The mint green 1967 Mercedes Pagoda rolls on to the dirt gravel driveway of the Maison Rose and Klaus's mouth downturns.
"What is all that?" He yells out, shaking his head.
Elijah emerges from the vehicle, impeccable and polished in his grey slim cut suit and dark glasses.
"Presents, Niklaus." Elijah slides his glasses into his coat pocket, "You want her to make an entrance," He says cooly, stacking ribboned boxes and bags from the back seat of the Pagoda onto the porch, "Well she will not make one wearing the maid's dress and the junior section of Walmart."
Klaus hops down from the porch and grabs parcels from the mountain of shopping bags and boxes, "I should have thought about this," He states as an admonishment peaking the interest of his brother.
"Tomorrow sets the stage and I want her to feel as confident in her appearance as you have described her to feel with her magic."
Klaus nods, agreeing with his older brother, "What did you think when you first laid eyes on the house?"
"Not surprised. But it did remind me that Rebekah and I do not share the same sensibility of taste."
Klaus snorts. He always loved the pink hued home, he had even hesitated to set it ablaze because of his attachment to its beauty.
"And where is our young witch and what else has she accomplished besides killing young wolves and renovating our sister's former abode," Elijah says, carefully unbuttoning his jacket and draping it over his arm.
"Asleep still, she's exhausted from finally passing my final test yesterday."
Elijah raises an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He asks amused, "Then I look forward to hearing from you both on how you plan to navigate a war not only with Marcel and his military of supernaturals but also with Therese Guidry's coven of the Ninth ward.
Klaus's forehead folds, "What the hell, Elijah? I thought you were going to speak with her niece?
"I did and the young woman is very angry," Elijah gravely expresses, feeling for one special little velvet-covered box buried in the breast pocket of his coat, "And your generous donation to her relative's burial and funeral did nothing to squelch the flame of that anger."
Klaus rolls his eyes, "It's not like the woman was a spring chicken. She had one foot in the grave way before I asked for her help," He counters, annoyed, "How did she receive the explanation of Bonnie's resurrection?"
Elijah flashes a genuine smile. "With skepticism and incredulity. Which makes me consider how Marcel is supposed to believe this ruse of yours," He states, extending his hand and opening his palm to present a red velvet ring box to Klaus.
Klaus snatches the box. "I don't see the fantastical in this plan, it's not like I have never had affection for a woman before."
"Affection? Fine." Elijah concedes with a shrug, "But so overcome with your dead witch that you get Therese Guidry to bring her back from the afterlife so you can marry her? I'm not sure if that will sell to Marcel and whomever has ever met you longer than five minutes," Elijah says expecting his brother to laugh and enthusiastically explain how he was to convince everyone that he was in love with Bonnie. And when Klaus doesn't, when he turns the box over in his hands and looks out to the yard and to the forest, Elijah considers that maybe, just maybe, Klaus wouldn't be pretending, and this thought intrigues Elijah more than knowing Klaus's strategy to usurp Marcel.
"I talked to Caroline last night." Klaus says, remembering the sob of her voice when he said hello.
Elijah's curiosity pings on the bubbly blonde and he settles on her being the reason for the flash of vulnerability on Klaus's face. "Was that wise?" He asks, sighing knowing that it wasn't.
"They are looking for her," Klaus informs.
"Good God, Niklaus, It is only a matter of time now."
"That's why this part of the plan has to be solid," Klaus stresses, "And we have to act swiftly." He turns to look his brother in the eyes, "I will announce the engagement after the repass tomorrow and after the engagement party I will travel to Mystic Falls to help them look for Bonnie". Klaus opens the box and protruding from the white satin is a radiant cut canary yellow diamond that Klaus wonders how Elijah was able to fit into the small box. "You couldn't find anything bigger?"
Elijah retorts, "Just because you plan to have a sham engagement does not mean she should not have something stunning. Besides, maybe after she learns of our treachery, she will keep this ring as payment for her services and decide to let us live.
Furrowing his brow, Klaus snaps the box shut as he hears Bonnie finally up and padding around her bedroom, getting herself ready for the day, and he turns on his heels, determined and focused to get Bonnie on board with what is required of her as his witch, but he looks over at his brother and opens his mouth.
"It is unbelievable that I would fall in love and risk it all for a witch, isn't it?"
BKBKBKBKBK
"May I come in?"
Bonnie lifts her head from pouring over the handwriting in the binding of her grimoire; there were lines of script on the current pages she has been studying that she swears were not there the day before and she has been spending the lazy Saturday morning deciphering their meaning and taking her time to enjoy her solitude before Klaus calls her down to practice.
Her mossy green eyes widen as she is taken aback to see Elijah Mikaelson close the door behind him. There is no Klaus with him and she shuts her book and slides from the comfort of her bed, "I didn't think I would see you until tomorrow," She says with a small smile, "Klaus wanted you to come out here and see what we've been up to?" She asks, proud to show off who she has become since Klaus whisked her bloodied and broken self to the middle of nowhere.
"No," He responds, "I have been hearing glowing reports of your progress and I would love nothing more than to see you work your wonders but that is not the reason of my visit, Bonnie."
She quirks a brow and he quickly points to the vanity seat and she nods that he may sit.
The ancient vampire clears his throat and begins, "I have come here to ask something of you that you may not want to do. And I want you to know, as your friend, I promise you we will find another way to make this plan work if this arrangement makes you uncomfortable." Elijah sets the velvet box onto the vanity table and gently reaches for her wrist and pulls her closer. "Open it, please." Which the words completely stated a request but the way he said it was nothing short of a command.
Bonnie eyes him, that prickly feeling on the back of the neck that she gets when he is near expanding over the span of her body, but also recalling all of the letters from him that she had read late into the early morning. He had the most beautiful penmanship and he was always bolstering Klaus to be better, to be this shining version of his imagination of Klaus. All of Klaus's letters in response to his brother confirmed that he really had no interest on being anything other than what his hunger for power obliged him to be.
Elijah was a dreamer and Bonnie admired him for that, and she uses that slight of admiration to quiet the pit of her stomach.
She opens the box and places it back onto the vanity. Confused she crosses her arms over her t-shirt. Another one of Klaus's picks. This one was neon green with "Cruel Summer" in white block ironed on letters. And Elijah wonders if Bonnie is even old enough to get the reference plastered across her chest.
"You want me to marry you?" She questions, unsure of the very words leaving her mouth.
"I would like for you to be open to acting as my betrothed, Bonnie, "He continues, waving her to come back closer to him and the ring, "Because right now the community of New Orleans sees you as a threat and we don't want them to expect you, we want them to have their defenses down and we think, well really, I think, that having us pose as lovers will give us the time, freedom and the opportunity to take over the city."
It is high noon and the sun beams bright through the sheer curtain and spills all over her face, turning her gold and Elijah catches himself drawn to her youth and naivety. Yes, it was apparent that she wasn't the lamb that appeared barefoot and dirty with his brother over a week ago, he could smell the power of death on her, but there was still an angelic quality about her and Elijah hoped that along with possibly not killing them after it was all said and done that she also able to walk away from his family with that very quality still intact.
She picks up the box and stares at the huge rock, "You want me to be a Mikaelson?" She asks and he responds with a yes but she laughs and looks over at Elijah and asks him the question yet again, thinking this time he would tell her that it was really a joke.
And Elijah flashes a charming smile as he listens to his brother pace the wooden floors raw. "Always and forever."