𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 ⎯⎯ 𝘯.𝘮²

XLIV. TORN

"Well, Niklaus, if anything indeed has killed the," Elijah began, making air quotes with his fingers, "'buzz', as you say, perhaps it was because murdering Father alienated the one person who truly knows how to defeat Dahlia!" the older Mikaelson retorted in annoyance as Klaus turned back to face his siblings. "If Freya wants to be part of this family, she should be willing to accept us, warts and all!" Klaus replied, somewhat sarcastically.

Rebekah rolled her eyes as she looked towards her older brother, "Elijah's right. Freya loved Mikael, and you've likely ruined everything," the witch scolded him. Klaus rolled his eyes petulantly, "pity. Whatever shall I do?" he remarked sarcastically causing Elijah to narrow his eyes at him in agitation. "Whatever you please, apparently!" the older brother retorted in aggravation.

Klaus glared back at him, slamming his hand angrily against the table, "do not mistake my high spirits for lack of clarity! I know full well the threat we face. And, I intend to deal with it...personally," the hybrid stated, looking between his brother and sister sternly. Elijah sighed, giving him an annoyed and skeptical look, but their conversation is interrupted by the sound of high heels clacking loudly against the stone floor outside.

"Someone's here," Klaus announced, unnerved and immediately suspicious at the sound of the noise. Standing from his seat, Klaus rushed into the courtyard as Elijah and Rebekah follow quickly behind him. Upon entering, they find Josephine, who was wearing a conspicuously placed velvet choker around her neck to hide the wounds on her throat that she sustained from Dahlia the previous day.

"Josephine?" Elijah called in confusion as the three siblings approached her. The older witch smiled at him politely, "forgive me for calling so early, Elijah, but I've come bearing a message from your aunt Dahlia," Josephine told him causing the older Mikaelson to look back at her in shock, "she is owed a debt, and she means to be paid."

Klaus smiled at the witch weakly, "she can writhe in hell first," the hybrid remarked causing Josephine's attention to turn towards him. "For merely taking what your mother promised her?" the witch asked causing Klaus' fake smile to fall from his face, "if you must harbor hatred, isn't it better spent on the one who traded your child away a thousand years ago? Blame Esther, if you must, but I seek only to fulfill a bargain. A bargain that, consequently resulted in your very existence. Perhaps you should be thanking me?"

Elijah, Klaus and Rebekah all began to scowl and glare at her as the older of the three siblings stepped towards her, staring at her intently. "Dahlia," Elijah concluded causing the older witch to grin. "My child, I prefer Aunt Dahlia," Dahlia remarked with a smirk. Klaus took a deep breath, walking towards her threateningly until they were face-to-face, "you dare enter my home?" the hybrid snarled viciously.

Dahlia sighed boredly, "I only came for what is mine," the witch remarked and as she spoke, the spell that reanimated Josephine's body began to weaken as her throat began to bleed profusely from underneath her choker. "The time has come to add the child's power to my own. I only need one, though, I do not detect her here," Dahlia continued, a far off look on her face as the Mikaelson siblings all glared at her menacingly.

"I see you've used a spell to cloak her. No matter. Such spells will yield, as will you. Say your farewells. You have til' nightfall tomorrow, and then the child shall be mine," Dahlia informed them, smirking slightly at her niece and nephews, "be a dear and inform the mother? No reason we can't be civilised about this."

Klaus smirked back at the witch, sending a look to Elijah before completely losing his temper and karate-chopping her in the neck, decapitating her and sending her head flying across the courtyard. Both Rebekah and Elijah looked horrified about what they'd just heard, but Klaus simply smiled, looking down at Josephine's lifeless body on the floor.