𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 - the dramatics

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏 𝐎𝐅 four walked in silence, the sound of leaves rustling as the small breezes blew past them. Twigs snapped beneath their shoes, as did fallen leaves that littered the soil and there were a couple of occasions that Ophelia had to latch her hand around Rebekah's bicep to steady the woman when her slim heels dug into the dirt and hindered her movement. The blonde would smile in thanks, followed by a small scowl that was completely free of malice when the siphon would hide a smile at the woman.

Elijah dutifully took up the rear of the group, a small, almost delicate smile on his thin lips as he watched the siphon interact with his sister. The odd mood that she had been in seemed to have disappeared in Rebekah's presence and though it sounded nonsensical; he felt rather put out that the woman whose eyes would normally dance with mirth and whose mouth that would spurt what could be perceived to be flirtatious jokes and sarcasm towards him, didn't.

Ophelia's eyes were immediately drawn to the expanse of water as they approached the glistening lake, following behind Eve. The older looking woman gravitated towards one of the tables that stood in the middle of the old encampment, he spread the old and crumple map out whilst keeping the sharp wooden stake clasped in her hand.

The stake hovered above the map as she began to point out certain areas to the small group of supernaturals, "Surrounded by 20,000 acres of swamp, the ones born here, who now know it like the backs of our hands, will be fine. But here--" the woman gestured with the stake, "-- newcomers from out of state. Not of Hayley's and my kin. But, word's spread about that baby of hers. A lot of werewolves wanna see this miracle pregnancy for themselves. Only now, the vampires are out looking for blood, and all these werewolves new at the Bayou might not know where to hide."

Ophelia could only imagine the shock that many of the wolves felt when they heard word of Hayley's little miracle bun in the oven. It was unheard of for a vampire to procreate, though, Klaus Mikaelson, the first wolf-vampire hybrid defied the laws of nature once again and managed to find a loophole. The baby truly was a miracle, in more ways than one. The child was not only a loophole of nature itself, but Ophelia was certain that she would bring the Mikaelson family together.

They protected one another, yes. But more often than not, the siblings held grudges against one another and would argue relentlessly. The baby would bring them together, they'd have one more thing to fight for.

Rebekah rolled her eyes as she impatiently placed her hands on her hips. "You say that like we're supposed to care."

Ophelia took a step closer to the map, her eyes trailing over the areas Eve had pointed to, small indents left by the stake. Her whiskey eyes flicked to Rebekah before landing on the white-haired woman. "What Rebekah means is; why are we supposed to care?"

"See for yourself," Eve responded, unhelpfully.

Ophelia dropped her head in mild annoyance -couldn't anybody just say what they wanted? It would make everything so much easier.

"I'm getting sick of playing Dora the Explorer." The siphon muttered beneath her breath before taking the map into her hands and rolling it up, ignoring the looks of amusement that both originals directed towards her upon hearing the comment and watching her fumble with the map in her huff. Her eyes narrowed on the blonde before settling on Elijah as she pointed the rolled-up map towards him, "Hush."

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Ophelia held the map in one of her hands as she trudged through the annoyingly hot swamp, mosquitoes swarmed around her and she couldn't help but name the tiniest one Diego before she swatted it away with a forceful hand, it seemed fitting.

"So, Ophelia." Rebekah hummed, breaking the small spell of silence as she stumbled in her heels once again, a venomous glare being sent towards the ground. "What was with the spat you had with Diego?"

The siphon's eyes briefly looked to Rebekah before staring straight ahead, following the dirt path. "He's one of those 'I'm better than everyone else' and he likes to display that. Once told Marcel that I should have suffered the same fate as the other witches."

"Really?"

"Mhm. He doesn't like anything that's stronger than him, I.E. me."

"I can see that, you're quite the powerful girl. We might have lived for a thousand years, but never have we met a siphon."

"Siphon's aren't accepted, even less so than vampires. Witches see us as nothing but magical leeches; which I suppose we are. But they often shun siphons, kill them, leave them to fend for themselves, etcetera. The three primary supernatural beings that everyone hears of - vampires, witches and wolves, well, they hate each other. Witches believe vampires are the scum of the earth and they're not all that fond of wolves. Vampires hate witches and are weak to werewolves. And wolves hate both parties too. But one thing you can usually count on is that witches fend for their own, as do wolves and so do a lot of vampires. Siphons are hated by everyone. We fend for ourselves because we have to."

Both originals listened intently as the brunette thoughtfully provided more insight on how her kind were treated. Elijah understood what she was saying, each supernatural creature had others that hated them, but they could usually depend on their own kind. She couldn't. Each faction hated her and what she could do. She could desiccate vampires and make them weak with a touch. She could use magic on the wolves, and she could steal a witch's magic.

Rebekah allowed a small frown to cover her glossed lips, "That sounds incredibly lonely. Our family has been subject to a lot of hatred from all kinds of creatures, though I suppose we don't do ourselves any favors. But we have each other. You don't have any family here, do you?"

"No." Ophelia swallowed, her mouth and mind begged to tell them of the truth, of why she didn't have her family with her. How could she? What could she say? She couldn't tell them were Kai was without spouting the reasoning behind their shared sentence to the prison world.

The originals had spent numerous centuries prowling about the earth, taking what they wanted with little consequence. They killed mercilessly, ruthlessly. A trail of blood followed them wherever they went and yet, Ophelia still couldn't help but keep the truth of the blood she had spilled to herself. She trusted them, the Mikaelson's. Especially Elijah, Rebekah followed close behind, and as for Klaus, he wasn't one who would judge, that much she was certain of.

Still, they were a family and they stuck together. Sure, a dagger or two was often involved, but nonetheless, they cared for their own. Unlike Ophelia and Malachai. Perhaps she'd tell them; spill all of her dirty secrets and finally allow herself some breathing room. But in the middle of the bayou, on a wolf hunt didn't seem the appropriate setting.

Thankfully for Ophelia, the encampment they were searching for was just ahead. Her pace picked up as she hastily made for the makeshift homes, leaving Rebekah behind with a questioning look on her pretty face.

Her blonde locks swirled around her as she directed her look towards her older brother, "Something's wrong with her."

Elijah sighed, his hands snugly kept inside his pockets as he addressed his sister, a fond feeling tugging at him as he saw the genuine concern on his little sister's face. It wasn't often Rebekah was more than casually polite to another, but she seemed to have built quite the liking for the siphon, "Her past isn't pleasant, Rebekah. She allowed me some insight after..."

"After?"

"After I told her of Celeste."

Rebekah almost reeled back in shock. Her big brother, the man who paraded around in his smart suits and shined shoes. The man who kept his past behind him, unwilling to divulge its information and allow anyone to see the pain it inflicted. "You told her about Celeste?'

Elijah inhaled deeply, his eyes averting to the moon above rather than lingering on his sister's cinched brows of simultaneous concern and shock, "I did. The fever relinquished the control I had over my own mind; Ophelia saw my memories of Celeste. She asked what had happened and I told her. In return, she allowed me to see some of her own past; when she developed her... abilities."

Rebekah stood in silence for a moment, shifting her heel so that she wouldn't sink any further into the dirt. Her shoulders fell as she stared at her older brother with a small smile, "You care for her." upon seeing Elijah's brows furrow she spoke again, "You do, Elijah. I can see it. That's why you're here, it's not just for Hayley's family, you wanted to make sure she'd be safe. You care for her, admit it. May do wonders for the stick that's lodged up your enduringly-stoic arse if you did."

His little sister was right, she always was when it came to matters of the heart. He did care for the young siphon. He had tried -though admittedly not that hard- to quash the stirring feelings for the young woman. But he couldn't. She was beautiful; her olive-skin, long brown curls and enchantingly deep brown eyes. But Elijah wasn't simply drawn to her looks; she was a puzzle and the suited original wanted to solve her. The flashes of undeniable sadness and explicit anger that would light up in her eyes didn't go unnoticed to him. He wanted to know more about her, about her past, her abilities, and just her.

He wanted to know why she was filled to the brim with anger. He wanted to know why her words would dissolve on her silver tongue when people would bring up certain things. She had only minutely discussed her family and he could understand her anger towards them but there was a feeling, deep in the pit of his stomach, that there was much more to her story.

He was attracted to the young woman and there were times that he was almost certain that she was attracted to him, but then that look in her eyes that he saw earlier in the day made him question those thoughts. Plus, it wasn't something he could pursue, she'd seen how his relationship with Celeste had ended; he had neglected his brother and his lover paid the price.

But he still found himself justifying his nagging need and want to pursue Ophelia; she was far different from the others, not that he'd ever compare them, they were all special to him and he would remember each of them until his dying day. But Ophelia held genuine respect and a fondness for his family.

Niklaus enjoyed her company; the wolfish grin that would alight his face whenever the siphon cracked a joke was a tell. It was obvious that she cared for Rebekah; the way she had doted on her throughout their journey through the marshland. There was a small spark of hope; it could work. But he couldn't read the woman like he could with most people.

She was difficult to read, her emotions were often guarded unless she was happy; that was an easy one to spot. A large grin, with her pearly teeth on display, small wrinkles gathering at her eyes as her flushed cheeks were pushed upwards from the intensity of the smile. It was striking.

Rebekah cleared her throat, a teasing grin on her features as her ocean-blue eyes studied her brother.

Elijah offered a short smile, one that displayed mild discomfort as well as offering insight to the fact that she was indeed correct in her assumptions, "If I admit to you that it's complicated, would that suffice? Or, are you determined to torment me throughout this endeavor?"

"Complicated? Really, Elijah? I have to admit, I can't ever tell what she's thinking but brother, please, if you like her, go for it. She's a wonderful girl, stunning and powerful, even Klaus could attest to that. And she's been nothing but kind to our family, that's rare for us; to find someone willing to walk headfirst into danger for a group of vampires who can't even die. But for now, I'll drop the subject."

"Thank you."

"I said 'for now', not forever."

Elijah chuckled lightly, his eyes lighting up a fraction as Ophelia hopped out of one of the makeshift homes the wolves had made, "Understood."

Ophelia strolled her way over, the map and her jacket that she had shed clasped n one hand whilst the other rested on her sweater-clad hip. Her brows rose as she caught sight of the dawdling vampires, "Really? You two are playing gossip girl whilst I'm rifling through a dog shelter. Thanks, so glad you tagged along."

Rebekah let out a small bark of laughter as Ophelia approached before all heads snapped from the direction that had come from. Yells and screams of fear were emitted into the darkness and beneath the light of the glaring moon, Ophelia could make out the sight of bodies running as fast as they could; barreling towards them.

The closer they got; the better Ophelia could make out their faces. Just a pace behind and slowly approaching with a vivid hunger Ophelia could make out some of the plain faces of the vampires of New Orleans, including the ever rage-inducing features of Diego.

One of the vampires sunk their fangs into their prey's necks and Diego grabbed one by the back of their shirt, sending them to the leaf-littered ground with a harsh thud that was sure to bruise.

Before much else could transpire, Elijah's body became a blur as he used his accelerated vampire speed to rush over to Diego. His large hands gripped at the vampire's explosion of hair and pulled his head backwards and Ophelia relished in the hiss of pain the young vampire let out.

Elijah's smooth voice came out more sarcastic than Ophelia had ever heard it, "Darling, we need to stop meeting like this. This is how rumors begin!" the siphon withheld her chuckle as Elijah dropped his harsh hold, allowing Diego to stumble away, "You can go now."

Nobody moved and Elijah sighed in annoyance, his eyes shutting briefly as he debated pulling their limbs from their bodies. "Perhaps I'm not making myself clear here. This is a threat. In precisely three minutes' time, your little hunting party will become the prey. Now, based on your recent failure to subdue my baby brother Niklaus, despite a better than a 100-to-1 advantage, I recommend you heed my warning."

Diego's face scrunched up, frustration and mild embarrassment lacing his features as he looked towards the group of three. It was the third time in one day that he'd been bested, twice by the siphon and once by an original. A huff left his nose as Elijah's words resonated with him; reminding him of his failures. The girls that stood just a pace or two behind the suited original held highly visible grins.

Ophelia swiped her tongue over her top lip as she chuckled at the backs of the vampires who quickly took their exit, unwilling to see what would happen after those three minutes passed. A burst of air blew her hair back as they speedily took off. "Alright, I'll admit it, that was good."

Elijah turned to face the two, a small grin on his face, "Well, I thought the situation demanded something a little dramatic."

"You've been around me too much."

"Hm, perhaps I have."

Rebekah's head danced between the two, the teasing tone in her brother's voice made a spark of delight fuel her smile. The usually stoic brother was somehow open, relaxed and joked when around the siphon. She could only hope that Elijah would follow his heart and allow himself to be happy. It was all she wanted.

The man on the ground who had the misfortune of having fangs be sunk into his neck, groaned as she pulled himself from the ground, his hand clasped around the puncture wounds on his neck. His guarded eyes brushed over the group, landing on the man who had stepped in to save their lives, "Who are you people?"

Ophelia gazed onwards as Elijah approached the wounded man. His hand slowly reached out and grasped the ring that hung by a string around the man's neck. She could see the surprise that covered his features as he opened his mouth, "I would say the better question is, who are you?"

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The little excursion came to a swift end. Elijah had seen the look of curiosity from Ophelia and took to explaining that the ring around the wolf's neck was the as the ring their mother once wore. Elijah had questioned the man on how he had gotten the ring, and thankfully, the wolf seemed to possess knowledge that would help keep the pack of wolves alive.

The wolf, Cary, told them of a legend that was passed down through the generations; a legend wherein long ago, a chief of theirs had fathered a child to a very powerful witch. Their mythology further stated that the child, a son, was later transformed into something that the clan had never before seen. Something werewolf and vampire.

Klaus.

It was obvious that the wolf pack was descended from the pack that Klaus's father had come from, all those centuries ago. It was a stroke of luck; hopefully Klaus would see light and allow them to live, they were family after all.

Elijah had pulled Ophelia to the side, his voice soft as he told the woman that he and Rebekah would confront Klaus, talk sense into their brother about allowing Hayley's family... his family to live. The trio made their way back to the abattoir to drop Ophelia home, Elijah thanked her, lightly pecking her hand as he always did, ignoring the gleeful gaze of Rebekah as she watched on.

Ophelia's skin buzzed where he had placed his lips and she gave a light smile, completely contradicting the mood she had forced herself into prior. Once the two became nothing but blurs in the night, she turned on her heel and walked to her room.

It wasn't long after Ophelia had kicked off her shoes and sat herself at the piano that she debated visiting Davina seeing as the young witch had just moved into one of the rooms in the compound. But knowing the girl, she was busy pulling out and hanging her clothes, obsessing over her numerous drawing and painting supplies.

So instead, Ophelia let time pass by trailing her skilled fingers across the cream keys of the piano that had aged with time. Beautiful notes filled her room, surely leaking through the cracks that surrounded her door. The melodic tunes flowed through the open window of her bedroom, merging wistfully with the wind and joined the other instruments that people on the ever-vibrant streets of New Orleans played.

An hour, perhaps less, had passed when a light knock sounded at her door, with a light tone she called the visitor inside. The door creaked open and revealed Elijah -looking as dashing as he always did- smiling from her doorway.

"You play beautifully." He spoke as his eyes landed on the piano, memories of when he had taught Marcel how to play coming to mind. Even memories of himself playing as Klaus skillfully painted, and Rebekah read all in the same room, a fond memory.

"Thank you," Ophelia responded as she tapped on a single key with a smile before turning her full attention to him, pulling one leg to rest on the stool, her chin atop her knee. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I managed to work things out with Niklaus; he will allow the wolves to live. I believed it best to tell Hayley and relinquish her worries." he stepped forward, entering the room with slight hesitance as he trailed his eyes over the white walls and furniture. The room smelled of a mixture of peony and vanilla, chalked down to the pink candle on the nightstand that was melting as the flame flickered away, and the vanilla wafting from the woman herself. "I apologized to my brother for the accusations I made against his intentions with his child."

"And how did that go?"

His mouth curved upwards, a smile on his thin lips as he approached the piano. His hand delicately stroked the mahogany wood that stood out against the stark white of the room, "I am forgiven. Niklaus has invited both myself and Rebekah to stay here, as a family."

"He did?" Ophelia questioned, a twinkle in her eye that alerted the taller man to whatever teasing comment was to follow, "Does that mean I have a full-time babysitting position now?"

Elijah took a seat next to the woman, her foot dropping to the ground as their shoulders touched. His hands hovered over the piano keys and he could see how much care Ophelia put into keeping the entire instrument clean and well kept. "I believe it does, something I'm sure you're not opposed to."

His eyes darkened just a fraction as the siphon pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, eyes thoroughly focused on his hands, waiting to see if he'd play. "I suppose I'm not opposed to it, no."

"I'm glad."

The tension was suddenly palpable. There was complete silence, bar the small huffs of air that left the pair. Each of them couldn't ignore the touch of their shoulders or their now touching legs. Ophelia turned her head to look at him and found their faces impossibly close. Her breathing paused for a split second as his eyes fell to her lips.

Her head ducked at the very same time Elijah turned his head away, each of them breaking the moment with a silent shatter, Elijah cleared his throat, a tight smile resting upon his lips, "I'll leave you to your playing."

With that, the man hastily stood and exited the room, softly closing the door behind him. The sound of the door latching shut broke the thickness of the air and Ophelia found her chest rising and falling again.

Now she could see what Hayley meant. Elijah had stared at her with a look she hadn't seen him direct towards anyone else, and she was certain, that before she had diverted her gaze -and cut whatever interaction was going to transpire short- her face conveyed a similar look.

It was glaringly obvious at that moment that there was something between them. Something small, and something that neither could be certain they would be able to follow through with. Ophelia was behind a shield, one that had taken time and precision to make to ensure that nobody could hurt her again. She didn't think that the nobleman who stirred something within her would hurt her, but then again, she didn't think her family would have either.

On the other side of the door, Elijah stood with gritted teeth, his impeccable hearing focusing on the erratic breathes that Ophelia released. He loved his sister, but oh how he hated when she was right. He cared for Ophelia, far more than he should have for knowing someone for such a short amount of time.

He shouldn't. She didn't deserve the misfortune of having the love of Elijah Mikaelson ruin her and damn her for whatever remained of her life.

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20-11-2020