Eternal ➳ N. Mikaelson [COMPLETED]

➳ 64: a walk on the wild side

ELIJAH was in the middle of working out at the new gym Marcel had set up at St. Anne's church. He was vigorously punching and kicking a punching bag. After a moment, he grew so heated in his exercise that he punched the bag clear across the room, where it knocked over a bench press and hand-weights.

"Still angry I presume." Ingrid commented in a dull voice as she stood before him.

Rolling his dark brown eyes, Elijah pulled out a towel and used it to blot the sweat from his face. "What do you want, Ingrid?"

She licked her lips with an amused chuckle before holding up two black cards. "It would appear that our presence has been requested." She explained and read the back of Elijah's invitation aloud. "I do hope that you can come, old chum. Signed, Tristan." She waved the he invitation in the air and he walked over to pluck the invite out of her hands to read it for himself.

"Our?" He questioned in curiosity, looking up at her from the corner of his eye.

"Ah..." Ingrid drew out slowly and held a finger up. "It would please me to see you there, my love. Eternally yours, Tristan." She read in disgust and groaned, glancing at her brother-in-law again. "He has requested that I wear emerald green. That it will "compliment the fairness of my skin and the gold in my eyes."" She read Tristan's writing with narrowed eyes.

Elijah laughed to himself and smacked the invitation lightly against his hand. "What does Niklaus have to say about that?"

"Oh... he's said plenty." She replied with a pointed look on her face and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Am I to assume he's forbidden you from attending?" Elijah asked with a snarky tone, sitting down on one of the benches.

"Not in the slightest. In fact, he encouraged it." Ingrid answered honestly, debating on letting him on her plans with Marcel. "It looks like you and I are going to have to stop fighting for a night because we're going to a gala." She said with a wide, amused smile as Elijah looked displeased and full of dread.

The Strix party was in full swing, complete with formally-dressed members wearing masquerade masks and burlesque dancers dressed in the style of the flappers from the 1920s. There were humans in attendance as well, most of whom were being fed on by the various members of The Strix. Aya, dressed in a silver gown, noticed Marcel entering the ballroom and put on her mask as she made her way over to greet him. "Marcel! Welcome."

Marcel smiled warmly at Aya and removed his own mask so he could see her properly. Aya smiled and lowered her mask as well. "I admire your confidence. Please, allow me to make some introductions."

Marcel politely held out his arm, which she gladly took before leading him where the guests were mingling as they watched the nearby dancers. Caterers wearing white masks passed around flutes of champagne and the two past by a table where two female vampires were feeding on a blonde human woman, whom Marcel seemed to recognize. "Is that...?" He asked in surprise.

"One of our more famous faces. We count amongst our society celebrated actors, artists, politicians... Of course, most of us prefer to live a life outside of the public eye. That doesn't make our talents any less impressive." Aya explained with a smile, staring up at him as they continued to walk around the ballroom.