Red Queen ▻ The Originals [1]

42

Later on, at the Compound, Ophelia stood with Klaus as he placed his newborn daughter in her crib. Ophelia smiled down at the baby, "She looks just like Hayley," She commented before turning to look at Klaus, who smiled softly, "But she has your eyes."

The two hybrids ended up hearing something outside, causing them both to share a glance with each other, "Stay here," Klaus told Ophelia before heading downstairs to check.

Meanwhile later, while Hayley was sitting with her daughter in her room, Klaus, Elijah, and Ophelia sat together, talking, "We should have felt your mother's hand in this," Ophelia spoke up, letting out a larger sigh.

"You're right," Klaus admitted, which shocked Ophelia a bit, even though she knew she was right, "We should have known she would not be bound by anything as obvious as death. And now she has control of the witches. They will never stop. Especially when they didn't get Ophelia's magic either because of us."

"No," Elijah replied, agreeing with Klaus' statement.

"Nor would I expect the Guerrera wolves to back down. Ophelia, Hayley, and the child are wolf royalty, and as such, they are a threat to Francesca's claim to the leadership." Klaus explained and Ophelia turned to glance at Hayley, who sat in the baby's room on a rocking chair, holding her newborn daughter in her arms. Ophelia immediately knew that Hayley was listening in, "The three of them will never be safe," Klaus paused a beat, "What was it you said to me earlier? That I have made enemies every day of my miserable life? Well, the worst of them are within these borders, brother."

Elijah sighed in frustration, clearly feeling guilty about what he had said.

Klaus turned to Ophelia, giving her a saddened look, "I have brought into the world a weapon they can use against me."

"Then we will arm ourselves!" Elijah argued, "Brother, we have fought every adversary in this town alongside Ophelia, and we have won. And we'll fight them again, no matter who they are! We will make this home a fortress."

"I will not have her live her life as a prisoner," Klaus argued back in a low tone.

"Then you can leave here, together. All of you," Ophelia replied and Klaus gave her a concerned look.

"And what of you, Ophelia?" Klaus questioned, "You are a part of this family. If we leave, you will, too."

"If I go with you, I'm putting you all in even more danger," Ophelia argued, "They want me more than the baby, I assume. I'll be putting a target on all of your backs if I go. But you can all leave and be safe if I stay."

Klaus sighed, shaking his head, "Wherever we go, however far we run, even without you, those who seek power and revenge will hunt us! They will hunt her. She has inherited all of our enemies with none of our defenses." He explained, not referring to the baby instead of Ophelia since he knew he couldn't argue with the woman on whether or not she would leave.

"So, whether we stay, or we leave-- we condemn her." Elijah continued on for him.

Ophelia turned her head to see Hayley suddenly appearing in the door, holding her daughter, "There's a third option," She informed the group and Ophelia immediately sat up straight.

"And?" She questioned as Klaus and Elijah turned to face Hayley, who looked wrecked.

"I grew up in a warzone," Hayley began to explain, "My parents thought they could protect me. But, in the end, they were slaughtered, and I spent my childhood alone and unloved," She paused, looking down at her daughter and smiled sadly at her while trying to hold back tears, "I made a promise, to my baby, and to myself, that she would not grow up like I did. That she would grow up safe, and loved. And yet, here she is, on her first day in this world, with a grandmother who is bent on sacrificing her--" She began to stutter as she tried to hold herself together, "And a—A mother who has to drink the blood of her own baby to survive transitioning into a hybrid. And I'm the one who loves her the most."