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CHAPTER 63: THE MAN SHE LOVED LEFT HER FOR A REVOLUTION

❝ i feel like i could eat the world raw. ❞

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SOME WOMEN WANT A BRUSH WITH DEATH. With death personified as someone dangerous and handsome—a vampire, a swashbuckling outlaw, a pirate. But the role model for all these is Hades, god of the underworld, king of the dead, the original mysterious kidnapper in a black cape. This is what they want; they want him.

They want to be taken without permission, whisked away at peril to their very lives, thrown into a position of helplessness by someone stronger than they ever imagined possible, and then released so that they can tell the story later. They fantasize about it without knowing why, knowing only that it is rather shameful to think and will probably never happen.

But it happened to Enola.

She slowly peeled her eyes open and rolled over only to be met with his striking blue eyes. He smiled at her softly as if he didn't have a care in the world. But she knew that wasn't the truth. She knew he was in pain. She knew he was hurting. She also knew there wasn't anything she could do about it. All she could do was smile back in hopes of calming his soul.

"Were you watching me sleep?" Enola questioned softly.

"Possibly," Klaus shrugged slightly. "A little."

Klaus reached out for Enola. He pulled her so that she could lay her head on his chest before grabbing her left hand. She watched him fondly as he gave the back of her hand a soft kiss. They had spent the entire night like this—curled up until they fell asleep.

"Despite everything we have done—all those we have lost—we are still here." Enola whispered. "We will be okay. We will be happy."

"Name one hero who was happy," Klaus spoke quietly.

Enola considered. Hercules went mad and killed his family; Theseus lost his bride and father; Jason's children and new wife were murdered by his old; Bellerophon killed the Chimera but was crippled from the fall; Icarus drowned before he could finally touch the sun.

"Good thing you are not a hero," Enola teased.

"Marcel said the same thing," Klaus breathed. "But just because I am no hero does not mean that I have not left my mark on the world."

"I know. But they never let you be famous and happy." Enola said, shifting to look up at Klaus. "Let me tell you a secret."

"Tell me," Klaus smiled fondly at her.

"I am going to be the first," Enola decided. "I feel like I could eat the world raw."

Klaus tucked a strand of hair behind Enola's ear. He loved seeing her like this. So genuine. So beautiful. He wished they could stay like that forever. But he never got what he wished for. That much was clear when the door to their shared bedroom shot open to reveal two of his worried siblings.

"Freya, Kol," Klaus scowled. "Have you two yet to learn the art of knocking?"

"Hm," Kol hummed. "I am familiar with the concept, yes."

"We have a problem," Freya informed nervously.

"Who died?" Enola sighed.

"No one. Yet." Freya answered thoughtfully. "But someone will if we don't hurry."

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Freya called it an early warning system. She created it so they would know when their enemies were in New Orleans. This morning, every blimp on the map began to circle their city like sharks on the lookout for blood. Despite the current tension that filled their household to the brim, they remained a united force. Hopefully they would be able to come up with a plan in time to save them all. Before it was too late. Which is how Enola found herself hidden in the foyer with Klaus, Elijah, and Kol.

"Freya is tracking your former sirelings now, so it won't be long." Kol informed. "Which works for me. I could use a good fight."

"Well, we do have an advantage." Elijah said. "No vampire may enter this stronghold so long as the deed remains in Freya's name."

"Do you know how easy it would be to take that advantage away?" Enola questioned. "We have all been able to nullify deeds before."

"Exactly," Kol nodded in agreement. "Besides, are we to just while our enemies mass at the front gate?"

"Well, if they are so determined to die at our hands, let them come." Klaus shrugged.

"Are you dumb?" Enola scowled. "Our daughter is literally upstairs—"

Enola was interrupted by a sudden noise just upstairs. She froze in fear of her daughter who was napping. Her gaze then flickered between the three brothers as they came to the same conclusion. If it weren't by the sound of footsteps echoing through the compound, then it was definitely the scent of musty hoodlums that warned them of the approaching enemy.

"Little monster, get Hope out of here." Klaus demanded sternly, pressing a soft kiss to Enola's temple. "And remember I love you."

"I can tell you I love you when we make it out of here alive," Enola decided.

"Very well," Klaus smiled softly.

Enola watched as Klaus disappeared into the courtyard before finally hurrying up the stairs. She had every intention of getting her daughter the hell out of there when she passed the study to find her sister in law in the middle of a struggle with an ancient vampire. She didn't need to think twice before rushing to the rescue. She grabbed the assailant by her dora haircut and tore her head from her neck with unbridled ease. Her eyes fell to her sister in law who was struggling to stand from the ground.

"What did they do to you?" Enola demanded, dropping to the ground.

"Poison," Freya wheezed.

"Let's get you out of here," Enola muttered.

Enola helped Freya to the door only to get blocked off by a vampire with bald spots. Thankfully, Hayley was there to save the day. She stuck a hand through his chest and separated his heart from his body. She dropped it to the ground before looking between Enola and Freya with wide eyes full of horror.

"What the hell is happening?" Hayley questioned.

"We need to get Hope and get the hell out of here," Enola said. "Now."

Enola and Hope led the way through the compound with Hayley and Freya following close behind. They ducked behind a wall when voices from the courtyard carried down the hallways. They all shared wide eyed looks at the familiar voice of Marcel Gerard who they all thought was dead. But if he wasn't, did that mean he drank the serum after all? Did that mean that the prophecy was about to come true? They had little time to question it. All they knew was that they had to get out of here. The Mikaelson brothers could handle themselves. So they snuck out the back door and into the apartment building across the street where Hayley and Jackson used to occupy.

"Lie down. Don't move." Hayley demanded, getting Freya settled onto the couch.

Enola paused in the full length mirror. She bounced her daughter on her hip as she stared at her horrifying reflection. Blood was splattered across her face and stained the collar of her shirt. It reminded her of an image she saw in the prophecy and that scared her. Because it meant that things were slowly beginning to fall into place.

"The prophecy is coming true," Freya choked out. "This is the day Lucien said would come."

"There has to be another way out of this," Enola said. "Especially with your magic."

"Here. Drink." Hayley commanded, holding a wrist out for Freya. "It won't cure you, but it will help you."

"Lucien has to have the cure," Enola pointed out. "He has the cure for everything."

"Even if I was cured, the power I used to fight Lucien is gone." Freya sighed. "There is nothing that can stop Marcel now."

"Actually, there might be one thing." Hayley began. "You two go to Lucien's penthouse. I will meet you there when I am done."

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Hayley had released Rebekah from a deep slumber before meeting Enola and Hayley at Lucien's penthouse. She entered through the front door to find everything in disarray. Freya searched the entire penthouse top to bottom for something that would cure the poison while Enola tried to calm Hope who was beginning to grow fussy. All in all, things were fucked.

"It is not here. I cannot find it." Freya panicked.

"Calm down. Now think." Enola instructed. "When you were poisoned before, Nik stole an antidote from Lucien."

"Which means it has to be here," Hayley pointed out, trying to be helpful.

"There is no place to look," Freya stressed. "If I cannot find the cure, I will die."

"Freya,"They turned to the entrance of the penthouse just as Elijah barreled through the double doors with Klaus and Kol following close behind. And they did not look good as they stumbled towards the couch.

"What the hell happened?" Enola demanded, looking over Klaus with worried eyes.

"I am fine," Klaus reassured, giving Enola a gentle kiss on the forehead. "It is Kol and Elijah—they have been bitten."

"I am going to die," Kol dramatically cried out. "Again."

"You are not going to die," Klaus tried.

"That sounds familiar," Kol chuckled sarcastically. "Is that not what you said to Finn and Cami?"

"Look—Lucien engineered his venom from the seven werewolf packs." Klaus explained slowly.

"So maybe that is the key to a cure," Enola finished with wide eyes.

"Oh, great. That is the first piece in a puzzle none of us will be alive to solve." Freya scoffed. "I am poisoned, Rebekah has been hexed, Kol and Elijah have been bitten."

"Do you have a better idea?" Hayley questioned, eyeing Elijah warily.

"We need three different cures to three different ailments," Freya continued. "Each of which could take years to find and none of us will make it through the day."

"Maybe this is fair that I pay for what was done to Davina," Kol choked out.

"Davina did not want revenge," Freya tried, rushing over to Kol. She used a wet washcloth to wipe the sweat away from his brow.

"Just put me out of my misery," Kol pleaded. "At least put me to sleep."

Freya paused in thought. Her inner monologue was interrupted by the sound of a phone buzzing. She looked up just as Klaus slid his phone out of his pocket. A look of concern flashed across his face at the message he was reading again and again in his head as if trying to find another solution. But alas, there was none.

"It's Rebekah," Klaus informed. "She found a way to delay our deaths."

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"It is not a trial. It is suicide."

Rebekah was able to get through to Marcel. He agreed not to kill Klaus under one condition; he stood trial for all of his sins. But they all knew how this would end. That is why everyone immediately disagreed. However, it was clear that they may not have a choice. Though that would not stop them from searching for other ways out of this.

"You need to get the hell out of the city," Elijah expressed.

"What? No!" Enola immediately disagreed.

"We can't just leave you guys behind," Hayley reasoned.

"No! Davina! Please! Don't leave me!" Kol cried out, prompting Enola to rush forward. She allowed him to squeeze her hand until the nightmares dissipated.

"There may be a way to save them," Freya suddenly announced.

"Then I will move the world to make it so," Klaus boldly claimed.

"I am going to need time," Freya slowly continued.

"No," Enola immediately shook her head, knowing exactly what her sister in law was thinking.

"You think I should stand trial before that death-dealing mob," Klaus realized.

"Well, that is the easy part." Freya went on. "In order to save our family, you need to come out of that trial alive."

Enola couldn't do this. She needed a moment alone to recuperate. So she silently slipped away into the next room. She had hoped that no one had noticed, but her husband always seemed to know where she was. Especially when she didn't want him to.

"I will be okay," Klaus reassured.

Enola glanced over to the doorway where Klaus stood. She wanted to say something—anything—but she just turned away with a deep frown. There was absolutely nothing she could say that would make this any better. Her husband was strong, but she wasn't. Losing him would break her. If it weren't for her daughters, there would be no mending.

"I can't do this," Enola finally whispered. "I can't say goodbye."

"I know what you are thinking; sounds depressing, like a tragedy." Klaus chuckled softly. He closed the door behind him and stepped further into the room. He didn't need to see her face to know what was going through her mind. "But love isn't always pretty. Sometimes you hope it will eventually be something different. Something better. Then, before you know it, you are back to square one and you lost your heart somewhere along the way." She could feel his stare burning into the back of her head. "Just know that I love you and that my heart is always with you."

"Don't," Enola pleaded quietly.

"I love you," Klaus reiterated, eyes not straying from her form once. "I love you more than I have ever loved another person in my life and that is no exaggeration. That is the truth."

"Nik," Enola finally turned to face Klaus with eyes full of tears.

"Which is why I can never put you in a position like the one I put you in when I cursed you for six months," Klaus whispered. "It is because I love you that I will never allow that to happen to you ever again."

"You are not supposed to tell me you love me after you leave me," Enola sniffled, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. "You were supposed to say it before."

"Before, during, after." Klaus shrugged helplessly. "It still stands. I love you. And you have my entire heart. You and our children."

"I don't want this, Nik." Enola shook her head. "I don't want to lose you."

"Nothing I feel for you has changed," Klaus reassured.

"Then I need something more than just words," Enola demanded. "If you expect me to walk away, then I need you to give me some sort of guarantee."

"Like what?" Klaus inquired.

"Like this isn't forever," Enola damn near begged.

Klaus smiled at Enola softly. He seemed to be contemplating her words for a long moment. And then he pulled the wedding band off his finger and held it out. Which did nothing to ease her concerns until he spoke in a soft and loving voice.

"One day, I will be back to claim this ring." Klaus announced. "And when that day comes, I am never leaving your side ever again."

"I love you, Nik." Enola whispered, wrapping a hand around the wedding band.

"I love you too, little monster." Klaus reassured. "Always and forever."

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The man she loved left her for a revolution. She thinks he will set himself afire before he realizes that even he cannot conquer the sun. Rebellion sits well on him; like a red coat or the gilt gold burnish of youth. Though she knows she will never see old age on him and he will never see old age on her. It was one of the perks of being immortal. Enola and Klaus will see one another again.

Enola helped Kol and Elijah into chairs that surrounded the dining room table. Freya had the genius idea to link them all to Klaus before putting them all into a deep slumber. It was the only way to keep them alive in time to find a cure for all three ailments. It was why Klaus had to find a way to survive. Enola could only hope that their plan went off without a hitch. She was about to find out seeing as the buzzing of her phone overtook the room. She quickly pulled the device out of her back pocket. She released a shaky breath full of anxiety before answering the device.

"Hello?" Enola asked hopefully.

"Nik found a way to survive," Rebekah informed immediately.

"Oh, thank god." Enola breathed out in relief.

"Our plan worked," Rebekah continued. "Now it is up to you and Hayley. Make his sacrifice count."

"We will," Enola swore. "Hayley is coming to pick you up. Get ready."

Enola ended the call and rushed back over to the table just as Freya finished setting up. She gave her sister in law a confident nod as if to say we have won. And in a way, they did. But they also lost too. Because it would be a long time before they all saw one another again. And that was a horrifying thought in itself.

"Here is the dagger that was once used on Rebekah," Freya announced, setting the silver stake knife in the middle of the table.

Freya set both hands in Elijah's and Kol's. She began to chant the words to a very ancient spell that would put them into a very deep slumber until they had this whole thing sorted out. The floor began to violently shake as books were knocked from their shelves and papers were whisked away with a gust of wind. Enola felt unnerved by it all. But when everything went still, she felt absolutely sick.

There is pain here and Enola is told not to touch it. But either way, she felt it. It festers behind the clouds. Builds. Shakes the ground. Oh, she is well-versed in thunder. By now, she knows lightning by name. But she still does not touch it. She still did as she was told. But that ends today. For the sun had never healed her like the storm.

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AUTHORS NOTE.
book two in the folklore series is complete!!! i will post an authors note when the third and final installment is published. until next time, my loves!!!