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The story will focus on season 1 to the end of season 4 based around the love story of Eric and Sookie. Please take a moment to review; it helps me write when I hear from you guys and thank you in advance. :) PS I am always team Eric. :)

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Sophie Ann's Royal Court

Eric POV

"Eric are you listening to me, it's your turn to throw the dice." Sophia glared me like a child, despite being a six foot four Viking. The players around the board held their breath.

The last time someone held up her Yahtzee game she kicked him into the pool and left the vampire for a week chained among the goldfish.

I grinned at Sophie sheepishly.

"Sorry your majesty, I'm slightly hungry. Also being awake during the day is difficult." It was 2pm and I was feeling the effects of being forced to remain awake during the day rather than rest. The others at the table looked no better than I did; they all had the day bleeds.

Our table had 10 players around the Yahtzee game; all looked tired and hungry.

Sophie was aware what happened to vampires that don't rest or eat and she didn't care. She was having too much fun to stop the game. She only returned to the table an hour ago after sleeping all day. The other players wanted to sleep but she insisted they keep playing while she rested.

Sophie- Ann shrugged showing little interest in our problems.

"You know what's difficult for me sheriff? Terrible food. Without Hadley I would starve to death away from the palace. I don't ask much from my sheriff's. In fact, you all should be grateful I called you. Today is a big day for our little state."

I held my fangs in place as I smelled the royal consort Hadley. The girl has a sweet smell but she also reeked of the queen. Having sloppy seconds from Sophia wasn't appealing. I was hungry but not emaciated, not that the queen would've shared anyway.

I shook the cotton out of my ears to focus on the Queen of Louisiana.

"It's only a year since humans learned of our existence. Other than True Blood we don't have much vampire fast food. "However don't worry, human businesses never turn away a paying customer, they're just worried about backlash. However we do own our own businesses."

Sophia laughed nibbling on the wrist of Hadley, oblivious that her vampire players were suffering. At this point even the snobs at the table would've guzzled True Blood if they had any. However none dare interrupt her game to beg for the Human blood replacement.

Sophia clapped her hands finally deciding to share why she summoned us to her palace.

"I have news that will change things for this state. Eric, I wondered why that backwater swamp Bon Temps tripled its Supernatural population in the past month. I had my witches investigate and turns out a dormant Fae gate cracked and is pouring out Fae Light."

My hunger pangs suddenly went away – along with everyone else's at the table. That's all my town needed, an invasion of Fae Light. The last time that happened I spent a week chasing Fae dust addled vampires all over my territory.

Fae dust is like catnip to vampires, a few drops and all hell breaks loose. That wasn't their only problem; Fae guard their light with extreme prejudice. Everyone at the table knew the implication of a Fae backlash. The last war almost ended the vampires for good.

"Your Majesty I had no idea, I assure you that I'll do all I can to get that gate closed…." I was already mentally drawing up plans to close the gate.

Sophia waved her hand to stop me, "Close it dear boy? It should've closed on its own. A Fae must've jammed it. I ordered my witches to keep it open. I intend to mine it for mystical light."

She ignored the gasps around the tale, "Time works differently in Fae. We can keep the mine open seven years before they notice. We won't get caught, trust me."

I felt Sophia's plan coming together in my mind.

Everyone saw me as a Viking and little else. However I was the only child of Godric and no fool. My master didn't turn me strictly because I'm a Berserker prince but also because of my strategic mind. A fact my father warned me to keep secret.

I grinned at the queen hiding my rapidly racing thoughts, "You're wise as always your majesty. I assume with the gate open you'll raise Area 5 taxes on your supernatural residence?"

For Sophia to interfere with a Fae gate she'd either lost her mind, was desperate or both. Only the people around the table and her closest advisers knew how empty the royal treasury had become. I suspect that's the only reason for Sophia's insane plan; she needed the money to pay her self-inflicted overdue tax bill.

I needed to speak with my Maker Godric. If a 3,000 year old vampire couldn't help me from being dragged into Sophia's agenda, nobody could.

Sophia smiled as she tossed her dice yet again on the table.

"Eric, you read my mind. Effective immediately, raise the price of new residency permits in your area by 300%, the renewal ones by 200%. With an active Fae gate every two-bit voodoo priest and Vampire will want a permit to move to Area 5. We're sitting on a gold mine."

I pretty much knew the wealth of every Vampire in my area, a significant number can't afford the new permits, "My queen, about 25% of the Supernaturals in my area won't be able to afford the new fees. This would drastically change the makeup of my territory."

Sophia rolled her eyes dismissively, "The ones who can't pay can move somewhere else. This is a big state, let them find another hovel to nest in; your area's going upscale Eric."

I bowed my head to Sophia ignoring the blank faces around the table. Everyone was afraid to say what they were all thinking, that Sophia had lost her mind to risk war with the Fae.

A palace official hovering around the edge of the pool cleared his throat and addressed Sophia:

"My queen, it's not my place to question your choices but the Fae aren't friends to Vampires. If you keep the gate open we risk discord where none currently exists."

The queen's eyes turned black as she stared at her middle-aged adviser Andrew. He had served under the last three kings of Louisiana, and was well regarded by everyone who knew him.

Despite the risk Andrew refused to acquiesce. Andrew's loyalty was always to the state. I admired that he always offered his honest advice despite personal risks.

Andrew was the only one in the room who had the diplomatic pedigree to disagree with the queen without being killed. He was alive during the last Fae war, the queen wasn't. Andrew knew pissing of fairies isn't a good idea and was obligated to advise against the mine.

The queen crooked her finger at her hovering guards. Within seconds Andrew was strapped with heated silver chains to a marble statue. The guards choose the statue nearest me knowing I was the least likely to react.

The screaming vampire's mouth was quickly covered in a silver cloth. After that Andrews's cries turned into a muffled whimper.

The queen's son André didn't blink as he accepted the cup of dice with a smirk,

"Andrew was right; he didn't have the right to question the queen."

I stared at Andrew tied to a marble copy of the statue of David. My throat stung from the stench of burning flesh in my nostrils.

Doing my best to sound placid I addressed the queen,

"Your Grace, every moment I remain here is less tax I can bring in for the Crown. I need to get back to Area 5 to activate your new permit fees – if you wish of course my queen."

The queen clapped as she yet again won at the game. A game nobody was ever stupid enough to win against her.

"You may go Eric. Oh! By the way, your Maker is moving back to the state. Godric requested years ago to move here. However the King of Texas wouldn't release him into my service. Frankly I didn't want him around here anyway, so I didn't push the matter."

I bit the inside of my jaw to avoid my fangs appearing.

"May I ask why I wasn't told he wanted to move to our state?" I wanted to live near Godric for decades. I even considered giving up my area to live with my sire in Texas. Godric however refused to let me toss away my raising career.

The queen only shrugged, counting up the score.

"Nobody wants the two oldest vampires in America in one state, it would create an imbalance. However I need someone with his age and experience to run New Orleans. With the gate open I'm no longer a queen of swamp gas; I'm queen of a growing empire."

Trying to avoid looking interested I took my turn on the board. I knew I needed to tread carefully. The king of Texas never did anything unless he got something out of it.

"I assume Texas agreed to exchange Godric for something more valuable than an elder vampire?"

The queen nodded, her smile slightly uneasy.

"I'm sending my procurer Bill Compton to your district to help with their research project as part of the exchange. Here he is now. You'll give him every assistance Eric."

I nodded watching a middle-aged man with jet black hair kneel beside the queen. The queen handed Bill a folded piece of paper on thick cardboard. Bill looked at it for a moment before burning the paper. Gathering his things Bill followed me out the door. The burned sheet contained one name, Sookie Stackhouse.