Elijah Mikaelson & The Dragon's Legacy

Chapter 7

Elijah Mikaelson was traveling via horseback through the Spanish countryside on his way to Madrid. His family had become separated as they fled their father, Mikael, who had found them in France. Elijah had lured Mikael away from Niklaus and Rebekah and they had predetermined to meeting in Madrid, but when they would all be there would depend upon their various routes of travel. It would be months before Niklaus and Rebekah would arrive because they were traveling with the daggered Kol and Finn, and had to take indirect routes to be certain that Mikael would not pick up their trail.

Elijah was traveling in the woods, being careful to avoid the roads to remain undetected by passersby who could be spies for Mikael. It was this caution that would put him in the vicinity of Angelica's carriage that day as he headed toward Madrid. He was about four miles away when the sounds of Angelica's screams reached his sensitive ears. He knew he could travel faster than his horse so he alit from it, tied it to a nearby tree and sped toward the ruckus.

As he closed in on the scene, the smell of blood reached his nostrils first. As he arrived, he quickly surveyed the scene: The overturned carriage, the obvious trap set in the road, the man and woman in the road, both dead of knife wounds, and the sounds of men to his right. He stealthily approached the scene and saw Angelica, bloodied and battered, dress torn, in the fight of her life. For a split-second, he paused at the sight of this woman and he admired her warrior spirit, but he could see she was dying from her wounds, and yet, she would not yield the fight.

Elijah acted quickly and quietly, ripping one man's throat as he drank his blood and taking the other man's heart. He was going to take the third and final man but Angelica took care of him herself. As Angelica fell to her knees, weak from blood loss and near death, Elijah spoke to her to reassure her that he would protect her. She closed her eyes and Elijah worked quickly, baring his teeth and biting into his wrist. He put his wrist to her mouth as his blood gushed from the wound, but she would not swallow. "Drink! Drink!" he urged and in what should have been Angelica's final breaths, she swallowed and Elijah's blood poured into her system. She was unconscious but Elijah could hear her heart beat more rhythmically. He heard her bones begin to mend. He pulled the knife from her gut and held his hand over the open wound, applying pressure as the wound healed underneath his hand. Her breathing became more regular as Elijah's blood healed her wounds. He picked her up in his arms and carried her toward a clearing adjacent to the road, laying her down gently on the soft earth.

Elijah waited for her to open her eyes and when she did, he looked into her eyes, the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen in 600 years of life, and she looked back into his. He repeated, "Do not fear me – I will keep you safe." As his words sunk in Angelica noticed that she was covered in blood but the pain was gone. "Is... this ... Heaven?" she asked, disoriented at this strange turn of events. "No," Elijah answered, "we need to get you off this road and home. Where is your home?" Angelica sat up and Elijah moved back to give her space, to ensure she knew she was safe with him. She looked at him again and then turned her head toward the road. Only now did the horror of what had really happened begin to sink in. "Mother!" she screamed, scrambling to her feet and running to the Duchess. She moved so fast and with such force she nearly knocked Elijah down.

She slid to her knees next to her mother, looked toward Mr. Reyes, and then back to her mother. She picked her mother's head up in her arms and held her lifeless body to her chest. Elijah walked toward Angelica, his heart breaking at what he was witnessing. Angelica began to cry, to wail, uncontrollably, as she rocked back and forth holding her mother. She could not stop the tidal wave of grief that poured from her very soul at this brutal loss. Elijah walked toward her and put his hand on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. As the tears fell from her face, Elijah felt tears fall from his. "What was this?" thought Elijah. He had seen this scene before, he had caused this scene before, but he was experiencing Angelica's grief in the very core of his being. Elijah wiped away the tears from his own face, and took a breath to regain his composure. He stepped away to allow her to grieve with her mother but he would not take his eyes off of her.