A/N:
Hi everyone. I hope you're all doing well...
I know it has been a long while since I have updated this story, but I think that Taking His Offer needs to be completed, which I have decided will be this month. 2020 has sucked, and I want to end the year on a high note. So, here it is...Chapter 50. Enjoy.
Erin
September 25th
Caroline POV
It seemed that the plan of distracting Klaus with a walk through the plantation's orchards had been a mild success. The tight tension that filled his shoulder's earlier had eased a bit; not much, but enough. He had always been the type to put the weight of the world on his shoulders, and today no different.
I could not imagine the pain and torment that Klaus was suffering with the loss of Kol's ashes, the impending danger of dealing Marcel, and the soon arrival of his twins into the world. For the longest time, Klaus had always been somewhat of an enigma to me. He was a dark soul, but had more goodness in him than anyone could imagine, if only they really tried to look hard enough. I was madly in love with the man, but there were some things that not even I could soothe him about.
His broad frame sat hunched over the grand desk that stood in the center of the plantation's study. A variation of books were spread before him, and a small black moleskin notebook filled with Klaus' undeniable scrawl of handwriting filling the pages. I sat perched in a window seat that was built into the north side of the long, rectangular room, a worn copy of Jane Eyre clutched in my hands. Yet, my attention wasn't focused on the well used edition. Instead, it watched the Original Hybrid with an intense gaze.
Klaus had yet to move from his current position after our walk, which had been almost three hours previous. It truly baffled me how someone could sit so rigid for so long, but it almost seemed like second nature to Klaus. I didn't question him about it, knowing he was too zoned in on his task at hand to be pestered by my curious questions. Knowing that just watching Klaus would result in nothing but burning questions in my brain, I decided to return to my book.
I cracked open the familiar, yellow toned pages to resume the story. Though, my eyes had barely scanned over the first sentence on the page before the smell of charred paper filled my nose. Looking over to Klaus' desk, I noticed a small flicker of a flame arising from the corner of the furniture. Klaus had obviously noticed it too, and a string of confusement flew from his lips.
"What in the bloody hell is this?" Klaus questioned the sudden appearance of a small piece of paper. He looked hesitant to open the small scrap of paper, and I didn't blame him. It was unfamiliar and we had no idea who the sender was.
"We need to check who it's from...why don't you open it?" I encouraged Klaus, rising from my place on the window seat. It seemed important that we opened the letter.
"I will...just stay a few paces back, love. I don't know what this will entail." Klaus agreed, but encouraged me to take a few precautionary steps back from the suspicious letter, which I promptly did. Once I was a safe distance away from the desk, Klaus carefully removed the piece of paper from the still smoking pile of ashes.
Unfurling the petite section of paper, Klaus was careful not to rip the delicate document. As he peeled away the layers, I saw a look of disbelief and what also seemed to be amazement fill his ocean colored eyes. I watched him curiously as he read the note, and his face morphed into a look of absolute bewilderment. When he reached the end of the paper, he let out a small chuckle, before letting the paper fall softly from his callused hands and onto the desk. Leaning on his forearms, Klaus seemed to brace himself on the table.
"What does it say?" I asked, immediately approaching the desk and placing my hands next to Klaus' elbows. He looked at me, a look of amazement still plastered on his face.
"It's from Kol. In his writing." Was all that Klaus managed to say. It seemed that he was still in some sort of shock from the whole thing. I gazed at Klaus in confusion, not believing that Kol was really alive. There was no possible way. I had seen his charred corpse, laying on the oak floors of the Gilbert family kitchen. Elena and Jeremy had killed him. There was no denying that.
Though when I looked down, I read the quick lines of handwriting that covered the soot stained paper with deep attention to detail. It was a bit smudged, seeing as the letter was written in graphite compared to ink, but I could somewhat clearly read the paragraphs.
Niklaus-
My dearest brother, it seems that Marcellus has been able to make the impossible quite possible. It seems that with the help of our good old friend Correntine. Or, Corrie, as she now prefers to be called. I've been locked away in a quite familiar place, unfortunately. But I was able to get you this message with the help of a wonderful young brunette witch. Pretty she is, that one. Anyway, I'm in the basement of the Abattoir. Come and get me, you bloody git. I need a good drink and a proper shower.
See you soon.
Always and Forever.
Kol
PS: If you think this is Marcellus, you never threatened to cut out his liver in a small town bar. How is that lovely little blonde, anyway? Can't wait to see Miss Caroline.
I looked up at Klaus, who now had a somewhat relaxed grin on his stubbled covered face. If I had to be honest, the wording and sass that filled the letter was strongly remnant of the mischievous Mikaelson brother that I had come to know back in Mystic Falls. Davina had obviously helped him, which meant she either had been caught by Marcel for her turncoat actions, or she really was on our side of this war.
"Are you truly sure that this is from Kol?" I asked Klaus, wanted to make sure he was unwavered in his final decision. As much as I hoped that maybe Klaus could be reunited with his brother, I still had doubts.
"Caroline, I've only ever told one person that I would rip their liver out if they made a pass at you. And that was Kol...this is from him, I am sure of it." Klaus had a small sort of smile on his face at the mention of one of him and his brother's encounters. Leave it to Kol to make some inappropriate comment that would lead Klaus to make such a violent threat.
"Should we get everyone else in here?" I questioned my boyfriend, and Klaus nodded. We needed to let everyone know what had occurred. I'm sure the rest of the living Mikaelson family would like to know about the rebirth of their brother from his own ashes.
"I'll call Elijah, and you get Rebekah from upstairs." Klaus reached for his phone, which was tucked into the back pocket of his black jeans.
"I'll get Rebekah." I responded, and left the room in search of the Original sister.
About thirty minutes later, three of the remaining Original siblings, Matt and myself, and Georgiana were gathered in the plantation house study. We were all comfortably spaced around the room, but a light layer of tension filled the air.
"Marcellus and Correntine have exceeded all expectations by raising Kol from his own ashes, in his own body. We may be facing a bigger threat than we could ever have imagined." Elijah was once again the one to point out the scholarly aspects of our current situation.
"If he's managed to raise Kol from the dead, we have no idea what or who he will get on his side next. We have to get Kol back, Nik." Rebekah held a sense of urgency in her voice, and I knew the shocking news of her brother coming back from the dead was causing her a myriad of emotions. It was affecting all of them.
"The magic performed by Corretine is something very dark...something that most witches would never even dare to attempt. If she has been successful in this spell, there's no boundary that she cannot cross." Georgiana was quick to give the professional opinion on the subject.
"Our first mission on this matter is getting Kol back. Marcellus has him locked away, and we all know that Kol does not do well in enclosed spaces for too long." Rebekah was determined, and Matt gently squeezed her hand.
"I agree, Rebekah. But there is going to be much more planning and strategizing before we can even attempt to infiltrate the Abattoir. Kol can manage himself for a little while." Klaus responded to his sister.
"He has the assistance of Davina Claire, who is obviously a very powerful and resourceful young witch. It is obvious her loyalty lies with us. She will be a friend to Kol in the Abattoir. We will use that to our advantage when the time comes." Elijah spoke.
"Do we have a way to communicate with Ms. Claire without Marcel knowing?" Georgiana asked, and Klaus' eyes immediately traveled to me.
"Caroline, don't you have a bracelet that links you to Davina?" He asked me, and I nodded, holding out the arm that still had Davina's bracelet that she had gifted to me hanging from it.
"Excellent. That will be a necessary part of our plans." Georgiana declared, and everyone in the room nodded in understanding.
"Alright then." Klaus spoke. "Let's begin."
Davina POV
I stood in my bedroom in the church, looking at the canvas I was attempting to fill with color. But there was a nagging feeling keeping me from expressing myself in my typical artistic manner.
I was praying that Klaus Mikaelson had received my message that I had sent on behalf of Kol. The youngest Mikaelson brother seemed like quite a mischievous character, but for some strange reason I couldn't get his annoying voice out of my mind. With a sigh, I placed down the paintbrush that had been previously poised in my hand.
Walking over to my antique style desk, I reached for one of the many sketchbooks that littered the surface of the piece of furniture. Turning to the most recent drawing that I had been working on, I traced the charcoal smudged lines. The high arch of the cheekbones, the piercing eyes, and the slim nose. A simple yet bold drawing of Kol Mikaelson looked back at me. My eyes looked at the details that filled the page, and smiled.
Though, my personal moment with the detailed portrait was suddenly interrupted with the arrival of Marcel.
"Davina!" He called from the stairwell that led to my room, and I hastily threw my sketchbook on the covers of my bed, and rushed to unlock the door.
"Hey kiddo." Marcel greeted me as he entered my room, dressed in a casual gray shirt and a pair of dark wash jeans.
"Hi." I responded quietly.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm fine." I kept my answers clipped, and went to situate myself on my bed.
"Not really feeling inspired today?" Marcel asked me, motioning to the half filled palette and abandoned canvas on the easel that occupied that far corner of my room.
"Not really. Must be one of those days, I guess. Artist block." I casually joked, and Marcel laughed.
"Well, I just wanted to check in on you. Do you need anything?" Marcel asked with a hint of concern, and I shook my head in reply.
"Nope. I'm all good."
Marcel looked at me with a cross look, but shook it off in the end.
"Alright. Well, I'll see you later, okay?"
"Yeah. See ya." I gave an awkward wave, and Marcel returned it before exiting my room. The door closed with a small click behind him.
Letting out a large exhale, I glanced down at the sketchbook at the foot of my bed. Picking it up, I once more glanced at the handsome face of Kol.
Please let me be on the right side of this. I silently prayed.
I hoped it was true.
A/N:
Hope you enjoyed. Update with be coming soon. Stay safe everyone.
-E
