Book: Kindred Spirits
Chapter 109 (3x15)
Word Count: 1391
An emotionless-looking Klaus had just taken a painting off of the wall in the study, revealing a safe that was built into the bricks behind it. He spun the dial and put in the combination to open it. Inside was a wooden box, which he opened gently as he walked away from the safe. Inside the box was a stack of old letters in fading envelopes. A few minutes later, Freya, Cassidy, and Elijah joined Klaus in the room, with Alexandria being fed in Cassidy's arms. Kol was watching Clara and Julia, and Davina was watching Hope and Leo.
"You collect trophies from all your victims?" Freya asked Klaus incredulously.
"Letters to their loved ones, to be specific." Elijah corrected with a sigh. Klaus started to look through the letters.
"It was a phase..."
"A phase in which we were forced to learn a different kind of stealth." Elijah sat forward in his chair to continue the story for Freya and Cassidy. "You see, over time, Niklaus' enemies grew so numerous, we had no choice but to artfully withdraw from the world. And then... well, I wouldn't exactly describe our presence in this city as discrete. Wouldn't you agree, Niklaus?"
"We all saw the white oak destroyed. Plus, this city is crawling with vampires, all of whom had no choice but to shield me from potential foes. Were I to die, they would die, too. I couldn't have been more safe." Klaus was starting to look extremely worried. "And now my sire link is undone. Those very foes will come for me... Like never before."
"It's only been a few days since the link was broken. You have nothing to be paranoid over just yet, Nik." Cassidy reassured, now bouncing a smiling Alexandria on her hip. "Besides, you've already ransacked Aya's belongings, torched Aurora's hunting ground, and obliterated every last splinter of the white oak. I think it's safe to say that you are truly unkillable now."
---
At the Mikaelson Compound, Klaus had returned to the study, where he was anxiously filling in Freya, Cassidy Elijah on what he'd just learned. Alexandria was now in Elijah's arms as he smiled down at his daughter before turning his attention on Klaus.
"It was him. It was Gaspar Cortez."
"I assume this is someone from your box of letters?" Freya sighed.
"The youngest son of a particularly vile family of warlords I dealt with in the 17th century." Klaus informed his siblings and his wife.
"Didn't they burn that philistine pigsty into the ground?" Klaus murmured. Klaus scoffed, visibly appalled by Elijah's distaste.
"Pigsty? Belaga was my favorite artist retreat! Someone had to pay for that, so I murdered Gaspar's brute of a father."
"And?" Cassidy pried, intrigued by the story already.
"And one or two--"
"--Five--" Elijah corrected.
"Five of his bloodthirsty brothers." Klaus finished, annoyed.
"Don't forget the mistress." Elijah reminded. Klaus turned to him, offended.
"That was an accident!"
"The point is that Gaspar was but a footnote." Elijah told both Cassidy and Freya.
"Until he became a vampire, hell-bent on hunting me." Klaus whispered. "He's a cunning deviant, known to compel hoards of the helpless to aid him with his tasks... and he's after me."
"I have an idea." Cassidy chimed in again. "Nik, I'm gonna need all of those letters."
---
Cassidy and Freya were standing next to each other at the coffee table in the upstairs living room, where Cassidy was starting to burn the letters that Klaus used as trophies. Elijah and Klaus watched from nearby.
"Mixing the ashes of these letters with your blood, Nik, will show us where your enemies are." Cassidy said as she crushed the ashes up with a mortar and pestle, and Freya handed her a gold goblet with Klaus' blood. Cassidy sprinkled the ashes into the goblet before handing it back to Freya. Freya poured the ash-blood mixture onto a map of the world, which was pinned down by white candles, as Cassidy pulled a spell written on parchment out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her mate stood beside her.
Freya took a deep breath before reciting the incantation.
"Calaste piso tal tras es tros. Calaste piso tal tras es tros."
The blood started to break apart into eleven small beads, which scattered across the map. Listed were the closest approximations: four total in North America: one near Chicago, Illinois; one in New Orleans, Louisiana; one in Southern California, and one in Washington. One is in Southeastern Brazil, three are in Europe: Belgium, Southern Italy, and Western Russia. Two were in Africa: one in Nigeria, one in South Africa or Mozambique. A final one was in what looked like South Korea.
"Here's the location of your enemies... all over the world. But only one is here." Cassidy muttered. "Which means we better keep an eye out for that one."
But suddenly, all of them started to hear a dripping noise, causing them to look back down at the map, where they saw the small drops of blood on the map starting to move toward New Orleans. They all looked horrified.
"It never stops." Cassidy murmured under her breath. "Never."
"So this may only be a fraction of our potential enemies." Elijah realised in worry.
"In hindsight, you guys could've been nicer to people." Freya told her brothers. "Or at least left fewer survivors."
"We don't know all their motivations. Half of these people could want to put the bullet in your heart! End the sire war with the pull of a trigger!" Klaus exclaimed, turning to Elijah.
"I have an army devoted to keeping me alive." Elijah pointed out. "As you well know, Niklaus, there is another way."
Klaus sighed, but seemed to know that Elijah was right. Cassidy looked confused for a moment before she realised what they meant.
"We're going to run? I'd just started to get attached to New Orleans!"
"There was a time when the name Klaus Mikaelson was little more than a rumor. A shadowy figure who cast fear into the very bones of any who heard whisper of him. I don't run, love. I disappear. And tonight, we're all going to make that possible." Klaus held up a burlap sack with bloodstains over it.
---
Klaus had just walked downstairs to the courtyard with his and Cassidy's bags packed, spotting Cassidy kissing every single one of her mates (minus Rebekah) goodbye, promising to visit her mates frequently, hugging Cami and Josh, too.
"Is it done?" Klaus asked.
"Yes. And now any witch who does a locator spell will believe you're right here in New Orleans." Freya answered.
"Don't stop driving 'til you're absolutely certain that you are safe." Elijah muttered in concern, taking Cassidy's hand in his. Klaus walked up to him and hugged him goodbye, doing the same with the others. Klaus then turned to Cassidy, holding out his hand.
"Are you ready to hit the road with me, love?"
"I'll follow you anywhere." Cassidy grinned at her husband. It was either she stayed in New Orleans with the rest of her family and continued to fight off drama left, right, and centre... or she ran away from it all, with just one of her mate, and found moments of happiness. Cassidy glanced back at Elijah and Kol. "Take good care of our babies until I see them again, okay?"
Elijah and Kol nodded with smiles. Cassidy then walked over to where Hope and Leo were playing on the couch, picking them both up while Klaus took hold of the bags. Together, the family of four walked out into the entrance hall, finally ready to be a proper family.
"We may be gone for quite some time." Klaus pointed out as Cassidy fastened Hope and Leo into car seats in the back.
"It's worth it to keep Hope and Leo from what's coming. Alexandria, Clara, and Julia aren't at risk like these two are... they didn't inherit your enemies like Hope and Leo did." Cassidy stated. "I'll call them, and I'll write cheesy letters if I have to, and..." Cassidy had to pause to compose herself, realising that she was getting too emotional. "We won't be gone forever... right? Just a few years?"
"Let's hope so, love..." Klaus whispered sadly.