The Forgotten Salvatore Book 5

For The Next Millennium

Flashback ~ France ~ 1002 A.D.

"In the beginning, we were so naive. Our mother had made us into beasts who fed on blood. But immortality was beyond our grasp, compulsion a trick we had yet to learn." Klaus voiced over the memory. The man driving the carriage stops his horse and hops down from the cart when he sees a wooden cart abandoned on the side of the road. He walks toward it to investigate what is going on. "All we knew was a fear of being hunted... That, and a terrible hunger." Klaus voiced over. The man slowly approaches the cart and peeks inside. As he looks at the cart, he finds that the far corner is stained with quite a bit of blood.

"So we ran, as a family. And when we needed to, as a family, we fed." Klaus voiced over. Suddenly, the man is yanked away from the cart at vampire speed. Moments later, the scene cuts to a long-haired Elijah, who is in the middle of hiding the man's carriage with tree branches amidst the slurping sounds around him. "Kol, are you quite done?" Elijah asked. Kol, who was feeding deeply on the man on the ground a few feet away, groans in exasperation and sits upright. Behind him, Rebekah, Klaus, and Finn have just finished feeding on the driver's companions and are dragging their bodies toward the cart.

"Oh, bother, Elijah! Is all of this truly necessary?" Kol asked. "Brother, the road is a major thoroughfare-- if the bodies are found, word of our presence will spread to Mikael." Elijah said frustrated. "We have run through autumn and winter, through sleet and snow... Are we cursed to forever live in fear of our father?" Rebekah asked annoyed. "I should say yes, sadly." Finn said. Elijah points at Finn in annoyance. "Finn, please. Niklaus--" Elijah said. Elijah looks over at Klaus, who is petting the carriage driver's horse, for backup in their argument. Rebekah continues to glare at Elijah.

"Do we have any idea where we're running to next?" Rebekah asked unamused. Kol finally finishes feeding on the driver and drops his body on the ground before standing and walking toward his siblings. "Why not just do what we've all thought of doing? Split up!" Kol said. Elijah, clearly not fond of this plan, grimaces as he continues to cover up their victims. Klaus finally speaks up and joins his siblings in their debate. "We swore a vow!" Klaus said. "Your vows haunt me more than Father himself! At least he can't chase us all. I say we take our chances." Kol said losing his temper. Klaus glares at Kol. Finn, looking torn between the two sides, hesitates before speaking.

"Perhaps Kol is right--" Finn said but was cut off. "Thank you, Finn! Yeah, I've always said, "Oldest is the most intelligent--"" Kol said relieved but was cut off. "Stop talking" Finn said. Finn turns to Elijah with a pleading expression before continuing on. "I take no joy in our assent, but I do wish to sleep in a bed. To bathe in a bath, to feed of proper food. If we divide--" Finn said but Elijah interrupts him. "No, brother-- Niklaus is right. We made a vow." Elijah said. He looks at Kol and Finn for a moment before moving so he's standing in the middle of his siblings. "Family above all." Elijah said.

Elijah turns so he can face Klaus, who looks exhausted. "Always and forever." Elijah said. Klaus, touched by his support and loyalty, smiles weakly.

Present Day ~ Mikaelson Compound

In the present, Klaus is standing in the living room, where he's standing in front of the wall of painted portraits of each the Mikaelson siblings at some point in their history. He looks upset as he stares at the portrait of Elijah from what appears to be the Victorian Era, due to the fact that he's wearing a black top hat and a fine evening suit with a yellow vest. "Always and forever, indeed." Klaus said quietly. After a moment, Klaus turns and walks away.

Freya is at the desk in the study, where she is writing a letter to Rebekah. "My dear Rebekah, I hope this finds you well. I write to offer an update and ask for your advice." Freya said voicing over her writing. Downstairs in the dining room, Klaus and Elijah are sitting opposite of each other at the end of the table, staring at each other silently. Klaus looks amused and seems to be challenging Elijah to say something, but Elijah remains silent, his expression emotionless. After a moment, Elijah stands to his feet and leaves the room, glaring at Klaus the entire time. Just as Elijah is about to walk through the door, Klaus opens his mouth to speak, but decides not to say anything at the last moment.