i'm leaving you my last curse

[bravebartender]

Comments

[bereavements]

( Hope knows a thing or two about agency, so that start speaks to her. And she believes that's why she sought out her uncle Kol. )

Are you two really together?

( If they aren't, that might make things thornier.

"We aren't trying to trick you. She did seek me out, but very quickly I recognized something in her. And I did fall in love with everything she is. Including the mind she so desperately would like to save," Kol says. Her (15) has him believing Kol's intent. )

[transientem]

Romance wasn't part of the plan, but since when is it ever?

[Kieran offers a small smirk, before shrugging.]

It definitely complicates things, I won't deny that. We haven't fully talked through what this will look like when our business arrangement is complete. But I do love him. Everything else we can figure out when we have the time to do it.

[bereavements]

I don't love that you're calling it a business arrangement, but, I can't say I don't understand, or that I don't see where you're coming from. But, my blood is -- to be honest, I really don't know everything it can do, but if it can help you, I want to help, just - could you give me time to think about it?

( Talk to her mom, maybe aunt Freya. Rebekah. Make the Mikaelson rounds. (NOT KLAUS.) )

[transientem]

[The business arrangement she's referring to is the spell work, not Kol. But she can understand where Hope is coming from. That being said, she responds to Hope's question without reservation:]

Of course. Take all the time you need.

[Her head tips to the side.]

And I'm also willing to do a magical assay for you. Maybe help clear up some of those questions as a thank you?

[bereavements]

I will be taking you up on that offer. Thank you. And, maybe before dessert I'll have an answer for you.

( Probably.

That's as much as she can promise for now, leaving them as the last two in their room.

"That went well. Sorry for usurping the timing of your big moment. I thought now rather than never. Things tend to catastrophically occur around my family." )

[transientem]

You say catastrophe, I say keeping things interesting.

[She shifts as she turns to face him, reaching for his hand.]

I don't think there was ever going to be a good time. And if we waited until we went downstairs, your brother might have been looming over our shoulders.

[witchaffinity]

Usually, it's my brother that keeps things interesting. We're lucky he only wants help with decorating today and not halving our witch populace or enslaving the vampires.

( He takes her hand. )

They all would've. But they understand why we're asking what we're asking.

[transientem]

I know.

[She squeezes his hand.]

We do still have to talk about if what we are now changes things for what we originally agreed. The Gauntlet may result in us adjusting our time table a bit. But I think we can save that for tonight? After we've eaten a stupid amount of food?

[witchaffinity]

Whenever you're up for it. Shall we join the rest?

( And yes, he will taste everything. For all the problems he has with family and his brother, Klaus, he always liked the family gatherings. )

[impetere]

[She gets up and takes his arm with a nod. "Let's do it."

As word is starting to spread around, the Hales plus Stiles and Hayley make their appearance, and Cora let's out a low whistle at the size of the preparations.]

Klaus really doesn't do things in half-measures, does he?

[Hayley shakes her head. "Not once in his thousand years of existence."]

[phonetically]

( Stiles admires the styling, the chandelier, the spread. )

A thousand years is like, a lot of years. Will I get to be 1000 years old one day?

( "If someone doesn't kill you before then," Derek says, nonchalantly, but also impressed by everything. Breakfast with Stiles and Cora was a chatty affair. He doesn't miss that about Stiles. )

[werewolfqueen]

Klaus is also a particular brand of unkillable, so I'd say the rest of our odds are considerably less. But you could get a few centuries under your belt.

[Which is honestly also daunting enough.]

[phonetically]

Not really wanting to think about what a hundred years from now is going to be like.

( It's an over-overwhelming thought.

Derek stops, listening for a second, and then looks to Cora and Hayley. The discussions in the sitting room are not of the Thanksgiving variety.

"I think the party started without us," he says, leading the group in the direction of the other voices. )

[bravebartender]

[Hayley's brow furrows, and she turns to follow the sound of voices into the other room where ... Klaus is clearly upset about something, and Bela, Cami and probably Elijah are just looking exasperated.

Hayley's brow furrows. "Who died?"

Cami sighs as she looks up.]

No one. And hopefully things will stay that way.

[Hayley tosses a glance to Elijah, amused. "Not one of those instances where we have to kill potentially everyone?" How's that for an eighteen year throwback.]

[affronting]

( "Potentially," Elijah says, raising his glass. )

Small-minded witches with tunnel-vision have apparently triggered an ancient tradition that puts targets on all of our children, our extended family and every witch - potentially everywhere. I wouldn't be against tracking down the witches in question, but you see, it's a holiday.

[enjoythe_ride]

[Hayley's brow furrows, before glancing around to the others who might be slightly less Shakespearean about it. "Is someone coming after the French Quarter witches?"

Bela shakes her head as she explains again.]

Not exactly, and not even really an immediate threat at the moment. Just something that's happening. It's called the Gauntlet. There's a coven called the Colony involved.

[Hayley knows nothing of any of this (4), but Cora's eyebrows raise (17), before she turns to Stiles. "Isn't that the same coven as the witches who tried to kidnap you?"]

[affronting]

Who is this person?

( "Rude," Stiles says. "And yes. Because they needed a bargaining chip. So, this sounds right up their alley. Ruthless. Why not target all witches."

"It's more about their thing, witches are just collateral damage. And there's a lot of potential damage," Hope adds. "Everywhere," she adds. Here. Basically, everywhere. )

Well, what are the chances someone's plus one is also embroiled with the very coven we're dealing with. We must vet our guests better for Christmas.

[impetere]

Very rude.

[Cora is a delightful guest, Klaus. What are you talking about?]

They wanted a friend of ours to help them with something. They were going after something called the Inner Circle?

[Bela raises an eyebrow. "So you know David too then?"

Cora shakes her head.]

Not David. Their names were Jaqueline and Sierra. But Sierra was here under a different name. Maura, I think?

["That bitch!" Hayley says before she can stop herself.]

[affronting]

( "From Prague, right? She took Danny's power. Initially. She also gave it back. But, I guess after that, she tried to kidnap... who are you, again?" Hope asks, pointing.

"Stiles. His name is Stiles," Stiles says, introducing himself. )

Somehow, I'm not surprised.

( "Can we get back on topic?" Hope asks.

"It's not his actual, name," Derek, very helpfully says.

"Hey, not pack, dude," Stiles retorts. )

No matter his name, he is one degree away from two members of the coven that triggered this Gauntlet.

( "He did not choose to be kidnapped, Klaus," Doc actually helpfully says. )

[enjoythe_ride]

And the members in question also didn't trigger it. That would be the Inner Circle they are trying to kill.

[Bela will provide that helpful bit of clarifying information.]

They've already taken out two of them, from what I've been told.

[engender]

( "Just gonna' say it, great they're going after people that are worse than them, but still not thrilled to almost be kidnapped," Stiles contributes.

"Um, and also not thrilled with the worse people putting targets on me and my friends and family's backs," Hope says. "Not that I haven't lived life before like a walking target but I really thought it was just very high school."

Or, so she hoped. )

Does Allison know?

[enjoythe_ride]

["Lydia was the person they were trying to squeeze. I think she knows about that much, at least."

But this new upgrade to things? Maybe not.

Bela holds up a hand to try and provide a little more clarification.]

The Gauntlet is meant to be a culling. No one specifically is being targeted until someone decides to make you a target. I doubt someone would be targeting you directly, Hope, given both your status and who's attention it would draw.

[These are witches. They're not looking to pick a fight with Klaus Mikaelson, nor do they want to go through the rigamarole of trying to figure out how to kill the Tribrid.]

That being said, you are keeping close company with not only someone keeping close to the leader of the Knightsbridge coven, but feasibly the next heir to the leadership of the Gemini Coven. I would say Josie is a more likely target than you.

[Which she suspects won't make Hope feel better, but maybe does give a clearer picture of the stakes.]

[engender]

( "Awesome," Hope says, going back over for the whiskey she left on the mantle. "If you'll excuse me," she says, leaving the room to call her girlfriend again. )

So, it's not a war on witches, just an invitation.

( Derek, also helpfully.

"Whether it is or is not a war on all witches, or on my daughter's girlfriend, or other witches in the quarter, or anywhere, it is still a culling and must be dealt with as such. Maybe we should stop discussing the semantics and discuss solutions. Action. So, that we don't over dinner," Klaus says. "What, feasibly, can we do at this very moment, because this topic is becoming very dull." )

[enjoythe_ride]

I think unless you want to break into a witch compound in Baltimore and murder what's left of the Inner Circle, not much. At least not before dinner.

[And while setting Klaus on the Inner Circle does have it's appeal, there are complications and reasons that David has been taking his time.]

We were offered a warning so we could be prepared. I don't think there was any direct action for us to take.

[phonetically]

Then I say, we get to mingling, get our grub on and go around saying why we're all thankful.

( Maybe if this were your party, but you're a guest. )

Just an idea.