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____________________

To wear a crown lightly is to be a king
Regardless and regarded as the real thing
Consuming yourself in 'Me, me, me!'
The sentence that condemns you to never be.

- Rumi, Wear The Crown Lightly

__________•__________

... continued from Destined

"Greeting sire," said Tristan de Martel, looking at Elijah.

"Oh holy hell. Not again," Rafael exclaimed.

"It's been a long time, Elijah?" The first sired of Elijah's sireline asked the Original.

"Certainly, Tristan," Elijah quipped with an impassive expression.

"And you must be Adelia Mikaelson, my sire's wife," he grinned while staring at the witch.

Adelia took a step forward with a smile and extended her hand. "I go by Adelia Laurentis, Mr. Martel. Excuse our appearances, you caught us at an inopportune moment."

"You are just as charming and disarmingly beautiful as my sister described you to be, Mrs. Mikaelson," Tristan said, placing a kiss on her hand.

"You would then also know that compliments do not sway me."

"What do you want, Tristan?" Elijah asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Just a little persuasion for the greater cause," the man replied as the Original and his wife exchanged curious glances.

As the couple waited in the club, now all tidied up, Tristan entered and took a seat across them. "It is not polite to leave your company behind," he smiled.

"Neither is interrupting their day without an appointment," Adelia said, returning the smile.

"I wonder how you and Mr. Desmond entered this place? The boundary spell is very specific to our sireline and I always believed that you were sired by Klaus," Tristan hummed in thought.

"You might need to reinforce a better boundary spell. It wore off too easily," she replied, her eyes twinkling in mischief.

"I'll be sure to remember that, Mrs. Mikaelson."

"Call me, Miss Laurentis," Adelia offered.

"One might think you are ashamed of your relations to the people of your marital name," he said and Elijah silently narrowed his eyes at the vampire.

"One might think you have quite an attachment to the status the name provides," she answered, tilting her head.

The smirk playing on the sireling's lips disappeared and he quickly changed the topic. "Elijah, you are aware of how your founded organisation is at its glory, I was wondering if your friend Mr. Desmond would be willing to join us."

"And you came to us because?" Elijah asked in contemplation.

"I am finding him very stubborn to refuse such an opportunity," Tristan smirked.

"Stay away from him. I hardly care for your affiliation to my husband or his to your narcissist organisation but me being reasonable ends with Rafael," Adelia punctuated her words.

Elijah followed Adelia, standing beside her. "As much as I once loved the organisation I built, I find it difficult to refuse my wife under most circumstances."

"And here we were all under the impression that your family meant the most to you. Isn't that why you abandoned us?" Aya said looking at Adelia, "abandoned me?"

"My wife is my family, Ms. Al-Rashid, including Mr. Desmond. The good I envisioned for Strix has nothing to do with my abandonment."

"And you still let your wife challenge us even after knowing what we are capable of?"

"Capable of?" Elijah humoured, "Are you threatening my wife, dear?" Getting no response from either of his sirelings, he continued, "I may no longer hold much interest in your little terror organisation but I am not blind, and any methods of persuasion will result in your death."

Adelia grabbed his fingers and turned to walk out when various men stood up surrounding them. Elijah turned to look at Tristan with a smirk. Walking towards his first sireling, the Original put a hand in a man's chest tearing out his heart before dropping it to his feet.

Aya came to stand in front of him and Elijah grabbed her shoulder to move her aside. Looking down at Tristan, the oldest vampire took the man's handkerchief, cleaning his bloodied hand as the men around them dropped with a thud.

"Thank you, my love," Elijah told his wife while never averting his gaze from Tristan. He glanced at Aya and then put the untidy handkerchief in his sireling's pocket. "Do not challenge me." With a sly smile, he stepped back and took Adelia's hand before exiting the room.

Tristan looked at the carnage and pursed his lips. Taking his phone out, he dialled a number and waited. As the voice of the attendant spoke her words, the man immediately ordered, "Connect me to Lucien. We are due for a chat."

Rafael stood leaning against the car as the couple swiftly exited the building. As they stepped out of the door, Adelia grabbed Elijah's wrist making them stop. She touched the boundary spell with her hands and closed her eyes as the spell started getting siphoned off. The Original looked around to make sure no one noticed as her palm stopped glowing.

"I do not like this," the witch said as they made their way down the stairs.

"Neither do I, my love."

____________________

January 1862
Cloverville, Louisiana

A shot echoed in the garden of the Laurentis house as Adelia punched in the bullets in the pistol before firing simultaneous shots.

Rafael groaned into the pillow, listening to the sounds and looked outside to see the sun coming up the horizon. He got up and opened his window to spot her. "Innocent ones are trying to sleep, Lia! I will confiscate that blo*dy thing from you," he yelled at her and she rolled her eyes before firing a shot that hit the target perfectly.

"Of course! But I don't see an innocent one around here, my lord," Adelia quipped and put the gun in her boots before walking inside the house.

"You are a menace. I pity your future husband," he shouted, coming down the staircase.

"I pity you altogether. That personality is such a burden to bear," the witch replied with a smile.

"Sweetheart, this face is everything," Rafael said, gesturing to his features.

"My desire to annihilate you increases with each passing second."

The man joined her on the sofa and smirked before moving closer. "I have information. Two leads," he whispered, putting a crumpled note in her hand.

Adelia looked around and read the note before looking at her friend. "Alexandria is mine. Father won't be suspicious of the trip," she replied, making him grin.

"I believe Texas is mine then," Rafael nodded.

"Adelia. Rafael," Arnold entered the parlour, greeting the two as he hurriedly scrambled for his coat.

"Where are you off to, father?" she asked while helping him put it on.

"The General has called for a meeting. The war is getting on my nerves," the patriarch answered.

"Why was I not invited?" Rafael enquired with a frown.

"To keep you out of the General's sight. You are young and he'd want soldiers to recruit. You, my son, are definitely not going. Not for the wrong fights," Arnold sent a hesitant smile to the man.

"Father, I have some work in Alexandria," Adelia informed her father while fixing his collar.

"Well, I cannot stop you. If you must, then you will. But any sign of danger and you will immediately return," he finished with a firm tone.

"Thank you, father," she smiled and kissed his cheek in farewell. Arnold patted her head before leaving the house.

Rafael turned to Adelia with a smirk. "I shall arrange the carriages. Get dressed."

____________________

"Rudy!" a woman whistled coming out of the house, "Rudy. Come on! It's too hot to make me come looking for you." She bent down to pick up a toy and turned around when a man suddenly appeared in front of her.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Klaus sweetly conveyed.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yeah, my car hmm, my car ran out of gas a couple of miles back. Eh, I feel like I've been walking forever. Yours is the first house I come to, so I was just hoping I could use your phone?"

"Don't you have a cell phone?" the woman questioned suspiciously.

"Huh, yeah..." the hybrid took out his phone from his pocket, "battery died. Look, I promise I'm not a serial killer. I just wanna use your phone," Klaus finished.

"Sure," she sighed audibly.

"Soo, I can come in?" he requested.

"No, I'll get the phone and I'll bring it out to you," the woman now eyed him warily.

A crease appeared on Klaus' forehead, "I thought you country folks were supposed to be more trusting."

"I'm from Florida."

"Well, that explains it," he grabbed her throat and compelled her. "Now show me a little southern hospitality, sweet pea."

"I bet you a hundred dollars that dog ran off to a house with air conditioning," another woman in the kitchen countered and she turned to see her friend sobbing as Klaus entered the kitchen, holding her by the nape. "What's going on?"

"Please don't be alarmed. I was told Ray Sutton lives here," the hybrid said.

"He's almost never here. He's on the road mostly," the second woman answered.

"But I expect he makes it home, once a month. That's what I thought. Where is he now?" he questioned and did not get an immediate answer. "If I have to make you tell me it's going to be infinitely more painful for you. Hmm." A smile appeared on Klaus' face.

The woman taking the chance ran out of the kitchen and opened the front door where Stefan stood, effectively blocking the doorway.

The hybrid appeared with the first woman behind her. "I love it when they run!" he exclaimed.

"He's in Toll. It's near the border. A bar called Southern Comfort. It's on Highway 41," she relented, answering his questions.

"Thank you, my love," he petted the hair of the woman in his arms, "Now, may my friend come in?"

"Yes," the first woman agreed in tears and her friend looked terrified. Stefan entered and Klaus pushed the woman toward him.

"Kill this one quickly," the Original ordered, gesturing towards the first woman, "and make that one suffer. I'll be in the car,"

Klaus grinned leaving the women to a ripper's mercy as the shouts echoed throughout the house while the hybrid walked to his car with a smile on his face.

____________________

A month earlier

"All the best," Adelia's voice came from behind her and the strawberry blonde woman perked up before turning around.

"You are really here," Jenna said, astonished.

"You did request my presence and unless you wish to kick me out, I would rather prefer a front row seat," the witch smiled as she was engulfed in a hug. "How's your training coming along?"

"Fine. Dealing with rebellious teens is not fun at all. Elena is crazy for a ripper Stefan, and Jeremy has developed a self-obsession to the point where he talks to himself."

"Must be a teen phase," she humoured. "How's Alaric?"

"We are currently on a break. My emotions are haywire with partial control over bloodlust. I think I need time for myself to adjust to everything before I indulge in romance."

"That's a very fair point with a logical approach. You are doing great," Adelia remarked.

"How was your trip?" Jenna questioned and the witch suddenly fidgeted.

Adelia gave a hesitant smile, "First tell me where's my seat?"

____________________

After some time, a woman walked inside, opening the front door. Her heels clicked against the floor when she stopped in her tracks seeing the dead bodies.

"Ripper of Monterrey. How innovative, Niklaus?" Adelia mused while walking around to check everything and swiftly made her exit.

As she stepped out, her gaze fleeted towards a yellow Labrador retriever sitting on the porch. "And who are you?" The heretic crouched down and patted his head, guessing him to be not more than a year old. "Your owners are long gone, my love, and you are all alone now," she brushed his fur coat, getting a whine of approval from the canine. "It turns out I am running low on family members and you need one. We two can give each other company. Come." Adelia picked the dog up in her arms and swiftly walked towards the car.

"What is that?" Elijah immediately questioned when the dog appeared in his sight.

"Canis familiaris or more commonly known as a domestic dog. I reckon he is a labrador and almost a year old," she explained, sitting inside the car.

"And what is the mammal doing here?"

"Your brother's ripper killed his owners. I suppose he'll stay with us," Adelia cooed, petting the dog's neck as he rested his head on her lap.

"Is the pet necessary?" Elijah sighed and pinched his forehead.

"How could you deny his puppy eyes," she pouted and picked up the animal to face her husband and continued, "Hii, some mutant hybrid came and killed my servants. I hereby command you adopt me." Adelia moved the dog's paw for dramatic effect. "I'll be the best well-behaved, calm, nurturing dog ever," the witch made big puppy eyes, unnerving the Original who stared at two sets of big round brown eyes doning the same expression over their faces. "Please, Elijah."

"He better not shed on my suits and stays out of our room," he exhaled and started the ignition.

Some minutes later, Adelia scrolled through her phone as a notepad sat on her lap, the dog staring at them from the backseat.

"I will get you fuzzy warm toys, Asher," the witch smiled at the dog merrily.

"You have named him too. Wonderful," the Original uncharacteristically rolled his eyes.

"Stop being the antagonist in a dog's tale," Adelia commented, glaring at him and Elijah pursed his mouth. "He also needs to get vacci-"

"Why don't you write them down instead?" he suggested.

"Good idea, it's not as if I am going to give him a bath with your hair products. He might go bald within days," she mused and Elijah turned his head to stare at her in disbelief.

The creature sitting in the backseat knew he was not going to get along with that suited human, not anytime soon.

Befriending a potential threat was simply beneath him.

He barked in agreement with his thoughts and Adelia caressed his head with a smile. Yes, he did like the other human—she was very sweet.

____________________

"I know, I know. You live by a code and all that, but see he's not gonna let me stop until you tell me. And I do whatever he says so, that's the way it goes around here," Stefan informed, nodding towards Klaus who was watching the entire thing when a woman walked over to the hybrid.

"Hello, Mr. Klaus. I have some more information for you," she said and Stefan walked over to hear it closely. "You told me to tell you if I saw anything. I saw the guys spotted Damon at the farmhouse and Mrs. Mikaelson was seen not far from here."

"Well, thank you, Claudine. It seems dear Adelia is finally in the game after my heartfelt request. You'll just tell your friends to keep up the good work or they're gonna watch her," the girl walked away as Stefan came up to Klaus.

"My brother still on our trail?" he asked.

"Mine as well. He's getting closer, I'm gonna have to deal with that," Klaus huffed, getting up.

Stefan grabbed his arm, "No, no, no! Let me handle it."

"Why should I let you leave?"

"Cause, you'll know I'll come back."

"Do I?" the hybrid questioned curiously.

"You saved my brother's life. I'm at your service," the Salvatore answered.

"Ah, you sound so tedious and indentured. Aren't you even having the least bit of fun?" Klaus pointed at Ray with a smile and Stefan immediately left, not wanting to answer.

"You lack creativity, Nik," Adelia walked in with a dog in her arms and Klaus smiled looking at her.

"Maeve, how are you?" he enthusiastically asked and then turned towards her companion, "and who is your new friend?"

"This new friend is Asher who you conveniently left behind with your ripper's latest victims," Adelia took a seat, placing the dog on the counter.

"I recall his name was Rudy," Klaus said.

The witch pondered over it, "He loves Asher now, don't you, darling?" her fingers softly tickled his fur and the dog whined happily.

"Come to check up on me?" the hybrid suggested.

"No, just following a trail."

"So Elijah could thwart my domination plans?" the Original rolled his eyes.

"We helped you break the curse, Nik. Elijah wouldn't do that," she argued.

"Then maybe because he disapproves of my behaviour," he happily sighed and she got up, "Where are you going?"

"Very thoughtful. No wonder I prefer Asher's company to yours."

"You are comparing me to a dog?" Klaus raised his brow.

Adelia shrugged. "Why not? You both bark now."

"I howl, love," he smirked as the witch rolled her eyes and picked up the dog, cradling him to her chest.

"Indeed, my assumption was wrong. Forgive me?" she suggested with a smile. "Dogs are very loyal, trustworthy and friendly and I see no trace of any of that in front of me."

"I am hurt, love," he mocked, holding his hand over his chest and she moved past him but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "When will I see you again?"

"When you decide to consider Elijah's offer," she glared at him, freeing her hand.

Klaus watched as she almost reached the entrance, "Maeve," he called out. Curiously she turned around to look at him. "Nothing."

With a pout, she left and kept Asher in the backseat, glancing at her husband. "Did you find anything?"

"The coffins are not with him. We shall follow," Elijah replied as they both turned to look at the entrance where Klaus stood, watching them impassively.

____________________

January 1862
New Orleans, Louisiana

Elijah traced the ridges of a sapphire hairpin with extreme care, hoping to memorize everything. The way the light reflected off it seemed so surreal and innocent and he wondered whether she was still the same.

The sound of approaching footsteps made him keep the pin inside the drawer and slide it shut. He looked up to see Sofia standing in the doorway.

"You never sleep," she said, walking inside and sat over the armrest of his chair.

"I am afraid I am feeling exhausted now. If you'll excuse me," Elijah replied, getting up and soon left the study.

Sofia watched him go before looking around and discreetly opened the drawer to find the sapphire pin taunting her. She picked it up to see it in the same state as it had been two years ago. The Original favoured the small object more than her.

She had learned it a long time ago that Elijah kept her around for her resemblance to the woman the pin belonged to. Maybe it was her hair. The witch was used to the vampire staring at her brown tresses with a morbid fascination.

"Well well, thinking of something, witch?" Klaus humoured, leaning against the door.

Sofia quickly slid the pin into her pocket. "Nothing, Klaus. Were you hoping to find Elijah? He retired not too long ago," she said, giving him a small smile.

"I am certain the talk with my brother can wait. You were quite lost in thoughts. What if I might enquire?" the Original smirked.

"Nothing of importance," Sofia replied.

"Her name is Adelia," he told her, guessing her train of thoughts.

"Adelia?"

"The little witch Elijah used to fancy? She was quite an enchanting spirit, although now her beauty is something only a fool would disregard," Klaus smirked when he saw her crestfallen expression.

"Good night, Klaus," she muttered, not daring enough to glare at him.

Seeing Elijah reading instead of sleeping, Sofia walked towards the decanter to pour him a glass of drink. Turning her back to the Original, she filled the glass before unscrewing her ring to put a pinch of herb inside the alcohol.

Mixing it with practised ease she had acquired from doing the same for the last two years, she handed the glass to Elijah who nodded thankfully before emptying it in a gulp.

The witch suspected if he had any inkling of what she was giving him all these years, but thinking of the woman named Adelia hardened her heart and she retrieved her coat and put it on. "Mother must be awaiting my arrival. I shall take my leave," she said and Elijah looked up and nodded.

"Have a pleasant journey," he replied and gave her a reluctant smile.

Back in her home as Sofia stood in front of the mirror, she retrieved the sapphire pin from her pocket, curiously staring at it. When her eyes brimmed with tears, she put the pin in her hair and looked in the mirror.

She was still the same and not somebody else. The witch tilted her head side-to-side hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl Elijah saw in her. She was even wearing the sapphire pin and she should be seeing what he sees and yet nothing happened.

Her involvement in the Original's life was all a set-up for the greater good. The task the covens trusted her to do and she was doing it, but it did not help that the Original was a very charming man.

The whimsical part of her wanted his love or even a sliver of affection that came from his heart, and not of duty one expected from companionship. A part of her had come to love him and she didn't want to lose him to another witch whose little belonging the vampire cherished with all his heart, more than her.

But the glimmer of adoration with which Elijah always stared at the sapphire pin was magnanimous and she could almost feel her heart break at the notion of what would happen if the woman were to suddenly appear.

A knock came from her balcony door and Sofia turned around with a frown. She opened the door, walking outside when a hand grabbed her throat from behind and snapped her neck with a crack.

Klaus let the body dangle from his arms before he plucked out the sapphire pin from her hair. "I believe this doesn't belong to you," he mumbled and threw the body down the balcony.

The conspirators they had finished two years prior were not the only ones it seemed. It was an accident he caught the witch mixing something in his brother's drink and he did not even know for how long she had been doing it.

It was not over yet and he once again contemplated the use of a dagger on Elijah if things were to remain as it is. But he knew it not to be preferable in the long run with the ongoing Civil war.

The Original decided he would send his noble brother on a goose run for a cold trail while he finished the conspirators behind his back. Last time Elijah's inclusion did not help when he instead found a new vulnerability in Maeve.

He should inform Marcellus to look for Elijah's way out of New Orleans until the task was completed. It was not the first time his brother had been used as a pawn in an uprising and it sure wouldn't be the last.

____________________

Elijah unpacked their bags and peeked inside the new packages to see numerous items for Asher. He kept them aside and removed his tie when Adelia emerged from the bathroom with the dog wrapped in a towel. She kissed the dog's head and rubbed him with the towel, sitting on the couch.

"We will get him to the vet tomorrow," she said.

"Oh, is my hair product rendering him bald, my love?" the Original quipped sitting beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"He needs fur insurance before I test it on him, which I'd never," the witch told him. "I wouldn't want him to have a fringe hairstyle," she commented, referring to his fringes from some months back.

Elijah bit her shoulder playfully and she laughed before he pulled down her spaghetti strap to place kisses over her neck.

"We have a pet now," Adelia admonished him mischievously, "Kindly behave."

"That dog will not keep me away," he said and bit her earlobe when she looked at him. Elijah pulled the towel over the dog's head before kissing her senseless.

____________________

Klaus returned home and ventured into the study as he stared at the pin in his hand. His other hand opened the drawer he had seen his brother always lurking around, and kept the sapphire jewel inside.

When he was about to close it shut, he stopped midway and pulled it open once again. His fingers slid a compartment of the drawer to the side as a picture of Adelia came into view. Closing the drawer with a loud bang, he left the room. He wondered if his brother's infatuation with the little witch would ever end.

____________________

A gasp fell out of her mouth as Adelia squirmed her shoulders, fingers tangled in Elijah's hair. He pushed her to lay on her back, the pillows not quite within reach before the older vampire caressed her foot to put it over his shoulder. He cupped her face which was tilted upwards in pleasure and once again touched his lips to her core, tasting her ruefully.

Elijah's teeth grazed her nub and her toes dug into his back as another moan echoed the room. He looked up at her and rolled her oversensitive nub with his index finger making her back arch in anticipation, her leg tightening around his neck.

"I told you to be quiet, my love. Twice," the Original said and she breathed deeply in response, his hot breath against her core making her squirm again.

"I am sorry," Adelia replied and tugged his hair to get him to continue.

"Are you?" he asked and got no answer from her, except a whine for her incompletion.

"I said I am sorry," she said in annoyance.

Suddenly she was turned over on her stomach with a squeak as Elijah pushed the peach dress over her hip exposing her bottom. He pulled her hips up as she steadied herself by holding the headboard. Parting her legs, he caressed her once again and her hand clutched the board tightly, the other scrunching the feather pillow.

As a wave of orgasm started its way on her toes, Adelia barely heard the buckle being opened and a zipper swishing against the air before he entered her with a single thrust, the cold metal touching her heated skin.

"How lovely my beloved looks when she surrenders to me," he muttered with a smile before giving a hard thrust making her clench around him and his eyes rolled back in pleasure. "You are all mine, aren't you?"

"Am I?" her gasping voice answered.

"Oh, you are, my love. So beautiful and all mine," Elijah hummed caressing her lower stomach before he latched onto her shoulder and moans reverberated the room when he sped up his movements.

Outside, a disgruntled Asher continued staring at the closed bedroom door with a frown as he tilted his head in contemplation—maybe he needed better and more devoted servants.

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last edited: 01/2024