| THE AFTERMATH:
CHAPTER NINE |
VENICE: 1668
"Well, that was eventful." Rhea breathed out, turning to look back at their burning home.
"Eventful?! You nearly burned us alive, love." Kol said in a huff, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Come on, Kol. Lighten up, will you?" Rhea rolled her eyes as she spoke, "Besides, it was your idea to go meddling into magic neither of us really knew about."
Kol let out a laugh, she had the ability to make him laugh even when he wanted to be mad at her— she was a truly unique woman.
"Oh, so it's my fault, is it?" He asked with a teasing smirk, taking a threatening step towards her.
"Why yes, I think it might be. All. Your. Fault." She said slowly, a playful smiling gracing her features.
He grinned, "You're going to regret those words, Rhea Monroe."
"Only if you can catch me, Kol Mikaelson."
And with that, Rhea took off with a joyous laugh. She breezed through the woods, her laughter echoed throughout the scene. They always stayed in wooded areas— finding solace in the peace and quiet.
The two had broken off from the Mikaelson family not so long ago, venturing off to explore more of the world. Ares had decided to stay with the Mikaelsons— giving Kol and Rhea time to themselves.
Rhea came to a stop, looking around for Kol. He would easily be able to catch up with her, but he had always liked a good game. She heard a rustle behind her and turned, a thrill rushing through her veins.
Upon seeing nothing, she frowned.
Suddenly, two arms wrapped around her waist and she let out a small yelp.
"I'll always catch you, sweetheart." Kol whispered into her ear, she grinned, turning to face him.
She looked at him with such a fierce admiration before telling him, "That's what I'm counting on."
▽▲▽▲▽
"Wake up, Rhea. Come. Wake up!" Kol shouted at her lifeless body as Van Nguyen was chanting the resurrection spell.
Ares and Marcel were close by, as was Vincent, praying the girls would wake up— that they weren't too late.
"Come on, you can't leave me now." He whispered more to himself, however, Ares heard him— and put a comforting hand on the vampires shoulder.
Van stopped chanting, but neither of the girls woke up.
"What happened?" Marcel questioned, realisation that they may both be lost setting in, panic erupting in all of their bones.
"Nothing, it's like they weren't there at all. The ancestors got to them first." He said hesitantly, fearing for his own life upon not delivering.
"Where the bloody hell is she?!" Kol demanded to know, not even able to begin to imagine a life without Rhea. He couldn't do it.
"That's it man. They're gone." Vincent said solemnly, sadness seeping into his bones.
"Do it again!" Kol demanded, Ares had gone into a state of shock, leaning against a nearby wall as he slid down it. Burying his face in their hands.
"I can't!" Van started, "If I had a chance at it, it's gone now."
"Then you just became disposable." He threatened, advancing on Van.
Vincent was quick to defuse the situation, "Woah, Kol let him go. It's over. Neither of them would've wanted it that way."
Marcel angrily pointed a finger at Kol, "I should've know better than to trust your family. You people destroy everything you touch." He was referring to the Mikaelsons and the Monroes— seeing as they came as one package deal, most of the time.
Before Kol could say a word, a timid voice spoke from across the room.
"They ripped her apart." The voice was raw with emotion, but it was also a voice that Kol knew better than any other sound on the planet.
They all turned to the direction of the voice, to see Rhea, clutching hold of Davina's body, as if it would disappear.
A man was stood near to her, and Ares immediately recognised him, "Apollo?" He questioned, confusion written on his face.
"Let's give them a moment." Vincent said, leading Van and Marcel out of the room.
"Rhea.." Kol started, but it was almost as if she hadn't heard him— only looking up to Apollo with hatred in her eyes.
"Why?" She started, tears falling from her eyes, "Why would you save me and not her?"
"I'm sorry I couldn't get there earlier, Rhea. I barely got there in time to save you, I'm sorry about your fallen friend." Apollo apologised, but it only seemed to anger Rhea.
"Bullshit! You only saved me to preserve this precious bloodline. I have lived a thousand years, a thousand lifetimes. She had barely lived, she had so much more to give to the world and you saved me." She stated angrily, not believing for a moment that Apollo would've saved Davina if he could've.
"Rhea-" Apollo started, she cut him off, "No, go. I want nothing to do with you or my family anymore." She confessed before going back to half laying over Davina's body.
Apollo looked to Ares for help, but the latter looked away— believing to be some truth in Rhea's words.
"I shall leave you to mourn your friend." And with that, Apollo was gone.
Rhea let out a sob, and then she couldn't stop. Her body shook violently with each sob, she felt like part of her own soul had been taken away— Davina Claire was so much more than a friend, she was family. She always would be.
Kol stared as the strongest person he knew, fell apart. He took hesitant steps towards her, until he was directly beside her, kneeling down, he begun to talk to her quietly.
"Rhea, sweetheart, look at me." Rhea seemed to be in her own world, staring into nothing and everything all at the same time.
Ares stood abruptly, slipping out of the room— he couldn't stare at Davina's body any longer, knowing he had killed her. The guilt that engulfed him was unbearable, he needed to be alone. Kol knew he would have to make sure the other Monroe was ok, but for now, he needed to help Rhea.
Rhea's gaze finally focused, and she looked at Kol, her eyes full of tears, "I saw it, Kol. I saw her soul get shredded."
"I know," he said sadly, "We need to get you cleaned up, and we need to make sure Davina gets a proper burial, okay?"
Rhea nodded, reluctantly letting go of Davina's body. She brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face, before slowly pulling her hands away.
Marcel and Vincent came back in the room, prepared to take Davina's body, Rhea stood— letting Kol take her hand.
"You'll, you'll be gentle with her, won't you?" Rhea asked timidly, Marcel could see how traumatised the witch was and instead of taking his anger out on her, he simply nodded.
"Come on, love." Kol said gently, leading Rhea out of the room.
▽▲▽▲▽
Kol took Rhea upstairs and into the bathroom, she seemed to still be in a daze— in and out of the real word.
"I don't.. I don't think I have the energy to.." She trailed off, looking towards the shower. Kol nodded in understanding, he knew that right now, she needed an emotional and physical anchor. He just needed to be there for her.
It was his turn to take care of her.
He made quick work of undressing Rhea, being nothing but gentle in his touch. He then undressed himself before helping her into the shower. They stood opposite each other, just gazing into each others eyes for a few moments— neither of them bothered about the rush of water going over their heads.
Rhea moved towards him, wrapping her arms around his torso, holding on for what one could describe as, dear life.
He rubbed her hair soothingly as she cried into his shoulder, he wasn't sure how long they stood there but he didn't mind. All he wanted to do was to take her pain away, and at present time, he couldn't.
Once they had finally exited the shower and Kol had helped Rhea to get dressed, they laid on their shared bed.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked gently, "How that bloke saved you?"
Rhea let out a tired laugh at the way Kol has said bloke, he clearly didn't like Apollo.
"That was Apollo, the Greek god. In the flesh," she started, "He saved me after I witnessed Davina.." She trailed off, before beginning to tell him the story of what happened after that.
▽▲▽▲▽
THE ANCESTRAL PLANE:
TWO HOURS PREVIOUS
She followed the sound of frantic chants and rounded a corner, almost wishing she hadn't— she felt sick to her stomach. Her whole body wobbled and she fell against a nearby tomb, her voice crying out a strangled, heartbroken scream. A name.
"DAVINA!"
And then they turned to her.
"Now, it's your turn." Kara said menacingly, no remorse for what she had just done to the Claire witch.
The ancestors started to advance on Rhea, she honestly had given up— she didn't care what happened to her, not now.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the party, but I cannot let you do that." Rhea's head snapped up, seeing Apollo stood next to her.
With a wave of his hand, the ancestors were thrown backward and temporarily knocked out. He knelt down beside Rhea, sensing her distress.
"We need to go, right now." When Rhea done nothing, he become more authoritative, "Rhea, get up, now!"
His voice seemed to fill every crevice of the cemetery, Rhea scrambled to her feet. Apollo grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him.
"You don't understand just how much it took to break into their ancestral plane." He informed her as they walked, Rhea could barely take in his words, let alone understand them.
Nothing else was said until they arrived at the Mikaelson compound, when Apollo came to a stop.
"This is us," he said slowly, looking up, he yelled, "Now, Demetria!" And soon enough, Rhea was back in the land of the living.
▽▲▽▲▽
"Well, he's in my good books." Kol said lightly, "I wouldn't have been able to live in a world without you, Rhea."
She nodded stiffly, "I know, but Davina.. She was so young, Kol. She didn't deserve any of this."
He nodded in agreement, "Tell me what you want me to do, Rhea. I'll do anything."
She looked directly at him, "I want revenge."
▽▲▽▲▽
So that's that.
Fun Fact: Sam Claflin went to my college and his mum worked at my friends school.
Let me know what you thought of this,
-Meg ✨