his brother, well aware that the latter was confused by both his remark and his use of another language - not that Elijah knew that, but he would prefer not having to explain himself.
He headed towards the forest and stopped at the first tree he met. His back facing the village, he closed his eyes and began to count to ten.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
A hand touched his shoulder and he grinned. "You're late Darling," he said without looking back.
"Is that so hon? I didn't know I have to follow you everywhere like a sweet little puppy," Nora replied sarcastically.
He turned around and flicked her forehead, "you would make a terrible puppy." He dropped his gaze to her slender neck, "and I would have to put you on a leash."
"Feeling kinky tonight honey?"
He was used to her improper comments now. Though it still left his face crimson sometimes, he didn't splutter anymore. Which was quite an achievement.
His grin widened and he held his laughter back. "Hardly Darling, just stating the obvious."
She chuckled, her warm blue eyes sparkling. "You, Kol Mikaelson, are really one of a kind."
"A good kind I hope?"
"You tell me."
She then jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist despite her dress. He stumbled and almost fell because of her weight. "Darling, you aren't as light as you think you are."
"Are you telling me I'm fat?"
"Of course not," he replied cheekily, "just a bit heavy for my back."
"Or maybe you aren't strong enough."
Even without saying her face, he could perfectly imagine her pout in his mind. "Please, have you seen that body of mine?"
She sighed exaggeratedly, "no. To my deepest regret, I haven't. It's one of my goals in life though, to see you naked. Wish to help me with that?"
He rolled his eyes but didn't answer. He put his hand under her thighs and grabbed them to support her weight. As he walked in the forest, Nora dropped her chin on the top of his head and hummed softly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly once he had put some distance between them and the village.
He arched a brow, confused. "Talk about what?"
"About what has been bothering you all night."
