𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 | the originals au

(00) PROLOGUE

The tarot cards cascaded neatly across the tabletop under Ivy's hand, the candles casting flickering shadows across them. Elena didn't really understand what all this was about, and least of all why she was even there.

Bonnie claimed that Vincent had called her and wanted to meet with them in regards to something very important, but Bonnie had continued to be purposely vague about what exactly it was.

"Before Hope Mikaelson was born," Ivy began, "the French Quarter witch Sabine Laurent swore; nos omnia perditu el eam - the child will destroy us all."

Hope Mikaelson? As in the little girl who just the other day was teaching her about all the different forms of butterflies in the world?

Vincent scoffed and leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, well, I knew Sabine Laurent, and she was a charlatan, alright? She also had some hidden agendas. I know Hope Mikaelson, and she's just a child."

Elena nodded in agreement. She had never met Sabine personally, but had heard far from good things about her from the Mikaelsons, and attempting to fear monger about an innocent child - most likely as a means of revenge - seemed to be right up her alley.

Ivy just smiled patiently. "Then the cards will confirm it."

Bonnie also leaned back and folded her arms, sharing an unimpressed look with Elena. So they were here to bear witness to some stupid witchy prophecy? Great.

Vincent sat up to wave his hand over the line of cards, flames leaping from them under his fingertips. When the flames died down at last, he picked the first card out of the ashes, tilting the face towards Ivy.

"The sun," She stated. "This card is a sign of good health and abundance."

Vincent plucked the next, flipping it around to display its contents to the three women.

"The card of temperance means peace."

Vincent lifted the third card, trying not to jinx things by feeling too sure of himself.

"The chariot card is for triumph, success."

Elena released a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding, and turned to Bonnie, grabbing her hand and interlacing their fingers. A slight smile spread across the Bennett witch's face.

A smile also escaped Vincent, and he looked at the three cards in his hand victoriously. His smile rapidly vanished however when the cards burst into flames in his hands.

"What's happening?" He demanded, dropping them to the floor and pushing his chair back sharply. Bonnie also shot up as the legs of Vincent's chair loudly scraped against the floor, causing Elena to flinch at the sound and immediately cover her ears with her hands. (Even after all these years she still wasn't used to the enhanced hearing that came with vampirism.)

Ivy hastily grabbed the next card, ignoring his question. "Uh, the hangman is for terrible sacrifice." She hadn't even finished her sentence before she was snatching the next card, her words picking up pace. "Devil is for bondage and slavery. And..." She grabbed the last card, freezing. "No." Her breath caught in her throat and she looked to Vincent, then her eyes darted between Bonnie and Elena. "The tower."

Vincent's face said he understood. "Calamity."

"Famine, flood, fire - that charlatan was right, Vincent." Ivy jumped to her feet, eyes wide and serious. "Hope Mikaelson will be our downfall."

Elena immediately stood up while grabbing Bonnie's hand and sped off, leaving a terrified Ivy and Vincent alone in shock.