Chapter 23: Deathly embraces
Warmth covered her back, but it didn't come from the sun as she knew her curtains to be closed. Pushing her dark hair away from her eyes, she propped herself up, her entire body aching and she suppressed a wincing grimace. She glanced down, startled to find out that she was naked and as bare as the day she was born. Her eyes widened and she looked to her left as someone beside her moved, a sickening feeling rising up inside. What happened?!
She gave a rough shove to the hybrid next to her before covering her face in mortified embarrassment, her cheeks flaming. The original hybrid sat up, blinking rapidly. "Love?" He questioned and she uncovered her face. "What happened?" She whispered, tears of humiliation welling up in her eyes. She couldn't remember a thing after she'd passed out, and she wasn't sure what to think.
Klaus frowned. "What do you mean? Are you really going to pretend nothing happened?" He snapped angrily, somewhat offended by how cold she was being with him considering how she'd initiated last nights bedroom antics. "You came onto me, Elle. Mother found you unconscious and asked me to bring you to your room. You came to as I was putting you in bed, and said you were having nightmares, something you never mentioned I'll add, and then you kissed me and one thing led to another."
Elle stared numbly ahead of her. "I don't remember anything after it all went black." She whispered before looking at him. "I honestly don't." She stated, pleading silently with him to believe her, but he pulled a face and got out of the luxurious bed, throwing back the covers and getting dressed too quickly for her eyes to see. "You mean you don't want to look bad for sleeping with the monster, right? I'm not the one who initiated it, Elle, you are! Take some responsibility for once! I think you do remember!" He accused.
Pathetic tears pooled in her eyes. "I truly don't." She attempted but he scoffed, and in a flash, he left. She wiped away tears, whether they came from humiliation, confused despair or anger, she wasn't sure, but more trickled down her cheeks, and as sobs ripped from her throat, she pulled the duvet over her head, even that not muffling her anguish.
MvM
Elle didn't leave her room for a couple of hours, and when her limited hearing picked up other individuals stirring and getting up, only then did she leave the sanctuary of her room. She dressed simply, wrapping her arms around her ridged body as she walked down the staircase, hugging herself tighter as she headed for the front door, opened it, and although surprised to find Rebekah walking through it in her attire from last night, she said nothing to the blonde original, merely pushing past and heading out into the morning, off the property and hoping she never had to come back there ever again altogether.
From the window, Elijah saw her, and he glanced at his brother. "Elle just left." He stated at his half brother shrugged, not stopping his sketching, even as Rebekah came in. "And to what do I care anymore?" He stated, not missing the frown sent to him.
Elsewhere, Elle kicked at the leaves as she walked through the forest, pleased to find somewhat of a gentle peace from the chaos she'd been dragged into. She half expected someone to come and drag her back, grateful when no one did so, and she ventured further away from the house than she'd ever been before, trying to push the apparent events of both last night and the current morning out of her mind. That was really the last thing she needed.
A choosing sound made her sigh and turn around, and she was surprised when she saw the oldest brother, Finn, standing behind her, not any of his wretched siblings. She smiled slightly. Out of all of them, he was the only one she had no quarrel with and had experienced the least interaction with. "I'm only taking a walk." She stated and he gave a smile that put her on edge, as if he didn't care what she was doing, and before she knew what was happening, he rushed her, and the dark returned.
When she came to, she was laying on the floor of an old, clearly abandoned house, and both Finn and Esther were staring at her, waiting for her to fully gain her senses back. She did so quickly and shuffled backwards away from them. "What do you want with me?" She asked, almost dreading the answer. It more than likely wasn't to just talk about life, she mused mentally.
Esther took a step forward, Finn remaining where he was but still keeping a close eye on her. "I'm going to put an end to my family," she explained simply, and Elle couldn't believe how a mother could just easily say that considering both of her mothers had given their lives to save hers. "You're going to help me."
Elle shook her head. "No I'm not whatsoever. What you want to do with your children is your business and I refuse to be dragged into another thing to do with your God damn family." She replied firmly and the woman before her gave a soft laugh. "A little too late now, Ellevira. What happened last night was designed to link yourself and Niklaus together so he will be killed more easily. You're linked to him." She revealed and the raven haired human narrowed her eyes. "You made me do that last night? How dare you!" She hissed, springing to her feet. Finn moved before she could blink and grabbed her before she could do anything.
Esther walked forward until she was mere inches away. "I merely encouraged your innermost desires, my dear child. You hate Nikolaus, but there's also something deep within your heart, a small part of you that still loves my son. I held that love there too, before he ripped my heart out and lied to my other children for years about what truly happened. I merely magnified that love a thousandfold, just enough to incite that encounter between the two, and of course, Finn helped with some compulsion." The witch explained before placing her forefinger and index fingers on Elle's temples.
The feeling of being drowsy came over the ebony haired woman, and she slumped slightly in Finn's grasp, the vampire keeling her upright. "But fear not -you won't wake again, at least not by the time I kill you, and as a result of that then Niklaus, and then the rest of my children." She stated plainly, Elle's eyes filling with horror and panic before she fainted.
MvM
Bonnie Bennett, and her mother, Abby, walked up to the old witches house where Esther and Finn waited. Abby noted Finn. "Whose the creepy lurky guy?" She asked her daughter and Bonnie glanced at her. "That's Esther's son Finn, and he's a vampire so..." She festered to her ears as they approached.
"Bennet witches, come." Esther greeted. "I can think of no better allies. The woman who sent Mikael into his long sleep, and the girl who fought Niklaus so bravely."
Abby took a step forward. "Why exactly are we here?"
"You're the descendants of the great witch, Ayana. She was a mentor of mind and close friend, so I think it only fitting I draw from her bloodline." Esther replied.
"So," Bonnie began. "Are you channeling our ancestors?" She inquired. Esther smiled. "I draw from the entirety of the Bennet bloodline, living and dead. The connection affords me great power, although it is somewhat difficult to maintain. That is why I require you, mother and daughter, the bloodline made manifest."
Esther took a step forward and took one of the hands each into her own. "Tonight, my sisters, we will bring peace to the balance of nature that we serve, and for that, I thank you."
MvM
Stefan stormed into the Boarding House after trying to find Elena. "I can't find her," he announced, stopping short when he saw Elijah sitting by the fireplace. "Hello Stefan," he greeted, ignoring the death glare he was receiving from Damon. "He has Elena," the elder Salvatore explained.
"Actually she's with Rebekah," Elijah corrected. "As you can imagine, my sisters just dying to tear her throat out. So, if you want to save Elena's life, I need you to help stop my Mother."
"Well, I have to admit, when it comes to killing a thousand year old resurrected witches, I'm a little rusty." Damon sneered, and Elijah sighed. "Yes, even when unfortunately killed, my mother simply doesn't want to stay dead -not with the spirits of nature at her side."
Stefan walked forward. "What're we supposed to do?"
"The witches that resurrected my mother, she's drawing power from their bloodline and that line needs to be broken." Elijah answered. "Broken?" Stefan asked and Damon made a throat cutting sign beside him. Stefan raised his brow. "You want us to kill them?"
Elijah tittered. "You know, I'd do it myself, but I've absolutely no idea where they are. Besides, seeing me they'd immediately know my intentions but they won't expect to be harmed by the likes of you." He stated while getting to his feet. "In any case, you have until six minutes after nine to find them."
Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh, how super specific of you."
Elijah picked up his jacket. "By 9:07 my mother will have the power she needs to kill me and my family." He walked forward. "If you do not stop her before then, Rebekah will kill Elena." He swore. "So we all have our timeline; I suggest you get started."
MvM
Five torches roared with dancing orange flames, each one placed at the point of the salt pentagram. Finn emerged from the old witch house as Esther was explaining the significance of the spell to Bonnie and Abby. The youngest witch noticed the limp woman cradled in his arms. "Is that Elle?" She asked and Esther nodded as Finn placed the raven haired woman in the centre. "Niklaus would be harder to kill, what with his werewolf heritage. I linked both he and Ellevira together to make the process smoother, if you will. She was his first true love, and because of that, she'll be his last."
Elle was unresponsive, not even muttering or moving in her magic induced sleep. Her head rolled lifelessly to the side, her long black tresses partially covering her pale skinned face. She looked dead, the younger Bennet witch noted inwardly.
Finn suddenly choked, dropping to the ground as veins covering his ash grey skin. Esther glanced about. "Something's wrong." She announced.
MvM
Elijah, Klaus and Kol walked up the hill, Esther having ushered the witches inside as she sensed them coming. "My sons, come forward." She called, walking towards the pentagram and standing beside Elle, whose unconscious form was the first thing Klaus saw, his eyes going almost black with anger as he saw how frail and dead she looked.
Finn gestured for Esther to remain behind him. "Stay behind me, mother." He voiced but Esther shook her head. "It's alright," she soothed. "They can't enter."
The brothers tried and were indeed stopped by a boundary spell. Klaus looked at Elle, a feeling akin to desperation taking over his senses completely. "Let her go!" He all but roared at her, and Esther shook her head plainly. "But I cannot, and would she want you now, after you, so cold and ruthless this morning when she swore she did not remember that night before?" She hinted.
Gold and dangerous eyes flashed viciously. "That was you who brought about last night?" He asked in a furious voice and she hummed. "Yes. She did indeed not remember, something I ensured with the help of your brother. She didn't know what she was doing in effect, as I planned." She stated, an almost air of smugness about her as she saw the pain in his eyes as the thought of the raven haired woman at her feet being used as a pawn flashed through his mind. She smiled. "It also liked you both through that act, so once you are human again, she will be your undoing."
He looked to her again, trying to probe her mind only to find it locked off to him intentionally. He probed a little more, hearing Elijah plead with Esther to end this foolishness, and as the flames around them roared, he failed yet again. He looked up and as he made to move forward and kill the Original Witch yet again, he was met with her absence.
Elle made a gasping sound as though air had rushed back into her lungs, scrambling to sit up as she pressed a hand to her chest to calm herself. Klaus crouched beside her, hovering should she need assistance of any kind. Her eyes began to water, but she withheld her tears, glancing around the forest and at the abandoned house that she'd been in earlier from where she sat on the floor, dirty and weary of what would come next. She glanced at the hybrid next to her, and he held out his hand, a slight, subtle tilt of the lips all the reassurance she needed that it was all over. "C'mon love, let's go home."
MvM
A hot drink was eased into her shaking hands before the hybrid resumed burning what looked like sketches of the blonde woman she'd seen a few times before, Caroline, she thought her name was.
It was strange; he'd not uttered another word to her since they came back, and yet he was making sure she was alright. She took a sip of the rich and smooth hot drink that was sweet and delightful to taste. Chocolate, she believed it was from overhearing him talking to Rebekah as it was being made.
He turned back slightly and looked at her. She was still shaken up, a steaming mug clutched between her trembling hands as he ridded himself of the stupid sketches he'd done of Caroline in an attempt to move on from Elle after she'd outright refused him that morning. He didn't need the blonde anymore, he had realised. She had only been a very short lived distraction from what he had really wanted. He gestured for her to scoot over, and she did so silently, hesitating but leaning into the arm he offered, too tired to resist and too exhausted plus emotionally drained to refuse and fight about it. There had been enough drama for one day.
He was warm and the familiar smell she'd grown used to back in the 16th century was still there, calming her to the point of which he actually removed the mug from her loosening hands so it wouldn't drop and stain his ancient rug beneath their feet. Her eyes drooped, and her head tucked under his. "She said something before she rendered me unconscious." She whispered, voice laced with drowsiness.
He propped himself up slightly and looked at her. "Whatever it is, Elle, ignore the cretin." He stated but she shook her head, leaning back to look at him. "Let me speak, please." She pleaded and brows furrowed, he nodded.
Elle took a deep breath. "She said that although Finn helped with some compulsion, whatever that is, last night couldn't of taken place if deep down I still didn't hold some emotions other than hate for you. I saw you in my mind, but it was like a dream. I couldn't remember before she rendered me in a deep sleep, but it all seemed to come rushing back." She stated.
Klaus looked at her. "You have good reason to hate me, I admit." He confessed. She nodded with weary blue eyes. "I cannot remain idle and watch as you pull away from me, Elle. I want things to be how they were, all those centuries ago, when we were happy in spite of what everyone thought."
"It isn't that simple anymore though," she whispered softly. "I know the horrendous deeds you committed when I was a mere infant. You slaughtered my family without knowing the true tale behind their actions. They did it to save me from your father. I mightn't of been Helena's true daughter, but she was the only mother I had ever known, the only person I had ever truly loved, and I know you took great pleasure in killing her. Five centuries on and I still cannot get the image of her battered, bloodied dismembered body from my mind. That's all I see when I go to sleep."
Tears leaked down her face; he wiped them from her fair skinned cheeks. "Then let me prove to you that my affections for you aren't false." He replied and she blinked back more tears. "So you can tear my heart out and into pieces before my eyes again?" She asked and he shook his head. "No, so I can mend it." He said gently, tucking her head back under his -she didn't resist.
She sighed. "How do I know you're being truthful?"
He gave her arm a gentle squeeze. "See if you can feel it through this supposed link?" He suggested and she shook her head, sitting up and staring at him. "No, I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me." She ordered and he stared her straight in the eyes. "I'm not lying." He repeated, and she watched, asserting finally that he was telling the truth. She nodded. "You have a single chance." She whispered after an uneasy silence. He nodded. "I understand. Is this where I turn on my charm and make you swoon like I did all those years ago?" He jested.
She cracked a smile at that. "I suppose so." She answered and he grinned just as Rebekah came storming in, her phone clutched in her hand. She glanced at Elle. "Can I trust you not to mention anything to anyone else?" She demanded.
Elle sighed. "Your mother just tried to kill me. I'm on your side, Rebekah, as much as we don't get along." She stated quietly, but she stood regardless. "But so you don't have to be concerned about my telling of your private information, I will take my leave. I've had enough of this entire day, to be truthful. Goodnight," she glanced between brother and sister, "both of you."
She slipped from the room, leaving the warmth of the crackling fore behind her, and she headed for the stairs, not oblivious to the tears that began to trickle down her fair skinned cheeks. Why, oh why hadn't she just listened to her mother and stayed inside all those years ago?