persephone's orchard : k.m.

every mothers son - chapter 70

Klaus and Astrid walked hand in hand down Commercial Street with their heads held high. 'Whatever happens, love.. get to the other end of this alive. Please.' Nik spoke while looking straight ahead and Astrid looked at him, 'Us against the world, Nik. We're both getting out of this alive.'

He huffed, knowing she wasn't going to listen to him, 'Us against the world, darling.'

Seeing Rebekah at the gate, they both greeted her before she asked, 'Are you ready?'

'Are you?' Astrid asked before taking her arm and rubbing her thumb over the skull marking that still haunted the Original sister. 'For Freya's plan to work, I can't go mad and you two can't die. What are the bloody odds of that?'

'Wasn't it you who once said I could talk my way out of hell?' Nik smiled gently as Astrid piped up, 'I reckon that was me.'

Rebekah hugged Astrid first, 'You better survive this.' she spoke into Astrid's ear and she chuckled, 'It's me, sister. I always do.'

She overheard the angry crowd inside as Rebekah embraced her brother and walked in first, followed by the husband and wife who clasped hands. The heat from the fires in every corner beat Astrid's face as she had to watch the angry faces that surrounded her. Each one was smeared with the life that had been bestowed upon them by the King and Queen. As the hybrid woman looked up, she saw that the balcony had been flooded with angry protestors as well.

'The great Klaus and Astrid Mikaelson have decided to grace us with their presence.' Marcel announced and Astrid's face darkened at the sight, her son had placed a throne on top of a mound created in the riots, he sat pretty like the new leader.

'We have nothing to hide, Marcellus!' Astrid spoke up, as long as one of them survived that was all that mattered, 'You wish to put us on trial for our many grievous sins? Go ahead!'

The mob pulled Klaus away from Astrid as she tried to reach him but Marcel grabbed her, 'Uh uh uh, you're coming with me.' He spoke uncomfortably close to her ear as he pulled her to his side of the Compound and a mob member placed a smaller chair next to Marcel's throne.

He forced her to sit down as he smiled, 'You can sit where I used too!'

His sarcasm gave her a headache.

'Klaus and Astrid Mikaelson. Sire to a thousand years' worth of angry faces. How does it feel to be this hated? Go on. Look at them. I said, look at them! They're all yours, after all.' Marcel gestured to the crowd before pointing at specific vampires, 'Do you remember him? 1694. His wife accused Rebekah of witch craft. So you turned him and then compelled him to drain his wife dry.'

Astrid looked over at Klaus who had been placed on a box in the middle of the Compound, he kept his demeanour up well.

'Or this man. He was a simple farmer. In 1745, he made the mistake of owning land that you wanted! You could' ve easily taken it. Instead, you turned him and then made him burn his entire village to the ground.'

'Or this woman. 1891. Her mother had pneumonia. Coughed all through the night. You got annoyed because it kept Astrid awake! So you turned them both, and made her watch as Astrid burned her mother alive.'

'Yes yes yes, my sins were terrible indeed. But they taught the world to fear me, and that fear protected my family.' Klaus hit back and Marcel yelled, 'Don't preach to me about family! I was your family once. Or so you said. And where did that get me?' He turned to Astrid, 'And don't think I forgot about you!'

He pointed to a female vampire of the balcony, 'Your lady in waiting, 1793! She stole two of your bracelets to feed her starving children. When you found out what happened, you turned her and compelled her to drain her kids dry!' He pointed to another, '1544! He started a fight with Klaus in a village pub. You followed him down a back alley and compelled him to off himself in front of his wife after feeding him your blood!'

Astrid didn't even look at Marcel, she looked straight ahead and shut out the noise in order to not start something that would get Nik killed.

'I could've left you nameless and alone, but I didn't. I took you and I made you all that you are.' Klaus snarled and Marcel turned back to him.

'I guess you made everyone here. Made us all in your image. Angry...paranoid...merciless. Why? Why even bother siring us? Were you afraid to be alone? Was that it? Did you want to make something so vile and disgusting, like you? In the end, the reason doesn't matter. You made us, you abandoned us, and anyone who dared stand up for themselves, you took away everything that we loved. Because that is what you do! And for that you must pay.'