***This was first posted to AO3 under the same username.***
A/N: This is for destellolunar, for the Klaroline Winter Gift Exchange 2021! I was given a list of prompt options, and I chose to write a drabble with the prompt "KC AU where they are gods," but not Hades/Persephone, although this could also fall under the prompt "KC royalty AU." It's rather angsty, but I hope you enjoy it!
Gods on High
She was brought before the throne, draped in simple but exquisite white fabric and gold accents. Her feet were bare, but a pair of golden manacles were clamped around her ankles, leaving just enough room for her to walk. She wore matching manacles around her wrists. A circlet rested at the crown of her head, although she needed no indicator of her status.
In ancient times, they called her Hera.
But when she was born, she was named Caroline.
She had been the Queen of the Gods.
She had been happy, joyous, and in love. With her friends, family, and husband.
Until she was betrayed.
"Queen Caroline, you stand accused of betraying your friends, your family… and your king. How do you plead?" Elijah intoned, a look of displeasure on his face as he forced himself to read the verdict.
Elijah was Poseidon, the god of the seas. He was also part of the triumvirate of justices amongst the Olympian gods, and it was he who had been put in charge of this case.
"Does my voice truly matter?" Caroline responded coolly. "It appears that my King Husband does not believe me, regardless of the truth of the matter."
"Brothers, please don't do this," Rebekah pled with both of her brothers. Rebekah, or Aphrodite, was the goddess of love. She was also one of Caroline's closest confidantes.
But the brother that Rebekah looked at, the one who used to look at Caroline with fierce love and undying devotion, now looked at Caroline with a dispassionate look on his face.
The other gods and goddesses knew him as Klaus.
Caroline knew him as Nik.
The mortals called him Zeus.
Regardless, he was the King of the Gods.
"The Queen knows the price of committing treason." He said coldly, speaking directly to her for the first time since she had been locked up in her chambers to await her trial.
"My Queen," Elijah said reluctantly. "If you refuse to provide a defense, then I will have no choice but to declare you guilty and send you to the Styx for your punishment."
"There is no defense I could give that would not result in the same fate," Caroline responded softly.
Elijah sighed softly, a regretful look on his features as he prepared to bring his gavel down to declare her guilty.
"Well now, it just isn't sporting to not invite your own brother to your party," a voice called out from the back.
Kol.
"Brother," Kol greeted with a sneer as he looked at Klaus.
Hades.
The black sheep of the family, Kol tended to stay in the Underworld with Davina, his better half.
But Kol also loved to stir up trouble, and he would intervene in the affairs of gods and mortals from time to time.
Like now.
"I couldn't help but wonder, brother," Kol remarked, "why Enzo would report to me that the King of Olympus was putting his Queen on trial for treason."
Enzo. Morpheus, the god of dreams, who could travel freely between worlds and communicate with both gods and mortals.
With the attention of all of Olympus on him, the God of the Underworld continued, "My dearest sister-in-law has very clearly chosen her side, and I can't see her betraying our family. Which leads me to conclude that either my brother is an absolute and complete moron, which is very likely, or that witches are at play, which is also very likely. But if they can get to our King and Queen, then surely they can get to anyone? You?" Kol spun around the room, pointing at random Olympians as his voice rose, "What about you? Or you?"
Outrage erupted as the gods began to yell amongst themselves.
"ENOUGH!" Klaus roared, causing the crowd to quiet down as they watched their king.
"What proof do you have?" Elijah called out.
The king of the underworld grinned wickedly as he said, "Unlike our king, I trust those I surround myself with." Kol took a look around the courtroom before revealing, "Hecate came to my court."
Bonnie.
Caroline's best friend.
Bonnie, who had been banished to the darkest shadows of the moon, an unjust punishment for falling in love with someone deemed unworthy of her station.
But the shadows touched everything, saw everything, and heard everything. And the shadows were fiercely protective of those they considered theirs.
And Caroline was Bonnie's sister in all but blood.
Chaos erupted.
In the midst of everything, a swirl of black mist appeared next to Caroline, growing large enough to encompass her.
A familiar figure stepped out – Enzo.
"Hey gorgeous," the god of dreams greeted her. "Bonbon wanted me to grab you before it was too late. Looks like I got here just in time."
Caroline raised an eyebrow. "So you both decided that sending Kol was the best idea?"
Her friend chuckled. "Well, no. He sent himself. But it's always entertaining."
She swallowed, looking around the room. Klaus was distracted by Kol's brilliant instigating. Elijah finally just spotted Enzo and appeared torn between keeping his mouth shut and speaking up. But it was Rebekah who made up her mind, for the goddess of love had spotted Enzo first, and frantically mouthed, "Go!"
"There will be consequences if I leave," Caroline said quietly.
"Not if you already accept them," Enzo responded, passing her an item she recognized.
Caroline looked down at the item in her hands, tears springing to her face as she thought about the consequences.
She knew that she was innocent. But she also knew that her husband was a jealous and prideful creature, and that he would not rest until those who had wronged him had been brought to justice.
Her husband had also been willing to punish her with the Styx, had refused to listen to her pleas for the days she had been locked up, and refused to sentence her himself.
So be it, she thought. He can live with the consequences himself.
Caroline knew, the moment she saw the look in her husband's eye, that he knew what she was planning. He turned, saw her, and reached for her, saying, "Caroline, wait—"
"It's too late," she said softly, stepping backwards and into the void that Enzo created.
As the portal slowly began to close, Klaus realized that the god of dreams had handed her a golden goblet, and he recognized its contents immediately.
Water from the Lethe, the river of forgetfulness.
"Bonnie will protect you," Enzo said quietly, keeping his voice steady. "And so will the rest of us."
Before Klaus could stop her, Caroline raised the goblet to her lips and drank the liquid.
As the portal closed, Klaus caught a glimpse of the goblet falling from her hand and he heard the sound of the goblet clattering to the floor.
When he blinked, they vanished, and Klaus was left standing in the aftermath of his jealousy.
What had he done?
He swallowed, turned to the deities under his command, and ordered, "Find her."
FIN.