IN WHICH - The last thing that Hope Mikaelson expected when she came out of Malivore was to still be alive, the second last thing she expected was to be disowned by most of her living family, and the final last thing she expected was some ancient be...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THIRD PERSON POV
CHAPTER 24
The moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft, silver glow over the farm as Hope and Lori sat side by side on sentry duty, their eyes scanning the perimeter. The air was cool, the quiet of the night wrapping around them like a blanket, but the tension never really eased. They had to remain alert. The world was far from safe, and every rustling in the distance made their hearts skip a beat.
Hope, however, seemed calm, almost serene despite the weight of their situation. She hummed a quiet tune under her breath, a song from a time before everything had fallen apart. It was simple, gentle—a way to calm herself, and perhaps to calm Lori too. The melody was soft, lilting with a sense of something that still held hope in it, even though the world around them had changed so much.
Lori glanced at her, raising an eyebrow but smiling slightly. "You always seem so... peaceful. How do you do it?" she asked, her voice low but full of curiosity.
Hope gave a small, wistful smile, her eyes never leaving the horizon. "I don't know if it's peace. Maybe it's just... remembering the good stuff. It keeps the darkness from swallowing me whole." She looked at Lori, her eyes softening. "You don't have to carry everything on your own, Lori. You're allowed to find peace, even in the chaos."
Lori let out a soft, almost bitter laugh. "Peace," she echoed, shaking her head. "Feels like that's in short supply these days."
Hope tilted her head slightly, her humming continuing in the background as she took a breath, her eyes scanning the fields again. "It's not about everything being perfect, Lori. Sometimes, it's about finding moments of stillness, even when everything around you is falling apart." She paused, her voice thoughtful. "You deserve that stillness too."
Lori didn't respond immediately, her gaze falling to her hands as she fiddled with the strap of her rifle. She looked down at her swollen belly, a deep sigh escaping her lips. "I'm not so sure anymore. With the baby coming, things are only going to get harder. I'm not sure if I'm ready for all of it."
Hope watched her for a moment, the soft night air brushing against her face, before speaking with quiet resolve. "You've been through so much already. I don't think you give yourself enough credit." She paused, thinking. "You're stronger than you know, Lori. And this group... we'll take care of you. We'll take care of each other."
Lori looked up at her then, her expression softening. "Thanks, Hope," she said quietly. "That means a lot. I guess I'm just worried. We all are. Sometimes, it feels like we're just trying to survive, but not really living, you know?"
Hope nodded. "I get that. Survival is important, but it can't be the only thing that matters. We have to live, too."
For a moment, there was silence between them, a shared understanding passing through the air. The only sound was the soft hum of the wind through the trees and the distant creak of the barn doors. The moonlight spilled across the land, casting everything in shades of gray.
