Previously in "Out of the Darkness", Lexi surprises the Salvatore brothers and meets Kol. Tyler and Meghan become mates.
Chapter Ten: Hosting another Ball
Mikaelson Mansion – Several Nights Later…
Klaus smiled as he admired the decorations for the ball. He had been anticipating this since Elijah told him about it. He was even looking forward to dancing with Caroline. Speaking of the lovely blonde, he had done a few more drawings of her, two of them of her in the leotard and tights she wore at the studio.
As he was admiring the decorations, he heard the voice he wasn't expecting to hear after all this time. "Well, don't these look pretty," the voice said.
Klaus turned around and saw... "Tatiana…but, that's impossible. How can you be here? You're…"
"I'm still dead, Niklaus," she replied. "I'm speaking to you as a spirit from the Other Side. I've been watching you lately and I see that you've chosen a very pretty young vampire as your mate, a little blonde girl."
"Yes, her name is Caroline," Klaus said. "She means the world to me."
"I'm not jealous or anything, if that's what you're thinking," Tatia said. "I'm actually happy for you. After a thousand years, you've finally moved on and that's good. I'll always love you, Niklaus, and on the same token, I wish you the best with Caroline. Her heart is pure and good, and she makes you smile. You need that after all this time."
"How do you feel about Elijah now?" Klaus asked.
"I believe Elijah is happy, yes. He has a beautiful baby girl in his future, and she will grow into a lovely young woman, a witch, just like her mother," Tatia told him with a soft smile.
Klaus smiled at the mention of Amelia. "Yes, Amelia is very powerful. In fact, she gave her sister a witch-like migraine the likes of which she has never felt."
"If I may be honest, I believe that Sarah should have never been turned at my expense," Tatia replied quietly, her spirit looking down at her hands.
Klaus nodded. "I agree. She's a nasty thing, that Sarah. I wanted to kill her for touching Caroline."
"Niklaus, there is something else. Some of us would like to come back from the Other Side," Tatia started then floated to her right a little. Klaus was confused by her actions but soon fell to his knees at the sight of a little boy with blonde hair as well as the bundled baby in his former girlfriend's arms. "Niklaus, you can help save the family you lost by gathering twelve of your best witches. Please…help them and us."
Klaus couldn't fight the tears that threatened to come out and let them fall as he said, "I'll save you, Tatiana. I may have Caroline now, but I'll save you and the family I lost."
Tatia smiled warmly at him. "You are a good man, Niklaus. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," she said before closing her eyes and letting her spirit float upward.
Klaus let his knees guide him until he was on the floor, in the fetal position, tears falling down his cheeks.
Elijah found him a few minutes later, having smelled the salt of his tears. He knelt next to him. "Niklaus, what is it? What happened?"
Klaus didn't hesitate to give his reply. "Tatiana appeared to me, Elijah. She wants me to save her and our children from the Other Side."
"Niklaus, I know you loved her. I loved her too," Elijah said. "But, think about what you're saying. You have no idea what lies on the Other Side. True, you may bring back Tatiana and your children, but what if you brought something else back with them, and what of Caroline? Don't you love her?"
Tatia's spirit appeared in front of the brothers before Klaus could answer, and they both turned their attention to the spirit of their former girlfriend. "Elijah, how wonderful to see you," she said with another warm smile. "I was just returning to tell you something else, Niklaus. The witches I want you to gather…you know some of them, but some you may not remember. Elijah, Amelia will be one of those witches, as will Sage's friend Kathleen, adopted mother Lorene and the twin sister of Meredith Fell. Bonnie Bennett, her mother Abby and your mother are also amongst the witches. The witch you do not know, but I want you to gather anyway, are your brother Henrik's one true love, Francesca Cavallaro. She is very elusive, just a fair warning. Francesca can be found living in New Orleans, with one of her dearest and best friends, Belinda Hebert La Fleur."
Elijah looked at Tatia. "This request of yours, Tatiana, it's not that I don't think it's a fair one, but suppose we bring something else back with you and your children? I would not want to put Amelia and my daughter in unnecessary danger."
"That is why you're going to see about persuading Francesca and Belinda. Amelia will go with you to talk to them," Tatia told him.
Elijah wanted to protest further, but it was obvious that he was fighting a losing battle. "Very well; I shall discuss this with Amelia at the ball."
The brunette nodded then disappeared once again.
New Orleans – That Same Moment…
"Belinda, are you home?" Francesca Cavallaro called out as she stepped into the expansive mansion she lived in with her African-American best friend.
"I'm in the kitchen," Belinda Hebert La Fleur called back.
Francesca entered the kitchen, where Belinda was cooking some of her famous gumbo. "Belinda, I need to talk to you. It's…I don't know how to explain it, but it's big; huge, even."
"Just spit it out, Fancy," Belinda demanded.
Francesca sighed. "Just now, I had a vision."
Belinda raised an eyebrow. "What kind of a vision, Fancy?"
"I saw Elijah, Henrik's brother, coming here to discuss bringing Tatiana Petrova back from the Other Side, along with her young children, who were killed by Esther a thousand years ago."'
"You saw all that?"
"Yes, Belinda, my visions have never failed me before," Francesca said. "We have to prepare for when he gets here."
"Are you going to tell Elijah about Henrik?" Belinda asked as she continued to stir the gumbo in the pot before her.
"How would I tell him that I let his little brother's best friend die instead of him? You know I can't do that. Henrik can't know that his brother…" Francesca trailed off when Henrik came into the room.
"That my brother…what, Francesca? That he's on his way? Is that what you want to say?" Henrik demanded.
Francesca looked at Henrik. "You have to understand, Henrik, that Elijah and your other siblings think you're dead. If they were to find out the truth…"
"You can't keep the lie up forever, Francesca," Henrik said. "Elijah isn't stupid. He's going to see right through you."
Francesca was near tears by the time he finished speaking and turned to flee the room. "Damn it, Henrik, she's loved you for a thousand years, no pun intended on the song they play on the radio. Why can't you just let her be happy with you in her life?" Belinda demanded as she continued to stir her gumbo.
"I know she has, Belinda, and so have I," Henrik said. "On the same token, I miss my family and hate that I can't tell them I'm not dead."
"You will be able to in time, Henrik. Just…let us do this small task first and then you can reveal yourself to your family," Belinda said.
Henrik nodded. "All right, I'll try to be patient. It won't be easy, but I'll try."
Belinda hugged him gently and smiled after pulling back. "I'm almost sure that our lovely Fancy is upstairs in yours and hers' bedroom, sketching away in her sketchbook," the African-American witch said.
Henrik nodded and went upstairs to the room he and Francesca shared, seeing her busy at her sketching, as Belinda had said. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier, Francesca. I didn't mean to upset you."
The beautiful blonde witch turned to look at him, putting aside her sketching pencil. "Henrik, I accept your apology. But, I also want to apologize. I don't want to keep you from your family any longer than I have to. I've kept you a secret for 10 centuries, and I've loved you immensely in that time. I helped you with your transition, as hard as it was for you, and kept you away from Marcel Gerard, even keeping you hidden when your brothers and sister came here. I know that I can't do that any longer though. You deserve to see your family again, Henrik," she whispered, her head lowering into her petite chest.
Stepping up to her, Henrik framed her face in his hands and tilted her head back to look up at him. "Your apology is also accepted, Francesca Cavallaro. You kept me from falling apart, from ripping Marcel apart with my bare hands. And I want to see my family again. I want you to see my family again. It's been a long time since they saw you, since we were kids the last time they saw us," he said with a soft smile.
Francesca smiled. "I'd love that very much. It's really been too long and it wouldn't be right to hide anymore."
One Thousand Years Earlier – Mystic Falls Village (what is now Mystic Falls)…
A younger Henrik was settled against the leg of his oldest brother Finn as the two of them walked to pick berries for their mom to fix some pie. The two brothers both turned when they heard a rustle in the bushes and a little girl with messy dark blonde hair appeared a few seconds later. "Well, hello there, little girl; what is your name?" Finn asked as he knelt down with the empty basket in his arms.
"I'm Francesca," she said in a whisper.
"Hi, Francesca, my name is Finnegan and this is my little brother Henrik. You want to pick berries with us?" Finn said with a warm smile.
"Okay," she said in another whispered voice.
Henrik gave Francesca a smile. "There's no need to be shy, Francesca. We're friendly people."
He held out his hand and Francesca held hers out hesitantly before placing it into his. Finn took her other one so she wouldn't be scared and used his other one to carry the basket.
As they walked toward the bushes, Henrik gave Francesca another smile. Even though they just met a few minutes ago, he felt like he had known her forever. Something told him that somehow, someway, they'd end up together.
Meanwhile…
Sage met the glower of her mother at the hut they lived in. "But, why do I have to go? Why can't you go?" she demanded.
"Sage Victoria, I'm asking you to go because I need to get started on this pie crust, okay?" Brianna O'Reilly replied; her firm but still slender fingers pointing to the door.
Sage sighed heavily, but because she knew better than to argue with her mother, she grabbed the basket on the table by the door before walking out of the hut. When she felt the sun on her face, she forgot about the scene with her mother and smiled. Sage always did love a sunny day, mostly because it made her happy, even when she was a little girl. She especially liked when the light played in her dark red hair, making it look like it was on fire on her head.
Finn was putting berries into the basket along with his youngest brother and Francesca when he heard footsteps. His eyes went up and he saw the most beautiful girl in front of him. Standing to his full height, the young man let his eyes meet the emerald green eyes belonging to the girl. "Hello there," he said with a kind smile.
Sage paused when she saw the boy around her age then smiled and curtsied to him. "Hello to you, sir," she said with a polite smile back at him after she stood correctly once more.
Finn smiled at her and approached her, taking her hand and bringing it up to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "My name is Finnegan Mikaelson, but you may call me Finn. What is your name, angel?"
Sage giggled at the gesture. "It's nice to meet you, Finn. I'm Sage O'Reilly."
Finn instantly recognized the name. "You wouldn't happen to be the daughter of Brianna and Seamus O'Reilly would you?"
"Yes, I am," she replied. "In fact, we don't live that far from you. I've seen you with your family very often. I wanted to come over and introduce myself, but I was always too shy."
"There's no need to be shy around me, Sage," Finn said. "I won't bite…much." He laughed at the joke he had made. "It was good to finally meet you."
"And you as well, Finnegan," she said, her cheeks turning a bright red while she smiled at him.
Finn smiled at how she was blushing and immediately changed the subject. "So, what brings you out here, my lady?"
"My mother sent me out to get some berries for a pie."
"That's ironic, because that's what I'm doing here as well," Finn said. "Would you care to join us?"
"I don't want to impose."
"You're not imposing at all," Finn said. "We already have one female companion joining us, so what's the harm in adding one more?"
He held out his hand for Sage to take, and she did so hesitantly, her eyes meeting his once their hands were connected. Finn's hand was warm, unlike the man her father was going to force her to marry if she didn't interfere with his plans.
Finn then escorted Sage to where Henrik and Francesca were still picking berries, laughing at a private joke. They looked over and saw Finn with Sage and Henrik immediately spoke. "She's beautiful, Finn."
"You are…Henrik, right?" Sage asked quietly.
Henrik nodded. "Yes, my lady, I am. And you must be Sage. I saw you lots of times and I wondered why you never came over to introduce yourself."
"I do not get out much except for when my mother needs me to," Sage replied softly. Once she had picked the amount of berries she thought her mother might need, Sage got up and left the group.
Finn followed after her, catching up with her before she could enter her hut. Finn gently grabbed her hand. "Sage, talk to me. Are you all right?"
"Finn, please," she replied. "My mother needs these berries and…"
"I don't care about that," Finn said. "I care about your silence. You ran off without so much as a good-bye and I want to know why."
"I cannot tell you," she mumbled before pulling her hand from his and turning to go into the hut.
Finn was shocked. Why was she being so secretive and what did she really have to hide?
Finn returned to Henrik, who noticed the look in his brother's face. "Finn, what's wrong? You seem worried about something."
"I'll tell you later," Finn promised. "Let's finish picking these berries then get them home to Mother."
Henrik nodded. He didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't about to question it.
Later…
Sage was just leaving the village to go to her friend Kathleen's house when she found herself pulled behind a tree. The person who did it was none other than Finn who, before the redhead could say anything, crushed his mouth to hers, pressing her against the tree. "Will you please tell me what's going on now?" he asked in a husky murmur after lifting his head.
"My father is forcing me to wed another man in the village," she replied quietly. Her shaky hands lifted to trace over his lips, shivering when they opened and he gently bit down on one finger.
Finn stepped back and looked at her. "I won't let that happen, Sage. I may have only just met you, but I love you."
"You already know the man. He's…your cousin, Christopher." Sage's voice was a whisper when she told him who it was. The redhead flinched when he let his fist connect with the tree and she turned to flee, heading to her friend's house, where she immediately collided with Kathleen.
"Sage, what's the matter?" the other redhead asked as she hugged a shivering Sage to her, walking her into the hut.
Sage sobbed as she said, "I told Finn that my father was making me marry his cousin and he got angry, sending his fist into the tree."
Kathleen nodded. "No wonder you're so frightened." She sighed. "Well, we have to find a way to prevent this marriage from happening. Finn must have really strong feelings for you if he slammed his fist into a tree when you mentioned that you were being given to his cousin."
"How are you going to do that, Lee? I mean, we can't very well switch places to trick my parents…" Sage said before trailing off when Kathleen's sister appeared. Moving over to Kathleen, the second redhead began to whisper in her ear the plan forming in her head.
Sage bit her lip as Kathleen whispered in her ear, her heart hammering. Once Kathleen's sister was out of the room, Sage voiced her thoughts. "Are you sure that's going to work, Lee?"
"Trust me, Sage, it can't fail," the other redhead replied. "Your parents mean well, but they're only doing this because they think they know you when they don't. I've seen this Christopher and he's not exactly what I call 'husband material'. Finn, on the other hand, is a lot more passionate and he'll take care of you."
"Do you really think so, Lee?" Sage asked.
Kathleen nodded. "Trust me, Sage; I know what I'm doing."
Sage trusted her witch friend and wanted to get out of the marriage agreement between her and the boy she had no plans to marry. After hugging Kathleen goodbye, the redhead teenager returned to her own hut, where she was surprised to see Christopher sitting at the table with angry looks on her parents' faces. "Christopher had the means to tell me that you have been kissing another boy. Is that true, Sage Victoria?" Seamus demanded as his hands clenched and unclenched the wooden table before him.
"Father, you cannot expect me to marry this man! He is horrid!" Sage exclaimed before she could stop herself.
"That is ENOUGH! You will marry Christopher, if it is the last thing you do!" Seamus thundered.
"I WILL NOT MARRY HIM, AND YOU CANNOT MAKE ME!" Sage yelled back.
Seamus then did something he never did before: he slapped her, sending her to the floor.
His wife gasped from beside him, astonished at what he had done. "How dare you do that to your own daughter, Seamus Patrick O'Reilly? You should be ashamed of yourself!" she hissed at him before helping Sage up off the floor. "Sage sweetheart; will you go and see Esther Mikaelson for a bit; I want to talk to your father alone."
Sage nodded and walked out of the hut. Brianna scowled at Seamus. "How could you do that to your daughter? She did nothing to deserve that!"
Their daughter arrived at the hut that belonged to the Mikaelson family, with Christopher right behind her. "How dare you tell my parents about what I was doing? I thought you were better than to be a sneak and a liar!" Sage yelled at him after whirling around to face him.
"You were the one who didn't say anything, Miss O'Reilly. So, I'd be careful where you tread when it comes to my eldest cousin. We wouldn't want you to get hurt," Christopher said, patting her shoulder.
Sage repulsed away from his touch then smacked him across the face before whirling back around and going into the hut, where she was greeted by the family pausing in their tasks around the hut. Esther immediately noticed the red mark on her cheek and stood up from helping her daughter with her sewing, moving over to the tall redhead. "What happened, dear?"
"My father…he struck me," she admitted softly.
Esther nodded. "It's got to do with Finnegan, doesn't it?" She saw the look on Sage's face. "I know that he fancies you, Sage. He wouldn't have gotten angry about Christopher if he didn't."
"My friend is going to help me get out of the arrangement, because I care for your son a great deal, Mrs. Mikaelson," Sage said softly.
"Ah, yes, Kathleen," Esther said. "She's quite a powerful witch. I've seen what she can do and I have no doubt that she'll succeed at her mission."
Sage nodded; her gaze was never actually on that of the witch and head female of the family. Her green eyes had connected with the eldest as he read to his two youngest brothers.
Finn looked up from the book he was reading and caught Sage's gaze. She didn't deserve his wretched cousin. She deserved someone who would treat her like a lady.
Esther saw the looks they exchanged and she smiled then put an arm around Sage's tall shoulders. "If you would like to spend the night in our hut, dear, you are more than welcome to, or you can sleep in the one Finn has next door," she suggested.
Sage got a little uncomfortable at the older woman's words, but eventually nodded. If she wanted a comforting sleep, she would be more than happy to sleep in the warmth of someone's arms.
Later…
Finn waited outside like a gentleman on the steps while Sage, who was inside the hut he lived in by himself, undressed then put on her nightgown. She opened the door once it was on then spoke softly as she said, "You may come in now."
Finn entered the hut and smiled at the sight of Sage in her nightgown. "You look beautiful." He approached her and took her in his arms, kissing her softly. "I know that I have only known you not even a day, but I'm already in love with you. That was why I was so angry about Christopher."
Her trembling arms wrapped around his shoulders as she held him tightly against her. "I will not marry him, no matter what my father tells me to do. I do not love your cousin; he is absolutely horrid to me! He…" A sob escaped her trembling body as she let tears flow down her cheeks.
Finn heard her sobbing and held her closer to him. "He won't take you from me, I won't let him. He may be my family, but I have no respect for him. So help me, if he so much as looks at you, I'll run him through with Father's sword."
Pulling back to look at him, her trembling slender hand lifted to wipe away some of the tears. "Kathleen has a plan to trick Christopher into thinking that he is marrying me, but he will really be marrying Kathleen's younger sister Samantha," she told Finn.
Finn nodded. "That sounds good to me. Kathleen is quite a clever woman."
A Few Days Later…
Sage stood up on the chair her mother held out for her, as did Samantha. Finn stood off to the side, with his back turned to the group of females.
As he stood there, Finn noticed Christopher out of the corner of his eye. He felt his blood boil, but urged himself to calm down and remember the plan that Sage told him about. It had to work; his future with Sage was depending on it.
Later, when Sage was walking Kathleen and Samantha home, she was suddenly grabbed from behind, a knife put to the skin of her throat. Her friends gasped when they saw it was none other than Christopher.
Samantha immediately used her magic to pry Christopher off of Sage. "Run, you two; I'll hold him off!"
Sage and Kathleen nodded and ran toward the hut, shutting the door behind them. "You and your sister cannot fool me. I know all about your little plan, Miss O'Callaghan. Do not think that you cannot get away with it," Christopher said as he stood back on his feet.
"You are mistaken, Sir Mikaelson. You forget that I have advanced my magic to make sure scoundrels like you do not live to see the morning," Samantha ground out, her hands lifting to knock him off his feet once more.
Sage felt her heart hammer as she heard what was going on outside. She was scared and hoped that Christopher could be stopped. But, it would soon not be true, as they heard the horrifying sound that they didn't want to hear: Samantha's screams in pain.
Sage held Kathleen close as the other redhead sobbed into the material of her gown. Kathleen had just lost her only sister to a horrid man and she wasn't about to let her lose another.
Sage ran her fingers through Kathleen's hair. "Her death will be avenged, Kathleen, I promise."
Present Day – Mystic Falls Cemetery…
Sage walked with Kathleen toward the angel figurine statue that sat in the corner of the cemetery. Back while the Mikaelson siblings had been in New Orleans, Sage had come to Mystic Falls not only for her first meeting with Damon, but also to make sure that Samantha's memory was remembered.
Sage saw that Kathleen was becoming a bit emotional. "I know, Kathleen, I miss her too. Samantha was a brave woman and I'm very grateful to her."
Kathleen grasped Sage's hand fiercely then turned to look at her vampire friend. "She sacrificed her life for ours that day. That's all that matters to me," she said softly, tears running down her fair-skinned cheeks.
Sage nodded. "She did, and if it wasn't for her sacrifice, I doubt that Finn and I would've been together. Christopher was insane, and Samantha did a noble thing."
"You and Finn have finally come full circle. Your wedding didn't happen the first time, so this time makes up for it," Kathleen said with another smile.
Sage nodded. "Yes, we have, and I couldn't be happier to know that I'm with the man I love."
After they left, a familiar face appeared out from behind the tree near the statue tombstone. The mysterious person had been watching them in silence and listening to their conversation, unbeknownst to them.
Elsewhere…
Caroline arrived at the Mikaelson mansion and knocked on the door. Klaus answered it immediately and smiled at her. "Caroline, love, I wasn't sure you'd come."
"You said you wanted to talk to me about something," she replied. "What is it?"
Klaus didn't answer right away, but took her upstairs. Once they were alone, he said, "Before I tell you this, I need to know if you'll still love me."
"Of course I will. What's going on?"
"When my family first settled here, there was a woman named Tatiana. I was madly in love with her, and so was Elijah. Anyway, my mother killed her and the children I had with her. She came to me and told me that she wants to be saved from the Other Side. I promised to help her." He took her hands. "I care for her, but I love you and you alone."
"And I love you, Klaus. I will help you with whatever you need, just name it," Caroline said as she let his hands go then leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly to her.
Klaus smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. "Thank you, Caroline and I can definitely use your help. Tatiana wants me to gather twelve witches, which include your friend, Bonnie and her mother."
"I'll handle Bonnie," Caroline said. "Her mother, though, will be tricky. It doesn't mean I won't try."
"Good. I need to go talk to my own mother for now," Klaus said as he kissed the forehead of his girlfriend, his mate.
In New Orleans…
Elijah and Amelia walked toward the mansion the GPS unit Amelia's car had directed them to and knocked gently on the door. Belinda answered the door first with Francesca right behind her. Henrik waited in the kitchen as he'd been told, because he wanted his second eldest brother to see him first.
Amelia smiled at the two witches. "Hello, ladies. I hope we weren't interrupting anything."
"Not at all," Belinda said. "In fact, you've been expected for some time." She smiled at her belly. "Congratulations. I hope you have a healthy baby."
"Thank you," Elijah said with a smile down at his bride-to-be.
"Please, come in," Francesca said with a smile.
Amelia nodded and she and Elijah walked into the mansion. As they passed through the foyer, Elijah admired how the place was decorated. "You have a lovely home."
"Thank you," Francesca said. "We're very proud of it."
"Is it just the two of you?" Amelia asked as they finally stopped halfway between the door and the grand staircase.
"Oh, yes, it is," Belinda replied before Francesca could speak up.
"No, actually, it isn't," a voice said to Elijah and Amelia before appearing from the kitchen doorway.
Elijah was shocked as he looked at the young man. "No, it cannot be. Is this Henrik?" he asked with a tear-filled smile.
"Yes, brother, it's me," Henrik said as he hugged his brother. After a few minutes, he pulled back, giving his older brother a smile. "I know you're probably wondering how I survived and I will tell you, but not until I see the rest of the family. By the way, how is everyone?"
"They are good. Finnegan and Sage are to be married, as are the woman you see there and myself. Do you remember Katerina? She is marrying one of the Salvatore brothers, Damon. Rebekah has renewed the romance she had with Damon's brother Stefan in the 1920s. And Kol…he's met a lovely woman, her name is Alexia. Niklaus, he's also met a woman, his mate," Elijah replied.
Henrik smiled as he heard what Elijah was saying. "That's wonderful news, Elijah." He went over to Francesca and pulled her close to him. "I too have a lovely lady in my life."
Elijah smiled at that and before he could say anything, Amelia said, "Henrik, your brother and I are here because we need Francesca and Belinda's assistance."
Henrik nodded. "What do you need their assistance with?" he asked as he kept a protective arm around Francesca's shoulders.
Author's Note: We hope you enjoy this update. I wouldn't have updated today, but I'm kind of embarrassed and also a little upset. I'm slowly getting over both, so don't worry about me!