Elijah's Eternity: New Orleans (Complete)

Chapter 8: Coming and Going

By: eternityunicorn

Eternity returned to the Mikealson compound by dawn, much to Elijah's relief. In her absence, his siblings sat around and asked Veren a million different questions about herself and the greater universe, just as they had with Eternity. The dark haired immortal took it all in stride, answering their questions with patience and grace.

However, eventually Kol had to excuse himself after he received a text from Davina asking him to meet her in the Quarter. Then Rebekah and Freya had made their exits to tend to Hope, whom was playing by herself upstairs. That had left Veren with Elijah, which was fine by him.

They had had a nice conversation about all the adventures and conflicts Eternity and Veren had faced over the past ten years, aside from the one involving Loki. Elijah didn't understand much of what she told him since he hadn't ever been to any of the worlds in the greater universe she spoke of. Yet, he was still intrigued to listen to what Eternity had been doing over the years that they had been apart.

When Eternity finally returned hours later, she looked down at Elijah in surprise. He had been laughing heartily at the story Veren told him that involved a fight at a grand party Eternity had once infiltrated to confront some lowlife villain whom she required information from. Apparently, the man she was seeking was rather flamboyant and loud - a colorful character that was hard to take seriously.

Elijah was in the middle of laughing when Eternity appeared, worn out from her journey but amused at the sight that greeted her. "Well, it seems all is well," she said to them with a warm smile. "I am glad for that."

She went and sat down in the space between them with a tired sigh. She did so rather ungracefully, a rare thing indeed, and laid her head back on the back of the couch, which ended up laying partially on Elijah's arm as well. Not that he minded any.

"Are you alright, cousin?" Veren asked Eternity with concern.

"Aye, I'm fine," she nodded. "It is just exhausting when you are dealing with a lovesick elf king, whom cannot take a hint. I wish you would have told me it was a desperate social call and not one of urgent business, cousin. I might have declined going."

Veren and Elijah both frowned; though for different reasons. Elijah frowned because of the implication that this elf king she had gone to see was a suitor. He didn't like the idea of that, always the possessive one. He was a little jealous, but also felt relieved that it didn't seem that Eternity reciprocated the mystery elf's affections. Veren, on the other hand, had frowned in concern as if she hadn't known that was the reason the elf king had wanted an audience.

"Forgive me," Veren apologized, "The message sent to me had been misleading, if it had not been an urgent matter of state. If I had known the truth, you know, I would have declined it in your stead."

"It's quite alright," smiled Eternity. "It's not your fault, if you had been misled." Then she explained what had happened without prompt, "Poor Calithilon meant well. He did have business for me, at first anyway. There was a small conflict with one of his generals that he could have handled quite well on his own.

"He had invited said general to a mediation dinner to discuss whatever the grievance was. I don't know what it had been as I barely paid attention to it all, seeing I had walked into something else entirely. In fact, I was too caught up in the fine china and elaborate flower arrangement that made the whole affair feel more like a date than a conflict resolution meeting. I wonder if the elf general felt the same, which is rather amusing to think of."

She giggled slightly, before continuing, "Either way, the issue was resolved quickly and that was when it truly began to feel like a courtship attempt. I was, of course, polite and patient. Calithilon is a good friend and a most important ally, after all. Then he invited me on a walk around his castle and it was pleased enough, but then he took me down to one of the elvish celebrations in the village outside his home. We danced and mingled there, while I tried to find a clever, but subtle way of leaving.