Chapter 2

"So, what do you think of her?" Kol asked.

"Who?" Niklaus murmured.

"Oh please," Kol hummed grinning. "You know exactly who I mean. Our lovely new mother."

"Hmm. She seems like a good woman."

"Yes, she does."

A very pretty woman. Kol wouldn't have minded getting some "motherly warmth" from her. She was definitely too good for their father. Such a shame. Kol sighed and tried to concentrate. He and Niklaus were hunting and their father wouldn't be pleased if they would return empty handed.

"Have you continued your studies?" Niklaus asked after a moment of silence.

"Of course," Kol replied. "Just because mother abandoned us, doesn't mean I would abandon my destiny."

Niklaus raised an eyebrow.

"Your destiny?"

Kol grinned.

"I will become the most powerful witch who has ever lived."

"How modest of you."

"Who needs modesty," Kol huffed. "I know I can do it. Mother said that I am powerful."

"Is Ayana teaching you?" Niklaus asked.

"Not really. She calls me arrogant and irresponsible, but I think she is merely jealous."

"If you say so."

"I don't expect you to understand," Kol snorted. "You don't know how it feels to have this raw untamable power inside of you."

"No," Niklaus murmured. "I suppose I don't."

Kol noticed him touching his necklace.

"Why do you still have that?" Kol huffed. "Mother is gone. She left us."

Niklaus tensed and pressed his lips together.

"Fine, keep obeying her..."

"You don't know what you are talking about," Niklaus snapped. "She said that this necklace will protect me."

"Well, it does not seem to be working," Kol replied dryly.

"Shut up. Mother loves us, I know she does. She wouldn't have left without a good reason."

"What reason would that be?"

"I don't know, but I believe some day we will know."

Kol rolled his eyes.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, brother."

Niklaus had always been too soft and fragile. Their father saw that as weakness. Their mother on the other hand had coddled him. Assured him that he was fine the way he was. It didn't matter that he wasn't as strong as his brothers. Kol had always suspected that Niklaus was their mother's favorite. Obviously, he was also Rebekah's and Elijah's favorite.

It didn't really bother Kol, he enjoyed spending his time training his magic. Their mother had taught him a lot and if Ayana would refuse to continue teaching him, he would just learn by himself. After catching two rabbits, Kol and Niklaus decided to wash themselves in the river before heading home. As they approached the river, Kol heard someone laughing. Freydis and Henrik. They were swimming in the river. Kol had never heard her laughing before.

"Hello there!" he greeted them.

"Oh, hello," Freydis replied smiling. "How was your hunt?"

Kol lifted the two rabbits.

"Successful."

"That's wonderful, I am sure your father will be pleased."

"You have met our father, have you not? He is never pleased," Kol joked.

Freydis blinked her eyes few times, she seemed nervous.

"I... I should go back."

Kol dropped the rabbits on the ground and hurried the help Freydis out of the water. She had been swimming in her undergarment.

"Thank you," she said, smiling a bit nervously.

Kol found that very cute.

"My pleasure, mother," he replied, giving her a charming smile.

"What do you think you are doing?" Niklaus snapped after Freydis and Henrik had left.

Kol turned to look at him.

"What? Am I not supposed to be polite to our new mother?"

"You know what I mean," Niklaus replied tensely. "I saw the way you looked at her."

Kol shrugged.

"Is it wrong to look at pretty things?"

"It is when they belong to someone else."

"Come on, brother, I was only having a little fun. No harm done."

Niklaus crossed his arms.

"You need to be more careful."

"And you need to relax. Perhaps you didn't know this, but it is normal for men to look at pretty women. She is pretty, is she not?"

Niklaus didn't reply, he turned around and headed home. Kol sighed, picked up the rabbits and followed him. It wasn't a secret that Niklaus feared their father, but Kol didn't. He wouldn't have purposely angered Mikael, but he didn't see anything wrong with this. His father had a young gorgeous wife who he didn't appreciate or deserve. There was nothing wrong with making the poor girl feel appreciated. After all, they were a family now.