𝔅𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔞𝔩 x Klaus Mikaelson

Fifteen

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"History is written by the victors."

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THERE WAS UTTER silence at the table in front of me, and already I was dying of boredom. Thankfully, the sound of a gentle tapping of silverware against glass drew my attention away from the other people staring on amusedly at the table.

I looked up, watching in mild embarrassment as Klaus clinked his glass, standing from his chair. Oh, God. "Let us begin with a toast to our shared gift: immortality." he began and I thinned my lips, wishing I had some sort of food in front of me to stuff my face with. "After a thousand years, one might expect for a life to be less keenly felt, for its beauties and its sorrows to diminish with time. But as vampires, we feel more deeply than humans could possibly imagine." he gestured with two fingers, signaling for the compelled waiters to step forward. "Insatiable need, exquisite pain." as if on cue, the waiters cut into their wrists, holding their arms over the awaiting champagne glasses. "Our victories, and our defeats." Klaus raised his glass higher. "To my city, my home again. May the blood never cease to flow—"

Marcel, sitting across from me, finished the sentence half-heartedly, "And the party never end." he raised his glass in toast.

"To New Orleans." Diego brought up his glass a few seats away.

"New Orleans!" Everyone echoed.

Klaus went on, "I understand that some of you may have questions regarding the recent change in leadership. And I invited you here tonight to assure you that you are not defeated. No. My intentions moving forward are to celebrate what we have. What Marcel, in fact...took." he gestured hand toward Marcel.

At this I froze. It was not just Marcel that took it, it was me. But we didn't take anything. We built it, we made it, and then broke it and built it again. Sure, Klaus built the foundation. But Marcel and I turned this city into what it was now, gave it life.

I clutched my fork a bit tighter, working my jaw as I fought the urge to say something.

Klaus placed a hand atop Marcel's shoulder, "...and built into this; a true community of vampires." my brows rose. Well, that was unexpected.

"Hello," I chimed in a drawl. "I'm part witch. Can't forget about that, can you?" Though my words were directed toward Klaus, my eyes were on my friend. Marcel caught my gaze, narrowing his own as he figured out my words were directed toward him. Perhaps that was petty. But he was being rude, and I was determined to rub it in his face.

I might have been embarrassed to say such a thing had I not known all these people personally.

Klaus seemed to be fighting a roll of his eyes, looking down before he continued, "Had you let me finish, I would have explained to those around us that there is, of course, one further matter I'd like to discuss." he rounded the table toward me, placing a hand on my shoulder just as he'd done with Marcel, though I'd like to hope the motion was a bit less passive aggressive. "As many of you know, your friend is carrying my child."