We Remain Together

Chapter Nine: The Unplanned and Horrible Rule

“What? I don’t get a hello?” Mikael asked; still at their entrance.

Everyone were speechless. No one knew how to react or what to say. Their last hope was crushed at Mikael’s entrance. Everyone somewhere deep down hoped that Mikael wouldn’t show up and that they’ll go on continue living their lives. But Mikael was there. In front of them; ready to fight. Who could react to someone who possess a threat of killing them? 

Eventually Kol replied to Mikael,
“You certainly haven’t travelled for a sweet hello father now, have you? This half hearted greetings won’t do us any good. So why not get on to what we all are here for and just get it over with?”

“My child, aren’t you forgetting something?” 
When Kol looked utterly confused, he wandered his eyes onto others in a hope that they remember what Mikael was trying to say. But when no one showed any sign of remembrance, he asked again,
“Have you all forgotten?” 

“What are you leading upto father?” Elijah asked.

“A feast, of course!”

Everyone had absolutely forgotten about the rule of having a feast before a war. Having a bare amount of encounters with supernatural beings, the Mikaelsons thought it’s foolish, baseless to have a feast before killing mere humans. 
Well, there were other reasons to demolish this tradition.

Henrik was sitting in front of the fireplace. No drink in his hand, just sitting there on the warm, brown couch; remembering Dacre. And how he just so obliviously said that they’d meet again. Henrik, as a matter of fact wanted to believe everything would happen as how Dacre described. But he knew better than dreaming of future when he knew there was a possibility of not having a future.

“I believe that you’ll come back, drop all your bags at your apartment, reach Green Lantern, look for me and once I am visible, you’ll come and kiss me so hard and then, you’ll say hi and that’s when our story will start”
Henrik chuckled while remembering what Dacre had said. For Henrik, it would be fun to do as Dacre had put it.

Suddenly he heard voice of the person whom he wanted to avoid the most having a conversation with.
“Have any idea why Father is stalling?”

Henrik sighed and asked in return,
“What do you mean?”

“I mean he is here with the intention of killing us all, but first wishes to have a feast? (Clicks tongue) That’s suspicious.”

“He can hear you, you know?” Henrik asked showing his back to Kol.

“So what? He is going to kill us all no matter what, so why not just say what we want to say.”

Henrik finally turned and asked with wonder,
“Are you so sure that he will kill us? You don’t have the slightest bit of hope that we’ll somehow survive this? Don’t you have anything in your life that’s worth fighting for your life?”
Kol shook his head. Said nothing and just shook his head.
“That’s crazy.”

“What is?”

“We have lived for over 1000 years. And yet you haven’t found anything or anyone worth fighting for. Are you ready to just stop living?”

“I have grown tired of living Henrik. It’s just loneliness and nothing else. There’s no one in my life for whom I wish to continue living.”

Henrik felt sad for Kol.
“You have this family, don’t you?”

Kol sputtered and said,
“What family? Father wishes to kill us, things with mother are beyond repair, Finn have never considered me as his brother, Elijah cares for no one besides Niklaus, we all know how we feel towards Niklaus, Rebekah always favors Elijah or Niklaus and you… how long has it been since we have talked like this? (Henrik was speechless) So you see, my family is just a family for a namesake.

For everyone, I am second or third. No one cares for me. Everyone leaves me just like you did after I refused helping you with Kollen. You just stopped seeing me. I was like totally invisible for you.”

Henrik saw the pain in Kol’s eyes. Something in him did say that there was something more than just Kol’s refusal for Kollen. But he didn’t say anything. Instead he just shut him off from Kol. Before that, Kol has been so good to him but this one thing got him completely dismissing
Kol. If he hadn’t been like that, maybe Kol wouldn’t be feeling like this. Henrik did what he felt the only thing he could do. He left Kol and the conversation. While Kol stood teary-eyed.


“How problematic are we!” Rebekah exclaimed.

“Yeah, I really wished they’d settle their feud now. It’s been long enough.” Elijah expressed.

“I really thought Henrik would give in after Kol’s whole speech. But instead he just walked away.”

“It wasn’t wrong of us to eavesdrop, was it?”

“Not at all! I mean we hear everything. Sometimes it’s too difficult to avoid hearing. And we care for them, all we want is for them to mend whatever needs to be mended. (Elijah nods) Speaking of caring, remind me to kick the shit out of him after we’re done with this stupid fight.
How dare he say we don’t care about him?”

“Not to defend him but we have placed him second in terms of our priority many times.”

“He should understand that Nik had much more troubles than him. So obviously he was our first priority but that doesn’t mean we love him any less.”

“It’s tough to understand this for someone who has felt he had lived in someone else’s shadow constantly.” Both of them were silent for a while.

“Where are we with this feast anyways?” Rebekah asks in annoyance.

“I don’t know. It’s been over a couple hours. Father did compel few chefs from many of the most prestigious restaurants. No idea what they’re doing still.” Elijah answers in the same calmed manner even though he too, wanted to get over this fight as soon as possible.


Another hour had passed before they were all called for meal. Everyone has expected it to be grand and full of every kind of meat, numerous desserts. And it was exactly that. The dining table was filled with dishes almost making it impossible for them to choose what to eat first. They all would have preferred if it was something intimate. As if the food wasn’t enough and they all had to share. This seemed more formal rather than appealing and warm. They all were tired of each other but they couldn’t stop expecting more from them. 

“Welcome. To this grand feast. I have put out almost everything that will help me a great competition from you all. And for the perfection,
(Mikael’s signals one of the chef’s) I have also given you the best thing a vampire could use before a fight.”
Just then, a chef enters with a tray of eight glasses of human blood.

“I have kept off of drinking human blood father.” Finn informed dismissively.

“Finn, this might be the last of the taste of human blood for you. So drink it up. Here is the perfect amount that you’ll be needing to stay strong for afterwards. 
Now, shall we?”


Everyone had taken their seat. It was just as how it was before. Mikael sitting at front, on his right sat Rebekah, Finn and Henrik and on his left sat Elijah, Niklaus and Kol. Esther sat facing Mikael. All of them were quietly eating their meal. 

“So, how’s everyone?” Mikael asked all of a sudden.
Everyone stopped eating or chewing and just stared down at their food.
“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.”

“What are you trying to do Mikael? First this feast and now you’re trying to have a conversation with us? We are literally moments away from tearing each other apart and now you want to talk?” Esther shouted; irritation palpable in her voice.

“That’s the reason.” Mikael began speaking.
“The last time we fought, not much of time had passed at that time, but now it’s been too long for things to be okay. And just like that you have said now, we are moments away from our death, so why not say how we are irrespective of how others would feel to that. I see everyone here and I could just say without any hesitation that you all are screaming on the inside on many topics. So why not talk it aloud?”

“Yes father!” Nikluas began to speak with a firm voice.
“Yes, we are not okay, but….”

Rebekah interrupts, “And we all know the reason to that, don’t we?”
Everyone looked at her. Everyone knew what she meant. Even Nikaus. “What do you mean, Rebekah? What’s the reason, or who, is the reason?” Mikael asked, knowing where this was going.

“It’s Klaus.” Rebekah answered nonchalantly. This left Niklaus shattered.

“Rebekah how can you say this?” Elijah asked.

“Why Elijah?” Henrik interfered.
“Rebekah is only telling the truth.” 
Niklaus completely broke. Even though Henrik and he had last talked long ago but he accounted as one of his siblings who actually cared for him. And then hearing that from Henrik, he had lost all hope of love from any of his siblings.

“The root of all our problems is Niklaus. Even you Elijah, no matter how much you ignore it, you know it too that Niklaus is the main reason why we all are like this. Stuck. With no strong companion with us since we have lived and that is about more than 1000 years. He is solely responsible why we all, are tired of living.” Henrik continued.

Niklaus has stopped eating. He just stared down at his plate of food. Who could eat after listening all that?
“I have Dani.” Elijah said.
“I love her and she is my companion.”

“Then why haven’t you turned her yet?” Rebekah wondered.
“Do you even plan to? Turning her? Because soon, she’ll die if not of age then something else. What kind of companion is she if she won’t be with you forever?”

“Oh, it’s just Elijah playing his gentleman persona. He would never turn his love without her wish. Isn’t that right Elijah?” Finn asked. Elijah maintained silence to which Finn chuckled.

“That’s so dumb.” Kol says.
“The whole point of loving someone is to be with them forever. And if you have the power to do that, why not use it?”

“Oh, you’re one to say about being with your loved one forever. Isn’t it ironic that you believe that but also refuse to help in doing that?” Henrik said.

“Why are we fighting with ourselves?” Niklaus muttered.

Mikael chuckled after a few seconds of silence and says,
“It’s funny. You all left me to supposedly have a better life. But now looking at you, it seems you have turned out to be far worse than before.”

“We left you.” Esther says in a low but firm voice. “We left you Mikael. Because you treated Niklaus so terribly. I couldn’t watch what you did to him for more than a minute so I cannot imagine Niklaus’ condition at that time. And not only you were traumatizing to Niklaus but to rest of your children as well.