Valor | Marcel Gerard

Chapter 12

Andra made french toast.

"I don't think the French invented this, but it's yummy," said Andra, serving the plates. "Here, eat. And then we're all going to have a talk."

Mikael glared at her as she slide a plate toward him, containing three slices of french toast as well as eggs and pork links over it to make a happy face. "If you knew me, you'd know I do not eat this filth."

"You and I shared many plates of steak back in the day. You still eat human food and you enjoy it. Breakfast food may not be your style but it is mine. You used to hate my breakfasts. Which is exactly why I made one."

Davina had no complaints about the food. She was more concerned with the fact Andra was there in general. "You're going to try and take the white oak, aren't you?"

"I want to take it back to Klaus and Elijah, yes," said Andra. "Sweetheart, you are very smart and capable and I know that in time you could figure out the de-linking if you really wanted to but I don't think now is a good time to be trying that. I'm not taking the white oak back because I want them alive, it's because I don't want them to hurt you. The longer you keep it and keep him, the more they will try to hurt you no matter what Marcel says. I know you want revenge, I know you want to protect your friends, but if you really want to make an impact, I don't think this is the way. I don't want to tell you how to live your life but you are too young to be filled with this sort of hatred and desire to kill. Your life is worth so much more. I don't mean for you to forget what Klaus did and how Elijah helped, but being the bigger person and moving past it might be better here."

Mikael scoffed. "And that is why you are we–"

"Did I give you permission to speak?" said Andra dryly. "No. I have the talking stick." She held up her knife, and made it stand on the table by digging the blade between two slits of wood. "Good."

Davina took the knife, placing it beside her. "I want Klaus dead. I want him gone forever, where he can't hurt anyone anymore."

She flicked the knife toward her again. "Well, let's think about that. You kill Klaus and who comes after you, Davina? Elijah, Rebekah, probably Hayley. You either live on the run forever or you die a painful and agonizing death at their hands. And if you successfully complete the de-linking before killing him, you won't exact get any peace. Vampires with scores to settle will come for Klaus themselves; I've heard talk of it even before they all knew they were linked to the Original who begat the line. You'll have an influx of predators in the city and you will most likely be killed. Some of those ancient vampires are arguably more dangerous than Klaus.

"And if you don't complete the de-linking correctly and kill him, you'll lose Marcel and Josh. Esther Mikaelson crafted this spell so precisely... you'd need more than a few months to crack that case. You'll need access to her grimoire, which you don't have. Access to her magic and her mind, which you don't have. You'd need access to Klaus, which you don't have. And you'd need to find a way to do that all with your head still attached to your body, which can't happen the longer it takes, right, because someone will inevitably find out you're risking the lives of all these still-linked vampires and lop it off if Klaus himself doesn't do it."

Davina stared at her toast, all cut up and drenched in syrup ready to be eaten. She didn't seem to have an appetite anymore. "Didn't really think that far ahead."

"I know, and I don't blame you for it– you haven't done this before and that sort of thinking takes time. You're being driven by anger, which is understandable after what you've been through. But it is not a solution. Klaus does everything he does because of anger and look where that gets him. Is that who you want to be? Hardened by murder and losing your humanity? Do you want to be just like him or do you want to be better than him? Do you want to die after he does, still young and unfulfilled and empty or do you want to live and have him live knowing he's only still around because you know how to forgive, something he often seems incapable of? Who will you be, Davina? Anything you want is fine. But you must consider every single consequence. Every way this could go wrong before you think of how you want it to go right."