| THE AFTERMATH:
CHAPTER FIVE |
"I don't know what's more surprising, Rhea saving my ass today, or the three of you wanting to see me afterwards." Rhea, Davina and Ares had been waiting for Vincent at St. James Infirmary, prepared to ask for his help.
Rhea stood, turning to face the witch, "We need your help, Vincent."
Vincent sighed, "Rhea, I don't know if I'm your guy. Outside these walls, the Ancestors have a, uh, a pretty strong say in what I can and cannot do." He looked to Ares, "And today showed they can have some effect on what you're brother can do."
Rhea's eyes flickered to Ares, shock written on her face, "What does he mean?"
Ares avoid his sisters eyes, looking to Davina for help— the latter shook her head, forcing him to explain for himself.
"Look, uh, I don't know how— but they got into my head, forced me to help Vincent complete the spell." He told her with a guilty expression on his face.
Davina jumped to his defence, "I think it has something to do with the fact that when Esther bought him back, she was in the body of a New Orleans's witch."
Rhea nodded in understanding, "Meaning, even if it's the smallest part of you, they can control you."
Rhea never imagined she would fear her brother, but in her current situation, she didn't know whether she could put her trust fully into her sibling and that thought alone made her feel sick.
Turning to Vincent, she said, "They're manipulating Kol, too."
Vincent nodded, not at all surprised by the news, "Yeah." He whispered.
"I tested his blood. It's infused with their magic, which means they corrupted the spell I used to bring him back. They couldn't get to me, so they're making him lose control and using my brother as a weapon. This is all my fault, they wanted me to join them and I said no, they've always hated what me and Ares are— and I pissed them off. I added the fuel to the fire, Vincent, I don't know what to do." She confessed, Davina put a comforting hand on her shoulder whilst Vincent looked at her tormented expression sympathetically.
He walked towards the three of them, whispering quietly as though he was afraid of being overheard, "You know, I used to respect them. The Ancestors. I mean, the more and more I watched them, the more I saw them just using people for their own needs. Then, when they're done, they just... toss them aside. Like they're trash."
The three witches listened to him intently, watching as he seemed to be angering himself with his own words, "And if you disobey 'em? Whoa, right? If we disobey 'em, then they're gonna shun us. If we disobey them, then they're gonna cripple us! And in your case, if you don't join them, they're gonna take you out!"
The three of them nodded, knowing full well that he was speaking to utmost truth.
"They're gonna kill us! They've got to be stopped. And it looks like it's gonna be down to us to do it."
Rhea looked to her brother, and then Davina— they both nodded, a silent agreement— before turning back to Vincent.
"We're in."
Rhea had retired to bed almost as soon as she got home, the stress of the day had exhausted her. She craved just one day, one day of complete peace— without any drama, just one day.
She was about to drift off to sleep when she felt the bed dip beside her and an arm drape around her waist. She stayed silent, waiting for Kol to speak first.
"I'm sorry," he whispered after a few moments, "I don't know what's happening to me."
Rhea sighed, "Yes, you do. You just won't admit it. It's the ancestors Kol, they're messing with Ares, too."
He stayed silent for a while, lost in his own thoughts, before snuggling closer to her— with her, he felt safe, she'd always been his safe-haven.
He placed a loving kiss on her shoulder, "We'll talk about this tomorrow, for now, you need to rest, love."
"Okay." She whispered, before drifting off into a deep sleep.
They may have been in the middle of a war, whether that be with Klaus' many enemies or the witches and their futures may not be looking so bright— but in that moment, they had each other. That's all they ever needed.
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"Oh, I can't be here, Rhea. This is bad idea." Kol told her upon seeing the many people inside of St. James Infirmary— he was already feeling his self control slip at the smell of blood combined with the pounding of many hearts.
"This place is anti-magic, which means it can't affect you, so come in," She pulled him over the threshold, and almost instantly Kol felt his control resume. The spell on the restaurant was successfully blocking the ancestors hex, "Loosen up, take your mind off of it."
She smiled upon noticing the relieved expression on his face, "You can thank me later."
Kol walked over to her, stopping close, so they were nose to nose, a smile on his face, "I owe you once again, you must get tired of saving me."
Rhea chuckled, "I've been saving your ass for the better part of nine centuries, don't you think I'd have given up by now if I didn't enjoy it?"
He cupped her face with one of his hands, adoration the only prominent emotion on his face before leaning down and capturing her lips with his.
Rhea beamed, pulling away after a moment, "And what if I told you I had a solution to all our problems?"
"What do you have in mind, darling?" He asked, twirling a strand of her hair in his fingers.
Rhea's face turned serious, moving out of the way slightly. Kol looked behind her to see Vincent, Ares and Davina sitting at the end of the bar— the vampire did not look happy upon seeing Vincent.
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"Try to remember, your spirit was trapped with the ancestors. Did they say anything?" Vincent asked Kol as he slid a glass of scotch over to him.
"Yeah, well, it's hard to hear what anyone is saying when there's a boot in your face." Kol stated bluntly, Rhea didn't like hearing about Kol's time with the ancestors.
Vincent sighed before turning to Ares, "Imagine when Esther bought you back. Did you hear voices? Spells? Chants? I don't know, a threat?"
Ares sighed impatiently, "There was nothing, at all, all right? They hate us because of what we are and they hate Kol because he's a Mikaelson. Simple."
Davina sighed in frustration, "What's the point of these questions?"
Vincent's expression became grim, causing suspicious looks to surround the table.
"Vincent, tell us." Rhea prompted, he needed to be honest with them to be any kind of help.
"The Ancestors made a deal with Lucien," Vincent continued, "That's an act of war. And now, they're coming after Kol and Ares." Kol sighed, lacing his fingers through Rhea's before resting his chin against them.
"If I knew why, then maybe I could convince them that there's a better way. Maybe I could talk some sense into 'em." Vincent finished.
Kol scoffed, "You make them sound like they're a committee of a sort."
"Reasonable people." Ares added with a roll of his eyes.
"The dead were once the living. All the living really want to do is avoid trouble and protect their own."
Rhea tuned out as Vincent continued speaking— becoming distracted by Kol. For the first time in a long time, she had thought they were going to be okay, and now she was unsure. She was unsure of so many things, but one thing was for sure— the ancestors were going to pay.
"Why would you ever help us?" Kol's voice bought her out of her thoughts, his question has thrown Vincent off slightly.
"This isn't about you," Vincent started, "Its about them two." He nodded to the two females at the table.
"I figure I owe them that much." Vincent left then, and not long after— Davina and Ares did.
Kol and Rhea spent the rest of their afternoon drinking and dancing, enjoying the time they had together— without drama. They looked like the picture perfect couple, constant smiles on their face, stealing quick kisses here and there. No one on the outside would be able to tell that they were a thousand years old with the weight of the world on their shoulders and enough emotional baggage to level the city.
"The ancestors are the only thing left standing in our way, we deal with them, and then it's done. We've been through so much together already, we can do this. We'll be okay, in the end." She told him as they danced together to the music of the live band.
They kissed once again, losing themselves in each other, before Kol pulled away abruptly. His face looked fearful as he backed away from Rhea, whom looked at him in concern when his vampire face started to show. He threw himself at a nearby table, leaning over it. Rhea subtlety thrust her hand out, using her magic to shake the glasses on the nearby bar.
The two of them shared a horrified glance, "You said that magic doesn't work in here." Kol asked anxiously.
"It doesn't. It's the ancestors, they must be breaking through the spell. Kol, we don't have much time and I don't know what to do." She confessed.
Kol groaned, but before he could do anything else— Marcel appeared behind him, snapping his neck, Ares joined them a moment later— confusing Rhea more.
"Sorry to interrupt date night." Marcel said as Rhea looked at them in shock.
"What're you doing here, Marcel, Ares?"
"I'm preventing a bloodbath in the middle of my city." He told the witch who only looked at Kol's temporarily lifeless body with a sad look on her face, once again their day had been ruined.
"We're also freeing you up to help Vincent. He's in trouble at the cemetery, Davina's already on her way. Go, we'll clear this place up and look after Kol." Ares told his sister, who seemed to be having an internal debate on whether or not she should leave.
"Rhea, go." Ares told her and reluctantly, she left.
She arrived at the cemetery in record time, finding Davina and Vincent stood round the front altar.
"If they get to Kol, he won't be able to control himself and god knows what they'll do to Ares. We need to stop this now." Davina told Vincent, whom didn't look enthusiastic.
"Davina, I don't have access to the Ancestors' power anymore." He said with a guilty look, Rhea stepped forward.
"Then you'll both channel me."
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"Ares, you have to believe me. I would never hurt Rhea." Kol told him once he had gotten his self control back. Unbeknownst to them, Davina and Vincent had completed the spell to stop the ancestors getting through the protective barrier in St. James, whilst channelling Rhea.
"If that's true. Then do the right thing. Go. And don't come back." Marcel interjected, Ares looked at Kol with a sad look on his face.
"We're both dangerous right now, I won't let either Davina or Rhea get hurt. So we're both leaving, now."
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I'm not sure I like this :/
-Meg ✨