It didn't hit Freya until after Bonnie had left that maybe Marie could join the coven, too. That would anchor her magic and if they could link to her, then both Bonnie and Freya would be infinitely more powerful. It was a gamble, though. Wild magic was so unpredictable and rare that few covens would allow a witch rife with it to practice with them. Yet, some covens would not hesitate to try to cipher that power. It really depended on the ancestors or natural spirits of each environment that the coven resided on. She would talk to Bonnie about it. They really should have changed Marie's name and appearance by now. No strangers got near the compound and they hadn't left, but with everything going on, it would be prudent to cut any ties she had left to New Orleans. Freya added that to her to-do list. Being a Mikaelson was a full-time job in itself.
Matt didn't know how he felt today. It was true that he had told Klaus about the party because he started to think it was dangerous, but the real reason was that he was pissed at Tyler. When Tyler knocked him out of that chair for a stupid joke, something snapped in him. Matt might have been a match for Tyler physically. They worked out together and played football and were pretty evenly matched, but Tyler was aggressive. He didn't back down. Matt knew about the curse and didn't want to die because of a stupid prank. So if he couldn't fight Tyler with his fists, he fought him in other ways.
"Hey man, going down to eat?" Jeremy said pulling on his shirt.
"Yeah, I am starving despite all the shit going on," Matt admitted.
"That was rough last night. I remember all the times Ty tried and actually did kick my ass, especially when we were fighting over your sister. It's like he's being that guy again. I mean, not all the time, but more and more. I don't like it," Jeremy admitted dabbing on some cologne.
"His dad used to be like that. Real nice to the rich and important people in town, no offense, but like your parents. To people like me and my sister, he was an ass. Not mean, but just acted like we were under him. Okay, fine, so he was a snob...But sometimes to Tyler, he was fucking hostile. When we lost a pee wee game, football, once time when we were like 8, he slammed Tyler against the wall and screamed at him for dropping the ball. Everyone was there, but you know, what do you say to the mayor? Those were the few times I was glad I didn't have a dad," Matt admitted pulling on his clothes.
"That's what I mean, that kind of stuff makes me feel sorry for him. But look at you. He grows up in that huge house with everything and you took care of yourself. You could use that as an excuse, but you don't," Jeremy pointed out.
"But I also don't have the werewolf gene, I mean not that I know of. Hell, did you realize we're like the only two normal ones in this house?" Matt smiled.
"Normal? I wouldn't go that far," Tyler said walking in.
Matt figured he would just bite the bullet and act like nothing happened.
"Well, you're still alive," Matt said evenly.
"Yeah, but barely," Tyler slipped down the back of his shorts on the right side to see the damage in the mirror.
Jeremy whistled when he saw the red marks and a few welted areas.
"Is that from the...belt?" Jeremy wondered wincing as he looked at the painful area a little closer. He also saw a small bruised area.
"Yup, but you won't believe this. The party is still on," Tyler said carefully replacing his shorts to where they were without scraping them against his skin.
"What? I have no idea what's going on. And you know for the record, despite whatever is going on between us, I'd never wish that on you," Matt promised pointing to Tyler's backside.
"I know, man. Thanks. But right now we got bigger issues than my torn-up ass. They think that the hunters will be coming the woods on the night of the full moon and the party can be a decoy. Draw them in and then capture them. Something like that. I think today we might have some paramilitary training exercises today," Tyler shared.
"Wait, you mean they are going to let us go to the party and be bait?" Jeremy asked surprised.
"No, I think we are stuck here with maybe Marcel. But we have to be ready to defend the compound if they come for us," Tyler shared carefully putting on his sweats and a clean t-shirt.
"I almost hope they do," Matt said flexing.
Elijah got up early and made waffles for Marie, who was the only other person up. For once, she was quiet. He thought he knew why.
"Why don't we leave these dishes and go take a walk up to the woods. You can pick some flowers," Elijah suggested grabbed a pair of scissors.
"Okay," she said following him outside. She had taken to wearing "normal" kid clothing like shorts and t-shirts. Sometimes he missed the old-time dresses that Delphine has preferred. They reminded him of a simpler time, or at the very least, a slower time.
When they got to the tree line, Marie blurted out, "My grandmother is dead, isn't she?"
Elijah stopped and knelt down to her.
"I'm so sorry. We didn't know how to tell you," Elijah said patting her arm awkwardly.
"I knew because I couldn't sense her anymore. Do you know what happened to the necklace I used to wear. When I woke up, it was gone," Marie wondered touching where the charm used to lay on her neck.
"There was a very dangerous substance stored in it. The ash of a white oak tree that helped seal the immortality spell that created us 1000 years ago. It is actually the only material on earth that can kill an Original vampire. I'm not sure what happened to your necklace, but it's what killed our brother Finn," Elijah explained, still crouched down to her eye level.
"I want it back," Marie insisted.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's possible," Elijah repeated.
"My grandmother gave it to me. It's mine," Marie whined.
"We'll get you a different necklace," Elijah assured her.
"I don't want another damn necklace. I need that one," Marie yelled in his face.
Elijah took a deep breath and said, "I think you are going to get your mouth soaped out if you keep speaking like that, young lady. Now, what is so important about this necklace?"
"Nothing. I swear! I just want it back. Something in me tells me that I MUST have it," Marie snarled.
"I'm not sure I believe you, Marie. I have a certain way of getting the truth of naughty Mikaelson's who don't want to tell the truth," Elijah said looking around.
Nicole did not want the truth spanked out of her so she decided to run. She made it about two seconds before Elijah easily caught her and picked her up.
"Nicole, I suggest you skip the tantrum and just tell me what you are hiding. It will spare my hand and your bottom," Elijah said looking for something he could rest his leg on.
"I'll never tell you. I'm not sure I know myself. You can't make me," Nicole screamed.
"We'll see," Elijah smiled.
He finally saw a fallen log and sat down. He held Nicole in between his legs as she fought and tried to scratch him.
"You need to let me know if you are up to something dangerous," Elijah cautioned.
"No!"
"That's it. I guess a trip over my knee it is," Elijah said flipping her over his right knee.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
"Owww. Stop it. Stop it. You can't do this! I'm not a little girl," Nicole threaten as Elijah peppered her rear end with firm swats. Since she had her shorts and underwear on, he figured, it may be a while before he got through to her.
Elijah was using 1/100 of his vampire strength.
"You are a little girl and you will be treated like one. Tell me, Nicole, what does the necklace mean?" Elijah said spanking her backside all over. Elijah was using his left arm to hold her in place and keep her bent over.
"Nothing! I can't remember it all," Nicole screamed now trying to bite Elijah as he went to bare her backside and let up his hold on her back. .
"Aw, you bit me!" Elijah said in surprise.
"I will again, too," Nicole promised as Elijah brought his large hand down across both of her pale cheeks.
Nicole screamed in rage and began to fight with a new vigor. Elijah didn't think she could use her wild magic because of the tea Freya made her, that he had given his this morning. However, he kept an eye out for forest fires just in case.
Elijah smacked down his hand on her sit spots and finally heard a sob.
"Are you ready to tell me?" Elijah said sensing she was close to telling him.
Elijah smacked her a few more times in a random pattern to prevent her from knowing what to expect. She kicked and fought for another minute and then went limp. Her backside was blotchy, but not even pink in some spots. He didn't want to actually hurt her, just prevent her from hurting herself or someone else. Maybe he had been too hasty? After all, this wasn't the evil murderess Delphine, but a child. Elijah pulled her up into his lap and hugged her. Marie wailed when her bottom came to rest upon his firm knee. She cried and he wiped away the tears with his handkerchief.
"I'm sorry, little one, Marie, maybe I was too quick to-" Elijah started.
"Wait, I remember it all now! I can bring her back with the necklace," Marie said blinking through the tears.
"What? How? That doesn't make sense," Elijah said in confusion.
"The necklace is linked to my grandmere's spirit, I can use it to pull her back from the other side. I may even be able to pull her ashes together to recreate her body. But there is one catch," Marie confessed.
"What?" said Elijah said still rubbing her back.
"She would be young again. Her hands would be free of the hex my grandmother put on her," Marie intoned.
"Wouldn't that be your great-grandmother?" Elijah inquired.
"No, I'm the Regent's daughter. I know this spell works because..." Marie drifted.
"She used it on you! Josphine LaRue did have a daughter with that jazz player. Then, the witches must have murdered you. She brought you back in this body, not knowing that they had..." Elijah was flabbergasted at the depravity of the length the withes went to for power.
"already body jumped the cursed Delphine in this body...So the last thing I remember was being poisoned. Luckily, I was wearing the necklace and when I woke up, I was here with you all. It has taken me weeks for it all to come back. It wasn't until you-" Marie stopped blushing.
"Spanked your behind?" Elijah interjected.
"That it all came back to me. I am Seraphina, the witch born in secret and scorned for my wild power. I never asked for any of this. I only used my power to try to do good and for that, they killed me," she sighed.
"My head is spinning. Are you sure that Josephine wants to come back? Isn't she consecrated in New Orleans?" Elijah pressed.
"Maybe. I will see if I can contact her, but yet I have no coven. I'm so sorry, I know all these witch business gets overwhelming. You all have been so kind to me, despite the-" Seraphina couldn't finish.
"Spankings. Yes, we're a bit old-fashioned, but we do love and try to protect our children and family with everything we have. Speaking of family, do you think that you could try...I mean, I'm not sure it is possible but-" Elijah stopped realizing that she was still on his lap with her pants down. He slipped them back up as she grimaced.
"What? I owe you my life. You got that beast out of me and now maybe I can't start a new life," Seraphina smiled standing and rubbing the sting out of her cheeks.
"Do you think you could help us bring our brother Finn back? He's the one Delphine murdered when the ancestors were controlling her and trying to get to our mother," Elijah asked, hoping for a positive response.
"I know the spell and I think I have the power. Yet, I need a coven to anchor me. I also might need to jump to new body, there is a big downside to being 12 again. My butt is really stinging," Seraphina joked.
"I hope you can forgive me. This is rather awkward, if I had any idea that you were a grown woman, I never would have-" Elijah explained plainly.
"It's fine. As I said, things are blurry for me, but I know that you all have been a great help. Since my grandmother died, you've had no reason to help me," Seraphina thanked him.
"We never turn our back on an innocent child," Elijah said offering her his arm to escort her back to the house.
Klaus pounded his fist on the table, "We need more time! What if one of these fools is in the Brotherhood of the Five? Where in the hell is Elijah? I need him here."
"Brother, allow me to contact the Salvatore brothers and this Alaric. We can see if they have any other ideas or bodies that may help our plan," Kol stated.
"That's a good idea, Kol. Yes, do that," Klaus said agreeing.
"I should be there with you out there, Klaus. You guys may need me," Marcel complained
"Marcel, I need you here guarding the compound. My little warrior, can you take orders as well as give them?" Klaus said standing and pacing.
"I hate when you call me that," Marcel grumbled.
"I hate when you disobey me," Klaus countered.
Freya cut in, "Bonnie is going to start the spell for my induction into her coven tonight. That should allow me to cast a spell of protection around any innocent human bystanders who are caught in the middle."
"Better late than never, Brother. Where were you? Hello, Nicole, did you have a nice walk with Uncle Elijah?" Klaus asked.
"Sit down, Niklaus, Freya...We have a lot to tell you," Elijah said grabbing himself a blood bag.
By the next morning, Klaus had revealed the location of Marie/Seraphina's necklace. He had it in the safe. Freya removed and kept any traces of the white oak ash power that was still remaining on it.
Bonnie inducted Freya and Seraphina in the Bennett coven. They celebrated by getting pizzas and letting the kids invite their friends over. Damon and Alaric came to talk about the Full Moon party, as they started calling it. Elena and Stefan were at the Lake House again and out of contact. Kol was delighted to finally meet Caroline and she was more beautiful than he expected although Tyler always talked her up.
Klaus was stressed and overwhelmed by the impending ruse of this party. He know how devious and clever hunters could be. They needed more time to train the household, but time was running out.
Klaus caught Tyler when everyone was sitting outside on the patio. He noticed that Tyler must have still be in pain as avoiding sitting as much as possible.
"How you holding up, Son?" Klaus said cupping the back of his neck and pulling his head down to place a kiss on his forehead. Tyler glanced at his friends, but no one was playing attention. Music was playing and it seemed like a perfect, calm, summer night.
"Sore, that belt really left its 'impression' on me but I'm good. Freya tested out some disgusting potions on me before her coven ceremony. The wolfsbane doesn't burn, but just makes me sick," Tyler admitted.
"I"m sorry you have to deal with all this. I meant to do this earlier," Klaus bit into his wrist and lifted his arm to Tyler offered him his powerful and healing blood. He knew he had been hard on Tyler last night, but he couldn't abide leaving marks on his children. That was what Mikael had done to him.
For a second, it crossed Tyler's mind to refuse, but even now he felt an unpleasant aching heat and itch in his backside. He drank only a small amount and felt a cool tingle in his posterior.
"Thanks, Dad. Wow, I can feel it working already," Tyler said in amazement.
Klaus pulled him into a tight hug.
"Last night, I-, I'm just glad you're okay. That you are all okay. Are you and Matthew still in a row?" Klaus inquired.
"He's talking to me, but I feel like he's a little disgusted and maybe even afraid of me. That hurts, but I don't blame him. I feel like the only thing I can do is to earn his trust back over time," Tyler admitted.
"It will work out. Let's get through tomorrow and make sure everyone is safe. I just, wanted to make sure you were okay. I didn't want to do that and I hope I never have to do that again," Klaus said referring to the harsh disciple he had doled out after finding out Tyler was planning the party.
"You won't. I swear, not to me," Tyler promised sincerely.
Klaus smiled and said, "Good. Go ahead, go talk to your friends. Have fun."