This chapter contains no spanking.
By the time they got the cave, Klaus was frantic. He was hoping to be able to use his hybrid senses to pick up some scents. Right away, he smelled Finn's scent. Was he a prisoner too or a traitor? There was nothing from Rebekah.
Since Elena was driving Bonnie, she tagged along on the investigation. It was a new moon and the sky was swimming with clouds tagged in silver light.
"It's so beautiful tonight," Elena breathed.
"Not as pretty as you, love," Kol responded.
"Ah, thanks. Thanks not creepy or anything," Elena said under her breath to Bonnie.
"I'm going to do another spell to see if I can trace Rebekah from here, do you have that hairbrush?" Bonnie asked holding out her hand.
"Yeah, she actually uses this one to brush her hair," Marcel quipped pulling the brush with Rebekah's golden strands in it to Bonnie.
"What else would she use it for?" Bonnie said looking at Marcel in confusion.
"Nothing, Miss Bennett. Just find her for us, please," Marcel begged.
Marcel vamped around the area to see if he found any tracks.
"Singuinata Venet a Superem," Bonnie chanted, trying to reverse the boundary spell first.
"Did it work? I'll like to go in, but I don't want to get trapped," Klaus asked excitedly.
"Yes, I think you will be okay. Maybe test it first though?" Bonnie said glancing at Kol. If he got trapped, she wouldn't be too broken up.
"Fine, I'll take one for the team, Darlings," he said checking out Elena and Bonnie again.
"Thank you, Kol. You are such a gentleman tonight," Klaus said, gesturing for him to go to the mouth of the cave.
He vamped in and out with no issues.
"I'll check it out and see what I can find out. Kol, stay here with the girls," Klaus said vamping off.
"No worries, Brother. Ladies, I'm at your disposal," Kol said slyly.
They just looked at each other and laughed.
Kol paused and cocked his head and listened with his vampire hearing, "Nik said he found something. Come on."
A few minutes later, the other three were looking at the symbols Rebekah had carved.
"It looks like the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of..." Marcel cried out, then stopping.
"The City of New Orleans," Klaus finished.
"And this, it looks like the rune for...No, it can't be," Kol said disturbed.
"Kol, what is it?" Klaus said anxiously.
"This one time when we were human, I got mad at Mother for not teaching me an unlocking spell or something silly. I ran off into the woods to pout. I fell asleep in the forest and I woke up with this horrible burning on my arm. I looked and this exact rune, plus the other ones that spelled out Mikael were burned into my arm. It was Mother warning me to get home before I really got it. I ran like hell and managed to sneak in before he noticed I was gone and hadn't done my chores, but this was the same mark," Kol said passionately.
"Wait? Why were you so afraid of your dad?" Bonnie asked.
"He was what you would call, a bit of a head case now-a-days, plus he has a violent temper and a mean streak. He had a particular boar hide whip he only used on me, though Kol, Mother surely spared you a hardy thrashing that day," Klaus said lightly.
Marcel put his hand on Klaus' shoulder. It hurt him to hear about how cruel Mikael had been, especially to Klaus.
"Aye, it's the same mark, I tell you. I think Bex is saying they are taking her to New Orleans and Mikael will be there," Kol whispered looking faint.
"You know, the last thing Mother ever said to me, before Father killed her," Klaus started, causing Elena and Bonnie to exchange a glance, "was that she needed mystical blood to undo her immortality spell. Then, she could link us, kill our vampire bodies, and jump us into mortals. I didn't think she had the power to do that spell then, but now maybe, with the power of the ancestors. Say, Elena, did anyone ever mention to you that you are a Petrova doppelgänger?"
Elijah knew that the new housekeeper and her husband said that their daughter and her family lived nearby. He vamped over to their cottage and found no trace of them , aside from two piles of ash outside the porch area. His vampire vision could see little pieces of ash blowing into the wind. Was this another trick of Mother's? Or was this a sacrifice? Elijah would be happy to never see another damn witch again after this was over. He carefully collected the ashes and put them in a small box. He'd have to compel the family and tell them their loved ones were on vacation or died peacefully at home. He promised to give them a generous allowance although it was no replacement for two good people. Elijah vamped back to the house and revised the chore schedule. The boys weren't going to like this. It was too dangerous to have servants around anymore. Everyone was going to have to start doing their part.
"Yes, I know about Katherine, but I thought she was just a distant relative. I didn't know I was a whatever you called it," Elena said looking to see if Bonnie knew where he was going.
"Doppelgänger. It's extremely rare and your blood has magical qualities. Technically, you aren't even human," Klaus explained.
Bonnie interrupted and said to Klaus and Kol, "If your mother wants to kill all of you, she needs Elena's blood to link you. Then, she only has to kill one and..."
Kol finished, "We all fall down. Dear Mum, such a sweetheart. Say, I think we better get out of this cave. These ladies are getting cold." Bonnie had on jeans and a puffy vest. Elena just had on jeans and a sweater. Although it was summer, the night was unseasonably cool.
"So, do you need to go to New Orleans to look for Rebekah?" Bonnie asked.
"Actually, I would love it if you and Elena could come. I could look after Elena and Bonnie, you would be a big help." Klaus started.
"What the...?" Elena hit an invisible barrier as she tried to leave the cave. Bonnie was behind her.
"Elena, watch out!" Bonnie shouted as Ester did a spell to knock them both down.
The vampires could not get back in the cave. Ester was chanting and looked up at her children almost as if she looked through them.
"Witch, leave the doppelgänger and come kill us now. Are you a coward? You have to attack this young girl for your diabolical plan? What would the ancestors say about attacking the innocent?," Klaus roared with his eye turning yellow.
"My children, Niklaus, Kol, I have watched all of you maim and destroy for 1000 years feeling every fang and bite mark that your victims felt. It has been my punishment. I have come to free you. Help me and I will let you all pick new vessels of your choice. No more blood lust. Kol, you could do magic again. Niklaus, you could be the wolf you were always meant to be," Ester said as she sliced Elena's wrist and drained her blood in a chalice. Bonnie was writhing on the ground in pain.
"Just give us our sister back. Where is Bex?" Kol screamed.
"She's in good hands with your brother Finn. It wasn't very nice of you boys to keep him in that box for 900 years. He's looking forward to settling down to the normal life that I denied you so many years ago. Now, don't be difficult. Just come with me and all your pain will be gone," Ester coaxed.
"No, Mother, come out. Let us reunite," Kol said smoothly.
"Kol, I burned those runes in your arm with magic to save you from a greater pain. Let me do that to you now, let me right the wrongs I committed so long ago," Ester pleaded.
"You were the source of our pain and you ended our human lives, but our real mother is long gone. You are just a puppet for the ancestors," Klaus said growling in disgust.
"Now, we're talking about murder, my son, that is rich coming..." Ester started, but fell hard to the ground along side Bonnie and Elena.
Bonnie seemed on the verge of death, as well as Elena. With her last bit of strength, Bonnie choked out," Averte oculos tuos a quo exitus. Hunc exitus ab auribos."
"No, give me more time. I can convince them. They are my children. Please, just give me another week. Ahhhhhh!" Ester screamed in agony. Bonnie was chanting in a low voice as if in a trance.
Elena was able to crawl partially out of the cave. Kol dragged her out and gave her his blood from his wrist to heal her wound. Klaus said to Marcel, "Let's go get Rebekah, she can't be far! Kol, don't let Ester go! Call Elijah."
Elijah came to the cave with the cursed shackles to restrain Ester. Kol's eyes almost popped out of his head. So his brothers had his dark objects? Some of the ones Mary Alice and Astrid made back in 1920? Or at least some of them? Once Ester was shackled, Bonnie finally stopped chanted and took a deep breath. The shackles would prevent any witch from being about to cast a spell.
Kol grabbed his mother and led her to her car, pulling her by the chains. He refused to make eye contact with her. She seemed stunned.
Elijah then took Ester and popped her in the trunk of Klaus' SUV.
"Miss Gilbert, you look a bit pale, may I help you in the car?" Elijah said politely.
"I thought you looked at me like you all knew me. You knew Katherine didn't you?" Elena said.
"Yes, we knew Katerina Petrova from long, long ago. We also knew another, from your line, the lovely Tatia. They, of mystical blood, have always been in danger. Elena, you must promise me that you will be careful. I'm not sure that the Salvatore brothers can protect you. Would you like to stay with us and your brother?" Elijah asked kindly.
"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Mikaelson. I'm afraid Stefan and Damon need me, too. They have both vowed to die for me, though of course, I would never accept their offer," Elena admitted.
"I hear something," Elijah said suddenly.
"It's them. I think they found Bex," Kol said.
"Marcellus, do you have her?" Elijah called.
As Marcel came forward, they noticed that Rebekah was sleeping in his arms. To him, she looked like the carving of an angel. His angel. Though some might call her a demon, to him, she was everything that mattered.
"Thank god," Elijah breathed, smoothing back Rebekah's long blond hair. She looked dirty and had leaves in her hair, but uninjured.
Klaus was dragging Finn by his neck. He was bloody and banged up, but laughing manically.
"She won't wake until Mother wants her awake! Ha, ha. The joke is on all of you. You should have just listened to Mother and this would all be over," Finn cackled.
Kol announced, "He's out of his fucking mind."
Elijah vamped over and smacked the back of his head, "Really, in front of the lady? But you might be right." Bonnie was slumped in the back of her own car, holding her head in her hands.
"Let's get this lot home. I have some other features of the house that will come in handy tonight," Klaus smiled as his eyes glowed yellow.
"Oh, ah, the new housekeeper and her husband were burned to ash, so I drew up a chore rotation," Elijah smiled. "I can add on prisoner watch, if necessary."
Kol drove Bonnie and Elena back to their houses in Mystic Falls in Bonnie's car. Elijah followed in his trunk to drive home Kol.
Klaus promised not to start question Finn yet.
Marcel put Rebekah in her bed and watched over her. As Finn said, she did not awaken. He was worried.
When Elijah and Kol got back, Klaus came to escort them to the special part of the house.
"This is the first dungeon level. It's quite comfortable, but unescapable, just the same. I have Mother over here, after all, she was our mother," Klaus said fondly.
Ester had the shackles on and was further shackled to a bed. The chair was not long, but there was an adjoining bathroom. The chain retracted so she couldn't hang herself on it.
"You said she seemed to be under the influence of the ancestors?" Elijah asked.
"Aye, she seemed mad as a hatter. It was her, but not really," Kol volunteered.
Klaus nodded his agreement.
"I have Finn a level down where the accommodations aren't as homey," I think he should be ready to talk tomorrow.
"Mother will need food and water as a mortal. Are you planning on feeding Finn?" Elijah asked.
"Maybe just human food as well, let's see how he does without his animal blood," Klaus suggested.
"Where did you find Rebekah?" Elijah asked.
"Finn was loading her into a van, up by the highway. Honestly, he seemed as if he was in a trance," Klaus admitted.
"What kind of spell do you think Rebekah is under?" Elijah asked Kol.
"Maybe an herb or something like that, I'll go check on her and see if Marcel needs a break," Kol said without glancing at Ester.
"Kol," Klaus called out.
"Aye, Brother?"
"Thank you," Klaus smiled.
Kol just smiled and nodded. Elijah looked at both of them impressed by what he was seeing. Was this progress?
For the next week, Rebekah continued to sleep. Bonnie tried to get every witch she knew of to help or offer help. None would help a vampire. Kol consulted ancient books, Ester's grimoire, and even herbology. Finally, Bonnie brought several witches that her grandmother had known to the house. They couldn't find anything magical wrong with Rebekah. No one could and yet she never stirred. Like sleeping beauty she lay in the bed as the world went on around here.
Klaus beat, tortured, and taunted Finn but he didn't seem to know anything. Ester was in and out of consciousness and muttering nonsense. At times she seemed to be begging the ancestors for mercy. Other times, she begged for death.
Marcel packed a bag and snuck out one night while Klaus was in the dungeon below. He had to try to find a cure for Rebekah, nothing else mattered. He had tried to beg Klaus to let him go before but since that is where they felt Mikael was lurking, he wouldn't hear of it.
"Oh Marcellus, are we sneaking out?" Kol whispered in a sing song voice.
"Kol, don't fuck with me. I need to find a cure," Marcel angry whispered back.
"Mate, listen to me, if you can get into that Fauline cottage, there are powerful witches in there. Most are evil, but Mary Alice and Astrid just got caught up in the Mikaelson family drama, if you remember your part in it. If you can get them out, they can probably wake up Bex. Just try okay?" Kol pleaded.
"Fine, Kol. I will try. Just keep an eye on her. Please," Marcel begged tearfully.
Kol said, "She's my little sister, of course I will. I just I have to cover for you, too. You know you're in for a hell of a hiding either way. Probably me, too."
"Yeah, I know. But she's worth it. Watch over her, Kol," Marcel said leaving.
Marcel's guys seemed happy to have him back. He was inundated with a thousand requests and decisions they waited on him to make. He filled in Thierry and told him it would be a while longer.
Marcus swallowed his pride, put on his best suit and went to visit the regent. Josphine La Rue had eyes of ice and a heart of steel. He told her about Rebekah.
"As you well know, Mr. Gerald, as you like to call yourself these days, I can't be seen giving our greatest secrets out to our enemies. I will make you a deal, though," Madame La Rue said sharply.
"Yes, Ma'am, I will keep my guys out of the cauldron again. The Garden District witches can expand as they wanted several years ago. The Ninth Ward will have justice for their fallen in the last battle with the wolves. Just please, help me wake up my girl. I'll do anything," Marcel begged about to get on his knees.
"You won't like this, Mr. Mikaelson. Yes, I know who your father is. I met himself when I was a girl. Before my mother hexed my hands for falling in love with the wrong man, I was a violinist. Niklaus Mikaelson came to our house in his lovely white summer suit and lovely manners. He kissed my hand and complimented my playing. I saw this very moment. My whole life I have waited for you to come and ask me this boon," Josphine shared.
"How did you see this? I don't understand," Marcel stammered.
"I am a seer. I rarely see my own future, but that day I did. I saw my own death at the hands of one of their blood, not a Mikaelson per say. Tell your father not to undo the Curse of the Moon and the Son. A child of his own blood will result and many of us will die as a result of the lifting of that curse," the old woman trembled.
"I can't tell him. Klaus would be furious that I'm even here. With his father on the loose-," Marcel started.
"He will kill his fathers more than once, the ancestors tell me," She cut in. Fathers? Was this lady nuts?
"Regent, how can I save Rebekah? Please," Marcel asked again.
"You must step down as King of New Orleans for a time. Go to the Fauline cottage, I will grant you entrance this once. Go to the attic. There, you will find the only one who can help your wife," the Regent stated in hollow voice.
"She's not my wife," Marcel smiled.
"Not yet. Go to the cottage and take the one with you. Leave all others there to rot as is their fate," the Regent's voice shook.
"Okay, thanks. I got it. I can do this," Marcel said happily.
"No, you must also take my grand daughter," she begin to weep.
"Okay, fine. I'll take her," Marcel said alarmed.
"You must keep her safe. She has some unnatural talents, I cannot see her fate, but she is in danger here. If I'm being honest, Mr. Mikaelson, she's more of a danger to all nine covens. You must hide her among your kind so that my kind cannot...," the Regent wiped at her eyes with a cloth. Marcel noticed her twisted, swollen fingers.
"What, Ma'am?" Marcel asked urgently.
"Execute her," the Regent said.
"A kid? Your witches want to execute a kid? I'll take her," Marcel said with indignation.
The Regent got herself together and said, "Delphine will need a firm hand and much patience to deal with. Her musical and magical talent are vast, but her emotional maturity and restraint are lacking. Do this for me, save my grand daughter and I will owe you a great deal."
"Merci, Regent. Likewise," Marcel said bowing his head.
"And tell your father again about the curse, it must not be broken. If I was you, I'd kill the doppelgänger. It will spare you years of grief," Madame La Rue said walking out of the room.