Forever Original | Alaric Saltzman

Chapter 5

It didn't take Hilda very long to write out the spell.

"That should do it," she said, sliding the paper over to Alaric. "The herbs aren't difficult to fine and the general incantation is really easy. You just have to make sure you take those herbs often after she does the spell. Your alter-ego is going to be fighting for control, and this will suppress him."

Alaric looked over it, not understanding most of it, but trusting that it was done properly. "Thanks," he said, and he genuinely meant it. "That's really nice of you. I'm still surprised that you're willing to help."

Hilda shrugged and leaned back. "I need to occupy my time somehow. And I'd rather you not kill the people in this town."

Meredith clasped her hands together. "I think this calls for some drinks. Be right back." She got up, heading over to the bar. Hilda cleared her throat and cracked her knuckles, no longer knowing what to say.

How was it that he made her so damn nervous? He was a human. He couldn't hear how hard her heart was beating. He couldn't sense that he was making her feel anxious or self-conscious. He couldn't possibly hurt her. And yet, she found herself practically sweating at the prospect of speaking with him alone.

"I really hope this gets better for you," said Hilda as steadily as she could. "No one should have to go through that."

He seemed thankful with her comment. "I just wish I knew why earlier on, you know? I would have taken this ring off a long time ago if I knew that it would leave me like this."

"There are a lot of things in the world that take time to be able to explain, and the waiting period is perhaps the most aggravating thing ever. But eventually, everything has a solution. This won't be permanent. I just... I wish I was still a witch. I could do more than write a spell."

"Don't sell yourself short," he said. "You're the only Original- well, besides Elijah- who's showed us even an ounce of civility. Now, I do know that you have a reputation, but you're being kind about this. You've helped a great deal. It's impressive how much magic you know. I like to think I know a lot about history, but you've actually gotten to travel. You absorb more that way."

She smiled. "Yes, being part of history and even the creation of some Covens has been a nice highlight. And even so, there is so much we haven't been a part of. Anything marked as 'B.C.,' I wasn't around for. And anything before 984, well, I have no knowledge of. My parents didn't even discover this new world until 978, when Elijah was born."

"Oh wow- you two are six years apart?"

"For some reason, our mother and father had this pattern of twos and fours. Some of us are two years apart from each other, others four. Let's see... Freya in 972, Finn in 974, Elijah in 978, Nik in 980, Kol and I in 984, Rebekah in 986, and Henrik in 990. Two, four, two, four, two, four."

Alaric raised his eyebrows. "You have seven siblings total? Here I am with none."

"An, an only child versus the somewhat middle child of a bunch. If our ages matched, it'd be very interesting to learn about how that makes us different."

He chuckled. "You were seventeen or eighteen when you got turned, right? That makes me feel old."

"I'm like, nine hundred and ninety years older than you. Thirty times your age! I'm the ancient one here."

"Well, you still look just as young, so no one would be able to tell. Have you always had your hair that short?"

"No. When I was still human, I had it very long. But it was such a burden, so I sliced it off the instant I turned. Only ever grown it during some periods of time, but I've been daggered so often that I never got to try hairstyles from certain decades. I'm still rather pissed I had to miss the Roaring Twenties, but at least, I didn't have to go through the whole depression aspect of it."