I Choose... Me

AU based, canon divergent Tatia. Follows from @rpsocsandcanonohmy

[original-doppleganger]

More Than a Sacrifice, Less Than Human

An independent, alternate universe exploration of Tatia from The Vampire Diaries/The Originals

A study in secrets, autonomy, fate, and grace under pressure

The life of a doppleganger was never meant to be a simple one. Tatia thought the worst was over when she was exiled by her village for not throwing herself on her husband's pyre.

But even if she had known, she wouldn't have chosen differently. Some fates are set in stone. It makes you appreciate the ones you get to mold into your own.

Penned by Esther. 18+, semi-selective muse. OC and Crossover friendly

Rules, Headcanons

Verses

Additional blogs:

@rpsocsandcanonohmy - main blog, multifandom, multicharacter

@original-storybook - side blog, original characters [under construction]

[original-doppleganger]

💋

continued from here

The thing about vampirism that far too people understood, is that all vampires, no matter how noble, how human, were terribly selfish.

It was just the nature of the beast. Vampires sucked the life out of everything around them to fill the void within. Most of the time it was blood. Sometimes it was trust. Other times it was sanity.

But many times, it was pure desire.

Tatia rarely indulged in her desires for human connections. She was always too much, too needy, too possessive.

Her partner usually ended up dead by her own fangs when she indulged. So she tried not to.

But Mercy......

Mercy was not an indulgence. She was a need.

Mercy was like her, walking that line between light and dark, right and wrong, never quite diving into one or the other. She was innocent, but deadly. Fierce, but compassionate. Curious, but cautious.

She had Mercy up against the wall. She didn't remember why - some barb, a comment that caught her ear, something just clever enough to nudge her over the edge and make her give into the desire she'd been fighting since the night they first met.

The kiss was a surprise. A welcome one. One that said everything that had been building between them these past weeks.

Mercy wanted her. Tatia craved her.

She only pulled her eyes away from Mercy's to look at the neck, the blood on offer. She could hear it, flowing through her veins, keeping her alive, making her flush under Tatia's scrutiny.

"Have you ever wondered what euphoria feels like?"

Her eyes snapped back to Mercy's face. Her fangs itched to drop, to feed, to taste, to drink. She surged forward to kiss her again - hungrier, needier.

"You sure you want to offer me that?" she murmured, drinking in Mercy's scent. "If I start, I might not stop....."

[original-doppleganger]

Tatia hummed as she led Venera across the floor. "You speak of Freya," she murmured. "She is in attendance tonight, though she may be in hiding. She is unused to the attention we tend to draw to ourselves...." She smiled. "But I'm certain we can draw her out."

And certainly her sister-in-law would have a better sense of the potential dangers this witch could present. She did not have the overconfidence of immortal creatures.

"What a shame," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure we can keep you entertained...."

Her eyes passed back toward Elijah. He had begun summoning the family already, as if he read her mind. Sometimes, she suspected he could.

"You know, if you are interested in magical things, my youngest brother-in-law Kol may be of interest to you. He was quite a witch in his day and he's dedicated his immortality to pushing the boundaries of what it can do. Or...." her smile slid into a smirk, "if your interests are more aesthetic, the youngest one, Rebekah is always looking for companions."

[venusblooded]

“How curious. I have heard quite a lot about Freya,” Venera replied thoughtfully. “About how exceptionally skilled she is in the craft, and how capable she has proven herself to be.” That much was true.

Freya Mikaelson was certainly a fascinating figure. Yet Venera harbored no illusions about her. Recruiting Freya, influencing Freya, drawing Freya into the orbit of her coven, those were fantasies better left unentertained. Some people simply did not belong on the board.

“Certainly she is interesting,” Venera continued, her eyes drifting back to Tatia. “But not nearly as interesting as you.” The compliment came smoothly, without hesitation. “I mean, for whatever reason, I simply cannot keep my eyes off you.” Her smile softened. “You are like a jewel. A shining nova against a dark sky. There is something incredibly alluring about the way you carry yourself.” Her gaze lingered warmly.

“Or perhaps that is simply the doppelgänger effect.” A playful hum escaped her lips. “Though somehow, I doubt the others are quite as captivating as you.” The words purred from her tongue with dangerous ease. “Therefore, I should perhaps consider myself blessed that my date has disappeared.” Though she suspected that blessing was about to expire, given Tatia's apparent determination to introduce her to the entire Mikaelson clan.

“Ah yes,” she continued, “I know all about the curious tale of the Original brother who was once a witch, and his endless thirst for knowledge.”

Kol Mikaelson was infamous in certain circles. Venera knew enough to understand that crossing paths with him too often might invite questions she would rather leave unanswered.

“And the charming younger sister, Rebekah.” She smiled faintly. “I spotted her earlier, actually. I believe my date may have some history with her. Perhaps that is where he has disappeared to.” She laughed softly. “Though I doubt Rebekah would entertain him for very long. He is admittedly a little sleazy. Even I can acknowledge that.”

Then her attention returned fully to Tatia. The ballroom, the music, the gathering of immortals around them, all of it seemed to fade into the background.

“I prefer women regardless,” she admitted, her voice lowering slightly. “There is something far more magical about them.” Her thumb brushed lightly across the back of Tatia's hand as they walked. “Do you not think so?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with unmistakable mischief. “Men spend centuries convincing themselves they are fascinating. Women rarely need to try.” A subtle smile curved her lips. “And yet they always seem to be.”

[original-doppleganger]

Tatia did not blush under Venera's attention; she was too poised for that. But the flattery was working, much as she would pretend it didn't. A side effect of being among the most deadly and powerful women on the planet for centuries, if she was interested in doing introspection.

Usually, she would. Tonight, she was basking.

Contrary to what one might assume, the Original Doppleganger was not much of a showstopper in most circles. Certainly, she was important as a member of the Mikaelsons. Everyone wanted to know an Original, and everyone knew she held some measure of power over her husband.

But where Rebekah had her quest for love, Kol had his mission to test the limits of magic, Klaus had his drive for power, and Elijah had his desperation for redemption.... Tatia had, somewhere along the way, simply become The Wife. Being a vampire meant her blood was no longer interesting to witches, and being a woman who's love story had "ended" meant most others simply looked over her. Even her beauty had become diluted as more and more dopplegangers populated her bloodline.

"Magical, hm?" she murmured as they approached the family. "I find it hard to disagree with you. I've always found more intrigue in the....overlooked parts of history. Stories of war and glory get tedious after a time...."

She knew she was likely being manipulated. But Venera was proving to be quite persuasive. And very, very interesting.

After family introductions were made, Tatia waited for her to become interested in another, to drop her hand and find intrigue in the immortal witch or the darling younger sister.

[original-doppleganger]

"He might," Tatia admitted. "He probably will. But that's not for you to worry about. I can more than take care of myself." She may have hidden away from the family for years, but she was ready to face her demons now. And Klaus Mikaelson was a fearsome figure to be sure, but even he did not possess the means to kill her.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Mercy was a knowledgeable and skilled young lady, but there was much about this that she did not understand. "Elijah is not known for reigning Klaus in. Even when they were on better terms, Klaus either did not listen to him, or Elijah was his enabler. I do not trust him and you would do well not to let his noble mask fool you."

Tatia allowed a small smile. "I know you are more than capable of doing your part. You just need to let yourself do it."

She hummed and nodded. "I do have some wine. Do you have any preference?"

[dulcetbloodmercy]

“Sauvignon Blanc, please,” she said without hesitation. Moving back to the sofa, Mercy settled down again, her eyes immediately drifting toward the dagger. After a moment, she reached out and carefully picked it up, turning it slightly in her hands.

“It’s so strange that something like this can put down an Original for a very long nap,” she mused. “I mean, obviously with the white oak ash involved, but still…” She shook her head and gently placed the dagger back on the table. “Does Klaus answer to anyone?” she asked. “Because from everything I’ve gathered, he just has the power and freedom to do whatever he pleases. He’s nearly unstoppable.” Her gaze lingered on the dagger.

“If not even his own siblings are safe from his tyranny…” The thought trailed off before she looked back at Tatia. “You seem to know a lot about all of them, naturally,” she continued. “However, I need to know more about Elijah. Specifically how to approach him and how to deal with him. Although that is, of course, if you’re capable of doing so. I assume he’s a sensitive topic.” Her expression softened slightly.

“You mentioned that he spends his time watching over Elena. She’s another doppelgänger, right? The human one... Or is she no longer human? I’m honestly not keeping up with the doppelgänger lore anymore. The only thing I really know is that people seem willing to kill for doppelgänger blood.” Her curiosity got the better of her then. “What about yours?” she asked. “I know you’re immortal now, an Original, but shouldn’t Original blood and doppelgänger blood combined be something incredibly rare?” She shook her head. “I don’t really understand how all of the blood-related magic works. Slayer blood is supposedly a drug to vampires,” she admitted. “Something I learned the hard way.” Her expression soured slightly. “You’d be surprised how many people think selling Slayers to vampires is a brilliant business model.” She let out a dry laugh. “Needless to say, it’s a little problematic.” Finally, Mercy straightened slightly and redirected her attention to the matter at hand.

“Okay, back to the plan,” she said. “What if we start tomorrow by shadowing Elijah?” She tapped a finger against her knee thoughtfully. “Though we’ll need to be smart about it. I can’t imagine following an Original is particularly easy.” Her brows furrowed. “He’d probably sense us or something.” Then she glanced toward Tatia. “And he definitely can’t see you. So I suppose I have a better chance of following him than you do.”

[original-doppleganger]

Tatia poured the wine, watching the Slayer out of the corner of her eye. "Witches do have a talent for turning the most mundane objects into something utterly amazing," she said, returning with two glasses. One went in front of Mercy, the other stayed in her hand. She had no need to drink, but she thought it would make her new friend more comfortable if they drank together.

"Klaus used to answer to many people, a long time ago," she said. "Even up until a few decades ago, he considered Elijah to be wise counsel. But then he had the bright idea to start a fight by throwing the rest of their family in the ocean. Now, not even Elijah cares to try and reign him in."

Tatia shrugged. Elijah had long stopped being a man she held any true affection for. He'd long since proved he wasn't worthy of her trust. Still, their history together had a way of tugging at her heart when she was in a nostalgic mood.

"Elijah likes the dopplegangers," she murmured. "I suppose I can be blamed for that. He loved me, he killed me, and he's been trying to make up for it ever since." She took a long sip of her wine. "He has a special fondness for the human ones, the damsels in distress. I believe Elena is still human; she had a powerful witch protecting her during the Hybrid ritual. Which is lovely for her sense of self, but it does put her in danger. Human doppleganger blood is sought after by witches as a powerful ingredient."

She tilted her head, pondering Mercy's question. "I don't know. As far as I've heard, doppleganger blood stops being valuable when they become undead. Then again, I've never had anyone test mine. Perhaps there is something special about it...."

She nodded. "We can start there if you wish." She had no fear of being caught by Elijah (she'd been following him in one way or another for centuries) but it would be better if he didn't see her. And if he saw Mercy, that would just be one step closer. "I would want a way to know if you end up in danger, just in case."

[reblogthings]

The first 5 Asks to send 💋 get a kiss

[original-doppleganger]

Traveling || Closed starter with @leftdaggered

Tatia was gathering water. She was gathering water for the camp. She just needed to fill up these jugs and they would have water for a few days.

Did they still need to drink water or-

No. They needed water to clean themselves and their clothes and their food-

She shook her head and blinked a few times, trying not to notice the streaks of red that came off of her hands in the running water of the river.

Tatia was gathering water. They needed water for their camp.

She filled all the jugs in the river and carefully carried them back to the small camp they had made. The Mikaelson brothers had busied themselves with setting up camp and gathering supplies. Tatia had gone to gather water, apparently leaving Rebekah on her own.

She was going to have to get used to working with this family, if they were all going to survive together.

"I brought some water," she said gently. "We should make another trip before nightfall but this should be enough to wash our clothes at least."

[original-doppleganger]

Tatia's hands stilled when Rebekah mentioned food. it was a fair question; none of them had eaten - blood or otherwise - since they fled the village. At least, not that she knew of. The thought of consuming human blood filled her with terror. Memories of her own transformation filled her with dread and fear and-

"I am sure one of your brothers will return with something," she murmured, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. "If not.... Perhaps we can hunt as usual. Animals have blood in their veins, do they not? Perhaps that will satisfy us. It will certainly help us stay hidden...."

It was not the most reassuring thing she could say, but what else was there?

"Your hair is a fright; let me brush it, please."

[original-doppleganger]

Tatia was dead. And then she wasn't.

It happened both slowly and quickly. She had been in her afterlife, some version of Peace, and then she wasn't. She'd felt a pull in her soul, and had no choice but to follow it back to the land of the living. Too quickly, she was stuck back in a body that felt more foreign than familiar. A body that was hers, but not one she wanted.

A voice reached her ears, speaking a language she hadn't heard before but understood with crystal clarity. Magic? Or a side effect of the doppleganger? Did it even matter?

She raised her head to see the source, a young woman. The witch who had brought her back, presumably. There was something familiar about her, though she was certain she'd never seen her before. Something in her eyes.....

"Yes, I am Tatia," she said, her voice raspy and hoarse. She slowly pushed herself up from the floor to her knees. "Who are you?"

[naturesloophole]

Hope stands from her position kneeling on the ground long enough to grab a bottle of water & a protein bar. It was chocolate & raspberry flavored. Those bars had to be specially bought for this because she didn't want to bring the other peanuts & risk there being an anaphylactic reaction. Hope kneels once more by the salt circle & pushes first the bottle of water & then the protein bar into the circle with her pointer finger. She pulls back quickly. Just a little bit of time spent with our visitor today & then I can leave to go do something else.

❝Hope . . . . Hope Mikaelson.❞ Hope can't begin to tell herself why she used her real last name. Hope tilts her head, squinting a little as she studies the person in front of her. So far, the outside appearance looks normal. There were no extra limbs or something alien in the place of a human. ❝Eat & drink up. I'm sure you are thirsty & starvin'.❞ Hope shrugs a little then. I would assume someone would be starving after being raised from the dead. So far, so good. Hope knows not to get her hopes up on this experiment.

[original-doppleganger]

Hope Mikaelson

Tatia knew all of Mikael's children, and this girl was not one of them. But she had no doubt she was of the same bloodline. There was something in her eyes, in the way she carried herself. Even her casual speech had a gravitas to it. She must be a child of one of the siblings, though which one she could only guess.

She took the food and water with unsteady hands. The water was cool on her throat, soothing the small ache there. The bar was crumbly, but filling, filled with flavors she couldn't name but enjoyed nonetheless.

"Thank you," she murmured. "Where are we?"

[original-doppleganger]

Vibe Tag Game

search for " my vibe + [color you like] " on Pinterest and choose the first 9 photos you find aesthetic.

Tagged by: no one I stole this from another blog

Tagging: @dulcetbloodmercy, @naturesloophole, @leftdaggered and whoever else wants to play

[aedearly]

✎ㅤ. . .ㅤ𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑪𝑨𝑵𝑶𝑵 𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺.

₊˚⊹ ㅤa collection of character analysis/headcanon questions to learn more about your character and your partners'! writing/headcanon prompts requested by anonymous. feel free to edit these as you see fit.

[ 🖐️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat do their hands feel like: soft, calloused, trembling ? [ ☂️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they crave touch or fear it ? [ 🎐 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a sound, like a song or voice, that they associate with peace ? [ 🕊️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen did they feel the safest ? [ 💤 ]ㅤ.ㅤhow do they sleep ? curled up, sprawled, holding onto something ? [ 🦇 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a fear they never talk about ? [ 🔒 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a secret they’ve sworn never to tell ? [ 🪢 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen was the last time they broke a promise ? [ 🫳 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho do they feel they owe, but never paid back ? [ 💼 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat do they always carry with them ? [ 🧨 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s the quickest way to set them off, even if they hide it well ? [ ⛓️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat does guilt feel like to them ? [ 💢 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho have they never forgiven and never will ? [ 🩸 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there something or someone that, if lost, would break them ? [ 🌧️ ]ㅤ.ㅤis there a pain they refuse to heal from ? [ 🪞 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen have they looked at their reflection and hated what they saw ? [ 📿 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat superstition or ritual do they cling to ? [ 🌊 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen was the last time they cried ? [ 🐾 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo animals like them instinctively ? [ 🪶 ]ㅤ.ㅤhow do they laugh ? [ 🫀 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho taught them what love is ? did it hurt ? [ 💭 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they believe they’re worthy of being loved ? [ 🎀 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is their main love language ? [ 🔦 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho do they search for ? [ 📜 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there a story they love sharing with others ? [ 🌒 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a dream or goal they have given up on ? [ 🕯️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat memory do they replay when they’re alone ? [ 🌪️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s the one choice they regret (not) making ? [ 🧩 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s a truth about themselves they refuse to admit ? [ 🍻 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of drunk are they ? [ ✉️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of letter would they write but never send ? [ 🗡️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a scar that they have but never talk about ? [ 🕸️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a favourite lie they like to hear ? [ 🪦 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat would they want on their gravestone but never admit aloud ? [ 🎱 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of future do they crave, and who’s in it ? [ 🌀 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a recurring dream or nightmare ? [ 🍃 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they feel like they belong ? [ ⚓ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat does “home” mean to them ? [ 🧭 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhere would they go if they could disappear tomorrow ?

[original-doppleganger]

⚠️ 'Extremely pretty'

"Pretty enough for a warning label? I'm flattered...."

(she's not blushing why would you ask that?)

[divinerpresources]

Send “⚠️” plus a warning label for my muse.

(If you cannot see the emoji send “Warning”)

[dazaismemes]

Muse talking about the mun

Send me a symbol for my muse to answer these questions about the mun! 

👀 Do the mun and you get along? 

✌ Is there anything you dislike about the mun? 

👋 Do you and the mun agree on something? 

✍ Has the mun some special talents beside writing? 

🙏 Do you think the mun would be able to survive in your world? 

✨ Does the mun read fanfictions and if yes, what is your opinion on them?

🎉 Does the mun likes to go to parties or not? 

🎁 Is the mun good at taking compliments or not? 

🎀  What does the mun have for a music taste? Do you like it? 

🎨 What are the mun’s hobbies? 

👗 How is the mun’s fashion sense? 

✂ Did the mun ever do something to make you jealous? 

⏳ How much time does the mun spend on your blog? 

🍨 What is the mun’s favorite ice cream flavour? 

🍪 Does the mun like sweets? 

🍓 What is something you and the mun disagree on? 

🍀 What is your opinion on the layout of the blog the mun did for you? 

⭐ Is there any genres the mun enjoys writing but you don’t enjoy being part of? 

🌟 Is there any genres the mun doesn’t enjoy writing but you enjoy being part of? 

☀ Does the mun listen to you while writing or not? 

🌙 Does the mun stay up long or goes to bed early? 

⚡ What is the mun’s favorite weather? 

❄ Did the mun ever forced you to do something you didn’t want to do? 

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☀ Does the mun have other muses beside you? What is your opinion on them?

[ghostlyrec]

SEND  TRY + A CHARACTER  YOU’D LIKE TO SEE ME ( ATTEMPT ) TO WRITE !

[rpmemegraveyard]

ʚ old school inbox memes:  send me a ✎ and I'll handwrite your url.

[original-doppleganger]

For every 📎 I get in my ask box, I'll post a thread that I want to do.

I think it would be really interesting plot for Hope if Tatia was an antagonist of sorts. Her Original Runaway verse leaves her with a lot of opportunities to be revenge-minded and I think she would definitely try to use Hope to get back at the Mikaelsons, especially after what they do to Elena.

This could be an attempted kidnapping or just slowly integrating herself into Hope's life to try to turn her away from them. I just think it could be interesting to tap into that darker side of Tatia's mind and motivations.

[naturesloophole]

Waking someone from the dead requires concentration. The kind that's rare to get around the Abattoir with all the noise that often follows from staff members to family alike. It's why Hope finds herself in the bell tower. The whole reason that she was doing this spell was to see if it would work & make sure it was 100% safe for her parents. She had seen Elena before & knew that Tatia existed through the diaries of her uncle & father. Apparently, snooping is a genetic trait that she learned from her mama. Hope was kneeling on the hard wooden flooring just before a salt circle. It's there that a body fades into reality. It goes from being very translucent to opaque over the course of three minutes. ❝Hoc corpus et animam ad vitam revoca.❞ Hope chants until the body is clearly moving with signs of life. That's when she pauses the incantation.

Do I have a stick somewhere? It was the childish thing to think, but Hope really had the urge to poke Tatia to see if an outside stimulation would rouse her more. ❝Tatia, is that you?❞ The salt ring prevented Tatia from moving outside it. She was stuck inside of the circle until Hope decided to break it & in that time, Hope will be praying to the heavens that it doesn't send @original-doppleganger back to where she came from.

[original-doppleganger]

Tatia was dead. And then she wasn't.

It happened both slowly and quickly. She had been in her afterlife, some version of Peace, and then she wasn't. She'd felt a pull in her soul, and had no choice but to follow it back to the land of the living. Too quickly, she was stuck back in a body that felt more foreign than familiar. A body that was hers, but not one she wanted.

A voice reached her ears, speaking a language she hadn't heard before but understood with crystal clarity. Magic? Or a side effect of the doppleganger? Did it even matter?

She raised her head to see the source, a young woman. The witch who had brought her back, presumably. There was something familiar about her, though she was certain she'd never seen her before. Something in her eyes.....

"Yes, I am Tatia," she said, her voice raspy and hoarse. She slowly pushed herself up from the floor to her knees. "Who are you?"

[original-doppleganger]

Dash Game

Which bear is your love type?

Tatia's answer:

tagged by: @dulcetbloodmercy

tagging: @hereticxvixen, @jack-of-ash, @naturesloophole, and anyone else who wants to play