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" I like chains on chains, Bloodstain stained my ring, "
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(Valaries Pov)
Feeling the weight of my twins in my arms, I couldn't help but marvel at the miracle of their existence. Their tiny, scrunched-up faces radiated pure innocence, filling my heart with an overwhelming sense of love and joy.
Amaya, with her restless demeanor, already displayed a distinct personality. She had a way of melting into Elias's embrace, finding solace in his arms. It was as if she knew how to wrap her little fingers around his heart, effortlessly claiming her place in his world. Even Finn had fallen for her charms.
Henri was the quiet one, preferring to stay close to Kai and me. With my blue eyes and my father's dirty blonde hair, he had a peaceful presence. Amaya, on the other hand, inherited her father's striking green eyes and my strawberry blonde hair, even though she only had a few wisps of it.
Both twins had begun to exhibit their siphoning abilities, which filled me with awe and concern. We first noticed it when Amaya unknowingly siphoned from Elias and Henri instinctively siphoned for me. The potential consequences weighed heavily on my mind, and I shared my worries with Elias. Thankfully, he had a solution—a bracelet designed to accompany the twins, preventing them from inadvertently siphoning and harming themselves. As they grew older, they would eventually be able to remove the bracelets on their terms, but for now, it was a necessary precaution.
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While Elias and Finn ventured to New Orleans to arrange our relocation, I remained in the Spellman house with the Spellmans and Kai. Stefan had gone MIA after going to Mystic Falls. He wouldn't answer any of my or Elias's calls. During a quiet moment while the twins slept, Kai approached me with a solemn expression. "I know about Lilian Salvatore," he began softly. She's still alive, trapped in a prison world with her group of misfit heretics."
"What?" I exclaimed in surprise. "Why was she trapped in a prison world?" Kai sighed heavily before answering, "She's a ripper, and her leadership of a group of heretics, tearing apart countless lives, raised grave concerns among the Gemini Coven. That's why they decided to trap them."
"Why tell me now?" I inquired, puzzled by the timing. Kai sighed deeply before responding, "Because I'd rather you know now than figure it out on your own. She's trapped for a reason, and I intend to keep it that way," he explained. "I don't particularly feel like dealing with her and a coven of heretics."
I let out a sigh, conflicted. "As much as I love Lily, keeping her there is probably best. I fear I'd do more harm than good," I admitted softly as I gently picked up and started feeding a fussy Amaya.
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"So what is Elias exactly doing in New Orleans?" Stefan asked, holding Amaya and cooing at her.
Kai sighed. It had been two weeks since Elias left for the French Quarter. "Niklaus had an issue to deal with. Dad is helping them handle it. He also plans on moving us down there when things are a little better because God knows the ancestors there are troublesome."
Stefan listened, his face scrunched in confusion. "Ancestors?"
Kai sighed again. "You're literally over 165 years old; how do you not know this? The ancestors are the dead witches of the land who control magic and the living witches. They're a very powerful and nasty bunch, but they shouldn't be too much of an issue."
Stefan frowned, bouncing Amaya gently in his arms. "But why would Elias want us to move there if it's so dangerous?"
Kai smirked. "Because that's where the Mikaelson family ruled. They built the city up from nothing. Elias turned it into a paradise for all three factions. But now, power has shifted. The vampires rule, and the so-called king is my brother, the man Elias raised—Marcel. The witches bow down to him, and he banished the wolves to the Bayou."
Stefan's eyes widened in surprise. "Marcel? Elias raised him?"
Kai nodded, his smirk fading into a more serious expression. "Yeah, Marcel is like a son to him. But with power comes conflict, and Marcel's grip on the city has complicated things. The witches aren't happy being under his thumb, and the werewolves are bitter about being exiled."
"So Elias is there to help balance things out?" Stefan asked, trying to piece everything together.
"Exactly," Kai replied. "He's there to restore some semblance of order and protect our family's interests. It's a delicate situation with the ancestors causing trouble and the factions at each other's throats."
Stefan looked down at Amaya, who was now dozing peacefully in his arms. "It sounds like we're walking into a war zone."
Kai shrugged, a hint of a grin returning to his face. "Maybe. But it's nothing we can't handle. We've faced worse before."
