Chapter Six
One month later
It had been a good summer. Aailyah and Elijah had spent a few weeks with Kol in Australia before Aailyah left to meet with Kathrine for a few days in California. She'd flown back to Greece to reunite with Elijah and Kol a week ago. She lounged on the beach, waiting for Elijah to get back from cleaning up Kol's latest mess. She glanced at her phone when it rang and beamed, seeing it was Nik.
"You won't believe what Kol did-"
"Alli." Klaus interrupted, his tone making her pause.
"What's wrong?"
"I found that werewolf, Ray Sutton."
"And?"
"It didn't work. I fed him my blood and changed him, and I did the same to his pack. Something went wrong, it's like they all went rabid, they were bleeding from their eyes, and they attacked me. I had to kill them, all of them. "
"Oh, Nik." Aailyah breathed.
"I don't know what's wrong! I killed the werewolf, the vampire, and the doppelganger- the doppelganger. She survived, do you think that's why it didn't work? Do we need to kill her?" Klaus demanded, ignoring Stefans protests.
"I don't think that's the problem. If Elena had to die to break the curse then you wouldn't have been able to turn, so this must be something else. You'll need to talk to a witch. Where are you?"
"Illinois."
"Oh right, Bekahs flying down tomorrow. I've got a witch there, Gloria, I think you've met before, she should be able to help." Nik didn't respond. "Nik. Are you okay?"
"What do I do, Alli?" Niklaus finally asked. As much as he hated showing weakness, he needed help. They'd built and ruled New Orleans together, and while he was the undisputed King, he knew Aailyah and Elijah worked in the shadows to make it happen.
"First thing first, go see Gloria and figure out the problem so you can actually make hybrids. Thn find a pack and convince them to become hybrids. Werewolves dread the full moon, offer them freedom from it. Then just spend time with them. Earn their loyalty, show them kindness, you'd be surprised how far that it can take you."
"Hard to do that with a whole army."
"You don't need a whole army. You're immortal. Start with like...ten."
"But-"
"No one's seen him in years, if he pops up you can make more. What would you even do with an army?"
"Fine." Nik huffed, unable to find an answer. "I'll start small."
"Good, let me know what Gloria finds."
"Wait, what'd Kol do?"
"Compelled the Pope to try to exorcize a witch he didn't like."
"Hey Bex-"
"Aailyah, tell Nik I am not driving all the way to Mystic Falls with him!"
"Aailyah, tell Rebekah we need to so I can make hybrids!"
"I was promised shopping in Chicago, not a road trip to some sleepy town in Virginia of all places!"
"You literally bought a whole new wardrobe this morning!"
"I'm gonna need you to explain." Aailyah interrupted, exhausted of their bickering already. Rebekah rambled on about how she'd met Stefan and Klaus in Chicago and found Gloria. Rebekah had made Klaus return his memories when Stefan wouldn't stop with his incessant questions after finding a picture of them together. Gloria needed Rebekahs mothers necklace but it had gone missing years ago after they'd left Chicago, so Gloria had channeled Rebekah to find it. She'd seen a young girl who looked like Aailyah wearing the necklace. Nik quickly realised it was Elena and planned to head back to Mystic Falls to retrieve it. Also, while Klaus was talking to Gloria Stefan had started questioning Rebekah about who they were running from. Rebekah had told Klaus and Klaus snapped Stefans neck.
"Bekah, if you want your necklace back, you'll have to go to Mystic Falls with Nik."
"Aailyah, it's a twelve hour drive! With Nik!"
"I'm sure you'll survive. Don't kill each other." Aailyah laughed and hung up.
Later that day, Rebekah called again, ranting that the doppelganger didn't even have the necklace, Kathrine did. Aailyah appeased her by promising to get it back and planning another girls trip to Milan. Later still, Klaus called Elijah, rambling excitedly about making his first hybrid. As it turned out, they'd needed human doppelganger blood to make hybrids, so Klaus took Elena to the hospital to draw some blood. Barely an hour after, she got a frantic call from Nik. Damon woke Mikael. After she hung up, she turned to Elijah with a tired groan.
"How many times do the two of them call you a day?" Kol asked, leaning back against the couch.
"Enough that I'm considering changing my number." Aailyah sighed.
"They always seem to call at the most inopportune times, too." Elijah sighed, trailing his fingers down her side, settling his hand on her thigh.
"How can one town be so troublesome?" She whined.
"What happened this time?" Elijah asked, not even looking up from his book. Kol paused his video game and turned to her as well.
"Well, Nik and Bex went back to Mystic Falls to figure out their hybrid issue, but apparently Kathrine took the necklace they needed. He had to threaten Elena to make her witch friend work with him, so Stefan tried to stop him and Nik made him turn his humanity off. They figured out that they needed Elena's blood to make hybrids so Nik took her to the hospital to take some and Damon showed up, ranting about how they woke Mikael."
"They woke Mikael?!" Kol asked. "Are they mad?"
"If they woke Mikael, he'll be coming after Nik soon. Where is he?" Elijah asked.
"He and Rebekah are on their way here, he's making Stefan guard his doppelganger for now."
"How did they even find Mikael? We couldn't even find him." Kol demanded.
"Rebekah said Stefan was asking about him, maybe he told his brother. I want to know how, our best witches couldn't find him and no one has seen him in decades." Aailyah hummed typing furiously on her phone, sending a memo to her contacts to keep an eye out.
"We'll get our answers soon enough, all we can do for now is wait." Elijah sighed, turning back to his book.
"Venice is gorgeous this time of year Lyah, you should join me." Kathrine suggested.
"I wish I could, unfortunately Mystic Falls is causing trouble again." Aailyah laughed.
"I just left Mystic Falls a couple days ago! I always miss the important stuff." Kathrine huffed.
"Unless you cause it. Speaking of, I heard you took a necklace from Elena."
"Stefan gave it to her, you know how jealous I can get. Plus I was bored." Kathrine shrugged. "How'd you hear about it? Did she have that big of a fit?"
"Actually, my siblings were looking for it. It belongs to my sister, though I'm not sure how Stefan got it."
"Do you want me to send it to you?"
"Please."
"You got it. What's going on in Mystic Falls?"
"The Salvatores are trying to kill Nik."
"Still? Damon called me the other day, he kept asking if there was a way to kill an Original." Kathrine said, and Aaliyah's eyes widened.
"What'd you tell him?" She asked, keeping her voice level.
"I told him I had no clue. A girl I traveled with when I was on the run said she knew a way, but she never told me."
"Who?"
"Pearl, I think she was Bonnie- Elena's witchy friend's- ancestor or something."
"Where is she now?"
"Oh, she died forever ago. Why?" Kathrine asked.
"Is there anyone she would have told?"
""Maybe her daughter, Anna. Lyah, what's going on?" Kathrine asked worriedly.
"Where's Anna?"
"Also dead. What's wrong?"
"Have you heard of the Hunter?"
"The vampire who hunts vampires? He's a legend."
"Trust me, he's very real. And he's the only person in the world who can kill an Original. Damon claims he woke him." Aailyah sighed.
"Claims?"
"He disappeared decades ago, no one could find him anywhere. I don't know how Damon could have found him, if the only leads he had are dead. We're hoping he was bluffing."
"Hate to say it, but he might be telling the truth. When it comes to Elena, he'd do anything to save her, even track down a legendary vampire hunter. If I were you, I'd make sure."
Aailyah sighed irritably, checking her phone. Convincing her siblings to let her come here alone had been hell, but they all agreed that they needed more information about Mikael. They'd called Stefan, but he had nothing to give them, as Damon and the others had been keeping him in the dark. He did say that they were having problems with ghosts, and that Elena and the others had already tried to kidnap him to 'save him from himself'. With no other options, Aailyah decided to come to investigate herself. So here she was, seven in the fucking morning, waiting outside the doppelgangers door. Elena opened the door to leave for school and her eyes widened.
"Kathrine?"
"Try again."
"Aailyah."
"We need to talk." Elena promptly stepped back and slammed the door shut. "Seriously?" Aailyah grumbled. A few moments later she opened the door again.
"Okay, now we can talk. I want to make a deal." Elena said with a smile.
"Well don't you seem confident." Aailyah chuckled. "Why would I want to make a deal with you, Miss Gilbert."
"We're way past formalities Aailyah, call me Elena. And you don't really have a choice. You can't threaten the people I love because I just told them all to stay in their houses, where you haven't been invited, and I've been drinking vervain, so you can't compel me."
"Very clever Elena. Although I would like to remind you that there are 6,923 people living in Mystic Falls and I'd be willing to kill all of them. Or I could burn your house down and force you out, drain you of vervain, and take what I want." Aailyah smirked at Elena's gobsmacked look. "I've been playing this game for a thousand years Elena, you can't beat me." Elena scowled and slammed the door shut again, making Aailyahs eyebrow twitch. She opened it again, a large knife in hand.
"Klaus needs my blood to make hybrids. How pissed is he going to be if he can't make any more because you wouldn't make a deal with me?" Elena taunted, making her doubles' eyes narrow slightly.
"You wouldn't."
"I've already died once to keep my family safe. I'll do it again." Elena said, holding the blade to her stomach. Aailyah searched Elena's eyes, seeing the defiant spark. She was serious.
"Well played. What exactly do you want?"
"You want to talk about Mikael. I want to talk about you."
"Me?"
"You, the Mikaelsons, how you became vampires, the curse, everything."
"That's it?"
"That's it. Oh, and don't hurt anyone." Elena quickly tacked on, making Aailyah laugh.
"Deal. Is there somewhere you want to do this or…" Elena hesitated but stepped outside, sitting down on the porch swing, gesturing for Aailyah to join her.
"You start. Tell me everything." Elena demanded. Aailyah stared at her for a moment, then sighed.
"Gods, you look like my sister. I mean we all do, Tatia and I were twins, but I always thought Kathrine looked more like me somehow."
"You had a sister?"
"My twin, Tatia. We actually grew up a ways west of here, closer to the coast. We moved when we were sixteen. Tati got pregnant out of wedlock and Father couldn't handle the 'shame she brought onto our family.' So we moved here. Father forced Tatia to give her baby up before we left, he gave her to his sister and her husband, they were barren." Aailyah explained.
"What was its name?" Aailyah blinked at her doppelgänger, surprised. No one ever seemed to care about this part of the story.
"Adela. She was a sweetheart. I managed to track her down eventually, she married well, even had a couple of kids." Aailyah said with a small smile.
"What happened after you got to Mystic Falls?"
"Well it wasn't called Mystic Falls back then. It was just a tiny little village, with a few very unique people. Werewolves." Aailyah said with a smirk.
"And that's how you met the Mikaelsons?" Elena asked.
"Mmhmm. Mikael was a landowner in Europe, but they left when the plague took his first child from him. His wife, Esther, was friends with the witch, Ayana, who brought them here, where Mikael and Esther had five more children."
"They had five kids?"
"They actually had seven children. Freya, who they lost to the plague, and her twin- Finn, Elijah, Niklaus, Kol, Rebekkah, and Henrik."
"You make it sound so normal." Elena commented.
"It was. It was a simpler time. Once a month, the humans retreated into caves beneath our village. The wolves would howl through the night, and by morning, we would return home. It was peaceful, for the most part."
"What about you and Elijah?"
"Well, our story had a bit of a strange start. Elijah and I were friends, but I was far closer with Kol and Rebekah, and he was enamored with Tatia, as was Niklaus. She had a habit of playing them off of eachother, leading them both on. It got to the point thatit was ruining their relationship, they even came to blows once. That's when Esther stepped in. She and Mikael talked to my father and had Elijah and I betrothed."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. It was common in those times. Tatia was furious, and it was awkward for a while, but it worked. Elijah is an honorable man, the moment he found out he let Tatia go, despite her efforts to lure him away, and put his everything into our relationship. Eventually we fell in love." Aailyah said with a small smile.
Aailyah braced a bucket to her hip as she walked across the village toward the well. She smiled at Kol as she passed and he gave her a wink before going back to flirting with a blushing village girl. She reached the well and filled her bucket with clean water and turned to make her way to her hut. Aailyah glanced up when someone fell into step with her and stumbled when she realized it was Elijah.
"Careful." He warned, steadying her.
"Thank you." Aailyah said, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. They made it all the way to her family's hutt in awkward silence. Finally, Aailyah sighed and put the bucket down. "This is weird."
"It is." Elijah agreed, running a hand through his hair.
"Things were simpler before the betrothal."
"In some ways. Will you take a walk with me? I want to show you something." Elijah asked. Aailyah bit her lip but nodded, taking his arm walking with him. "I'm sorry that my… relationship with Tatia is making things awkward between us." Elijah apologized.
"It's not your fault, none of us knew this would happen."
"Still, I want you to know that I ended things with Tatia the moment I found out." Elijah swore.
"Oh, I know. Tatia wasn't happy." Aailyah chuckled. She lanced up when he stopped and realized they were near a small hut next to his family's larger one. "Is that your brother? Finn?"
"Yes, and his wife, Astrid."
"I didn't know they were married. I never see them together-" She cut herself off realizing how rude that was. "I'm so sorry-"
"Don't apologize. This is actually what I wanted to show you. Astrid and Finn were wed last Winter, but their marriage is… cold. It's like they're two strangers who live together." Elijah said, watching his brother walk past the tired looking young woman without a word.
"Why are you showing me this?" Aailyah asked, watching him.
"I don't want our marriage to be like that. I want us to be happy." Elijah said, turning to meet her eyes.
"I want that too." Aailyah said with a small, shy smile.
"I want to do this the right way, I want to court you properly and get to know you before we're wed. Would that be alright with you?" Elijah asked, offering her a small white daisy.
"I would love that." Aailyah beamed, accepting it. They talked for hours that day, trying to learn everything they could about the other. When it came time to return, neither wanted to leave, and Elijah promised Aailyah that he'd see her tomorrow. He walked her home as the sun set, and hesitated but swooped in to kiss her on the cheek before leaving. Aailyah couldn't stop smiling the whole night.
"We got married that summer and built a small cottage near his parents. A few months later, I found out I was pregnant. Elijah was thrilled, as was his family. By then I'd completely lost contact with Tatia, she was still furious I'd 'stolen' Elijah from her, though she still strung Niklaus and a few other village boys on."
"Do you miss her?" Elena asked gently.
"I miss who she used to be. She used to be wild, playful, and kind. When she got pregnant, she'd hoped that Adelas father would marry her, but he wed someone else. After that, she changed. Even after Elijah and I were wed, she tried to lure him away from me, and hated me more when she failed. Eventually I lost her altogether."
Aailyah moaned in agony, pushing as hard as she could. She'd been in labor for hours and she'd never been in so much pain. She suddenly had far more respect for her twin, Tatia, who'd gone through childbirth at only eighteen. At the same time, she was devastated that her sister had scorned her after her marriage to Elijah. Tatia wasn't even here now, it was Rebekah who held her hand as Esther and Ayana coached her through her labor.
"It's almost here Aailyah, push!" Esther said.
"You can do this Alli, it's almost over." Rebekah encouraged, pushing her hair back from her face. Aailyah gritted her teeth and gave one final push, letting out a final scream that shook the foundations of the cottage they were in. Her whole body sagged in relief as the pressure faded, leaving a pulsing pain throughout her lower body. Frankly, after seven hours of labor, she could deal with it. She jolted when she heard an infant wail, trying to sit up.
"Calm down sweetheart, Esthers just cleaning him up, let's finish up here." Ayana soothed, laying her back down.
"He?" Aailyah asked.
"You have a healthy baby boy." Ayana said with a smile. By the time they'd finished with the afterbirth Esther and Rebekah had cleaned up her son and laid him on her chest. After guiding her through feeding him for the first time, they left the room, sending in a nervous looking Elijah. He walked over quickly, kissing her hair and staring at the tiny babe sleeping on her chest.
"Are you well?"
"I am." she smiled up at her husband. "Do you want to hold him?" Aailyah whispered. Elijah nodded slowly, carefully cradling his son to his chest and beaming when he blearily opened his dark blue eyes, that would likely turn brown in a few weeks. "You're a natural." Aailyah said with a smile, watching him bounce the baby when he began to fuss.
"I had practice with Kol and Henrik." Elijah chuckled.
"What should we name him?" Aailyah asked.
"I'm not sure." Elijah whispered back, running a hand over his son's little tufts of dark hair. It was traditional for the Father to pick his children's names, but he was struggling. His father simply said it was his choice, and Finn didn't seem to care either way. Niklaus and Kol had been no help, jokingly throwing out more and more ridiculous names.
"We have some time to decide, still." Aailyah said with a tired smile. Rebekah knocked on the door and poked her head in with a smile.
"Want some company?" She asked eagerly, eyes locked in on the baby her brother held.
"Of course." Aailyah said with a smile. Everyone flooded into the hut, Mikeal, Esther, Finn, his wife Astrid, Klaus, Kol, Rebekah, and Henrik. It was a tight fit, but they were all eager to meet the newest Mikaelson. Elijah handed his son off to Mikael, who allowed a small smile.
"Well done, Elijah, Aailyah." He said, clasping his son's shoulder. Mikael and Esther were thrilled when Elijah announced her pregnancy a few months after they'd married, eager to meet their first grandchild. Finn and Astrid were slightly resentful, as they'd been married for two years but bore no children in that time. Elijah and Aailyah weren't sure if it was because of their loveless marriage or if Astrid was barren. Either way, Finn and Astrid offered them both a short nod and congratulations but stayed away, unlike his other siblings, who crowded close, carefully passing the baby from person to person. When it was finally Henriks turn, Aailyah had him sit next to her and hold the baby in his lap.
"What's his name?" Henrik asked.
"We're not sure yet." Aailyah hummed, playing with his hair. His siblings immediately started throwing out names- everything from Aric to Loki- ("I think we'll save Loki for whatever trickster you have, Kol." Aailyah laughed.) when Henrik suddenly spoke up.
"Daniel." He said, making his siblings pause.
"Daniel?" Elijah asked.
"He looks like a Daniel." Henrik said simply, with all the logic of a nine year old.
"I like it. It's unique." Aailyah said with a smile.
"Alright, Daniel." Elijah agreed, ruffling his youngest brother's hair before kissing Aaliyah's cheek.
"We had a son, Daniel. And for a time, we were happy."
Aailyah lounged in a grassy field with Rebekah, watching Henrik play with her one year old son, who'd just started walking. She finished Rebekahs braid, tying it off with a leather cord and glanced up when Miikael, Finn, Elijah, Klaus, and Kol trooped out of the woods, dragging the game they'd killed with them. Mikeal and Finn passed them with a nod, heading towards their hut while the others paused.
"Why is it that we have to hunt all day and you get to stay here, playing with flowers?" Kol whined playfully, dropping down next to Aailyah.
"Because while you boys got to frolic through the forest all day, Bekah and I mended and washed all of your laundry, helped Ayana gather herbs and make medicine, tended to the garden, cleaned the cottage and fed the animals."
"Fair enough." Kol shrugged before falling backwards dramatically when Henrik tackled him. As the boys wrestled playfully, Klaus joining them, Elijah made his way over to Aailyah, kissing her deeply before sitting down next to her.
"Da-da!" Their son squealed, pushing himself to his feet and taking slow stumbling steps towards them. Elijah smiled, holding his arms out and catching him when he tripped.
"Hello Daniel." He chuckled, pulling their boy into his lap and kissing his short blonde hair. "Were you good for your mother today?" He asked as Aailyah leaned over him to adjust his too big tunic. Daniel babbled at him, catching one of Aaliyah's small braids and playing with it.
"Danny and I got to pick berries!" Henrik said, stumbling away from Klaus and Kol, who were still trying to pin each other and laughing like loons. "We brought some home for supper!"
"Although we would have had more if you two would stop snacking." Aailyah teased.
"We were hungry!" Henrik whined.
"Looks like Danny is still hungry." Rebekah chuckled, nodding at her nephew, who was gnawing on the end on Aailyahs braid. Aailyah quickly removed it, rising to her feet and brushing off her dress.
"I'd best help Esther and Astrid with dinner then." Aailyah laughed.
"I'll join you." Rebekah said, joining her.
"Do you want me to take him?" Aailyah asked Elijah.
"I can handle our little monster for a few hours." Elijah chuckled, flipping Daniel over and tickling him as he giggled madly.
"Things were far simpler back then."
"Mama! Mama!" Aailyah glanced up and smiled, seeing her boy running toward her with Henrik following close behind. Daniel was a little over two years old and a blonde bundle of joy, never without a smile. Aailyah put her half full basket of herbs down just as her son barreled into her.
"Hello my Darling." Aailyah said with a smile, brushing his blonde curls out of the way to see his brown eyes, identical to his Fathers. "Your lessons ended early today." She said, raising an eyebrow playfully as both boys smiled sheepishly.
"Mother let us out early today." Henrik said, letting Aailyah kiss his cheek before she stood with her son on her hip.
"Mhm." She hummed, knowing Esther's soft spot for her only grandchild. When Elijah had announced her pregnancy a few months into their marriage, his family had been thrilled, none more so than Mikael and Esther. Her fondness only grew when their son started showing signs of magical potential.
"And where is Kol?" She asked, trying to hide her smile.
"Hiding!" Daniel giggled.
"Hiding from who?"
"Everyone, but mostly 'Bekah." Henrik said, grinning.
"What did you do?" Aailyah chuckled, smiling thankfully when Henrik picked up her basket and took her hand, leading her back toward the Mikaelsons cottage.
"Mama, Mama, I did a magic." Daniel giggled, playing with her loose curls.
"You did?" Aailyah asked, gently detangling his chubby fingers from one of her small braids. She kissed his fingers and released them, adjusting his position on her hip while he turned his attention to the silver necklace Elijah had given her. "I thought Esther wasn't teaching him any magic yet." She said, glancing down at Henrik.
"She's not." Henrik said, grinning at her impishly. Aailyah glanced at her youngest brother-in-law and rolled her eyes fondly, piecing it together. Kol had a passion for Magic, but the only person he had to share it with was Henrik, who had no Magic ability himself, but loved watching Kol perform it. He'd been ecstatic when he learned about Daniel's abilities, and loved showing off to his nephew.
"And what did he teach you, Daniel?"
"I made fire, like Daddy!" Her son giggled.
"On 'Bekah's dress." Henrik laughed, making Aailyah stumble.
"You set Rebekah on fire?" She choked out, making the boy's smiles fade.
"No!" Henrik protested. "Just her laundry." Daniel tugged on her hair again to get her attention.
"Didn't mean to Mama. I sorry." Aailyah signed, hating to see her son upset.
"I know you want to learn Magic. Danny, but if your Grandmother says you aren't ready then you need to wait. Despite what Kol thinks, he is too young to teach you properly." She gently scolded, resolve crumbling when Daniel's bottom lip quivered. "Perhaps you can show your Father and I tonight, while I cook supper." She said, making him grin excitedly.
She smiled back as their cottage came into view. Rebekah stood nearby, complaining to Elijah and Niklaus about her ruined dress. "Now, go apologize to Rebekah. You as well Henrik." She said, putting her son down and taking her basket from the ten year old. She smiled, watching Henrik and Daniel drag their feet the whole way to Rebekah, matching pouts on their faces. Rebakah forgave them easily enough, kissing them both on their cheeks, and Elijah scooped his son up and held him over his head. She listened to her boy's joyful shrieks before turning her attention to her half empty basket. The cold season was coming early this year, plants were already dying. She would have to go out early tomorrow and forage for more medicinal herbs, hopefully enough to last the winter.
"Then what happened?" Elena asked, pulling Aailyah out of her thoughts.
"Then he died. A fever came in the night, far too fast for even Ayana to do anything. We lost him before morning." Aailyah said stiffly, trying desperately to push back the memories assaulting her.
"Mama I don't feel good." Daniel wheezed between sick, breathless coughs that shook his entire body.
Aailyah sobbed in Elijah's arms as Ayana and Esther soothed Daniel through another seizure.
"Ayana please, there must be something you can do."
"I'm sorry Elijah, it's too late. The spirits are taking him, all I can do is try to make it painless."
"Mama it hurts." Daniel sobbed. Aailyah hushed him, rocking him through her tears.
"I know baby, Ayana will make it better." She whispered. She glanced up when Ayana and a devastated looking Elijah entered the room. Something inside her shattered when Elijah shook his head.
Aailyah didn't move as her family said goodbye to Daniel. She simply stayed in Elijah's arms, holding her son, trying to memorize every detail about him. She counted every shallow breath.
"I love you Daniel. Mama and Daddy love you." Aailyah sobbed over her fevered son.
"Luvs' you Mama, Dada." Daniel slurred. "Sing?"
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away. Please don't take my sunshine away."
The guttural, broken noise she made when he stopped breathing would haunt Elijah and his siblings forever.
They buried him at the base of the waterfall where he loved to play. Esther insisted he be consecrated properly.
"Aailyah darling, please eat. You have to eat." Elijah begged. Aailyah didn't respond. "Alli please! We lost our son, I can't lose you too. Please eat something."
"I can't." Aailyah choked out, surprising him. She had hardly spoken, barely moved since they buried their son two days ago. "I can't eat, I can't sleep. I can't move because I think if I stand up, I'll fall to [eices. I can't breathe Elijah, because he's gone. Our baby's gone." Aailyah buried her face in her hands, trying not to fall apart.
"I'm here Alli, lean on me. I won't let you break." Elijah promised, pulling her close.
"Aailyah?" Aailyah blinked, coming back to herself, and found Elena watching her worriedly, hand on her arm. She shrugged it off, changing the subject.
"It absolutely devastated everyone. In the next few months we lost Astrid to the same sickness that took my son, and Henrik to the wolves. Esther and Mikeal couldn't handle their grief, and they searched for a way to protect their remaining family. Remember that pretty little bauble Stefan gave you? It belonged to the Original witch. The woman who created Klaus' curse and made us vampires."
"So vampirism was a form of protection?"
"Mikael and Esther only saw a way of keeping their children alive, they didn't know the curse that would follow."
"But why stay? If they were so afraid of the wolves, why not leave?" Elena asked.
"Pride. Mikael didn't want to run anymore. He wanted to fight, and be superior to the wolves. Where they could bite, we had to bite harder. Where they had speed, we had to be faster. Agility, strength, senses. He wanted it all. He wanted us to live forever. Ayana refused, and Mikael pushed Esther to find a way."
"Esther? How could she help?"
"Esther was also a witch. The witch of the Original family, 'the Original witch'."
"If she was a witch then wouldn't her children be as well?"
"No. Firstly, Magic is a gift, even if someone descended from a witch, nature may choose not to bless them with its power. Look at Esther, of her seven children, only Kol and Freya had the gift. Secondly, vampires are an abomination of nature. You can be one or the other but never both. She made us vampires, but she did not turn."
"How did you turn?"
"Esther called on the sun for life, and the ancient white oak tree for immortality. That night, Mikael offered us wine laced with blood. And then he drove a sword through our hearts."
"He killed you? And- the others? His children?" Elena asked, aghast.
"He wasn't delicate about it either."
Aailyah screamed when Mikael stood suddenly, sword in hand, and drove it through Finns' chest. As he fell to the floor and the others scrambled to their feet, Mikael lunged forward, striking Niklaus next and lunging towards Kol, who threw himself backwards to dodge. Mikael was quick though, and struck again before Kol could get off the ground.
"Father, stop!" Elijah pleaded, horrified, while pushing his wife and sister behind him as they backed into the corner, Mikael advancing towards them.
"Mother, stop him! Please!" Rebekkah begged, sobbing as she stared at her brother's fallen bodies. Esther looked away, ashamed and Mikael lunged, striking Elijah down. At the same time, Aailyah shoved Rebakah away, yelling for her to run as she caught Elijahs body, holding him as life left his eyes. Rebekah didn't make it far, her father killed her a few feet from the entrance. Finally, he turned to Aailyah, who held Elijah's rapidly cooling body to her protectively.
"Why?" Aailyah demanded, glaring at him murderously through her tears. Mikael didn't answer, breathing heavily as he raised his sword. Aailyah didn't flinch, didn't run, and the sunset glinting off his sword was the last thing she saw.
"When we woke, he forced us to drink more blood to complete the ritual. The power we felt was incredible. But Ayana was right about the consequences. The spirits turned on us and nature fought back. The sun itself became our enemy. We stayed indoors for weeks, until Esther found a solution. But there were other problems. Neighbors could keep us out, the flowers that grew at the base of the white oak burned us and prevented compulsion. And the tree that gave us life was the one thing that could take it away. So we burned it to the ground. But the darkest consequence was hunger. Something Esther and Mikael had never anticipated. And thus the vampires were born." Aailyah said.
"What about Mikael? Why's he hunting Klaus?"
"When Nik made his first kill, it triggered his werewolf gene, which revealed his mothers infidelity. Mikaels rage was… devastating. He hunted down Esther's lover and killed him, and his entire family, which started the war between werewolves and vampires.. Esther tried to make it up to him, she blocked Klaus' werewolf side and shunned him, as Mikael had. But Mikael is a prideful man, and that wasn't enough for him. He went on a rampage and killed half the village. He left after Esther died, and we did the same, after swearing to stay together. Always and forever." Aailyah finished, eyes wet. She took a breath and composed herself, turning to her doppelganger. "And that's our story. Now, I've kept my end of the bargain, you keep yours."
"Stefan remembered that Klaus and Rebekkah were running from someone when they fled Chicago, that Klaus seemed afraid. Before Klaus came back to Mystic Falls, Stefan texted Damon what he knew and Damon called Kathrine, who mentioned that her companion knew how to kill Klaus. He figured she would have told her daughter so we asked her, and she led Damon to Mikael."
"Isn't the daughter dead?"
"She was a vampire, and my brother's girlfriend. Jeremy has been seeing her ghost."
"Awkward. So where is Mikael?"
"We're not exactly sure. As soon as Damon found him, he came home and scared Klaus away by saying he's awake. Damon managed to wake him the other day, but Mikael drank his blood until Damon passed out and when he woke, Mikael was gone."
"You freed the vampire who hunts vampires, whom even the Originals fear, and you lost him?"
"Maybe?" Elena said sheepishly.
"And you have no clue where he went?"
"...we've been kinda busy."
"With?"
"Ghosts." Aailyah stared at her for a moment before shaking her head.
"Fucking Mystic Falls."
A.N. I have a weird obsession with female charectors who say fuck the plot I do what I want so now I'm writing two for Game of Thrones. One is about the trueborn daughter of Cersei Lannister and Robert Baratheon who was given a glimpse of the future by the three eyed raven and decided she was not going to watch her family fall apart. The other is about the twin sister of Robb Stark, who married Jaime Lannister at 16. Unlike her father, she's had time to learn the game, and she is determined not to let her fathers honor destroy their family. Let me know if you want to read them!