Dora Mikaelson

Chapter 5 - Take it or Leave it

I stare up at him in awe. Raphael's wing is as good as new. It is full of feathers and truly beautiful.

But I don't have much time to soak it in.

"Daddy there's someone at the door," Joel calls out from downstairs as Freya tries to keep an eye on all four of my siblings and their naughty antics.

"It's Dahlia," Freya's voice is panicked and we all hear it clearly.

Holy Moly. Oh no!

My hands start to tremble and tears well up in my eyes at the mention of her. She could have killed Raphael. I think she's coming to hurt us again.

Daddy quickly picks me up and the rest of the family rush downstairs to stop her entering the house. Uncles Nik and 'Lijah lead the way while Koly checks on Mummy because she's so distraught.

"Come, come," I hold my hand up to Raphael, urging him to stick with me so he can be protected by my strong Uncles too.

He caws and flies down, gliding right towards my head making me duck. I keep my hands out and he softly lands on them. I smile widely and stroke his back, he seems to love it even more now he knows I helped him. He rubs his head into my hand.

"You're welcome Raphael," I answer his thank you and give him a lovely kiss.

"That's... Raphael?" Daddy interrupts our beautiful moment in confusion.

"Yes Daddy, he was hurt but I made him all better again," I explain patiently while we head down the stairs behind everyone. "I fixed his broken wing like I fixed Mummy's ears."

Daddy's freezes and looks down at me very seriously.

"Dora, promise me you'll keep that a secret," he halts us halfway to the kitchen and speaks lowly, as quietly as he can. I'm sure the rest of the vampire family can hear but no one else.

"Only for today," I try to compromise, almost bursting with the need to run into the kitchen by myself to proudly tell everyone that I do have magic and it's the coolest magic in the world. I saved my best friend.

Daddy accepts and we join the rest of the family who are in a confrontation with Dahlia. She remains outside and Nik argues with her at the front door.

"We will fight to keep Hedi's children," he says stubbornly. "They are hers, not yours."

"If you allow me to come in, we can have a new discussion. Hedda, I want to change our previous deal."

Daddy gives me to Kol because I refuse to be set down on my feet. Still holding Raphael, I sit on his lap and hug him tightly, worried about everything I don't understand. I don't know what's going on and I don't like it.

"Unless the deal is scrapped, I'm not interested in making another," Mummy hurls back at her, glancing at me and my siblings every minute to check we are still safe with the family.

"Oh but I am," Dahlia laughs and it makes goosebumps rise on my arms. I shiver more violently. "I want her."

She raises a pointed finger and jabs it in my direction. I bury my face in Uncle Koly, scared stiff and unwilling to look up.

"I am offering a new deal and I will only offer this once," she continues on, ignoring everyone's outraged responses. "I am willing to swap what is owed to me. Keep your other children, I will simply take Dora in exchange."

An unearthly silence takes up the whole room and I start to cry and cry, Koly's attempts to help me are unfruitful.

"Come now Dora, there is no need to cry," Dahlia speaks to me directly, something resembling sympathy in her voice. "I will be able to train you up, you are far more capable than your family realises."