Simple Secrets || N. Mikaelson

~15~

✧✶⭒☆⭒✶✧

Talia lounged across her bed, long legs kicking listlessly through the air above her hips as she read. She felt like a teenage girl writing in her diary, and she loved it. 

Dark curls tumbled around her face, framing her dark eyes and tickling her jaw. She tucked it back behind her ear, flipping pages. Her mind began wandering before the sound of her door opened caused her head to snap up. 

Turning to looked over her shoulder, her dark eyes narrowed at the sight of Esther standing there. "Hello, Talia." Her voice was smooth like satin, but it made the brunette grimace. "How are you, dear?"

Sitting up, Talia frowned heavily. "Fine. What do you want?" 

"Just to be a family, Talia. I have missed my family, all I want is to be with them." She took a slow step forward, searching the girl's eyes. "You don't like me and have made that very clear. I want you to know that you are temporary, Talia. You may be Niklaus's soulmate, but you're temporary. I am his mother. I am forever. A soulmate bond can be broken, but a bond of family cannot." 

The Companion felt her breath stop in her throat, and sudden rage overcame her. "You're just a psycho, resurrected bitch. Sooner than later he's gonna figure out how fake you are, and I'm gonna be smiling as he rips your black heart from your chest." Standing and closing the distance between them, Talia pressed one, long, manicured nail into Esther's chest. "You're right, I don't like you. I don't trust you. I don't believe you. Leave." 

Esther sucked in a steady breath, her brown eyes moving over Talia's face. "You have the Mikaelson temper, but you are not a Mikaelson. You'll never be a Mikaelson. There's a ball, do come. Wear something . . ." Esther lazily looked over Talia's attire and then back up, "presentable."

It made the Companion sneer. 

✧✶⭒☆⭒✶✧

Talia Monroe sat at her desk, curling her newly straightened hair. Her eyes moved over her appearance. Large, owlish, brown eyes, loosely curled brown hair, and puckered lips. For a fraction of a second, she doubted her own appearance for shaking her head. She was beautiful, it didn't matter if nobody told her. She knew she was beautiful without compliments, however they were duly appreciated. 

Sighing and falling back against the chair, the young woman could feel her chest deflate. Esther was right, in a way. She wasn't as important as family. She'd never be the same level as Niklaus's family for him. He held them above everyone else, even himself. If it was a choice between her or Rebekah, it would be Rebekah he would choose. Even if it meant that he would die, too. 

Her head spun, knowing she had never had anyone that she had that much of an attachment to. No one except for Klaus, and even that was forced. 

Hearing her door open, the brunette looked over her shoulder. 

Speak of the devil. 

Klaus stood there wearing a white bowtie, his blue eyes crinkling into the slightest of smiles at the sight of her. "Hello, Talia." 

"I'm guessing you have a date for tonight?" She queried lazily, finishing up curling her hair before moving to make-up. 

Klaus approached, resting his hands on the back of her chair. He watched their two appearances in the mirror, his blue eyes meeting her dark pair. "Yes, a girl named Caroline Forbes. Do you?" 

She shook her head, rubbing her nose to ease the headache. "I was hoping it could be you, but I suppose I'll find someone else. Your mother threatened me today."