Through His Eyes (The Originals)

For the Next Millennium

 This was not how my expected my life to turn out.

 Once Dahlia was defeated and gone for good, everything calmed, yet there was still so much tension in the air. Hayley Kenner, the mother of Klaus' daughter and woman Elijah obviously loved was under a curse. Elijah and Klaus barely spoke with each other. Rebekah no longer lived with her siblings, which left poor Freya taking care of baby Hope and yearning for our family to be reunited. 
 
 I, meanwhile, had no idea what to do with myself. I'd begun a quest centuries earlier to undo what Esther and I had done, but I felt as if I had begun to have a role in life at the compound and in our new family reality. So I just did my best not to get in anyone's way.

 I had taken up residence in one of the rooms in the compound; no one seemed to care that I was there. The only one my children I actually spent time with was Freya. I had no idea where Rebekah was, I hardly ever saw Elijah, and I didn't actually want to talk to Klaus. I didn't have any friends, and I wouldn't have had any idea where to start with that, anyway. I suppose that's why I took reading. 

 It seemed that Elijah must have enjoyed reading, since he had a lot of books. 

 I once asked while reading the titles, "Elijah, do you mind if I borrow any of these?"

 "Hmm?" Elijah looked up at me, obviously having been previously distracted. "Oh. Yes, I've read most of those anyway."
 
 Taking that as a 'yes', I took whatever looked interesting and ended carrying a large pile of books back to my room. That was how I ended up spending a good part of my time in my room reading. 

 At times when Klaus wasn't around, I began to spend time with baby Hope. She listened when I talked, though I doubt she understood everything I said.

 In short, I was very lonely.
 
~~~~~~
 
 Several months went by. Things didn't get much better. Niklaus and Elijah barely looked at each other, let alone speaking. My stepson often had sessions with that bartender/psychologist he was obviously smitten with. Hope continued to be without a mother. Davina Claire, from what I knew, had become Regent of the New Orleans witches. She was apparently hell-bent on destroying my family. Oddly enough, I couldn't blame her for that; she did have her reasons, after all.
 
 One day, I decided I'd finally had enough of my isolation and went out into the city.

 Perhaps I should see how Davina is faring, I thought. She was my potential daughter-in-law, after all, having been in love with Kol.

 I found my way to the cemetery, the one that the witches were always congregating in. I didn't see what was so great about that cemetery, but it I suppose it must be a witch thing.

 I came upon little Davina alone in a mausoleum. She gasped when she saw me, then her face hardened. "What do you want, Mikael?"

 "I was looking for you," I answered. "Congratulations on becoming Regent. I am sorry you had to lose Kol, though."

 "If this is an offer to help me with anything, the answer is no. If you want anything from me, the answer is no. Go away."
 
 I tried to step into the mausoleum, but I couldn't enter. "Did you put a spell on this?"

 "Yes, I did. Go away or I will hurt you."

 Not wanting to be the victim of any witch curses, I quickly left the cemetery and made my way downtown. New Orleans was a lively city. I hated it at first, but it had since grown on me. But I detested jazz music.

 I stopped outside a bar called Rousseau's. The name sounded familiar. I looked in through the window and saw Camille O'Connell, Klaus's new sweetheart, at the counter serving drinks. A bartender and amateur psychologist. It was an interesting combination, I will admit. She was intelligent. But I knew she would not be happy to see me (I had kidnapped her once, after all), and I wasn't in the mood for getting on anyone's nerves, so I made my way back to the compound.
 
 "Hello?" I called softly.
 
 There was no answer.
 I went upstairs. Hope was happily asleep in her crib.
 
 "I'm sorry if life's been difficult for you lately," I said to her. "I'm sorry your grandmother tried to kill you, and that your mother is under a curse because of your father. But you do have your Uncle Elijah and your Aunt Freya, and I am here, I suppose. In short, I feel bad for you, little one."

 "Father?"

 I turned around. Elijah stepped into the room. We stared at each other awkwardly for a moment. Then Elijah cleared his throat and said, "There's a full moon tonight. I'm taking Hope to see her mother and Jackson."

 "Oh. Of course." I stepped aside to let Elijah gently pick up Hope.

 "There are poachers in the bayou," he said.
 
"Poachers? Is Hope's mother safe?"

 "I do hope so. She should be there tonight." He held Hope gently in his arms and quietly left the room.

 I stood there alone for a long moment, not knowing what to do. Then I returned to my room and went back to my books.

 Everything was boring, boring, boring.