Drenched in her own sweat and with the feeling of her head banging disastrously, Prudence rapidly shoots her eyes open as she begins to breathe in and out. She blinks up at the ceiling, her disjointed gaze receding to the point where she could make sense of the world around her.
Her rapid breathing starts to increase by the second as she lifts her head from the pillow to look around the empty bedroom, then out the window to see that the sun going down and she then begins to wonder how long she had been out for.
The feeling of distress and anxiousness clouds over her as she remembers what had happened in the morning. Slowly lifting her hands from the soft, silk cushion she pants heavily, wondering if it really happened or if it was all a dream. She never knew that she had that sort of power stored inside her for her to simply bring an original vampire to his knees, but its as if when she held her mother's grimoire in her arms tightly pressed against her chest, it had given her a surge of confidence and power to strike at him before she could fathom what she was doing.
"Oh God" she whispered quietly to herself, feeling the nerves creep back inside her. Knowing that she had attacked the most dangerous living creature in existence, she knew that he isn't going to take it lightly and she feared what would happen once she lays eyes on him again.
Prudence takes a deep breath and thinks of what to do for the next few minutes, before pushing the covers of her and climbing out the bed. She slips on her sandals and goes to pick up her bag and her mother's grimoire which is placed beside it. She wonders if they had looked inside it while she was unconscious, but even if they did, she didn't want to stay long enough to find out.
Placing the grimoire back inside her bag, the young witch then slowly tip-toes over to open the door. Once she peaks her head out the bedroom, she looks from her left to right seeing if she could spot anyone, and when she didn't, she carefully closed the door behind her, desperately trying not to make a sound as she knew they had super hearing and could hear anything from a mile away. She takes in another deep breath and places her hand on her chest on her beating heart, before going to tip-toe down the hall, while covering her mouth to avoid making a sound. With each step she took, she could hear the vast emptiness around her. It is quiet, too quiet, almost deserted even, that she begins to wonder if it was all in her head and if they were playing tricks on her. Despite the kindness she received from Elijah and Rebekah, she knew not to trust any of them, and after what she did to Klaus, she knew not to no longer expect that kindness.
As Prudence reaches the dining room where she had dined with them for breakfast this morning, she looks around, noticing that it is empty. Not bothering to stop and ask herself why it is so quiet and where everyone is as her only mission right then is to get the hell outta there, she quickly sucked in a shaky breath, before turning to enter inside the huge parlor. Seeing as it is also empty, she tightly gripped onto her bag, before going to run over to the door, trying not to look back as she feared what will happen if she did.
As she hurries outside, the warm evening air quickly etches against her skin, soothing the droplets of sweat and causing her to take a huge breath of relief. She closes and opens her eyes before looking around noticing that their carriage from last night isn't anywhere to be seen. Perhaps they had gone somewhere? she questions to herself.
Praying and hoping that they wouldn't come after her once they return to see that she is gone, Prudence runs as quickly as she could away from the large mansion and into the New Orleans town.
She strolls around town for a while, covering her face with each person she walked past. Of course she noticed the looks she would get and the whispers from people, it was hard to miss and ignore, afterall she is a black witch in a predominantly white town as this. This isn't the first time she's been looked at like filth ever since was banished from her home one year ago. The main reason why she went from town to town and never stayed at the same place for one night was to avoid being lynched, tortured or worse. Of course she could no longer die due to her curse, but that didn't stop the deep fear of suffering that she had running through her veins each day. She lived her life in fear as if she could die at any moment, when she knew she couldn't, but there were times where she wished that she would.
Prudence runs her fingers through the old fabric of her dress as she continues to walk further and further on the street with her head low, wanting nothing else than to hurry out of this town.
Moments later, she turns to walk round a corner, only to be met with a group of men who surrounded her. Her breath hitches as she quickly stumbles back, while clutching onto her bag tightly. She watches with heavy eyes as they slowly circled around her, and it didn't take long for her to figure out that they are vampires. She could smell the stench of human blood on them and could also spot them on their clothing too.
"What do you want from me?" she manages to speak up seconds later, as her breathing begins to increase.
"Its odd for a girl like you to be walking alone at this time of day" one of them speaks up, going to take a step closer to her, and she instantly knew what he meant by that. "Well... who do you belong to?" he asks, causing her fist to clench tightly.
"I don't belong to anyone" she says sturdily, as she tries to compose herself, but its no use as she knew they could all easily smell the feat on her.
"Well then that saves us a lot of trouble" he smirks, and she takes a step back as she watches him bring out his fangs along with the others.
Before he could use his vamp speed to charge and attack her, she silently gasped as he rapidly came to a halt before falling onto the concrete ground, and what she saw next sent her brain spiraling.
She shuts her eyes and opens it again to see Klaus standing over him holding his heart that he had violently ripped out from his chest in his hand. He shoots her a heavy scowl, before going to attack and kill the others with ease right in-front of her a few seconds later as Prudence's heart pounded watching his every move. She had heard about his brutal and violent killings over the years, but seeing it happen right before her very eyes is worse and more horrifying than she could've ever imagined. Haven seen enough, she turned around to run away, but before she could take a step, Klaus rapidly used his vamp speed to appear in-front of her, stopping her from going anywhere
"Please, don't hut me" she pleaded, while taking a few steps back from him.
"The only reason why I haven't ripped your heart from your chest yet witch is because your assistance is still required to me" he spoke threateningly, taking a step closer towards her. "It wasn't that difficult to track you down after you so foolishly ran away. Nobody runs from Klaus Mikaelson, especially since I'm not done with you yet" he mutters, going to grasp her chin and lift her head up.
Before she could utter another word, he quickly grabs her by the waist and uses his vamp speed to whisk the both of them away.
~A while later~
Prudence sits quietly to herself on the leather sofa inside the Mikaelson parlor as she watches Klaus slowly walk back and forth inside her. Ever since he had brought them back he hasn't said a word, almost as if he is trying to calm himself down and resisting the urge to hurt her in any way, but that couldn't be the case, seeing the type of person that he is, she thought to herself. It is just the two of them in the mansion, with no sign of Rebekah, Elijah and Kol and she just isn't sure how long she could cope with the thought of that.
"My siblings have gone to retrieve our brother's coffin since we didn't get the chance to last night, they'll be back very soon, until then you and I have a lot to discuss" Klaus finally speaks up, almost as if he could tell what she is thinking and maybe he could.
Prudence slightly scrunches up her face in bewilderment. She had heard them mention something about a coffin last night but it had completely slipped her mind. The fact that there was more of them and he is in a coffin didn't make sense to her, but it isn't her business to ask and even if she did, its not like this 800-year old, destructive, and extremely flawed hybrid would be willing to open up and tell a 19-year old witch such as herself anything, especially since he mentioned earlier that he didn't trust witches.
"If you need me to do the spell you talked about earlier I will, but please... please just let me go after" Prudence says, clutching her hands together as she looks up at him.
Klaus stops dead in his tracks to return her gaze, with a sly smirk creeping up on the corner of his lips. "Well that's just what I have a problem with. Earlier you had no idea how to do the spell, but yet not a minute later you were able to bring me to my knees which very few have been able to do... who are you?" he questions in a low tone, locking into a deep eye-contact with her.
Prudence shifts back into the leather sofa nervously at his striking gaze. At that moment she felt tongue-tied. Seeing as she didn't want to tell him who she is, she didn't know what to say so instead she sat in silence, which only made him more furious with each passing second.
"Answer the bloody question" he whispers in a dark tone, shifting closer to her as Prudence notices his eyes beginning to turn a darker shade.
She gulps nervously while also trying to build up some courage inside her. "Why do you care?... I promise I'm not a threat to you, I just wanna go home" she mutters quietly, placing her shaky hands down on her lap.
"That sounded almost convincing, if I believed you really had a home" he utters as she quickly snaps her head back up to face him. "A clueless young witch wandering from town to town with no idea with where she's going, but wanting nothing more than to get away... you have no family, or if you do you either ran away or were simply... banished" he whispers the last word trailing his eyes back to her as her heart begins to beat quickly at how easily he could figure stuff out. "So I ask again witch... who are you?".
There is a deadly silence that hung in the air as Klaus crouches down in-front of her to properly study her face. He places his hand on her chin to lift her head up once again and when he spots the tear in her eyes that she tries to hold in, he slowly removes his hand from her face and gets up. His eyes lowers down to her hand as she tightly clutches onto her dress to desperately stop herself from crying. He has been alive for 800 years and he had seen many people cry or be on the verge of tears, especially when they beg for his mercy and its never bothered him or drove him to care, I guess that's why he was seen as this heartless monster, but there is something about seeing this girl so close to breaking down that softened his cold, dead heart for a brief while. Could it be that he felt pity for her?.
"My name is Prudence Bennett" he heard her speak up a short while later and his eyes slowly begins to widen.
"You're a Bennett witch?" he asks as she slowly lifts her head to look up at him. "Your ancestor Ayana was a close friend of my mother" he mutters quietly. "That's why you were so able to easily bring me to my knees, Bennett witches are the strongest witches to ever live... but I still don't understand one thing" he says.
"What?" Prudence questions as she watches him crouch back down. For some strange reason then, she felt a feeling of comfort with him, a feeling she wasn't expecting to feel especially with someone like him. Perhaps it was the sudden change of voice, perhaps it was the new way he looked at her right then.
"When you fried my brain not only did I feel your power, but I also felt your life force which was stronger than any normal witch's... you can't possibly be a witch and a vampire at the same time, so help me understand".
As he finishes his sentence, she held her breath and looks him straight in the eye, feeling like her heart is going to beat out of her chest at any given second. She fears the more he looks at her the more time he would have to figure everything out about herself and that terrified her massively. She knew that he already saw her as a threat as she had brought him to his knees, if he also knew that she is immortal just like him, she isn't sure what he might do to her. Klaus Mikaelson is an extremely paranoid person and she didn't need anyone to tell her that to already know as the expression on his face right at that very moment did all the talking for him.
After a few minutes of being in silence and simply gazing at one another, they were interrupted, by the sound of the front door creaking open. They turn their heads in unison to see Rebekah making her way inside with Elijah and Kol strolling off behind her while carrying a coffin which Prudence instantly assumed to be their brother's. Prudence shut her eyes and breathed out a quiet sigh, before opening them back up to look at Klaus who held his gaze at her. She then wonders if they hadn't walked in, would she have told him everything?... as much as she wanted to tell herself no, she knew that wasn't entirely true.
~A few hours later~
With Prudence upstairs, Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Kol were in the living room.
Klaus sat on the sofa beside Rebekah while he sipped on his whiskey in his glass cup. His mind trails back to the conversation he had with Prudence a few hours ago. There was a moment he found himself being almost calm and tender towards her, something he never is, not even to his siblings. He had only known her for a day and yet he felt some kind of responsibility over her, he felt some strange need to want to protect her, despite not knowing everything she has been through, and the fact that he now knew she is a Bennett witch only added to his need.
Across the sofa, Elijah heavily fixates his eyes on Klaus, noticing how quiet he had been since the three of them returned.
"You seem awfully distracted, Nik" Kol spoke up, while sipping on a glass of blood. "Did something happen between you and the witch?" he asks.
"Of course you would be the one to ask that, Kol" Rebekah sighs, before turning to glance over at Klaus.
"Oh c'mon sister, aren't you the least bit curious to know too?" Kol smirks at her.
Klaus groans to himself and gets up before walking over to pour himself some more whiskey. As his glass slowly fills up, a thought came into his head, and he stops for a brief moment, before speaking up. "I've decided that she's staying with us for a while, once she figures out how to do the spell to keep Mikael away that is" he announces as everyone shifts their eyes at him.
Elijah tilts his head at his younger brother's sudden change of attitude, wondering what he and Prudence had spoken about hours ago. "And is Prudence aware of this?... we can't possibly keep her from her family, Niklaus. I gave her my word that we would safely accompany her back to her home once she helps us with the spell".
"Haven't you already figured it out already, Elijah?" Klaus hisses impatiently. "Why else would she be wondering by herself so late at night, about to go into a town that hated witches. She has nowhere to go or a home" he explains briefly. "Also... she happens to be a Bennett witch".
"Wait a minute, Nik, she's a descendant of Ayana?" Rebekah questions surprisingly, looking over at him.
"This makes sense, but did she reveal to you why she's no longer with her coven, Niklaus?" Elijah asks eagerly.
"No... but I'm going to find out, as well as why her life force felt the exact same as ours" Klaus replies as he quickly finishes his whiskey before slamming the glass down on the table, and going to walk off.
"She's probably still taking her bath, Nik" Rebekah called stopping him.
"It doesn't take that bloody long does it" he says, and with that he turns back around to head out the living room.
With only one thing on his mind, Klaus slowly makes his way up the stairs before he reaches the long hallway leading down her room a short while later. Her door is slightly open and he notices a light creating a shadow out in the hallway. Once he finally approaches her room, he peaks his head inside to see her sat on the wooden floor. Around her were several candles which she begins to lit. He watches patiently as she lights the last one, before picking up the grimoire she carries with her and going to open it. She flicks through many pages until she stumbles across the one she is looking for and he could tell as she shuts her eyes and breathes out a sigh of relief. Could she be attempting to do the spell? he thinks to himself as he slowly strolls inside the bedroom, causing her to snap her attention on him.
"You're going to need this" he says, reaching into his pocket to bring out a ring. "It belonged to Mikael, it should help" he states, before going to take a seat in-front of her on the wooden floor, sitting just outside the candles.
Prudence stares directly at him, before opening her hand for him to place the ring in. She stares down at the emerald gem stone in the middle wondering why he has something that belonged to this Mikael person in the first place. She places it in-front of her, and shifts her eyes back down to her mother's grimoire to read out the writing for the spell in her head. With each passing second she could feel Klaus' gaze on her and it only made her nervous.
"Uhm... I've never attempted this spell before so-"
"That's the problem with you, you lack confidence" Klaus utters, quickly cutting her off her sentence before she could say another word. "You're a Bennett witch, and not only that but you were easily able to bring me to my knees... if you could do that then you can do anything" he says, locking eye-contact with her.
Prudence takes a deep breath, stunned by his words and especially his gaze, before closing her eyes to do the spell. Moments later, she begins to chant the spell, but stops midway, not sure if she could be able to do it. She lifts her head back up to look at Klaus who shot her a look telling her to go on. She slowly nods her head and shuts her eyes once again as she starts the chant again, this time with more focus and urgency in her voice. After a while, Klaus notices Mikael's ring begin to slowly levitate in the air and he watches Prudence closely in amazement.
There's a bright white light that flashes through Prudence's eyes and takes her into a cloud of vision. She hears a familiar voice and quickly looks to see her aunt Beatrice stood in her room with an unfamiliar man.
"What is the matter witch?" she hears the man question in a stern and hoarse tone.
"Something or someone is blocking me from no longer doing the spell" Beatrice replies, slowly opening her eyes back up in bewilderment.
"Well you better figure out what or who it it, or else-"
Beatrice slowly turns to him and sighs before speaking up, cutting him off his sentence. "There's no need for threats Mikael, I'll find out where your children are in no time" she utters, before going to walk past him.
With a loud gasp Prudence quickly snaps out of a vision, before going to catch her breath not believing what she had just seen or heard. Her aunt was helping Mikael track Klaus and his siblings down and not only that but Mikael is their father? she had so many questions running through her mind right then that it felt as if she was going to explode.
"Is it done?" Klaus asks, looking at her with concern.
Feeling her heart beating out of her chest, Prudence slowly looks up at him and nods, before taking a deep breath. She just couldn't tell him what she had just seen or heard, and it is better if she didn't for now.