[2] Darkest Hour • The Originals ✓

xxv.

chapter twenty-five.

"It's a shame, really, for you to lose New Orleans. You've worked so hard to make this city a home." Finn spoke up as Klaus and Elijah were now seated as well. "On the other hand, this city hasn't given you much in the way of good fortune. You have Marcel's betrayal, Father's attack, the loss of your child."

Elijah shot Klaus a look, but Klaus remained unfazed, Elijah looked to Matthias, and he looked uninterested. "It is a delicate craft." Finn looked over at him, puzzled. "Representational magic. One must be ever so precise. If you misrepresent us, the very enchantment that this room was built upon would collapse, would it not?"

"I assure you, you have not been misrepresented." Finn told him.

"Well, that depends upon how well the hunter knows his prey." Elijah said.

Matthias then perked up, "Oh is this where you come clean to Klaus now?"

Elijah ignored Matthias while Finn looked interested. "This façade, this illusion that I have created over the course of my life." Elijah stood and turned to look at the stag above him. "The noble stag. Is nothing more than a deception. To myself. To everyone." He turned to Klaus. "If I were a truly noble brother, I would not withheld from you a vile deed. One that I, like a coward, allowed Mother to erase from my memory. It was I who killed Tatia."

Matthias crossed his arms over his chest while Klaus was stunned. The room began to shake just barely as Elijah continued on with his confession, hoping it was enough to break Finn's hold on them.

"I hunted her down, and mercilessly, I feasted upon her flesh. I tore her from us. Mother took the blame." He knelt in front of Klaus. "Brother, I felt certain if you knew, you would in no way forgive me." Elijah looked disgusted and ashamed of himself, but Klaus simply looked at him sadly.

"The act may be reprehensible, but your admitting to it proves you to be the man I thought you to be." Finn told him while lifting his arms and gesturing to the room. "My magic stands."

"Does it?" Klaus asked him. "It turns out my brother is even more depraved than I am." Elijah looked up at Klaus with tears in his eyes, but Finn looked only alarmed as Klaus stood and looked at the heads on the walls. "He is the noble stag no longer. Indeed, another altogether different beast is creeping through the cracks. And you have also failed in your representation of me, because there is one thing you have never thought me capable of." Klaus turned back towards Elijah and places a hand on his shoulder with a squeeze. "Forgiveness."

The room began to shake, and Matthias was impressed at this while Finn looked concerned at how wrong he had gotten it all. He was so sure that he had gotten it right.

"You, Finn, have remained a boar for centuries, but here is where your true fault lies: You never learnt that the bonds of family far outweigh anything else! Such bonds trump petty jealousies. They overcome ancient feuds. And, yes, they are capable of allowing one monster to pardon the great sins of another." Klaus told him before looking at Elijah.

The animals began to go up in flames and Finn is shocked as he stood to his feet and looked around. "How is this possible?"

"Because you only know me and Kol." Matthias spoke up. "Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah abandoned you long ago, but you know me and Kol best of all."

Finn looked at Matthias sadly, tears daring to fall before the look was gone and his eyes were hazed over once again, void of emotion towards the brother he loves more than anything. Before Klaus and Elijah could dare to move, Finn waved his hand, and they were gone.

"I will save you." Matthias promised Finn softly as Finn looked at him.

"How are you so sure that I'm worth saving?" Finn dared to ask.