persephone's orchard : k.m.

cravings - chapter 61

Nik and Astrid fell asleep in each others arms that night and woke up the same way. After a needed bath, Klaus finally felt as if she'd relaxed around him again and it sat well, things were going to hell around them but at least he had her.

The Compound seemed dimmer however, upon leaving their room the colours seemed to escape themselves as Astrid found herself craving what immortals needed the most. Sneaking away from Klaus, she crept downstairs in a black silk night dress before finding the Mikaelson blood stash and went digging for O+.

Her calmed state was challenged by Freya, who froze in the doorway. The hybrid looked up through her messy hair before rolling her eyes and digging some more. Having found her prize, she stood up and pushed past her sister in law.

'Astrid.' Freya spoke and she turned around.

Flashback.

'You know why I'm mad, right?'

Dahlia left the room and begun to conduct more spells to find the tribrid child as Astrid stood over Freya. The witch saw something click in the hybrid when Dahlia gave her permission, something entirely depraved and inhumane had enlarged in her pupils as the smile crept onto her face. She nodded scared and Astrid nodded too, 'Good. I like people to know why they're getting torn apart.'

'A-Astrid. You don't have to act! She's gone!' Freya tried pleading but she wasn't sure what the hybrid was doing. 'Oh darling.' She crouched to her level on the floor. Pulling a blade out of her boot, she pointed toward the door. The blade reflected as she spoke, 'Being angry out there was a choice of opportunity to take out the wicked witch.'

The blade pointed back in Freya's face, 'Being angry at you in here... well sweetheart.. that's a choice of will.' 

Freya screamed as Astrid's grip on the burgundy handle got tighter and the blade plunged into her shin.

Flashback Over.

'Don't force my hand, Freya.' Astrid beseeched her before walking back upstairs to see her husband already sitting on the edge of the bed. 'Where did you go?' He asked, clearly jumpy from recent events and she ripped the top of the blood bag off.

'Cravings.'

He sighed, 'You haven't drunk anything in a while have you?' When Astrid shook her head, Nik took the bag from her poured it into the two crystal glasses sitting on their bedside, 'Let's have a proper drink then eh?'

She relaxed at the thought and sat on the bed. 'Freya tried speaking to me.' Astrid commented and Nik joined her, leaning against the headboard dressed in only a pair of linen trousers, 'What happened?'

'I know she wants to apologise but I can't bear to even look at them.' She took a sip and instantly felt her headache lift, 'It's like I'm afraid I'm going to take it too far but they already have.'

Nik took her free hand. Whenever Astrid Mikaelson spoke her feelings, it was because she had already processed it in her own mind. It had stirred in her for ages before she ever spoke about it.

'You don't want to hurt them.'

Nik's words made her nod in agreement, 'I have this blockade.. I feel like I can't turn on certain people no matter how much they hurt me.' She looked at her husband with pure innocence, 'Because they were once good.'

'Darling, your loyalty is what people crave from you more then anything.' He sat up, shuffling over to her more, 'Now you're stuck in between two worlds again.'

'It's time I make that decision.' She looked at him with pursed lips and he pursed his own, 'And whatever decision you make, Percy I will respect.'