FROSTBITE • mikaelson mate

chapter eighteen: an unwelcome visitor

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
an unwelcome visitor

I mechanically packed away the groceries I'd just bought from the 24 hour supermarket a short drive from the hotel. It was nearly midnight and Henrik was yet to return so I'd done some much needed food shopping to distract myself from my worry. I'd just finished putting everything away when the slam of a door made me jump.

I turned to find Henrik looking disheveled and defeated. Like every other day, this morning he'd left to search for his brothers, but this was the first time he'd returned in such a state. Henrik eyes softened when they found mine but they still held grief. He paced urgently towards me and wrapped me in a tight embrace.

"What's happened?" I asked, pulling back slightly and cupping his face.

He pulled away from me, running a hand through his hair as he lead me to take a seat in the living room. He sat on the sofa beside me, only to immediately stand back up and begin pacing across the room. After releasing some of the nervous energy, he returned and sat beside me.

"I know where Elijah is but I don't know how to get him back." Henrik admitted, avoiding eye contact as he fiddled with a tassel on a cushion.

I froze upon hearing his words, "Tell me everything."

"There is so much Elijah didn't tell me." He let out a frustrated sigh, "Two witches approached me today: Jonas and his son, Luka. They claimed that they had been helping Elijah to kill Klaus." I sucked in a breath but nodded for him to continue. "They told me they had a way to find him and get him back. I helped Jonas do a spell to astral project Luka to wherever Elijah was. That's how we learnt that he was in the basement of the Salvatore House."

"Salvatore," I said, my mind wandering back to meeting Damon Salvatore the day Elijah had disappeared.

"I'd been keeping an eye on Damon and Stefan since Elijah's last known location was the dinner party they hosted but I'd dismissed them as too weak to be able to harm an Original." Henrik explained in a dejected tone, "I should have considered the fact they they may have had a unique weapon."

"They daggered him with the same sort of dagger Klaus uses." I finished for him, the pieces clicking together in my mind, "What happened?"

"Luka attempted to remove that dagger but they managed to kill him. Jonas went into a fit of rage and went after Elena. Now he's dead too." Henrik said bitterly.

"Elena? The doppelganger that Rose and Trevor kidnapped alongside me? I'm so confused." I said, standing up and running a hand through my hair.

"There's a lot that I haven't told you and there's even more that Elijah didn't tell me. Old age has clearly made him secretive." He smiled humorlessly, "The Salvatore brothers have a thing for her and want to protect her from Klaus because he needs to sacrifice a doppelganger to break his curse."

"Elijah told me about the curse and how to break it." I informed Henrik, who looked shocked but nodded.

"Despite Elijah's malicious intentions towards our brother, they clearly saw him as a threat, hence why he is now daggered in their basement." Henrik spoke through gritted teeth.

I sat back down next to him and held his hands in mine, "Henrik, this is amazing!" He looked at me like I was crazy but I continued before he could speak, "We now know where he is! That's more than we knew yesterday. We're finally making progress. The witches that were helping Elijah may be gone, but we're still here."

Henrik smiled softly and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, "What would I do without you, Morgana? You're the brightest star in the darkest sky."

"That was incredibly cheesy." I teased and he let out a small chuckle.

"What can I say? There's something about you that brings out the poet in me." Henrik shrugged and I grinned, my cheeks flaming red.

I stood and pulled him up with me. I gave him a delicate kiss on the lips before suggesting, "Why don't we work off some of that nervous energy of yours?"

The corner of Henrik's lips turned up, "Oh? What are you suggesting, a walk perhaps?"

"You know exactly what I'm suggesting." I grinned at his teasing.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, moving to kiss him again when there was a knock at the door. We immediately froze, looking at each other with confusion and caution. There was no reason that anyone should be knocking. There was nobody else staying in this hotel, nor were there any staff that interacted with us. We were not acquainted with anyone in this country other than Elijah and Klaus.

"Do you think it's Klaus?" I whispered hopefully. I didn't wait for his answer as I ran the short distance to the door.

"Morgana, wait!" Henrik called out but it was too late.

I opened the door and my heart sank when I realised it wasn't Klaus. Henrik grabbed my waist and pulled me away from the door and positioned himself in front of me. Standing on tip toes, I looked over his shoulder at a familiar face.

"Elena?" I asked and the brunette smirked at me.

"Try again."

"Katherine." Henrik said coldly and I blinked. Did Elena have a twin sister? Logic slowly kicked in and I realised that Elena was a doppelganger, therefore this must be who she shares a face with.

"You know, when you began poking around town asking questions, I found myself incredibly interested in you." Katherine said to Henrik and I stiffened at her words, "See, I thought I recognised you from somewhere but I couldn't figure out where from."

Henrik ignored her and asked, "You're a vampire, how did you get into the hotel?"

"Hotels are a bit of a gray area when it comes to being invited in." Katherine said casually, "Or at least the corridors are. I can't cross the threshold of the rooms so relax, you're sweet little girlfriend is safe from me." Her words did not relax Henrik, who tensed even more when she brought me up. "As I was saying, I was desperately trying to think of where I recognised you from. It was during the disturbance tonight that I realised. You look just like your brothers."

"What do you want?" Henrik asked through gritted teeth.

"I wondered to myself, which Mikaelson are you? Kol maybe? Finn perhaps? But then I noticed that you're not a vampire. You could have discovered a mythical cure to vampirism, or maybe you were never a vampire in the first place."

"Alright, enough with the villain monologue!" I told her, pushing Henrik aside so I could stand beside him, "Either cut to the case and tell us what you want or fuck off."

Katherine looked me up and down before dismissing me and looking back to Henrik, "Somehow the deceased Henrik Mikaelson has made his way back to the land of the living."

Henrik narrowed his eyes and said nothing as he stared her down. When it became apparent that she wouldn't get the reaction she had been hoping for, she huffed and continued.

"I think we can help each other. You may or may not be aware that I had a little run in with your family some centuries ago. Klaus has wanted me dead ever since. You're looking for Elijah, I can help you find him if you get Klaus to pardon me."

Henrik looked here up and down with amusement, "As it turns out, I am no longer in need of any help." Katherine's grin faded as he continued, "Do give my regards to my brother when he finds you."

Without allowing her another word, Henrik shut the door in her face.

Reminder: this is a fanfiction. Certain events, timelines and lore have been twisted to fit the story. Whilst I will always try to remain as faithful to the series as possible, this is still a fanfiction.

Originally published: October 23rd 2023