Elijah's Eternity: New Orleans (Complete)

Chapter 4: The Goddess's Daughter

By: eternityunicorn

It was three days before Hope awoke, but when she did the little redhead was back to being the happy child she had been before the Hollow's possession. There was a great relief and an even greater celebration at the Mikaelson compound. Everyone was overjoyed that the child was awake and back to normal. Even Finn, whom, while allied with his family, was still the grumpy, bitter sick in the mud. Yet, Elijah's older brother showed a rare moment of happiness for his niece's safe return.

Elijah was grateful to Eternity, wherever she had gone to, for the miracle she had performed upon young Hope. But he wasn't the only one. Niklaus too showed gratitude to the immortal that wasn't there, through his care for her daughter, Hel.

He watched as Niklaus asked after the young lady's comfort and ensured that there wasn't anything that she needed or wanted, despite her own capabilities for magic using. He treated her in much the same way as he did his own daughter.

Elijah found it charming of his brother, knowing that Eternity would appreciate it, even if he was only doing so to stay on the queen's good side. He, himself, avoided the mini-me all costs. Just a mere glance at the girl and his heart felt heavy in his chest with pain and longing for her mother. He always turned away and went someplace else. Elijah couldn't bear it, just as he knew he wouldn't be able to, seeing the woman he pined for in her.

Even so, in the days that followed Hope's awakening, he found himself staring out the window of his private study often, instead of celebrating with the rest of the family. One hand was always fisted into his pants pocket, while the other held a glass of bourbon. He stood there aimlessly, watching the bright world outside with cloudy thoughts running through his mind that he didn't care to share. He didn't even want to share with Gia, whom had inquired into his strange behavior, but received no answer, just deflection.

"How long are you going to sulk in here?" Niklaus asked him one day, coming to find him there in that same position by the window. "Brother, your fiancée is worried for you. You should tell her something - anything to ease her."

"So, Gia sent you," Elijah responded, without breaking his gaze from the window. "Just what would you like me to tell her in order to ease her, brother? That I'm not truly in love with her? That our relationship is based entirely on my own selfishness? On my desperation to move on with my life? Maybe I should tell Gia that I only asked her to marry me on an impulse stemmed from frustration with my inability to do so? Do you think she'd be eased then, if I speak the cold, hard truth to her?"

"Definitely not, but you could at the very least tell her a merciful lie or two," his brother said. "Surely you could come up with something to say to her."

"If this is all you've come here to pester me about, then you can kindly take your leave now," he growled, sipping from the glass in his hand. "I do not need your brotherly advice. I wish to be left alone."

His brother refused to give up, however.

Niklaus sighed, "Gia's a strong and understanding woman with great intuition. I am sure she has already been aware of the hole in your heart, perhaps from the very beginning. Maybe not merciful lies, but the truth would be the best course of action, brother. You should tell her all. For god's sake just do something, please!"

Elijah whirled on his brother, his anger rising inside him. "What is with this incessant need to have me speak to Gia?" He practically roared, his patience at the limit.

Niklaus looked away sheepishly, as a child would who didn't want to admit to something. Yet, he didn't act fearfully or warily toward Elijah's outburst, knowing his brother's temperament well enough to know when to be afraid and when not to be.