Elijah Mikaelson & The Dragon's Quest

Chapter 2

The sun shone in through the bedroom window as Angelica opened her eyes. Elijah was still asleep and so was Henrik Finn, for now. She smiled as she gazed at her son's face illuminated by sunlight, reminding her of the cherubs captured in Renaissance-era paintings. Angelica did not want to wake either of them so she slid stealthily out from underneath Elijah's arm. She considered carrying Henrik Finn back into his bedroom that adjoined with theirs but then thought against it as the two of them sleeping was a most beautiful and touching sight.

"Success," thought Angelica as she slid out of bed and walked into the spacious master bathroom. She showered and readied for the day. Today was Henrik Finn's fifth birthday and there was much to do before the guests would begin arriving at two o'clock in the afternoon. She headed downstairs and ran into Charlie Dragonetti at the breakfast table enjoying a cup of coffee as he reviewed the day's agenda. "Good Morning, Sunshine," he said with his Alabama southern drawl in full swing. "Good Morning, Charlie," she replied, "You're up early." Charlie grinned and nodded, taking another long sip of coffee from his mug. "The kettle's hot already, heard you moving around upstairs," he said. Angelica thanked him as she selected a tin of white Ayurvedic loose-leaf Chai and prepared her morning tea. She sat down at the table across from Charlie as he proceeded to review the itinerary for the day's special events.

"The little man was on the move again this morning," Charlie noted casually. Angelica always appreciated Charlie's efficiency and his focus on security especially when it came to Henrik Finn. Charlie's christening gift for Henrik Finn was a Saint Pancras medal that Charlie had inserted a tracking device into so that he would always know where to find him. The tracker had come in handy as Henrik Finn became a toddler and being his mother's son, he had an insatiable curiosity about the world and his surroundings. He had already snuck out of the house on several occasions which Charlie discovered immediately. He notified the brothers, Rafe and Albee Dragonetti, who surreptitiously tailed the child to let him explore the grounds seemingly alone yet able to do so while under constant protection.

The property was outfitted with an extensive surveillance system that Charlie monitored from either his control room or from the tablet he carried with him always. This was the best way to encourage Henrik Finn's development without him doing so in a dangerous environment as there was no inch of area that was hidden from Charlie's cameras. Since Henrik Finn carried vampire blood in his veins it was very important that they safeguarded him from death as it would be disastrous for him to turn while still in a child's body. Perpetual youth is an enticing idea for those turning to vampire but not if it meant being stuck in the body of a child with the mind of an adult for eternity.

Charlie installed his tracker application onto the family's smart phones so they all could monitor Henrik Finn's whereabouts at any time. It brought peace of mind for all of them, but especially for Elijah who constantly worried that his son would be ripped from him as punishment for past sins, although he would never express such fears aloud.

Angelica and Charlie reviewed the day's itinerary. The caterer would arrive at nine o'clock and begin the set up and food preparation. There were the usual games for Henrik Finn and his friends such as a bouncy house and a petting zoo. This was really two parties in succession. The child's party was for the first two hours but the rest of the evening would be for the Mikaelson family; and they were all coming in to town to see Henrik Finn.

Henrik Finn was home-schooled but Angelica ensured he was enrolled in a preschool and now a kindergarten extension school where he would be able to socialize with other children his own age, except Henrik Finn was no ordinary five-year-old child. He was already a prodigy, a child genius with the same eidetic memory as his mother, the same analytical ability, and the same insatiable thirst for knowledge. He challenged everything and Angelica handled his schooling as she was the only one who could properly educate a child such as Henrik Finn.

Angelica took an extended sabbatical from the daily operations of AEM Enterprises so she could devote herself full-time to Henrik Finn's education. Thanks to some generous endowments from the Dragonetti Foundation, Yale University, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were already working on specialized programs for him. She was also working with Julliard as Henrik Finn was turning into quite the pianist under Elijah's tutelage.

For all his abilities though Henrik Finn was still a five-year-old boy, and he had made friends and that was something that pleased Angelica tremendously as it was something that she did not have in her own sheltered upbringing. His classmates were coming to his party but he was particularly excited that his two best pals, Joey Tindall and Boswell Stanton, were coming. Joey was a shy, withdrawn little boy who isolated himself from the other kids, but the day Henrik Finn first showed up at school and saw him, Henrik Finn bee-lined straight to Joey and struck up a conversation, and the two became fast friends.

Boswell, on the other hand, was a chubby, rambunctious boy with a loud mouth that was always getting him into trouble at school for failing to pay attention or sitting still in his seat. But Henrik Finn shared an affinity with Boswell as he was rarely able to sit still himself unless Henrik Finn could occupy his mind with learning or other pursuits. Henrik Finn and Boswell always watched out for Joey and if anyone messed with their friend, Henrik Finn or Boswell would have something to say about it. The three boys were inseparable, and their parents were ecstatic that Henrik Finn had entered their boys' lives.

For such a young child, Henrik Finn possessed an incredible amount of control related to his use of magic. He knew the importance of practicing his craft in private, never showing it off in front of his friends, and never using it against others. Freya suggested suppressing his magic as they had with Hope, but Angelica wanted to allow Henrik Finn to make his own decisions, understanding better than most the maturity that comes with their abilities. Her instincts had been right, and they had no issues with Henrik Finn's magical abilities.

Henrik Finn had his father's hair color and facial structure, but he had Angelica's green eyes. He was tall for his age, and Angelica suspected he would be at least as tall as Elijah since he is descended from the Dragon Kings. He loved to run and play and climb; the same desire for physical activity that consumed Angelica as a child and still now as an adult.

Angelica and Charlie both looked up at the ceiling at the same time, "They're up," commented Charlie unnecessarily as both vampires had heard Elijah and Henrik Finn moving around upstairs. Angelica poured coffee into a mug and apple juice into a cup and placed both on a tray with her tea that she freshened up with more hot water. She affectionately kissed Charlie on top of his head then headed upstairs with the tray of morning beverages.

Angelica walked into the bedroom just in time to see Henrik Finn trapped in a tickle fight with Elijah. She was laughing so hard at the sound of the giggles Henrik Finn produced that she almost dropped the tray. She walked over to them and scolded playfully, "That's enough rough housing, boys." Elijah commented, "Mom to the rescue," then released Henrik Finn. Angelica handed the coffee to Elijah and helped Henrik Finn down from the bed. She handed him his juice then told him she would meet him in his room shortly to help him get dressed. Henrik Finn sipped his juice as he walked through the doors into his adjoining room and closed the door behind him.

She looked at Elijah, "Everything good with him?" He nodded yes, knowing that what she really asked was whether his unrest had been because of nightmares or simply excitement about the party. "It's not every day a young man turns a whole five years old," grinned Elijah, "he's anxious for the party to start."

Angelica gave Elijah a proper good morning kiss then disappeared into Henrik Finn's room. Elijah showered and dressed for the day. He had AEM Enterprises business to handle that morning from his study, but it was really a good excuse for him to stay out of the way until the party started. He often enjoyed the vexing look he would cause Angelica when he would get underfoot during any of her operations but today was not the day for such playfulness. There was too much on the agenda especially with the full Mikaelson clan descending upon the household that evening.

Henrik Finn and Angelica went downstairs for breakfast. Rafe and Albee had already joined Charlie at the breakfast table and each gave Henrik Finn a "high five" as he walked by and sat down in his chair. Elijah soon joined them, and they shared breakfast together before launching into the day's preparations.