Marcy

Unbridled

Chapter 4

Niklaus lounged sullenly in his armchair after hearing his brother's recount of his day's event with Hope.

"You didn't have to spank her." He griped.

Elijah sighed as he handed Niklaus a drink in the hopes of getting his brother to calm down. Hayley entered the room and poured herself a glass of white wine. She'd just come from the courtyard where Hope and her friend, Sebastian, were zealously practicing their magic.

"She followed a stranger to a hotel," Elijah stated for what felt like the hundredth time. "I couldn't let that go unscathed."

"I would've grounded her when she got back if you would've simply told me first."

Hayley chuckled. "Grounded her? You mean when you send her to her room, half an hour later she comes to you with big crocodile tears on her face and you let her out, you two share a Sundae or some cake or some other high calorie sweet and all is well? No, Klaus. What she did was impulsive and dangerous. She needed something a little harsher than a thirty minute time out."

"She's an exceptionally strong witch. I doubt some pervert would ever be able to get the jump on her."

Frustrated by his brother's obstinacy, Elijah declared, "So what if it wasn't some pervert, you still have enemies out there. Enemies who are sure to return the second they find out Klaus Mikaelson is back on his throne in New Orleans. They all know about your daughter and they know the easiest way to get to you is through her. You have to think about that before you go letting her explore the city unguarded."

"She is only allowed to explore the Quarter, she knows that. And I cleared this city of all wretch so my daughter could roam is unguarded and carefree. She is not a prisoner."

"Elijah's right, Niklaus." Hayley asserted. "I know my daughter and she may be a Mikaelson by blood but she is hardly one of you. She is far too trusting and innocent to be let go without reigns. You're too soft on her."

"I'm soft on her because she is too trusting and innocent. I don't want her to think me the bad guy. I refuse to have her grow up to resent me! I won't have another Mar-" Niklaus cut off his rant before he revealed a secret that he didn't even know he harbored but he'd already said too much.

"Brother," Elijah put a soft hand on Niklaus's shoulder. "Hope will never become like Marcel. His life was filled with so much pain before us whereas Hope has been showered by an endless supply of love her entire life."

Niklaus rose to his feet and anxiously paced the room. "Did we not shower Marcellus with the same love and affection? Did we not proudly dote on him for every achievement? The only misgiving I can think of, the only way in which we were like Mikael, was that we hit him and that is why he grew to resent us as we did our father."

"Hit him?" Elijah quickly made his way in front of Niklaus, forcing his younger brother to look him in the eyes as they spoke. "Is that what you thought of me when...when I spanked Kol that night? Did you...did you see me as Mikael?"

"I don't know what I thought. But I know that monster ruined me. I lived in constant fear until Mikael's ultimate demise and if I thought Hope felt even the slightest bit of fear towards me...I don't even want to imagine."

"Niklaus, we were never Mikael. We were never the object of Marcel's nightmares, callous sadists gaining pleasure from the pain and fear of the weak that rely on us for safety. We may have spanked him but we were never like Mikael. If you were to ask Marcel right now I'm sure he'd tell you the same."

"How would you possibly know that?"

Elijah stared reservedly away from his brother. "I spoke to him the day you banished him and he told me...that he might be feeling some regret over what he did to us. That...he was hoping for your forgiveness."