Elena joined Carter at the drinks bar. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, her eye makeup just as dark at Carter's. "Jesus, you look hot," the strawberry blonde commented. Elena laughed at her friend, shaking her head. "So do you. I wish you would've been the one escorting me now." The brunette nudged her friend before the two were interrupted. "Elena Gilbert, I presume? I'm Finn Mikaelson. You're here to see my mother." The man ignored the strawberry blonde standing beside her, his eyes trained on the doppelgänger. "Is she here?" she asked carefully. His eyes finally drifted toward the small girl next to him, his lips formed in a deep scowl. "Her request did not include your friends." Carter's jaw dropped in astonishment, her hands placed against her hips. "Hey!" Elena shushed the girl, a small smile playing her lips.
"They're protecting me. You may not know but your mother's already tried to kill me once," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you want to see my mother, you'll need to be alone." Carter and Elena shared an incredulous look before turning at the sound of crystal clinking. "Uh, if everyone could gather, please," Elijah spoke, holding a glass of champagne within his hand. Finn turned from his younger brother to face Elena and Carter. "Excuse me." Carter watched him retreat to his siblings standing on the wooden staircase. "He seems like an ass," she whispered, causing Elena to chuckle. Esther, who Carter recognized from her vision earlier, walked down the staircase from upstairs. "Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance."
Kol's eyes found Carter's and a smirk slowly began to cross across his lips. "Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom." Damon and Stefan moved toward the two girls as Esther retreated silently back upstairs. Elena was quick to follow until Damon intercepted her. "Don't even think about it," he huffed. She glared fiercely at the vampire. "She wants to see me alone, Damon." Carter and Stefan shared a look before focusing back on the two children arguing. "I was invited! Carter, get your dog." He looked offended at her words, his eyebrows furrowed. "I think you got that backwards, 'Lena. Technically I'm the dog, but–" Stefan laughed from beside the girl, but immediately stopped at the glare Damon gave him.
