Militato thank you for your review, I really appreciated it!
Black Star thanks for your honesty, I realize the dialogue was a little long, sorry about that. Glad you liked the chapter and I hope that you like this one!
A Dance With The Devil
As soon as The Cursed One had said it she just knew that she had opened her mouth too soon. Hope's cries alerted her to the danger but like Klaus She was unable to stop Dalia from obtaining the blood from the helpless infant. The coppery smell of blood filled the air and normally The Cursed One would be relishing the scent of blood, but this was Hope and She found herself growing murderous that that witch was able to harm the baby at all.
"Are we finally going to kill that woman?"The Cursed One asked Klaus.
He did not answer but instead held his daughter close until he put her into the carrying seat, asked Marcel to have Davina find Dalia, then walked out of the house.
"Wonderful." The Cursed One said to herself, following behind Klaus. "I suppose that means that you want me to follow you to who knows where and do who knows what but don't bother telling me. No, I don't need any information like that thank you so much I like just following you until we get to where we are going without a single idea of where that might be."
Klaus' voice caused her to jump. "Do you always talk to yourself?"
She pouted for a bit, though She would never admit it. "No, I only talk to the invisible man that follows me around, of course I always talk to myself. That seems to be the only way that I can get an intelligent conversation in around here."
He chuckled and She was glad that she was able to lift his spirits for a moment.
She had found that Klaus led them to a familiar looking building. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" She said
Klaus merely smiled and opened the door to walk in. She rolled her eyes but followed him in anyways. Waiting around was entertaining, not, but it meant that She got front row seats to the tongue lashing that Camille gave to Klaus. The Cursed One was outright grinning at his face as he faced the woman's wrath. Unfortunately when Klaus shot her a glare at her expression it also brought the attention of Camille to her. The Cursed One lost her smile quickly when faced with Camille's wrath. Of course She knew that she was in no danger from the human, but She had come to care for the woman in her own way and that particular woman's anger was a little bit frightening, yet still hilarious.
"You!" Camille said, advancing on The Cursed One. "Don't think that I didn't witness you in that whole fiasco with Dalia, and watch you just stand by while Klaus bit me. Do you have anything you want to say to me?"
"Me? No I was just being a good little girl and following Klaus' orders." The Cursed One said, deflecting Camille's anger back on Klaus. Klaus shot her a glare for that and She raised her eyebrow as if asking him what else he expected her to do when faced with the woman's anger
"Don't think that I will let you get away with that answer." Camille said, pointing her finger at The Cursed One. "I'll deal with you later." Then Camille turned back to Klaus.
"She is right, she was just following your orders. So now that we have that out of the way let's focus on why you called me here."
The Cursed One decided to hang back for a bit, not eager to call anymore attention to herself lest it anger the woman and send Camille her way again. When they finally ended their talk She shot Camille a small smile in apology and left, eager to once again be on their way to face Dalia.
When Klaus swung open the door and acknowledged his mother The Cursed One walked behind, smirking to herself at the fear that Esther could not completely hide at seeing her former slave. The Cursed One could not keep her attention of Esther for long though before She focused all of her attention onto Elijah. She hissed a warning when he advanced on Klaus, but Klaus was able to ease his brother for a time. The Cursed One watched Klaus as he moved around the room but She herself kept close to Elijah, knowing that that was where the strike would come from if it did.
She rolled her eyes as the siblings vented their anger and hurt at Klaus for his previous actions. Sure he wouldn't win the brother of the year award, but come on! This was Dalia they were facing, a threat that would be impossible to defeat unless if harsh measures were taken. She was more than willing, but She was surprised that Elijah and Rebekah could not see it.
She stepped forward when Elijah did, not liking his sudden relaxing and almost pleasant tone. With Klaus' response of "collateral damage" She knew it wouldn't take a genius to figure out how Elijah would react. She didn't wait for the ring's compulsion but instead sped forward and stepped into Elijah's punch, looping her arm around his and using his forward momentum to fling him away several feet. She placed herself directly in front of Klaus just in case if Elijah decided to attack again. She flashed her eyes yellow, just to remind Elijah of what happened last time they fought.
Elijah didn't seem interested in continuing his attack, instead he walked forward and stopped just a few feet away from The Cursed One and told Klaus how his actions had broken the family. She snorted in reaction.
"Honey, this family was already broken long before this moment."
Elijah merely ignored her comment and instead formed his brother of no longer would he be by his brother's side. She had backed up a bit when Elijah did and placed herself so that She could keep an eye on her master and Elijah. She could see that Elijah's words had affected Klaus, even saddened him and She found herself not liking it. With Elijah's last comments She watched as he led the siblings' mother away from the room.
She could see Klaus facade crumble for the moment as his long time faithful brother walked out from the room and Klaus' life. She could see that he brought his shields back up, but the damage had been done. She now knew her master's weakness, and it was one She could exploit if the time came, for now all of her focus was on Dalia.
She waited with her master as Rebekah left the room and once she was out of earshot Klaus spoke.
"Are you going to abandon me too once this is done?"
She found herself unable to hold in her scoff. "In case if you haven't noticed I am chained directly to you, my coming or going is entirely dependent upon your command."
"I know very well of this, my question is if you weren't tied to me would you also forsake me as my own family will do? Would you blame me if I were to also use you in my own plots against Dalia?"
She knew that ordinarily he would not be asking these questions, but She could tell that the strain of the battle against Dalia was getting to him, also his sibling's anger and suspicions, the constant need to be one step ahead of their enemy, and worry for his daughter was weighing down heavily on him. Though he did bear the strain of it admirably, other than this moment there had been few signs of his internal struggle.
The Cursed One turned her body until it was directly facing her master and crossed her arms. She looked directly into his eyes. "Not to sound like a cheesy Star Wars quote, but you are our only hope against Dalia. Should you fail there is no other way. Hope will be forever linked to the darkness that is Dalia, and I will be forever enslaved to that witch with no hope of being released or passed to another. I would rather you kill me then see that happen, so use me however you see fit in this battle. Use my strength, my brutality, and anything else that you need. Order me to do whatever you have to do, hurt whoever you want me to hurt, or command me to kill and I will do so all without mercy or second thought. I am yours to command, only do not let her win. Whatever you require of me I will do it willingly and immediately. But Klaus." She stepped a little closer to him until she was only inches from him. "I think you would win, even without my help. You and your family, though broken now, will still fight together to defeat whatever comes your way. That is your family's strength, and that is how you will win the war. Together, fighting Dalia. But even if your family would not be there standing by your side, I would be. I trust you to do what is necessary and to win, just don't let my faith in your capabilities down."
She could see that her words got through to Klaus and She could see that his resolve was coming back even stronger than ever. She nodded at him then turned to the side to allow him to pass then followed him out the door, walking just a step behind him.
When Klaus joined up with his siblings The Cursed One stayed a little behind and to the side of them, always keeping aware of her surroundings just in case someone was stupid enough to try to attack the Mikaelsons.
The sound of rattling chains and the breeze that ruffled the leaves seemed to be the only sounds that carried through the still night as if nature itself was waiting with baited breath to see the outcome of this fight.
As they neared the old carriage house and She could hear Dalia speaking to Freya The Cursed One could feel the wolf get closer to the surface. When Klaus announced their presence She felt the wolf struggle to take over and spill the blood that was flowing just beneath the surface of the witch's skin. She could hear the pounding of both witches' hearts as they stayed safe within the circle. Freya's was the swift pattering of a prey who was cornered and knew it. Dalia's was the strong steady beat of a predator in power. The Cursed One wanted more than anything to see that blood that She could hear spill all over the floor, and to sink her teeth into the woman and rip her throat out.
While Klaus distracted the woman She prowled around the barrier looking for a weakness but the barrier proved impenetrable. She put her hand on the barrier and to her shock The Cursed One felt the barrier give inwards just the slightest bit. It wasn't much but it was enough to let her know that there was a weakness, and where there was a weakness there was definitely the slightest chance that She could get in. The Cursed One gave one final glance at Klaus and the witch and saw that Dalia had completely forgotten about her and Klaus was so focused on his aunt that he didn't even realize what She had found.
The Cursed One put both of her hands against the barrier and pushed inwards just a bit harder, again the barrier bowed inward a bit more than held firm. She was surprised that the barrier seemed to almost give way for her, normally that didn't happen with creatures like her. Again She pressed against the barrier but with this time even more strength, and just like before, the barrier gave a bit before pressing back and remaining firm.
Deciding to put her full strength into it She gritted her teeth at the pain that traveled up her arms as the barrier responded against her intrusion. The harder She pressed the more the pain grew until The Cursed One couldn't help but give a sound of pain, which She quickly suppressed. Unfortunately that little sound alerted Dalia to The Cursed One's attempt to gain entry.
It was enough to draw Dalia away from her talk with her family.
"Not only do you bring my sister to me in chains but you, my dear Keira, think that you can attempt to get to me. How desperate you must be to even think to attempt it.
The Cursed One paid the witch no mind but instead increased her strength even more. Dalia, secure in her magical barrier, merely laughed at her attempt and turned her attention back to her nephews and niece. The Cursed One took advantage of this and gave all of her strength to press against the barrier. This time the barrier gave even more but resisted and She knew that it just wasn't enough. She called upon her wolf and the wolf answered. She knew that her eyes were glowing yellow and her claws had extended fully, but still it was not enough. She howled in pain and anger as the wall refused to give way to her strength. She refused to give up but instead drew yet even more strength that She did not know that she had. Suddenly She felt a sudden drain in her strength and she flew off of the wall to land a few feet away. She saw that Dalia had destroyed the white oak stake and sent its ashes into the air. The siblings were now on the ground writhing in pain as they burned from the inside out. Only Klaus seemed unaffected as the ring protected him from Dalia's magic, but that protection came at the cost of The Cursed One's own strength. She rolled onto her hands and knees and panted heavily, She was unable to raise her head up due to the pain as the ring drew even more strength from her and compelled her to protect her master.
Finally gaining enough strength She looked at her master.
"Klaus." She said, gaining his attention. "There is a way but you have to give me the ring!"
He shot her an incredulous look as if doubting her sanity.
The Cursed One growled and staggered to her feet. "Just trust me for once in your life and do it!"
It seemed to take forever for him to make up his mind, but he finally did. He moved to speed forward but before he had even taken a step he was impaled from behind.
"No!" The Cursed One screamed, seeing the last of her hope laying on the ground. She turned to look at Dalia and saw that she had her arm outstretched and was smirking in triumph.
The Cursed One could onlystare in horror at the ring that Dalia was now admiring then dropped to her knees in despair. All of her hopes and dreams of one day being forever free from that ring was now shattered in the dust. She had always known that there wasn't much of an even remotest possibility of her being free, but some part of her held out for the slightest chance. That part of her withered and died as The Cursed One saw that dream literally vanish before her eyes. The rest of the world disappeared before her eyes, Freya choking in agony, Elijah and Rebekah writhing on the floor in agony, and Klaus' motionless body.
Hope you enjoyed this, please review and let me know what you think!
On a side note Netflix just got season 3 so we might see more of The Cursed One in the future.