Chapter Fourteen
Courting a Witch
Milos, Greece
1450
The young lovers were oblivious to the world. The man lifted the woman off her feet and spun her around as the tide came in, kicking up white sand. The last rays of the vanishing sun made her chestnut hair glisten like spun gold as she gazed into her lover's eyes. The purity of their emotions was too much for their vampire voyeur. She twisted off the rocks and whooshed down the shoreline until she was back in her cave, alone.
A memory rose unbidden from the depths of her mind.
Niklaus stared up at her openly as he kneeled before her. His fierce love, desire, and devotion for her were undeniable and made her feel like the most powerful woman in the world; this beautiful, formidable man was placing his heart in hers, to possess forever. It was breathtaking.
"You're leaving me hanging here, love," he said weakly.
She fell into his arms with a laugh. He caught her and held her tight, kissing her cheeks, hair, and nose.
"I won't make love to you again until you answer me," he growled in her ear.
She shivered. "Then I suppose you have your answer. I could never say no to your lovemaking."
He lifted her to her feet gently. "Is that a yes, Caroline?" he demanded, pulling back to stare into her eyes.
One of her hands stroked his cheek lovingly while the other pushed back a lock of dark blond hair. "Oh, Nik. There isn't anyone else for me."
He closed his eyes in relief, leaning his forehead against hers.
"Of course, I will marry you, Niklaus."
Much later in bed that night, she wondered aloud where they should wed.
He twisted around in the sheets and smirked. "Well, we are vampire royalty living in Constantinople. We can exchange vows in the Hagia Sophia."
And that was what they had done. Their wedding in 1402 had been the biggest event of the year for all Byzantium. She'd dressed like a queen. They'd partied for weeks afterwards, surrounded by friends and family and elite members of society. It was the most magical time of her life.
Tears poured down her face as she cursed herself for allowing Kol's actions to ruin her life so deeply. It had been a decade since she'd begun her self-imposed exile. That was ten long years without her husband. It was time.
The very next day she made her way back to the mainland; her family owned a villa outside Kalamata. She knew the servants would be able to tell her where the siblings were currently located.
Darkness had fallen by the time she reached shore; humidity made the night cloying and claustrophobic. Her dress stuck to her skin as she flashed through the trees. When she finally spotted the villa, she nearly wept with joy. Candles lit the windows, beckoning her inside. As she reached the front entrance, a servant bowed low in recognition and pushed the door open wide. The sound of falling water reverberated through the cool, stucco halls. It was positively tranquil. The housekeeper rushed forward, beaming.
"Lady Caroline! Welcome home," she greeted breathlessly with a curtsy.
Caroline smiled at her. "Thank you, Isa. I am tired from my journey and wish to rest in my chambers. But before I do, I must know where Lords Niklaus and Elijah and Lady Rebekah are living. You can tell me where to find them, yes?"
A peculiar look crossed Isa's face as she shook her head. "No. I'm sorry, your grace, but we haven't heard from them in many years." Her eyes slid to the right in silent communication.
The vampire understood immediately: they were being watched.
"Tsk, tsk. Naughty Isa - are you trying to warn her?" a voice rang out across the room. "I knew I should have made doubly certain the vervain was out of your system."
Caroline suppressed a shiver and turned around slowly with dread. She would recognize that voice anywhere, for it was the voice of the man who had killed her.
"Mikael," she said grimly.
He stepped out of the shadows and smirked at her in a self-satisfied manner. His aristocratic looks did nothing to hide the evil within.
"Should not you be saying 'Father?' Word is you wed my least impressive son. We're family."
She held her ground. "My husband's father was a werewolf. But even if you were his natural father, you'd never be my family."
His smirk deepened. "Tell me, why aren't you with your dear husband? For vampires, you haven't been married long – already tired of him?"
"You know nothing of marriage," she sneered.
He raised his eyebrows mockingly. Isa glanced nervously between them. Caroline stepped in front of her to protect her from the Original as he began circling around them, twirling a small object in his hands. Her heart froze when she realized it was the White Oak stake.
"I must disagree with you there, Lady d'Ebanne. I know more than most the sacrifices required in a marriage. I forgave my wife her indiscretions. Now, when it comes to raising a family, I can admit fault. Esther and I should have never done that ritual. We tried to save our children from the horrors of the world; instead, we turned them into monsters. While my late wife and I were separated by her murder, my mission remains clear. I must finish what we started."
"And kill your own children," Caroline hissed angrily.
"Ah, you have so little imagination, my dear duchesse. I will kill my children to save my children."
"You expect me to believe you don't hunt Niklaus out of revenge?"
He paused. "My middle child is a special case. To rip out his own mother's heart…it was an irredeemable act. Unfortunately, his wolf side, even suppressed, makes him stronger than all his siblings. He would be my equal if not for this stake," his lip curled in distaste as he said it. "But then you came into our world. First, you sacrificed your own life for my daughter's. Long did I remember the little human girl who made such a sacrifice. Then, centuries later, there you were again, a vampire, fighting beside Niklaus. And you fearlessly tackled me into the river to save him. To save him! Of course, I couldn't be certain your affections were returned. Until I heard he married you. Your little display in Constantinople told me all I needed to know – you, duchesse, are his great weakness."
"Are you planning on using me as bait to get him here?" she asked. She had to keep him talking until she figured a way out.
"No, my dear," he shook his head slowly as if in regret. "I'm going to kill you."
"He'll kill you for it," she warned. "And he'll draw it out, make it really hurt."
He chuckled. "I think not. Your death will destroy him. He'll beg me to end it all."
"You've always underestimated him," she shot back. "He'd find the will to carry on without me. He lived centuries before meeting me."
"I think you underestimate his love for you," he argued.
There was a sunlight hatch hidden in the rafters above them. If she could get him far enough away from her, she'd have a few seconds head start to shimmy up, flash onto the roof, jump across the treetops, and disappear in the ocean. The odds weren't great, but she had to try.
Caroline caught Isa's eye and mouthed, "Get out," while Mikael turned away from them briefly. The housekeeper shook her head vehemently and gestured to the shadows of the hall. The other servants were waiting to strike.
"You've distracted me long enough, Caroline. It is time for you to die," Mikael said, turning to face her once again. He held the stake up at chest level. "I do regret it. You are quite special and would have done well in my entourage. Unfortunately, this is how it must be."
"You made your children more powerful by uniting them against a common enemy," she stated calmly. "My death will only serve to strengthen their bond."
He took a step forward. "There's only one way to find out."
As he thrust the stake at her, the servants emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn, pulling his attention. She used the distraction to jump into the rafters, and crawl spider-like across the ceiling towards the hatch. He took a dagger out of his coat and flung it at her; she cried out when it sliced through her arm. She glanced down to see Isa launch herself at him, grabbing at the stake. The other servants were closing in.
Caroline opened the hatch but paused. Mikael usually never killed humans, but he might make an exception for these people who were so clearly loyal to his children. He tossed Isa aside, but then the men began slicing and stabbing him. One of the maids began chanting, making him scream in pain and grasp his head. She forgot there were witches amongst them - they should be able to fend him off.
"My lady, go!" Isa screamed from the floor. "Your family is at the Sea of Lakes!"
Caroline turned away and shimmied up through the hatch. She ran as fast as she could until she reached the Mediterranean. She zoomed to the bottom of the sea; she'd swim to Turkey to ensure Mikael could not track her. The Sea of Lakes was code - her family was living at their estate in Sri Lanka.
She needed to rebuild the school. This time, it would have to be in a location hidden from the world. It would be grander and larger than the first one. She owed it to Jeanne d'Arc, she owed it to her massacred students, and she owed it to herself.
But first - a reunion.
Akita Prefecture, Feudal Japan
May 1455
The orchids lay patiently on the bamboo mat, as quiet and beautiful and obedient as Mariko Kurosawa was expected to be.
And lifeless, the girl thought drily as she stared down at the orchids. Her vibrant robes spread around her kneeling form; her hair was perfectly coiffed. Inside, she was miserable.
The sixteen-year-old's life was as carefully controlled as the flowers she was supposed to be arranging. Her freewill was contorted to the wishes of parents who never let her make her own choices. She was not allowed to go anywhere unchaperoned. She was told what to wear, what to eat, how to eat, how to walk, how to smile, when to laugh (never). It was torture.
Ever since she could remember, she had been told by her mother to keep her magic hidden. Though her amethyst eyes were stunning, they were considered unnatural, and thus hidden behind a veil. She was strictly forbidden from levitating or practicing spells or using telekinesis and pyrokinesis. She was not allowed to make plants grow or visit the family's crypt to communicate with her ancestors. When she was four, she'd accidentally blown out all the lanterns during a festival. At ten, she had thrown half her father's guards into the ocean because she did not want an escort to the temple. She was kept out of sight after that, prohibited from leaving the castle grounds and using her magic. She practiced anyway, in secret.
As she grew older, her mother began pretending she didn't exist. Her father doted on her yet knew not what to do with her. He'd once begged her to seal her magic away. She had cried in shame, because she did not know how.
Sometimes, Mariko imagined her bleak future. If her parents ever succeeded in suppressing her magic, she would be wed to a wealthy stranger. She'd be expected to lead the life of a perfect, submissive wife. Her nameless husband would never know her secret – until she gave birth to a baby with amethyst eyes whose magic would frighten all. Just like her mother; just like herself.
When Mariko thought of this, she would tremble from the electricity running through her veins. Her anger always manifested in uncontrollable, violent ways. She would fantasize about shocking all the guards, lighting all the rooms on fire, murdering her parents, shaking the earth until the castle crumbled deep into the recesses of the earth, and then flying away, finally free.
But that was only fantasy.
The orchids were still waiting for the ikebana. She reached for them with a soft sigh on her lips.
After dinner that night, Mariko sat in the library pretending to study poetry, but secretly reading about her maternal bloodline. There was a long history of early deaths in her mother's family. It portended a gloomy future for Mariko, who knew what those early deaths meant. They meant she had three choices: kill herself, live in exile, or suppress her magic, as her mother did.
A commotion down the hall distracted her from her studies. Her chaperone glared at her sternly, but Mariko had long ago found a way around her; the old lady was napping peacefully seconds later. The teenager slipped out of her chair and slid the door open. Loud, foreign voices echoed from the great hall. She crept down the hall silently, wondering why her parents had not informed her they were expecting visitors. Special precautions were always taken to hide her; not many people knew she existed.
As she paused outside the doorway to the great hall, she could hear a man asking her parents if he and his entourage could stay in the castle. She nearly snorted with derision – her father would never agree to such a thing. Strangers staying at the castle? Foreigners taking shelter with the Kurosawas? Impossible.
"We do not open our home to foreign strangers," her father exclaimed indignantly. "You will take your party and leave."
"It's a shame to hear you say that. Perhaps you will reconsider." The foreigner was speaking Japanese, but his accent was so strange. Mariko wished she could see what he looked like.
"I will not. You are lucky my guards did not kill you as soon as you set foot on my land," her father warned.
"Luck had nothing to do with it," the foreigner said slyly. There was a slight pause, followed by the sound of robes sliding against the stone floor. "You will welcome my entourage and give us everything we ask. You will ignore any strange disappearances in the castle and tell your knights and courtiers that I am Lord Sekitan, a great artist you are patronizing. You sent for me, remember? Now, I will be shown to my quarters."
An engulfing silence descended upon the room. Mariko's jaw dropped at the foreigner's impudence.
"Yes, of course, my lord. My husband meant no disrespect. We have been looking forward to your arrival," her mother said smoothly.
"My humble apologies, Lord Sekitan. You shall be shown to your quarters at once," her father added, all traces of menace gone.
"Apologies accepted, Lord and Lady Kurosawa," the foreigner said carelessly. "Pardon me one moment."
There was a faint whooshing noise, then suddenly, there was a pale man with dark hair standing before Mariko. His entire appearance was alien to her. She took a step back, hoping he would not reveal her to her parents.
"And who are you, beautiful eyes?" he asked with open curiosity on his handsome visage.
"Kurosawa Mariko," she responded numbly, tripping over her kimono.
He stepped forward to hold her left sleeve. Though his skin did not touch hers, the gesture was strangely intimate. Mariko had never been so close to a strange man before.
"Mariko, your parents have been most welcoming. I trust you will be the same?"
She nodded her head vigorously.
He leaned forward and widened his pupils. "You will say nothing of my presence here to anyone."
In spite of herself, Mariko giggled; the man blinked at her in shock.
"I speak to no one. My parents never allow me to see anyone or go anywhere, so your secrets are safe with me." The strangeness of the moment was making her emboldened - and perhaps a little hysterical.
"That's a shame, Mariko. Why do your parents keep you hidden?" he demanded, his eyes vibrating with power.
She glared at him. "That is not your concern."
He let go of her sleeve and took a step back, his eyes now wide with shock. He looked her up and down.
"You are a witch," he said without question.
She said nothing.
"Your parents are afraid of you," he said sadly. He reached for her again, and as his fingertips grazed her wrist, she felt a terrible coldness; a darkness. The spirits told her this creature was not alive.
A new power rose up within her - she suddenly knew she could shock the foreigner away from her. The force of the magic was silent and invisible, but the man immediately cried out in pain and grabbed his head as he sank to the floor. She turned and ran. He called after her.
"You win this round, Mariko Kurosawa. But I know where to find you. There's nothing I love more than a witch!"
As soon as she reached her chambers, breathless and crying, Mariko leaned against the door and tried to organize her thoughts. After several minutes of rehashing the confrontation over and over again, the young witch was left with one conclusion. This undead creature who had somehow tricked her parents, intruded on her homeland, and threatened her was the only person in the world who could help her.
Mariko did a very good job of avoiding the foreigner in the week that followed his arrival. She was told by her chaperone he was a great artist who had been commissioned to create something called a tapestry in the style of the land he hailed from – supposedly somewhere called France. Mariko wondered if France had more witches, or if they were allowed to use their magic there.
One day, she caught a moment to herself in a shrine near the sea. Her chaperone and armed guards were waiting on the other side of the door, reminding her she was never truly alone. She prayed for answers: why had she been cursed with such power? Everyone around her was terrified of her. What was the point of it? She could hear the waves rage against the rocks below and knew deep in her bones that her inner turmoil was affecting nature, as it often did. Couldn't she find a balance? Use her magic, but learn to control it?
When the candles flickered, she assumed it was her doing.
"Are you avoiding me, Mariko?" a voice said in the darkness. "Or just playing hard to get?"
The girl whipped around, her heart beating furiously as she searched for the source of the voice. She magicked the candles to burn brighter; they revealed Lord Sekitan crouching on a ledge and peering down at her with a wide grin on his face.
"I am not avoiding you, Lord Sekitan," she mumbled.
"I may not be able to use compulsion on you, but I always know when someone is lying to me," he drawled.
"What is compulsion?" she inquired.
"It is what I used on your parents to ensure my welcome, and what I tried to use on you. Remember when my pupils dilated? It is mind control. Usually, it makes people do whatever I want them to, with certain exceptions. Witches cannot be compelled," he explained lightly.
"We do not speak of witches on this land," Mariko said stubbornly. He didn't realize her mother had faked it. Good; he didn't need to know Machiko was a witch, too.
He rolled his eyes and swung down from his perch. Once again, he was very close to her. He smelt earthy, of musk and leather.
"You may not speak of them, but there's no denying you are a very strong witch. Do you know you made my brain bleed the other day?" he asked, but he didn't seem angry. Instead, he seemed intrigued. Excited, even.
She shook her head in fright and turned away from him, her whole body shaking.
"You should not fear your power, Mariko. You should embrace it. It is awesome and beautiful. And you don't need to be afraid of me."
He laid a tentative hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around. "My real name is Kol. It's nice to meet you."
She tried it out. "Kol."
He smirked. "See? First step towards friendship. Do you think you could find a way out of your room tonight?"
She backed away, glaring at him. "What are you implying, sir?" she huffed in outrage.
"No need to get your feathers ruffled, I didn't mean what you think I meant. I want to help you with your power. You can do so much more, Mariko," he implored softly.
She stared at him suspiciously before turning away in resignation. "I cannot. It is forbidden. Even if I wanted to, there is no way around my guards and chaperone."
Suddenly, he was in front of her, grinning. "I think you have ways of sneaking out, witch."
"What are you?" she asked curiously. "I know you are not quite alive…but how?"
"If you meet me tonight, I'll tell you everything," he promised with a wink.
And then he was gone.
Southern Tibet
October 1455
"Gita, we found him."
It was a statement Gita had been dreaming about. For fifteen years she had been waiting to hear that Kol Mikaelson, the monster who had murdered all her friends, had been located. She climbed down the ladder, where she had been tediously carving a statue into the exterior of the school. She and the Mikaelsons had worked tirelessly for the past five years to rebuild Des Cendres deep in the mountains. They were nearly finished now, and Gita could not be prouder of the vast, winding complex.
After that fateful day in Paris, Caroline had gone into exile. While Abambe and the other teachers had begun searching for Kol, the Mikaelsons had taken her, the sole-survivor of the massacre, to their estate in Sri Lanka. Rebekah had become her mother, raising her, educating her, soothing her when she had nightmares. When she was twenty, her old headmaster returned to them, and Gita begged her to do what Rebekah hesitated to: turn her. Caroline obliged. She hadn't been a vampire long, but she loved it. It was freedom.
Her sire was waiting for her at the bottom of the ladder with a frown on her face.
"Listen, I know you have always wanted to go after him and I understand that, but I couldn't bear it if any harm came to you. You're a baby vampire. You must promise to keep your distance; do nothing rash," Caroline begged her progeny.
Gita hugged her with tears in her eyes. "I promise; I will be the perfect spy."
Caroline sighed. "He is at a fiefdom in the Akita Prefecture, located on the Sea of Japan to the north. The feudal lord is called Kurosawa."
"So, he's close."
"Quite."
"I'll leave tomorrow," Gita determined.
Caroline smiled grimly. "Remember, watch him from afar; find his weakness."
"I shall."
"And be careful, Gita."
Akita Prefecture, Feudal Japan
Winter 1455-1456
The young vampire watched from afar as the pair sparred in the clearing. The witch remained in one spot as the Original buzzed around her, trying to find a way past her barriers. His veins were out as he slashed at her with his sword, but she flicked her hand lazily and he was thrown into a tree. He ripped a small oak from its roots and tossed it at her, a grin plastered across his face. Her fingers contorted and the tree twisted around her like a vine; a limb shot through the air and gauged deep into the vampire's chest.
Kol huffed in shocked pain, but his eyes lit up with excitement. "That was incredible!"
The witch smiled at him, clearly proud of her win.
"Er – Iki?"
"Yes, dearest?" the witch teased.
"Do you mind getting this tree out of my heart?"
The witch twisted her fingers again and the limb fell out of his chest, leaving behind a gaping hole. The tree was swiftly put back where it came from, looking relatively undisturbed, save for some missing leaves. Kol collapsed to all fours gasping loudly.
Mariko ran to him to help him to his feet as the hole began to seal shut.
"Your creativity and quick-thinking are amazing, Iki. I pity the vampire who gets on your bad side."
"How do you know you're not on my bad side, Kol?" the witch whispered.
He grabbed her, pulling her down to the ground with him and leaning over her suggestively. The witch's loosened black hair spread over the leaves of the forest and her face glowed with a spreading blush.
"I'm always on your bad side, Mariko. That's how I keep you interested," he murmured into her ear. Her breath hitched as he ran his nose across her cheek. He kissed her then, and she responded enthusiastically, opening her mouth to his. They rolled around in the fallen leaves, completely lost in each other.
Gita smiled humorlessly from her perch in a distant copse of trees. Caroline had asked her to find Kol's weakness. It was simply too easy.
Her sire left Tibet as soon as she sent word and arrived in February. They met up deep in the forest miles away from the castle.
"Tell me everything, Gita."
"He is in love with a young witch named Mariko Kurosawa. She is Lord Kurosawa's daughter. Her parents have made it their life's mission to suppress her magic, but despite this, she is extremely powerful. Perhaps the strongest witch I've ever seen."
"Does she love him?"
"She's certainly enamored with him. He represents freedom to her. When she is with him, she explores her magic. Pushes herself."
"Then I must find a way to become that for her, and more."
"How do you intend to do that? He never leaves her side."
"He thinks she is the key to unlocking his own magic. But he will leave her if he fears for his life."
"How will you get him to leave?"
"His father. We will leak false information to his entourage; make him think Mikael is nearby."
"So, he leaves, and you can gain her trust."
"Yes, and then we will tell her some home-truths about her beloved."
Gita gave her sire a dubious look. "And then what? Kill her to get back at him?"
Caroline bristled. "Don't be so uncreative, Gita. The girl is innocent – and a powerful witch. It would be wasteful to kill her."
"Then-?"
Caroline began walking back into the snow-covered thicket. "Make sure his entourage receives the terrible news that daddy-dearest is in Japan," she called over her shoulder. "I'll be waiting."
Gita rolled her eyes at her sire's ambivalence and zoomed back towards the castle.
Mariko stood on the highest limb of a towering tree and focused all her strength on her task. Finally deciding all she had to do was trust in her abilities, she closed her eyes and jumped. The familiar sensation of falling coiled in the pit of her stomach as the air rushed past her ears, but then it seemed to slow down, as if she was lifting. Suddenly, a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and held her tightly.
"What do you think you're doing, witch?" a voice whispered in her ear.
Kol jumped back to the tree and placed her down carefully, a scowl on his face.
She scowled right back. "I was trying to fly! And I was so close this time before your interference! I think I finally figured it out!"
"Mariko, you were inches away from an untimely death," he argued in an exasperated tone.
"I was not. I could feel my fall slowing down."
"Because I caught you!"
"No, before that!"
Kol shook his head but let it go. "I have to talk to you."
"We are talking."
"About something important."
She glared at him before sitting down on the limb carelessly and swinging her legs back and forth. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, daring him to scold her again. He sighed and sat beside her.
"My father is near."
She froze while she tried to remember what he had told her about Mikael: dangerous, immortal, psychotic, and carrying the only weapon that could kill him.
"Does he know you're here? Is he a threat to my family?"
"No, love. He doesn't kill humans; he doesn't even feed off of them. He usually compels vampires made by his children to work for him. That's whom he feeds on," he explained dully.
Mariko listened with morbid interest. The darkness of the forest suddenly seemed to press in all around them and the birds had gone quiet. She shivered.
"Yes, he's not the most pleasant to talk about. But he will not hurt your family. Or you. Me, on the other hand – me he wants dead."
She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "Then we must leave."
He stared at her in shock before kissing her forehead, cheek, and jawline fervently.
"You would leave for my sake?"
"I would. But also, mine. You know how unhappy I am. I've always known I would have to leave my parents' house one day. My father does not understand me. My mother wants me to live in denial as she does. They fear me and they fear for me. With you, I could have a life filled with adventure and freedom."
Her expression glazed over as she imagined it.
He closed his eyes in dismay. "As much as I want that, now is not the time. If he does find me, he will realize you are a witch and suddenly have a lot of interest in you."
"But I thought you said he is not a threat to humans."
"If he came here to your father's lands, he would dismiss you as a weak human. But if he tracked us down with his vampires and witches, they would realize you are a witch. He would offer you an ultimatum: join his entourage and thus help kill me and my siblings or die for allying yourself with me. I do not want to start our life together running from my father. I will come back for you when I know I've gotten him off my trail."
"What will I do without you?"
"Hopefully, not die attempting to fly. Mariko, you have grown so much in the past year. You can take care of yourself. Your powers are maturing rapidly. You are the strongest witch I have ever seen, and my own mother created vampires. It's saying something," he told her fervently.
She stared down at her hands. "Do you think so?"
He lifted her chin gently. "I know so."
He captured her lips with his and pulled her close. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. He bit her bottom lip softly and their tongues danced together. He pulled away to lick her ear and kiss down her neck as she caught her breath.
"Promise me you'll come back," she whispered.
"As fast as possible, my love. I won't ask you to wait for me-"
"You don't have to – I will wait for you, beloved."
After Kol left, Mariko focused all her energy on studying from the grimoires he had given her. There were written by witches from all over the world. She became obsessed with an ancient spell in the one that had once belonged to his mother. It was the immortality ritual Esther had used on her children. Once she understood the mechanics of it, she began rewriting it, adapting it. There were flaws in the original witchcraft – like vampires' aversion to sunlight, and their inability to retain their magic – which she was determined to fix.
She would put her chaperone to sleep, trick her guards, and escape into the forest, where she would mutter various spells under her breath and watch in dismay as the beetles she practiced on burst into flame, twitched violently, or simply scuttled away.
This is what she was doing one day when a sound in the forest drew her attention away from her experiments.
She looked up and gasped.
A very beautiful woman with pale skin and long, luminous hair stood a few feet away from her. Her blue-green eyes were narrowed with curiosity. She was wearing men's trousers and a simple white top. Mariko had never seen a woman dressed thus, with her legs so openly displayed. It was shocking and made her unsettled, confused.
"Who – who are you?" she stuttered.
The woman smiled gently before stepping forward. "My name is Caroline d'Ebanne and I am a vampire."
Mariko jumped to her feet, conjured a stake, and assumed a defensive stance.
The vampire's eyebrows rose. "I'm impressed. You are very resourceful and agile; I can see your powers are advanced. I also recognize that fighting stance," she said mysteriously.
Mariko frowned, but did not relax her defensive position. The vampire moved closer to her.
"I could never forget the fighting stance of Kol Mikaelson," she said with a smirk.
Mariko's arm dropped to her side in surprise.
"Kol – you know Kol?"
"For over 300 years. He's my brother-in-law, and he used to be my closest friend."
"Used to be?" the witch inquired as her interest piqued.
"I'm glad you miss nothing, Mariko. But that's a story for another time."
"Have you seen him? He had to leave a couple months ago when he heard Mikael was near," the witch explained glumly.
Caroline shook her head. "I have not. Mikael must have followed him out of the country, because my spies have not heard of either of them being in the area."
Mariko was crestfallen. That meant he probably wouldn't be back for a long time.
"I would like to offer my services to you while Kol is gone," the vampire said. "I can help you develop your magic – probably better than he did."
"Really?"
"Kol was a witch when he was human, but so was I. I had a lot more training than he did and was more accomplished."
"That's a very intriguing offer," the witch said slowly.
Caroline nodded her head in understanding. "But why am I so interested in helping you? Why have I just appeared out of nowhere so soon after Kol disappeared?"
Mariko folded her arms. "Well, yes."
"Because it is what I do. I am building a school deep in the Himalayas that will train gifted young women in witchcraft, combat, politics, and general knowledge. I am quite passionate about it," Caroline explained earnestly.
The witch blinked at her. "Kol never mentioned such a place. That's where I belong!"
"I think so. Come, let me tell you all about it."
The stake slipped to the forest floor as she walked with Caroline, failing to notice that the vampire had not answered the second question.
In the months that followed, the witch and the vampire became great friends. Mariko's powers developed exponentially under Caroline's keen tutelage. She became adept at flying, exerted complete control over her kinetic abilities, and continued her experiments on the beetles, with moderate success. There was one who was still alive months after she had used an interpretation of the immortality spell on it. She made it a habit to enchant the entire castle, escape from her chambers, brew potions to be used on her annoying chaperone, and spend hours a day training with the vampire. Though she was desperate to go to Caroline's school, she'd made a promise to Kol; she must wait for him to return.
Near the end of the year, Caroline introduced the witch to another vampire. Her name was Gita. She, like Caroline, was strikingly beautiful and entrancing, but she was not quite as warm as her sire. There was a hardness about her.
"Gita is a master swordsman," Caroline said as the younger vampire stood opposite them in the clearing with her arms folded. Her black hair was knotted atop her head, similarly to how the samurai wore their hair. She kept one dark hand on the sword strapped to her side at all times. She had the darkest skin Mariko had ever seen.
"I was one of Caroline's first students. And I was the only one to survive Kol's massacre," said Gita bluntly.
Mariko gaped at the woman. "What are you talking about?"
"Has Caroline not told you? Maybe she figured you wouldn't believe anyone but me. The school we are building in the Himalayas is the second version of Des Cendres. The first was in a faraway city called Paris. It had only existed a few years when Kol arrived and slaughtered all my friends in one night. As I lay dying, gurgling on the blood in my torn throat, Caroline took me in her arms and fed me her blood, saving me."
"No, it can't be…" Mariko denied. "He wouldn't. He's so tender, and…"
"I couldn't tell you he'd massacred 39 children when we first met, when you were so in love with him," Caroline explained. "You wouldn't believe me - and why should you, I was a stranger. I had to wait until you trusted me."
"I couldn't admit it to myself until now...but my affair with Kol was never going to last. I was young and he was dark and handsome and mysterious, but he coddled and patronized me, and my attraction to him was based mostly on his exoticness. While I will always be grateful to him for setting me on the path towards self-discovery, I no longer desire him," Mariko hesitated. "But I'm struggling to imagine him killing so many children in cold blood."
"While I have always been able to control my urges, Kol often struggles with his bloodlust. He betrayed me that night – and I can never forgive him."
Gita flashed across the clearing and paused a hair's breadth away from the witch. "Vampires have the ability to show people visions, memories."
Mariko frowned deeply and looked towards Caroline for guidance, but the older vampire shook her head.
"It's your decision, Mariko. But I warn you, it is deeply unsettling."
The witch sucked in a rattling breath, then took Gita's outstretched hand.
Ten minutes passed while the two sat in a trancelike state reliving that terrible night. Caroline glanced at Mariko's beetles. If she really had made one of them immortal, she was likely much more powerful than Esther. To adapt the ritual so easily!
When Mariko finally let go of Gita, she was white with fright. "You were saving girls just like me," she whispered, looking at Caroline in awe.
"Yes, there was a girl I once knew who changed everything for me. She made me realize my calling," Caroline explained.
Mariko tried to ignore the memory of the girls screaming, but it was hard. "So, you came here to avenge them, not help me."
"It was twofold, my dear friend."
The three women sat in silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.
After a while, Caroline spoke again. "There's something else, Mariko. I believe Kol was initially interested in you because it is his deepest desire to reawaken his magic that were lost during his transition. He thought you could do that for him."
"You mean he didn't love me."
"I'm sure he did love you," Caroline asserted, but they both knew what she wasn't saying. But he loved the idea of regaining his witch abilities more.
As the witch processed that, Caroline continued.
"Iki, I have plotted revenge on Kol for some time now. He slaughtered my beautiful girls and ruined a dream. He tore apart our friendship with his lust for virginal blood. May I dare ask you to help us?" she asked, placing a hand on Mariko's shoulder. A pleasurable warmth emanated from the touch and spread through her body; it was a sensation the witch realized happened often when the vampire touched her.
She stared at the woman who had brought her to new heights of power and independence. "What do you need me to do?"
Kol stumbled against the wall when he saw her body. She had been laid out on the bed with loving care; her hair was entwined with lotus flowers, her hands neatly clasped together. A veil was draped over her lovely face.
Her chest was still beneath the white robe.
He had not been able to accept it when her parents had told him their only child had died in her sleep the night before. He could tell they thought she had been punished for her magic. He had stumbled away in a stupor and made his way to her death chamber with dread in his heart, knowing nothing could have harmed Mariko except her own hand.
He knelt at her side with tears staining his cheeks.
"My beautiful girl, why? I was on my way back to you; always I was coming back to you. Couldn't you have waited just one more night? We could have had the entire world, Mariko."
He lifted her veil to kiss her cheek and froze when he saw her neck.
A vampire had bitten Mariko, as evidenced by the two bite marks imbedded in her almond-colored skin. Horror spread through him. Was this his fault? Had it been Mikael? Had a rogue vampire attacked because he wasn't there to protect her? Was it-?
"Kol," a voice sang out from afar. He snapped to attention and looked out the window. A figure stood across the field. It was dressed in black, with a hood draped over its head. It lifted a hand ominously and beckoned him before disappearing into the trees and fog.
His veins and fangs sculpted his face into the monster he was, and he leapt out of the castle, his blood pounding furiously as he pursued Mariko's murderer.
An unnatural chill cast over him as he entered the forest. The figure was waiting for him beneath an ancient elm. And her hood was pulled down.
He was certain he'd never seen her before, but something about the dark-skinned vampire was strangely familiar. Her eyes glittered with menace and her beautiful face was contorted from pure, unquestionable loathing. He was momentarily thrown by the force of her hatred, but growled, nonetheless.
"I want to know before I tear you apart – why did you do it? Was it random? Do you know who I am?" he threatened.
The woman shocked him again by smiling without humor. "Of course, I know who you are, Kol Mikaelson. No one has been more crucial in shaping my past, present, and future than you," she murmured as her long black hair blew wildly in the wind.
"What are you talking about?" he spat out.
"A long time ago, I was living on the streets of Kolkata when a mysterious man appeared and saved me from a life of begging – or worse. He introduced me to his lovely wife, and they brought me to Paris, where they had started a school for young girls. It was a beautiful institution, where girls were taught and inspired to become powerful witches, warriors, scholars, leaders – whatever they imagined. But one day, a visitor destroyed everything they had built. We had built. Shall I continue?" her voice grew louder as she recounted her tale.
Kol had fallen to his knees. He shook his head, feeling as if he might be sick.
"I will anyway. He entered the dormitory where all my sisters and I were sleeping. When the door burst open revealing a monster, some of us older girls fought, but he was too quick and strong. He started with the young ones, ripping their little necks open wide and drinking feverishly before moving on to the next. I was the last of his prey. He dropped me when the headmaster arrived, leaving me to die a slow and horrible death. He ran away. Disappeared into the night like a coward, never to be seen again."
"Gita," Kol whispered, his eyes unfocused as he raised his head to stare at her. "How - how did you survive?"
The vampire stared back at him impassively. "Caroline gave me her blood, saving me. She left us all after that, living in solitude for ten years. I begged her to turn me as soon as she came back. I was there when you fell in love with Mariko, watching from afar and biding my time."
"So, you killed her," he said lowly, knowing he had no right to be angry with her.
Gita chuckled as he looked up at her in confusion.
"Of course not. There is only one other person in this world who hates you more than I do. I would never take that satisfaction away from her."
Kol stood and glanced around the clearing. "Caroline killed her?"
Gita nodded slowly.
"Then why isn't she here now?"
"Because I am here to deliver her message: this is not the end, but the beginning. One life for 39 is not a fair bargain. She will not stop until she finds a way to end you."
Kol bowed his head. "I accept that. Though, I doubt she will find a way to do it."
"I wouldn't underestimate Caroline," Gita said shortly.
He took a step towards her. "Gita, I must," he started, but she cut him off by putting her hand up.
"Stop. I couldn't bear it. There is nothing I can do for you, Kol. Now get out of my sight," the younger vampire demanded wearily.
He hesitated a moment with a sorrowful look in his eyes.
"Until we meet again, mere bhaagy ka dhaarak," he vowed.
Gita's eyes widened. He disappeared.
There was one quiet moment in which Gita wondered if she felt any better now that Kol had begun to pay for his misdeeds, but before she could summon any sort of perspective, Caroline appeared.
"I think calling you the holder of his destiny was a bit overdramatic," she said cautiously, trying to gage her progeny's mood.
Gita shook her head and smiled grimly. "I think if anyone is the holder of his destiny, it's you. He knew you were listening."
Caroline shrugged then stared into the blackness of the forest where Kol had run. "So, it's done. The rules have been set and the game is on."
"Can we go home now?" Gita asked.
Caroline laughed. "Of course. Let's see if Mariko would care to join us."
And she had. Mariko had known almost as soon as she met Caroline, she'd follow her anywhere. This was not like when Kol asked her to live a life with him; her life was not cradled in the hands of a man, but her own to lead. She was free and her choice was Caroline and Des Cendres and her magic. She could sharpen her abilities and hopefully become the greatest witch of her day. She slipped off her bed when Caroline asked her to join them and the three immediately began the long trek to the school hidden in the mountains. Her parents would probably die of shock when they discovered their late daughter's corpse had disappeared. But that was their problem.
Southern Tibet
August 1457
Niklaus watched from the highest tower as Caroline, Gita, and a stranger traversed the rocky terrain carefully. Caroline had written extensively about this young witch who had captured his younger brother's heart, so it was no real surprise Mariko Kurosawa had chosen to return with his wife.
He was glad she had had her revenge, or part of her revenge on Kol, but it had ached to be away from her. Ever since her decade of isolation and subsequent confrontation with his father, he hated being parted from her. He worried constantly that Mikael would find her and finish what he started in Greece seven years previously. Caroline was brilliant and strong, but no match for Mikael's powers. She would have been dead if not for their extremely loyal, vervain-taking, compulsion-resistant servants. He often dreamt of finding a way of making her as invincible as him, or more, even. Seeing Mariko beside his wife allowed him to hope once more; if there was anyone who could make Caroline an Original, surely it was her.
The trio was at the door of the school now. He hoped Gita and Caroline were pleased with the progress the rest of them had made while they were in Japan; the school was virtually ready for students now. It just needed its headmaster.
The Mikaelsons all gathered round as Mariko, Caroline, and Gita entered. Niklaus swept his wife up and swung her around, breathing her in as she clung to him with such a content look on her face that Mariko had to look away. He was very handsome, with the same reckless air as Kol, but with more gravitas behind his eyes. She could see why Caroline loved him so.
Caroline's family was very welcoming as introductions were made - Niklaus shook her hand with a smirk, congratulating her on besting his younger brother, Elijah bowed and then smacked Niklaus upside the head, and Rebekah hugged her tightly. Being around so many vampires was not as scary as the young witch imagined it would be. She could feel their power and it fed into hers. She felt strong and protected in this hidden place. As everyone stood in a circle and swapped tales and caught up, Mariko observed the way Caroline and Niklaus' fingertips touched ever-so gently. It was subtle, but intimate. Elijah stole her attention away to ask her about her upbringing, which made her uncomfortable, but Rebekah seemed to understand this, expertly maneuvering the conversation to the progress they had made on the school. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Caroline and Niklaus sneak away. A few minutes later, she followed. She found them in a dark room off the main hallway speaking in hushed tones.
"How powerful is she, Caroline?" Niklaus asked and she knew he meant herself.
"More powerful than your mother," her friend said seriously.
"Perhaps…" he started.
Caroline put a hand up. "Don't go making plans for her, Nik. She's been manipulated enough."
"Oh, so it's okay for you to manipulate her, but no one else?" he teased.
"Excuse me! I was honest with her!" Caroline cried.
"I'm sure you were - eventually - but she only betrayed Kol out of devotion to you," he said flatly.
Caroline stared at him. "What are you talking about?" she asked with less surprise in her voice than she should have had.
"I am your husband. You think I don't know when someone is in love with my wife? I've had to reckon with that often over the years, sweetheart. I recognized it on Mariko's face immediately."
"It wasn't my intention," said Caroline. "Of course, I always wanted her to choose me over Kol, but for what I represented."
"I believe you, Caroline. Nevertheless, the girl is in love with you. It's quite clear to me, though she may not realize it herself yet."
Caroline sighed. "It'll fade."
He smirked. "I hope not. My father has decided killing you is even better than killing me because he wants nothing more than to see me suffer. Having an extremely powerful witch around who may be able to make you a little more indestructible might be very helpful. Even more helpful if she's driven by a love for you and would never want to see you harmed."
"Nik, we can't use people like that. I forbid it," Caroline warned. Mariko realized it was time to make her presence known.
"I'll do it," she said from the door.
The witch stared at Caroline, who blanched.
"He's right, you know. But not about me not knowing. I've known for some time. And I know my feelings are not reciprocated. It doesn't matter. I can help you become more powerful; perhaps even turn you into an Original - you know I've been experimenting with immortality for months. Is it true about Mikael?"
Caroline nodded reluctantly. "Mikael nearly killed me a few years ago. It was quite close. But Mariko, you came here to be independent, not to be manipulated by more vampires."
"I don't care, Caroline. You have saved me. I will return the favor."
A/N: This chapter was a lot of fun to write. Looking back, I can recognize I definitely pulled inspiration from Toph Bei Fong when creating the character of Mariko, but more in origin than personality. Thanks for reading. ~L