Chapter Thirty-Six
Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or the Originals, but I do own my OCs.
Summary: Blair has been on the run for 400 years, trying to escape her past. She never stays in once place long enough, but she finds herself drawn to New Orleans and it is there that she meets the Originals. She soon finds herself drawn into their drama and ends up connecting with the Noble Original, Elijah Mikaelson. Slowburn.
I am so sorry for the long wait. I have been playing Legends Arceus and time just got away from me. I hope this chapter makes up or any delays because I have a feeling a lot of you are going to like it :)
ORIGINALS
The next day,
Klaus was walking down the already busy streets of the French Quarter, anticipating what was to come later. Finn would get thoroughly interrogated later but first, he had a job to do. Klaus needed to deliver some herbs to Camille – a concoction made by Davina and Blair. It was to stop the body-swapping process Esther had planned. Through Blair's visions, they had realised that Esther planned to use Camille's body as Rebekah's replacement, something they weren't going to allow to happen. The moment Camille mentioned feeling weird and marks appearing on her body, the Fae and young Witch had sprung into action, knowing that they needed to act before it was too late. Klaus had wanted to deliver the potion in person as he wanted to check up on the barmaid and was assured when she appeared well.
His happy mood was burst when he felt someone following him.
He could hear a pair of steady footsteps behind him and he wondered if it was someone sent by Esther. She would be trying her luck, attempting to entice each and every one of them with the promise of being human or Wolf once more – something Klaus did not care for. He was happy being one of the most powerful creatures alive because it gave him more power. The power he could use to protect his family. There was a brief moment where he considered just killing whoever was following him but his curious nature won over. He was interested to know who would dare to follow him, the leader of New Orleans. It couldn't have been a Vampire, none of them had the guts to do so, and he also writ off the Wolves as they didn't care for him. That left the Witches and the Fae, but Blair had said that the Fae wouldn't make themselves known – especially not to him.
Deciding to take a detour, Klaus walked further away from the commotion of the city. If there was going or be a fight, he would rather it be away from mortal eyes. Picking up his pace, he made his way out of the city and into the forest and was even further intrigued when the footsteps were still following him. It was only when he knew that they were completely alone that he'd had enough of waiting.
"Come out now and you might leave with your life," Klaus announced as he turned around to face the person following him. Now that he was away from all the overwhelming scents of the city, he could easily focus on his stalker. From his scent alone, Klaus could identify that it was a male following him. However, curiously, the man smelt like an old Werewolf. Very old.
There was silence in the woods before someone walked, footsteps confident yet careful. When Klaus saw who it was, his eyes widened and his cocky façade dropped, not able to hide his reaction. The man that stood in front of him looked eerily familiar and there was a striking resemblance between them. Despite his usual quick thinking, he was stumped. Blair had warned him that Esther would throw a curveball at him – something specifically made to make Klaus stumble.
It was his biological father.
"I have no intentions of taking Esther's bargain of being made mortal. Now kindly piss off," Klaus snarked once he had recovered. It was a cruel trick to play on Esther's part, and it made his hatred for his mother burn even brighter than before. He had never met his biological father and had always wondered what he would be like, something his mother surely knew and was now trying to use against him.
Ansel shook his head, "That's not what I am here for,"
"Oh?" Klaus questioned, not believing him, "That's not why Esther sent you here,"
"She wants to make you mortal again, I just want to get to know you," Ansel answered him honestly. He had been brought back by Esther when the veil nearly collapsed and had been living with the Crescent Wolves ever since. He had stayed in the background, never getting involved, just lying in wait until he could see his son again. Esther had made her plans known to him and wanted his help but he had no intentions of doing this.
For a moment, Klaus considered his words and he truly didn't know what to feel at this point. "You know, I used to tell myself that my father must have had no idea that I existed, otherwise he would never leave me to suffer under Mikael," If his father was being as truthful as he intended, Klaus would let him know how he felt. He would not hold back because even he had questions.
"Esther forbade me from seeing you. So, I waited because I knew that one day you would need me when you triggered your curse," Ansel explained, his eyes darkening at the memory, "But Mikael found me first and I fought him for you," The closer he had got to the village the more he heard of how badly Mikael treated his son and it enraged him. Ansel had acted carelessly by challenging Mikael and he died as a result.
"Yes, well your grand declaration is just a few years too late," Klaus hissed back, hiding how much Ansel's words affected him.
Ansel sent him a knowing look, "As much as you joke, I know that you've felt a void in your life," At Klaus' scoff, Ansel continued, "I have watched you from beyond the veil for centuries. You have travelled all the corners of the world, seen monuments erected, feasted on the blood of the most extraordinary men and women but you've never managed to find true peace… until you became a parent,"
Klaus stared at Ansel, stunned by his words.
With a smile, Ansel recounted moments that made him proud, "I watched as you climbed the Himalayas, as you tended to the horses, as you read that child Shakespeare,"
"Please stop," Klaus whispered, shaken by his father's words.
However, Ansel would not give up, "I watched you paint. I watched you feel your daughter kick for the first time and I watched you hold her,"
"Stop!" Klaus yelled out and violently grabbed Ansel by the front of his shirt, "You have had a millennium to observe me. Did you close your eyes when I slaughtered whole villages? Or when I fed my way through thousands of innocents? Because let's face it, I have a tendency to play with my food," Slowly, he let go when he realised there was no fear or judgement in his father's eyes, only understanding.
"I saw everything. I watched as you endured everything life has thrown at you," Ansel replied back calmly, not affected by Klaus' fit of rage, in fact, it looked as though he had expected it.
For a moment, Klaus didn't know what to say. It did hurt him. It hurt him to know that he would have to deal with his father because Esther had made him a player. If Klaus didn't get rid of Ansel then he could be used against him and he refused to be treated like a pawn.
Before Klaus was allowed another moment to contemplate his next move, his phone rang. Without another thought, he answered it, "What?"
"Niklaus, where are you?" Elijah asked.
Sparing a glance at his father, Klaus turned away, "I was waylaid. My biological father made an appearance,"
There was a brief silence, "Is he still alive?"
"Yes," Klaus said. But he wouldn't be for long.
Hearing his brother's unsaid message, Elijah responded, "It doesn't have to be that way."
"You know as well as I that our mother would attempt to turn the situation in her favour," Klaus argued back.
"Then we must attempt to twist it in our favour instead." Elijah answered back calmly, ready for his brother's rebuttal, "Mother is not the only one that has magic on her side,"
Klaus fell silent for a moment as he considered his options.
"I expect you home soon. Rebekah is getting twitchy,"
Snorting in amusement, Klaus smirked, "I see she hasn't lost her zeal. I'll be home soon," Ending the call, he turned and looked back to his father, who was standing nearby, patiently waiting for him to pass judgement.
"So, am I to live?" Ansel asked, eyebrow arched. He wasn't blinded nor was he a fool. He had watched his son for a thousand years and had learned his habits. Klaus' first reaction to most unforeseen things was to kill and then ask questions later. Ansel hadn't expected a warm reception on their first meeting and saw it as a win that he hadn't been maimed or killed.
Klaus smiled sarcastically, "That is yet to be decided," Walking away, he made his way back to the city and his home. He needed to get back so he could have a chat with Finn – a very long and overdue chat.
Ansel followed him, watching for any unexpected movements.
ORIGINALS
Back at the compound
Finn's body had been moved into the living room and sheets of plastic had been brought out. This was to protect the living room's furniture and designs. Clear plastic sheets were covering the walls, floors and furniture. Blair had been surprised with how meticulously they were and also impressed – they had even covered the ceiling with the plastic sheets – which gave a taster on what was to come later. Finn, currently tied down a chair, the magic draining cuff on his wrist and he was still unconscious as they were waiting for Klaus to come back.
"Can't we just start without him?" Rebekah asked for the tenth time.
Elijah shot his sister an exasperated look, "No, Niklaus said he would be back soon," He had just called his brother no more than ten minutes ago and knew it wouldn't be long. While it was tempting to start without Klaus, he wanted to see Finn's expression when he saw the whole family standing against him.
Huffing, Rebekah crossed her arms over her chest.
"He met Ansel," Elijah informed them with a grim expression.
Blair mentally sighed, checking Ansel's appearance off her mental list. She had a strong suspicion that there was much more to come, more than her vision told her, but at least this could be crossed off the list. Having had her foresight powers for a long time, she could tell when a vision was unfished and knew that there would possibly be another vision coming soon – she just didn't know exactly when.
Fury flashed in Rebekah's eyes, "That bitch,"
Elijah nodded his head in agreement.
"Is Ansel still alive?" Blair asked curiously.
"When I spoke with him, he was alive," Elijah answered. Whether Ansel was alive after the call ended was another matter entirely but he silently hoped his brother hadn't taken that step yet. He knew how much Klaus longed to meet his biological father despite him not saying anything about it. Elijah suspected that this had hit his brother in a vulnerable spot, one of which he didn't allow many people to know about.
Luckily, they weren't left guessing for long. Another couple of minutes passed and Klaus waltzed back into the room, his mood sombre and contemplative. However, Ansel was not with him and this made Blair pause.
"Is he alive?" Elijah inquired with a neutral tone.
Klaus hesitated before answering, "I sent him back to the Bayou." If Finn hadn't been waiting to be interrogated, he would have dealt with Ansel there and then, but he found he needed more time to think.
Blair stared at him for a moment, almost not able to believe that he had left Ansel alive. In her vision, she had seen him kill his biological father – a machete through the chest – but she had also seen him devasted by his actions. Klaus caught her gaze and shook his head at her, silently conveying that he would seek her out after this and she understood.
"Now, let's get on with this," Klaus announced with a wicked grin.
Sensing that this was her queue, Blair used her magic and removed the sleeping spell on Finn. Slowly, Finn roused from his deep sleep, groaning and rolling his stiff neck around. Opening his eyes, Finn looked around the room and found his family – minus Kol – and Blair stood in front of him. Panic shone in his eyes and he attempted to move but found he was tied to a chair and he could not feel his magic at all.
"Had a good nap?" Rebekah grinned.
"Why am I here?" Finn demanded.
"You're going to answer a few questions we have," Elijah responded back, his whole demeanour calm and sophisticated.
Finn scowled, "And why would I answer anything you have to ask?"
Patience already running thin, Klaus snarled out, "You will answer us or you will be put right back in your box,"
At the mention of the box – the one he had spent over nine hundred years in – Finn's eyes widened in genuine fear.
"Don't go threatening anyone without me," Kol's velvety voice sounded as he walked into the room. However, it sounded different and it made everyone in the room turn to look at him. He was leaning against the opened door, just waiting for the opportunity to make a grand entrance. He had listened in, wanting his appearance to have the biggest impact and he had timed it perfectly.
Rebekah gasped when she saw Kol and Elijah's eyes widened. Kol was back in his body – his body – and not Kaleb's. Even though Klaus knew about it, he couldn't help but stare at his brother in wonder. Despite the fact she had already seen his new form, Blair's eyes widened slightly. Kol was handsome, extremely so and he looked so similar to Elijah. Looking between the brothers, the Fae couldn't help but think that Elijah and Kol could have passed for twins.
However, it was Finn's reaction that caused Kol the most satisfaction. "You betrayed mother!" Finn yelled out angrily, his eyes narrowed in thinly veiled fury.
Kol grinned, "And it was so easy,"
Looking to the Fae, Elijah couldn't hide his surprise, "Was this the plan?"
Nodding her head, Blair grinned, "Of course,"
Hearing that it was her doing, Finn glared at Blair in hatred.
Klaus walked up to Kol, who tensed, unable to gauge Klaus' reaction. Once close enough, Klaus pulled him into a hug, "Welcome back, brother,"
Kol was rooted to the spot in shock.
"Kol!" Rebekah jumped at him, also pulling him into a hug, which pulled Kol out of his stupor and he hugged his baby sister back.
Elijah walked up to them and placed a firm hand on Kol's shoulder, a warm smile on his face.
Looking over to Finn, Blair smirked, "See, this is what you're missing,"
Finn scowled, "It will never last. Niklaus will soon lose his patience and will dagger one of them. It is inevitable,"
At his words, Kol, Blair and Rebekah shared a look with one another. All of them knew that this would never happen as Blair had hidden the daggers somewhere only, she knew. The Fae would never allow Klaus one of the silver daggers – not that he was aware.
"If I am to dagger anyone, it will be you," Klaus snipped back with a glare.
Finn rolled his eyes at his attitude, "Always so temperamental. Besides, aren't you going to try and convince me to join you? Try to turn me against mother like you have Kol?" He sneered at the wildest Original in contempt.
"Why bother?" Elijah asked, "When we know you're so loyal to mother,"
Finn faltered for a moment, not expecting that answer.
"I could never understand why you were so loyal to Esther," Blair said with a frown, "Considering she is the one who made you a Vampire in the first place," She had heard stories from all the Mikaelson siblings of how much Finn hated his existence, oftentimes putting himself and the family in danger because of his own twisted thoughts. He thought them to be abominations and even helped Esther in an attempt to kill himself and his siblings.
"She was trying to make us mortal again," Finn argued back fiercely, "and you've all refused her. It just shows how much you've all fallen," He looked at his siblings in disappointment, as though they were the ones at fault. "I expected better from you, Rebekah,"
Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Does it look like I care? Our mother is a twisted woman that has done nothing but try to kill us. Why would I trust her?"
Finn's dark gaze landed on Blair, "Our mother was benevolent enough to try and help us, and then you sought aid from a Fae,"
A low growl sounded from Elijah, "You will not talk to her in that manner again, am I clear?" He moved so he was stood in front of Finn, his eyes darkened in anger. He had already warned Finn in the past and didn't like the fact he had to repeat himself.
Finn fell silent, knowing better than to provoke the situation further.
Blair smirked smugly and watched as Finn glanced at Elijah in nervous fear.
"We could have offered you freedom, but instead you chose to side with her," Klaus sneered, unimpressed but not surprised by his brother's loyalty.
"I am free," Finn argued back.
Blair snorted, "Yeah, because being tied to a chair without your magic really screams freedom,"
Finn glanced at her, but chose to ignore her, "Our mother loves each and everyone one of us. All of you would not exist if it wasn't for her sacrifice,"
Rebekah scoffed at his words. Even as a child, Finn would always hang onto their mother's every word and it was disappointing to see that this hadn't changed.
Her action incited Finn and he turned to her, "Our mother was barren, she could not have children. But she was so desperate that she begged one of the most powerful Witches for help – her sister, Dahlia,"
The name jolted Blair, making her stand straighter. She had heard of that name before, and there were no positive connotations to that name.
"And why is this relevant?" Elijah inquired.
"Dahlia's price was high." Finn explained grimly, "The price that our mother had to pay was her firstborn child. Having no choice, our mother gave away Freya,"
Kol shook his head, anger flashing in his eyes, "Our sister died of the plague." Their eldest sister's death was something that had always hung over them like a shadow. According to their mother, Mikael changed drastically after Freya's death and Esther became even more protective over the rest of her children. It was suffocating to live with.
"Esther gave her away," Finn argued back.
"But shouldn't this make you dislike Esther? She literally gave away one of her own children," Blair chimed in with a frown.
Klaus stared at Finn with cold eyes, "If what you say is true, then death is too delicate of a fate for her," The thought of giving away Hope made him angry – furious. The fact that his own mother had done such a thing made her even more of a monster to him.
"But what were her plans for Hope?" Elijah asked, getting back on track. This was the whole reason they wanted to talk with Finn and they were deviating away from that.
At the question, Finn remained silent and refused to answer it.
Rebekah scoffed, "Now he remains silent,"
"Do you have any idea?" Elijah asked, looking to Kol for an answer. He didn't think his brother would, but on the off chance, he would ask.
Kol grimaced, reluctant, "I did eavesdrop on a conversation between mother and Finn. They were talking about killing Hope and mentioned someone called Dahlia,"
Already annoyed with everything that had happened, Klaus was nearly at his limit. This news had him nearly seeing red and it was only Elijah and Rebekah holding him back that stopped him from killing Finn there and then.
Seeing that this was going to go south very quickly, Blair stepped forward, "That I can help with,"
This statement caused everyone to pause, "Oh?" Elijah inquired.
"How so?" Kol asked, curious about the type of magic she would use.
Blair smirked slightly, "Just a little truth spell. Once that is in place, he will spill his guts,"
"Do it, now," Klaus ordered roughly.
Inwardly, Blair was tempted to not do the spell. She didn't like it when people ordered her around, especially Klaus. But even she had the sense that this was not the time nor the place to be acting in such a manner. Keeping silent, Blair walked over to Finn and grabbed him by the face. He stared up at her with hate in his eyes, something she ignored. Tapping his forehead three times and then his lips just once, her eyes glowed purple as her magic came to life. After a few seconds, the purple colour disappeared and she stepped back.
"He'll talk," Blair announced smugly.
Taking the lead, Elijah was the one who asked the first question, "What is Esther's plan regarding Hope?"
For a moment, Finn said nothing, visibly struggling against Blair's magic. It was strong. Too strong and not what he was expecting. He knew that the moment he started to talk, he would be cast aside but he couldn't stop himself. "She was trying to save Niklaus from the pain she endured. She was trying to save you from the curse that follows our family,"
"What curse?!" Niklaus yelled out angrily.
Still trying to resists, Finn's answer came out rough and raspy, "The deal… that our mother made with … Dahlia. She asked for … every firstborn of every … generation."
Blair's eyes widened at the news and Rebekah let out a broken gasp. Kol and Elijah seemed stunned by the news, not knowing what to say. However, it was Klaus' reaction that was the most terrifying. He went quiet and his eyes were murderous.
"And what if we refuse?" Elijah asked.
"Then Dahlia would come and destroy us all," Finn replied back, his head slumped in defeat.
The room went silent and no one dared to breathe. The atmosphere was so thick and tense that Blair shivered in anticipation. Both Elijah and Klaus were emitting murderous auras and she glanced at them cautiously. Their anger wasn't directed at her, but she didn't want to draw attention to herself.
"Kol!" Klaus roared out angrily, "You can have the first session,"
Kol's eyes lit up, "Really?" It wasn't often he was allowed first picking because usually, there wasn't much left after him. He was the wildest out of them for a reason.
"Then Rebekah," Klaus continued.
Rebekah grinned viciously, unable to hide her excitement.
"Then Blair and Elijah, and followed by me," Klaus commanded and no one objected to this order.
Finn watched them all in fear and tried to wriggle away as Kol approached him, to no avail.
ORIGINALS
Many hours later
Blair was back in her room, writing things down into a journal Davina had bought her on a whim. Blair was writing down everything from the vision she had, trying to remember if she had missed something – and she had. She had forgotten that Dahlia appeared in her vision and so did Freya, the lost eldest sibling of the Mikaelson family. This was the one bit of information she hadn't shared because the vision had been incomplete but she knew it would need to be done.
Her session with Finn had been long – mainly she just used her magic to make him relive his experience back in his coffin, a time she knew he feared greatly and watched him squirm. By the time she had got to him, Kol and Rebekah had already dealt him a lot of physical torture and so she didn't want to replicate what they had already done. The Mikaelson siblings had a lot of pent up rage against Finn because of everything that had been done and so was venting. Blair just wanted revenge for him nearly killing her. Finn had got uncomfortably close to killing her and she didn't like it. If she'd had the opportunity, she would have killed him and be done with it, but she knew that there was much more coming for Finn and she didn't want to get in the way of that.
A phantom pain stung in her chest, where she had been stabbed with the iron knife. However, before she was given any more time to ponder on this, there was a knock on the door. "Yes?" Blair called out, not expecting anyone this late at night.
"It's me," Elijah said through the door.
"Come in," Blair said as she tucked away her notes. She didn't want anyone to see them until they were finished.
Opening the door, Elijah stepped through, closing it behind him.
"I take it your turn with Finn is over?" Blair questioned as stayed on her bed. She never would have guessed by how impeccably dressed and put together he was, but she could hear Finn shout out Klaus' name so she safely assumed.
Elijah nodded his head, "Yes, Niklaus is now with him,"
Blair smirked, "Good," She knew that the Hybrid would not show any mercy to his sibling after everything that had been done. Now that Hope was being threatened, Finn stood no chance against Klaus' anger. It wouldn't be long before Hayley would want in on this action against Finn and Esther.
"Did you learn anything going through his mind?" Elijah asked curiously. One thing he had asked for the Fae to do was to check for any mental manipulation from Esther. A small part of him hoped that this was the case.
Blair shook her head, "There was none," All of Finn's actions had been his own and there was no manipulation from their mother needed. Finn truly hated being a Vampire and resented his family for everything that had happened.
Elijah exhaled in disappointment, "I had thought as much,"
"What does Klaus plan on doing with him?" Blair asked.
"He will be put back in the coffin," Elijah replied with a blank expression.
Blair snorted, "Good riddance," To a certain extent, she could say that she actually liked the Mikaelson family, but she was not a fan of Finn.
Elijah smiled in amusement before he sighed, "I would like to apologise for my family. They are a lot, that I know," Not many people could survive meeting his family, Marcel being one of the very few, and even he ended up perishing in the end.
"They're not the worst family I have met," Blair grinned slightly.
"Oh?" Elijah arched a brow.
"Oh yeah," Blair said, "You guys aren't the first family I have seen try to kill one another. Though this is the first family I have met where someone like Klaus and Kol exist." They were both ruthless in their attacks. From observing Kol have a go at Finn, she realised that the youngest male really did take after Klaus.
Elijah's eyes flickered with mirth.
"But," Blair's expression turned serious for a moment, "I have also never met a family so loyal to one another. Despite wanting to kill each other every two seconds, you guys come together when push comes to shove. That's why I know what Finn has done is serious," She had heard of the vow they had made multiple times and she actually found it endearing. Despite everything Klaus had done to his family, they always came back and supported him when needed. It had also made her wish she'd had that.
"Blair," Elijah muttered softly.
Looking at him directly in the eyes, Blair smiled softly. "I don't regret meeting you – any of you. If it weren't for all of you, I still would be running away from the Hunter – or dead. Yes, it has been a wild ride, but it is one that I do not regret at all,"
Speechless, Elijah stared at her, unable to think of anything to say. The softness in her face, the delicate quality of her voice called to him. He could hear her heart rate speed up slightly, just as it had when he first entered the room. He had been feeling this pulling sensation when he was around her and he when he was away, he often longed to be near her once more. It was at that moment that Elijah had decided that he'd had enough waiting. He couldn't wait anymore.
Blair was going through something similar. There was a warm feeling in her chest and she was pretty sure she was blushing. Mentally, Blair cursed herself. She should have stayed quiet because now, Elijah was staring at her with those dark smouldering eyes that made her inwardly swoon. Swallowing thickly, Blair stared at him, her eyes dropping to his lips and that urge was back once more – the urge to taste him. For a while, she had wondered what type of kisser he would be and only in her dreams could she play out the different scenarios.
Like the predator he was, Elijah gracefully stalked closer to the Fae, seemingly under a spell he didn't want to be free from. Kneeling onto the bed, Elijah tenderly placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb stroking the soft skin.
"Tell me you don't want this and I will stop," He whispered lowly.
"Don't you dare," Blair muttered back with dropped eyes. If he even thought about leaving now, she would kill him.
Leaning his body forward, Elijah dropped his head and kissed her. Blair nearly gasped at the contact, not expecting her body to tingle. As dramatic as it seemed, Blair felt her soul sing in relief that they finally took that step. Without hesitation, she wrapped her around her his neck, her hand resting at the nape of his neck. Moving her head to the side, Blair returned the kiss and things seemed to escalate from there.
What had started off as an innocent kiss soon turned passionate. Elijah couldn't get enough of her. She tasted divine. He'd had many loves in the past, but none compared to this moment. Like a man starved for water, Elijah felt his body heat up and he needed more. He needed to kiss her more, feel more of her. The hand holding onto her face soon moved behind her, bringing her even closer than before.
It was when Elijah started to notice Blair's heavy breathing that he reluctantly pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers, his own breathing slightly shallow. The sight before him was so divine that he needed to savour it and burn it into his mind. Blair's eyes were blown open, her cheeks heavily flushed and her lips slightly bruised. Male pride hit him when he realised, he had been the one to make her react in such a way.
Kissing her forehead, Elijah smiled, "I have been waiting to do that for a long time,"
Staring up at him, Blair stared at him with a dazed expression. In all her fantasies about him, she could never imagine how great of a kisser he truly was. Instead of saying anything, Blair brought his head back down and kissed him this time, unable to resist the urge. Elijah instantly responded, carefully manoeuvring them so they were laying down in the bed instead.
To say it was a while before Elijah walked out was an understatement.