The afternoon light slanted through tall windows, casting long shadows across the polished wooden floor of the training room.
Sweat dripped from Lucien's brow as he circled his opponent, muscles coiled with tension. Two days of training had taught him caution, if nothing else.
Klaus stood opposite him, one hand casually tucked behind his back, his posture relaxed as if attending a garden party rather than a sparring session. Only his eyes betrayed his focus -ancient, calculating, missing nothing.
"Again," Klaus instructed, raising his right hand with index finger extended. "And this time, perhaps try something I haven't seen in the last millennium."
Lucien drew a steadying breath, channeling the Light Side of the Force to enhance his reflexes.
The energy flowed through him like warm water, heightening his senses and strengthening his muscles without the cold burn of the Dark Side's power.
He launched forward, feinting left before pivoting sharply right. His right leg swept in a low arc aimed at Klaus's ankles while his left palm thrust toward the hybrid's chest - a dual attack designed to force a choice between defenses.
Klaus made no choice at all.
His single extended finger tapped Lucien's wrist with precision, redirecting the palm strike harmlessly past his shoulder. Simultaneously, he lifted his foot mere centimeters above the sweeping kick.
"Telegraphing," Klaus commented, his British accent crisp with amusement. "Your eyes give away your intentions before your body moves."
Unseen by Lucien, Morgana Le Fay materialized beside the windows, her form visible only to Klaus. Her dark hair cascaded over elegant modern attire, eyes sharp with interest as she observed the training.
"Still no death in his power," she commented mentally to Klaus. "Two days now, and not a trace of the destructive essence he used to break your curse."
Klaus maintained his relaxed stance as Lucien regrouped, circling again with measured steps.
"Perhaps it requires proper motivation," Klaus replied silently, never taking his eyes off Lucien.
Lucien attacked again, this time with a flurry of strikes - jabs, crosses, and hooks. His knuckles whistled through the air as he targeted pressure points John Winchester had taught him during countless training sessions.
Klaus's finger became a blur, tapping each strike aside with minimal movement. He didn't block so much as redirect, using Lucien's momentum against him. For every ounce of force Lucien generated, Klaus returned it with maddening efficiency.
Lucien's frustration mounted as another combination failed to land. He shifted tactics, grabbing a wooden training staff from a nearby rack. The weapon extended his reach, whistling through the air as he spun it in practiced arcs.
"Improvisation," Klaus noted with approval. "Good."
The staff became a blur as Lucien channeled the Force through his movements. He attacked high, then low, then thrust directly at Klaus's chest - all within the span of a heartbeat.
Klaus's finger intercepted each strike with precise taps that sent vibrations through the wood. On the final thrust, he redirected the staff's tip into the floor, splintering the hardwood.
"Wasted energy," Klaus critiqued, gesturing to the damaged floor. "Power without control accomplishes nothing except property damage."
Lucien yanked the staff free, breathing heavily. Sweat soaked his t-shirt, while Klaus remained pristine, not a single hair out of place.
"He's holding back," Morgana noted, circling the pair with ghostly steps. "Using only "Life", as you call it. Where is the destroyer we saw? The power that unmade your mother's curse?"
"Let's find out," Klaus replied mentally.
"Your father taught you well," Klaus said aloud, his tone conversational. "John Winchester - soldier, hunter, absent father. Tell me, did he spend as much time teaching Sam and Dean, or were they simply more important?"
Lucien's jaw tightened, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he launched into another attack, this time incorporating the environment. He vaulted over a training bench, using the height advantage to bring the staff down toward Klaus's shoulder.
Klaus's finger met the descending staff, somehow halting its momentum entirely. The wood creaked under the opposing forces.
"Nothing," Morgana commented. "Not even a flicker of that death energy. Curious."
Klaus applied slight pressure with his finger, sending Lucien stumbling backward. The boy recovered quickly, using the Force to stabilize his landing.
"Your control is improving," Klaus acknowledged. "Yesterday you would have fallen."
Lucien wiped sweat from his brow, studying Klaus for any sign of weakness.
There was none.
The Original Hybrid stood as relaxed as ever, finger still extended, expression mildly interested at best.
Changing tactics again, Lucien abandoned the staff and moved to the shadows cast by the afternoon sun. He used the light-dark contrast to mask his movements, darting between patches of shadow while launching quick strikes from changing angles.
"Clever," Morgana commented. "Using the environment. He's adaptable."
Klaus merely adjusted his position slightly, his finger finding Lucien's attacks with unerring accuracy despite the visual deception. Each time, he redirected rather than blocked, conserving energy while Lucien expended it.
"I wonder," Klaus mused silently to Morgana, "if he's truly a hybrid like me - a being of dualities. Light and dark, creation and destruction."
"If so, he'd be the first of his kind I've encountered in fifteen centuries," Morgana replied. "Even the old gods weren't truly balanced - they always leaned toward one aspect or the other."
Klaus decided to test his theory further. "Your mother," he remarked casually. "With you now gone, absent, having run away, do you think she actually worries for you, or is she actually deep down relieved?"
Lucien's rhythm faltered briefly, but he maintained his focus, refusing to tap into anger or fear. He launched into a spinning kick that would have impressed most opponents, his leg cut through the air with - fast.
Klaus's finger touched Lucien's ankle mid-spin, redirecting his entire body into a controlled fall. Lucien rolled with the momentum, coming up in a defensive stance.
"Nothing," Morgana confirmed. "Not even when you provoke him about his mother. Is it perhaps not dependent on his emotions? Or does he just have that much control over them?"
"Quite fascinating. I can not wait to understand it." Klaus replied mentally.
The training continued for another hour, Lucien attempting increasingly creative combinations while Klaus countered each with minimal effort.
Throughout, Klaus continued his subtle provocations, testing for any sign of the destructive power they'd witnessed during the curse-breaking.
None appeared. Lucien remained firmly anchored in the Light Side, his power flowing smoothly, without the pure destruction that Klaus had sensed that day.
Lucien himself has chosen to do this, because he dislikes using the Dark Side when it is not a true battle, as well as feeling that he has been relying on it, too much, these days.
Finally, Klaus raised his hand, signaling a pause. "Enough for now," he said. "You've improved. Ten minutes longer than yesterday before your form began to deteriorate."
Servants entered with water, which Lucien accepted gratefully. He sank to the floor, back against the wall, breathing heavily as he drank.
Klaus observed him with interest, noting the increased stamina and improved recovery time. The boy was adapting quickly.
Katherine appeared briefly in the doorway, her eyes finding Lucien immediately. Her concern was evident, though she tried to mask it with casual indifference.
"He's fine, Katerina," Klaus said without looking at her. "Run along. We're not finished."
Katherine hesitated, clearly wanting to check on Lucien, but Klaus's dismissive wave sent her retreating reluctantly down the hallway.
"She's completely devoted to him," Morgana observed. "I've never seen Katherine Pierce care about anyone but herself."
"People change," Klaus replied mentally. "Even after five centuries."
As Lucien recovered, Klaus maintained his distance, arms crossed as he studied the boy. Something about Lucien's power continued to elude him - a missing piece to the puzzle.
"Perhaps he truly is something new," Morgana suggested, circling Lucien with curious eyes. "Not just a hybrid like you - vampire and werewolf - but something more fundamental. Creation and destruction, life and death, light and darkness."
A small smile touched Klaus's lips. "How poetic."
"You must be pleased," Morgana continued, a teasing note entering her mental voice. "Two days ago, we thought the similarity between you and your new son ended with shared experiences. Now it seems you're alike in nature as well - both hybrids of normally opposing forces."
Klaus didn't respond, but his expression shifted slightly - thoughtful, calculating.
Lucien finished his water, setting the bottle aside as he pushed himself to his feet. His muscles ached, but the Force allowed him to push through the fatigue.
He'd learned much in two days, though mostly about Klaus's fighting style rather than actual techniques.
"Ready to continue?" Klaus asked.
Lucien nodded, resuming his stance.
"This time," Klaus said, "your objective is simple. Touch me. Once. Anywhere." He raised his finger again. "I'll continue using only this."
Lucien knew the challenge was nearly impossible, but he welcomed it. Every attempt taught him something new about Klaus's reflexes and patterns, knowledge he might eventually use to escape.
He circled again, this time moving with deliberate slowness. If speed wouldn't work, perhaps patience would. He feinted, watching Klaus's minute reactions, cataloging them for the future.
Klaus remained motionless except for his eyes, which tracked Lucien's movements.
Lucien struck suddenly - not at Klaus but at a weapons rack behind him. The Force pushed the rack over, sending swords and daggers clattering across the floor toward Klaus's back.
Without turning, Klaus sidestepped the falling weapons. His finger remained pointed at Lucien, his expression one of mild disappointment.
"Indirect attacks. Better, but predictable."
Lucien didn't waste breath responding. He was already moving, using the momentary distraction to close distance.
His palm shot toward Klaus's chest while his foot hooked behind the hybrid's ankle - a combination designed to unbalance him.
Klaus's finger touched Lucien's wrist, redirecting the palm strike. He shifted his weight slightly, avoiding the ankle hook without appearing to move at all.
"Closer," he acknowledged. "Your timing is improving."
Frustration mounted in Lucien's chest. He'd been at this for two days with nothing to show for it except bruises and wounded pride.
The Dark Side called to him, promising power enough to wipe the smug expression from Klaus's face.
He rejected it firmly.
Using the Dark Side wouldn't let him improve - and he wanted to improve. He mustn't get unbalanced. He must get out of whatever situation he is in, good or bad, a benefit.
Instead, he channeled his frustration into focus, analyzing the training room for advantages. The afternoon sun had shifted, casting different shadows.
The fallen weapons provided obstacles Klaus would need to navigate. The damaged floor created uneven terrain.
Lucien launched into his most complex attack yet - a series of strikes flowing into kicks, incorporating fallen weapons as obstacles and using the sunlight to obscure his movements.
He moved with precision, each movement flowing into the next without wasting motion.
For a brief moment, Klaus's expression changed - a flicker of genuine interest replacing his usual boredom. His finger moved slightly faster to counter the improved assault.
"There," Morgana said suddenly. "Did you feel that? A momentary spike in his energy."
Klaus had indeed felt it - a brief surge in Lucien's power, not quite the destructive force he'd witnessed during the curse-breaking, but something still more intense than before.
The exchange continued, Lucien's attacks growing more sophisticated as he adapted to Klaus's counters.
For nearly ten minutes, they engaged in a deadly dance - Lucien attacking with everything he had, Klaus defending casually, but still precisely.
Finally, Lucien attempted his most daring move yet.
He feinted left, then right, then launched himself into a spinning attack that incorporated everything he'd learned about Klaus's defensive patterns.
Klaus's finger moved to intercept, but Lucien had anticipated this. At the last possible moment, he altered his trajectory using the Force, his hand passing mere centimeters from Klaus's shoulder.
For the first time in their training, Klaus shifted his weight - a small adjustment, barely perceptible, but a concession nonetheless. His finger still intercepted Lucien's attack, but the boy had forced him to move.
"Enough," Klaus declared, lowering his hand. His expression revealed nothing, but Morgana's knowing smile suggested she'd caught his momentary adjustment.
"You're learning," Klaus acknowledged. "Not quickly enough to matter, but learning nonetheless."
Lucien stood breathing heavily, sweat dripping onto the floor. His muscles trembled with exhaustion, but satisfaction bloomed in his chest.
He'd forced Klaus to adjust - a microscopic victory, but a victory nonetheless.
"We're done for today," Klaus announced.
Klaus turned to leave, apparently finished with his son/student for the day.
Lucien collapsed to the floor, legs finally giving out as the adrenaline ebbed. He reached for another water bottle, gulping it down as his body began cataloging various aches and pains.
As Lucien sat on the training room floor, drinking water and catching his breath, he began thinking about everything, his training, the breakfasts, dinners, how Klaus treated him and the like.
That question still eluded him: 'Why does Klaus Mikaelson want him as his son?'
'If he wants to use me, does he really need to go about it in such a roundabout way? Is that even in Klaus's character with how much pride he takes in his family, no matter how much he denies it?' While thinking this, Lucien's hand around his water bottle clenched harder, compressing it, as frustration mounted.
'What the hell is his deal? What does he WANT?'
Suddenly, a... realization began forming in his mind.
'Wait... Want. Want...Want... He wants a... son...'
What if Klaus's motivation was simpler than he'd imagined? What if the fearsome Original Hybrid, for all his power and cruelty, simply wanted what had been denied him for a thousand years - a son of his own?
Vampires couldn't procreate.
Klaus came from an era where lineage and legacy were everything.
Though he'd most definitely tried convincing himself children didn't matter, perhaps meeting him, seeing the similarities between them - had... rekindled that want.
"Rest well," Klaus said, moving toward the door. "Your recovery time is improving, but you'll need sleep to consolidate today's lessons."
As Klaus reached the doorway, Lucien called out, "Wait."
Klaus paused, turning slightly. "Yes?"
Lucien kept his head down, sweat-dampened hair obscuring his face.
What he needed to say felt too raw... Too emotional to deliver towards someone that was basically a stranger with eye contact.
"You don't need to do this, you know," he said quietly.
Klaus turned fully, confusion evident in his expression. "Need to do what?"
Lucien was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Then he sighed. "I think I understand why you took me in like this."
Klaus crossed his arms, amusement replacing confusion. "Oh? And what would that be?" His tone suggested he believed Lucien was attempting another angle to secure his freedom - like he's done countless times since this all began.
"You want a son," Lucien stated simply, still not looking up.
Klaus tilted his head slightly. "That's rather obvious, isn't it? Why else would I declare you my son henceforth?"
Lucien shook his head. "No," he said, finally raising his gaze to meet Klaus's directly. "You want your own son. One that actually has your blood flowing through their veins."
Something shifted in Klaus's expression - a momentary stillness that suggested Lucien's words had struck deeper than intended.
Before Klaus could respond, Lucien continued, "You can do that now."
"What?" Klaus asked, the single word barely audible.
Lucien rose to his feet, approaching until he stood just two long steps away from Klaus. He met the hybrid's gaze steadily.
"The contract," Lucien explained. "Our deal was that I would break all curses you find to your detriment. The contract was a good guide - it allowed me to sense what you found detrimental and what you didn't."
Klaus remained silent, his expression unreadable.
"Normally, as a hybrid," Lucien continued, "you actually already can have children. I can sense a natural amount of life force inside you - your own, not from feeding. It isn't enough to sustain you without human blood, but it does give you the inherent capability to create a child from a piece of your own life force."
Lucien scratched his head awkwardly. "Your mother put a secondary curse on you that made you incapable of having children. She didn't make it an inherent part of vampirism, so I... broke it."
Klaus remained perfectly still, his eyes never leaving Lucien's face.
"What confused me though," Lucien added, "was that the contract didn't categorize the curse preventing you from having children as detrimental to you.
Still, I sensed what it was doing and realized that destroying that curse would grant you more capability rather than taking capability away.
That's not weakening you - not a detriment - so the contract allowed me to destroy it despite not specifically including it."
Lucien suddenly realized he was rambling and stopped abruptly. "Anyway," he said, "you can have children of your own now - a son of your own. You don't need me. Just let me go. You don't need to protect me."
Throughout Lucien's explanation, Klaus had remained utterly silent. Now, without a word, he turned away, his back to Lucien.
"Go," he ordered.
Lucien frowned, confused by the reaction. "Don't you understand? You can-"
Klaus's fist clenched suddenly, his hand trembling slightly before tightening.
Lucien's eyes went wide as the movement, created a wave of air that tore through the training room like a physical force.
The weapons rack shattered against the wall.
Training dummies toppled like dominoes.
The cabinet across the room splintered, glass bottles inside rattling but miraculously remaining intact.
Lucien would have been thrown backward if he hadn't instinctively enhanced his stability with the Force.
"Go," Klaus repeated, still not turning around. "I won't say it again."
Confusion and concern warred in Lucien's mind, but he recognized the danger in how Klaus's was acting, and didn't want to test it out despite the contract.
Slowly, he backed toward the door, then turned and walked away. His footsteps faded down the hallway, leaving Klaus alone in the damaged training room.
Or seemingly alone.
Morgana materialized fully behind Klaus, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace. For a long moment, she said nothing, simply holding him as he stared at the opposite wall.
"He doesn't understand what he's done," she finally murmured, her voice soft with wonder. "What kind of gift he's given you. Selflessly. Without it even being part of your contract."
Klaus laughed humorlessly, stepping out of her embrace to retrieve a bottle from the damaged cabinet. He poured himself a generous measure, downing it in one swallow.
"The brat is of the selfless kind. The ones people call, 'heroes,'" he observed, refilling his glass. "A kind fool - as I call them."
He moved to the couch against the wall, sinking onto it with uncharacteristic heaviness. He remained silent for a long moment as he just watched the whiskey swirl inside his glass.
"He surely knows from Katerina how I value my family. Even if she sees me as nothing but a control freak monster - which I am, I don't deny that - he should know from her how Rebekah and the rest have always wanted children of their own. Rebekah being the most vocal about it, of course."
Klaus swirled the amber liquid in his glass. "And yet, he didn't even try to use that as a bargaining chip. He didn't offer to grant this ability to my siblings in exchange for his freedom - something I could use to control Bekah and the others."
He took another drink. "And with how selfless he is, I wouldn't be surprised if he's already planning to give that ability to the rest of them anyway."
Morgana settled beside him on the couch, leaning her head against his shoulder. "The boy has quite the empathy toward us, despite seeing us as monsters - things he's supposed to hunt."
"Probably because of his ability to sense emotions, no matter whose they are," Klaus agreed.
After a long moment of silence, "You know," Morgana began thoughtfully, "the reason it wasn't part of your contract - that not being able to have children wasn't considered detrimental to you - is probably because you've forced yourself not to even think about it for so long.
It's not something you actively want deep down, because you don't allow yourself to think about it at all."
Klaus didn't respond, neither confirming nor denying, just staring into his glass.
Morgana watched him drink, a small smile playing at her lips.
The boy didn't understand the invaluable gift he had given - one worth more than mountains of gold.
------------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
Do tell me how you found it.
So yeah, Klaus now, knows he can have kids.
This time it isn't through accidentally impregnating someone...
So... yeah, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)