I remained at the base of the stairs, surrounded by resting wolves and Klaus who sat beside me. He had taken off his shirt and carefully bundled it behind me as a makeshift pillow. I held my two little girls in my arms, now both asleep, unable to really believe that they were here. After all of this, I found it hard to wrap my mind that these little girls were my daughters.
"They're perfect Elena," Klaus told me, kissing my cheek.
"Yes they are." I smiled down at them. "Did… did you want to hold one?" His face brightened and nodded eagerly. I carefully passed the blonde baby over to him and he cradled her carefully.
"Have you thought about any names?" Freya asked, perching on the step. Klaus looked at me expectantly.
"I… I was thinking Lilah? And Blair?" He considered and nodded.
"I like it. Which one is which?" I looked down at the baby in my arms.
"This one is a Blair. And that little one seems like a Lilah." I kissed Blair on the forehead. "I also thought Isabel and Alexia as middle names?"
"Lilah Alexia Mikaelson?" He lifted up the tiny blonde baby and smiled at her. "And Blair Isabel Mikaelson."
"Interesting choices." I looked up and saw Dahlia standing nearby, watching us. The wolves growled softly. She cast her eyes over them and they fell silent. "May I ask why you're down here of all places?"
"I was… sleep walking," I lied. "I fell down the stairs."
"Hmm…" I could tell she didn't believe me. I didn't care. She forced a bright smile. "Let's get you back to bed. Niklaus, would you?"
Klaus handed Lilah to Freya, who also took Blair from my arms. I suppressed a whimper as the child was removed. Klaus carefully picked me up, adjusting me until I was seated comfortably in his arms.
"My legs work you know." I said.
"You just gave birth Elena, you are entitled to take it easy for a few days." Klaus told me, his tone teasing but firm.
"He's right. You should rest for a few days. In the meantime, Freya, bring the children. We have much to prepare."
"P… prepare?" I frowned. I didn't like her tone and the hungry look in her eyes as she ran them over the twins in Freya's arms. "Prepare for what?"
"For the ritual. Didn't Klaus tell you?"
"Tell… tell me what?" I twisted in his arms to fix my eyes on Klaus. "What is she talking about?"
"I have no idea…"
"Having a lapse in memory dear? Well, Elena, essentially I own your children. My dear sister, Esther, was unfortunately unable to conceive so she made a deal with me… I am entitled to take the first born child of every generation of the Mikaelson line." She reached out and gently stroked Freya's cheek. "Like my little Freya." She turned her gaze to my twins. "And I really hit the jackpot with you. The firstborns of three of my nephews? That's more than I ever could have expected given their circumstances."
"You're not touching my children," I snarled, wriggling out of Klaus' arms. "I don't care what some stupid deal from a million years ago says!"
"I second that!" Klaus snarled, eyes turning yellow. "I agreed to work with you because you said you would get my child back. If I'd known about this, I would have torn your insane head off."
"You seem to be under the illusion that you have a choice, Niklaus. Your mother was so desperate to breed with that filthy Viking that she didn't think of the consequences. Well now you have to face them. These children are owed to me and I am taking what is mine." Klaus growled and lunged for Dahlia. She raised her hand and he collapsed to the floor, clutching his head. She glared at him, flexing her fingers and watching him twitch and convulse in pain. Blood dripped from his nose. Lilah stirred in Freya's arms and began to cry. The wolves woke at the sound and growled, clearly distressed by the sound. One took a step towards her, fangs bared. Her eyes flickered to the animal and a minute shudder ran through her. Her other arm shot out and the wolves were flung to the side of the room. Most of them yelped and darted for the door. A few, angry at the attack, tried to lunge for her but found themselves prevented by some invisible force.
Dahlia turned her focus back to Klaus, curled up on the floor. She clenched her fist. His body convulsed and I heard bones cracking.
"Up." He moved stiffly onto his knees, his actions robotic and resistant. "You have no say in this Niklaus. This was decided long before you were born." She pointed two fingers and moved them in a beckoning gesture. He crawled forward. "If you are going to behave like an animal, than that's what you shall be."
The yellow in Klaus' eyes seemed to spread like ink on water until they were almost completely covered, except for a slit of pupil that remained.
His body jerked backwards violently and he let out a scream as his limbs were contorted into painful angles. His shoulder blades ripped through his skin and it wasn't blood that flowed from the wounds, but thick black ooze that let off an acrid stench. It dripped down his back and I thought I heard the skin sizzling as though the substance was eating into it like acid. His limbs continued to jerk abruptly, the bones visibly rearranging themselves under the skin. His leg shot out an impossible angle and he howled as it twitched and twisted.
A tremor ripped through his body and he fell forward onto all fours. His skin bulged and sank around his ribcage as they shifted around his torso. I let out a soft gasp. His head turned slightly and eyes locked on me. He tried to get to his feet but his legs refused to support him. He shuffled awkwardly, one arm reaching out to me, the other hanging limply at his side. He tried to lift his leg to move a little further but his leg locked in place. His fingers gripped my leg and the look of pain in his face broke my heart.
"Stop this!" I demanded. Dahlia raised an eyebrow, her expression one of mild amusement and ignored me. His pants ripped and I felt like I was going to vomit. His body was twisted into a horrific shape, his spine distended. His fingers seemed to mesh together, merging into a fleshy lump. The changes were happening faster now, unfaltering as each part of his body in turn was subjected to the torture. His screams were continuous, tears streaming down his cheeks. He thrashed as his body was contorted one way and another. Hair began to fall from his head in clumps.
I could barely recognize him. His limbs were splayed awkwardly, his head was balding, his skin stretching and tearing. As I watched, his hands, or what remained of them, began to split, slowly taking the shape of paws. Sharpened bones poked out at random points, curling like claws. His feet also began to fuse and change, taking on the paw like appearance. His hair had completely gone now and the skin began to break apart. I stared in horror as a jagged tear appeared down the centre of his skull and the skin peeled up.
Hair began to sprout along his spine, short like fur rather than hair. It spread until his entire lower half was covered in a tawny brown covering and continued onwards. The skin on his head was still peeling off, down to his neck. It clung on but there was no life to it, it looked like rubber. He whined and shook his head. The skin fell away, like a Halloween mask being ripped away. Underneath, the same tawny fur grew.
He began to awkwardly claw at his head, his clumsy paws tearing at the skin that remained until it fell in tatters. His ears fell away and were replaced by two pointed canine ones.
His jaw began to stretch, his teeth grew to sharp fangs that barely fit into his mutilated mouth. His skin pulled back, exposing the carnage in his mouth as I bit into his own gums. He spat blood, choking on it.
"He…h…..heeeelll" The word was a groan, his tongue lazy in his deformed, unfinished muzzle and unable to form the words properly.
The few bones that remained in their original places began shifting and fusing, the last pieces in a horrific jigsaw puzzle. His arms became clamped to his side, restricting his already limited movement to next to nothing. His neck grew, extending a little and thickening. It stiffened into place, holding his head up in an unnatural arched position.
He let out another scream but all that came out was an agonized howl. He let out a series of barks and snarls and I got the sense that he was trying to call for help. The animal was taking over, stealing his voice and taking his mind.
Slowly, it felt like years had passed as I watched him, his human body disappeared and the wolf emerged. Yet there was something… wrong. He was larger than any normal wolf but his proportions were off, his body awkwardly put together. The layer of fur barely covered his misshapen muscles and his jaw seemed to be locked in a twisted half smile, his fangs too large for his muzzle.
He turned and looked at Dahlia. For a second it looked like he might attack her, his body rigid and his hackles raised. Then slowly, his body relaxed and he took on a submissive pose, head down, body low to the ground.
"I despise wolves…" Dahlia muttered, eyeing him with disdain. "It didn't have to be this way Niklaus. If you had behaved yourself…" Her eyes turned to me. "Niklaus, escort Elena back to her room."
He turned sharply and snarled at me, snapping at my ankles and forcing me up the stairs. I stumbled, trying to avoid his fangs. I looked back at Freya, holding my babies and felt tears in my eyes, half reaching out for them. Klaus growled and rammed his oversized head against my ankles, knocking me over. He moved over me, a low growl ripping through him.
"Okay!" I shoved his head away, not caring if he bit me. "I'm going!" I got to my feet and reluctantly retreated up the stairs. He tailed me upstairs and down the corridor to my room. I stopped in front of the door and turned sharply.
"Klaus, I don't care what she's done to you. You have to still be in there… you know that this isn't right! Those children are innocent!"
He watched me, and turned his head away as if ashamed. I sighed and retreated into the bedroom. The door closed behind me. I looked round at the room that had become my prison. I felt a sudden surge of hate. I grabbed the bedside table and hurled it against the wall. The wood shattered. I flipped over the bed, screaming in anger. My children's blood was still in my body and it seemed to intensify the rage within me.
I rampaged around the room, destroying everything I could in an attempt to quell the fury. Eventually though I reached the point where there was nothing left to destroy and as I stared at the damage I had done I felt like all my energy deserted me. I sank to the floor, on top of the mattress. Everything hurt and I felt exhausted. Tears began to flow, coming thick and fast. Would I ever see my girls again? After everything I'd gone through, now they were here and it looked like I was going to lose them…
I curled up into a ball and sobbed into a blanket. It wasn't supposed to be like this. They weren't meant to be born in this crumbling hospital and stolen by a wicked witch. They should have been born at home, and be brought up surrounded by their family… my family.
Since my parents had died, I'd never really liked my life. There were good bits, but mostly it had been one disaster after another. I'd dealt with it, because what else could I do? This was the first time I actively hated who I was.
I stared absently at a candle, discarded on the floor. I felt so alone. Would I see the Mikaelsons again? Or would I die here? in this… dank… dark… hospital? I shivered and wrapped the blanket tight around myself.
The shrivelled wick of the candle smoked and caught alight. I looked at the flickering flame without really seeing. I waved my hand, reaching for the fire. I wanted to feel something…
The flame went out before my fingers could brush it and I was left in darkness once again. I rolled over to face the wall and closed my eyes. I heard a faint crackle, a hiss and the smell of burning reached my nose. I sat up and looked over. The candle was alight once more. I frowned and waved my hand. Nothing happened. Was I doing this? That didn't make sense.
I carefully picked up the candle, cupping my hand to protect the tiny flame. I looked at it and felt the spark of my determination relighting inside of me. She wasn't taking them. Not today. Not my babies.
I went to the door and tried the handle. It was locked. I gritted my teeth and went back to the bedding. I piled it up in the centre of the room and carefully held the candle against a scrap of blanket, waiting for it to catch. It sizzled and sparked into life. I dropped the scrap onto the pile and watched as the fire began to spread, building. Smoke rose from the pile, thick and noxious. It began to fill the room. I dropped to the floor in the corner near the door, pressing my face into rotten wood. This was risky, I just hoped that someone would come to see what was happening before I passed out from smoke inhalation. I kept my breathing shallow, eyes opened and fixed on the door. I would only have a few seconds. The smoke stung my eyes and burned my throat. The heat in the room was growing to an almost unbearable level.
I heard the scuffle of the key in the lock and tensed. The door opened and Dahlia came in. She saw the flames and her eyes widened.
"What are you doing you stupid girl?" Her eyes swept the room, searching for me. I lunged from my huddled position on the floor. I tackled her, grabbing hold of her and throwing her towards the fire before she had a chance to fight back. I darted out of the room, pulling the door closed and locking it. Thank god she'd left the key behind.
I threw the key to the other end of the hallway and looked at the door. Smoke was pouring out from underneath and the roar of the fire was building. I hesitated for a moment before making my decision.
Let her fucking burn.
I had to find my kids. I was about to start running when I felt sudden clarity. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating. From the bowels of the hospital came the faintest sound, a hurried beating, fast as a hummingbird's wing and barely audible. But I knew it. I kept my eyes closed and I followed the sound, picking up the pace as it got louder.
I heard a growl and opened my eyes. Klaus was sitting by a door, watching me.
"Klaus, you're still in there, I know it. And even if it's buried deep, I won't give up on you. You can try to kill me and I will die happy, knowing that I fought to get my girls home." I locked eyes with him. "What's it going to be?"
He regarded me and stepped back. I nodded and entered the room. Freya was asleep in an armchair, unaware of what was happening. There were two small baskets on the floor and inside were my two little girls. I picked them up and held them close. Lilah let out a soft gurgle.
"Shh…" I whispered. I headed for the door, paused and looked over at Freya. She'd tried to help me. I sighed. My bleeding heart was going to get me into trouble.
I went over to Freya's side and shook her awake.
"Wha…?"
"Freya. I've trapped Dahlia upstairs, I'm leaving with my children. You can come with me or you can stay here and be a slave." I turned and left without waiting for her to decide. Klaus whined as he saw me and followed me out to the front entrance.
I stepped out onto the stone steps and realised that Klaus wasn't following me. I looked back. He was stood in the doorway, watching me with regretful eyes. I returned to him and touched his head, running my fingers through the matted fur.
"Come with me?"
He looked away and I understood his hesitation. He didn't want to see the others like this. I nodded.
"When you're ready, I'll be waiting. I'll never give up on you." I kissed his forehead. "Come home."
I turned and hurried away, holding my children against my chest. I wanted to look back but I knew that it would bring only sadness. I hoped Klaus would be okay but right now I had to focus on my children. He would come home eventually, he had to.