“They have the most power within the city…..for now.”
Cora had to add those two words onto the end of her sentence because there was no way in hell she was going to accept that it would be forever. She had to believe at some point in the future, the tables would be turned, or at the very least, wolves would not be banished like they were nothing and cast out from society as though vampires were far better.
“I haven’t had much to do with the Mikaelsons apart from Klaus.”
The young Hale did have a brief fight with Rebekah, but ended up getting skewered like a damn kebab for it, which didn’t make her fear the blonde, in fact, quite the opposite but Cora hadn’t seen the female original since.
“Elijah seems more reasonable..then again, don’t go by that because you screw with one Mikaelson–you screw with them all I would assume.”
The only reason that Cora was offering the information was that regardless of what she led people to believe, she still did care about some around here and Vic had never come across as intimidating, belittling or obnoxious, not once.
“It’s not your fault I lost him…so no need for sorry.”
There was a small falter in her tone of voice, because she knew very well it was the kind of thing that others tended to say, ‘sorry’ was some show of sympathy, empathy or maybe both. She’d used the word herself in the past, so knew it was a little hypocritical of her if she got irritated by anyone else using it.
“…but I know what you mean.”
She kept her calm composure and offered him a weak and brief smile before letting it fade rather quickly.
“Well, Chris probably does seem like a good man…and he more than likely is as far as you’re concerned–because you are not anything supernatural…right?–so he doesn’t deem you as below him and untrustworthy.”
Cora did once hold quite a bit of respect for Chris Argent, but since she felt he acted like a completely unreasonable asshole, the young wolf had dropped her level of respect.
“What?….no…I have never heard of that. Don’t tell me, it’s not another book or musical is it?”
The guy was a mind full of information–even if it wasn’t the kind of information which Cora indulged in. At least he wasn’t droning on about himself all the time. In fact, he only spoke about himself when she directly asked him.
“A war is inevitable. When you get one side demanding power–exerting power and unfair restrictions on another side. Something has to give.”
She blinked and let her visual remain on him. Her words were a matter of fact and may be understating the situation between wolves and vampires, but she didn’t really fancy going into any more detail about it. It wasn’t as though Hayley or any of the other wolves had spoken to her about an impending war.
“You’d let me in your house?–you’re trusting. I hope you aren’t that way with everyone.”
Cora took a deep breath and exhaled heavily through her nose.
“I don’t really care what other pack rules are…or how many reside in New Orleans…we tend to leave well alone unless any come encroaching on our territory….but a code yeah–hunters are meant to stick to this code…but it only applies when it suits apparently. You try to tell Chris that his sister doesn’t go by any code and his family values come before anything else.”
How could anyone who claimed to protect the innocent, not extend it to the innocent lives of a werewolf family against the wicked bitch of the hunting world?
“A vampire is nothing like a werewolf. Do show me the damn courtesy of not finding any similarities between us.”
“Something like that yeah…you seem to show some understanding of what I have said at least. Enough about asking me now.”
Cora had grown a little tired of explaining the in’s and out’s of being a werewolf, but she did think about her size in wolf form and it was smaller than most wolves she knew. Not that it ever bothered her–she figured she had enough aggression to match a larger wolf.
“Don’t ever be worried about me. I take care of myself.”
She listened to him speak and her brow furrowed.
“Klaus?..it was klaus who did that to you?”
It would be very easy to go marching around there with the anger she possessed so often lately, but the young Hale knew she was lucky to walk out of the Mikaelsons last time she visited regarding Scott.
“I’m surprised he cared enough to appease anyone.”
She rolled her eyes, knowing Klaus had it in him to show he cared, but after recently, it had apepared to be nothing but a facade with her.
“Yes. So lucky you eh?….you get to keep living as a human and not some bloodsucker.”
Her gaze diverted to their surroundings and she shrugged.
“Is that ‘for now’ meant to be some kind of threat towards a revolution or is it common for the power to switch between whichever species is strongest at the time?”
They wondered since it seemed to be more of a dictatorship than anything in favour of the vampires right now, especially if the werewolves had been forced from their home because of it. “Nor me really, it may be a tad unreasonable to tar all the family just by an experience with him.”
They could probably find out more if they wanted to by simply asking Tajim if he knew anything about them but that could set their husband down a dangerous path... No, they wouldn’t risk it.
“That seems to be the case with most families... and a great deal of gangs as well.” they added wryly.
“If people only did stuff because there was a need for it then the world wouldn’t be as good a place as it is... despite the millions of flaws that are still very much here.” They were sorry that she needed to deal with pain like this alone, but then... perhaps she did have someone?
“It’s hardly a great thing to hear, more often than not it doesn’t help at all and only makes the person saying it feel better for trying to be good.” They sighed, “I guess to make it more accurate I don’t think it’s fair what you’ve had to deal with nor the pain you’ve got to go through. No one else can understand that until they’ve gone through it themselves.” God they hoped he never had to lose his family like that...
Granted they were a lonely child but losing either of their parents or Tajim (forbid the thought) seemed unrecoverable.
“I did speak with him and he elucidated... mainly because I don’t think he wanted to tell me outright, that he and his only hurt or hunted the kinds or creatures that deserved it.”
“But there’s two sides to every story so perhaps what they classify as ‘deserving’ is not what others may agree with.” It was a difficult decision to make when they knew so little about either side.
“Oh, never mind then. It’s a story I heard about an ancient werewolf so I was wondering if you might know about it.”
Odds were their worry about those claws was mainly of their own overreaction. After all, if such a powerful and terrifying beat had ever existed then it’s own kind would know about it? The thought brought a little more comfort to them on the matter.
“Most dictatorships do tend to end badly.” they said with a small nod, “But there’s always collateral damages in wars.”
They sighed, thinking that odd were the humans would be the ones to play the part of that collateral damage; after all, most of them were unaware that such a war was even possible. Beyond that younger, weaker vampires, werewolves and maybe even witches could pay a price for being guilty by association.
"Oh not everyone,” they smiled, “Just the people I like.” Which was true, for all her prickliness Vic had taken a liking to Cora.
They suspected she could do with a friend about now.
“Oh, so how is territory marked for packs then? When you’re in full wolf form I guess it may be as simple as marking one’s ground but is it a little more nuanced when you’ve got your human elements to content with as well?” They didn’t want to offend her again by assuming. “Ahh, so Chris may hold to this code by others in his family do not.”
Vic sighed, “It’s a difficult thing, people love their family and that love can make a person blind to flaws.” Which may include not acting as one should within this ‘Hunting’ business.
One more thing to try and understand.
“There’s similarities between everything if you’ve the patience to look. No shame in it.”
Frankly it might serve to help people get along a little better.
“Lots of people have told me I’ve a quick learner, but honestly you’ve been pretty good and patient when explaining it to me.”
They smile, but suspected their many questions were perhaps beginning to grate; Vic could already think of several more things they’d like to know but perhaps they were best saved for another time when Cora had been given a break from them.
They spoke softly and nodded.
“I don’t think he liked me very much.”
Their tone turned wry at that remark, but they supposed on some level even Klaus wouldn’t kill Vic without thinking it through first... The Arcane Society would demand revenge for it, or so they’d like to hope.
“He cared about this person... In his own way.”
Granted the vampire seemed too emotionally constipated to even consider being genuinely open with another person.
“Yea... I mean, while vampire life does sound interesting I’m very happy as I am thank you.”
They nodded and pushed up to their feet.
“Of course, I don’t want to keep you; though... Can I ask you to be careful and wish you the best till I see you again?”
