Curse of Ravens // Mikaelson

1 My Name is Alice

The sound of a loud school bell cut through my senses. Beside me, my uncle gave me an encouraging grin. It did nothing to improve my mood about being here. Every bone in my body fought the urge to run, to escape this place before I was locked inside. I feared it more than anything, to be locked up in this place, away from my family, confined to study with a group of students who I didn't know and who didn't know me.

"Are you sure you don't need me to check you in?" My uncle asked. I crossed my arms over my chest, and rearranged the bag over my shoulder. I traveled light, with only a few clothes and a toothbrush. A hand on my shoulder turned me towards him. My uncle was young, or so he appeared, with brunette hair and an ever present smirk on his face. "Come on love, it's not going to be that bad."

"It's whatever." I brushed his hand off my shoulder. Kol Mikaelson gave me a look, and then fished something out of his coat. He handed me the device, and I didn't react when I saw the phone.

"You know I don't like technology. It acts weird with magic and-"

"It's to call us. So keep it charged. I'll be in touch." Kol Mikaelson booped me on the forehead. Reluctantly, I nodded in agreement. Kol waited until I walked across the grass. Halfway towards the school, I glanced back, but he was still watching me. He planned to wait until I was definitely inside. I felt a bit of irritation crawl up my throat.

Despite the fact I'd rather be anywhere and do anything than this, I tilted my chin up, and entered the doors of the Salvatore school. Students chattered in the halls, laughing with friends and chatting loudly about this or that. Things that didn't matter.

She needs to socialize with kids her own age. My mother had said, insisting that I come to the school when she was having another row with my father about it.

She's not like every other teenager, Caroline. My father had said. She's got my temper and your flair for the dramatics. Yeah, that last comment only made it worse. To be fair, the two of them never fought unless it was about me. They were perfect together. Sometimes, it was hard to be around. But I'd rather be around them, traveling the world in search of cures for their children instead of being here.

"Alice." Dr. Saltzman greeted me, happening to pass by and spotting my arrival. "You're so much taller. I remember an eager little girl who was always asking about when I was an original-"

"As much as I'd love to jog down memory lane about when I was an annoying child, I think I'll skip to the part where I sign up for classes and you assign me a dorm room." I smile fakely, and Dr. Saltzman shared a look with what looked to be another professor. The look seemed to be queue, because the other man walked away and the Headteacher gestured towards what I assumed was his office. He let me walk ahead of him, and I understood why. He'd like to keep an eye on me.

Unbeknownst to him, I already had time to come down from the adrenaline high I'd been on the last several years of my life on the sixteen hour plane trip I'd taken from Europe to get here. I'd already been given the talk. At the Salvatore school, they did things a little more refined than how my father had raised me. Dragging a boar I caught in wolf form into the house, trailing blood, wasn't "catching dinner" it was seen as "rude."

I already dreaded eating whatever vegan garbage they definitely served here.

"Alice, it's so nice to hear that you'll be joining us here." Dr. Saltzman smiled at me. I considered the tongue truth spell that I'd learned from a Buddhist overseas- just to see exactly how truthful he was being about my arrival. In honesty, I imagine that Dr. Saltzman was overwhelmed. Taking me in was a risk for him and the rest of the faculty and the student body.