October 8, 1001
Mikaelson Longhouse
Elena and Elijah's Room:
Elena couldn't help that she was crying again and, not surprisingly, her son Eirik was seemingly unperturbed. If anything, he was hungry again; she noted wistfully. Her brother-in-law Henrik had been so happy that he was no longer the youngest Mikaelson in their growing family. Elena and most of her new family, Rebekah and Klaus, had enjoyed watching him puff out his chest when he held his niece and nephew in turn. The memory of her handing Astrid to him and introducing him as 'Uncle Henrik' was something she hoped that she would never forget. That was the problem with this time period: there were no video cameras or cameras or any other modern convenience her former home had to help preserve memories of loved ones.
"My Kærasta, I don't like to see you crying like this," Elijah's calming voice helped, but only diminished a few of her unshed tears. Everyone in their family and a few of the neighbors were affected by Henrik's untimely death. It didn't help that Lokar's parents had outright blamed Klaus for their son's death. Although he was naturally curious about werewolves and had left the safety of the cave network more than once to watch them change during the full moon, he never once had taken his little brother with him. Elena didn't have any proof, but she strongly suspected that Lokar had convinced poor Henrik that if his older brother could watch them change with nary a scratch, then so could they. That misplaced belief had cost them both their young lives.
"I know, Lijah, I know; but I can't help feeling like I'm partly responsible in some way," Elena wailed. Almost instantly, her husband was beside her, doing a rather impressive job of wrapping his muscular arms around the three of them. Thankfully her tiny babies were still suckling as they had when they started demanding in their way for food shortly after returning from Henrik's Funeral.
It bothered Elena how many funerals she had attended in her mortal life to date and she was counting in her past as well as now. Her parents, Jenna, John, Tatia's former husband, not to mention all the members of their growing community. The list seemed to just keep getting longer and longer, she thought unhappily. He leaned back to gaze at his wife breastfeeding their children. Although he would never admit this to anyone, he didn't know what he would do if he lost either his wife or children.
"You can't blame yourself. As much as you think you should, I respectfully disagree. You had Astrid and Eirik to care for. If anyone should be blamed, it should be me," Elijah's voice caught. Elena reached up and cupped the side of his face and made him look her in the eye.
"Elijah Mikaelson, now you listen to me! If I can't blame myself, neither can you. Do you understand me?" Out of deference to their children, she kept her voice near a whisper, but she was doing her best to give him the look Caroline and Bonnie had sworn she kept hidden until she really needed it.
"I love you Elena Mikaelson. You know that, right?" Elijah chuckled softly.
"And I love you too, Elijah Mikaelson. Always and forever, remember?" Elena smiled at her handsome husband.
"Always and forever," he repeated, and acting on an impulse, he leaned forward to steal a kiss from his wife. Which she readily gave him, their shared sorrow temporarily forgotten. No matter how much heartbreak they've experienced for the last four days, the utter love they felt for each other and for their two small children would surely endure whatever the world threw at them.
October 8, 1001
Dear Diary,
I hate feeling like this. Henrik was such a good boy. He always had a ready smile on his handsome face. He shared the same features as my husband and my still annoying brother, Kol. I'm not being fair to Kol ever since the birth of the twins he was nothing but helpful to both Elijah and I. He couldn't stop coming up with ways of what he planned to do with them when they come into their magic. Yes, can you believe it if they develop their powers, they will be able to perform magic like my friend Bonnie? I'm still not sure how that will work with the Petrova bloodline side of things, but we'll cross the bridge when the time is right.
Okay, I've written nothing in my journal that described Viking funeral rites and I must say some of these customs truly horrify me. Granted, I shouldn't judge and many of their customs are similar enough to the ones I knew in my time.
Jarl Mikaelson, my father-in-law, had it within his right as a Viking chieftain to demand that a sacrificial female bond servant be forced to consume copious amounts of alcohol, afterwards then raped by every man in the village as a tribute to the deceased. From there, she was strangled with a rope, stabbed by a matriarch of the village also known as the Angel of Death. Mikael was seriously considering doing this rite specifically for his deceased son. At first I thought he wasn't serious, but when he started looking for a girl, I was horrified. Now granted, we don't have slaves in our community, but we do have the native inhabitants that have known relatives that are running with Ansel's pack. Although they haven't triggered their curse ever since Henrik's death by the very teeth of werewolves, our Jarl has been wanting retribution.
Fortunately, that rite didn't come to pass, for Henrik's sake. I won't be pointing fingers but a certain blue eyed Mikaelson, once he heard his father's intentions, I personally witnessed him talking privately to the same girl that very day. The following day, she was strangely absent. My brother is a good man and that brings up something I need to share with the one person (myself) and perhaps Ayana. With Henrik's death, I need to find a way to discourage Esther from changing her family into the Original Vampires. I need to seek advice from my former guardian and friend Ayana. Maybe she might be able to talk to Esther and Mikael and convince them not to go down the path my own history says they do. If I'm a Child of Destiny, as Ayana claims I am, I will damn well use it to change history for the better.
It's been awhile since I've counted up my tick marks in my journal. I believe it's fitting that I do so now. I have been in my new home for three years, one month and thirteen days. Not counting the time span from my past regarding the Mikealsons I personally knew back in the twenty-first century. I have known my new family far longer than either Damon or Stefan Salvatore. Yes, Stefan had or still does, time travel conditions notwithstanding, have a special place in my heart. He was my first love, but I'm no longer that teenage girl recovering from the loss of my parents. I'm a married woman with an extensive family and children of my own. And I need to do everything I can to preserve that.
October 29, 1001
Ayana's Spellchamber
She couldn't help it, but Elena felt wrong without her children. She knew that what she had to do was for her family, and she needed to see Ayana alone. Fortunately, Rebekah and Klaus were keeping a watchful eye over her sleeping babies. She had fed them both before heading off to find her former guardian. As much as she hated lying, one being that she was terrible at it, she somehow managed to convince Elijah that she wanted to talk to Ayana about her concerns that Astrid is not nursing as much as her older brother. Although he tried to reassure her, she must have looked worried enough for him to agree. First she tried Ayana's home but couldn't find her, and after asking around, she learned that Ayana was working in her Spellchamber.
This was the first time she had a chance to seek her out; taking care of her children's needs and trying to cope with the loss of a family member took a lot out of a person. Being a mother was hard enough, but trying to change history was an entirely different level of difficult. She knew that the first opportunity to have a private talk with Ayana; she needed to take advantage of it. Easier said than done, it turned out; but she was here now, and she wasn't going to waste it.
"Hello, child. How are your little angels, Eirik and Astrid, doing?" Ayana said in greeting to Elena.
"They are doing well, Ayana, thank you for asking. I just fed and put them to bed for a nap. Thank the spirits by the fact that as they get older with each passing day and week, they will get closer to when they both sleep through the night. I know Elijah and I would appreciate it, as would my new family. Finn and Kol complain a lot, but Esther just smiles at them then suggests to them about learning how to put a silencing spell around themselves or refresh the one she crafted for our bedroom."
Ayana looked thoughtfully at her former ward and it wasn't long before a smile broke out before morphing into laughter. Seeing someone else laughing helped to improve her own sagging mood and before Elena knew it, she joined in.
"Why… Why hasn't Esther simply refreshed your silencing spell placed on your room, might I ask?" Ayana asked once she settled down enough to ask a coherent question.
"I would call it an opportunity to excel. Personally, I think Finn could do it. He is the more versed in theoretical aspects about magic. While Kol might be stronger magically, he, at least according to Esther, tends to focus on the flashier aspects of magic. So I think it's a waiting game between who will break down first," Elena chuckled, feeling remarkably better too. Who would've guessed that laughter was good for a hurt soul, Elena mused wistfully.
"Now, child, I know you didn't come here to talk just about Finn and Kol with me. What's on your mind?" Ayana asked as she indicated the stool next to her. Elena bobbed her head in acknowledgment and quickly sat down next to the witch. Once she was settled, she held up a bundle of sage with a quirk of her eyebrow as if asking a question.
Elena nodded, and Ayana muttered a quick incantation. Before her eyes, the bundle first started to smolder, then the flame caught and smoke started to waft its way from the burning sage. They made pleasant small talk until enough of the smoke had spread about her Spellchamber for them to speak in confidence.
"There we are, free to talk without worry. What do you wish to discuss?"
"We have never talked about some of the things about my knowledge of future events, and I understand in telling someone who doesn't know about my true origins they might have difficulty believing me. So that is why I'm coming to you," Elena started, not quite sure she was going about this right. She had everything laid out in her mind, exactly what she was going to say, but now faced with talking about it, she couldn't recall a single word she'd planned to say.
"What about these future events?" Ayana asked and just for an instant Elena found herself speculating if the Bennett witch knew more about the future than she had let on. But just as quickly, she discarded that notion. Focus Elena, you have too much at stake to start questioning things now.
"Ayana, what if I told you that Henrik's tragic death by the Werewolves will set off a chain of events that has repercussions that reach even as far in the future as my birth year and possibly even beyond?" Elena stated hesitantly. She didn't really know how much she should reveal, maybe doing so would make it happen or maybe not. Sometimes destiny is a bitch, Elena found herself muttering to herself.
"Sorry Elena, did you say something else?" Ayana's voice startled her and it was then she realized that perhaps she had spoken the last part aloud. Feeling rather embarrassed, she waved her hand in negation.
"No, sorry, I was just thinking out loud, apparently. Should I repeat what I said before?"
"No need, child. I heard you quite clearly," Ayana smiled, which only made Elena blush more than she had been for her earlier gaff. "If what you said is truth, Elena Mikaelson, then what do you hope to accomplish by coming to me- a mere servant of nature?"
Elena opened her mouth to answer, but snapped it shut as she considered the question. It's not like she could tell them the truth, could she? How would her mother- and father-in-law react to such an outlandish declaration? Esther might believe but Mikael would only call her a foolish misguided woman. Which wouldn't be the first time. If it hadn't been for Elijah or even Klaus running interference for her, Mikael might have finally struck her for questioning his decisions so openly.
"I alone, I don't think I can do it; but perhaps if you came with me or went to my in-laws and talked with them then maybe-" Elena broke off mid sentence, not sure if even that was the right approach.
"Perhaps it might be better received if it came from me on your behalf. Esther and Mikael wanted to speak to me today, anyway. I can do it then if you like?" Ayana offered.
"Yes! That could work and after that they can ask me questions…" Elena added, her mood improving already. She stopped when she noticed Ayana's wary look directed at her. "Did I miss something?"
"This is only between Esther, Mikael and myself."
"Please do what you can then," Elena answered as her shoulders drooped as she let out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding.
"Don't fret, child. I will talk to them. Now, if there isn't anything else, I need to get ready for my meeting with them. I strongly suggest that you take your family over to see how Tatia is doing. I haven't had a chance to check on her this week," Ayana said as if in reassurance to a troubled new mother, which, in reality, Elena was.
"Okay, I'll go do that now and Ayana, thank you for doing this," Elena thanked her friend and quickly departed. Only when she was gone did Ayana speak to her friend.
October 29, 1001
Ayana's Spellchamber
"We can speak freely again, Isobel," Ayana sighed, and stood up to retrieve a grimoire from her bookshelf. She carefully sat it on the recently vacated table, still not willing to open it.
"Are we going to let this happen, Ayana?" Isobel pleaded with the only person who could see and communicate with her. Their friendship had grown over the years and they discussed several things too, but almost as an unspoken rule, they never discussed vampires. At the time Isobel had been relieved, but now she was considering if that was a mistake to ignore the figurative elephant in the room all this time.
Ayana sighed and opened the grimoire and after searching, she found what she was looking for, or more accurately, the absence of it. "Isobel we can try but as you can see, the wheels of destiny have already been set in motion."
"I don't understand?" Isobel asked, confused. Then she looked harder at the now open spell book. The grimoire was old, she could tell, and as she scanned the page, she realized. She could read it and after reading a few paragraphs, she gasped and looked up at her friend in both horror and amazement.
"Is this what I think it is?"
"The Petrova Grimoire. My family has been the guardian for the last thousand years, yes," Ayana sighed in acknowledgment. Her fingers traced the faded but still legible script.
"Didn't you once say that this contained the Immortality Spell Amara Petrova created?" Isobel asked, still reeling from her friend's confirmation.
"It is. Did you notice the page I specifically opened the grimoire to?" Ayana asked speculatively.
"What about it? Wait, what are these? They look like… Oh God! No!" Isobel gasped and backed away.
Ayana sighed heavily and ran her fingertip along the ragged edge of all that remained of the torn out pages from a priceless grimoire. If the spirits hadn't prepared her for this day all those many moons ago, when she first probed Elena Gilbert's sleeping mind, she would be more horrified than she already was now.
"Yes, my former pupil broke into my Spellchamber. After defeating my protective wards, she found Amara Petrova's Immortality Spell and removed its very pages from their book bindings," Ayana cried softly for the blatant vandalization of such a priceless magical tome.
"It's too late then," Isobel started to sob. Ayana wished she could offer more to comfort her, but that was not possible.
"Maybe I will still go speak with them and I think Elena will do the same on her own. We just have to see how Destiny is supposed to reveal itself to us, right?"
Ayana stood and started on her to walk towards her meeting with the matriarch and patriarch of the Mikaelson clan. Her thoughts on how Destiny cut a strange path and how it affects so many peoples lives in the process.
October 29, 1001
Mikaelson Longhouse
Rebekah knew that she shouldn't be listening in, but she always had liked her particular hiding spot. Both she and Henrik had made a place to hide when her father was in one of his moods. She was getting bigger now and the small compartment made her back stiff from how she had to crouch down to stay hidden. Everybody in her family was trying to cope with their loss and for her, this tiny place brought her closer to her deceased brother.
She had been fortunate to be in there, reminiscing about the times she spent there with her little brother. When her sister returned and, after collecting her children and her husband, she told their parents that they were going to see how her cousin Tatia was doing.
For Elena's sake, Rebekah had tolerated her cousin, and it only grew worse when her older brother Niklaus started to spend more of his free time with her and she couldn't yet decide if she liked that fact or not. She had no idea where Finn or Kol were at the moment, so for now, it was just her listening to her parents talking with Ayana. Who arrived some time after Elena's quick departure?
"Please, Ayana! I implore you! You must call upon the spirits before the next full moon," Mikael implored the more experienced witch.
Ayana crossed her arms over her chest in refusal. "I will not! It is a crime against nature," she declared.
"Ayana, we have already lost too much. We cannot lose any more… The spirits can help us find a way to protect our children and grandchildren as well. Please, I beg you to help me!" Esther pleaded with her former mentor. She had learned so much from this older witch, granted her family's own magic was powerful; but the Bennett Witches were known around the world.
Rebekah, growing curious, strained to hear better. As she did, she wanted to ask Elena what she thought of it, but decided to wait until she heard a little more. Even though it had been on the day of Henrik's death, her fingertips still smarted from the jolt she'd received when she touched one of Ayana's precious amulets. Part of her fumed at the insult. She wasn't some petulant child to be scolded like she had been.
Mikael paced about the room collecting his thoughts, his gaze shifted between his wife and Ayana. Rebekah knew her father hated the werewolves all the more so after Henrik's death.
"Everything could be heightened. Our family could live forever…" Mikael exclaimed as he considered possible options, and although Rebekah couldn't see his face she could hear how excited he sounded and that made her wonder if it might not be a good idea as well. The thought of losing another sibling, her new sister, even Astrid or Eirik horrified her, and so she decided perhaps it should happen. She had no idea how it could occur, but she could announce after the fact. Then maybe her brothers would treat her better. She'd show them that she could keep a secret. Rebekah frowned as she recalled how even Elijah had told her that she wasn't good at keeping secrets. She'll prove them all wrong!
"At what cost? This magic you speak of breeds consequence. This is the makings of a plague, Esther. The spirits will turn on you," Ayana argued, looking directly at her former student.
"Please, Ayana, for my children and grandchildren."
"I will have no part in it, my friend. I will watch over little Eirik and Astrid as your family adjusts to the changes," Ayana answered, then held up a hand to stop Mikael from interrupting her.
"I know far more about magic than you do Mikael Mikaelson. You don't know what might occur. I'll protect your grandchildren with my life. I swear to you both," Ayana swore. Rebekah waited as her father and mother considered Ayana's words. She didn't know what she meant by changes they needed to adjust to, but she loved her nephew and niece, especially Astrid in particular. Anything that was a possible threat to them should be respected and guarded from as well.
"Very well then. We will tell you when we are ready," Mikael finished.
Rebekah listened as the door opened, then closed. She counted to twenty and, thinking she was free to start backing her way out of the hiding spot, Rebekah shifted her stiff legs to get the blood flowing in them once again when her father's voice raised the hair on the back of her neck. She braced for the inevitable tongue lashing when it suddenly became apparent he wasn't talking to her, but to her mother.
"If she will not protect our family… then it is in your hands alone, my love."
Tatia's Home:
Elijah did the honors since she had her hands full carrying both of her babies. She frowned when she heard some shuffling coming from the other side of the closed door.
"Tatia, it's Elijah and I with our little ones. Ayana wanted me to check on how you are doing, and I wanted to bring Eirik and Astrid along as well," Elena spoke through the still shut door. Elena eyed her husband, her eyes locked on his knuckles, poised for another knock when they heard the locking bar being pulled away and the door swinging a quarter of the way open. Tatia peaked around the side. Her hair looked a little mussed and her lips also appeared to be somewhat swollen.
"Umm… sure I… Uh… give me a few minutes, okay?" Tatia stammered and Elena had to hold back a knowing smile as she agreed to wait. Not waiting for further elaboration, Tatia promptly re-closed the door. Elena couldn't resist the urge to look up at her husband with a sly smirk. The wink he gave her was more than enough for them to suspect what might have been going on behind the door prior to their arrival.
Elena swayed with her children in her arms. She couldn't stop staring at them; they were her world, and she'd be damned if she let anyone harm them.
The door swung all the way open, revealing a comfortable room. As Elena followed her husband inside, she noted that Tatia's daughter was fast asleep, then she noticed a rather sheepish Klaus standing next to the larger bed. She tried not to laugh when she took in the sight of his clothing half haphazardly thrown back into place on his person.
"Our apologies. Were we interrupting?" Elijah asked and Elena was impressed with how he managed to keep a straight face.
"Uh… Umm… No… Well, you see. Yes," both Klaus and Tatia stumbled over their attempt at an explanation, so Elena just smiled reassuringly at them both.
"Relax Tatia, Nik. I can't speak for my husband but for myself I'm happy for the both of you, truly. The way I see it, if you make each other happy, who am I to argue, right?" Elena said, still smiling at the couple. They did very well together, too.
"Th… Thank you Ella, We… I mean, I, was just worried how father would take the news," Klaus explained, pulling Tatia closer to him now that he felt more open to show his affection for her.
"Screw our father, Nik!" Elena grumbled.
"Ella?!" Everyone almost shouted at her in surprise, if not for the presence of three children to act as a deterrent.
"What? Look, I love you both and I will not stand in the way of your shared happiness, Jarl Mikaelson, be damned! I'll swear an oath if you wish, but I'm a mother too now and I want to have some additional happiness in the world in light of things," Elena declared and for a moment she regretted bringing up a reminder of what they had lost.
Sensing the mood change, her two babies started crying for attention. Elena sighed as she handed her eldest to her husband and she readied herself to nurse her children once again. Hopefully, Ayana could talk some sense into her in-laws before it was too late.
October 31, 1001
Mikaelson Longhouse
Samhain Celebration
Elena was feeling good about how things were turning out. Ayana did as she promised and talked with both Esther and Mikael. Although she didn't tell Elena everything they had discussed, she did go into details as a friend and as Esther's former mentor that the repercussions of their actions will have probable side effects for all the participants. Not willing to let the issue rest on Ayana's shoulders alone, Elena had a private talk with her mother-in-law about as a new mother herself she worried about her children's wellbeing all the time. Esther surprised Elena by taking the time to actually listen to her daughter-in-law and Elena felt that she had truly gotten through to the family matriarch.
The day before, their home was a hive of activity, with the Samhain celebration marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Jarl Mikaelson had informed their family as well as the town populace that the harvest was good, not great, but promised barring any disaster or vermin getting into our grain storage, no one would go to bed this winter hungry. Elijah even took down a prized bull elk with the help of Klaus on his first day hunting the day before. So while we were salting a good portion of it for the winter, the choicer cuts Mikael decided to be part of the Samhain Celebratory feast in honor of Henrik.
She had to wipe away a tear when she recalled how much Henrik looked forward to this particular celebration and, for Elena, it reminded her of Thanksgiving Dinner back when her family was still alive. Uncle John was always critical of how his brother and wife were raising Elena; she never understood until she learned the truth about who her real parentage was.
All of them had donned their best clothing. Elena's body was just starting to recover from delivering twins and although her bust was naturally larger from the milk she produced daily for her children, she was returning to her normal shape. She couldn't help to wonder what she'd look like in a bikini at some point and how her family, especially Finn, would be scandalized by so much visible skin.
At Ayana's insistence, she offered to take care of both Eirik and Astrid for the evening. While it was very tempting to do so, considering Elijah and she had had no alone time in a long while, she almost balked. It had been Elijah's heated look that told her he felt the same as she did. It had been a long time for both of them, so bowing to carnal pressure she gave in and even agreed just for tonight to loosen up on her self imposed no alcohol. There was going to be plenty of food and water to keep her from becoming too intoxicated. Or so that was the initial plan. The casket of wine Mikael started the feast off with was potent and everyone couldn't seem to get enough of it.
Ayana even surprised her by saying that an available wet nurse in the town would be staying with Ayana to take care of her children's dietary needs. Maybe it was the fact that she'd been in the past for so long that she hardly batted an eye at her friend's frank admission that another woman was going to allow her babies to suckle from herself. Old Elena Gilbert would have outright refused and gone in search of her children. But she was Elena Mikaelson, and for better or worse, this was her life now. In honor of Henrik, she was going to enjoy the meal, considering both she and Rebekah had worked very hard on the food preparations. Elena did feel a twinge of guilt that Rebekah had voluntarily taken a lot of Elena's duties on herself so Elena could take good care of Eirik and Astrid, which she greatly appreciated.
The spit roast elk shanks were some of the most succulent meat Elena had ever tasted. For the life of her, she didn't know if it was the absence of modern pollution in the environment or something, her brain was too fuzzy from all the food and drink. In truth, she had probably drank way too much and Elijah was probably going to have to pour her into their bed tonight. So much for having a little one on one time with her husband.
Elena glanced down along the left side of the table. Finn and Kol were, as far as she could tell, deep into a rather animated discussion about magic. Elijah, who was sitting next to her, was talking about the hunting trip, he and Klaus rehashing their exploits on previous hunting trips and how this Bull Elk compared to the others.
Elena was sitting across from her best friend and sister, Rebekah.
"Bekah, are you smiling?" Elena giggled. She wavered a little and looked at the wine cup Mikael had handed her earlier. Had she drank all of it already? It really had a potent kick to it. Was this just another aspect of no modern pollution?
"No… But I think you are!" Rebekah giggled back before upturning her cup. Draining the last dribble of wine inside, she pouted like a petulant child when she peered into the newly drained cup, as it should have contained more than physically possible.
"That wine was really good, don't you think so, Ella?" Rebekah asked.
"Yeah, I… was thinking the same thing, but you know I can… can't drink too much or… Umm… Bekah, what am I talking about?"
"Ella… I think you already had too much. Umm… Have you seen where mother and father disappeared off to? They were just here a minute ago," Rebekah asked, a little disturbed that they were missing. Following her sister's lead, Elena started to look around as well. So it came as a shock to see Esther and her husband returning to the main hall with everyone else, but unlike everyone still seated Mikael had his sword drawn and to her growing horror Esther moved to stand blocking the door to the world outside. For Elena, it suddenly felt as if time slowed to a crawl as she watched him advancing towards the table where his family remained seated. The determined, almost megalomaniacal look in Mikael's eyes terrified her more than the time when Klaus possessing Ric body surprised her and Bonnie at their school.
A myriad of emotions and thoughts crowded into her mind and she tried to close her eyes and shake the image her eyes kept showing her every time she opened them. This can't be happening! She did everything she could think of to stop this from happening. Her watery eyes shifted from one face to another of her family. She could see confusion, curiosity, alarm, and the slow buildup of utter terror when it became quite apparent what was about to happen. Despite how much wine she drank this evening, she sobered quickly. The intellectual side of Elena could only guess it was her body was reacting to a threat and was trying to trigger her flight or fight response.
"Father, what is the meaning of this?"
Elena honestly didn't know which of the Mikaelson brothers had actually spoken, she was still in a state of shock. The almost maniacal glint in her father-in-law's eyes as he rushed forward and first stabbed his eldest son Finn in the back, fully piercing the sword all the way till she watched as the blade exit from the front where his heart should be. Kol jumped to his feet and started to chant something, but as quickly as he had dispatched Finn, Kol was the next to fall.
Pandemonium reigned in their once pleasant home. Chairs flew towards Mikael, who effortlessly knocked them to the side as if they were a mere nuisance. Klaus was the next to fall and Elena felt the bile rise in her throat when she saw the savage gleam in his eyes as he twisted the blade in Klaus' bloody chest cavity for added effect.
Elijah had recovered enough of his senses to stand protectively in front of her with a table knife clutched in his trembling hand. Elijah hardly showed his emotions publicly, only with her in the privacy of their room. So Elena knew that he was barely holding himself in check.
"Why, father?" Elijah demanded. He held his blade out, small in comparison to a sword, but for the moment, it was his and Elena's only means of defense. Until, quite unexpectedly, the blade abruptly flew from out of his hands and embedded itself into a wood pillar. Dumbstruck, Elena, Elijah and Rebekah's heads darted to the only source that could have done it.
Esther stood tall, with her commanding presence firmly blocking any possible retreat. Her hand extended and a sad smile fixed firmly on her lips.
"Because we can't lose any more of our children Elijah, Freya, almost broke us. Henrik was the last straw!" Esther voice cracked with raw emotion. Elena did feel sympathy for her being a mother herself, but this was too much.
"By killing us, mother? What does this heinous act accomplish?" Rebekah demanded, her tears matching Elena's own, but for differing reasons. Rebekah was feeling betrayal from the very woman who'd given her life. While Elena felt utter failure. She had changed nothing, or had she?
"By making our family stronger, Rebekah. I'm sorry it has to be this way," Esther cried. Even from where Elena was standing with Elijah doing his best to protect her, the tears on Esther's face weren't difficult to miss.
Elijah roared and advanced towards his father in fury. From her vantage point, Elena watched as something silver slipped into Elijah's hand, unnoticed by neither Esther nor Mikael.
"Lijah! NO!" Elena cried, but it was already too late. Mikael stabbed into her husband's chest and she'd never felt so helpless to watch him crumple to the floor. She did feel a sense of vindication when she saw that he hadn't gone done without a fight. She had no idea where Elijah found another blade, but it shouldn't have surprised her really he was always prepared. The blade was firmly buried into Mikael's chest, unfortunately not anywhere that would have been immediately fatal, but it still was a mortal wound. Not caring anymore, she rushed to her husband's side and pulled him into her arms. Mikael could have struck them and part of her wanted him to, but instead he dispatched his only daughter with ruthless determination as he had with his other children.
Trembling with rage mixed with fear for good measure, Elena softly kissed Elijah's lips and then stood to face her father-in-law, defiance in her eyes as she glared at her soon to be murderer.
"Are you finished, or should I go collect Eirik and Astrid so you can murder them as well?" Elena roared, her fists clenched at her sides, ready to lash out. It would be a futile gesture, but it was all she could manage at the moment.
"No… Daughter. It's not their time yet; but when they are older, they will meet the same fate as all of you," Mikael answered, his voice calmer and- damn the man- almost gentle, but that is impossible since he is a monster, Elena decided in the final moments of her mortal life.
It took a moment for her to realize that he was being hesitant to carry out the deed, and she didn't quite understand why. Based on his expression, neither did he. Taking the initiative, Elena instead reached out and placed the tip of his bloody sword directly over the center of where her heart was still beating frantically in her chest. She itched to run, but there was no escaping this, not anymore.
"Do it!" she ordered, and he did, the sudden pain in her chest was intense but she might have been hallucinating from her nervous system neurons being overloaded by neurotransmitters but there was a appreciative look of respect buried in his eyes. Has she impressed him somehow?
The deed was finally done. He let her body drop to the dirt floor, and as her breathing became more labored, she felt the coldness of death sweeping into her very bones. The sight and sounds around her becoming far away she heard him speak one final time before darkness finally claimed her.
"Thank you, my love. Now it's my turn," Mikael's voice was the last thing she'd wanted to hear, and it wasn't from the man she so very much wanted to hear, but what would he say to her? Elijah! I'm so sorry I've failed you all!
