The Coven: The Red Era

Chapter XIII

I danced through the memory as I dove deeper and deeper into my subconscious.

"Finn, I wish you would've been there."

"That would've been worse."

"Love finds us when we're not seeking it. It'll find you. It always does."

He hugged me tightly and his expression shifted. Something wasn't right. Something was wrong, but he didn't know what it was. He hurries me to the forest line and holds my hand. "You need to get to Esther now."

The tremble danced in his throat like a web of sobs wishing to break out. I grabbed his arm and asked, "What's wrong?"

Harshly he responds with, "Just go see my mother." He walked away from me as I began to fret and wallow in my thoughts.

"Ventus!" He fell to the ground so I was able to catch up and I smiled like the devil I am.

"Why do I even try to be nice to you when you treat me like this?"

"Finn..." I whined as I scooped up the many layers of dress and slink over to him. "Because you..."

His finger pressed against my lips with, "I do."

Throwing his hand away from me, I spat back with, "And I married your brother." I scurry off to the village, leaving him to lick his wounds.

As the spell continued to work, I drifted further and further away from the surface. Each section of the memory paints a picture. What I'd do to change what happens next. The origin story of Maddelena the Malicious. A birth story like no other. What if he was right? What if I die before we get our children back? Then what?

Poking his head from behind the tree with, "Were you with Finn?"

I smiled and pulled a beautiful red poppy from my apron. "Littlest Mikaelson, I was with the ferocious wolves that were begging me for my poppy collection."

"Oh no, not the Poppies."

"I told them I had to decline their offer and that I must be returning to the comfort and safety of Mr. Henrik Mikaelson. They couldn't say no after that."

"Does Finn know that you married Kol?"

"Littlest Mikaelson...I told him mere minutes ago. But remember we must stay weary of the company we keep. Trust is the most dangerous thing we may ever relinquish. So, Henrik I need you to promise to keep this a secret. Our little secret, little one. No one will understand why we did a blood union or why we did it without the world watching. Never tell a soul."

He grabs the poppy with a firm, "I promise."

I wish I was able to tell him not to go to the wolves in the weeks to come. To prevent his death. To not burden the world with the supernatural. To change the course of history, but the past is to remain in the past.

Clenching my fist, I mutter a spell and then open my hand to him. "I want you to wear this pendant. It has the Mikaelson family crest melted into it. Black Tourmaline is meant to protect you while Lapis Lazuli will help to ward off evil. Never take this off, Henrik. Never."

"I love you Mads." as he puts the pendant around his neck and tucks it under his top shirt. Runs to meet up with his buddies. Despite it being years ago, it feels just like yesterday. Earlier that week I had a vision of great magnitude surrounding the Mikaelson family. Death and despair. Anger and revenge. Loneliness. Greed. Heartache. But death most of all. Henrik's face kept popping up in my night visions, so I created a pendant like most witches do. He was beginning to practice magic before he died. Dark brown eyes. He hadn't lived yet. All he had ever known was always and forever.

"I love you too, Henrik." I whispered as the wind swept over me sending chills down my spine. The future was grim. Get me out of this memory. I don't want to face death anymore. Get me out. The nausea boiled up again. Picking up my dress, I trek up the path that leads into the village. Images flashes before me as the throbbing headache rendered me motionless. A shadowy figure slithered in my direction until I was staring at her feet.

"Ayana Bennett."

"Maddelena. You shouldn't be lurking among the woods all by yourself. You've heard the rumors."

"I'm not afraid of a rumor."

"You should be."

"Leave me be."

Her hand brushes against mine when her demeanor changes. "If you go through with your plan, it will be the downfall of all humanity. I will not stand here and let you destroy everything we've worked so hard to achieve. Little witch, do not cross me or you will have the ancestors to answer to. Do try to make it home before the witching hour."

A thought flowed through my mind as I muttered the start of a spell. The ground growling beneath us.

"Stupid little witch. They'll have your head."

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Worry pitted in Davina's stomach as she watched over me. Pressing the wet washcloth to my forehead.

"Something is wrong."

Amadeus barges through the door and his eyes widened. Big brown marbles swirling like a storm. "What have you done? This magic is forbidden."

"It was the only way."

"You are not a Gemini Witch and you are no Mikaelson Witch. There are spells we are forbidden to use. If this memory is one of her strongest memories that she has kept under cloak and dagger after all this time - you better pray she is strong enough to overcome it once more. Experiencing it once is painful, but all over again is a fate worse than death. She'll be begging for death to have mercy on her. If she comes out of the memory too early, she will die. If she had a near death experience in this memory... she doesn't have the magical pregnancy to protect her. You fucked up."

Genevieve storms in with, "Don't patronize her. Sister knew the facts before the deep dive. Let's hope it's not a powerful memory that protects her secret."

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I didn't move a muscle. My breathing mocked hers. My eyes glued on her as she was an apparition. "And I'll take you down with me, Ayana." She forced me to my knees as the vessels in my head began to explode.

"Incendia!" Fire cornered me like a stray dog. My stomach felt like heavy rocks had been tossed in poison ivy. She was killing me from the inside out. This I remember, but how'd I outbeat a Bennett Witch? Why did I face off with Ayana?

Grabbing the ground, I siphon all the water and magic and deliver it to Ayana. It broke her out of the trance she was in. "Not a word about this to anyone."

"Have a good night, Ayana."