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Candice and Kol were currently held up in a crappy motel with Davina and Anthony as Davina tried to fix the damage Anthony did to her linking spell. Candice and Kol obviously got their own room, not feeling the need to share a room with the two witches who were in desperate need to figure out their feelings. And Candice needed to figure out her plan with Kol. "Okay, so how long do you think we have until mother dearest calls you back?"

"Probably not long." Kol answers, walking out of the bathroom with a towel in hand and his shirt open. "Alright, well we'll have to just improvise in case she calls. So, let's go over this again. We get Davina's blood to open the tomb that your idiotic self got us locked out of and create the dagger. Easy." Candice said, brushing her hair that was still drying after her shower.

Kol scoffs, taking a seat on the bed as she avoids any eye contact with his abs, though she much preferred Kol's original body. "Easy? You do recall that kind of magic takes connection and no offense but you're too pissed to even look at me, let alone do magic with me." Candice looks back up from her grimoire, squinting her eyes at him. "Just so we're clear, it doesn't matter how mad I can be with you because my love overshadows that each time. We will be fine, our souls are connected as your mother says. So, are you on board or do I need to have my brother do the spell with me?"

"Fine. I'm on board. But you could at least act like you love me. After all, that's the whole reason you're doing this. On other circumstances you would never dare to do this to Nik." Kol said. Candice rolls her eyes as she stands to her feet, adjusting her shirt that Kol got a bit too small. "What do you want from me, Kol? What, you expect everything to just go back to normal? Go back to how we were? Well, guess what, Kol? You were dead! You died! And that destroyed me. I cannot just go back to how we were because even then, we weren't perfect. We had our troubles. And our troubles got you killed!"

"I know that Candice! You think I don't know that?! I have no idea how to fix this. Can you just let me fix this? Please, Candice. I am begging you." Kol stood up, taking her hands into his. "Why should I trust you?" Kol go of her hands to place them on her face, caressing her cheek softly. "Candice Parker, I have loved you for a thousand years and with all the things I have doubted in my life, I have never doubted my love for you. I crave you, Candice. I love you."

Candice smiled softly, placing her hands over his. "I love you too."

Before they could lean in, Kol let's out a small scream, clutching his arm. "What it is?" Candice grabs his arm, Kol groaning as it appears his name is being burned into his forearm in a foreign language. Though, before Candice could react any further, a groan escapes her mouth as she feels the same burning sensation in her arm. Candice pulled her sleeve up seeing her name burned into her arm in a similar foreign language. She knew it was her own mother, she just didn't know how she could possibly do magic from the other side when Candice took it.

"My mother," they both groaned out simultaneously.

Candice grimaced, pulling her sleeve back down. She looked back up in realization. "If your mother is calling you..." Kol quickly caught onto what she was thinking. "Anthony." Candice and Kol both run out of the room, rushing towards the one Anthony and Davina shared. Candice pushed it open, the two turn towards the couple in question. "Mother dearest calling us home? Yeah, I got it too." Anthony showed them his burn marks with a sigh.

"Yeah, well, can you explain how Esther could possibly know our father's secret language?" Candice pushed up her sleeve, showing Anthony the burn marks. Anthony took her arm carefully, examining it, Davina did the same, curious as to what language this even was. "Siphon it, you'll be able to feel who's magic it is." Anthony orders. Candice nods, closing her eyes, she tries to siphon it only to groan in pain, blood dripping from her nostrils. "I can't- something's blocking me. It's powerful."

"Could be Esther," Kol suggests.

Davina nods to herself. "Well, we'll see when we get there. We need to take you guys back. Let's go." Everyone moves to grab their stuff when suddenly, they hear Candice drop to the floor. "Candice!" Kol rushes over first, kneeling down next to her. "What's happening?" Davina questions as Anthony kneels down beside his sister. Kol examined her, looking for anything out of the ordinary. "The necklace, Kol. My parent's made it long ago, it's our family crest," Anthony points out.

Kol goes to grab it only for it to burn his hand on impact. "Alright, we need to get her back now. This has to be mother's doing. She can wake her up." Kol picks her up swiftly and carries her out to the car. Davina looks down at her bracelet and before she could say anything, Anthony did. "Candice broke your spell awhile ago. The bracelet is useless now." Anthony climbed in the car with a small smile, he enjoyed when people underestimated his sister. It was funny to see their reactions after.

Davina groaned, pulling the bracelet off and climbing into the car. "Remind me to never underestimate your sister again."

"Noted, love."

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"Mother!" Kol rushed into the workshop of Esther as he carried Candice's body. He and Anthony decided to come in separately so Esther didn't know they were all together. "What did you do to her?!" Kol exclaimed upon noticing Esther calming approach him. "I didn't do anything, Kol." She replied, currently possessing the body of a witch named Lenore. She had a werewolf beside her, following her around like a bodyguard of some sort. "Here, hand her over. I'll help her, I promise."

Kol was hesitant but ultimately handed Candice over to the werewolf, the man holding her body with no effort, seeing as he did have enhanced strength. "Follow me, son." Esther leads them into a tomb, the tomb where Elijah was previously held captive. "Chain her up, please." Esther orders the werewolf. He nods, seeing Candice onto her knees as he chains up her arms. Kol tensed, not aware what she was doing. "Relax, Kol. We're helping her."

"Chaining her up, that's helping her?" Kol questions sarcastically as he kneeled down to see Candice's face. "Yes. We're going to cleanse her mind." An unknown voice spoke up, Kol tenses, turning around his eyes widened at the woman who goes to stand beside his mother. "I take it, you know who I am." She said. Kol cleared his throat, standing up. "Candy's crazy witch mother? Yeah, she's mentioned you a few times."

Chelsea smiles softly, eyeing her unconscious daughter. "I see. You must be the little boyfriend, Kol Mikaelson. Don't be alarmed, I'm only here to help." Kol scoffs, his eyes flickering over to the woman who was glancing over a spell in her open grimoire. "Ya know, it's kind of hard to believe that when you've tried to kill your own kids, even in death. So, don't take offense if I'm not exactly welcoming to you, Mrs. Parkerson."

Esther turns to glare at her son, going to scold him until Chelsea intervenes. "No, that's quite alright. I understand your frustration. You're protective of my daughter. But, I assure you, I am only here to do what your mother wishes to do. I want to reunite my family, place Candice into a body of a true witch. You two will be able to grow old together, get married and have an amazing family, reunite our coven. That's what you want, isn't it? To have a family with my daughter?"

Kol looks away, the offer was appealing but none of that meant anything if Candice was forced into a life she didn't want. "None of that means anything to me if she's unhappy." Chelsea forces a smile, walking over to the wall that held an hourglass. "Oh, don't you worry, dear. By the time I am done with Candice, she will be begging me to grant her this." Chelsea flips the hourglass and Candice wakes up with a loud gasp. "Kol? What's happening?" Candice tugs at the chains only to see they were spelled.

"You cannot siphon them unless you wish to be cursed." Chelsea speaks.

Candice's eyes widened slightly hearing the familiar voice. She closes her eyes, shaking her head, "You're not real. Get out of my head!" Chelsea steps forward, bending down in front of her daughter, she caresses her face, Candice flinching at the contact. "I assure you, daughter. I'm very real. And I'm here to heal you of this curse." Candice opens her eyes as Chelsea stands up, walking over to Esther. "I have this handled. You can leave."

Esther eyes Kol who is still looking at Candice. "Kol, let's go. Leave her."

Kol steps over to Candice as she stands to her feet. He leans closer so the two witches cannot hear them. Candice clenched her jaw, feeling drained. "It's okay. I can handle this. I can take it. Just get Anthony and Davina to make the dagger. They can do it. He's in love with her, I can see it. They have a connection. They can make the dagger. Don't worry about me, darling." Candice assured, forcing a tight-lipped smile. Kol holds her face softly, not wanting to leave her in this state.

"Kol," Esther states in a warning tone.

Kol ignores her, pressing his forehead against Candice's. "Are you sure, you're okay?" Candice chuckles lightly. "Are we ever really okay?" Kol chuckles, shaking his head in agreement. "Go, please. This is between me and my mother. A thousand years worth of love and hate. I can handle this. Whatever she's got to throw at me is nothing. She can't break me, darling. Not when I'm already broken. So leave, please. Please, Kol." Candice pleads, tears subconsciousy falling from her eyes.

"Okay. I love you, Candice." Kol pressed his lips against hers softly. "I love you too, darling." Esther calls him again and he sighs, letting go of Candice and following his mother out of the tomb. Leaving Candice in the hands of Chelsea Parkerson.

"He's a sweet boy, isn't he?" Chelsea leans against the table, eyeing Candice's movements. "He reminds me of your father. Caring, protective, willing to put you above all." Candice simply stares, not showing any emotion to her mother. "Not much of a talker? I see. I would think you'd have questions for me, seeing as it's been a thousand years. Though, I have always wondered what if you had just merged with Anthony? Maybe then, you could have the perfect life."

Candice scoffs lowly, "and be the cause of my brother's death? Yeah, no thanks."

Chelsea crosses her arms with a firm look. "If your brother loved you, he wouldn't have encouraged you to run away. He would have told you to grow up and do the merge. But, you were just so selfish, always putting others before you, it's pathetic. And look where it has gotten you? Your brother, he takes your memories, he betrays you, and you still stand by him." It was clear she was trying to get Candice angry, and she was indeed succeeding.

"Because he is my brother! He is my family! And if I could go back I would still side with him and strike that sword through your heart!" Candice snaps, tugging at the chains, holding the same urge to kill her mother just like all those centuries ago. Chelsea sighs in disappointment, shaking her head. "I just don't understand what I have ever done to hurt you this badly to where you wish me dead."

"You wanted me to kill my own brother! You prevented me from keeping the love of my life from dying! And you manipulated my magic to torture me! Shall I continue, mother?" Candice clenched her teeth, coughing lightly from the lack of blood. Candice frowns, as much as she hated her mother, it truly bothered her that her mother hated her so much. She knew it was far deeper than her nature. It had to be. "I just...I don't understand what I did for you to hate me this much. I know it's far deeper than-"

"Because you killed my husband!" Chelsea suddenly snaps before clearing her throat, quick to gather herself. Candice was completely shocked, and certainly having no idea what she was talking about. That couldn't possibly be true. Could it? "What? What are you going on about? Father died of an illness. You said so yourself!" Candice looked down, trying to search her mind and go back to that night. Her memories of her human life were buried deep in her mind, but they were there. Still preserved with magic.

Chelsea blinks, circling the table to grab a spelled dagger. "Let's take you back to that night, shall we?" Chelsea walks towards her daughter, Candice tries to pull away only for Chelsea to shove the dagger into her heart, making her feel the same pain Chelsea was forced to endure all those years ago. Candice drops to her knees, going limp, she was thrown back a thousand years ago.

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~ ⁹⁵⁰ ᵃᵈ, ᵇʳⁱᵗⁱᵃⁿ ~

It was a fairly normal chilly night as Aleksandar Mendezson puts his two children to bed. Anthony fell asleep rather quickly, unlike his twin sister who couldn't sleep. "I miss mum. When is she coming back, father?" The young Candice asks, laying her head against his shoulder before sitting back up. Aleksandar smiles softly as he braids her hair per earlier request. "Your mother will return to us tomorrow. I promise you. But, you need to sleep or she will be very disappointed with you, and me."

Candice turns around with a small sad smile. "Can I sleep next to you? Tony always kicks me."

Aleksandar chuckles, picking her up swiftly. "Of course you can, my sweet little sunshine." Candice giggles as he takes her to the cot, holding her up so she could pretend she was flying. "Father, I'm flying!" He laughs lightly before setting her on the cot. "We can fly some more tomorrow. For now, you need to get well rested for mama." Aleksandar pulls the duvet over her as he slips in next to her. Candice immediately crawls to lay on him. "I love my mama."

"I love your mama, too." Aleksandar runs a hand over her silk blonde hair, pressing a gentle kiss to her head. The father and daughter both fall fast asleep into a slumber. Until two hours later, Aleksandar wakes up with a gasp, his body was weak as he feels his magic being sucked out of his body. "Candy. Sunshine, wake up." Aleksandar groaned, looking down at Candice's glowing red hands pressed against his chest, completely unaware of her actions.

Candice slowly opens her eyes, immediately getting scared at her father's weak state. "Father? What is happening?" Candice tries to pull her hands away but they refused, still taking all his power. "Candice...close your eyes. Go to sleep. I'm okay. Go to...sleep. We wouldn't...want to upset...your mother. I love you, my sweet sunshine." Candice whimpers, "I love you too, dad," she shuts her eyes quickly at his orders, unable to feel her father's life slowly slip away from under her.

She took every last bit of magic that ran through his veins, the magic that connected his life to his coven. He was gone. She killed him, without having an idea that she did.

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"No! You liar!" Candice wakes up screaming, her anger mixed with her tears of disbelief. Chelsea now holds the memory dagger, cleaning it off with a handkerchief. "You're manipulating my memories again! My father died of an illness!" Candice exclaims, still on her knees as she didn't have the strength to stand. Chelsea walks towards her daughter, holding the dagger up for Candice to examine it. "This dagger is meant to reveal memories that have been spelled away. I'm sure you know what it does, you made the spell with me."

Tears streamed down Candice's face, not wanting to believe that she was the one to kill her father. "No...no, that's not real. I didn't....I didn't kill him. I-I did not. He was sick...he was ill." Chelsea tilts her head as she walks back to the table. "Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" Chelsea snaps her fingers, pulling Candice into another memory. This time, it was centered around the next day. Chelsea had given Candice a tea that would wipe her memory of what really happened to her father, changing it with the belief that he had fallen ill and passed in his sleep.

Candice wakes up with another gasp, crying far more than before. "Stop it. Please, stop this. Stop it!" Veins formed on her face, Chelsea shook her head in disappointment. "You think I enjoy this? You think I enjoy bringing you this pain? I wanted to protect you from this! But you left me no choice, Candice! You are a monster! You are not my daughter! What happened to my sweet little girl? What happened to Daddy's sweet sunshine?"

"She is dead! That little girl is dead! She died when she killed you, and I was born! You are never getting back that girl who loved and admired you so much! Now, let me go before I rip you to bloody shreds!" Candice tugged on the chains some more. Chelsea grabs another dagger and brings it towards Candice. "I'm sure you know what this one does. But, in case you forgot, I will explain. This dagger will pull you into every memory where you have killed, maimed and tortured. It will bring you an insufferable amount of pain. Only then, when you beg me to stop the pain. I will grant you, your wish."

And with that, Chelsea slices the dagger across Candice's throat.

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a/n: my poor baby candice :( and now it has been revealed the real reason that chelsea resents her so much

ALSO, CHELSEA PARKERSON HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN INTRODUCED (real life yk) and i hope u hate her 🤞

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