𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙏𝙔 𝙊𝙉𝙀
ミ★ ( reign of wolves, act three ) ★彡

Burning. That was the feeling that washed through Rhea Lockwood's veins constantly. It felt like fire and ice coursing through her veins, her body felt like it had been seized up. Her mind was completely conscious but she couldn't move a finger. She was in a comatose state but felt like she was she was running through fire constantly with no extinguishing.

And Elijah could feel every moment of it.

Elijah stood over Rhea, he had organised a room for her where her body could be at peace until he and Freya figured out a way to get the blade out of her chest. It had been months and Freya hadn't given up—she had used different methods of magic and different spells but no avail. Rhea stayed the same and Elijah was on the edge. Freya even considered daggering Elijah to put him out of his misery until she could figure out how to solve their situation. Although they were not close, Rhea shouted for her when she arrived to New Orleans, and she would always remember that and be grateful for her—it was time for her to repay her for her kindness. Rhea didn't deserve what Klaus did to her.

"You ready?" Freya asked Elijah who hadn't taken his eyes off of his soulmate. He hadn't spoken many words over the last few months, but he was reaching his breaking point. His relationship with Klaus had also been severely on the rocks ever since he sent Rhea to be tortured relentlessly.

"More than ready." He agreed as he brushed a hand over her cheek, eager to wake up Rhea. He missed her company and her voice. Seeing her incapacitated and vulnerable made him sick to her stomach, more so because it was his Klaus that caused this and he couldn't do a thing to take her pain away.

Fortunately, Freya found a way to put an end to it. The only downside to her plan, was her having to tap into dark magic to break the spell.

Since they defeated Dahlia, her spell was weakened since she was no longer alive to keep it strong, but it was still powerful and complex. And Elijah knew because he could feel it. He knew how much pain she was in but couldn't show it physically because of how the magic of the dagger was created. Instead of thrashing around like any normal person would after feeling what she was, she was as still as a rock as if she was comatose.

"She'll be okay." Freya assured her brother, a ghost of a smile on her face from how tender Elijah was with her when she knew how much of a force he was to be reckoned with, "I promise you."

Elijah couldn't help but ask, "What if this doesn't work?" After all of the failures, he didn't have much hope anymore. He didn't know what he was going to do if it didn't work. Klaus was refusing to cooperate whatsoever, and Elijah resented him for it.

     Rhea stood by him and stuck up for him, and this was how he repaid her. He punished her for Elijah's mistake and most likely lost her friendship over his revenge fantasies—Rhea most likely wouldn't forgive him ever, even once she finds out that he only sided with Dahlia as a way to blindside her and reveal her vulnerabilities. She won't care, she will only think about how he had taken everything from her. He killed her, killed her mother, ripped her relationship with her twin to shreds—and most of her friends, too—and now sentenced her to the same punishment that Klaus would send his siblings to but worse.

     Elijah wouldn't blame her if she didn't forgive him. He couldn't either.

     "It will work." Freya said sternly, "I will make sure of it and I will not give up until it does." Elijah could only let out a shaky breath in response, feeling slightly better with Freya's optimism, "Now, go." Freya ushered him gently, "I'll need a bit to focus on breaking the spell. I won't be able to work with you watching over her like a hawk."

     "I can't help it." Elijah responded almost sheepishly, feeling embarrassed about Freya's teasing about his recent actions.

     "I know. You love her." Freya said with a nod, "I know I'm working with precious cargo. She's in safe hands, brother. I promise you."

     "Okay." Elijah relented and began to walk towards the door to give his sister some privacy, "Notify me as soon as she wakes up."

     Freya smiled, "Elijah, I promise you I will get you." She half laughed at how ridiculous that she had to promise him so many times to get him comfortable with leaving her alone with Rhea, "Go rest."

     "Unfortunately I won't be able to until I know she will be okay." Elijah exhaled before leaving Freya alone to work her magic.

     Rhea Lockwood opened her eyes groggily. It was like her eye muscles had forgotten how to work and she didn't know how to open them anymore after being closed for so long. It was strange having her eyes open again after somehow getting used to being succumbed to the darkness of being daggered. It also felt strange to be without the feeling of every muscle in her body seizing up and feeling as if she was being torn apart from the inside constantly. Her dark eyes squinted from the light, blinking a few times, her heightened eyesight catching the brightness too quickly for her sore eyes before they could adjust to her new reality.

The first words out of her mouth were, "Ow." Her voice was barely above a whisper, her voice having not been used forever how long—she had lost count of the days—that her throat was dry and scratchy as if she had been strangled and her vocal cords were damaged.

It was so quiet that Freya had just barely been able to hear it if it hadn't of been completely quiet in the compound. If there were any other noise happening in the background, she would've missed it, "Oh, thank God." Freya exhaled as she rushed to Rhea's side to check on her, her eyes glancing over her to check for any damage from the spell that she missed, "How do you feel?"

Rhea didn't know how to answer. How did she feel? Like she had been constantly run over by a semi truck that would reverse back over her over and over again until she was as flat as paper. She felt as if a million bull-ants had stung her all over her body fifty times over. She felt like Celeste had forced her to turn into a werewolf again and again. She felt like she had walked through fire.

She felt like she had been through Hell.

"Like shit." Rhea summarised croakily before her eyes darted around the room, looking for someone, "Where's Elijah?" She worried, thinking of the worst since the last thing she remembered was Dahlia and Klaus torturing the two of them.

"He's okay." Freya assured her gently and placed a hand on her shoulder, making Rhea relax to know that he was still alive and , "He's been waiting for you to wake up actually."

"How long was I out?" Rhea asked, almost not wanting to hear the answer either. Although her memory was hazy, she remembered what Klaus said—that they wouldn't be able to remove the blade without his say so, and knowing him, he wouldn't of allowed it for years with his history of keeping his siblings daggered for centuries.

     Freya bit her lip, "About six months." She answered and Rhea's eyes widened in alarm at how long she had missed being asleep. While she was unconscious, she lost track of time but she still felt time—how much she did feel, she didn't know—but to know she lost six months made her want to throw up.

     "W-what?" She whispered in shock.

     "I'm so sorry, Rhea." Freya could only shake her head in shame, "We tried to wake you up earlier but we just couldn't. Niklaus refused to help and I tried a lot of spells until I gave up and tapped into dark magic."

     "You did what?" The hybrid questioned again in concern for Freya's wellbeing, remembering how it paid a price on Bonnie whenever she used dark magic, "Freya..."

     "—I had to." Freya interrupted sternly, "You shouldn't have been punished like that, and I had to get you out. It was torture watching you like that."

     Rhea nodded in understanding. It was no use in arguing with Freya about it, she knew it wasn't going to get her anywhere; she was just as stubborn as any of her siblings, "Thank you." She said gratuitously, "I know dark magic is difficult on the person who practices it, and the fact that you did that for me is really kind. So, thank you."

     Freya smiled at her, "Yes, well, we are supposed to be family." She pointed out, "And family protects each other, even this one, no matter how screwed up it is."

     "What did I miss while I was out?" Rhea asked her, changing the subject from the Mikaelson family's obvious issues of betrayal.

     Freya got up from her spot and handed her a letter, "I was writing to Rebekah before you woke up. We keep in touch." She explains the piece of paper, "This should explain everything you've missed."

     Rhea looked at the witch intriguingly before looking to read the neat handwriting.

     My dear Rebekah, I hope this finds you well. I write to offer an update and ask for your advice. Our brothers remain at odds. Klaus will never apologise—not for the blood he's shed, nor the suffering Rhea and Hayley continue to endure—and Elijah can never forgive him for what he did to his soulmate. Despite my efforts, we are a house divided. Which is not to say I have no good news...

     Niklaus kept his word—Marcel controls the Quarter. But, he still paid a price for it after losing Gia to Klaus. There, he has founded a fight gym in the old St. Anne's Church where he tests the mettle of those who wish to join his vampire community. Elijah has begun joining him for sparring. I believe it helps him work through his anger... and he has much anger.

     While Hope continues to flourish, it is clear she misses her mother. Though Niklaus remains the doting father, he has been of no help in finding a cure for Hayley's curse. Despite my best efforts, I've yet to find the means to undo the spell placed on her and the Crescent wolves, and Hayley herself continues to struggle, unable to see her child except for one night a month during the full moon. And we're in no position to ask for outside help... Davina's rage at our family has only grown. And, as Regent of all covens, she is far too formidable to be swayed.

     We have tried another spell to awaken Rhea. We tried the spell you gave us the tip on from the coven of witches in Africa and I will update you if it works, but I worry for Elijah's sake if it doesn't. Hope still misses her aunt immensely also as we continue to find her crawling to the bedroom that Elijah has protectively placed her in.

     Meanwhile, Niklaus has begun to see Camille for what he calls 'their little chats'. He claims a desire to amend his ways. In truth, he seems utterly free of remorse... which only drives Elijah further away.

     I wonder if you would write me with any advice you have on how to heal their fractured bond. Until then, I remain your loving sister, Freya.

     Freya watched as Rhea's gaze hardened and her jaw clenched in anger, "Where is he?" She grit angrily, the veins underneath her eyes appearing as she tried to control her anger, "Where is Klaus?"

     "Downstairs." Freya answered her and within a blink, Rhea was gone from the bed. Freya sighed as she picked up the letter to examine it, adding on the update that the spell worked on Rhea to Rebekah before crumpling it up and gripping it tightly in her hands. She muttered an incantation under her breath for a moment until the letter disappeared, having been magically sent to Rebekah. Freya sighed once more, "Give me strength, Rebekah." She muttered to herself.

     "YOU!" Rhea snarled as she stormed into the courtyard where Klaus was sitting across from Elijah and she punched him square in the face, making him fall back in his chair and onto the ground, "You have pissed me off for the last time, Klaus!" Klaus quickly stood up to his feet and she punched him again, "I stood up for you! I tried to protect you! And this is how you repaid me?" Rhea continued to snarl before tackling him to the ground, "I suppose your ego tells you that I should thank you since you're not truly a Mikaelson until you've been daggered—but, I refuse to give you that satisfaction."

Klaus only continued to take her hits without trying to hit back, accepting her violence. Elijah went to intervene in case Klaus hurt her but Freya walked into the room just in time to hold him back, shaking her head at him to tell him to stay where he was—Rhea needed this, she deserved this.

Rhea grabbed onto his shirt, fury blazing in her eyes that she refused to care that his face and clothing were covered in his blood and her hand was healing from her knuckles being split, "And you turned Hayley and her pack into wolves? Again!?" She yelled, "Haven't they suffered enough?"

"She tried to steal my child!" Klaus shouted back.

"She tried to protect your child from Dahlia!" She shouted back, "She was scared, Klaus! And you teamed up with the person who was going to take her child from her!" Hayley was running on motherly instinct. Rhea knew it was the wrong decision to leave, but Hayley did what she thought was best for Hope—and after Klaus decided to team up with Dahlia, even Rhea thought it might've been the best choice to leave because she didn't know what Klaus would've done to her.

But, this? This was unforgivable.

"I kept her alive!" Klaus finally pushed Rhea off of him, "Like I kept you alive!"

Rhea's eyes turned into slits, "You and I both know I wasn't really living." She seethed at him, "You tell yourself whatever you need to feed your fragile ego, but I am done protecting you. You are dead to me, you get that?" She said coldly before storming out of the room.

Klaus looked at his older brother, who only shook his head before following after Rhea without another word, leaving him and an exasperated Freya behind in the room.

Freya went to follow them out, but stopped to make one last statement to her brother before she left, "Nicely done. At this rate, you'll drive the entire family away."