So, I have a golden heart
Now only needing the voice of the master
Never feel hunger, never grow older
My dream was to be a star in a real puppet show

It's so hard to remember my life,
the times before the show
"can I ever cut off the strings?"
"Take a bow, now dance and sing."

Sonata Arctica – The Boy Who Wanted To Be a Real Puppet

Chapter 10

Valuable lesson

"Alright," Kol said and placed me on the floor. "Let's clean you up first, shall we."

I looked around insecurely; I had never been in his chamber before. It was different than papas or Rebekah's; I couldn't see any books and he seemed to like darker colors. He had a big canopy bed with dark velvet cover and bed curtains, a large dark mahogany closet, two chairs, a sofa, a dresser and a table. There was a large painting, his portrait, hanging above the fireplace and an old looking armor standing next to the wall. I tilted my head and took a step towards the armor, I wanted to touch it.

"Come here, midget," Kol huffed; he was standing next to his bed.

Cautiously I approached him; he was sinking a piece of cloth into a water bowl which was on the bedside table.

"Alright…" he muttered and kneeled in front of me. There was no expression on his face when he wiped the mud off my face and told me to wash my hands in the bowl.

"That will do for now," he huffed. "You can take a bath later in your own room."

I lowered my head; I didn't think that I had my own room anymore, not after I had failed papa and Rebekah. My eyes watered up when I thought about being cast out, where would I go? I let out a loud sob and tried to wrap my arms around Kol, but he took a step back.

"Stop that," he ordered firmly. "You are a vampire for heaven's sake."

"I am scared," I sobbed. "I do not want to be alone."

I looked up and kept my arms open, hoping for some comfort. His arms were crossed over his chest and he certainly didn't look pleased, but finally he picked me up.

"Fine," he snorted and sat down on the bed, placing me on his lap. "But you better stop crying."

I nodded and dried my eyes before leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Uncle Kol."

"I am not your uncle," he snapped.

I shivered and let out another sob, his whole body tensed.

"Midget," he said warningly. "What did I tell you about crying…"

"I am sorry, Uncle Kol."

He sighed and placed his hands on my shoulders, making me to look at him.

"You learned a valuable lesson today," he stated. "Do you know what that lesson was?"

I swallowed my tears and shook my head.

"Humans cannot be trusted," he said. "They are nothing, merely food."

I tilted my head and looked at his callous face.

"But papa said…"

"Yes, I know," he huffed. "My brother thinks that they deserve our respect, but they certainly don't. Take those two girls for example, they are not even adults yet, but they already enjoy picking on those who are weaker than them. I can guarantee that you are not the first or the last smaller child they have messed with, people like them can smell weakness."

I tried to understand his words.

"They…lied to me?" I asked insecurely.

"Yes," he huffed. "I do not know what they said to you, but all they wanted was to humiliate you."

"But…why?"

He sighed and wiped muddy hair out of my face.

"Because they found it funny and you were an easy target, a timid little girl."

I was quiet for a while; I needed to think about his words. The old me had experienced the cruelty of people, Uncle John had yelled at her, called her a lazy and useless little harlot, hit her and thrown her against the wall when she had angered him. The new me remembered the pain of being hit with a pitchfork and being called a demon when I had tried to find someone who could tell me what I was and what had happened to me.

My mama and papa had been kind to the old me, but would they have been kind to the new me as well? I wasn't the old me anymore, did that mean that all humans would want to hurt me if they would know what I was? But those girls hadn't known what I was and they had still wanted to hurt me. I was very confused and distressed; I wanted to stay with my new family.

"Do I have to leave?" I asked quietly.

Kol raised his eyebrows.

"Leave where?"

"Away from here. The dinner was important and I failed…"

"No, it is not your fault that no one has taught you how to defend yourself. But no need to worry, I will teach you."

I looked at him attentively.

"I can stay?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, midget, no one is going to send you away because of this."

"Thank you, Uncle Kol," I said and rubbed my cheek against his shoulder, I remembered what Rebekah had said about him expecting me to show him affection.

"Alright…" he muttered and tapped my back.

I kissed his cheeks and hugged him tightly, hoping that he would be satisfied.

"Alright, alright, enough," he huffed and tapped my head. "Good midget."

I laughed and leaned my head on his shoulder; he sighed but didn't push me away.

"What a scary little beast you are…" he muttered.

I pulled away and revealed my fangs, earning an amused smile from him.

"That's more like it. You must never be ashamed of what you are or allow humans to push you around, comparing to them, we are gods."

"Really?"

"Definitely. As I said, they are merely food."

I bit my lip, talking about food made me to realize how hungry I was.

"Uncle Kol? I am hungry."

He looked surprised.

"Have you not fed today?"

I lowered my head, I had fed before the dinner, but for some reason I was hungry again.

"Alright," he said and placed me on the floor. "Wait here, I will be right back."

I stayed next to his bed and looked at the shield and two swords hanging on the wall, he seemed to have all kind of interesting things. I didn't have to wait long when he returned with a compelled maid, he made her stand in the middle of the room.

"Now, I will teach you something you can use the next time if someone tries to mess with you," he said. "Have you ever compelled anyone?"

I shook my head; papa and Rebekah had always done it for me. Kol took a step back and waved his hand towards the woman.

"Try it."

I looked at him and the woman alternately, she didn't move or say anything; she simply stared in front of her. Finally I gathered enough courage to approach her; I knew that I needed to make an eye contact. Unfortunately she was too tall, I couldn't reach anywhere near her eyelevel. I tried to jump up and down, making Kol to burst into laughter.

"Here," he chuckled and placed a chair in front of the woman. "Up you go, midget," he added and lifted me on the chair.

I hesitated before looking into the woman's brown eyes.

"What do I do now?" I asked.

"Concentrate," Kol replied. "This is an easy exercise since her mind is already in an amenable state, focus on that. Think of her as one of your dolls, you can make her do whatever you want and you do not even have to touch her. Now focus."

I tried to do as he said; I looked into the woman's eyes and concentrated.

"Good, now tell her what you want her to do."

"But…I do not know what I want her to do," I muttered retaining the eye contact.

"Just say something," Kol huffed.

"Raise your hands," I said insecurely, it was the first thing that came to my mind. The woman obeyed immediately.

"Very good," Kol said and tapped my head.

I was amazed, had I really made her do that?

"Spin around."

She obeyed again, I couldn't believe this.

"You see now," Kol said. "Just like dolls."

"Not quite," papa's voice said from the door, he seemed angry. I jumped down and kept my eyes on the floor, I had done something wrong.

"Come here, Eva," papa said.

I was afraid that he would punish me like Uncle John had punished the old me, so I didn't move.

"Come on, Elijah," Kol huffed. "She deserved to have some fun after what those brats did to her…"

"It's alright, sweetheart," papa said, ignoring Kol.

I looked up when he lifted me into his arms.

"Are you angry at me, papa?"

"No," he replied and touched my muddy hair. "It seems that a certain young lady needs a bath."

"I ruined the dinner…"

"It was not your fault," he said. "I should not have left you alone with those children, sometimes I fail to remember that you are not like the other children."

I looked at him insecurely; did he mean that I was a bad child? He smiled and touched my cheek.

"You are a very special girl, Eva, my special child."

"Really?"

"Yes and I will always look after you, I promise."

I wrapped my arms around him and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I am hungry."

"Then you need to feed, but I want you to remember that humans are not puppets."

I nodded when he placed me on the floor.

"I will be good."

Papa smiled, but Kol rolled his eyes, he didn't seem pleased.

"Oh please…"

"She is a child, Kol," papa snapped. "I suggest you remember that for now on."

"I like Uncle Kol," I said.

"What?" Kol asked. "Why?"

I shrugged.

"I just do."

"Fine, whatever," he huffed and sat on his bed. "You better eat now, midget before your supper runs away."

I looked at papa, he nodded approvingly.

"Go ahead, sweetheart."

I moved in front of the woman who was still standing next to the chair.

"Sit down…please," I added wanting to show papa that I was good. She obeyed and I took her hand, I was really hungry.

"Thank you," I said after I was finished. Papa smiled and Kol snorted contemptuously.

"Very good, Eva," papa said. "Let's go and tell Niklaus and Rebekah that you are alright, they are probably still looking for you."

I nodded and zoomed in front of Kol, jumping on his lap.

"Good night, Uncle Kol," I said and kissed his cheek.

"For the last time, midget, I am not your…" he started, but I zoomed out before he managed to finish his sentence. I wasn't feeling bad anymore now when I knew that I wouldn't be cast out. I wanted to go and play with my dolls.