Elijah kept staring at Maeve as she devoured the pasta served on her plate hungrily. He thought back to the moment from two hours ago, in the car, his heart pounding rapidly against his chest, fear gushing through him seeing Maeve suddenly slump back and drop unconscious.

Now, inside his well furnished apartment in Georgia both sat facing one another at the table, eating the Italian food he ordered for them.

Maeve looked up through her brows at Elijah who hadn't touched his food yet. "Elijah? You ordered and paid for that food. Eat." Elijah didn't respond. He picked up his fork and began eating.

"I'm sorry I scared you." she apologized quickly feeling guilty for his state of mind. "I didn't want to scare you...it's just that──I think the Vlatka woman tried connecting to me again."

Elijah dropped the fork making it clatter as it hit the plate. "Do you apologize for everything?"

"Not everything...just when I am the reason for distress." Maeve slowly bent on the back. She tried to minimise herself feeling his burning gaze on her.

Elijah pursued his lips carefully choosing his next words. "You need to stop scaring me like that."

"Yeah...I rather enjoy going into trances like that. It's a wonderful feeling." she said sarcastically forcing a smile on her face.

"I didn't mean it like that...we need to find a solution to stop you from having these trances. So they don't keep overpowering you." said Elijah, his eyes and features softening.

"Elijah...Esther knows how to kill me." Maeve informed the original grimly. Her voice wavered lightly.

"She can try all she wants but she won't get to you."

Maeve smiled, tilting her head to a side blushing, "you promised me so."

"And I never go back on my word." he told her with a smile.

Maeve looked over her shoulder again at Elijah's massive apartment in Georgia. "This..." She gestured around her, "is posh, and just wow. How do you leave this place?" She asked him awestruck by the well furnished flat of Elijah's.

He held up the bottle of Bordeaux asking Maeve. She held up her glass. "It's not that much for me, Maeve. When you have a thousand years on this Earth, materialistic gains don't phase as much. You tend to prefer moving on." Elijah told her. He poured the wine into her glass and in his as well.

"Okay, what about people? You sure meet new people, same faces as well. Is it the same? Repulsion towards having acquaintances." Maeve asked. Elijah stared at Maeve. He knew she was challenging him. It was a psychological trick to make him speak out about all the secrets and opinions. He didn't mind though, it was easy for him to open up with Maeve.

"It happens but rarely ever you get to come across such personalities that make you wish to stay longer." Elijah said with a smile, making Maeve pursue her lips to hide the smile. Something she realised she had been doing a lot for almost a week now.

"Please tell me I am lucky to be one of those rareities, Elijah otherwise I will be too offended." Maeve said teasingly taking her glass of wine in hand and holding it up before she pressed it to her lips.

"You wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case." Elijah said grinning foolishly.

Silence fell over. It was peaceful. Maeve decided to break it with questions, "In a thousand years, you must have faced many hardships?"

"Mostly, they are from my father. We had to constantly be on the move so he wouldn't catch up."

"Why do you call him your father if he called his own blood atrocious?"

"At one point...before we became this, he was my family."

"Strange our lives, aren't they? My parents don't remember me and are dead. While yours are all for you to die. Cheers to having crap of a beginning in life."

"The beginning is not in our hands but the middle and end can be manipulated however we please." Elijah asserted finishing his glass of wine.

"Ah! Philosopher Mikaelson. You fit right into the shoes of the picture perfect elder brother. The sweet and calm eldest boy while the younger ones are hurricanes."

"I sincerely hope that was a compliment, Kalon."

"I assure you it was nothing but a compliment Mikaelson."

"Tell me something about history." Conversation flowed easily for them. Elijah told stories from whatever he could recall of his time on earth; from the old world to kingdoms. From Paris to America. He narrated his favourite moments from his long life.

As a witch bound friend to nature, Maeve never appreciated the chirping of birds early in the morning. She would have a broom handy under her bed that would scare the little birds away from her room. She hated that the birds loved her so much. Truth be told, it wasn't until she realised her significance and bond with nature that she realised the meaning behind all things nature.

She got dressed for the day and got out of her room to be greeted with the smell of delicious food. Following the smell she saw Elijah in the kitchen. He wore his usual dress pants and shirt. The suit jacket was behind one of the chairs.

"Morning." she greeted sitting on the chair.

"Good morning, Maeve. How did you sleep?"

"Good. How was your night?"

"Wonderful. Surprisingly, I had quite the conversations last night."

"Really? I am sure it must have been rather intriguing one." Maeve played along smiling.

"It was." Elijah stared at her for a moment. He served the scrambled eggs in a dish and placed it in front of her. "No cursing this morning?"

"What can I say, Mikaelson? You get the good Maeve."

"It is my honor." He said with a bow of his head. Maeve laughed at first but coughed when she choked on the bite.

Elijah decided to revert back to the conversation that he abruptly interrupted the day before, "how did you know about my mother and the royal covens?"

Maeve swallowed the bite in the mouth and explained what she saw when she fell unconscious. Elijah listened closely.

"The last I heard was Esther saying she was standing in an enchanted territory called Maywater Woodland." Elijah hummed looking down at his served plate of scrambled eggs. He thought back to what he knew, remembering with a slight hope that he would know where this place was.

"Years ago...I remember these stories from when we were humans. There was a land somewhere around our Village where no one was allowed to go. Considered home to the last of the remains of old World. That is what was told to us."

"Do you know where it is?"

"It was a little away from our Village. Which as you may have guessed by now, was Mystic Falls."

"Holy fuck!" she cursed loudly. "So even the town is connected to you? Just like the vampires──" Maeve took a sip of water but spit it out immediately, "even the town's supernatural ecosystem starts with you." Her eyes went wide, mouth hanging open. Her hand still gripped the fork.

"Maeve?" Elijah asked waving his hand in front of her face.

"If one goes they all go." she mumbled unintelligibly. "One and all. All in one." she kept on mumbling incoherently. "That evil genius fucking bitch!" Maeve shouted all of sudden, her tone surprising Elijah as it boomed through the apartment.

Maeve got up from her seat hurriedly and began pacing around the place rubbing both her hands together. "I have to say your mother is one evil bitch. Seriously genius but evil nonetheless."

"Why is that?"

Maeve stopped her stomping and faced him standing straight and steadily. "Remember what I said, Esther said? If one goes, they all go." Elijah nodded. He didn't say anything so Maeve could continue on.

"Think about it Elijah...you are the first vampires in existence. Somewhere, at some point you must have turned someone."

A memory crossed Elijah's mind before it built up in front of his eyes. "It was some time after father first started hunting us. We disguised ourselves as noblemen and took shelter at a Castle. The three of us, I mean, Niklaus, Rebekah and I, accidentally turned three of them into vampires. We didn't have prior knowledge of that being one of the abilities. It was also the time we discovered the power of compulsion." he explained to her. With that crossed another memory through Elijah's head. Had Maeve looked closely at him then, she would have seen it appear as a disturbed look.

"So, you must have done it again? Whether the person asked for it or accidentally turned them. Those whom you turned──turned others and so the vampires were spread out. That is logical right?"

"Yes." Elijah kept his response short. Even he could now see what had struck Maeve. He could now understand the truth behind his mother's words.

"If one of you dies...so does everyone you have turned and those who were turned by them. Basically all the vampires who were turned and the vampire blood that can be traced back to you." Maeve's expression faltered.

"We need to inform others." Elijah said pulling out his phone.

The conversation with Klaus was brief. As was with Rebekah and Kol. Kol, unsurprisingly had left Mystic Falls the same night as her and Elijah. Rebekah and Klaus had stayed behind in town doing their own bit to find Finn and keeping an eye on what the gang was planning.

All of them agreed on the same fact that the news of sireline should not, in any way reach the ears of the gang in Mystic Falls.

"Can I drive?" was a question that Elijah would never again respond affirmatively. One hand gripped the handle above the window, tight enough to turn his knuckles white and the other fidgeted nervously in his lap.

Even though the drive to where the enchanted forest might be was short, Maeve had successfully managed to almost crash the car thrice. Twice she ran it off the road and the last one when she almost crashed into an SUV in another lane.

"I swear I know how to drive." said Maeve frantically, her eyes flickering from each mirror to the road ahead frequently.

"Out of curiosity..." Elijah began nervously, "when was the last time you drove a car?"

Maeve hesitated. She licked her lips. "Six─seven months ago." she replied. Elijah's eyes widened.

"Pull over." he ordered adamantly. "Maeve pull the car over." Maeve looked into the sideview mirror and parked it on the side of the road.

"Maybe I was overconfident about this." she deflated.

"Just switch seats." Elijah got out of the car, clearly agitated. Maeve threw her leg over the gear and moved across just in time as Elijah sat in the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Just make sure next time you drive, it is with someone with a death wish." Elijah ignited the engine and drove off without another word. Maeve tightly pressed her lips together to stiffle a laugh.

Elijah sighed and pressed two fingers to his temple, "you want to laugh, don't you?"

"N──no, absolutely....not." stuttered Maeve, her lips quivering. Ultimately she gave in and cackled a snorty laugh. "I'm sorry it's just... you're so tense" she clapped her hands together and threw her head back.

"You almost ruined my car and put our lives in danger. What do you expect? That I be elated at the adrenaline rush?"

"You are invincible, I am an interim Alpha. A car crash cannot kill us."

"But walking out of it safely with little to no injuries would certainly put us in the public eye threatening the exposure of our kind." reminded Elijah seeing the flaw in Maeve's thought. Maeve made an 'o' with her lips and remained silent.

"Listen, if we do find Esther there...will you be able to attack her? As in subdue her or if situation demands it──kill her?"

Truth be told, Elijah had not thought that far. Would he take a strike at his mother? Of course he knew she was after his life and his siblings but, even then she was still his mother. Would he do it? It was a question he didn't want to answer or was afraid of finding.

"I am not sure."

"You don't have to be. Ever. They'll always be me or someone else who would do it for you." said Maeve. "There are people who provide these kind of services for the right price." She rubbed her thumb and index finger together gesturing suggestively.

Elijah stopped the car. "We're here, I think."

"Really?" Maeve peered out the window at the long stretch of trees ahead of them. The road ended a few feet ahead with nothing in sight but trees. She stepped out of the car studying the scene ahead.

She stretched her arms, craning her head to look clearer through the lining of the woods. Elijah stepped out of the car and approached Maeve who stood by the hood of the car.

"I can feel it." reported Maeve, "the magic. It's grounding."

"Lead the way then." Elijah held out his hand telling Maeve to lead the way.

Maeve walked into the forest. She thought she would wander aimlessly into the woods but there was a pull that guided her. She couldn't explain it but she felt a presence that led her away.

Quietly the two walked into the woods, going even deeper inside, so far that the road was no longer visible. Maeve grew anxious, her steps growing hurried. She abruptly stopped, staring at the particular part of the woods before her.

"This is what I saw." she revealed to Elijah. "The trance I went into yesterday. Esther was here." She looked around the clearing, first at the trees and then at the ground. Nothing seemed out of place or one that wasn't affected by the season.

Elijah looked around the woods narrowing his eyes. He reached out to grab Maeve and pulled her close, "stay close. We have company."

Maeve welcomed his sudden protectiveness. She looked around the forest trying to find who it was. A man walked into sight. He was wearing a standard white shirt with the top three buttons unbuttoned. He wore a jacket with its button undone. He wore dark blue jeans making it more casual attire. His striking grey eyes matched the lazily styled dark brown curly hair.

"You're even more beautiful than I imagined."

Maeve walked around Elijah, now standing in front of him, her eyes set on the man. Her gaze drifted to the man with chiseled jaw and built physique.

"Thank you." she lightly blushed at the compliment. "I am Maeve."

"You are the Serene witch." He bowed showing his respect to Maeve. One hand rested on his stomach and the other stretched down next to his body. "We were waiting for you to grace us with your presence."

"Please rise up." said Maeve lifting up her hands in the air. He stood up again with a charming smile.

"My name is Maverick Frazer. You can call me Rick." he introduced himself. Suddenly it dawned on Maeve who he was,

"You're the founder of TechCyber Corp and Illusion Grand chain of five star hotels." Maeve said pointedly and astonishingly.

"That would be me." Maverick smiled. "Esther was here. I am sure that memory showed you that." He looked over her shoulder at Elijah. "She plans on finding a way to kill you."

"We know. That is why we are here." Elijah told him starkly.

"Please join us. Both of you. We're having a cookout." he invited the two gracefully holding himself up with a smile lingering on his face.

Maeve looked behind her at Elijah silently asking him with just a look. He nodded at her, "we can stop by. Perhaps they would have answers on how to stop my mother."

"That we do. The poor woman mistook us to be an ordinary coven hoping to find a power source here." he giggled condescendingly. "Please follow me."

Maeve was awestruck with the man. She skipped ahead and walked next to him. "So who are you?"

"I am a Demetrius. Fourth generation." Maverick told her proudly.

"How did you find me?"

"Gwenlyn is our eldest Vlatka, she got in touch with you. "This...our homeland, wind picked up like a blizzard. We knew your life was in danger. So she came in touch with you."

Elijah marched behind them watching the two converse with one another.

They reached a point where they could now smell the barbecue, hear the chatter of the people. Maeve hesitantly stayed back at Maverick walked up front. She nervously stood next to Elijah. She glanced up at him seeking some assurance.

"You'll be fine." he told her.

"Witches. I come with guests." Maverick boasted opening his arms wide.

"Please tell me it's not another wolf puppy cause I'm telling you, I don't have much meat to go round." An elderly woman scolded him.

"It was one time. And, I bring someone better." He stepped aside giving Maeve space to walk ahead. Elijah remained back, insisting Maeve to walk forward instead. Slowly, Maeve walked over to crowd but still maintained a respectable distance from them. Sometimes changed immensely in her within seconds. She straightened her shoulders, raised her head high, and looked over the crowd,

"Hello. My name is Maeve." she introduced herself. 

"Queen." the older woman noted with a proud smile with an expression of relief but Maeve mistook it for grimace. Maeve recognised the woman from when she first went into a Trance.

"You're Gwenlyn. The Vlatka who found me."

"That would be me."

The entire crowd gathered together, everyone seeking a look at the Serene. Simultaneously, everyone of different ages and gender bowed down showing their respect collectively.

Maeve felt utterly out of place. With the pack it didn't feel odd. She didn't mind the bowing there but here it felt odd and uncomfortable.

"Please...don't bow. Are we not equals? Please...rise" an unnerved feeling changed to a more of comfort and surprisingly that resembled home.

"Welcome Queen."

"Please it is Maeve. I beg of you to not do that." Maeve smiled affectionately seeing them all.

Suddenly Maeve remembered that Elijah was here with her. She turned around gesturing at him, "This is Elijah Mikaelson." He stood a few feet away with his hands in his pocket. He bowed his head paying his respect for the witches.

"The original vampire. Welcome, Elijah. Come on. We just finished with some grilling." The older lady offered gesturing at the tables.

Maeve grabbed Elijah's hand and dragged him along. "It'll be fun." she told him, "we can ask for help."