(Marcel POV)
I was waiting for Rebekah in the morgue or cremation area. Something like that. It was our usual meeting time and she was coming over to see me now. I watched as she came into the room and then I put her against the pillar, kissing her delicate lips. I got carried away, I had been missing her for a while. Dad had decided that I needed more lessons to make me lose 'that pesky conscience' of mine. I didn't want to let it go.
"Marcel, have some respect." She quipped at me, forcing me to stop. I took a look at all the dead guys in the room before replying to her.
"Yeah, I don't think they mind." I said slowly. I looked back at her and began again. She joined me this time. Then a thought crossed my mind. "Did you ask Genevieve about doing the spell?"
"I will. When the time is right." I stopped her from trying to get me to make out with her.
"Rebekah. You've been hanging around that witch for weeks waiting for the time to be right. She wasn't supposed to become your side kick." I kissed her again. "One little spell and we can be together for real. What are you waiting for?"
"She's a sweet girl is all. If you must know, I feel badly for using her." Now I knew what Klaus meant when he said pesky conscience. But this was Rebekah. A girl, a woman.
"Then we'll find another witch, one you don't have to fake a friendship with. Unless you've changed your mind." I hesitated to add it. I loved her. I think she loved me too. Didn't she?
"I want to wake up with you in our home. In the bed that we share. I want to walk down the street with you by my side so that everyone knows that you are mine and I am yours. I don't want to be afraid of what my brother will do to me for loving you. If this is the only way to get it then… no my mind hasn't changed." I smiled at her. I got carried away with my joy but a woman walked in. It was Genevieve. I stopped what I was doing immediately.
"OH. I didn't know anyone was in here. I'm so sorry." Rebekah went after her as she left the room.
"Genevieve! I'm sorry."
We were at the cemetery now, and Genevieve was finally doing the spell we needed her to do. It was night time. Dad thought I was sleeping and Rebekah had gone shopping. Which I would make sure she did before she came home. I didn't need Klaus knowing what was really happening. I was on edge ever since this little plan began, I wasn't willing to make any mistakes. I'd be killed if I fucked up.
Genevieve held the paper she was supposed to send away to Mikael and Rebekah handed her the blade that she said was Mikael's. I didn't know if she was right or wrong. I just rolled with it. She crumbled up the paper and then put a knife in the fire, I didn't know if it was the knife but I'd let Rebekah do it, she knew what she was doing. I hope. Originals always knew what they were doing.
Genevieve began the spell and Rebekah held her hand out for me, I took it. Happy to help her feel better. She looked at me, fear in her eyes. I smiled at her, encouraging her to keep going with this. She knew what she was doing. We would be together forever soon enough. Suddenly the paper burned and it was no longer in her palm. Nor was there ash in her palm. I guess it worked?
I was in a bar now, Rebekah had come up to me, told me hi and that she loved me and to be careful because Dad was here. I laughed at her, smiling, as she left my side again. I already knew that Dad was here. Of course he was here.
Dad started clinking his glass with something and everyone shut up and looked at him. He was the King of New Orleans. Everyone loved him, as I once hoped to be loved by everyone one day. I however was stuck at being the Prince Of New Orleans. I knew so because Klaus couldn't die. What a stupid thought.
Dad raised his hand and everyone shut up, even the band. "I'd like to take this opportunity to draw attention to two people-" The only thing going through my mind was 'CRAP!' He knew now didn't he? I kept my calm composure on though. I'd learned from Dad doing it with Elijah. He always managed to behave and when he chose not to, he always managed to keep calm as if nothing Elijah said affected him in the least bit. "-who have been sneaking around behind my back, together." Everyone began to whisper. I am so dead. "As we move into a new era, we require more progressive attitudes to match. So to my loving sister. And my right hand man and best friend, Marcel. May they find joy in each other." You could tell his eyes disagreed with everything he was saying but he also wanted to make his sister happy. 'You do realize he isn't exactly saying "You can have sex now." and the fact that if he's your dad then she's-' I stopped that trail of thought before it could go any deeper. He drank. Yep, he wasn't saying we could be together as a couple, he was saying that we could be together as a family or something. He disliked that we were sneaking behind his back. And just HOW the hell does he know?! If he knew why hasn't he done anything about it? He's playing some sort of trick on us isn't he? "Enough talk. Music." You know what I've just realized? That Klaus' presence and speech frightens me, he scares me when he used to be so comforting to me. How did that happen? I looked down at the ground, ashamed. He's just did that. Allow us to be together. I looked up to see Klaus kiss Rebekah's cheek before walking back off. Elijah was smiling, proud of Klaus. They were a family. My family.
"You need to stop her." I whispered only for Rebekah to hear. She nodded before leaving the building, and to not look suspicious, I left with her.
It was the next day, same scene, Klaus' bar. He'd begun to fancy himself a gangster. That's why he wore the clothing he did. He liked the idea of running a gang, telling them what to do, killing people, and respected across the city. He was a gangster behind doors and in front of doors he was the King of New Orleans.
"Can you believe we're sitting out in the open, bold as brass?" We were sitting alone in a booth. I shook my head.
"No. Ah, it feels like heaven."
"You know it's been over six months since Genevieve summoned my Father, and nothing. The spell must have failed."
"Hey, if so, we dodged a very large, very angry bullet." I kissed her and she smiled, humming in delight. I smiled myself at hearing her make that sound, knowing I was the one who was causing that sound to come from her. Sure we couldn't have our own children but we could be together.
"All right. I am off to speak at the Women's Temperance Society meeting to make sure the wives of this city urge their husbands not to drink."
"Aren't you all in the booze biz now?" I could use slang around her, she didn't mind. Klaus did.
"Yes, but the more one tells you that you can't have something, the more you crave it. At all costs." She gave me a quick kiss before she got up and left. I stood up to get myself a drink and the man next to me spoke up.
"You're a lucky man. Men search the world over for a woman like her." You idiot.
"Well she's taken friend."
"Oh I can see that. It's just that she reminds me so much of my departed wife as a girl. You see I've been travelling for such a long time that it's a blessing to see the familiar soul so far from home." He finally shut up. Okay is this guy crazy, drunk, or just stupid? Maybe I should ask Klaus what this- … Oh God, it's MIKAEL! Or I'm just being paranoid. I turned to him.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Here's ta old faces in new places." We clinked our glasses and something told me I should get out while I still could. This man was crazy, weird, and creepy. Not as creepy as Klaus when he killed Tunde, but still. I wanted out.
"I've been in New Orleans for a day and I find it to be quite surprising. Had I of its charm and fascinating denizens, I would have come ages ago. Don't suppose I have to thank you for extending this invitation." Denizens? Did he mean supernatural creatures? Invitation.. it is Mikael! I have to warn Klaus… I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, you're a smart man. I think you know." He pulled out a paper and handed it to me. "I'm an intelligent man myself so-" I looked at the paper before looking back at him. And I regretted it instantly. I was being compelled, I knew because Dad had done it once and only once before to show me what it felt like and to show me how it's done. "-have a seat." I sat down. Fuck you! "Let me tell you about what I learned about you this afternoon, Marcel Gerard. You-"
"It's Marcellus Mikaelson!" I told him, angry he didn't use my real name. He ignored me, though a flash went through his eyes, one of annoyance and remembrance.
"-chafe under the control of my son Niklaus and would do just about anything to get rid of him, even call the one man on this earth who hates him more than you do. But, I couldn't understand what you hoped to gain. Rule of this city? Well, as I said, New Orleans has its charms, but to call me, the one they call the Destroyer, the one who's burnt cities far more charming to the ground in pursuit of his children. But now I see. You did it for love, the love of my daughter." He's annoying, no wonder Klaus hates him. I don't know what he's planning. Why had we called him here?
"Don't you dare touch her!" I seethed, gripping the bar hard, glaring at him. I should have asked Klaus more information about him when I was a kid. He'd given me only one detail. That he was a jerk who didn't like fun. He had a drink before looking at me again.
"Mmm, so I'm going to make you a promise. I won't hurt Rebekah. This city, you can have it. But first, you must tell me where to find my son." I sighed.
"He'll be watching a play tonight at the opera house. Le Grand Guignol." Then he attacked me, snapping my neck, and everything went black.
(Klaus POV)
I was in bed, kissing my new girl. I'd just finished giving her what she wanted in the first place, sex. That thought made me smile, she laughed at my wicked smile and laughed, trying to get away from me. I smiled more as I kissed harder and used my left arm, my free arm, to wrap around her waist and pull her closer, she only laughed more. I ran my hand over her shoulder, the one marked with a crescent moon. She came from the Crescent Moon Pack or something like that.
She laughed and I beamed as she struggled to get away again, I pulled her back, still kissing her lips. I moved my hand to the middle of her back and kept her in place and this time she giggled. The way girls do when they are blushing. I hummed at her and then I heard someone coming. I smiled at her, putting a finger to my lips and covered her with the covers. I admit it, I'm a bit tipsy, but that never hurt anyone right?
The door opened and I looked up. It was Elijah. He looked pointedly at the big thing in the blankets. Oh, yeah. I forgot that covering her doesn't make her vanish. I pulled the covers off her enough to show her to Elijah, but not too far that he saw everything. Most of her was mine and I wouldn't let anyone take her.
I'd found Lana when I was first getting into the Gangster/Mobster life style. I learned a few things from her but mostly I knew how to do it because I'd read about it in books and I might as well already be one.
"Sleeping with the enemy I see." I looked down and noticed my shirt was missing. I began to laugh as Lana replied to him.
"I'm the ally now darling." When was she ever the enemy? I don't… oh well. Who cares. I'm happy.
"Well indeed." I laughed at him.
"OH, and as a gesture of good will, from our old enemy, tickets to tonight's opera. Le Grand Guignol." I looked down as Sheilana petted my chest basically. It reminded me of someone… I just couldn't remember their name right now. I smiled at her.
"They have a soprano to die for. I'll introduce you if you promise not to eat her." I loved this woman's accent. I smiled at her, trying to give her another kiss but she wasn't done talking to Elijah. She may have acted that way before he came in but she did stand up for herself when she deemed fit.
Elijah had apparently found my stash as he filled a cup with alcohol. "Oh, Lana, a good soprano is never dinner." Rebekah. Marcel. I didn't want them having sex, I just told them to be family again. Are they coming?
"Tell Rebekah to bring Marcel." He raised his brow, confused and startled I'd said that. I still remember him scolding me. I had promptly yanked away and continued to do what I planned on doing. Elijah could never stop me from finishing my plans because if you said you were going to do something and then didn't, your words might as well be empty and Klaus Mikaelson's threats are always serious business. "Feel free to tell her now, big brother. I have business-" I nodded my head at Lana. She had her head on my pillow, getting bored already, just staring at my face. "-I need to discuss with our new ally." I patted her stomach twice, making her smile. Elijah left the room and I went right back to Lana, making her happy and giggle.
At the end, she looked up at me, business look on her face. I smiled at her, trying to make it go away. For business meant separation. She shook her head, laughing at my antic. I beamed at her and she sat up before getting out of bed and dressing herself. I glared at her all the while.
"I have to get back to my clan. We've got business to do. IF you want you can come watch a ceremony. We're promoting apprentices to warriors." I rolled my eyes. Warrior talk. Reminded me of a time when I was human, no actually I was and have always been a hybrid. I had been a werewolf witch hybrid. Now I was a vampire werewolf hybrid. Yet I couldn't use my wolf self. And you know why? My so called mother hated me. I had killed her for it, I had gladly killed her for it.
Lana looked at my face before walking over, fully clothed, and gave me a long passionate kiss. "Don't be angry darling. I won't be long. I'll see you tonight." I returned her kiss back to her and smiled, weakly.
"It shall be hard to wait. Are you attending then?"
"Yes, I'll be there." My smile grew stronger as my heart lifted from the path it'd been travelling down. The one that usually made me murderous again. Call it my fits of rage or something. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." My smile bared my teeth as she turned to leave and she left my room. My smile dropped completely when I heard her leave my house.
I flopped into my bed and pulled the covers over my head, feeling a confusing mix of emotions. Anger, Sadness, Happiness, and Anticipation.
"Master? Is there anything I can do to help?" Rachael asked. I paused in my own actions, thinking.
"Yes. Bring me some blood and come here. I'll make it worth your while." She left to get done what I asked for and I dragged her into my bed with me. She smiled at me, happy to have the honour of being my bed partner.
I was now sitting with Rebekah, waiting for Elijah and Marcellus to arrive. I'd had my fill of sex today. Lana had teased me and I offered myself the means to end my 'unending' desire for more sex. She didn't have to know about it.
"Well this is off to a bad start. Your first big date together in public after I've given my blessing and he's stood you up."
"Something must have delayed him."
"Or now that your elicit affair is out in the open, he finds the whole relationship a tad lacklustre and has run off to Havana with a showgirl." He better not have left this city just because of this. Maybe he understood now why I refused to let them be a 'couple' in the first place. I abhor incest.
"Don't be such a toerag. I'm going to check the lobby."
"See if you can't find our brother while you're there. The curtain is about to go up." Kol had set this up… before I'd daggered him for some situation about some diamond stolen from some witch. Marcel had helped me. Now I'm wishing I hadn't done that. I sat my flyer down and waited for the show to start.
The next thing I knew, I scented something that smelled horribly foul, like rotten eggs. Could that be him? Mikael? Elijah and Rebekah smell better than that and Marcellus knew better than to go digging around in a pile of trash. Not even for a joke or something stupid like that. I felt a stake put to my back. I wanted to laugh. I was right! Mikael was here. But Elijah? Rebekah? I froze. If he'd hurt them…
"I would advise against trying to flee boy. I can drive this into your heart before you can even think of getting to your feet." How? You can't read minds Mikael. "And I don't want you to die… yet." The way he emphasized the word yet sounded hilarious. I was having trouble fighting my fear, fighting the want to snark at him like I used to do, and the knowledge that if I did slip up he'd end me. 'Call him. That won't get you killed, he'll just laugh at you.' I resisted my own urge to laugh and did just that to see if he would laugh at me.
"Father..." Of course you know you killed my father, you could never replace him. I caught my breath at that and realized Mikael'd said something. I never really could pay attention to my interactions with him.
"'Father'?" He laughed. I smiled slowly, I'd been right. I was almost always right about these things with him, I'd been scolded by him countless times as a child. "Still clinging to that word after all these years, a bastard desperate for a daddy?" Takes one to know one Mikael. I bet you killed yours. "I wonder if your real father would be as embarrassed as I was of you before I discovered you were not mine. Most likely." How dare you talk about my father that way! I tried to turn around but he pushed the stake. "Oh, oh. Uh uh. Easy now, boy." He pulled me back into my seat. I refused to react to him doing that. I refused to react to him trying to look me in the eye. In fact, I looked away deliberately. Just to piss him off. Oh. Wait. Oops. "Don't worry. Death will come, but we need to have a little chat before you shuffle off your immortal coil." You sound like you're talking to a small child. I closed my eyes, calming myself down before I could do anything else. I needed to be calm, I needed to be steady if I were to make it out alive with my head. No pun intended of course. I smiled at my joke, not laughing. It was taking every ounce of seriousness I had to not laugh.
"Any words we have for each other have been spoken long ago. But, know this– I am no longer the animal begging for scraps of your affection. I will die knowing my hatred for you was just. I will fall proud of all I have achieved here. So, Mikael, if you're going to kill me, then get on with it." Then Mikael replied, laughing at me in his tone as he spoke.
"Au contraire, Niklaus." Goody for you, you know how to speak French. Thinking this way was the only way for me to not lose my composure. It had always helped me. "Some things remain unsaid. For instance, you were right to be proud of your achievement here. As I walked the streets, your name was spoken of in reverent tones by the city's finest. So, after I kill you, I will remain here in New Orleans until every last person who remembers you is dead." Ah, fuck you. "The deeds of the mighty Klaus will be remembered by no one And you, boy, will simply never have existed." 'Oh Mikael. I know the reason you're really the way you are. It's so easy to fool you into doing anything at all. It's easy to deceive you. Even you deceive yourself. For if I die, my siblings will remain. They will have known that I have existed and they will hate you forever. There is only one white oak stake in the world and you have it.' The orchestra began to warm up in front of the stage. "Ah. The grand show." He relaxed, pulling the stake away from me. The lights went down. He dared to touch me with his hand before speaking once more. "Oh, I made some alterations in your honour. You'll love it." Well then, I will make sure that I hate it with every ounce of my being then. The conductor tapped his baton against the stand and began the show.
What I saw pissed me off so much, not even I could handle the stress of trying to make it go away. Marcellus was staked by his hands to a wooden cross like a crucifixion, Lana was dead, propped by a swing, her mouth taped shut as a stake impaled her chest. The audience laughed, clapping. I will kill all of you! Mark my words! I will fill this town with the blood of those and their family's who clap for Marcel's death.
I vamped onto the stage, grabbed a stake and yanked it out but Mikael shoved it back in. The crowd cheered as Rebekah came on stage and attacked Mikael. I turned around attacked him for throwing her, which the crowd applauded. I would make them pay for this. I would end Mikael with the stake meant for me, with the cruellest of fates. Mikael staked Rebekah through her stomach and I growled at him before throwing myself at him but I was thrown to the other side of the stage. The audience just kept clapping. I saw Rebekah pulling the stakes out from Marcel's hands. I attacked Mikael, trying to give her enough time to do so. However I and my sister were staked by him as he tried to finish off Marcel. I glared at him with such fury I had never known in my life before.
My attention snapped to Marcel when I heard him groan. I looked up to see that Mikael had his hand in his chest. I yelled at him but Elijah held me, he helped me up. "There's no helping Marcel. We must run." He grabbed my arm, I tried to fight him but to no avail. I instead scooped up my sister and vamped after Elijah. I would show Mikael eventually why he should never mess with me, he'd learn to fear me as I once did him. How I do now fear him. However the fear had been less intensified as I watched him destroy my own son.
I watched as he burned down the whole building.
(Esther POV) (0.0)
I watched as Mikael attacked my children. That man never knew when to quit, I had already forgiven them. I had already forgiven Niklaus. Henrik trembled by my side, holding onto me as he whimpered at the sight his Father was showing into the world.
"Mom? What is Dad doing? Why doesn't he stop?"
"Because your father's weakness has always been anger. He is prideful and as such this is the effect you get when added with his heightened vampire senses and feelings." I watched as he picked up a lantern and began to leave. Then I realized what he was about to do. NO Mikael I will NOT allow this. I began to focus my magic into protecting Marcellus Mikaelson from the fire as he threw it on the ground and the building set ablaze. I began to chant, I woke up Marcel and led him out the back and then I used a cloaking spell that would last until Mikael was long gone from the city. Eventually they should regroup and find their beloved son and nephew and they will be glad that he is alive. I left a bit of information in his head, to keep him there and set back up what Mikael had destroyed. I refused to give Mikael what he wanted. I could do nothing more here though. I had done what I could. They had to make their decisions now.
(Klaus POV)
As I ran, I could feel my heart breaking. My son had been killed by the man who couldn't decide if I was his son or not. My only son had just been killed and right in front of my eyes. I felt tears fall but I didn't care, it hurt too much to care.
"The final act of Le Grand Guignol is upon us! Where are my players? Enough running, children! Step out of the shadows so we can finish this tale of sorrows." I had expected him to say 'come out and fight like a man'. That didn't matter now, I find that I can no longer laugh. Not even at my own jokes. Marcel was dead and there was no looking back. My heart wrenched in pain as I listened to Elijah speak.
"He's coming." Elijah stepped up to the sidewalk and grabbed a metal stake from a fence. I didn't know why he did that but I bit my wrist and fed Rebekah my blood so I could wake her up. She wasn't dead.
"All right. Come on, sister."
"Marcel."
"He's gone, sister." She looked behind her at the opera house in flames. Screams could be heard from inside. I closed my eyes in pain. I heard her begin to cry. I didn't have the needed time to make her happy. I just whined as she cried.
"No, no."
"Both of you must flee the city. I'll hold him off, Niklaus." I scoffed at him. I pulled Rebekah to her feet. I shook my head.
"No. We fight him together."
"We cannot fight him. All we can do is do what we've done. We deceive him. We lead him astray. Now, I can do that as well as anyone. You take her far away from here. I'll follow you." I shook my head vigorously.
"NO Elijah. I cannot lose Marcellus and you in the same century, same year, same day… I cannot lose both of you." I told him, feeling tears well up again. I began to cry as Rebekah fell, I caught her. I held her up using me as support.
"No, Elijah. You can't. You can't, Elijah." She began to cry. "This is just– this is my fault." I shook my head at her.
"No. This is my fault, Rebekah. I am so sorry. I'm sorry. Marcel-" The opera house exploded and now I knew, that Marcel was definitely dead. I bit my lip, trying to remain as I ever was. I turned to look as a fire truck's siren blared. "I thought we'd found a home here." Had I known Mikael would show up, I would have grabbed my family and ran off with them. Now because of me, my own son was dead.
"Niklaus, please. Sister, come." He hugged Rebekah and me on our cheek softly. "You must leave. Go." I stared at him one last time, refusing to leave him. "LEAVE!" He shouted, I cringed, grabbed Rebekah and ran as fast as I could from there, sobbing. The only person I had left was my sister. I would be lucky to ever see my beloved brother ever again. And that night, I felt a part of me shut down permanently. The human side, the side that longed to be good. I felt my humanity disappear just like in the 1400s when it was gone, but this time, just like Marcellus, there was no turning back…
(Marcel POV)
I woke up on the ground, alone. The building I was nearest had burned to the ground and I was safe, no harm done except for the blood at my wrists and my chest and neck. I groaned as I rolled over onto my back instead of my side.
FATHER! I opened my eyes immediately and vamped all the way home and into Father's room. I smelled around for him but his scent was stale, like he'd not been here for a week. My father had left. He left me.
What do I do now? I always had Klaus there to help me know what to do next. Maybe Rachael had a clue? I checked the house but they were all dead, in the attic. I gaped at the scene, horrified. I fell to my knees, crying. This was all my fault.
Eventually a thought struck me that I had to live up my Father's legend, I had to put the city back the way it was. I looked at the roof, thinking of Dad. The man who had raised me, treated me like his own son.
I would fix this city if it was the last thing I did. I would be 'Temporary King Of New Orleans'. I couldn't think about what would happen had I have to become 'King Of New Orleans'. Now I was grateful for all of those lessons Dad had forced me to learn.
I would make him proud of me. One day I'd see him again, eventually. Everything has a beginning… and an end.
The End?