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"𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚?" Klaus questioned, following Angharad up a staircase that twisted round and round to the point of making him dizzy.
She laughed. "You were never so paranoid, Niklaus Mikaelson." Nik smiled, the playful glint in her eyes, the cheery tone in Annie's voice. He had missed her.
Eventually, the staircase wound to a stop, and Angharad led Klaus down a darkened corridor, the only light from the torches held in the sconces that lined the stone walls of the castle.
Angharad took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. Her stomach flipped over and she felt sick as she forced herself to meet Nik's gaze.
"What is it?" Klaus' eyes softened, as he reached up a hand to caress Angharad's face. She found herself closing her eyes, melting into his touch.
"I thought I'd never see you again." Angharad whispered. "And, when I left the village I was.. of a certain condition."
Starring into her eyes, Klaus studied the fearful expression on Annie's face. "You were with child." It dawned on him.
An anger filled his eyes suddenly, startling Angharad. "Was it Kol's?" Klaus snapped.
"No!" Angharad shouted in response, before lowering her voice. "No. Before I came here, I met a woman in Rome, a witch. She told me the child was a wolf."
Klaus gasped. "That's how you knew." He whispered, tears filling his eyes. Angharad nodded silently. "You know then.. that I am not Mikael's son?"
"I figured as much." She replied quietly. "Did you..trigger it.. is that what Lucien meant?" Annie reached up a hand to caress his face, but suddenly Klaus grabbed her arm in a death grip.
He breathed deeply, her scent filling his nostrils. She smelled of summer blossoms, the ocean and the woodlands all combined.
"Nik." Annie whispered, her arm becoming numb and tingly in his intense grip.
"I am a different beast, Annie. An altogether new monster, me and my family. You mustn't be around us, and neither can my.. child." Klaus replied, gazing into the distance with a forlorn expression.
Angharad shook her head. "I may not be of a high class, but I know the man before me. He is the man I love. The father of my child. Our son."
He finally met her gaze again, eyes wide with shook. "A son?" He repeated, in awe.
Annie smiled. "He is beautiful, Nik." She told him with pride in her eyes. "Will you come and meet him?" She released herself from his grip, stepping backwards with her arm outstretched.
After a moment, Klaus took her hand and let her guide him down the unfamiliar corridors of the De Martel's castle.
"He'll be sleeping, but I promise you can meet him properly tomorrow." Annie said as they walked.
Nik's eyes drifted to her, watching as the light from the sconces caught her blonde hair, making it seem almost golden.
"You're different." The words fly from his mouth before he can stop them. She looked up at him now, eyes wide and curious. "Stronger, more confident."
Angharad shrugged, hiding her face with her long hair. "I guess you're not the only one who changed." Her voice is so quiet, if it weren't for Nik's supernatural hearing, he wouldn't of heard it.
Eventually, they reached a wooden door, and Angharad brought them to a stop. She breathed, in and out, twice, before looking up at Klaus.
Letting go of his hand, she quietly pushed open the wooden door and stepped into the room. The room is clearly that of a servants, and not like the lavish ones Niklaus and his siblings will be sleeping in tonight.
The bed is basic, a plank of wood for a mattress and a single old white sheet as a blanket. In the corner of the dark, cold room, is a smaller wooden bed.
Klaus gingerly stepped forwards, looking at Annie who nodded at him encouragingly. He approached the small bed, seeing the little boy no more than two years old sound asleep.
Smiling, Nik felt a happiness envelope him, a happiness he hadn't felt since the last time he saw Angharad. "His name is Kaiser." Annie's voice tore into his thoughts.
"He's.." Nik trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
"Perfect." Annie finished for him, smiling up at him, he smiled back before his face suddenly fell.
"I cannot be the father he deserves." Klaus hastily replied, before rushing out of the room.
Confused and hurt, Angharad raced after him, but by the time she's out in the corridor, Klaus is already gone and she's starring at another face from her past.
"Hello, darling."
Angharad's heart skipped a beat. Here we go, again.
"Kol." She breathed out his name, he's in front of her within seconds. She gasped, feeling his hand against her waist.
"How did you-" Annie tried to ask, but suddenly Kol's lips are on hers.
She knows it's not right and she knows she shouldn't, but she cannot for the life of her tear herself away. Instead, her hand grasped Kol's neck as she hungrily kissed him back.
It's as though she's been starving in a desert and finally, she has found water.
Kol slammed her body against the stone wall with lightning speed, and Annie doesn't let herself think too much about the inhuman nature he possessed.
Is that what Niklaus meant, when he said he was a different monster altogether? That all his family were?
As Kol gripped her thigh underneath her long cloth dress, Angharad finally found the energy to shove him away. He looked at her, confused, and a little angry.
Like Klaus, there's a rage inside his eyes she didn't remember from before.
"What.. what happened to you?" Angharad questioned, studying his dark eyes.
"You left, Angharad." Kol replied. "You left and you didn't say goodbye."
"I'm.. sorry." She nervously replied, the intensity of his gaze is intoxicating. "I had no choice."
Kol stepped back, leaving her go. "Nik was right, you are different." His words were vengeful, but before Annie could reply he is gone, speeding off into the night.
Standing there gaping, she was unaware of the footsteps approaching her.
"Angharad Francdottir, I do wish you'd pick which one of my brothers you preferred."
Annie smiled at the voice, turning to see her best friend. "Rebekah." She rushed over, throwing her arms around the blonde and embracing her into a hug. "Now, do you want to explain to me what in the hell is going on?"
