Enigmatic Distances: A Klaus Mikaelson Story {6}

Chapter 31: Our Picturesque Life

"Is she asleep?" Nik asked as I came to join him on the balcony. "She was quiet when we came home."

"Her mother didn't raise a fool, Nik. You tried to sell her on paint and she wasn't buying." I told him.

"When I think about the horror she must have witnessed when she saw Marcel kill those men—"

"She didn't see anything." I interrupted. "He swept her away before she even understood what was going on. He told her to close her eyes and sing. Now where have I heard that before?" I asked with a smirk.

"She called him her friend. Her brother." He commented, making the two of us smile.

"We just keep getting closer and closer to our picturesque life." I added as I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Yes, we should invite The Hollow round for tea some time." He said with a chuckle.

"I would but I think the blue light would clash with table setting."

~Klaus POV~

"If you came here to fight, it ain't gonna end well for you." Marcel said as soon as he felt Klaus' presence.

"I didn't come to fight." Klaus assured him before breaking into a slight smile. "You told her to close her eyes and to sing. I used to say that to you, when you were young."

"Yeah well she's a better listener than I was." Marcel replied as he stalked towards his sire. "You didn't tell her about our history."

"You're right. How dare I not tell my daughter the story of the boy I once loved as a son?" Klaus said sarcastically.

"That is now the man you hate enough to keep trapped in your basement."

"But the thing is, we aren't men, Marcellus." The hybrid countered as he stood face to face with Marcel. "We're monsters. And I intend to protect my daughter from that truth for as long as I can."

"I knew you were a monster from the moment I met you." Marcel told him. "I may not have known you were a vampire, but I knew you."

"The Hollow wants us dead." Klaus said as he stepped away from him. "And it will tear through anyone, it doesn't matter who. Elijah, Hayley, Grace. Even Fiore is on the chopping block this time. I won't let it take them. And I won't let it take you. The only chance we have to survive is if we work together."

~Freya POV~

Freya walked through the Quarter on her own, holding onto her arms to keep her as warm as possible when she heard Keelin's voice.

"Freya?" She stooped in her tracks and took a deep breath before turning to face her. "I assume your family's alright. I don't usually expect a thank you when I save lives but getting kicked out of your house sucked."

"There wasn't time."
"To be a decent person?"

"I'm not a decent person, Keelin, you have to know that by now." Freya told her. "I am ruthless and callous and vicious when it comes to saving my family and that's just who I am. You know, I didn't care before—it doesn't matter. Were done here."

"Excuse me?"

"I got distracted today, I was worried about you and I made a mistake that could've lost lives and that can't happen again." Freya elaborated, watching the ground and hoping it would swallow her whole. "There's no reason for us to see each other anymore. Stay in New Orleans. My family will keep an eye on you."

"To keep me alive?"
"Yeah."

"If that's what you want fine." She snapped. "But you should know that when I saw you lying there today, I was terrified. And all I could think was how I wish I told you the truth. You are the reason I wanted to stay in New Orleans, Freya. You make me feel understood. Known. And there's always gonna be a spell to do or an enemy to fight but when that is all finished you deserve someone who gets you. I hope you find it."

Keelin began to walk away from her and Freya too went in the opposite direction.

"You're not seriously going to walk away from her, are you?" Freya paused and saw Lara standing against a shop frame.

"Lara?"

"In the flesh." She said with her trademarked smirk. "Well not really. But in the corporeal form doesn't have the same ring to it."

"How?"

"I got a favour from your nephew." She told her. "But there's no time to explain. You deserve happiness, Freya. And you can be happy with Keelin. You can't just turn your back on her because it didn't work out for you the first couple times. You need to learn how to live. Be happy."
She gasped and Lara had disappeared and she was back listening to Keelin.

"I hope you find it."

Keelin walked away and Freya took a deep breath before mustering up the courage she had left in her to follow through.

"Keelin!"

She walked back to her and turned her around before giving her a long kiss. She broke away and Keelin looked back at her in shock before pressing her lips to hers once more.

~Fiore POV~

I went into Grace's room to check on her and saw her sound asleep with the light still on. I smiled as I noticed a baby picture of Hayley and her father had been set up. I turned off the light but in my doing so, I woke her up.

"Mommy. Do you mind sleeping with me tonight? I feel kinda weird." She told me.

"Sure baby." I said as I clambered into bed with her. "I feel kinda weird too."

I wrapped my arms around her and made sure we were both comfortable before falling into a strange sleep.

~Sofya POV~

Sofya sprung up as the cursed blade was pulled out of her chest. She turned around at the sight of a blue light encompassing the room and felt her chest start to thump at the sound of the chilling voice.

"Do you know who I am?" It asked her. "The Ancestors have returned. Even now, their power seeks me out. They would try and bring me back, into the darkness. But I won't let them. You will give me a safe place to hide."

The Hollow touched her faced and like that she was consumed by it, trapped as a passenger inside her own body.