Born of Chaos ☽ E. Mikaelson¹

twenty-three ☽ jason

"You want me to remember what happened to me on the Other Side? How do you expect me to do that?" Cora asked, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at Theo. They were in her room following a silencing spell that Theo had cast for their purposes.

"We're going to connect with the Other Side."

"Hell no." Cora's mind raced with the possibilities of what might happen if she went through with that. "No. If someone from there has a foothold because of me, I'm not giving them more of a chance for anything."

Sure, Cora wanted to know what happened when she was on the Other Side, but at the same time, a part of her thought that she might be better off without it. Either way she was reluctant to the very highest degree.

"Cora. I need to know the specifics if I'm going to make sure you stay safe," Theo told her firmly, indicating that there was no room for her negotiation. "And you're not going to the Other Side alone. I've got a couple of my ancestors keeping an eye on you."

"Your ancestors?"

"Did I ever tell you helping chaos witches runs in my family?"

"I think I'd remember if you told me that, Theo. Did my mom know that? Is that why she brought me to you way back when?" Cora asked quietly, her voice breaking with emotion.

"Back then, I promised your mom I'd teach you. Seems I didn't teach you enough because if I did, you wouldn't be in the situation."

"You mean with the Mikaelsons? Please don't go all worried parent on me now–" Cora grumbled with annoyance, already perturbed by the numerous awkward situations she'd found herself in recently. She couldn't add a worried, overprotective father-like figure to the list.

"No, no. I may not be thrilled about your match with Elijah Mikaelson, but I know love can't be controlled, honey, and the way that man looks at you...I have a feeling you're safer with him than you've been most of your life."

"Is that approval in your voice?" Cora teased quietly, sitting down on her bed in front of him.

"Begruding acceptance, hon," Theo corrected, looking at her fondly. "But the situation I'm talking about is you being spiritually vulnerable. Because your mind's so damn strong, I thought that would mean you'd be safe. I was wrong and that's my fault. So, you and I are going to learn the specifics of what you did on the Other Side and then we're gonna protect you, alright?"

"Okay."

Theo practiced spiritual magic, kind of like the magic of the ancestors that ruled New Orleans, but different. He gathered strength and support from his bloodline, his ancestors, but they did not dictate his actions. As a result, Theo saw a lot into the Other Side and he knew how to connect Cora there.

Cora laid down on the bed and Theo injected her with a potion that would put her in a deep enough sleep that she could access the Other Side. He would guard over her and protect her until she returned, hopefully with answers in hand.

"The little chaos witch. Welcome back to the land of the dead."

When Cora woke up in the Other Side, she wasn't alone there. A dark-skinned woman with curly hair seemed to be waiting for her.

"Do I know you?"

"The Original witch really did a number on you." The woman reached out and placed her fingers on Cora's temples. Instantly, Cora was bombarded with memories. The people she'd seen on the other side.

The Original Witch.

Her father.

"Sarah," Cora realized, looking at the older woman in front of her. The witch winked and nodded. "You're Theo's aunt."