𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙍𝙏𝙔 𝙎𝙄𝙓
ミ★ ( reign of wolves, act two ) ★彡

     It had been a few weeks and nothing had occurred in terms of Aunt Dahlia. The Mikaelson family had been anxiously anticipating her appearance in New Orleans and it was making Klaus somewhat paranoid that she hadn't come for Hope yet. But, in that time, Liz Forbes had unfortunately succumbed to her illness. She died peacefully with Caroline in the room but the blonde vampire had fallen off the deep end because of her friends. Caroline had wished that after the funeral she wanted to turn her humanity off for one year to help deal with the pain and trauma of losing her mother. Caroline had great self control so Rhea didn't see a problem with it—and she knew it would be hypocritical of her to tell her otherwise, since she turned her humanity off after she thought Tyler died—and offered her to stay with her and Elijah if she ever needed to take her mind off of things.

     And she was great for the first few days. She was uncaring and living life the way she wanted... until her friends pushed her too far and she snapped. She began to do things that normal vampires do with their humanity off; like cause chaos and turmoil to those around them while completely uncaring of the consequences. So, unfortunately it meant that Rhea had to return to Mystic Falls to get her best friend back to normal before she did something that she would regret... like burn the letter her mother wrote for her before she died. It was the last words her mother ever wrote and she needed to hear them. Rhea should've known to intervene sooner since the 'Save Elena Squad' couldn't do anything right if it saved their lives, but thankfully she arrived in time to make up for it and Caroline was eternally grateful once she turned her humanity back on.

     Once she returned back home, it was chaos again. It seemed to follow her everywhere she went; but this particular type of chaos she had been expecting for a while now in the form of Dahlia. Apparently while she was away, Hayley and Jackson had decided to take a walk in the city, and while they were out, a hypnotised person had warned them to give Hope to Dahlia before the consequences were too grave, and then soon enough everyone became possessed, including Jackson.

     "Isn't that the point of a fortress?" Klaus asked Hayley and Jackson in a displeased tone, "It does a better job of protecting you when you stay within its walls!"

      "Okay! We get it." Hayley snapped lightly. She was slightly embarrassed and annoyed about the situation and even more so that she had to tell Klaus that she accidentally put Hope in danger, "Now, let's just figure out what the hell we're gonna do."

     "What I would like to do is take a strong leash—" Klaus shouted.

      "—Children, please." Elijah politely cut him off, "Niklaus, your ire is justified. However, Hayley is quite right." Hayley shrugged and gave Klaus a smug look, "We need to find a new strategy. Freya, if you please?"

     Freya sighed defeatedly, "The spell you described... Dahlia calls it 'kenning'—using proxies to watch her enemies from afar." She explained and Klaus looked at her, half-suspicious, half-curious, and Freya paused, looking overwhelmed, "But, I've never seen it done on quite this scale."

     Hayley sighed in frustration, looking overwhelmed also, "Awesome. So, basically every Hurricane-chugging, boob-flashing tourist on Bourbon Street is a potential spy." She remarked in realisation, feeling guilty for even taking Hope out there.

     "The good news is, I know a little about how her magic works." Freya added and she gestured at a tray she had set up that has a silver tea kettle and six tea cups full of brown liquid on saucers, "This tonic will at least prevent her from using any of us."

     Rebekah, Rhea and Freya each reach for a cup. When the others don't move, Rebekah looked around at them, "Well, come on! This should work like a charm!"

     Elijah looked at his soulmate as to why she was so eager, who shrugged, "I don't particularly feel like being used as Dahlia's personal puppet." She explained and he sat down at the table instantly to grab a cup as well, as did Hayley.

     However, Klaus remained standing where he was and didn't move to join them, and Rebekah raised her glass, "Bottoms up!"

     The five of them drank their tonics, and Elijah held out the fifth cup for Klaus, who simply stared at it. Elijah sighed at him in annoyance, "Niklaus, is there something you wish to contribute?"

     Klaus shrugged, "I prefer biscuits with my tea." He miffed.

    Elijah rolled his eyes as he set down Klaus' cup and muttered under his breath, "Of course."

     Klaus ignored his brother's comment and says, "Besides, our minds are far too strong to be invaded by kenning spells." Both Elijah and Rhea rolled their eyes at him and sipped their tonic while he continued, "No, what we experienced was a test—Dahlia's watching to see how we respond to aggression. She's preparing for battle. My guess is sooner, rather than later."

     "Well, if she was watching us, she would know that we have our own army." Hayley pointed out.

     "She also knows where we are. And, given the immense nature of her power, we simply do not know what to expect from her. What we need is to create a new stronghold. Something that Dahlia knows nothing about. A sanctuary from any witchcraft." Elijah strategised.

     "That's a fine strategy. I offer another—we can use Jackson to trace her magic back to its source. Find out exactly where she is." Freya suggested and everyone looked to Hayley, who considered the suggestion for a moment.

     She looked over at Klaus, who merely smiled and raised his eyebrows at her, before she sighed reluctantly, "Fine. Do it."

     Klaus was pleased, "Good! Then it's settled. Off you pop to your respective tasks! Me? I've always been of the opinion that the best defence is a good offence. So, I'm going to find a way to murder that godforsaken witch." He smiled evilly.

Marcel joined Elijah and Rhea to meet Josephine at the St. James Infirmary Club that was in the middle of being renovated. Josephine smiled as she stood in the middle of the room and looked around as if fond memories were returning to her, "Well, this was quite the place back in my day. St. James Infirmary. Vulgar. Filthy. Loud. Some of the best nights of my life." She recalled before making eye contact with the immortal beings in front of her, "But, I assume you didn't go through all this trouble on my account."

"As you know, for years, this place served as neutral grounds for both our communities. A place where all were welcome and safe." Marcel started.

"And, in keeping with that tradition, we'd like to invite you to cast a spell. One that would prevent the use of magic within these walls." Elijah finished.

Josephine looked appalled at the request from the original, "You'd ask me to create a place where my kind would be utterly powerless?"

Rhea only smiled politely at her, "Josephine, you're a powerful witch, surely you must have sensed this new threat that's been looming over the city?"

Josephine nodded, "And I am not without empathy, but I have a responsibility to the witches. This is not our fight."

Elijah was displeased by her response, "Well, then, I do hope you understand that anyone willing to stand aside and allow my family to be threatened... I would be forced to consider an enemy."

Josephine sent him a hard and mildly offended look, "As I said, Elijah—I am not without empathy." She said as she looked around the building, "Perhaps a traditional blessing to dispel unwanted spirits? A barrier against those who mean to do us harm?" Elijah smiled approvingly, and Josephine thought about it for a moment before nodding and smiling back, "Yes, a blessing combined with a disruption spell should do the trick."

Elijah nodded, as did Rhea; happy with the compromise.

Elijah and Rhea returned to the compound hand-in-hand after helping Josephine and Marcel create the new safe house. Rhea looked around expecting to see Freya but frowned when she didn't see her immediately, "Where's Freya?" She asked Rebekah and Hayley almost instantly.

"She's gone." Hayley looked down at her feet almost guiltily.

"What do you mean 'she's gone'?" Rhea snapped as she noticed the look in her eye instantly. She went to let go of Elijah's hand to cross her arms angrily as she sensed that Hayley must've done something to send her off.

"She was a risk—" Hayley started.

Fury flashed on her face and she couldn't help but cut Hayley off, "—And she was also the only one who knows the enemy we face!"

"Both of you, just stop it—" Rebekah tried to stop the argument between the two hybrid females. The two loved each other like sisters, but when they fought; it gets ugly and Rebekah wasn't in the mood to try and pry them apart especially without her Original strength.

"I was protecting Hope from someone who it's obvious none of us completely trust." Hayley spoke over Rebekah.

"All we've done is doubt her when she wants to fucking help us kill the person who wants to get to Hope." Rhea exclaimed, "How is accepting her help any different from us accepting help from the witches or the vampires of New Orleans—all of which have tried to kill us and or Hope before as well?"

"Correct, we've done nothing but doubt Freya." Elijah spoke with frustration and he looked over at Rebekah, who looked equally as guilty as Hayley did, "Nevertheless, she kept her promise, and she saved your life. We certainly haven't demonstrated the same kindness towards her."

Rebekah rolled her eyes in frustration, knowing that Elijah was right, "So, what the bloody hell do we do now?"

"There is a jazz club in Algiers by the name of the St. James Infirmary. Marcel has acquired it, and Josephine is fortifying it as a sanctuary against magic." Elijah explained before he turned to Hayley, who didn't look happy, "Pack your things. Marcel will escort you and Hope there tonight at nine o'clock." Hayley rolled her eyes, clearly not a fan of the plan and Rhea growled at her, warning her to watch her attitude. Elijah then pointed to Rebekah, "You, wait with Rhea and I."

"What for?" Rebekah's face contorted.

"In case Freya returns." Rhea explained, "If she does, we'll be here. And whether you trust her or not... we can't win this fight without her—so you both better have a damn good apology to give if she does return."

With one last glare, Rhea left the room unhappily, and Elijah sighed with disappointment at his sister and Hayley's actions before following after Rhea. Rebekah looked over at Hayley and frowned when she noticed that she was frowning unhappily at the area that the couple had just stood before them.

There were a few werewolf guards milling around the courtyard of the compound when Freya returned to see her siblings. The guards all started to surround her threateningly and block her way, but after a moment, Rebekah appeared. Freya seemed relieved to see her sister, "I need to see Rhea." She told them considering she knew the hybrid would be the only who would believe her and trust her the most, and Elijah would too if Rhea did.

"Let her through." Rebekah ordered before looking back to Freya, "I'm actually glad you're here."

Rhea then appeared into the room, "Thank God, you're back." She said with relief as she approached the Mikaelson witch, "I am so sorry about Hayley and Rebekah. I told them to apologise when they get the chance." Freya smiled at her appreciatively for the gesture but the smile didn't reach her eyes and she seemed more shaken than anything, "What's wrong?"

Having heard his sister's arrival and his soulmate's concern, Elijah joined them all in the courtyard just in time for Freya to answer, "I saw her. Dahlia. She intends to make her move tonight. Klaus and our father will be her next victims."

Elijah frowned anxiously, "And you have returned to warn the very people who would cast you out?" He asked and gave Rebekah a sharp look, and she only blushed in embarrassment.

Tears brimmed in Freya's eyes, "I understand Klaus' mistrust, as I do yours, but I did not come this far to see my family die at the hands of the very evil that I've tried for so long to escape. I'm begging you—help me save them."

Rhea stepped forward and grabbed onto Freya's hand, "Tell us what you need."

"Dahlia will lure them into a trap. She prefers places of darkness. She'll be drawn to any site that's been steeped in death." Freya explained.

Rebekah rolled her eyes sarcastically, "Well, welcome to New Orleans." She remarked.

Freya shook her head furiously, "Oh, no, I'm talking about dark power created by massacre. Sacred ground that's been stained with the blood of the innocent."

Rhea could only gulp in realisation, "St. Anne's."

The three of them quickly left the compound and raced to St. Anne's church immediately just to find that Klaus and Mikael have been weakened by Dahlia's desiccation spell, and are desperately crawling toward her on the floor in the aisle.

She almost seemed impressed by their attempt to stop her, "You struggle with such passion. All in defense of the ones you love. An honourable death." Klaus notices the enchanted knife ahead of him and tried his best to get close enough to reach it. Dahlia then started to walk slowly toward them, "One I had not anticipated, given the reputation that precedes you."

Klaus finally reached the knife and grabbed it in his hand while Mikael struggled to keep up with him, "Still, a bit too little too late." Dahlia dismissed.

Klaus stood up and was about to lunge for her when Dahlia waved her hand, causing Klaus to be thrown backwards, knocking him unconscious and causing him to drop the knife.

Dahlia looked at Mikael and sneered, "And you. Husband of my sister. You, I would like to make suffer." Mikael struggled to get onto his knees as Dahlia walked in front of him, and cupped her hand and pushed it toward Mikael, which allows her to choke him with her telekinesis, causing Mikael to gasp for breath.

He began to grow desiccated until Freya suddenly arrived and yelled at her aunt, "Enough!"

Dahlia was so surprised to see Freya that she released Mikael so she can focus on her niece, "My Freya." She greeted and Mikael picked up a broken piece of wood and wielded it like a weapon as Dahlia walked toward Freya, "You do realise that this so-called family of yours is simply using you for your power?"

"No. You're the one that used me for a thousand years!" Freya said furiously and Dahlia sighed in frustration, "No more!"

"So be it!" Dahlia grew enraged and put Freya in a telekinetic choke-hold and lifted her high into the air as Freya desperately clutched her throat.

Mikael furiously lunged for Dahlia with a yell and he tackled her and stabbed her in the abdomen with the piece of wood, which distracted her enough to let go of Freya, "Stay away from my daughter!" He bellowed.

While they were occupied, Elijah and Rhea snuck into the church and Elijah bit his wrist so he can feed Klaus his blood and revive him while Rhea helped Freya to her feet.

Dahlia telekinetically throws Mikael across the room and pulled out the stake he stabbed her, "Don't you know I'm too powerful to kill?" Dahlia snarled with fury as she threw the stake aside and stood to face Mikael, who was leaning against one of the nearby pews for support.

Rhea sped toward Dahlia, but instantly got thrown backward by her and landed in the aisle behind Klaus while Elijah was by her side in an instant.

Klaus picked up the enchanted blade and rose to his feet, and the two glared at each other before Klaus sped toward her, jumping up in the air so he can dodge her telekinetic blast. However, before he can make contact with her, Dahlia completely vanishes, and Klaus crashes into the sacristy.

As he picked himself up, he dug through the pile of broken wood and is completely alarmed when he cannot find the enchanted knife. He stood and looked backward at Elijah, both of whom look as though they're terrified by what just occurred.

Mikael and Freya are still gasping on the floor, while Rhea was looking at her wounds but Dahlia is nowhere to be seen.

Freya went to tend to Mikael instantly and Rhea went to sit down to put her head in her hands while Klaus and Elijah pace around them in the aisle of the church.

Suddenly, Dahlia reappeared behind them, startling them all and causing them to turn to face her, "We all have weaknesses." She disappears again, and appears behind them, "You came here to exploit mine. And, in doing so, you lost the one thing you could have used against me." She held up the knife Davina enchanted, "The weapon you created, now rendered useless." Dahlia dropped the knife into the basin used for holy water, which caused the knife to burst into flames as it is destroyed.

Freya is distraught and lunges toward her, "NO!" She says but Rhea runs toward her and stops her from getting close enough to harm.

Klaus looked devastated, and Elijah looked terrified as Dahlia waved her hands and put out the flames before sighing in boredom, "Now that we've disposed of that little trinket, perhaps we can focus on the issue at hand? After all, I seek only that which is owed to me, nothing more. Give me the child and you all may live. Deny me, and well... you've had a taste of my power. I can't imagine you hunger for more."

Once again, Dahlia vanished, as though she's teleported away, leaving the rest of the Mikaelsons in various stages of fear and anger.

One thing was for sure, Dahlia was terrifying.

When they returned to the compound, the feeling of defeat was heavy in the air after everyone got their asses kicked by Dahlia in the church. Klaus immediately went to get himself a glass of scotch from the bar, handing one to Rhea as well as Elijah, Rebekah, Mikael, and Freya walk in to join him.

"Well, that sounds like a bloody fiasco." Rebekah remarked after she heard exactly what had happened, "Where's Dahlia now?"

"She can be anywhere. There wasn't a trace of her left in the church." Elijah sighed.

"She's done with us for the night." Freya said bitterly, "No doubt, she wants us to take some time to wallow in our defeat."

"That's one way to put it." Rhea grumbled as she took a sip.

Klaus finished his drink, "Defeat? I disagree. We saw her face, we took her measure. If that's the best she's got, quite frankly, I'm unimpressed." He shrugged his shoulders.

Mikael scowled at his son, "Her aim was not to impress us. She wanted us to reveal our sole weapon, and like fools, we did."

Rebekah's eyes widened, "Am I hearing things, or did our brother just exchange words with our father?" She asked incredulously.

Mikael smiled at her, "Rebekah. I'd know that wicked tongue anywhere. What mischief have you gotten yourself into now? No doubt the bastard's doing."

Rhea sighed at the name and Klaus growled, "Enough. My patience, like this farce of a reunion, is at an end."

Elijah scowled and walked toward Mikael, "Agreed. There only is one question here—what exactly are we doing?"

"This was not my plan!" Freya snapped furiously at Klaus, "You rushed it and made but a single weapon! Of course she took it from you. And now, we've lost what advantage we had and used up the very materials we needed to kill her."

"It's a bit histrionic. Your materials are easily found. Let's take stock, shall we?" Klaus pointed at her, "There's an ample supply of your blood, Norwegian soil is hardly scarce... what else? Ah, yes—the ashes of Dahlia's Viking oppressors."

"Only priceless relics gotten with great difficulty at a museum." Mikael said with annoyance, "Lost due to your worthless strategy!"

Klaus then angrily sped over to Mikael, pinning him to the wall and shoving the tip of the indestructible white oak stake into his chest. Mikael didn't move or fight back, he simply stared at Klaus as Freya lunged toward Klaus but was held back by Elijah, "No!" She screamed.

"If I feel even the faintest touch of your magic, Freya, I will end him with a flick of my wrist!" Klaus said to his sister before he turned to address Mikael, "You don't seem surprised."

Mikael gasped as the stake brushed against his heart, "Betrayal is in your nature, boy."

Klaus shook his head at him, trying to hold the tears back, "No. I wasn't born like this. Her, you fight for, lovely Freya, the daughter you barely know. But there was a time where you knew me as your son! A time before all the disappointments, the revelations of betrayal." Klaus' voice shakes, and tears began to fill his eyes, "There were moments where all you had to do was be my father! And even then, you despised me, didn't you? I want to know why." He cried.

Mikael seemed to be surprised by his display of vulnerability on Klaus' part, unexpectedly replied softly and without malice, "I don't know. I just... did."

The two of them started at each other for a long moment and all of them seem surprised by this uncharacteristic vulnerability from Mikael. Finally, Klaus forced himself to stop crying and glared at Mikael hatefully, "Are those your final words?"

Mikael hesitated for a moment as he stared at Freya with affection, "Freya, I'm so sorry. I love yo—" Klaus was so enraged by this tenderness toward Freya that he plunged the stake into Mikael's heart, not even flinching while Mikael screamed in agony and Freya cried for her father.

Rhea could only stand in her place. She didn't know what to do because she knew why he did it—she would've done the same if her dad came back to life and expressed tenderness to a stranger over her. Klaus backed away, looking conflicted as he watched Mikael reach out for them before falling to his knees and keeling over. After his body had fully desiccated, it went up in flames as Freya continued to sob uncontrollably.

Klaus turned to Freya and feigns as though he's not upset, "Viking ashes are indeed rare. All you really need is a burning Viking corpse." He then left the room without another word, and Elijah has to struggle to hold Freya back and keep her from attacking him as he leaves.

Freya was completely devastated, and Rebekah and Elijah both stare at Klaus unhappily as he leaves, stunned speechless as they take one last look at Mikael's burning corpse while Rhea could only sigh in disdain.

Nothing seemed to go right these days.