We ended up in a place called the Garden, where Marcel liked to keep his rule breaking vampires to suffer the effects of desiccation slowly and painfully, most of them buried in the ground up to their necks, but others were walled in with barely any light and hardly any room to move. This was…intense. I actually felt sorry for them, but then I had to wonder what exactly they had done to deserve this kind of punishment in the first place. "Oh, don't worry. They're not really dead, just really hungry…and I'm not helping." Josh realised as he saw Tim's ghastly expression from the shock and horror of the sights around him.
"You think my brother Nik is awful? Marcel learned from the best." Rebekah announced as she confidently strode inside. "This is how he treats his so-called friends who betray him. Most of what these poor souls did is no worse than what Josh did. Take Thierry, for example." Walking over to one particular vampire, he looked fresher than most, not quite fully dried out from blood. "He was Marcel's most trusted friend. Klaus tricked him into breaking one of Marcel's rules. Marcel knows this, and yet he keeps Thierry locked in here day after day, suffering."
"This is insane." Tim whispered, clutching his violin against him like it was his only protection as I looked down, making sure not to step on anyone.
"And creepy." A hand groped at me, too weak to actually break free but still desperate from the scent of blood that we were carrying with us. I'll admit, it made me shudder.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you need to know who you're dealing with, who you can trust." Answering Davina's question bluntly, the both of us watched as she started to hyperventilate, struggling with everything but before anyone else could go to comfort her, Tim moved over with soft administrations and even pulled a bottle of water from his pocket.
"Hey, hey, it's gonna be okay. I mean, you're gonna be all right. Here. Drink something." She managed a smile at him before twisting the cap off and drinking it, taking deep breaths after in order to calm down as Bekah continued.
"Davina, both you and I have been lied to and taken advantage of by Marcel and Klaus. Maybe together, we can get a little payback."
"Easy there Bekah. Let's not jump into anything too soon, alright? Give her time to get her head around this." I said to my friend, but just at that moment Tim started to cough. I thought nothing of it, I mean it was really dusty and dingy down here, but then he continued to cough, pulling at his collar before he then collapsed to his knees so suddenly that for a moment, I though maybe he had just fainted, making all of us look at him sharply with alarm. The hell? Davina rushed to him with concern, all of us moving in closer as he struggled for air.
"It was Klaus. He made me do it. I didn't even know what I was doing until I made you…" Oh god, what did Nik do?
"Made her what?" All of us stared fearfully at Tim, dreading the answer as I quickly picked my way through the garden of vampire heads in order to reach him, my hand grasping hold of his shoulder as the truth came out, realising just how far Nik was willing to go to eliminate a threat.
"Drink." My eyes widened, looking to the water bottle which now lay abandoned as Bekah breathed in shock.
"Klaus poisoned the water." Seeing that I was running out of time, I quickly held Tim's head and made him lie down, promising that everything was going to be okay before holding out a hand, yelling for Josh to bring me the water. He jumped to do so, snapping out of his stupor and the moment I had it, I twisted off the cap in order to sniff it, trying to figure out the poison as I then poured some into my hand, threading it through my fingers and making my magic flow through it in order to figure out what the components were so that I could isolate the toxins.
"Tim?" As Tim struggled to breathe, Davina suddenly grew dizzy too, coughing and swaying so I swiftly pulled her against me, tucking her in close.
"Easy, easy, I got you. I've got you Davina, you're going to be okay. Lie down and I'll take care of everything." Trying my best to comfort her and keep her calm, I lay her down beside Tim who was now losing the colour in his face, going blue at the lips. "Okay. Okay here we go. Try vampire blood, it might help slow the poison." Rebekah was quick to help, biting into her wrist in order to feed Davina and after seeing what she was doing, Josh did the same to give some to Tim but I could already tell it wasn't working. "You guys need to step back. I'll have to do this old school." Taking a deep breath, I held my hands out over the both of them, closing my eyes before starting to chant. Around us a circle of fire burst into life, the flames crackling with life as I poured my magic into my spells, speaking in a language no one today other than myself would understand. I called upon the spirits to give them strength to live long enough for me to cure the poison. When I get a hold of Nik, I might kill him myself for this. Distantly I was aware of Bekah's phone ringing and when she answered, Nik demanded to know where she was.
"I'm with Davina, and she's dying because of your treachery." Yeah, definitely gonna kill him for this. "Just tell me how to cure her. Vampire blood isn't working and Lia is trying to stop the poison with magic. It'll save her a lot of energy and time if you just give us the antidote." There was another pause where Nik answered, and judging by Bekah's fury it wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. "For both of them, you diabolical bastard. They're children! We could've dealt with her fairly." Nik was anything but fair, and I was so enraged with him that I felt like I could just rip this entire city off the face of the earth with just a snap of my fingers.
Drawing upon the fire, I used it to help purify them both, driving the toxins out of their body by making them sweat though they both groaned and writhed in pain side by side. I hated the fact I was hurting them, but it was the only way. Now that I had at least stabilised them, I could at least work on an antidote. Continuing to murmur, life began to flourish on the ground, plants, herbs and flowers blooming underfoot which made Josh stagger back in shock, staring in alarm. "How is she doing that?!"
"Oh stop your fussing, it's nature magic. Lia can grow any plant she's touched before. She spent a whole summer searching down every damn herb, flower and vegetation she could lay her hands on. She has hundreds, possibly even thousands tucked away in there." Rebekah explained as the plants continued to grow, allowing me time to try and deal with the symptoms of the poison. It seemed to target the lungs and throat, cutting off the ability to breathe so I cast a spell to increase the oxygen around them so that even the lightest gasps for air would sustain them, though both had now fallen unconscious.
Sustaining the magic, I then directed Rebekah and Josh to pick the herbs I needed. Bekah was more on the ball the Josh since she had an idea of what most of them looked like, and eventually they were able to step over the low burning fire circle in order to give me the ingredients which I began to rub together between my hands, crushing them and drawing on the magic within them in order to pass their properties into both Tim and Davina. It had a stronger and more immediate effect on Davina, her own magic helping to sustain her as I then used light magic to heal them. It was such a strong poison that I almost lost Tim, but I fought to keep him alive, though he really wasn't looking too good. I was growing exhausted, and when Davina woke up with a gasp, I broke concentration momentarily to see her as the last of the poison left her system, allowing her to move and look around in alarm.
"Tim?" Immediately thinking of her friend, I resumed my chanting as I knelt on the ground, palms now turned upwards as I continued to call on the spirits of earth, nature and fire to cure and purify him, but Davina only saw how still and motionless he was, the blue lipped boy seemingly unbreathing. "Tim, Tim, wake up. Tim, please wake up. Open your eyes. No, no. Please wake up. Please don't leave me alone!" She started to sob, shaking him desperately before screaming in agony. Bekah tried to move to her in order to console her, but Davina's magic started to go completely out of control.
The backlash struck against me and I barely had time to throw a protective barrier around me as she continued to scream. It was so strong that I just stared at her for a moment, seeing her clutching onto Tim who I was now starting to lose again. Seeing no other option, I cast another magic spell to send her to sleep, making Davina drop all at once, draped over Tim so that I could resume my task in healing him, though before that, I asked Rebekah to pull her off him. "She'll be fine, just let me finish here." Drawing a deep breath, I resumed my magical healing. Being human and normal, the poison acted much more aggressively on Tim, but I managed to drive it out and cure it, just as I did with Davina and when he took his first breath, I instantly cut out all other spells.
The fire vanished and I dropped back, placing a hand on the ground in order to balance myself and take a minute to recover as Tim lashed out in confusion and fear. "It's okay, you're okay. You're safe." Josh helpfully went to him in order to explain, Bekah still holding Davina in her arms. "You just drank poison, but you're all better now."
"You'll have to compel him to forget about this." I said slowly, dragging deep, ragged breaths into my body. "Forget everything. Niklaus, Davina, the poison…everything."
"Are…are you sure?" Josh worried, but Bekah agreed with me.
"He won't be safe unless he forgets. Besides, it'll probably be best if we tell my brother that the boy died. That way, he won't go looking for him again to use him as leverage against Davina. Here, I'll do it. Watch and learn." Carefully depositing Davina into Josh's care for the time being, Rebekah grabbed hold of the still panicking Timothy in order to compel him. "Forget everything you saw today. You went to the festival, played your violin and had a wonderful time before going home. You never saw Davina, you were never poisoned and you have never heard the name Niklaus Mikaelson before."
His eyes grew hazy and unfocused for a second, the compulsion taking affect. Rebekah then told him to go home and also forget about this place and how he got there, giving him a cheery pat before sending him on his way with his violin and bow, leaving the poison behind. I grabbed it and poured it out before tossing the bottle away, still angry beyond words or comprehension at Nik. "We should go. She needs to rest and regain her strength." Bekah helped me up, making sure that I was alright and that I could walk before taking Davina back again. Josh lingered with us for a while, walking us through the busy streets and jumped to help me whenever I stumbled, which I appreciated. He's such a nice guy. I'll have to see about getting him a daylight ring so he can escape before Nik gets a hold of him.
When we were in sight of the compound, I gave Josh the all clear to go back into hiding before the sun could come up, meaning that Rebekah and I returned together into the compound with Davina in her arms. Seeing the girl, Marcel immediately moved over to us, looking worried to see her unconscious. "Is she okay?"
"She's devastated and exhausted." Bekah answered him shortly before looking around. "Where's her room?"
"No. I got her." Holding out his arms for her, Bekah gave Marcel a steady glare before he insisted, sounding earnest and sincere. "I got her." Gradually Bekah turned Davina over and I watched the girl intently as she was then carried away, seeing the soft falls of her wavy hair against Marcel's shoulder and wondering how anyone could ever even dream of hurting such an innocent and sweet child. My answer stood across the courtyard, he and Elijah standing opposite Rebekah and I. My friend said nothing, probably too disappointed in her brother to even know what to say and simply turned around and left, leaving me to face them.
"Ophelia my dear, are you alright?" Elijah started, making a step towards me but I held up my hand with a bitter expression, making him halt immediately as I came further into the courtyard.
"Come now sweetheart, there's no need for…" Whatever Nik was about to say was lost as his throat suddenly closed up, my raised hand now directly magic at him as I wanted him to feel every pit of pain and fear that those kids had suffered through when he'd conspired to poison them. He choked, gasping at air he couldn't breathe in before falling to his knees as I towered over him.
"They were children, Nik. Children. I know you're capable of many atrocities, but I at least thought enough of you that you wouldn't stoop so low as to hurt innocent…little…children!" Flinging my hand out at him, he flew backwards and I slammed him against a wall, holding him several feet off the ground as Elijah watched with alarm and concern. I was sweating profusely, struggling to even see straight but I was too enraged to care. "What you're feeling right now, is exactly what they felt. They couldn't breathe, their lungs burned, soon they'll start filling up with blood and then they'll choke. How could you, Nik? How could you?!"
"Ophelia please, you must consider your own wellbeing…" Elijah begged me so I shot him a glare as I continued to punish Nik for this act that I would never forgive.
"Of course you only care about the little one, Eli. What about those kids Nik poisoned? He nearly killed Davina, she might have died had I not been there."
"That's not true, Ophelia, of course I care but I promise you, I had no idea what Niklaus was planning. If I had known, I would have stopped it. You have my word. Please, please calm down." Studying Elijah closely, I saw some reason to what he was saying, and he'd given me his word so after a moment, I let Nik drop. I wasn't going to give him a soft landing, and when he collapsed he rasped for air, coughing and spluttering as I then let my arms drop to my side, barely holding it together as my head swam. I thought my vision was blurred because of the exhaustion, but when I felt warm wetness starting to gather, I realised it wasn't because of that.
"I thought you were starting to prove yourself to be better than this, Nik, then you go and ruin every good opinion I ever had of you. If you're capable of hurting children, then how do I know you won't do something to your own child someday?" Gathering himself up, Nik's eyes burned in rage at me as he pointed, starting forwards but Elijah quickly grabbed hold of his wrist and held him back, keeping him from getting too close to me.
"That child is my own flesh and blood, I would never do anything to hurt them!"
"Yet you hurt your own flesh and blood all the time!" I yelled back, flinging my hand out at Elijah. "Your brothers and sister, how many times have you hurt them? If you're not stabbing them in their hearts with silver daggers, then you're making them suffer your manipulations, your paranoia, you just make them suffer!" We seethed at one another, all memories of sweetness and tender kisses now completely gone as we faced one another as opponents, because there was no way after this I was still on his side. "Now, I give you my word. No matter what, I will not allow any harm to come to this child, I will always do what's best for her, and that includes keeping her away from you, Nik, unless you figure out how to put other people before your own selfish desires."
"You dare…"
"Come any closer and I will bring down the full weight of my ancestors' wrath upon you." Lifting my hand to warn him, I glowered, pointing at Nik as I trembled from the overwhelming fury that rattled every nerve in my body. "I will make you suffer as others have suffered at your hand, if you dare touch me ever again."
"Ophelia…" I couldn't tell if this was him begging or him threatening me. Nik's voice sounded so raw that it grated against my ears and I had to close my eyes against it. In doing so, however, made me lose any thread of balance I had and I staggered from the disorientation, momentarily stumbling but when I sensed both brothers make a move to come to me in order to help, I held my hand up again to stop them.
"Don't…don't…" I could barely speak, thoroughly worn out from the day and I hadn't even got the chance to enjoy the festival. Basically, today was just a really sucky day. Unable to even stand their presence any longer, I began to drift away, taking it step by step in order to carefully make my way inside and go to Davina's room. I knew that Elijah was following me, remaining a good ten paces behind in order to give me the distance I wanted, but close enough to catch me should I fall. I was fine with that, too tired to even care as I reached Davina's room and pushed the door open. "Get out."
Eyeballing Marcel as I dragged myself in, I went over to Davina's side then propped myself against the bed, kicking off my shoes in order to curl up beside her as Marcel backed away, Elijah now standing at the door. Knowing that Davina would be grieving the loss of her friend when she woke up, I wanted to be there to tell her that Tim was okay, that everything was going to be alright and that I was going to get her out of here, away from these people. First things first, I needed sleep and I needed it now. Shifting my arms around Davina, she sighed in her sleep and rolled over, curling into me where I hugged her close and closed my eyes, completely ignoring Marcel and Elijah as they watched over the two of us, silent and severe in the wake of today's events.