Rubbing my eyes I saw the sun streaming down on me. Sitting upright I glanced around seeing that we were in an old village type area. Klaus groaned, running a hand down his face glaring at the woman with dark hair. "Get out of my head."
"I'm not in your head, Klaus, Raelyn." She explains when we both got to our feet. "You're in mine, and seeing as you lie daggered by your own beloved brother, you have no choice but to listen. I have a proposition for you. Come along."
Klaus rolled his eyes at her. "Spare me the agonizing boredom and explain what it is you want. I've no use for demented dreamscapes."
"Niklaus, listen." She spat where we turned our heads in the direction of the village seeing a girl that looked like a younger Dahlia.
"The vikings came while you were in the garden. I'm scared, Dahlia." There was another women with blonde hair wearing a yellow dress that must be Esther.
She grabbed her and they hid behind one of the wagons. "
Don't be. I'll protect us, Esther, but come what may, we must remain together always and forever. Promise?"
"Promise." Esther nodded before they were taken by some Vikings.
The three of us walked until we were inside a small hut type building. "Charming." Klaus scoffed standing beside me.
"This dismal hovel is where I endured the terrors of viking captivity for years." Dahlia began explaining while the young her was thrown on the floor and was forced to work. "I performed the dark magic they demanded so that Esther would be free of their violent abuse. While she was out in the sun gathering herbs, I toiled in the gray of this room, but I never resented her. We'd made a promise."
"Is this your feeble attempt to garner sympathy?" I scoffed toward her, throwing up my arms.
Klaus added on growling towards her. "To what end? No ancient plight will ever justify your intention to enslave my daughters."
"Oh, Niklaus, our plights are the same." She responded back.
"Dahlia, stop. I no longer wish to practice magic." Young Esther said once entering the hut
Her sister couldn't believe her. "Magic has kept us alive."
"And Mikael will protect me now, sister. We plan to marry, have a family." Esther explains hopefully.
Dahlia shook her head towards the young girl. "I am your family. I'm your sister. We promised each other."
"You'll always be my sister, Dahlia, but I wish for children of my own, and... I love him." Esther left the hut before I turned to face the older witch.
We had switched to another part of the woods outside a small hut in the middle of nowhere. "People are frightened of that which they do not understand. They will only hate you." Dahlia talked with a young girl.
"I hate this place! I want to see more than the same trees, the same hills, a face that isn't yours." A younger Freya I can only assume shouts at her. She then was losing control until they started singing together.
Dahlia glanced in our direction. "Firstborn witches in this bloodline possess devastating power."
"You're saying this is what's to come for Hope, Alina and Missy." Klaus walked forward while my eyes watched the young girls huddling together.
Dahlia intertwined her hands together. "Hope, Alina and Missy will suffer far more than Freya. Hope's magic will be tainted with your vampire blood as well as the aggressive wolf temperament. Without the proper tutelage that only I can provide, hope's power will grow unchecked."
"Oh and it's just so convenient that you seemed to be the one to help them. In case you have forgotten I am a witch of the Gemini coven. In fact I am the leader so I can handle their powers." Stomping up to her clutching my hands into fists at my sides.
She stepped towards me. "She will lash out at everyone, including you. She'll devastate the city that you love, and then her terror will spread far beyond. I, too, am a firstborn, so I was the only one to help save Freya from herself, just as I'm the only one who can save your daughter."
"That still doesn't mean that I can't teach them. My mother taught my brother and I just fine on her own. So let us out of your head so that I can deal with you!" Raising my voice at her I wished that I had my magic but as long as we were in her head it wouldn't work.
Dahlia responded simply walking away. "You've seen it, Klaus, Raelyn. You need me."
Klaus and I had no choice but to follow after where he took. my hand in his, not trusting the woman in front of us. She was trying to take our daughters from us. "In my experience, an offer from a malevolent witch always comes with a catch. What's yours?"
"There is no catch except for this one. Clearly it is possible that you and Niklaus can bear more children. So why don't you do that? I am doing what I can to help your children." She explains glancing between the two of us. "You're first born daughters will need more guidance than even Freya considering that the other two's magic I cannot truly feel."
Scowling at her I squeezed Nik's hand tightly in mine. "They're siphoning witches. And they can kick your ass. I was able to take on his mother's dark magic and a lot of other sources. Now that I'm a heretic I can beat your ass far worse than you imagine!"
"You see, dear aunt. Raelyn and I are very powerful beings. So while you think you can sway us. I assure you that you won't succeed." Nik told her sternly.
Dahlia turned her head towards Freya making one last move. "The world already is afraid of your children are they not. The children of the original hybrid and the heretic of the Gemini coven. Raelyn I heard what you are, that you were an outcast yourself. And that you couldn't control your powers. I am the only one who can help them."
"We can protect our children ourselves just fine. Now let us out of here." Snapping at her she waved her hand smacking Nik and I both in the face knocking us out on our backs. "In the end, the truth is, you will have made the right choice for her.....you will see I am helping them."
Shooting my eyes open I gasped sharply shooting upright where I frantically looked around seeing a hole in my chest that was healing now. "Nik!!!"
"Rae!!" He gasped wrapping his hands around the dagger handle. He began to pull it out slowly then he rose to his feet getting out of the coffin. He swung his legs over the side holding the blade in his right hand. "We need to deal with Elijah..."
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