Ambience ~ n.m.

20; The Welcome Committee

"Castle" By Halsey

"I'm headed straight for the castle.

They've got the kingdom locked up.

And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying

I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut."

I was in New Orleans.

Once I stepped off the plane I understood that I was heading straight into my new life. Away from my family, friends, and Klaus. I will still talk to them I hope. This gave me more anxiety to start anew.

I grabbed my gray luggage from the baggage claim and staked my small carry on on top. I started down the escalators to read a somewhat large sign that said 'Harper Gilbert' across the board.

Who would already know me here?

The man holding the sign was dark skinned and definitely attractive. "Yeah?" I ask the man.

"Harper, right?" the man asked and I nodded. "When Damon said you looked like Katherine, he wasn't kidding," he smiles widely.

"Damon called you?" I ask, noting his black aura that indicated him being a vampire.

"I owed him one," the man shrugged.

"There's even vampires in New Orleans. Great," I sigh.

"How could you tell?" he laughed.

"Let's just say I have really good sight," I chuckle.

"Now, let's go get you settled and a nice drink in your system," the man told me as he put a hand on my shoulder, leading me to his car.

"What's your name again?" I asked.

"Marcel Gerard, the King of New Orleans," Marcel brags with a wicked smile.

"'King'? I don't remember reading the New Orleans was a monarchy," I joke.

"Just the King of the vamps," Marcel clarified with a smile. We drove to the 'Abattoir' or the compound where Marcel lived. He showed me to his sitting room and sat down, drinking a glass of alcohol. Marcel seemed accustomed to scotch, much like Klaus is. I used to have a love for bourbon, courtesy to Damon, but after drinking scotch with Klaus, that seemed to be my favorite. "So, can I ask how you look so much like Katherine Pierce?" Marcel asked from his place across from me.

"That's a very long story," I sigh grabbing a scotch of my own.

"We have time." Marcel states with a smile.

I sigh and shake my head. "Then get ready for the most twisted story," I chuckled. "Katherine was a doppelgänger before she was a vampire. They only come along every five hundred years or so. My twin sister was the next doppelgänger, who was killed in a sacrifice to make an Original into a Hybrid. She would have been a goner if it wasn't for a witch," I began, taking a sip of scotch. "Since there was already a doppelganger, it would be an imbalance of nature to have two. So to decide my fate, it was like a big game of straws. I couldn't be a witch or werewolf because it wasn't in my bloodline and I couldn't be a vampire because witches believe them to be abominations," I explain.

"What does that make you?"

"I was placed into the 'Feeler' category. Only three come into the Earth at once," I state.

"What can these Feelers do?" Marcel asks curiously.

"I can feel everything that goes on within a five mile radius if I concentrate," I explain as I walk over to the bartop. He stands to join me at the table. "Like a map, basically," I tell him.