Born of Chaos ☽ E. Mikaelson¹

two ☽ a deal

Cora Blackburn was special. Not in the way that parents tell their children that they are; a means of boosting their self-esteem. Cora was special in a way that if she wasn't careful and always overthinking her every move, people would notice. If she didn't take her precautions and her nomadic life seriously, Cora had the potential to leave a mess in her wake. So, Cora didn't leave messes and she wasn't noticed. The power that lived within her remained a meticulously guarded secret known to very few.

Those that did know of her magic tended not to ask her for favours, respecting the way that she chose to stay out of the world's untold supernatural conflicts.

Conflicts like a war between witches and vampires in which a supernatural miracle baby and its mother had become a pawn.

Cora toyed with the purple crystal that hung from her neck, reading a book that was open on her lap. It was none other than a Shakespearean play, her favourite, as a matter of fact. The very play that is believed to cause terrible luck in theatres if one were to say its name outside of the production.

Macbeth.

It was a play that taught a very good lesson, in Cora's opinion. That of, you will run into destiny on the very road that you take to avoid it.

Speaking of destiny, Cora's phone screen flashed with a familiar name. The smile that came to her lips was an unconscious action. She put down her book and accepted the call.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm afraid our business won't be pleasure this time, my dear Cora." Elijah's voice sounded as it always did, collected and even. After how long they'd known one another, Cora still found it a bit difficult to read the man, especially when she couldn't see his face.

"What's that supposed to mean, Elijah?"

"I need your help." It was then that his tone shifted, ever so slightly, growing more serious. At that moment, it wasn't his tone that struck her, causing her nerves to light up, but his choice of words. Words that he'd never spoken to her. "I wouldn't ask you if I had another choice, but I need someone that I trust."

"Is this Originals business?"

Cora could hear him take a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever he was to say next.

"This business will change everything, Cora. There's a young, pregnant werewolf with me and the father of her child is Niklaus."

Once, when Cora had known the Originals by reputation only, she wouldn't have known who Elijah was referring to. Klaus Mikaelson was the one with the infamy. Niklaus was a name that Cora had only ever heard Elijah use, as it embodied a familiarity that few had with Klaus.

When Cora had processed his words, putting together the "pregnant werewolf" and "Niklaus" parts, she still had some thinking to do about the situation. At first, she thought about how vampires were technically dead, but then she remembered a story that Elijah had told her once.

"He was born a werewolf, was he not? Before he was a vampire?" Cora asked quietly, her free hand wrapping around the ridges of her necklace pendant once more.

"It seems Niklaus's hybrid nature created a loophole."

"So what is it that you need me for, Elijah?"

"I need a witch like you. Someone willing to break the rules to protect this child because I can only do so much as a vampire."

Cora paused, considering what Elijah was asking of her. He noticed her hesitancy and he spoke again.

"I'm asking a lot of you, Cora. To pause your life, as it were, and I don't know how long I'll be needing you. If you agree, I will be in your debt."