"Sorry for messing up your clothes." I told Grace as I gingerly entered her room, both of us now cleaned up.
"Don't worry about it." She murmured quietly. "Everyone in this household knows how to get a blood stain out."
"That's true." I said with a sombre smile. "You won't remember it but when you were a baby, I got into a fight with Hayley. And you scampered out of your room to comfort me, and I picked you up, all covered in blood. It took forever to get you clean."
"Why were you fighting?"
"She tried to dagger me and raise you in hiding whilst I was asleep." I explained. "Admittedly, it was a little—"
"Let me get this straight." Grace interrupted. "You were mad at Aunt Hayley for trying to raise me without you! Isn't that what you literally just did?"
"It's not that simple Grace."
"No, it's not! Because you erased my mind too!" She snapped. "Do you have any idea what I went through? No, how could you? You abandoned me."
"I was trying to save your life."
"What life?" She asked in exasperation. "You wanted me to grow up in a world where you were missing and I didn't even understand why you were gone!"
I didn't have the words to express how I felt anymore, but I knew my daughter was hurting and that I was the cause of her pain. But my actions were necessary, whether she liked it or not. But I had done enough arguing today.
"Pause."
Grace was startled by my words, and I saw the recognition flash in her eyes. She seemed hesitant and I wondered if her anger was too far gone to overcome, but instead she nodded and gestured for me to sit beside her.
"It's quite a shallow thing to begin with but you are so so beautiful." I remarked as I gazed at my daughter. "I already thought you were the prettiest girl in the world, but you have somehow become even prettier."
"Oh my god, Mom stop it." She groaned.
"I simply cannot help it, you are gorgeous." I beamed. "And not to start nagging so early, but what happened to your hair?"
"You don't like it?" She immediately started fiddling nervously with her now straightened locks.
"Like I said, prettiest girl in the world." I interjected quickly. "I'm just used to the curls."
"They were really hard to take care of." She said with a shrug. "Dad tried, but it always took like 8 attempts to get anywhere. And Keelin helped when she could, but then they had the pregnancy to focus on so that fell through. So I started straightening my hair, it's easier and it's prettier than my—"
"Not true." I interrupted. "You are always beautiful. And your natural hair is not ugly."
"I didn't say that." She mumbled.
"You didn't have to."
"It was...hard being by myself." She explained. "I felt better when I could just fit in."
"Grace Marceline Mikaelson you are the standout in every possible arena, in every way." I corrected proudly. "You are too spectacular to fit in."
"You're only saying that cuz you're my mom."
"It's because I'm your mother that I know it's true." She rolled her eyes, but I saw the hint of a smile. "If you like, I can braid your hair and you can tell me everything about your life."
"It's been two years."
"You've got a lot of hair to braid."
She laughed, but she sat down on the floor whilst I gathered the various hair creams, gels, combs and brushes required.
"So, where'd you want me to start?" She asked.
"Tell me about school."
"Well, I kept my promise to stay out of trouble." She began. "I won Most Improved Student and Student of the Year."
"I am so unbelievably proud of you right now!"
"And Josie, Lizzie and I are best friends again," she continued.
"I'm so happy to hear that." I told her, genuinely pleased to hear about her time in my absence. "It sounds like you've done quite well for yourself."
"Yeah, I guess." She said with a shrug. "Aunt Hayley helped. And Aunt Freya. And Keelin. And—well honestly it took everyone's help. Especially Dad's."
"You two getting on then?"
"Yeah. It's been great getting along with him." She replied. "I feel like I finally know him. Without drama and monsters and Hollows."
"You two are so alike, I knew it was only a matter of time."
"Really?"
"Oh yes, tortured artists with a heart of gold," I said with a laugh.
"Well when you put it that way..." Grace joined in with my laughter but I could see the thousands of questions running around her mind. "Can I ask you something?"
"...Sure."
"Do you remember Amelia?"
I could feel my grip on my daughter's hair tightening and I took a moment to calm myself down before continuing.
"What do you know about Amelia?" I questioned.
"I saw a painting she and dad did together." Grace replied. "I just wondered who she is."
"You'll have to show me it later." I requested. "So I can burn it like I did the others."
"...Guessing you two didn't get along."
"We did at first." I began. "She was my handmaiden. And when your father went to war, we became quite close."
"Miss Fiore, it's time for your morning feed." Amelia said as she knocked on my door.
"Go away." I mumbled softly into my pillow.
"Miss Fiore?" The door opened before I could do anything about it and now I was scrambling to hide my tears away from the stray human we'd picked up. "Did you not hear that I was—oh. Apologies, I didn't realise that you were—"
"Just get inside." I muttered miserably before going to sit at my vanity. Amelia did as she was asked and took a knife, prepared to open her artery as she did every morning. Only this time she hesitated.
"You know Miss Fiore, I appreciate that you do not drink directly from the vein." Amelia began. "But if it would cheer you up, then I would gladly give you permission to do so."
I laughed wryly at her comment and turned to look at her in a new light. "You would do that for me?"
"Of course." She said with a resolute nod of her head. She moved her hair from her neck and bared it eagerly to me. "Anything to please you, Miss Fiore."
"Hm." I was surprised by this offering and almost considered taking her up on it. Killing someone might have greatly improved my mood. But I was trying to be better. "No thank you. From the wrist is fine."
She nodded and did as was asked, pouring her blood into a cup and handing it to me. "I know not when Nik will return so if I were you, I'd start rationing his blood before you are forced to take Elijah's."
"Of course, Miss Fiore." Amelia then took out a vial and drank a small portion of Nik's blood to heal herself. "I should be going then."
"You should be."
She headed for the door, and I thought I was through with her for the time being but then she stopped.
"Yes?" I asked in annoyance.
"Miss Fiore, if I might ask one question of you?" Amelia began.
"If it'll get you out of my room quicker, why not?"
"Why do you value human life so?" Amelia asked. "Vampires are clearly the next stage in evolution and we humans are far beneath you. This is a belief everyone in this household, save yourself, seems to believe. But you treat us with kindness, and under no circumstance do you drink from the vein. I simply cannot understand why."
"Is this your way of asking me to turn you?" I asked bitterly. "Because no amount of flattery will make me do so."
"I would never dare to think such a thing, Miss Fiore." Amelia said with her cast humbly to the ground. "I could never dream to be like you. It is genuine curiosity."
"I don't value humans any more than I value anyone else." I answered. "Fundamentally we are the same. We require substance to live, and we all aspire for life in the upper echelons. I am not any better than you because I am vampire, Amelia."
"I see." She replied, but it was obvious she was not convinced. "You are as wise as ever, Miss Fiore."
"Eternal life is not what you think it to be." I warned. "It is not a gift, but a punishment. Do you know why I do not drink from the vein?"
"No Miss Fiore."
"If I were to bite into your neck as I have been fantasizing about doing since the moment you showed it to me, I would drink from you until you were nothing but a lifeless husk." I explained, striking terror into her eyes. "Because I cannot control myself. My bloodlust is so high that one sip is never enough for me. I will need every last drop. And that is not a thought a human ever has to contemplate. I envy that. And I will envy that every day I am on this earth. And once you consider my immortality, you will see why I spend every day wishing I was a human again. Just like you."
"You've given me much to consider Miss Fiore." And this time I could see that she had taken my words to heart.
I continued to sip my drink until something she said stuck out to me. I used my vampire speed and in a second, I was in front of her, closing the door to my room.
"What do you know about evolution?" I asked her.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You said, Vampires are the next stage in evolution." I continued. "What kind of handmaiden knows that much about cutting edge scientific theory?"
"I...I...." She began to stammer, and I grabbed her throat in my hands in preparation of killing her, but not before I got my answers.
"Who are you, Amelia?" I asked. "If you tell me before I have to compel it out of you, I'll kill you quickly."
"My name is Amelia Johnston." She answered swiftly. "I am Mr Johnston's daughter."
"What a fool." I muttered bitterly. "Your father died at the hands of my husband and now you wish to die an even more brutal death at the hands of me."
"No, no! Miss Fiore, you must believe me!" She pleaded. "I hated my father. I hated every single thing about him. He was an evil man with evil thoughts. I rejoiced when Mr Mikaelson killed him. I agreed to be your handmaiden because I was so grateful, believe me I beg of you!"
She was still struggling in my grip as I considered her words. I could tell she wasn't lying, but that didn't mean I had to keep her around. I dropped her to the floor, and she gasped for the air she had been denied.
"So I'm supposed to believe, you went from being an educated noble lady to a handmaiden, without so much as a second thought?" I asked warily. "Why?"
"Humans are fundamentally evil." She replied. "All of us, every one of us is born with evil in our hearts. But vampires...you cleanse yourself in death and are reborn above petty squabbles and disputes. You fight yes, but for things that matter. If I can be a part of making this world greater at your side, then I will do so by any means."
"What makes you say that?"
"I cared for many of the people my father enslaved, but there was a little boy who was my dearest friend," She began. "When my father found out he was so enraged, he killed him right in front of me. And used vile words that I do not care to repeat. The humans with power want to own other humans and use them for labour. You just want to make this city great."
"Does Nik know who you are?"
"No. I told him I was a handmaiden and that was all."
I took a moment to consider her words as now I had to decide what to do with her. I could keep her here, it would save me having to find a new handmaiden and she genuinely did not seem to be like her father. But killing her would be much simpler.
"Please Miss Fiore, I swear I mean you no harm." Amelia pleaded, tears forming in her eyes. "I just want to help you. All I ever want from now till the day of my miserable death is to be of service to you."
"Sit."
She looked up at me, unsure of my motivation, mostly because I was also unsure of my motivation. But nonetheless she obeyed her orders and sat down on the chair next to mine. I followed after and sat down opposite, taking some time to stare at her and see if she would give me something to influence my decision in either way.
"What do you want in life?" I asked her.
"As I said, to serve y—"
"No." I interrupted with a roll of my eyes. "You have to want more than that. Or at least, some point in your life you wanted more than that. You read scientific theory; did you want to be a scientist?"
"No." She answered with a shake of her head. "I loved to paint. My father hated it, so I did not get the chance to do so as much as I would have liked but it was a great reprieve in life. In that moment, I am the author of reality. I create a new world that answers only to me."
I felt like I was listening to Nik talk about control and how painting was one of the few things in the world that could properly centre him. And I wanted to cry because I had no idea how long it would be until I heard those talks again.
"I didn't mean to upset you." Amelia murmured quietly.
"You didn't upset me." I said with a heavy sigh. "You just reminded me of Nik. Who is gone for an inexplicable amount of time."
"I cannot begin to imagine how much you miss him." Amelia replied softly.
"He's been gone barely a day and it already feels like my heart is breaking beyond repair." I continued. "I feel like I am missing a part of me. I used to lie in bed and watch him at the easel, mixing colours, promising me he invented them, explaining his pieces to me from start to finish with such pride. I never really appreciated how much I enjoyed those moments. But now it might be decades before I can experience it again."
"I am so sorry to hear that, Miss Fiore." She commiserated. "If there is anything I could do to help, I assure you I will."
"Actually...that's not a bad idea." I muttered. "MARCELLUS!"
In seconds, my son was at the door, greeting me with a warm smile. "Good morning, Mother. How are you feeling?"
"All the better for you seeing you my sweet." I told him with a loving smile of my own. "Now would you be a dear and accompany Amelia into the city? I have not the slightest idea where Nik sources his art supplies, but I'm sure you do. Spare no expense, only the best."
"Art supplies?" Marcel asked in confusion. "For what?"
"Amelia's going to paint for me." I answered, turning to the shocked handmaiden. "Isn't that right, Amelia?"
"It sounds like you were friends." Grace remarked in surprise.
"We were friends." I said in agreement. "But sometimes friendships end."
"Why did it end?"
"That's a question for your father." I told her, not particularly wanting her to know about who I was back then. "Besides, Amelia is ancient history. I want to know more about what you've been up to."
"We've covered me." Grace said with a shrug. "Everything else, you kinda had to be there. And you weren't."
"Grace, I told you—"
Before I could finish my sentence, a magic blast sent me flying across the room. When I looked up, there was the first Fiore, glaring at me as the wound in her chest healed.
"For the record, I hate having my heart ripped out."
A/N: Grace and Fiore reunited at last!
Until next time, when the Fiores go head to head...
Love you as always! X