CENTURIES | Lucien Castle

XXVIII. High Water and a Devil's Daughter

"A man of words and not of deeds, is like a garden full of weeds. And when the weeds begin to crawl, it's like a bird upon the wall. And when the bird away does fly, it's like an eagle in the sky. And when the sky begins to roar, it's like a lion at the door.

"And when the door begins to crack its like a stick across your back. And when your back begins to smart, it's like a knife inside your heart. And when your heart begins to bleed, you're dead and dead and dead indeed," Hope read from a book while Kennedy played with a little toy figurine that she found in the attic next to her cousin.

"Not exactly the most uplifting reading material," Klaus said from the entrance of the attic, startling the two young witches.

"It's an old book of rhymes," Kennedy told her uncle, struggling slightly to say rhymes.

"There's a lot of weird stuff here," Hope looked up at her dad.

"You know, Hope, Kennedy, I'd rather you didn't play here, actually. All the splinters and the dust and the bats," Klaus said to get the girls to leave the attic.

"There aren't any bats, Uncle Nik," the blonde five-year-old witch giggled at her uncle.

"Are you certain, little witch? I've seen no evidence that your Uncle Elijah doesn't sleep here, hanging upside down," Klaus made a joke to his daughter and niece. Kennedy laughed at the idea of her uncle hanging upside down, sleeping.

"Dad, was there a little boy who used to live here?" Hope asked as Kennedy calmed down her little giggles.

Kennedy's uncle squatted down next to them and pulled the old book from Hope's hands. "Come along, sweethearts," he set the book down on a table and stood back up. "We can discuss ancient history another time," he held out his hands for them to take. Kennedy still holding the toy in her hand, grabbed Klaus's hand and let him lead Hope and her out of the attic.

****

Hayley had dragged Juliette and Lucien to help her go through boxes of the things she found in the storage unit. Since they were trapped in the compound for now, they jumped to help the werewolf/vampire hybrid.

"You're hosting a yard sale?" Klaus asked slightly amused, walking into the study where many boxes were littered around the room. The contents of the boxes also strewn about.

"I just figured while we're stuck here, I may as well work out which stuff to keep and which to donate with the help of those two, who are barely doing anything," Hayley shut the photo album she was flipping through and turned to glare slightly at her best friend and Lucien.

"Listen, I found Hope and Kennedy exploring the rubbish in the attic," Klaus mentioned which peeked the interest of Juliette and Lucien. "They're restless."

"They're not restless. They're bored," Hayley told Klaus.

"What do you expect Nik?" Lucien pointed out. "They're kids."

"Lucien's right," Hayley agreed with the upgraded original. "Most kids their ages would be at school. They'd have friends to play with."

"Well, once Freya and Juliette teaches them to hone their magic, they'll be powerful beyond measure," Klaus said and gave a pointed look to his sister. "They won't need friends. They'll be worshipped."