regency au } { of unexpected visitors and magical legacies

[braveandstupid]

Patience: [has her sisters by the hand as she makes her way back through the manor, ducking her head in each of the doorways until she finds who she was looking for] Father! [which is probably not what Derek was expecting to hear considering they were ... supposed to be having a picnic with their mother]

Derek: [looks up from his desk to see his girls... without his wife. There is a moment of fear that he is good at masking from his face] Darlings. Where is your mother?

Patience: There was a visitor. Mama said that she couldn't invite him in and told us to go find you. [and Talia will just let go of her sister's hand and go faceplant into her father's leg]

Derek: [yup, that isn't good, because his mind instantly goes to Damn] Did the visitor introduce himself?

Patience: No. They already knew each other. [a beat] She called him Lord ... Michael's son?

Derek: [nods] Well, I should go out and greet our visitor. Here, let's go see if we can find Lord and Lady Lockwood. I'm sure Lady Lockwood would love to spend time with you.

Patience: [sighs] Alright. [and she will go where her father leads]

Derek: [looks down at her eldest] Did you wish to do something else, Patience?

Patience: No. [which is a lie, but one meant out of respect, she was hoping that this might mean she was getting dad time, but she's getting old enough to recognize that Derek has duties and can't be with her all the time]

Derek: [puts a hand on her shoulder and kneels down to look his eldest in the eye] I am only going to go and be polite, and then I will be back. It won't be long.

Patience: [meets his eyes for a moment, before nodding and reaching for Talia's hand again, ready to follow him to wherever Lady Lockwood is.]

Derek: [and he will lean in to kiss each of his daughter's foreheads, and then stand and go looking for Caroline] Lady Lockwood?

Caroline: [looks up from the letter she's writing] Yes?

Derek: It appears that we have a guest that my wife has met while she was having lunch with the girls, and I should go out and greet him as well. A Lord Mikaelson. [he keeps his tone nice and conversational, even friendly, for the children's sake]

Caroline: [her eyebrows go up at that, because she knows that name, and she doesn't seem particularly alarmed, but it was from when she was in the dark about most things supernatural] Which one?

Derek: I'm unsure. Would you mind watching the girls for a few minutes while I go out to greet him? I won't be long.

Caroline: [she shakes her head] Not at all. [to Patience] Where did she greet him?

Patience: By the front gardens.

Caroline: [gets up from her desk and makes her way over to her window, peering down into the garden below] Oh! That's Elijah Mikaelson. [and there's something about her tone that says "weird" but she doesn't actually say it out loud]

Derek: So you know this gentleman?

Caroline: [she nods] The Mikaelsons lived in Mystic Falls for a little while. There are four Mikaelson brothers, and then their sister, Rebekah. Elijah is the second oldest, after Finn but before Klaus.

Derek: And the fourth brother?

Caroline: Kol. [she makes a face] He's the least tolerable of the four of them. Klaus can be off-putting, but at least he's charming about it.

Derek: Good to know. But let me not keep my wife and guest waiting.

Caroline: [nods] Elijah is all manners. I'm sure Elena is fine. [but Caroline doesn't .... actually know the truth about the Mikaelsons so take that information with a grain of salt!]

Derek: [nods] Thank you. [and he will kiss his girls again, and then off he goes outside to meet his wife and guest]

Elena: [and as he will notice that Elena doesn't seem scared, but she doesn't seem happy to see him either] Why are you here, Elijah?

Elijah: [notices Derek coming up the path and purses his lips] We'll get there.

Derek: [and he will reach them, standing at Elena's side - as opposed to in front of her since he can tell she isn't scared so the urge to protect is being clamped down for the moment. Instead he will hold out his hand] Lord Mikaelson, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Elijah: [there is a thin smile before he shakes Derek's in return] No, the pleasure is mine Sir Hale. Your wife and I were simply ... catching up. It has been some time since we've seen each other.

Elena: For good reason. [the words are said through gritted teeth] We had a deal.

Derek: [and his eyebrows raise at the word DEAL] What kind of deal?

Elijah: [there's a sidelong look at Elena at that, and she just stares him down] Would you like to tell him or should I?

Elena: Elijah's family came to me after my parents’ death because they needed something from me. His brother Klaus happened to be not particularly scrupulous as to how he got it, but Elijah and I were able to come to an agreement - on the terms that the Mikaelsons were to leave me and my family alone.

Elijah: And we have honored that agreement, have we not?

Elena: You're here now.

Derek: And if Klaus has this something, why would you be visiting us now?

Elijah: Because it is something ... consumable, and as I was trying to explain to your wife, I would not be here were it not an emergency. All I simply ask, is that your wife makes a second ... donation. As a gesture of good will towards the deal that thus far we have honored.

Derek: Well, seeing that she is my wife now, Sir, the donation would come from my house now. If you would excuse us, let me talk with my wife on this a moment?

Elijah: [almost looks amused at that, before turning to Elena] Since you've made it clear I am not welcome here, I will go find myself lodging elsewhere. I will send word when I have it, so you'll know where to find me when you reach a decision.

Elena: [nods and when he starts to walk away, some of the worry starts to break through and she stops him] Elijah! [the man turns] If I say no, our deal still stands.

Elijah: [his eyes go from her, then up to the windows where small faces are watching, and then back to her again] Of course. I am a man of my word. [and with that, he leaves]

Derek: [and he will listen to Elijah's retreating steps as he looks at his wife] Let's go inside before we talk? [because he knows the hint of vampire in a scent now]

Elena: [nods and takes his arm, some of the resolve face she put on for Elijah's benefit fading away to something very tired.]

Derek: [and once they are past the doorway that brings them into safety, he will turn and take her hands in his] Tell me what this is all about.

Elena: [she glances around the hallway before pulling him further into the nearby parlor] He wants my blood.

Derek: What? [that came out louder than he intended, and he took a deep breath]

Elena: My bloodline, apparently, is a powerful one. I'm something called a doppelganger, and my blood is used in a spell ingredient sometimes. Elijah is an Original vampire. One of the first.

Derek: So what, is this Klaus a witch?

Elena: No. Klaus is a vampire, but he's good at making friends with witches. There must be something he needs done that requires my blood. Derek: And he will always keep coming back for more if you give it to him. It is not your fault he went through the blood he gave.

Elena: And if I don't give it to him, then what? [she rubs her hands over her face] I could have ended this a long time ago by becoming a werewolf or a vampire but what would that have gotten me? Klaus would have lashed out and people would have died. I made the deal with Elijah to protect people and I know he wouldn't have come to me if he weren't desperate.

Derek: [thinks] I don't like this, Elena. It sounds to me as if he is holding your security ransom and you can never get it back.

Elena: What other choice do I have? I'm the only one - and there isn't going to be another for five hundred years.

Derek: You do have options. [the biggest one he has never forced her on either way]

Elena: [and she looks away because as much as she knows that would solve her problems, she's not sure that's what she wants. and there were risks involved with either turning, vampire or werewolf]

Derek: And you know that we will defend you if he tries something

Elena: He can't be killed, Derek.

Derek: No, but the Hales are an old family, with many connections of our own. It wouldn't benefit him to go against us.

Elena: [she makes a face at that before shaking her head. it's not just her friends she's trying to protect this time] I can't risk it. Not with the girls. If it's a little blood versus keeping them safe ...

Derek: How much did they take from you last time?

Elena: [she pauses for a moment, before holding up her fingers to show the size of a small vial] Not much. Not enough to hurt me. I was a little dizzy, but he gave me his blood to heal me after.

Derek: [nods] Well, it will be your choice, my love. This is your blood, and I trust you to make the right choice. But if you choose to give, I want to make sure that you aren't alone so that he can't take more than you wish to give. I will not have him drain my wife.

Elena: [she nods as well, before going to let her hands rest against his chest for a moment] I'm sorry.

Derek: You don't have to be sorry. I just wish you would have told me of this sooner.

Elena: [there's a half laugh] I thought I had left it all behind me. I expected Elijah to keep his promise.

Derek: What was the exact wording of the agreement?

Elena: That I gave them the blood they needed for the ritual, and my family and the people I cared about would live in peace. Klaus and his family wouldn't bother me again.

Derek: [nods] Did Elijah speak on what his brother wishes to use it for?

Elena: No, he didn't.

Derek: I just worry that he will ever be satisfied.

Elena: [swallows and nods because to an extent she knows Derek's right.] One last time. I'll make sure he knows that. And if he comes again, we'll revisit a more ... permanent solution.

Derek: And we can just hope that perhaps my genes can break this doppelganger chain.

Elena: That's what I hoped. If our children are werewolves and remain werewolves then there won't be another.

Derek: Then that is what we will hope for.

Elena: [she nods and takes a deep breath] Are the girls alright?

Derek: Yes, but I think Patience was hoping to spend time with me. I did tell her I would return to them

Elena: [she nods] If you want, I can take the other two and you can have time alone with her?

Derek: That would be nice. She can come with me on a ride around the forest checking rabbit traps

Elena: [she nods with a small smile] I'll go get her sisters. We can spend some time in the library.

Derek: I love you. [and he will kiss her]

Elena: I love you. And again, I'm sorry for this.

Derek: We will make due, and find a way to make this the last time.

Elena: [she nods, and off she goes to find her daughters]