Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries.

~Part I: Victory of the People~

Chapter I

"Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul." ~Dave Pelzer

Mikael was never a man who was to be challenged. He ruled over his family with undeniable force and power. He was fury. He was war. He was battle.

He was Odin.

And if Mikael was Odin, his wife and mother to his children, Esther, was Frigg; the queen of Asgard who is said to have the power of prophecy but never reveals what she knows. Esther, too, keeps a secret from her family, her beloved husband. But in the end, that's what ruins them.

Mikael, however, always suspected. He preyed on their third eldest son, taunting him and rearing him in a way that raised eyebrows even in a hardened Viking community but because of Mikael's authority and importance, no one had the bravery to say anything. He was ruthless with the unruly child from a young age.

Niklaus had only seen eight winters when he'd had enough of his father's abuse and made a very foolish mistake.

The boy fought back.

Mikael pushed the boy to the ground with a bloodied cheek and bruised skin after punishing him for what the man saw as various misdemeanors. He began to walk away as the child sat up and lifted his chin with a determined scowl at his father's back. With his little hands balled up into fists and barely suppressed aggression he was born with, Niklaus ran at his father despite his eldest brother's warning.

Mikael heard his eldest son's yell and turned about in time to send the boy flying backwards. Niklaus landed with a thud and a sickening crack. His chin quivered as he cradled his broken wrist to his body and bravely tried not to let his tears fall. Mikael began to walk back toward where his son sat on the ground but Elijah blocked his path.

"Father," he reasoned, jumping to his younger brother's defense. "Enough. He is but a child."

Mikael stopped and whirled on Elijah then and slapped his son's cheek, the sound echoing harshly in the clearing their village was situated in. "And tell me, Elijah. How many children have you raised?"

"None, father."

"Then it would do you well to leave me to my business as Niklaus' father, my son. The boy must learn his place and I will do as I see fit to teach him," Mikael said as the thirteen-year-old hung his head in submission.

"Of course, father."

Mikael then continued on his path to Niklaus and despite the bright and shining blue eyes of his little brother boring holes into his chest, Elijah looked away.

"You would do well to learn your place. Your impulse will get you killed, boy," Mikael snarled at his whimpering son.

The two children watched as Mikael turned and walked off once more, neither moving until he was completely out of sight. Niklaus finally let his tears fall as Elijah knelt down in front of him.

"Why does father hate me, Eli?" he whimpered.

Elijah just shook his head as Niklaus let him examine his broken wrist. He hadn't an answer for his brother. "Come, Nik. Let us go have Ayanna take a look at your arm and cut. They need to be cared for quickly if you aren't to get sick. Helping you fight off infection is the last thing mother needs on her plate with the baby."

Cradling his arm to his chest, Niklaus let Elijah help him up and dust him off.

"'Lijah?" he asked as the walked towards Ayanna's hut.

"Hhmm?"

"Does mother hate me, as well?"

"Of course not, Niklaus. Why would you think of such a thing?"

"'Cause whenever I cross father she looks at me like I'm the most shameful thing in the world. And I can't make father anything but angry no matter what. I try so hard to be like you and please both of them, honest."

"I know you do, Nik. But you often let your temper get in the way. I suppose both mother and father are at their wit's end with your attitude. I suggest you try harder."

"I do try! I try so hard, 'Lijah. You just don't understand because mother and father both love you and Finn and Kol more than they love me. They even love Rebekah more than me and she's just a babe."

ten years later

Swing, block, jab.

Parry, feint, strike.

"You're going to fell that tree if you keep practicing your swordplay against it," Elijah drawled from the forest floor where he was skinning the large deer they had spent the day hunting and tracking.

Klaus only grunted in response, practicing his skills as a swordsman rendering more important than giving Elijah a full out answer. He knew he should help his brother with their game but he was too restless. And, besides, why should he help speed up the process that would bring them back to their hut faster where their father would continue his daily mission to belittle him as much as possible.

No, he'd rather stay out in the woods and put his pent up aggression to good use.

"It's drawing closer, isn't it? The full moon?" Elijah asked, stopping his work and wiping his bloodied knife on the spare cloth they had brought along for the hunt.

Klaus dropped his sword to his side and wiped the beaded sweat off his forehead while turning to face his brother. "What makes you think that?"

"The closer it comes, you get increasingly more agitated," Elijah answered simply. "You can't hide things like that from me, little brother. I know you too well for that foolishness."

"Please, 'Lijah," Klaus said with a smirk, avoiding Elijah's claims. "The only thing you notice about me is how my skills as a hunter and a swordsman are quickly outgrowing yours."

Elijah looked up at his little brother with raised eyebrows and an amused smirk. "Tread carefully, Niklaus. I haven't taught you all of the tricks I can do with a sword. I suggest you practice some more. Your last few jabs were a bit sloppy. I won't deny your skills as a hunter however you refuse to do the dirty work. If you decided to help me for once instead of hone your skills to help you woo women, this would be a much quicker process."

"And if I don't want it to be a quick process?" Klaus growled, dropping to the ground to sit across from Elijah.

"We must return home at some point, Nik," Elijah sighed. "You'd be there caring for our younger siblings if Finn wasn't ill."

Klaus averted his gaze. "Is it so wrong for me to relish these outings? You know father limits my involvement in things like this because of his hatred for me," he said quietly. "I'd rather not return home at all."

"You don't mean that."

Klaus thought for a moment. "I'd return to get Bekah, Henrik, and Kol and then take them away with me. Would you come with us, 'Lijah?"

Elijah rubbed his face tiredly. "You know I would never abandon you, Niklaus. Now, come. We must return home."

Klaus groaned but stood nonetheless and helped Elijah gather their utensils before trekking back to the village.

"We're late," Klaus whispered upon seeing Mikael standing at the entrance of their home. "It's my fault."

Elijah noticed how his brother hesitated, his steps slowing as the scowl on Mikael's face grew more apparent as they came closer and closer. "Think nothing of it, Nik. For all he knows, we got lost while dragging this buck back. I won't let him blame this on you, brother," Elijah told him calmly, completely aware of the young man's fear of their father. He knew about the bruises and scars that frequently marred Klaus' skin because of their father and his rough hand.

It wouldn't have raised an eyebrow in their tough Viking community where it was a common thing to raise a hand against an unruly child or difficult adolescent. Mikael just happened to raise his hand against his third eldest more often than not, no matter if Kol or Rebekah or even Elijah himself had been involved in the misdemeanor.

Sensing his brother's discomfort grow the closer they came to Mikael, Elijah drifted closer to him protectively.

"Be glad you came back from a successful trip," Mikael sneered, his blue eyes raking over Klaus as if the boy was a piece of meat, "otherwise there would be hell to pay. Now get your hide inside, boy, and care for the little ones."

Not needing to be told twice, Klaus nodded, his eyes on his feet, before ducking through the doorway into their hut.

"Niky!" ten-year-old Rebekah screeched, jumping up from where she sat on the floor playing with Henrik while Kol stoked the fire to run into his arms. "You're back!"

"Rebekah! Stay quiet, child, heaven forbid you disturb your brother," Esther chided, peeping out from another room. "Oh, good, you're back, Niklaus. It's time for your siblings to retire for the night," she said, barely sparing him a second glance before disappearing again.

"She's with Finn," Rebekah told him in a much quieter voice. "The fever broke. I gathered the herbs and helped mother and Ayanna administer them," she said excitedly as her little arms squeezed his neck.

"Did you now? I'm sure mother, Ayanna, and Finn are proud of you."

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course," he said, smirking at the young girl he held in his arms.

She smiled at him before cupping her hands over her mouth and whispering in his ear, "They think I have powers like they do!"

Klaus chuckled, "I'm sure you do. You're very speci-"

"Niklaus!" Mikael scolded as he and Elijah walked inside. Mikael's blue eyes were flashing and Klaus new the only reason the man didn't include a swiftly delivered punch with his greeting was because of the girl in his arms. It didn't stop him from curling his fingers tighter around his sister's sides. "I believe your mother told you to put the young ones to bed. Get on it, boy."

Rebekah jumped out of his arms and rushed over to Mikael and kissed his hand. "Good night, daddy. Night, night 'Lijah."

"Good night, my girl," Mikael told her gruffly while Elijah leaned down and pressed a kiss on the crown of her head. "C'mon, Henrik. It's time to go to bed, little brother!" she sing-songed as she made her way towards smiling the three-year-old and took his head.

Klaus motioned for Kol before following his youngest siblings into the bedroom they all shared.

"Go along, Kol. I'll be there shortly," Elijah told the younger boy. Klaus turned in time to see the boy stomp after him and shook his head at the moody adolescent who idolized their eldest brother in the same way he did.

"Tell us a story, Niky?" Rebekah asked as they all settled into the pallet and blankets.

"Shut it, Bekah. No one wants to hear a stupid story," Kol retorted.

"Enough, Kol," Klaus snapped, causing Henrik to whimper from his spot inbetween Kol and Rebekah. "Close your eyes and go to sleep."

The last thing he needed was his father storming in the room and blaming him for the adolescent's behavior. It had happened before and, as usual, Klaus had to pay the price; not that he wouldn't take the fall for his younger siblings. He hated the thought of them suffering at their father's hand for any indiscretion.

"Not tonight, sweetheart. It's already late. You lot need to sleep," he said quietly, pushing blonde hair out of Rebekah's bright eyes and pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Okay. Night, night, Niky. I love you," she yawned, snuggling closer into the circle of his arms.

Soon enough, his three younger siblings were breathing evenly in their sleep while Klaus remained wide awake, running his fingers through Rebekah's curls. He did this every night until Elijah joined them. Klaus protectively watched over his little brothers and sister and, for once in his life, he felt like he was enough. He didn't have anything to prove to Mikael, to try and dispel the man's inexplicable hatred of him.

He could simply just be.

A/N: yay! finally some good stuff lol. I just wanted to add some backstory/scenes before we get into the meat of the story to establish Klaus' relationship with both Elijah and Rebekah because their relationship is a main part of not only Klaus' story but 'Monsters Like Us' as a whole. and, in case you didn't catch it, we are in the time the Mikaelsons were human. so, yes. the lovely Tatia will be making an appearance very soon, as in next chapter. I'm not particularly looking forward to writing the Original Petrova Golden Vagina but, alas, as we all know, she's a central part of the story:( so brace yourselves!

thanks for reading, guys! and, if you have a minute, drop a review by and let me know what you think so:) even if there's not much to go on yet, I'd love to hear from you!

until next time, loves:)