Chapter 13
Elijah POV
I sat on the couch barely listening to bekah and Niklaus bicker about where to start.
My ear was turned to the sound of the three heartbeats coming from my side.
I couldn't believe this was happening. I started the week with Katerina in Athens and now I'm here in New Orleans with my wife, for all intents and purposes, and my 2 unborn children.
Katerina
I sighed internally.
That was a whole other storm I would have to weather and not a clue as to how. I'd been in love with Katerina for 500yrs. But Caroline…Caroline had always been my heart and soul. And now that she was back? I couldn't let her go again.
"Bekah, do shut up. I have a dagger with your name on it and I haven't daggered anyone in such a long time," Niklaus said, faux sadness in his voice.
Rebekah glared at him.
"Um, dagger?" Caroline asked, confused.
"I'll fill you in on all the gossip later, Care," Bekah promised her.
"Great, now that that's out of the way, I have a call to make to Ms. Devereaux," Niklaus said, pulling out his phone.
I had no idea who this Devereaux was.
"Sophie, love, how about we have a meeting at our house. I believe we have a deal to make. You know where I live," he said, hanging up.
"Mind filling me in now, Niklaus, while we wait for this Sophie?" I asked, impatient.
Niklaus then went on to explain to witches kidnapping of Caroline, their linking spell and the deal they wished to make. Safe to say I was furious.
"These witches dare to threaten my wife? My children?" I asked, deathly quiet.
"Come now, 'lijah, you know we would never let anything hurt them," Rebekah said quietly.
I took a deep breath and realized I had squeezed my hand around Caroline when she flinched. I quickly removed my hand.
She rushed to reassure me. "It's okay, you just pushed a little on my scar and while it's healed from the majority of the damage it's still sensitive," she explained, lifting her shirt to show me the scar where Mikael had driven his dagger through her stomach.
I reached out and gently touched the scar.
"I thought this is what killed you. I looked everywhere for you and when I couldn't find you, I was convinced that Mikael had killed you and the wolves finished the job," I whispered.
Suddenly, my mind went back to the day we awoke and my search for Caroline.
After mother brought us inside, she explained all the ins and outs, the side effects, of the spell she performed. We couldn't walk in daylight without protection in the form of a spelled ring we all now wore. We couldn't enter a house without permission. We could never die, except by the wood of the great oak tree she had tied the spell to. Safe to say we immediately burnt that tree to the ground.
We walked out of our home, trying to absorb the information we'd just received.
"Well, what do we do now?" Bekah asked.
"I don't know. But what I do know is that now with all of our senses heightened and our speed, im going to look for Caroline," I said, walking off towards the woods.
"We're coming with you," Nik said, the others nodding and following behind.
We all ran through the woods, calling out for Caroline. We had nothing to fear any longer. We were the most dangerous thing in the woods now.
Moments later, I heard a shout.
"Elijah! Over here! I think-I think I found something," I heard Kol stutter out.
We all ran and met up where Kol was now standing. We all gasped. We could all smell it. Blood. And a lot of it. It carried a familiar undertone, though I'd never smelt it in this new body. Strawberries. Caroline.
I collapsed to the ground beside the log.
"This doesn't mean anything. She was injured. That's all. That's all this is," I muttered. I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince myself or them.
"Elijah," Finn said quietly.
I looked up to where he was standing a few feet away. I stood and walked to him.
He pointed down.
Wolf prints.
I kneeled on the ground and grabbed my hair.
The scream I let out was inhuman.
My siblings surrounded me on the ground, each providing a comfort they knew I couldn't even begin to accept.
"She…she was to by my wife. We were going to have," I stopped, another screaming tearing from my throat.
Not only had I lost my wife, but my unborn child as well.
I collapsed into sobs.
"Maybe, maybe it's not what it seems," Rebekah tried, speaking through her own tears.
Nik, who I had idly noticed was not in as bad of a state as I was but was fairly close, wiped his nose and spoke through his own sorrow.
"Bekah, with her injuries….if a wolf attacked, she wouldn't have been able to fight it off. I saw their strength and viciousness first hand," he said, sniffling.
I stood amidst the silence of my siblings.
"We must go. Pack what you must, we leave in an hour," I said.
Kol reached out and touched my shoulder. "Elijah," he started.
"No," I choked. "I can't, Kol," I said.
He nodded and with one last look at the scene before us, my siblings left.
I stared at the ground, reaching to touch it, touch the last connection I had to Caroline and our child.
"Goodbye, my Wildflower. I will love you till the end of days and beyond," I whispered. I wiped at the last of my tears and turned to follow my siblings.
I didn't realize I had tears on my face until Caroline reached out to wipe it away. I looked up at her. She didn't know that almost every year for the last thousand years, I would travel to Mystic Falls, to that spot in the woods, and leave 2 Wildflowers on the log that was still there. One for her and one for our child.
The doorbell ringing interrupted anything else we might have said and Niklaus got up to go and retrieve our guests.
"Elijah, don't forget the two are linked. So keep your hands to yourself," Bekah warned.
I gave her a look. "I'm not our brother, Bekah. I do have a modicum of patience and the wherewithal not to do something stupid," I said.
"I heard that," Niklaus said walking back into the room.
"Yes, that was the point, Niklaus," I said, adjusting my tie.
Behind him walked three women. One was around bekah and Caroline's age, dressed as girls their ages dressed in this day and age. The other was an older women with curly dark gray hair, with a look on her face as if she'd rather be anywhere else. The third walked in with a warm smile on her face, only brightening further when she laid eyes upon Caroline.
Caroline jumped up. "Mama Bess!" she squealed, running to hug the woman.
The women was taller than Caroline, plump but not overly so, with long gray hair to her waist, twisted into dreads. Her caramel skin shined and her gorgeous green eyes held nothing but warmth for my Caroline.
(photo of Mama Bess on my profile)
"Oh, mon petite maman, it is so good to see you again," she said, holding her at arms length.
Caroline rolled her eyes. "It's only been a day Miss Bess," she laughed.
Miss Bess scoffed. "and a day too long since I didn't get my story! You know I like my stories, Miss Caroline," she chided jokingly.
Caroline laughed.
Miss Bess touched her stomach.
"Now, how are my petite sorcières? Not giving you too much trouble I hope?" she asked.
Before Caroline could answer, I stood up and moved closer, speaking as I walked.
"Sorcières? How do you know," I asked skeptical
She gave me a look. "I'm a witch, Mr. Mikaelson. I can feel it," she said.
"What am I missing?" Caroline asked, growing increasingly frustrated.
"She called the babies little witches ," Rebekah murmured.
She turned to look back at me then turned to Bess.
"Don't fear, child. All is well with your babies. They will be treated with nothing but love like the little prince and princess Mikaelson they are," she said, Lovingly.
Caroline gasped. I stood stock still.
"Prince and Princess?" Caroline whispered, tears in her eyes.
If possible, Miss Bess softened even more before grabbing Caroline hands.
"Yes, Cher. You are having a boy and a girl," she said, smilingly at the smile spreading across carolines face.
Caroline's squeal was mirrored by Rebekahs squeal as the girls embraced. Niklaus walked over and placed one hand on my shoulder.
"Congratulations, brother. A son and a daughter. You deserve it," he whispered the last part sincerely.
We may have had our differences over the years, but despite all that I knew he truly was happy for me. Arguments came and went but family, family was always and forever.
Caroline POV
A son and a daughter. I couldn't believe it.
After celebrating with Bekah, I turned and hugged Mama Bess.
Nik cleared his throat which was the reminder I needed that we were not alone in the room and had more important matters to discuss. I snuck a glance at Sophie who looked bored and Agnus who just looked disgusted.
"Come, let's sit and discuss the terms of the deal," Nik said, gesturing for all to sit. The witches sat at a small Café table near the window while Nik and Bekah took seats infront of the fireplace. I sat with Elijah on the couch we were previously on. Mama Bess surprised us all when she sat beside me instead of going towards Sophie and Agnus.
"Bess," Agnus started.
"Don't 'Bess' me, Agnus. I told the lot of you that you were stupid for causing all of this. The linking spell? Blackmailing the Mikaelsons ? You must all be hell bent on meeting your grave early. So no, don't start with me. I was quite clear from the start that I'm here for one reason and one reason only and that's to make sure this child and her children make it out of this safe and unharmed," Bess said.
Tears gathered in my eyes as I grabbed her hand amd gave it a squeeze. She patted it with hers.
Agnus scoffed.
Bess glared. " Safe and unharmed , Agnus. By any means necessary ," she said, dangerously.
Nik laughed.
"I quite like this woman, Caroline. Wherever did you find her?" he asked, eyes lit up with laughter
"She saved me when I first traveled here. Clothed me, explained things to me, fed me. I owe her a lot," I said, tearing up again .
"You and those hormones, maman," she laughed lightly, squeezing my hand gently back.
"Look, can we get on with this? My shift at Rousseaus starts in an hour," Sophie asked, patience completely gone.
"Certainly," Elijah said, sitting up straighter and adjusting his tie and cuffs. Damn the man knew how to wear a suit. Down girl, I growled at myself.
"State your terms, Miss Devereaux," he said.
"It's simple. I will unlink myself and Caroline as soon as you help us witches dethrone the adopted son and free us from his dictatorship over the witches," she said.
"Oh is that all?" Rebekah said sarcastically.
"What makes you think I'd help you kill the person who is essentially my son, as you so eloquently stated?" Nik asked.
"Whoa, son? When did I become an Auntie?" I asked, taken aback.
Nik laughed. "I'll explain later. Short version: I saved a young slave boy in the 1830's. Raised him. And eventually, at his request, changed him," he said.
I let that sink in.
"Wait a minute, you're using me to blackmail him into killing his son ? Are you that fucking stupid?" I blurted out.
Sophie didn't bother responding just sent me a dirty look before digging her nails into the palm of her hand.
I yelped, shouting, "Hey!" as my own palm started to bleed.
Bess quickly grabbed my hand, murmuring what I assumed was a healing spell since the tiny Crescent marks closed immediately.
"Warning number 1, Soph," mama bess said, darkly.
Elijah stood. One hand in his pocket he ended his coat with the other before putting it in his other pocket as he walked to lean against the wall next to Sophie.
"Miss Devereaux, im to understand that you won't make this deal unless it's with me, correct?" he asked.
Sophie nodded. "I don't trust your brother and you're known to be a man of your word," she stated.
Elijah looked down and nodded absently. He looked up through his lashes at Sophie.
"Once I give my word, I keep it. So hear me when I say this: if you ever harm Caroline again in any way, shape or form, I will make what Marcellus did to your kind look like childs play. Do I make myself clear?" he said lowly, with a calm that aimed to terrify.
It worked.
Sophie gulped and nodded "Cry-crystal," she stuttered.
"Don't test me Miss Devereaux. They may call me the Noble one but I can get just as bloody as the rest of them," he warned, patting her on the shoulder before walking back over to me on the couch. He grabbed the hand that was now healed, laying a kiss to the palm before releasing it and turning back to the witches, who didn't seem so confident anymore.
"So, here is the deal I will agree to," Elijah started.
"Myself and my siblings will help you get out from under Marcellus's thumb. In return, once he is dethroned, you will remove this linking spell between you and my wife immediately," he said.
Wife . Hearing him keep calling me his wife was taking some adjusting. It startled me every time.
"Deal," Sophie said immediately, probably hoping he wouldn't add anything else. Elijah reached out and shook hands with Sophie, sealing the deal.
Nik clapped his hands with a false cheeriness on his face.
"Perfect. Now please, get out," he smiled.
The witches all rushed to leave as quickly as possible not wanting to linger in the presence of the Original family.
Mama Bess lingered.
"You're being treated well, child, yes?" she asked.
I smiled. "You have nothing to worry about Bess, they are my family," I said.
"Yes, well, since you showed up out of no where crying on my doorstep I've become rather fond of you, girl. So if you ever need to get away you know where to find me," she said.
I hugged her and thanked her.
She turned to Elijah.
"You take care of our girl here. I don't care if you are an original and can't be killed I'll still kick your ass," she warned.
Elijah laughed softly. "Understood, ma'am," he said.
She nodded, gave me a kiss on the cheek and left.
We were all silent for a bit.
"So what now?" Bekah asked.
I took a deep breath.
"Now….now we sit down and you tell me all about Katerina Petrova," I said quietly.
I felt Elijah stiffen next to me.
This was going to be interesting