Patronization

Patronization

Pacing back and forth within the stone courtyard of the compound, Niklaus ran his hand through his hair in agitation. Muttering to himself as his expression changed from angry to contemplative, the hybrid dropped his arms by his side with a huff. Attention being snatched by the sound of a scuffle from the carriage foyer caused him to in around in anticipation of yet another attack.

The steady click of high heels clipping of the large cobbles soon gave way to the sight of a figure exiting the shadows. Dropping the lifeless body of one of his patrol vampires onto the stone floor, a tall female stood at the doorway. Crimson coating her hands up to her mid-forearms, the blonde remained unflinching as Klaus looked her up and down.

Pale blue eyes wide as if he was staring at a ghost, the leader’s mouth fell ajar. “L-Liliana?”

Shaking the excess sanguine off of her hands, the addressed inspected her slacks and sheer cream blouse for any mars. “Alive and kicking.” She replied, her heavy English accent sounding less than impressed as she noticed a minute blood splatter on the edge of her rolled up sleeve.

Still unsure of whether it was one of his mother’s tricks, Niklaus tread carefully. “I thought you were dead.”

Stark green eyes accented with classic 1940’s make up flittered up and the female snorted a breath out of her nose. “Thinking someone is dead and hoping it are two completely different things.”

Holding his hands up, a small smirk played on his lips; Even his mother surely couldn’t begin to comprehend the bluntness of this blonde. Straightening up, the flaxen male rested one hand behind his back as the other waved facetiously. “You make it sound like I wanted you to stay dead.”

Pristine brows narrowed, the blonde took a step forward. “Are you really trying to play me, Niklaus?”

Turning his back with his hands up, pantomiming his words, the addressed cooed. “I slipped some of my blood in your wine beforehand. I wouldn’t just kill you off; I enjoyed your company.” Peeking back over his shoulder to check he still had her interest, the middle child batted his lashes. “The second time wasn’t exactly my fault.”

Taking a cigarette from her trouser pocket, the blonde lit the end despite the blood smears down the length of the small, white stick. “Your pettiness towards your brothers was more than your love for me. I know.” She practically spat as her emotions began to well back up after so long of keeping them under wraps. “I spent more than two hundred years going over every possible thought that would have gone through your head.” She pointed with the hand holding her vice.

Stirred by the comment, Niklaus turned around to face his guest. Mirroring a similar defensive posture, the older male inclined his head with a disbelieving grin. “You think you know my mind?”

“I do, actually.” Removing her line of sight from the man she knew all to well, Liliana strolled around the courtyard, inspecting the structure. “Just who were you planning to fool with the little charade concerning your daught-” Slammed against a support beam, the blonde dropped her vice as she had the air choked out of her. Heartbeat pounding in her head triple-time and her legs kicking as she was raised off the ground, the blonde clung to the wrists restraining her.

Firm grip around the female’s neck, Klaus examined her expression. “I think we should end that discussion on a good note, don’t you?” Shrugging his victim free, the middle child turned his back and began to pace again. “What are you doing here, Lily?” Spinning around, he threw his hands up and raised his voice as he inferred accusations. “And don’t lie to me. I know what you’re like too.”

Taking a decent breath as she rubbed the assaulted spot, the guest followed the man in his endless marching, her voice becoming louder and more hostile with each word. “Do you not want me here? Am I a disgrace to you? Am I mar on your reputation?” Reaching out, she grabbed the home owner's shoulder and tried to make him to stop. “Look at me, Niklaus! Are you going to throw me away again?”

Spinning around, Niklaus snapped. Pointing a few inches from her face, the older male barked. “I never did, or felt, those things. I never thought of you as a failure.” Neck veins surfacing and his face flushing, the home owner ran his hand over his face in frustration.

“Do you know how hard it was for me?” Shoulders tense and nose tingling, the blonde lowered her eyes. “Niklaus, you not only left me to die, you left me to struggle for decades, wondering if it was love I ever felt, or whether I just wanted to rip people’s head’s off.”

Inhaling sharply and exhaling his reply with a quirked brow and a shrug, the male half of the pair hummed, as if he already knew the answer. “What about now?”

“Now I just tear their throats out and get it over with.” She deadpan and peeked up.

“That’s my girl.” She was met by a proud grin.

It was strange for her. She didn’t know about him, but the connection they had always shared was important to her, even before she was turned. Most people thought of Niklaus as selfish, hostile, self righteous and unpredictable, but that wasn’t his entirety. Liliana knew the compassionate and kind man who would always stand up for his family; he would face any and every enemy without thinking twice about it if it meant keeping those he loved safe. For her, there had only ever been one other person like that, and he was long gone.

Shaking off how easy it was to get back into the comfortable swing of things, Liliana glanced around the place which had been her home at one point. “By no means do I hate you for what you gave me,” She paused as she noticed a tiny etch in the brickwork that brought about a flash of nostalgia. “but I am here to tell you some home truths.”

Laughing at the out of character seriousness, the home owner cocked his head and smirked. “What are you, the ghost of bloody pasts?” Pouring himself a drink, and then one for his company, Niklaus held out a crystal tumbler filled half way with his finest bourbon. “And I must ask, but...” Brow quirked and smirk on China pink lips, the older male continued. “what happened to make you become so uptight?”

Stone-faced, the guest stood her ground as she tried a second time to finish her smoke. “If you carry on the way you are, everyone you love will die.” She plucked the drink from his hand and eased back onto the table.

As if he’d been challenged, he stood rigid. “You come here, to New Orleans for a second time and now you’re threatening me?” Teeth bared, Niklaus jabbed the female in the top of her chest. “Who do yo think you are?”

Resting her weight on the edge of a small, square dining table, Liliana crossed one arm under her chest while the other held up her vice. “I’m just a merchant’s daughter whom your family twisted. I’m a lover and a sadistic bitch who can’t seem to go too long without being around the carnage you and your family can’t help but to cause. I’m a reminder of your paranoia and your contempt for the people you claim to love.” Flicking her ash on the clean floor, the blonde pushed herself up and became chest to chest with the man who made her. “Niklaus Mikaelson, I am your demons personified, and no matter which way you look at it,” Standing before the man half a head taller than herself, Liliana peered up. Eyes glossy with sadness and voice lowered, she bit down on the inside of her lip. “I’m a silly cunt for wanting to help you.” Holding eye contact, she chugged the booze she’d been given.

Without a sound, Klaus raised his hand slowly. Caught between petting her head and wanting to rip her throat out for taking so long, the middle sibling dropped the palm of his right hand on top of the blonde’s head. “You arrived just in time.” Glancing up in surprise at the easy take-back, Liliana frowned in gesture for him to elaborate. “There’s a party tonight. Dress to impress because I have a job for you.” Necking his drink, the Mikaelson placed the glass on the table and walked away. “It starts at 8:30.”

Watching Niklaus’s back disappear around the corner, the blonde breathed a sigh of relief that her throat was still in tact. She hadn’t been wrong after all. Compared to their life-spans, she hadn’t know the Mikaelson’s that long at all, or rather, hadn’t been around them that long. Still, what she did have was what had felt like an eternity of solitude to mull over the particularities and weaknesses of the siblings. Liliana had spent centuries working up to these moments and her mind hadn’t let her down; Niklaus’s Achilles heel was still his need for someone he trusted whom would yield to his ego.

 

Sauntering into a small pub off the main street, Liliana was met by a hazy atmosphere and upbeat Irish music. Alcohol flowing and laughs being had by clusters of men, the blonde scouted over the boisterous partying in search of her friend. Catching a glimpse of a crimson mane as the sway of the room shifted, Liliana squeezed through the masses and headed for the bar.

“Oi, Lily,” Suddenly ignoring the men she was with, the tall redhead waved her hand as she called out with a thick Irish accent. Staggering forward a step, she threw her arm around the shoulder of the female who looked completely out of place in the dingy establishment. “why didn’t we come here sooner?” Celadon eyes sparkling, she put her face closer as she flailed.

“If nothing else, you seem to be enjoying yourself.” Brushing off the cold tone she’d received, the redhead gestured to the bartender with two fingers.

The two men whom had been speaking with the slightly younger woman had found themselves in the females’ personal bubbles, but they were not greeted with smiles as they’d thought. “Who’s your friend, Morrie?”

“Aye, she’s a pretty one.” The second reached out and tried to cup the blonde’s chin, only to be gripped around the wrist from his right side.

Lowering the man’s hand, the redhead shook her head with a forced smile. “That’s not a good idea.”

Tearing his eyes from the woman he’d been conversing with and to the blonde who was staring right back without a sound, the brunette held his hands up and chuckled to break the tension. Going about downing the double bourbon she’d been ordered, Liliana turned away and waited for her friend to stop playing polite so she could get to the important stuff.

Almost hanging off the redhead, the shorter man whispered drunkenly into her ear. “We were having fun ‘til she turned up. How about you come back with us?”

“Sorry, I have stuff to d-”

“We weren’t asking.” The taller of the two men ragged the redhead by her arm and shook his head with a smile..

Yanking herself free, and her bitchface firmly masking her features, the redhead spat. “I will fucking cut yo-” Nudged out of the way, the blonde pushed in.

Slapping her annoyance on the side of the head, the sheer force causing him to slam into the counter and then drop to the floor in a heap, Liliana glared at the friend of the rude bastard who’d pushed his luck a little too far. “Follow us, and I’ll snap you like a fuckin’ pretzel.” She pointed a freshly polished nail menacingly before placing her free hand on her friend’s bare shoulder blades and giving an urging push.

Ignoring the eyes on them, the crowd parted like the Red Sea for them to leave, the female pair made for the door. Once outside, the redhead turned around - or more closer to staggered in a circle twice. Brow quirked and hands on her hips, the younger woman whined. “Was there any need for that? I could have dealt with it myself.” Regardless of being left to her own devices since noon, the redhead was right. Still, now wasn’t the time for the slow and steady approach.

“I know you could, Morrigan.” The blonde spoke slowly, as if she was actually patting her friend on the head like a child.

“Don’t fuckin’ patronize me. I’m not a walking blood bag, nor a two bit witch.”

Holding her hand up in agreement, and not wanting to annoy her vaguely smashed magical friend, Liliana elaborated. “But there was every need.” Taking a packet of cigarettes from the left pocket of her slacks, the blonde placed a single stick to her lips and sparked the end of it. “They were annoying me and we have things to do.” She exhaled a bloom of smoke into the air growing colder as the night crept up.

“I already unpacked- well, I got someone else to do it, but it’s done, and that’s what’s important.” Scratching her scalp through the wealth of red hair, Morrigan debated, more with herself than anyone else, on the technical terminology.

“I spoke to Niklaus.” Taking a deep drag on her vice, Liliana began walking down one of the quieter alleyways. “He’s holding a party tonight and he said he has a job for me.”

“How does that include ‘we’?”

“Because tonight, you’re going to get your wish.” Flicking the ash off the end of her vice, the blonde tucked a stray a hair behind her ear and picked up the pace.

Hobbling behind in stripper hells, the redhead swayed along the cobbles. “Carry me.”

Updated: 15th November 2014 - 19:00