Circumstances
Pairing: OC/Rebekah
Summary: As much as everyone thought they knew, Jacqueline always managed to prove them wrong. People claim to know who she is, what she's done, what's she's been through - and yet none of them can see all of it. What happens when she meets a certain Original Vampire who sees every little thing about her. From the way she walks to the way she acts... but will Jacqueline allow her supernatural mate to see her past as if they experienced it themselves. Elena bashing.
.
.
"Admitting truth to others is hard. Admitting truth to yourself is super difficult, but accepting that truth, is what changed the game. The game of life."
TREDICI
Jaqueline = 18
Elena = 16
Jeremy=13
Jacqueline lugged the shopping bags out of the car and attempted to begin brining them into the kitchen on her own. Usually Elena or even Jeremy would help her but this seemed to be one more way that the two wanted to punish her for everything. Jeremy was either silent or quick to find someplace else to be whenever she was around him... but Elena had been very vocal about everything.
Hearing footsteps she turned around and spotted Giovanni Mancinelli walking up her driveway.
Straightening up, she watched the woman passively - once again unsure how to react to Giovanni's presence. As if Giovanni could sense her confliction, the older with smiled warmly with eyes shinning in understanding.
"Hello, dear" Giovanni continued smiling as she finally reached Jacqueline in the driveway, "I have come in hope of a conversation... to explain. I realise I shouldn't have been so blunt with the information yesterday"
Jacqueline blinked in surprise before she sighed, "Actually I'd rather bluntness than anything else - but you shouldn't apologise for the way I acted. It's been a rough couple of months for me" Jacqueline begrudgingly admitted
Giovanni nodded then looked down at the bags of groceries in Jacqueline's hand. "Do you need help, dear?"
"Nah" Jacqueline flashed a smirk, "I got it... Do you want to come in?" she asked jerking her head towards the house. Giovanni nodded and Jacqueline led the way up to the door before opening it and showing the older witch into the kitchen.
"You have a lovely home, dear" Giovanni complimented as she took a seat at the dinning table. The older woman held perfect poise, like she was royalty or something.
"Thanks" Jacqueline nodded as she dumped the groceries on the table and turned back to Giovanni. "Do you want coffee or tea?"
"Tea would be lovely" Giovanni smiled
Jacqueline nodded and quickly made two cups of tea that she brought over to the dinning table. Taking a seat across from Giovanni she - for the first time all day - relaxed and sat down. A hum of contentment leaving her as she got off her aching feet. It turned out that recovering from a witch fight to the death took more than just 2 days.
"You're about to turn 19 soon, right?" Giovanni asked sipping her tea.
Jacqueline frowned as she nodded, "Yeah, I am. Uh, you knew - my mother?" she asked awkwardly yet curiously
Giovanni nodded, "I did. She was very powerful, one of the few witches with enough power and control to successfully practice expression" The older witch smiled fondly at the memory of the woman who supposedly gave birth to Jacqueline. "She and my son - you're real father - they were Bonded... Blood Bonded"
"Blood Bonded?" Jacqueline echoed in confusion
"It's a different type of blood witch magical bonds. Blood Bonds are between lovers - it's more than what it sounds like but you don't need the details right now" Giovanni dismissed, "You're father was killed when he was travelling to another one of our covens locations. You're mother didn't know she was pregnant at the time... she went searching for revenge. Hunted down all the witches that were responsible for killing her Bonded. Loosing a Blood Bonded sometimes is too painful for witches... especially when they had been together, dependent on the other, for as long as your parents had. Miara felt her husbands pain as he died and yet she lived - it drove her crazy with a need for revenge. So focused on revenge that she never noticed she was pregnant"
Jacqueline leaned forward listening intently as she thought over the information. She had, of course, heard the stories as a child of people so in love they were bound to one another. But it had always just been some romantic notion told in tv shows or movies.
It wasn't supposed to be real.
Though, as she thought about the bond she could feel with Giovanni and the strength she felt through that - she knew a soul bonded had to be 100 times stronger.
...strong enough to send even the purest of witches on a hunt for revenge, as they should, when some slaughters their family.
Nodding Jacqueline hummed, "What happened when she realised she was pregnant?"
Giovanni's smile turned sad then as she answered, "Miara had been so focused on killing the witches who killed your father that she forgot about other witches who hate our kind. A coven of nature bound witches took advantage of that and she only narrowly managed to get away. Miara was bonded with the rest of her family and we sensed her distress through the bond. Miara was a smart woman, she hid for most of the pregnancy but she wasn't able to get to one of our coven locations. When she was ready to give birth she had to go to a regular hospital... however, in doing so, she knew other witches would sense her magic and find her... so she left you there. She named you Jacqueline Mancienelli and then ran, hoping that we would find you if she led the withes away"
That was... sad.
Jacqueline frowned as she remembered the way in a lot of the witches she had seen treated her when she asked for help. Whatever it was that made her magic different to theirs was clearly something some witches were willing to kill over. It was disappointing to find out that was why she had ended up where she had though.
"I was adopted by the Gilberts" Jacqueline said, "Why didn't you or your coven get me?"
"We couldn't find you" Giovanni implored as she shook her head angrily - and the dark look on Giovanni's face reminded Jacqueline of her own angry looks. Knowing what she herself was capable of, she decided she wanted to stay on Giovanni's good side from now on.
She was sure that a witch as old as Giovanni was even more dangerous.
Maybe it ran in the family?
"Why not? Couldn't you sense the magic?" Jacqueline questioned, "Isn't that how you found me the other day?"
Giovanni sighed, "Another witch had gotten to you before us - and considering the Bennett witches are the only ones powerful enough in this area - I assume it was one of them."
Jacqueline begrudgingly admitted that Giovanni was probably right. Considering Shelia had only confronted her a few years ago about it... it couldn't of been Shelia. Maybe Abbey? Bonnies mom had been best friends with Miranda right before Abbey fled town. Jacqueline remembered the woman always stayed far away from her when she was around.
"So that's what the whole - repressed magic, thing was about? It was a spell?" She questioned thoughtfully
Giovanni pursed her lips in disgust as she nodded. "It's those ignorant nature witches" Giovanni spat out through gritted teeth.
...clearly someone didn't like nature witches!
"They have no idea about our kind, our powers, our origins. They only know that we are different from them and so they assume we are abominations" Giovanni sighed
Jacqueline nodded, she had head that whole spiel before already. "What is our kind?" She questioned instead
Giovanni smiled, "We are blood witches"
"Blood witches? That sounds - well it does sound a little dark" Jacqueline confirmed with a small smirk. Jacqueline may not have had a name for what she was specifically. Aside from a witch, that is. Though there were just things that she knew about herself and her magic regardless. It was almost like her magic told her those things, assured her of the truth not the bullshit she was being told.
"Blood magic is not good nor bad" Giovanni stated. "It just is"
Jacqueline nodded rather liking the way Giovanni had put it. Most of her own views on the world revolves around a similar concept and she liked that her magic was the same. "How do I learn?" Jacqueline asked, "How can i learn to use magic?"
Giovanni's smile turned hesitant then and it made Jacqueline frown. Squeezing Jacqueline's hand Giovanni have a reassuring look before she said, "That's why i'm here"
"Okay" Jacqueline nodded a little more wary this thing though.
"Tell me about your life here?" Giovanni asked looking around the room. "Tell me about how you grew up?"
Snorting in dry amusement Jacqueline shrugged her shoulders and hummed noncommittally.
"Siblings?" Giovanni continued to coax an answer
With a sigh she nodded, "Yeah. Elena's 16 and Jeremy is 13"
"What about your adoptive parents?" Giovanni asked smiling pleasantly
Jacqueline shrugged, "They're dead... but they were never around anyway. At least not since Jeremy was a baby anyway. Miranda was a drug addict and Greyson was more interested in experimenting on Vampires and his little bimbo girlfriend, than being here"
Giovanni's face fell and the older woman looked so much sadder now. "I'm s-"
"There's nothing to be sorry about" Jacqueline waved the apology off, "we were better off without them. I raised my siblings just fine on my own - it was when they came back that things got out of hand"
"Out of hand?" Giovanni questioned with a worried frown
Jacqueline looked away realising her mistake. A mistake she shouldn't have made when in front of someone who could read her so well.
"Did something happen?" Giovanni continued
Jacqueline sighed, "My magic. It was spelled or whatever - I could feel it for years. Buzzing just under my skin; it was agony most of the time. I guess I got used to the pain after a while"
Giovanni sucked in a breath at that. Looking very much disgusted at the thought of having her magic repressed. Jacqueline only realised now, now that her magic was free, just how unnatural and disgusting binding ones magic was. The mere mention of it sounded equivalent to wanting to cut off your own hands.
"For years it had been trying to break free or whatever. I could feel it. Elena, for my graduation, called Miranda and Greyson to attend. Miranda only came for drugs and Greyson only to keep Miranda from ruining his reputation. Elena didn't know though... and Miranda was having fun dropping hints to Elena. We were in the car over Wickery Bridge and we were arguing. Miranda slapped me - and it was like my magic just-" she stopped herself with a sigh
"Lashed out?" Giovanni supplied with complete understanding
Jacqueline shrugged, "I guess. Threw the car over the bridge. Miranda and Greyson drowned... I managed to get me and Elena out"
Giovanni sighed, "This wasn't your fault, Jacqueline. You didn't have control and it reacted to your feelings"
They both sat in silence for a while as they digested the new information they had received. Jacqueline was curious about everything. She wanted to know more about her family, her magic, everything. Learning this was something she clearly needed to do if she ever wanted to make sure her family was safe. And even though she was finding out that she had been adopted, Jacqueline still considered Elena and Jeremy her family. No matter what they were still her little siblings.
Blood or no blood.
Giovanni broke the silence with a small sigh, "It's not safe for us to practice in the open. I came here to bring you back to our coven... As is your birth right"
Immediately Jacqueline shook her head, "I can't leave my siblings. I hid things from them... what Miranda and Greyson were really like. They're grieving and Elena is traumatised"
"I understand but it's not safe for you or them" Giovanni said, "Those witches weren't the only ones who want to see you dead. If you don't have control over your magic you can't protect anyone. I can't teach you here - the amounts of magic we would use could attract other witches"
Jacqueline sighed as she ran a hand down her face.
She knew what Giovanni was saying and she understood Giovanni's concerns. She really does... but that doesn't mean she would leave her family. However, Jacqueline knew that although she won the fight last night - it was only because she had that weird vision to give her the upper hand. Even then, her family had potentially been in danger just by being at the event.
And the fire she had lit on the living room...
"Okay" Jacqueline whispered
"You're doing the right thing, sweetheart" Giovanni smiled sadly. "It doesn't mean goodbye forever. You can still call them and visit"
Jacqueline nodded and pulled out her phone to call Jenna. They were going to have organise for Jenna to take primary guardianship. The paperwork currently allowed for them both to be guardians and technically they wouldn't need to change anything.
But Jacqueline was still going to have to talk to Jenna about it.
"What do I tell Jenna?" Jacqueline asked out loud, though it was more to herself than Giovanni.
...maybe she could tell Jenna that Elena and Jeremy needed time to heal?
That Jacqueline needed time to be on her own for a while?
Jacqueline had called a family meeting after her long conversation with Jenna. They had talked about everything, planned for everything. Thankfully Jenna understood why Jacqueline was leaving - at least the reasons regarding Elena and Jeremy. She had told Jenna that Elena and Jeremy needed time to heal without her serving as a reminder. That maybe it was time for Jacqueline to spend a little while on her own. Exploring the world for a while until it was time to come back home.
And she did plan on returning.
Blood or not this is her family.
Sitting at the dinning table she gave a small smile to Jenna as they waited for the three teens to get here. Over the past 2 months of staying with them Jenna had practically gotten used to Tyler being an honorary Gilbert. The kid was here so much that even Jenna hadn't blinked at him being invited for family meetings.
"Hey" Tyler called out to them as he walked in the house. Jeremy and Elena grumpily following behind him.
...no doubt Jacqueline interrupting the teens afternoon plans had put them in bad moods.
But she didn't really have a choice in waiting for a more convenient time. The magic she had used in her fight with the witches the other night - well, it alerted some people to her being here out in the open. They needed to leave as quick as possible.
"Take a seat guys" Jenna said trying to sound like her usual happy self but failing.
"What's going on?" Jeremy questioned noticing the sad look Jenna exchanged with Jacqueline immediately.
Jacqueline sighed, "What we're doing right now isn't working, guys" she started
"Yeah cause you can't stop being a bitch for one second-" Elena started
Jacqueline cut Elena off with a look and stood up to pace a little. "Look, Jenna and I talked. We think that you guys need some time to heal - and me being your primary guardian is preventing that"
Jenna nodded and said, "Jacqueline is going to stay as your guardian officially. I'll just be the one living here - being the primary guardian. Jacqueline is going to get out of town for a little while and once you both are ready to mend you relationships... then she'll come back"
"What!?" Tyler snapped
Jacqueline squeezed his shoulder sadly, "Ty, we can't keep doing this. I can't keep trying to chase two stubborn teens who don't want me anywhere near them at the moment. It doesn't mean we loose contact... I'm not abandoning anyone. This is my family - nothing can change that. It just means we have to videochat or text instead"
"For how long?" Jeremy asked looking very much like he was still in shock.
"Until your both ready for me to come back" Jacqueline said, "You both need to grieve-"
"Why!" Tyler yelled snapping loudly at that. "I saw Greyson giving Miranda pills to make sure nobody knew he wasn't the family man people think he was. Why would you need to grieve people who were barely around?"
"My dad wasn't a drug dealer!" Elena yelled back, clinging to denial.
"Yes he was!" Tyler sighed angrily, "He left you, Elena. He hadn't lived here in years! He was at Whitmore with his little collage girlfriend!"
"Enough" Jenna sighed tiredly when Elena went to respond. "Tyler isn't wrong, Elena. But he doesn't need to be a dick about it"
Tyler scoffed angrily while Elena crossed her arms over her chest glaring at the table.
"They need time to deal with these things and I need to give them that" Jacqueline said more to Tyler than the others. "I expect texts and calls from all of you with updates. Any time you need to rant or advice... I'm still family. I'm just going on a little holiday"
"Whatever" Jeremy shrugged and stood up, "I don't care" then he disappeared upstairs.
"I'm glad your going" Elena spat and followed after her brother. They all heard Elena stomping up the stairs before her bedroom door slammed closed.
"Maybe you should..." Jacqueline trailed off and Jenna nodded, standing and following after the two teens. Jacqueline quickly took a seat beside Tyler and sighed. "It's more than I just told them" she admitted
Tyler frowned, "what?" Then realisation crossed his face. "You found a witch?"
Jacqueline nodded, "remember the woman I told you about? The one who helped me after the attack?"
"Yeah" Tyler nodded
"She's my biological grandmother" Jacqueline told him in a whisper. "Apparently witches are born with magic. As in, everyone in that family has magic"
Tyler's eyes widened, "You were adopted?"
She nodded, "Yeah. Giovanni said my actual parents were killed and then a Bennett witch - probably Abbey Bennett placed a spell on me to trap my magic which is why they never found me until now"
"Shit" Tyler drew out on a sigh that was both understanding and frustrated.
Jacqueline chuckled, "Elena and Jeremy need time away from me, Ty, and so I'm going to use that time away learning to control my magic"
"I know" Tyler nodded with a grumble of dislike for the situation. "You need to do this - I get it"
"I want you to text me everyday. Call whenever you can, okay?" She asked seriously, "I'm gonna be back."
"Yeah, okay" Tyler agreed
Jacqueline squeezed his shoulder again. "The second you need anything, Ty, just call and I'll be there"
"Alright, alright" he huffed out a laugh. "I get it now. You're not leaving permanently... I can deal with that"
"Good" She smirked then stood and walked up stairs. She had already packed her bag after her conversation with Jenna this morning. Knowing Jenna had likely come to the same conclusion as Jacqueline had; that Jacqueline needed to give her siblings time.
Walking upstairs Jacqueline sighed and looked around her bedroom. Despite what she said, she got the feeling it would be a while before she was back here. Grabbing her duffel bag she threw it over her shoulder and headed out to her car. Smiling at Jenna on the way out as she did so. Jacqueline never really thought she would be leaving Mystic Falls without her siblings. She really wished it didn't have to be like this.
Driving to the hotel she spotted Giovanni waiting in the car park. "Hey" Jacqueline greeted with a small smile as Giovanni got in the passenger side.
"Hey sweetheart" Giovanni smiled, "You ready to go?"
Jacqueline nodded, "Yeah, actually. I think this will be good for me" she admitted before driving out of Mystic Falls.
Her biological family.
It was an odd thing to think about, the knowledge that all this time she hadn't been biologically a Gilbert. Suddenly Johns bullshit about her not deserving to call herself a Gilbert made more sense. While Jacqueline was a little disappointed not to be biologically related to her siblings... it didn't make them any less her siblings. A part of her - a small and selfish part - was angry that instead of having an accepting and loving family, she'd been given Miranda and Greyson.
And for what?
All because some ignorant witch thought she needed to take her powers away from Jacqueline. Cause instead of finding someone to help train her, they tried to rid her of any magic. Rid her of real family...
Jacqueline hated that the part of herself thinking that way, was justified in having a little anger.
Cause it wasn't fair, none of what happened was fair. What Miranda and Greyson had done wasn't right. Jacqueline shouldn't have had to step up and be a parent when she was barely even a teen herself. She hated that she'd let two people that weren't even her real parents cause her so much damage and pain. Jacqueline really hated that her 'parents' had been able to cause so much emotional damage.
Damage that couldn't be undone.
...but then again, if none of that had happened she would of never had Jeremy, Elena and even Tyler. And that's what kept the small part of anger - small. Because Jacqueline had never been one to dwell on what she couldn't change. She wasn't the type of person to have regrets or live in the past. Life sucks sometimes - but you have to keep going forward or it only gets worse. Jacqueline knew that from experience.
And she had learnt the hard way.
But ultimately she was excited to meet the coven, her biological family.
Jacqueline looked up at Giovanni as the older witch cast a spell on the forest set her own duffle bag on the floor for a moment. They had approached a large abandoned warehouse, graffiti and mould lined the stone walls. There couldn't have been a living resident for at least a few miles from this dead end location. Watching silently, Jacqueline noticed Giovanni send her a small smirk before the older witch rested her hands on the doors of the warehouse and chanted something in a language Jacqueline didn't understand.
It was interesting to watch Giovanni perform a spell, fascinating and awe inspiring.
It only served to make Jacqueline all the more excited for when she would be able to learn to do the same. Although - as Giovanni had forewarned - there would be months of theory to learn as well.
"Knowledge is power, Jacqueline" Giovanni had said, "And any decent blood witch must hold plenty of both"
And while in their 2 weeks of travelling together from Virginia to Boston, hadn't been the time for Jacqueline to actually learn any real magic. Giovanni had still taught Jacqueline to gain control of her emotions - emotions that prevented any magical accidents from happening again. There was also much to learn from simply observing Giovanni using magic and Jacqueline had watched with aped attention. Despite the learning that Jacqueline had done during their 2 weeks of travel, they'd both been serious in their effort not to lead anyone back to the coven. It was only then that Jacqueline really realised how much danger being exposed could bring.
They had been making sure to double back wherever they went, leaving no trace behind of their existence. They couldn't lead anyone to the coven...
...the coven who Jacqueline was about to meet.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Jacqueline currently felt more nervous than she was willing to admit. These people, witches, were supposedly her family and she still wasn't sure what to think about that. If there was one thing that Jacqueline's life had taught her its that; people let you down. Most people are only out for themselves, when it comes down to it they won't give a shit about her if it means saving themselves some trouble. People, friends, family - they'll take whatever support she can give them but when she needs it in return nobody has ever been willing to accommodate.
And now Jacqueline is just supposed to believe this time will be different?
These people might be witches but how was she supposed to automatically trust that they'll be any different - a group of people she hadn't, in all her 18 years of life, ever met or known of?
Furthermore, how can Giovanni assume that they will all be happy to accept her into their ranks - a stranger - and they're supposed to accept her as if she had been here the entire time?
Yeah... Jacqueline wasn't fool enough to think that would be anywhere near what will actually happen. However, she knew without a doubt that this is where she needed to be right now. Her magic called to the people she was yet to be able to see due to the 'cloaking spell' as Giovanni had explained was hiding the building. Even if they don't accept her with open arms, she knew that she could learn all everything she'd ever need to know here with them.
As long as someone was willing to teach her - she didn't care if they hated her or not.
Jacqueline wasn't going to allow herself to get attached to them anyway, not when she knew very few were ever capable or willing to return her loyalty in the same way.
Giovanni turned around and nodded, "Get ready" Giovanni said smirking
Jacqueline was about to ask what she was getting ready for when a wave of magic - comforting magic similar to her own - thickened the air and what was once a trashy looking building became a grand and rich mansion. Hell Jacqueline thought that maybe calling it a mansion was an understatement! A institution was more accurate way of describing the place that Jacqueline had been informed was one of many coven locations around the country. The place was the size of Mystic Falls on its own, the building could most likely fit thousands of people with ease. not to mention it was nothing less than immaculately fancy, with the white walls and they grey stone flooring. Gold accents decorated the outside of the building and Jacqueline got the feeling the inside was even better than the outside looked. Though she idly supposed that for the worlds most powerful coven of witches... that she would have been disappointed to see them living in squalors.
"You weren't kidding" Jacqueline hummed resisting the urge to allow her shock to show through. Just because she felt emotions didn't mean she had to share them with others.
Giovanni laughed brightly and smiled before mumbling another spell under her breath and opening the large, double wide doors.
Holy. Shit.
Jacqueline glanced around and found that the institution was nothing less than beautifully grand. Like nothing she had ever seen before anyway. There were people - witches, her magic identified - occupying the the large area for whatever they were doing.
"Let's give you a tour" Giovanni smiled kindly after allowing Jacqueline a moment to take everything in. "Then we'll do the introductions tonight at the coven meeting"
Jacqueline nodded, "Right, okay"
Giovanni led her further into the main room, a large open space that didn't seem to be for the purpose of anything. Jacqueline followed Giovanni towards a hallway breaking off from the large room, pausing a few times to look through the large windows to see into the gyms where a bunch of kids were practicing magic.
"Those are training rooms" Giovanni announced as they came to stand in front of one of the windows. On the other side was a gym like looking room. There was about 10 kids, all around 10 maybe 11 years old. "When the coven kids turn 10 years old they begin to learn self defence... non-magical self defence" Giovanni said
Jacqueline nodded understanding how that could be an important part of 'coven schooling' when these kids were at a higher risk of danger just because of the type of magic they possess. "Smart" she nodded shrugging and easily taking note that some of those kids were really good at delivering a punch.
"Indeed" Giovanni hummed in agreement before nodding for them to continue on. Jacqueline followed once again and peered into the widows of some of the occupied gym rooms. There was all sorts of training going on, ranging from magic to non-magic by kids of all ages.
"So is this like some sort of home schooling?" Jacqueline asked curiously
Giovanni nodded, "Yes. The kids have all sorts of classes and things they need to learn. The elders usually select whoever excels in those specific skills to train the children"
"Kinda like how we have specific teachers for specific subjects at school" Jacqueline nodded then tilted her head at Giovanni in curiosity. "Is it the same for subjects like maths or languages?" she asked
"It is" Giovanni smiled almost proudly at the curiosity, "We have teachers for all different languages. It really is a tough curriculum. Most people born and raised in the coven master over 10 languages by the time they're 18"
Jacqueline blinked in surprise but then with another glance around at all the high tech happenings she nodded. When she considered all the other things that were going on - like a bunch of 6 year olds making water move in the air - ten learning 10 languages just didn't seen that surprising.
"Did you ever learn a language?" Giovanni asked as they continued down another large hallway
"Yeah actually" Jacqueline briefly allowed a smile onto her face as she recalled Miss. Nadia's class for Italian. "I learn Italian for a few years - I'm not too great since I don't actually use the language much but I did enjoy learning it"
Giovanni smirked at hearing that but the older woman didn't respond.
Instead, they walked into an elevator which showed that the mansion has 15 levels, all as grand as the first, Jacqueline was sure. Pausing in the elevator Giovanni sighed, "The 2nd floor is the kitchen and dinning hall, 3rd floor is the library and the theoretical study rooms. The 4th floor is the activities rooms, 5th floor to the 13th floor are apartments. The 14th floor is the coven meeting room and the 15th floor is the armoury and the security rooms"
Again Jacqueline blinked in surprise at the information she was being given. It still felt slightly surreal but she forced herself to have no reaction at the current moment.
She could freak out later in privacy.
Although, Jacqueline couldn't deny that something about this place set her at ease... as if this was where she was always supposed to be. Like this was home - in all it's extravagantness.
"Where are we going now?" Jacqueline asked
"You are sharing an apartment with me... it was the very apartment that your parents had selected for themselves, but much has changed now in preparation for your arrival" Giovanni smiled as she scrutinised Jacqueline's forced composure, almost waiting for it to falter, and when it didn't Giovanni's smile grew wider.
Jacqueline didn't dare do more than blink and give a sharp nod of understanding to Giovanni's answer. She knew the woman had been silently assessing her and her reactions since they first met. Giovanni was attempting to get a read on Jacqueline... to understand and maybe even figure out how Jacqueline was truly feeling.
However, Jacqueline was an extremely private person in that regard.
Her thoughts and feelings were her own and she didn't particularly want to share them with Giovanni. No shared blood or powers were going to change that... at least not yet.
Just because Jacqueline had been given a second chance at a family, a place to belong, didn't mean she was about to give them a direct way to her vulnerabilities.
The coven meeting was supposed to start now and Jacqueline followed Giovanni as the older woman led her out of the elevator and into a huge - almost stadium - looking room. There was already plenty of people in the room seated and waiting. Jacqueline could feel the tinge of comforting magic in the air, it was magic that she had come to recognise as similar to her own.
A few people looked her way but Jacqueline wasn't bothered by the scrutinising looks she received.
She was an outsider imposing on their routine, she could respect the urge to protect what was theirs. In fact, Jacqueline new she would have done the same had the roles been reversed. So, she had fully expected the looks and whispers that occurred at her arrival beside Giovanni. Which was why Jacqueline was completely and honestly indifferent to the reactions.
Looking around the room she spotted more than a few families sitting together in the seats, parents and children as young as 8 or 9 years old. Elderly, teens, anyone and everyone was here...
"So? What actually happens at coven meetings?" Jacqueline asked curiously
Giovanni pointed to a few empty seats in the front row and Jacqueline followed as she sat beside Giovanni. The older woman shrugged, "We talk about all coven business. There are a lot of us actually, but we remain off the grid regardless of numbers. We would be under attacks so constant that it would get rather annoying if we didn't"
"How many covens are there anyway?" Jacqueline asked, "You said that some were in other countries too? There's already a lot of people here... do they all have this many people?"
Giovanni smirked and nodded, "Like I said; just because we remain off the grid doesn't mean we don't have numbers"
"Here I thought you might have been exaggerating" Jacqueline scoffed slightly as she chuckled which only made Giovanni's smug smirk widen.
They sat in silence as more people walked into the room and took their seats. Jacqueline had even seen a man who her magic identified as a vampire enter the room holding hands with a young woman. Neither had particularly taken notice of Jacqueline and she wasn't bothered by the presence of a vampire enough to say shit about it. Though Jacqueline has sensed Giovanni's eyes on her the moment they walked past - probably trying to figure out Jacqueline's reaction to the vampire.
Jacqueline guessed that the acceptance of vampires was another one of the ways in which Blood Witches were different to nature witches.
...and she liked that idea because Enzo was her best friend and she would have been pissed if they called him an abomination because he chose eternal life over death.
Giovanni nudged her shoulder, "The elders will arrive soon"
"Who are the elders?" she questioned, easily picking up on the fact that these people sounded important and not to be messed with or disrespected in any way.
"The elders are the ones who have been around for hundreds of years... they're immortals" Giovanni explained
"So they're the coven leaders?" Jacqueline assumed
"No" Giovanni corrected easily, "They advise the coven leader - they're the one's who observe and give advice on every decision"
Frowning she asked, "But if they're immortal and have all this experience and knowledge then why aren't they the leaders?"
Giovanni smirked, "Cause it's too much power. One person can't be in charge forever... that's why all the immortals become elders and advise on issues"
"Okay" Jacqueline nodded at the explanation, "Then who is the leader?"
"The leader is the chosen one of each generation - they're selected by the elders and further trained in leading once they display a natural ability to do so" Giovanni said before quietening down and looking to the front of the room were a large table was empty.
Jacqueline felt the crackle of undeniably strong power in the air and turned her attention to the door as a group of people entered the room. There was about 11 people who radiated poise, power and authority.
The entire room quietened down as the group approached the table that had been set up opposite everyone else.
It wasn't hard to miss that of the 11 people, that 10 of them were paired off in twos. Standing closely together each pair moved as if they were one... as if they were connected. Looking closer, Jacqueline realised that of all 5 pairs one of them was a vampire and she wondered if those were the immortals Giovanni had said were considered elders.
A man, who had sat himself front and centre, looked to be the oldest of the group but Jacqueline knew he likely wasn't older than the vampires. "Hello everyone" The man smiled warmly at everyone as he looked around the room. "parliamo di affari ora business"
Quirking a brow Jacqueline immediately recognised the perfect Italian that the man spoke in.
Giovanni smirked slyly at Jacqueline who could do nothing but roll her eyes at Giovanni. The older woman seemed way too smug at the moment...
"Now to begin" The man stated, "The Washington coven location sent word that the kidnapped teen. They found out that it was the Coven of Purity that were responsible for kidnapping the young girl. They weakened her so that they could block of magic sending waved of distress. Coincidently, the recovery was only made possible by our coven locations newest addition"
There were a few murmurs around the room and Jacqueline was confused when Giovanni suddenly smirked at her proudly.
"I would like to introduce the long lost Jacqueline Manacinelli of le streghe Mancinelli d'Italia coven" The man announced as he turned in Jacqueline's direction with a welcoming smirk on his lips. Everyone turned to get a look at her and Jacqueline rose a brow at Giovanni not really sure what was happening.
"Jacqueline was attacked by the very witches who had kidnapped the teen and in defeating them, Jacqueline weakened their coven and thus allowing us to locate our missing coven member" The leader continued to explain
Jacqueline leaned closer to Giovanni, "Is he talking about the witches who attacked me right before I met you?"
Giovanni nodded, "He is"
Nodding Jacqueline leaned back in her seat and watched the rest of the meeting as the elders and the leader - that she now knew to be named Dante Matteo - as they discussed coven business and updates. Apparently a few of the covens witches from the coven in Texas were killed in an attack but the attackers hadn't survived long enough to attempting making an exit. There was also a few announcements of mothers giving birth and the christening of new coven children at a few locations... even their very own location had three new-borns to celebrate.
The elders spoke of an upcoming of the original coven formation celebration - which from what Jaqueline gathered was a big historical deal.
...Almost like the founders day in Mystic Falls, she guessed.
Otherwise the information was mostly insignificant updates of various people's engagements or pregnancy announcements. It really did sound like a family meeting at this point.
Jacqueline hoped that she'd be able to fit right in here with the coven.
.
.