Two Beasts | Mikael

Chapter Nine

 Radu brought Mikael to the library, and lit the candles and the fireplace to give them some light.

 "Have you collected all these yourself?" Mikael asked, looking around at the shelves.

 "I have. I know, there's quite a lot of them. I've always had a great interest in books. But I don't think you are interested about my various collections. Please. Sit down."

 Mikael sat down in the chair that sat by the fireplace, looking at him expectantly (and a little nervously, to be quite honest). Radu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring into the fire.

 "It was 1489," he began. "The Mikaelson siblings made their way here. Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Kol. When they first arrived, my wife saw four hungry, weary travelers, and let them come in for a meal and some warmth. It was not until they introduced themselves by name that we realized who they were.

 "We did not know what to think, what to do. Anything we had heard about them was something out of a horrible dream, a nightmare. I do not believe they had any true friends in this world. When they told us their story, we pretended to take pity upon them, and let them stay."

 "Why?" Mikael asked. "You must have planned something."

 "We did. At first, we hoped they would eventually be bored and leave. But then we thought of you. We now knew your story, and knew you would be coming for them. We used the power in our magic in an attempt to lure you here, to them. It was dangerous for us, but we were willing to ally ourselves with you to be rid of them."

 There was a moment's silence, and then Mikael said, "He killed. Your wife, your children, your entire family. But he left you here alone, probably as an example." He got up from the chair. "What about Finn? I had another son, Finn. He was our eldest. Wasn't he with them?"

 "No. They did say they had a brother named Finn, but they said he was 'unable to join them'. Yes, that was how they put it."

 "Oh, God." Mikael turned away from him and began to slowly pace across the floor. "They couldn't have killed him. Not-not their own brother." 

 "I'm afraid I do not know if he is alive or dead," Radu said. "I never saw him."

 Mikael turned back to face him. "Do you see? This is why I have hunted him for so long! All he does is kill and hurt. Look what he did to your wife and children! You did something he didn't like, so he killed him."

 "Mikael, it was Klaus Mikaelson who killed Camelia," Radu said softly. He paused a quick moment before saying, "I killed her."

 Mikael stared at him in surprise, and then sat back down again. "I think you had better tell me that part of the story."

~~~~~~

 Radu awoke to a dark room. It was completely dark, but he found he could see rather well.

 "Radu?"

 Camelia stood in a corner. She was trembling, and tears were running down her cheeks.

 "I thought he killed you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

 "No. No, I'm here." He got up, and held out his hands. "He didn't kill me."

 "But the children. All of them." She let herself sink into his arms, and her body shuddered with a sob. "He killed them all, and he killed you. He locked us in here, and said that this would be an example."

 "You do not have to worry," Radu whispered. "He will never hurt you. Never again."

 Radu held his sobbing wife in his arms, but as he did, something inside of him changed. He could hear the beating of her heart, could smell her blood, had the desire to taste it...

~~~~~~

 Mikael's face had changed to a look of absolute horror, as if he had no idea how to even respond to such events.

 "Well, go on," Radu said, feeling tears coming to his eyes. "Say it. It doesn't matter anymore."

 "He turned you. He turned you, and then he made you kill your own wife. Radu," Mikael got up again, "It was not your fault. You really don't believe that, do you?"

 "How could I not? I'm the one that murdered her, aren't I? I murdered her myself. He did not make me do that. I did it myself."

 The horrified look in Mikael's eyes changed to one of pity and sorrow.

 "I had a wife and children, too," he said. "I lost them all, one by one. I had another daughter, a beautiful little girl named Freya. She was perfect, in every way, and then disease took her from me. Years after that, my youngest boy, little Henrik, was killed by werewolves. In our grief, my wife and I turned our remaining children into vampires. I had to give them blood-laced wine, and kill them.

 "It was some time after that when I discovered that Niklaus was not my son. My wife Esther had had an affair with one of neighbors years before. I killed the man, and his entire family, out of anger and humiliation. But when I returned, I found Esther dead. Niklaus had murdered her, his own mother. He made his siblings, my children believe I murdered her myself. That is why I have hunted him down for so long."

 There were many pauses and long spaces in this story, but Radu listened with interest to the entire thing.

 "I will say this," Mikael continued, stepping backwards towards the door. "At least you had a wife who was always loving and faithful, and your children died loving you. I never had that, and I never will."