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Natalia's P.O.V
As the night progressed I became increasingly bored. Finn had, thankfully, not shown up since he retreated hours ago. Since his departure, the others were simply asking me a series of questions about my life, including the matter of how I became a vampire, which I promised to share with them one day but not tonight. They were all respectful of this which was much appreciated. Kol had, unfortunately, returned after dinner and attempted to rejoin the conversation, making the occasional annoying comment. Between his nagging and with the siblings beginning to bicker again about being daggered anytime Nik threw a hissy fit, I found it fitting to make my exit.
"Well, thank you all for a lovely evening, it was great catching up but I think it's time to wrap it up," I joked while standing, "I bid you all good night, we shall speak tomorrow."
Rebekah and Elijah stood in order to say their goodbyes, Kol was observing them doing so, however Nik remained comfortably seated. For some reason, this was an act which I found odd, as I would expect him to bid me farewell. In the few seconds it took me to hug Rebekah, I grew increasingly suspicious of the look which suddenly formed on his face.
"Natalia, why don't you share your little secret with my siblings. I think it's time they knew, do you not agree?" I watched his lips stretch into a small, sarcastic smile, and I internally cursed.
"Bastard," I muttered, "Did you only bring me here to be a never ending distraction so that your siblings would forget, for a brief moment, that you've been keeping them in boxes throughout a good chunk of their immortal lives?" I asked bitterly. So much for allowing me to share my story when I was ready to do so. Elijah and Rebekah turned to look at me, both their faces exhibiting visible confusion.
"What exactly is my brother referring to?" Rebekah asked while arching a delicate brow.
"Natalia," Elijah began, "I am happy to see you, and although Niklaus is my brother, I cannot say that I trust him. However, there have been an abundance of secrets which have come to light since yesterday, and so I would appreciate if we cleared the air of any more."
He was not threatening me, but rather asking respectfully, although I wondered what other secrets he was referring to. Kol had leaned forward in his chair, and folded his hands on the table while looking up at me, surely curious as to what the secret was. I stood there for a second, a tad bit frozen. I thought about making a run for it. After all, I highly doubt that any of them would actually chase after me. But if I left in that sort of manner now, I could not return. At least, not any time soon. I stared at them for a few seconds, and they all appeared to have their guards up, as they were not sure what the nature of this so-called secret was.
I caught Nik's eye, "You know, I'll get you back for this one day," I told him as my jaw clenched.
"I'm sure you will sweetheart, but not today."
"Well, enough back and forth, let's hear it," Kol piped in and threw his hands up behind his head just as he leaned back in his chair.
I shot him a quick glare but turned to all of them with a sigh, "Ok, well as you all know, I am a vampire-"
"Really? I wouldn't have guessed," Kol interrupted and I instinctively threw the nearest object, a glass vase, at him. He caught it with ease.
Rebekah complained, "Shut up Kol, you've been becoming increasingly unbearable as the night has progressed."
"Anyways," I continued, "Long story short, I may be a vampire, but I am also more than that," I paused and stole a side-glance at Kol, expecting another interruption. However, funny enough, all three siblings were hanging on to my every word, and so I went on.
"I am also an Original," I stated and braced for impact.
Dead silence. You could hear a pin drop. Well, we could already do that but you get the point. They were all staring at me in disbelief, their mouths had fallen somewhat open, and their brows were all furrowed. Of course, this did not include Niklaus, who actually seemed quite smug.
Elijah spoke first, although his response was purely instinctual rather than well thought out, "Wait, come again?"
"You cannot just say long story short and then tell us that you are an Original!" said Rebekah exasperatedly, "Please, elaborate!"
"That's not possible," Kol muttered to himself. I raised a brow and was going to reply, when I suddenly heard footsteps behind me, and a voice which I could hardly remember.
"She is telling the truth."
I whipped around and my eyes landed on the figure in front of me. My mouth parted in what I could only describe as mild shock. I turned around and scanned the faces of everyone behind me, so as to make sure that I was really seeing what I thought I was. They did not look nearly as shocked as I was, and I concluded that they most certainly knew. Slowly, I turned back around.
"Esther."
Flashback (New World, Late 10th Century)
It has been no more than seven months since I gave birth, and since my father took my daughter away. My mother assured me that they had found her a good family who had trouble conceiving a child of their own. She told me that they would surely take the best care of her, but neither of them would tell me exactly how far away she would be. I argued quite a bit with them afterwards, so much so that on a few occasions, my brothers had to step in as the argument with my father would get physical. I do not wish to go find her and bring her back, I just wanted to know where she was.
I got to hold her once, and in those few seconds I deduced that she looked so much like me. The urge to take her and leave was strong. But I knew she would have a better life, a more opportunistic one. Although, something good did occur that day. Shortly after my father left with her, my sister Adrianna had run out after him. She begged him to at least relay the name that I had chosen for her to her new family. I do not know if it was pity for me, pity for the baby, or his weakness when it came to my sister, but he agreed.
Luna Danail Lucifson
Of course, I am sure that she would acquire a new family name, but they had told my father that keeping her first name was the least they could do.
Currently, I was walking over to the Mikaelson home. After I gave birth, Rebekah and Niklaus were allowed to talk to me again, in small intervals. Mikael hated it, but Esther had defended me. Niklaus had informed me that the argument between them on the night they had discussed the matter was so intense that he thought they would kill each other, and although I did not think it was possible, her word came out on top. Elijah and I never skipped a beat of course, but it was good to speak with him again and not have to hide. Finn and I have not spoken since that fateful day, and neither do I plan on ever speaking to him again. My relationship with Kol was in a similar state. After I began spending time with his siblings again, we would see each other often, he would occasionally greet me and I would give him a curt nod. But I did not wish to be friends with him ever again, a fact which I'm sure he picked up on.
Their youngest brother Henrik had recently passed away. It was a tragic accident, but Mikael had been furious at Niklaus for his carelessness. Since then, I found myself visiting more often. At first, they were inconsolable, and Esther was absolutely devastated, as any mother would be. However, the last few times I had visited, there was no answer at the door. There have also been a few strange disappearances around the village. I believe it to be the work of the same beasts who killed Henrik, yet there were whispers amongst the villagers of a curse. It was said that the Mikaelson family had been touched by black magic, though I refused to simply believe these rumors. After all, it was these same villagers who spoke of my sister and me.
I stepped up and knocked on the door, hoping for an answer this time. After a few moments of silence, I tried again, "Hello! Is anyone home?" I called out while knocking. A few more moments passed and I sighed, I would try again tomorrow. Just as I turned around to leave however, I heard the creak of the door as it swung open. I quickly turned back around and spotted Esther.
"Esther!" I exclaimed, "I am so sorry to bother you, I was just sto-" before I got the chance to finish, she had roughly pulled me by my arm into the family home.
"Esther! Is everything alright?" I asked with worry just as she shut the door and proceeded to shush me.
"Listen to me Natalia," her tone was harsh and I immediately gave her my undivided attention, "You have become like a daughter to me, and like a sister to my children. I want to offer you something which will keep you safe forever."
I shook my head, "I don't understand what you're talking about. What exactly is going on?" I asked.
She completely ignored my question and continued on with her rambling, "You will take this jar, it contains wine, drink it as soon as possible, only you," she then reached into a pouch she had been holding and took out a beautiful blue ring, "Put this on as well. Never take it off," she proceeded to shove both items into my hands.
I looked down at them before looking back up at her, "Esther, with all due respect, you seem unwell and you are worrying me. I've heard things around the village about black magic and I want no part of it," I argued and attempted to give her the items back. She shook her head however, and pulled her hands away.
"I cannot explain in the little time we have. Just know, what I am doing is only to protect you, to make you better. To make you stronger in this life. No harm will come to you, and soon all your questions will be answered." I looked at her like she was deranged.
"You expect me to drink random wine and put on a ring that I am never meant to take off? Esther, I am sorry but something seems very wrong-"
"It is your choice!" She snapped, "But just know this, if you drink this wine, then you will have everything you could ever wish for. But if you do not, you will likely live a weak and miserable life. You do with that as you please."
My brows were furrowed and I was about to ask her another question and call her insane, when we suddenly heard commotion outside the home. Both our heads snapped toward the door and we attempted to listen, however not a second later she quickly grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the back where they had another entrance.
"Esther! Wha-" before I could get another word in, she opened the door and quite literally threw me out. I tripped on the last step and turned around furious, "Esther!" I growled.
"Go! It's faster through the woods!" She whispered harshly but in a panicked tone and quickly shut the door.
I had many questions, but there was clearly something that she wanted me to run from. I assumed it was Mikael, and so I began making my way back through the woods as it was indeed a quicker way home. At first I tried speed walking, but I heard noises from behind me that were becoming increasingly loud. With one last look over my shoulder, I began to run. Once I felt that I was far enough from the Mikaelson home, I looked down at the two items Esther had given me. I tucked the jar under my arm and began inspecting the ring with both hands. It really was beautiful, and against my better judgment, I began to cautiously put it on. I slid it onto my finger slowly, as if waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did. I deduced that it could simply be some kind of good luck charm.
I then untucked the jar of wine from under my arm, it was sloshing back and forth as I walked slowly, so as to delay my arrival home. I did not want to bring the jar into my home, and Esther's words were replaying in my head. Slowly, I opened the lid and took a whiff. It smelled just like wine, nothing special that I could detect. Cautiously, I brought it up to my lips and took the smallest sip imaginable. It was a stupid thing to do, not knowing what was in it. But the wine was ordinary, seeing how nothing appeared to happen. I closed it back up and decided that I would hide the jar at the edge of the forest near my home until I could decide what to do with it. Although as I continued on my walk, I kept thinking about the odd conversation with Esther.
Just as I was delving deeper into my own thoughts, I heard a twig snap. I quickly whipped my head around but saw nothing. However, just then there was another snap which caused me to turn once again. It did not sound like an animal, there was no rustling, or any other audible noises. It was slowly getting dark, and I was becoming increasingly paranoid. I decided that I would run as quickly as I could, but just as I turned around once more, I let out a small yelp at the sight of the person in front of me.
"Niklaus! You startled me," I said out of breath, placing a hand over my frantically beating heart, "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Natalia. Your heart is beating so fast," he whispered. Something did not seem right, and I took a small step back.
"Nik? What's wrong with you? Where did you just come from? I did not hear any noise from behind me..." I trailed off, and took another step back. There was something odd about his demeanor, and just as I was looking at his face, it began to change right before me.
Niklaus's eyes had seemingly turned black or red, he grew veins under them and it seemed that his teeth grew into pointed fangs. He was a demon. My breathe got stuck in my throat and I immediately opened my mouth to scream just as I tried to turn and run. However, before I got the chance to do either, a hand was placed over my mouth and I was pushed up against a tree at an impossible speed. Niklaus pulled my hair back to expose my neck, and I suddenly felt a sharp pain. My screams were muffled by his hand, I struggled and fought but his body felt like steel. I began feeling faint, and the world around me soon became dark.
When I awoke, my gums hurt and everything was spinning. Things seemed brighter and louder, and I was hungry. But not for food.
Present day
"Niklaus, you killed her?" Asked Rebekah in a tone which I could only describe as disturbed.
"It's not like I wanted to! I couldn't control it at the time," He snapped.
"I still don't understand," Kol said, attempting to grasp what was happening, "How did you know to feed when you woke up? How come we never found out about you?"
"When I woke up, Niklaus was sitting across from me. He had noticed the jar of wine," I replied and threw Esther a quick dirty look, "You all left town about two days later, you couldn't have known. Niklaus kept my existence a secret, as I thought it was for the best."
"I smelled the blood in the wine," Klaus elaborated, "I recognized what it was and figured that our dear mother was trying to protect her. I showed her how to feed. I explained what we were. To be completely honest, I was relieved. If she had not drank the wine, then she would currently be very dead."
Rebekah shook her head, "Mother, how did you know that she would even turn? Niklaus is right, had she not taken that sip of wine then she would be dead. But there was no guarantee that she would have drank it."
"Why do this to her?" Elijah asked Esther with disappointment.
"My children," Esther began,"At that time, we had seen the horrors that could occur when one is mortal. I simply wanted to help Natalia-"
"She knew Nik was out in those woods, she knew his thirst was uncontrollable and she knew he would kill me," I spat out, "You were just counting on me drinking the wine right away, just as you had told me."
Esther sighs, "I am sorry Natalia. When I think of it now, I realize what a tremendous mistake I made. I sent you off like a sheep for slaughter. I shouldn't have done it, but it is now irreversible," she says bitterly.
I shook my head and took another step towards her, "You took my choice away."
"And for that, I am truly sorry." Her apology meant nothing to me, if anything it seemed rehearsed.
I turned back to the other siblings, "Oh and by the way, what happened to 'oh I would appreciate if we cleared the air of any more secrets' huh?" My question was directed toward Elijah with heavy sarcasm, "No one thought to mention that your mother, who is not a vampire by the way, is still alive?" I stared at them in disbelief.
I turned back to her, "How are you still alive?"
"It's complicated."
"Everything seems to be complicated with this family," Kol quipped.
An awkward silence fell upon us after his remark. It felt too heavy to be in the room, and a part of me wanted to rip Esther's heart out. If I stay for much longer, I might actually do it.
"Good night," I said and turned swiftly, flashing out of there. I did not look at anyone before I left and I realized that luckily, no one had followed me. I loved the Mikaelson family, or at least some of them, but our story is intertwined with tragedy.
After the night I turned, I fled without saying goodbye to my family. It was safer for them, as I could not control my thirst at the time, but I was devastated. It was the same night that the Mikaelsons had burned down the white oak tree which gave us life. Niklaus attempted to console me but he did not understand. He informed me that the rest of his family were vampires, and that they would soon be leaving. I did not want to go with them however, and simply asked him to keep my secret.
I turned bitter for a long time. While Nik had his family, I lost mine overnight because Esther decided to force the transformation upon me, rather than allow me to decide when I should turn on my own. After staying around the area for a few years, I had managed to locate my daughter. The family that raised her had in fact kept her first name. By the time I found her, she was five years old and happy, which is all I ever wanted for her. I decided I did not want to take away her chance at a normal life, and so I watched her live. I watched her grow up, fall in love, get married, have two beautiful children herself, and eventually die. She was fifty six at the time of her death, young by today's standards but quite a long life for that time period.
It broke my heart when she died but I knew she had lived a happy life. Soon after, I fled back to the old world where ten years later, Niklaus and I met again. He taught me everything I might not have known, such as the fact that we could not die as other vampires could. Selfishly, I still wanted the others to consider me dead and so Klaus agreed to keep on lying, with the condition that one day, I would tell them the truth. Since then, him and I have crossed paths every now and then throughout the centuries. I traveled everywhere I wanted, did anything I wanted, killed anyone I wanted. I enjoy life as a vampire and do not miss being human, but the fact that I never had a say in the when or how I turned never stopped bothering me.
And so here I am today, walking around Mystic Falls. A place I thought I had long forgotten.
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