𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

39

Sundance's POV

"So as you've seen, nothing can kill an Original. Not Sun, not fire, not even a werewolf bite. Only the wood from one tree. A tree my family made sure burned."

I now stood in a field with Elena and Elijah. Elijah was informing us on a side of history we needed. The dandelions we stepped on sunk into the ground along with all of our other worries. Elena and I focused on Elijah and blocked out the rest of our overbearing lives.

"That's where the white ash for the dagger comes from." Elena said, breaking me out of my trance. "Yes. The witches won't allow anything truly immortal to walk the earth. Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain the balance." The Original nodded and looked at me, checking to see if I was following along. "So the Sun can't kill an Original. Why is Klaus so obsessed with breaking the Sun and Moon curse?" My sister continued. "Right. The curse of the sun and the moon. It's all so...biblical-sounding, don't you think?" Elijah smiled. It was a contagious smile. It was the kind of smile someone would crack before laughing, which is probably why I asked, "What's funny?"

FLASHBACK: ENGLAND 1492

Klaus was sitting on a chair in a bedroom of the mansion. A woman stood in front of him. Elijah was there too. He showed him a parchment.

"Look. A Roman parchment." Elijah pointed out with a smile. "I remember etching this scroll. Well, I was quite blistered from drink." Klaus chuckled.
"Your finest work remains your Aztec drawings." His brother complimented.
"Not the African carvings? 'Cause I was quite proud of those." The hybrid frowned. "The Aztec. Who can resist a shaman?" Elijah laughed. Klaus joined him in laughter. "Yes!"

NOW

"Klaus drew the Aztec sketches about the curse." I pieced. "Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings, and any other culture or continent we felt like planting in it. Easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelgänger or to get your hands on some long, lost moonstone is to have every single member of two warring species on the lookout." Elijah explained. I looked at my sister. "So it's not Aztec at all?" Elena asked. "The curse of the Sun and the Moon...is fake. It doesn't exist." Elijah smirked. "What?!" Elena questioned.
"Klaus and I faked the sun and moon curse dating back over a thousand years. There's a curse. Just not that one. The real one's much worse. It's a curse placed on Klaus."

"Come again?" I placed a hand to my ear. Elijah chuckled. "Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years. And you two are his only hope." He said. "What is this curse?" Elena asked. I noticed her phone vibrating in Elijah's pocket. "Your phone will not stop its incessant buzzing. Answer it, please." Elijah sighed, giving her the device. "Stefan...what's wrong? No. No, no, no, no. Okay, I'll be right there." She hung up and looked at Elijah. "Klaus attacked Jenna." She gulped.

My heart stopped in that moment. Jenna was our guardian and was always there for us. She was never supposed to be involved in these things.

"We must go, Elijah." I excused. "I'm afraid that wasn't part of today's arrangement." He replied. "We'll be back. Please, Elijah." My sister begged. Elijah looked at me. "To ensure your return, Sundance stays."

I nodded at Elena. "Thank you." She said sincerely. She ran to the car and I turned back to the Original. "Shall we?" He nodded at the Lockwood Mansion. "We shall." I agreed with a smile. I had to trust him for him to trust me. I worried for my aunt, but between Stefan and Elena, they have it handled.

Elijah and I walked back into the living area. "Are there any more of you, Elijah? Originals, I mean." I asked. "My father was a wealthy land owner in a village in Eastern Europe. Klaus is my brother. Our mother bore seven children. Our whole family was human. Our origin as vampires is a very long story. Just know...We're the oldest vampires in the world. We are the Original family, and from us all vampires were created. Including you, Ms. Gilbert." He informed. I took a deep breath. "You're brothers with a psycho. Weird." I whispered in disbelief. "I believe the term you're trying to use is, "O.M.G"...Am I wrong?" He smirked. I shook my head. "Actually, you're very right."

He chuckled. "I know...I assume it was Damon who turned you. The tension could be visible to anyone." Elijah hummed, taking a sip of tea. "He did. Damon turned me. As you possibly assume, I'm indeed a Ripper. Finding that out only made me hate him more. I'm not supposed to be a monster, Elijah." I confessed. And it's true.

The hatred I felt in Damon's sky-like eyes that night he pinned me against the wall and took my life was the last thing I saw as a human. It was a knife plunged into my heart. When I was with him afterwards, the only thing I saw was the anger in his eyes. I couldn't see the man I thought to be my lover. That killed me more.

"You aren't a monster, Sundance. A monster blocks out the pain and refuses to admit to his or her wrongs. Every vampire kills. It's who we are. You just have the short end of the stick and can't control yourself."

I let his words sink in. I only spoke minutes later. "You're very wise, Elijah." I complimented. "You should have met me in the 1400s. I was quite the catch." He laughed. "Tell me about it then." I suggested. "Very well."

FLASHBACK 1492

Elijah and Katerina were outside of a mansion. She was running and laughing.

"You have to chase me!" Katherine laughed. He ran after her but stopped.

Katherine: You're meant to catch me.
Elijah: But if I catch you, the game will be over.
Katherine: Thank you for entertaining me.
Elijah: You looked lonely inside, so I took pity on you.

She sat down.

Katherine: Klaus promised to spend the day with me, but he never returned home from the night.
Elijah: Yes, Klaus does not live by any rules but his own.
Katherine: He is a very charming man. Hard for anyone to resist, I suppose.
Elijah: And yet...
Katherine: I know not why he courts me. He seems to not care about me at all.
Elijah: Many a union has been built on much less.
Katherine: Is it wrong to want more?

He sat down with her.

Elijah: Do you have more with Trevor?
Katherine: Trevor believes that he loves me, but true love is not real unless it's returned. Do you agree?
Elijah: I do not believe in love, Katerina.
Katherine: That is too sad for me to accept, my lord. Life is too cruel. If we cease to believe in love, why would we want to live?

Klaus joined them.

Klaus: What do I interrupt?
Elijah: He's returned.

He looked at Klaus' shirt. Blood covered it.

Elijah: Long night.
Katherine: What has happened?
Klaus: The wrong villager picked a fight at the tavern.

Elijah and Klaus shared a smile

NOW

"Life seemed rather joyful." I nodded. He agreed, looking as if he was deep in thought. "She'll be back, Elijah." I assured. "I hope, Sundance."

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30K...surreal. Thank you, my loves.