The Apprentice (The Originals/The Vampire Diaries)

Chapter Ten

 Annette and Mikael followed Lucien to a spacious dining room. A group of people were already seated at the long dining table, and Annette could feel all eyes on them as they entered.

 Tristan stood from his seat at the head of the table. "Welcome, both of you. Thank you, Lucien. You may all be seated. Mikael, as you are a special guest, you have been given a place of honor at the other end of the table."
 
 Mikael blinked. "Special guest?" He walked to the place at the end of the table. "What about Annette? She is as much your guest as I am."

 "Annette has been given the empty chair on your right, right beside you. Lucien, if you will take the chair on my left." 

 When everyone was seated, Tristan began to speak again. "I'm sure you all know of Mikael, the father of all vampires."

 "You give me too much credit," Mikael said dryly. "It was my wife's magic that made this all possible." He waved his hand in a gesture to the vampires seated at the table. "I was merely her assistant."

 "But together, you created an entirely new race of creatures. We came from you, through your son. You see, Elijah created the Strix."

 Mikael looked around the table. "My Elijah? Then what are you? What is the Strix?"

 "Oh, interesting story, that is," Tristan went on. "You see, your son formed the Strix to be a gathering of great minds to create a better world. Ridiculous, isn't it? But then he abandoned the Strix, and I saved them from ruin. Under my leadership, we became the most powerful organization in the world; no one holds more influence than us, not even Klaus Mikaelson." 

 "But why did Elijah leave?" Annette asked. "How did you become the leader?"

 "Elijah fled because of your master," Tristan answered. "Mikael came for them, and Elijah could have stayed, but he chose Klaus Mikaelson over his new family."

 "Why?" Mikael asked. "I wouldn't have hurt him. I have never wanted to hurt Elijah; I have never had a reason to hurt him! This couldn't have been my Elijah. It sounds nothing like him."

 "Oh, but it was," Tristan said. "I tell the truth. Elijah was as cowardly and cold-hearted as the brother he gave his loyalty to." 

 Mikael slammed his hands down on the table and stood from his chair. "DO NOT say that! I know my own children! Elijah is NOTHING like Niklaus! The next person to suggest such a thing to me will not be here to see the next sunrise!" With that, he stormed out of the room.

 Annette stood from her seat. She would have liked to stay and eat something, but she felt the need to make sure Mikael wasn't going to do anything stupid. 

 "I am sorry, everyone," she said as she got up from her seat. "He is...very prone to anger. Very bad temper, as you may already know. Please enjoy the meal. I will check on him."

 She got out of that room as quickly as she could and ran up the stairs and down corridors, trying to remember which room they had been in earlier. Finally, she found it and slowly opened the door. "Mikael? Are you in here?"

 Mikael was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

 "Aurora de Martel was right, Annette," he said. "It has been so long sine the last time I saw any of my children. I don't know them anymore, not like I did. They may as well be strangers."

 "Don't say that." Annette sat down on the other side of the bed. "They could still love you."

 "I don't think so. Rebekah and Elijah turned their backs on me, and I haven't even seen Finn or Kol in years. Who knows what Niklaus could have done to them?" He sighed. "My poor boys. I still love them, you know."

 "How do you think you could get them back?" Annette asked.

 "I don't know. I don't know how to let them see that I still love them." He sighed. "It's Niklaus. He did this to us."

 Annette would have pointed out that that probably wasn't true, but decided this was definitely not a good time. "Do you think they ever prepared that other room for us?"

 Mikael scoffed. "Does it really matter? We've shared one bed when necessary; what's one more night?" 

 "I suppose you're right. I would have liked to have a bath, though. It's been days since we were able to have a proper wash, and we must smell of it by now."

 They were interrupted by a knock at the door.

 "I'll get it," Annette said.

 It was Lucien Castle, carrying a tray of food.

 "Hello again," he said with a charming smile. "Since you didn't get the chance to eat, I volunteered to bring supper up here for you myself."

 "Thank you very much, Monsieur Castle." Annette smiled back and took the tray from him.

 "You're very welcome. Oh, and Tristan apologizes for anything he may have said to upset your master. He hopes the two of you would be kind enough to join him in conversation tomorrow morning."

 "Well, I suppose that will depend on how foul a mood Mikael is in tomorrow."

 "I can hear you, you know," Mikael said.

 "And another room has been prepared for you," Lucien went on. "Perhaps, Mademoiselle Chevalier, you would like me to escort you there?"

 Annette shook her head, saying, "I think I should stay with Mikael for tonight, just to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. But I would appreciate it if you could show me where it is tomorrow."

 Lucien nodded. "I would be most happy to. Goodnight, then, Mademoiselle, Mikael."

 Annette closed the door and carried the tray to the bed. "He brought food, Mikael."

 "I don't care about food now, Annette," Mikael groaned. "And what was that? 'Just to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble'? What sort of fool have you been taking me for?"

 "Do you mean to say you have never done anything reckless in your life?" Annette asked as she tore into the food.

 Mikael sighed. "Don't eat too quickly, Annette, you'll get a stomachache that way."

 Annette couldn't help smiling. She knew she must have struck a nerve somewhere.