MIKAELSON COMPOUND [A formal dinner table has been set up in the courtyard, and the bar that Klaus and Elijah destroyed in their last fight has been replaced and filled with fancy decanters full of various forms of alcohol, along with plates of grapes, cheese, and bread as hors d'oerves. Lucien is at the bar, pouring himself a glass of bourbon, when Tristan arrives with two bouquet of flowers in a large pot in his hands.] Lucien: [cheerfully] Aw, flowers for me? You shouldn't have! Bella chuckles. [Tristan rolls his eyes as he lays the pot of flowers on the other end of the bar, and Lucien pops a grape into his mouth before sitting on one of the barstools.] Tristan: They're for the ladies of the house. The well-mannered bring a gift when invited to dinner. I assume you brought nothing? "He does have a point." Said Layla. Lucien: [snarkily] Nothing but my deepest respect for you. [Just then, Klaus enters the room, having changed into a nice black velvet dinner jacket over his usual dark henley and jeans.] Klaus: Lovely. We're all getting along! Lucien: Mmm, like a fuse and a match. Klaus: I take it Aurora is on her way? [At the sound of her name, Aurora waltzes into the room in a vintage, dark-purple velvet dress with large, puffy sleeves and smiles widely at those in the room.] Aurora: I'm sorry I'm late. Just freshening up. I did want to look pretty. "Oh, such pity, she failed." Said Bella. Kol laughed. "Your brother would disagree." Said Layla. [Klaus smiles at her in amusement, though his smile falls when she walks straight toward Lucien, who seems to have been momentarily stricken speechless by the sight of her.] Aurora: Well, well. If it isn't my old friend Lucien. [Lucien begins to recover from the shock enough to reply.] Lucien: Hello, Aurora. It's been ages. You look... [Klaus, seemingly jealous of this interaction, quickly walks toward Aurora and takes her hand in his own.] Klaus: You look ravishing. "Someone's jaelous." Said amused Layla. [Klaus kisses her hand, which makes both Lucien and Tristan uncomfortable. However, before the three of them can start a fight, Bella descends the staircase and joins Klaus and their guests in the courtyard. Bella wearing this:]
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[Lucius looks speechless. He opens his mouth to say something, but seems like he can't get the words out.] Bella: Welcome to our home! I do wish it was under better circumstances. We all face a common threat-- a prophecy warning that my siblings and I would all fall within a year. [Bella pauses dramatically.] Bella: I fear my brother already has. [After a moment of awkward silence, Tristan speaks up.] Tristan: Only as a precautionary measure, I assure you. [Lucien looks at Tristan in surprise and disapproval, and Bella, too, does not seem pleased by this information. Tristan gives her flower pot, Bella takes it and place it on desk with fake smile.] Bella: Interesting. You see, I would have called it an entirely unnecessary measure. We need to unite to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass. And, since any alliance is impossible without honesty... [Bella and Klaus exchange a quick look before Bella continues.] Bella: Let us begin this evening's proceedings by formally acknowledging your clandestine alliance. [Bella gestures at Tristan and Lucien, who both look stunned and a little afraid by this admission so early in the evening. However, after a moment, Lucien nervously replies to Bella statement.] Lucien: Now, before-- [Bella quickly and patronizingly cuts Lucien off before he can finish his sentence.] Bella: Shh, shh, shh, shh. Lucien, please. Let's not ruin the dinner before it begins. Klaus: And, do try to bear in mind, we excpect a honest and productive negotiation this evening! "You two are good team." Said Layla. "We know." Said Bella and Klaus. Tristan: [nods warily] Mmhmm. Bella: [smiles] Shall we begin? [Tristan and Lucien both sigh nervously, while Aurora just smiles, visibly amused by the drama of this conversation. Bella extends her arm toward the table as Aurora, Tristan, and Lucien, followed shortly afterward by Klaus, walk to take their seats. Klaus looks over at Bella, who nods curtly before joining them all at the table.] MIKAELSON COMPOUND [Bella and Klaus are sitting at both ends of the table while Tristan and Aurora sit side-by-side on the right side, leaving Lucien to sit alone on the left. The table is loaded with all manner of Thanksgiving foods, including a turkey, stuffing, hrown gravy, cranberry sauce, and salad.] Lucien: It's a bit odd, isn't it? Celebrating an American holiday? Bella: Well, you know, Lucien, I rather enjoy Thanksgiving. The turkey, the cranberry sauce... The lies, the deceit, the betrayal... Perhaps we should begin this evening's proceedings with a little confession? Kol, Hayley, Freya and Marcel chuckled. [Bella gestures to the food on the table.] Bella: And do help yourselves. Aurora: [pouts] So, this entire dinner is meant to be some boorish inquisition? How rude. Klaus: [smiles] Nonsense, love! My sister merely wishes to make certain we're all on the same page. So, who would like to begin? [The guests are all silent until Tristan finally speaks up.] Tristan: Well, Lucien and I have always loathed each other. Had we arrived as allies with a bleak future, you would have doubted us. We sought to remove suspicion by maintaining appearances. [Bella chuckles and rolls her eyes.] Bella: [sarcastically] Oh, my dear. These pathetic lies promise to be as difficult to swallow as your stuffing this year, Nik.[Bella sighs dramatically and lowers her voice.] Bella: Walnuts, honestly. Kol, Layla and Klaus chuckle. Others look amused. [Klaus laughs loudly before Lucien jumps into the discussion.] Lucien: The bottom line is, we came to protect you ourselves. We have never wavered on this point, love. Klaus: [skeptically] And the bodies on my streets-- is that your protection as well? Lucien: [shrugs] It's business as usual for The Strix. Tristan: An old tactic, used often and to great success. Jack the Ripper, Son of Sam... A frightened human populace is that much easier to control. If tourism should decline, and the local vampires are deprived of fresh blood? Well, you saw how quickly Marcel joined our ranks. "How they survived this long if they got guys like this is mystery to me." Said Layla. Klaus: [rolls his eyes] Pedestrian. I would've expected more from such gaudy theatrics. Lucien: Well, if one wanted to obtain a certain item in, say, a private collection, but one was not invited into the home where said private collection was located, a police investigation could come in handy to remove those items as evidence. Bella: [unamused] I take it you are referring to the medallion? [Tristan and Lucien seem alarmed that the Mikaelsons are aware of their plans for the Serratura, but they recover quickly.] Tristan: I suppose it was my sister who shared that bit of information? Klaus: Don't blame Aurora-- you two are hardly conspiratorial geniuses. Kol nodded in agreement. [Lucien, visibly unhappy about Klaus and Aurora's reconciliation, decides to try to turn them against each other.] Lucien: Funny story-- it turns out, all along, that the medallion was in the hands of Nik's friend Camille, the bartender-slash-therapist. Had to get her arrested in order to search her goodies, so to speak. But, I would never allow any harm to come to her, knowing the great affection you have for her. [Klaus scowls at Lucien at this news, and Aurora is clearly jealous about the fact that Klaus cares about another girl other than herself. Bella is jaelous at Lucien's jaelousy.] "There is so much jaleousy there, that i can feel it here." Said Marcel. Klaus: A medallion that could lock us away hardly seems like a wise strategy for those come to protect us. Hand it over. Bella: and release Elijah. [Lucien looks around the table in confusion before interrupting.] Lucien: Uh, just a tick-- Aurora has Elijah, hmm? [Aurora gives Lucien an offended look.] Aurora: No reason why I shouldn't be trusted with my brother's sire's safety. Lucien: [scoffs] Of course... unless you were to have one of your episodes. "Exactly." Said Freya. [Tristan quickly interrupts to defend his sister.] Tristan: Easy, Lucien. My sister sought leverage to protect me. [Bella is rapidly beginning to lose her patience with this conversation.] Bella: Nik, will you politely remind me why we shouldn't just compel them all to give us what we want? [Aurora bursts into very loud laughter at this remark. Klaus smiles tightly at her, also beginning to dislike their conversation.] Klaus: I'm sorry, did Bella say something amusing? Aurora: [smiles politely] We lost a century to compulsion, my love. And some of us lost a great deal more. Surely you can't believe we'd allow ourselves to come here vulnerable? [Bella smiles fakely at Aurora in response.] Bella: My dearest Aurora, compulsion is not my only party trick. [Aurora's smile becomes a scowl within seconds.] Aurora: I do not like these threats. Bella: And what are you gonna do about it? cry to your brother? Or have another episode? "Buuuurn!" Yelled Layla and laughed with others. [Aurora looks furious.]
