Through His Eyes (The Originals)

Bag of Cobras

 I came down from my room the next day to find the compound being prepared for a party.

 "Well, look who finally decided to get out of bed," Klaus said when he saw me.

 "Are we having a party?" I asked.

 "Indeed, we are. I am going to find the Hollow's followers and kill them all."

 "Shouldn't you ask them about the Hollow before you kill them?" I asked him.

 "You might have a point there," he said. 

 I looked around. "Is anyone even going to come to this party if you're the one hosting it?"

 "No, but we will be co-hosting with Marcel."

 "I don't see Marcel anywhere," I pointed out. "What did you do with him?"

 "Oh, he's perfectly safe. I wouldn't actually kill him. I'm just going to keep him somewhere that he won't get in my way."

 "Right. Where's Henrik?"

 "With Freya and her wolf friend. Keelin, I think it is."

 "She's still in town?" I asked.

 "Apparently. Oh, by the way, your friend was here earlier. Tall, dark hair, foreign accent? I told him you were still in bed and to try coming back tonight. By then, the noise from the party should have woken you up."

 "Oh. Yes, that was Erik."

 "Erik," Klaus repeated. "And where did he appear from? I didn't think you had any friends."

 "I met Erik when I was with the Strix," I said. "He told me he left not long after I did. He heard I was in town, and he wanted to see me."

 "So, you're telling me that a strange, foreign man who happens to be a 'former' Strix member just shows up out of blue at this time, just to catch up with you?"

 "I know what you're thinking," I said, "And I doubt he's dangerous."

 "And where have I heard you say things like that before?" he asked. "Oh, yes. When you were ridiculously smitten with that French fool Tristan. I suppose you forgot all about him?"

 "I haven't forgotten about him. I just...this isn't a good time to bring him back. Things are not good, and we are probably all in danger. I need to be here, with all of you."

 "Or you're stalling," Klaus said. "Either way, please don't hurry with that task. Now, if you're going to help represent the family, I suggest you go buy yourself a suit and make yourself look good."

~~~~~~

 With the party now in full swing, everything actually seemed fine. No one seemed too suspicious about Marcel being 'fashionably late'. How Klaus and Elijah planned to find the Hollow's followers, I wasn't sure, but Elijah seemed to have a plan set. 

 I began to walk around the perimeter, looking for anyone suspicious. This proved to be difficult, since quite a few people there were rather suspicious looking to me.

 "Mikael?"

 I turned at the sound of my name. "Erik. What are you doing here?"

 "I was told there was a party tonight," he said. "I came by this morning to see how you had recovered from yesterday. Klaus told me you were still in bed and to not bother coming back until the party. Something about how the noise should have woken you up by then."

 "Yes, he did mention that. But you didn't have to come check up on me, Erik. I'm fine, really."

 "Oh, I know you can look after yourself. But I was concerned, anyway." He looked over at the dance floor. "Say, would you like to dance?"

 "Dance?" I repeated. "I...I don't dance. I'm not sure I can. I'd probably step all over your feet."

 He shrugged. "I could brave it."

 "Really?" I asked. "Won't we look strange?"

 "Does that really matter? If you think being seen dancing with you would be strange for me, then perhaps you need to get to know me better, Mikael." He held out his hand. "Just one dance?"

 I sighed and took his hand. "All right. One."

 "So, tell me," he said as he led me into the dance, "How did you stop yourself from killing Klaus? The two of you don't appear to be at each other' throats."

 "Well, I still don't like him," I said, "But no, I have no desire to kill him anymore. Turns out all I had to do was stop and think."

 "Indeed. And you get along well with your other children?"
 
 I shrugged. "Well enough, I suppose. We all tolerate each other. Rebekah and Kol ran off to who knows where, and I haven't spoken to them since. Honestly, I haven't spoken much with any of my children lately. It's this Hollow thing. It's just getting to everyone."

 "From what I have heard, it has a way of doing that," Erik said. "And you have no friends?"

 "No, actually. I haven't had the time to get around to it, and I'm terrible at socializing, anyway."

 "So, that's it? You've been alone? No friends, lovers, no one?"

 An image of Tristan came to my mind when he said 'lovers'.

 "Actually," I said, "About five and a half years ago, Tristan de Martel came here to New Orleans."

 Erik gave me a look of disbelief. "Do you mean to tell me that you rekindled your romance with him?"

 "In a way, I suppose."

 There was a short, awkward silence before Erik asked, "Are you still involved with him? I don't see him here."

 "He's not here," I said. "He's currently repeatedly drowning at the bottom of an ocean. He has been for over five years."

 "And the Strix?"

 "I don't know what became of them, and I don't care. Can we please get off the dance floor?" I asked. "I feel uncomfortable out here in the open."

 "Of course."

 We left the crowd and began to walk down one of the corridors.

 "What happened to Tristan?" Erik asked me.

 "Do you remember the prophecy? 'One by friend, one by foe, one by family'?"

 "Of course I remember it."

 "Well, that was what Tristan was trying to fulfill. But it backfired on him, and Klaus and Elijah had him sent to the bottom of the ocean. I don't know where he is, and I can't go looking for him now, not with everything that's happening."

 "I see."

 I knew there had to be something else he wanted to say, and I waited for him to continue."

 "Mikael," he said, "You can do much better than Tristan de Martel, you know."

 "Can I? No one seems to want anything to do with me."

 "I would. I know we were something like friends years ago, but couldn't we have a real friendship now?"

 "Are you sure you want to be friends with me?" I asked. "I'm a Mikaelson, so I'm dangerous to be around."

 "I'll take my chances."

 "Oh." I really didn't know what to say to him in response. "Um, I suppose I could show you around some of the compound." 

 He smiled. "That is kind of you to offer, but I think perhaps we should return to your party."

 "I know." I sighed. "But I don't like social gatherings. They really put me off."

 "Luckily, they put me off, as well," he said. "Perhaps we can just go somewhere quieter than the courtyard."

 So, I led him to the parlor and poured two drinks.

 "Will Klaus mind?" Erik asked. "That we're taking his bourbon?"

 "Of course he'll mind, but I don't always pay attention to anything he says." I handed him a glass. "So, what have you been up to for the last century?"

 "Honestly," he said, "Practically nothing. I spent a lot of time laying low, staying off the Strix's radar. I was technically a traitor by taking off in the night, I suppose. Or at least that was how they saw it. But other than that, the usual things. Travelling, feeding, keeping myself alive."

 "I think I would have liked that," I said. "Once this is all over, I think I might take a very long trip somewhere far away. I'm starting to despise this city even more, honestly. I was never particularly fond of it in the first place."

 "You could go travelling with me" Erik offered. "You don't have to stay just because your children are here, you know. They're all adults; they would be fine."

 I shook my head. "I can't just up and leave now. I'm practicing good parenting. But you're welcome to stick around."

 He smiled. "I think I might."

 We didn't get to say anything else, as Klaus, Hayley and Elijah all burst into the room. Klaus took a painting down from the wall, revealing a safe. When he opened it, it was empty.

 "What's going on?" I asked.

 "Well, if you bothered to be at the party, perhaps you would know," Klaus snapped. "The blade is gone, the one Marcel impaled me with. It's one of the bones the Hollow needs to be resurrected in human form." 

 Erik stood. "The Hollow, resurrected in human form? That would be disastrous."

 "Exactly," Klaus said. "Which is why we need to stop it, before it comes for us all."