Elijah came to meet me and the rest of the Vampire Faction about attending a festival for the witches. 

"You want us to go to a witch event on bended knee and give them a gift?" I asked, amused. "I'm sorry, but I just remembered. We're busy doing just about anything else that night."

"Noah, this isn't a request," Elijah told me. "Your name is on the treaty. Now, if you have any difficulty whatsoever with your newfound position, I'd be more than willing to remove you. However, I would not want to, because these vampires know you. They look up to you. They follow you. Set the right example."

I exhaled, giving in after a moment. "I never thought I'd see the day. Vampires bowing down to witches."

"I see it as a demonstration of strength," Elijah told me. "Acknowledging a lesser Faction."

*

Thierry had called Diego and me to meet out by the docks, in a loft right off of the river. 

"You can't just start a revolution all on your own from exile across the river," I told him. "I mean, like it or not, Elijah's plan is the new reality."

"Elijah's got you bowing down to witches," Thierry told us. "How long before you're kow-towing to werewolves?" 

Diego scoffed. "Right, and who's gonna lead this rebellion, huh? You?" 

Marcel walked into the room from a side entrance, walking down the steps. "I got a few ideas."

I smirked, standing. 

"I remember the last time we stood with you against an Original," Diego told him. "Didn't go so well."

"All we gotta do is show that we won't bow down," Marcel told us. "Make enough noise, they'll leave. I figure we can be a lot louder if we're in it together."

"Look, Elijah Mikaelson's a dick, no doubt," I told them. "Thing is, with him at least we know where we stand. Unless you two know something that we don't."

Marcel smirked. "You know me too well." I shrugged. "We've been watching Klaus. Making deals with with witches, holding secret meetings with werewolves. You can't trust these people."

"You're the one who picked up Klaus' coin," Diego told him. "You, Marcel. Maybe T and N's got a short memory, but I don't. You're a coward."

Marcel rushed toward Diego, pushing him down on top of his glass coffee table, making it shatter. 

Thierry pulled them apart. "Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa!" 

"When I picked up that coin, I was saving your asses," Marcel told us. "Klaus was gonna kill all of you. A good leader knows when he's gotta fight another day. Now that day's here. I'm ready. You gonna fight with me?"

"With what?" I asked calmly. "Huh? Look around. All you got is Thierry and a whole bunch of talk."

"You guys don't seem to get it," Diego told them. "You lost, all right? We picked the winning side, so if you want to start a war, you're fighting against me."

Diego walked out of the loft.

I looked at Thierry and Marcel, shaking my head. "You guys have nothing. What makes you think that is gonna change?"

"I started with nothing," Marcel told me. "Hell, things didn't get rolling until I turned you. You and your music and the whole city for the taking. We rebuilt this city together. Those were the days, N. Let's get them back."

I smirked. "Then it's time you got more persuasive."

"Wait," Thierry told me. "Does that mean...?" 

"What do you want me to do?" I asked. 

"Well, for starters, you are the inside man, the one who can't risk getting caught, or the whole thing falls apart," Marcel told me. "You think you can handle the pressure?"

I smirked.

*

The witches' parade for Feast of Blessings took place in the main street of the Quarter. The witches marched down the street, and the three currently-alive Harvest girls were hoisted above the crowd on thrones. The girls were each dressed for the element they represented in the Harvest. Monique was in earth tones for earth. Davina was in brigh red-orange for fire. Abigail was in white for air.

Genevieve stood on stage. "Now, in accordance with the Fete des Benedictions, the witches of New Orleans bless you all." 

The crowd cheered. 

Genevieve stepped offstage.

Monique stepped forward, creating a mild earthquake that rumbled the ground below us. She stepped back.

Abigail stepped forward, raising her arms to create very strong winds that blew around the crowd of tourists and the guests on the sidewalks. She stepped back.

Davina stepped forward, turned around, raising her hand to the sign behind her, magically igniting with fire, each of the lights coming on one after the other, like dominos, setting off dozens of fireworks.

The crowd cheered.

*

The after party took place inside the Palace Royal. 

Genevieve kicked off the after party by greeting the guests, clinking her glass. "Welcome. As is our time honored tradition, you are all welcome to deliver your offerings. It is our custom that no one should be turned away, no blessing be denied."

Guests lined up to bring their offerings to the Harvest girls.

Hayley smiled at Davina, about to give her gift to her.

The attendant stopped her, gesturing to Monique, silently telling her to give the present to Monique instead of Davina.

Confused, Hayley gave her present to Monique instead of Davina, walking away.

Francesca stepped forward.

The attendant gestured to Abigail.

Francesca gave her gift to Abigail, walking away.

I was told to give mine to Abigail, walking away.

Genevieve watched as no one gave their gift to Davina. Cami spoke to her.

The line to give offerings to the Harvest girls continued. 

Davina had still not received any gifts.

Monique sent Davina smug smiles every time she got a new gift. 

Davina, near tears, stood, running away.

*

Klaus pulled Josh into the main room of the party, stopping in front of the staircase.

Davina followed them. "Josh!" 

Klaus turned to the rest of the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? We are gathered here today to pay homeage to our beloved witches, but one very special witch has been utterly ignored. That seems a little unfair to me."

Klaus handed Davina a small bo as his offering. 

"No," Davina told him. "I don't want your offering."

"I understand why you would reject me, given our past," Klaus told her. "In truth, many of us here today have been wronged in the conflict which my brother's treaty ended. Your friend Josh was involved in a plot to kill me. It would be well within my right to execute him here and now. But, in the spirit of solidarity, and for your favor, Davina, I hereby pardon him. Josh, from this day forward, you have nothing to fear from me. Please."

Davina reluctantly took the box.

Klaus walked away.

*

A large group of compelled drummers marched into the party. 

Confused, the crowd lingered nearby and watched them.

"Happy Fete des Benedictions," the lead drummer told us. "We have a message for all of you from Marcel Gerard."

I smirked.

The crowd frowned, everyone whispering to each other in confusion.

All of the drummers took out straight razors, slicing their wrists open, bleeding all over the floor. 

The vampires in the room started to get antsy and transform at the smell of blood.

Elijah stepped in front of us. "Control yourselves. This is a vulgar trick. We do not violate our agreement."

The lights suddenly went out.

The vampires started feeding on the drummers, as well as other humans at the party.

The crowd dissolved into chaos. 

Genevieve ran toward the Harvest girls, grabbing another witch to help. "Get them out of here!" 

The chaos continued.

"Hayley!" Elijah called.

When the lights switched back on, there were dozens of dead and injured humans lying on the floor.

There was a message written in blood. 

THERE WILL BE NO PEACE 

"Hey!" Hayley said. "Elijah..."

Elijah knelt next to her. "Hayley. It's okay. It's all right."

Elijah lifted her up and carried her out of the party.

Everything went exactly as planned.

*

Until I found out that Elijah had killed Thierry.

Josh, Marcel and I stood around Thierry's dead body. 

I had it covered with a sheet, dousing it with bourbon. "This is Thierry Vanchure. Veteran vampire, lover of feisty women. Witch, vampire and human alike." I sighed. "I turned him into the man he was, and he always had my back. Even when I screwed up and forgot to have his. And now... All I can do is promise you this, T. I won't let you die in vain."

"I will take back our city," Marcel told me.

"And I'll help," I told him. 

Vampires started to jump down from rooftops around us, including Diego.

"Going up against the Originals?" Diego asked. "For real, no backing down?"

"No backing down," I told him.

Marcel looked between us, nodding. "No backing down."

I lit a match, letting it fall onto Thierry's body.

It instantly ignited, burning him into ash. 

I knew that I had been going to help Marcel before all of this.

This was just even more motivation to never back down.