Queen Anne | Lucien Castle

Chapter Six

 "Oh, Anne!" Lucien rapped on her door. "Find something nice to wear! We've been invited to dinner."

 "Dinner? With who?" Anne called.

 Lucien opened the door and stepped in, shutting it behind him.

 "Well, thank you for knocking," she said. "Lucky for you that I'm decent at the moment."

 "I didn't want our guest to hear," he said. "Although she can't exactly do anything about it. I've been invited by the Mikaelsons. Something about a special Thanksgiving dinner, some American holiday."

 "And you want me to go with you?"

 "Well, of course I do. You, Anne, have been my best friend and companion for centuries. Why would I not want you by my side?"

 Anne smiled at his compliments. "Well, I suppose I could find a nice dress to wear."

 Lucien grinned. "That's my girl. Meet you at the door?"

~~~~~~

 Anne had never seen the Mikaelsons home before. Their compound was beautifully decorated for the holiday.

 "I wouldn't have thought they were the festive types," she remarked.

 "Oh, they can be surprising," Lucien replied, pouring two glasses of bourbon.

 As Lucien handed Anne a glass, Tristan arrived with a pot of flowers in one hand.

 "Flowers for us?" Lucien said sweetly. "You shouldn't have!"

 Anne giggled as Tristan rolled his eyes at them. "They're for the lady of the house," he said, "The well-mannered bring a gift when invited to dinner. I assume you two didn't bring anything?"

 "Well, certainly not for you," Anne replied, still giggling.

 "How lovely! We're all getting along!" Klaus Mikaelson strolled into the room, sporting a new dinner jacket.

 "Like a fuse and a match," Lucien muttered.

 "And I take it Aurora is on her way?" Klaus asked.

 "Did I hear my name?" Into the room glided Aurora de Martel, all dolled up for the occasion. "Sorry I'm late. Just freshening up. I did want to look pretty."

 Anne was surprised to see her. Lucien had nothing of Aurora's presence in New Orleans. And given Lucien's shocked expression, he also had no idea.

 "Well, well," she said, coming towards Lucien and Anne. "If it isn't my old friend, Lucien."

 "Aurora," Lucien said. "It's been ages. You...look-"

 "You look ravishing," Klaus cut in, stepping forward to kiss her hand. Lucien gave him a glare, but before any fights could start Elijah Mikaelson descended from the upper floor.

 "Welcome to our home. I do wish it were under better circumstances. We all face a common threat-a prophecy warning that my siblings and I would all fall within a year. I fear my sister already has."

 "Only as a precautionary measure, I assure you," Tristan piped up.

 "Interesting. You see," Elijah went on, "I would have called it an unnecessary measure. We need to unite to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass. And, since any alliance is impossible without honesty...," here he trailed off, and exchanged a look with brother. "Let us begin this evening's proceedings by formally acknowledging your clandestine alliance." He gestured to Lucien and Tristan.

 Anne had been holding Lucien's arm the entire time, and she could sense him becoming nervous.

 "Now, gentlemen, before-" he began to say.