*Shout out to AlexaBrooke4 for giving me the name to Claire's coven. I also enjoyed zodiacPalaceStudios for giving me the specific title of the coven leader! Thanks so much for your input and thank you to the others who commented!*

Awkward.

Tense.

Silent.

Not exactly how Claire was hoping this meeting, this dinner to go. The awkward and tenseness was there since they arrived. Pleasantries were exchanged and then the silence settled in.

The long table, the barely fit in the room, was filled to the brim. Food decorated the surface and every chair was taken. Marcel sat at one end with Davina and Diego on either side of him. Claire was slightly surprised to see Thierry back as well. The anger between Marcel and his right hand man forgotten, though Thierry would have to re-earn his place to be Marcel's second.

There were a few other vampires that sat near Marcel. Claire didn't know their names nor knew the importance of the presence. Perhaps Marcel was trying to show her that people are still loyal to him, that he still has followers, that he still has power.

It's a pathetic attempt.

The men that sat with Marcel wouldn't be able to get within a ten foot radius of Claire, even if they had the element of surprise. Marcel could have them surrounded yet he wouldn't be able to get to her if he wanted too. Her show of power, the people who sat with her were much more intimidating and much more useful than Marcel's daywalkers.

Directly across from Marcel, at the other end of the table, sitting at the head, it Claire. She had agreed to this in hopes of coming to a compromise, a truce of sorts. But as she looks into Marcel's eyes, she wonders if she'll even be able to say her piece before he loses his temper, a temper he's learned from being raised by Klaus, a temper Claire is used to defusing. However, Marcel is not her mate and if he loses it, the men that are her mates won't take kindly to it.

On her left sat Klaus and on her right sat Kol. Down the line sat the rest of her mates, Finn and Elijah sat with Klaus while Henrik sat with Kol. Her entire coven along with Rebekah, who sits with Asher, Kai, who has been accepted into the coven to be with Penelope, Caroline, and Enzo had seats at the table as well.

A select few hybrids, the best and most trusted, guard and watch after Madelyn at home. They knew exactly what would take place should anything happen to the beloved 5-year-old. Klaus had paint a very vivid picture for them leaving little to the imagination.

"I want to thank you for welcoming us into your home" Claire broke the silence. Marcel nods with slightly narrowed eyes. "As you know I have been... absent for a short period and in that time I understand some... events have taken place" Marcel nods again. Claire turns her attention to Davina and gives her a small smile. "Thank you for your part in bringing me back and cutting my ties with Sophie Deveraux" 

"You're welcome, thank you for giving me a choice" She said before giving Marcel a heated glare. A small smirk finds its way onto Claire's face.

"I thought we were done with pleasantries" Kol grumbles.

"For once I agree with my brother," Klaus states. "We've all shook hands and kissed each others asses enough, we're all here for a reason, let's get too it" He growls. He doesn't like Claire being here, despite how protected she is. He would much rather have her home cuddled up in his arms.

"You want my city, you can't have it" Marcel tells her. Claire sighs.

"One way or another this city will be ours" Claire warns him. "You either hand it over willingly or we will take it with blood" Marcel growls at Claire's threat.

"Be careful with who you growl at, boy" Kol snapped.

"Before we all lose our tempers, listen to the compromise my mate has" Elijah intervenes, though he too is unhappy with Marcel's growl.

"I don't care what she has to say, this is my city! My home! My empire" Marcel snapped. "And if you want it then you will have to take it with blood"

"Gladly" Kol growls with a sadistic, bloodthirsty grin that struck fear into Marcel and his daywalkers. Claire reaches over and grabs his hand. He instantly turns it, palm up, so that their hands could join together. He brings it up to his lips, his eyes gazing into hers with nothing short of pure love and adoration 

"Marcel, take a moment and think about what you're subject this city too if you go to war with us" Claire says looking at him. "Let me lay it out for you" She says with a slightly darker voice. 

Caroline looks down the table, towards her sister. She grips Enzo's hand and smiles. She knew Claire couldn't see it but this suited her. Being in charge, making compromises, it fitted her. She felt pride swell in her chest as she thinks about the teenage girl who shied away from all the slut shaming and bullying from being pregnant compared to the strong woman she looking at now.

"As we speak right now a large group of hybrids is running around New Orleans collecting the witches. These witches are going to be placed in a secure place that renders their magic useless. We are going to eliminate the witches that have fought against me and my family, the witches that are a threat. 

The remaining witches will, as my beloved Klaus says, pledge their fealty to the Mikaelson's. In return, they will be able to practice magic, within reason, anywhere they choose without fear of public execution" Marcel clenches his fists, a scowl forming on his face. "I have no doubt that some of your nightwalkers are going to get in their way seeing as you ordered them to take down our hybrids should they do anything against your rules. We have given the hybrids full permission to protect themselves and eliminate any threats.

And we both know who will win in a fight between a hybrid and a baby vampire. So, you're number of nightwalkers are dwindling as we speak" Marcel growls his anger slowly bubbling. 

Claire's mates growl in retaliation causing Claire to roll her eyes. She wasn't close to finishing her little speech and they're growling like a teenager's hungry stomach in the middle of a quiet room while attempting to take an important test.

"The majority of your little army is your nightwalkers, correct? Well, not anymore." Claire shrugs slightly. "Now, you're numbers are physically lower than ours, not that numbers ever mattered. You could turn this entire city into your vampire army and you still wouldn't be able to beat us" Claire leans forward slightly. "Marcel, the witches aren't scared of you anymore and they're loyal to us. Not only that but I have my own coven. On top of that, I have my own vampires and hybrids. If that isn't enough I have 5 Original vampires, vampires that cannot be killed. This is simply a war you will not be able to win."

"Marcel, please listen to her" Davina pleaded. "If we go to war, we won't be victorious. In the end, we'll be dead and they'll still have what they want" Marcel spares her a glance but Claire can see the gears turning in his mind. She sees how not only her words but Davina's words are getting to him. "Bowing down to them isn't weakness. It shows you're strong enough to do what it takes to keep peace, to keep our friends and family alive." Davina tells him. "Think logically, not pridefully."

"I know you love this city, I know you love your day and nightwalkers. I know you love what you have built. You've done a beautiful job but this is our city now. I want you to work with us. You will still have power, you will still be able to lead but you won't be able to call yourself king. You will answer to no one other than me and my mates. Other than that, you are free to do as you please. But make no mistake, this is our city" Claire tells him slowly. "A good King never seeks war" She tells him. "Do the right thing, back down"

Claire could see Marcel was close to giving in but something was holding him back. Be it stubbornness or pride, Claire didn't know. There was still this glint in his eyes that Claire didn't like. Even after explaining how things could go, Marcel still have fight in his eyes. Some people only learn the hard way.

"You're right" Marcel nods but his tone didn't settle well with Claire. "I could turn this entire city" He says tilting his head. "Or maybe just a quarter of it" He smirks and Claire tenses. "Your hybrid's may have a lethal bite but surprisingly easy to kill, now I know we won't kill all of them but there's only so many hybrids. Vampires are easier to create" Marcel shrugs.

"Marcel, what are you doing?" Davina whispers.

"I'm keeping my city" Marcel says. As he says this, Claire and the others notice more and more vampires surrounding them. Klaus laughs darkly.

"So much for diplomacy" Klaus grins looking at at Marcel.

"Things are finally getting interesting around here" Kai smirks excitedly. Penelope grips onto him tightly. He glances at her and frowns noticing her nervousness. He pulls her chair even closer to his and glares around at anybody who even thinks of attacking them.

"You're all more than welcome to leave, while you're at it, pack up your hybrids and find another city" Marcel says. Klaus stands abruptly, all eyes turn to him.

Claire looks around the table. She looks at her coven, her family that she's sworn to protect. She knew Marcel's feeble attempt to create an army would not harm her vampiric mates, however, there are still quite a few humans in her family and their safety is concerning. 

"Let's end this charade, shall we?" Klaus says loudly as everyone gets up from the table. Marcel and his crew move to one side of the court yard while Claire's family moves to the other.

Claire stands in the middle of the protective circle, unwillingly though doesn't voice her complaints. Around her is her coven, The Pleine Lune Coven, and around them are the Mikaelson's, Enzo and Caroline. 

Klaus is a step away from the group as he addresses the crowd. Kol is growling eagerly, just waiting for some action. Finn and Elijah look for a quick exit, none of them liking the fact that their very pregnant mate is in a threatening situation. Henrik stays close to his brothers knowing that he could hold his own but the vampires are faster than him.

"Vampires of New Orleans! Do recall that I, along with four of my siblings, are Originals" Klaus states thinking it is idiotic to restate this seeing as his mate has already explained the outcome of any fight against them. 

Though, he couldn't help but to be excited to get his hands dirty. He always did enjoy brutal displays of dominance over civil diplomacy. 

"I, myself, am a hybrid" He smirks spinning around slowly to look at the massive number. 

He is impressed by how many Marcel was able to create in such a short amount of time, a waste though. 

"We simply cannot be killed" He warns them hoping some of them have brains. "Eternity is an awfully long time. How long, do you think Marcel can stay in power?" Klaus hums looking around. "Oh, I pity those of you who dare cross us. I can assure you, your ends would be spectacular" He turns again and meets Claire's gaze.

Klaus has no problem will killing everyone in this room but he knows Claire, he knows she wants as little killing as possible. He also knows that she doesn't want Davina harmed and if Marcel can come to terms with their deal then he can be spared as well. However, if he cannot then he will die.

"Whoever picks up this coin" Klaus says after digging in his pocket. He holds it up for everyone to show. "Gets to live" Klaus tosses it to the ground. "Now, which of you magnificent bastards wants to join us?"

"Anyone wants that coin, pledge allegiance to Klaus. Take it now.... Go ahead, the choice is yours" Marcel tells them.

However, these vampires are new. They are loyal to their sire because they know no better. They're like children, they cannot think for themselves. They do not understand the gravity of the situation. They do not understand just how immortal the Mikaelson's are. No one picks up the coin.

"Take them" Marcel orders.

All hell breaks loose.

The Pleine Lune Coven instantly put up a invisible protective barrier around them in case any vampire got passed their vampire front lines. Hanna, Jim, Bethany, and Alistair kept up the barrier while the others did what they could to assist the fight. They slowed vampires down, they made them drop to their knees in agony before one of the others killed them by decapitation or heart extraction. 

Kai was having a lot of fun with his own spells that he spent the last few years creating while in the prison world. The giddy look on his face was enough to make anyone but the coven uneasy. After being around the Mikaelson's they were used to such giddiness around such death.

Out of all the vampires, Klaus, Kol, and Enzo were enjoying themselves the most. Kol, without a doubt, was the bloodiest out of all of them. He ripped throats, hearts and just about every other thing you can think off out of the attackers bodies. Enzo was the next bloodiest but compared to Kol, he was clean enough to attend church, not that he would.

The vampires weren't as stupid as originally thought. They targeted their masses towards Klaus, knowing he was the strongest. Claire knew they couldn't do anything to them but that didn't stop her from worrying, from stressing.

"Klaus" Claire says panicked as she sees him go down. She reaches for Henrik and quickly siphons as much magic as she can from him in a short amount of time. Then, before anybody could stop her, she breaks from the protective circle.

"Claire" Elijah growls and is beside her in an instant, demolishing any vampire that got close to her.

Acting on instinct, Claire raises her hand towards the mass of vampires surrounding Klaus. The wind around everyone begins to pick up as a darkness fills Claire's eyes. Power surges through her and suddenly dozens of vampires fall to their knees in absolute agony. They scream and hold their heads, begging for mercy.

As the seconds tick by more vampires fall to their knees and the more wicked the wind becomes. The veins around her eyes darken as if she is a vampire, though she isn't. She's something much more powerful. 

The power surging through her veins is the power of generation upon generation of passed down magic. Her father's magic, her uncles magic, her grandparents and so on. All of their power flows through her veins. A power not many can control, a power that would destroy many witches.

With the vampires falling down, under Claire's influence, they are much easier to kill. Klaus overpowers those who took him down and defeated them one by one. As more vampires die, Claire focuses her magic to make the ones that are alive scream louder than before. Their screams forever engrave themselves into Marcel's mind.

"Marcel, take the coin!" Davina pleads desperately. Marcel clenches his jaw angrily. "They won't stop until everyone is dead! And they will kill you too. Stop this madness and pick up the damn coin!" Davina snapped beggingly. "You're going to get us all killed!" Marcel clenches his fists. "Marcel!" She screams. He finally snaps when he sees Kol about to kill Thierry and Finn about to kill Diego.

"Enough!" Marcel shouts and everyone comes to a halt. Claire lowers her arm, with extreme difficulty she reins in her power. For a moment she felt as if she was the passenger in her own body, as if her magic had completely taken over her again. She sways and Elijah instantly pulls her to him knowing how much energy she's just excreted.

With extreme reluctance and hesitation, Marcel picks up the coin. Kol smirks and shoves Thierry to the ground while Finn simply releases Diego.

"Well, well, well" Klaus smirks smugly. "The great Marcel, self-proclaimed king of New Orleans, bowing before me" Klaus chuckles. "If only you had listened to my mate, we wouldn't have had to waste all these lives" Klaus shakes his head. Marcel throws the coin at his feet.

"There" He grinds his teeth. "I hereby pledge my allegiance to the Mikaelson's. You have the keys to my kingdom, it's yours."

"Kol!" Claire shouts as he races up to Marcel. In a heartbeat he has Marcel raised in the air, his hand wrapped tightly around his neck, a psychotic smirk on his face and the devil in his eyes.

"You put my mate in anger" Kol shakes his head tightening his grip around Marcel. "Nobody puts my mate in danger" He growls before disappearing with Marcel.

*Kind of satisfied with this chapter kind of not, it's a weird mix, but I got the urge to publish something so here it is :D... I might edit this chapter later because it's like 2 AM but I really wanted to publish it. 

I swear, I started this chapter and I was just on a roll, I just kept going and then BAM it's 2 AM! And I'm like, holy shit! Ok, then...

Anyways, Idk if it's any good, I've been up a while. Let me know if you liked it or if it's total trash and I should just redo it... Love y'all!!*