No pairing
*Thank you to Jazmine F. for Hank storyline
Chapter Text
Mikaelson Estate
Mystic Falls, Virginia
September 1855
Wine Cellar
Kol toed Marcel's seemingly lifeless body and entered the wooden wine cellar door. He smirked as he noticed how Marcel must have lain out his suit jacket on the rough dirt floor. The couple had two lanterns giving off circles of light and creating large shadows. He picked up one lantern and began his exploration. He hoped to revive Marcel and bribe him before the younger vampire ran off to tell on him. Marcel would be vexed, but like anyone, his silence could be bought for the right price.
"They probably have truffles and champagne hidden somewhere...," he muttered to himself. Thoughts of both the lovely Croiá and the spunky Hank floated in his mind. Both girls had their charms, but he felt they were too young for him. One barely 16 and the other slightly older.
Kol's vampire nose led him deeper into the cellar. He saw aged casks of alcohol and all sorts of bottles.
Kol smirked as he pulled out a bottle of D'Oliveiras Madeira and cracked off the top on the stone wall. He took a gulp.
"Notes of marmalade, quince, dried mango and melted candle wax. Exquisite," Kol stated in the loamy air. His voice echoed eerily.
"Hmm, that is odd," Kol said, approaching another few yards through the cellar. There was a large shelf.
Kol set down the bottle and lantern and moved the shelf. No human would be able to move that, even with Kol's strength, it took some effort. A few bottles crashed to the ground and Kol picked up the lantern again. He saw nothing out of place. Kol felt around in the near darkness with the palms of his hands. There had to be something behind this wall.
Using all of his strength Kol tried to slide the wall over. Nothing.
Think like Niklaus, Kol urged himself. What would he have done?
Kol shut his eyes and felt again. Then, he felt it. Using both hands, he pushed on the wall and it slid over on its on volition.
"Must be a pulley," Kol said. The cool breeze hit him first and the scent of stale air and decay followed.
"Tis here. A cave," Kol said, but even his enhanced vision could see nothing in the pure darkness. Kol picked up the lantern and was about to step through and explore the tunnel when he heard the sound.
"Bloody hell," Kol cursed. He vamped to the entrance, preparing to make his entreaties to Marcel. But the vampire was still unconscious on the ground.
"Hank? Tis that you?" Kol shouted.
Hank bore down on Apple and gritted her teeth. Mrs. Smith was on the back of a horse of one of the men who had entered her house. Another man was trying to get ahead of Hank. She was not sure where she was going, but Apple was faltering.
"Go to hell!" Hank had shouted at them all. Then, she saw a man crumpled on the ground and slowed her horse. The man ahead jumped down and tried to cut her off.
"Stop, girly. We got you. We paid good money for you," the young man with a straw hat and a long red beard cackled.
Hank was about to jump off her horse, when she saw movement and heard Kol's voice.
"Kol, help me! He tis trying to snatch me!" Hank yelled.
Somehow, Kol moved faster than she could see. The man's head flew off and landed with a thud a few steps from her horse. Apple bucked and Hank almost lost her hold before she could settle her mount down.
Kol then grabbed Hank and grabbed Apple's reins. Behind Mrs. Smith and her rider, three other horses followed.
"Who goes there? You are trespassing on private property," a stern voice warned.
The larger man on the horse snarled, "That lass is our property. She run off. We shall get her and be on our way. You know how these young bitches be!"
"They tried to assault my person. That old lady is up to no good. I think mayhaps she sold me," Hank confided in a shaky voice.
Kol whispered, "Fear not. Those are my brothers."
Hank took Apple's reins from Kol with unsteady hands. He did not let go of Hank as she hastily tied her horse to a nearby sapling and soothed her.
"Nik, stop them. They mean to harm this young lady," Kol announced. Another blur and the man was knocked off the horse to the ground. Hank could not discern what happened in the darkness, but she heard a sucking sound. Then, the man lay very still.
Elijah hauled, the older woman off of her horse as she thanked him.
"Oh kind sir, thank thee," Mrs. Smith feigned. "These gentleman tried to kidnap us. Thank thee much."
Hank shouted, "She is a foul liar! But I would like to know her purpose."
Elijah stared at her and compelled, "You will stay there and not move. Do not speak, ma'am."
Mrs. Smith stood as if fixed to the spot repeating, "I will stand here not speaking..."
Klaus vamped over, "Did they harm Marcellus? What in God's name is going on? We were coming back from town and heard the shouting."
Kol grimaced, "In truth, Nik, that was my doing. But this girl is my friend from school. Hank, meet my brothers: Nik, Elijah, and Finn."
Elijah nodded politely while Klaus growled, "Brother, you have some explaining to do. Finn, why do you not take the young lady and her horse back to the house?"
"You will be fine with him," Kol assured Hank, who did not want to be led away. "Tis fine. I shall be there soon...I hope."
Klaus knelt and tried to revive Marcel who was still out cold.
Elijah looked again into Mrs. Smith's eyes which were red and watery from rheumatism.
"Tell us your true purpose. Do you seek to harm that child?" Elijah compelled.
Mrs. Smith replied without emotion, "I sold her to these men. That tis my trade. Her father is a fool and would be better off without her. I got a good price, too."
Elijah stood and looked at Klaus.
"This sounds like a ring of traders of flesh. Did not Sage say some of the girls at the saloon disappeared? Mayhaps this is why. We should question her further," Elijah said.
"We can tie her up in the wine cellar for the time being. Kol, may I ask again what you are up to," Klaus said.
Kol balked, "I needed blades for Freya to put dark magic into. I thought perhaps that you had a hidden arsenal here."
"So you attack my son? Could you not have just bloody asked me?" Klaus fumed, sticking his finger in Kol's face.
"I did," Kol whined. "Or rather I tried to. I found your tunnel, Niklaus. What are you hiding?"
Klaus growled, "I ought to take the hide off you. For you to lure Marcel here. That is low, even for you!"
Elijah grabbed Klaus and pulled him away from Kol.
"Calm yourself, brother," Elijah warned. "I also have to ask why you have kept these tunnels secret. Why do they lead?"
Klaus shrugged, "You do not recall them? Why we used to spend every full moon there once."
Elijah frowned, "That cannot be. After all these years? They still exist."
Kol pointed, "We ought to look into this, Elijah. I am not sure we can trust Niklaus. I am sure he is hiding something nefarious in there."
Klaus grabbed Kol by the shirt collar, tearing it.
"It tis you I cannot trust! How dare you?" Klaus seethed. His eyes turned yellow and Elijah pulled him away with some effort.
"Stop this at once. You two behave yourselves," Elijah said firmly. "Kol, grab the woman and bring her in. If Niklaus has nothing to hide, he can show us."
Klaus gritted his teeth, muttering, "I ought to show the both of you a werewolf bite. Blasted idiots..."
Klaus checked Marcel again and then entered the darkened cellar. Elijah and Kol followed.
"Niklaus, show us now," Elijah said calmly. "Kol, here, bind her hands with my belt to that shelf. Compel her to stay."
The three brothers made their way deeper into the tunnel with the darkness.
"I suspect this path leads to the Lockwood estate. There was some digging months ago and then it stopped. This one leads into town and this one to the Salvatore estate," Klaus pointed.
"All the way there. That is near ten miles," Elijah calculated roughly. "Where would humans be down here?"
"They were up to something down here. I thought to block it off better but in truth, it slipped my mind," Klaus said lightly.
Elijah's eyes narrowed, "Brother, you forget nothing. You still bring up slights against you from when we were children. Can you not be honest?"
Klaus stiffened in anger and then he smiled, "You think you know everything about me, Brother? In truth, there is much you do not know."
"Kol, go see to Marcellus. I will get you those daggers and we shall speak more at the house," Elijah said evenly.
Kol did not wish to be in the middle of a brawl between the two. He nodded and handed his lantern to Elijah.
"Thank you for not arguing," Elijah said, never taking his eyes off of Klaus.
Klaus' gaze wavered after Kol left.
"Elijah, I dislike being down here. Tis reminds me of Henrik," Klaus said softly.
Elijah put his hand on Klaus' shoulder, "Twas not your fault, Niklaus. Now, show me what you are hiding."
Klaus sighed and walked several yards down a more hidden path.
"The weapons cache is in there," Klaus said. "But there is a reason I chose this property."
"I should have guessed. It tis unlike you to have us settle so close to town," Elijah noted, his mind reeling.
"When we were children and you were all sleeping, I would find myself here wide awake. I found a few smoother walls and I started to carve them. It passed the time. Soon, I found myself coming down here often to hide from father and tend to my art work," Klaus said. "That tis all it is. Paintings and carvings. Most lost to the ravages of time."
Elijah held up the lantern and started to see figures of animals and human figures. He laughed suddenly.
"It tis Loki the pig!" Elijah said with delight. "These are wonderful. I do not understand."
Klaus pointed further, "I did not ever wish you to know, but I fear the time for lies is over. I should have told you...I just thought you would hate me. Detest me...and then leave me."
Elijah turned and grasped Klaus, "Brother, we made a vow. Always and forever. It still has the same weight today, if not more, that tis always had. Now, show me."
Klaus walked further down the narrowing passage and led Elijah threw a hole into a large cavern. The cob webs were think and Elijah heard water dripping.
"Is this limestone? Gods, I hope we do not have a sink hole," Elijah commented, following his younger brother.
Klaus stopped and held up his lantern. There were symbols and figures. Elijah ran his fingers over the Old Norse writing of Rebekah's name.
"Tis our family history," Elijah noted. "Mother was a witch who married a Viking...Finn, me, you...Henrik."
Elijah paused and let the memories wash over him.
"Like I said, Brother, you did not kill him," Elijah repeated, almost to himself. But then he moved to the right to read the rest of the story.
Klaus said in a strangled voice, "But I did kill Mother. When I found out that Mikael had slaughter my true father and his people, I went blind with rage. I went to confront her and I...tore out her heart."
Elijah staggered as if he had been struck.
"Nay, Father slew her," Elijah protested. "Then, why did he...?"
"He hunted me for revenge. Twas never all of you that he wanted to kill. It was always and forever just me," Klaus said with a crack in his voice.
Elijah swallowed and got a hold of himself.
"Niklaus, listen to me," Elijah said. "We were not ourselves. The new power we had twisted us into monsters. Tis grievance in that you hid this from us for so long. You must tell the others."
Klaus like out a bitter laugh, "I cannot. They will hate me."
"No! They will forgive you," Elijah said. "Like I already have!"
Klaus fell to his knees. "No! I do not deserve your mercy. I am as father always said, an abomination. A mistake."
Elijah yanked Klaus to his feet. "Stop this right now. Our parents lied to us and made us this. You reacted. Tis over. Done with. We cannot let this divide and destroy us."
"Must I really tell them?" Klaus gulped.
"Aye, unless you want a real thrashing every night until you do," Elijah said, clutching Klaus to him. "This is history. We must deal with true dangers in the present. Now, pick yourself up. We needs get those weapons to Freya. There is work to be done."
Klaus let Elijah lead him out of the cavern and then got the daggers and a few olds and ends.
Klaus and Elijah found the old woman bond still to the shelf in the cellar.
"Let us bring her closer to the house," Elijah said. "We have much to still do tonight."
Klaus nodded, "And Kol broke open my D'Oliveiras. I brought that from Spain."
"How did you manage to get that from New Orleans?" Elijah asked wryly.
"That tis another secret," Klaus said.
Elijah took the bottle and took a swig. "Tis mine now. Get the woman. We will discuss your punishment at the house. I daresay you are in for a good one."
Klaus hung his head, relieved truly that his burden was lightened.
"What of Kol? He snapped Marcel's neck! Goodness, he is Marcel's coat! Another love nest, I suppose," Klaus grumbled.
"Marcellus has suffered enough tonight," Elijah snapped. "Finn and I will take care of you. Perhaps we should let Freya discipline Kol?"
Klaus shrugged, "If anyone can deal with his stubborn hide, it should be her. Though, I almost feel sorry for him."
"Did you just pay her a compliment?" Elijah asked as they gathered the coat and Mrs. Smith, as well as the lanterns.
"No, of course not," Klaus said. "Do not ruin my hard wrought reputation."
"Never," Elijah said dryly.
Mikaelson Mansion
Rebekah and Elena got Hank bathed and settled into the bedroom after settling her down with a cup of tea. Freya got the younger children to bed with the staff and took the daggers with thanks when Elijah and Klaus came back in. They had left Mrs. Smith under guard in a small shed with the stable master to guard her all night. They had also compelled them after they interrogated her further.
"Any word?" Finn asked. "Sage needs to be informed of this. She is still at the saloon. Three of her workers are missing. All younger girls."
"Edna Smith is the old lady. She gave us a list of names, but she only knows but a few players. Send word to Sage that we put Constable Forbes on the case to look for the women. They may be hard to find," Elijah said. He went into his study to make a list for Finn to give to Sage.
"I will go in person. I dislike her being in town so late, but she was wont to try to investigate herself," Finn shared, pacing nervously. "Hank, the girl, is up with Rebekah and Elena. The girl was drugged and is exhausted."
Klaus nodded, "Did Kol and Marcel make it back?"
Freya sat at the kitchen table, looking through the bundle of weapons.
"Aye, what happened out there?" Freya asked, looking up.
Klaus made a face as if he was not sure of what to say.
"Finn, before you leave, can we speak in your room?" Klaus asked, as Elijah came in with the list.
"Of course," Finn said, heading towards his and Sage's first floor quarters. "Though I am anxious to get back to town. If we had not have seen those riders, I would not have left her there."
"Of course, Finn," Freya soothed. Once they settled on the couched in the bedroom, Elijah nodded at Klaus.
"Tell them."
Klaus started, "I was not honest with all of you. When we fled the witches from our home in New Orleans, I first came here. I longed to see the caves where we spent every full moon to hide from the wolves. Of course, at the time, I did not know they were my kin, but I was always fascinated by them. I used to peer out and try to watch them turn. Little did I know that Henrik followed me. I thought the night they tore him apart would be our darkest day."
Elijah put a hand on Klaus' leg. "They know that part. Go on."
"It twas not. After Mother and Father turned us into blood drinkers, Father hunted down my true father and killed him. Elijah, I did not tell you this, but I found him. His head was on a spike. I remembered that once, he had come to visit Mother on market day. They exchanged words and he looked upon with a glance that I never got from Mikael. Twas love. When I looked upon my father, dead, I vowed to kill Mikael. But when I got back to the house, I only found Mother," Klaus stated. He had to stop to clear his throat. Freya gave him her cup of tea. He gulped it with thanks.
"Kol and I were hunting in the wood that day," Finn said. "I never imagined it was the last time I would see our mother. Yet the hunger was so great and I feared to leave Kol alone."
Elijah agreed, "Rebekah and I were testing the fact that we could no longer enter our neighbor's huts. That was the day we realized that we had to be invited in or never enter."
"Mother was making stew outside. She backed away when she saw the look in my eye. I realized she was afraid. I spat that Ansel was dead and she staggered in pain. She told me she did it all for me. For the family. I lost my senses and when I came to," Klaus drifted off. "She was dead. Her heart was in my hands. I had killed her."
Finn stood up and closed his eyes. "I always suspected Niklaus. Father was many things to all of us, but he never laid a hand on Ester. Never."
"I am sorry for the deceit," Klaus breathed. "I am a coward."
Freya blinked back tears, "Thank you, Niklaus. I had vowed to kill Ester with my own hands when I escaped from Dahlia, such was my bitterness. But of course, she cursed me before that could happen. Though I am sorry for the pain this all caused you. We will overcome this, as we have overcome death itself. Always and forever."
Freya grasped Klaus' hand and reached for Finn's. Elijah held on to Klaus and put an arm around Freya. "I told him as much. But he deserves a damn good hiding for carrying this lie so long."
Freya blinked back tears, "I have something for that. Ilayda shared much of her knowledge of herbs with me. It should help the lesson stick."
Finn stood and patted Niklaus, "This one is Elijah's to deal with. I need to go get my wife in town. We will survive, always and forever."
Finn left and Freya went to get something.
Elijah sat on the couch as Klaus leaned his head on Elijah's shoulder and wept.
Chapter Poll:
*Should Elijah punish Klaus? How?
*Should Kol be in trouble for sneaking into the tunnel and hurting Marcel?
