𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐃 ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉᵈ

One; Hope

𝑀𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝐹𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠 980

"Elijah, follow me or you might get lost!"

Twelve year old Finn warned his nine year old brother Elijah. He nodded with excitement however, he would rather be with his younger brother; three year old Niklaus.

Three year old Niklaus was a ray of sunshine to their family but their mother knew it won't last forever. One way or another, Mikael was going to find out about her affair with Ansel.

However, no one was aware her secret and they were happy. Genuinely happy, that kind of happiness was something rare to see in their family thanks to Mikael's rage.

Niklaus was changing Mikael in positive ways and that was why Esther was so scared; what if Mikael learns? Will that heartless man take over him again? Esther was usually thinking about the times she had fallen in love with him.

After their little Freya's death, at least that was what Mikael had been told, he was not the same man she had fallen in love at his hometown. He was not the same man she would willingly die for.

That was something Niklaus had brought back, the man Esther had fallen for, the man Esther had turned her back to her sister for. Their family was finally happy and sane once again.

Elijah stopped walking as he heard a crying. It was a baby, baby who was crying. He frowned and looked at his brother who was also frowning.

Finn mimicked him to follow him and Elijah nodded. Two brothers started to follow the voice, fragile little crying led them to something will change their lives.

There it was, a little baby crying with her muddy blanket and teary eyes. Was she hungry? Maybe, Finn did not know what to do or how to act when it came to babies. He did not like interacting with them.

Yet, when Elijah walked to baby and hold her in his arms, Finn felt fear of Elijah accidentally dropping the little baby. Elijah looked at his brother and smiled, Finn smiled at him too. Elijah handed the baby to Finn and Finn looked at the baby with unreadable expression.

"We cannot leave the baby here"

"I know, we will take her to mother"

Elijah nodded and they walked back to their little hut. It has been few years since they moved to these lands and it was still confusing little Elijah how huge these trees were.

As they walked into their hut, Finn's eyes were looking for their mother. When he could not see her, he yelled for her.

"Mother!"

Esther walked to them quickly, she was coming from the room Niklaus was sleeping soundly. She frowned and took the baby from Finn's arms gently.

"Who's baby is this?"

"We do not know mother, we found her in the woods"

Esther sighed and nodded, this little baby was crying non-stop. Esther could tell she was hungry, she also needed a bath with new clean clothes. She made her way to their room and garbed some of the Niklaus' old clothes, once he was wearing when he was not even a year old.

"Mother, is the baby alright?"

Esther smiled to her little Elijah and nodded lovingly. She placed a little kiss to her forehead and sent him outside to play with his older brother.

Little baby had little scratches under the dirt she was covered by. Esther healed them and baby was not crying anymore. She warmed some milk for her and fed her like a mother.

"You need a name, do not you?"

Esther smiled to the little thing, she smiled her back. She wanted to keep the baby, to grieve her taken away daughter. She embraced the little baby and looked at her with hope.