Red Queen ▻ The Originals [1]

24

NEW ORLEANS, 19TH CENTURY

  Three French women were traveling by horse and carriage, accompanied by a driver and a male chaperon, "Excuse me, sir, how long before we arrive at the Governor's house?" One of the females asked curiously.

   The carriage carrying the three women stopped as they approached a group of men with torches and alcohol in the middle of the road who were blocking their path. The men were shouting as they swarmed around them and shook the carriage. 

   The women screamed until the shaking stopped when the sound was suddenly replaced by the shouts of the men outside. They looked around, frightened and confused. The man inside the carriage slowly opened the door and looked around at the devastated of deceased and bloody men scattered on the ground. 

  Afraid, he tried to retreat back into the carriage but was quickly pulled back out by an invisible force, which happened to be Ophelia using her magic. 

  After a moment, the carriage door opened once more. Both Ophelia Rebekah appeared in front of the girl, Rebekah dabbing a dribble of blood from her lips, "There, there little lambs, all the bad men have gone away."

  Rebekah turned to Ophelia waiting for her to speak French to them. Ophelia then began to speak her native tongue, "You're safe here, please forgive my friend's disorder."

   Rebekah smiled as began speaking English to the three girls, "Us girls have got to stick together. Now, is there anything you want to take with you?" She asked curiously.

 Ophelia and Rebekah helped the women out of the carriage and retrieve their trunks from the back. Afterward, they all abandoned the carriage and the carnage and fleed the scene with their belongings.

_________

 Ophelia was outside of a shop on the main street, searching through racks of dresses, "Dull, too plain, hideous..." She muttered to herself as Marcel appeared behind her.

  "Talking about the clothes, or something else?" Marcel asked curiously.

 Ophelia quickly glanced at him before back at the dresses, "Why, are you feeling a  bit insecure, Marcel? This festival might as well be in my honor. I need a proper costume, so screw off."

  "Look, O, things have been getting weird since yesterday when we were about to kiss and then you go one of your premonitions," Marcel attempted to place his hand on her back, but Ophelia quickly pushed his hand away. "No, don't," Ophelia argued, "I don't know what the hell I've been doing, but I'm definetely not the girl to sleep with her one of her exes just to get back with another the next day. Just, give me some time to think about what I want to do."

    Marcel's phone started to ring and he immediately knew it was Klaus, "What's up?" Marcel answered the phone.

  "A bit of an issue. It seems our little bird has flown the coop." Klaus informed him, "If you find Ophelia tell her to meet us at the compound."

 ___________

    Later on, Ophelia, Marcel, and Klaus were in the living room discussing their current situation, "You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to know the obvious. Our secret weapon has escaped." Klaus commented.

  "She wouldn't just leave. She knows the witches want her back." Marcel replied and Ophelia bit her lip, knowing that it was probably her fault why Davina had fled.

  Elijah appeared from around the corner, and Marcel turned towards him, "Her violin is missing. She may have left of her own volition." Elijah informed the group.

  "What did you say to her in the attic? She lied to my face so she could stay up there, thinking that you'd help her control her magic. How do we know you didn't take her?" Marcel asked Elijah, clearly suspicious of him.

 Marcel began to walk toward Elijah, "I have no idea where Davina is, or why she ran away. Can I suggest you take a step back?" He suggested.

   Marcel eyed him for a moment before turning away, "I can assure you I have absolutely no desire to see that child come into harm's way. She's suffered enough with this Harvest ritual nonsense." Elijah assured.

   "That child, to whom you refer to so affectionately, is the second most powerful witch in New Orleans," Klaus told the three of them as he gestured to Ophelia being the first, "If she's fled, what's to stop her from destroying us? In fact, destroying all we've worked for? No, if she's not a friend to this family, then she is our enemy."

   "She is a friend, Klaus," Ophelia spoke.

   "Well, let's hope so. Lucky for you, I know how to get her back. Follow my lead." Klaus left, and Marcel and Ophelia were about to follow when Elijah stopped them, "You know how Niklaus operates. If he perceives a threat, he can become quite ruthless. This would not bode well for Davina."   

   "I'm not going to let anybody lay a finger on her," Marcel replied.

"Neither will I."

"Nor will I."

_____

  In the courtyard, Ophelia and Rebekah were rifling through several old chests of clothes while they searched for a Casket Girls Festival outfit to wear, "Did you hear about Davina fleeing the compound?" Ophelia asked Rebekah curiously.

   "Yes, in fact, I did. Know anything about it?" Rebekah questioned and Ophelia turned to her, looking guilty.

 "No, but I did tell her that the witch Elders were dead," Ophelia told her.

 "Well, why would she care, when the witches tried to kill her in their ritual?" Rebekah asked confused, clearly not knowing what Ophelia was getting at.

 Ophelia sighed before she began explaining to Rebekah, "It was more than Marcel and I didn't tell her that the one thing preventing her from being free had been eliminated. I couldn't take lying to her anymore."

 "So you are the reason she's run off." Rebekah realized.

 "Hey, I was just telling her the truth. She's the one who realized we were just using her to keep their control over the witches." Ophelia argued.

   "Yeah, well, you and I have never been a fan of the boys club, have we. Just wait, Elijah will join them and the three of them will be impossible. Just like old times," Rebekah commented as she and Ophelia walked Marcel and Klaus on the balcony mutter quietly to each other, "Used by the witches, lied to by Marcel, manipulated by Elijah, threatened by Klaus. Just like a modern-day Casket Girl."

A smile appeared on Ophelia's lips as she turned to Marcel, "Are you talking about Davina or yourself?" She asked amused. 

 "Does it matter?" Rebekah questioned, "Either way, us girls have got to stick together."

 Ophelia was quiet for a long moment as she nervously bit her lip, "Hey, Bekah?" Ophelia called out, causing Rebekah to look up, "How would you like to join me in a partnership in taking back this city from Marcel and Klaus?"

 Rebekah smiled at Ophelia, "With you by my side, Ophelia, Klaus and Marcel don't stand a chance," She explained, "I'm in."

________

 Just before nighttime came, Marcel stood beside Ophelia in Davina's old attic. Candles were lit around the wooden table that Ophelia knelt in front of.

 Her eyes were closed as she chanted a spell quietly under a breath. Marcel watched closely as the candle's flames grew bigger. He watched closely, wondering if the spell would actually work. After a moment, Ophelia opened her eyes back up and flames of the numerous candles went back to normal, "It's done," Ophelia informed Marcel in a calm tone, "The protection spell's done."