Their Anonymous Guardian Angel

Chapter 22 : The Ritual

Third Person POV-

Caroline stood in the middle of the woods, the moonlight highlighting her figure as she held onto the wooden box that contained ingredients for the spell to be cast on Hope. Enzo stood slightly behind her while the Mikaelson family and Hayley gathered opposite them. Freya and Bonnie prepared the salt circle and spread candles while trusted vampires were stationed around the area in the woods. Marcel and Klaus agreed to a small amount of guards to keep it inconspicuous and not to raise suspicions while the princess of New Orleans would be at her most vulnerable and the family distracted.

They were all anxious as to which spell she would be asking for, the young woman wanting to surprise everyone at the last minute, or possibly give her time to change her mind. The choices were between staying mortal, becoming an Original Hybrid like her father by using doppelgänger blood, vervain powder, and white oak ash or choosing immortality from Qetsiyah's spell that only a Bennett witch could cast.

The two witches had discussed logistics around the spells, helping each other prepare and gather strength for whichever option was chosen. They agreed that Freya would cast the spell for Hope to become an Original because of the family's paranoia of the spell being in the wrong hands and the link between the spell being cast by a Mikaelson witch first, same as why Bonnie would cast her descendants if chosen.

Even though Caroline had been in New Orleans for a few weeks, she still had yet to interact with most of the siblings. Enzo joined the girls after a few days of their arrival, busy clearing up and sorting out their previous home. She, Kol, Bonnie, and Enzo were busy getting reacquainted with each other during the nights and Klaus finally persuaded Caroline to let him give her the tour of his city during the day, catching up on each other lives more whilst subtly flirting with each other.

Even though Caroline had come to settle down and give Klaus a chance to be her last love, she didn't want to rush into a relationship so soon. She wanted to focus on Hope, making sure she liked her first before stepping on any toes while being with her father. She also wanted to make more of an effort to get to know his family too. The first time she had a meal with them, well at least no one died. Uncomfortable, she would describe it as she thought back to that night.

Hope contemplated for weeks about her decision, which choice she would or wouldn't make. All she knew was that she was taking the opportunity to become immortal in some way. She asked her mother if she wanted Klaus to turn her into a hybrid and use the last doppelganger blood so she could become an immortal. Hayley refused her offer, thanking her of thinking of her mother's life first, but she wanted to move on eventually and be with Jackson, the love of her life. Hayley made sure Hope knew she would always look after her from the Other Side with Jackson when it was her time to go, and that she will always be with her.

Hope knew her mother would refuse to become a hybrid, and understood her reasons, but was still a little bit hurt at her decision. She still wanted to make sure before she used it. She told her family that if she was to become an Original, she wanted to control her bloodlust and not trigger her wolf until she was ready. That when the time came to trigger her wolf, it was to be a convicted criminal and not an innocent person.

She wanted to become an Original Hybrid, just like her father.

It was soon time for the spell to be cast, and Hope announced the decision she made and Caroline handed over the blood to Freya from the wooden box while she walked into the centre of the circle next to her father, him looking down on her with pride.

Freya mixed the vervain powder, doppelganger blood, and the white oak ashes into a chalice and drew the power from the full moon to cast the spell from Esther's grimoire that the Mikaelson's kept under lock and key. She gave the mixture to Hope who drank the fluid, trying not to gag on the metallic and weird taste of the ashes. Her aunt placed a bit of red wine inside after the spell to take away as much of the foul taste, but it was no use.

Freya turned around to walk towards the altar and before anyone could say another word she flicked her wrist and with a snap, Hope fell towards the floor. Klaus caught her before she hit the floor, shocked at seeing his daughter dead, even if it was only temporary and he thanked Caroline and Bonnie for their help and support before flashing Hope back to their home, placing her in her bedroom with a glass of blood at the ready for the transition. He sat in the chair in the corner of the room waiting for her to wake up, even if he knew it would take an hour or two.

A weight lifted from his chest at the knowledge of his daughter never dying a human death, but the sight in front of him still shook him to his core.