Heart Of An Explorer

"I do hope you're joking."

"Sadly I am not,"

"I take it then I wouldn't be successful if I tried to recruit you to my dig team?" Cosima asked with a note of amusement.

"I wouldn't say it's impossible, per say... but I'm afraid you'd find me entirely useless. I'm quite heavy-handed, if for no other reason."

"Is that so? Well I fear you may be right then. After all, I couldn't have you breaking artefacts, or ripping scrolls or tomes,"

“A little perhaps,” she nodded in agreement but didn’t chastise him any further. “And I am glad to see you too, and to find you all unharmed,” Cosima sighed, “Do you think our family will get dragged into this, whatever it is?”

"You don't have to lie about enjoying seeing Kol arriving on your heels," Gabriel teased, a smirk tugging at his lips. His expression dropped just a tad at the question. "Inevitably, in one way or another. From what I know of them, it'll involve the entire city... but what side of things we'll fall on, I couldn't say."

"As long as he stays out of my way I'm happy to see him too," she conceded. She didn't necessarily dislike the youngest Mikaelson brother but he wasn't her favourite either. Cosima sighed, "You're right of course. Though I know where I'll stand. I will not be pulled onto the wrong side just because of who my maker is,"

"No, no, please no more details. The visuals I'm already gathering are abysmal at best."

"I take it then I wouldn't be successful if I tried to recruit you to my dig team?" Cosima asked with a note of amusement.

“Do you often appear so forlorn in the presence of art?”

"Not all art," she glanced at him before looking back at the piece, "But this one seems to contain such longing. It's like I can feel it in my soul,"

Elijah hummed thoughtfully at her assessment. “It’s another of Niklaus’ pieces,” he confessed. “He’s not as cold-hearted as the world would like to believe… Beneath it all is that humanity he still tries to deny. But there are certainly glimpses to be seen.” He reached out to gently tap the artist’s note that displayed a delicately scribed ‘Anonymous’ label in the place of his younger brother’s name. “But I trust you’ll keep his secret in at least this much?”

“Actually I didn’t come back because of the party, I was already on my way here,” she was long overdue a check in, especially given she had another new cousin since her last visit.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here regardless,” Eve replied, embracing Cosima in a hug. “It’ll be nice to have another friendly face around again. How long are you staying this time?”

Cosmia gladly returned the hug. “I haven’t decided exactly, but I have no plans to leave any time soon,” She pulled back from the hug, taking Eve’s face in her hands, “let me look at you properly,” After a moment she gave a nod and let go. “You look well. Now come, tell me how things are going with you,”

“Actually I didn’t come back because of the party, I was already on my way here,” she was long overdue a check in, especially given she had another new cousin since her last visit.

“Ah, and returning on a whim it would seem, since you have no warning,” he gently chided. “I assure you that my reaction was only that of surprise, not distaste.” Elijah took her hand gently in his and raised it so he could place a gentle kiss against her knuckles. “You are always welcome.”

“Actually I didn’t come back because of the party, I was already on my way here,” she was long overdue a check in, especially given she had another new cousin since her last visit.

“Nevertheless, it is lovely to see you. I’m sure Elijah will be happy to see you home as well,” she replied with a bit of a smile. “As far as I’m aware nobody from the Mikaelson household was injured apart from little Felicity, although she recovered easily.”

“Actually I didn’t come back because of the party, I was already on my way here,” she was long overdue a check in, especially given she had another new cousin since her last visit.

“I was only joking. Rather ill-humored of me though, I’ll admit.” Gabriel shrugged a bit, though still held up his hands in a mock surrender. “I hope you know I’m glad to see you—especially so given the events of last night.”

“A little perhaps,” she nodded in agreement but didn’t chastise him any further. “And I am glad to see you too, and to find you all safe,” Cosima sighed, “Do you think our family will get dragged into this, whatever it is?”

“Do you often appear so forlorn in the presence of art?”

"Not all art," she glanced at him before looking back at the piece, "But this one seems to contain such longing. It's like I can feel it in my soul,"