Treme'

The Queen Still Sayeth

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."

-Napoléon Bonaparte-

"Not that it's any of your business," drawled Marcel as he began to pace back and forth, as if he were about to give the most prolific closing argument, of his long life, before a waiting grand jury. "But, now that I possess the necessary means to help anyone stupid enough to cross me meet their end, I'm not backing down. I'm taking back my city and if I have to, I'm taking down the Mikaelsons. Their reign ends here."

Cheers rang out around the room as the barricaded vampires expressed their excitement at Marcel's impassioned words. Swinging his arms out around him towards the cheering crowds, he continued his speech.

"The icing on all of this is that Klaus' own sire-lings get to bear witness to their maker's, and his family's downfall. I—"

Yet, before he could finish, Arsetti cut him off with another question. She really didn't care one way or another about his petty agenda. After all, he was just a means to an end. However, she did care about something he had said in the mists of his long-winded spiel.

"Marcel, what means do you think you have?" She asked carefully.

"As far as I know, there is only one thing that can kill an original; and to be quite honest, you're not strong enough to take them down with it—even if you had it in your possession," she scoffed, as she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

Raising her eyebrow, and crossing her arms under her bosom, she derided, "so, enlighten me and everyone else here with what this weapon you supposedly have is."

Clearing his throat, Vincent shook his head. Sighing heavily, whether it was the situation in front of him or at his own folly that led to this showdown he was unsure—yet, he sought to explain his part. He only hoped that the new Queen would be as merciful as the last one was—pertaining to his punishment.

"This is all my fault," Vincent began solemnly. "I thought I was doing a good thing giving Marcel that serum, but I had no idea this would be his intentions for it. But, to make a long-story short, and to answer your question, it's venom."

Slowly, his eyes drifted over to meet Elijah's, conveying an unspoken message within his otherwise somber expression.

"And it's strong enough to kill anything, even an original." He watched as the older original's eyes narrowed in thought and both his younger brother's eyebrows raised in surprise at the new information being given.

Seeing the question in their eyes, Vincent added, "and before any of you ask; no, there is no cure. If Marcel bites you, you will die."

Looking back to Arsetti, who had been quietly taking in all this new information, he apologized. "Like I said before, I had no idea that he was gonna do this and all of this happened before I knew you had even returned. I never would have done it otherwise; and for that I'm so sorry."

Nodding her head in understanding, the young Queen waved him off and turned her attention back to the now smirking Marcel. Scoffing, she prepared to address the current issue head on.

Outside she could hear the French Quarter witches' chants and could see that both barriers were still holding strong.

Interrupting her thoughts, the cocky super vamp addressed the regent, but his actual target had been the Voodoo Queen herself.

Snidely, he heckled, "who is she to be apologizing to? It's none of her business. I'm not changing my stance on any of this and whoever gets in my way will get cut down like a dry rotted tree." Then turning his attention to Arsetti, he smirked coldly.