𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐀

𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 . XXVII .

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𝓣he limits in which Evelyn's mortal body had been pushed were far beyond what she was expected to survive. Being forced under the control of The Hollow, used like a puppet of emotional manipulation against the very people she'd strived to protect and then battle against death itself. The only reason she was still breathing was due to Hayley's hybrid blood and Freya's magic, but even that wasn't a guarantee to continue her existence. Her life was still hanging by a thin thread throughout the night the tension within the Mikaelson house wouldn't cease as all they could do now was wait for the witch to come round again. Evelyn lay still, her chest rising and falling in the slow rhythm of sleep, her injuries having healed within the early hours of the morning, she appeared to just be slumbering now. A twisted sleeping beauty, but it was not a kiss that could break her curse; for the curse that she was plagued with was her own sense of duty. Her need to do the right thing for those she cared about is the very reason she'd almost lost her life for that cause. Too much of a good thing can lead to violent ends. 

Towards the middle of the morning, a slow breath filled Evelyn's lungs as she stirred, the heaviness of forced resting retreating like a receding tide. The air around her was unfamiliar yet familiar all the same, too still, too elegant, but with a low buzzing atmosphere like chaos was on the edge of discovery. The scent of aged wood and faint, lingering sage clung to the warmth of the thick blankets wrapped around her.

Her eyes flickered open, adjusting to the dim golden glow of the morning attempting to creep through the worn linen curtains flickering in the spring New Orleans breeze. This wasn't her room, nor where she was last conscious.

Memories pressed against the edges of her mind, but they felt distant, blurred. She shifted slightly, a frown tugged at her brow as she began to become more alert. Trying to piece together the complexity of where she was and how she was in control of her own senses again. 

"What the hell..." she whispered, her hand moving to rest upon her forehead as she allowed her eyes to properly focus and glance around her. 

"Hey, you're awake? Good"

The voice was soft, urgent. She turned her head toward it, blinking past the haze of sleep to find Kol Mikaelson sitting at her bedside smirking towards her. But this wasn't his usual smirk, his usual teasing glint of amusement. His expression was unguarded, raw, relief and worry warring in his dark eyes.

She barely had time to register his presence before he was leaning in, his hand moving to rest upon her shoulder softly "You had me worried" he breathed, allowing some tension to be released from his shoulder as he moved his chair slightly closer. "How are you feeling?" He dared to question. 

Her throat felt dry, her thoughts sluggish. "How did...?"

"Freya and Hayley, they freed you" He shook his head, then, with a rare gentleness, took her wrist in his hand, his thumb ghosting over the glowing mark as if trying to decipher it. "I'm sorry I couldn't" there was a level of regret present on his expression, guilt glistening in the corner of his eyes. Something in his voice made her heart clench. She had heard Kol speak in many tones before; mocking, playful, rageful... but this was a completely different vulnerability in his words. It made her fear the worst. 

Those memories that had been stalking the back of her mind had finally pounced forward and reminded her of the situation she'd just managed to survive from. The Hollow forcing Kol to do her bidding, the LaForge house, witnessing Hayley be tortured, the pain she felt from the link to the Hollow. She could remember that feeling, it was cold. Not sharp like one might expect. Not at first. The feeling of the phantom blade had slid in too easily, too smoothly as her body was slow to recognize the violation from not feeling the physical contact itself. But then, all at once, it did recognise it; forcing the shared experience between the hollow's body and her own. A sickening pull, a tearing sensation from the inside out, as if something had twisted, hooked itself into her flesh and then repeated. It was cold, not hot like one would expect when your blood flows from your body... but like melting ice trickling from the puncture. She remembered the rage in Hayley's expression as she got to plunge the blade into Inadu, she felt sickened thinking about it, how there was a part of her that didn't want to wake once again from that ordeal. To let that be the end of it all. To serve penance for her existence. 

"...It's all over now?" Her words were hesitant as her eyes slowly lifted to stare into the Mikaelson's, a desperation in the slight flicker of her gaze. She needed this good news. Kol slowly nods, breaking their gaze and pursing his lips as he pondered over his words. "Yeah, it's all over. The Hollow's gone." He concludes but from the way he had reacted, Evelyn couldn't say she felt completely reassured. That frown returning to her expression again, she sits up straighter and tilted her head to try and catch his eye again.

"...What are you not telling me Kol?" Evelyn questioned, her hands coming together in her lap as she observed the original vampire and waited for his explanation.