I am sorry for getting this chapter out a little late, I took a weekend retreat and it didn't have internet service so was unable to upload it. Enjoy!
Thank you Militato for your review, here is another chapter for you as promised!
Guest I will have to think some more on that, I am still in denial at this point.
Black Star thank you for your warning about not connecting too much. Now that I think about it I can see how it can be overdone in other shows, for Dalia I just thought that it made the perfect sense so I went with it. I'll be sure not to try to connect everthing. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter!
A Broken Alliance
She leaned against the truck, watching Dalia set up the linking spell, her attention focused solely on that lone threat with an intensity that almost scared the witch. Oh how The Cursed One wanted to rip out the woman's throat with her teeth, but She knew that it wasn't to be. At least not yet.
The Cursed One didn't think that she was capable of being surprised by anything anymore, but this family certainly gave her one suprise after another.
When Klaus and Dalia's bodies jerked in reaction to the spell She knew that the spell was successfully completed. When Hope started to fuss She moved to lean against the tailgate door to better reach Hope's car seat so that she could rock the baby.
She watched incredulously when willingly Klaus daggered himself and fell to the ground, leaving Dalia lying inert as well.
"I wondered what it would take to shut the...ahum." She glanced at the baby. "Witch up. Once again Klaus manages to find a way to do what we thought was the impossible."
Freya waking up with a gasp reminded her of the other person in the area.
"It's about time you woke up." She told Freya without glancing back at her. "Someone needs to change Hope's diaper."
"What just happened? What are we doing here? And what happened to Dalia and Klaus?" Freya asked, rattling her questions off like a machine gun.
"Oh you were so much more fun when you were asleep!" The Cursed One said, rolling her eyes before turning to Freya. "Listen up because I am only going to say this once. Dalia just linked herself to Klaus, we are here because it is remote and its perfect for a linking spell, and once linked Klaus just daggered himself to put Dalia to sleep."
"What?" Freya said, looking at her blankly as if all the information hadn't computed.
"Weren't you listening? Klaus, dagger, remote location, linking spell. Any of this ringing a bell?"
She could see that it was now getting through to Freya just what was going on.
"Oh, God." She said getting out of the back of the truck.
"Yes." She eyed Freya, noting her quick panicked breath. "Do you mind holding off your little panic attack until after Dalia, and more importantly the baby's diaper, is taken care of?"
"Dalia?" Freya looked at, then her eyes widened fully understanding their current predicament.
"Ding! Ding! Ding! And she finally gets it! Honestly after dealing with Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah I would have thought that you would have at least a little bit of intelligence." The Cursed One's voice was just dripping with desdain and hatred.
"Why do you despise me so much?" Freya asked. "This is more than Klaus' paranoia of the threat I am to Hope. What have I done to you that would make you hate me so much?"
"Don't you think that you should let your siblings know what is going on with Klaus and Dalia?" The Cursed One said, not bothering to answer.
Freya shot her a glare but called her siblings and let them know what happened to Klaus and Dalia. Once she hung up she turned to glare at The Cursed One. "Ok I've called them, enough stalling, talk."
"Hmm, where should I start? How about, one: the witch down there hunted me, killed my father, and enslaved me to a sadistic bastard who forced me to do whatever he wanted. Even 'sleep' with him. Two: your kind were the most wicked and cruel of anyone who has ever owned the ring. And three, your mother who is also a witch, by the way, hurt someone close to me causing me to come out and play. And finally four, again your lovely aunt who has now come back and threatened your niece Hope, and most likely has a plan for getting me back into her clutches." While She had said all of this to Freya she had slowly advanced on her until she was right in front of her. Glaring at her right in the eyes. "So tell me one good reason why I should not hate the very fact that you exist?"
"I am not my Aunt Dalia, nor am I those witches who have treated you so horribly!" Freya didn't give an inch in spite of the danger that was in front of her.
"True you are not them, but are you gonna tell me that if it came to it you wouldn't hesitate to use me or sacrifice me to ensure your own freedom? That if it came to it you wouldn't give me my freedom instead of keeping the ring to protect yourself from all threats, especially your Aunt Dalia?"
Freya was unable to answer, instead she turned away to look at the bodies lying on the ground.
"That's what I thought. Deep down all of you witches are the same, powerful, self-righteous to your own cause, and cruel to those who you hold power over."
"We are not all like that, I am not like that!" Freya said turning back to look at The Cursed One.
"Perhaps not, but it is going to take a lot more than mere words to prove it to me."
"And Klaus is any different?"
"Oh I know that Klaus will use me in any way he sees fit."
"Then why would you ally yourself to his cause over ours?"
"Klaus is a ferocious heartless bastard and capable of, and most likely more than willing to deal me more pain and misery than any of those witches have done to me in the past. But he is also a monster who accepts what he is. And he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his daughter safe, which is a win for me because it protects Hope and it gets Dalia forever out of my life.
You and the rest of your siblings didn't even have a fool's hope of defeating Dalia, but in Klaus I found the greatest hope that that baby will ever have. I understand Klaus because I too am a monster who has accepted what I am. Rebekah, Elijah and even you still fight the monster inside, still hold to an illusion of humanity, and that is your biggest weakness when it comes to fighting Dalia. In another circumstance that would be your strength, but this fight. Right here and right now is one that can only be won by being willing to do whatever it takes. To be the monster in order to face a monster. Dalia is a monster that has rolled over all of her enemies in the past, but perhaps in Klaus she is finally facing an enemy that is her equal. With me at his side his chances increase even more.
That is why I allied with him, despite knowing that he will use me in any way that he can. Hope and my own vengeance are the only reasons that I would willingly allow anyone to do so. You and the rest of those witches can go rot in hell for all I care, but Dalia will be defeated and I don't care who Klaus or I hurt in order to see to it!"
Freya could only stare at her in disbelief.
The Cursed One, done with her speech, started to walk away but then cocked her head. "Someone is coming."
Sure enough that was when Elijah sped into sight. She walked away, not wanting to be around her former master at the moment, and he seemed more than happy at the moment to ignore her. When they were done discussing their options She helped load the bodies into the truck, then hopped into the back of the truck to be with Hope.
The ride back was quiet and the atmosphere inside was strained. Elijah refused to look at her and Freya seemed too uncomfortable with The Cursed One's presence to start a conversation. When they arrived back at the manor She helped them unload the bodies. She grabbed Dalia and placed her none to gently on the ground. Once She straightened up she was grabbed and thrown violently against the wall. Before She could do anything a strong hand grabbed her throat and pressed her against the wall. She looked and saw that it was Elijah, face contorted in rage.
"You sure you want to start this dance?" She asked him, warning him to back off.
"You," He said, voice tinged with disbelief. "Willingly sided with my brother and carried out his vile commands? Even unaided by the ring's compulsion."
Despite the pressure on her throat She laughed. "It was all so amusing watching you all try to keep your plans from him when I was right there in your midst. It was so easy to be the fly on the wall, a piece of furniture that you all so easily overlooked." The pressure tightened on her throat. "Careful Elijah." She warned him, a hint of golden light creeping into her eyes.
He brought his face closer to hers. "Why? Why would you be willing to do anything, or even think of siding with him? Speak, and I suggest that you be very careful what you say."
"Careful, right." She said. Her eyes now glowed a full yellow and her fangs started to show. "I warned you to be careful." She hissed around her fangs, then she shoved Elijah so hard that he flew through the wall and into the next room. She sped to him before he could recover and picked him up by his throat. Her eyes were still glowing a menecing yellow but her fangs had retracted.
"Stay back!" She growled at the others before turning back to Elijah. "Simple answer is that Klaus was the best chance we have at winning against Dalia. Don't like it? Fine, but don't think for a second that you can control me or frighten me to do your bidding without that ring." She slammed him onto the ground and exerted more pressure on his throat. "Now we can all fight over who is right and who is wrong, or we can work together to figure out a way to defeat Dalia. What is it going to be?"j
She held Elijah's gaze until he nodded, then She turned to the others and got their acknowledgment before letting Elijah go. She then went and leaned against the rails, content to watch the others scramble around for ideas and a plan. She tensed when Freya mentioned killing Klaus, but didn't say anything instead She focused on preparing to act. Fortunatly for Freya Marcel jumped in with his protest at the plan and She didn't have to go after Freya. She rolled her eyes when they finally agreed to Klaus' original plan, now that the dagger was melting.
She helped the search for Kol's ashes, keeping away from Freya for now. She came back down when Freya and Marcel tried to slow the dagger melting, not trusting the witch after she was so willing to mention killing Klaus. Her suspicions were confirmed when Freya pulled out the white steak. When Marcel moved to prevent Freya and distracted her from the bigger threat The Cursed One moved in. She sped over to Freya and broke her neck, catching the White Oak Steak before it fell to the ground. Knowing that the witch would only revive She snarled and crouched over the 'dead' witch then The Cursed One plunged her hand towards Freya's heart. Her hand stopped just inches from the woman's chest. She snarled and turned to her master. It was his will that had stopped her. His eyes were open and he shook his head. She growled at him but stepped back, placing herself between her weakened master and the threat of Dalia who would no doubt wake up now that Klaus was awake.
Speak of the devil and sure enough Dalia woke up angrier than ever. She could see that Dalia had recovered well from her little 'nap' but Klaus was clearly not yet fully recovered. The Cursed One was all that stood between her master, Hope, and this threat.
Dalia laughed outright at that. "My dear Keira, do you honestly believe that you have a chance against me?"
"Well I don't know." The Cursed One said. "You are the one that created that ring. You tell me, do I have a chance against you? You created this ring to withstand magical attacks, it has spent nearly nine hundred years gaining strength from me. You know the strength of your own magic when you created this ring, so you tell me!"
Dalia seemed to think for a moment. "I think I am willing to chance it." With her magic Dalia snatched the oak steak from The Cursed One's hand and brought it to her own hand.
When Klaus reminded Dalia of their bond She remained vigilant, when Dalia explained that the bond was gone The Cursed One knew that Klaus' plan had failed. At least for the time being.
Apparently the ring was worth something against Dalia, for when she tried to drag Klaus close with her magic the ring resisted.
She smirked at the frustration that appeared on Dalia's face. "Performance issues do tend to happen to those of an elderly age."
Dalia glared at The Cursed One before disappearing without a trace.
"Well I think that went well." The Cursed One said turning to the rest of the family.
I couldn't refrain giving a little tribute to my favorite Vampire Diaries character, Damon. I hope you liked it! (And I kinda snuck one in from Tony Stark as well)
Please review and let me know what you think!