✔️| Gilbert (K.M. Love Story)

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Ariana lay on the dry grass in pain, she wondered how long a human could possibly survive so much pain before it became too much for them. Esther had kept her passed out for god knows how long but it was soon time for her to complete her purpose and she had been dragged by Finn to where they now were, it was not far from when they had been keeping her. The girl was increasingly feeling drowsy, Esther had slit her wrists and palms in multiple places as well as her legs to utilise her blood and she was suffering as an effect. The air whipping around froze her body, she wondered what would kill her first, the cuts or the elements. At that point she didn't care, as long as it was all over soon. Ariana could hear the roaring of flames and the muttering of Esther and Finn.

"They're coming mother" Finn panicked, it was clear in his voice that he was scared and Ariana wondered what had gone wrong. She also considered who they were. Would they help her? She surely hoped so though she wasn't sure how they could considering she was trapped in a stupid enchanted circle.

"No, they can't be" Esther returned with the same worry clear in her voice "The moon is not high enough" That was when she heard footsteps someone was coming and she hoped they would help her, she didn't know how long she had left. 

Klaus walked beside his brothers in sheer anger to where their mother stood, he was ready to absolutely destroy her. As they came face to face with their creator, his heart seemed to drop. They stood within a large circle, flaming torches all around but what lurched at his heart was the sight of Ariana. The girl he now accepted his love for lay on her back within the circle, her unseeing eyes were open, her pink dress from the previous night still on her body though it was torn in many places. Her wrists, palms and thighs had been slashed open and her blood stained the forest floor, her breath short and sharp. 

"My sons, come forward" Esther noted as she saw them, she recognized the flash of pure evil that flickered through her bastard sons eyes. He felt anger but more than that, he felt immense guilt, they all did for none of them had noticed that the blind doppelganger was missing, they hadn't considered that she could be in pain, they hadn't cared enough to check on her. 

"stay beside me" Finn warned his mother and Klaus rolled his eyes despite the situation. 

"It's okay" the mother promised as she made her way forward, glancing between the dying doppelganger and her sons "They can't enter. " Despite her words, Elijah tried his luck, also worried about the girl that lay helpless on the floor, tied up and gagged whilst bleeding out. As he neared, it was as though an invisible wall knocked him back and the flames roared higher. 

"That's lovely" Kol began, irritated at the sight before him, he did not care about the girl but he did care about the idea that he was going to die and was helpless to stop it. "We're stuck out here while the favourite son plays sacrificial lamb" his voice was seething. 

Ariana heard his voice loud and clear and she considered, They were here and one of them was Kol. Could another be Klaus? she hoped so immensely though she was incredibly afraid, perhaps her words were true and he didn't give a care about her or what happened to her. Or maybe her words had been wrong, and she had hurt him to the point where he didn't want anything to do with her. So many thoughts went through her mind in an instant. "How pathetic you are, Finn" 

"Be quiet Kol" Esther ordered "Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine."

"Whatever you think of us, killing your own children would be am atrocity" Ariana felt her self almost sigh in relief as she heard the voice of Elijah, he was incredibly moral and he would try his best to save her. Klaus was stuck in his own mind, he didn't know what to do to save the girl but he thought it best if perhaps he ignored she was there. If his mother thought he did not care about the girl, she wouldn't have a reason to cause harm to her. 

"My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago" was her response as she watched Klaus pace up and down the circle. She knew that he was inwardly trying to find a way to save the doppelganger but she was going to make him pay first, for all that he had done.

"Enough. All this talk is boring me" Klaus spoke, his eyes on Ariana as she rolled to face the voices, her eyes lit up with hope at the sound of his voice and he knew then that she needed his help and he would do all he could to provide her with that. "End this now, mother or I'll send you back to hell" he seethed, lost on what to do. Though he knew that Ariana was in no immediate risk of death, the cuts would take a long time to kill her. 

"For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you, felt the pain of every victim, suffered whilst you shed blood. Even you Elijah with your claim to nobility, you're no better. All of you... you're a curse on this earth. Stretched out over generations. If you've come to plead for your life ... I'm sorry, you've wasted your time." 

"Mother... let the girl go" Klaus stated, knowing that he had to do something before she could get harmed anymore than she already was, a smirk stretched across the women's face as she watched her son caring for someone. 

"Oh Nikaus, it is far too late for this. Too late to show true emotion, your love for that girl cant make up for the pain you've caused, no amount of remorse can either. She is just one final reminder to you, that you are toxic and deserve nothing. A reminder that all that come close to you suffer in the end... and will she suffer" Esther beamed evilly as a silver knife glinted in Finns hand and was stabbed through into the girls stomach who screamed out in pain before groaning and crying. Her bound hands moved to hold pressure on it but she knew it was futile. 

Elijah held his brother back as he roared in rage, there was nothing Klaus could do with violence, he could not break through the ring. All they could do is watch her suffer. 

Suddenly Esther moaned "No! sisters, do not abandon me!" she shrieked into the air, feeling the power leaving her. The full moon and the blood of the doppelganger alone were not enough to kill an original. The flames roared higher than ever and Ariana yelped at the sudden rise in temperature. 

"Mother!" Finn yelled and grabbed her, bringing her back away from the flames and away, Ariana's yelps turned into scream as she felt the flames begin to lick at her skin. Then suddenly, it was all over as the flashes vanished, replaced with only smoke and charred air. In an instant, Klaus was at her side, taking her burnt and bleeding body in his arms and immediately slashing into his wrist, forcing his blood down her throat. The little brunette gagged for a moment before accepting it, relaxing into him as the pain ebbed away.

"It's okay little one" Klaus whispered "You're safe now" he sighed and she breathed calmly for the first time. She was safe now, he was here.