"It was the most beautiful letter I had ever received."
Bored out of her mind, Aurora began detailing her story with Niklaus. Juliet persistently begged for silence, but it was a losing battle. There was no stopping Aurora from walking down memory lane, picking apart what Juliet assumed was her first real love. Ending the story on how she and Niklaus separated. Her hip rested against a table, and her arms folded tightly against her chest. At that point, Juliet was barely listening. She already knew how the two parted, and the secret Elijah kept involving the redhead for all these years. It seemed Aurora underestimated Juliet. However, she wasn't at fault. Not many knew about Juliet's Hybrid abilities.
"And I did love him with all of my heart." Aurora's eyes were on the older vampire, filled with adoration. But just for a second - then it turned to something different. Something Juliet was very familiar with.
Hatred.
Aurora's eyes fell upon the root she held, sorrow filling her as she continued. "But a lot like the letter, our love crumbled to dust." Letting out a sigh, she began writing a message down on Juliet's notepad. The pen scribbled away while the other woman's hands rested on the counter. "Deliver this, will you? With my special instruction." Aurora's light eyes glared back, and a sense of amusement sparked.
Juliet took the paper, eyes narrowed. "Do you really think it's a good idea to taunt Niklaus? He's changed, you know?" Resting the paper on the counter, her eyes scanning the words written. "He's no longer the compassionate and kind vampire you once knew a thousand years ago - if you can call it that. Time surely did a number on him."
That was the last of Aurora's worries. She wanted to provoke the vicious Hybrid, claiming it was the only way to get him to follow their breadcrumbs. In all honesty, Juliet didn't like conspiring with Klaus's ex-lover. She'd prefer to have him hidden all on her own. This was precisely why she had a contingency plan in motion - a plan to later extract Klaus from where Aurora wanted to keep him and in a place where only Juliet could get to.
The woman moved to leave – to deliver the letter from Aurora, then to venture off to find the ingredients she needed for a working spell. However, Aurora stopped her. "Why are you helping me?"
"You must understand, my child," Juliet began, her eyes forward and distant. "This isn't for you." And with that, she began making her way toward the door.
The New Orleans air hit her instantly, creating beads of sweat on her forehead. If there was one thing she hated most about the city, it was the humidity. She liked her cabin up in the woods by the border of Canada in Maine. Heat was considered an enemy. Even the small town of Mystic Falls didn't have the weather she liked, but it was always home to her.
From where she stood, Juliet could peer up to the Mikaelson Manor balcony, looking over the town square. None of the siblings were standing outside - however, on the mirroring balcony stood a dark-haired woman staring longingly at the Manor. With a raised brow, Juliet began going over as she listened intently inside the building.
No one was home, which made her quest all the more easy. "They should be more careful," Juliet spoke, mostly to herself. Her thought process was interrupted by a group of drunken tourists heading to their next destination. A group member spotted Juliet and celebrated by yelling in her direction, excited for the trip to the city. Juliet took this opportunity to wink toward the girl, beckoning her to follow. Into the darkness of the Mikaelson Manor, they ventured inside.
There was an elegant feel to the Manor – something Juliet guessed Elijah wanted to exuberate due to his own way of carrying himself. She imagined the different rooms had their own ways about them as well.
A part of her began to feel angry. Angry that this was the way Elijah lived while she lay low in the shadows. This only caused Juliet's handle on the tourist to be slightly more gruesome than anticipated. "You're going to lay down right on top of the bed of lavender." Pointing to the ground, a bed of lavender sprouted from the cracked concrete stone. "And you're going to slit your wrists … allowing the blood to pool around you as a present for those who live here."
With a blink, the girl moved to lie down on the lavender, using a knife Juliet conjured. Blood immediately began falling. The tourist fell onto the lavender - eyes closed, her breathing slowly becoming shallow. The smell of blood lingered in the air while Juliet dropped the letter Aurora provided – the vampire longing for the taste of blood.
"That ought to get their attention." A smirk pulled at the corner of her lips as she walked out of the Mikaelson Manor, meeting Aurora just a few blocks from the building. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be waiting for your beloved to show up. Getting cold feet?"
"I was just making sure Niklaus took my bait."
"Which is what exactly?" Aurora nodded behind Juliet, her eyes on Klaus and Elijah standing not too far from a perfume boutique. "A scent Niklaus knows very well. Once he smells it, he'll know where to go." Juliet watched Niklaus and Elijah speaking openly on the street. It was the first time she had really seen Elijah in over a century. How he wore his black business suit and carried himself always made the woman's heart jump - somewhat of a pain in her chest.
"You still love him, don't you?"
Juliet's eyes stayed glued on her former love, watching as he continued speaking even while Klaus walked off toward the perfume shop - straight into Aurora's trap.
It was a loaded question. How was Juliet going to explain she was just as much in love with the Original vampire as she was wanting to slice his throat? How was she going to explain as much as she wanted to drive a White Oak stake through Elijah's heart, Juliet wanted nothing more than to keep him safe from harm and pain - an internal pain he had been suffering from for centuries?
Luckily, she didn't have to.
"That's your cue," Juliet initiated, glancing toward Aurora. The red-headed woman evilly smirked before swiftly running off. Turning back to look at Elijah, she was met with his gaze. He stared in bewilderment, not believing what he was seeing. But in a mere second, Juliet rushed off, following Aurora to their mutual destination.
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It didn't take long for Klaus to find Aurora's clue to meet her at the du Beaucage perfume shop. It also didn't take long for Juliet to convince herself the young vampire was ready. Once Klaus walked through the doors, there was no escaping until Juliet removed the boundary spell - a magic trick she had learned from one of the many books she had collected.
Klaus stood outside the shop, his face pensive and dangerous. His reflection bounced back, allowing Juliet to watch him from afar without his knowledge. Their closeness almost felt foreign. It was almost as if they hadn't spent countless days side by side picking flowers for Ester and Rebekah, chasing one another in games of tag, or laying in the meadow watching the stars and trying to count them. The man standing before her was no longer the innocent boy Juliet loved. He was a monster.
Finally, Klaus walked through the doors of the perfume shop, giving Juliet ample time to quietly move behind him. As the door closed and Klaus entered deeper into the shop, Aurora came out of hiding - her long red hair resting on her shoulders resembled the fire igniting in her eyes. Klaus, however, stopped in his tracks upon seeing her – almost in disbelief.
"I knew you'd find me," Aurora spoke with a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
"And before she gets into her sob story," Juliet interrupted, appearing in front of Aurora. "Sleep." Waving her hand in front of the younger vampire's face, she dropped to the floor, her eyes tightly closed. Juliet turned to face Klaus, who looked to be even more shocked. "Well? Are you going to stand there, or will you hug your old friend?"
"How are you - ?" Klaus began, his breath seemingly taken away.
"So we're going to do this first, are we? That's quite alright, well. To make a long story short, you turned me." Juliet placed her hands behind her back, her body straightening.
"No, I didn't. I watched you die in my arms," Klaus corrected, his voice slightly raised. Putting her hands up, Juliet shook her head.
"There's no need to get loud, Klaus; I'm more than happy to give you the explanation as to why I am here." She began from the beginning - detailing how his head wound dripped blood into her mouth when he held her fragile body. Juliet left out her hybrid nature, somewhat matching his. "You hadn't known then what your blood could do, so you didn't know if you waited a few hours, my eyes would open back up to the world … wounds healed. Besides, your family was being hunted, so I understand why I was left in that cave." Juliet took a few steps closer to the man, reaching her arm out to touch his face. "You saved me, Klaus, and because of that, I owe you my life and your protection."
The woman began walking toward the door, her hands in her pockets. "Wait!" Klaus called out, his voice cracking. Juliet turned to look at him and was immediately taken back when she felt Klaus's arms wrapped around her. She embraced him back, knowing full well it was because of him she still could enjoy the wonders of the world whenever she pleased. "I've dreamt about you so many times," Klaus whispered into her ear, his face nuzzled in her dark waves. When he pulled away, his face showed a hint of vulnerability, even as a smile replaced the previous scowl. "Elijah is going to be very happy to see you, but –"
"Elijah will not know of my existence just yet," Juliet corrected him, holding a hand in the air. "I appreciate all the unexpected tenderness you are giving me, Klaus. You're known as a ravenous monster throughout the vampire colonies. However, you mustn't show me that side of you just yet." Klaus tilted his head, and Juliet slowly stepped toward the door, hearing Aurora begin to wake. "Your blood turned me. Meaning I have to ensure that in this little war that is proving to be a complicated one, it is won. To do that, I must protect my sire."
Once Juliet was just a few inches outside the door, the woman smiled. "I'm so sorry to do this to you at our first meeting in millennia, but I promise once the threat is destroyed, I will take you out, and hopefully, no hard feelings."
"You think you can keep me here?" Klaus spoke, his voice raising again as he closed on the woman. But Klaus was stopped at the doorway, like an invisible shield that kept him trapped within the confines of the building. "What the hell is this?"
"This," Juliet began, "Is something I picked up on the way. You're trapped, Klaus. There's no way out unless I want you to come out. And at this moment, I don't. Now, go attend to your beloved. She's missed you very much."
Klaus began yelling something about ripping from limp to limp once he was freed. But Juliet continued walking off. She had other business to handle in New Orleans.
Upon leaving the perfume shop, Juliet could hear Klaus's yells and demands coming from the building - demands the woman happily ignored and continued on her way. Not even he would be able to stop what was to come – the plans Juliet held now that she was exposed to the Mikaelsons. If there was one she was excited to see, it was Rebekah. They had shared a bond all those years ago.
When she first met the Mikaelsons, it was through Rebekah who approached the girl with a smile in their shared village. They were approximately the same age, and in the town, they were the only two girls of the shared age. The family moved in at the most appropriate time for Juliet after her mother died of a disease. She had been heartbroken, but the Mikaelsons helped heal her pain for a time – especially Elijah. It was Rebekah who introduced Juliet to Elijah.
Throughout the years, Juliet harbored some distaste for Rebekah for cursing her – for introducing herself and leading Juliet to where she ended up. But the grudge dissipated as time went on, and Juliet began missing her best friend. It was Rebekah, who Juliet kept tabs on. It pained the woman whenever Klaus decided to stake his sister out of revenge for Rebekah protecting or looking out for herself.
Now, Rebekah needed her the most, as she was nowhere to be found. Juliet worried about the vampire's location, knowing wherever Rebekah lay was probably not a safe or appropriate place for her. During high stress, Juliet resorted to burying herself in a novel, letting her mind escape from reality until she was ready to jump back into the harsh realities she called her life - it was off to the library of New Orleans.
As her fingers brushed against the soft and smooth bindings through the row of books, she was undecided on what to read - she paused. Her heightened sense of hearing was handy whenever she was alone; someone suddenly appeared behind her. Not just anyone.
Juliet knew the two would eventually need to speak about the events that had taken place in the past and currently. She knew Elijah would have questions about how she was still alive, why she hadn't told him, and where his brother was. These are all questions that Juliet would rather avoid.
"You are exactly how I pictured you'd look whenever I picture you alive."
Her eyes rolled at his comment, his voice showing apparent surprise. She tilted her head backward as her eyes closed, her dark hair falling behind her. Inhaling a deep breath, Juliet finally turned to look at Elijah – her dark eyes piercing with hatred. He could see the fire behind her eyes, the grudge against him. "Jules…"
"Don't call me that," Juliet spoke softly. "You lost your privilege to treat me like your equal when you left me for dead."
The hurt on his face proved to the woman he was sorrowful for his actions - pained by it all these years. It made her happy to know he was in pain from what he had done, but she wanted him to feel more. She wanted him to feel what it was like to be left for dead by someone he loved, someone he trusted.
"Is that what you think I did?" he whispered, brows tugged tightly. Immediately, the woman could feel her anger rise, her heart pumping harder as her breathing accelerated. "Juliet, I didn't think you'd survive such an attack."
"Apparently, your brother did." Elijah took a step back as Juliet took one forward. "Klaus had heard my screams after you and Rebekah ran away. He distracted the werewolves long enough to find me mauled almost to the point of death." As she spoke, Elijah's eyes began tearing up – his mistake returning to haunt him. For her to ignore his foolish attempts to make her feel sorry for him, Juliet walked to the library window – gazing out into the night.
"Klaus cradled me in his lap, tears falling on my face as he cried for my fate. He begged for me to hold on so you would not be lonely, but I was getting cold and could no longer feel my legs." Juliet continued with her story – leaving out a few details. "It was hard to breathe, and I could feel death's cool breath on my neck. It was then that the werewolves came back. Three of them. Klaus fought them off but had gained bruises from their teeth, and when he returned to hold me, some of his blood dripped in my mouth. I don't remember much after that – only to remember waking up alone and cold. All my lacerations were healed, but I thirsted for one thing. Blood."
Juliet turned to face Elijah. "It was then that I knew what had happened. I was like the Mikaelson family. I was destined for a life of monstrosity, deceit, and pain." She held up a finger to point at him. "You had your family, Elijah." She then pointed at herself. "But I had no one."
"I am so s-"
"Don't say it," Juliet interrupted him, her voice soft and low. Her arms wrapped around herself. She needed to leave. Juliet had pictured their reunion umpteen million times, but never did she expect to feel small. He had grown. And though vampires didn't age, she could see Elijah had matured. "Your apologies are a thousand years unwanted."
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Once Juliet made it clear to Elijah that she would rather drown in boiling lava than continue to be graced with his presence, he abided by her wishes and left without a word. There were multiple attempts to apologize for the mistakes he had made, but Juliet wouldn't hear it. She couldn't stand the thought that Elijah was simply providing his sorrow because she was suddenly back in his life. Nor was she looking for his sympathies or sadness. It had been too long since the incident, and Juliet had continued living her life of solitude and accepted it.
The library was silent as the only other being inside the building was the librarian, who worked late because of Juliet's compulsion. Again, Juliet's enhanced hearing picked up the distinct wail of wind only those with specific auditive gifts could pick up.
It seemed the woman had lost track of time as her eyes glazed over to the large windows, showing the white moon brightly shining over the beautiful city. From where she was, she could see the tops of the tall trees before the bright lights of the town while the night creatures (both supernatural and human) roamed New Orleans. In her hand laid the mystery novel she had escaped into, closing as her gaze averted to the man.
Elijah looked worried, curious, and pissed off. Because of this, Juliet couldn't help but smirk. Her plan was working.
"Honestly, I didn't think it would take her this long to tell him," the woman confessed as she placed the novel on the side table to her left. "Nevertheless, I'm guessing Klaus now knows and is not quite fond of his brother for setting his destructive course."
"How did you know about that?" Elijah asked aggressively, taking a few steps toward the woman. Juliet was pleased her plan was unraveling – everything she knew would happen unfolding in front of her. Elijah would be kicked away from the Mikaelson Manor for now, giving Klaus enough time to cool off from the new information regarding his brother and Aurora's sudden hatred for the Hybrid many years ago.
Getting to her feet, Juliet lightly placed the palm of her hand against her chest, sarcastically looking hurt. "Did you think I would not have kept tabs on the man who turned me?" the woman inquired, feeling slightly like Elijah underestimated her. "I learned well from the Mikaelsons, Elijah." Her words made the man visibly uncomfortable; however, he quickly hid it with the blink of an eye. "You might think you have the upper hand here, but the reality is, I do. I know everything the Mikaelson siblings have been through and exactly what to do to push buttons, so please, Elijah, give me a reason to push yours."
He didn't. Elijah stood where he was, staring at the woman who dared him to give her a reason to finally retaliate for what he had. But he knew this fight was to be fought another day. If she knew exactly what was happening, then maybe she could assist in their battle.
"Would it be a lost cause if I asked for your help in this prophecy? In protecting us and your creator – until the threat is destroyed?" His question took her back.
This wasn't her plan coming into New Orleans; teaming up with the Mikaelsons, however, did give leverage to execute her original plan. Folding her arms across her chest, Juliet shrugged. "As long as you understand this is to protect Niklaus and only him. I couldn't care less if you were to die." Elijah offered the woman a nod before he disappeared out of the library. As he left, Juliet walked to the large window overlooking the active city. Juliet Ambrosia working with the Mikaelsons to stop a prophecy she knew the end to; what a coincidence.