Talia Young messed with fate by saving Kol Mikaelson, now this word must face the repercussions of it. And the Mikaelson must wrap their ancient brains around these four girls, their mates.
"She's...she's my mate," Kol spoke softly to his sister, "a...
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"You mean to tell me that I am the 'Witch Protector' as you call it?" Ariadne was in pure disbelief, "Darling you must have me confused for someone else."
Talia shook her head, "No. I had a vision where two women, Helen and Sola, told me who you were."
"Helen and Sola?"
"Do you mean Sola Tamrat?" Ariadne asked, "...And Helen of Kos?"
Talia was not sure what to say, she did not know who Helen and Sola were, or how Ariadne could know them.
They were dead. Talia assumed they had long been dead, and yet Ariadne held some sort of understanding as to who they were.
How?
What did Ariadne know?
"I do not know who they are," Talia confessed.
"Was Helen more of a crone-like figure and Sola more maidenly?"
Talia nodded.
"Helen and Sola were once among a coven thousands of years ago, the very coven that Silas heralded from. As did Qetsiyah." Ariadne explained, pausing, "You are aware of who they are yes?"
Talia smirked, "I killed Silas."
"You what?" Ariadne blinked, "You, a twenty-year-old girl from a world in which our world is fiction, killed Silas? Fucking Silas?"
Rebekah clicked her tongue, "She did die though to have a witchy vision while that was happening."
"You died? I should not be surprised...associating with Mikaelsons tends to get people killed. Especially my kind." Ariadne took care to include the final sentence.
Talia shrugged her shoulders, "I mean, it wasn't painful in case you were wondering."
"I wasn't," Ariadne quipped.
"Why did you want to meet with us anyway?" Talia asked, "Well, meet with me. I gathered Marcel added the whole 'bring only Rebekah' part so that I would be more willing to come."
Ariadne smirked, "Well, perhaps you aren't such a child as I first believed."
"Aren't we like...the same age?" Talia asked, examining Ariadne.
"Darling I'm twenty three, we aren't the same age. You are eternally twenty, we shall never be the same age."
"We're like three years apart."
"Physically...sure. Intellectually...never."
Talia attempted to ignore Ariadne's comments.
"Look," Ariadne spoke. She quickly took a sip of her drink. "Sola predicted the end of all witches if you were to remain here and interfere with the natural order," Ariadne slowly revealed.
Talia didn't understand, "But Sola-"
"Sola is a maiden who has always had a single agenda - to be the most powerful witch this world has ever known."
"But she's dead."
That much was true. "Yes. And your being here keeps her dead. She would use the power surge created in your exit of our world to bring herself back from the dead."
"So you aren't here to send us back?" Talia asked.
Ariadne shook her head, "By the Gods no. I simply need your help in restoring the balance as much as I can. That means the completion of the harvest."
Rebekah scoffed, "Are you mad?"
"Very much so."
"We cannot complete the harvest. Those girls will die."
The witch rolled her eyes, "I do not believe you understand what the harvest is do you?"
Rebekah did not answer.
"You realise that three of the harvest girls are already dead? My cousin Cassie being among them. They can't come back unless the harvest is completed."
Rebekah didn't understand, "I was under the impression-"
"That the harvest had not yet begun? Sorry to disappoint you sweetheart but three of the girls have already been sacrificed."
"And the fourth?"
"Alive," Marcel cut in.
"She has to die Marcel. You know that."
It made Marcel sick to his stomach. Children dying. Innocent girls dying. And for what? To please some arrogant, self-serving ancestors? Everyone knew there were far better reasons to die.
But now, those girls were left with no choice. Davina had to die to complete the harvest. It had to be done.
Marcel made no comment in response as he found himself bereft a voice to even make reply. He merely sat and listened.
"Davina must die to restore the balance. She must die to complete the harvest. Once begun, it must be completed or by the gods we shall all face the damned consequences."
Talia nodded, "Can we make a deal then?"
"Do you really want to be making deals without your mate here to approve them?"
"I don't need him to approve anything I do. I'm My own person."
"I never said you weren't, however, your mate, The Wily Fox, has a track record. Im merely expressing concern for someone I'm considering making a deal with."
Talia did not like it. She did not like it one bit. In truth, Ariadne rubbed her the wrong way. There was something very off about her.
"I don't need your concern."
"And I don't need your adolescent-adjacent attitude, Miss Young, and yet I tolerate it anyway because beside your sits an original vampire and I would prefer not to piss her off in any manner."
Rebekah raised a brow. Something Ariadne noticed.
"You see, Miss Young, the smart people of this world know better than to piss off ancient beings. Now, granted that you are not from this world and find yourself fortunate enough to be mated to one, I would not expect you to be familiar with the concept, but I recommend acquainting yourself with it, should you ever cross an ancient being."
Talia listened and took note. She knew beings existed that were older than the Mikaelsons. Silas and Amara were evidence of that. As was Qetsiyah.
Helen and Sola were certainly ancient. How ancient? Talia could not answer that. She believed that Ariadne could - the witch before her possess knowledge and wisdom beyond that of a twenty-something year old witch.
She was wise beyond her years. Freakishly so.
"Can we come to a deal, Ariadne?"
Ariadne glanced at Rebekah, who gave her a soft look of wonder and curiosity, not even a morsel of indication as to whether she wanted Ariadne to make a deal with Talia.
That was what she had wanted though. She wanted to see what Rebekah thought. She wanted to know what Rebekah wanted.
Eventually, Rebekah let slip her wants. She wanted the deal. She wanted it more than Talia did.
She was curious. Questioning. With her eyes she attempted to investigate every inch of Ariadne for some clue as to who she was. The witch could feel it.
She felt Rebekah's eyes burn into her body, every part of her was on fire, yet her eyes were cold as ice.
