When You Were Young

Chapter 5: part 1

CHAPTER V

Part I

Early in the morning the group was knocking at the witch's door. A tall dark woman opened it, her face annoyed and bitter as if she had sucked a lemon.

- The travelers. Come in, children, and have a seat, please.

They looked astonished by her response and just stared at her.

- The spirits sent me a message. They said a powerful and rebellious witch had played one of hers again. She walks through Earth giving blessings to those she believes deserve them, or placing curses, if she believes they deserve them as well... - Ayanna shook her head disappointed - According to the spirits, the most famous of her stories happened when she cursed a prince turning him into a beast, and that's only because he wasn't very nice to her. To break the curse, apparently, he had to win someone's affection.

Caroline jumped off her seat and almost yelled:

- The Beauty and The Beast! That was Morgana? - the witch nodded - Oh, I love that story! It's so romantic... - Ayanna sighed in frustration.

- Well, we just have to make sure you don't change the future. - the blonde gave the others a proud look, since she knew that was rule #1 of time traveling.

- Understand, children. Everything happened the way it was supposed to be. The past should only be remembered, not changed in any way. You are not from this time, and you are not to affect whatever took place in this time, or in any time for that matter. The time for you to build, to frame, to make is yours, and only yours. - the three teenagers looked down, knowing she was right - The witch's talisman holds you here because of what you wished for, it won't let you leave until the wish is fulfilled. That's why I asked the spirit's permission to do a spell to make what happens while you three are here take place separately from what already went by, from what really occurred without any unadvisedly interference from time travelers.

The teenagers were puzzled. What exactly did she say?

- So, none of this will actually be happening? - tried Stefan.

- Of course it will be happening, child. But with the spell, whatever happened remains for everyone else. What's written will be conserved, their memories of this time will be intact.

- Then, it just happens for us? - offered Elena.

- No, child, it happens for everyone, it just won't bring any consequences for the future.

- I think I got it. What's written will remain as it is, we're sort of just rewriting this chapter in a different time frame, and basically just for ourselves, since we'll be the only ones to hold the memories of what happens while we're here. That's how the future won't be affected, and the Originals won't get any memories - Caroline concluded proudly.

- That's accurate. From the second you set foot in this time, we were all taken to a separate time-space zone, where we'll stay until you go back to your time, the past being preserved as it happened. - Ayanna made a pause before continuing in a deadly serious tone - But beware, children: do not die and do not kill. Death is irreversible, the only irreversible act I won't be able to fix. Also, the more you get involved and the more you affect the lives of those around you, the longer I'll take to gather the power to send you back to your time. That naughty witch's wish-gift will demand magic and time to be broken, Morgana's very powerful. And this first spell I'm placing will drain my powers for a while, so you'll spend quite some time in here...

- What about our time? The time we spend here will pass there? - asked a worried Elena, wondering if present evil Klaus would consider her disappearance as an attempt to run away and, mad with rage, would kill all her loved ones as retaliation.

- Not a second of your time will have passed, you'll return to the exact date, time, and place you were when you time travelled. Since you won't affect the past, changing the future in the process, we can't let this affect your present as well, with an unexplainable disappearance. You'll live every second of your time, my children.

The teenagers sighed in relief and nodded. Ayanna then informed she'd ask someone to call them when she got strong enough to send them back to their time. They thanked her and left the hut.

- We're so screwed... We're stuck in Stone Age with the freakin' human Originals, human ourselves nonetheless, and we don't know for how long we're stuck in here? Way to lose a free wish... - whined the blonde.

- It could be worse, Care. You could be stuck in Stone Age with the freakin' human Originals and your ex-boyfriend... Oh, and pretending to be his sister... - said the brunette bitterly, still a little mad at Stefan.

- Elena, I didn't mean to...

- Save it, Stefan! You have to hunt for our survival, and don't forget to chop some wood as well, last night was chillin'. Caroline and I will wash those horrible dusty cloths and furs we had to sleep in... - she then marched, taking the blond with her - Oh, and by the way, we need some kitchenware! So you should find out what to do to make some money around here! We can't live off breeze, can we? - she yelled from a distance.