43 Chapter 1.42

Orion couldn't help but savor the expressions of confusion and intrigue that danced across the faces of those around him. He locked eyes with Esther, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. With her gaze fixed upon him, he silently mouthed the name "Dahlia." Esther's complexion turned even more ashen, her shock deepening as the name struck a chord deep within her. 

With Freya's hand held firmly in his, Orion swiftly descended the grand staircase and led her toward the rear of the mansion. The Mikaelsons, their curiosity piqued, followed closely in their wake, eager to discover more. 

Once they reached the secluded area at the back of the mansion, Orion cast a silencing spell, ensuring that no prying ears could overhear their conversation. With the protective enchantment in place, he turned to Freya, his gaze holding a touch of seriousness.

"Are you ready?" he asked, seeking confirmation.

Freya met his eyes with determination and a hint of apprehension. "As ready as I'll ever be," she replied, her voice steady.

The first person to enter the room was Finn, his appearance disheveled and his eyes misty with tears. He gazed at Freya, disbelief and emotions welling up within him, as he asked, "Is that really you?"

Freya met her little brother's tearful gaze with a warm smile and responded in their native tongue, "Selvfølgelig er det en liten bjørn." With those words, Finn's eyes welled up even more, and he immediately pulled Freya into a tight, emotional hug, as if trying to hold onto this moment and the long-lost sister he had once thought was gone forever

As the rest of the family joined them, Rebekah's furious gaze fell upon Freya. Finn reluctantly let go of his sister, and Rebekah's voice was laced with anger as she accused, "You lied to me."

Freya, her expression calm yet resolute, met Rebekah's gaze and replied, "I didn't lie, little sister. I had to conceal my true identity until the time was right. I needed you all in one place to share the news."

our sister? She could be an imposter," Klaus declared, his tone laced with paranoia.

Orion, ever the voice of reason, stepped in, his gaze steady as he addressed the room. "It's true, she is your sister," he affirmed with conviction. "If you want more information, why don't you all ask your mother? Esther, you've been quiet for a while. Perhaps now is the time to share your insight."

The room fell into a tense silence as they all turned their attention to Esther, waiting for her response and the revelation of the truth behind Freya. 

The room was tense as everyone's eyes fell upon Esther, waiting for her to break her silence. Freya's voice quivered angrily as she exclaimed, "Tell them what you did, mother or I will."

Yet Esther remained resolute in her silence. The truth would not remain hidden, as Freya finally revealed the shocking secret. "Esther sold me to her older sister, Dahlia," she disclosed, her tone carrying a blend of disbelief and frustration. "The first Mikaelson born was to be given to Dahlia in exchange for Esther's ability to conceive children. Before our mother gained her immense power, she needed assistance in getting pregnant, and she asked her sister, Dahlia for help. In return, Dahlia was promised to each first-born Mikaelson, no matter the circumstances."

Freya's frustration and determination led her to grab her pendant and chant, "Ostende illis quid habeo experimencen." With those words, she activated her magic, projecting a vivid and haunting projection of her experiences onto the space around her. Her siblings watched in shock as they were shown the grim reality of her being sold away and her countless attempts to escape Dahlia's grasp, each one failing. 

 Esther's face turned ashen, and her silence was a painful admission of her actions. Niklaus, Rebekah, Finn, Elijah, and Kol looked on with a mixture of shock, anger, and sorrow as they witnessed Freya's ordeal.

Rebekah's voice broke the silence as she whispered, "Freya, I had no idea."

Freya's eyes were filled with defiance and vulnerability as she replied, "That's the point, Rebekah. Nobody did."

Niklaus, his anger clear, turned to Esther and demanded, "Mother, how could you?"

Esther finally spoke, her voice weighed down by remorse. "I thought it was the only way to ensure our family's survival. I was young, desperate, and foolish."

 Esther's voice was heavy with regret as she continued to explain. "Your father wanted a child, and I couldn't provide that for him. I thought my sister was joking until she came for Freya. I begged her to leave it be, but she didn't. At that time, I was pregnant with Elijah. She said that if I tried to stop Freya from being taken, she would also take Elijah and Finn. I felt trapped and desperate, and I did what I believed I had to do to protect my family." 

Esther's tearful plea hung heavy in the room as she tried to reach out to her children. Her voice quivered as she uttered, "But you are here, my child. We can be a whole family once more."

Orion's words cut through the tension in the room as he confronted Esther. "Says the woman who wants to kill her children," he stated, his voice resolute, as he brought an end to her crocodile tears.

With a determined look, Orion pulled out his phone and played a recording that he had discreetly captured during the conversation in the study.

Orion played the audio recording he had discreetly captured, and the Mikaelsons listened in stunned silence. The room filled with a heavy tension as the truth of Esther's intentions became clear.

Rebekah's voice tinged with hurt and anger, finally asked, "Why, Mother?"

Sensing the deep betrayal felt by the Mikaelsons, Orion took Kol by the hand, "If you wanted to hold my hand, darling, all you had to do was ask."

However, Orion's look silenced Kol, and before Kol could say more, Orion used his magic to cut him. The same cut appeared on the rest of the Mikaelsons, leaving them in shock.

Orion explained, "She was planning on linking you and having Finn be the sacrificial lamb. Killing him would have meant the end for all of you."

Kol, with a mix of anger and disappointment, remarked, "Of course, it's the Mama's boy."

Finn, who had been the most steadfast in supporting their mother's plan, finally spoke up, his tone reflecting a shift in his allegiance. "With Freya's return, I can no longer justify continuing with this plan."

Orion, his part in the unfolding drama, adopted a casual tone as he quipped, "Well, folks, this ball sure has its fair share of drama. I'll leave you to deal with your dear mother. I've got my own business to attend to."

He nonchalantly walked past Esther, sneakily snagging a strand of her hair along the way, and made his exit, letting the Mikaelsons deal with the mess. 

As Orion strolled out of the Mikaelson mansion, he was immediately confronted by Elena, who expressed her frustration. "There was another Mikaelson, and you didn't tell me? I could have been in more danger!"

Orion gazed at Elena with a bored expression, retorting, "I owe you nothing, doppelganger. What I do and know is none of your concern."

With a casual flick of his hand, he sent Elena flying a few feet into the air. Damon, who had been watching, managed to catch Elena, while Stefan was held back by Enzo.

Orion continued, "Do you know what happens when an Original dies? Their entire bloodline dies with them. Esther may hate her children, but she also hates that she created vampires. She's the witch who turned her children into vampires in the first place. She knows what she's doing. If she had succeeded in killing her children, it wouldn't just be 'bye-bye' to the Mikaelsons; it would be 'bye-bye' to vampires as a whole. So your little vampire bodyguards would have died." 

Orion's words left Elena, Damon, and Stefan stunned as they considered the gravity of Esther's intentions.

Feeling no need to linger, Orion turned on his heel and, along with Caroline, Enzo, and Bonnie, left the Mikaelsons to deal with their complicated family situation.

As they walked away from the Mikaelson mansion, Bonnie couldn't help but ask, "Orion, do you think they'll be able to work things out with their mother?"

"One thing a Mikaelson hates is betrayal, and Esther will face what's coming to her," Orion said as they returned to their homes. 

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 Outside the witch's house, Orion raised an eyebrow at Kol's presence and questioned, "What's he doing here?"

Kol, not one to miss an opportunity for banter, replied, "Freya told me about the spell you were all going to cast, so I wanted to see it in person."

Orion turned his attention to the impending spell. "The moon is reaching its apex in a little bit. Let's prepare." He handed the spell to Freya, who examined it closely, with Kol doing the same.

Kol's curiosity got the best of him, and he couldn't resist asking, "So, who do you want to cut out?"

Orion's expression grew more serious as he explained, "Your mother. She's drawing power from the Bennett line, and I can't have that anymore. She's like a thief, taking what isn't hers."

With a devilish twinkle in his eyes, Kol said, "You're a wicked one, aren't you."

Orion's response was a subtle eye roll, and he continued focusing on the ritual preparations. 

Orion focused on the task at hand, retrieving the strand of Esther's hair from his jacket and tying it to a rope. The rope symbolized Esther's connection to his bloodline, a connection he intended to sever. He then carefully dropped a few drops of his own blood onto the rope, signifying the Bennett bloodline's involvement in the spell.

Bonnie observed the process and remarked, "Once this spell is complete, we'll see how Esther enjoys being cut off from her power source."

As the moon reached its apex, Orion, Freya, and Bonnie prepared to perform the spell. Orion placed the rope on the floor, and Freya and Bonnie each held one of his hands. They began chanting the incantation, their voices harmonizing as they focused their magic on the task at hand.

"Nolite nexum interficiam, sistite nexum secare, et pati," they chanted in unison.

The atmosphere around them crackled with power as the rest of the Bennett witches began to appear, joining in on the chant one by one. Their combined magic resonated in the air, and the rope floated and twisted as the incantation continued. The moment the rope was severed, Esther was no longer leeching off the Bennett power.

As the moon continued to cast its silvery light upon them, the witches slowly began to disperse, their duties fulfilled. 

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