Chapter 9

Flashback:

In the days leading to Marcel's 16th birthday, Klaus promised to give him anything he wanted. The only problem was Marcel wanted for nothing. Klaus had always gotten him everything, against Elijah's advice of course, but even when showered with gifts Marcel remained humble and modest which made his father proud and only want to give him more things.

Marcel spent days thinking of the perfect gift until one night he stumbled across a dusty old coffin. Inside rested Kol Mikaelson. Marcel recognized his face. He was a child the last time they met but he remembered the fear Kol brought him.

Staring down at the man's face now he couldn't see why he was ever afraid of him. The man looked more mischievous than menacing.

"Marcellus," Niklaus called in search of the boy. Marcel called back, drawing his father to the coffins. "What in heavens are you doing down here?"

"I was trying to think of an idea for my birthday present, poppa, and then I saw him.."

Niklaus stood beside Marcel and stared down at the face of his sleeping brother. He thought about the last time he woke Kol – the massacre he forced Marcel to watch and the blood he fed the boy. For a moment, the sight of his own brother disgusted him and he closed the coffin.

"Well, did you think of anything?" Klaus asked attempting to divert his own thoughts from the heinous memories. "What about a new horse? Or perhaps one of those velocipedes. I'll probably have to do some searching but I'm sure I'll be able to find one for your big day."

Marcel smiled at how animated Klaus was becoming at the thought of getting him a gift.

"Poppa, there's really nothing I want this year. You've given me so much already."

"You say that like it's a burden. You're my son. I'll give you anything."

"Well," Marcel stared down at the floor, nervous about voicing his request. "Maybe…you could wake your brother, Kol, again."

Niklaus's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Marcel, Kol…is not an influence I want around you. Do you remember the last time he was awake?"

"Yes, but I'm much older now. Much more mature. And it gets boring here sometimes when you're away. I need a friend."

"That's what I fear most. Kol is not a good friend for a human. He's much too violent. You could get hurt."

"Then make me like you."

Klaus went silent. That was one request he wouldn't fulfill.

"I'm basically a man now. Boys my age go to war so if I am old enough to choose to go to war, I can decide to become like you."

Klaus couldn't help but smile. "Marcellus, you could live for as long as I have and still not be old enough to go to war."

"Please, poppa. I want to be great and powerful like you."

"You will be great and powerful, Marcel." Klaus put a finger up to his temple and said, "In here. Now go upstairs and prepare for bed."

Marcel slowly teetered away leaving Klaus alone with the coffins.

Niklaus wasn't going to turn Marcel, that much he was sure, but he wanted the boy to have a happy birthday so with heavy reluctance he opened, Kol's coffin and removed the dagger in his chest. He waited silently for his brother to wake up and when he did he welcomed him back with open arms.

"How long did you have me daggered for this time?" Kol grumbled.

"Just a few years. Marcel's turning 16 and as a gift, he requested you be undaggered."

"Marcel? Oh, that little welch you took in. He's still around?"

"He is and it seems he wants to be your friend."

"If you think you can just undagger me and force me to be that boy's friend, you're out of your mind."

"I don't care if you're his friend, I don't care if you two spend the next few years walking past each other in the halls with hardly a 'hello', but Marcel made a request for his birthday and I promised I would get him anything so here you are."

Kol mumbled obscenities under his breath as he got out of the coffin. "Just know that you signed up for this 'father' business, I didn't so I'm not changing my life to incorporate a kid. I'm still going to drink and party and live like tomorrow is a given for no man."

"By all means, dear brother, do as you please. Our home is your home. I'm sure Elijah will have something to say about that but I have only one request. No, one demand. Do not EVER hurt Marcellus."

End Flashback

Every day Kol found a reason to drag Marcel down to the basement and with his healing ability nullified, Marcel could feel every burning lash every second of every day. He thought about telling Klaus but after carefully reading his Manual he found a Clause that prevented him from complaining about his punishments. He wondered if the others knew what Kol was doing to him. He wanted to ask but it was an awkward conversation that he wasn't willing to bring up, especially after the wolves started moving in.

Marcel got one off day a week were he wasn't awarded chores and he was free to do whatever he wanted within the Compound. Klaus feared if Marcel were allowed to go out he would find other allies to betray him again and he wasn't willing to take that chance just yet.

It was on this day Klaus found him lounging in his room reading.

"Ah, there you are," said Klaus. "Been looking all over for you. I have some news. I'm sure you've heard about the Christmas party we're throwing tomorrow night."

"Yeah," Marcel answered without looking up from his book. "Let me guess; you want me to clean up after it."

"On the contrary. I'm giving you the entire day off…provided you stay in your room during the party."

"What?" Marcel exclaimed.

Niklaus sighed. He knew that was going to lead to an argument. "We're having very influential guests: the wolves from the other packs that moved in during your reign as King. Haylee is going to try to make an alliance with them for Hope's sake. We need as many allies as we can get during this time of impending war. You are still a security risk. Can't have you ruining things for us. Oh, that reminds me. With the arrival of all these new residents, we've decided to add a few more rules for you. Where's your Manual?"

Marcel walked slowly over to the Manual on his dresser. It hurt to walk at all but between Niklaus and Kol, he was always on the go.

He shoved the Manual into Niklaus's hands with more fervor than intended but that did not go unnoticed by Klaus.

"Watch that attitude," Klaus warned. "You've kept yourself out of trouble for the last few weeks, don't break that streak."

It was then that Marcel knew that Klaus had no idea of the torment Ko was putting him through. He wanted to blurt it out then. He thought that if perhaps Niklaus knew he would put an end to it but another, more frightening, thought occurred. What if he didn't? What if he told Klaus and he decided that he deserved what Kol was doing to him. It wasn't any worse than the pain that dagger put Klaus through for 12 years.

That fear kept Marcel from speaking up as Klaus walked away.

-M-

The night of the Christmas party, Rebekah snuck away to be with Marcel. Her brothers were all well distracted by the guests so she was sure no one would miss her so long as she was back before the toast at the end of the party.

When she made it to his room it was empty. She heard the shower running and knew that's where he was so she wanted to surprise him: lying out on the bed, her white gown in stark contrast to the warm colors of the room. She let down her hair hoping to entice him with her beauty.

Marcel entered his room with only a towel wrapped around his waist and the sight of his glistening body made Rebekah even more excited to see him.

"What are you doing here?" Marcel asked in shock.

"What do you think? I came to see you. We finally have some alone time. C'mon, my brothers are all distracted with the party downstairs."

Marcel wanted to be with her. He wanted to hold her, to be held by her. After the rough few weeks he had, he wanted nothing more than to feel a gentle touch. But he couldn't. Not at the moment. He couldn't let her see what he hid under that towel. He remembered the last time she saw his body so ravaged.

Flashback:

Marcel and Klaus sat in the barn, Marcel between Klaus's legs while Klaus carefully cleaned the wounds on the boy's back left by the hateful lash of the Governor's whip, when Rebekah came in carrying a bucket of warm water for them. That was the first time Marcel had ever seen her up close and he was immediately mesmerized by her beauty.

"The pain of those lashes must be unbearable and yet he doesn't shed a tear." She commented.

Marcel blushed. Had she seen him only hours ago she would've seen a very different side of him because he did cry as the whip bit into him and even more so when Niklaus first touched the wounds.

"Because he is a warrior. He's tougher than most and destined for greatness." Niklaus praised, causing the child in front of him to grin. But then his hands found a fresh wound and Marcel cringed, fighting the need to cry out in front of Rebekah.

"You poor child." She cooed kneeling beside them.

Marcel turned away ashamed of the way she looked at him. A mixture of pity and unease. He thought she was beautiful but he knew she saw him as damaged goods.

Rebekah put a placid hand on the boy's chin and gently turned his face back to hers.

"Don't worry, little one. No one will ever do this to you again. Niklaus would sooner kill them than let them even raise a hand to you."

Marcel smiled meekly. "Yes ma'am."

"You don't have to call me ma'am. I'm just Rebekah. But a boy as handsome as you, you can call me Bex."

Marcel's smile grew brighter as he watched Rebekah leave to fetch more freshwater. Without him saying a word, Klaus knew exactly what the boy was thinking.

"Great, just what her ego needs. One more lovelorn lad fawning over her." Klaus joked.

End Flashback

"You should go back to the party," Marcel said coldly. "I'm not in the mood."

"Well, that's a bit forward. I only wanted to spend time with you. I'm not that easy, y'know."

"Well, I don't want to spend time with you." Marcel continued trying to push her away. He turned his back on her as he walked over to his dresser searching for something to wear.

Angry at being dismissed so easily, Rebekah jumped from the bed and prepared to stomp out but before she did she wanted to embarrass Marcel as much as he embarrassed her so she grabbed his towel and wrenched it from his waist.

She has prepared to laugh at him, to mock his nakedness, but what she saw she couldn't mock. She could barely stomach it.

Marcel's entire backside was whipped raw. It was a wonder the man could walk, let alone do so with clothes rubbing against his tender flesh. She looked down at his towel, it was a dark blue to mask the possible seeping blood, but she still saw it though she wouldn't have if she wasn't so carefully looking for it.

Marcel quickly snatched his towel back and said, "You can't tell anyone."

"Who did this to you?" She asked in barely a whisper.

"No one. It doesn't matter. Just…don't tell anyone."

Rebekah shook her head, speechless. She ran out of the room with tears in her eyes. She ran back to the party and found Klaus immediately amongst the myriad of party-goers.

"Nik, you have to come with me now." She said, dragging him away from the werewolf royalty he was entertaining.

"Sister, get a hold of yourself." He scolded. "What is wrong with you?"

"It's Marcel. There's…there's something wrong with him."

"Marcel? Is that where you've been when you should've been socializing with our guests down here?"

"Nik, he's-"

"I told you I didn't want you alone with him anymore."

"But I-"

"I don't want to hear it. I'll deal with you both later. For now, we have guests so I suggest you put on a happy face and mingle."

As Niklaus turned back to rejoin the party, Rebekah called to him, "If you ever cared for him at all you'll come with me."

His curiosity peaked Niklaus left the party and followed Rebekah back to Marcel's room. Marcel was in bed fully clothed in pajamas and lying face down when they entered. He hadn't been able to sleep on his back since Freya cursed him and he excused himself early from every meal so as not to prolong his suffering but upon seeing the irritated face of his sire with the woman he'd been having a felonious relationship with, he sat up straight.

"Okay, now what is the meaning of this?" Klaus demanded.

Frightened, Marcel looked to Rebekah. "You told him?"

"I had to." She nearly cried. "Show him. Show him what has happened to you."

Marcel remained unmoved.

"Fine, then I shall tell him."

"Don't you dare!"

"Someone had better start talking or I shall start decapitating," Klaus said, growing angrier. "Starting with you, little sister, for dragging me up here."

"Look at his behind."

Klaus was astounded by his sister's uncouth demand. The sudden tension in Marcel's body, however, told him that there was some wisdom to the insanity.

"Stand up, Marcellus." He said red-faced. "Bare yourself."

"Klaus…don't make me do this."

"Please, Marcel. This brings me no pleasure either but you are both acting very strange so to put an end to my sister's pestering, I ask you to remove your pants." Niklaus only grew more embarrassed as he begged.

Slowly, Marcel rose. Rebekah ducked behind the door, unable to look upon the tortured flesh a second time. Marcel turned his back to his sire and eased the soft cotton pants below his behind, revealing the horrid truth.

Klaus was speechless, filled with disgust, heartbreak, and anger. He walked closer to Marcel, his feet moving upon their own volition.

Tears started down Marcel's cheeks and he righted his clothes to keep some semblance of pride.

"Who did this to you?" Klaus muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Kol," Marcel finally answered, still refusing to look at Klaus. "Everyday…he takes me down to the basement and…"

"Why don't you heal?"

"I don't know." Marcel's tears came heavier and without a second thought, Klaus spun the man around and pulled him into his embrace.

"I'm sorry." Klaus apologized, tears of his own burning his eyes. He didn't know why at first but as Marcel broke into sobs on his shoulder he realized what Elijah had been telling him all along. No matter how much he tried, he could not will himself to hate Marcel. He was his son and even in his betrayal, Klaus would love him.

"Sister," he called out. "Go back to the party. I will handle things from here. And tell no one of this."

Rebekah shut the door to afford the father and son privacy before withdrawing back to the party.

"Why didn't you come to me?" Klaus asked, bringing his hand up to Marcel's head to pull his head closer to his shoulder as his body shook with sobs.

"I...was afraid you'd think I deserved it…for what I did to you. To your family. I do."

Klaus's hold grew tighter around Marcel. "No, you don't. I would never think such a thing, Marcellus. You...you never deserve anything like this. You have never deserved it. And I'm so...so sorry. Kol will not get away with this. I will fix this."

Then a thought occurred to him. Releasing Marcel, Klaus bit into his own arm and held it out to him. Unsure if it would work, he said, "Drink."

Having tried all else, Marcel drank Klaus's blood. He could feel the healing magic of Klaus's blood immediately.

"It worked," He announced as he pulled away from his sire's arm. "But…what does this mean?"

"It means Kol has a witch in his pocket. Someone or something has been hindering your healing capability."

A shiver went through Marcel's body as he realized that being healed now would only mean Kol would have a fresh canvas to mark up once again if given the chance.

As if reading Marcel's mind, Klaus cradled Marcel's head in his hands and vowed, "This ends today. Kol will not get away with what he's done. And he's not going to do this to you again. I promise."