Hi everyone! This chapter takes place before and during the episode of Tangled Up In Blue! And a HUGE THANK YOU to Alexandta27 who reviewed as well as everyone who have Favorited and Followed! I really appreciate it, here is next chapter…Enjoy!
Klaus stood next to Marcel, "This is a misunderstanding."
Marcel peered at him looking at Marie and Kol, "My my Marie how much you have grown. Barely recognized you." Marcel barely saw Marie when she was a vampire, she seemed to be away from the main family she was mostly away with Kol on trips every time Marcel came across Klaus again.
Marcel eyes fell on Kol who stood next to Marie with his arms fold on his chest, "Kol, I was wondering when I would see you again. Seems like your sentence with the dagger for burning down this city ended."
Kol sneered chuckling, "How funny you have become. You know I just wanted to see what my doing has done to this place. I got to hand it to you, I like what you done with the place."
Marcel grins, "I am glad you like it." Marcel peered around seeing the area becoming center of attention for his night crawler vampires. Marcel continued, "However, there is one little rule we have… No magic is allowed unless permitted, now I been told you two been seen using magic but what I don't get is what witch is giving you the ability."
Marie peered at her father then to Kol. "I guess you have to find out then." Marie replied calmly earning her different looks from everyone. There were a mixture of surprise, annoyance, and amusement.
Marcel narrowed his eyes, "I guess so."
Kol grinned, "So are we done here or we need some supervision?" Kol peered around challenging Marcel. Kol gave a crooked smile to the crowd then back to Marcel, "We are Originals darling, what are you going to do about it?"
"Kol…" Elijah responded stepping forward towards Kol and Marie. "Let's not start a confrontation."
Klaus stepped forward facing Marcel, "Don't mind my brother, you know Kol. They were fooling around, you know Kol and Marie with their tricks. No harm had been done –."
"Not yet." Kol butted in slightly winking darkly at the uneasy younger vampires that huddled around them.
Klaus nodded, "All right Marcel leave it be, do you really want to start a fight that you can't win?"
Marcel narrowed his eyes glancing back at Kol seeing him grin ready for a fight. Marcel knew Kol as well, Kol was impulsive and with enough boredom in him he would find the fun in killing vampires for sport. "Fine, but don't get used to getting witches to give you magic."
Marie nods slightly relieved Marcel wasn't pressing more about where the magic came from. Klaus pulled Marie along, if he hadn't known better he would have never thought a little spell Marie did to test her magic would cause a big scene. He was surprised how fast Kol and her were outed, it seemed Marcel had all eyes on them, and Klaus is not fond in being studied.
"Any activity tonight?" Marcel asked leaning on the door way peering over to a girl sketching on the attic floor.
Davina looked up from her sketch, "There is someone I never seen before. Not any witches from here, they know better that I can tell when they use magic. But what about the Old Ones? I don't want them hurting you."
"That's why I came here, the Originals seem to have their own witches with them and we need to ensure they follow the rules here too." Marcel responded stepping into the room. Marcel smiles at her, "Plus as strong as you are Davina they don't stand a chance."
Davina peered at him shaking her head, "She is different, I never felt anything like it before." Davina showed Marcel the sketch of the person who conjured the magic that night.
Marcel stared at the drawing in shock, "This can't be right. That's Marie, Klaus's daughter, she is a vampire."
Davina shook her head, "Like I said she is something I have never seen before."
Marcel narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean as different?"
Davina shrugged, "There is a lot of power that is released like a beacon, but it doesn't have any origins like how witches here use ancestor magic."
"So she has no limitations?"
"I'm not sure, she didn't use it long." Davina shrugged.
Marcel frowns, Marie has always been secretive and Klaus hid her from everyone. He remembered Klaus told him Marie left with Kol to travel with witches. He never would have expected Marie being a sort of witch.
"We are going to have to be careful with her, might be useful information in the future." Marcel responded.
"I can keep an eye on things like I always had." Davina replied smiling slightly.
"I'm spending time with Klaus tomorrow, me and him go way back. One thing we don't want is to cause problems with that family. Thousands of people were killed just because they were not in a good mood."
Marie sat on the roof of the home they reside in she needed some space, Marie was always one for free spirited ways. Marie lived a very long time since her family first became vampires, witches were hesitant with them. Since she was a child, her family started to make deals with witches to benefit all of them, most of her family respect witches. Spirits tormented Marie, for protection her and her family made deals in protecting the witches.
Marie had some connections with some of the witches in the coven from New Orleans and the ruling of Marcel was baffling. A vampire having this much power of the witches was new to her, her father attempted to control witches he was successful with deals but Marcel, he set out rules to prevent witches from being who they are.
It was very curious on how Marcel was able to control the witches, because what Marie knew about these covens that run with ancestral magic they are very powerful. Marie was sure her father is also curious on Marcel's ability to rule over supernatural species in this area. New Orleans used to be a war ground with different fractions of species and it was abnormal to see vampires overpowering the witches and werewolves who are just as dominate in strength.
Marcel is an old vampire, a few years older than she is, and she is sure his men are at least a century or two younger than them. Judging by the number of vampires Marcel has a huge army just waiting to strike and Marie hopes no problems would arouse, because war never gives peace. Marie knows her father, she can tell how he looked at the glorious city of vampires that he wanted it. This was everything he wanted, Klaus to vampires was a myth a scary story that vampires told each other. Klaus made his own army of hybrids, he kept them away from New Orleans to scope out the area first before he let in the remainder of his army. Klaus used to have a hierarchy, but it went crumbling down at his failed attempt to break his curse of becoming a hybrid, slaughtering almost every vampire he was close to.
Marcel became strong and cocky over the centuries, she was not sure when he and her father broke ties she supposed a century or two after she was turned. She was sure Klaus would become buddies with Marcel again to get close and understand the levels of ranks inside this city. She hoped Klaus doesn't get too obsessed with getting power once again, it caused too many problems and enemies.
Marie was more curious on what leverage and power Marcel had over the witches. Marcel knew Kol and her were doing magic and it worried her what gave him the ability to find them so easily. Marie would have some fun exploring this city and find the whereabouts of the witches in this city to truly understand what is really going on around here.
And Marie knew the rest of her family wants their life back, find a place to reside together. It was only up to each of them to figure out how to get there. The best thing for each of them is to get to know the other residences.
Marie closed her eyes feeling something watching her, she saw a fast glimpse of a girl with black hair in her mind. Marie smirked slightly feeling the girl spying on her, "Now who are you?" Marie cloaked herself with her own magic breaking the spy's connection. Marie opened her eyes folding her arms, a little witch was watching her she finds it interesting the girl knew where to find her and must be powerful to do so. If the other witches in New Orleans are this promising and powerful it interested her even more as to why Marcel has such a hold on them.
Klaus has settled in with Marcel's empire, getting closer plotting the weak points. Marcel had an inner circle a few that only had daylight rings, the others were just nightwalkers the lowest and the most expendable. Marcel gave the dirty work to the nightwalkers, to clean up messes and keep the order with havoc. Apparently, the vampires keep out the werewolves, and scare the witches through violence and threats.
Klaus is slowly creating back up plans to get more spies in the ranks, he just needed to bleed out some vampires from vervain is all… Klaus needed to be two steps ahead of everyone, the only problem is Marcel learned from him.
There were a few unfortunate nightwalkers that got on the bad side of Kol and Rebekah a little outside the French Quarter. Some of the vampires mistaken Rebekah as a human and that mistake costed their lives. Kol was in town and wasn't pleased with vampires asking why he was in a certain area. The killings put the other nightwalkers and Marcel on edge and he did his hardest to keep them from thinking it were his siblings doing. One of Marcel's rules were no killing vampires, and Klaus didn't need to have a problem with his siblings not taking vampire's behavior towards them badly.
Klaus was intrigued on how Marcel ran things, to keep the locals at bay the vampires fed on the tourists in closed off parties then they are given blood to prevent any worry of high death rates. No wonder there hasn't been any hunters coming here, Marcel out did himself with keeping the vampire activity news from spreading. The only thing Klaus still was not sure about is how exactly Marcel is able to control and limit the witches from doing magic. Every place Klaus has settled, witches usually are the problems he had, he always had to make a deal with them or kill them but Marcel is able to keep them at bay.
Klaus got close to Marcel now after a few days observing the rules and regulations under Marcel's rule. If Klaus is able to take over this area once again he may even, consider to have a similar set up of rules that kept Marcel's rein in order.
Surprisingly Elijah is talking with the humans, meeting the council in the human fractions to see how they function with vampires controlling everything. However, Klaus was not so fond with Marie trying to reach out and find witches in New Orleans. Marie had her way with getting witches to trust her but he was worried about the witches wanting something out of Marie, seem in the recent years it's been just that.
"There is a party tonight?!" Marie gushes, the last party she had attended with her family was in Mystic Falls where Esther plotted to kill them with a linking spell. It wasn't the best experience of a party, but many of her family's attendance to parties ended in some misfortunes. She is hoping for this one would just end simple like any normal party. Apparently, this party is a Masquerade Ball to raise charity for the community and the wealthy are invited even the councilman of the community. With these important guests, hopefully no problems will happen.
"Yes, it is at the compound, very important guests are coming and I have some key players that are part of distributing Marcel's empire." Klaus remarks tying his tie over his black shirt.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Marie asked looking through her closet for a nice dress.
"I thought you wouldn't find it interesting." Klaus shrugged, but he really wanted to keep Marie and Kol as far away as possible. Kol was always one for causing problems at parties, and Klaus wanted Marie out of the spot light as much as possible. Elijah and Rebekah are the more practical with mingling amongst important people.
Marie frowned, "Why do you always do this? I thought you are pass with worrying about me."
"What can I say love? This event is the first of many steps in taking down the empire." Klaus replies smiling at her slightly.
"I still don't see the need to take over an empire that is already running, why can't we just enjoy being guests rather rulers?" Marie sighed at his reasoning, but she finally found a red glistering dress although she will have to improvise with a masquerade mask.
"It is always safer to be rulers then to be expendable people in a rank." Klaus remarked.
Kol leaned on the door overhearing there was a party that he not invited to. Kol dressed in an all-white suit with a black shirt underneath, and a red handkerchief in his suit pocket. "Besides we need to show our support for the community as well." Kol smirked seeing Klaus glare at his outfit.
"I do not need you to ruin my plans." Klaus growled placing his masquerade mask on.
Kol walked up next to Marie giving Klaus a sarcastic hurt face, "I would never do such a thing."
Klaus rolled his eyes heading down stairs meeting Rebekah at the front door. Kol peered at Marie as she placed the dress on the bed, "Seems like Nik is embarrassed of us. What a pity, guess taking over the world is on his top of the to do list over having an entertaining party."
Marie smiled slightly, "We can always crash the party, the one thing I love about masquerades is that from a distance no one can tell who is who."
Kol grins, "Any place you know where to get those masks?"
Marie shrugs, "It's New Orleans, I'm sure there are plenty of stores that sells masks."
Klaus set up the night walker to attack Thierry's, Marcel's secondhand man, girlfriend who happens to be a witch. With Thierry gone for breaking Marcel's number one rule Marcel would have one less informant. Klaus was hoping with Thierry gone, Marcel would look to Klaus for some help in keeping everything in order.
Klaus also needed Marcel distracted at the party so the compelled vampire, Josh, can sneak into Marcel's office and retrieve a paper with a daylight ring spell on it. The distraction is where Rebekah comes in. Elijah was interacting with some of the human councilmen and some of Marcel's older vampires. So far Klaus's plan is going quite well, nothing can go wrong.
Klaus's eyes went large seeing Camille walk in with a white gown with angel wings…truly breathtaking – she was sure to have the attention of the party. "What's she doing here?" Klaus growled at Rebekah next to him, not taking his eyes off Camille.
Rebekah smirks keeping her eyes on the blond human, "What's the better way to distract Marcel then his very human new girl in a house full of vampires?" Rebekah smirked at him seeing him stare at the human, then she walks towards Camille complimenting the white dress.
Klaus narrowed his eyes, of course Rebekah had to put her own ideas in his plans. He never wanted any harm to come to Camille, he guessed he liked her spirit and smarts in reading people. Klaus felt eyes on him he looked up from his thoughts seeing Camille looking straight at him. He could hear her asking Rebekah if he were an off and on again boyfriend.
Klaus walked forward smirking slightly, "The brother actually. And I have to agree with Rebekah, you do look stunning."
Camille smiled at him, "You clean up really good yourself."
Klaus chuckled by the compliment, "Don't be fooled love, I'm the devil in disguise."
Rebekah could feel the tension between the two and it was her cue to leave, "Well you two chitchat I need some boozes." Rebekah smirked at her brother leaving him with the angel.
Klaus held out his hand towards Camille, she smiles shyly and takes it.
"Wow…" Marie gasped in astonishment of the setup of the party. There were acrobats that were ascended above ground with wrap cloth around their limbs, and masquerade masked performers standing above small platforms.
Kol was able to find masks for both him and Marie to blend in the crowd since the rest of their family felt they would cause problems. Marie's mask was a deep red with black outlines and designs around the eyes and nose – the mask covered most of her nose and face. Kol's mask was fully black with red blending into the bottom black of the mask which covered half of his face.
"I got to say Marcel knows how to throw a party." Kol remarks as he surveyed the party.
Marie glanced around seeing most of the guests were wearing black and white. Marie looks down at her red dress hoping she wouldn't draw attention away from Klaus's plan. Marie noticed her father talking with a woman in a beautiful white dress that was completed with white angel wings. The woman said something that made her father laugh a real laugh, Marie was curious about their relationship with each other.
Kol grabbed her hand twirling her to where others danced, "We deserve a dance, we been through more hell then the others will ever know. Besides it seems like whenever there is a ball we find each other having a dance." It was true, ever since Marie was human she would always find herself dancing with Kol. It was one of many things they enjoyed together, when Kol wasn't being his unpleasant self. The rest of her family were too busy with their own lives but Kol always seemed to find time to place a dance with her in every ball their family was attending.
Marie smiled at him, "Goes to show we lived life to the fullest by going through hell more than once."
Kol winked at her smugly, "And let the adventures live on." Kol twirled her around making her dress sparkle and glimmer in the lighting. Kol spotted Rebekah in the distance with a dashing black tight dress talking to Marcel. Kol could see the tension between the two and it made him curious on when the two were involved.
"Oh, trouble in paradise." Marie remarked noticing the woman her father was talking to was stolen by Marcel as he went up to her after leaving an annoyed looking Rebekah.
Kol chuckled, "See, this is the reason they need us with them for parties, they always have more drama then fun." Kol held her hands moving them in circles around the dancing crowd around them. Kol noticed Rebekah and Klaus standing together staring at Marcel and the blond woman dancing. Kol shook his head, it was sad really that his siblings can't even enjoy themselves and scheme the same time. Kol was the master of it, whenever he plots he always improvises to finding fun to go with it.
"I'm surprised they are so distracted to not notice they are staring creepily at Marcel and the woman." Marie replies noticing it was odd how the pair dancing intrigues them.
Kol shrugged, "Guess it is part of their plan?"
Marie nodded in reply as Kol twirled her again just as the song ended. Kol bowed sarcastically at her then nodded to the bar, "Let's get a drink before their eyes decide to wonder off from the couple."
A few eyes followed them as they made their way to the bar. Kol cursed under his breath seeing Elijah waving at them, beckoning them to him. "Elijah, thought these sorts of parties aren't your style." Kol remarked smiling cheeky at his older brother.
Elijah rolled his eyes, "I expected you two would come along. I believe things are going to plan for Niklaus." Elijah nodded his head towards a slight grinning Klaus as Marcel was taken away from Camille by Diego.
Marie peered at Marcel, seeing the rage in the way he walked as he grabbed Thierry's neck slamming him to a wall on the far end of the party. Anyone who was looking to that way can see the whole ordeal until Marcel pull the other vampire away from viewing eyes. Marie notice her father taking the liberty of standing towards Camille, seeing his own opportunity to persuade her of her own opinions of Marcel now.
Marie frowned at Elijah, "This is his doing?"
"An invasion has to start somewhere." Elijah replies lowly.
Marie noticed Klaus giving a sheet of paper to a vampire not leaving his eyes on Marcel confronting Thierry. Kol and Elijah were doing the same looking up on the balcony where Marcel and Thierry were talking. Marie frowns hearing the desperate, sincere pleads from Thierry. So much loyalty is hard to come by and Klaus is making it tumble down destroying this poor vampire's life. Marie was always an observer watching the interactions of Marcel's vampires, she had to say she respected the loyalty they all had for each other. It was something rare in vampires for they are solitary, only thinking of themselves rather others.
It was a reason Marie respected the werewolves and witches, they all have loyalty to each other. They made packs and covens, protecting one another. For vampires, it was rarely seen and it pained her that these vampires' loyalty are being questioned and faltered because of Klaus's doing.
"Why can't we be at peace, and learn to earn this kind of loyalty? But you all rather destroy something and hope to rebuild it." Marie remarked sadly. Of all people, she thought Elijah would at least consider earn trust rather secretly make a façade to strike them down in the end.
Elijah regarded her with a sad nod, "There is nothing to do, we are already in motion –."
"If you all would have been sincere in wanting to get along with our residents maybe things would have turned out better, without bloodshed. You did it once when you first created vampires, earning that loyalty. But forcing it by taking over? That never ends well." Marie bites back glaring at Elijah.
Kol looked at her slightly surprised, Marie had never expressed her opinions this boldly before – seems like she had grown braver in the last centuries where Klaus daggered them all leaving her to venture on her own.
They all looked back up seeing Klaus's vampire informant giving Marcel the paper Klaus handed to him earlier. Marcel was in outrage with this supposed betrayal that Thierry and his witch girlfriend were doing. Thierry was sentenced to 100 years in the garden and by the smug face of Klaus it seemed that was the one thing he was hoping to happen.
Marie shook her head, "I can't watch this anymore, I know this is all going to end badly."
Marie started to walk away but Elijah grabbed her arm, "It won't be wise to interfere."
Marie narrowed her eyes of the threat, "You have your ways, and I have mine. Make the best outcome win." Marie thrust her arm out of his grip.
Kol peered after her crossing his arms over his chest. He remarked to Elijah humorously, "I got to say, what you and Nik did to her really made her stronger."
Elijah narrowed his eyes, Klaus daggered each one of their family members after he was not able to break his werewolf curse about 500 years ago. Klaus only left Elijah alive out of the siblings leaving Marie to go back and forth to Klaus's and his separate residences, trying to resolve their feud. Marie searched endlessly to find Rebekah, Kol, and Finn daggered somewhere, but Elijah always assumed Klaus dumped them in the ocean never to be seen again. Marie had hope which Elijah always warned her that Klaus was using that hope to manipulate her. In the efforts of desperation to get their family back Elijah desiccated Marie with the help of some witches for a trade. Elijah bargained Marie for the rest of their family when Klaus step foot in Mystic Falls, determined to finally break his werewolf curse to become a hybrid.
With the whole ordeal with Elijah's and Klaus's feud, Marie made her own ways in dealing with problems which try to result in deals and promises. Klaus and Elijah seem to turn to violence, two sided deals, and manipulation to pass a problem that came before them; however, Marie still tries to find outcomes that would be good for both sides.
Marie watched as Marcel and a group of his vampires led Thierry out of the compound. Her ears focus on chanting in distance, Marie turned towards the chanting seeing a woman talking towards the vampires, her dark brown curly hair blown in the wind. The woman rose her arm sending a huge shock wave across the vampires as Thierry yelled, "Katie no!" All the vampires fell to their knees in pain, the street lights shattered sending sparks flying in the air.
Love is a powerful thing, risking one's own life to save her other half. Marie watch in awe seeing Katie flicker her hands forcing more agony on the vampires as she stepped closer. Marcel snarls standing up fighting the pain – he beat his fists on his chest, challenging her to do more.
Katie flickered her hand at him, the rage burning down on him causing Marcel to drop to his knees. To protect her love from harm, she would do anything to protect Thierry and Marie admired that.
Marie narrowed her eyes feeling more power encircle around Marcel as he could stand back up sneering at the witch. Marcel snarls at Katie, "You are here to save your man, well come on little girl!" Marcel charged at Katie, but she was able to force more of her power upon him.
Apparently, Marcel was getting help, Katie was all alone on a suicide mission because of Klaus's power plot that threatened the alliances inside the community. Marie couldn't have that, Marie stretched her hand out towards Katie eyes locked on her muttering a protection spell.
Katie rose her hand holding out a stake above Marcel, "Die you son of a bitch!"
Thierry screamed no in a distance just as Katie hand thrusted down – but her action was cut short just as Klaus's hands went behind her snapping her neck.
Marie blinked in surprise by her father's actions, she should have known Klaus would be heinous enough to plot the couple's doom just to be in the good gracious of Marcel. Klaus had a vulgar way in getting under his enemy's radar. Marie wished he didn't have to go to high stakes just to be under Marcel's wing, there were other ways and she was hoping she can do that in a less slobby way.
Thierry crawled to Katie's broken body hugging her, crying for her efforts to save him.
Klaus and Marcel looked at each other, Marcel with a look of gratitude nodding slightly to Klaus.
Marcel's vampires dragged Thierry; he was still crying slightly his eyes staring down at the road. Klaus glanced up slightly seeing Marie staring back at him, her eyes held sadness. Klaus forced himself to look away from her as he followed Marcel back to the compound while the other vampires dragged Thierry away in darkness.
Marie frowned in slight disgust as they left the poor heartbroken girl on the road. Marie jumped down standing over her, the thing about her family is that death and tragedy always follows…
Darkness has become a friend for the dead, a never-ending torment. But life, gives off light, an arrangement of beautiful colors playing together. A hoarse breath took a deep inhale of fresh cool air in swollen lungs.
"Oh, good you are awake." A smooth voice was heard over the darkness.
Dark eyes fluttered open sharpening to an unfamiliar roof. The voice spoke again, "I was afraid I didn't do the protection spell fast enough, but here you are."
Katie turned her aching head to the side viewing a girl in a red dress sitting on a brown leather chair. "You saved me – how?" Katie's voice broke a bit as she asked the question.
The girl smiled slightly, "There is an old protection spell I remembered where a warlock went to battle and as a precaution he put a protection spell on himself that even protected him from death. That spell comes in handy in dangerous situations." The girl handed her a bottle of water.
Katie took it and sat up glancing around at the big room it consisted of a kitchen, a few sofas, and a bed. Katie peered at the girl hesitantly, "Thank you for that… I don't know why you did it though. I don't even know you."
"I'm Marie." Marie smiled at her as she opened the bottle and took some sips of water. "I'd admire the courage you had to protect your lover, and I did not think that bravery deserves a death sentence. Besides, I believe in forming alliances over destruction in people who view things differently."
Katie looked at her curiously, "An alliance with me? What do you need me for?"
Marie shrugged, "I don't need you in that sort of tense, I figured we want the same things. Marcel stepping out of other supernatural communities; there should be some sort of alliance for everyone to live together rather a dictatorship forcing only a good life for vampires."
Katie nodded slightly, the witches were forced to disable their birthright to use magic. All the witches are forced to work in shops that have magical entities but they could never use any of it, only sell them to tourists for show.
"Besides I'm new to Marcel's colony and need some help in understanding how it led to this." Marie pressed lightly wanting to know about the history of Marcel first coming to power and how he could rise New Orleans from the ashes and take over everything. "What do you say? You tell me everything about this place under Marcel's rule and I help you get Thierry and the witches back to their old glory."
Wheels are turning and new events are about to take place! What do you think of the two different ways in taking over Marcel's empire? Plus what you think of the whole spin of Marie saving Katie to get an inside source of Marcel's reign and the disappearing community of the other supernatural residents?
Please comment below I like to hear feedback! Thanks for reading!