The Necklace

✦✧✦

I feel a little nauseous and my hands are shaking
I guess that means you're close by
My throat is getting dry and my heart is racing
I haven't been by your side
In a minute, but I think about it sometimes
Even though I know it's not so distant
Oh, no, I still wanna reminisce it

I think of the night in the park, it was getting dark
And we stayed up for hours
What a time, what a time, what a time
You clinged to my body like you wanted it forever
What a time, what a time, what a time
For you and I
What a time, what a time
For you and I

✦✧✦

Court of Ravenia; 1002 A.D.

"So, their own people were the reason that the Ravenas fell?" Elijah asked intently.

Aurelia nodded from behind the painting easel as she made wide strokes in crimson, "They all thought they could trust the race they created. Their trust led to their extinction." She muttered.

"And what happened then? What happened once the Ravenas were all gone?" He asked curiously with a tinge of empathy in his voice.

She pursed her lips with a scowl as her brush halted for a moment, "The deaths of my people was followed by those of my enemies. It was our magic that made them; they all died as horribly as my clan."

The dazed look in her eyes confused Elijah. It was as if she was not reciting something she had heard from her mother; it was as if she had seen it happen with her own eyes.

"So, after that no Ravena was born with the gift of magic?" Elijah asked again, snapping her out of her trance.

She shook her head, "For some centuries the next generations had magic. But they never used it. So, slowly, over time, our magic was lost until I was born with all of it." She revealed making his eyes widen slightly.

"You have the powers of all the Ravenas born in the past four thousand years?" He gaped.

She chuckled looking at the way he was watching her in wonder, "Yes, and a lot more." She shrugged.

It took him a few moments to address the information but then he nodded slowly. She smiled sheepishly at him.

No matter what she told herself, she could not deny that the second-eldest Mikaelson brother was growing on her.

He was kind, polite, and well-mannered. Along with that, his wit was almost a match for her own which made her enjoy every moment spent with him.

Her entire life, she had been taught not to trust anyone but her parents and those trusted by them.

She had been made to learn honor and duty. Her duty was to her bloodline and to her kingdom, considering how much trust the Ravena ancestors and her father had put in her.

There was no place for the notions of friendship or love in her heart. At least, there weren't supposed to be.

But she would be a fool to deny the platonic attraction she felt towards Elijah, or the maternal love she felt for Rebekah or Kol. She would be a fool to deny the urge inside of her that yelled at her to trust the Mikaelsons.

A family she had met in unlikely circumstances and pretenses and which was now an integral part of her life that she didn't wish to lose.

"Lia?" Elijah's deep voice caused her to break out of her thoughts as she looked at him startled and a little embarrassed.

"What were you musing about?" He jested, smiling.

She rolled her eyes, "About how I would love to set you up with Lady Chamberlain in tonight's ball."

She snickered seeing the color drain from his face immediately, "You wouldn't dare." He muttered with slightly wide eyes.

She gave him an innocent expression, "I most certainly would. She likes you very much, Eli."

He glared at her, "I will poison your wine some day." He threatened with an undertone of mischief.

She scoffed, "As if that would kill me."

"It's worth a try." He said cheekily making her fondly shake her head.

She went back to her painting as Elijah continued to write in a leather-bound journal before he remembered something, "Do you know where the rest of my siblings are? I haven't seen them since noon."

"Rebekah and Kol are by the lake with Adonis. Finn must be sulking somewhere and Niklaus must be hiding from my sister." She replied nonchalantly, her gaze still fixed on the canvas.

Elijah raised an eyebrow at that, "You let Rebekah and Kol take Adonis?"

She stopped to look at him, "Yes, why?" She asked in pure confusion.

He studied her face with a knowing smile before shaking his head, "Nothing, it's just good to see you trust someone after all the stories we've heard about you not having emotions."

His words caused her to frown a little and he immediately regretted ever saying them, "Lia I–"

"It's not like I don't have emotions, Eli. I just don't think anyone in my court deserves to see them." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

That surprised him, "And we do?" He asked.

She just gave him a straight face, "I suppose so, yes."

"But what did we do to deserve this trust? We invaded your home, we–"

"You know nothing of home invasion, Elijah." She snapped immediately. A sudden flicker of pain and horror passed her eyes before it was gone. It was like she remembered something she didn't wish to.

Schooling her emotions once again, she took a deep breath, "As much as you all want to believe this, you are not monsters. There are far worse demons in this world than you. If anything, you are the few good people left in this otherwise dreary realm."

He did not know how to reply to that. He had killed almost every day before arriving in Ravenia. And sometimes even after that. Same was the case with the rest of his family.

He did not quite understand how anyone could see them as 'good'.

Seeing his confused and troubled expression, she sighed and walked over to him before placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You are good, Elijah. All of you are." She spoke with conviction, "Irrespective of the things you did to survive; those do not define who you are. You did not ask this."

Her comforting voice and soft eyes stirred something inside him. He felt like she just gave him the forgiveness he needed for all his sins.

He nodded with a grateful expression as she grinned at him in order to make him feel better.

"I am glad to have found a friend in you, Lia. Lord knows, my family would have suffered endlessly had you asked us to leave." He whispered with a heavy heart.

She giggled, "What can I say, Eli, I have a tendency of taking in strays." She jested mischievously making him shake his head.

"Your humor is quite refreshing. Remember not to teach it to the other ladies. It would become insufferable." He retorted with a playful glare before they chuckled together.

That was when Niklaus walked in with an angry expression as Elijah and Aurelia exchanged furrowed brows.

Elijah cleared his throat, "Niklaus?"

The younger Original looked up a little startled as his expressions almost brightened seeing Aurelia, "Brother! I didn't realize you two were here." He mumbled apologetically.

Aurelia waved her hand in dismissal, "Oh, it is no trouble. However, we would love to know whatever it is that has you in such a foul mood." She asked.

Niklaus sighed, rolling his eyes, "Lucien has made me his messenger for all of his love letters to Aurora. Now, Aurora believes that they are from me." He grumbled.

Aurelia raised her eyebrows as she and Elijah exchanged glances before they laughed. Niklaus glared at them.

"Yes, this is hilarious, go ahead, have a good laugh!" He muttered, thrashing his hand as he walked over to pour himself some wine.

"This is hilarious, Niklaus. I assure you." Elijah chuckled shaking his head gaining a smack on his chest from Lia as she stifled her grin.

"Has my sister managed to consume your mind, already?" Aurelia quipped making Niklaus give her a blank stare.

"Your sister thinks I am in love with her. She was poetic about how she would convince your father to let us marry each other. How can you even ask that question?"

Aurelia giggled at his purely tortured expressions as he just huffed.

"Oh, don't worry, brother, I'm sure the lovely Aurora would make a wonderful wife." Elijah joked.

"Why don't you marry her then?" Niklaus snapped making Aurelia shake her head as she continued to paint.

That was when Niklaus caught a glimpse of the miraculous landscape created by her. It was like nothing he had ever seen before.

"You're gifted, love." He spoke up, unconsciously sauntering over towards her with his gaze set on the canvas.

Aurelia turned her head to smile at him but sucked in a sharp breath when she found him in such close proximity.

He didn't realize the spike in her heartrate as his eyes examined the piece in front of him. He saw something that made him furrow his brows.

"Why is this patch empty?" He asked softly, pointing to the top right corner.

She immediately turned her gaze, thankful to be out of the trance his intoxicating presence was putting her in, before pouting slightly.

"I have not been able to decide the perfect color, yet." She mumbled, slightly glaring at the blank area.

Niklaus hummed before his eyes fell on all the paints placed nearby as he walked over, only to return with two shades of violet.

"May I?" He requested pointing to the brush in her hand. She nodded giving it to him.

He mixed the darker color with a dash of cerulean, creating a stark midnight blue before handing her the brush as he once again stood behind her.

"Now, splatter it with soft strokes here," he whispered softly as she nodded and did as told, ignoring the leaps her heart was making in her chest.

"Curl it over there and now add a tinge of gold." He added, bringing the bottle with shimmering gold paint.

She dipped the brush inside the vial as he held it in front of her and examined as she continued to paint the canvas.

"This looks beautiful." She breathed once she was done as she stepped back and her back hit his chest making her turn to him abruptly.

She was entranced. Yet again.

His eyes were the ocean. So full of life, and yet so troubled. The blue-green hues carried his emotional currents and she felt herself drowning before she could imagine breathing.

Elijah watched with a silent smile on his lips before he discreetly walked out, leaving them alone.

The smirk on the second-elder Mikaelson brother's face could be described as one of ultimate delight at the thoughts of Aurelia truly becoming family, that were now running inside his head.

☽♛☾

Aurelia groaned just as another pair of guardians left her classroom.

Parent-teacher conferences. She hated them.

Overconfident students, she could handle. But their obnoxious parents with unreasonable expectations from their children? She hated them!

Every parent that left her classroom made her see the reality of why the kids were always so troubled.

A continued cycle of tyranny that set the foundation of the modern-day education was something that made Aurelia's nerves crawl.

She could never understand why mortals pressurized their young ones so much; thus, overlooking their true potentials and the complexity of their character.

It was a shame to see so many students struggling with their minds on a daily basis while all their parents worried about was why their child wasn't scoring well.

Aurelia let out a small 'come in' when she heard another knock on her door.

A strawberry blonde-haired woman walked in and Aurelia gave her a polite smile before feeling surprised to see Elena walk in with her.

She figured that they were here for Jeremy.

"Hi, I am Jenna, Jeremy's aunt and guardian." The blonde woman said, politely forwarding her hand as Aurelia reciprocated.

"It is nice to meet you, Jenna, Elena." Aurelia greeted them respectively as they sat down in front of her.

"So, " Jenna spoke up, exchanging a glance with Elena, "should I be worried?"

Aurelia let out a chuckle as she brought out the most recent assignment that she had taken, "Actually, no."

She placed the sheet in front of them as their eyes widened seeing the 'A+' scrawled on the top right corner.

"Jeremy is an inquisitive learner. The way he described the characters and the questions it raised—it's all very captivating." She added with a grin as Jenna continued to flip through the pages in shock.

"Has he begun to participate in class again?" Elena asked, since clearly Jenna needed a moment to reel back from the shock.

Aurelia nodded, "Most of the time, yes."

Jenna looked back at Aurelia with overwhelmed expressions, "Thank you." She whispered.

Aurelia furrowed her brows, "I don't understand." She said politely.

Jenna gathered her thoughts before speaking, "Jeremy told me about your style of teaching and how you helped him score better for the mid-terms. I was unable to do that, so thank you." She repeated.

Aurelia smiled softly at her, "Don't stress yourself so much, Jenna. Trust me, I know it is not easy being a guardian to teenagers, " she chuckled, "no offence, Elena."

Elena waved her hand, smiling, "None taken."

Aurelia gave her a tight-lipped smile before turning to Jenna, "Don't worry, Jeremy is doing just fine."

Jenna nodded as she hung her bag on her shoulder and stood up, "It was good to meet you, Mrs. Martinez."

Aurelia smiled politely as the women took their leave and left but not before the Ravena's eye caught the sight of the necklace sitting between Elena's collarbone.

Her eyes widened immediately as she refrained from leaping and snatching the trinket from the doppelganger.

Once they had left, she hit the table with her fist in anger as she cursed under her breath.

Bloody, bloody doppelganger.

☽♛☾

Adonis smirked as he caught sight of the blonde Original he was looking for.

He made his way through the swarms of people dancing in yet another New York club that Rebekah had chosen to get drunk in.

She was dancing with a gorgeous mocha skinned man with almost sinful cheekbones that Adonis almost felt bad for pulling her away.

She let out a sound of protest and was about to behead the person who was dragging her out of the crowd before she saw it was Adonis and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on! I was having a moment with that beautiful man!" She whined as they came to stop inside one of the private booths of the club.

Adonis rolled his eyes, "You can find him again once we're done talking." He muttered.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school?" She asked with a pout as she flopped down on the plush sofa and Adonis grabbed two drinks from a waiter.

"Parent-teacher conferences aren't really Lia's thing." He answered making her raise an eyebrow.

"Don't tell me, Lia is teaching High School again." She gaped when he nodded, "Oh, the poor staff." She muttered.

"Anyway, why are you here?" She asked sipping on her cosmo.

"Because we need to find out about your necklace and if there is anything you remember about when you lost it?" He asked intently making her furrow her brows.

"I remember wearing it last in the twenties before parting ways from Nik." She answered, "That's all. Why?" She asked in confusion.

Adonis took a deep breath as he gave her a knowing look, "Esther's coffin is missing."

Her eyes widened, "WHAT?"

Adonis immediately pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded.

"Since when?" She questioned.

He pursed his lips together, "The 60s."

Rebekah's expressions couldn't have been more shocked, "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BLOODY MIND?"

Adonis groaned before glaring at her, "Elijah was responsible for that coffin while Lia was keeping Finn safe. Turns out that the guy Elijah met in the 60s was actually an emissary for a witch clan that hated Nik. He was sent to your brother with the sole purpose of raising the Original Witch."

Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Bloody hell! Why am I getting to know about this just yet?" She demanded pointedly.

"Because we know for a fact that Esther has not been resurrected yet. But we need to find the necklace, now more than ever; to make sure that she doesn't put the ritual in a jeopardy."

His answer made her hum as she realized how messed up their lives had become in the last century since Marcel's death.

A pain that no Mikaelson could truly overcome.

"How the hell did someone manage to steal from Elijah? That man is the epitome of responsible." Rebekah questioned downing another drink as Adonis scoffed.

"You do realize that your brother gets quite involved when he thinks he's in love, right?"

Rebekah grimaced and nodded, "I hate all of his choices."

"Eh, Katherine was fine." Adonis shrugged making her glare at him.

He chuckled, "Why did you never like her? I mean, even Kol likes her and that's saying something."

Rebekah rolled her eyes, "I am just anti-doppelgangers, I guess."

"That reminds me, how is Elena Gilbert?" She asked him.

He scowled, "Judgy, bitchy, only cares about herself...shall I go on?"

She broke into snickers as she shook her head, "Well, then it's a good thing that she will die in the ritual."

"Oh, I am counting on it." Adonis smirked making her chuckle again.

That was when his phone rung and he read the text message from Aurelia.

A low growl left his lips as Rebekah gave him a confused glance, "What is it?" She asked.

"Ma found your necklace," Adonis answered lowly making her eyebrows shoot up.

"Where?" She asked hurriedly.

"Around Elena Gilbert's neck." He spat making a deep scowl come onto Rebekah's lips.

"That bitch is so dead!" She snarled, "How the hell did she even get it?"

Adonis frowned thinking the same thing before he remembered something, "You said you and Stefan Salvatore had a fling going on in the 20s, right?"

His question made her eyes widen as she realized the answer to their problem.

"Bloody hell." She breathed.

☽♛☾

Kit-Kat
Come to Salvatore
Boarding house.

Adonis huffed as he read over the text once again and got out of the car.

After his conversation with Rebekah, he had immediately made sure to inform Aurelia about the necklace whilst he took their private jet back to Virginia.

It was almost night when he reached the Salvatore Boarding House after Katherine's text from two hours ago.

He hadn't heard from the doppelganger since then and he was getting worried, knowing that she could be in a troublesome bind.

He stood outside the building for a few moments debating on whether to barge in or sneak around.

Shaking his head he decided to take the third option.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and before they changed color and turned a calm golden as he opened them again and his body slowly disappeared from anyone's view.

Smiling to his satisfaction, he walked inside the house knowing that he would be invisible to anyone but Lia.

His hearing caught sounds coming from the direction of what could be described as a cellar.

He headed in that direction, making certain to note his way around the place for future instances.

He walked down the stares and slowly entered through the slightly ajar door of a dungeon.

His blood boiled seeing Katherine sitting tied up to a chair as Stefan and her conversed.

He immediately knew she had been vervained.

He growled lowly before dashing towards the Salvatore and snapping his neck in an instant.

Stefan's body fell limp just as Adonis reappeared to the Petrova who was gaping at the sight.

"Oh, thank God, you're here!" Katherine squealed as Adonis helped her out of the chains and immediately took her in his arms.

"Relax, Addie, you know a little vervain doesn't affect me." She mumbled softly.

"Shut up." He muttered hugging her close, "Something could have happened to you."

She smiled softly as she hugged him back before kissing his cheek, "But it didn't. Because unlike what you and Lia think, I can take care of myself." She grinned.

He rolled his eyes pulling away as he slung his arm around her neck and they made their way out, "We worry because for us you will always be the innocent Bulgarian girl trying to fight battles she shouldn't have been forced into."

She gave him a sad smile as she leaned her head on his shoulder, "thank you for always caring for me."

Adonis rolled his eyes as they sat inside his car, "Don't get mushy on me now, Kat." He smirked going to start the engine but she stopped him by taking both his hands in hers.

"No, seriously," she mumbled, "thank you for everything you have done for me. You made the Katherine Pierce cry; the world knows it's impossible." She said chuckling as she wiped under her eyes.

He gave her hand a light squeeze, "Making Katerina Petrova cry with emotions is not impossible. And there is still that girl present under this facade of Katherine Pierce that the rest of the world sees."

She smiled, "Well, then it's a good thing that Katerina Petrova is only available for family."

He smiled before grinning mischievously, "And Elijah." He jested making her roll her eyes.

"And there you go spoiling the moment." She muttered.

He laughed throwing back his head as he started to drive, "We all know how your ovaries explode when he calls you 'Katerina'." He said mimicking the Original as Katherine slapped his arm.

"You're disgusting, Adonis!" She muttered with a grimace.

He shrugged, "So I'm told."

☽♛☾

Unknown
Reina, did you get
George to cancel my
meeting in Florence?

Aurelia rolled her eyes as she read the text after setting down the book she was reading. She typed a reply while sipping on her wine.

I did.

Unknown
And may I ask why?

Unknown
Scratch that; why does
MY assistant even
listen to you?

She shook her head.

Because he fears me
more than you.

Unknown
It was an important
deal, Reina.

She sighed seeing the text. She knew he was spiralling and trying to distract himself from the reality of their lives by getting busy in works he didn't quite need.

It wasn't. And you
know it. That meeting
was just your way of
being busy.

Unknown
If you mean to say
that it was my way of
staying sane, then you
are correct.

Nik, you need to
give yourself a break.

It will be okay soon.

She stared at the screen hopelessly as she yearned to be there for him and comfort him.

She missed him terribly and she knew he did too.

If one thing that never changed even after a thousand years, then it was the love they held for each other. And that same love sometimes drove them mad because they were forced to stay apart.

Unknown
When, Reina? It has been
a century. A century of
not being able to kiss you
in the middle of the night.
A century of waking up
alone and realizing that
you aren't here.

Tears stung her eyes as she let out a whimper and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her silk robe. She felt like someone was suffocating her as she breathed raggedly.

Then come back to
us, Nik. Please. I cannot
see you in such pain.

Nor can I handle my own.

Unknown
If Adonis' life was safe
and I didn't fear a certain
someone threatening to
kill him; I would have came
back.

Unknown
I will not see you two in
danger because of me.

A sob escaped her lips as she clutched her phone closer to her chest and burried her face in a cushion.

Her heart ached and her body shivered because of the physical distance between herself and the man she had loved for a thousand years.

He held held her soul inside him and he knew well that her heart only belonged to him.

And even after such passionate love and admiration for each other, they were both yearning to be close again.

Yearning to be happy and safe again. In each other's embrace.

It was a bitter reminder to her that even pure love was not always enough.

Hii!! Once again, I know I'm late. But, I'm here! And hopefully with a chapter you all liked.

Honestly, when I was proofreading this, I smiled so much until I felt sad in the end. My poor babies deserve better.

Elijah and Lia's friendship is something I really adore and I am waiting to write more of them. Especially in the present time.

Elijah choosing himself the captain of the shit that is #klaurelia? I stan!

Awh, parent teacher conferences are sooo CUTE....not 🙄! Comment here if you hate them too!

Bloody bloody doppelganger indeed!

What kind of a bond do you guys wnat between Lia and Jenna?

Aww! Bekah and Addie are back!!! Yayy! I love them so much.

Esther's coffin is missing? Ooof!

Oh, so that's why Elijah swore off men after the 60s. Cute 😂.

(Cute Eli boy for y'all^)

Now, Addie describing Elena? LOVE THAT! I cannot wait to write interactions between Addie and Elena. God!! That bitch would die of all the burns.

Can I just say that I absolutely adore Katherine in this book? Because I do. And Addie and her are just 😭😭🥰.

Oh my, #klaurelia babies deserve better. I hate that they're separated.

Comment about who you think is the one threatening Addie's life.

Vote, comment and share if you liked this chapter.

Will be updating The Queen tomorrow at the same time as now.

Happy Reading.

With Love, Devu.