Present Day
They had put Freya in one of the bedrooms on the top floor. After Davina had put a confinement spell over the doors and windows, Freya was able to move around the room without leaving it. It seemed to be the most humane way to keep her imprisoned. This didn't make Freya any more cooperative. After they had arrived in the mansion Freya apparently had taken on a vow of silence. Since they had placed her in her room she hadn't spoken a word with them. Instead she either looked at them defiantly or turned away when they entered the room.
Every few hours one of the siblings tried to talk to her without any success. In the evening Rebekah again entered Freya's room with a bottle of water and bag of chips.
"Here, you need to eat," she said and threw both things onto the bed.
Rebekah didn't exactly know when it happened, but she had grown tired of being friendly to her sister. It was exhausting to try to impress her when there was nothing in return. And Nik was right, she didn't need her. Not in a sister function, anyway.
Freya sat on the chair next to the desk. She shortly inspected the chips that landed on the bed and then turned back to Rebekah. They looked at each other for a few moments.
Rebekah sighed loudly. "I don't know what you're expecting to gain from not speaking. But whatever. Feel free to sit here in silence."
She was about turn around and leave when she realized Elijah was standing behind her.
"Let's try a bit harder, okay?" he said.
"Fine," Rebekah replied.
She followed Elijah into the room. As Elijah walked over to the bed, Rebekah sat down on the window seat. Elijah slowly held up the bag of chips.
"Was that the only food we had in the house?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It was this or a can of artichokes."
"I guess we should get some food tomorrow," he said quietly and placed it back onto the bed. Then he sat down on the corner of the bed and turned to Freya.
"You're going to be here if you like it or not. But it's up to you if it's going to be pleasant," Elijah said.
Freya blinked. She didn't look like she had any intention of replying to this.
"She won't trust us as long as she doesn't see we're family," Rebekah said to him.
"True," he replied. "I guess we're all so far away from our common beginning, that it's hard to see sometimes. That at one point we all lived at the same place and we lived a normal human life. That we all had the same mother." He fixed his eyes on Freya. She stared back at him.
"This place reminds a lot of her. I don't like it," Rebekah said.
Elijah gave weak understanding smile.
Rebekah had a sudden idea. She inspected Freya, sitting in her chair with crossed arms. There was a lot of defiance in her eyes.
"You look a lot like our mother. Much more than I do, really," Rebekah said.
She glanced over to Elijah, who seemed to get where she was going. He nodded.
"Aren't you at all curious about her?" Rebekah continued.
Freya didn't reply.
"While we're still humans I adored her really. She was so warm and all-knowing, so trust-worthy. Then that whole vampire thing happened, which brought out a new side in all of us. I have long forgiven her for that. But all of that changed with her death in 1809."
"1809?" Freya asked with surprise.
Rebekah smiled. She knew that this would catch Freya's interest.
"Yes, that's when she tried to kill us. Trying to undo the deeds of her family. A bit like you I suppose."
It used to be hard for Rebekah to talk about those years.
"But how was she alive in 1809?" Freya looked at her with bewilderment. She must have had forgotten about her determination to not talk to her.
"Long story. She was never quite dead. Asleep if you will. We woke her up to help us with …something."
She still had Freya's attention, so Rebekah continued. "Then she double-crossed us and tried to kill us instead. Fortunately Nik noticed something was up. Else the rest of us would be below the ground and not her."
"He killed his own mother?" Freya looked at her in disgust.
"It doesn't matter who killed whom," Elijah replied. "In the end, we were all guilty. Even her."
Freya didn't seem to fully grasp the meaning of these words. But Rebekah didn't expect her to.
"And what does this have to do with this place here?" Freya asked.
"It happened here. In New Orleans."
"I see why you're not fond of it then" Freya leaned back in her chair, trying to make sense of all this information.
"It's one of the reasons. But the rest doesn't concern you," Rebekah replied.
Freya's kept fixed on Rebekah, then looked at Elijah. He and Rebekah exchanged looks. It was hard to tell what Freya was thinking, but Rebekah didn't like it.
After a pause Freya said: "I was there, you know. In 1925. I'd say it concerns me to some extent."
Rebekah gulped. "I don't remember you."
"Fair enough. We haven't exactly talked back then. But I was there. At that little party of yours. I know what you did. I know what your brother did. I know what happened to that poor coven. That none of them committed suicide, as the newspapers claimed later."
There it was again. The defiance in her eyes. But this time Rebekah wasn't sure how to stop it.
Freya continued: "But make no mistake. The coven back then might have been too weak, but now there are more witches in the coven, and they are strong."
"You clearly don't know what you're talking about," Elijah replied defiantly.
"Oh really," she replied in a mocking tone.
"It is what it is, Freya," Elijah said. "Fact is that you're staying here until you're cooperative."
With that he got up, and Rebekah followed suit.
As they reached the door, Rebekah heard Freya behind her: "Why do you even want me here?"
Rebekah turned back to her. She looked angry but also genuinely confused.
Rebekah and Elijah exchanged looks.
"Why would we tell you if you don't trust us?" Rebekah said.
And with that she left Freya's room.
Elijah closed the door behind her and caught up with Rebekah.
With a low voice he asked: "Do you believe her? She doesn't know why we took her with us?"
"We took her so she can't hurt us with blood spells. Apparently that idea hasn't come to her mind yet."
"I don't know," Elijah replied. "It's hard to tell if she hasn't tried it yet or if she just doesn't know about blood spells at all."
"If she knew she would have tried it. I think she's really in to hurt us. At least emotionally she's not holding back," Rebekah replied.
Some of the comments Freya said got close to her again. It made her angry. Why was it so hard to not care about what Freya thought?
Together they walked downstairs into the living room where they found Nik sitting on the sofa.
"No luck?" he asked, not that attached.
Rebekah gave a grumble, which sufficed as an answer.
"Marcel's fine," he said. "Resting."
Rebekah placed herself next to him and stretched her legs. Elijah stayed in the entrance door and looked absently into the room.
"I'm not sure if we're ever going to have progress with her. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring her here," he said.
"It was your idea, Elijah," Nik replied.
"Thanks for reminding me."
"It has only been a day. She can still change her mind," Rebekah said.
She didn't truly believe in those words. But it would be an even worse idea to let her go again.
Nik raised his left hand. "I have an idea that would make everything easier."
The others turned to him in surprise.
"Let's turn her into a vampire. She wouldn't have any witchy powers to hurt us. We could sire her. Done. Problem solved."
"No!" both Elijah and Rebekah said together.
"Why not?" Nik asked.
"Just no," Rebekah said. "Ethical reasons."
Nik rolled his eyes. "Just don't tell me later I didn't give you a solution at this point."
Elijah shook his head.
"If we could turn to the more pressing matters now," Nik continued.
Elijah and Rebekah exchanged confused looks.
"Was I the only one surprised that we were attacked by werewolves last night?!" he asked with a raised voice.
"Yes. I didn't know they were working with the witches," Rebekah weighed in.
"According to Marcel, until now they weren't," Nik replied.
"And us being here changed that?" Elijah asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't think that's the whole reason. There's something else. Us being here obviously poses as a threat. But what is threatened?"
"There is something they think we want," Rebekah put together. "What?"
Nik smiled. "There is only one way to find out, isn't there?"
1750, Northern France
"And then he took it out! Just like that! And I said what do you think you're gonna do with that, Monsieur?"
"Please, Briony. There are things about my brother I don't need to know."
Elijah didn't bother to look at her. Instead he observed the piece of bread in his plate. They sat on the garden terrace for breakfast. Rebekah and Briony had been telling each other stories from their marital lives, while Flora listened to them. Nik and Kol hadn't showed up yet. Elijah realized that they were probably late on purpose. He envied them a bit. Next to him sat Finn. He looked at his newly revived brother. In the last night the siblings had caught up about the last century that Finn had missed. It was a heartfelt reunion at first. They had been happy to see him again. The whole night they had stayed up and talked. Only when it began to dawn, Elijah sensed that not everything was fully alright. Finn had been happy at first. But then there was some distance. There had always been a core difference between Finn and his siblings. Finn never quite accepted his state as a vampire. And because of that it never felt completely like he was one of them. Elijah truly wished that Finn was closer to them, and he knew that most of his siblings thought the same. Yet there was always something that put them apart.
"I could have told him exactly what to do with it. Put it back in his trousers, where it belonged," he heard Flora say.
Rebekah spilled out her tea with laughter.
Finn turned to Elijah and spoke with a low voice to make sure that only he would hear him. "I'm surprised you guys still put up with breakfast routines."
Elijah gave a little smile: "Some routine isn't bad, don't you think?"
"Probably not," Finn replied absent-mindedly. He looked up the marble house walls and inspected the window frames.
Elijah knew what a shock it was every time when one woke up after a long time of being staked. Everything was always so different. And for Finn who had spent so much time in the coffin it must be especially strange.
"You know, after this whole birthday thing, Nik and I thought we could all go to the North Sea. That's something we al-"
Elijah couldn't finish his sentence, as he heard Nik's voice interrupt his.
"What is this? Briony is even more inappropriate than usual?" Nik said as he joined them at the table.
Briony squinted her eyes. "Are you getting wrinkles, Nik? You look older."
"If I do, I probably still look younger than you, love."
Briony laughed. "You wish."
Then she looked back to the terrace door again.
"Where is Kol?" she exclaimed.
"If I find him talking to that maid again, I swear to God…" she grumbled, as she walked over to the door and went inside.
"She shouldn't use the lord's name in vain," Flora said quietly.
Nobody replied to her. Instead Rebekah said: "As soon as my husband arrives, I want all of you to show yourself from your best side. Especially you, Nik!"
"What did I do?" Nik replied affronted.
"Just be polite," Rebekah insisted.
"I'm always polite. If I wasn't I wouldn't tell you that a carriage arrived just now."
"What?!" Rebekah shrieked. A second later she disappeared through the terrace door.
Nik followed her. Flora got up as well.
Elijah too was about to leave when Finn said: "Just to make one thing clear. I'm not planning on staying for long."
Elijah sat back in his seat again. "What do you mean?"
"I haven't forgiven him, if that's what you're wondering. But I agreed on coming here for this reunion. After that I don't know yet. We'll see."
Finn's words stuck with Elijah as he followed the others inside. It felt like it had already started. The distancing. Elijah felt a heavy rock in his chest. Was there even a way to stop Finn from leaving? If he disappeared now it would almost feel the same as last week when he was still in a coffin.
The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. With his mind preoccupied Elijah simply walked with the flow and did what he was told. They had all greeted Rebekah's husband as he arrived. He seemed okay. Elijah only said a few words to him before returning back to his thoughts. Again and again he spied on Finn. Did he seem happy? Not really.
Before Elijah knew it, it was already dark outside and he stood back on the terrace in the middle of the party. He rested on the railing of the terrace. He wasn't sure where all these people had come from. There was laughter, music and loud chatter around him. He didn't mind. The constant blur of all kinds of noises somehow made it easy to think. What he thought was tacky was the overflowing decadence of the decoration and the food.
"Are you not enjoying the party?" he suddenly heard someone say next to him.
It was Flora. She held a plate with half eaten piece of cake.
"Yes, of course. It's a great party," Elijah said. He didn't want it to sound as sarcastic as it did.
Flora laughed. "Is that so."
Then she added: "But something seems to bother you."
Elijah hesitated for a moment. He couldn't see any reason why he shouldn't tell her.
"It's my brother Finn. I haven't seen him in a while, and it feels like I don't really know him anymore."
Flora nodded. "Rebekah said that he has been absent in your lives. But now he's back, isn't he?"
"I'm not sure. I feel like he's distancing himself. He might be leaving again."
Flora thought for a second. "If you want him to stay, maybe you should try a bit harder. Convince him that it's worth staying."
Elijah smiled weakly. That's what he should be doing indeed. What worried him is that there might not enough time to do it.
Flora pulled him back from his thoughts. "It looks like Rebekah is already doing the job for you."
Elijah followed her gaze. On the other side of the terrace stood Rebekah and Finn, deep in an animated conversation. Finn said something and Rebekah laughed loudly. It looked like they were having a good time. Elijah gave Flora a nudge and they walked over to them.
As he reached them, Rebekah grabbed his arm in excitement.
"Elijah, good, you're here! We wanna stay up and watch the sunrise! I know just the place where to see it. Finn hasn't seen one in centuries!"
Flora raised an eyebrow.
"Metaphorically speaking," Finn said.
Rebekah didn't seem to hear him. "Let's go and tell the others. All of us have to be there!"
A few hours later they were stamping through the uncut meadow that spread across the field behind the castle. It was still dark. Rebekah made them hurry so they'd get to wherever she wanted them to go. Still they were terribly slow. Rebekah was in front of them, occasionally turning back to remind the others to keep up. Next to her was Finn, smiling. Together with Nik and Flora, Elijah made out the middle part of their walking trail. Flora had some trouble keeping up, but insisted on being fine. Elijah heard Kol laughing behind him.
He looked back. Briony had fallen over and sat in the grass, while Kol stood next to her.
"Why are we even walking through this mud?" Briony giggled. "This is the stupidest idea anyone ever had."
"I'm right there with you, love. I'd rather be inside, too," Kol laughed.
"Hurry up," Rebekah shouted from the front.
Elijah walked back to Kol and Briony.
"Let's get going," he said.
"Have some patience with the mortals, Elijah! My legs just don't work as well as yours!" Briony replied while raising her arms.
Elijah lifted her up by the shoulders. "That could be. But if we don't do what Rebekah tells us she'll find a way to kill us all."
It took them another few minutes and they reached an opening of the meadow that led to the shore of a wide lake. The water was deep dark, but the sky above already began to brighten up from black to a dark blue.
"And now everyone sit down and enjoy this," Rebekah said and placed herself on the ground. The others did as they were told. It soon became clear why Rebekah had chosen this particular spot. On the other side of the lake they had a particular wide view into the distance. The oncoming light reflected on the glimmering surface of the lake and spread ever closer to them. They sat in silence as the sky slowly turned into a dark pink.
"Isn't this the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Rebekah said.
None of them replied. For a while they all looked at the fading pink across the lake.
"I think this is a good moment to call it," Briony yawned when the sky almost had reached daylight.
"What?" Rebekah replied surprised. "You can't leave now!"
"I think I have a fly in my mouth," Kol said.
"Normal people have to sleep sometimes. Sorry," Briony replied.
Rebekah sighed loudly. Then she turned to Flora: "You're not leaving as well, are you?"
She grabbed Flora's arms and looked at her intensely.
"No," Flora shook her head. "Definitely not."
After Kol and Briony had left they walked along the river bank. It was still unusually dark. The trees along the shore made the day darker than it was supposed to be.
"That sounds almost peaceful," Finn said.
Elijah had been telling him what they had been doing in the last one hundred or so years.
"Ups and downs," Elijah replied. "But the last fifty years had been rather quiet, yes."
He was almost a bit proud of his siblings for not messing anything up. The last night had been fun. Maybe this and his retellings of the last years would be proof enough that they could be good. Maybe it was enough to persuade Finn to stay a little longer.
"Stop throwing rocks, Rebekah. You're being childish!" he heard Nik saying with laugh.
Nik, Rebekah and Flora had fallen behind on the way. They had discovered an old pier that spread out onto the lake. Rebekah kept pushing Nik further out on the pier. The structure didn't seem to hold much anymore. But Elijah wouldn't care if either Nik or Rebekah fell into the lake. Maybe that would finally convince Rebekah to go back home. Elijah and Finn let their siblings be and walked on. They didn't talk. Elijah didn't know what else to say. He wanted to ask Finn if he changed his mind. But somehow he feared that would put him off.
"So," Elijah asked carefully. "Do you already know where you want to go?"
Finn didn't reply. Instead he stared into the dark mellow water in front of them.
"Don't you smell it?" he said.
"What?" Elijah asked.
"The blood," he replied.
Elijah looked into the dark water as well. There was nothing he could recognize. With one struck he realized what Finn meant. A smell of blood crept up his nostrils and it definitely came from the water. Confused he looked back at Finn, but he seemed perplexed about it as well.
He looked back and saw that Nik and Rebekah were still at the edge of the pier. No one else was there.
It took Elijah a moment to put it together. Then it hit him with a blow. Without losing any time he rushed into the water. Although it had dawned in the meantime the water was dark, too dark to see anything beneath the surface. Elijah felt the seaweed tangling around his legs. This didn't help much with the visibility of the water either. He moved into the deeper water until it was too deep to stand. He dived into it, not knowing where to look. The blood had dissolved to much to find the source of it.
Without a destination in mind he searched in every direction. He was lucky. Suddenly his hands touched something that felt like skin. He grabbed it. It was Flora's arm. He pulled her up to the surface. He wasn't far from the shore and pulled her back towards it. Before he reached it Rebekah had caught up with him, and pulled Flora out of his arms. Together they swam back to the shore.
Rebekah pulled Flora out of the water and carefully placed her in the grass. Flora was dead pale. She wasn't breathing.
"Is she dead?" Nik asked.
Rebekah touched Flora's face and inspected it.
"Not yet. She must have hit her head. It's bleeding."
"She lost a lot of blood. She's dying," Finn said.
"She cannot die!" Rebekah screamed while still holding Flora's head. Her hands trembled. Elijah saw the panic rising in her expression.
"She won't, Rebekah!" he insisted.
He pushed Rebekah to the side. Then, with a swift but strong hit he pushed into Flora's chest. She gurgled water out of her mouth but besides that didn't make any movements. A split second later Elijah had ripped his wrist open and blood dropped into Flora's mouth. She didn't wake up, but the bleeding on her head stopped. Elijah figured it would take a few hours until her body would heal completely and she would wake up.
"She'll be fine," Rebekah whispered.
Disclaimer: Some themes and some of the dialogue of the past chapter I took from the Marie Antoinette (2005) movie.