JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR HEART | TO [1]

I • ALWAYS AND FOREVER

one | toujours et pour toujours

Mississippi River, Three Hundred Years Ago (1712)

A small oak wooden canopy boat is abandoned on the vast sea in the middle of the serene though mysterious night with a dark and gloomy mist.

"Over the course of my long life, I have come to believe we are bound forever to those with whom we share blood. And while we may not choose our family, that bond can be our greatest strength or our deepest regret. This unfortunate truth has haunted me for as long as I can recall..."

An abandoned ship is also seen deserted in the middle of the dark sea when two young English men see it from afar, where they are standing on shore.

One of them squints his dark brown eyes, "What do you make of that?"

"No banner; no flag. Floated in out of nowhere. A miracle ship." The other young man believed it to be, smiling triumphantly at what they have found.

His companion shakes his head a little, "Why is it just sitting out there?" Abandoned, perhaps? Although how could anyone even abandon it?

The smug man simply shrugs, "Suppose we ought to find out."

Once the now three, complete, young English men are entering the old ship, they found themselves below the deck. The courageously young trio meticulously walk down the small wooden ladder one by one, holding up their own individual lanterns for light, as water dripping sounds are heard in the dark. One of them suddenly mentioned over the mysterious silence.

"Where in hell is everyone?" He slowly looks around to try to make it out through his poor vision in the pitch black darkness of the old 'miracle' ship.

Another unspoken man proclaimed in certain response, "Deserted. Which makes everything in the hold legally forfeit. Take what suits you." Hopefully, there will be gold or money somewhere in the pitch black darkness.

"What do you make of that?" The third man referred to two closed coffins, truly puzzled though genuinely curious about the content inside. Gold, perhaps? Or money? Or other necessary though deserted supplies?

The smug young British man from earlier nods at it, "Open it up."

One of them hesitates slightly out of deep concern, but soon opens one coffin, to reveal a daggered, desiccated Original vampire, Kol Mikaelson, which undeniably shocks the three young men in pure disbelief. The same young man looks over the cold, lifeless corpse in horror, "What the hell?!"