From a Cradle to a Grave

Chapter 21

Aurora de Martel's Pov

'A grand spectacle. The greatest the world has ever seen.'

The words that I've been repeating to myself on a daily basis for the past fourteen years echoes inside my mind.

I sit inside my office, and watch as the seconds tick by on the clock in front of me.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The smile on my lips widen.

A grand spectacle. The greatest the world has ever seen.

I think back to the year that I made this vow. The year that I secretly visited New Orleans, without Tristan finding out. I was planning on making a surprise visit into Niklaus's home, and yet I was stopped by the sight of him laughing and talking to a pregnant woman. They truly looked happy together.

And of course, this just made me furious.

That fury was powered even further when, later that year, Niklaus went on a monstrous rampage throughout the world. Apparently, the loss of his daughter, along with the fact that his siblings and even that pregnant woman had abandoned him, had been enough to totally drive him over the edge.

While on a hunt to track down Hayley Marshall, Niklaus fell into the habit of locating, torturing, and killing his old enemies. Tristan and Lucien fell into the category of these many unfortunate victims.

I was residing in a Buddhist monastery when the murders occurred. When I heard about what happened to my brother and who had done the horrifying deed, I screamed so loudly that my throat began to bleed.

After that, I threw a small tantrum. I tore out the hearts of every single monk living in that monastery, and fed on the blood that pooled out of their corpses.

Why would Niklaus do such a thing? How could he do such a thing? I never really much cared for Lucien, but he was still a loyal suitor to have around. He gave me a sense of stability- not that I ever really needed it. But still!

And as for Tristan- My brother of one thousand years. He had been murdered just like that.

So not only had Niklaus betrayed me by falling in love with some stupid Crescent Werewolf, but he had also killed the two constants in my life. Lucien and Tristan.

Tristan. What was I supposed to do with my life now that Tristan was gone?

The answer to that question was quite easy to find, really. I was going to put on a grand spectacle. The greatest the world had ever seen.

I had waited one thousand years to meet Niklaus again. I could wait a few decades longer. I knew it would only be a matter of time before the perfect opportunity popped up...

And it has. When little Hope Mikaelson broke her werewolf curse, the cloaking enchantments that had been surrounding her since the day she was 'killed' were shattered. This allowed the Strix witches, who are under my employment now, to locate her and tell me everything about the life that Hope was leading.

Finally, the time has come. I'll admit, Freya Mikaelson showing up at this school took me by surprise. But then again, I love surprises. Life is simply not fun without them.

Regardless, my plan will succeed. All it took was killing off that Charity Burbage woman, and a little magic on the Strix witches' part. I'm officially the new Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Hello, Cynthia," I wave to my mirror.

The magical image of a witch appears on the mirror.

"It has been done," Cynthia says. "Klaus Mikaelson and Hayley Marshall were blown out of the sky. The message has been delivered."

"Fabulous," I smile. "Did my vampires use a mix of witch, werewolf, and vampire blood, like I told them to?" I ask.

I may have managed to guilt trip the Strix witches into joining my cause, but the vampire members of the Strix were not so easily convinced. They chose to stand by Aya's side, and instead of avenging the death of my brother, they decided it would be best to go after Elijah, instead.

"A weapon lethal to the Originals still exists, Aurora," I say shrilly, mimicking Aya's voice. "We need to go after Elijah and trap him in an unbreakable prison, Aurora. It's the logical choice to make, Aurora."

And so, the Strix vampires and I parted ways.

Therefore, now, I have to make do with stupid newbie vampires who only obey me because I continuously threaten to have their loved ones tortured to death. It's a rather irritating process, really.

'Just a few more months,' I think to myself. 'A few more months is all I need for my grand spectacle to finally take place.'

I throw my head back and let out a cackle.

No one will ever see it coming. They'll never know, not until the very last second.

And by then, it will have been too late.