The fire crackled in the hearth of the Mikaelson compound, casting warm light over cold stone. The night was still, save for the weight of anticipation building in the room.
Rebekah leaned on the upper balcony, arms folded. Elijah stood near the piano, posture composed as ever. Kol sat sprawled across the arm of a chair, flipping a coin between his fingers, smirk ready—though something in his eyes hinted at tension. Finn sat off to the side, silent, arms crossed, the crackling fire reflecting in his eyes.
Then the front doors opened.
You entered first, calm but purposeful. And beside you walked a woman none of them recognized—Freya Mikaelson.
Tall, graceful, and dressed in muted black, she carried herself like a ghost finally returned home. She had lived more lifetimes than any of them, and it showed in her eyes—deep wells of wisdom, sadness, and strength.
Rebekah blinked, her brow furrowing. "Who is that?"
You didn't hesitate.
"This is Freya," you said. "Our sister. The firstborn of Esther and Mikael."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Elijah stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Our sister…?"
Rebekah's voice cracked. "That's impossible. She died as a child."
"She didn't," Freya said gently, stepping forward. "I was taken."
Your gaze moved to Finn, already watching Freya with a haunted expression.
"Tell them, brother," you said. "You remember her. Don't you?"
Finn looked like a man caught between worlds. His lips parted, voice distant.
"I… I do."
Everyone turned to him. He nodded slowly.
"I was five. Freya was six. I remember her laugh. Her humming when she played. She wore yellow ribbons in her hair."
"Then one night, Dahlia came. Mother stood by and let it happen."
Rebekah recoiled like she'd been slapped. "She gave you away?"
Freya nodded solemnly. "In exchange for the fertility spell that allowed her to have more children. A life for lives."
Kol scoffed. "That woman never ceases to impress with her cruelty."
"She told me you died," Finn said softly, stepping closer. "That you were never real. That I imagined you."
"Because she needed to erase me," Freya replied. "To keep her lie intact."
Elijah's voice was low. "We never knew…"
"You couldn't have," you said. "Freya was taken before any of you were born. Only Finn remembers, and even that memory was buried deep under years of Mother's manipulation."
Finn's eyes were glassy. Rebekah's lips trembled.
You took a step forward.
"I found her in New Orleans. She was bound in a magical slumber, hidden away by Dahlia. I freed her."
Freya turned, and her eyes softened.
"He didn't do it alone."
The doors opened again.
Davina Claire stepped into the room.
The shift in atmosphere was immediate.
A young woman with long dark curls and piercing eyes. Her steps were confident, but there was humility in the way she held herself. She looked like she belonged—though none of the siblings, save Freya, had ever seen her before.
"This is Davina Claire," you said. "A powerful witch. A brilliant one. And the person who helped me break Dahlia's curse. Without her, Freya would still be sleeping."
Freya stepped to Davina's side with a warm, proud expression. "She risked everything to help me. I owe her my life."
Rebekah blinked in confusion. Elijah gave a respectful nod. But Kol—
Kol dropped the coin he was flipping. It clattered to the floor unnoticed.
His eyes were locked on Davina.
Not with suspicion.
Not with distrust.
But with awe.
"Bloody hell…" he muttered under his breath. "She's…"
Davina met his eyes. She tilted her head. "You're Kol."
"I… yeah," he said, momentarily forgetting how to smirk. "I am."
Rebekah, sensing what was unfolding, whispered to Elijah, "He's smitten."
Elijah merely gave a small smile.
You stepped forward again, voice clear.
"When I broke my curse, I had a vision. A glimpse of the future. It wasn't just of war or blood—it was of family. Of love."
You turned your eyes on Kol.
"In that future, you were not alone. You were happy. Married. To her."
Kol's jaw dropped. "Married?"
Davina blushed slightly but held her ground. "That's… quite the prophecy."
"Call it fate," you said. "I brought her here not just because of what she's done, but because of who she is—your equal. Your future."
Freya nodded. "I've seen them together. The way they balance each other. Kol needs someone who sees all of him. She does."
Kol slowly approached Davina. "You… helped save my sister. You worked with Nik. And you're apparently my future wife?"
Davina smirked. "Guess we should get to know each other then."
Kol let out a breathless laugh. "Oh, I like her."
Everyone chuckled—genuinely.
Then you looked to Finn.
"And you," you said. "You still question me. You think I kept you in that box to control you. But that's not the truth."
Finn looked wary. "Then what is?"
"You wanted to die. You begged me to end your life. You were drowning in guilt over what you'd become. I couldn't let that happen. So I kept you safe. Until you were ready to live again."
The silence was thick. Finn looked shaken, uncertain how to process it.
But he didn't deny it.
And that was enough.
Freya placed a hand on his arm. "You tried to protect me once, when you were a boy. Maybe it's time you let someone protect you."
Finn didn't move. But his shoulders eased.
And in that moment, something shifted.
The family, fractured for a thousand years, was no longer just rebuilding.
It was evolving.