The Red Herring Revives: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 25: When Great Women Come Together

I stood in front of the mirror as I tried to fasten the zipper on the vintage casket girl dress I had managed to procure, with great difficulty. Elijah knocked on the door and I sighed as I watched him from the mirror.

He, Rebekah and Hayley had now moved back into the compound, but with everyone still mad at each other, there was very little I wanted to say to him. Or anyone for that matter.

"Would you like some help?" He asked me.

"You'll have to really put you back into it." I told him, managing to let out a smile.

"Allow me."

He walked behind me and zipped me up with ease before going to fasten the buttons on the dress. He stepped back and I admired his work with a laugh.

"I guess there aren't many pregnant Casket Girls."

"You look beautiful." He told me with a beam. "Are you staying safe?"

"That's the plan." I huffed.

"I don't suspect any of the riff-raff here would dare lay a hand on you, knowing you're under the protection of my family. Still, you shouldn't take any chances." He added.

"Don't you worry about it." I replied as I did a defeated twirl in the dress. "All knocked-up and nowhere to go."

"You know... if you wanted the attend the festivities tonight, I would be more than willing to take you." He offered.

"You mean with you and Klaus barely on speaking terms?" I countered with a shake of my head. "Probably best not to rock the boat."

"Of course."

"Do you mind?"

He nodded and walked over to unzip my dress. I turned to him and rest my hand on his shoulder before going to kiss his cheek.

"But thank you for offering."

~Cami POV~

Cami started packing her belongings, ready to leave New Orleans. She hadn't told her uncle and she wasn't even completely sure why she was leaving. She just knew that she had nothing left to stay for. Then there was a knock on the door and she answered, still in a haze.

"Cami." There was a teenage girl standing at her doorstep clearly upset but she had never seen her before. "Marcel has been lying to me, I can't trust him."

"Do I know you?" She asked in confusion. The girl let herself in and closed Cami's door.

"You've been compelled." The girl said with a look of disappointment.

"Sorry, what?" Cami was beginning to get worried about the stranger standing in her living room.

"I can fix you, don't worry. But it'll hurt."

~Iliana POV~

"So Davina's missing, huh?" I asked as Rebekah, Hayley and I rifled through old chests of clothes for the Casket Girls Festival.

"Walked right out the front door apparently." Rebekah answered before turning to me with concern. "Know anything about it?"

"No..." I said reluctantly. "But I did tell her that the Elders were dead."

"Why would she care? I thought she hated the witches." Rebekah said with a frown.

"I think it was more that Marcel didn't tell her that the one thing preventing her from being free had been eliminated." I explained.

"In other words, Iliana's the reason she's pulled a flock of seagulls and run so far away." Hayley teased.

"I just told her the truth!" I said defensively. "She realised they were using her to keep control over the witches."

"I never was fan of the boy's club." Rebekah muttered bitterly. "Elijah will soon join them and then the three of them will be impossible. Welcome to the family ladies."

"Iliana's the pregnant one, not me." Hayley refuted.

"Used by the witches, lied to by Marcel, manipulated by Elijah, threatened by Klaus. Just like a modern-day Casket Girl." Rebekah muttered.

"Are we still talking about Davina, or you?" I asked her.

"Does it matter?" Rebekah snapped. "Either way, us girls have to stick together."

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I spent the rest of my day locked up in my room, in case Davina decided to take revenge on Klaus after he kidnapped her boyfriend. I sat on the balcony as I watched the festival take place from underneath me, wishing I could be a part of it.

"It's not as good as you think it is." He told me.

"Well, maybe next year, I'll get the chance to decide for myself." I said with a groan as Klaus sat down beside me. "So Rebekah's got her own festival, where's yours?"

"I think control of the city will suffice for me." He replied with a shrug.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with a sigh. "I'm kinda getting used to lockdown."

"Being honest." He answered. "I killed Timothy."

"What?"

"And I tried to kill Davina." He continued. "She just so happens to have many people who want her alive for much longer."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked him in anger.

"Because I will not lie to you." He assured me. "Never again. You are not my prisoner, nor are you my possession. You are the woman I love. And that woman, will work against me to do what she believes is right. And I don't want you to change. But in the same way, I will work against you to do what I believe is right. Even if that means killing Davina. And whether you will admit it or not, that is the Klaus that you love. And I don't want to change either."

He got to his feet and held out his hand to me. "The festival isn't completely over; in case you'd like to get a true taste of New Orleans."

"But it's done? Everyone's leaving." I said as I gestured to the swarms of departures.

"So less queues." He replied with a smirk. "Come on, you're already dressed up."

I grinned back at him as I took his hand and let him lead me to the courtyard where Elijah was just walking into. My beam grew as I saw the entire place was filled with blossoms and a wide smile appeared on my face as I realised that one of them had gone out of their way to surprise me.

"Oh my gosh! This is so sweet! Which one of you did this?" I exclaimed but as I turned to the guys, they were both horrified.

"This wasn't one of us." Elijah muttered darkly. "She's here."

"Who's here?" I asked, now nervous thanks to their fear.

"Fiore."

A/N: Please vote, comment and follow if you enjoyed! Love you as always! Until next time! X