𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙁𝙄𝙑𝙀
ミ★ ( reign of wolves, act one ) ★彡

For a witch, Sophie Deveraux was almost too easy to kidnap. It didn't take much, and it didn't strike much confidence in them all if she was that easy to snatch considering her life was linked to Hayley Marshall's and therefore, their future niece or nephew. They could be killed instantly without anything to protect herself—like magic—but, you would think, if you were conspiring against the King of New Orleans with the Mikaelsons, that you would have a few protective measures in place to not be so easily kidnapped or hurt. Sophie didn't have anything, and Klaus managed to successfully kidnap her in the middle of a lunch rush at Rousseau's and bring her back to the plantation house where she was met with three very angry immortals and a worried werewolf.

Klaus sat her down on the sofa aggressively in the living room before he began to rant, forcing her to listen as if she had been scolded, "We had a deal! You protect my unborn child; I dismantle Marcel's army. And whilst I've been busy fulfilling my part of the bargain, you allowed Hayley to be attacked and almost killed by a gaggle of lunatic witches."

"I had nothing to do with it, I swear! Hayley and I are linked, remember? She dies, I die." Sophie responded frantically.

"So you keep reminding us. Doesn't stop the fact that they keep trying to kill the both of you." Rhea states bluntly, crossing her arms, "So, who were they?"

Sophie sighed and her shoulders slump, "They're a faction of extremists. Sabine stupidly told them about some vision she had about the baby."

"What kind of vision?" Klaus asked suspiciously.

"She has them all the time. They are totally open to interpretation." Sophie explained vaguely before shrugging, "I'm guessing she's wrong on this one."

"Well, how, may I ask, was this particular vision interpreted?" Klaus asked the witch again, not interested in vagueness.

Sophie hesitated in answering for a moment—her heart and head at war, wondering if she should tell an enemy about something that could be her downfall; however, the enemy of her enemy, is her friend. She sighed again, her head winning the battle and she purses her lips as her body takes on a small wince, "...Pretty much that your baby would bring death to all witches."

Klaus grinned almost instantly as he walked to stand behind Hayley, who looked like she wanted to vomit, "Ah, well. I grow fonder of this child by the second."

Rhea lets out an exasperated exhale as she shakes her head at Klaus, turning her gaze back to the witch, "Sophie, look—I promised Elijah that I would protect the Mikaelson miracle-baby whilst he tries to win your witch, Davina's, loyalty. So, why don't you tell us just how extreme this faction is?"

Sophie looked shocked, "Elijah's talking to Davina?"

Rebekah looked suspicious as she said, "Yeah. As we speak, I imagine."

Sophie huffed as she remarks, "I'm guessing she'll have plenty to say about that crowd."

Klaus was intrigued as he said, "Do tell."

"I... I wasn't always an advocate for the witches." Sophie admits and they look at her with surprise due to the way she's taken a complete 180, "My sister was devoted—like our parents, and our upbringing was very strict, which drove me nuts. The minute I turned twenty-one, I left the Quarter to travel... and play. But, I wanted to be a chef, so, I came back to Rousseau's. One day, Jane-Anne came up to me and told me that the coven was moving forward with the Harvest."

"What the bloody hell is a Harvest?" Rebekah questioned with confusion.

"It's a ritual our coven does every three centuries so that the bond to our ancestral magic is restored. We appease our ancestors, they keep our ancestral power flowing." Sophie explained.

"And why haven't I heard of this?" Klaus questioned.

"Because a Harvest always seemed like a myth—a story, passed on through generations like Noah's ark, or the Buddha walking on water. The kind some people take literally, and some people don't." Sophie exclaimed, "They had the girls of our community preparing for months. Four would be chosen for the Harvest. They said that it was an honor, that they were special. I thought it was a myth."

Rhea's eyebrow raised in intrigue because witches out of all people shouldn't think of anything as a myth when they belong to a world where they can perform magic, people turn into werewolves and people live forever, "Was it?"

Sophie looked guilty, which gave them all their answer, but, before she can say anything to confirm their suspicions, Klaus's cell phone rings. He sees that it's Marcel and answers it, "Marcel. Bit early in the day for you, isn't it?" He greeted.

"I know, I make this look easy, but, I still have an empire to run." Marcel responded.

Klaus smiled fakely and Rhea rolled her eyes at him when he said, "Rather you than me. All that responsibility seems like such a bore."

"Well, this might spice things up—I just heard about a bunch of dead witches out in the Bayou. The kinda damage a werewolf might do, only there was no full moon. I have an informant out there I need to meet, and I would love for you to go with me." Marcel offered.

"Dead witches in the Bayou. Sounds like less of a problem, and more like a cause for celebration." Klaus said.

"Well, something killed them. And may still be out there. And with your blood the only cure for a werewolf bite, I would love for you to accompany me." Marcel said and Rhea scoffed at his blatant usage of Klaus' blood.

Klaus reluctantly agreed, "Oh, why not? Haven't been to the Bayou in ages. I'm on my way."

"Peace out, brother."

Sophie, having heard Klaus' end of the conversation, looks at him in concern, "You can't go out there now. I need to gather the witches' remains and consecrate them. If I don't get to them before sundown, we'll lose the link to their magic."

"Those witches tried to kill Hayley. I'd prefer for Marcel's informant not to find anything that would lead him back to us, to her, or to... you know..." He points at Hayley's stomach, "that."

Hayley rolled her eyes, "You are all class."

Klaus pointed at Sophie, "Stay put. And save the rest of your story 'til I return."

Sophie was in the cemetery, having snuck out from the plantation house and was packing various bottles of magical ingredients into her backpack, when Hayley enters the mausoleum, "Hey. What the hell?" Sophie exclaimed in fright.

"You're going out there anyway, aren't you?" Hayley questioned her, "I wanna go with you."

Sophie shook her head, "No, thanks. Already got assaulted by Klaus this morning. Don't need a repeat."

"What if whatever is responsible for all those dead witches is still out there? We've already established that it likes me, and hates witches; so, you'll be safer with me." The werewolf stated.

"Sorry if I'm not buying your sudden concern for my safety." Sophie said and went to leave but Hayley blocked the exit, forcing Sophie to stop and listen to her.

"Listen. The whole reason I came to this stupid town in the first place was to learn more about my family. Your sister's the one that told me Marcel ran the werewolves out of the Quarter into the Bayou. And last night, I'm pretty sure that some guardian-angel-wolf saved my life. So, I'm coming with you." Hayley said with a little bit more force in her voice.

Rebekah and Rhea walked in to the mausoleum and joined the girls with an eye roll, "Could you two be more idiotic?" Hayley and Sophie both look at each other and sigh in frustration, "We can play the follow-game too, you know!? You heard Klaus, he and Marcel are headed right where you're going."

Hayley shrugged, "So, distract them. Because unless you wanna lock a hormonal, pregnant werewolf in a tomb, I'm coming with you." She looked at Sophie before turning to Rhea and Rebekah, "And wouldn't Elijah be mad if he hears that the baby and I died of asphyxiation?"

Rebekah stares at her, clearly annoyed by her stubbornness. Sophie rolls her eyes and sighs again, resigned to having Hayley, Rhea and Rebekah tag along also.

Rhea grabbed onto Hayley's arm, "Let's get one thing clear: Elijah would be mad if he heard the baby died of asphyxiation." She pointed out, her head cocking to the side as she said, "I'm not so much sure about you, though."

She then walked out of the mausoleum and Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Don't mind her. She's just a little protective over her soulmate."

They started walking through the bayou and Rebekah called Klaus, "What's the matter Rebekah? You cross that I'm out with your ex?" Klaus greeted her.

"What is all that dreadful hillbilly ruckus in the background?" Rebekah asked him with annoyance, her nose turning up in disgust at the volume and the content of the background noise.

"According to the dreadful signage, it's Big Auggie's Bayou Bar." Klaus answered her.

Rebekah sighed, "Well, order up a few rounds of moonshine and steer clear of the dead witches for a few. The witch is on a burial mission, your baby mama is on a spirit quest, and Rhea and I are keeping Elijah's promise to keep her safe. So, stall, please?" She requested before she hung up the phone. Sophie, Rebekah, Rhea and Hayley continue to walk around the woods of the Bayou to look for the dead witches, "So, this Harvest thingy—tell me more." Rebekah slovenly demanded.

"Klaus said to wait." Sophie pointed out.

"He also said to stay out of the Bayou, and yet, here we are." Rhea reminded her, gesturing at their surrounding, "So, start talking."

Hayley stopped walking, "We're here." They had reached the place where the witches were killed. Their bodies are all bloodied and ripped apart, and a dismembered head lies near the bodies. Sophie, who looks sick, kneels down to dig around her bag for the ingredients she needs to consecrate her fellow witches, "Woah." Hayley gasped when she saw a huge paw-print in the mud. In a nearby tree, there are three bloody scratches in the bark.

Sophie sees it also, "Is that a wolf track?" She asked.

"Sure is." Rhea hummed as she eyed it.

They hear the sound of crunching footsteps nearby and Rebekah called out to the intruder, "Who's there?"

The person approaching them is a male vampire—Marcel's informant, Tomas. He looked visibly freaked when he saw who was in front of him, "What the hell? An Original?" He then immediately runs away with vampire speed, leaving the girls standing and gaping in shock.

Rhea looked at Sophie, "You better hurry up and do your thing, I have a feeling we don't have much time." She told her before looking at Rebekah, "Warn Klaus. Marcel can't know we're out here."

Both of them nodded and went ahead with what they were supposed to do, Rhea watched as Sophie dealt with the bones and they quickly returned to Sophie's truck, nighttime quickly dawning on them by the time they got back.

"Those people, all this, because of a vision about my baby you don't think is true?" Hayley questioned Sophie.

Sophie sighed, "Look, I love Sabine, but, she's the witch equivalent of a drama queen. I've learned to take little stock in whatever she says or sees. Just kinda wish she'd kept her mouth shut." She huffed.

"The Harvest ritual—you said you didn't believe in it. Were you right?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing only concern.

"No. I saw it with my own eyes. It was working. It was real." Sophie insisted.

"So, how can you be so sure Sabine's vision isn't?" Hayley questioned and Sophie doesn't have an answer this time for her.

When they returned back to the house, Rebekah poured several drinks as she talks to Hayley, "I don't care if we have to get you a leash, that was your last trip to the Bayou." She scolded the werewolf, "What is it with you and those wolves, anyway?"

Hayley shrugged, "I feel like we're connected somehow. I don't know. Maybe it's just some pipe dream that I have of finding any real family out there. But, sometimes, when I feel like it's me against the world, it keeps me going." Rebekah and Rhea give Hayley a sympathetic look.

Rebekah handed her a drink. Hayley side-eyed her, and Rebekah suddenly remembers that Hayley is pregnant and can't drink, so she drinks Hayley's glass of bourbon in one gulp before pouring her own and one for Rhea also, "Well, if you ask me, family is a pain in the behind." Rhea hummed in agreement and Hayley rolled her eyes, "And as for being in it alone, how dare you? Us Mikaelsons don't ruin a perfectly fabulous pair of boots traipsing through the Bayou for just anyone."

Hayley smiled, and Rebekah downed her second drink. Their conversation is interrupted by Klaus walking through the front door. Rebekah looked relieved. "Nik, finally! What—"

Elijah walked through the door after his brother with a huge smile. A gasp caught in Rhea's throat, her mind wondering if it was a dream before she chose to ignore her mind and ran to Elijah and hugged him as tight as possible.

Elijah sees Rebekah over Rhea's shoulder, and they smile at each other, Elijah giving her an appreciative nod for her taking care of Rhea and Hayley while he was gone. "Thank God you're okay." Rhea whispered into the crook of his neck, running a hand through his hair. She had been so caught up with everything around her that she hadn't even noticed her shoulder healing.

"Elijah! You're safe! Now that you're home, is your first plan to kill Niklaus?" Rebekah remarked happily as she walked up to them.

Elijah chuckled as he placed Rhea down, their reunion moment having been ruined but he kept her close by his side, "I have a few ideas in mind." He cheekily responded.

"Welcome home, Elijah." Hayley smiled, feeling a little bit more relieved that he was back and felt as if it would be a bit easier to manoeuvre with a sane mind present.

He looked at everyone before signing, "We need to talk." He tells them and leads them to the study where Elijah stood behind a deal and everyone else got comfortable so he could explain everything he learned from Davina that day, "Everything that brought us here to New Orleans was a lie. This story that Sophie Deveraux fabricated, this struggle for control of the French Quarter, this war between vampires and witches, wasn't over territory at all, this was over Davina."

"I was starting to get a feeling." Rhea exhaled as she crossed her arms. There were way too many holes in Sophie's story about the past and their reasonings for why they wouldn't practice magic.

Elijah nodded at her, "Eight months ago, Sophie Deveraux and her sister Jane-Anne lost everything. Now, four months after that, a young pregnant girl wanders into their restaurant. Suddenly, all hope is renewed. Jane-Anne actually sacrificed her life so that her sister can use you to find Davina." He looked at Hayley, who wrapped her arms around herself uncomfortably knowing she had been used as a pawn, "If Sophie Deveraux is successful in capturing Davina; she can return Jane-Anne's daughter back to life." He explained, "We thought we'd come here to wage a war for power. This is about family. In order to return her niece to life, Sophie Deveraux will fight to the death. That makes her more dangerous than anyone."