TW: Violence, mature themes
994 – Vinland (present-day America)
Elijah hadn't seen Astra in days and it was beginning to affect him. Since they met as children, they had never gone this long without speaking. He tried to occupy his time by taking care of his youngest brother and training his other brothers, but it did little to relieve the ache he felt being so distant with his best friend.
He was hurt that Astra had been with someone else, but he was more hurt that she had lied to him. Deep down he knew they were temporary. Elijah knew what he wanted for his future. He wanted to build a home, to have a wife and children. Most importantly, he wanted to stay close to his siblings and watch them grow and begin their own lives. While Astra had no desire to marry or have children. She wanted to explore and leave this village as soon as she could. Elijah had always assumed she would change her mind at some point, but obviously, that hadn't been the case.
And, if he was being honest, it wasn't fair for him to assume that of her.
The sun was high in the sky and Elijah knew his mother wouldn't be expecting them back for hours. His brothers were asking where Astra was as she often inserted herself into their training. Elijah simply avoided the probing questions, directing them back to their training. He had no desire to try and explain the state of his relationship with Astra when he wasn't even sure himself.
"You should go find her." His little brother approached him where Elijah had been leaning against a tree watching Niklaus and Kol spar. Apparently, he had been so lost in thought that he didn't notice them stop and Niklaus approach him. "Astra, I mean. It's strange that she hasn't been here."
Elijah agreed, it did feel strange without her. She had been such a fixture in their lives. Especially for his younger siblings. Niklaus likely couldn't even remember a time before Astra had come into their lives.
"I will," Elijah placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "As soon as you disarm Kol."
He watched his brother sulk back over to where Kol was waiting with a lopsided grin. Kol enjoyed antagonizing Niklaus, which Elijah assumed was normal for a little brother since Niklaus seemed to enjoy antagonizing him. He saw Niklaus grip his necklace tightly, a sign that he was nervous. He pitied his brother. He was working twice as hard as Kol and yet couldn't seem to get the upper hand when they sparred, despite being older by two summers.
"Kol is quick," Elijah whispered to his brother. "But he's rash. Let him make the first move. He'll let his arrogance get in the way, and then you make your move."
Kol narrowed his eyes at his older brothers as they whispered strategy. Elijah never needed to coach him, but rather critiqued him for favoring agility over technique. Kol simply argued he would learn technique when he had an opponent worthy of it, which would set Niklaus into a fit of anger.
The boys faced off, holding their wooden staffs. Kol eyed his older brother, suspicious of what advice Elijah had given. Elijah for his part watched as his younger brothers began to circle each other. Kol seemed to hesitate more than Elijah had ever seen him. Typically he would lunge quickly, hoping to catch his opponent off guard, but he was smart enough to wait to see what Niklaus would do.
Although, his patience only lasted so long.
By the third circle, Kol began to fidget and Elijah knew he was about to strike. However, Niklaus was too focused on his own defense to take note of these subtle movements. So when Kol lunged, he barely had time to lift his staff to block it. He stumbled backward, trying to absorb the blow with his stance as his brother had taught him.
The brothers exchanged hits, neither of them landing a blow, but Elijah noted Kol was backing Niklaus into the forest edge where he would have nowhere left to retreat. He sighed as he saw his brother falling for the trap.
And then at the last moment, Niklaus dove out of the way, causing Kol to crash into the brush. Elijah smiled wildly as Niklaus raised his staff and held it over their brother who was sprawled on the forest floor. He had done just as Elijah had instructed, so well that even Elijah had fallen for it.
"That's not fair," Kol whined. He wasn't accustomed to losing and would often throw fits when he did.
"Relax little brother." Elijah walked over to help him up. "You will have plenty more opportunities to beat Niklaus. Now shake hands."
Elijah had always made them shake hands at the end of a fight. He didn't want any true rivalry to develop between the boys. He knew what it was like to be resented by one's brother and hated the idea that his little brothers could share the same fate.
"You said once I disarm him we can break for the day." Niklaus nearly cheered and this seemed to ease Kol's wounded pride.
"Please." Kol jumped up and down in excitement. "I wanted to show Niklaus and Rebekah what I found in the hidden tunnels."
"Yes, that's fine." He conceded. He had told his brother that and he wasn't one to go back on his word. "But you all look out for each other. I need to run to check on Astra but I will be back shortly. I don't want you two picking on our sister either."
They barely heard their brother's instructions as they took off towards the house to gather their little sister and begin their adventure. Mikael was out on the farm today with Finn, so the boys were more relaxed than normal. Fortunately, they had to survey the land, which would take them right until sunset when they would be forced to return.
This would give Elijah just enough time to check on Astra and then gather his siblings back at the house before they returned home.
However, his plans were put on hold when he arrived at Astra's family home. The door was left ajar, which was not wholly surprising since Erik seemed to be drunk more often than not these days. But the cries coming from within the small cabin were not usual.
Elijah didn't hesitate as he burst into the home, taking in the scene before him.
"You little whore. How dare you disgrace our family like this."
Erik had a leather strap in his hand that he had been striking Astra's still form with. Without thinking, Elijah threw himself at the man. Elijah was nearly fully grown, but Erik was a seasoned warrior. The one thing Elijah had on his side was the element of surprise.
Erik toppled over under Elijah's weight and crashed down on the floor, but Erik had rage on his side. He threw a swift punch at Elijah, knocking him on the head, and sending him flying back. Elijah heard Astra scream out his name and felt a sense of relief that she was alive.
The relief was short-lived as he saw Erik reach for his sword at his belt. Elijah reached for his own but knew in hand-to-hand combat, he would be at a disadvantage. He quickly unsheathed the weapon and brought it up to defend himself from the onslaught of blows Erik delivered. Elijah was shocked at how fast the man could move considering he hadn't seen him train in years. His anger was apparently fueling his moves.
After a particularly brutal strike, Elijah's sword was sent flying from his hands. Landing out of reach.
"You want to defend that whore?" Erik growled menacingly at Elijah. "Are you willing to die for her?"
Elijah didn't need to think twice about it. It was the same decision as when they had first met and she was being attacked by the village boys. He would buy her enough time to escape.
"If you want to harm her," His voice was somehow steady, even though he felt his insides shaking. "You'll have to kill me."
Erik merely smirked at him, as if to mock his decision before raising his sword once more. Elijah's eyes searched the room for any way to block the oncoming attack. He had to make it out to ensure Astra was safe. He saw a hunting knife hanging on the wall, to his left and as soon as Erik moved forward, he dove for it.
Before he could even get there, he heard a sharp grunt from the warrior and slowly turned around.
Erik was standing stiff as a board, his eyes widened in shock as blood began to trickle out of his mouth. Elijah's own sword was protruding from the center of his chest. It felt like years before Erik fell to his knees and then to the ground.
Astra stood frozen, her hands still poised in the air as if she couldn't believe what she had done.
"Astra." He called out gently and her eyes snapped towards him. Her eyes which were usually full of joy and wonder were now wide with fear.
"I couldn't let him kill you." Was all she said.
Elijah rushed to her side and pulled her to his chest. Her gown was covered in blood and he wasn't sure if it was her own or her father's.
"I know." He whispered soothingly, rubbing her back as she began to shake, the full weight of what she'd done settling on her.
"They will kill me for this." The panic replaced the fear she had felt. "Patricide is forbidden. I'll be stoned."
"No, you won't," Elijah said stubbornly but with little conviction. Their village took patricide seriously. He still remembered when he was younger and Mikael had forced him to attend the stoning of one of the warriors for killing his own father. He was forced to watch as the man slowly died from wound after wound. The image had haunted him.
He would not allow that same fate to befall Astra.
"We can run." She looked at him with her wide, hopeful eyes. "Grab what we can and flee. They'll never find us."
Elijah wanted to agree. He wanted to take her far away from this village, to somewhere she'd be safe. But they both knew he wouldn't leave.
"I can't leave them." He whispered, almost ashamed to deny her. "They need me."
"I need you." She cried into his arms. "Please."
It broke his heart to hear her beg. And then it broke his heart all over again to deny her.
"I'll protect you." He changed tactics. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"How?" She pulled away long enough so he could see her swollen face. "The council does not forgive these transgressions."
"Then we make it look like an accident." Elijah began to formulate a plan. He may not be able to leave with her, but he would still protect her. "Go to the woods, get cleaned up. Bring a change of clothes and go to Ansel. He'll help dispose of the evidence. I'll take care of everything here."
He looked into her eyes again and could feel all of the trust she had in him. She wouldn't run without him and he wouldn't leave his siblings. His plan had to work.
2013 – New Orleans, Louisiana
Cami frowned at the overflowing dumpster in the alley. She had left the Mikaelson compound after breakfast because she had to work the morning shift at Rousseau's. Klaus had joked that he could just give her the money and she wouldn't have to work and she knew it wasn't really a joke.
But as she stood in the alley, surrounded by trash, cleaning up the bar from the night before, she was tempted to let her pride go. It would be nice to not have to worry about money. Cami contemplated her life choices when she heard a nearly silent whooshing noise, the tell-tale sign of a vampire appearing. Without looking, she spun around, launching the sharp object at the intruder.
"Impressive." By the time she could take in the sight, Elijah was already holding the metal star in front of him, analyzing it curiously. "The Devil's star. Where did you get this?"
"Marcel gave it back to me." Cami sighed. Even with her fastest reactions, she couldn't protect herself from the vampires. Elijah had grabbed it out of the air with little effort. "It doesn't do much good unless it makes contact apparently."
"Yes," Elijah gave her a small smile. "I'm sure against a regular vampire, you would have had them. And fortunately for you, you have nothing to fear from the original family."
"I don't know if fortunate is the right word." Elijah's eyes narrowed slightly at her comment, but as she expected, he didn't ask any follow-up questions, letting her choose what she wanted to share. "Davina says it causes death by a thousand cuts. Even small cuts are dangerous if there are enough of them."
She glanced away and returned his small smile. She knew he understood that maybe better than anyone. Both of them had experienced so many things over the past couple of years. She had let Elijah in when they were at the safe house, confiding that she was struggling with the death of her brother and her uncle, as well as almost dying herself.
And Elijah had a thousand years of little cuts that he carried with him, pretending they didn't hurt. From the loss of his first love to watching the love of his life marry another man, and all of the loss in between, he knew exactly what she felt.
Elijah approached her, holding out the throwing star. She reached out her hand and he clasped it in his as he placed it there.
"I know you're scared." Elijah gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it. "I apologize I didn't take it more seriously when you came to me at the church to train."
"It's nothing." She brushed it off, not wanting to worry anyone. "I just thought it would be fun to train."
"Fun?" Elijah's eyes tightened again. He hadn't moved away from her, but she found his proximity comforting. "Is that why you are carrying dark objects around? For fun?"
Turning her head down, she looked at the star in her hand. Since learning of the supernatural world, she hadn't slept peacefully, dreaming of creatures breaking into her apartment. Logically she knew the vampires couldn't get in, but it didn't stop her imagination from going wild. She kept the star under her pillow just in case.
"The witches are angry." Her head whipped up at the change in conversation, unable to figure out where that came from. "They are upset that Astra brought back Aiden and Kol, but not a witch."
"Who did they want to bring back?" Cami wasn't overly shocked that the witches were upset. With how they were treating Davina, Cami had no love for that faction. "Celeste?"
"Likely one of their ancestors." He responded, noncommittally, and Cami could have kicked herself for bringing up Celeste so casually. "However, Astra obviously cannot do that, so she has offered something else in exchange. Training."
"She's going to train the witches?"
"We both are." A smile broke out on Cami's face at the tone he used. He clearly had no desire to spend his day training witches. "Which brings me to why I am standing in this filthy alley. I thought I would ask if you wished to attend."
"In case you've forgotten," Her face scrunched in confusion, "I'm not a witch."
"Yes, but the training will focus on defense against vampires, something I'm aware you are interested in." He nodded his head towards the star she was still clutching in her hand. "You don't have to decide now. We will be at the church training this afternoon."
XXXX
As Elijah was heading back to the compound, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and before he could even fully process the words on the screen he disappeared from sight.
He burst into the apartment, not bothering to knock, almost taking the door off of the hinges.
"Hayley!" He called out as his eyes took in the small living area. Hayley was sitting in the center of a mess of toys with Hope holding her little stuffed bunny.
"Come here," Hayley demanded, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Hayley, I thought you were in trouble." His voice was still straining from the near heart attack he had upon reading her message. "You texted 'Get to the apartment right away.'"
"I didn't want you to miss it." She vamp sped over to him, tugging him by the arm so he could kneel on the floor by Hope. "Okay Hope, who is this?"
Elijah's eyes widened at the realization of what the true emergency was. Hope stared at him with her wide blue eyes. They always seemed to shine with joy.
"Come on baby." Hayley tried once again to coax the words out of her daughter. "Who gave you Mr. Bunny?"
Hope hugged the bunny close to her chest as she realized what her mother was talking about.
"Un'Liza." Hayley beamed at her daughter and then at Elijah. While it was almost gibberish, Elijah knew Hope understood what she was saying as she clutched the bunny tighter.
"Who is this?" Hayley asked again and this time Hope responded by reaching out her arm to her uncle and repeating the words, a little more clearly this time.
Elijah for his part was in awe at the little girl in front of him. He reached his arms out to her and when he pulled her to his chest, her arms wrapped around his neck.
"Very good, sweetheart." He rubbed her back as she clutched him. He took a deep breath, settling himself. Both from the fear he had felt when he read the text, but also the pang he felt knowing this was as close as he would ever get to experience this for himself.
"Isn't she amazing?" Hayley was beaming at Hope and Elijah's heart felt a little lighter at the sight. He knew Hayley had been struggling since being cursed and missing out on so much of Hope's life. He was thrilled to see her so happy.
"Yes," He felt a smile of his own graced his face. "She's incredible."
It was the first time they had been alone together since their moment in the alley outside the bar. She looked up from her daughter and their eyes met, her smile settling into a more shy version. But her eyes still shimmered with joy.
The front door swung open, breaking the tension in the room as Jackson walked up the front stairs to enter the living area.
"Am I interrupting?" His eyes lingered on Elijah, who Hope was still gripping tightly.
"Not at all." Hayley smiled at Jackson. "Hope was just talking up a storm."
She gave him a lopsided smile, subtly shifting away from Elijah.
"Yeah, she's been learnin' all kinds of words." He glanced between the two. "Doesn't explain why you're here."
"Jack." Hayley snapped, giving him a disapproving look. "I invited him."
"Of course you did." His eyes were flat and his tone held a hint of the hurt he clearly felt.
"If you'll excuse me," Elijah stood up, clearly not wanting to be involved in the marital spat. "I should be going. I have to meet Astra."
He kissed Hope gently on the top of her head before handing her off to Hayley. She went willingly but turned around to reach back out for her uncle. He reached his hand out so she could grip his fingers in her own.
"I'll see you soon, little one."
With that, he disappeared from the room. Apparently, so desperate to get out of the uncomfortable tension that he didn't even bother with the front door.
"You know I didn't even want to invite him in." Jackson gave her a disapproving look. It had been a fight when they first set up their home. Jackson didn't want any vampires to be invited in, however, Hayley argued one of the Originals should have access in case something happened. She couldn't stand the idea of an attack happening and Hope being trapped alone without her family able to get to her. So they had agreed on Elijah, the lesser of the two evils where the brothers were concerned.
"And he understands it is only for emergencies." Hayley stood up, still holding Hope. "I invited him over so he could hear Hope say his name. She just started today."
She had hoped the excitement of Hope's new words would ease some of Jackson's frustration.
"Of course, she's saying Elijah." Jackson merely muttered before turning to the fridge.
"Well, he's probably the most steady presence she's had so it makes sense," Hayley said, placing her daughter on the floor to allow her to play. There was no reason she had to be involved in this argument. "While we are on the topic, what the hell was that earlier?"
"What do you mean?" He leaned against the counter, glancing at her as he made his lunch.
"Why would you tell Klaus we are moving to the bayou?" She had been annoyed with Jack all day. She was really trying to make this co-parenting thing with Klaus work, which was hard enough, she didn't need outside problems.
"We agreed it would be better for the pack." He shrugged. "I assumed you had told him."
"We haven't talked about it since we were on the run. We agreed to live in the Quarter so Klaus can be close to Hope."
"And how long is that supposed to last?" Jackson looked up from his task, his eyes angrier than she had seen them. "He cursed your entire pack and now you're at his beck and call?"
"You know it's not like that." Hayley sighed. She really did understand his feelings, but she knew fighting Klaus' anger with more anger would only make matters worse.
"I told you in the bayou, you had to choose." Jackson gave her a hard look. "I cannot be the alpha our pack needs while living under Klaus' control. I've given you time to adjust, but you need to decide where your loyalties lie."
"That's not fair. You know it's not that easy." She looked down at where her daughter was playing happily. She hated that her daughter would always be torn between the factions.
When she was pregnant, Elijah had imagined a world where all of the factions could live in peace. At the time, she had allowed her loyalty to her pack to cloud her judgment, but she wouldn't do that this time. It was more than just her pack. Unless they created peace in New Orleans between all of the factions, her daughter would never be safe. Which meant the pack would have to learn to get along with the other factions, rather than vying for power.
"I know." Jackson reached out for her hand and she held onto it. "It's never easy being the alpha, but it's our job to put our pack above everything."
The witches had gathered in the church and were looking around anxiously. They didn't seem to like being surrounded by vampires when they were not in their home base. No matter how many times Astra and Davina assured them they would be safe, they still eyed the vampires suspiciously.
"Are you sure this will work?" Davina whispered to her new friend. "They already hate me, I can't afford for this to go wrong."
"Relax darling." Kol swung his arm around her shoulder as he eyed the arriving witches. "This isn't the first time Astra and Elijah have trained the witches. They started a program when Elijah was knocking boots with that witch in the 1800s."
"Celeste?" Davina was shocked by that. She hadn't known Celeste but she had known Sabine. Either way, she was shocked to hear she and Elijah had worked together to train the witches.
"Yeah, she wanted to give the witches a fighting chance against the vampires." Astra smiled, her eyes distant. "It didn't work out so well for them."
Her smile quickly faded, but was replaced with a look of determination.
"So let's make sure these witches are trained better." She held her arm out for Davina to loop hers through, which she did, allowing Astra to drag her to the center of the room.
Astra climbed into the ring and Davina followed. Marcel agreed to let the witches run the show, much to the disapproval of his new vamps and the humans who were still hoping to turn.
"Thank you all for coming." Astra smiled at the witches who had turned up. It wasn't as many as she had hoped but still, she was proud of them for showing up. "As you know, fighting a vampire takes more than just brute strength. A vampire's biggest advantage is their speed. So our greatest advantage is stealth. You have to attack before they can react. Otherwise, you're dead."
"The other advantage is the element of surprise." Astra gestured to a table of magical weapons she had borrowed from the O'Connell stash. "Your ancestors created many of these weapons as a way to defend themselves from vampires. You are not going to win in a hand-to-hand fight against a vampire, so you have to make sure you're prepared."
As soon as the last word left her mouth, she felt hands grab her arms and shove her back. She instantly surrounded herself with fire, feeling it explode from her fingertips and travel across her body. The hands that were clasped around her let go when the fire touched them. When she was released she spun around, throwing the fire at her attacker, but he was already gone.
"Not quick enough." The voice whispered in her ear from behind her, causing her to roll her eyes. "You'll have to be quicker than that to take out an Original."
"Yes, well thankfully, there are only a limited number of you." Astra turned around so she could glare at Elijah. "I thought we agreed we would dispense with the theatrics?"
"Yes, but you know how much I adore the theatrics." He winked at her before looking past her at the witches. They were all shuffling nervously at the attack they had just witnessed. Few had truly seen a vampire move at full speed, let alone an Original. It was one thing to theoretically know how to fight a vampire, but reality was completely different. "Now, who's first?"
No one moved forward, they merely glanced at one another, waiting for someone to volunteer.
"Don't be shy." Astra gave them a friendly shy, trying to reassure them. "He won't hurt you and he won't use his vampire speed. Yet."
Still, no one moved forward.
"I'll go first." Davina stepped forward from where she had been leaning against the cage of the ring. "It's not like I haven't fought an Original before."
Elijah's mouth twisted into a crooked smile as she stepped up to stand in front of him.
"Ladies first." He gestured for her to begin. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kol move closer to the ring as if he was ready to step in if needed.
Astra moved forward and handed Davina a sharpened stake.
"I sharpened it myself." She winked at Elijah before moving out of the ring.
Davina sized up Elijah. She knew the element of surprise wouldn't get her far here as he was staring right at her. She would have to outsmart him. Easier said than done. She also knew Elijah wouldn't move first. He hadn't even taken a defensive position. He was still in a button down, but his suit jacket and tie had been removed, and the sleeves were rolled up. It was the only sign he was ready for a fight.
Davina silently put up a barrier spell. Since she didn't have anything to tap into or anchor it, it was weak, but it was enough to buy her some time. Elijah was still eyeing her so she knew she only had a split second to make a decision and act on it.
Without hesitating, she turned around and threw herself at the table, grabbing a sharp blade as she did. By the time she turned around, Elijah burst through the barrier and flew at her faster than she could follow. She couldn't see him but she threw out an aneurysm spell anyway. Her magic didn't come in contact with anyone but before she could spin around, a hand wrapped around her neck. She felt Elijah lean down as if to put his teeth near his neck so she did the only thing she could think of.
Reaching around, she plunged the knife back into the man that stood behind her. She heard his sharp intake of breath as the blade made contact. She knew it wouldn't last long and threw herself forward, falling on her hands and knees, but at least she was free.
She expected to see Elijah ready to go another round, but instead, she saw him fall to his knees, his face turning an ashy shade of gray. Her eyes widened at the sight and went to the dagger still stuck in his abdomen.
"Nice choice." Astra stepped into the ring, looking down at her fallen friend. Although, Elijah was still conscious enough to reach down and pull the knife out of him. "The Crimson Blade, desiccates any vampire it draws blood from."
Davina hadn't known what weapon she had picked up off the table, but she had to admit it was a handy blade to have.
"A regular vampire would already be completely desiccated." Kol joined them in the ring with a devilish grin. He handed a blood bag to Elijah, who stood up slowly, taking the bag with a slight nod.
Kol turned his attention back towards Davina and she could see the pride in his eyes. He looked as if he wanted to sweep her up in a hug but she had asked him to keep it professional in front of the witches.
"That was bloody brilliant." He did however wink at her.
"Yes, very quick thinking." Elijah gave her an approving nod and she smiled back. She and Elijah hadn't had much contact since he had helped rob her of her chance to bring Kol back, but she guessed she couldn't be too mad since he had been the reason Astra came back.
"Who's next?" Astra looked around the room and this time the witches seemed a little more excited about the prospect of fighting the original patriarch. Elijah couldn't help but feel they were all a little too eager to stab him.
Astra brought them each up one at a time and instructed them on the different weapons that were laid out. And one at a time, they each attempted to stop Elijah's advances, to varying degrees of success. Even still, Davina beamed at the room full of witches who were learning to defend themselves. The ancestors had taught them they had to stick close to their ancestral land in order to be powerful, but Davina hoped she could teach her coven they could be strong even without the ancestors.
She was also selfishly thrilled as the witches began to chat with her and discuss their strategies, even praising her for her quick thinking. She hadn't felt this connected with her coven since before the Harvest Festival.
She was even more thrilled when Cami walked in the door, dressed in her workout gear. Elijah had mentioned briefly that he invited her but didn't state whether or not she was coming. Davina quickly ushered her over to the group of witches who were learning about the dark objects from Astra. They belonged to the O'Connells now, so it was only fitting that Cami knew how to use them.
Kol was standing off to the side, watching Davina learn with her fellow witches. Part of him was envious of the magic they held, but a larger part was just happy she was once again at peace with her magic.
"Is that everyone?" Astra called from the ring and none of the witches moved forward. They were all sweating and panting from their battles against the Original and none of them seemed ready for a second round.
"I haven't had my turn yet." Kol walked up to the ring and gave his brother a crooked smile. One Elijah couldn't help but return. Elijah's once well pressed button up was ripped in various places and splattered with blood. But he didn't seem to mind.
"Always looking for a fight, little brother," Elijah smirked as he took a defensive stance and Kol lunged forward.
XXXX
The compound was once again quiet. It was a sharp contrast to the boisterous breakfast that had taken place only hours before. And now it was just Klaus. He had tried to work on one of his paintings, but even that wasn't holding his attention. His thoughts were plagued with the idea that soon his home would always be this empty.
It wasn't a new thought, rather it was one that had haunted him throughout his long life. Eventually, everyone would tire of his anger and paranoia and they would leave. Elijah was hardly speaking to him and Rebekah was wrapped up in her renewed relationship with Marcel. Kol was back from the dead but Klaus had hardly seen him as he was spending all of his time with his little witch. And the werewolf husband of Hayley's was trying to take his daughter out to the bayou.
He felt his anger rising once again and this time he didn't try to temper it. He had spent so much time working with Camille to control his rage for his daughter's sake. After all, he would not become Mikael. But there was no one here to tell him to reign in his anger or to control himself. He picked up the easel and threw it into the wall, causing it to shatter and splinter.
"Nik!" He heard shouting from the hallway. He had been so caught up in his rage that he hadn't heard someone enter the house.
Freya burst into the room with the girl from the bar behind her.
"What happened?" Freya looked around, ready to take out any threat.
"The painting was not cooperating." Klaus felt slightly embarrassed by his outburst. He hadn't wanted anyone to see it, let alone a stranger.
"You're bleeding." Keelin stepped forward, which was the closest she had come to the original hybrid. Klaus looked down and noticed some of the wooden shards lodged themselves into his chest.
"He'll heal." Freya smiled at the woman's concern and the woman nodded quickly, remembering who she was dealing with.
"Sorry, it's the doctor in me."
"If you don't mind," Freya smiled sweetly at her, "will you give us a minute? I'll meet you in my room."
Keelin nodded and gave Klaus one more curious look before leaving them alone. As soon as she was out of the room, Freya turned back to her younger brother who was already picking out the shards from his chest.
"Let me." Freya held her hand, summoning all of the shards forward. Altogether, they flew out of him, landing harmlessly on the floor in front of him.
"Thanks." He muttered, turning back to the destroyed painting.
"What's really going on?" Freya sat down on the plush couch, hoping he would join her but he merely strode to the window, keeping his back to her.
"Elijah's going to leave." He admitted for the first time aloud. It was something he knew was coming. Since the day he compelled the baby vamp and helped Dahlia curse Hayley, he knew he lost his brother. Elijah had always forgiven him, but that was when Elijah was still searching for his redemption. After everything that had transpired in the past couple of years, really in the past several decades, it seemed Elijah had given up on him.
"He's not going to leave." Freya stood up so she could rest her hand on her brother's arm, hoping to offer him some sense of comfort. "He is much too attached to our beautiful niece to even think of leaving."
"And her mother," Klaus muttered, letting his bitterness show. "But that's exactly the problem. He is growing to resent me in a way I never thought possible. Resent that I have everything he has always wanted."
"Nik, Elijah is happy for you," Freya insisted, but she knew there was truth to his statement. Even as the newest member of the family, she could see the pain on Elijah's face every time he was Klaus with his daughter or Jackson with Hayley. And Elijah was alone. "And now he has Astra, so I'm sure that will help."
"Astra has been trying to drive a wedge between my brother and this family since we were human." He gripped the edge of the windowsill, feeling the wood splinter beneath his strong hold. "And now I've given her everything she needs to succeed."
"You make her sound devious." Freya could have laughed. She had her suspicions about the woman when she first arrived, but since then, Astra has been nothing but charming. It didn't hurt that she introduced Keelin to the group either.
"You don't know her like I do." This time, Klaus did turn to face her. "She has always been envious of Elijah's relationship with his siblings and she is using his situation to convince him he is better off without us."
"Have you ever considered that he is better off?" She knew it was a dangerous topic, but she didn't have to have a psych degree to know her siblings' toxic bond would lead them to heartache, as it had so many times in the past.
"Our family sticks together," Klaus nearly growled at her, "Always and–"
"Forever. Yes, I'm familiar." Freya sighed deeply at his stubbornness. She couldn't tell if he was willfully missing the point or just so blinded by his own emotions. "Elijah will always be your big brother, but he needs to figure out who he is on his own. Otherwise, he'll lose himself completely."
"You sound like Camille." Even the bitterness in his voice couldn't completely hide the admiration that appeared when he said her name.
"I'll take that as a compliment." Freya smiled and bumped his shoulder with her own. "Now go talk to your brother before you destroy the rest of the household."
XXXX
He wasn't sure what drew him to Jackson Square but as soon as he left the compound, he found himself there. His older brother was sitting on the bench, seemingly waiting for him.
"We have to stop meeting like this." Elijah attempted to joke, but neither of them was in the mood.
"The last time we sat on this bench, you attempted to convince me to stay in this city to build a life for my daughter." Klaus sat down in the same spot he had all of those months ago. "And now you are going to tell me you're leaving."
If Klaus hadn't known his brother for over a millennium, he may not have noticed the slight widening of his eyes, but he could see the surprised expression flash across his face before he had a chance to rearrange it to his carefully neutral one.
"What makes you say that?" It was neither a confirmation nor a denial, which only confirmed Klaus' suspicions.
"You agreed to go out dancing last night with your entire family," A small smile graced Elijah's face at his brother's logic. "You would only do so if you were planning to abandon us."
"While your logic is sound," Elijah's expression faded into a more solemn one. "I hadn't actually decided until this morning."
"But you are leaving?" He felt tears begin to form in his eyes and he cursed himself. He would not show weakness.
"Yes, I'm leaving."
"Then go." Klaus snapped, the anger he hadn't quite gotten rid of earlier rising to the surface. "You've already made your mind up. You clearly don't need my blessing."
"No, I don't need your blessing." And for the first time since they were human, Elijah meant it. He was not seeking his brother's approval, rather he couldn't leave until he knew his brother would be alright. "But I would like your understanding."
"My understanding?" He scoffed. "You haven't spoken to me in months and now I'm supposed to listen to you?"
"Niklaus," He began, ignoring his brother's outburst, "we have stood by each other for better or worse for a thousand years. In that time we have both done terrible things, crossed lines that we swore we never would. All in the name of our family. But we have lost ourselves along the way."
Klaus ground his teeth together, not wanting to listen to whatever drivel Astra had fed to Elijah. She had always opposed their vow and did everything in her power to tear them apart.
"I've lost myself and it wasn't until recently that I've realized just how true that is." His voice was thick and Klaus knew Elijah was fighting back tears as well.
"So this is because of Hayley?" He snarled out. "You want to be a better man so you can steal the mother of my child away from her husband."
To Klaus' surprise, Elijah let out a short laugh.
"Quite the opposite, brother." His voice didn't hold any amusement though. "There have been too many moments that I was tempted to cross that line. I think it is best for me to remove myself from the situation, before I make matters worse for Hayley and for Hope."
"Don't pretend to be a martyr." Klaus stood up and turned on his brother, looking down at where he remained seated. "You're leaving because some girl broke your heart. That doesn't make you noble. It makes you pathetic."
Elijah seemed to sag at the words. While he had never called himself noble, he did revel at his reputation. At the idea that, even after the terrible things he did, he was still seen as a person of honor. But he knew it was far from the truth.
"Rebekah said something remarkably similar not too long ago." He mused. "There must be some truth to it."
"You ruin everything." Klaus sighed and sat down to his brother's astonishment.
"Excuse me?"
"Even when I'm insulting you, you're just so bloody self-deprecating." Klaus leaned forward so his forearms rested on his knees. "Takes all the fun out of it."
"Forgive me." His words were stoic but there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "I'll hold my scathing remarks next time and leave them all to you."
"I appreciate that."
They lapsed into silence. Neither one of them was ready to leave the bench, but there was nothing left to be said.
"You should go."
"I almost believe you mean it." He looked at his older brother and there was a sparkle in his eyes that he hadn't seen in months.
"I do." The sparkle was replaced by unshed tears just as quickly as it had appeared. "New Orleans is safe for the time being. Hope is safe. If you need to leave then go."
"I'm only a phone call away should you need me." Elijah attempted to reassure his younger brother, but they both knew it wouldn't be the same. It was always Elijah's presence that tempered his rage and made him think clearly.
"Where will you go?"
"There's a lovely town in the south of France I've been meaning to revisit."
XXXX
The cabin lights of the airplane dimmed as Astra shifted in her seat. No matter how many times she flew, she didn't think she would ever get used to the idea.
"Do you think they bought it?" Elijah asked, doubt clouding his mind.
"Of course they did." She grabbed the menu from the seat pocket in front of her to distract herself. "No offense, but your siblings are a little self-centered. They aren't going to question anything that could make their lives more difficult."
"Don't." Elijah groaned. It was a long enough flight, he didn't want to hear of the failings of his family on top of it.
"We planned it well." Astra justified her stance. "Your excessive need to be noble gave us the perfect excuse. You were causing problems for Hayley's marriage so of course, the noble thing to do was to remove yourself from the situation."
"I told you I didn't want to jeopardize her marriage."
"It was either that or her life." Astra reminded him. "I left that decision to you."
"Are you sure about this?" It wasn't the first time he had asked, and Astra knew it wouldn't be the last.
"I wouldn't have come to New Orleans if I wasn't sure." She placed a reassuring hand on his arm, easing some of his tension.
"It's your turn." Elijah turned to her as much as he could in the first-class seats. "I've cut ties with New Orleans at your insistence, now I demand to know everything about this prophecy that spells the end of my family."
XXXX
A/N: Thank you all for reading. I'm so happy you all are enjoying it. I love writing in this world and have so much planned out already.
Don't forget to review! I love getting feedback about how to improve or even just letting me know what you're enjoying.