New Orleans, 1891
Klaus grimaced at the crowd of ladies and gentlemen dancing about the Mikaelson compound. He never cared for parties like these, where the men would do nothing but offer women to dance all the while undressing them with their eyes. And the women would do nothing but stand around waiting for a suitable looking man to ask them to dance, giggling and blushing when one did so.
Elijah told Klaus that he had to attend the party. A Christmas party is a good way to bring the locals together, to prove we are not a threat, he had said. Klaus initially had refused but when finding out that Kol was planning to start his own smaller party towards the end of the night, he became inclined to agree. Kol always knew how to have a good time. Or rather, he knew how to have a good time that appealed to Klaus.
Klaus was leaning against the bar with a glass of whisky in his hand, taking rather large gulps from the strong liquid while scanning the compound. Klaus saw Elijah sitting at a table in the corner, politely speaking with a senior werewolf from the Bayou. Klaus snorted at Elijah's pathetic attempts to make nice with the wolves. While he always held respect for werewolves, the ones from New Orleans were a disrespectful lot that needed to be put in their place.
Klaus's eyes went to his younger brother, who was sitting at the table next to the one Elijah was seated at, flirting with a few giggling witches, telling them a rather dramatic story of how he rescued his oldest brother from a bear attack when he was only twelve. Klaus chuckled at seeing Kol's flailing hand gestures and the way the women lit up when he smiled at them. Klaus eventually stopped listening after Kol began telling them of how his father had let him have the biggest slice the bear that night after he had presented it to the family.
He saw out of the corner of his eye, his darling sister Rebekah glaring at Marcel, who was getting close to a rather stunning brunette he recognised to be Lydia, one of the women who worked in the nearest brothel. Klaus smirked as Rebekah attempted to hold in her anger, all the while completely ignoring the handsome men sitting at her table, completely fawning over her. He loved his sister, he really did. Probably more than anything on the entire planet, but he couldn't let her be happy if it involved Marcel.
Marcel was his adopted son. If Rebekah got her claws into him, both of them would start slipping away and within a few years, they would ask to leave New Orleans and instead travel as a couple. Klaus couldn't afford to lose the both of them, so a few sacrifices had to be made. He felt slightly guilty, but knew it was for the best. He wasn't doing it to spite them, but to protect them.
He frowned at his own thoughts and decided to clear them out of his head. He couldn't be weak. Not now. Not while it took only one simple mistake to have his empire crash down on him and receive a visit from Mikael. He needed to be hard. He needed to be ruthless. If he was weak, he was as good as dead.
Klaus smiled when he saw his right hand witch, Eliza, approach the bar, asking the bartender for two drinks. Eliza wasn't beautiful like Rebekah or Lydia was, being a widow of 40, but Klaus couldn't deny that she was attractive, with jet black hair, dark eyes and a sly smile that rivalled his own. She always managed to walk with a confidence that girls like Lydia did not have, and a sensuous flair that even his sister lacked.
"Eliza" purred Klaus, raising his glass to the woman next to him. She glanced at him and gave him a small smile.
"Klaus" she said casually, though Klaus could hear her heart race. "How is my favourite Original tonight?"
Klaus smirked. "Very bored, thank you. And how is my favourite witch? Still keeping up with your duties I hope?"
Eliza rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Of course."
Klaus was about to make a few inappropriate comments on Eliza's choice of attire when he froze. Behind her approached a particularly stunning young woman, with strawberry blonde hair and wide dark green eyes.
"Eliza" she said, in what was unmistakably a thick French accent.
"Victoria, dear, here is your drink" said Eliza, passing Victoria her drink. Victoria took a sip of the strong liquid and didn't wince, something Klaus was impressed by.
"Victoria" said Klaus, gaining the attention of both females in front of him. The girl by the name of Victoria looked at him for the first time in mild surprise. Klaus leaned forward to take her hand and lay a gentle but sensual kiss on the top of her hand. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure. My name is Klaus."
Victoria raised her eyebrows slightly. "Pleasure to meet you."
Klaus smirked, "oh no, love. The pleasure is all mine." Klaus stared deeply into Victoria's green eyes, attempting to make her blush like all the girls he looked at like that did. But she didn't blush. She didn't do anything.
Eliza looked between the two with a slightly worried expression. She stepped between the pair, breaking Klaus's contact with Victoria and turned to the girl.
"Victoria, let's head back to the girls, shall we?"
Victoria nodded and turned to return with Eliza to what was presumably a few other witches but Klaus, before anyone human could have blinked, shot out his hand and gripped Victoria's wrist in what was a firm but gentle hold. Both girls turned to him sharply but Klaus only smiled pleasantly.
"Oh no, no, no. We've just met. Victoria, sweetheart, I could never leave a lady as lovely as you to attend an evening such as this and not have danced with at least one of the hosts."
Victoria briefly glanced at a shocked Eliza before gently separating her wrist from Klaus's grip and laid her drink on the bar.
"Alright, let's dance" she said, her French accent standing out among the Americans in the room. Klaus smirked and stood straight, taking Victoria's hand in his and leading her out into the dance floor.
The pair began to move gracefully to the music. Klaus had to admit it, she was one hell of a dancer.
"So, love" he said, deciding to make conversation with the beautiful young woman in front of him. "Where are you from?"
Victoria smiled at him. "Well I thought it would be obvious. France. I just moved to New Orleans two weeks ago."
"No family?" asked Klaus.
Victoria shook her head. "My family is still in Paris. I'm here on my own. Eliza was kind enough to let me stay with her. She has a big enough house and I suppose she was lonely."
"How kind of Eliza. And do you perhaps share the same…unique qualities that Eliza looks for in her female companions?"
"You mean to ask, am I a witch?" asked Victoria. Klaus merely nodded. So did Victoria. "Yes, my family name is De La Fontaine. From the De La Fontaine witch coven in Paris."
Klaus was especially surprised at that. The De La Fontaine witch coven was known throughout the world for their unique perspectives of magic and their spectacular magical abilities.
"Is that so?" said Klaus after a moment or two. "Well, you must be something then. And what prompted you to leave such a prestigious coven, and by extension, family, behind in for a place like New Orleans?"
Victoria narrowed her eyes slightly at Klaus but her annoyed expression was gone before Klaus could even blink. "A disagreement."
Klaus decided not to ask any more after that. He was in the mood to dance, and it appeared that Victoria was by far, the best dancer in the room.