His Protector | TVD & TO

Chapter 9

1005 A.D.

A wolf is a wolf, even in a cage, even dressed in silk.

~ Flashback ~

Twelve years ago

"Elijah, I need you to do something for the family."

"What do you mean, father?"

"You know who Solas and Jhaeros are, correct?"

"Yes, Father, what about them?"

"I want you to get to Solas, for his father imposes a danger to our family and the village. There will be a time when we will take him down."

"But, father, I do not understand. Why does this have to involve Solas?"

"Do you remember your younger brother Niklaus?"

"Yes, Father, you said a monster took him from us."

"Solas is Niklaus; Jhaeros took Niklaus away from us. Once we get rid of Jhaeros, we can get Niklaus back. Will you do this for your family?"

"Of course, Father, family above all else, always and forever."

~Present~

Elijah shook his head as he looked towards the forest; it's been three and ten years since that conversation with his father. He had new siblings, and their names were Kol, Rebekah, and Henrik. He was overjoyed to be an elder brother, but his mind couldn't help but wonder about Niklaus. 'Would things be different if Niklaus was here?' 'What if that monster was hurting him?' 'Would Niklaus also be overjoyed to have younger siblings?' There were too many questions and not enough answers. Anytime they were together hunting or conversing, Solas was cautious with his words and never told Elijah about his life. However, Solas was even more wary than usual over the last two winters. It was like he was waiting for Elijah to betray him; he couldn't help but feel nervous. His father warned him about being around Jhaeros, so he ensured Solas was always alone when they met. He still remembers the first time they met, his haunting pale skin, the platinum locks slightly moving with the breeze, but what was most memorable was those grey-blue eyes that were as cold as winter and the bone-chilling gaze staring into his soul. He shuttered, just thinking about that gaze again after all this time.

"Elijah," A smooth voice shook him from his thoughts. He turned to see the person he was thinking about standing in his full glory. "Are you feeling well, my Mellon?"

Elijah shook his head and plastered a fake smile: "I am well, my friend; there is no need to worry about me."

Solas narrowed his eyes as he heard a blip in Elijah's heart, a tall tell sign that what he was told was a lie. However, he couldn't tell Elijah that he knew it was a lie, for no one knew what he truly was besides his father and Ansel. Instead, he huffed before speaking again, "Well then, we are burning light. If you want to go hunt, we should go now."

Elijah followed after Solas into the woods; they didn't get far before a crow swooped down and landed on Solas's shoulder. The crow was always seen as odd to Elijah; it wasn't the pitch black feathers that shined in the odd sunlight, no, it was the grayish-blueish eyes that sent a shiver down his spine. He could see the intelligence shine in the crow's eyes; it was always watching his movement. It was nerve-wracking for such a small creature to frighten him. He was the predator to the crow, not the prey, yet it did not feel that way. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Solas call out his name.

"Elijah, are you sure you are feeling well? Your mind seems to be swarming in darkness." Solas asked, his eyes twinkling with concern.

"I am well, my friend. There is no need to worry about me. I was thinking about how exquisite your crow's eye color was. I have never seen a crow with grayish-blueish eyes. You never told me the name of your crow." Elijah carefully prodded

"His name is Umbra; my father gave him to me. Umbra is my familiar," Solas spoke with pride and fondness as he petted the crow, who preened underneath his touch.

Elijah hummed, "What does his name mean, and how does him being your familiar have anything to do with his eyes?"

"Umbra and I can share eyesight, meaning anything he sees, I see. His name means Shadow; I found it fitting because he always follows like a shadow. He always makes sure I am safe and protected."

"But why a crow? Why was he picked as your familiar? Does your father have one?" Elijah couldn't help but question and think, 'Why have such a weak creature when you could have a powerful one like a wolf or bear?'

"My father told me, 'That crows remember faces. They remember the people who feed them, are kind to them, and who wrong them. They never forget. They tell each other who to look after and who to watch out for.' I find them unique, and so does my father. We have always been fond of crows; they are like kindred spirits. My father's familiar is the mother to mine. Her name is Melantha, which means dark flower. My father decided that if I were going to have a familiar, he would find one to watch over me as Melantha watches over him. When he found out Melantha had an heir, he knew Umbra was meant for me." Solas whimsically spoke

Elijah studied Solas's expression for a few moments, "What do you mean by kindred spirits?"

"Crows are often seen as evil, but they are not. Crows symbolize transformation, change, and destiny. There is a saying, 'Seeing a single crow is often thought to be a bad omen, but seeing two could indicate good luck is coming. Seeing three suggests an impending change.' My father and I can relate because people assume we are evil. After all, we are different, and people fear what is different."

Hearing what Solas said, Elijah drifted into deep thought as they continued to scavenge the woods for something to hunt. It wasn't until Elijah heard flapping that he saw two other crows watching their movements through the woods. He couldn't help but think about Solas's saying, 'Seeing a single crow is often thought to be a bad omen, but seeing two could indicate good luck is coming. Seeing three suggests an impending change.' Elijah counted, and he saw three crows.

Little did Elijah know that the crow's warning would cause the change in history that would lead to his little brother Henrik's death. This created a domino effect, making his parents turn to the dark arts a year later to protect their children by turning them into monsters. The fates were always such tricky creatures, and they had a way of spinning the game of life so that people would play their part.