Linked

The Past

Elena POV

I awoke on a soft fur blanket, to a baby crying loudly for its mother. My body yearned for the child as it moved against my control. I couldn't fight it, I decided to just allow my body to do as it pleased, it must be a dream I thought. I walked over to the makeshift cot in the corner of the wood and straw cottage. Where was I? In the cot lay on a fur blanket, similar to the one I had woken up on, a small baby with tanned skin and dark eyes, swaddled in a blanket, wailing. The child was truly beautiful.

"Hush now my sweet Amelie," I spoke without meaning to, this voice was so similar to my own yet different, it held an English accent much like that of the Originals. Amelie. So that was the child's name, a beautiful name for a beautiful child. Was I her mother? I smiled at the baby and it reciprocated it when it noticed me standing by. I reached down and picked her up, cuddling her close to my chest. I released what my child yearned for and the child suckled at my bare breast and I sat down. After feeding her she fell asleep happily in my arms and I moved her do she was back in her cot. I dressed in a plain green gown and picked Amelie back up making sure not to rouse her and that she was safely snug in her blanket.

I walked out of the cottage keeping her comfortable against my chest. The area surrounding the cottage was full of greenery. A forest around me and lush grass beneath my feet. As I walked I passed cottages similar to my own. Children played outside with wooden toys as their mothers did chores or played with them. I smiled at the mothers but they didn't seem to reciprocate my feelings towards them. They would scowl at me or glare daggers.

As I entered what seemed to be the centre of town I could see a large group of men gathering with horses and blades, as the barrelled loudly, going on a hunt I'm guessing. The men smiled at me unlike their wives but I could feel their eyes looking me up and down which made me disgusted. A young man with shoulder length hair came running towards me.

"Tatia!" He shouted. Wait what? Am I in Tatia's memories? As the man neared me I realised it was actually Klaus. I mentally flinched, why can't I run? This Klaus looked different. He had shoulder length blonde hair, his blue eyes filled with kindness and...love. I remember what Damon had told me about Klaus and Elijah loving Tatia. "Are you still coming tonight?" He asked suddenly in front of me.

"Of course Niklaus, I was just taking a morning stroll," I giggled at his silliness.

"May I accompany you?" He asked once again as he fell into step with my own.

"Aren't you supposed to join the others on their hunt?" I felt confused.

"No...my father told me to stay behind today and help my mother, Rebekah and Henrik to prepare for tonight's meal," he looked down embarrassed that he'd been left behind to do a woman's work. I knew his father was a monster and treated him horribly but I was unsure why if he did not know that Klaus was not his son until after they had turned.

"Ahh, well I'm sure you should do as your father says. You don't wish to face the possible consequences that will follow," I spoke. Klaus may be a monster in my time but it was Mikael who turned him into that.

He bowed, "Of course, I shall see you later then." I only nodded in return. And with that he ran off back to his cottage.

I walked until my arms and legs hurt then she walked home and the child in my arms stirred. After feeding Amelie she fell asleep once again and I decided to rest which turned into a sleep.

...

I awoke to the sound of knocking on the makeshift door to my cottage. I groaned and stretched before moving to answer it. Upon opening the door I was taken aback by the man in front of me. Here in front of me stood a young, human Elijah. His brown hair went just past his shoulders and his eyes held such emotions that I had never seen before within him.

"I was beginning to get worried when you did not answer sweet Tatia, I didn't want to intrude just in case you were busy. I do apologise if I woke you, it's just almost time for dinner and I thought I would escort you and Amelie to my home," he smiled shyly. I had never seen Elijah this way, he was always so cold and collected.

"It is fine Elijah, I was just resting after my long walk earlier, I was not aware of the late hour. I would be thankful if you would accompany us, I just need to get dressed and feed Amelie if you would not mind waiting," I looked at the floor embarrassed slightly that I had let time escape me.

My companion nodded and proceeded to lean against a nearby tree. I shut my door and picked the sleeping Amelie up, however the movement roused her and her dark eyes stared back into my own. After feeding the sweet child I lay her on my makeshift bed. I proceeded to undress and then redress into a green cotton dress and black leather shoes. I walked back over to the bed and changed Amelie's nappy, which in this time was just a rag and put her in a miniature version of my own dress. The baby cooed happily and I picked her up once again.

Walking out of the house I realised Elijah was no longer alone. In fact he was arguing with someone. I turned to see who had ruffled Elijah's feathers and found it was Klaus. They were oblivious to my presence as they continued to argue over who loved Tatia the most and who should walk her to their cottage. I felt Tatia's face that was the same as my own, turn into that of annoyance and sadness. The child in my arms started wailing at the loud voices clearly shocking her and both the men's heads turned to me, horror clear on their faces.

"Tatia, please let us explain!" Elijah begged, coming closer to me and the child.

"Tatia, I'm sorry, please forgive me!" Klaus copied his elder brother.

I felt myself back away and cuddle the child closer to my chest to shield it from them, "No! You both promised me you would stop fighting over my hand until I decided which one of you to marry and the other would find their happiness elsewhere! Yet you can't even be held accountable!" My voice raised. Tatia must have experienced a lot of instances similar to this. I truly knew what this situation felt like. Maybe that was part of the curse of being a doppelganger to be stuck between two brothers. The two in front of me wet to open their mouths to apologise once again but I cut them off, "No! Enough! Either you both escort me or neither of you do!" I walked off in the direction I had earlier and I heard them both run to catch up to me and we all walked together in silence.

...

When we reached the cottage the men opened the door and ushered me in. Once inside I could clearly see the other members of the Original family along with a young boy, that must be the youngest brother who passed away, Henrik I think his name was. Rebekah glared at me much like she did in my time as Klaus and Elijah rolled their eyes at her antics. She must be protective of her brothers. Kol was nearby his hair only slightly longer than that of Kol in my time yet his eyes held none of the kindness he had shown me. Finn stood with a slender, pale woman with bright red hair, she must have been Finn's love. I felt downtrodden by the way Kol and Finn reacted to me, and jealous by the way Elijah was treating Tatia-whose body I was residing to in her memories-and that Finn had a past love.

I was brought out of my thoughts as Esther invited us all to sit at the table, where Mikael sat at the head. We ate in silence and the child cuddled into my chest slept soundly. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in my throat. Gasps surrounded me along with muffled shouts. I panicked as I struggled to breathe and speak. I felt the baby being taken from my arms and I looked down to see myself covered in blood. I turned to see Elijah holding Amelie, his eyes wide in shock unable to leave my form. I felt my eyelids grow heavy and then there was nothing...

...

I bolted up in bed, my head slick with sweat and a loud beeping sound and muffled voices filled my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut as the bright white light blinded me. I groaned as a sharp pain filled my whole body and I felt myself grow weak as I fell back onto my bed. Am I dead? I slowly opened my eyes and looked at my surroundings. I was in a hospital bed, an IV in my arm and multiple machines all around me. The beeping sound was coming from the machine that was observing my heart rate, my heart must have sped up in my dream. Then there was a man looking at me, speaking to me, in the chair next to me. I squinted to see who it was.

And what-or rather who-I saw made my heart rate rise once again...