[ THE STAND: CHAPTER FOUR ]
MARSEILLES, FRANCE: 1002 AD
The Count De Martel was throwing one of his many celebrations, the entire court was gathered in the yard— music was being played on instruments nearby. Guests mingled by various stations, tables laden with fruit, bread and cheese— several women were kneeling nearby, watching with interest as Elijah, Ares and Tristan practice throwing axes at wooden circles propped up several metres away. The women clapped in amusement when they hit their target, Rhea however was bored out of her mind.
Until, a tap on her shoulder drove her attention away from the men, looking up, she saw Kol— his usual devilish grin upon his face.
"May I steal you for a moment, my lady?" He asked with a wink, they were never as formal as this when others weren't around, but they had to keep up pretences— after all, she was expected to marry Tristan soon, and although she had harboured some feelings for Tristan, the deep, pure feelings she felt for the vampire would always outweigh that.
"Of course you may." She said with a giggle, taking his outstretched hand and standing up— leaving the immediate area with him.
"Why must you marry Tristan, my love?" He asked once they were out of sight of the many guests, he didn't disconnect their hands, though.
"Kol, I am trying to delay it as much as possible— I have already charmed the Count into letting us stay here, if I done it again and he starts to show too much lenience, people may start to suspect things, he is after all, a cruel man. I'm also afraid he may become cruel with me should I not comply with his wishes soon." She said with a heavy sigh, there was a lot on her mind, too much for a woman of her age.
Kol stopped walking and came to stand in front of the brunette beauty, he placed his hands on either side of her delicate face, finding himself lost in her dark, enticing eyes.
"Run away with me." Rhea's mouth dropped open at the statement, she couldn't believe he was asking her to do such a thing.
"Kol, don't be absurd. You have your family and I can't leave my brother behind—" she started but he cut her off, sensing her distress.
"Forgive me, it was a foolish idea." Rhea didn't miss the way his shoulders slightly sagged, and his eyes seemed to lose a bit of their shine.
"What's going on in that beautiful mind of yours?" He questioned upon seeing her expression, she looked deeply troubled, something the vampire didn't like.
"Lucien told me the local villagers have been talking of demons among them, Kol, you need to be careful. I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to you." She confessed, herself and Kol were very aware of their deep feelings for one another and although they hadn't said the words yet— they loved each other in a way that neither of them knew they could love. It wasn't lust or desire, no, Rhea hadn't given herself to the vampire yet, it was pure, undeniable love.
"Rest assured love, no one will ever be able to take me away from you."
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Rhea was on high alert as soon as she opened her eyes, noticing the unfamiliar surroundings, it was a large, elegant room but she still had no clue where she was.
Sitting up, she scanned her surroundings, finding Marcel passed out on the floor not far from her— she crawled over to him, checking for any sign of serious injuries, when she didn't find any, however, she used her magic to revive him. She could tell he had been knocked out with a toxin, one that was all too familiar.
"I should've guessed it was you." She said as she heard the culprit enter the room, standing up, she faced them, "I'm going to give you ten seconds to tell me what the hell I'm doing here, Aya, or I'm going to rip your pathetic heart from your chest."
"Now, now, Rhea, since when were you so aggressive?" Aya asked with that smirk that Rhea so desperately wanted to permanently remove from her face.
Marcel awoke then, he groggily sat up, wiping the dried up blood from his face, "Ugh, what the hell did you do to me?" He paused, noticing Rhea, "And what the hell is she doing here?"
Aya held out her hand to Marcel, showing him the large ring on her right hand, "Scratched you with a toxin of my own devising. Kicks like a mule, doesn't it?"
She pulls out a blood bag from behind her back, tossing to Marcel who immediately dug into it.
"Here. This should help. Plenty more where that came from, my friends and I could help with your daylight right situation, as well." Marcel looked up at the older vampire warily.
"Okay, now you have my attention." He told her as he stood up, Rhea took a step closer to Marcel, laughing bitterly.
"Marcel, I can make your daylight rings if it means you stay well away from these lunatics." Marcel shook his head, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Of course, you know each other."
Aya gave Rhea a calculating glare before turning back to Marcel, "Marcel Gerard. You were turned by an original, yet made yourself in your own image. You built a vampire community from ash, and this city thrived under your rule. Let us help you return New Orleans to what it should be, with you as its king."
"A great sales pitch, really Aya." Rhea deadpanned, praying that Marcel wouldn't fall for her enticing offer.
Marcel, clapped his hands in mock applause, something that made Rhea sigh in relief, "Just one thing— who's 'us'?"
"The oldest society of vampires this world has ever known. We are called The Strix." Aya replied proudly.
Rhea leaned over to Marcel, mock whispering, "They think they're all that, but they're just a bunch of old ass vampires with way too much time on their hands."
Aya was about to bite back, before Elijah appeared in the doorway, "Quite the prestigious organisation! Responsible for countless wars, numerous plagues, assassinations.." He trailed off, Aya froze at the sound of his voice— refusing to turn to her sire— something that made Rhea smirk.
"You have to break rules if you want to build a new world." She replied haughtily, finally turning to face him, "Hello, Elijah. It's been a while."
Marcel rolled his eyes in exasperation, "And you two know each other as well, should I even be surprised?"
Rhea chuckled, "Oh Marcellus, Elijah and Aya know each other a little differently.." She trailed off, Elijah continued on from her, uttering one word that Marcel wasn't even surprised at.
"..Intimately." And then he vamp sped towards Aya, dipping her as if they were in the middle of a formal dance, before plunging his hand into her and chest and clutching her heart.
"Well that took an unexpected turn." Rhea commentated, taking a seat on the outskirts of the room.
Aya cried out in pain, but that didn't bother Elijah who looked unamused, "Whatever you're doing here, I know you're not alone."
A dozen vampires entered the room, followed by Tristan, someone that Rhea hadn't seen in a long time.
"Let her go, Elijah. No need for this to become vulgar." Elijah rolled his eyes, smirking while Aya continued to gasp in his arms.
Rhea, who had taken an interest in her nails, said, "And there he is."
"Tristan." Elijah said, the vampire only grinned smugly at his sire.
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Marcel stood back to back with Elijah, seeming like he was gearing up for a fight, as the members of the Strix closed in on them.
"You go left, I go right?" He questioned Elijah who only looked suspicious at the Strix's intentions with Marcel.
"Sit down Marcel, you wouldn't stand a chance." Rhea paused, standing up to take a place next to Marcel, "Me, however. I will love the feeling of magically pulling all of their hearts out simultaneously." She threatened, some of the Strix looked taken back by her statement.
Elijah finally yanked his hand out of Aya's chest, who looked relieved that her sire had in fact, left her with a heart.
"Why don't you stay where I can see you both?" Both Rhea and Marcel looked at the Mikaelson angrily; the former rolled her eyes before looking to the person she hadn't acknowledged since they entered the room.
"What am I doing here, Tristan? I'm getting really sick of people thinking they can just kidnap me every five minutes." She asked.
He only smirked at the witch, something that she found attractive once upon a time, now she knew there was nothing good to come of it.
"Why must you be so hostile, Rhea? Is it so bad I wanted to see my wife after say, nine hundred-ish years?"
And only a second later, did Rhea's hand connect with Tristan's face, the loud slap echoed throughout the entire room.
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