The Red Herring Revives: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 48: Let's Have A Kiki

"A couple years ago, this would've been the highlight of my week." I told Davina, now dressed in a floor length red gown. She startled, clearly not anticipating anyone infringing on her wallflower routine.

"Iliana, hey." She greeted quietly. "You look beautiful."

"So do you." I told her. "I wish you looked happy too."

"Living with the witches isn't as unifying as you thought it would be." She said with a sad laugh.

"Who do I have to beat up?" I asked her. "I might be pregnant, but that just means extra padding and crazy hormones."

"No one." She said with a laugh. "But it's just...There's this girl, Monique. She has no idea what I went through when I was dead. The ancestors hated me for what I did with my magic. I can't just start practicing again. I knew I shouldn't have trusted Marcel when he told me to go back. I don't know how much more of it I can take."

"He loves you." I assured her. "You shoulda seen him when you died. And how hard he fought to find the witch that took your place. Everything he's done for you has been out of love. Besides, you're the Harvest Girl Who Lived. If anyone can beat the odds, it's you."

"Maybe. I..." Davina trailed off as she began to flirt with Oliver from across the room.

"He is so into you." I told her.

"What? No!" She said with a sheepish smile. "No way he's interested in me."

"Then why is he coming over here?"

"What?"

I stepped back to give the two of them their space but made sure I was still in eavesdropping distance so I could hop in and save her flirting ship if she got too nervous.

"Hey." He began. "You look, um—"

"Nervous? Out of place? Short in this dress?" She interrupted, smiling and giggling nervously.

"I was actually gonna say gorgeous." The wolf said with a laugh. "I'm Oliver. So, what's the name of the girl I'm about to ask to dance?"

"Monique." Davina's former friend appeared out of nowhere and took Oliver's hand. "Her name is Monique." She smirked cruelly at Davina as the two walked over to the dance floor leaving Davina clearly upset as I stormed up to her.

"I told you he won't like me. Of course he likes Monique." She said sadly.

"What a jerk. He was acting all cutesy with you and then a random girl comes and swoops him away. You can do better." I told her.

"Whatever."

"No, not whatever." I took Davina's hand and dragged her towards the boy. "Hey, wolf boy!"

"Can I help you?" He asked me, Monique already glaring at us.

"We were in the middle of something." Monique added.

"If only you were in the middle of frizz control, ever heard of hairspray?" I shot back, stunning her to silence. "And you! You flirted with one girl and then hopped ship to another? What a skeez! You're a skeez! Say you're a skeez."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll scream that you're attacking a poor helpless pregnant lady."

"You're bluffing."

"Oh I wish you would call it."

"Fine!" He huffed, knowing I wouldn't back down. "I'm a skeez."

"Agreed." I said with a smirk. "And you're gonna apologise to my friend for your skeezy behaviour."

"I'm sorry for my skeezy behaviour." He mumbled.

"Th—Thank you." Davina stammered out.

"Great!" I said with a smirk. "Enjoy your dance."

Davina and I walked to a safe distance where she burst into laughter. I held mine in for a moment before joining her.

"I can't believe you got him to do that!" Davina said in disbelief. "And I've never seen Monique so quiet!"

"It's a gift." I replied smugly.

"Care to dance, Iliana?" I turned to see Elijah offering his hand to me.

"I'm with Davina right now." I told him curtly.

"Actually, I might head out." She told me. "I have a friend waiting on me."

"Oh, okay."

Davina smiled and walked away, leaving me with Elijah who was still outstretching his hand.

"I still can't really dance." I warned.

"And yet I can't think of one unenjoyable experience." I was still hesitant as I turned to Elijah's pleading eyes. "Please."

"Okay. But only because you did a good job, even for you." I said as he led me to the dancefloor. "You even got Klaus to come out of his art room hovel."

"Yes, it seems only a sizeable soiree is enough to tear my brother away from his efforts at the easel."

As he said that, I couldn't help but think of Fiore's warnings about Klaus' ulterior motives.

"Maybe you should be more concerned about that." I told him. "He once told me that his painting was a metaphor for control. For achieving his vision through sheer force of will."

"Truthfully, I'd be shocked if he didn't have at least a dozen or so of those visions swarming around that insidious skull of his. I do hope your daughter inherits her mother's..." Elijah took a moment to look at me from head to toe. "Everything."

I laughed as he spun me around before pulling me tighter towards him. He leaned in so close his lips were right beside my ear as he spoke.

"Forgive me, I've been dancing with you for more than a minute and I have not commented on how beautiful you look tonight." He whispered softly, causing a thud in my heart.

"You don't look half bad yourself." I teased, hoping to seem less flustered than I was.

"I can't help but be reminded of the Miss Mystic Falls pageant." He told me with a warm beam. "The smile on your face when you saw me...I would struggle to find a moment that has brought me such joy."

"Elijah..." I cleared my throat as I tried to keep myself from falling down the rabbit hole, Elijah was not going to choose me. "It's weird thinking about back then."

"Not unpleasant, I hope?"

"Not even a little bit."

The two of us shared a warm look and for a second, I thought Elijah might do the brave thing and choose me. But then his eyes flitted up to the balcony and his hold on me loosened. I didn't even have to look up to know who it was.

"Klaus, huh?" I said with a bitter laugh. "You're nothing if not consistent, Elijah."

"Iliana—"

"Can I have a minute, Iliana?" Hayley asked me.

"In a moment, Hayley." Elijah answered but I simply scoffed and withdrew from him.

"Actually, she can have it right now."

I took Hayley's hand and led her to a corner of the party with a frustrated sigh. She looked between Elijah and I and frowned in confusion.

"What was that all about?"

"It doesn't matter." I told her defensively. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Right." She took a deep breath to steel herself before going forward. "This weird thing between us, isn't working for me. So we're gonna sort it out. Right here, right now."