Eternal ➳ N. Mikaelson [COMPLETED]

➳ 42: every mother's son

INGRID walked down the stairs, into the courtyard to see a large breakfast spread waiting on the dining table. Pausing in confusion and suspicions, she took a step toward the table and looked around for any sign of other people. Klaus walked into the room and joined her, equally surprised. She motioned to the table with a raised eyebrow. "Was this you?"

"It's certainly a card I've played in the past, but I had no hand in this..." Klaus admitted and gestured to the food on the table for emphasis.

"Elijah then?" Ingrid asked, curious and on edge.

Elijah returned to the compound and joined them in the courtyard, looking confused when he heard their conversation and noticed the breakfast spread in front of them. "This wasn't my doing..."

The silver lid on the platter suddenly began to rattle, startling Elijah so much that he jumped in fright for a moment. Ingrid raised an eyebrow and hesitantly walked toward it.

Klaus was incredibly uneasy, holding a hand out in front of her, and lifted the platter. Two starlings flew out from under the lid and made their way to the ceiling. The three Originals reflexively ducked to avoid being hit while looking puzzled and nervous.

Klaus looked at the platter to see a white card lying on the tray. He reached for the invitation and opened it. It read: "Dinner, Your Home, 8PM"

Narrowing his eyes and gritting his teeth, he turned toward them with the small card in hand. "An invitation from our mother." The brothers stared at each other in concern before Klaus paced the floor, anxious and furious. "We have enough enemies here. And now, the war for our home is to be fought against my own family."

"Esther has done enough to this family. Perhaps I should wrap my hands around her throat until the life drains from her eyes again." Ingrid snarled viciously with a dark smirk.

"You will do no such thing." Elijah scolded her, a stern glare on his face, causing her to scowl at him. "Esther's a master in the art of possession. We know whose body she currently inhabits. We must decipher her intentions before she finds a new host."

"Well, her last invitation was an assassination attempt on her family." Klaus reminded condescendingly and smiled bitterly. "I think we can assume her intentions are decidedly foul."

Elijah shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, then. We have--" He remarked while checking his watch. "-- this afternoon to prepare for the worst." He said with a pointed look before leaving the compound.

Once he was gone, Ingrid mocked his expressions while making a talking gesture with her hand. Klaus glanced over at her and laughed wholeheartedly.

Later on, Klaus was in the dining room, making arrangements for the evening's dinner with a group of, presumably compelled, caterers. One of the caterers gave him a choice of two different bottles of wine and the hybrid looked at them sternly. "Skip the salad course. Let's not make this dreadful evening any longer than it needs to be." He chose a wine and dismissed the caterer.

"Please." Ingrid remarked with a displeased look on her face and threw herself down into one of the dining chairs. "You and I need to create a contingency plan, my darling."

"For?" Klaus questioned her with a suspecting smirk.

"In the event that Esther pulls one of her many tricks." She clarified and leaned against the dining table. "Or for Mikael's inevitable appearance."