anne

32 | The Battle of New Orleans

TO - S1 E21 - last act

• ____________ •

A web of tension spun tightly around the room, linking everyone together, holding everyone in this moment of suspense and confrontation. While those who didn't know her could not fully grasp the change in the tide that this provided for Klaus' side, those who did were either beaming in pride or breathing deep to muster their strength. But there was one person who remained at a standstill more than feel any element of pride or fear that those around him felt. 

Elijah had been informed by Klaus earlier in the day of an 'urgent matter that required his attention,' and he was just now putting together that this was it. He knew Marianne was alive, as he had tracked her tirelessly once he knew that Rebekah had seen her months beforehand, but he had buried any lingering hopes of seeing her again when politics in New Orleans got heavier—not to mention his growing feelings for Hayley. Centuries of using memory to picture her had melted away in moments, and once more the warm glow of her messy hair and piercing eyes brought him right back to the first moment he had laid eyes on her.

Nothing but her style had changed; no more lavish dresses, just a black leather jacket, a bright red long-sleeve shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans and shiny black boots. The grunge look suited her, but something in the way it almost intentionally hid her beauty played at his mind. His eyes were fixed on hers, and in the split second she fleetingly looked at him they both experienced a heartbeat skip that neither would admit to. 

Klaus grinned and extended an arm toward Anne to introduce her properly. "May I present my dear friend Anne, whom—

Marcel waved him off, "Yes, I know who she is, but this doesn't change a thing."

"Then you clearly don't know who Anne is." 

Anne stood in place, arms folded, waiting for this conversation to reach a breaking point. She didn't need to glance around the room to see the mixed expressions of uncertainty about her, but she did it anyway to fuel the fire.

Klaus smirked with pride in his friend, but wiped it away to continue, "You'll allow your men to rush to their deaths—again." 

"Look around," Marcel's voice echoed. "Every vampire in the Quarter is coming out. They want their city back, no surrender this time." He glared at Anne, knowing she would've killed her way through some of his people to have made it out here alive. "You and your little friend here are gonna have to kill us all."

Anne scoffed at his ignorance and Klaus shrugged, "Okay, I think I'll start with you." 

Elijah took his eyes off Anne to look at his brother curiously, wondering whether he'd be capable of it. 

Marcel mirrored Klaus' stoney expression, "Fine, come get me." 

After he vanished, his Vampire clan stood around the Abattoir with a loyal firmness of frame, preparing for battle. 

Elijah's eyes remained locked on the roof that Marcel has previously occupied. He remembered his promise to Hayley as he lowly warned his brother, "If you don't kill him, I will."

Anne caught this as she looked just beyond the back of Klaus' head to see the outline of Elijah's. Those words sounded strange coming from him, but perhaps lethal threats had become normal and she had just grown unfamiliar with the ice in his tone. She knew him to be steely and firm when necessary, but never murderous. 

"He's mine," Klaus declared, looking at Elijah, "This won't take long." Klaus turned around to look at Anne, followed by his brother, and remarked, "Besides, my secret weapon is here."