Lost and Found

So many mornings, I woke up confused
In my dreams, I do anything I want to you
My emotions are naked, they're taking me out of my mind

Right now, I'm shameless
Screamin' my lungs out for ya
Not afraid to face it
I need you more than I want to
Need you more than I want to
Show me you're shameless
Write it on my neck, why don't ya?
And I won't erase it
I need you more than I want to
I need you more than I want to

✦✧✦

Wifey
Where are you busy today?

He stared at the screen before rolling his eyes and shutting it off without a reply. An action, for which he would later have to pay.

His eyes roamed around the office cabin he had been operating from, for the past few years.

An office where he sat on his throne behind a mahogany desk as he ordered both the human and the supernatural world around.

To the world, Niklaus Mikaelson was a ghost. A phantom materialising in the stark black of the night.

A man way beyond his years.

Had someone asked who he was a century ago, he would have probably killed them for not knowing already.

Now, however, the tables had turned.

He relished in the thought that people didn't know him anymore; that they only remembered him from ancient lores and myths.

This is exactly what he wanted; to be forgotten until he resurfaced again.

And this time, he would do what he couldn't, a century ago—

Slay the demon named Mikael.

A growl rippled through his throat when he thought of the man who took so much from him that he had lost count by now.

He had been waiting for decades. Running, hiding.

No more.

All that was required now was a show down between them. And this time, he wouldn't miss.

His head snapped up to the glass door because of a sharp knock echoing through his black and auburn accented office.

He found the charcoal eyes of his secretary, Lenore, staring back at him with bubbling happiness.

He raised an eyebrow. "Is there something of interest to me?"

Lenore smirked as she walked in with confident strides and slammed a black folder in front of him.

Klaus picked it up, shaking his head at her antics.

Lenore was his sireling; and loyal to a fault. He had saved her life when she thought that all hope was lost.

Over the centuries, they had become acquaintances as Lenore's experience as a spy during the war times impressed him and gave him the advantage he needed against his enemies.

"I'm impressed," he mumbled looking at the figures in front of him.

"He was pretty adamant, but then, you know my persuasion skills." Lenore said wiggling her eyebrows making Klaus bark out a laugh.

"I think you mean torture skills, love." He quipped making her snort.

He set the file aside as he started typing on his laptop again but looked back up when he found Lenore still standing there.

"Is there something I can help you with?" He questioned.

Lenore almost let out a squeal, "we found what you had asked us to!" She chirped making his eyes widen.

"You found Reina and Adonis?" He questioned standing up. The tremor of his voice was quite audible.

Lenore sighed, "not them." Her voice was regretful making him school his expressions of joy.

"Then what?" He snapped.

"The other thing." Lenore cleared up making him look at her sharply.

"Where is it?" He asked in an icy tone.

"Waiting for you in your private library." She answered and before she knew, the Original was walking briskly out of the room as she struggled to keep up with his pace.

Thoughts ran through his head in a whirlwind as he felt a sense of dread creeping up, what if it wasn't what he had been looking for?

He immediately shook his head.

His men were efficient, and most of all, they were led by Lenore herself. There was no possible way that she would have brought back the news if it hadn't been authentic.

Opening the heavy door to his private library he stepped in, only for his feet to halt in surprise as he looked at the article placed right in front of him.

Lenore smirked as she entered and closed the door behind her.

"I told you I would find it." She said smugly.

The Original didn't answer. He was too busy looking at what he had been searching for since years.

Right in the middle of the white marbled floor, laid a dark crimson colored coffin with a giant "m" of his family crest embossed on it.

His eyes refused to believe the scene and his veins were flooded with relief.

One of the things that could potentially hurt him, and his family, was now back where it belonged. Out of the reach of his enemies.

"Where did you find this?" He questioned.

"It was still with the coven who stole from your brother." Klaus gave her a confused look.

"How can you be certain that it hasn't been opened?" He inquired, bending down to check if it was still locked.

It was. Spell sealed still.

He huffed a sigh of relief.

"The witches who took this coffin did not hold the power to open it." She answered, confusing him further.

"If they weren't strong enough then why did they bloody take it?"

Lenore chuckled, "they were strong." She retorted. "Just not the Bennett coven. Only two generations of the Bennett coven can open this cofin. At least, that's what that old hag told me before I killed her." She explained further.

If there was even a speck of doubt in his mind, it had been wiped away now. He remembered the witch responsible for sealing his mother's coffin was a Bennett witch.

He scoffed thinking about how asinine and borderline suicidal some of his enemies were.

Shaking his head, he walked out of the room before stopping to look at his secretary, "good work." He complimented and left.

Lenore smirked to herself as she called in two members of her team to transfer the coffin to a safe location as per the instructions given by her boss.

Her next task was to continue searching for Aurelia Mikaelson and her son who seemed to have disappeared off the face of the Earth.

☽♛☾

Adonis killed the engine of his car on one side of the Wickery Bridge before getting out.

He looked at the blonde sitting on the bridge with her legs hanging underneath her.

"If you plan to jump then let me remind you that the water is gross." He called out smugly making her turn towards him startled.

"Do you ever not sneak up on people?" She shrieked making him chuckle as he walked over to her.

When he stood right beside her, she turned her gaze back up towards the sky, staring into the shimmering abyss above.

He could see the redness of her orbs even though she wasn't looking at him. She had been crying.

He climbed up and sat down beside her before softly nudging his shoulder with hers.

"What happened?" He asked in a tender voice making her snap her neck towards him with a baffled expression.

"What? Nothing!" She retorted immediately.

Adonis sighed, "it's okay if you want to stay quiet. But, I don't think you called me here to stay mum." He said in a firm yet concerned timbre.

Caroline exhaled tiredly, "my mom found out that I am a vampire, today." She mumbled, "she hates me."

Adonis gave her a sympathetic look, "she doesn't hate you, Care."

His words made her scoff, "she does. Her words were, and I quote, 'my daughter is dead'."

Adonis pursed his lips together, "she's an idiot." He blurted, "you might just be the most alive person in this dreary town."

Caroline chortled, "you're blunt." She remarked.

"I prefer positively truthful." He said with a shrug.

"I'm tired, you know?" She whispered after a beat, "I'm so tired to trying to be the perfect daughter just so she would pay the modicum of attention towards me. It's never enough." She groaned.

Adonis felt bad for her. He somehow didn't like the saddened frown sitting on the beautiful blonde's face.

He carefully wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she involuntarily leaned in.

"You're perfect the way you are." He affirmed, "don't listen to anyone trying to convince you otherwise, even if it's your own mother."

"Easier said that done." Caroline mumbled, "what do you know anything about shitty parents. You have the perfect mom." She said looking up to his face from his shoulder.

Adonis chuckled and nodded, "you're right, I do. Thankfully." He whispered, "however, I am not a stranger to the harsh realities of life. Some of them, so cynical that it makes one question the reason of their existence."

Caroline raised her head from his shoulder and looked at him with wonder in her eyes. What all had he seen over his years?

"How old are you?" She asked abruptly making him look a little startled.

"That was out of the blue." He remarked, "I'm 21." He answered making her raise an eyebrow.

"And, how long have you been 21?" She asked choosing her words carefully.

Adonis gave her an intent look, "you sure you wanna know?" She nodded.

"I've been 21 for approximately a thousand years." His answer shook her to the core as she pulled back wide-eyed.

"WHAT?" She screamed.

He laughed loudly, "you asked for it."

"A thousand years!" Caroline breathed, "you're like, a fossil!"

Adonis pouted, "now, that's just mean!"

Caroline shook her head before placing it back on his arm, "so, what's your story, ancient guy? Your deepest, darkest regrets." She asked with a mischievous grin making him laugh again.

"Not so many regrets, as such." He shrugged after calming down, "a lot of memories, chaos—sometimes created by me." Caroline giggled.

"But, in the end, the things I went through—they don't matter." He said shaking his head, "I got to live a thousand years with the people I love. I couldn't have asked for more." He smiled.

Caroline furrowed her brows, "people?"

Adonis sighed, "my family. The seven of us are inseparable; emotionally, at least." He chuckled remembering their current predicament.

"Who are they? Vampires you and your mother met sometime in the past thousand years?" She asked wondrously.

"Something like that." He answered vaguely.

"So, you've all been together, since?"

"We've had our ups and downs. Some more than others." He replied snorting. She could see his eyes getting dazed, as if from a distant memory.

Caroline hummed and wrapped an arm around his torso. Somehow his presence felt more comforting to her than anything else she had felt in the past few weeks.

For once, she felt understood. She felt seen and appreciated.

☽♛☾

Court of Ravenia; 1003 A.D.

Aurelia sat behind one of the desks inside the royal archive.

The hour was late; much past midnight, as she skimmed through a hefty log-book placed in front of her.

There had been discrepancies and possible money laundering attempts by one of the nobles and the queen was intent on uncovering the culprit's identity on her own.

Sir Sanchez had been helping her for the past few hours before Aurelia had ordered him to rest his head for the night considering that the man had been tiring himself beyond limit for weeks.

Although engrossed in her work, Aurelia still kept attention to her surroundings just in case someone attempted to sneak up on her.

Adonis slept peacefully in his crib placed a few feet away from her as she gently moved the rope attached to the crib in order to swing him slowly, for him to sleep better.

Ever since the last time she trusted one of her ladies with her son, she had made sure to take responsibility and take him to most places.

On other occasions, one of the Mikaelsons barring Finn, were always ready to babysit for her.

She had just flipped the thick parchment to read onto the next page when she sensed presence in the hallways.

Furrowing her brows, she stood up making no sound.

She looked at her son and then towards the direction she heard yet another pair of footsteps.

Picking Adonis up in her arms and making sure not to wake him, she hugged him to her chest with one arm, keeping her other arm free for if she was needed to perform magic.

With a determination and strength on her face, she walked out of the library and towards the strange sounds.

That was when she heard giggles. She was more confused than ever.

"Who the bloody hell is up at this hour?" She whispered to herself as she followed the sounds.

She was no stranger to the gossips between the maids about how the noble ladies and knights spent their time in secrecy of the dark in order to hide their extra-marital affairs from their significant others.

However, she wondered who could possibly come to this part of the castle. It was usually closed off for her private meetings with the emissaries from the neighboring empires.

A secret chamber, of sorts; where all discussions related to the fate of Ravenia were made.

The other part of the archives contained her artwork and the scriptures from around the world.

Aurelia continued forward as the corridor extended long ahead before opening into a dome shaped hall used for keeping the more authentic relics inside the palace.

She stepped into the hall that was dimly lit by a few candles as she roamed her eyes through the place.

She could have sworn that this was where the sound had come from.

Finding no one present, she was about to turn away when Niklaus came out from one of the hidden niches in the walls.

She opened her mouth to say something before her jaw dropped seeing her sister come out from the same hiding space as him.

Everything became crystal clear to her in that moment.

The fleeting glances Niklaus had been returning to her sister. His disappearnces and distracted mood. Her sister's consistent content and the smug smiles she had been sending her way for weeks.

It was all because of them.

Niklaus loved her. Or maybe not. But it didn't matter to the Ravena in that moment.

She was about to tear her gaze away from them when what she saw next was a splash of chilling water to her already cold soul.

His plump lips were planted on her sister's as she devoured him by pulling him closer with each passing second.

Aurelia felt bile rising in her throat as she clenched her fists and felt as if her eyes had been burned because of the sight.

Placing her palm on the back of her son's sleeping frame, she turned around and started to walk away when the trail of her gown got stuck in one of the relics, causing it to fall down.

She scrunched her eyes in anger as she turned around to find the expensive piece now turned to dust.

That was before her eyes raised up and were met by two deep oceanic orbs looking toward her with baffled expressions.

She then looked at the smug smile on her sister's face as Aurora gave her a conniving stare, as if challenging her.

"Reina..." Niklaus uttered out, sending a pang of ache into her chest because of his soft tone.

Aurelia immediately schooled her expressions and knew that she had to act strong. She would never let a man know that he had hurt her.

"Apologies." She muttered, "I thought it was an intruder."

"No," Aurora chirped up, "just us." She said clutching Niklaus' arm, as if teasing Aurelia herself.

Aurelia felt like breaking her sister's face.

Biting her tongue, Aurelia gave them a tight lipped smile, "perhaps you could find some other place that is not as sacred as this one."

Her words were like burning stones hitting the Original over and over again until he was a beaten and bloodied mess.

"Reina, wait!" Niklaus yelled, attempting to run after her but was stopped by Aurora's hand on his.

Growling, Niklaus turned around just as she said, "let her go!" She attempted to kiss him but he held her still and looked into her eyes.

"Never bother me again." His pupils contracted as he whispered those words, "ever. Again."

Dismissing her, he ran in the direction he saw the Ravena leave.

His heart was racing harshly in his chest as his blood ran cold. He had messed up any chance he had with the beautiful woman ruling Ravenia; all because of a drunken mistake.

Seeing the light shining inside the archives, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He walked in through the open creak in the door just in time to see her placing her son back in the crib.

"What do you want, Mr. Mikaelson?" She asked in a sharp timbre making a shiver run down his spine.

"Reina, please, you have to believe me! It's not what it looks like." He requested.

Aurelia turned around to him before she walked over to a table placed by the window which held some strong liquor.

She continued to pour one for herself as she stood facing the night sky outside.

"It looked like the usual canoodling that happens around the palace at this hour, Niklaus. What are you talking about?" She asked indifferently.

Niklaus sighed, "I'm sorry." He uttered out.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" She questioned without looking at him.

She knew she didn't want to look at him. She knew her resolve would crumble and her anger would get the best of her if she even glanced at those stunning cerulean eyes.

"It was a drunken mistake, Reina. Nothing happened." He said desperately.

Aurelia refrained a scoff, "I do not need explanations, Mr. Mikaelson."

Niklaus was getting frustrated by that name all of a sudden. "All I could think about was the last conversation we had and I was angry out of my mind."

Ah, yes, their last conversation.

An exchange in which Niklaus had written her a letter filled with his heartfelt feelings and she had declined reciprocating any such emotions and he had been certain that he heard her heart skip a beat because of the lie.

He knew she felt something towards him. She knew he did to. But what held her back, was beyond him.

Maddened because of his misery, he had spent days avoiding the Ravena which she had been thankful for because she did not have it in her to face him either.

And just tonight, when he had been drunk out of his mind, Aurora had stumbled upon him and advanced like she always did.

And this time, he hadn't resisted.

However, now he wished he had.

"I made myself clear, I carry no such emotions for you. You can find happiness in anyone your heart desires, Mr. Mikaelson." She retorted, keeping the fact hidden that she hated that it was her sister he had chosen.

"Oh, for the love of God, call me Nik!" Niklaus spat, getting a strong hatred towards his own last name.

He suddenly missed the warmth that engulfed his heart every time she called him 'Nik'. A warmth that felt like home.

Aurelia did not speak for a few moments before taking in a breath, "Is there something else I can help you with?" She asked.

"Yes." Niklaus' now icy tone cut through the silence of the room like a blade, "I would like to know why you keep denying your feelings for me."

He heard her heart starting to race again.

"Whatever gives you the idea that I have any feelings for you?" She questioned nonchalantly. Her back was still towards him. Her eyes, set on the black nothingness outside.

Niklaus exhaled in frustration. For a moment the only sound in the room was that of the crackling flames.

"Your heartbeat." He answered, "the way it races when you're near me. The way you say my name. The way your eyes shine when they meet mine." She sucked in a breath when she felt him stepping towards herself with each sentence.

"What more proof do I need? When everything that happens to me, I know for certain, happens to you too." He questioned, now standing right behind her.

"I do not know what you are speaking of." She whispered, not daring to even look at him.

"Fine." He muttered, "be that way. But, I am sorry for what you had to see. I did not mean for it to happen. I was not in my right mind." He explained.

Aurelia shook her head, "you are free to do what you please, Mr. Mikaelson. It's not like you're courting me."

"I want to." He immediately interrupted, this time, ignoring the bitterness he felt because of the formal adress, "you just wouldn't let me." He mumbled.

"Because I don't feel any affection towards you." She snapped.

Niklaus sighed in defeat, "I respected your wish then. And I shall respect your wishes now. However, I will not stand here and watch you lie to me again and again."

And then Aurelia turned and looked at him through hooded eyes, "then don't." She muttered walking away to sit behind the desk again.

Niklaus rolled his eyes before walking over towards Adonis and stroking the sleeping infant's cheek with a smile on his face.

"Once again, I apologise." He affirmed, his voice genuinely regretful, "I shouldn't have done that."

"Yes, you shouldn't have."

Niklaus raised an amused brow at her angry tone before she cleared her throat, "I mean that you shouldn't have used my sister to quench your angst." She stated recovering from her emotional moment.

Niklaus almost snorted at the poor explanation. It was evident that she barely cared about her sister.

Her anger was more for herself.

Saying nothing, he tipped his head in greeting and walked out of the room with a small smile on his lips as he felt her burning gaze engraving his back.

Hi! Here I am with a new chapter. Also, apologies for the delay in The Queen's update. The trip is turning out a little harder to write. But, I will update soon.

Now, coming onto this chapter.

Here, was the first appearance of Niklaus. Boyyy, I love this man! Writing about him was so much fun.

Caroline and Adonis? Adeline? The best possible otp? After Klaurelia? HELL YES!

Their scenes were cute mann! I loved them.

Now, before you guys kill me, I would just like to say that this scene with Aurora was quite important to the story and to the next step.

I would love to see feedbacks from you all on this! I enjoyed writing this so much and I really feel like my writing has improved a lot.

Anyways, vote, comment and share if you liked this!

Have a brilliant day.

With Love, Devu.

P.s. I AM OBSESSED WITH THE NEWEST COVERS THAT I MADE FOR MY BOOKS.

I've never been more proud of myself!!! I'm screaming on the inside!!!