Witch Queen (Watch Them Bleed)

by AlwaysAkin

Summary:

Instead of turning to Virginia after escaping Salem, Esme Bennett and her descendants start the trek to New Orleans.

Or... The one where Bonnie Bennett is born a New Orleans witch, still ends up in Mystic Falls, gets the guy, has a super baby, and changes the world.

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Bennett Coven

February, 1692 - Salem, Massachusetts

 

Esme Bennett had always been able to see the future. It was a particular gift of hers, one that she had honed to escape her captivity and stay one step ahead of anyone that would see her burnt at the stakes for the gifts that she possessed. 

 

It was her gifts now that were warning her something was on the horizon - a bout of fear and paranoia that would see witches like her burned alive. She may have been powerful beyond any mortal measure, but she was still only one woman. It was time for her to leave Salem. 

 

In one life, Esme would have made a short, safe journey to what would one day become the state of Virginia. Her children, their children, and her long distant descendants would become the protectors of a town that took them for granted and bled them for their magic at every opportunity. They would live good, moral, upstanding lives, barely scratching the surface of the power that they possessed. 

 

But as she gazed off into the long distant future, Esme saw another option. A hard, years-long trek across the hardly discovered American continent, to a new little French speaking city that would be founded in a few years. New Orleans. There, the Bennetts would find a place to become an institution, to hone their abilities and be respected by all. There, they would have power. 

 

(And there, one of her descendants would change the world. Though for the better, or the worse, she wasn’t quite sure.) 

 

To Esme Bennett, the choice was an easy one.

 

February, 1993 - New Orleans

 

New Orleans was a city of power, and one thing was clear: the Bennetts were a powerful coven. Their numbers might have dwindled since their peak in the early 20th century to barely a handful of witches (which was what tended to happen when one restricted coven membership to members of your own family), but they were one of the founding three covens of New Orleans. 

 

And if there was one thing that the covens of New Orleans - world-renowned practitioners of ancestral magic - respected, it was history. And when a rich family history mixed with the raw power that could be found in pretty much every Bennett witch, that meant that the birth of a new one was always a big event. 

 

Which was precisely why Mathilde Deveraux, one of the witches of the French Quarter coven, was keeping an idle eye on her two unruly daughters as she traded gossip with a fellow witch in her coven. 

 

“Did you hear about Abby Bennett?” Her brunette friend asked, so quietly that Malthide had to strain to hear it over the constant din of Rousseau’s. 

 

Mathilde resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Why had the ancestors willed her to be born the same year as a Bennett ? The Bennett witches also occupied the French Quarter. They were so small in number that French Quarter witches and Bennett witches normally didn’t cross paths that much outside of official meetings or festivals, but Abby Bennett had been in the same year in school as her, which meant she had to see the other girl constantly. 

 

Of course, the Bennett witch was a natural prodigy at magic, and being the same age as her meant that Mathilde’s father and aunt had a constant basis for comparison. “I heard Abigail Bennett learnt  that delinking spell in two days, so why can’t you manage it? Or - Sheila Bennett told me her daughter was chosen to represent water for the Fête des Bénédictions! At only eleven.” 

 

“What’s going on with Abby Bennett, Cara?” Mathilde asked. Last she had heard, Abby had left New Orleans for college in Virginia. She didn’t doubt the other girl would be back. After all, why bother staying somewhere where you were a nobody, when you could return to a city where you were basically witch royalty? 

 

The Bennett reputation opened doors. They were the coven every vampire, werewolf, and lesser witch went to with their problems, which had made them respected beyond measure and wealthy as shit. Even now, there was a rumor that Sheila Bennett had run off to Portland to sort out a problem with a coven there.

 

“She’s back in the city. And you’ll never believe this: she’s nine months pregnant with the baby of some random human guy she met back in Virginia. Rudy something. I think he’s in law school or something, but he totally freaked when she told him she was a witch and now she’s gonna raise the baby alone.” 

 

Mathilde raised her eyebrows. Virtually every witch family (and even some of the werewolves) wanted their children to marry into the Bennett family, but they almost always went for ordinary humans instead, to avoid raising their children with another coven’s influence. “How do you know all this?”

 

“You know Delilah Claire’s little brother is the biggest snoop. He was listening to Sheila Bennett when she went to meet up with the regent last week, and she naturally brought up the fact that Abby was returning to the quarter.” 

 

She raised her cup, in a mocking salute. “The prodigal daughter returns. How great for the rest of us.” 

 

Cara sighed. “God, imagine how annoyingly powerful this kid is going to be.” 

 

~~

April 2001, New Orleans 

 

Bonnie Bennett was a little girl with a very rigid schedule. That was what tended to happen when your mother was in the running to become the next Regent of the Nine Covens of New Orleans – basically, from what her Grams explained to her, the Queen of all Witches in New Orleans. The same way Marcel, the really pretty guy with the storybook eyes, ruled the vampires.

 

Her schedule was longer than most people she knew, but it was fun. First, there was magic practice in the morning, before school. Normally, morning magic practice was Bennett-coven only, which meant learning about Bennett grimoires and communing with their ancestors. Normally, her Grams ran their sessions, though sometimes it was Great-Uncle Samuel.  

 

Her family was the smallest it had been in generations, which meant that it was normally just her, Lucy, and Lucy’s annoying little brother Léon. And Bonnie was a way better witch than Léon (and a little bit better than Lucy, too), so that always ruled. 

 

After that, it was school, which was long and boring. Bonnie didn’t even know why she needed school - it wasn’t like she was going to get a job or anything. Her mom told her once that the Bennett money came from the magical help they gave others, or the magical objects they sold in their store. She was a witch, and one day she’d be a fully practicing member of her coven. 

 

But no, apparently she had to be well-rounded or something. Which meant going to stupid fourth grade, and learning math and science and other stuff she didn’t really need. Bonnie liked some of the girls in her gym class though, especially Ara and Julia. 

 

After school every day was more magical practice, though this time it was with the French Quarter witches. Because the Bennett coven was so small and the French Quarter coven lived in the same area as them, they often trained together. While there were only two Bennett witches in the same age group (between six and nine), there were twenty French Quarter coven witches. Which was a lot! There were only ten Bennett witches alive.  

 

There were a lot more rules when Bonnie practiced with the other witches. She wasn’t allowed to do any Bennett only spells, or antagonize any of the witches, even when little Monique Deveraux was being so annoying and bragging about how big she could make plants grow. Her mom depended on the French Quarter witches to support her Regent claim, which meant Bonnie had to make friends. 

 

The only French Quarter witch she actually liked was Davina Claire, though. Even though Davina was younger than Bonnie (two whole years!). She was pretty funny, and always gave Bonnie extra oreos whenever her mom sent her to magic class with a snack. Plus once, she had helped Bonnie set Monique Deveraux’s hair on fire. 

 

Davina was cool, Bonnie had decided. The other witches were super lame.

 

On Mondays and Thursdays, Bonnie had gymnastic class, because her mom wanted her to do something not-magic, and Bonnie loved all the flips and stretches. It felt like she was flying, and powerful not just because she was a witch. Other days she helped Grams harvest herbs for spells, or watched Friends with Lucy.

 

Everything was normal for Bonnie Bennett, witch and daughter of the future regent of New Orleans. Until the day that it wasn’t. 

 

~~

 

March 2001 

 

“You know, my mom is, like, super jealous of your mom right now,” Davina whispered to Bonnie one day, when they were listening to Sophie Deveraux (who had to cancel a date with boyfriend to be here and kept bringing that up) explain to them how to do a locator spell. 

 

Bonnie didn’t say anything. It had been a few days since Bonnie’s mom had been chosen to be the next regent of the nine covens. Since it was the first time a Bennett had been chosen in over a hundred years, everyone was super excited. There was going to be a huge parade to celebrate, and Bonnie had a fancy sparkly silver dress to wear, and her Grams had spent hours braiding her hair into pretty box braids with matching silver extensions.

 

“Aren’t you excited?” Davina asked, picking up on Bonnie’s silence. “You’re gonna get to look pretty like a princess, and all the vampires and witches will have to bring you gifts. I wish my mom was the regent.”

 

Bonnie knew she should be excited. She was happy for her mom, really. Abby Bennett was now one of the most powerful people in New Orleans. Last night, her mom was out for a meeting with Marcel, the vampire king, and Mr. O’Connell, the leader of the humans. There used to be werewolves invited to the super secret meetings, until something had happened two years before she was born, and now werewolves weren’t allowed to leave the Bayou.

 

“I’m not not excited,” Bonnie sighed. “My mom has just been… a little weird lately.” 

 

Davina seemed to accept that, and the conversation moved on. But Bonnie was so lost in thought, she nearly missed Sophie’s lesson. What happened last night had just been so weird. 

 

After her mom had come home from her meeting with Marcel, she had gone to the cemetery to commune with the ancestors. And she had come back pale and shaking, before grabbing Bonnie’s Grams and taking them upstairs, the two of them talking in hushed whispers. 

 

Bonnie had cast a quick quieting spell on her feet and gone to eavesdrop on their conversation. She couldn’t make out it all (and her mom would definitely know if she cast an amplifying spell), but she had gotten bits and pieces. 

 

“She’s your daughter , Abigail. I raised you better than this,” that was her Gram’s voice, cold and biting.  

 

“The ancestors said… prophecy… destined to… the supernatural order of New Orleans.” Her mom’s voice was much quieter, and hard to make out. 

 

“Prophecies have a way of coming true regardless, Abby. Don’t you think this is a bit drastic?” 

 

Bonnie could hear the faint sound of her mother’s voice: “my position as regent is still so new, and it’s my duty to protect New Orleans-”

 

Her Grams cut her mother off. “What about your daughter? What on earth makes you think that Rudy has what it takes to take care of your child? God knows that boy ran the second he found out you were a witch. You really don’t think Bonnie will be miserable in Mystic Falls?” 

 

You really don’t think Bonnie will be miserable in Mystic Falls? 

 

In Mystic Falls…. 

 

Was her mom sending her away? 

 

Bonnie felt like she was going to throw up. She couldn’t leave New Orleans! Leave the Quarter and the magic in the air and Lucy and magic lessons and gymnastics and her coven and even stupid Léon. 

 

She could barely make out what her mom said next. “The ancestors have spoken. Bonnie will stay here until the end of the month, for the parade. And then I’m sending her to Rudy.” 

 

This couldn’t be happening. 

 

Could it? 

Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Goodbye, Big Easy

Summary:

2001. Bonnie leaves New Orleans and makes new friends in Mystic Falls.

April, 2001

 

No one in the family had taken the news that Bonnie was set to leave particularly well, but the worst by far was her cousin Lucy. While her Grams had death-glared her mom, and Great Uncle Samuel had slipped her extra beignets with a sympathetic smile, Lucy had set her mother’s ceremonial regent dress on fire, dyed the replacement black, and made a general nuisance of herself. 

 

Bonnie was grateful for her cousin’s support. It seemed like no one else was on her side, not enough to risk standing up to the regent. She couldn’t blame them, exactly. Her mom was now one of the two most powerful people in New Orleans. 

 

It still sucked though. No one outside of the family knew Bonnie was going to leave, and even then, the family had only heard the official story that her mom had given her: that Bonnie was being sent to live somewhere else until she had a clearer handle on her magic, since it was dangerous being the regent’s daughter. 

 

Bonnie knew that wasn’t true though. She had heard what her mom and Grams had whispered about - something about a prophecy. A prophecy involving Bonnie, of all people. Prophecies were supposed to be about important people, she knew. And while Bonnie knew she was important (she was Abby Bennett’s daughter and a powerful witch, too), she didn’t think she was prophecy important. 

 

Prophecies were normally about important people, like the mysterious Original Vampires that apparently used to run New Orleans, and none of the adults talked about ever , even though the oldest of her friends’ grandparents totally knew something. They had become more of a boogeyman to kids in Bonnie’s generation - she remembered Sophie Deveraux telling Monique that if she didn’t finish her homework an Original would eat her. To be honest, Bonnie wasn’t even sure they were real. 

 

The last time there had been a prophecy, her Grams had rushed off to Portland to prevent some super evil guy from destroying his own coven. But Bonnie wasn’t super evil, and she wasn’t super old like an Original, so it didn’t make sense that there was a prophecy about her. 

 

She wasn’t supposed to tell anyone that she was going away. But she did tell Davina, in hushed whispers one day at recess (she didn’t want to risk doing it in magic class, when stupid Monique could cast a spell to listen in).

 

Davina’s reaction - shock, horror, outrage - helped Bonnie feel normal. It felt like everyone else was acting like Bonnie having to leave the only home she ever knew (her coven, her friends, her Grams) and live with her dad , who she had only met once and who smelt like fish, was no big deal. But Davina knew it was. 

 

“But you’re regent’s daughter,” Davina had whispered, horrified. “And since she’s basically the witch queen, that makes you a princess. It’s evil to kick a princess out of her home. That’s what the evil queen did to Snow White!” 

 

Bonnie had stared glumly at the swings, trying her best not to cry. She was a Bennett witch, and she wouldn’t break and wouldn’t back down. 

 

“That’s not even the worst part,” Bonnie said. “This Mystic Falls place doesn’t have any witches in like a twenty mile radius. I’ll have no way to train my magic, or talk to other witches. It’ll be so stupid and normal.”

 

Davina had intertwined her hand with Bonnie’s, and promised to set up a chat room so they could talk all the time. She had even given Bonnie half of her goldfish crackers at lunch, which Bonnie thought was sweet. She was lucky to have a friend like Davina. 

 

The night before Bonnie’s Grams was set to drive her to Mystic Falls (because Rudy Hopkins was apparently too busy to pick her up) her and her cousin Lucy watched Bring it On and the new, really bad Star Wars movie. 

 

Before Bonnie got in the car, Lucy ran up to her and hugged her so tight Bonnie couldn’t breathe, before muttering: “don’t worry, I’m going to make sure aunt Abby pays like hell for doing this to you,” in her ear. 

 

And with a last wave to her coven, Bonnie was gone. Eight years old, and away from the home she had known her entire life, just because her mom said so. As New Orlenas disappeared in the distance, leaving behind only Lousania swamp, Bonnie knew one thing for certain. 

 

She was never going to forgive her mom. Not for this.

 

~~

 

Bonnie’s first impression of Mystic Falls was that it was a tiny town. There was one town square with a doctor’s office, a couple shops, and a grand total of two restaurants - a bakery called Claudia’s where a bunch of old people were hanging out, and the Mystic Grill, where Bonnie could see a bunch of high school students hanging out. 

 

There were only four lawyers in the entire town, and her dad was one of them, which meant that their house was pretty big for just two people. It wasn’t nearly as welcoming as where the Bennett coven lived, and there were no shelves of plants for potions or slippers that Lucy left scattered all over the house or Léon’s Snoop Dogg CDs that great uncle Samuel kept telling him not to leave around. 

 

It was nice, but it wasn’t home . 

 

And Rudy was… weird. Bonnie wasn’t going to call him dad, because she had met him like three times in her entire life. And he was nice, but it was like he was trying too hard. He talked all excitedly about how much he thought that she was going to love Mystic Falls, and how many friends she was going to make here. 

 

And when he was giving her a house tour and she asked where she was going to practice her magic, Rudy looked at her weird and then pretended that she hadn’t asked anything at all. 

 

Which… That was weird, right? Because, like, Rudy had to know that her mom was a witch. Her Grams said that mom specifically told him, and that’s why they weren’t together anymore. So, she got if Rudy wasn’t the biggest fan of magic, but he couldn’t just not let her practice. She was a witch. It was like breathing to her. 

 

And Bonnie wasn’t going to stop, anyway. Even if it was practicing with her grimoire at night and trial and error through the computer chat she set up with Lucy and Davina, she would get it right. She had to. 

 

And as she hummed along, nodding on occasion to something Rudy said, she let her mind wander off. God… He was so boring. She couldn’t believe she was saying this, but she couldn’t wait for school. Anything would be better than this.

 

~~

 

Caroline Forbes might be young, but she wasn’t stupid , like that paste-eater Tyler Lockwood (who she was convinced only passed first grade because he was the Mayor’s son) or Dana Johnson, who told everyone at school she was a secret mermaid princess. 

 

Not only was Caroline at the top of all her classes, but she knew everything about everyone. It came from years of listening in the corners, picking up quiet conversations between other people in the bathroom stalls. It was easy to, when the spotlight on her didn’t shine quite as brightly as it did for her best friend Elena. 

 

Not that Caroline was jealous, or anything! (Okay, she was a little jealous). She was so smart, and she knew she was pretty too, but people just didn’t flock to her the same way they did to Elena. Matt Donovan was always tripping over himself to share his cookies with her every recess, and Elena was always the star of every founder’s party, even though Caroline helped with the set-up. every. single. time. 

 

But lately, Caroline had something else to be jealous of Elena for - her picture perfect family, with two parents that loved each other. Caroline’s mom and dad had been fighting more and more, until one day her mom had screamed super loudly and her dad had just left! 

 

And worst of all, she hadn’t seen him since, except for a quick note saying that he still loved her and needed some time to “find himself,” whatever that meant. Her dad was like, super smart, and he couldn’t lose his own body!

 

Caroline had distracted herself from the word she had heard whispered around in her house by mom and her new lawyer, Mr. Hopkins - divorce - by learning everything she could about Mr. Hopkins’ daughter, who was moving to Mystic Falls. 

 

Apparently, his daughter was named Bonnie Bennett (she had her mom’s last name) and was from New Orleans. Caroline had learned about that place in school - it was super far south and everyone there spoke French. 

 

She had spied on her mom and Mr. Hopkins chatting (and watched him on the phone once from the bushes), and learned a lot that told her Bonnie Bennett’s family was really important. Her mom was named Abby, and was really high up in politics or something, which was part of the reason Bonnie was moving to Mystic Falls. 

 

Caroline had also looked up the New Orleans Bennetts on AltaVista, and learned they owned a really cool herbal remedy store that shipped all through the US. So they had, like a lot of money. Not quite Lockwood money, probably, but a lot of money. And in a town like Mystic Falls, that was a big deal. She thought. Mrs. Lockwood always bragged about how expensive everything she owned was, and everyone did what Mrs. Lockwood said. 

 

To put it simply, Bonnie Bennett was a mystery. And Caroline Forbes couldn’t wait to figure her out.

 

~~

 

“Okay, and this is your locker. I’m sorry, you’re right next to smelly Steve, but it was the only locker that was open, because, well… Anyway, I’m sure next year you’ll get a better one.” 

 

“Thanks, Caroline,” Bonnie said, smiling slightly at the never-ending parade of enthusiasm from the other girl. Caroline, who had appointed herself Bonnie’s school tour guide and self-proclaimed expert on all things Mystic Falls, had been talking non-stop for an hour. 

 

Caroline might not have been a witch, but there was something almost magical in her - the potential for something great. Bonnie just wasn’t sure what. She had touched Caroline and saw a crow and a pure, good light.

 

“No problem! And… look, there’s Elena.” Caroline faltered a little. It was interesting, Bonnie thought, that Caroline and Elena were best friends, but Caroline almost… wilted in her presence, like a flower Bonnie would use in a practice regeneration spell.

 

Bonnie had liked Elena too when she met her, but they had brushed hands while crossing paths and she had felt something strange. It wasn’t magic, exactly (the roots weren’t strong enough for that), but it had the chance to be.  

 

Caroline and Elena were the most interesting people she had met in Mystic Falls, and they were both nice. Elena didn’t ask her why her mother sent her away, and Caroline did so bluntly and critically of Abby that it was kind of funny. 

Bonnie had a feeling that this budding friendship was going to be great. For all three of them.

Notes:

The next chapter will have a bit of a time skip, and establish the plot immediately before canon begins (both in New Orleans and Mystic Falls). We'll also see how Abby's regency is going!

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Lying Through My Teeth

Summary:

In 2006, the war between the vampires and witches in the French Quarter escalates, as regent Abby Bennett struggles to hold onto power.

Chapter 3 - Lying Through My Teeth

 

April 2006

In the five years since Abigail Bennett had become the regent of the nine covens, Marcel Gerard still felt like he didn’t get her at all. True, the Bennetts had always been an insular sort – that came from being both the most powerful, and the smallest coven out of the nine. 

In the two centuries Marcel had been alive, it had been impressed on him time and time again that the Bennetts’ were the closest thing New Orleans had to witch royalty, and despite what he had done to try and counteract their rise, the coven’s power had only grown since the Mikaelsons had fled the city. 

Back when Klaus Mikaelson had been king of the city, there had been a long, near unbroken reign of Bennett regents keeping the witch faction in line. They weren’t vampire sympathizers – were far from it – so their regency was a testament to both their sheer power, and the almost mythological status they held among the other witches, the belief that a Bennett could solve any problem. 

When Marcel had taken over the city, he had tried his best to end that situation, stewing discord in the covens and openly favoring the Laveau Coven, the uptown coven formed in his lifetime who quickly established themselves as the enemies of the Bennetts. He had a French Quarter regent, two Laveau ones, and even a Tréme. 

The decision had made sense at the time. He had wanted to establish himself as different from Klaus and the rest of the Mikaelsons, and had wanted to make his own mark on the city. But… it had proven to backfire. With the birth of Abby Bennett, the most powerful New Orleans witch in generations, it was only a matter of time before the Bennetts, now with ample reasons to dislike him, came back into power. 

And he was right. Five years ago, Abby Bennett had been chosen as the regent, and had immediately become the biggest thorn in his side. Banning her witches from consorting with vampires or offering them daylight rings, cutting off the covens sympathetic to him from traditional ceremonies… Marcel’s foothold with the witches, painstakingly created over a century, was disappearing. 

He had to do something drastic to get his power back, and quickly. Abby Bennett’s isolation policy had meant the creationist coven, one previously willing to work with him (even if they had been annoyingly loyal to Kol’s memory), had been almost completely wiped out by the hurricane, since no one would sell them even a protection spell. He could tolerate a lot in his quest to run New Orleans. But hurting kids to get back at their parents was a new low.

If Abigail Bennett crossed him again, he would make what he did to the New Orleans werewolves look tame. 

~~

Davina Claire was sitting in Rousseau's with Lucy Bennett, both girls trying their level best to listen in on the adults’. Davina knew that her mom didn’t like her spending time with Lucy as much as Bonnie, since Lucy’s dad was a werewolf (even if Bennett bred true and made Lucy a witch, not a werewolf), and since Lucy was super-old (like 18 or something. Mom age), her mom thought she would be a bad influence. 

Lucy was so cool though! She gave Davina her first sip of beer, and took her (and unfortunately Léon, Lucy’s annoying brother) to see the new Harry Potter movie. And now, she was helping Davina spy as their mom’s talked. Davina’s mom would be so mad if she did something bad, even though she didn’t care about Davina otherwise anymore. Her mom hardly cared about anything now that dad was gone. 

“What are they saying?” She hissed at Lucy. 

“I’m trying to cast an amplifying spell, Davina, but it’s not going to work unless you let me concentrate,” Lucy said, through gritted teeth. 

“Oh. Sorry.” Davina felt bad. Sometimes, she had too many words to say, and it would be better if she was silent. At least, that’s what her mom always said. 

Just then, Davina felt the tightening in the air that signalled the spell worked. Instantly, she heard the voice of Bonnie’s mom, the witch regent (and basically a queen, except not old like the British queen). 

“I’m just not sure it’s a good idea, Alice,” Ms. Bennett said. “The ritual was outlawed for a reason. It’s barbaric - to put all those children at risk.” 

The next person who spoke was Davina’s own mother, her voice sounding huffy. “I talked to Josephine LaRue already, and she’s on board. With the way Marcel is acting, we need the extra power. All we need is the Tréme Coven as well, and-”

Bonnie’s mom snorted. “Do you really think Vincent Griffith will agree to something like this? The boy might have power, but he’s in over his head and a soft touch to boot. There’s no way he’ll undermine his leadership a year after taking power by risking a child in his coven. And, for that matter, neither will I.” 

Davina’s mom made a noise of annoyance, like a kid that wanted dessert. Davina was pretty confused about what was going on (who wanted to hurt kids? She felt like that was bad), but she had to admit it was funny, watching someone way more powerful than her mom shut her down completely. 

(Her mom deserved it for how she made Davina feel so small.)

“My word is final, Alice,” Abby Bennett’s voice was cold. “We have no need for the Harvest. Not… yet. Not unless there is a true need.” 

Lucy and Davina exchanged a glance, both confused. Davina had never heard of a Harvest before. After a few more seconds, she shrugged it off and continued listening to the conversation. It probably wasn’t something that would affect her anyway.  

“Moving on,” said Alice Claire. “There are other alternatives to curtail Marcel’s power. The Mikaelsons may have not been seen in decades, but a coven in Montreal indicated that the Destroyer was recently spotted in the city. He kills vampires, and has no love for New Orleans. If we could call him here, we could take care of our problem.” 

“The destroyer? The only reason he was spotted in Montreal was because he burned three city blocks. I will not invite that sort of death and destruction to my city any time soon. Besides, isn’t his particular grudge against the Mikaelsons, not all vampires? I wouldn’t trust him to be a reliable ally.” 

With that, the conversation was over, and Lucy and Davina stared at each other in a shell-shocked silence. 

“The Mikaelsons are real?” Lucy blurted, looking shocked. “I can’t believe it.” 

Davina was on the same page. She had always thought of the Mikaelsons as boogeymen that witches used to scare their children into behaving, the mysterious vampire founders of the city who would eat little children who didn’t brush their teeth or practice their summoning spells. 

But her mom, and Lucy’s aunt, had talked about the Mikaelsons like they were real. Mysteriously disappeared, but real. Davina knew she would probably never meet one, but she couldn’t help but wonder what they were like, and if they were as evil as people said.

May 2006

“Do you really need to visit your mom again this summer?” Caroline rolled her eyes at Bonne, dangling the advertisement for cheer camp in front of her head. “I feel like every time you go, we never hear from you and then you come back with a list of complaints about her a mile long.” 

Thirteen year old Bonnie sighed. Her and Caroline had this argument many times, and nothing changed. “Yeah, but it’s not just my mom I see. It’s my grams, my cousin Lucy, my friend Davina, my whole family. And I get to do… stuff.”

Bonnie winced. Talk about a slip of the tongue. The hardest thing about being friends with Caroline and Elena was lying to them about her magic. She loved them, she really did. Caroline was like a human glow spell, all bright and sparkly and warm - and sometimes occasionally scary. And Elena was more like the wind on a summer day, light, and refreshing, and with a hint of power behind her. 

From behind Caroline, Elena smiled softly. “I get it. If I couldn’t see my family until the summer, nothing would stop me from going.” 

Elena… was still a mystery. Bonnie had talked to Dr. and Mrs. Gilbert a bunch of times, and she was completely confident they were totally human. Elena’s brother Jeremey too, even if he was uniquely smelly in a way only eleven year old boys could be. And yet when she touched Elena, there was something about her that gave Bonnie hints of magic - nothing that could compare to a French Quarter witch, but something.
 
And speaking of the Quarter… “That’s not the only reason I have to go, too. After Katrina, my Grams said that the shop lost two of its factories. And my friend Davina’s dad died. I feel like I have to see the damage for myself.” 

That much was true. Just a week after Bonnie had left New Orleans last year, one of the largest hurricanes in history had ripped through the city, killing hundreds of people. While the protection spell on the French Quarter had held (protecting the French Quarter, Bennett, and Creationist Covens), other covens, like the 9th Ward one, had been almost completely decimated. 

Last time Bonnie was texting with Lucy (which was, like, weeks ago, since her older cousin was getting ready to go to college), her cousin had mentioned that some witches had seen Hurricane Katrina as a sign that Bonnie’s mom’s rule was not favoured by the ancestors. Others had apparently got mad that the regent’s daughter had been safe in Virgina while the city suffered. 

Which meant Bonnie was, once again, going to spend another summer making friends with the children of people who hated her mom - and probably wouldn’t have hated her mom as much if Bonnie wasn’t sent away because of a stupid prophecy. She hated witch politics. It was so stupid. 

Caroline sighed, in the overdramatic way only she could really pull off. “I’ll let you out of cheer camp this one time, Bonnie Bennett. But you better come back with some interesting stories. And souvenirs.” 

“Caroline!” Elena hissed. “She just said one of her friend’s dad died! You don’t need to be so insensitive all the time.” 

“It’s not like it’s Bonnie’s dad, is it-” 

Smiling to herself, Bonnie let her friends’ words wash over her. She was going to miss them this summer. Even if she hated lying to them.

~~

“And so the prodigal daughter returns! And right when I’m leaving, I mean, talk about bad timing,” said Lucy, bending over to give Bonnie a hug. “But I’m gonna be closer to you during the year! Georgetown is only like two hours away from Mystic Falls, so I’m gonna hop by on weekends and visit you all the time.” 

Bonnie still couldn’t believe that her cousin was old enough for college. She was going to be starting high school next year, and college felt ages away. 

The pair were sitting at a table off to the side in Rousseau’s, a bar run by witches of the French Quarter Coven (who were allies to the Bennetts and supporters of Bonnie’s mom). Bonnie’s mom had insisted Bonnie come here first instead of to the Bennett house, and Bonnie didn’t like it at all.

It was so awkward! The second she walked in, everyone stared at her and immediately started whispering. At least she had the comfort of the magic swirling in the air, even if it wasn’t quite Bennett magic. 

Lucy took one look at her face and sighed, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Look, Bonnie, I know you’re uncomfortable, but it’s a good thing for the witches to see you out and about. Your mom’s a really visible figure, and there have been questions about why you’re not in the city most of the year. The Laveau Coven has even been spreading a rumor that you don’t have any magic.” 

Bonnie snorted. “So, they think I can’t do this?” Closing her eyes, she whispered the words for a hover charm, and smiled when all the plates and cutlery in the restaurant soared through the air, nearly hitting the ceiling before landing back gently on the tables. 

As far as Bonnie knew, grown adults often still struggled with hover spells as massive as the one she had just done, but she had barely broken a sweat. Looks like all the hours she spent pouring over her family’s grimoires at Rudy’s house were paying off. 

“Bonnie!” Lucy was laughing too hard to actually sound scolding. “There could have been humans here!” 

The younger girl just shrugged. “Who cares? I have to hide who I am basically all year. I’m not doing that in New Orleans.” 

The pair continued to eat, ignoring the stares of virtually every other patron in the restaurant. 

Notes:

A couple of notes:

Abby Bennett did not desiciate Mikael here, which means that he is very much still at large, and the Mikaelsons are still on the run.

11-year-old Davina: The Harvest and Mikaelsons? These are things that will have no relevance to me in any way in the future.

Though this fic focuses on the French Quarter and Bennett Covens (and eventually the Tréme as well), I've done a lot of work developing the other six covens during my long break from this fic. I allude to the Creationist and Laveau Covens here - if you want any more info, please let me know.

Chapter 4: Chapter 4: A City At Its Breaking Point

Summary:

Summer 2006. Bonnie hears a prophecy and witnesses the start of a war.

Chapter 4: A City At Its Breaking Point 

 

July 2006

 

Bonnie’s summers back home in New Orleans always felt strange. Though it had been five years since she had left for the sleepy town that was Mystic Falls, it only took her a few days to feel like she never left the city. 

 

Her routine was almost exactly the same as it had been the summer before she left: mornings arguing with her cousin Léon over who got the last muffin, Bennet coven lessons with Grams and her brother, great uncle Samuel (who was Lucy and Léon’s grandpa). There was spending the afternoon working at Grams’ wicca shop, and then family movies or meditation time. 

 

But… Wherever she looked, Bonnie could see the difference. The lack of tourists in the Quarter coming to the family’s stores. The ruined houses and buildings on the outskirts of the city, the poor, desperate people with nowhere to go. 

 

There were changes in her family, too. Lucy was leaving early for DC, to “settle in” before she started college. Her and Léon had a little sister, Alexis, who Bonnie hadn’t even got to see be born, because her mother didn’t care enough to invite her back in the winter. Alexis was 6 months old now, and probably the only good thing to happen to the Bennett family in a while. 

 

 Personally, Bonnie thought that Lucy just wanted to escape from the awkward tension that seemed to settle over the family. Bonnie’s mom was almost never home, and when Abby was, she was cold and snappy, or glued to her phone and yelling something at someone. 

 

The only time Abby wasn’t, as Léon called her, “the wicked witch of New Orleans,” was at the various events hosted by the New Orleans supernatural community. There, Abby Bennett was happy, smiling, and completely confident. Bonnie was often forced to come with her, standing in a room of vampires and witches way taller than her, making awkward small talk and pretending like half of the people in the room didn’t hate her because her mom sucked. 

 

There were a couple of reasons Bonnie didn’t go to Grams to beg her to let Bonnie stay home. The first were the new pretty dresses she got for every ball, festival, coven event, and meeting she attended. They were always new, super expensive, and so pretty that she knew Caroline and Elena would be jealous when she took them all back to Mystic Falls. 

 

The second was the time she spent doing her hair with her Grams, before every event. She had missed her Grams so much, and no one knew how to do her hair well in Mystic Falls - especially since there were almost no other Black people there. Plus, Grams convinced her mom to let her wear space buns! To a formal event. With the white dress she was wearing, she was like a cooler, more magical Princess Leia.

 

The final reason, and the reason she was currently crouched in a doorway, listening into the conversation her mom was having with the leaders of all the Nine Covens she had been quickly ushered out of, was the gossip she was getting. While Davina and Lucy had kept her updated on the basics of New Orleans witch politics (at least enough to know her mom was deeply unpopular with, like, everyone), nothing quite beat the thrill of doing the spying herself. 

 

Bonnie heard the voice of Josephine LaRue, the head of the French Quarter coven, burst through the door as her amplifying spell took hold: “Eva Sinclair of the Tréme Coven, you have been proven guilty of of the abduction and ritualistic murder of three young witches of the Algiers Coven, as well as the forbidden practice of expression magic. Is there anything you would like to say in your defense?” 

 

Bonnie’s heart dropped in her stomach. Murdering kids? She knew, in a very abstract way, that a lot of people probably died in the struggle for power in the supernatural world. But killing children was super messed up. And the Tréme’s had always been their allies: joined with the Bennetts through bonds of marriage. If they were on the Bennetts’ side, how could they be bad? 

 

And who would ever want to kill someone from the Algiers Coven? Everyone knew they were super apolitical. They didn’t even commune with the ancestors: they just channelled magic through music instead. All of the other covens had always treated them as the “good guys:” the ones who never got involved in witch wars and could always be trusted. 

 

Killing someone from Algiers was kind of like kicking a puppy, Bonnie thought. Unnecessarily cruel. And killing kids… Maybe cousin Léon or baby Alexis’ age, or like Elena’s kid brother Jeremy… She couldn’t imagine. 

 

“Abby, please,” it wasn’t a woman’s voice, but instead one that Bonnie recognized: Vincent Griffith, the head of the Tréme Coven. He was a distant cousin of Bonnie’s: her great-grandpa Samuel’s wife Marie had been a Griffith, the only time a Bennett witch had married someone from another coven. “My wife didn’t know what she was doing. She was corrupted by dark magic and led by dark forces she had no control over.”

 

“Some mistakes can’t be forgiven,” Mom said, her voice cool and sharp, pretty much the only voice that she had any more. “Which is why Eva Sinclair will be put to death at the next Nine Coven’s council. Ms. Sinclair, I would recommend you get your affairs in order.” 

 

The Ms. Sinclair in question didn’t say anything, but Bonnie guessed that the wet gasp could have been from her. 

 

Vincent, on the other hand, spoke up almost immediately. “Abby, please! She’s pregnant. Our baby - my baby - is innocent in all this. Eva has always wanted the chance to be a mother, she’d be such a good one, please…” 

 

Bonnie rubbed a hand against her forehead, feeling vaguely sick. She knew Eva Sinclair was evil, but what was her mom doing? 

 

She had the presence of mind to hide in a supply closet and cast a notice-me-not spell as the meeting concluded, hearing a rush of angry voices spill into the hall. When her racing thoughts stopped, she heard Grams' voice, loud and angry. “What the hell was that, Abby?” 

 

“That was me standing up for the Algiers Coven and the witch children of New Orleans, mom! It shows a powerful message that not even our allies are safe if they threaten the security and safety of New Orleans witches.” 

 

Bonnie could almost picture the disappointed face her Grams was giving her mom now. “By condemning a pregnant woman to death? Really? You do know what a prison is, don’t you? Did you even bother to consider Fauline Cottage?”

 

Grams sighed, her voice becoming softer. “Abby, I know that you’re upset about the prophecy, but you can’t let it color your every decision. You’re overcompensating, trying to prove you can secure the safety of the witches, and in the meantime, your kingdom is burning down around you.”

 

“What would you expect me to do, mom? I don’t know why hearing that my daughter is apparently destined to upend the supernatural order and spell doom to the New Orleans witches - that her destiny is connected to the Mikaelsons’, of all people, doesn’t worry you, but…” 

 

For the second time in one night, Bonnie felt sick. She was supposed to do what? 

 

~~

 

August 2006

 

It was the Summer Solstice celebration for the Nine Covens, and Bonnie was very aware of just how flimsy her family’s position was. Though everyone smiled politely to her mother, she was all too aware of the glares directed at Abby’s back the second her attention was diverted. 

For the first time ever, the glares were coming from the Tréme Coven too, who were pointedly taking a different route to the ceremony than the Bennets. Her mom had refused to backtrack on killing Eva Sinclair, and for the first time since a Tréme witch had married a Bennett witch back in the 1960s, the two covens weren’t making offerings to their ancestors together. Instead, it was only the Bennetts and the French Quarter Coven together. 

 

That added to Bonnie’s anxiety, which had been constant ever since the revelation that she was apparently destined to destroy all witches or something. Bonnie loved New Orleans - she always had. The magic from her ancestors that was seeped into the soil, the witches in it, her coven, and even her French Quarter friends. 

 

Before two weeks ago, when she had overheard her mother and her Grams arguing, she would have said that she would never hurt another witch. The idea of it felt unthinkable. She knew her coven wasn’t friends with everyone. The Bennets were the most powerful, which was an easy way to make enemies: like the Laveau Coven, which her cousin Lucy said was filled with try-hards and nerds who were jealous the Bennetts had more magic.

 

Still, Bonnie never wanted to hurt a fellow witch, much less spell doom to them like her mom thought she was going to. She hadn’t slept properly in days, and felt all but dead on her feet, cursing the fact that her mom had made her wear these stupid heels to march all the way to Lafayette Cemetery and give offerings to their ancestors. It was a five block walk, and Bonnie still wasn’t good in heels yet (much to Caroline’s eternal annoyance). 

 

Bonnie stumbled a little as she walked, and Davina, who had fallen into step beside her, helped her right herself. The eleven (though nearly twelve, Davina always corrected) year old girl frowned, looking at Bonnie intently. 

 

“Are you okay?” Davina asked. “It’s not your mom again, is it? It’s not your fault, what’s happening to Eva Sinclair. Because if Monique said something about it again to you at magic lessons yesterday I can sneak into her house and set her Wii on fire. My fire magic is getting really good now!” 

 

Bonnie was a tiny bit concerned at how frequently Davina’s mind had been jumping to arson lately (her wild cousin Lucy, now that she had been thinking about it, probably wasn’t the best influence on Davina), but mostly she just felt horrendous guilt, looking at her friend. 

 

Destined to upend the natural order and spell doom to New Orleans witches… 

 

That couldn’t mean Davina, too? 

 

Could it? 

~~

 

Bonnie barely remembered the rest of the summer solstice ritual. All the youth of the nine covens had been called to perform some form of light magic, to symbolize the sun reaching its apex. Despite her muddled thoughts, Bonnie had made a respectable enough ball of light, though it wasn’t better than everyone else’s like normal, something that made the lines at her mother’s mouth tighten. 

 

But what she would remember, vividly, is what happened after the festival ended, and nearly three hundred witches walked home to their respective neighborhoods, because it was apparently disrespectful to the ancestors to take a taxi. At least according to Grams.

 

Bonnie had very rarely seen vampires before. On occasion, some would come to treat with her mother, but they were never invited into the Bennett compound, and certainly never met the Bennett children. 

 

Which is why she was so shocked when, just a block from her home, she heard a faint whooshing sound, and suddenly a very handsome dark-skinned man was standing in front of her mother, hands in his pockets and smiling like there weren’t three dozen witches around him. 

 

“Abby Bennett,” he said, cocking his head to the side. In the blink of an eye, two more men were standing beside him, but he continued on, unbothered. “I’ve heard that there’s been some recent division between the witches. Looks like you’re not all that popular anymore. Condemning a pregnant woman to death does tend to do that, though.” 

 

The man took a step closer, but Bonnie’s mom held her ground, undeterred. “What do you want, Marcel?” 

 

Bonnie let out a gasp, unbidden. She had seen Marcel before once, from a distance, but she had heard his name a lot. The vampire-king of New Orleans, the one who had driven werewolves out of the city back when Bonnie was a baby, was infamous among the witches. And he had never liked the Bennetts or the French Quarter witches, so they had never liked him. 

 

Marcel seemed to hear Bonnie, because he turned to look at her appraisingly. Davina held her hand tightly, and glared at Marcel as best as she could, almost baring her teeth. Bonnie noticed that the corner of Marcel’s mouth twitched as eyes flickered to Davina, before resting again on her. 

 

“And this must be your famous daughter. Bonnie, was it? Tell me Abby, does she know just how many people you’ve killed trying to hold onto power? You know, I decided I’d give you a nice fair chance at being regent, but I really don’t think you’re the leader the witches of New Orleans need.”

 

Bonnie had never seen her mom look so furious before. “And what would you know about what the witches of New Orleans need, vampire?” 

 

Marcel turned to the witches who remained in the crowd. Most of them were from the French Quarter and Bennett Covens, though there were some Tréme and Algiers witches remaining. “Well, let’s hear from the crowd. Who among you thinks that Abby Bennett is a good leader?” 

 

Bonnie opened her mouth, but felt a tight hand grab her arm and pull her away from the crowd. It was Grams, her face looking graver than Bonnie had ever seen, as she pulled Bonnie into a back alley and behind a dumpster. Davina and Léon followed close behind. Dimly, through the dark, Bonnie also noticed Mathilde Deveraux, Monique’s mom, pull a grumpy Monique out of the street, which was filled with adults and older teenage witches. 

 

Léon turned to Grams and glared. “That vampire was insulting Aunt Abby, Auntie Sheila! We had to do something.” 

 

Grams glared right back. “You three will be doing nothing. You are children, and you are not risking your neck for a woman who has made her own mistakes.” She looked pointedly at Bonnie, who ducked her head. 

 

Bonnie remained quiet, a feeling of guilt filling her. Her Grams had taken her away, thinking she was going to speak up for her mother. But the truth is, Bonnie hadn’t wanted to do that. Not at all. 

 

Blinking away the tears that threatened to fall, Bonnie concentrated on the scene before her. The words between her mother and Marcel had gotten more heated, and Bonnie winced when she saw Marcel fly through the air and land hard on the ground, his bones cracking. Her mother gave a savage grin, as she bound him in ropes made of earth and concrete.

 

Abby’s voice echoed through the clearing. “Let this be a lesson not to question the rightful ruler of the Nine Covens. She approached Marcel, who was groaning on the floor, and yanked off a heavy ring that he was wearing. “When the sun comes up, the vampire king of New Orleans will burn and die, just like any mortal. And I will remain the Regent of the Nine Covens.” 

 

 Davina’s mom turned towards Abby, her voice hesitant. “Is this really wise? Abby, this is all but an open declaration of war on the vampires of New Orleans. The peace is so fragile that-” 

 

“Marcel Gerard made his decision to break the peace when he disrespected my rule,” Bonnie’s mom snapped. “Any bloodshed that happens now is on his hands, not mine.” 

 

Reluctantly, almost hesitantly, the crowd dispersed, Bonnie’s mom among them. But Bonnie remained, almost disbelieving, crouched behind a dumpster with Grams, Davina, and Léon. 

 

What the hell had her mom just done?

Notes:

This is only half the content I originally wanted to publish in this chapter (it was supposed to end with a time skip to 2008). If I'm budgeting correctly, we should have around 3 more chapters before a very AU version of The Vampire Diaries begins.

Next chapter: Bonnie makes a decision that affects her relationship with her mother forever, Caroline has news, and Bonnie has a strange vision.