New Beginning

Chapter Thirty-Four

*A/N: Sorry about that long wait. I appreciate everyone who continues to read and leave such wonderful reviews. Ya'all really are rockstars! Keep it up. I hope you enjoy the new chapter. This chapter has been edited by my Beta Casey.*

The trees danced, fluttering in the warm, stifling breeze. The scent of the coming Autumn was a thick presence in the air, and my overheated skin was sticky. The strands of hair that escaped my braid clung to the nape of my neck. I picked uncomfortably at the itchy gown that was weighing me down as we proceeded toward the village. Our pace was slow and filled with silent uneasiness. Niklaus quickly led the way, and I was more than happy to let him. He hadn't spared me a single glance since my earlier explanation, and with his insistent need to avoid me, I had yet to fill him in on how things would work. It wasn't like we had time traveled, and I was afraid that he expected us to slip into our past selves — living our lives as we once had. As we proceeded into the woods, our silent steps caught my attention. I slowed my stride, lifting my gown to glance down at my grey booted feet. I kicked up my spotless right heel, cocking my head to the side in thought, and looked down at the wet mossy ground. Our shoes (which should have been covered in broken earth) were as clean now as they had been when we appeared. I turned my head, glancing behind us, and just as I had expected — we left no tracks. Ahead of me, Niklaus was still ambling forward, his boots noiselessly pressing into the wet earth, leaving behind nothing in their wake. I absently wondered if he noticed. I kept my gaze on his back as I dropped my gown, continuing to follow behind him. His gait was stiff and controlled. The muscles in his back were taut. It left me wondering exactly what was on his mind. I didn't expect him to believe me entirely at this point. I knew him well enough to know he was still too paranoid to believe anything without firm proof — proof that he would need to see with his own two eyes. After everything he'd been through, I couldn't exactly blame him for his paranoia. What had happened, or rather what was happening on the outside, wasn't anything less than I had expected. Seeing me alive again was never easy for those who had loved and lost me, but for the Mikaelsons, it was always far worse. For Niklaus, well…I could only imagine. I didn't blame him for lashing out and never would. His anger was indeed something to behold, and I could understand it as easily as I could any other part of him. As the Original Hybrid, he had both the temper of a werewolf and the amplified anger of an abused man — one pushed into becoming a vampire. He definitely got the short end of the stick.

The low hum of multiple voices met my ears, and I lifted my head as the tree line parted, revealing our village. A large fence barred entrance, and a few men were scattered about the fenceline — bows strapped to their backs. They paced casually, laughter filling the air as they chatted back and forth, eyes scanning the perimeter occasionally. I took a small step forward, a shaky hand coming up to meet my heavily beating heart. I glanced out across my home, a new yearning and fear I had not felt for a very long time finding a place in the pit of my stomach. No matter the centuries that separated me from this time and place, I would forever recognize its beauty. When looking out at the small village nestled in the heart of the forest, a smile overtook my lips. Although the wooden huts that lined the dirt road were all the same dull brown, it did little to diminish their natural elegance. It indeed was a picturesque sight. Most of the huts had their doors and windows open to allow in the fresh afternoon breeze. Makeshift clotheslines and bountiful gardens occupied the attention of the never idle women. My gaze followed the main dirt road, up the hill was the center of the village, which was occupied by tiny shops where people like my mother and Ayanna could sell their spelled goods— at least before the creation of vampires and the newfound fear of magic had begun.

It was midday, so the village wasn't nearly as busy as it would be later in the evening. Most of the men were still out hunting, which left the woman to cook, clean, and create what was needed to survive the harsh coming winter. I slowly approached Niklaus where he stood, stock still — hand pressed against the bark of a nearby tree. I couldn't tell if he had drawn a breath of relief or not. We weren't alive after all; we were but spectators in my memory. My hand hesitated an inch from his rigid shoulder, and I shakily debated if it was the right moment to attempt a connection. I mentally berated myself; I was a coward. Pulling back, I sighed, clamping my hand closed tightly as I brought it to my side.