Within minutes, they sensed movement.
"The hybrid is leaving the house," reported Ingrid. "My spell on Marcel Gerard worked. They clearly have no idea we are here."
Dahlia raised a brow at her. "Who is she with?"
"The husband. And her child."
Dahlia's lips curled into a cruel smirk. "Wonderful. Let us greet them."
They had to exit the apartment to enter the kenning perimeter. Had they done it Ingrid's way, they could have sent their message from a more comfortable location. Instead, they were in St. Anne's Church, just within the borders of Dahlia's spell.
They watched from different individuals as Hayley and Jackson moved around the Quarter with Hope in her stroller. They truly suspected nothing, and it made it all the more satisfying knowing they were thoroughly unprepared for what was to come.
"The violinist," said Ingrid, seeing a girl playing violin ahead of where Hayley was currently walking.
Dahlia jumped into her. The woman began to play an upbeat tune, immediately gaining their attention. It caused Hope to giggle. This, of course, made Dahlia more serious, and she delivered her first threat: her classic little song. Something Ingrid hated. Though Hayley didn't know what the melody meant, she clearly looked unnerved.
"That song," she murmured to Jackson. "What is it?"
Sensing their discomfort, Ingrid closed her eyes and raised her hands, kenning three people at a time, forcing them all to look at Hayley, which only made her more and more paranoid that someone really was watching them. Dahlia, it seemed, wanted to get clever, and had had a nearby waiter write on a chalkboard, 'A promise made is a debt to be paid.'
Ingrid switched over to a flower vendor, who happened to have a cluster of roses in his hands. She concentrated, and with all her might, forced the illusion of them being black dahlias, when really, they weren't. "Flowers, miss," she made the man say, keeping her hands steady to make the flowers appear as she wished them to. "A gift for the child."
"Uh, no, we're alright," said Jackson politely. "Thank you!"
"You sure?" asked the man through Ingrid, holding out a flower. "Black dahlias are in bloom. They're quite lovely."
The psychological torture was thrilling the two women who stood side by side, able to create any vision they wanted to torment Hayley, who had started to bolt away. But Ingrid forced him to grab her, making the eyes go white, which was a typical side effect of when the two witches would speak directly through someone, rather than making them say what they wanted.
Suddenly, Ingrid was forced out of the man's body as he was placed in a chokehold by Klaus. She jumped back into the violinist, but Dahlia had been more clever— she'd jumped right into Jackson as Klaus snarled, "Show yourself, witch."
"Klaus!" shrieked Hayley when Jackson's eyes went glassy.
"I am here," Dahlia said aloud beside Ingrid, and simultaneously through Jackson's voice. "I am everywhere. And I intend to take what is mine."
She exited him, and he gasped. Ingrid remained in the violinist, watching their reactions.
"It's her," said Klaus worriedly.
"Hey, what just happened?" asked Jackson worriedly.
"Dahlia," sighed Klaus in response before scooping Hope up, then grabbing Hayley and Jackson roughly and using his vampire speed to whisk them away.
"Well, that was fun," said Ingrid, though she didn't sound like she meant it. The darker side of her that Dahlia forced out had liked it very much, relishing in the blatant fear visible on the faces of Hope's parents. But the real Ingrid hated this. She hated knowing what was to come for Hope. She simply wasn't strong enough to fight off Dahlia's spell, given the witch was using her and Freya's magic to hold it in place.
"Freya will be tracking us," said Dahlia. "And she will not be successful in pinpoint our location. We have the advantage."
"We simply need to keep monitoring the Compound," said Ingrid, closing her eyes to ken the mailman from the day before, finding he was only a few blocks away from the building. "And observing anyone who leaves." She glanced at her. "It would be more efficient if I did this alone, Tante."
Dahlia wasn't as worried about her doing things by herself now that the spell was refreshed, given it would take an incredibly strong emotional tug to aid her in fighting off the spell. The kind of thing that would come if Freya were to force upon her memories of their past together, which Ingrid was incapable of seeing in a positive light at the current moment. Dahlia doubted Freya would be able to get close enough to do that.
"Very well," said Dahlia. "Where will you be?"
"The apartment. I will ken a bird and fly where I am needed. If anything relevant appears..." she tapped her head, indicating she'd contact Dahlia. The woman nodded, and Ingrid walked out.
She'd kenned a sparrow on the way, and moved quickly until she arrived at the apartment, where she sat on the floor in a circle of herbs to concentrate her power. Just in the nick of time, she caught Klaus exiting the Compound. Through the sparrow, she followed him to the Lafayette Cemetery.
"What do you want, Klaus?" came the voice of a young girl. Ingrid flew in discreetly, perching herself on one of the inner railings, out of sight.
Klaus smirked at the girl, which Ingrid recognized to be Davina Claire. "Perhaps I'm merely concerned about you. You do seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in graveyards for a teenager. It's a rather morbid habit."
"Well, I am touched by your concern," said Davina sarcastically. "Anything else?"
Klaus pretended to think about it. "Now that you mention it, there is one matter with which I can use your help— Mikael. It appears that my sister, Freya, has dispatched him to gather some items I require, and seeing as how you brought him back from the dead, I'm guessing you have the means to find him."
Davina scoffed. "Sorry. I'd love to help, but I'm busy mourning another dead boyfriend." She tried to leave, but Klaus stopped her.
"Do you think you're the only one who grieves my brother?" he said. "I understand you hope to bring Kol back. Resurrection spells can be very tricky. They tend to require a remnant from the dearly departed. I, myself, am the guardian to Kol's remains— the ashes of his true body. Now, I might be inclined to entrust them to you, were myself feeling helpful."
"Fine," said the witch. "I'll find Mikael for you, and you'll give me Kol's ashes. Deal?"
Ingrid had to wait quite a while for Davina to perform her Locator Spell. The girl was taking far too long. In that time, she had made herself breakfast and still didn't miss anything.
"Oh my good fucking lord," she said loudly, even if Davina couldn't hear her. "Hurry up, goddamnit, you're taking forever."
Klaus was obviously losing his patience too. "This is pointless," said Ingrid, slicing into her own wrist with a nearby knife and splatting it on the only map she had handy. She tossed some herbs over it, then began to chant softly, "Finne brødre blodlinje. Finne brødre blodlinje." On the map, six dots of blood appeared. The six people in the world that she was connected through via blood, in a close enough relation to be useful.
The spot in St. Anne's Church was Dahlia. She wasn't related to Mikael, so she wasn't going to help. The dot at Lafayette Cemetery was Klaus. Also not related to Mikael. The other dots in the Compound— Elijah, Freya, Rebekah, and presumably Hope. Hope wasn't related to Mikael, but she was a tribrid, she could be useful. Thus, Ingrid waved her hand over those four dots, bringing them into a cluster, and chanting a different spell over the combined blot, using it to find the one living person the three Mikaelson siblings had in common— Mikael.
"Lokalisere far. Lokalisere far." The blood clot moved only slightly, transitioning to the outskirts of Louisiana. Mikael was making his way here. It was only a matter of time before he arrived.
Popping back into the bird, Ingrid checked that Davina had finally found the same thing. From the looks of it, they were going to wait for Mikael to get a bit nearer before they went after him. Ingrid figured she'd find him on her own, and at some point, would find Klaus and Davina in the surrounding area. She was growing tired of waiting for them to be competent.
What items could Freya have sent Mikael to acquire? Perhaps some magical objects that she assumed would help her gain the upper hand against Dahlia? Maybe old spellbooks of hers that she figured she could look through for guidance?
She got to tracking Mikael, knowing she would find out soon enough what he'd been on a mission for. She found herself thinking of her own father. She wondered if he'd been similar to Mikael. He likely wasn't as fierce as Mikael, given he never returned from his first major battle. From what she'd learned about her uncle, he'd gone to fight dozens of times and always emerged victorious. She didn't wish to think of her father as a weakling, but that was the only word ringing in her mind at the moment. Because in this state, she couldn't think of her father in a good way. In this state, the idea of him could not bring her comfort.
Then there was her mother. Ingrid had a horrible feeling that Dahlia had seen her bleeding out and done nothing to stop it, even if she could have. She didn't know what Frida was like. But Ingrid knew that her mother had conceived her with the intention of bringing another firstborn into their coven. Had she changed her mind, near the end of the pregnancy? Had she said something that made Dahlia think she might abscond with her?
So many questions. So few answers.
The intrusive thoughts were really starting to bother her.
She made her move once Mikael entered New Orleans. Jumping back into the bird, she had it fly above where she could sense Mikael's movements in a vehicle. As the vehicle came to a stop in front of the Rue St. Louis Bar and Restaurant, she caught sight of Davina and Klaus just meters away, apparently having sensed Mikael would stop here. Perhaps Davina wasn't totally inept.
"Well, well, well, well," said Mikael when Klaus materialized in front of him. Ingrid watched from the roof. "If it isn't the bastard himself. Have you come looking for another beating, boy?"
Klaus stared at him, unimpressed. "As much as I'd love to kill you again, I wonder if our interests might be better served by joining forces. You know full well the threat we face. So, how about it, Father? Care to join your bastard son on a witch-hunt?"
The bird was no longer someone Ingrid wished to be inside of. She moved into a woman who'd been walking by the street, having her enter the bar behind them. She sat a bit aways, taking a menu and holding it up to not draw suspicion. She glanced at the two men, who'd sat across from each other at a table by the window. Klaus had brought out the indestructible white oak stake, as if to show Mikael he had the power to kill him if he wasn't cooperative.
"You want some fries with that stake?" asked the waitress playfully as she went by to take their order. Apparently, Klaus found this funny, but Mikael's face did not even twitch. "I bought one of my own at Marie Laveau's Voodoo Shop."
Klaus smiled good-naturedly, something Ingrid wouldn't have expected from her asshole of a cousin. Perhaps he was just trying to piss Mikael off. "I'll have a bourbon, please, sweetheart."
The girl turned to Mikael to take his order, but he growled out, "Nothing. Leave us." Once she was gone, he huffed, "I despise this city."
"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" said Klaus. "Your precious Freya told me she sent you off to procure certain items that will expedite the death of your sister-in-law and your niece. May I assume you completed the task?"
Mikael didn't assent, but it was clear that he had done it. "There are three elements total. Combined, they represent Dahlia's sole weakness. Killing her will kill Ingrid Einarson as well. If you'd like to try and take them, by all means, have at it."
"Your mind always drifts to violence, doesn't it?" he asked. "Even when you're so clearly outmatched. What is it you tried teaching? Ah, yes—" he mocked, "'The true Viking warrior hones his fear like a blade!'"
Mikael gritted his teeth. "Did you come here to critique my parenting skills? Or, to whine about how little you were loved? You were weak before, but you are weaker still."
Klaus held up the stake. "If you truly thought me weak, you would snatch this weapon from my hand. But, you don't, because you know better. I suggest we focus on our common enemy. Rather than bringing your materials to Freya, drawing her into a fight she may not survive... why not join me? If we win, both our daughters will be free. If we lose?" Klaus smiled. "Well, at least you'll die knowing the bastard finally got his due."
Ingrid wondered if her father might have fought this hard to protect her, if he'd been alive when Dahlia took her from her mother's dead body. She also wondered if maybe she had it all wrong, and he'd merely escaped because he didn't wish to be a part of the twisted family she was born into.
"Father and son, working together," said Klaus, as if mocking Mikael when he considered Klaus's offer. The waitress slipped by with their drinks, and as soon as they were placed on the table, Ingrid slipped into her, given the hardest part of her task was done.
Mikael lifted the glass of bourbon that was brought for him (despite him ordering nothing). He sniffed it then grimaced.
"I admit," continued Klaus, ignoring him. "I never thought I'd live to see the day, and that's something, coming from me."
"And what makes you think I need your help?" asked Mikael viciously. "Others may tremble at the mere mention of your name, but I know you for what you truly are— a little boy desperate for a daddy."
Klaus shrugged. "A thousand years ago, perhaps. But, I think we can both agree the intervening centuries have turned me into an all-together different beast. Your cruelty made sure of that. And I am vicious, and hateful— just like you. It's precisely those qualities that make us uniquely suited for murdering those witches."
"And why would I trust you?" inquired Mikael.
"Because my daughter's life depends on it," said Klaus firmly. "And you love yours, as I love mine. You see, we're fighting for the same thing, you and I— to save the lives of the only ones who do not see us as the monsters that we truly are."
Ingrid was starting to get bored. So, she decided to have some fun. She had the waitress exit the bar, making towards the exterior of the window Mikael and Klaus were seated at, just as Klaus said, "You have the means to make the weapon we need. All that remains is to go for the kill."
They turned to face her just as she stopped by the window, the girl's eyes becoming pure white as Ingrid pushed her hands forward, forcing magic through the human woman to break the glass in Mikael and Klaus's faces.
She exited the waitress immediately and jumped into a new sparrow that had been flying overhead. "It would appear Dahlia shares that sentiment," she heard Mikael say inside the building.
"One final hunt together?" offered Klaus. "Do try to keep up, old man."
Ingrid took a moment to check in with Dahlia. Closing her eyes, she murmured her spell, this time drawing Dahlia into her mind.
They were in a forest. "Mikael's task was to procure the apparent materials needed to kill you, Tante," said Ingrid calmly. "They assume this will kill me as well."
Dahlia seemed to find this funny. "They will not succeeded. Through Viking ash may be acquired through museums, and Norwegian soil through travels, they will not find the third ingredient. The blood of the one who broke my heart."
"Esther," said Ingrid knowingly. "Though Freya may assume it is her. Given she killed Esther... and likely did not acquire her blood beforehand."
"I will make myself known to Freya," said Dahlia. "You, monitor Mikael and Niklaus. Is that girl still helping them?"
"The Harvest witch? It's very likely. I will find them."
"Good. I have already left several kenned acolytes waiting at the church."
"We will meet there shortly."
She shoved Dahlia out of her mind, flying over the city until she caught sight of three people in an alleyway. She swooped down, listening to their conversation.
"Oh, good, you're back," said Klaus sarcastically as Mikael approached him and Davina.
"Dahlia's minions remain within St. Anne's Church," said Mikael.
"Clearly, it's a trap," replied Klaus.
Mikael let out an exasperated grunt. "Of course it's a trap! And how good is it that we bring surprises of our own?" The two men smirked at each other, causing Davina to be confused.
"Wait, so are you two friends now?" she asked.
"Absolutely not," said Klaus. "We merely aligned out of necessity for the purpose we both enjoy the most— glorious murder." Davina rolled her eyes. "In fact, you'll be helping."
She frowned. "You said you needed a binding spell."
Mikael approached her. "And here, my lovely little witch, is what you will bind!" He handed her a leather pouch and bottle of blood. "Soil from Dahlia's homeland, that which links her to this mortal coil. Along with Viking ash, that of her oppressors, the source of her immense hatred. And finally, blood of her adopted child, my beloved daughter Freya, the closest thing to love that miserable witch has ever known."
Ingrid almost wanted to laugh, but she could not manage that in the form of a bird. She watched as Davina placed the items around a salt circle she'd made. "All the sources of her power bound together create a weakness. So, what do you want me to do?"
"Simple," said Klaus. "Bind those ingredients to a weapon."
Davina raised her eyebrows at him. "Well, am I supposed to go to the toy store and get a slingshot?"
Mikael rolled his eyes and handed her a knife. "Use this."
Klaus rolled his eyes as well, as if to make fun of him. "You just wouldn't be you if you didn't have a knife, would you?"
"Well, perhaps you can steal it later and dull its blade with your 'art,'" sneered Mikael.
Klaus chuckled, before addressing the young witch. "Do this favor, help us end this evil witch's reign, and I will live up to my end of our bargain. I swear it on my daughter's life."
After slight hesitation, Davina's face changed to one bearing an expression of determination. "I hope you know what you're doing."
Ingrid didn't think it was necessary to continue observing them. Dahlia had been right about the materials for this 'weapon,' and according to her, the ingredients were not as accurate as they might hope. Not to mention they were binding a single knife with this power. Dahlia or Ingrid could easily flick their hands and melt the knife.
"I spoke with Freya," said Dahlia when Ingrid appeared in the church. "It appears her siblings learned that we continue to channel her. They no longer trust her."
"Don't know what she expected," murmured Ingrid. She couldn't think of her cousins as nice people. They were wicked, wicked monsters according to Dahlia. As traitorous as Esther.
"They will arrive shortly," said Dahlia, waiting by the altar. "The kenned acolytes will show them a taste of our power."
"I ought to make for the Compound when they arrive," suggested Ingrid. "If Niklaus and Mikael show their faces, surely Freya, Elijah, and Rebekah will follow. The child will be left unguarded. I can kill the mother and take her."
"No," said Dahlia. "You will remain here for a full show of force."
That was always the problem with her. She was never as strategic as she claimed to be. She preferred to instill fear directly and complicate things rather than be more subtle and strike when no one expected it. It really wasn't necessary to make such demonstrations. Wouldn't their enemies be more wary of them if they constantly met their goals so efficiently that no one would know what hit them?
"Why?" demanded Ingrid. "You channel my power regardless of where I am."
"They must see your face. They must suffer at your hand."
Really, she wished for them to not get any ideas of turning Ingrid over to their side. Dahlia knew that if they tried hard enough, they could manage to break through the spell that kept her mind captive. And then, Ingrid would choose to abandon her.
"The only reason I will stay here is if I will be killing someone directly," said Ingrid sharply. "Otherwise—"
Dahlia held up her hand, and Ingrid let out a yelp of pain, clutching her head. "Do not question me. You will do as I say. We will fetch the child when I have decided it."
Ingrid reached her hand up weakly, attempting to break her hold over her, only for Dahlia to shove the heel of her boot into her stomach to knock her down.
"You live by my grace," said Dahlia. "If you fail to be of use, even despite your mental alterations, I will send you to bed early."
And in doing so, she would still channel her power, but also keep her from disobeying.
"Fine," gasped Ingrid, pleading for her to let her go. "Fine! I will stay."
"Good," said Dahlia, standing up straighter. "Get up. I can sense they've arrived."