PERIPETEIA ⚜️ E.MIKAELSON

[ The Plan ]

CHAPTER 7
[ New Orleans, 2011 ]

Klaus was sat at his desk, entangled within the pages before him when his phone began to ring. "Little sister!"

"Well, brother, I believe I've made certain Marcel will be properly distracted tonight." Klaus could almost hear Rebekah's smugness through the phone.

"Dare I ask?" He questioned, setting his pencil down.

"Let's just say his attention will not be on us. I did my bit. What are you doing to ensure Elijah's safe return?" Rebekah questioned as she made her way back towards the mansion.

"Currently, I'm preparing insurance against the tenderhearted." A small smirk played upon his lips at the thought.

"Meaning?"

"We need proper motivation for Katie to cast a powerful spell tonight. I'm creating that motivation. Marcel has ordered a rousting of the witches."

At the cauldron, Marcels vampires had began to cause mayhem, appearing from no where while witches ran for safety. Klaus had ensured that Georgia was aware of the arrangements before hand, to guarantee her safety.

"And I, in turn, have arranged for things to go tragically wrong." Earlier in the day, Klaus had finally put his unvervained nightwalker to good use, seizing the perfect opportunity.

The vampires began to wreck everything of value, while the witches could do nothing but watch in horror. Thierry, Marcels right hand man stepped descreetly through a back door, to be met by Katie, who greeted him with a kiss.

"Hey! What's happening out there?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Oh, it's Klaus. He's convinced Marcel that the witches are planning to make a move against him. Marcel wants us to send a message..." Thierry sighed, running his hands along her sides. Flashing Katie an apologetic smile as he knocked a small vile from the counter.  "...And if he thought I was playing favorites because I'm in love with a witch - "

A large smile spread across Katie's face as she interrupted him. "Say that again."

"I love you, Katie. And all this is gonna be okay, I promise."

"Marcel may not be concerned with Thierry's romantic entanglements..."  Klaus began, his tone menacing.

Thierry made his way out of Jardin Gris and accidentally bumped into another vampire.

"I already got that one." Thierry shook his head as he walked away, failing to look back and see the vampire continue into the shop anyway.

"But there are other crimes which he'll be less inclined to so easily forgive..."

Thierry turned quickly, as he heard Katie scream from within Jardin Gris, to see the vampire dragging her outside and slamming her against a wall, drawing blood. Thierry lunged at the vampire.

"Leave her alone! Get off!" Gripping him, Thierry threw the vampire across the courtyard, watching as he crashed into a picnic table. Thierry wasted no time in grabbing a large fragment of the table and plunging it into his chest.

The entire square fell silent as each and every vampire and witch alike knew of the consequences of Thierry's actions

"Killing a vampire, for example. That would be unforgivable. If Katie hopes to save her one true love from Marcel's punishment? Well, a rescue mission like that will require something positively magical. But then... what's worth dying for, if not love?"

Katie watched her boyfriend in horror, alongside Diego and the rest of the vampires. Even Thierry couldn't comprehend the mistake he had made, and the trap he had so willingly fallen in to.

──────── ✧ ────────

At the masquerade ball, later in the evening - Marcel was dancing with a young blonde which to Klaus' surprise was not Rebekah. The siblings watched from afar as the pair laughed and danced to the music

"I thought you said you were in community work." Cami raised an eyebrow as they swayed.

"Community fundraising. Throw a party, folks open their wallets. It's kind of my thing. Guess I'm what you call a necessary evil." She nodded at his answer, still suspicious. Cami always did have good intuition.

"And Rebekah, she's one of your donors?" Marcel chuckled and shook his head.

"She's an old friend."

"Can't be that old. She looks younger than me." Cami's stare became more stern, as Marcel became more secretive.

"You'd be surprised. I was a kid when I met her." Marcel sighed, glancing towards the Mikaelson's who were having their own conversation. "Enough about her. I just want to be right here with you."

"You really are a hideously evil little thing, aren't you?" Klaus spoke, watching the pair closely.

"Nonsense. They're perfect for each other! You wanted Marcel distracted? Voilà." As she spoke, Diego entered the courtyard. He made a quick B-line for Marcel once he spotted him, apprehension and fear evident on his face.

"My cue to leave." Rebekah whispered quietly to Klaus as she stepped away, and out of sight.

Diego pulled away as Marcel glanced around the room, his eyes catching Thierry's - who stood anxiously at the other end of the courtyard.

"Excuse me." Marcel quickly apologised to cami before making his way towards his right hand man and gripping him by the throat. Camille watched in concern from the dance floor.

"What the hell did you do?" Marcel pushed him against the wall, Diego noticed the silent stares from within the room and intervened.

"Whoa, not here. No, not here." A deep sigh fell from
Marcels lips as he backed away. Klaus watched smugly as he watched his plan unfold exactly as he had invisioned it.

──────── ✧ ────────

As Klaus' plan began to unfold, Georgia found herself comforting an emotional Katie within one of Lafayette's many mausoleums.

"I know you think he's a monster." Katie choked out, giving up on her attempts to wipe her tears.

"That doesn't matter Katie" the witch shook her head, as she rested her hand upon her shoulder. "What matters is what Marcel will do. Thierry killed another vampire. He broke Marcel's biggest rule. You'll never see him again... unless we do something."

Katie glanced at the girl, a puzzled look spread across her features. "We"?

"I want to save our people. You want to save Thierry? There's only one way we can do both."...