~E v e r l a s t i n g~ {book two}

~sixty-six~

"I'm glad you decided to stay, even if for a little bit," Davina tells Kol as they walk hand-in-hand to the dining room.

"Well, I wouldn't just leave you in the midst of all this, darling," he replies. "We'll go home after Mardi Gras." The two of them enter just in time to hear the entirety of Klaus' speech.

"The curse that plagued our family for seven years has taken its toll on all of us. On our city. On our home. On our family. The consequences of us being together were grave, but today, thanks to you, we celebrate a new beginning. One in which we have the freedom to stand side by side. And whatever trials may come, we will face them together, as a family. Always and forever," he says and raises his glass. Hope and Freya do the same in toast.

"Isn't this cozy? Though, it does seem that the amount of dining chairs have dwindled slightly," Kol remarks.

"Hmm, yeah," Hope nods and reaches for a beignet. Davina smiles and does the same. "We only need enough chairs for family, right?"

"So," Klaus murmurs, changing the subject. "Rebekah will be back in a few days. She's just tying up some loose ends overseas."

"It'll be nice to have her here. And Uncle Kol, thanks for deciding to stay a bit," she tells him and he nods in response.

"It'll be good to have all of us under one roof again," Freya states.

Footsteps are heard as Elijah slowly approaches the dining room with a tentative look on her face. "Good morning. Obviously, there is a lot for us to discuss. Hope, let me begin by telling you how truly sorry..." Davina notices that the fork in Hope's hand begins to bend.

"Thanks for breakfast, guys, but I have homework to catch up on." She then swiftly exits the room.

"She's not normal. That's not normal," Klaus points out matter-of-factly, gesturing to the poor fork.

"She lost her mother, Niklaus. I shouldn't have come down here."

"At least you can claim amnesia, unlike our sister and Davina, who willingly aided a child in ruining her life."

Kol is about to retort something but Davina places a hand on his shoulder and shakes her head. "Hope is not a child."

"Did either of you even consider what absorbing all that magic could do to her? You're two of the oldest witches in the world, and yet, you pulled this foolish stunt."

"What choice did we have, Klaus," Freya sighs.

"Deny her. Defy her. We had a plan to keep the dark magic away from her."

"A plan that wasn't working."

"Yes, well, thanks to you two, the magic has her now. So, if my daughter should be harmed in any way, shape or form, I will hold you both personally responsible." With that, he throws his napkin down and stalks out of the room.

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"Nik is being a moody, yet fatherly arse," Kol remarks as he and Davina sit in their old bedroom.

"He doesn't understand that the world basically would've imploded, along with all of the first-borns if we kept with what we had," Davina sighs. "But I get where he's coming from."

"Doesn't justify his sour attitude."

"Hope could die because of the magic inside of her. I know for a fact that if we had some magical baby in the same situation, we'd be just as sour," she points out.

"Kids, eh? On a scale of one to ten, how much would you fancy a child?"

Davina purses her lips at the odd question but contemplates the answer. "Probably an eight. I love children. Hope is my niece but also my goddaughter. So, heh, if Klaus ever bites the dust, then bam. But in all seriousness, kids would be something I'd definitely consider if it were an option. What about you?"