𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟. 𝐈𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧.
Humans reveled in the idea of immortality, but those who possessed it were...
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Summer 1001 – Vinland
Esther had been preparing herself for this moment for years. The day the smoke would turn red. Every morning after the full moon, while her family was in the woods assessing the damage of the wolves, she would perform a simple spell. One meant to check if their family was in fact growing. Each month, it would come back white and Esther would let out a sigh of relief.
However, the last few months the color had seemed slightly peculiar. As if it was tempting her. The first time it happened, Esther convinced herself she was simply letting her fear consume her. Surely it wasn't true. Her children were still unmarried and they knew better. She reminded herself that the spell was merely reassurance. There was no chance it was possible.
Yet the billowing red smoke was hard to deny. There was no question, someone was in the family way and it would bring about the end of their happiness.
Dahlia would come.
She couldn't allow it.
She wouldn't allow one of her son's misdeeds to ruin their family.
All that was left is figuring out who was responsible for this threat.
August 2014 – New Orleans, Louisiana
Astra left Klaus in the study to ponder over what she had said and made her way back into his bedroom. She heard the laughter before she entered, but stopped once she saw Cami in bed, surrounded by family. Astra couldn't help the grin that broke out across her face. It was just so normal.
Hayley was laying down on one side of Cami with Davina on the other. Rebekah and Freya were each seated, cross legged at the foot of the bed. Even Keelin was leaning against the bed post nearest Freya.
Davina had been saying something that Astra was too far away to hear, but it brought out another round of laughter from the women.
"Astra, come join us," Cami called out once she noticed the new arrival. "Hayley was just telling us about her trip to France. She had been stingy with the details. Maybe you can fill us in?"
Astra walked over to the bed and Hayley immediately curled her legs up to make room for her to sit down, which she did. A feeling of acceptance settled in her chest. It wasn't often that Astra felt that. For much of her life she was seen as 'other.' As something to respect but to keep ones distance from as well. Yet, these women, welcomed her to curl up in a tiny spot on the bed with them, enveloping her in their embrace.
"I think Hayley has a right to her privacy," Astra laughed as Hayley's face flushed at the thought of just what she wanted to keep private. "Besides I didn't see much of them. They seemed to be locked away in one bedroom or another."
A round of exclamations met Astra's words as Hayley buried her face in Cami's shoulder. Astra had meant it, but she couldn't help but to tease.
"That is not true," Hayley mumbled but the bright red creeping up her neck said otherwise. "We had a lovely evening in Paris together."
