Death's Daughter

Part Five

The next few weeks Casta stayed safely within her Haven not ready to face the Salvatore brothers and what would surely be a thousand questions. Rolling her eyes to herself and then shrugging, thinking well if they really bother me I can always just take their heart as a souvenir. She got a text from Jeremy asking to meet him at the local pub, he wanted to catch up. She figured why not and put together a little package for him as well.

Stepping into the mystic grill (cue internal eyeroll, honestly what an original name) she quickly spotted Jeremy and sat across from him. He smiled at his friend chuckling at her appearance, she always looked half fae with her wild fiery locks and small stature. As they caught up and chatted they decided to sneak out to the alley for a quick smoke. Giggling they reentered the grill only to be accosted by the sounds of a group of teenagers gossiping. As they slid back into their booth Casta caught Jeremy rolling his eyes and arched her brow in question, "my sister and her groupies" he muttered causing Casta to simply nod and ask what he wanted to order. As they waited for their order a whirlwind of fury stalked to their table, "Jeremy, what are you doing here? Getting high again?" Demanded an obnoxious voice, Casta didn't even deem to turn her head as Jeremy looked at his sister shaking his head. Before he could even reply she continued ranting, "oh and who's this, your new whore, or a supplier?" This caused Casta to turn her head, looking the newest doppelganger up and down she simply shook her head and ignored her. Jeremy sighed, "this is my best friend Casta, you would know that if you cared in the slightest." 

Across the grill Stefan had been eavesdropping on the conversation as his girlfriend ranted at her brother thinking that surely there was a more suitable place for that conversation, then he heard the name Casta. He had only ever heard that name once before so he was instantly intrigued and stood to join Elena. When he arrived at the table all he could see was a head of wild red hair that he hadn't seen the likes of since he was human. "Jeremy why don't you introduce us?" Rolling his eyes yet again Jeremy looked to Stefan, then to Casta, "Casta this is my sister Elena and her boyfriend Stefan, Elena, Stefan, this is my friend Casta." Heaving an internal sigh Casta turned to look at the two standing, " Casta, it's a pleasure I'm sure" then turning to Jeremy, "well as lovely as this has been it's time for me to be going, you know how to reach me." Placing 50 on the table to cover their meals she gave Jeremy a wink and sauntered by the doppelganger and her vampire boyfriend. As she was about to make it out the door her arm was grabbed tightly by none other than Stefan Salvatore as he pulled her to the side. That was a mistake, he almost recoiled at the sense of power and death he felt but being an arrogant sort he didn't let go. "Come with me Casta" Casta simply looked up into his eyes and arched a brow, "mister Salvatore, I see you are again trailing after a girl who does not wear her own face, still so weak minded my dear," sending a sharp wave of heat through her arm and into his he reflexively let go, she looked him in the eye and said "and I have yet to give you leave to use my given name, for you it is still lady Peverell, mind your manners little boy" with a quick shove of her magic he was pressed against the wall. Casta gave him a wink and sauntered out of the grill disappearing into the shadows. When Stefan had collected himself, he looked around and saw no trace of her.

That night upon arriving home Casta decided that Jeremy needed to be protected. It was time to reveal a bit of herself to him and arm him with the necessary vervain so as to avoid compulsion. The next morning she awoke early and sent a text to Jeremy telling him to meet her at the waterfall where they had first met she had something important to tell him and to bring his family's journals. Curious Jeremy headed out, her text sounded a bit dramatic so he was concerned as she was one of the most laid back people he had ever known and he had also noticed the not so subtle confrontation his sister's boyfriend had had with her upon her departure the night before. He was also curious to know how she knew of the journals but grabbed them nonetheless. 

When he arrived at the waterfall Casta was already seated in their usual place smoking a joint, he say next to her as she silently passed it his way. She spoke quietly "Jeremy, do you trust me?" "Of course I do, these past few months you've been like the sister I always wanted" he quickly replied, she nodded thoughtfully before telling him to follow her, she was going to bring him to her home. Jeremy was stunned, he'd never been to her home before, Casta always telling him when the time was right. As they walked through the woods she sighed lightly, "some of what you see and hear from me today is going to blow your mind, you might not want to believe me but on my word everything I say is truth" she then handed him a folded bit of parchment, "memorize this" he looked at it and read to himself "castas Haven for the most awesome" he chuckled but memorized it.  Then he looked up and saw a cottage nestled into a beautiful garden with so many plants and some he'd never seen before, moving in odd ways as if alive. Casta just waved him forward, he felt a warmth as he stepped through and shivered despite himself. "Ignore the ridiculous sentence, Severus redid my wards and chose it, he was only 18 at the time" she said chuckling. As they entered her home Jeremy marveled, it was much bigger than it appeared on the outside and the pictures seemed to be moving. As they sat in her parlor Casta explained that she was a witch and about other supernatural. She then explained that the Salvatore brothers were vampires and his sister a doppelganger. She showed him proof of everything and when he easily accepted it all she pointed to his journals saying there would be a lot in there about vampires. She explained that she was quite old making him laugh saying "I always felt your eyes held ancient wisdom" scoffing Casta said "no need to insult the age of a lady jer bear especially one with the good stuff". He asked her if that was everything and she sighed and told him there was more but she wasn't sure he'd want to know, he told her to bring it on. So Casta explained about doppelgangers and their inherent selfishness and showed him his sister was adopted and to be careful around her. Having seen her selfishness all his life and watch her manipulate those around her he wasn't all that surprised to hear the news telling Casta just that. 

After dropping that multitude of life altering bombs on the young man she smiled and asked if he wanted to relax in her gardens and meet her house elves that she had told him about. He was all for that so as they sat in her garden both in hanging chairs from a beautiful Willow tree giving them plenty of shade they smoked some more, and met her faithful elves who made them a delicious lunch. After their lunch Casta looked at Jeremy a bit seriously telling him she wanted to make sure he was protected as she didn't trust his sister or the Salvatore's. He agreed so she gave him first a bracelet similar to the one she had given Severus all those years ago telling him he need only rub it thinking her name and she would arrive. She then gave him vials of liquid vervain telling him most people wore it which is stupid as all the vampire needed to do was rip off the jewelry that held the herb so he should take a vial every morning when he woke. She gave him a charmed box that only he would be able to access and had a matching one that she could refill from her end for him without anyone being the wiser. Then she let him in on her newest experiment, for over the years she had become quite the horticulturist. "We smoked this today what did you think?" "It was great, had a different after taste than usual though, why's that?" She laughed lightly "excellent, it's a marijuana plant spliced with vervain, I wasn't sure if it would still get us high but it seems to do the trick, now I just need to get a vampire dumb enough to try it." As the afternoon dwindled Jeremy told her he had to go, there was an event at the high school and he wanted to see Vicky. Chuckling to himself he noted "it makes sense now why you don't do events and high school" Casta simply nodded saying goodbye and reminding him if he needed anything to get a hold of her and to come visit soon.

Casta enjoyed a quiet night at home, her father stopped by bringing Severus and they all chatted while Casta peer pressured Severus to try her new smoke. He of course agreed as they had been doing this for almost 40 years at this point. Death simply sat back chuckling enjoying his time with his self made family.