𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐈𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧.
Humans reveled in the idea of immortality, but those who possessed it wer...
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994 - Vinland (present-day America)
Elijah hadn't seen Astra in days and it was beginning to affect him. Since they met as children, they had never gone this long without speaking. He tried to occupy his time by taking care of his youngest brother and training his other brothers, but it did little to relieve the ache he felt being so distant with his best friend.
He was hurt that Astra had been with someone else, but he was more hurt that she had lied to him. Deep down he knew they were temporary. Elijah knew what he wanted for his future. He wanted to build a home, to have a wife and children. Most importantly, he wanted to stay close to his siblings and watch them grow and begin their own lives. While Astra had no desire to marry or have children. She wanted to explore and leave this village as soon as she could. Elijah had always assumed she would change her mind at some point, but obviously, that hadn't been the case.
And, if he was being honest, it wasn't fair for him to assume that of her.
The sun was high in the sky and Elijah knew his mother wouldn't be expecting them back for hours. His brothers were asking where Astra was as she often inserted herself into their training. Elijah simply avoided the probing questions, directing them back to their training. He had no desire to try and explain the state of his relationship with Astra when he wasn't even sure himself.
"You should go find her." His little brother approached him where Elijah had been leaning against a tree watching Niklaus and Kol spar. Apparently, he had been so lost in thought that he didn't notice them stop and Niklaus approach him. "Astra, I mean. It's strange that she hasn't been here."
Elijah agreed, it did feel strange without her. She had been such a fixture in their lives. Especially for his younger siblings. Niklaus likely couldn't even remember a time before Astra had come into their lives.
"I will," Elijah placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "As soon as you disarm Kol."
He watched his brother sulk back over to where Kol was waiting with a lopsided grin. Kol enjoyed antagonizing Niklaus, which Elijah assumed was normal for a little brother since Niklaus seemed to enjoy antagonizing him. He saw Niklaus grip his necklace tightly, a sign that he was nervous. He pitied his brother. He was working twice as hard as Kol and yet couldn't seem to get the upper hand when they sparred, despite being older by two summers.
"Kol is quick," Elijah whispered to his brother. "But he's rash. Let him make the first move. He'll let his arrogance get in the way, and then you make your move."
Kol narrowed his eyes at his older brothers as they whispered strategy. Elijah never needed to coach him, but rather critiqued him for favoring agility over technique. Kol simply argued he would learn technique when he had an opponent worthy of it, which would set Niklaus into a fit of anger.
