Chapter Text
Chapter 13
Flashback:
"Are you coming to the festival tonight?" the young man lying in the grass beside Marcellus asked.
"Uh, maybe," Marcel responded unsurely. He'd asked Niklaus about going to the festival twice already and both times his father said no. Elijah had it on certain authority that there would be a posse looking for the witch festival tonight and they weren't planning to take any prisoners. Klaus wanted Marcel nowhere near it. Although Marcel had grown into a man, like the rest of the Mikaelsons, his life was still dictated by Niklaus.
Since the Mikaelsons had witch allies, Elijah thought it was their duty to inform them of the posed threat. He tried to warn the witch leaders about the possible raid but they were all confident no one would be able to find them if they didn't want them to.
"You have to come. Witches come from all over New Orleans to participate in the Moonlight Festival. There will be music, dancing…drinking,"
"I know, I know, but…it's my family. They think it's too dangerous."
The other teen stood and continued to list off all the things Marcel would be missing by not coming to the festival. "Beautiful women, opium, blessings for your family, lucky charms, did I mention the beautiful women."
"Tell that to my father."
"Oh c'mon, you don't have to listen to Klaus anymore. You're eighteen now, you can make your own decisions. My father hasn't told me what to do since I was sixteen."
Marcel took his words into consideration. Although he didn't plan to confront Klaus over going to the festival again he had made up his mind to do what he thought was best and he didn't think going to the festival would be dangerous. So that night when all the Mikaelsons were asleep, Marcel climbed out of his bedroom window and snuck to the festival.
It was just as amazing as everyone described. He drank merrily and danced with every beautiful woman there.
He went home after he'd experienced everything he wanted. He decided to cut through the woods instead of taking the path since it would be quicker. Halfway home he heard screaming coming back from the festival. Not the joyous, carefree screams from before but terrified screams. He ran back to see the tents on fire and a dozen men on horses circling them with shotguns.
Frightened but believing he had no choice but to help, Marcel moved to run back to the festival.
A strong hand on his shoulder kept him in place. He looked up to Niklaus's cold eyes.
"Shh," was all his father said before speeding off to the terrified screams. Elijah, Kol, and Rebekah came speeding past behind him.
The Mikaelsons snatched each man from their horses one by one and compelled them all to leave and believe there was no such thing as witches. Once the men were gone the Mikaelsons worked to put out the fire engulfing the camp and heal the injured.
Once all was right, Klaus returned to his sobering son. He didn't give him a chance to speak before throwing the teen over his shoulder and beginning the long walk home.
"W-wait, I can walk."
Klaus landed a solid spank to Marcel's upturned bottom and growled, "Not another word out of you. You could have been killed tonight. I told you not to go."
"I-I didn't think-"
"I'm sure you didn't. That could be the only explanation for your foolishness." Another spank.
"Ow! But I'm a man now. I should be able to make my own decisions."
Niklaus landed two spanks in rapid succession. "Your first decision as a man nearly got you killed. If this is any indication for how you plan to lead the rest of your life I should never let you out of my sight."
"Poppa, please,"
The crack in Marcel's voice tugged on Niklaus's heart. He stopped walking and sat the boy back down on his feet. Marcel frantically wiped the stray tears from his face. It was hard to make his case as a man while crying like a child.
Niklaus grabbed both of his hands and held them by his side. Then, looking his son in his watery eyes, he said, "I don't want to control your life, Marcellus. I only want to protect you. If I thought the festival was safe I would've let you go, I might've even gone myself, but I was certain it wasn't and that's why I wanted you to stay home. If something were to ever happen to you," he brought his hand up to wipe the tears from Marcel's soft cheek. "I would never forgive myself. Sometimes, even when it seems cruel, I know what's best."
"I'm sorry, poppa."
Klaus picked Marcel back up, this time cradling him in his arms as he trekked through the woods home. Marcel was fast asleep in his arms before they even made it to the front door.
End Flashback
Elijah shook Klaus awake.
"We have a problem," he said as his brother slowly came to.
"What is it?" Klaus asked annoyed.
"Marcel is gone."
Klaus lept out of bed. "I want every wolf that's out tonight looking for him," He ordered as he got dressed. "Tell them to call it in when they find him and do NOT touch him. Leave him to me."
Klaus knew exactly what Marcel was planning to do.
He and Elijah were marching heatedly towards the Compound exit when Rebekah blocked them off.
"Out of my way, sister," Klaus growled. "Your little boyfriend has this coming to him."
"Oh, lay off the tough guy act, Nik, we all know how you feel about him." She responded calmly. "But Marcel isn't why I stopped you. Well, sorta. I want you to spare Joshua."
"I will do no such thing. If I was even considering the thought before, Marcel's constant acts of rebellion have done no more than show me he requires a firmer hand and if picking off his little friends one by one is what I have to do to ensure his obedience, so be it."
Niklaus tried to walk past his sister but Rebekah placed a firm hand on his chest and held him in place. "He's suffering, Nik." She asserted. "Constantly. Between Kol's torture, the wolves mocking, and his absolute isolation from the outside world he has been in an unbearable state of torment since he's been here. You of all people should know what that feels like."
Klaus cringed inwardly as he remembered the years he spent with the dagger in him.
"You are forcing your son to endure that same anguish and if you start killing off his only friends…he may never forgive you."
Klaus considered his sister's words as he continued past her without a word.
-M-
Marcel drove well over the speed limit as he made his escape. Josh sat in the passenger seat confused about why Marcel suddenly felt it wasn't safe for him to be in New Orleans anymore when just a couple of hours ago he'd told the young vampire Vincent's sanctuary was the safest place for him to be.
"Dude, can you just slow down for a second?"
"No can do." Marcel sped up. "Any second now Klaus is going to realize I'm not there and he's going to know that I'm trying to get you out of town. I have to get you out of New Orleans before then."
"Why? Where have you been?"
"I've been living with Klaus. It's complicated."
"You're living with Klaus? So he's forgiven us, right? We can come out of hiding?"
"No, you can't. He wants you, and everyone else, dead. Especially you, that's why I have to get you out of town."
"Why does he want me dead? What did I do?"
Marcel sighed, too stressed to explain anything to his friend at the moment. "It's not you, it's me. He's going after you to get to me."
"So let me get this straight. Klaus forgave you and you two became friends again and you moved in with him but the rest of us still had to live in hiding. Now he's mad at you again but he wants to kill me so…I still have to live in hiding?"
"It's more complex than that. We're not friends, I mean, not like we were before. It's…different. It's complicated."
"Marcel, man, give me something here. You've never run away from Klaus before so if we're running away now-"
"We aren't." He said steadily. "You are. Klaus won't kill me. He can't. I know that now but that won't stop him from making me wish I was dead."
A sudden strong force hit the side of the car and knocked it off its tires. It rolled off the road and into the woods with the two vampires bouncing around inside of it.
"You okay?" Marcel asked when the car finally settled upside down wedged between two trees.
"Besides a concussion and maybe a broken rib or two." Joshua tried to move but the harsh pain in his abdomen kept him in place. "Nope, definitely some broken ribs in here. And…there seems to be a bone protruding from my leg. That can't be good."
The doors to the car were ripped off and two werewolves yanked the injured men from the car with no remorse. Marcel immediately recognized both his foes: the brute Louie who had his wide hands wrapped around Marcel's arms and the fem-fatal Sammie who restrained Josh with one hand around the back of his neck as he struggled to stand on one leg.
Marcel struggled against his captor's hold but in his current state he couldn't fight a regular werewolf off so Klaus's hybrid henchmen were at a great advantage.
"Hold still," Louie grunted. "We already called Klaus. Daddy's on his way to pick up his little troublemaker."
Since Christmas night Niklaus had been very verbal around the Compound about Marcel being his son and the werewolves have given him hell about it every chance they could but instead of being embarrassed by the wolf's remark, Marcel grew frightened for his friend's safety.
This fear gave him the little burst of energy he needed to break free from the werewolf holding him. Ignoring the throbbing pain consuming his body, Marcel head-butted Louie hard enough to break his nose. As the werewolf released him, he grabbed the man's arm and twisted it around his back, locking him in place. Then he shoved his hand into the man's ribcage from behind and gripped his heart.
"Let us go," he said to Sammie. "Or I end him right here, right now."
Before Sammie could answer, her neck was snapped and Niklaus stood patiently before his son. Josh fell to the ground, his body still not healed giving him no chance of moving the inches it would take him to get out of Klaus's striking distance.
"I told you not to touch him," Klaus stated calmly but Louie was in no position to respond. "Marcellus, let him go."
"You let us go," Marcel demanded with little assertion for he was no longer as confident as he was with just the two wolves to deal with.
"Marcel, these wolves are the first line of defense for my daughter, and killing them would be an act of treason; one that I can't let go so easily. You kill him and you will be making yourself my enemy again. Is that what you're going to do? Choose him over me?"
"Klaus…don't make me choose."
"No, Marcellus, you have to choose. Kill that wolf and you're choosing your old life and proving me right for not trusting you all along."
Marcel nervously considered his options when he saw Klaus let down his guard. Using the moment to his advantage he released the werewolf and sped over to Joshua, picking the man up and moving him out of Klaus's range. He wanted to run him out of the area but neither of them was quite strong enough to try and make an escape just yet.
Niklaus smirked. "The ever discounted third option that burdens every good ultimatum."
"I didn't kill your wolf," Marcel said still unsure about the safety of his friend. "And we're past the county line. We're not in New Orleans anymore. Let Joshua go…please."
Klaus glanced off into the woods and nodded. Marcel feared he knew what that meant and in the blink of an eye Elijah was behind him. He snapped Marcel's neck and caught the falling man before he hit the ground but he made no such attempt to save Joshua.
With a thud, Joshua fell on his back. He struggled to crawl across the forest bed away from the Originals but Klaus still caught him with little effort.
"Calm down," Klaus grumbled as Josh flailed about in his hand. He placed his other arm in front of the vampire's mouth and said, "Drink, you'll heal faster."
Confused but ever trusting, Josh bit into Niklaus' wrist and drank from his vein until his body stopped hurting.
Once healed Klaus set the youngster on his feet and stared him up and down wondering why Marcel would even take the time to consider choosing Josh over him.
"Louie," he bit. "Let the others know: Joshua Rosza has complete immunity for all of his past crimes against the crown."
"You're letting me go?" Josh questioned.
"This time. To placate, Marcel." Klaus walked over to Elijah and stared favorably down at the unconscious man in his arms. "Should you move against me again, however, I will kill you before he even finds out. Is that clear?" Josh timidly answered 'yes'. "Good, now get out of here before I change my mind."
Josh ran appreciatively away and Niklaus turned his attention to Louie.
"I want you to make another note. Marcel Gerard is my son. He is not the 'house-boy' and he is not your plaything. Should any of the wolves treat him as anything less than my son I will burn you alive and sell your chard flesh as jerky. Understood? Good. Go let them now."
As the wolf made his exit, his unconscious friend in tow, Niklaus took Marcel's limp body from Elijah.
"Do you think that decree to the wolves was a bit harsh?" Elijah asked.
"He almost chose Josh over me, Elijah. Perhaps our sister is right. I'll only be pushing him further away if I let things continue the way they have."
Noting the fear in his brother's eyes, Elijah said, "He does love you, Niklaus. Nothing will ever change that. I wouldn't have let you take him back if I didn't believe that. If he was leaning more towards choosing Joshua earlier, it was only out of a sense of obligation."
"How I hope that is true, brother."
-M-
Marcel woke frightened. His eyes darted back and forth frantically looking for Josh when he realized he was no longer in the woods. He was sitting comfortably in an armchair in Klaus's studio. Klaus stood at his easel finishing a painting.
"Where's Josh?" Marcel rose to his feet in a panic.
"Ah, you're awake," Klaus ignored his question. "Good. I was just finishing up." Replacing the finished painting with a fresh canvas, he said, "Come start this painting for me, would'ya."
"Is he alive?" Marcel insisted.
Klaus picked up a clean, wide bristled brush and held it out to Marcel. "Liquid white across the canvas, please."
Unsure about Klaus's motivation behind the strange request, Marcel hesitantly complied.
"That's it. Nice even strokes," Klaus coached from behind. "Just like I showed you when you were a boy."
Pausing mid-stroke, Marcel turned to him with tears in his intense eyes. "Just tell me if you killed him. I deserve to know that."
Sighing heavily, Klaus answered, "You are in no position to talk about what you deserve. I can think of quite a few things you deserve after the night you've put me through."
Marcel was silent. All he wanted to know was if Josh was safe, he didn't care what Klaus did to him after.
Klaus took the brush from Marcel's hand and replaced it with his cellphone. "Joshua is alive." He finally answered. Marcel released a breath of relief. "You may call him," Marcel immediately unlocked the cell and prepared to dial Josh's number when Klaus put his hand over the face of the phone. "After I finish talking."
Marcel put the phone down to his side and listened. He was willing to listen to whatever Klaus had to say now.
Klaus picked the paintbrush back up and gave it back to Marcel. He began painting again, this time without a qualm.
"I realize how hard it must be living here with the wolves with your sordid history and all. This room, however, is off-limits to them. Even Hope must ask my permission before entering. I guess you could say this is my sanctuary away from the day-to-day monotony of Kingship." Klaus traded Marcel's brush for a fresh one with red paint. "Why don't you just paint in a little sunset skyline right there for me."
Klaus admired how Marcel managed to remember every technique he taught him. It had been over 100 years since the two painted together. Little did he know that in the years Klaus spent away from New Orleans and then daggered in the garden, Marcel would paint in order to feel closer to his father.
"Now it's yours too," Klaus continued. "Whenever you need time alone away from the wolves or Kol or whoever, feel free to come here and paint. Or just sit in the quiet. Whatever you want."
Marcel stopped painting to stare at Klaus in amazement. "Really? But…I thought this was your sanctuary."
"I couldn't possibly come in here to calm down knowing you're out there…suffering."
Marcel returned to the painting attempting to not show his overwhelming appreciation for the protection. "What brought about this sudden change?" He asked while continuing the skyline. "Is this your way of trying to be fatherly?"
"It is," Klaus answered honestly. Then he took the brush out of Marcel's hand and set it on the easel. "So is this."
Klaus's hand came down unexpectantly across Marcel's backside. Marcel flinched in shock but the pain finally set in with the second smack.
"Don't ever disobey me again."
"You wouldn't listen to me," Marcel argued. "I had to save my friend."
"I rule this Kingdom, Marcel. I decide-"
"Who lives and who dies," Marcel scorned. "Yeah, I know. That's why I had to save him because you already made up your mind to kill him and I couldn't let that happen."
"I have spent centuries controlling my family by killing off individuals who could potentially be a threat to their loyalty to me. I've granted Joshua immunity but if he becomes one of those threats, Marcel, I will end him. You may hate me for it and resent me for years but like Elijah, Rebekah, and Kol, you will forgive me. Eventually."
Marcel's face twisted with anger at the implication he could be so easily manipulated. "Are we done?" He grunted.
"We are," Klaus answered nonchalantly resuming the painting himself. "You've got an hour with the phone and then I'm coming to get it. Goodnight, Marcellus."
Marcel said nothing as he left. He called Josh as soon as he was out of Klaus's studio.
"Josh," he said with relief at hearing the man's calm 'hello' on the other end of the phone. "You really are alive. How are you, man?"
"I've been better. You want to tell me what the hell is going on now? Why hasn't Klaus killed you? Why hasn't he killed me?"
Marcel made it to his room and shut the door. "Josh, can I trust you?"
"Of course, man."
"No, I mean 100% trust because once I tell you what I'm about to tell you you'll have to take it to your grave."
"Y-yeah, brother. You can tell me anything. What's happening?"
Marcel went on to tell Josh about everything that's happened since Klaus's return even going so far as to tell him about Klaus's old-fashioned form of discipline.
"Get out," Josh said in disbelief. "Why…why do you let him…y'know…to you?"
Marcel laid back in his bed, now stripped down to his boxers, and sighed. "Because I feel like I deserve it after what I put him through. Because he's my…father…and I trust him. Or maybe because, in a strange way, it makes me feel…protected…like I used to feel when I first met him. Take your pick."
"Marcel…why are you telling me this? I mean, everything you say is safe with me but…I've never seen this side of you before. So…vulnerable."
"Because you're the only friend I have left. I'm sorry for confiding so heavily in you but I haven't had a conversation like this with anyone in…in a very long time."
"No, don't apologize. I guess until we start making new vampires we only have each other."
"Josh, I'm going to have to advise you not to do that. At least until I clear it with Klaus."
"What?"
Realizing how pathetic he must've sounded, Marcel explained, "Klaus is being extra cautious and extra paranoid now. If we start making vampires behind his back, he'll think we're trying to build an army against the wolves and he will shut it down and kill you in the process. Just give me some time. Even he will get tired of being surrounded by wolves eventually and then I'll ask him about it."
"Fine. I trust you but Marcel, if you ever get tired of the Mikaelson…dynamics, I'm renting out your old place in Algiers. I'll be there if you need me."
"Thanks, brother."
-M-
Klaus engulfed himself in his painting and lost track of time giving Marcel almost two hours with his phone instead of the one. When he finally showed up to Marcel's room the man was lying in bed with the phone still up to his ear. Joshua's call was still going on but even the other vampire had fallen asleep in almost the same way.
Klaus hung up the phone and put it in his pocket before covering Marcel. He absentmindedly tucking his son in before leaving.
Flashback:
Marcel spent days sulking around the Compound after Elijah's rejection. He thought the man was his first real friend but then, out of nowhere, he decided he no longer wanted the boy around him.
To combat his son's feelings of rejection, Klaus spent more time with him.
"Steady strokes, Marcellus," Klaus tutored as the boy painted his first picture. "That's right. Perfect. You have a real natural talent. But why act surprised, you excel at everything you set your mind to."
"Poppa," Marcel suddenly ceased painting. Staring down at the floor, he asked, "Does Uncle Elijah hate me?"
"No, Marcellus, your Uncle Elijah loves you."
"Then why doesn't he want me around anymore? Did I-I do something to make him mad? Does he…does he want you to send me back?"
Klaus picked the boy up and held him tightly in his arms as the child cried. "You're never leaving me, Marcellus. I promise you. I'm never going to let anyone take you away and I'm never going to leave you."
Although Marcel had heard this promise a hundred times before Klaus always felt the need to repeat it. His son was a strong boy but he was also broken and Klaus hoped that every reassuring word, every hug, and kiss, every act of love would work as a bandage to make the boy whole again.
End Flashback