Unconditional • Elena Mikaelson [Discontinued]

New Life and Old Wounds

"Father!" Finn shouts.

Finn had been searching for his father ever since Esther's water had broken. Fathers are expected to take a few days off of their duties when they're expecting a child however, Mikael refused.

"What is it, child?" Mikael asks, his voice cruel and demanding.

"Mother is giving birth," Finn announces.

With a quick nod, Mikael stops what he had been doing and they make their way towards the house.

Nobody seemed to notice Mikael and Finn walking into the house, all the attention on the newest member of the family. Esther held the newborn in her arms, as she had done with all her children as Mikael made his way beside her. Mikael looked at this child with some sort of softness, it was different from the way he looked at any of his other biological children. Although, the look could never match up with the way he looked at Elena.

"What is his name?" Mikael asks.

"Henrik, his name is Henrik," Esther whispers, tiredness clear in her voice.

"Esther, you should get some rest," Ayana recommended.

Ayana was Esther's best friend and mentor, after Freya had been taken they had moved to the New World together. Ayana always played a part in the birth of all of Esther's biological children.

She never got a response, only a slight snore coming from Esther, causing a small smile to appear on Ayana's face. Seeing that the baby had fallen asleep, Ayana ushers everyone out of the room, but Mikael hadn't moved from his spot.

"You are staying this time?" Ayana questioned.

Mikael had always left directly after the child was named, always headed out to do work like their birth hadn't meant anything to him.

"Yes," Mikael says.

Ayana could sense that this child would bring a change to the family, she hopes this is the change that she had sensed. She hopes Mikael will become a better father to his children like he had been when Freya had still been with them.

Finn knows his duty well, when his mother gives birth he was responsible for watching over his siblings. Finn sighs as he watches Kol begins to chase Rebekah around the table. Elijah and Klaus were seated as they spoke to each other, and Elena only stood there.

He realizes that she was watching them, just like he was. She was mature for a five-year-old, she spoke properly, and he was sure Elijah had been teaching her how to read and write. His thoughts were interrupted when a giggling Rebekah came and dragged Elena away. A smile grew on both of their faces as they began to chase Kol. Perhaps she had not been as mature as Finn had thought.

Watching Elena and Rebekah was like watching two young best friends, they were practically inseparable. They even shared a room that had previously belonged to Niklaus, Kol, and Elena before Rebekah had been born. Elena and Rebekah were the reasons why Kol and Niklaus moved into Elijah's room.

Finn makes his way to the kitchen, by staying so close to his mother he learned how to cook. Although it was a woman's place his mother couldn't do it in her state and Rebekah and Elena were far too young. Finn ignores the laughter erupting from Elijah and Niklaus when they finally notice him cooking. As he set the table, he realized how quiet it had gotten.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Elena, Kol, and Rebekah sleeping. Elena's head lay on Kol's shoulder, while Rebekah had her arm wrapped around Elena. He found himself lost in the image of his brothers and sisters. It painfully reminded him of how close he and Freya had been, he envied them.

Suddenly the door from their mother's room opened and Ayana quickly makes her way to the kitchen. She spoke so fast Finn hadn't caught what she said, but when he looked towards the kitchen he froze. He had caused a fire, thankfully Ayana put it out before it could do any damage.

"Is this your doing?" Ayana asked as she made her way in front of Finn.

"Yes, forgive me, I was distracted," Finn puts his head down in shame.

"The kitchen is no place for a man, leave the cooking to the women," Ayana's words were like a knife to his heart.

The comment shouldn't have affected him as it did, he knows very well of the role men and women must carry out.

"I understand," Finn says.

"Run along, I will prepare dinner," Ayana says.

Finn nods his head and walks towards Elena, Kol, and Rebekah. He figures Niklaus and Elijah must've left the room a while ago. He wonders where they had gone off to. A frown appears on his face as he remembers how troublesome his brothers are. Finn wonders the hall searching for Niklaus and Elijah when he hears a sniffle. Finn follows the noise, pausing when he hears the conversation between Elijah and Niklaus.

"Why is Father so cruel to me?" Niklaus asks.

Finn imagines the slow stream of tears flowing down Niklaus' face.

"That is the way Father is, Niklaus," Elijah says.

"Not towards Elena," Niklaus responds, jealousy entwined in his words.

Elijah only sighed in response.

"Father hits me, but he does not do the same with any of you," Niklaus says quietly.

Finn was well aware of Mikael's treatment of Niklaus. There was nothing they could do about it, even if they wanted to. They all feared Mikael and knew better than to get in his way.

"Niklaus," Elijah says sadly.

"He calls me weak," Niklaus says, his voice shaking.

Finn recalled the time of Niklaus' birth, Mikael had said he had the eyes of a warrior. Mikael had once adored Niklaus. He wondered what had gone wrong, although he didn't care enough to find out.

Having heard enough, Finn walked away.