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Chapter Text

Aegis of Elysium — book one, EIRENE series
by yikesdrama
♥

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❝ Their love became an ethereal sanctuary,
where the wandering souls discovered the ultimate refuge ❞

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𝚁 𝙷 𝙴 𝙰
(   𝚡𝚡𝚒𝚒𝚒, 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚗, 𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚜   )

— half devil, half goddess —

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SYNOPSIS
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     In this tale, Aegis was her  — the protector, a guardian of his heart wrapped in divine favour, akin to the gods of yore. Her love offered him an unwavering strength, guarding him against life's adversities, much as the Gorgon's gaze turned mortals to stone.

     In Greek mythology, the word Aegis stands as a luminous enigma—a sacred relic of both mortal and divine realms. Aegis, pronounced as 'ee-jis,' bears upon its visage the haunting likeness of the dread Gorgon, Medusa. To gaze upon it is to peer into the very abyss of eternity, for in its depths, the whispers of the ancients echo.

     Inscribed by Zeus, the lord of the heavens, this divine shield is no ordinary armour. It is a shimmering mantle of celestial might, gilded with the essence of Olympus itself. Aegis radiates a mystical aura, like the glow of a thousand stars woven into the fabric of existence. When clasped by a champion, it metamorphoses into an ethereal cocoon, bestowing upon them the blessings and burdens of Olympus.

    Within its ethereal embrace, the weight of destiny is defied, and mortal frailty defers to divine will. It is a sanctuary where the tides of fate conspire to turn in favour, an invocation of the god's grace. In the darkest of hours, it is both a shiver down the spine and a sigh of relief, as if Aegis evokes the very heartbeat of the cosmos itself. It is the key to secrets that whisper in the corners of time and remind us that even in the depths of the abyss, hope gleams like a star that refuses to be extinguished.

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     In this tale, Elysium was him—  the   lover ,  a refuge for her from the trials of life, akin to her heart's deepest desire. His arms offered her unending solace and his presence— the ethereal embrace that could calm the fiercest of storms.

     Among the forgotten verses of Greek mythology, the word Elysium emerges as an ethereal symphony—a realm where the souls of the blessed find eternal solace. Pronounced as 'uh-lee-see-uhm', it is an evocation of paradise itself, where even the gods might envy the beauty of its existence.

     Bathed in the gentle hues of a sun-kissed dream, Elysium is a haven of tranquillity, a sanctuary where the burdens of mortality are cast aside. It is a place where laughter and joy resonate through the whispers of time, and the cares of the world are left at the gates.

     This word weaves itself into the heart of Greek myth, where it symbolizes the ultimate aspiration of many—a destination beyond the mortal coil, where happiness and peace are not fleeting desires but everlasting truths. Elysium is the lighthouse that beckons across the vast sea of eternity, promising an everlasting embrace of paradise and a reunion with loved ones.

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     Aegis of Elysium is the celestial sanctuary that stands as an ultimate aspiration, a reward for those favoured by the divine. It is a shield of heavenly grace and a portal to an everlasting paradise, where the burden of mortality yields to eternal bliss.

     When intertwined within their souls,
Aegis of Elysium represented a profound and mystical connection that defied the confines of ordinary love. Their romance, an epic of Shakespearean proportions, signified a sanctuary where one provided unwavering protection, akin to a divine shield, while the other granted boundless happiness, like the mythical paradise.

     It was a celestial symphony, vivid and everlasting—a love, that defied the ravages of time and the limitations of the supernatural realm. Their souls were painted with the vibrant hues of eternal affection, a symphony of love echoing through time.

∘°∘♡∘°∘

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𝑮𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑯𝑰𝑪𝑺 𝑮𝑨𝑳𝑳𝑬𝑹𝒀
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𝑹𝒉𝒆𝒂 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒗𝒓𝒆 𝑶𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒊
♥

𝑵𝒊𝒌𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒐𝒏
♥

𝑹𝒖𝒅𝒚
♥

∘°∘♡∘°∘

𝗥𝗵𝗲𝗮 𝘅 𝗡𝗶𝗸𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀

𝘊𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦

❝ the things i'd do if you were only mine ❞

❝ so take me nik ❞

❝ is that what you really want love? ❞

❝  this is all i ever wanted ❞

𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗵 𝘅 𝗥𝗵𝗲𝗮

𝘚𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴

❝ hey, just trust your gut ❞

❝ i have anxiety delilah ❞

❝ and that matters now because..? ❞

❝ my gut is always telling me something’s wrong ❞

𝗥𝗵𝗲𝗮 𝘅 𝗞𝗼𝗹

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴-𝘪𝘯-𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦

❝ put it down, don't eat that! ❞

❝ umm, why? ❞

❝ it could be poisoned Kol, that's why! ❞

❝ ...and what happens if i already ate it? ❞

𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘅 𝗥𝗵𝗲𝗮

𝘜𝘯𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴

❝ i dont think i care about anything anymore ❞

❝ yeah well, nothing's worth caring about ❞ 

❝ you know what? maybe i need to die ❞

❝ and become a vampire! we'll be eternally hot together ❞

𝗡𝗶𝗸𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝘅 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗻

𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴

❝ so what's the plan stefan? ❞

❝ my plan was to follow your plan... ❞

❝ but i don't have a plan! ❞

❝ then who the fuck has a plan nik? ❞

𝗥𝗵𝗲𝗮 𝘅 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗷𝗮𝗵

𝘜𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦

❝ why can't you love me? ❞

❝ you lied to me ❞

❝ i didn't mean to hurt you ❞

❝ i know, but you did it anyway ❞

∘°∘♡∘°∘

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IMPORTANT
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➻❥ This story primarily focuses on Rhea's journey. HER relationship with the Mikaelsons and the Mystic Falls gang is just ONE PART of her adventure. Please keep this in mind as you read on.

➻❥ Throughout this story, I will explore how events and character outcomes might differ under certain circumstances or if handled in alternative ways.

➻❥ New plotlines will be introduced gradually to keep the narrative fresh and engaging. I aim to infuse spice, drama, love, and happiness into familiar  & new scenarios to maintain your interest.

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‼️ 𝐖 𝐀 𝐑 𝐍 𝐈 𝐍 𝐆 ‼️
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❝ This book contains mature themes, including strong language, death, graphic content, sexual situations, violence, manipulation, mental health issues, physical and mental abuse, and graphic descriptions of blood.
Reader discretion is advised. ❞

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𝕯𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖗
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This work is a fan fiction based on the universe created by Julie Plec and her team in "The Vampire Diaries." All rights, characters, and world-building elements belong to Julie Plec and the respective copyright holders. I, the author, do not claim any ownership of the original content and am not affiliated with the creators or publishers of "The Vampire Diaries."

I solely own the new characters (Rhea, Ryan, Ariana & Delilah) introduced in this story, along with their backstories and any original scenes I have created. This fan fiction intends to explore and expand upon the existing universe in a transformative manner.

Please note that the character developments and plot twists in this work are purely the result of my creative imagination and do not reflect the canonical storyline of "The Vampire Diaries." Because if I were in charge, some characters might not be a pile of dust & others would live a happy life with their lovers. But this story is a product of my perspective and vision in which I aim to give certain happy endings :)

Thank you for reading and understanding the nature of this fan fiction. Enjoy the journey into this alternate version of the "Vampire Diaries" universe!

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Chapter Text

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𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮
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Chloe Bennet as Rhea Louvre Oberoi
" Prodigy Hybrid "

" I crave love, yet a voice within insists I'm unworthy of it "

" Puppy, if you try to dagger my baby Kol again, I will tear your spine and use it as a backscratcher! Comprende? Si? "

Robert Downey Jr. as Ryan Oberoi
" Crescent Alpha "

" Are you as cool as a cucumber, or are you itching for a punching-bag showdown? "

" It's essential to remember that we each carry our burdens, and sometimes, our paths diverge in ways we can't control "

Dichen Lachman as Ariana Oberoi
" Louvre Queen "

" What's life without a touch of spine-tingling fear you instil in people? "

" It's not that I hate you. I just can't look past your flaws and how weak they make you "

Elizabeth Henstridge as Delilah 'Lia' Richards
" Witchy Best-friend "

" You gather scars as if they're receipts, proof of the debts you're settling for your sins "

" I'll always pick revenge; I'll recover in the fiery spa of hell "

Rudy
" Apple of the eye "

" Woof woof "

Joseph Morgan as Niklaus Mikaelson
" Original Puppy "

" My deepest fear is that, in time, you'll gaze upon me with the same despairing eyes I cast upon myself "

" Perhaps we could bury him alive, or better yet, turn him into a garden gnome "

Claire Holt as Rebekah Mikaelson
" Blonde Bombshell "

" If I told you my secrets you'd never look at me the same "

" Let me just grab my dagger and we can have a lovely family reunion "

Iain De Caestecker as Kol Mikaelson
" Baby Brother "

" Relax darling! I swing both ways.
Violently. With a bat. Come get some fuckers "

" It's agonising when the constant, crushing weight of feeling utterly unwanted never seems to bloody lift "

Daniel Gillies as Elijah Mikaelson
" Nobel Original "

" At this point, I'm convinced you exist solely to serve as a test for my anger management skills "

" She looks at him like he's the poetic stanza that mends the broken verses of her life "

Nina Dobrev as Katherine Pierce
" Soul-Sister "

" In an instant, life transformed from a journey of existence to an epic battle for survival "

" Let's face it, darling, I'm not just the life of the party; I'm the afterlife of it "

Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
" Bunny Muncher "

" Every single drop of human blood is tempting and I fear that if I give in it'll consume me & I will lose control completely "

" It's like she's the sun, and he's a lovesick puppy chasing its tail. It's nauseatingly entertaining "

Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
" Bourbon Addict "

" I might as well schedule an eye-stake insertion and a world-class vomit display if they continue this act "

" What's a broken-hearted vampire to do? I've tried to be the bad guy, but maybe I'm just bad at this love thing "

Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
" Town Witch "

" You're my friend, and I love you. But you're terrible, you're all terrible "

" Can't I even leave for a day without you idiots diving headfirst into trouble? "

Nina Dobrev as Elena Marie Gilbert
" Whiny Doppelgänger "

" Selfish? I'm not selfish! I'm just trying to protect the people I care about, even if it means making difficult choices "

" Your love has always been my weakness. I need you to do this for me like you've done so many times before "

Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
" Baby Vampire Hunter "

" Elena, back off! I'll call the shots for myself. Stop using the 'protecting me' excuse to hide from who you really are "

" It's like going on an unguided, death-defying rendezvous with nature "

Sara Canning as Jenna Sommers
" Fellow Scholar "

" When I look back on all the craziness, you're the silver lining in the storm "

" I thought we left the caveman era behind, but apparently, we still have some Neanderthals roaming around "

Candice King as Caroline Forbes
" Jealous Barbie "

" Watching them get closer, it's like a knife twisting in my gut, and I'm done playing nice "

" Oh my god, your eternal brooding is so attractive. Tell me more about your guilt "

Skeet Ulrich as Alaric Saltzman
" Drinking Buddy "

" Is this my midlife crisis or just the pinnacle of my career? I teach history by day and hunt vampires by night, all the while sharing a drink with the fanged folks "

" Why is it that all my exes seem to have a Ph.D. in psychopathy? "

Micheal Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
" Wanna-Be Alpha "

" I never thought I'd go down this path, but Mystic Falls has a way of changing people "

" Klaus's heart belongs to her alone. He's got someone who loves him with unwavering devotion. Your jealousy is breaking us apart, why can't you see that? "

Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
" Immortal Mortal "

" Vampires have more drama than a soap opera and you are the leading lady "

" I may not have fangs and superpowers, but that doesn't mean I can't hold my own. You'd be surprised how resourceful a human can be in a world full of vampires "

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The rest of the Vampire Diaries cast as themselves.

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act one — 555

Rhea nodded, her heart racing as she dialled the first number in her contacts, her fingers trembling slightly. The phone rang, as she anxiously waited.

"Delilah," she said as soon as the call connected, "what is it?"

The voice on the other end was tense and urgent.
"Get back to your apartment babe. All hell is about to break loose."

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— the vampire diaries —
season one
♥

Chapter Text

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❝ 𝐹𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑦. 𝐼𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑦. 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑜 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒'𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 & 𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 ❞

- 𝑅𝑖𝑐𝑘 𝑅𝑖𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑛

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『 ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ᴀɢᴇs : 𝟷𝟶ᴛʜ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀʏ 』

          IN THE 1OTH CENTURY, within the rugged landscapes of the Kingdom of Norway, the terrain was shrouded in hills and dense forests. Dwellings constructed from the very bones of the earth itself, wood and thatch, stood shoulder to shoulder. These steadfast abodes, rectangular and close-knit, were designed to withstand the tempestuous Nordic climate. The ancient, almost mystical tongue of old Norse reverberated through the air, spoken by villagers who had made this stark environment their home.

     It was in this ethereal backdrop that Mikael, a towering Viking, came into existence. Standing at a formidable 5'11", his presence was as imposing as the land he called home. His hair bore the hues of burnt wood, and his eyes, like the deepest fjords, held a chilling intensity. Mikael was not merely a warrior; he was a fearless, well-equipped, and well-trained force of nature. In battle, he exhibited a steadfast belief that death, met on the battlefield, would usher him into Vallhall, and thus, he harboured no trepidation when it came to combat. But, fate, as enigmatic as the landscape that framed their lives, took a different turn. During a raid on a seemingly ordinary village, Mikael encountered a woman whose presence carried a mystique that would alter the course of his destiny.

     This woman was Esther. She was tall and regal, her golden hair cascading like a waterfall, and her eyes, the rich hue of fertile earth, held the secrets of the ancient woods. Esther hailed from a lineage of witches, and her powers had been her refuge amidst the tumult of life. She had witnessed the brutal annihilation of her village at the hands of the very Vikings she now found herself with. During her captivity, the most unusual of unions was formed as she fell in love with Mikael, the very man whose people had wrought such devastation upon her world. It was a love born of adversity.

     Their union brought forth offsprings, starting with a daughter named Freya. Mikael, the indomitable warrior, was transformed into a tender father, his heart woven into the golden hilt of his Viking sword, Rathul. He had told Freya, that the hilt was as radiant as the sunrise, mirroring the golden threads of her hair, and Mikael held to the belief that his daughter's spirit would be by his side in the darkest of battles. Soon, another life graced their hearth, a son named Finn, who was nurtured by Mikael's tender care.

     As time flowed like a river through their lives, Esther was once more with child, this time bearing another son, Elijah. However, the threads of destiny were capricious, and calamity loomed. Mikael, compelled to return to the horrors of war, left his family behind. Later, when he returned from war, Esther informed him that, it was during his absence that a plague, like a malevolent wraith, swept across their home and had taken the life of their beloved Freya.

     Desperation now coursed through Esther's veins. To escape the haunting memories of their homeland, she sought solace and a glimmer of hope from her witch friend and mentor, Ayana Bennett. Ayana spoke of a distant land, a land beyond the seas, where the natives were rumoured to be bestowed with gifts beyond comprehension. Their blessings were whispered to encompass swiftness and strength, qualities that might hold the key to a future untouched by the horrors of the past.

     This turn of events would forever alter the course of life of the Mikaelson family, as they grappled with the consequences of their insatiable curiosity and the profound loss of their beloved child, or so they thought. 

 ❛ ᴍɪᴋᴀᴇʟsᴏɴ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ: ᴠɪᴋɪɴɢs ᴛᴏ ᴠᴀᴍᴘɪʀᴇs ❜ 
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          AS THEY SETTLED INTO THE NEW WORLD, the paradise they had discovered with Ayana's guidance, Mikael and Esther settled into a village teeming with the vibrant health of its inhabitants. These people, hidden in the mists of legend, were revealed to be werewolves. Life began serenely, with Mikael, Esther, their surviving son Finn, and newborn Elijah embraced by the warmth of their lupine neighbours.

     At first, life in this serene haven was marked by a delicate harmony. Every month, on the night of the full moon, they would retreat into hidden caves, allowing their wolfen neighbours to embrace their transformative instincts.

     Time flowed gently, and the family expanded. Mikael and Esther, once again, found themselves blessed with children. Niklaus, with the eyes of a warrior, was the first to join the family, followed by Kol, the only one who tapped into his magical genes, Rebekah, and Henrik.

     Despite the tranquillity of their surroundings, Mikael's heart had transformed. The depths of sorrow and loss he had suffered had hardened him into a stricter and more severe father. He couldn't bear the thought of losing another child as he believed he had lost his beloved Freya. His love for them took on an oppressive form, and he became an unbending and, at times, cruel father, driven by the belief that it was the only way to ensure their survival.

     Mikael's harshest focus fell upon Niklaus, his middle son. He perceived Niklaus as weak and sought to harden him through physical abuse. Every opportunity became an occasion to discipline the boy, and on one terrifying night, he almost beat the poor child to death. Mikael justified this brutality to his other children, claiming it was for Niklaus's own good, a lesson in resilience learned through suffering.

     In this landscape of emotional turmoil, a ray of temptation and diversion arrived in the form of Tatia Petrova, a widow who had chosen to defy the Viking traditions. She had not immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre, but rather, she sought to embrace life anew. Tatia, living with her child, became an enigma to the Mikaelson brothers, Elijah and Niklaus, both of whom found themselves drawn to her magnetic charm.

     Tatia revelled in the rivalry that unfolded between the two brothers, deriving pleasure from their affectionate advances. They even came to blows over her affections, and their clashes intensified as their love for her grew. Ultimately, Tatia's heart gravitated toward Elijah, and she chose him over his brother.

     Henrik, the curious little boy yearned to unveil the mysteries of the werewolves' transformations, especially during the full moon. One moonlit night, as the world bathed in silver, Henrik embarked on a secret expedition to observe the wolves' metamorphosis. Niklaus, not wanting to let his younger brother wander off alone followed him while constantly trying to convince him to return to the caves. However, Henrik's curiosity came with a heavy price. Their presence was discovered by the uncontrollable werewolves, who, in the grip of their primal instincts, unleashed a savage mauling upon Henrik, claiming the young boy's life.

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          GRIEF, LIKE AN UNSHAKABLE SHADOW, had descended upon the Mikaelson family, a chilling spectre that clung to their hearts with an icy grip after the tragic loss of their youngest. Mikael, their fierce patriarch, could not accept another such loss, and his resolve solidified into unyielding determination. He embarked on a quest to discover a means to protect his family from the ever-present threat of the feral lycanthropes that roamed the landscape.

     Turning to their family friend, Ayana, Mikael's plea for assistance was met with a resolute refusal. Ayana Bennett, the keeper of ancient wisdom and guardian of the delicate balance of nature, harboured grave concerns about tampering with forces beyond their comprehension. She feared that disturbing the delicate equilibrium of their world would lead to repercussions that could be cataclysmic. Yet, Mikael's resolve was as unyielding as the rocky cliffs that framed their secluded haven, for he could not endure the thought of another loss within his family's fold.

     Turning to Esther, his wife, the mistress of the arcane arts, Mikael saw a glimmer of hope. He knew that her innate connection to the mystical world held the promise of salvation. With a heavy heart and an earnest plea, he beseeched Esther to heed his call, to wield her powers as a witch to protect their children, no matter the cost.

     In a solemn act of obedience to her husband's desperate plea, Esther embarked on a perilous journey through the pages of history, seeking inspiration from the ancient spells and incantations crafted by a witch of legendary repute—Qetsiyah Bennett, who had etched her name in the annals of time as the ❛ Strongest Witch To Ever Exist ❜

     In the dimly lit cottage, Esther delved deep into the annals of witchcraft, her grimoire an ancient tome brimming with secrets and mysteries. She adapted the ❛ Immortality Spell ❜, fashioning it into a unique enchantment designed to grant her offspring unparalleled abilities. Her heart, laden with the weight of grief and the fervent desire to protect her children, served as her guiding light.

     Mystical symbols, steeped in arcane significance, adorned the pages of her grimoire. Each sigil represented a potent force of nature. The heart of her spell lay in the invocation of ❛ The Sun ❜, the celestial source of life's energy. It was the key to granting her children the vitality they needed to thrive. To secure their immortality, she beckoned the
❛ White Oak Tree ❜ —a symbol of perpetual existence, its roots diving deep into the mysteries of the world. The last ingredient was ❛ Tatia's blood ❜, which possessed mystical properties due to her status as a doppelgänger, which was enchanted by Esther and mixed with the wine.

     Mikael, consumed by his unrelenting desire to protect his children, offered them goblets of the same wine. It was the first step, a fateful sip that would set them on the path to becoming something new, something beyond human, beyond mortal.

     The next step, however, was a cruel one. In a heart-wrenching twist of fate, Mikael turned executioner. With eyes devoid of any mercy and a heavy sword in hand, he took their lives, one by one, driving his sword through their still-beating hearts. Their cries of anguish, the shock in their eyes, fell upon deaf ears. It was a macabre act, but in the eyes of their father, it was a necessary sacrifice. Their bodies fell to the ground, lifeless and cold.

     But this was not the end; it was a twisted rebirth. After the ritualistic execution, the Mikaelson children awoke, their hearts forever stilled, and their destinies forever changed. At their father's command, they were compelled to embrace their newfound hunger and feed on human blood, completing their transformation into something ancient and unholy.

They were the Original Vampires.

     A new breed of supernatural beings from whom, in the centuries to come, all the vampires would descend. Their family, once mortal, had become immortal, their destinies forever intertwined with the enigmatic forces that underpinned their existence.

     But their transformation did not go unnoticed. The Spirits of Nature, guardians of the delicate balance that bound the supernatural world, cast their judgment upon the Mikaelson family. In their quest to maintain the balance, they turned nature itself against them, the abominations they had created.

     The sun, once their life-giver, now scorched their skin, a painful reminder of their unnatural existence.

     Their thirst for human blood was an insatiable hunger that gnawed at their very essence.

     They found themselves unable to enter homes without a welcoming invitation from the owner.

     Vervain flowers, rooted at the base of the white oak tree, burned their skin and shielded humans from their compelling influence.

     The same White Oak tree that had granted them immortality was now their ultimate bane—a weapon that could, in the wrong hands, destroy them for good.

     Mikael, aware of the potential danger, orchestrated the burning of the white oak tree to prevent it from being used against his family. But in secret, he carved a stake from its remains, a hidden insurance policy for a future still unknown.

     Yet, in their quest for survival and dominance over their newfound existence, the Mikaelson family remained unaware of a long-hidden secret that Esther had concealed. Niklaus, caught in the throes of his insatiable thirst for blood, was about to drain a human to the last drop, marking it his first human kill. In that act, he would trigger a part of himself that had remained buried in the shadows, a secret known to no one, not even to Niklaus himself.

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          THE NIGHT WAS SHROUDED in darkness, mirroring the revelation that would tear the Mikaelson family apart. As Niklaus finished draining a human to the brink of death, the act triggered his latent werewolf gene, and the truth of his parentage unravelled like an ancient scroll.

Niklaus was not Mikael's son.

     As the first hints of Niklaus's true nature began to manifest and he turned into a ❛ Hybrid ❜, Mikael stood agape, eyes locked on the gruesome transformation unfolding before him. His words cut through the silence of the night, the tone fraught with a mixture of anger, disbelief, and horror as he uttered the damned words,

❝ He's a beast. An abomination! ❞

     The realization hit Mikael like a hammer blow to the chest. Niklaus was not his son. Instead, he was the progeny of an affair between Esther and Ansel, the chief of their village's powerful werewolf clan. Esther's unfaithfulness was a bitter truth that left a scar that would never truly heal. And as if to add salt to the wound, Ansel's werewolf clan was the very pack responsible for the death of their youngest child Henrik.

     Mikael, consumed by a volatile mixture of anger and vengeance, hunted down and slaughtered Niklaus's birth father, Ansel, and his entire pack extinguishing their existence with cruel ruthlessness. The massacre was brutal and unforgiving. In doing so, he ignited a feud that would persist for millennia—a blood feud between vampires and werewolves that would stain history with violence and hatred.

     In the midst of his fiery anger, Mikael's desire for retribution led him to convince Esther to cast a spell on Niklaus. The spell was a curse that would make his werewolf nature dormant, an attempt to quell the power that raged within him and prevent further disturbances to the balance of nature.

     Esther had no inkling of how to craft such a curse. Confusion gripped her like a vice, and in her desperation, she sought counsel from another witch who resided near her humble cottage. This witch was no ordinary practitioner; she was the leader of the most powerful witch coven in existence, known as ❛ The Louvre Coven ❜.

     But the leader, wise and discerning, was unwilling to meddle in the delicate balance of nature, for she understood the potential consequences of such an act. With a heavy heart, she refused to aid Esther in performing the curse.

     In a moment of darkness and despair, Esther took a path she would come to regret. She committed a grave act, taking the life of the leader of The Louvre Coven and stealing both her blood and her grimoire. With the stolen knowledge clutched in her trembling hands, Esther made her way back.

     In a whirlwind of incantations and dark rituals, she wove the spell from the stolen grimoire, using the blood she had taken as the catalyst. The curse took shape, and with an ominous weight, it bound Niklaus's werewolf side, sealing it away.

     But this act was not without its consequences, as it sowed the seeds of an enmity that would span centuries.

     Niklaus, however, felt a seething betrayal coursing through his veins. In a twisted act of retaliation, he turned on the very source of his existence, his mother. The bitter edge of vengeance found expression as he murdered her, framing Mikael for the gruesome act.

     Niklaus's act of matricide had torn the Mikaelson family asunder. Convinced of his father Mikael's culpability, Klaus managed to sway his siblings to his side. He painted a picture of their father as the perpetrator, suggesting that Mikael had murdered their mother, perhaps driven by the rage of her infidelity.

     Fueled by a mixture of fear, anger, and betrayal, the siblings fled from their father, escaping the New World and returning to the Old World, leaving behind a life that had become a nightmarish labyrinth of secrets and deceit.

     As their mother's lifeless form lay before them, Niklaus, Elijah and Rebekah chose to remain behind, their bond stronger than ever. Niklaus, the bearer of the darkest secrets, lingered by Esther's side, while Rebekah offered her promise, her solemn vow that she would never turn her back on him, as their mother had done. Elijah, the pillar of steadfastness and honour, joined their pact, swearing an oath that would echo through the annals of time,

❝ Always and Forever ❞

     As they fled the New World, the spectre of loss loomed over the Mikaelson family like an unyielding tempest, a relentless force that would shape their destinies in ways they could scarcely fathom.

     FINN, once the epitome of devotion, had been shattered. His heart was a landscape of desolation, for he had lost more than his mother that night. He had lost his faith in the very fabric of existence, as he saw himself and his siblings transformed into monstrous abominations.

     ELIJAH, the paragon of nobility, bore the weight of his secrets like a crown of thorns. That fateful night, he lost the very foundation of his existence, the noble unity of his family that had been his guiding light. His world had been torn asunder, and he found himself navigating the darkness without the compass of his family's unity.

     NIKLAUS, the tortured soul, felt the weight of a profound loss. A part of himself, a connection to his birth father, had been cruelly severed and locked away. The revelation of his true parentage had left an indelible scar on his heart, a wound that would never fully heal. Not until he found her, unbeknownst to him.

     KOL, the audacious spirit who had once tapped into his latent witchy abilities, now felt the absence of that connection. The spirits saw them as either servants of nature or abominations, and in his transformation into a vampire, the scales had tipped towards the latter, leaving Kol bereft of a unique part of his identity.

     REBEKAH, the epitome of love and beauty, had lost the chance to nurture her deepest desire - the dream of having a family of her own. The world of vampires denied her the very essence of life she longed for, leaving a profound void that would forever haunt her.

     Collectively, the Mikaelson family had been stripped of their humanity and innocence, the purity of their familial bonds forever tainted by the darkness that now coursed through their veins. They were creatures of the night, thirsting for blood and vengeance, carrying with them the weight of their monstrous existence.

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         MEANWHILE, MIKAEL'S FURY BURNED with the intensity of a thousand suns. Upon learning that Niklaus had not only killed his wife but had also turned his own children against him, his hatred for Niklaus, already intense, swelled to new heights. Mikael vowed to track down and kill his so-called son, holding him responsible for the destruction of their family and the unforgivable act of matricide.

     Centuries passed like the relentless march of time, and the hunt for Niklaus by Mikael blazed a path of destruction across Europe. The land bore the scars of his unyielding pursuit, as he left a trail of fire and ash in his wake, fueled by an unquenchable thirst for vengeance.

     The Mikaelson siblings, who were being hunted, fled from one corner of Europe to another, seeking refuge in the shadows of history. In 1002 AD, they moved to the sun-drenched fields of Southern France followed by the artistic grandeur of 1114 AD Italy, before finding their sanctuary in the hallowed isles of England in the 1400s.

     Meanwhile, Niklaus's thirst for freedom from the curse that bound him for half a millennium grew more insatiable with each passing day. He yearned for a path to break free from the chains his own mother had placed upon him.

     Destiny, however, had a mysterious plan. It beckoned in the form of an exquisite woman, who bore an uncanny resemblance to the one he had loved and lost. The treacherous woman, who had once toyed with his heart and nearly shattered his bond with his older brother Elijah.

     This woman was none other than the second doppelgänger, the descendant of Tatia Petrova. She carried a name that would forever resonate throughout history.

❝ KATERINA PETROVA ❞

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Chapter Text

❝ 𝑆𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡. 𝐼𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒, 𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑝, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠. ❞

- 𝐷𝑎𝑛 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑠

『 ʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ᴀɢᴇ: 𝟷𝟻ᴛʜ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀʏ 』

Beneath the argent embrace of the moon, a Bulgarian village lay nestled, where history's silent whispers threaded through the streets. Houses clung together like old companions, their timeworn structures testaments to an enduring past. Thatched roofs sheltered against winter's chill, their frayed edges guarding secrets. Men, the stalwarts of the village, traversed the cobbled streets in long, flowing tunics—the ❛ ropa ❜ and ❛ cherkeska ❜—woven from the roughest wool and durable linen. Leather boots and pointed-toe shoes bore witness to their tireless footsteps. The women, moved with an air of elegance, their garments flowing like the evening breeze. Dresses of wool and linen, sleeves adorned with intricate embroidery. Cloaks and mantles provided warmth, while headscarves and veils shielded their secrets.

Jewellery, a silent declaration of prosperity, graced necks and wrists, fingers and ears. It was a reflection of the rich diversity in a world where regional distinctions in style and materials told a story of their own.

In the heart of the ancient Bulgarian village, Katerina Petrova made her grand entrance into the world on June 15th 1473. Born into the bosom of a noble and affluent Bulgarian family, Katerina's lineage was intricately intertwined with the shadowy sub-culture known as the Travelers. The Travelers, a cloak-and-dagger society of witches whose origins were veiled in the mists of time, traced their lineage back to the days of the Roman Empire. They were the stewards of arcane spells and wisdom, handed down through countless generations.

As Katerina matured, she blossomed into a young woman of astonishing allure and captivating beauty. Her heart-shaped face boasted a delicate bone structure, framed by a cascade of rich, brown curls. Her eyes, like twin pools of midnight, almond-shaped and adorned with long, inky lashes, seemed to hold the secrets of the cosmos.

The turning point in her life arrived in 1490 when she was just 16 or 17. Tradition and honour weighed heavily on her family when she gave birth to a child out of wedlock. The shame was a crushing burden, and her father, in an act of severance, disowned her. In the heart-wrenching moments following her daughter's birth, her father spirited the child away, placing her in the care of another family. He decreed that it was in the best interests of both mother and child never to cross paths again.

Katerina's heart shattered as her newborn daughter was taken from her, the fleeting touch of tiny fingers leaving an indelible ache. She had longed to hold her child, to cherish and protect her, but fate dictated otherwise.

Exiled to England, Katerina was thrust into a life that stood in stark contrast to her Bulgarian origins. She was forced to adapt swiftly, metamorphosing into an Englishwoman. This transformation was marked by resilience and intelligence, as Katerina discovered her aptitude for thriving in social circles, savouring the laughter and camaraderie of others. Her heart, ever eager for connection, ignited quickly with affection, yearning for the warmth of human bonds. Despite her banishment from Bulgaria and the painful severance from her family, a deep well of affection persisted. Her mother, especially, remained a cherished presence in her heart, a beacon of love and support that transcended the constraints of time and distance.

Beneath the veneer of innocence and naivety lay a profound sense of self-preservation, an instinct for survival that would become the cornerstone of her existence.

In 1492, after Katerina had resettled in England, her path took an unexpected turn when she crossed paths with Trevor. He was a striking figure, his good looks accentuated by his somewhat messy, medium-length brown hair. With piercing blue eyes, a tall stature, and a slim build. But beneath the enigmatic exterior, Trevor concealed a profound secret: he was a vampire.

A world where shadows concealed the supernatural, Trevor's caring disposition stood in stark contrast to his nocturnal nature. Love had kindled in his heart, a love that remained hidden from Katerina's knowing gaze.

On a fateful evening, inside a magnificent mansion adorned by a grand party, the room buzzed with the chatter of guests, their voices mingling like a symphony of intrigue. It was in this bustling soiree that Trevor sought out Elijah, a figure of nobility and grace amidst the revelry.

Elijah Mikaelson, his presence commanding and demeanour poised, welcomed Trevor with a cordial nod. "Ah, good evening, Trevor. I am pleased you could join us," he remarked with an air of genteel hospitality.

Trevor responded with a slight smile, "I could not miss the birthday celebration."

Elijah's curiosity was piqued. "No, considering the gift you claim to bear. Where is this mystery girl of which you speak?"

With a courteous gesture, Trevor beckoned Elijah to follow him. They wove their way through the elegant throng of partygoers, the celebratory ambience a stark contrast to the secrets that unfurled within the mansion's opulent walls. They eventually arrived at a corner where Katerina stood, a vision of elegance amidst the revelry. Her beauty was a beacon in the sea of festivities, and her presence seemed to cast a soft glow over the room.

"My dear," Trevor greeted her, a fondness evident in his voice.

Katerina's responded with a simple, "Hello," her eyes, alight with curiosity, met Elijah's inquisitive gaze. Unbeknownst to her, her presence had triggered a storm of emotions and memories in the man before her.

As Elijah looked into Katerina's eyes, his shock was profound, emotions hidden beneath a mask of composure. She bore the face of Tatia, the woman he had loved with a fiery passion half a century ago. It was a face he thought he would never see again. She was Tatia's doppelganger, the woman who had been sacrificed by his own mother to turn their family into vampires and to place the dreaded hybrid curse upon his younger brother, Niklaus.

『 This fateful encounter with Elijah held within it the power to reshape the course of Katerina's life. It was a meeting that would forever alter the trajectory of her existence, but for better or worse, only the centuries to come would unveil. 』

『  ᴋᴀᴛᴇʀɪɴᴀ ᴘᴇᴛʀᴏᴠᴀ: ❝ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴏʀ ❞  』

As the grand party continued its elegant dance through the night, a peculiar tension hung in the air, like a web of secrets and destinies waiting to be unravelled.

Elijah, bearing the weight of his shocking realization, approached Katerina with a demeanour that mixed grace and intrigue.

"Forgive me. You remind me of someone," he admitted with a hint of nostalgia.

Trevor, took it upon himself to introduce them formally. "Katerina, may I introduce the Lord Elijah."

Her eyes held a glint of curiosity as she extended her hand, voice dipped in courtesy. "Pleasure, my lord."

Elijah graciously kissed her hand. "The pleasure's mine, Katerina."

As the night progressed, Elijah and Katerina found themselves engaged in conversation. Her curiosity piqued, she inquired, "So where is this mysterious host I've heard so much about?"

Elijah leaned in slightly, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "Fashionably late. He likes to make an entrance."

Their conversation was momentarily interrupted when Elijah's perceptive eyes caught sight of someone descending the grand staircase. He announced, "Here he is."

Katerina's gaze swept the room, searching for the enigmatic host, and her eyes finally alighted on him as he rejoined their gathering.

Klaus, with that unmistakable cunning smirk, made his entrance, and the room seemed to gravitate toward him. He exuded a charm that was impossible to ignore. Elijah made the formal introduction.

"Katerina, may I introduce to you the Lord Niklaus."

She curtsied gracefully, and Klaus, taking her hand, pressed a kiss to it.

"Niklaus is the name my father gave me," he explained with a disarming smile. "Please, call me Klaus."

He initiated the conversation, genuine interest in his eyes. "From where have you come, Katerina?"

With a tone of polite formality, she responded, "I'm new to town, my lord."

Elijah, observing their exchange, couldn't help but wear a smile as he introduced Katerina's origins. "Katerina is from Bulgaria."

Klaus, always quick-witted, seized the opportunity to surprise her with a greeting in her mother tongue. "Zdravei, Katerina."

Her laughter rang through the room, delighted by the unexpected use of her native language. "Very good."

Klaus, with a glance at his brother, decided it was time for a more private conversation. "Do you mind, brother? I would like to have a moment alone with her."

Elijah, ever the accommodating host, nodded. "No, not at all. Happy Birthday, brother."

With that, Klaus and Katerina retreated into the depths of the mansion, leaving the party behind.

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The echoes of the grand party had faded, leaving the mansion steeped in tranquil solitude. In a chamber adorned with rich tapestries that told tales of history, ancient battles, and long-forgotten victories, Elijah and Klaus found themselves consumed by their own thoughts. Soft candlelight flickered, casting intricate shadows that painted the room with an air of ageless elegance.

Elijah occupied his seat with an expression that seemed to have journeyed through the annals of time itself. In contrast, Klaus sat hunched over his sketchbook, the scratch of his pencil against paper the only disruption in the profound silence that enveloped them.

Minutes slipped away, and Klaus couldn't ignore the distant, contemplative look etched on his brother's face any longer. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he decided to break the tranquil hush. "What has been occupying your thoughts, dear brother? Did the ball not meet your expectations?"

Still lost in his thoughts, Elijah responded, "The ball tonight was a grand affair, Niklaus. It's been a long time since we've indulged in such festivities."

Klaus, his charcoal pencil poised, smirked as he leaned back in his chair. "Indeed, dear brother. A magnificent soirée, if I do say so myself."

Elijah turned his gaze to Klaus, the flickering candlelight casting a warm, soft glow on his features. "I couldn't help but notice how strikingly similar Katerina looked to Tatia. It reminded me of our mortal days, how centuries have passed since."

Without looking up from his sketchbook, Klaus retorted, "She's a doppelganger, Elijah, one of many. They're bound to resemble each other. That's the curse of their lineage."

"You've always been one to play your cards close to your chest. What are your plans for our dear guest, brother?" he persisted.

A sly grin graced Klaus's features as he leaned back further in his chair. "I intend to keep her close, gain her trust. When I'm confident that every ingredient for breaking the curse is in place, we will wait for the next full moon." His smile broadened with unwavering determination. "Then I shall break the curse and become the hybrid I was meant to be."

Aware of his brother's unwavering obsession with breaking the curse, Elijah couldn't help but harbour reservations about Katerina's fate. He chose his words carefully. "And what of Katerina's fate in all of this? I cannot help but feel a pang of sympathy for her."

Unyielding in his resolve, Klaus smirked with a hint of dark amusement. "Sympathy, dear brother? Such sentimentality has never been our way. You know as well as I do the importance of this moment. Katerina's fate is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Our family's survival hinges on breaking the curse, and I shall stop at nothing to see it through."

Elijah's thoughts, though clouded with doubts and concerns for Katerina's fate, were kept carefully guarded. He knew the stakes were high, and he didn't want to provoke Klaus, who was determined to achieve his goal at any cost. With a hint of caution colouring his words, he spoke, "I understand the importance of breaking the curse. But do you truly think that Katerina will be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for you?"

Klaus's eyes blazed with determination. "Katerina's destiny is sealed. She will play her part in our grand design, whether she likes it or not. She will not have a choice in the matter. I've waited centuries for this, and nothing, and no one, will stand in my way."

The room seemed to hold its breath as the Mikaelson brothers shared their secrets. The air was thick with uncertainty, and the shadows danced along the walls, concealing the true nature of their plans. 

The story of Katerina Petrova and the impending curse-breaking ritual had only just begun.

✩｡:*•..•*:｡✩

A few weeks had passed since Katerina had accepted the Mikaelsons' invitation to stay at their grand estate, nestled among the picturesque landscapes of England. The opulent mansion stood as a testament to their noble lineage, a place steeped in history, where secrets whispered in every shadow, and echoes of the past reverberated through its hallowed halls.

Within this time, Katerina had become acquainted with her gracious hosts. While Klaus had endeavoured to court her affections, it was Elijah's company that she found most captivating. On a sun-kissed day, Katerina and Elijah ventured into the mansion's gardens, a serene oasis teeming with vibrant blooms and fragrant blossoms. Katerina's attire was a vision of elegance, a lavender gown that flowed like the petals of the very flowers surrounding them, her lustrous locks cascading in a cascade of curls that shimmered in the dappled sunlight.

They both seemingly transported to a world of enchantment, engaged in a game of playful pursuit. Her laughter rang like delicate chimes as she ran through the garden, and for a fleeting moment, he gave chase, only to pause and watch her, a fond smile gracing his lips.

"You're meant to catch me," she teased, her voice as melodious as a songbird's.

In a display of charming gallantry, Elijah countered, "But if I catch you, the game will be over."

Her laughter, as enchanting as a fairytale melody, filled the garden. "Thank you for entertaining me," she said, her words tinged with a warmth that matched the sun's gentle caress.

Elijah, ever the gentleman, smiled with chivalrous grace. "You looked lonely inside, so I took pity on you."

"Klaus promised to spend the day with me, but he never returned home from the night."

"Yes, Klaus does not live by any rules but his own."

"He is a very charming man. Hard for anyone to resist, I suppose."

"And yet..."

"I know not why he courts me. He seems to not care about me at all."

"Many a union has been built on much less."

"Is it wrong to want more?"

"Do you have more with Trevor?"

Her response, filled with a hint of melancholy, revealed the complexities of her own heart. "Trevor believes that he loves me, but true love is not real unless it's returned. Do you agree?"

His eyes carrying the weight of centuries, confessed, "I do not believe in love, Katerina."

She couldn't quite accept such a bleak view of the world. "That is too sad for me to accept, my lord. Life is too cruel. If we cease to believe in love, why would we want to live?"

Moved by her earnestness, Elijah continued to gaze at the lush expanse of nature stretching before them. While he contemplated the mysteries of the human heart, the tranquillity of the garden cocooned them in its serenity, offering a fleeting respite from the complexities of their immortal existence.

However, their reflective moment was soon interrupted by the return of Klaus. His shirt bore the mark of a tumultuous night, stains of blood hinting at a story untold. It was an acknowledgement of his brother's presence that brought them back to reality.

"He's returned," Elijah said, bringing their attention to Klaus's dishevelled state.

Now concerned, Katerina inquired, "What has happened?"

Klaus offered a casual explanation, "The wrong villager picked a fight at the tavern. Come"

Katerina, leaving with Klaus, cast her gaze toward Elijah, her eyes lingering with an unspoken question. As she walked away from the garden, her presence seemed to take a piece of his heart with her. He watched her departing figure, feeling an inexplicable pang in his chest. A wave of nostalgia washed over him, carrying him back to his human days when he and his siblings were all bound by mortality.

His mind journeyed back to the distant past, a time when he, Klaus, Rebekah, Kol, and Henrik would frolic among the trees, their laughter echoing in the wind just as Katerina's laughter had today. In this quiet moment, as the shadows danced around him, he couldn't help but reflect on the passage of time.

He began to roam the sprawling gardens of the Mikaelson estate, his footsteps measured, each one laden with the weight of centuries past. He allowed the serenity of nature to envelop him, attempting to find solace within its embrace. The atmosphere of the garden contrasted sharply with the turmoil brewing within his mind. Elijah's thoughts revolved around the impending ritual that would unleash Klaus's hybrid nature, a process that had consumed his brother's existence for centuries.

It was a relentless pursuit, one that involved deception, manipulation, and ultimately, the sacrifice of Katerina.

But Katerina's words lingered, echoing in his thoughts— ❝ If we cease to believe in love, why would we want to live? ❞. Her perspective had struck a chord within him, awakening something long suppressed by his immortality. Elijah was a creature of reason, a master of restraint, but Katerina's words had planted a seed of doubt that he couldn't ignore. Over the five centuries of his existence, he had become accustomed to the art of concealing his emotions, at maintaining an unyielding façade. However, within the walls of his heart, he knew that her perspective had unearthed a profound truth.

❛ The simple truth that love, in all its complexities, was what gave life its meaning. ❜

The idea began to take root within him, a flicker of possibility. Maybe, in this world of immortality and endless existence, he could find happiness once more, and embrace love again, this time with Katerina.

But he couldn't ignore the reality of his brother's intentions. He knew that Klaus's affections for her were nothing more than a charade, a carefully orchestrated plot to gain her trust, to prepare her for the ultimate sacrifice in the impending ritual. Emotions played no part in Klaus's strategy; it was all an act designed to serve his unrelenting quest to break the curse and unlock his hybrid nature.

This fact left a bitter taste in Elijah's mouth. He believed that Katerina deserved better, that she deserved to experience genuine love and affection.

Thus, he was filled with a sense of responsibility and, perhaps, a tinge of protectiveness for Katerina. He couldn't help but feel that she deserved more than being a pawn in his brother's scheme. And with these thoughts weighing heavily on him, he decided. He would consult the Witches who had aligned themselves with Klaus in his pursuit of breaking the curse. Elijah couldn't allow the ritual to proceed without ensuring Katerina's safety and happiness.

It was a choice that would set in motion a chain of events, and whether it would lead to salvation or destruction, only time would tell.

✩｡:*•..•*:｡✩

The room was aglow with the warm flicker of the fire, casting dancing shadows upon the chamber's walls. Klaus stood by the hearth; his presence illuminated in the fiery embrace.

"The full moon is tomorrow, brother," he remarked, the gleam in his eyes a testament to his relentless pursuit of power. "After all these centuries, it is finally time."

Walking over he stood by a weathered wooden table his eyes locked onto the ancient moonstone that lay there, gleaming mysteriously. It was a pivotal moment, a culmination of centuries of searching and scheming.

Elijah watched him with a piercing gaze, his features reflecting his curiosity and concern. Raising an eyebrow, he inquired, "Do you truly believe you have everything you need to break the curse?"

Fingers grazing the smooth surface of the moonstone, he turned to meet his brothers' intense gaze. A smile played on his lips as he affirmed, "I do. I've carried this accursed stone for 500 years, and now, on this full moon, I will finally use it to be rid of the curse once and for all."

As the brothers' voices resonated through the chamber,  Katerina , an innocent mortal, stood like an invisible wraith on the periphery. With a pounding heart, she strained to hear every uttered word, her breath hanging in anticipation as she eavesdropped on the cryptic conversation unfolding inside the room.

Meanwhile, Elijah's visit had a different purpose in mind, one rooted in concern for the innocent life hanging in the balance. As the embodiment of stoic restraint, he sought to appeal to his brother's reason. His concern was not merely for Katerina's fate but for the shadows of humanity that still lingered in the hearts of vampires who had once been mere mortals.

"I have been to see the witches. They believe they may have found a way to spare the doppelgänger."

A wry smile tugged at Klaus's lips as he responded, "What does it matter if she lives or not? She's a means to an end, that is all."

"What, Katerina should die for your gain?"

With every word exchanged, Katerina was left trembling in fear, her trust in the world shattered. What was an ordinary mortal to do caught in the midst of such powerful, monstrous creatures? She was a pawn in a game far beyond her understanding, and she no longer knew who, if anyone, she could trust.

Klaus's voice dropped to a deadly calm as he challenged his brother. "She is human. Her life means nothing."

"I beg you to consider this."

"Are you so foolish as to care for her?"

"Of course not."

What had started as a glimmer of trust and a connection she believed she shared with Elijah was now wrecked. The revelation of Klaus's merciless plan to use her in the impending curse-breaking ritual had left her feeling lost, her sense of security and loyalty destroyed. The girl who had longed for connection and warmth found herself caught between the monstrous ambitions of an immortal being.

Klaus stepped closer, his expression hardened, as Elijah's eyes betrayed his true feelings. Beneath his facade of unwavering loyalty, there was a genuine concern for Katerina's fate, a longing for compassion, and a desire to defy their callous nature.

❝ Love is a vampire's greatest weakness ❞ Klaus declared with unwavering conviction. ❝ We do not feel, and we do not care. ❞

He saw emotions, particularly love, as the greatest weaknesses in their immortal existence. Their hearts had been desensitized over the centuries, and he regarded emotions with disdain. Love, in his view, was a relic of their distant past, no longer relevant. But Elijah couldn't deny the bond they had all shared in their mortal days when they were human and felt deeply. Those memories lingered as an indelible reminder of what they had lost.

"We did once," he softly reminded Klaus, alluding to a time when their hearts had still been capable of love and compassion.

Klaus's resolve remained unshaken, and he dismissed those sentiments with a scoff, "Too many lifetimes ago to matter. Tell the witches not to bother. The sacrifice will happen as planned."

With that, he left the room, leaving Elijah deep in contemplation. His anger and pure rage had overshadowed the soft thumping of a human heart so close to his room, and he hadn't sensed a presence.

In the face of her newfound knowledge, Katerina made a decision fueled by raw instinct. She couldn't stay, couldn't remain in this place where her life seemed to hold no value. Fueled by the dread of a life forsaken, she knew she had to act swiftly and resolutely.

As Elijah stood there, torn between the allegiance he had pledged to his brother- the unbreakable oath to stand by him, ❛ Always and Forever ❜, and his growing affection for the innocent Petrova. On one side stood a beautiful young woman who reminded him of their mortal days, a reflection of the humanity they had once cherished. On the other, the ruthless determination of his brother, whose actions knew no bounds in the pursuit of power.

Too engrossed in the intense thoughts, he left the room to follow his brother, without acknowledging Katerina's presence, a serendipitous escape for her.

As she watched Elijah exit the room her eyes fell upon the parchments scattered on the table. They were etched with what seemed like ancient Latin spells, intricate and mysterious. Though she couldn't decipher their true meaning, she could feel their significance.

And there, in the midst of the parchments, lay the very object Klaus had mentioned—a milky white stone, the Moonstone.

The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. If this stone played a part in the ritual, perhaps taking it could provide her with leverage. She had no time for second thoughts. No room for hesitation. With determined hands, she reached out and grasped the Moonstone.

Her escape was a whirlwind of fear and audacity. Her footsteps echoed through the mansion's corridors as she rushed toward the exit, her breaths laboured and desperate.

The world outside greeted her, shrouded in the mysteries of the night. With the Moonstone clutched tightly in her hand, she fled into the obscure woods, her flight marked by the pulse of adrenaline and the resolve to navigate the treacherous road ahead.

Her destiny had veered onto an uncharted course, where her decisions would forever alter the course fates of all involved.

✩｡:*•..•*:｡✩

In the hushed confines of Elijah's room, he sat by the window, his gaze fixed on the moonlight filtering through the curtains. It was in this fragile solitude that Klaus, a tempest of rage, stormed into the room, his footsteps heavy and filled with fury.

"What have you done?" Eyes burning with ire, he demanded answers from his brother, every word laced with venom.

Elijah, startled by the abrupt intrusion and the sheer fury radiating from Klaus, could only respond with a mixture of confusion and alarm. "I don't understand."

But Klaus's anger broke no patience, and his words tumbled out in a tumultuous outburst. "Katerina has gone. She has fled,"

His eyes widened in genuine shock. "No!"

Klaus's emotions, however, had transformed him into a different entity altogether as he grabbed his brother, pushing him against the wall. His features changed, revealing the ferocity of his vampiric nature.

"Do not lie to me!" his voice thundered.

With a steely resolve and a nod of compliance, Elijah replied, "I will find her. You have my word."

The unspoken oath hanging in the air between them, one of the many they had exchanged over centuries, bound them in that moment.

Klaus's promise was equally potent. ❝ If you do not, I give you my word you will be dead ❞

With that implicit threat reverberating in the room, Elijah left to carry out his mission. He summoned the vampires under his command and issued his orders. They ventured into the darkness of the night, prepared to seek the fugitive Katerina.

Among the group of vampire loyalists, one figure stood out — Trevor, a man whose affection for the fleeing girl ran deeper than the loyalty he owed to the Mikaelson family. His swiftness in responding to Elijah's orders demonstrated his devotion and urgency to reach her before it was too late.

While the vampires combed the woods with unyielding determination, Katerina was caught in a desperate race against time. As the pursuit of her continued, her strength waned, and she found solace in the shadows of the dense forest. Her heart raced, and with each moment that passed, her desperation grew.

Elijah, leading the search, followed the trace of her blood through the woods, his senses acute and unwavering. "She's here," he proclaimed, conviction ringing in his voice. "Katerina! I know you're near, I can smell your blood. It's pointless to run, Klaus will find you wherever you are."

However, it was Trevor who had reached her first. As he silently directed the search party in the wrong direction, he approached Katerina with an air of urgency, gently silencing her with a touch of his finger. They shared a moment of understanding as he urged her in the only direction of safety left.

"Head east. I can't lead them astray anymore," he whispered, his voice a quiet plea.

Her resolve and strength were teetering on the edge, expressing her exhaustion, "I can't run anymore."

With a final, reassuring nod, he said, "Never mind. There's a cottage. You'll be safe there. Go now. Go!"

She hesitated for only a moment before sprinting through the woods, guided by the promise of safety.

Finally, breathless and filled with hope, she reached the cottage and knocked on the door, her voice trembling with fear.

"Help, please help me," she implored.

An elderly woman opened the door, a veil of suspicion shrouding her features. "I don't invite strangers into my home," she declared, her eyes reflecting her cautious nature.

Desperation etched in Katerina's eyes, she played her final card, "No, Trevor! He said that you'd help me" she urged, praying for assistance.

Within the cottage, an unexpected witness to this fateful encounter, Rose, a close friend of Trevor, heard the conversation unfold. The tall, young woman with a cascade of wavy, dark brown hair and piercing green eyes approached the door, drawn by the familiarity of Trevor's name. In this remote cottage, Katerina had found an unlikely sanctuary. However, the storm of destiny was far from over.

The choices she would make within the walls of the cottage would echo throughout history.

✩｡:*•..•*:｡✩

In the room, a shadow of despair clung to Katerina as she faced Rose, a seemingly cautious but compassionate woman. She extended the moonstone, a fragment of her perilous journey, as proof of her identity and the trust Trevor had placed in Rose.

"You must be Rose. Thank you. Trevor said to show you this," Katerina whispered, her voice quivering with desperation.

The moonstone exchanged hands, and Rose scrutinized it. The gravity of the situation began to dawn upon her. This was no ordinary girl before her. Katerina had managed to steal an object so closely tied to Klaus, a daring feat that few had even contemplated.

"You stole this from Klaus?" Rose inquired, her eyes revealing her shock at Katerina's audacity.

She nodded, her gaze unwavering. "It was to be part of the sacrifice, so I grabbed it and made my escape."

Rose's expression shifted, a mixture of sympathy and apprehension.

"People do not escape from Klaus. Everyone who tries ends up back in his grasp, and anyone who helps them dies," Rose warned. She understood the perils of her involvement.

"I know the risk you bring on yourself by giving me aid," Katerina acknowledged,

Rose's lips tightened, and with a heavy sigh, she ushered Katerina into an empty room, her actions fraught with conflicted emotions. As the door closed behind, fear and despair consumed her, leaving her trapped in an agonizing limbo of uncertainty.

After a few hours, Rose re-entered the room to escort Katerina back to Klaus, as she had resolved. However, a troubling discovery met her eyes. Katerina lay on a bed, her form weakened and injured. Blood stained her clothes.

"When did this happen?" she inquired, her voice etched with concern.

In an attempt to maintain her fabricated story, Katerina gave a response that didn't ring true.

"In the woods, I tripped,".

Though Rose saw through the deception. Her eyes narrowed, and her search for answers led her to a concealed weapon.

"It's a lie; I would have smelled it" her suspicions confirmed.

With a deft hand, she removed the knife from Katerina's grasp. Desperation etched upon her features, Katerina looked upon Rose with pleading eyes.

"I'd rather die than go back to Klaus. Please, just let me die," she begged, her voice trembling.

Rose, however, was steadfast in her resolve to protect Trevor, and the consequences of failure weighed upon her.

"If you die, then Trevor dies with you," she emphasized, offering no room for negotiation.

Rose bit her own wrist and pressed it to Katerina's mouth, forcing her to drink the blood that flowed from her veins. The wounds on Katerina's body began to heal, the life force revitalizing her.

At that very moment, Trevor, the one who had initiated this treacherous journey for Katerina's safety, entered the room, his voice filled with urgency and concern.

"Where is she?" he inquired, his eyes seeking answers.

Rose moved swiftly, leaving Katerina behind, as she pushed Trevor against the wall, the weight of the world's consequences pressing down upon her.

"You have set us both on the path of death. I only hope Klaus sees the honour in returning that girl to him," Rose asserted, her voice tinged with the severity of their situation.

But Trevor's desperation surpassed her pragmatism, and he dared to share a truth that stirred his heart.

"I love her, Rose"

"He'll kill you. He won't stop until he has all of our heads."

Amidst the hushed exchanges between Trevor and Rose, Katerina's heart pounded in her ears, her destiny hanging in the balance. Rose's persistence echoed through the room as she insisted on returning her to Klaus, who was relentless in his pursuit of the ritual where she would be sacrificed.

As she listened to the two vampires debating her fate, the walls seemed to close in around her, and the weight of despair pressed down. In a desperate bid to reclaim control over her own destiny, she made a daring, audacious decision.

The desire to survive, to break free from the shackles of manipulation, overcame her. She was not going to die on Klaus's terms; she would claim her life, her freedom, and her power.

Tying one end of the rope to the ceiling, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes to brace herself for the inevitable. With trembling resolve, she stepped off the table, surrendering to the unknown. As the rope tightened around her throat, darkness closed in, and Katerina felt her life ebbing away.

The transformation had begun. Her journey into the world of the undead was inevitable.

Moments later, as Rose and Trevor heard an unusual noise from the room, they rushed inside to find Katerina's lifeless body swaying from the ceiling. Their shock and alarm were palpable, and they knew what it meant.

She had vampire blood in her system; she would awaken in the throes of transition.

Within a couple of hours, with an abrupt awakening, Katerina's eyes flew open, her body wracked with the pain of transition.

"What did you do, Katerina? I would have helped you live," Trevor implored.

"You would have helped me run. That was never going to be enough."

Trevor's gaze held a profound sadness. "It was enough for me."

Rose, however, saw through the layers of Katerina's desperation and recognized the gravity of their predicament. Her voice was heavy with the weight of their choices.

"Do you not see, Trevor? She used you to help her escape and me to turn her. Klaus will see our role in this."

With a finality that was tinged with regret, Katerina voiced her apology. "And for that, I'm sorry."

The atmosphere crackled with tension, with a sense of impending doom that bore down on them. Rose, a mix of fear, sorrow, and resignation in her eyes, admitted the grim truth.

"As am I... for this."

As Rose drew closer with a stake in hand, Katerina's instincts flared. In an act of self-preservation, she seized the old woman, using her as a shield. The stake, meant for her heart, instead found its mark on the old lady's shoulder, eliciting a pained cry.

Katerina, seizing the moment, grabbed the old woman, her fangs sinking into the flesh, and drained her of her precious lifeblood completing her transition into a vampire.

Her words held a finality, a cruel pragmatism born from the shadows of survival. "Please understand."

Rose's response was one of resignation, a heavy acceptance of their fate. "You have just signed our death sentence."

Katerina, unmoved by the consequences, justified her actions.

❝ Better you die than I ❞

With that, she cast the old lady's lifeless form into Trevor's arms and fled the scene with newfound vampire speed, her heart pounding with the exhilaration of her escape.

As she vanished into the shadows, Katerina Petrova had taken the final, irrevocable step into the world of immortals. Her fate was now intertwined with the ever-encroaching darkness that loomed on the horizon.

✩｡:*•..•*:｡✩

Meanwhile, back at the Mansion, Klaus's pent-up emotions swirled like a tempest, casting menacing shadows upon the walls. Anger, determination, and the weight of five centuries of lugging the cursed moonstone had etched lines of intensity across his handsome visage. As the flames flickered and danced, it seemed they mirrored the fire within him.

The cursed moonstone, a relic of his mother's spellwork, had been both his burden and his hope. Five hundred years of carrying this tether to his lycanthropic nature had now reached its climax. The moment of liberation was at hand. However, as he was about to enact the ritual that would sever the chains of his curse and unlock the long-craved power of a hybrid, he was met with a bitter twist of fate. Katerina, the key to his salvation, had eluded him. Her vanishing act was a betrayal he could not accept, and his wrath knew no bounds.

To ensure Katerina understood the gravity of her betrayal and the consequences she had unleashed, he wasted no time. He instructed his underlings to unveil the location of her family in Bulgaria. They were to find out where her roots lay, for he was determined to send her a chilling message. The mission proved swift and efficient, and within a short span, Klaus stood upon the soil of Bulgaria, at the very doorstep of Katerina's familial abode.

Klaus wasted no time and unleashed his unbridled fury. In the silence of that rustic village, the agonizing screams of her family rent the air. Her father, her mother, her innocent little sister – they were consumed by the merciless rage of Klaus's wrath. He left their lifeless bodies on gruesome display for Katerina to find, a macabre message that bore the weight of the consequences of her defiance. But Klaus was not content with this macabre tableau alone.

He left a chilling message, one that would serve as a harbinger of doom.

With that ominous message in place, Klaus took a final, lingering look at the scene of his retribution. In a swift, deliberate motion, he impaled the note on her little sister's lifeless form with a sword, the blade embedding itself in the cottage wall, a gruesome testament to his ruthless determination.

The die was cast, and for centuries to come, the world would bear witness to the consequences of crossing the path of Niklaus Mikaelson- The Original, who knew no mercy.

Katerina had returned to her Bulgarian homeland, only to arrive a few days too late, to have her heart rent asunder by a harrowing sight. The air was thick with the acrid scent of death, and an eerie stillness clung to the house like a shroud. Her heart shattered as she gazed upon the lifeless forms of her family, their lives brutally extinguished as an act of retribution for her escape and subsequent transition into a vampire. The stillness in the room echoed her own despair, and she found herself weeping over her mother's lifeless body, her love for her family mingling with the tears.

Amid this gruesome scene, her eyes fell upon a parchment which was attached to the sword that had impaled her little sister, holding her lifeless body against the wall. With trembling hands, she extracted it. The bold ink on the parchment seemed to pulse with malevolence, and the words etched there held a sinister promise. It was Klaus's declaration of unyielding resolve, a proclamation of his insatiable pursuit:

❝ Your betrayal comes at a price, Katerina. I have claimed your past, and now I set my sights on your future. Each drop of your family's blood bears witness to your defiance. There is no escape. My wrath will follow you, always and forever  ❞

- Klaus Mikealson -

Katerina's blood ran cold as she read his words. The sheer malevolence etched into each letter was an omen of the relentless vendetta Klaus would wage against her.

In the years that followed, Katerina made a solemn decision to remain concealed in the shadows. She knew that any hint of her existence could draw the attention of the vengeful original, and the dangerous vampires who surrounded him. Her life had become a ceaseless struggle for survival and so she navigated her existence, always looking over her shoulder, as the relentless pursuit of her past followed her through time. 

Always, she remained vigilant, aware that the shadows were her only sanctuary.

✩｡:*•..•*:｡✩

In the late 15th century, as the years trickled on, Katerina returned to Bulgaria again in her ceaseless search for her daughter, who had been but a newborn when they were cruelly torn apart. The quest took her to every village and cottage she could find, and yet, she was met with heart-wrenching disappointment at every turn. Her daughter remained elusive, slipping through her desperate grasp like a phantom from a fading dream.

In 1720, another glimmer of hope emerged as a young woman named Nadia, driven by her own quest to find the elusive doppelgänger crossed paths with an informant who held a crucial piece of Katerina's puzzle. He had witnessed the vampire commit a murder outside the opulent French Court of Versailles. Trading information for gold, he informed Nadia that Katerina had been evading capture for a staggering 228 years by that time.

Time marched relentlessly forward, and 372 years later, Katerina Petrova, now known as Katherine Pierce, had eluded her vengeful pursuer Klaus for centuries. The name change was a shroud of protection, a cloak to hide her identity from her enemies.

With the captivating charm and manipulative nature that had become her signature, she wove a tale of being orphaned in a catastrophic fire that had claimed her family in Atlanta. It was a story that pulled at the heartstrings of a well-off family in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, who took her in the year 1864.

As she emerged gracefully from the carriage, a gesture of respect in the form of a curtsy marked her gratitude to the man who had chosen to extend his refuge.

She thanked him with an air of politeness, aware that her allure had once again worked in her favour. He, in turn, introduced her to his youngest son.

❝ Welcome Miss Pierce.
This is my son, Stefan Salvatore ❞

｡:*•.───── END SCENE ─────.•*:｡

Chapter Text

❝ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝘚𝑎𝑙𝜈𝑎𝘵𝘰𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝘵 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑑𝘰𝑔𝑠, 𝑏𝑢𝘵 𝑖𝑛 𝘵ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝘵ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝘰𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑑𝑖𝑒 𝑓𝘰𝑟 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝘰𝘵ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑘𝑛𝘰𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝘵 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠. ❞

- 𝑅𝑒𝑏𝑒𝑘𝑎ℎ 𝛭𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑒𝑙𝑠𝘰𝑛

『 ᴀɴᴛᴇʙᴇʟʟᴜᴍ ꜱᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴘᴇʀɪᴏᴅ: 19ᴛʜ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀʏ 』

In the quaint town of Virginia, where time seemed to stand still, five families would soon hold the threads of destiny in their hands. Among them were the Salvatores. Giuseppe Salvatore, the patriarch of the family, was more than a mere figurehead. With his towering 5'10 frame, tailored suits, and piercing green eyes, he embodied the essence of nobility. But beneath the facade of aristocratic charm, he was nothing more than a shell of a real man.

Before the 1840s, fate led Giuseppe to Lillian, a woman whose beauty was as mysterious as the town itself. Her dark, midnight hair and captivating blue eyes turned heads, concealing the untold stories that lurked within. Their union brought forth two sons, Damon, and Stefan. Damon, the elder born in June 1839, exuded confidence, and rebellion. Stefan, six years his junior, navigated life with introspection and gentleness.

Yet, the Salvatore home harboured shadows darker than the woods surrounding the town. Giuseppe, often drowning in a haze of alcohol, was far from the resolute patriarch the world believed him to be. Behind closed doors, he controlled Lily, a puppet in a silent struggle for power denying her financial freedom, or perhaps any freedom in general.

The year was 1851, and the Thanksgiving dinner held more than just familial warmth. Around the opulent table, where silverware clinked against porcelain and laughter disguised deeper truths, the Salvatores' world teetered on the precipice of revelation.

Giuseppe accused his eldest of a nefarious act- filching a few coins. The father wielded a lit cigar like the gavel of familial justice. The air thickened with tension as Stefan, the unsuspecting five-year-old, watched the scene unfold in silence & sat like a ghost in his own home. Little did Stefan know that behind the facades of familial bliss, his mother, Lily Salvatore, was orchestrating an escape with her sons. The stolen money was her desperate attempt to break free from Giuseppe's oppressive grip.

Damon faced the fiery consequences as Giuseppe brandished a lit cigar, an improvised instrument of justice. Stefan's innocent eyes widened as his elder brother bore the fiery wrath of their father's suspicion. The family was far from the picture of harmony painted by their esteemed name.

In the wake of this traumatic event, the brothers' bond deepened. Shared pain forged an unspoken understanding, a connection that transcended the scars of the past and a future yet to be determined. As the brothers came of age, they discovered that their family's facade concealed more than just an illustrious name.

『   Their town held secrets that would forever alter the course of their lives and entangle them in a web of mystery, where love, betrayal, and the supernatural danced together like a forbidden waltz.  』

『 ꜱᴀʟᴠᴀᴛᴏʀᴇ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ: ❝ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴꜱʜᴀᴋᴇᴀʙʟᴇ ʙᴏɴᴅ ❞ 』

The year 1858 unfurled its tragedy upon the Salvatore family, casting a shadow darker than any before. Within the confines of the Estate, an air of sombre anticipation clung to the air like a heavy mist.

Lillian, once the epitome of grace and beauty, succumbed to the merciless grip of tuberculosis. The walls of her chamber echoed with the haunting whispers of her laboured breaths, each exhaling a reminder of the relentless march of time. The scent of medicinal herbs and the distant hum of the estate's daily life created a surreal backdrop to Lillian's silent struggle against a relentless foe.

Giuseppe, haunted by his own demons, made a fateful decision. The atmosphere within the estate transformed into a symphony of quiet despair as Lillian was sent away to a tuberculosis ward. The parting was devoid of the tearful goodbyes one might expect; instead, a heavy silence lingered, pregnant with the unspoken.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, each passing moment marking the inexorable march of Lillian's deteriorating health. Unbeknownst to the Salvatore patriarch, fate had woven a different strand into the fabric of this tragic tale. In the quiet confines of the TB ward, Lillian drew her last breath, succumbing to the relentless advance of the disease.

Yet, death did not claim Lillian Salvatore entirely.

Unknown to Giuseppe and their two sons, a supernatural transformation awaited Lillian in the wake of her mortal demise. As the life force drained from her body, a force beyond the comprehension of mortal minds interceded.

Lillian Salvatore, now freed from the shackles of her mortal ailment, embraced a new existence—one that defied the laws of life and death.

❛ A creature of the night ❜

❛ A Vampire ❜

Driven by a primal fear that her vampiric nature could pose a threat to her beloved children, Lillian chose a path of solitude. With her newfound immortality, she fled from the TB ward, leaving behind the lifeless shell of her mortal self. The moonlit night witnessed the departure of a mother who, in her undying love, sought to shield her sons from the monstrous reality that she had become.

As the Salvatore mansion mourned the loss of Lily, unaware of the supernatural twist that had befallen her, the town concealed the secret of a vampire mother, forever bound by the tragic choices made in the name of love and the inscrutable mysteries that lingered within the shadows of the town.

✩｡:*•..•*:｡✩

In 1860, the town of Mystic Falls was founded.

The ravages of time etched their mark on the Salvatore brothers, yet the bond between Damon and Stefan emerged unscathed, a testament to a love that withstood the tempest of years. As the shadows of history painted their lives, the brothers embraced their inseparable connection.

In the tumultuous era of the American Civil War, the Salvatore estate stood as a silent witness to the unfolding drama of Damon's life. The air was thick with the scent of gunpowder, and the distant echoes of cannons reverberated through the night. Damon, adorned in the uniform of the Confederate Army, wore the weight of his father's expectations like a heavy cloak.

The dim glow of candlelight illuminated the internal struggle etched across Damon's face. His eyes, once bright with youthful exuberance, now mirrored the conflict within his soul. The decision to join the Confederate Army, not born of patriotic fervour but rather paternal coercion, cast a shadow over his every step.

Secretly, Damon harboured a disdain for the very cause he was meant to champion. The Southern ideals clashed violently with his convictions, threatening to unravel the fabric of his allegiance. Thoughts of desertion lingered in the corners of his mind like a wisp of smoke, a dangerous flame smouldering beneath the surface.

The Gettysburg battlefield, a tableau of death and destruction, became the stage for Damon's internal strife. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, a haunting symphony of distant cries serving as the backdrop to his dilemma. Damon, torn between loyalty to his father and the yearning for a life true to his beliefs, stood at the precipice of a decision.

Amidst the chaos, a figure emerged from the shadows—Oscar, a man whose words carried the weight of liberation. Their covert meeting unfolded against the grim of war, as Oscar's persuasive rhetoric chipped away at the last remnants of Damon's internal restraint.

The night became a crucible of transformation. The fear of Giuseppe's disapproval, like a phantom shackle, held Damon captive. Yet, Oscar's words ignited a spark of rebellion within him. The decimated squad, oblivious to the seismic shift in allegiance, left Damon standing alone amidst the remnants of the conflict. The night swallowed him whole as he ventured into the unknown, guided by the echoes of Oscar's counsel and the pulsating rhythm of his own rebellious heart.

The die was cast, and Damon Salvatore, a reluctant soldier turned deserter, embarked on a journey back to Mystic Falls that would weave his fate into the supernatural world.

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Meanwhile, The County Fair of 1863 draped Mystic Falls in a festive array of colours and sounds, a temporary reprieve from the weight of the world. Amidst the whirl of laughter and carousel music, Stefan Salvatore, still a human unaware of the supernatural encircling him, found himself drawn into a fate that danced on the edges of enchantment.

Valerie, a vision of mystery, crossed Stefan's path. Her eyes, pools of charm, met his with a boldness that defied Lily's discreet orders to merely observe. Underneath the vibrant carnival lights, Valerie introduced herself to Stefan, a spark of defiance in her eyes that endorsed the magical currents she commanded. The air crackled with an unseen energy as they conversed, their connection transcending the boundaries imposed by Lily. The fair became a stage for a clandestine dance, a waltz of forbidden attraction.

In the quiet alcove of the fair, Stefan and Valerie surrendered to the intoxicating pull of desire. The scent of cotton candy and the distant hum of carnival music framed their stolen union. It was a night where innocence met the inevitable, and Stefan's world expanded in ways he couldn't comprehend.

The revelation of love, however, bore the bitter undertone of separation. Julian, the silent arbiter of fate, intruded upon their sanctuary. Valerie, torn between loyalty and desire, faced the forceful coercion to depart. Her assurance to Stefan, a whispered promise, lingered like a haunting melody in the night.

Months passed, and the summer of 1863 bid farewell with a bittersweet whisper. Valerie, unable to resist the pull of Stefan's magnetic existence, sent a telegram that carried the weight of unspoken promises. Stefan, fueled by hope and a bouquet of flowers, arrived at their designated meeting place with the anticipation of a heart on the brink of newfound love.

The ticking of the clock measured time's slow march, and as the hours unfolded, Stefan's heart sank with each passing minute. The meeting place, once a symbol of potential happiness, transformed into a theatre of abandonment. Unknown to Stefan, Valerie's attempt to flee was met with brutality, causing a miscarriage; a testament to the darkness of Julian's wrath that had descended, shrouding her in a tragedy that would remain concealed for centuries.

In the depths of disappointment, Stefan's heart carried the echoes of a love lost to the cruel hands of fate. The untold story of Valerie's sacrifice and Julian's cruelty remained buried in the silent corridors of time, leaving Stefan to grapple with the enduring mystery of an unanswered telegram and a love that slipped through the cracks of history.

❛ Only to be reunited 150 years later. ❜

❛ A reunion, that would shake the foundation of a reunited relationship. ❜

❛ A reunion, that would test the foundation of many friendships. ❜

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The year 1864 draped Mystic Falls in an air of unsuspecting tranquillity. The summer sun hung low in the sky as Stefan engrossed in the task of repairing a broken carriage wheel, felt the rhythm of the day meander with the gentle breeze. The air was thick with the scent of aged wood and the distant hum of the town's activities.

As a carriage approached, its wheels crunched on the gravel, and the soft jingle of harnesses echoed through the warm air, as the rider pulled the reins to a halt. A simple request for directions, and Stefan, ever the courteous gentleman, obliged with a friendly smile.

Little did he know, within the confines of the carriage, a pair of watchful eyes bore witness to his every move. Katherine Pierce, clad in the opulence of the era, watched Stefan with an intensity that belied the casual encounter. A magnetic force seemed to emanate, an ethereal connection weaving an unspoken tale between them.

The cosmos, conspiring in silent whispers, orchestrated the union of two fates.

As the wheels of the carriage turned once again, Katherine's presence in the Salvatore estate became an indelible mark on the family's history. Giuseppe, the patriarch blinded by Katherine's innocent face & heart-wrenching story of familial loss, welcomed her into their home, unaware of the tempest she would unleash.

Within the walls of the Salvatore mansion, a complex dance of attraction unfolded. Stefan, ensnared by Katherine's allure, found himself drawn to her like a moth to the flame. Love, a delicate bud, unfurled in the shadows of his heart.

Damon, returning from the war, joined the intricate web of emotions. The brothers, entangled in the seductive web Katherine wove, both succumbed to the magnetic pull she exerted. The air in the mansion crackled with tension, a silent competition for the affections of the mysterious enchantress.

Katherine, revelling in the chaos she orchestrated, left a trail of newfound vampires in her wake. The town, oblivious to the supernatural undercurrents, began to stir with whispers of creatures lurking in the shadows. Pearl, a voice of reason amidst the storm, warned Katherine of the town's growing awareness. The scent of vervain lingered in the air, a foreboding omen of impending discovery. Yet, Katherine, a master puppeteer, refused to yield, her gaze fixed on a grander scheme.

The night of the Founders' Ball arrived, a tableau of elegance and secrecy. Damon and Stefan, both ensnared by Katherine's charms, vied for the privilege of being her escort. Katherine played her cards with a sly grin. Her words, a melody of mischief, reverberated through the grand grounds of Salvatore Estate, as she purred,

❝ The smart and kind Salvatore brothers, both coming to my rescue. How will I ever choose? ❞

The question hung in the air, leaving the Salvatore brothers entangled in the threads of desire and deception, their fate interwoven in threads yet to fully unravel.

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The looming threat of the Founder's Council hung like a shadow over Mystic Falls. The shadows whispered of a looming confrontation as Katherine sought alliances in the dance of survival.

The moonstone, a coveted artefact with the power to shift destinies, became the currency of bargains struck in desperation. Katherine, with a deft hand in the game of intrigue, approached George Lockwood, a figure with motives veiled in secrecy.

A deal unfolded: the moonstone in exchange for a ticket through the flames of a staged demise.

As Stefan unwittingly ventured into treacherous territory, the delicate balance crumbled. His suggestion, a fateful admission of knowledge about vampires, rippled through the corridors of Salvatore history. Giuseppe, sharp-witted and unforgiving, pieced together the puzzle and guessed Katherine's true identity. The stage was set for a catastrophe that would boom through the corridors of time.

In a twist of cruel fate, Giuseppe, fueled by righteous fury, spiked Stefan's drink; Vervain, a potent elixir of discovery, found its way into the drink, a deceptive kiss of betrayal. The substance coursed through Stefan's veins, unknowingly paving the way for the impending confrontation. That same night, Katherine, lured by the scent of Stefan's blood, succumbed to the thirst that drove her.

The air, charged with foreboding, sounded with the commotion as Giuseppe stormed in. Katherine, incapacitated by the vervain-laden blood, became a captive in the tumult of emotions.

Damon, propelled by a sense of responsibility and a tangle of emotions, walked on a perilous mission to rescue the woman who had ensnared him. Stefan, grappling with guilt and regret, joined the effort to save Katherine, the orchestrator of their intertwined destinies.

In the shadows of the Salvatore estate, a tragic scene unfolded. Father turned against sons, the lines blurred between duty and the seduction of a supernatural entity. Giuseppe, driven by a twisted sense of honour, became the arbiter of their demise.

The lives of Damon and Stefan, extinguished by their own blood, hung in the balance.

As the town succumbed to the chaos of the vampire round-up, Katherine and her kin were herded like cattle towards Fell's Church. George Lockwood, true to their agreement, emerged as an unexpected ally. The moonstone changed hands, sealing Katherine's escape from the clutches of destruction.

Yet, instead of fleeing into the shadows, Katherine turned back one last time. The moonlight bathed Stefan's lifeless form in an ethereal glow as Katherine, torn between the present and an uncertain future, ran to him. In a final act of defiance, she pressed her lips to his cold ones, sealing a promise in the silent language of farewell as she whispered,

❝ I Love You Stefan, We Will Be Together Again, I Promise. ❞

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The first light of morning filtered through the dense canopy of Mystic Falls, casting a hushed glow on the landscape. Stefan, his consciousness gradually awakening from the murky depths of confusion, felt the unfamiliar weight of the silver ring adorning his finger. The crest of the Salvatore family, embellished with the letter 'S' and cradling a deep blue stone, marked his transformation into an uncharted realm.

As his gaze danced over his own body, Stefan's fingers traced an invisible map, searching for the gunshot wound that should have marred his existence. To his astonishment, he found his flesh unblemished, a testament to the inexplicable forces that governed the supernatural realm. The ring, a talisman of unforeseen possibilities, clung to him like a silent guardian.

Amidst the haze of uncertainty, Emily Bennett emerged from the shadows, a figure cloaked in the remnants of the night. Her presence, a harbinger of revelations, unfolded a narrative that stitched together the wreckage of Stefan's fragmented reality. The ring, crafted by her skilled hands at Katherine's behest, became a vessel of salvation for the brothers.

Emily's voice, a gentle murmur in the quietude, wove a tale that surpassed the boundaries of mortal comprehension. She spoke of finding Stefan and Damon lifeless in the woods, a display of death that defied the natural order. The quarry, a silent witness to supernatural secrets, became the canvas on which Emily painted the resurrection of the Salvatores.

Stefan, his mind a tempest of confusion, grappled with the inconceivable truth. Emily's words, like delicate brushstrokes, unveiled the dance that occurred during his unconscious slumber.

Katherine's blood, an elixir of transition, had been compelled into him, a prelude to a destiny neither brother had willingly chosen.

Approaching his older brother, a mirror of his own bewilderment, Stefan sought confirmation of the events that occurred during the previous night. Damon, the lines of pain etched on his face, recounted the tragic fate that befell Katherine at the hands of the enraged townspeople. The church, once a sanctuary, became a pyre that consumed their shared history.

The brothers, faced with the crossroads of immortality, weighed the burden of choices that fate thrust upon them. In the quiet expanse of the quarry, Stefan and Damon grappled with a love lost, the weight of a decision that held the power to define their existence. The reality of transitioning into vampires, a destiny intertwined with Katherine's legacy, loomed over them like an unspoken spectre.

In the interplay of shadows and morning light, Stefan and Damon, seemingly united in their resolve, contemplated the abyss that stretched before them. The prospect of an eternity without Katherine, a fate neither brother had sought, hovered over their shared deliberations.

The Mystic Falls night unfolded with an eerie calmness, the moon casting its glow on the Salvatore estate. Stefan, still grappling with the oddities of his newfound vampire senses, found himself tuned into the conversations that were beyond the reach of mortal ears.

His heightened senses caught wind of a secretive discussion between his father and Johnathan Gilbert. The topic, a sinister revelation that painted the town in shades of intolerance, revolved around capturing and eradicating the vampires that lurked during the night. Giuseppe, ever the orchestrator of family image, aimed to keep the Salvatore brothers' sympathies for vampires under wraps, protecting the legacy of his sons, and shaping their narrative into one of noble sacrifice.

Steeling himself against the ethereal pull of emotions, Stefan ventured inside the familial abode to confront the ghost of his past. The silhouette of Giuseppe, etched against the dim glow of candlelight, betrayed a mixture of shock and disdain at the unexpected return of his supposedly deceased son. A symphony of words played out between father and son, a discordant melody of familial disappointment.

Stefan, grappling with the spectre of shame, questioned the essence of a love that could not weather even the veil of death. In the twilight of revelation, Giuseppe, a vessel of paternal condemnation, expressed a sentiment steeped in remorse.

The matriarch Lily lost to the ravages of time, would have grieved the twisted fate her sons embraced.

❛ If only he knew the reality. ❜

In the intimate space between father and son, secrets spilt out and the father, shockingly confessed to being the architect of their demise, the hand that wielded the weapon of their mortality. The revelation hit Stefan like a visceral blow, unsettling the fragile balance of emotions that lingered.

The air thickened with tension as Stefan, standing at the precipice of decision, revealed his choice to embrace mortality rather than surrender to the thirst for human blood. The palpable disdain in Giuseppe's eyes transformed into a desperate attempt to reclaim control. In a misguided attempt to eradicate his own creation, he lunged with a wooden stake, underestimating the newfound strength that surged through Stefan's veins.

In a moment of cruel irony, the patriarch became the victim of his misguided intentions. As the wooden stake found its mark, the walls witnessed a final clash between father and son. In the rawness of the moment, Stefan attempted to aid his father, but Giuseppe rejected him. The revelation, however, unleashed an insatiable bloodlust within Stefan, a ravenous craving that exceeded his desperate attempts to suppress it.

In a macabre twist of fate, he tasted the lifeblood of his father, the act that irrevocably marked his transition into the realm of the undead.

❛ Into a Vampire ❜

❛ And soon, into a Ripper ❜

The night, shrouded in tragedy, witnessed Stefan's journey into the unknown. He sought out Damon, a brother tethered to the threads of a shared fate. Amid flickering candlelight, Stefan painted a seductive portrait of immortality, enticing Damon with the allure of a gift that promised escape from the shackles of guilt and pain.

The quarry witnessed Stefan's plea to Damon, a brother reluctant to embrace vampirism. A calculated move brought forth a young woman, a pawn in the game of destiny, compelled to accompany Stefan in the pursuit of saving Damon from the abyss of mortality.

Damon, initially resistant to the siren song of vampirism, found himself being forced to be ensnared by Stefan's relentless plea. A promise of an eternal bond hung in the air, but Damon, his gaze haunted by the future steeped in vengeance, whispered a vow that shattered the illusion of camaraderie,

❝ You got what you wanted, you and me for all eternity. But hear this brother, I will make it an eternity of misery for you. ❞

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Decades slid by like sand through the hourglass, and Damon Salvatore found himself ensnared in the bittersweet threads of time. Emily's revelation about Katherine's entrapment in the tomb beneath the church left an indelible mark on Damon's immortal heart. Love, a flame that refused to be extinguished, fueled his restless existence as he longed for the day, he could free Katherine from her subterranean prison.

Unbeknownst to Damon, Katherine played a masterful game of death, dancing on the periphery of Klaus's pursuit. Over the centuries, she became a phantom, a wily survivor evading the clutches of her relentless pursuer.

Across the epochs, Katherine's gaze never wavered from Stefan. She observed him silently, a spectral presence lingering in the peripheral realms of his existence. Her eyes, mirrors reflecting the passage of time, bore witness to his joys and tribulations, an unseen watcher of his immortal life.

Then came May 23rd, 2009 —a date that would be etched in the fabric of Damon's existence. The older Salvatore had returned to Mystic Falls once again to visit his mother's grave. Lying in the middle of the road, he gazed at the expansive sky above, a canvas painted with the hues of twilight.

As the world stood still, a young girl walked along the road conversing over the phone —a figure bathed in the soft glow of streetlights. The air crackled with otherworldly energy as Damon heard a whisper in the wind & sensed a haunting familiarity, a spectral echo that resonated with Katherine's essence. Compelled by the invisible threads of fate, he rose to investigate—The yearning, a dormant ember within him, flared to life as he rushed to the source, drawn by the siren call.

As he emerged into the realm of the living, his eyes fell upon the girl, a visage that sent shockwaves through his immortal existence. For a fleeting moment, the world stood still, suspended in the delicate dance of revelation. The girl, unaware of the seismic shift in the universe, continued her journey along the road.

Damon, his voice a tremor laced with a cocktail of emotions, called out, ❝ Katherine ❞

The girl, her eyes pooled in confusion, halted in her tracks. A delicate furrow adorned her brow as she scanned her surroundings, before turning her gaze towards Damon and responding,

❝ UMM, NO... I'M ELENA. ❞

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Chapter Text

Hey everyone,

    I hope you're all doing well. I wanted to take a moment to explain why I haven't been able to post another chapter recently. Life has been pretty hectic for me. My mom had surgery and she’s going to have another one next week. Between taking care of her, managing work, and keeping up with my studies, I just haven't had the time to sit down and write properly. 

     I have so many ideas for the story, but with everything going on, it's been tough to find a quiet moment to get them on paper. I know many of you have been eagerly waiting for the next chapter, and I’m really sorry for the delay. I genuinely ask for your patience and support during this challenging time. 

     Right now, my priority is making sure my family and I are well taken care of. This isn't a hiatus, and I promise I'm not abandoning the story. I’ve been writing bits here and there, but I haven’t had the chance to proofread and make the necessary edits. I’ll get back to posting as soon as I can.

     Thank you all so much for your understanding and support. This isn’t goodbye—just a short break. I’ll be back real soon. Stay safe, take care of each other, and I hope all your families are well. Sending you all my love.

     Love y'all ♥️