Abrasion (Mikaelson)

Chapter 34: Fête des Bénédictions

Evangeline POV:

"Moving back across the river I see." A voice interrupted my packing and I turned to the source with a smile. "Have you forgiven Klaus or is this just a 'move closer so he can see what he's missing' type of thing?"

I raised an eyebrow. "After everything I told you, Thierry, you think I'd actually forgive Klaus? Let alone forgive him so easily, I talked to him once."

"So it's the second option then?" Thierry replied, plopping down in the couch across the room from me. "Showing the ex what he's missing out on, make him come back groveling, then you forgive him?"

I shook my head. "If he doesn't already know what he's missing then why would I waste my time showing him. Elijah asked me to move closer."

"Ah," Thierry sighed, "so it's the mistress then."

I rolled my eyes. "You know what, out of my house." I chucked a pillow from my bed in his direction but he caught it and put it aside. "Elijah isn't a mistress."

"I have two things to say." Thierry held up two fingers, placing his feet up on the stool in front of him. "One, this isn't a house, it's a hotel. Two, you made out with Elijah after you nearly kissed Klaus. Elijah is totally a mistress. Quit lying to yourself."

I raised my fist threatening, but Thierry only laughed. "Klaus nearly kissed me, I stopped him because I no longer want to kiss Klaus. Were you even paying attention when I told you what he did to me? He compelled me. He looked me in the eyes and compelled me."

"Well yeah, you kinda have to look someone in the eyes to compel them." Thierry retorted as I returned to my packing. "Alright, enough teasing. Time to talk some serious business."

I gave him a look of disbelief. When did we ever talk serious business with each other? "Fine then, what is your serious business topic?"

"Marcel." Thierry replied and I tilted my head to the side in confusion. "He came to talk to me a while ago, after Elijah booted him out of the quarter."

I had a feeling where this was going, but I really hoped Marcel wouldn't be that stupid. Elijah would make him regret it, there wasn't a doubt in my mind about that. "What did he say?"

"I'm sure you can guess. Some insane things about taking back the city." I was glad that Thierry didn't seem as though he was too keen on going along with Marcel.

I put on my best serious face for what I was about to say. "Thierry, you have to promise me you won't go along with it. Elijah wasn't joking around with his threats on Marcel and I don't think he'll hesitate in killing you if you get involved. This is between Marcel and the Mikaelsons. If you want to come back to the quarter I can get you in and make sure the Mikaelsons don't bother you. So promise me you'll let Marcel do his thing and you won't get involved."

"I promise." Thierry nodded in agreement and I smiled, relieved that he had agreed. He was one of my closest friends in this city, which wasn't saying much since I only really had two friends. Thierry and Hayley.

-

I wiped my finger under my bottom lip to get rid of some excess lipstick that was out of place. As Elijah had told me? the Fête des Bénédictions was a very important event to secure the witches' allegiance. I wasn't too sure why my presence was required, but I wasn't complaining. I missed being a party of actual society and I hoped to get the chance to tell Elijah what Thierry had told me about Marcel. I had to end this uprising before it began, before anyone could get hurt.

Dressed in a red lace dress with a white coat embellished around the neck and chest with fur, I admired myself in the bathroom mirror. There was a diamond necklace around my neck and matching earrings in my ears. I thought for a few minutes if I may have overdressed for the occasion but I pushed those thoughts aside, I didn't have the time to change my outfit.

"You look like someone who's ready to get mugged on the street." I spoke out loud to myself. "Oh well, I guess. I could use a good fight."

I heard a laugh from the doorway of my bathroom and looked over to find Elijah. "You look perfect." He told me with a grin, resting his shoulder against the doorway. "I loaded your bags into the car. Are you ready to go? We can drop your things off before we make our way to the parade."

"Alright." I agreed, grabbing my purse from the counter and placing the strap on my shoulder. "Thanks for offering to pick me up, you really didn't have to."

Elijah chuckled. "And leave you to get mugged on the street? What kind of monster do you take me for?"

-

Music and cheering consumed the streets as Davina and the other Harvest girls made their grand entrance, being carried in like royalty. They were helped down from their respective seats by the men who had carried them in and they made their way to the stage.

I stood to the side with Elijah, watching as Genevieve followed the three Harvest girls onto the stage. "Now, in accordance with the Fête des Bénédictions, the witches or New Orleans bless you all." She spoke to the crowd of cheering, probably half drunk from cheap beer, crowd before she stepped of the stage.

Monique was the first of the Harvest girls to step forward, gelding her hands in front of her, palms facing upward and hands curled. The earth underneath my feet began to shake and I held tighter to Elijah's arm in order to keep my balance. When Monique stepped back, the shaking stopped. The next was Abigail, she raised her own hands gracefully above her head and soon the wind began to blow harshly through the air. She took stepped back shortly after and the wind stopped. The last was Davina who instead of stepping forward, turned to the back and held one of her hands up to the display behind her setting off the firecrackers and causing the crowd to grow louder as the fireworks soon followed.

I turned to Elijah with a grin on my face. This is the first time I've really been out in public in a while, I didn't really count Elijah's party since that was only the factions of the city. This was a parade in the streets of New Orleans with strangers all around me. I could remember countless events like this I had attended with Katherine when we were traveling together. Just remembering the fun times I had with her made my eyes begin watering as I remembered I would never get to see Katherine again. We would never party in the streets like we used to.

"Evangeline." Elijah spoke up when he noticed tears beginning to well up in my eyes. His face was full of concern. "Evangeline, are you okay? What's wrong? Whatever it is I'll fix it."

I shook my head. "You can't fix it Elijah, nobody can."

"What is it Evangeline?" Elijah persisted, determined to find the underlying cause of my sudden emotional outburst. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what is making you upset."

I sniffled, wiping underneath my eyes as I felt some of the tears begin falling out. "I was just reminiscing. I used to go to things like this with Katherine when we were together, when she was..."

Elijah got the message without me having to finish my sentence, pulling me into his arms. He ran his hand over the back of my head and I relaxed into his embrace, feeling slightly regretful that I was crying on his expensive jacket. "I know how much she meant to you, Evangeline. I'm so sorry this happened, I truly am. Why don't we head back to the compound until the after party? Maybe that will help to relax you."

"You don't have to, I can go alone Elijah." I told him, not wanting him to leave his responsibilities here to help me. "You have things to do here."

Elijah released me from his arms, taking both sides of my face in his hands and I looked up to meet his eyes. "Nothing else is more important to me on this earth right now than making you feel happier. You're crying, I'm not just going to send you off to sulk alone, Evangeline."