A/N: Just a note to remind people every section between the breaks is a different P.O.V I never repeat a single person's viewpoint back to back, which would be pointless. The identity of each person is made clear within either a couple of sentences or them referring to something they have said or done previously xx Alexis
The restaurant Elijah escorts me into is lovely, no that's too mild a description it's sumptuous. It's also extremely inviting and has a calm air about it. The view of the square is excellent and I can see many artists and their work all around the sides. That in itself is relaxing, watching the movement of brushes sweeping across canvases, very Zen-like in a way. The menu when it arrives offers me a couple of things I've never tried before and Elijah orders a wine that compliments the food perfectly. All in all, I'm perfectly relaxed and have a warm, fuzzy feeling. Oops, that might be the wine or the intoxication of my dining companion. This alone made it more obvious when the vibe around me changed completely.
"We have company!" I whispered calmly,
I say this as I lean forward to take a bite of food from his proffered fork, Elijah nods and his eyes flicker to the rear of the restaurant and back to me. Mine do the same, but to the square instead. I draw a little circle on the back of his hand letting him know we are surrounded so to speak. I don't sense any interference as yet, so I act oblivious to the newcomers. I make appreciative moans after any particularly delicious mouthfuls and enjoy Elijah watching my lips as I do. Am I over-egging it, maybe a little bit, but the food is very enjoyable. We are being observed and if this is Marcel, he should be aware Elijah would know he was there right away. Maybe these scare tactics work on traditional vampires, but an Original!
"Oh Elijah, this is wonderful, you are spoiling me so much! How will I ever be able to go home after this? Bumping into you was the best thing that happened to me since I arrived in New Orleans. I'll never regret coming to stay with my Aunt and Uncle. You have made this tragic time much more bearable for me" I say winking at him,
Letting him know I'm sticking to the story of why I'm supposed to be here.
"It has been my pleasure Sabé. You too have made my visit more interesting. I'm so glad I called into Elizabeth's for some of my brother's belongings" he replies smoothly and we smile at each other,
"Well, you've made my time here amazing. You should be a food guide; you know the best places to eat! You never did say what you actually did for a living" I say and that's when we hear who I presume is Marcel speak,
"He's the head of the family business! Isn't that right Elijah?" he says with no little scorn,
While making the word family sound like it was something bad. I smiled and looked enquiringly at Elijah as if asking who his friend was.
"Sabé, this is Marcel Gerard, He's..., how would you describe your position in New Orleans, Marcel?" Elijah quizzed,
"Entrepreneur! I am the Master of the French Quarter! I think that best covers it" he says smirking at us,
"Oh, one of the many since New Orleans has so many districts, after all. A voted in official for the smallest district, like a custodian or a steward? I find politics fascinating, a little confusing sometimes but really interesting!" I say with the most innocent look on my face,
It was so satisfying to see him seethe and feel indignant. Elijah's grip on my hand tightened slightly for a moment and I hope that was approval. At this point, I felt a witch start to probe my defences and I glanced outside and saw her standing there, bold as brass and not even trying to hide. I imagined a bubble around her and sure enough, she started doing a demented mime type of affair inside it.
"Look, Elijah, that woman is doing mime. She's not very good though! Wait, oh she's doing that pushing against a boulder thing. Oh, that's funny" I said loudly and all the customers looked,
When she was at a real angle I whipped it away and she went over and rolled for a few feet. Everyone was clapping and laughing at her by now. When she finally got to her feet I shoved her hard and it looked like a pratfall. Her bag had fallen open during this and people started throwing coins into it. Marcel looked livid and the witch gathered her things and fled.
"Thank you Elijah, lunch and entertainment too, you're spoiling me. Now if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I must visit the ladies room!" I said before rising and heading to the restroom,
IOOH
Sometimes I extremely dislike being the Regent of the Nine Covens of New Orleans! My name Josephine LaRue used to strike fear into the hearts of younger witches. Now they are blasé and arrogant and only come to me when they come across something they don't understand or they have gotten into something they can't handle. I hold the position of having the greatest authority over all the witches of New Orleans; it appears I have been a little too lax of late. The heads of all nine covens are here for an audience and I will make them wait, a little humility won't do them any harm. A small reminder of just who they are actually dealing with.
They have brought the required offerings; I do not give information for nothing and only to those who deserve it. I know what troubles them, they think me old and feeble, but I am still a witch and a powerful one at that. The fools have found themselves *a Natural! A human with supernatural abilities. If I were to hazard a guess, she is a descendant of a transitioned witch. One who taught a potion or spell to a human to allow them to help him or her to have children! So a witch of the first order then, one with great skill. This could have been many years ago, centuries even. I will have to start digging into the historical records of turned and damned witches. I pray they were neither Heretic nor Traveller, that is a can of worms best not opened!
Like all other humanoids, witches evolve too and sometimes it is not for the better! The Travellers invented a new form of magic and the Heretics are the only vampires who are able to wield magic. There are other covens out there who like The Sisters dabble in only the black arts. It was never meant to be like this, we should all have been on one united front against our enemies. But greed, avarice and lust have been our downfall, no one is omnificent, there is always someone stronger who can take you out! Not that we are totally innocent either and each coven devoutly protects and hides their own magic. This is the real problem, an all too human problem!
Time to make my entrance, it's stately and regal, my face is set in a haughty demeanour. I take my seat and watch the fools standing around. Dear me they won't even come to a decision on where to sit. Well, I will make it for them. It's a parlour trick, but effective and amusing to one as old as me. They are suddenly and dramatically seated where I chose. I first pin them with my ice blue stare and then start talking before they can start fighting about who will address me.
"You will leave the Natural alone! She is no longer your concern. You have already managed to steer her into a Mikaelson's arms! Luckily for you, it's Elijah and not Niklaus!
Ah, by your vacant stares, I see you have no concept of what a Natural is! All the more reason why you should have sought me out sooner.
She is a descendant of a witch who was transitioned against their will. But her magic only seems to be directed towards witches, so I'll hazard a guess that their coven sold them out!
Go home and search your archives and find him or her that was condemned by one of your ancestors. I will deal with the Original and his child protector!" I say waving my hand imperiously and dismissing them all,
The looks on their faces are worth it, they brought their tributes and never even had a chance to speak before I'd answered their questions and sent them packing. I love being the Regent of the Nine Covens of New Orleans sometimes!
IOOH
Marcel's face is a picture, his witch has basically had her ass handed to her by Isabella and he doesn't know it or can't grasp how. It was not his tame witches that attacked before and as none will talk to each other, I assume they were unaware of her. With her shield, Isabella is an anomaly and I doubt they would even know what to call it. But as more covens come into the mix it will get around, I expect Madame LaRue will be contacting me soon enough, to find out why I have a companion with a defence mechanism against witches. I also love the way Isabella cut Marcel down with a few words. He thinks being Master of the French Quarter is important, he forgets his maker, was Master of New Orleans as a whole at one time!
Once Isabella excused herself I asked him,
"What was the witch's display for? You attack humans out in the open now in broad daylight? Hardly the mark of a leader!"
"As if you brother didn't do exactly the same, all the time!" he whined at me,
"In seventeen eighty-eight Marcel yes! Not in the days of cell phones, satellites and CCTV, only an incompetent fool does that.
That of course, is your problem; you're trying to emulate the best and failing miserably. Your so-called people will see you doing it and think that they too can attack the humans anytime, anywhere.
That will bring New Orleans to its knees faster than the fire did and we will have to step back in to save your ass. Now excuse me my date is waiting!" I say loud enough for his men to hear, but not the restaurant's patrons,
I sign for lunch, meet Isabella on her return and guided her outside into the square only to hear a voice close to us call out,
"Witches on all sides Elijah, it's a trap," he said joining us,
"Sweetheart this is Damon Salvatore, a friend, sort of. Damon this is Isabella" I say,
She nods and offers her hand to him, which the idiot kisses. Isabella swats him and grips his hand firmly before sighing.
"He's under as well, let's get the hell out of here they are throwing everything they've got at me!" she whispers,
"Isabella is a gifted human with a shield!" I explain quietly as we rush off,
"A Natural, how awesome! I've read all about the phenomenon but never met one personally. So sweet lady how did you get entangled with dear old, really old Elijah?" he cockily asks her with his signature smirk,
"He's the right kind of old for me Damon. You know what they say about men with experience!" Isabella trades back at him with a wink and I see he's impressed,
All through this nonchalant chit-chat we were scanning the area and knew where everyone was at all times. Out of the corner of my eye, I could just see Marcel's angry face, he didn't like that we were taking his rule so lightly. As we turn the corner onto the quietest part of the square several witches step into our path, with Marcel and his men behind us. There is no point in pretending now and with Damon and me gripping Isabella's hands she takes a deep breath and sends out a blast of what must be her shield. The vampires behind us are all knocked down and shoved back, but the witches ahead of us casting spells and hexes are struck by their own curses.
Two are on fire, but alive and one has basically disintegrated. Another is just dead, no marks nothing but she's stone dead. One has blinded herself and has bumped into another who is petrified. I raise my eyebrow at Isabella and she nods.
"They've stopped, we're in the clear" she whispers slightly awed by what has happened, I turn and stare at Marcel,
"You might want to clean up your mess before any humans see it. Yes, leading just isn't your forte either is it, child!" I say insulting and demeaning him in front of his men.
IOOH
Stuff is improvin' between Mary Alice and me, slowly but she's now actually listenin' so that's a start. It's time for us to have a change of scenery and to be able to hunt for food rather than the bagged blood. This will be the test of how things are goin' to be. If she starts demandin' non-essentials again, then I think it might just be the end for us. What she doesn't know is where we will be livin'. I'm takin' her home, to my home, Texas. I have a ranch, a house and a workin' farm. The manager wants to retire so it's perfect, I will after all this time get to live the way we always should have. But it won't be the happy lovin' dream we, that bein' Jasper and me the Major once had, you can never recover the magic once it's been crushed underfoot.
But we are hopin' we can build somethin' new, somethin' else that could come from the ashes of our old life. Jasper prays we can, I am as usual cautiously optimistic! I wonder if she knows how to work a washer/dryer, hell we'll learn together! Because I ain't wearin' no preppie shit and we don't need new stuff every day neither! The closets are regular size there and will be stayin' that way too. Time for her to learn there's more to life than fashion and that for most folks that's enough!
IOOH
"Six witches couldn't handle two vampires and a human! What in the ever-loving fuck happened out there? Who is that vampire and what the fuck is that girl?" Marcel rants at the four remaining witches,
Not that the petrified one can hear anything I think! When he swings around at me I raise an eyebrow. I may be his second in command, but I'm not one of his lackeys. So he huffs out a breath before saying,
"Thierry, can you find out who that vampire was and meanwhile these idiots will find a way to kill that girl!"
I have my doubt's but in this mood, he won't listen. So I go in search of some information on the stranger who obviously knows the Mikaelson's well. That can only mean he's been around a while and won't be stupid enough to leave too many clues to his identity! Or at least that's what I thought. But this guy doesn't give a crap; he rented the most expensive room in the most expensive hotel. Then he compelled them to give him it for nothing, before renting a car and doing the same thing. The name he gave was Damon Salvatore from Mystic Falls. His room was occupied by three women all just waiting on his return, damn he has style, arrogant as fuck, by plenty style!
Well at least I have some news for Marcel; I wonder how the witches are fairing. Let's hope their little fiasco doesn't reach the ears of the Nine Covens. If their powers get bound Marcel will not be happy, free witches are few and far between.
IOOH
Damon seems like fun, he's cocky that's for sure. But in a strange way, he's like a cross between Emmett and Jasper. He seems to be fun-loving and devil may care, but I sense a darker streak in him too. When he was asking how I got tangled up in the supernatural world. I told him about knowing some Cold ones and he said he met one once, scary as all get out, but a decent guy. When he said where and gave a brief description of the Major as he called him, I laughed. Explaining he was a good friend to me too and one of the ones who aided my escape. Elijah smiled saying,
"Hell, everyone has met him but me! We'll have to remedy that one day, maybe his brother Peter will tell us when!"
We both cocked our heads and Damon frowned and then my cell buzzed. I sniggered as I picked it up.
'Will Do! PW'
"Peter Whitlock, in Jasper's words 'just knows shit!'. He ran serious interference for me when I escaped to New Orleans" I explain smiling fondly,
"His brother?" Damon enquires,
"By venom, but they are close," I say and he nods,
"Yeah, I knew someone was watching the Major's back that night. Never saw him, but knew he was watching me like a hawk! Ready to attack if I stepped out of line" he informed us and I believed him,
"So the reason I'm here is to deliver this as requested. I hope it meets the brief, elegant, delicate and not too flashy! I see now why, that sums you up sweet thing. Well, I have a bevy of beauties awaiting my return, so I'll bid you both adieu, If you're ever in Mystic Falls you know where to find me Elijah" Damon said bowing over my hand,
Then he shook Elijah's and gave him a wrapped box. I don't think they really dislike each other that much, more frenemies. But I can imagine to would be rough if they were on opposing sides. They had been in the suite and Elijah had shown Damon Kol's bed while I went to change into something more relaxed. I like wearing yoga pants and a top. I had even taken to walking about barefoot as it is warm here and I no longer need my thermal socks. It didn't take me long to revert back to my old Arizona style of dress, not all bundled up against the elements at Dad's. I flop down beside Elijah on the sofa, it is back to school and work for me tomorrow and I'm really ready for it to be all over.
"Sweetheart, how are your grades? You could see about finishing out early if you've got all the credits you need and your scores are high enough" Elijah suggested and I thought that would be brilliant,
"I need to revert back to my own name anyway, so I'll ask at the office, Peter gave me contingency documents, stating I'd been in witness protection under an assumed name. Now I'm free to be me again I think I'll get it sorted" I explained to him and he wraps his arm around my shoulder,
"Then what? College or work?" he asks and I sigh,
"I don't have a plan, I never did! I was always too busy running a household. In Arizona, it was all about paying bills doing taxes, balancing the chequebook.
I never had time to dream, I escaped into books, but I don't want to teach or anything like that. So if you know anyone that needs a Personal Assistant that I'm qualified for without the expensive schooling!" I say and see Elijah smile widely,
"My accountant told me yesterday for the one-millionth time, I need an Assistant to do the things I refuse or forget to do! I never wanted one because of what and who I am, but you sweetheart would be perfect.
Would you like to work for me, see the world, deal with my accountant for me and I promise to pay you the going rate, with all the proper benefits and not overwork you too much!" Elijah says and I am stunned,
"Really, a real job! Not made up or pretend, but a real job? Yes, I'd love to!" I am ecstatic,
I have never wanted to sponge off of anyone, not like I felt Edward did to Carlisle. I am so excited, it means I would be independent and although I have no plans to leave Elijah, it means he's not keeping me either, because that's just unconscionable. I will not ever be a kept woman; it's tacky and well gold-diggerish! That's not me, has never been me and never will be me!
"Okay tomorrow while you sort out your schooling, I'll start looking for a work laptop or cell for you. Speak to my accountant and give him the good news. Probably it would be best for you to meet him too" Elijah said full of plans and just as excited as me,
Then he slides a small bag across the edge of the sofa to me. I raised an eyebrow and he smiled,
"Let's call it insurance sweetheart. I want you to start wearing it now and get used to it always being there.
Then if anything happens and I'm not with you, this will keep you safe from the sun. I will try to always keep you safe, but I won't lie and say it's a guarantee!" he told me honestly and I nodded,
It was a beautiful and delicate pendant with the same stone as his ring. It was on a long chain so it would be out of view.
*A Natural is my own invention for this story
