Chapter three- Before dawn
Kol scrambled out the door realising he has exactly two hours before sunrise. It was still dark outside; the moon was still barely lingering in the sky. Hurriedly he jogged to the woods, skipping past all the other villagers' houses as he did so.
There were few people who were actually awake; though rising fairly early was customary in most places. In this village not many bothered to do so especially since many of the warriors had gone to battle, Including Mikael.
Kol and his siblings dare not tell their Mother but none of them would miss him if he did not return. It always felt that it would be easier, if Mikael perished of something that none of them could control. Then they'd no longer have to live in fear of his retched treatment. If Kol knew one thing it was that next to Niklaus Mikael's least favourite child was Kol. He knew it was because Kol was one of the middle children, and he could be mischievous and reckless; though Mikael had still hit all of them.
Except Henrik and Rebekah- And of course Fin, surprise surprise that Mummy's favourite boy was also Daddy's least hated child. Kol hated Finn. He was always so smug. He always took all the love from their Mother. Kol knew Rebekah and Henrik were too young to receive a beating. But Finn had never endured one.
Shaking himself from his inner turmoil as he reached the border to the forest, he tried to focus on which way to head in. To be honest he didn't know the way, all he knew was what direction he was not allowed to go in; so he travelled in that direction, sprinting through the snowy woods until he saw the stone cottage, with the smoke that was sneakily floating through the cold mist, barely detectable in the winter air.
Before he went further, he checked himself to make sure he would not act as idiotic as last time. Kol would not embarrass himself with the fear that had been built up inside him by Esther. He needed to be ready and confident. He needed to be more like himself. So he gave himself a quick slap as he ran to the door.
It was open, and in the centre of the living area was Natasya. Her long raven hair was plaited to the side and she was cross-legged on a matt that was laid out on the stone floor. Her dress was covering some of the floor, leaving a lush green spillage around her. Her palms were tilted to face the ceiling as if expecting the Gods and Goddesses to drop a gift in her tanned hands.
He wasn't exactly sure if should be walking inside so he waited awkwardly in the threshold. There was no doubt that she was beautiful, but her very presence suggested than she was a lot more than that; a powerful, beautiful witch who clearly came from exotic lands. There was certainly something eerie about that mask of no emotions she'd worn last night and certainly something incredibly odd about what she was doing now.
"Come in. Join me." Natasya's voice sounded all of a sudden. Hesitantly Kol entered standing yet again awkwardly awaiting her next command.
"Is everything well?" He asked rather confused.
Without opening those gorgeous eyes she replied calmly. "Everything is more than fine my darling. Now darling, like I said before, come in and join me." Was she insane? What the damned hell was she doing? Maybe it's worth risk, the maybe I can just run out the door right now. Kol contemplated with himself. No. He needed to see this through. He needed to win those trials; even if it meant acting completely insane and doing the strangest things. Natasya was powerful, he could feel it. And Kol wanted to be great and win those trials.
So he did as she said and imitated how she was poised as best as he could. "Close your eyes." she said eyes still sealed shut. Oh well that wasn't weird at all….. Did she have eyes in her cheek bones or something? However he still obeyed her polite demands. "Centre yourself; think of the elements earth, air, water, fire and spirit." Natasya went on. "Find the part of yourself where you have control." Kol briefly opened his eyes as he felt the candles that surrounded them ignited eagerly with soft warmth. "Yes that was me." Natasya said instantly. The flames that had once been burning fiercely stopped in their fiery blaze and went out. Kol thought about the candles, and fire. He waited to feel that warmth of the candles, and… Nothing. Damn.
He sat for nearly an hour trying to 'centre him' as she had described it, to try and take a firm grasp on the magic that surrounded him and that was inside of him- without actually invoking a command or spell in order to accomplish anything. He was growing frustrated, but never ceased to try, he would not go home having accomplished nothing, especially when there was a great chance that one of his sibling, or gods forbid his Mother would catch him.
"Kol darling, you may find more success if you released the frustrations in your mind" Natasya called from somewhere close by, she'd stopped 'Centring' herself about a half hour ago. He could smell the most heavenly smells of bread and lavender, which must have meant she was in the kitchen.
"I have been trying for nearly an hour, and all I have managed to do is light the candle by the fire", Kol replied keeping his voice respectful, not wanting to anger her and by default have her injure him, or worse tell him to leave.
"You must release the anger that you feel towards your family and the fear that you feel in my presence"- the last part made him blush ever so slightly. "And once your mind is free, your magic will free itself too, then, and only then will you be able to have full control of your magic, instead of magic controlling you" Natasya said, her words dripping with disdain.
"Mother has said that for a witch to be at their most powerful they must master all of the powerful spells and be educated in the arts of witchcraft." Kol replied, regretting it instantly as he watched his teachers eyes flare in anger.
"Then enlighten my young Kol Mikaelson, why is it that I found you begging at my door instead of at your mothers feet where you should be, like where your brother Finn is." Snapped Natasya violently, causing Kol you flinch. "If I am so inferior compared to her, then why bother me at all!"
"I...I…" Kol stuttered, with his eyes fully open- eyeing the door, praying to the gods he would be able to escape if she truly lost her temper. He saw her cross the room, all the colour drained from his face- Gods he was truly terrified, but nothing could prepare him for what happened next. Natasya knelt down in front of him and placed a hand on his face, she smiled at him in the way an adult would smile at a child who had said or done something ridiculously foolish.
"You are forgiven darling, and quite honestly I am amused that you had the courage to say something at all" she replied her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and frustration.
"Make no mistake, your mother is a powerful witch, but she, and those that she is foolish enough to call a coven are ignorant." Natasya said viciously, her eyes narrowing. At some point during the conversation she had removed her hand from his face and had risen, now standing over him. "But…enough of this, come you must be hungry" she said pulling him to his feet and into the small alcove that was the kitchen, offering him a piece of plain bread which tasted of lavender- Gods above it was delicious.
Glancing out of the window he realised it was time for him to go, but was unsure of how he was to go about leaving, but breathed a sigh of relief when Natasya spoke. "My darling it appears that it is time for you to leave."
"When can I come and see you again?" Kol asked- fearing the answer.
"When I wish to see you I shall summon you."
"But…." Kol started to say but was abruptly cut off.
"If you desire to see me it shall be when I am ready and only then." She spat making Kol quiver in fear.
"H...H…How shall I know you have summoned me?"
"You shall know….of that I am certain." She told him, smiling sweetly, "Now off you go." Not needing to be told twice, Kol started towards the door
Once he was out of the door, retreating down the path into the dimly lit forest he turned around to see her watching him. "Before you go my darling, I must ask something of you." Natasya went on looking at him evenly, not waiting for him to respond. "Tell me what your Mothers coven is doing, tell me of what they plan and prepare for, rituals, spells, potions, events. Need I go on?"
Kol shook his head. Natasya smiled. "Very good darling, you catch along fairly fast, not fast enough, but you'll get there. In case it has escaped your mind, I ask that you go without anyone knowing. That is all I wish for today. Run along."
As Kol ran through the forest her request played in his mind- How on the God's green earth would he be able to listen in on his mother's coven's next meeting, undetected?
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