New Orleans
The restaurant had erupted into almost a silence, as Marcel's vampires had left with my father in search of Jane-Anne's body. I was just grateful Marcel was given into my Father's negotiations. Besides, we didn't have much of a choice in the matter. The life of Hayley and her baby was quite literally in the hands of Sophia Devereaux. We had to do whatever she asked of us. Right now, I wasn't going to worry about my father. I knew he could handle things himself. I was more filled with questions, questions I'm sure Marcel had the answers to.
My gaze followed him, as he had went over to the bar. Grabbing a bottle of red wine. Then, bringing it back over to the table and sitting down.
He opens the bottle, then pours from it.
He then handed the glass to me, giving a grin. "Thought this was a little more your style."
"Thank you." I nodded my head to him. Then taking the glass from him. I raised it to my lips. Taking a sip from it, before then placing it down on the table in front of me.
"Gotta say, your little thing back there with trying to woo me?" Marcel gave a smug smile. "It's impressive."
"Impressive?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Making deals was always your father's jam." Marcel pointed out.
I pursed my lips. "Perhaps." When it came to politics, my father was always the one to negotiate and make the deals. He always did it so well. "But, I'm not completely useless when it comes to business. I know a thing or two."
"I suppose you get that from him."
"I suppose so." I shrugged my shoulders. "Over the centuries, I've taken it upon myself to study my father's ways of persuasion. "
Marcel chuckled. "Yeah, well you and him are different when it comes to that."
"How so?"
Marcel leaned in. "When it comes to negotiations, Elijah always has an agenda. He never makes a deal unless it benefits him. And, he likes to thrown in a threat every now and again." He said. "But you? You just go with your gut and try to do the right thing. Without having to threaten to kill anyone."
"I don't like threatening people." I shrugged my shoulders again.
"That's what I've always liked about you, Sarah." Marcel leaned in. "You've always been able to show compassion and mercy."
"I just see no reason to be cruel."
"And that's what makes you different from the rest of your family." Marcel nodded. He raised his glass to his lips. "If anything, you're better than any of them ever could be."
"Marcel..." I began, as I gathered my words. "It's been decades since we've last seen each other. And, somehow the only question that ponders my mind is how the hell are you even here talking to me right now? The last time I saw you-
"I was tied up and about to burned alive along with the opera house?" He stared.
"How the hell did you survive?"
"Long story short?" He let out a sigh. "I somehow found myself freed in enough time to escape before the fire could reach me."
"What?" I stared.
Marcel nodded. "All I remember, is one minute I was tied up. The next I wasn't. It's all kinda of a blur to be honest." He told me. "But, I reckon the only reasonable explanation? I guess me being able to escape might have been Mikael's doing."
"I don't understand." I shake my head. "Mikael is ruthless, and he despises vampires. I can't see why he'd simply let you go."
"Don't know." He huffed. "Maybe Mikael didn't think I was worth killing anymore? Perhaps he saw me as less of a threat and decided I wasn't worth the trouble of having to kill." He shrugged. "Either way, strangely I should be thanking the bastard."
"Thanking him?"
"Without him, I wouldn't be here." Marcel pointed out.
"Perhaps not." I agreed. But, it still sounded completely absurd to even think about being a possibility.
"And, I've spent the past 90 something odd years making it on my own." Marcel sipped on his glass. "Building an empire, and making a name for myself. And, I'd say I'm doing pretty damn good if you'd ask me."
"Is that so?" I quizzed.
"Yeah, I mean I've got everything I could possibly want." Marcel nodded his head.
I pursed my lips. "By that, I can only assume you mean your ruling over the french quarter? Being a king."
"I have it made, Sarah. I'm telling you." He leaned in a bit more this time. A grin then gracing his features. "New Orleans is my turf now. The Witches answer to me now. The Werewolves? Let's just say you don't see them around too much anymore. I have an army of vampires willing to lay down their lives for me." He chuckled. "Hell, I even managed to forge a peace between the human and vampire factions."
"And you did all of it on your own?" I titled my head.
"Yeah, I did." He nods.
"I got to admit Marcel, what you've accomplished is quite remarkable. " I nodded my head. "It truly is."
"Thanks." Marcel nodded.
"So does this mean that you've finally found your happiness?" I asked, curiously. It seemed that he was happy. Happier than I think I've ever seen in all of that time he spent with our family.
"A small smile appeared on Marcel's face. "I am happy, Sarah. For the first time in a long time, I'm really happy." Marcel told me.
I could tell, he meant it.
Marcel was happy. This new life he had created for himself made him happy.
And, that's all I wanted. I wanted Marcel to be happy. To find a life and live it to its fullest potential.
Even if it meant that it was away from the rest of my family. It was just a shame, that things turned out this way. That, he had disconnected himself so much. From his past.
From that old life.
But could I really blame him for doing so? Not, I suppose not.
But, I did miss him.
Marcel was the closest thing I had ever had to a brother. He was part of my family. And, I loved him as such.
And perhaps, part of me still did?
"Then, I'm glad you're happy." I smiled at him. Even if things didn't turn out how I had imagined. "I'm glad that you were able to find a good life for yourself after...everything."
"What about you?" Marcel titled his head. "Even with the chaos that is the Original family, have you been able to find happiness too?"
I let out a deep breath, as I sat back in the chair. "I suppose so, yes."
"You suppose?" Marcel quizzed.
I shrugged my shoulders. "I mean, you know what it's like being with my family." I told him. "It's been a thousand years of drama and chaos. Of secrets and betrayals." I exhaled. "Sure, it hasn't always been easy. But..."
Marcel narrowed his eyes, and he seemed to watch me more closely. "But what?" He raised an eyebrow.
"But through it all, I have a family. One that loves me and I love back." Wasn't that enough?
Family was happiness, wasn't it?
Wasn't the love of a family enough? Even if it did come with the hardships of living for a thousand years, did it even matter? Because, from my experience family was worth all of the struggles. All of the heartbreak. All of the sacrifices.
Because, at the end of the day a family was forever. Always.
"And your family is your happiness." Marcel finished. "No matter how dysfunctional it might be."
"Yes." I whispered softly.
Marcel sighed. "Being so devoted to your family despite all of the heartbreak and betrayal? I suppose you get that from your father too." He pointed out. "No matter how many times they threaten to kill each other, you still hold onto the hope they can be fixed one day."
It seemed that Marcel knew me well, I suppose he always had. "Yes, I do."
"You know, I'm glad I got out while I had the chance." Marcel's expression hardened. "All these years, I've learned I'm better off on my own."
"What?" My expression fell.
"It's true. I'm better than I ever was when I was with your family." Marcel nods.
"Marcel." I shake my head. "I know that growing up with my family wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows but-"
"But what?"
"But, it was better than the life you had before you met us." I told him.
"That might be true." Marcel agreed. "But spending all of those years living with your family?" He shakes his head. "With all the betrayals and the deaths. It was no way to live. I can see that now."
"Marcel-"
"Sarah." Marcel put a hand up. "Look, I know what you're going to try to say. But please, don't bother."
I diverted my gaze down. "Okay. Okay, I...I won't."
"Look, I don't want to make it sound like I hate you." Marcel began. "Because, I don't hate you, Sarah. I'm sure you know that." His expression softened once more.
"Of course." I sighed.
"You were like a sister to me." Marcel said. "You practically raised me, and played a part in who I became. I can't forget that. It's just..."
I looked back up, meeting his gaze. "You're not that little boy anymore?"
Marcel shakes his head. "No."
I would admit, it didn't hurt me a little. To know that he moved on so easily. From me and my family. From his life with us.
But, I understood where he was coming from. I did.
I swallowed, trying to keep my composure. "It's okay, Marcel. I get it. You became your own person and you didn't want to be stuck in the past." I nodded.
I wouldn't be angry with him about it.
As Marcel's phone buzzed, he pulled it out god pocket. Checking it. He then looked up at me, sighed. "Look uh, I got get going. You know, vampire business." He stands up from his seat. "But if you ever wanna talk, I'm here okay?"
I watched as he stood up, and nodded. "Yeah, yeah of course.
"See you around." He nods to me. Before then heading out of the restaurant, leaving me all alone by myself.
Left in my own thoughts.