Havoc ━━ The Originals

xvi. the witch mother

-

"Hey." Cullen calls, entering Klaus' bedroom. "Hayley just called me. She said that Oliver told her that your mother has a partner-in-crime... another witch."

"Building alliances in her quest to destroy us, I imagine." Klaus exclaims.

"Why does she hate you so much, Klaus?" Cullen questions. "She had six kids-- it's not like she doesn't have the maternal gene."

"Seven, actually." Klaus corrects. "And, I think at one time, she loved us very much. One died before I was born."

Cullen sighs. "I didn't know that."

Klaus nods. "Years later, my brother Henrik was killed by the werewolves in our village. The loss of another child pushed my mother over the edge. So, she used her magic to turn us into immortals. I think that's when she loved us the most. But, it was her undoing. It triggered a sequence of events that led to the reveal of her long-held secret. My birth father was the werewolf whose pack killed my little brother. Of course, when Mikael found out, he murdered my real father, and so, my mother lost her lover, too."

"Wow." Cullen mutters, eyebrows raised. "No wonder she's crazy. I'm out of my mind having just given away Hope... I can't imagine if she'd actually died."

"You know, my siblings used to tell each other she didn't hate us-- she hated herself for what we've become. I think they believed that even after she tried to kill us all." Klaus states.

There's a moment of silence before Cullen speaks again. "What did you believe?"

"I don't know." Klaus mutters. "I just knew I wanted her dead."

"Well." Cullen begins, a smirk on her face. "Every good story needs a wicked witch. It'll be all the more satisfying when we melt her."

-

After her conversation with Klaus, Elijah had called her, informing her that a witch named Lenore would be helping her. He told that she lived across the river, near Marcel and that she would be expecting her. With those vague directions she was left with, she had to call Marcel to get the woman's address.

Cullen bids the two Mikaelson brothers goodbye and good luck before she speeds across town, entering Lenore's shop. "Hello." Cullen calls out.

"You must be Cullen, the heretic." A dark skinned woman enters from the backroom.

Cullen nods, walking towards her. "For tonight, the witch."

"Let's get started shall we." Lenore exclaims, gesturing to the backroom. Cullen is hesitant for a moment before she follows the woman. The low lit room holding the ambiance that would be expected for witches. "So." Lenore begins as they start to set up. "What's your business in this? You're not a Mikaelson."

Cullen shrugs. "I sort of am... in spirit."

Lenore stops for a minute, looking over the younger woman. "The witch mother?"

"In the flesh." Cullen quips.

"For what it's worth." Lenore continues. "I'm sorry. No one should ever have to lose a child."

At the mention of her child, Cullen tenses slightly. "No. No one should."

"Are you ready?" Lenore questions once they finish preparing. As Cullen's nod the two woman join hands, beginning to chant. "Aux sa ah ça le vous de le vous l'inspir non do set. Aux sa ah ça le vous de le vous l'inspir non do set. Aux sa ah ça le vous de le vous l'inspir non do set." Cullen can feel the spell working, just as they finish Lenore releases Cullen's hands, grabbing ahold of the table in front of her.