French saying: After me comes the flood
Previously on Blood Lust:
"You're not going to let me go." Poppy stated, looking at the girl, who looked back at her.
"Why would I?"
A soft breeze brushed their curls behind their bodies, coming from the essence that bonded their hands together. The girl smiled wickedly before the two seemed to be frozen in time, still as stone.
Now:
"The Italians call them strega. The Yoruba of West Africa call them aje, meaning mother. Where my mother was from, they called them häxa, and here we call them witch. Over the centuries, vampires have fought them and fought beside them, bedded them and burned them. Whether adversary or ally, they have been a force to be reckoned with."
January 18, 2012
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
"You mean to tell me that my daughter has been frozen in this state for days and you are just now bringing her here?" Klaus inquired, his voice low and threatening to Silas, his eyes narrow.
"You're right. I left her standing in the bedroom for days in this state." Silas replied, his tone sarcastic. "What do you want me to do, Klaus, apologize? What're we, twelve? Bonnie tried to figure it out," He told him. "but after days of trying we both came to the conclusion that a more experienced witch could help. One that's been learning for 300 years." He looked over at Abigail, who studied her niece. "Something's draining her of her energy. We just don't know what, or how we can stop it."
Poppy stood in the courtyard, her arm extended forward and her eyes staring unfocused ahead of her, glowing blue. Her brown curls were gently tousled behind her back.
Abigail rubbed her eyes. "All right," she clasped her hands together. "Nik, we'll enter her mind together and get rid of the thing draining Poppy of her energy. When Poppy wakes up, so will we."
Klaus nodded and looked at his daughter, his expression hardened to mask his fear. "What do we need to do to enter her mind?"
"Lay her down on the floor." The witch told him, walking across the courtyard to the table, where she picked up the container of salt. Klaus gently brought his daughter to the floor and looked back at Abigail as she began to pour the salt around her niece's form in a circle.
Klaus watched as Abigail dipped her hands in a water bowl and sprinkled the water on his daughter. She held her hands out, palms facing up, over Poppy, standing inside of the circle. The hybrid placed his hands in hers and closed her eyes as she began to chant.
Klaus opened his eyes, staring right into Abigail's. They pulled their hands away from each other and looked around at their surroundings. The ground beneath them was grass, a bright green and soft. Next to them was a mansion with beautiful gardens, its driveway holding two people. An eight year old girl and a man. They sat on the driveway, drawing with the chalk they held in their hands. Little drawings scattered the driveway, bringing a faint smiled to Niklaus's lips.
"Where are we?" Abigail inquired, watching as the little girl looked up at the man.
"The Salvatore Boarding Home. Mystic Falls, Virginia. This is where Poppy spent half of her life." Klaus said, beginning to walk to the pair.
"You mean she wasn't with you?" Abigail asked.
Klaus stopped and looked at her. "There's a lot you don't know, Abigail." He looked around. "Tread softly." He began walking again to the little girl and the man.
"Zach, what're you drawing?" The little girl asked the man, her voice carrying a soft British accent.
Zach, the man, looked over at the girl. "I am drawing a bird." He gave her a smile. "What are you drawing?"
"I'm drawing a dinosaur!" She exclaimed, standing up and raising her arms, trying to make herself seem bigger. "Roar!"
Zach chuckled. "What kind of dinosaur is it?" He asked with a smile.
The girl looked back down at the drawing, fixing her pink t-shirt. "A pterodactyl!" She smiled.
"You haven't seen this part of her, have you?" Abigail asked Klaus, who was watching the pair, with a soft tone.
"I missed 10 years." Klaus clenched his jaw momentarily. "But there's no time to watch, Poppy is in here somewhere and we have to save her." He walked over to the little girl and knelt down, taking her hand gently, which was ice cold. "Poppy,"
The little girl looked at him, looking down a bit. "Daddy?" She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug, and he stood up, holding her.
"Where can I find you, sweetheart?" The hybrid asked, looking into her blue eyes, which appeared to be dull in color.
Little Poppy paused for a moment in thought, then frowned. "I don't know..she has me dad, the girl."
"What is she?" Klaus asked softly, holding her closer to keep her warm.
"She's a ghost..but she was once a very powerful witch." Little Poppy told him quietly. "She asked me to join her, and that if I did I wouldn't hurt anymore."
"And what did you do?" Klaus asked.
"I felt a strange connection to her..she was so much like me, I didn't understand until I-" Little Poppy began coughing into her arm, then she rested her head on her dad's shoulder.
Klaus looked over at Abigail. "This is only a fragment of her mind, reaching out for help. The signal is strong so she must be nearby."
Klaus placed his little girl on her feet. "Poppy, I need you to take me to where you feel the strongest. Can you do that?"
Little Poppy nodded. "Yes, Daddy." She took his hand and began walking away from the Salvatore Boarding Home, walking down the street. She began feeling stronger as she walked down the street, passing houses and yards.
"If my daughter joined this ghost, what do I need to expect?" Klaus asked Abigail quietly, following his little girl.
"Honestly, Nik, I'm not sure. It could be nothing, but it could be also be the worst thing that could happen." Abigail frowned, looking at him.
Little Poppy stopped walking in the center of an intersection. "Over there." She said, turning her head to look down the road. "Promise me you won't look into her eyes."
Klaus looked to where she directed them, his eyes widening. "Poppy-"
Down the street a bit stood Poppy and the ghost girl, facing each other, their hands bonded together by a blue essence. Klaus observed their similarities; their glowing blue eyes, their curly brown hair, the way they reached out to one another physically. He also observed the differences; the look of fear and betrayal on his daughter's face, the look of wicked amusement on the girl's. The pair seemed to be frozen in time, but the essence flowed around their hands effortlessly.
The Original Hybrid jogged over to them and looked up at Abigail, who had followed closely behind.
"Klaus, be careful." Abigail warned, pulling him back a bit. "This is very old magic." She turned her body to face the pair and held her hands out in front of her. "I can weaken the ghost, but I can't kill it. Once I do, I need you to get Poppy away from here."
Niklaus nodded and watched as Abigail began to chant, the blue essence's glow flickering to become dim. The witch continued, blood dripping from her nose. She opened her eyes when the blue essence disappeared completely.
"Niklaus, now!" Abigail exclaimed as the pair was no longer frozen in time.
Klaus caught his daughter as she collapsed to the ground, her eyes returning to normal. He picked her up bridal style and carried her away into a yard, setting her down gently.
"I was not finished, foolish witch." The ghost said, turning to face Abigail. "No matter, I'm stronger now." She held her hand out and clenched it into a fist, causing Abigail to gasp and cough, blood spurting from her mouth.
Poppy's eyes widened as she watched. "Abigail-"
Klaus looked over, seeing the blood drip from his daughter's aunt's eyes. He moved in front of Poppy, blocking the view. He looked into her eyes, his own filled with worry and sadness, cupping her cheek gently.
"Wake up." He told her.
Poppy opened her eyes, as did Klaus and Abigail. She sat up quickly, seeing the blood from her aunt's eyes and mouth.
"Abigail!" She exclaimed, standing up as the witch leaned into Klaus weakly. He helped her to the couch by the fireplace and sat her down.
"Abigail." Klaus wiped the blood from under her eyes, and she looked into his eyes tiredly.
"Niklaus-" the witch breathed out. With trembling hands, she reached behind her neck and undid the clasp of her necklace. "This was Delevingne's.." She placed the necklace into his hand.
Klaus looked down at the necklace, his eyes glistening a bit. The necklace had a silver chain, which held an orb that appeared to hold the stars. It was a dark color, blue and purple. Holding onto the orb was a wingless dragon, silver in color.
He furrowed his eyebrows a bit. "Why are you giving this to me?"
"Destroy it." Abigail demanded before coughing.
Poppy stepped forward and took the necklace, then left the courtyard, leaving Klaus with Abigail. She walked up the stairs, followed by Silas, and to a room where she performed her magic. She set the necklace on the table, which was in the center of the room, and held her hand out, closing her eyes. The necklace exploded with sparks and flames.
"Poppy." Silas spoke, turning her around, his hands on her hips.
Poppy moved his hands away, clenching her jaw and her face hardening. She left the room, leaving him to watch her leave. She walked down the hall, her eyes closing, her forehead glistening with sweat. Stumbling, she fell into the arms of Marcellus.
"Whoa," he chuckled, not knowing what had been going on. "You okay, kiddo?" He frowned when she wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled her face into chest. "Poppy?"
"I don't feel good," she whispered, hearing Silas approach them.
"Her energy was just drained by a ghost for a few days." Silas said, taking Poppy gently and picking her up.
Marcel held his arm out a bit, he hadn't wanted to let her go. "Who are you?"
"Silas. I'm dating her." Silas answered.
Marcel raised his eyebrows. "So you're her boyfriend?"
"Yeah." He stated. He knew who Marcel was, so he didn't want to cross any lines. He was going to play it submissively for the time being.
"Well, I'm her brother so I'll take her, thank you very much." Marcel took Poppy back gently and walked away, taking her to her bedroom. He laid her on her bed gently, and pulled the covers up to her waist. He looked over at Silas. "Could you grab me a damp washcloth?" He looked back at his little sister.
"Go easy on him, Marcel.." Poppy said quietly after Silas left the room. She looked up at him.
Marcel smiled. "Going easy on your boyfriend isn't my job, little M."
Poppy's lips curled upward. "Does that mean when you get a girlfriend I can be the annoying little sister." She let out a soft laugh.
"Sure." Marcel kissed her forehead as Silas walked over and handed him the washcloth. He placed it on her head.
Poppy looked over at the doorway, where her dad stood.
"Could I speak to my daughter alone, please?" He asked the men, who nodded and cleared out. Klaus walked to the bed and sat at the edge, looking down at his daughter. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," she answered truthfully. "A little sick..like the ghost is still inside of me.."
Klaus frowned and brushed a few curls from her cheeks. "Is there anything you could do with your magic to get rid of it?"
Poppy nodded. "Yeah, I'll see what I can do. How's Abigail doing? Is she okay?"
Klaus took a breath. "Abigail is with your mother now." He told her quietly.
Poppy frowned and looked back at the doorway. "It's my fault."
"No, it's not." Her dad assured her. "Don't ever blame yourself for her death, Poppy."
Poppy looked back at him, seeing his glistening eyes. She sat up and wrapped her arms around him in a hug as a few tears fell from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Dad,"
"I'm sorry too," he whispered, closing his eyes, wrapping his arms around his daughter.
"There will be a day where the people we love stop dying." She told him softly. "Until then, a few days of movies and ice cream are in order."
January 21, 2012
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
The compound was quiet for the time of day, there was no violence and no threats. Silas had bought his own apartment nearby. Everyone coexisted for the time being and that was okay with Klaus, who sat in bed with Poppy, watching the movie Finding Nemo.
"Hey, dad?" Poppy asked, resting against his side.
"Yes, my love?" Klaus looked down at her, turning his attention away from the movie.
"I love you." She said quietly.
Her dad smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too."
Poppy smiled. "Do you want more popcorn?"
"Sure." He watched as his daughter stood up and pushed her curls behind her back and grabbed the bowl. "Want me to pause the movie?"
Poppy shrugged. "I've already seen it." She said, holding the bowl against her waist. "You can keep watching if you want, I'll be right back." She told him before leaving the room. She walked down the hall to the kitchen, where she grabbed a popcorn bag from a box and took the plastic off. She raised an eyebrow and smiled, using her powers to open the microwave and float the bag into. She shut the door and started it.
"Show off." A voice spoke, footsteps walking into the kitchen.
Poppy turned her head, seeing Josh. She gave him a smile. "I wanted to spice things up."
"Like getting a boyfriend?" He asked knowingly, walking to the fridge.
Poppy blushed a bit. "Marcel told you."
"Yup." Josh replied with a smile, grabbing a water. "So where is he? Who is he?" He paused. "What is he?"
Poppy rolled her eyes, walking to the microwave and opening it before it started beeping. "His name is Silas, he's a witch. He just bought an apartment yesterday."
"Silas? That sounds like an old name." Josh stated, leaning against the counter.
"That's because he's two thousand years old, Josh." Poppy smirked, grabbing the popcorn bag and opening over the bowl. She poured the contents in.
"Wow." Josh widened his eyes a bit. "You really are spicing things up."
Poppy laughed a bit, holding the bowl in her arms. "Yeah," she chewed on her lip a bit. "What about you? Do you have a boyfriend yet?"
"No, not yet. But, I will definitely let you know when I get one." Josh told her. "I'll catch you later." He said, his fingers brushing against her arm as he left the room.
Poppy smirked and walked back into the hallway, where she walked down to her bedroom. She walked to the bed, letting out a sigh when she saw her dad asleep in the bed. She set down the popcorn on the nightstand and pulled the covers over him. With a flick of her wrist, the TV turned off. She placed a kiss on his cheek before leaving the room and shutting the door. Her bare feet padded against the ground as she walked down the stairs to the courtyard.
"Hey, little M, what's your dad up to?" Marcel asked, walking into the courtyard from outside.
"Sleeping." Poppy replied, walking to the table and grabbing a grape between her fingers. She popped it into her mouth and ate it. "He needs it so don't wake him." She turned to face him. "I mean it, Marcel."
Marcel held his hands up in surrender. "All right, I won't bug him" Poppy smiled triumphantly. "today." He finished, causing her smile to drop.
Poppy rolled her eyes and threw a grape at him, which he caught.
"Oh, we're playing this game?" Marcel asked, walking to a different table and grabbing an plum and looking at it. He pulled his arm back and threw it at his little sister, causing her to laugh and dodge it.
She bent over and picked it up, throwing it back and hitting him in the shoulder. She smiled, dodging another fruit. She ran behind the table and ducked down.
An apple flew over her head, causing her to duck lower. She raised her hand a bit and flicked her hand, throwing fruit at Marcel with her magic. Her brother sped behind her and picked her up, tossing her onto the couch. She laughed and stood up, adjusting her tee shirt.
Poppy sped to the water bowl, but Marcel beat her to it and grabbed her into a playful headlock, causing her to laugh.
"Marcel, let her go." Elijah said, walking inside, not seeming amused.
Marcellus let out a sigh and let her go, both of their smiles gone. "Come on, Elijah. It's okay for her to have some fun every once in a while."
"Perhaps that is true." Her uncle replied, fixing his jacket as he looked at his niece. "Where is Niklaus?"
"In my room, sleeping." Poppy replied. "Why, what's wrong?"
Hayley, Elijah, and Poppy were in the living room of the compound, no longer full of innocent joy and relaxation.
"Their ancestral magic anchors this city. There's never been one all-powerful witch until Poppy and Davina..."
"...Who is now tucked in safe and sound down the hall under my protection." Klaus finished Elijah's statement, walking into the room. "Your Celeste was quite beautiful" he remarked, looking down at Davina's large drawing of the witch Celeste, which sat on the table. "and a portent of evil, according to our volatile artist in residence."
Elijah stepped forward a bit, observing the drawing. "Yes. Perhaps Davina's mistaken what she calls evil for power. Celeste was certainly very powerful in her day, but she's been dead for over two hundred years. I don't understand. Why all these sketches now?" He asked, holding his hands out before walking to the couch and sitting next to his niece.
Kluas gave him a shrug, gesturing towards his daughter a bit. "Why does any witch do anything?"
Poppy furrowed her eyebrows a bit, hearing Marcel being thrown into a wall upstairs. With her supernatural hearing, the trio tuned into the argument between Marcel and Davina.
"Go away!" Davina screamed.
"Come on. You got to be starving. You haven't eaten since-"
"Since your best friend killed my best friend?"
"Davina, I'm sorry about what happened to this kid Tim."
"I'm sorry you don't hate Klaus for what he did or want to make him pay."
"He'll pay for what he did one way or the other, but right now, I just want to make peace with you."
"Why? So we can be one big happy frankenstein family?"
Poppy looked at her dad and uncle, who had stood up and began pouring themselves drinks. Hayley looked up from her seat in the chair at the sound of a vase shattering.
"Well, that's going well." She flashed them a fake smile.
"If you were trying to win the girl's trust, perhaps poisoning her one true love was not the most splendid idea." Elijah told his brother, taking a sip of his drink.
"Oh. Are there any more inopportune deaths you'd like to wave in my face?" Klaus inquired sarcastically.
"Give me a month. I'll get you list."
Klaus chuckled before hearing another vase shatter. "Young, old, dead, or alive, witches are a pain in the ass. Besides my beloved daughter." He smiled at Poppy and handed her a glass of water.
Poppy looked into the glass. "Wow, water. Thanks, Dad." She smiled.
"Hey, no alcohol until you're 21 years old. I've given you a few free passes before but no more." Klaus told her, raising his eyebrows and pointing a finger.
Poppy only smirked as he left the room to check on Marcel and Davina. She took a sip of her water and leaned back in her seat on the couch, looking at her bare feet. She let out a soft sigh, wiggling her toes.
"I need a pedicure." She stated, mostly thinking out loud.
Elijah looked over at his niece, smiling a bit. "A know someone who would love to go with you."
"Uncle Elijah," Poppy smiled, turning her head to look at him, her blue eyes piercing his brown eyes. "I didn't know you liked getting pedicures." She teased.
The vampire walked to her and ruffled her curly hair. "No, little one. I meant your aunt Rebekah."
The tribrid laughed a bit. "I know, I know. I'll ask her when we're free."
"Elijah?" Hayley's voiced quietly, leaning forward in her seat. She had a small frown, a frown of guilt. She rubbed her hands together nervously.
Elijah made a small noise, letting her know he was listening.
"There's something you need to know."
Suddenly the compound began to shake violently, rattling vases and picture frames. Poppy stood up, looking around as books and vases fell off of the shelves and onto the floor. Outside, car alarms began to sound throughout the city.
She followed Hayley and Elijah as they walked to the balcony, looking down at the courtyard where Rebekah stood in the shaking, the other vampires standing up from their tables.
"What the hell is going on?" Rebekah asked them.
"Davina." Klaus answered glumly, approaching the trio on the balcony.
"This is madness." The Original Hybrid stated, standing in the living room with his daughter, Marcel, and Elijah. "How can a 16-year-old girl shake the entire French quarter?" He asked.
Marcel looked over at him. I've seen her rock the church, but I've never seen anything like this."
"How did you control her when she was in the attic?" Poppy asked, her legs pressed against the couch, which had fallen over from Davina's earthquake.
The vampire folded his arms over his chest. "I didn't have to. But then, I never killed her boyfriend." He said, directing his response to her dad.
Klaus let out a sigh. "Yes, yes. We've been over this part already. The point is in her present state she's useless as a tool against the witches."
"She's not a tool. Something's wrong with her." His adoptive son stated.
"She has too much power that she cannot control." Elijah sounded. "That much we already knew. But why is it manifesting itself in such an aggressive manner?" He asked, walking to leave the room.
Klaus shot him a look of confusion. "Where are you going?"
"This is witch business. Let's ask a witch." Elijah said, walking into the hallway, not expecting Poppy to follow, but she did.
"You're going to see Sophie." Hayley stated, standing outside of the room.
"You don't have to eavesdrop. I keep nothing from you." Elijah informed her as Poppy walked down the hall and to the stairs.
"Was that you?" A familiar voice sounded from the entrance of the courtyard, footsteps approaching.
Poppy pressed her hand against the railing and walked down the stairs to the courtyard. "No," she replied. "It was Davina."
Silas walked to her, reaching out and taking her hand gently. "Are you okay? What's going on?"
"I'm fine." She assured him. "Davina has power that isn't hers. She can't control it." She glanced at her uncle, who left the compound. "Elijah is heading out to get Sophie Deveraux." She let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry I haven't been paying much attention to you lately I've just-"
"been busy with family matters." Silas finished for her. "It's fine." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I completely understand." He brought his lips to hers, and they both closed their eyes, peaceful and happy in the moment.
"Ah, my daughter's suitor has arrived." Klaus spoke from the top of the stairs. "Perfect time to lay down some of my expectations."
Poppy pulled her lips away, and Silas cleared his throat awkwardly, turning to face him as he walked down the stairs, his hand brushing against the railing.
"Given your circumstances, I assume you hold no wealth of your own. No matter, I'll give you a decade to get on your feet with two million, that is if you're still together then." He said, walking to stand next to his daughter, placing a gentle hand on her back. "Put her needs first, and then your own. I'm a king, which makes her a princess. You will treat her as such."
Poppy gave Silas a small smile as her dad continued.
"No witchy mind games. Not again." Klaus told him sternly. "Not to me, and not to anyone else in this family. One more thing, you're a witch. You will guide Poppy through her witchy stuff. If you fail to meet my expectations, I will send you off back to Mystic Falls." He gave the witch a fake smile. "I'm sure you'd love that."
Silas smiled. "I won't fail."
Poppy sat at one of the small round tables next to Silas, holding a mug of tea in her hand, the string brushing against the shiny blue side. She ignored the looks Rebekah had been the two of them, and instead placed her lips against the mug, taking a sip.
"Rebekah." Klaus hissed quietly. His sister looked over at him. "Enough."
"Am I supposed to be happy that Silas is back?" Rebekah asked him.
"Like it or not, he is Poppy's suitor." Klaus said, watching as Elijah entered the courtyard with Sophie.
"So you have stolen the remains of the very person that Davina's been drawing for months. Would you care to explain this startling coincidence?" Elijah asked, stopping to stand behind his niece, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Sophie looked at them. "I can't. I didn't even know who Celeste Dubois was until I-" she paused when the compound began to shake violently once more as it did earlier, and her eyes widened. The Mikaelsons did not share her alarmed and surprised expression, but instead looked annoyed and inconvenienced. "Was that Davina?"
"Charming little habit she's developed." Poppy replied, setting down her mug.
"And the earthquake I felt today?"
"Also Davina." Rebekah said. "And, she's taken to vomiting dirt."
Sophie frowned, suddenly in a state of panic. "Oh. We have a huge problem. I thought that we had more time, but we need to complete the Harvest now."
"Said the desperate witch, conveniently." Klaus chimed in.
"I'm serious!" The Deveraux exclaimed. "That earthquake you just felt is a preview of the disaster movie that is about to hit us."
"Why should we believe you?" Elijah inquired, squinting his eyes the slightest bit.
"You've met Davina, you know her story. For months now, she's been holding all the power of the three girls sacrificed in the Harvest ritual. A force that was meant to flow through her and back into the earth. One person was never meant to hold that much power.." She glanced over at Poppy and Silas, somewhat debating on whether or not her statement was true. She settled with true for that particular situation. "It's tearing her apart, and it will take us down with it."
New Orleans, Louisiana
Rue de Main
The air was cool against her skin as she walked down the sidewalk, her arm interlocked with her dad's. Beside the pair was Father Kieran, who seemed much less than pleased to see Klaus, but he didn't mind Poppy.
"We need to prepare." Klaus told Cami's uncle. "According to Sophie Deveraux, as Davina self-destructs, she'll cycle through four stages that represent the four elements that bound together the Harvest."
Kieran looked at him. "The earthquake?"
"Yes. Earth comes first." Poppy told him, brushing her curls from her lip gloss. "And then comes wind...each stage will be more intense than the last."
"Then after the wind is water." Klaus continued. "Rain, flood..."
Kieran stopped walking. "How bad?"
Klaus shrugged. "Quite bad, actually, but that's not the worst of it."
"The last stage is.." Poppy took a breath "fire, and since it's the last..."
"It will be by far the worst. But, I didn't take over this town to watch it burn to the ground. And most certainly not while my daughter is in it." Klaus spoke.
Father Kieran looked between the two of them. "You can stop this.. right?"
"Yes, but you're not gonna like how." Klaus told him.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
Rebekah stood next to the bedside of Davina Claire, looking down at her. "They want to complete the Harvest."
Davina began to panic, frowning. "No!" She cried, tears in her eyes.
"The witches say you'll be resurrected." The vampire assured her quickly and softly.
"They're liars! They'll say anything to get what they want. Just like Marcel. Just like you!"
Rebekah gave her a small frown, a bit hurt by the statement. "Davina, you may think that I don't care about you, but you're wrong. I know what it's like to have your life stripped away from you because of other people's bad decisions. How do you think I became a vampire?"
"You've convinced my siblings." Elijah spoke, looking at Sophie Deveraux. He stood in the living room. "You have yet to convince us."
"We don't have time to waste. The first sign's already come and gone."
"So fix her." Marcel demanded.
Sophie looked at him. "She can't be fixed." She told him, her voice filled with an attitude.
"No! Please! No! Please! Nooo!" Poppy heard the sobs of Davina come from upstairs as she walked into the courtyard of the Mikaelson Compound with Silas, her hand in his. A heavy wind began to pick up outside throughout the French Quarter, causing the windows to open and the shutters to bounce off the wall repeatedly. She looked up and around, the. Suddenly the wind stopped.
"We'll stay inside for now." Silas told Poppy, sitting across from her at one of the round tables, looking at the chess board before him. Heavy wind whistled outside of the compound.
"No, we'll go outside and blow away with the wind." Poppy scrunched her nose, sarcasm in her voice.
Silas moved his piece and looked up at her. "We can do that if you want."
The tribrid rolled her eyes and played her piece as her uncle and dad walked into the compound.
"We sedated her too heavily." Elijah told his brother.
"Well, if this is her sedated, I'd hate to see her otherwise." He replied, picking up a table and setting it on its feet. "We all agreed that Davina must be sacrificed. There's no need to let her blow the roof off our heads in the meantime."
Marcel walked onto the balcony, slamming his hands onto the railing and jumping down. "No way! You're not touching her!" He shouted, slamming is fist into Klaus's face.
"Okay, I'll let you have that one." Klaus said, rubbing his face in annoyance.
Elijah stepped in between them and placed his hand on his chest. "Marcel, no one wishes to see Davina come to harm less than I, but there is no scenario here in which we simply wait this out. She's going to die."
"According to Sophie, the witch who screwed over everybody here." Marcel told him.
"The Harvest was working before it was stopped. If a nonbeliever like Sophie Deveraux can come to have faith that these girls will be resurrected, then I, also, am a believer."
Marcel huffed and pushed past Elijah, walking to be inches from Klaus. "I saved Davina from the Harvest, and now you want me to just hand her over?!"
"Do you think that I'm happy about this?" Niklaus asked. "If the witches complete the Harvest, not only do they regain their power, we lose our weapon against them." Marcel shook his head and backed away a bit. "The earthquake I was willing to chalk up to hideous coincidence, but these winds? If Davina is not sacrificed, then every inch of earth that shook, everything blowing about now will soon be drenched in water and consumed by fire."
"Oh! Now you care about the city." Marcel remarked.
"We ought to." Elijah said from behind the vampire. "We built it."
"And we all saw it burnt to the ground twice. I will not let that happen again. Do I make myself clear?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah. Yeah." Marcel grumbled, turning to his sister, who appeared to be deep in thought where she sat. "What do you think, Poppy?"
Poppy took a breath, thinking. If they didn't complete the Harvest ritual, then she would live to see New Orleans in flames once again. If they went through with it, then the city would be safe, and perhaps the Ancestors would show her mercy.
She looked up at him, knowing her answer. "Complete the Harvest."
"I thought you were better than that." Marcel stated before turning and leaving, angry and upset.
Poppy immediately frowned, clearly hurt by his reaction, but she put on a mask of no emotion, which Silas noticed.
"Don't do that." He told her quietly, reaching forward and holding her hand.
"Not a people person, are you, Niklaus?" Elijah asked.
"Nonsense." Klaus told his brother. "I love people. Just on my way to warn a couple of prominent ones in case the weather gets out of hand. If you fancy yourself as plus diplomatique, perhaps you'd like to come along."
"No. Soon Sophie Deveraux shall be consecrating Celeste's remains, and though her actions are reprehensible, still I should pay my respects." Elijah said, beginning to leave the compound.
"Hey. Do you have a minute?" Hayley asked him, walking into the room and looking at him.
"Just on my way out."
His little brother followed him a bit. "Which one of us is the people person again?"
Hayley frowned, lowering her hands to her sides. She felt guilty.
"It's taken one thousand years, but you've finally gone mad. Our own mother?"
"Yes, our beloved mother, who Niklaus has affectionately placed in a coffin in his basement-- not daggered, but quite dead."
"Well, she did try to kill us all."
Poppy let out a soft groan, opening her heavy eyelids. She remembered falling asleep at the table in the courtyard after her dad and uncle left. She felt that she was in her bed, the soft covers over her body, bringing warmth.
"Hey, when was the last time you got any sleep?" Silas asked, folding his arms over his chest.
Poppy furrowed her eyebrows and sat up. "The other day."
"Well, I say we put her to use and put her to rest once and for all. Now if we bury our mother on land owned by one of her descendants, she becomes a New Orleans witch, and we, as her family, share in that ancestral magic."
"We're vampires, Elijah. We can't practice magic. Or own property, for that matter."
"What're they talking about?" Poppy asked, pushing the covers off of her body and getting out of bed. She walked with Silas into the living room, where her family stood.
"And, as for owning property, not all of our mother's descendants are dead..." Elijah trailed off a bit.
Klaus looked over at his daughter. "Poppy and the baby."
Elijah nodded as Poppy sat down on the couch. "The parish Tax Assessor's office is just steps outside of the Quarter. Poppy now holds the title to the plantation. So, if we bury our mother there, and we consecrate those grounds, we can finish the Harvest ritual."
"You're a bit of a mad genius, Elijah. Count me in." Klaus smiled.
"Am I the only one thinking?" Rebekah asked her brothers. "Our mother was the most powerful witch in history. If we bury her, we hand that power to our enemies to use against us."
"Given our circumstances, I hardly see that we have a choice, Rebekah."
Rebekah shook her head and let out a sigh of frustration. "I don't know why I bother. You three will just do what you want anyway."
"No." Elijah said. "Our decision must be unanimous."
"This is not a democracy, Uncle Elijah." Poppy said, leaning forward a bit.
Her uncle looked down at her. "You're quite right. This is family, something you're clearly not accustomed to based on recent decisions." He narrowed his eyes a bit, looking up at Silas, who stood in the doorway, his arms folded over his chest.
Poppy furrowed her eyebrows and stood up. "Am I supposed to consult with you before I do something that makes me happy? You all would've said no, which is exactly why I didn't tell you. And yeah, maybe I'm not one hundred percent accustomed to family because I was put in a bloody glass case for 80 years and then you guys didn't come get me until 2 years ago!" She raised her voice a bit, and Rebekah looked down at her feet. "And if maybe people in this family stopped dying, or if the people in this family stopped trying to kill me, I would've been used to all of this already."
Elijah remained silent, noticing the small tears of frustration in her eyes. She took this opportunity to continue.
"And yeah, maybe you did see me grow up until I was 7, but you were the one to put me away, and then you missed out on 10 years." She sniffled, wiping a stray tear. "Do you have any idea what it's like to sit in cold darkness for 80 years with no dreams, but only your thoughts?" She asked, already knowing the answer. "You out of all people don't get to make decisions for me, Elijah."
Silas lowered his arms to his sides, observing Klaus's facial expressions. He saw shock and grief, but he noticed also that Klaus wasn't going to show that, for he had on a mask that told the world he didn't feel a thing about what his daughter had just said.
Poppy turned her head, looking at her dad. "I'm only agreeing to follow through with all of this on the off-chance that the Ancestors show me mercy. If that makes me weak, I don't care, but I am not an advocate of killing children."
"Poppy-" Klaus frowned as his daughter turned around and began leaving, walking towards the doorway to Silas. He watched as she pecked a kiss on his lips before leaving the room completely. Silas turned and followed her, leaving the trio alone in the silence, until the sound of pounding rain could be heard coming from outside.
"Water." Elijah cleared his throat a bit. "The next sign's begun. Rebekah?"
Their sister took a breath and looked up, giving them a smile. "Kill a demon today, face the devil tomorrow. Count me in."
"Well, this is no family reunion without our mother. I'll fetch her." Klaus smirked, heading to the doorway before placing a hand on the wood and chuckling.
"What part of this is funny?" Rebekah inquired.
"None of it." Klaus turned to face them. "Fix whatever issues you have with my daughter. Make it your top priority if you have to."
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Plantation
Poppy stood before a hole, which had been dug for Esther, in the backyard of the Plantation. She stood under her own umbrella, shielding herself from the downpour of rain, but she hadn't been one hundred percent successful so her curls were damp. Standing next to her was her dad, then Elijah, Hayley, Sophie, and Father Kieran.
"Did you find them?" Klaus asked, watching as his sister Rebekah approached them, standing under her own umbrella. He, on the other hand, did not have an umbrella. He wore his hood on his head to protect his hair. "Will he bring her?"
"He'll bring her."
Kieran looked at the lot. "Are you ready to do this?" He asked them.
"Always and forever." The Original Hybrid reached into his coat and pulled out a small knife, which he used to slice his palm open. He held his hand over the grave, dripping the blood. He passed on the blade and watched as his family each sliced open their palms and bled over the grave. Hayley then handed it back to him, and he turned to his daughter. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked her quietly.
Poppy nodded and took the blade from him, quickly slicing open her palm and handing the blade to Father Kieran, who dropped the blade into the grave as Poppy held her bleeding palm over it.
"It's done."
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Lafayette Cemetery
"Are you okay?" Elijah asked softly, walking to stand beside his niece and brother, a foot or two away because of their umbrellas.
"I'm fine, Elijah." Poppy replied a bit coldly, looking towards the entrance of the cemetery. Suddenly, flames erupted from the ground, causing her to gasp a bit and immediately close her eyes.
"Fire." Sophie stated from nearby.
Klaus looked at his daughter, and took her hand gently and protectively. "You're afraid."
Poppy opened her eyes and looked at him. "I..am afraid of fire." She admitted.
Klaus held her hand tighter. "I've noticed..don't worry, sweetheart. I won't let you get hurt."
Poppy gave him a faint smile before watching Marcel carry Davina into the cemetery, the flames following close behind. He set her on the altar gently before looking at Sophie, who held the athame for the ceremony over the flames.
"Do you believe in the harvest?" Sophie asked her.
Davina gave her a nod, nervous. "I believe."
Quickly, Sophie raised the blade and sliced open Davina's throat, frowning as the girl gasped and was laid on the ground by Marcel, her body limp. Her kin began to glow a faint gold, her magic leaving her body for the earth. The rain stopped, and the fire died down.
Poppy swallowed nervously, watching in anticipation.
"After the Harvest comes the Reaping. Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones." Sophie spoke. When nothing happened, Poppy exchanged glances with her dad. "We call upon our Elders to resurrect the chosen ones..." Sophie took a trembling breath, her eyes glistening. "Resurrect your chosen ones... Please? I beg-" her voice cracked and she fell to her knees, her bodies shaking with sobs. "No!"
Poppy took a deep breath, her lip trembling. She watched as her aunt and Hayley began to cry with each other, and she watched as Marcel gave her dad a look of hatred before vamping away from the cemetery. She looked at Sophie, then at her dad, who seemed a bit depressed. She looked back at the body.
"I shouldn't have agreed to do this." She said quietly before pulling her hand away from her dad's, lowering the umbrella and walking away from the cemetery.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Mikaelson Compound
Her room was quiet, and it was in the silence that Poppy felt her heart break once again from the loss of a good friend. She placed her hand over her heart, her lip trembling as she sat down on the edge of Davina's bed. She never got to say goodbye to her friend.
She blamed herself. In her hours of weakness she allowed her friend to be put through a ritual, one where she was killed, but was promised to be resurrected. Some promises get broken.
The girl took a deep breath and laid down, tears flowing down her cheeks.
If you join me then you don't have to watch your friends die. A voice spoke inside of her head, the ghost still resided in her. Faint, but like a disease. Poppy sat up and grabbed her head in her hands.
"Get out of my head."
Marcel vamped into the courtyard and grabbed a chair, throwing it into the wall, followed by another chair, which flew threw the air and into the second floor of the compound. He was devastated, his heart was crushed.
"That won't bring her back, you know." Klaus spoke softly from behind him.
The vampire turned around in fury. "This is your fault" he yelled, his voice filled with pain. "I should have never let you anywhere near her!"
Klaus frowned. "Marcel."
"This city was fine before you came. We were fine! Davina was safe, she was in control! If you hadn't gotten her worked up, if you hadn't killed that boy!"
The Original stepped closer to him. "My condolences the girl is gone. But don't lose perspective. We still have our community. The vampires of this town-"
"I don't care about the vampires! She is dead! Do you hear me?!" He yelled, teas flowing from his eyes. Klaus walked to him quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder before hugged him tightly. Marcel sobbed into his shoulder.
"I'm sorry." Klaus said softly. "You may think I know nothing of your grief, but you are wrong. In the days after I fled this city, I thought you were dead, and my daughter was locked away." Marcel pulled away a bit, looking at the man who raised him, his hand clenching a bit of Klaus's shirt over his heart. "It was years before I could speak your names, so keenly did I feel that loss. I'm sorry." Marcel hugged him again. "I'm sorry." Klaus whispered.
Poppy sat in the center of Davina's bedroom, her daylight ring on the floor before her. Her eyes were closed, and she was muttering a chant. She had come up with a way to block out the ghost through her daylight ring, but not get rid of it completely unfortunately. When she finished, she slipped the ring on her finger and got back into the bed, closing her eyes, which were red from crying. She opened them and reached for her phone, calling Stefan.
"Poppy, is everything okay?"
Poppy sniffled. "Not really." She said quietly.
"What's wrong?"
"I let myself become weak, Stefan." She replied. "Davina's dead. I just-I-I didn't even get to say goodbye."
"Do you want to stay here in Virginia for a few days?"
"No, I can't. I'm needed here and not wanted there." She quickly wiped her tears. "You're probably busy, I'll call you later." She hung up and turned off her phone, laying down and closing her eyes.
Klaus walked into the room quietly, not sure if she was awake or not. Walking to the bedside, he reached his hand out and cupped her cheek, bending over and placing a kiss on her forehead.
"You are not weak." He whispered before leaving.
Three witches stood in the cemetery. The witch Bastianna, the witch Genevieve, and the witch known as Papa Tunde.
"Why are we here?" Genevieve asked in confusion.
Papa Tunde stood beside her. "Someone brought us forth. Who?"
"I did." A voice said from behind the trio, and they turn around to see a smiling Sabine.
"Sabine!" Bastianna exclaimed. "What's the meaning of this?"
Sabine let out a laugh. "Bastianna, I've had to endure people calling me "Sabine" for almost a year now. I'd appreciate it if you'd call me by my real name."
"Celeste."