Her heart stopped in her chest. She knew that voice but what was he doing here? Had he been the one to do this to her?
Elena heard footsteps approaching, the grass crunching as they drew closer and closer. As she looked up at the immortal hybrid, she remembered her nudity and went to wrap her arms around herself to at least protect a bit of her modesty. But Klaus wasn't looking at her, his cold blue eyes were settled on the boy. Except his eyes weren't cold, they were...concerned?
Now Elena took the time to notice, this didn't look like the Klaus she knew at all. He had shoulder length dirty blonde hair, the bones in his face weren't as sharp as before, and his mouth didn't present his usual smirk. How long had she been out?
She continued to stare in bewilderment as the boy, Henrik? and Klaus had a conversation right before her very eyes, yet she could not hear a single word. Their clothes were rags, their hair long and dirty, Klaus had a sword attached to his waist.
Elena felt like she was underwater. She could even hear the tide. She swayed to the sound, her eyes closing as she let the feeling envelop her. Then it was all dark again.
But on the inside the panic set in. Klaus was human...and this was not her time...
Niklaus carried her through the forest. Henrik stayed beside him, staring at the woman who had so bravely protected him. They were eternally indebted to her.
She wasn't Tatia but they were perfectly the same except this woman had smooth straight hair. The males had never seen such beauty. Niklaus had removed his shirt to place it over the woman, trying to keep her warm and to protect her body from prying eyes.
They broke through the tree line, immediately in the borders of their village. The sun had long since risen so people were already bustling about, fixing what the wolves had done on their one night of being an animal.
The boys knew they would already be in trouble, having not joined their people, their family, inside the caves for protection but they couldn't have left the girl there to be eaten by the wolves or worse.
They had only stepped a few times before their names were screamed, causing the beauty in Niklaus' arms to rouse from her slumber.
Both boys stared at the girl as she burrowed further into Niklaus' chest, clearly not ready to awaken yet. But they could hear the footsteps approaching and regretfully dragged their eyes to the men and women running towards them.
Their brothers and sisters reached them first. All of them concerned for their safety as their father and mother trailed behind them.
Mikael stormed closer, intent on teaching his weakling son a lesson for dragging Henrik into another one of his stupid ideas. Esther trying desperately to calm him from his right, hoping to at least lessen the punishment.
Mikael pushed past his children to reach Niklaus, his hand already on his sword. However, he had miscalculated how easily it would be to strike him, as his narrowed eyes took in the nude girl in the boys arms, covered only by rags.
"Father please do not hurt her, I beg you! She saved Henrik from the wolves!" Niklaus begged, not wanting anyone to suffer for his insolence.
"Give the girl to your brother, boy!" Mikael ordered, his teeth gritting. His anger was bubbling to the surface, desperate to deliver the punishment.
"Mikael please! They are both unharmed, is that not enough?" Esther pleaded with her husband, no one deserved his wrath.
Mikael simply ignored her, his eyes never leaving Niklaus.
Niklaus adjusted the girl so he could pass her to Finn, trusting him most to protect her. Elijah, Rebekah, Kol and Finn all gasped as her face became more clear to them. They had only seen Tatia a short while ago so this girl could not be her but they must at least be sisters.
Finn held the girl begrudgingly, Sage would not be happy when she heard of this. Her husband holding a naked girl, for the whole village to see. He kept his eyes trained forward however, not letting them stray with temptation.
Instead keeping his eyes trained on his father and younger brother. He watched as Nikalus kneeled before their father, ready to receive his punishment. Their mother held Henrik against her skirts, keeping his face pressed against them as to not see the pain their brother was about to suffer.
He was so engrossed with watching his father unsheath his sword that he didnt notice that the girl had awoken in his arms and was now watching the same scene.
Elena couldn't help herself, she quickly removed herself from the beautiful mans arms, falling straight on her back on the wet grass. She didn't have time to dwell though, she had to protect Klaus. Her heart was racing as she threw herself in front on Klaus, shielding him from the man in front of them.
She scrunched her eyes shut, waiting for the blow and the pain that would follow. But it never came so she slowly pried her eyes open. The sword was mere inches from her head
"What are you doing girl? Get out of my way so I may treat my son a lesson!" The man roared, pulling his sword back as to not accidentally strike the young idiotic girl.
"No! He didn't do anything that deserves this! If you want to punish him then you'll have to punish me too!" Elena shouted back, surprised by even her own actions.
But it seemed to take the man back even further. Everyone around them stood frozen, shocked by how bravely the girl had stood up for Niklaus.
"No, father please only I deserve this! She has protected both Henrik and I since she appeared!" Niklaus attempted to get around the girl to protect her but she put her arm out into his path.
The girl didn't even seem to realise her own nudity as she stood in front of the entire Mikaelson family.
Elena never moved her eyes from Niklaus' father, determination and challenge in her eyes.
"Very well then, girl. You shall be punished with the boy," Mikael barked a laugh at the girls stupidity. Did she really believe that she would stop him with such an easy to solve problem. He raised his sword once again to hit the girl but once again someone stepped in the way.
"Father we do not hit innocent women. She has protected our family, we owe her." Finn spoke lowly, almost as a whisper so that only Mikael could hear. But Elena heard it too.
Mikael lowered his sword, his anger only proving to get worse. He stormed off, his sword firmly held in his fist.
Then everyone turned to stare at the stupid hero who's name they did not know...
