HEKATE (Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea.

As the world took its shape, civilizations were built, humans emerged into a self inflicted pain of decadence. With each new society, norms changed and brought along a variety of prejudices and immoral punishments. Gods watched from heaven above how cruel the world became.

Goddess Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft saw with pity, how lost humanity was, or was on the verge of. She took it to herself to help guide at least a select few to light. Those who could reign in and help those who sought guidance.

One fine day, she ascended on earth on a bright morning. Her days spent watching the witches had brought her to a conclusion and a plan. It was the witches alone who could aid humanity.

Four women with so much empathy, compassion and the innocence to make even the vilest of creatures find humanity and home buried deep within their own selves.

The sun hid behind the clouds and highlighted an aura she possessed clear as the water from a lake. 

"You four have been the chosen ones. For your dedication and simplicity I wish to beseech upon you, powers as gifts that hereby set you apart from the rest." She spoke in a high tone. The four women flabbergasted at the words bowed to show respect not knowing how to react to the situation. 

"Reyna Serene, for your superior quality of judgement and apt senses with your inborn ability to lead the people, You shall be the Queen with the power of the Sun. Your beauty that is more than skin deep shall stand out in a crowd. The man who truly shall know you will find his comforting silence in your presence. As nature finds in the morning serene breeze." The Goddess professed placing her hand on Reyna's head. Her aura lightened and a dusky glow surrounded her body. Her auburn hair flowed freely as even the nature seemed to be cheering for they had found their sworn queen.

"Altheia Demetrius, the one blessed with the gentlest of hands which even the feathers might fear touching. I grace you with the power of the water to heal that which may be broken or wounded." Altheia's aura lightened like Reyna's though the trees did drop a few dew drops on her like nature too blessed it a control for the element. The droplets glided down her fair skin onto the ground.

The Goddess turned to look at the two ladies who stood in anticipation of what might be their gift.

"Griselda Lennox, the one who can wield a weapon by anything the nature has to offer. The skills you possess however not for a lady's likeliness have been duly noted and admired. For your determination and independence, your power shall be of the earth. Mother nature has been kind enough to implore the idea of the element earth as a guide for your further conquests."

Trees bowed and flowers bloomed surrounding Griselda the second the words were spoken. Every woman stood still, mouths wide open for none could believe it was but the truth and not a vivid dream. 

"And lastly Serephina Vlatka. Your witch power is truly admirable. Your connection to nature and the dominance and control you hold and assert over the powers is truly magnificent. The element fire shall be at your beckoning. With the strength you already possess and now with the fire by your side you have the power to perform varied spells and rituals those which any one cannot even fathom." A ring of fire circled Serephina. It spread the warmth to everyone present but Serephina felt the comfort of it. 

"My dear Serene. I am afraid I cannot grant you permission to collect remarkable individuals to begin a coven of your own. Of all, your powers are far closer to a higher privilege. As for the three of you, you are welcome to create covens of your own, known to the universe from your last names. Centuries from today, you would be known for what you are true to your heart."

"Mark my words, my fellow trusted." warned Hecate, "if there were witches who were to go against the truth of this making after their initiation into the coven, their powers would disseminate into earth rendering them mere mortals."

"What of us? What if we lose paths over the years?" curiously asked Seraphina.

"That wouldn't happen. I have done my best at choosing the right ones."

Maeve woke up, peeking  through her half open eyes at the phone screen, groggily she responded. "Hello."

"My father is dead." Maeve sat up blinking her eyes rapidly.

"Uh...are you saying Mikael is dead?"

"Yes. What do you know about that?"

"Nothing actually. Why? Wait...how do you know he's dead?"

"I received a call last night from your ex-friend saying that he is currently daggered. Rebekah confirmed the news." stated Klaus. "I'll ask again, what do you know about this?"

"I'll repeat myself, I don't know anything." Maeve suddenly gasped as yesterday's events slowly came to her. "Holy shit! Oh that fucking daughter of a bastard toe rag!"

"I must say your language is quite colorful, albeit not needed. Now who is this daughter of a bastard toe rag?"

"Your precious blood bag!" snapped Maeve. "It's morning, okay? I don't like being woken up unless I do it myself. Deal with the shitty mouth." she breathed before beginning again, "yesterday she came showing some cave paintings of you and your siblings from when you were humans. She wanted to know your story. Rebekah told her, basically it was a run down of why Mikael is the beast who shouldn't be called whatsoever."

"And why did all of this persuade my dear little sister to rebel against me?"

"I guess the fact that Elena took it upon herself to tell Rebekah that you killed your mother and not Mikael. Which leads me to think maybe he's not dead."

"I guessed as much. How would you like to go to homecoming?"

"As in your date?"

"I don't want my brother to kill me as soon as he's out by doing that. But how about partner in crime?"

"If it means I get to spite in that bullshits face, I guess I like that idea." Klaus laughed at her response. He found her morning habit of cursing to unashamedly quite amusing.

"See you in the evening love. At the Lockwood mansion. Oh and wear something black." the call ended.

Maeve grumbled to herself. She rose up from her bed, stomping out into the living room. "Rebekah?" she hesitantly called out. She was alone in that apartment.

"Oh, I'm sorry Rebekah." mournfully muttered Maeve.

Maeve hated dresses. She hated that she had to keep up a posture while wearing those. She hated that she had to walk a certain way, sit a certain way and keep her back stretched exceedingly so the neckline wouldn't drop a little further making her look like a skamp.

She threw open the door to the closet in frustration and hate. There were only five dresses in there. That too, only because her aunt packed them for her. Choosing a short mid length black dress that flowed down with ease, Maeve went back to a routine of watching friends along with her cereal bowl.

The day melted away quickly and Maeve forced herself off the couch. She prepped as much as she wanted to. Light makeup and just earrings. There was no way that she could ride her bike wearing a dress.

She did something completely off her way. Maeve dialled a number. She frowned as it went straight to voicemail.

"Hey, Rebekah! Where are you? Can you pick me up?" Maeve waited for half an hour before she decided to call a taxi.

The Lockwood mansion was decorated perfectly. String lights and high schoolers were pooling in, giggling and chattering among themselves.

"Of course that hybrid had it all planned." She said out loud. Maeve walked inside the mansion. The first people her eyes set on were Elena and Matt.

"Hey, Mae" Matt greeted noticing her. 

"Hey Matt. Looking good. You too Elena." She replied. "must be a lot of makeup you'd have to use or...did your boytoy feed you his blood?" she asked with hostility.

"Thanks Maeve." She replied. Her voice didn't have the same hostility or uncertainty as before but something else. Maeve shrugged and was about to leave when Caroline walked to them.

"Maeve!" shrieked Caroline immediately going in to hug the girl. "You look stunning!"

"Why thank you, Care. I must say you are about to be crowned homecoming queen with how ravishing you look."

Caroline blushed, her cheeks turning a shade pink, "shut it." her smile faltered immediately, turning into an interrogative straight face, "did you know Klaus was here?"

"Yeah...didn't you?" asked Maeve. Indeed she assumed Caroline would know the plan for the evening. Whatever it was.

"No."

"What is he doing here?" Matt asked. Maeve silently stood there figuring out it was best not to say anything.

"Apparently sired hybrid friend, Tyler thought it would be okay to let his master throw a party." Caroline sneered.

"But Maeve knew, didn't you? She's best friends with him now." said Elena, shortly and with arrogance.

Caroline glanced at Maeve with uncertainty. A part of hers was hesitant to believe but the other begged her to believe. Maeve pressed her lips tightly together before she chose to bite back, "Yup, Damon has killed Jeremy twice by now. Threatened to kill you cause you can't be a vampire but sure, I'm the bad guy for making Friends."

Maeve stormed away, into the backyard in search of Klaus. Her eyes fell on the drinks station. Maeve paced briskly toward it. She noticed a boy standing next to it, trying to discreetly pull out a flask from the pocket of his suit jacket.

"Hey!" she shouted to gain his attention.

"Uh...I was just getting myself a drink." he hurriedly muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

Maeve rolled her eyes standing next to him, "I saw the flask nitwit. Pour it in. I need a drink." the boy hesitated at first but did so.

Maeve poured a glass of drink for herself and drank it all in one go. "Pace yourself Maeve. It is a long night."

"Don't care. The dirty looks I got for showing up can only be washed down by cheap beer in an even cheaper punch." crudely stated Maeve pouring another drink for herself.

"How are you?" asked Maeve, while she diligently glanced around the crowded backyard.

"I am happy. Why wouldn't I be? Mikael is dead. It's time for celebration." Maeve gave him a significant look.

She rolled her eyes before closing the gap between them just so she could whisper without any prying ears, "you do know that Mikael is the gold egg laying chicken caught by the gang who want nothing more than to get rid of you, right? I mean, it is clear he isn't dead."

"I am well aware of it. Don't worry. I have taken precautions." assured Klaus taking the glass away from her.

"I remember you mentioning it once to me...at the beginning of our summer trip about abuse, trauma and torment. I genuinely thought..." she wheezed feeling her nerves wreck, "it was about how you created havoc around the world as you went." Klaus features flattened. He didn't know what to make of Maeve's words,

"I am sorry for what Mikael did. I concluded enough from Rebekah's story that he was not a father figure in any sense. I'm guessing that was a self-depricating joke that you made when you talked about abuse, etc." Maeve waited for Klaus to answer. He didn't give her one. She smiled awkwardly before choosing to conclude,

"Don't have to talk about it. But if you'd like I can lend you an ear. I'm sorry for what he did, you didn't deserve the life he imposed upon you for the sake of his own pride."

Klaus felt relieved hearing her. She related with him about the matter and perhaps his demons too, if she knew. "You said you got dirty looks just by showing up here. Who may I ask would that be? Also, where's Rebekah?"

"Dirty looks from Elena, obviously but also Matt. Caroline is more on a neutral ground. And don't know where Rebekah is, haven't seen her since yesterday." Maeve's eyes roved around the place before they settled on Elena again.

"Something's off."

"What is?"

"Well, yesterday when Elena came barging into my house and showed this cave paintings to Rebekah proving that you killed your mother and not Mikael...Rebekah broke down, as anyone would...I may have manhandled Elena. Held her by her throat. Left quite some marks there."

"Are you approaching a point?"

"Yes. I am. She wasn't scared of me. Anyone would be right? I did the whole shindig...red eyes, fangs, a notch short of breaking the neck pressure, cutting off air supply. She didn't even widen her eyes seeing me."

Klaus hummed, "something is fishy. Come with me, let's see what is while Stefan brings Mikael to me."

Both walked around the crowd before they approached where Elena stood alone by a corner nervously looking around.

"Where's your date?" Klaus asked offering Maeve beer but she scrunched her face and denied.

"Getting me a drink." She replied.

"Seems I have you to thank for Mikael's demise." Klaus gestured.

"He came at me. I didn't have a choice." She defended.

"Still. I'm impressed. It's not easy for a human to dagger an original." Klaus pointed out. Maeve studied the way Elena acted. It seemed off.

"It wasn't the first time." 

"Right. Elijah." Klaus laughed. Maeve likes at her with a raised eyebrow. That was a new information for her.

"You seem nervous." Klaus denoted.

"I am not nervous. I just don't like you." Elena narrowed her eyes uncharacteristically. Maeve narrowed her eyes curiously before it clicked.

If it isn't bitchy woo. thought Maeve to herself.

"Well, I'll get straight to the point then, shall I love? People have been after me for a thousand years and I am always one step ahead. So wherever it is you're thinking of trying, go for it. Give it your best shot. You won't succeed." Klaus led Maeve away from her.

Just as they were out of earshot, Maeve tilted her head to her left to whisper to Klaus, "you saw that too right?"

"I did and I was prepared for it." Maeve halted when she felt her phone ring.

"Excuse me." she reached into the pocket of her dress to see who was calling her.

"I'll be inside." said Klaus before she strolled into the house.

"Hello?" Maeve answered the call.

"Alpha! This is Ace."

"Oh hey Ace-y. What's up?"

"First off, hate that nickname that has caught on. Secondly we have collected all the things in your mother's apartment and have boxed it perfectly."

"Alright. Thanks! Can you ship it to Mystic Falls? I'll text you the address."

"Actually...I am already on my way with..."

"Alpha!" came five more voices from behind forcing Maeve to pull the phone away from her ear.

Maeve laughed shaking her head, "looks like the entire entourage is here."

"Hell yeah! The six of us are coming to Mystic Falls. See you in the morning."

"See you soon guys!" she beamingly said before ending the call. Maeve glanced ahead to make her way to the house.

Her path was abruptly interrupted by a figure speeding and appearing in front of her. She furrowed her brows in confusion tilting her head to a side, "what the hell do you want now?" asked Maeve aggressively.

"I am sorry." he said without any guilt peeking through his words.

"What are yo──" her words were cut off when she felt a sharp needle pierce her skin. A burning sensation slowly ran through her veins. Black spots covered her vision before she succumbed to the pain almost immediately.

Maeve grumbled moaning as she gained consciousness. She felt disoriented, her vision still blurred. Her head ached and throbbed. She stumbled on her feet trying to get out of the hold that held her in place. She struggled to take in breaths without feeling a burn.

"Stand still." a strong voice hissed at her tightening the grip on her hand. Her vision returned to it's normalcy after a few seconds when she stopped struggling against the grip.

"Hello Niklaus" Maeve heard a voice speak. She looked up to see a tall man stand by the threshold to the house.

"Hello Mikael" she heard another voice. This one familiar but seemed as if coming from a distance, "won't you come in? Oh that's right. I forgot, you can't" 

"Or you can come outside if you want." The man proposed an alternative.

"Or I could watch my hybrids tear you limb from limb." Klaus deemed it coldly.

"They can't kill me."

"True. But it would make a hell of a party game. All I have to do is run these two fingers together and they'll pounce."

"The big bad wolf. You haven't changed. Still hiding behind your playthings like a coward." Mikael belittled. "Oh and you forget. They may be sired by you but they are still part vampire. And they can be compelled by me."

Maeve watched as a compelled Hybrid pushed Katherine towards Mikael. He grabbed Katherine believing it to be Elena. He held a dagger in his free hand showing it off to Klaus to threaten him. "Come out and face me Niklaus or she dies." Mikael pointed a dagger at Katherine.

"Go ahead. Kill her." Klaus challenged.

"What about her then?" Mikael asked. Suddenly, Maeve felt a strong hand push her into another strong hold. Her eyes looked ahead, inside the house to see Klaus stand there with barely any expression. His eyes flickered ever so discreetly from Mikael to her. Klaus was completely aware that Maeve was more than capable of handling herself and a simple knife won't hurt her. But, he glanced at Maeve's face which was paler than before, meaning she was weakened. He noticed her state was similar to one in Chicago. He carefully took notice of the prominent vein on her neck with blood vessels around it. His features hardened when he noticed this. Maeve seemed to be slowly losing her consciousness but held on as much as she could.

I'm fine. Mouthed Maeve. Klaus knew she was lying to him. Reluctantly Klaus agreed to it and returned his attention to Mikael.

"No Klaus he'll do it." Katherine stuttered in fear.  

"If she dies, this lot will be the last of your abominations." Mikael replied before pointing to Maeve, "and if she dies, there's no one to care for you."

"I don't need them. I just need to be rid of you."

"To what end Niklaus?"

"So, you can live forever with no one at your side? Nobody cares about you anymore, boy!" Mikael spat.

"Don't listen to him Klaus." Maeve said hurriedly fighting the weakness she felt.

"Shut up." He tightened his grip on Maeve's arm, "Niklaus tell me who do you have other than those whose loyalty you've forced?" 

"Rot in hell, rat bastard. Unlike you he actually has a friend." Maeve stated, fighting his grip on her.

"I am calling your bluff father. Kill them." Klaus said. When Maeve turned to Klaus again, her heart broke seeing him on the verge of tears.

"Come outside and face me, you little coward and I won't have to." Mikael said.

"Says the man holding two of us as leverage. So much about being a strong man." Maeve taunted him.

"My whole life, you have underestimated me. If you kill them you lose your leverage. So go ahead. Go on, Kill them. Come on old man. Kill them. Kill them." Klaus provoked tears still streaming down his face. 

Mikael laughed, "your impulse Niklaus. It has and forever be the one thing that keeps you from truly being great." Mikael first stabbed Katherine and then Maeve.

Maeve let out a sharp scream. Mikael carelessly dropped her on the front porch grinning devilishly still looking at Klaus. She pulled her legs up holding her hands lethargically on her gushing wound grunting in the unbearable pain. Maeve heard a distance yell of 'No' but nothing seemed to plainly register in her head.

Maeve moved herself on her back faintly being aware of some struggle happening around her. Her breathing was erratic. She barely opened her eyelid again as the pain slowly started becoming numb. The same way it did before. It no longer burnt to breathe.

The first thing she noticed was a figure by the threshold of the door. She could make out it was Damon. She hoped that he would help her. But he only stood there watching. Maeve finally closed her eyes letting the exhaustion take over her. She no longer felt the pain and she felt at ease now.

Just as she closed her eyes, someone pulled her up by her arms and held her upright. "Drink up, love." she heard someone say before she felt a wrist being pressed on her lips. "Don't die on me. Come on." She felt the hot liquid in her mouth before she fell unconscious.