Void

2.06

I sat at the table and someone joined me. I looked up at them and scoffed, "You must be Lenore."

The woman countered, "The body is, but I'm not."

I tsked, "Right." Elijah had told me about her. "You are Esther Mikaelson in another witch's body."

Esther sighed, "How I wish we could have met under better circumstances."

I leaned forward to look at her and pointed out, "We could have. You're the bitch trying to kill me."

My head started to hurt so I moved my hand up to my temple. Esther chastised, "You need to learn to respect your elders, girl."

I glared at her and she faltered. I knew that her spell was weakening and it would end soon because my own magic was stopping her's. I nodded, "Yeah, well, I got a couple of tricks of my own, Esther. Why are you trying to kill me?"

Esther informed, "To save you from a fate worse than death."

I questioned, "And what would that be?"

Esther looked down before looking back up at me. I could see the sadness and heartbreak in her eyes. Esther sighed, "Something you would be forced to do."

I commented, "You lost someone to this fate."

Esther solemnly nodded, "Yes, my eldest. No one knows know except for her twin brother."

I asked, "So what is this fate you are trying to keep me away from?"

The door slammed and I looked over at it. When I looked back at Esther, she admitted, "It's time for me to go. I won't stop, all I'm trying is to protect you from that fate." I didn't understand how death was better than whatever she was talking about. "Every time I try, remember that."

She got up and left. Zach took her spot and asked, "You were talking to Esther?"

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it and thought for a second. I collected my thoughts before answering, "Yeah, she said she's trying to kill me so that I'm saved from a fate worse than death."

Zach grabbed my shoulder, "Do not listen to her." I could hear the panic in his voice, it went along well with the fear. Zach was genuinely worried about the fact that Esther and I had talked. "Esther is manipulative. She is far worse than Klaus has ever been."

I looked at him and asked, "Klaus? The Original Hybrid?"

Zach nodded, "Yeah." He chuckled as he remembered something. "Klaus is technically my grandfather."

I chuckled, "Sucks for you." Zach slowly nodded as I felt my somewhat low mood improve just from that. "I've heard the stories of Niklaus Mikaelson, I thought he was just a story though. No one talked about him for the longest of times."

Zach stared at me for a moment before saying, "Come on. I wanna show you something."

He got up and when I didn't move he held his hand out to me. I took it and let him pull me up before dragging me out of the restaurant. I took in all the people and all the sights as Zach led me somewhere.

We went into the Quarter which surprised me but Zach did not look afraid as he took me to an apartment building. Zach led me all the way to the top floor before he unlocked a door. He held the door open for me and I walked in before Zach followed. I looked around at rustic styled apartment. Zach opened a drawer and pulled out a box. He held it up and I walked over to him as he sat it on the table. I sat on the couch and Zach joined me. Zach said "I used to be Martin, until 1921 when I was 8. You can look through it."

I reach forward and opened the box. Old pictures of a young boy and his family were spread throughout the box along with many other objects. I stopped at a picture of a boy and his father. Zach informed, "That's me and my father. It was one of my happier memories."

I looked at him and with a soft tone asked: "What happened?"

Zach sighed and leaned back before he admitted, "He abused us. All of us. My mother took her own life and my sister ended up in a coma while my brother ran away. I was found in an alley by Marcel." That partly explained who Lydia was related to Zach. "We had known each other for a while by then, he would seek me out and talk to me. Told me that he had been abused as a kid as well. I just didn't know that it was nearly 100 years ago. Marcel took me in, he raised me. Thing is, I've learned not to trust those who try to kill you!"

I rolled my eyes, "I never said I trusted Esther. All I said was that she was trying to kill me to protect me for some reason."

Zach sighed, "I want you to have this." I looked at him and it was his key. "I'm gonna change it so that the apartment's in your name. But if you're gonna stay here I'd rather it be here than in a hotel."

I sighed and took the key. I said, "Thank you."

Zach nodded, "Just repay me by putting some art around the place."

I softly smiled, "Of course."

Zach nodded and he was gone with a breeze of air ruffling my hair.