Chapter 12
"The alliance with Briggs is off." Klaus announced without preamble to Elijah, when he entered his office.
Elijah didn't look surprised.
"I'm sure you have some contingency blackmail in case it did not work out. Use it and make sure Briggs won't be a problem."
"Maybe it would have been easier if you hadn't hit the man."
"He was disrespectful. You know how I abhor that. He had no manners too, you hate that as well. We do not need that pig."
"But we do need an alliance."
"Yes, well, as it turns out, Briggs was connected to the De Martel. I don't trust them or any of their relations. I'll examine more closely the other possible choices later."
Klaus seeing Elijah make no move to leave raised an eyebrow in query.
"Something else to discuss older brother ?"
"That's right Niklaus. The matter of my marriage."
That, surprised Klaus.
"I was not aware there was a wedding in the planning."
"I proposed to Katerina Petrova and she said yes."
"Are you sure it's not a promise she extorted while the two of you were rolling in the sheets ?" Klaus snorted.
"Niklaus."
"At least please tell me she's not carrying your child."
"Contrarily to what you think of marriage, I do not have to be forced to willingly enter one."
"Who would be willing to marry Katerina Petrova if not my noble brother. If you have to satisfy your need, harlots are like rats in this city, they're on every street corner. No need for marriage. "
"I love her." Elijah said, a warning in his voice, veiled anger in his eyes.
"Ah, and there it is, love. The affliction of the heart."
"I pity you to think that. It wasn't always the case."
Klaus eyes darkened at Elijah touching on the past, and this particular issue.
"I will marry Katerina, but I do wish for your and our family blessing."
"You do realize, dear Katerina has not spent one day in her life working vertically ?"
"Enough. She has changed. You of all people should not begrudge what others need to do to survive."
"I do not begrudge anyone. I just do not feel like welcoming a prostitute in our family for charity's sake."
"Do not call her that." Elijah pointed at him, the two brothers staring down each other. "So you will not give your blessing ?"
"I did not say that." Klaus said after a minute of silence. "If she can prove herself loyal to you and our family, I will welcome her in it." He leaned back in his chair, leveling his brother with a look.
"She will. You have my word." Elijah relaxed his stance.
"It is not your word I wish for, but hers. I only hope your confidence isn't misplaced Elijah."
-O-
Gloria had finally recovered from her cold and was celebrating by singing. Caroline let a smile escape her as she saw her enjoying herself on the stage.
The Mystic was having a busy night today, it was never empty, but tonight people seemed to be looking for a good time in particular. Maybe it was the spring season, and the sun finally peeking through the clouds, thought Caroline.
While nobody at the bar needed her attention for a refill, she let her eyes wander over the crowd.
Rebekah Mikaelson was dancing in the middle, on the arm of some pretty boy who was definitely from a more well off part of the city and had come looking for fun. He looked rather besotted by the haughty blonde, and preening like a peacock that she had chosen him to dance with tonight. It wasn't certain he knew who exactly he was dancing with, that one wrong, disrespectful move on his part would turn at least half the patrons on him, if he knew either he had bigger guts than he looked or he was an idiot. Well, as long as he kept proper he'd be fine, probably.
But as he looked captivated by the charming Mikaelson girl, Rebekah herself did not put much attention on him. Instead she was looking over his shoulder toward the bar counter. Caroline followed her gaze to where a dark-skinned man was sitting nursing a drink, his eyes locked with the pretty blonde.
Caroline knew who he was, Marcel, Klaus lieutenant. Even though she'd only seen him a few times since coming to Chicago. But it was the first time she witnessed his interaction with Rebekah Mikaelson. The looks they were exchanging seemed to have a secret meaning. Akin to the look reserved for a lover.
Nobody else seemed to be picking up on it. Granted, most of the room was drunk or busy enjoying themselves rather than caring what other people do. Or ignoring what they weren't supposed to see.
"Caroline." A voice she was starting to know well called from near her at the bar.
Bonnie the most dressed up, she'd ever seen her, was leaning on the counter smiling at her.
"Bonnie." Caroline gave a smile back. "What are you doing here ?"
"What do you do at a bar ? Getting a drink, Sidecar please."
"Right up."
"Having a full house tonight ?"
"Looks like people are out to have fun tonight."
"What about you ?"
"I'm working." Caroline raised an eyebrow as she put her drink before Bonnie.
"Hmm." She sipped from her glass, her eyes not leaving her blonde friend.
"Bonnie Bennett, are you worried about me ?"
"Since you didn't go into detail, but I know something happened who made you mad that day."
She was of course referring to the banquet with Klaus. Caroline had been tight lipped about the details and vague at best about the whole thing, but her friends, Bonnie and Matt, had picked up on something not being completely right. She had had to assure them that Klaus hadn't done anything to her, and kept to herself he nearly let someone else do. Still, they had seemed sceptical at best.
"I'm truly alright. Another guest at the event spent his time leering at me which put me in a bad mood, that's all. I'm over it." She smiled, rolling her eyes, as if to say it was no big deal. "Mr Mikaelson even punched him for it in the end."
"Did that frightened you ?" Bonnie asked in seriousness.
"No. Why, did you come here in case Klaus Mikaelson was here to run interferences ?" She joked.
"If necessary." Bonnie replied with serious aplomb, and Caroline felt touched at the show of concern, even though they'd only known each other for weeks instead of the forever it felt like.
"Thanks." She genuinely said.
Bonnie smiled back and was gonna say something else but was interrupted.
"Bonnie Bennett at the Mystic. Am I dreaming ?" Enzo sat right next to Bonnie at the bar, too close for Bonnie if judging by the small wrinkle of her nose.
"Enzo. How about you go away and leave us alone as your presence is not wanted or needed." Bonnie rolled her eyes.
Caroline, herself, was kind of glad for the distraction, especially as those two's banter was always entertaining.
"Ouch. That hurt. I'll forgive you if you have a drink with me." He winked.
"How about no ?"
"Oh come on Gorgeous, we both know you want to."
Bonnie turned to look at him dragging her gaze over him as if considering him.
"Are you delusional ?"
"If by delusional you mean right." He cheekily returned.
"I hope you aren't bothering my cousin Enzo ?" Another voice cut in, it was Marcel making is presence known.
"I would never. She enjoys it."
"In your sick head, maybe." Mumbled the green eyed girl.
"And what are you doing here young lady ?" Marcel turned to her.
"Getting a drink and talking to a friend, and by that I meant Caroline not you," She cast a side glance at Enzo. Marcel looked at her for the first time then before turning away. "I'm a big girl I can take care of myself. In any case I'm not any younger than Rebekah." She inclined her head toward the dancing blonde.
"Yeah. She's been dancing all night, she'll drop soon, and then I'll escort the princess back to her castle before all of her brothers come storming here."
"Kol's already here getting drunk upstairs." Said Enzo motioning the booth on the second level with his head.
Marcel looked over with a serious expression for a bit before going back to the dancing crowd.
"Don't get crazy. I'll catch you later." He said to Bonnie before pointedly looking at Enzo.
Caroline translated it by 'Make sure you escort her back home safely or I'll kill you.', Bonnie seemed to have understood the silent exchange too, but chosen to ignore it.
A patron asked for her attention at this time and by the time she came back Marcel was gone, and Bonnie and Enzo were bantering again as he tried to convince her to have a drink with him. Both ignoring the fact that they were effectively already drinking together.
-O-
Klaus was sitting on the couch before the fireplace in the study when Freya found him.
"Elijah told me about your conversation about Katherine Pierce." She sat next to him. "So how are we going to stop this ?"
Klaus glanced at her, the corner of his mouth curling up. She might not interfere with her brother's love life usually, but she was always the fiercest in protecting their family. That was their older sister.
"Did you expect me to agree to this ?" She raised an eyebrow.
"You agreed with Finn marrying Sage." Klaus retorted half joking.
Freya didn't bother hiding the roll of her eyes.
"Sage will never betray Finn, even if you don't like her you have to admit that. And that mean she will not betray our family as Finn, despite his estrangement will never do so either. But Katerina Petrova is another matter entirely. I do not trust her, she is too selfish to be loyal to anyone but herself." A ruthless light passed in her eyes as she stares into the fire.
Klaus knew if necessary she'd take matters into her own hands, even at the risk of provoking Elijah's ire.
"Do not worry Freya. We won't have to do anything, Katerina will hang herself. As you said it, she is selfish, and spoiled. We just have to make Elijah open his eyes, she will never change. I'll take care of it. She'll be out of our lives soon enough."
A/N: I made Bonnie and Marcel related for this story. I wanted Bonnie and Gloria related and also Marcel related to the Mystic, so Ayana (Esther witch friend in TVD) is Marcel mom here, and Gloria sister, making Gloria, Marcel's aunt. Sheila Bennett, Bonnie's gram, is Ayana and Gloria's cousin, so they are all related. Ayana was Esther's best friend, so Marcel grew up close with the Mikaelsons kids. Everyone follow?
Anyway that's what my story's background is like. If anyone wants to know the age of the characters let me know.