FROSTBITE • mikaelson mate

chapter two

CHAPTER TWO
explanations and adventures

"Do you recognise anything yet?" I asked Henrik as we drove past the 'Welcome to Mystic Falls' sign.

It seemed like ages since Henrik told me his history but in actual fact it had only been one week. I was still trying to process all the information and was struggling to believe that witches and werewolves exist.

My best friend being a witch seemed impossible and yet made so much sense. It explained how we hadn't died of frostbite the day we met. It also explained how he'd managed to protect me in even the roughest of foster homes.

What I didn't understand, however, was his decision to keep it from me for so long, only to reveal it now.

Henrik had told me about his past. He told me about how he had died at the hands of a werewolf. I listened patiently as he recalled waking up in an unfamiliar place and finding me. His explanation should have answered questions but instead it raised more. I didn't want to push the matter just yet, wary of his fragile mental state. However, I knew that if he didn't tell me on his own terms soon, I would have to demand answers.

One answer that I had gotten was his real name. For nearly ten years of friendship, I had known him as Just Henrik. Now I know him as Henrik Mikaelson.

I felt immense guilt that he still didn't know my last name but every time I opened my mouth to tell him, I could get the words out.

After taking a few days to process all the information he had told me, I had encouraged him to go back to Mystic Falls, the town where he was born nearly one thousand years ago. I hoped that it would give him a sense of closure and perhaps we could find out why he was resurrected.

"It's been a thousand years, Morgana, I don't expect there will be anything left to recognise." Henrik said from behind the steering wheel of the hire car. His eyes were covered by sunglasses and I tried to ignore how attractive it made him.

"Well, do you feel like you're coming home?"  I asked. While Henrik had agreed to the trip, I had yet to decipher how he really felt about it.

"You're my home now, Morgana." He said, his words making my heart skip a beat.

We remained in a comfortable silence for a moment before I said, "I was thinking that we could go to the library. They'll have records on town residents and perhaps on your siblings and what became of them. They might have descendents in Mystic Falls."

Henrik hadn't said much about his family so I hoped I wasn't crossing a line with my suggestion.

"None of my siblings were married when I... died," Henrik began, "My eldest sister died of illness before I was born. My eldest brother Finn once told me that before she died our father had been a kind, loving soul. I think Freya's death broke something inside of him and made him cruel. My father was... not the nicest to my mother and I think that put my brothers off the idea of marriage."

"So you don't think that any of them had children?" I asked softly.

"Rebekah might have," He said with a shrug, "And it wouldn't surprise me if Kol had a few bastards."

Henrik grinned slightly and I knew that although he missed his siblings, the memories of them brought him comfort. A millennium had nearly passed since the last time he saw his family but to Henrik, it only felt like a decade.

"Do you think you would have married if you had lived?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Nope," Henrik said, glancing over at me with a grin, "Since before I was strong enough to wield a sword, I had dreams of becoming a warrior with no ties."

I blinked in shock.

"You can use a sword?" I asked, the idea of him using one for some reason causing my face to heat.

"It's been many years but I'm pretty sure I still can," Henrik said shrugged, "Elijah told me that if I started practicing young enough it would become muscle memory."

"Elijah was another one of your brothers?"

Henrik nodded, "We were never very close. The age gap was too big to form a brotherly bond and he wasn't interested in babysitting me like Finn did."

"Which siblings were you closest to?" I asked softly and Henrik smiled.

"Definitely Niklaus," Henrik said fondly, "Nik and I were not just brothers, we were also friends. Our age gap meant little to him and I admired him so much. He and I were the weakest men in the family, often facing our father's wrath, so we banded together. Niklaus used to tell me that together we were stronger than anyone."

His voice had become hoarse and although I couldn't see his eyes through the dark shades he wore, I knew that he was blinking back tears.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, laying a hand on his knee.

"Niklaus and I snuck out the house to watch the wolves turn the day that I died. I have no idea if he survived or not. If he did then he must have spent the rest of his life overwhelmed by guilt." Henrik continued shakily, "We were so incredibly foolish."

After a lingering silence, Henrik gradually continued to tell me stories about his siblings. As night fell, he pulled into the gas station to refuel.

"I'm gonna run in and get a sandwich," I said, gesturing to the small convenience store as he filled the car.

"Alright, can you grab me some crisps?" He asked. I nodded and he threw his wallet at me, which I caught and sent him a proud smile. Henrik had been the only one with the foresight to get American currency for our trip.

I entered the corner shop and smiled at the man behind the counter as I browsed the shop. I picked a simple ham salad sandwich before scanning the crisps, not knowing which ones Henrik would like since I was not familiar with the American brands.

As I was trying to pick, I heard the bell ring and glanced over to see that a man in a baseball hat and sunglasses had walked in. Immediately on edge, I grabbed a packet before hastily paying. I turned to walk out of the shop and his eyes widened as he took in my appearance. I hurried to walk past him but his hand caught my arm tightly and I winced, desperately trying to get out of his grip.

He studied my face for a moment before letting out a small chuckle and said, "I can't believe my luck today!"

I tore my arm away from him before hurrying out of the shop and towards the car. "Henrik!" I shouted, not caring if I sounded like a mad woman. If I'd learnt anything in the foster system, it was to always trust my instincts and right now they were telling me to get the hell away from that man, dignity be damned.

I couldn't see Henrik as I ran for the hire car but before I reached it, a hand covered in a rag came across my mouth. I let out a smothered scream before darkness consumed me.