"Good morning class," Davina walked into the room with her head held high, the heels of her boots clicked heavily, she flicked her wrist so the drapes opened as she walked down the aisle of desks. "It appears Professor Kalaiselvan will not be in today to teach Divination Arts so, because my seeing skills are rubbish, I was thinking we would go out to have a bit of fun with magic."
"Who are you?" one of the teens spoke and Davina turned to look at the class of confused witches and werewolves.
"I apologize, it has been a bit since I was home to teach a class, I am Davina Claire," she introduced. "Harvest Girl of Fire. Co-Founder of the Skulk, and co-founder of this institution."
"You're..." one of the teens looked awestruck as Davina looked over the kids. A lot of the children who had found the school had run from the foster care system, which was unexpected but then there were many kids sent here by privilege from their Covens, it was a surprising mix. There were other kids too, werewolves, young vampires who didn't know what was happening to them but knew they were trouble and in trouble. There were a few other odd creatures long since believed to be extinct, a banshee had found them, as had a kitsune who had come finding all the fox ties appealing and safe.
"Now, how about some fun?" Davina proposed.
"Can we... do that?" One of the teens asked.
"I don't see why not? Besides, I am the co-founder of this school, if Caroline should be upset she is free to take it up with me," Davina shrugged.
The kids still looked uneasy, so Davina sighed. "How about, before we go to have fun, you guys can ask me anything about anything and I will answer it as honestly as I can so that way we know each other a bit before we disembark for shenanigans and fun?"
That garnered their attentions as kids started shouting at her, Davina flicked her wrist silencing them before pointing to one of the kids with their hands up.
"Is it true you killed Silas?" one of the kids asked.
"Yes," she nodded. "And I faced off with his soul in a prison world and swung a cast iron frying pan at his head."
"What did he look like!?"
"Imhotep, before he ate the Americans," she answered.
There were snickers all around the classroom.
"What was that like?" a different kid asked enthusiastically.
"Cold," she confessed. "I'm from the bayou, so hunting Silas, in February, it was cold."
"No really!?" one of the younger kids asked enthusiastically.
"I guess a good way to look at it was similar to the actual Mummy film, the good ones, not the one with Tom Cruise," she warned. There were more giggles. "Though I must admit Kol is much more my type of hero than Brenden Fraser, though Rick O'Connell is dashing, Kol's more my type."
"So you were Evy?" one of the boys asked.
"Sure," she mused. She and Kol were both big fans of the first two Mummy films and had dressed the part for Halloween one year when they were home; Josh had naturally been Jonathan.
"That's romantic," one of the tweens sighed.
"What else?" Davina pointed to another kid with their hand up.
"Is it true you died?" the kid asked.
"Yes," she answered. "I was killed in the first known successful Harvest Ritual in New Orleans, I was sacrificed as the element of fire for that is the element I connect to readily."
"Was it scary?"
"Death or dying?" Davina asked.
"Both?"
"Death is an inevitability of being alive, to fear it is foolish, but dying, now that was terrifying."
"Is it true you purified the Travelers?" one of the kids asked.
"Yes, and it involved a lot of lightning, I don't recommend doing it," she answered. "Now, as that is all the time I will allow to interrogate me, how about some magic fun?" she asked.
The kids were enthusiastic about it and Davina smiled as she stood up. "Alright, follow me, we're going to go do some active magic practice."
Though the school taught a wide variety of students of all ages, they mostly shuffled kids into categories for what they could be taught. Teaching werewolves and vampires the basics in magic was a wise decision so they could understand what witches could do, just as teaching witches and werewolves about compulsion and dream manipulation was wise to have them understand what vampires could do. There were also many small children here, as a lot of runaways were older siblings who grabbed their younger siblings to come here, so it furthered the need to teach basics to all ages.
"TATIE D!" a voice squealed. Davina smiled as she swooped down to snatch up her baby brother.
"Rémy!" she giggled. "What are you doing out here you little minion?"
He giggled as Davina tickled his stomach, squirming in her arms. Rémy had dark curls and dark eyes, and looked a lot like his mother and Uncle Klaus, but still retained his daddy's smile.
"Rémy! Rémy! Come on this isn't funny," Josh appeared then. Josh was long since in charge of the younger kids at the Institution because he was so good with them. "Davina!"
"How about I have Rémy, and you keep the other hooligans under control?" she proposed to a frazzled looking Josh.
"Oh thank God, where are you going?" he looked at the kids behind her.
"We are going to go practice fun offensive magic in a game of tag," she answered.
"Well, don't destroy the school," Josh shrugged as he gave her a light hug and disappeared to go watch the rest of his toddler charges.
"Tag?"
"Best way to learn offensive magic is to think on your feet, and the best way to burn off werewolf excessive energy and vampire energy is to run, so, we will be playing tag. Person who tags me wins ice cream desert privileges for a week," she called out for incentive.
~~~*~*~*~~~
Kol stood in the study of the Big House where he had called the family and Skulk meeting. For the most part, the Skulk only taught a few classes. Cassie was the advanced potions and chemistry teacher, Abby taught choir and representational magic, Monique taught agriculture and traditional magic. Bonnie had taken to teaching spiritual magic, as well as running her own music class, Kaleb was the math and astrology teacher, Kai was the Siphoner who kept things in check for when kids started overwhelming their magic or doing too big of spells, he was involved in any and all one-on-one lessons for witches. Freya had taken to teaching practical magics for the kids, the youngest groups in their school.
Of course Kol's siblings also taught, Elijah taught history, Finn taught morals and ethics, Sage was the physical education teacher and coach for any sports they played, Klaus would teach art when he wasn't ruling New Orleans, Rebekah culture and literature, Henrik was the main teacher in combat, as well as animal care (because Kol now owned a shit tone of horses and cattle and other livestock and it was a thing now to teach children with his animals). Marcel also taught at the school, focusing in tactics and literature, Hayley had taken to meditation and apparently lead a morning yoga group, Mikael taught combat with Henrik. Caroline ran the school with Vincent so she didn't really teach here. Jo and Keelin were employed medical staff here, and Keelin had taken to teaching biology and anatomy, Jo taught physics and emergency medicine.
Vincent had hired a few witches from the Nine Covens to teach other crafts, the big one being Divination since the Skulk had no Seers in their ranks and weren't inclined to open their ranks up, so he had hired Ivy Kalaizelvan to be the basics in Divination Arts, so the Seers who might come had a teacher.
Kol had summoned his family and Skulk because of the contact the witch had had with Davina. Davina had offered to take over Ivy's class for the morning because they needed a Seer rather than Davina, who's divination skills were about as effective as Kol's which was shite really.
"Kingmaker Land Development Inc. it is rather presumptuous," Nik sneered as he looked at the card Davina had given Kol this morning.
"It's rather clever really," Elijah muttered.
"You've heard of it before?" Kol asked.
"In my research into Triad Industries, there were some overlapping correlations between the two companies, but thing definitive, Kingmaker Land Development Inc. has maintained a low presence until recent years," Elijah answered.
"Recent years?" Rebekah asked nervously.
"Recently there has been a uptick in sales for corporate real estate in areas like Baton Rouge, as well as Lafayette, but there has been none in New Orleans," Elijah answered.
"Davina said a Seer gave her this?" Ivy asked as she fingered the business card.
"Yes," Kol answered. "Does it mean something to you?" he asked warily. Seers had a different forte of powers than most witches, which could be dangerous for people, but it was also not uncommon for Seers to sense different aspects of magic infused in objects from givers.
"No, which is strange," she admitted. "It was clearly a trap, not a very well hidden one though, the powder was meant to poison Davina, we know that, but I can't tell you what the poison would actually do."
"Great, so this Kingmaker wants an audience, perhaps we should indulge them to meet the real King of New Orleans," Klaus decided arrogantly as he settled back in his seat, glaring at the card.
"Davina said the witch thought about meeting with other members of the Skulk, and Freya, means whoever is here they know who we are, so they know the players."
"Which enemy do you suppose it is?" Kaleb asked as he looked at the card now.
"Could be Strix, or the Trinity, I don't think it'd be Inadu's people," Kol admitted. He knew Inadu had a cult following, but those whispers and rumors didn't seem wise enough to have a business to hide behind. However, given how the Strix was founded, Kol could see Elijah's sociopathic group forming a business to fund themselves through the millennium.
"Inadu's people are too cultish," Kaleb agreed with him. Kaleb had been the biggest researcher into Inadu's origins because he was a druid and he had some more ancient practices which could help him 'see' the land then.
"So what are we thinking to do?" Freya asked warily.
"We should see where this goes, and how it goes," Kol shrugged.
"You and Davina shouldn't take the meeting though," Ivy warned. "It is not because I don't think you'll outfox them, but it is most certainly a trap, or a recruiting opportunity, either way it will not be worth the time or efforts to find them. They will come to us, there's something there, waiting to come, it's not patient though."
"Do you think they want Davina and I?" Kol asked warily. He knew that he and Davina were beginning to hold a lot of appeal to a lot of Covens around the world, but for the most part they were wanted more as allies, not actual members.
"It's a possibility, we should proceed with caution," Ivy admitted.
"What about the children, and the school?" Rebekah asked, Kol noticed his sister wrapping herself around her stomach again which had him sighing; she was probably pregnant again.
"We protect the school," Henrik shrugged. "Mikael and I can coordinate a defense, Nik's no doubt got good offensive strategy, we create escape routes for the kids again, and link the protection spells of the Plantation and the Institution. Kol, could we link a few properties around the country like when we were hiding from Dahlia so the kids have places to go?"
"I'll set it up," Kol agreed.
"If we minimalize their chances to get hostages, then they'll be forced to deal with us, and we're not children," Henrik pointed out.
"We also have the Four Harvest Girls in the same location for the first time in a few years, we can work out a few defenses for New Orleans and talk to the other Covens, as well as the Regent, apprise her of what is happening," Monique pointed out.
"I can also move my Ancestors here, it'll give us an extra link," Bonnie pointed out. "I've been reading up on it a lot since you connected to yours in Norway."
"Plausible and good moves," Kaleb agreed. "We also have Kai who can now expand his siphoning if needed to protect the grounds from people outside our Skulk's magic."
"So Davina and I will play offense with Elijah, Nik and Freya, you lot will set up the defenses, and we'll all come out of this alive," Kol shrugged.
"That is rather arrogant," Mikeal stated.
"I like simple to arrogant," Kol countered.
"The biggest problem will be figuring out their motive," Finn finally spoke. "Are they here for Mikaelson blood, in which case we will need to protect the youngest members of the family, or are they here for us, or are they specifically after Kol and Davina? We should look at what they'll be targeting so we know what to move."
"I hardly think they'll be interested in the children, they would've contacted Nik or Henrik or Rebekah instead of Kol," Freya pointed out.
"Yes, but they went for Davina when she was alone, without Kol, which is curious in and of itself, so we don't actually know their motives," Sage pointed out.
"Davina is hardly the weak link to go after," Cassie pointed out.
"But she was the only one alone," Abby countered. "We shouldn't be alone anymore, we should always travel in pairs. If they're attempting to single us out it'll be safety in numbers."
"That's hardly any fun," Klaus sneered.
"But it is relative to what we're doing," Elijah pointed out. "They had audacity to contact Davina in public with a poisoned card of unknown intentions, and while the little witch is hardly defenseless this does scream foreboding troubles ahead."
"The trouble is the Seer," Vincent said. "So long as they see the game and we do not, we are in trouble, for anything we plan they can counter."
"I can help with that," Ivy offered. "The Westbank Coven has been seeking ways to repay your actions from saving the children, I can speak to Neil about my being loaned to the Skulk as a Seer he's a fair leader, and he wants to repay you for saving his granddaughter Lou-Ann."
"That would be helpful," Kai muttered.
"You weren't even here when they broke the Rites of Nine," Ivy quipped.
"I'll talk to the Regent, alert her to any strange going ons," Kol muttered.
"The Nineth Ward might be a problem though," Vincent stated. "Kevin Tran and his aunt are stirring up resentment for the Skulk and our free run of the place, as well as stirring up sentiments to call for a vote for a new Regent, I've heard Kara Nguyen is aiming to take the title herself."
"Nguyen?" Kol asked as a shiver ran down his spine. There were times when people and witches just rubbed Kol wrong, and his intuition always screamed at him to steer clear of them, but Nguyen was a name he loathed and he never knew why. It wasn't even like Kara Nguyen was a powerful witch, but she was trouble, and he knew she made Davina uneasy. She was also an outspoken critic of Klaus' which was all sorts of red flags in this city.
"She's all bluster," Nik dismissed. "Petty witch has no power to gain or behad.
"She's been outspoken about peace in the factions, and believes Josephine bowed to the Mikaelsons, she thinks Josephine is nothing but a puppet for you guys, and she's not wrong to think it even if it's not true," Monique pointed out. "You guys run this city, and the Skulk is pretty much free to do whatever we want. A lot of people think she's Kol's puppet and Kol caters to Nik."
"That's preposterous," Kol muttered sourly. He understood the logic behind the sentiments shared, because appearances were everything and he knew he had a lot of freedom but he was also a wild creature by nature.
"It'll be best, if a vote is called, we have a rival candidate," Abby offered. "Vincent perhaps?"
"Me!?" he sputtered. "Ah hell no! No! Not happening. I refuse, I will not be Regent, I want nothing to do with the Other Nine Covens, I picked to join the Skulk because they do good not politics."
"I hate politics," Kol muttered.
"We might have to play the game if we're to keep New Orleans safe," Monique murmured. "The Nineth Ward has not been happy since we rejected Kevin Tran's application to teach at the Institute. Perhaps, to give peace and break the loudest voices away, we should reconsider."
"We'll reconsider," Freya sighed. "We can always control what he teaches when he's here."
"I don't want him here, or his aunt," Kol cut off. "I don't want them near Davina, find a different way," he ordered sharply.
"Kol," Freya started.
"No. I don't care what we do, but I do not want those two near Davina, in any way, shape or form. Figure out something else," he ordered firmly.
Henrik's eyes widened then and he knew his little brother knew something he didn't about whatever made him uneasy about the Nineth Ward leaders.
"Kol's right, we'll figure out another way, neither of them should be near us," Henrik agreed swiftly.
"Why?" Monique demanded.
"Because Kara Nguyen shredded Davina's soul in the timeline I witnessed, I doubt her sentiments have changed enough to make it feasible that they'll work with us and not against us," he answered.
"They shredded her soul?" Monique whispered in horror.
"I don't want them near her," he repeated in a harsh voice.
"We will find another way then," Vincent agreed with resignation.