'The Originals' season 4: EP teases a huge story arc for Hayley and Elijah's romance

The bulk of everyone's attention may be geared toward how the Mikaelsons will be able to wake up from their deep slumber, but "The Originals" season 4 promises to be juicier than the siblings' road to recovery. Executive producer Michael Narducci previews Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) and Elijah's (Daniel Gillies) tumultuous love affair going through some major milestones.

In an exclusive chit-chat with TVLine, the TV boss talks about the star-crossed lovers' forthcoming fate when the fantastical series comes back on the air. Despite the two clearly having strong feelings for each other, their situation is less than ideal, to say the least, with Hayley sharing a daughter with Klaus (Joseph Morgan) who is Elijah's brother. This, however, gives very interesting dynamics should "The Originals" decide to flesh out the two's running romantic line. Furthermore, the fact that they differ in species also offers a lot of compromises needed in terms of mindset and overall outlook in life.

"These are two people who clearly love each other, even though they have a very complicated situation. Elijah is a thousand-year-old vampire with a sense of honor and dignity, yet he's capable of doing unspeakable things," Narducci explained. "Hayley, despite being a hybrid, has only lived a mortal lifetime, and she has values and ethics that approximate those of a human being. When their family is put in jeopardy, these two people are going to do whatever they have to do to protect each other," he further said.

Needless to say, before their love for each other fully blossoms into something that both of them can enjoy, a multitude of hurdles stand in their way. And while Narducci did not disclose anything specific he hinted that Hayley's association with Elijah and his siblings will pose possible massive repercussions for the both of them.

"The Originals" season 4 is set to premiere on March 17, 2017 on The CW.