Interlude

1713 A.D.

Elijah couldn't help but frown as they drew closer to the shore only to see a young woman waiting on the docks for them. His siblings had already had their fill of sailors but he could easily see Klaus making an exception for a young beauty like this. However, before he could step forward and compel the girl away, she caught sight of him and smiled, stepping up and calling to him, "Lord Elijah!"

He froze at that, as no one in this new world should have known who he was. He felt Niklaus and Rebekah beside him even before Klaus spoke up, "Oh? Lord Elijah is it? Did you drag admirers across the sea with you brother?" Elijah shook his head, murmuring out, "I've never met this woman before in my life brother." Even as said woman caught sight of his siblings as well and called out once more, "Lord Klaus, Lady Rebekah!"

At this point, all three of them were a bit off kilter. When they made landfall, the girl presented herself with a well-executed curtsy, "Milords, Milady. I have been sent by the Master to make sure your arrival in New Orleans is a pleasant one. I am at your command."

Elijah raised an eyebrow, but upon seeing that his brother and sister seemed content on leaving this conversation to him, he spoke up, "Yes well, you can start by explaining. Who is this Master you speak of?"

The girl smiled brightly and seemed about to respond when Niklaus spoke up, causing her to instantly fall silent, "Don't be obtuse brother, the girl is obviously a vampire and obviously compelled. There are only two people in this world that could have sent her to us that aren't already here, and one of them would never announce his presence like this."

Elijah focused back on the girl, having noticed the compulsion. He hadn't noticed she was a vampire though and he could only assume Niklaus could tell by scent. Then his brother's words caught up with him and he looked at him incredulously, "Are you suggesting that our long lost brother has set himself up as some sort of Master in the old world while we've been gone?"

Rebekah seemed to be catching up as well, and she scowled at the girl who'd delivered this news to her, "So instead of coming himself, Vali sends his pet to greet us."

The girl immediately ducked her head, "Ah, you misunderstand Milady, I am not here just to greet you, I am here to serve you. The Master has sent me because he cannot be pulled away from his current work but he also wished to apologize for his absence. My life is yours to do with as you please, even if you wish to end it."

This caused all three Originals to just stare at her for a long moment, perhaps even considering it. Elijah was ready to step forward to keep his siblings from doing anything nasty when Rebekah took the lead, walking past both Elijah and Klaus and smiling at the girl who'd just offered her life to them, "Well, I suppose my wayward older brother does owe me quite the back log of birthday gifts. I accept you into my service as my handmaiden. Come along now, the boys have already handled our luggage arrangements, and I want to hear all about what Vali has been up to for the last seven hundred years."

With that said Rebekah began walking away, and after giving Elijah and Klaus each deep bows, the girl straightened up and followed after their little sister. Elijah looked at Klaus with incredulity at the whole situation, and Klaus just smiled and shrugged before following the pair of women. With a sigh, Elijah did the same.

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1820 A.D.

Ravia walked behind Rebekah and her brothers as they followed the funeral procession. Niklaus had killed another of Rebekah's lovers, this time the governor's son, and now they were paying their respects as ironic as that was. She heard the sound of whipping long before she laid her eyes on the young black boy her Master said would one day rule New Orleans in the far future.

She had no idea how it was the Master knew so much about future events, but her place was not to question him. It was right that he inherently knew more than those beneath him, but even his family seemed lacking compared to him in this manner, and that confused her. If he could see the future, know the shape of things to come, why could they not?

Still, it was not her place to question, merely her place to carry out his orders. As she watched, Niklaus killed the man who'd been whipping the boy, before kneeling and offering the child a place at his side. She watched as Niklaus gave him a name. Marcellus, Little Warrior.

The boy came with them as they continued along with the funeral procession, and eventually later in the evening, Niklaus handed him off to her, so that she may give him dinner, a bath, and put him to bed. Ravia did so without complaint, knowing that the Originals saw her as nothing more than a useful tool to do their bidding. And that was her purpose for the time being, one she was content with.

But even still, she couldn't help but watch Marcellus as he slept, once she'd tucked him in. Smiling and leaning down, she whispered as if telling a great secret to the sleeping child, "The Master says that one day you will be a King. Even though you are unaware, it must be wonderful, having the Master's approval so early in life."

With her words said she left the room, not noticing when Marcellus carefully opened his eyes and stared after her in confusion.

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1820 A.D. (Later that same year) New Orleans

Ravia watched from the shadows as the witch Celeste drank of the wine she'd laced with Elijah's blood. She knew not why the Master wanted this done, but he'd told her of body jumping and possession and said that it was for the best that Celeste live forever in her original body, instead of stealing the bodies of young girls for the next few centuries. Ravia agreed of course, because he was her Master.

She watched as Celeste told Elijah of Klaus' game with the humans and she watched as Elijah left to deal with Klaus. Soon enough the men hunting for witches entered the room and Celeste managed to get out only one shriek before they pushed her under the water and drowned her. Ravia continued to watch as Elijah returned in a panic and screamed in anguish over his beloved's death.

When Celeste came back to life in his arms, he was astonished, shocked even. When they realized Celeste was in transition, there was more shock and more anger, mostly from Celeste directed at Elijah. Ravia realized as the conversation went on that Celeste did not have a sire bond to Elijah as her Master had thought might happen, meaning that she did not truly love Elijah as much as Elijah loved her.

In the end, Celeste did choose to drink human blood instead of dying permanently, but the relationship between her and Elijah was forever strained as she believed he had been secretly feeding her his blood to keep her from ever leaving him through death. They would eventually part ways over this disagreement, as she believed he would not tell her the truth of the matter when he actually was speaking truth.

Ironically, this had a positive effect on Elijah's relationship Niklaus as he believed that it was Klaus who had made sure Celeste had vampire blood in her system in a twisted way of preserving Elijah's beloved. While he didn't agree with Klaus' supposed actions, he appreciated the idea behind them even as Klaus vehemently denied having a hand in it, protesting that he really did have no idea who Celeste was.

Meanwhile Ravia stood in the shadows and smiled a small secret smile while nobody suspected a thing of her.

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