A/N: Oh. Em. Geeeeee! I cannot believe this story came from out of nowhere. I was literally on a pee break from my other story and this thing just diarrhead itself into my brain. So, this is totally different for me, this bizarro new universe I made up and writing in first person. Sorry, if you notice me lapse out of wrong tense (she/me/I) and sorry for any typos and shenanigans, I have no beta and it's late. I am really hoping I don't screw myself for the path of the rest of the story with this first chapter. I change course a lot, so we'll see. Anyoo-thanks for following along, let me know what you think. Oh and this is rated M for potty mouth and later lemon time, so you know what to do if you don't like that kind of thing. Charlain-adaina-dingdong owns all the familiar characters. Love you *blows air kisses and plays spoons on one knee while tweedling my moustache.

Chapter 1

"Harder, Sookie!"

"I'm trying, jackass! Stop moving around so much!"

"Well, if you can't make me stop, then it's pretty clear you suck. Why am I even bothering?" Kvelin dropped his hands from their guarding position, removed his mouth guard and turned a sweaty back to me. Shaking his head in disappointment, "All that training, wasted..."

I flew at him, intending to take him by surprise, but of course, that was a FAIL. He was ready for me, as usual. He pushed me off, tossing me like a rag doll against the far wall of the gym. I didn't let that deter me, set him in my sights, threw myself toward him in a somersault, then popped away only to pop back behind him, where I swept his legs out from under him. Pointing my sword at his neck, "You were saying?"

He smirked at me, then disappeared, but I anticipated his sudden appearance behind me and leapt straight up, narrowly avoiding his own leg sweep. On my way down I gave him an elbow to the gut and a head butt, effectively ending this round.

Shaking his head, looking a little dazed I thought, with no small amount of cockiness, "Fuck. About time. But why is it, every time you finally best me, it's only when I've driven you to your boiling point with anger?"

"What can I say?" I snarked at him, and threw a water bottle at his head at 30 miles an hour, which, he of course, caught. "I need a little fire in my loins to get me going." I waggled my eyebrows at him and took a chug of my own water, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"If only I knew." He said, only half joking. "Not for lack of trying, Sookie."

I immediately felt bad for teasing him that way. Poor guy-he had definitely tried. Again and again. He just didn't get the home fires burning, so to speak. I was beyond thinking something was broken in me because of it. He was about 6'2", blonde and blue-eyed and built like a badass. Every woman within a ten mile radius of his gaze fell at his feet.

I recalled the first moment I saw him, when Great-Grandfather had sent me to train with him. Initially like most women with a pulse, I was in awe of his raw sex appeal. But it ended there. He somehow fell into some brotherly friend zone and it was over. I even forced the issue and did finally give in to his repeated requests for a date. I tried to get into the make out session that followed, I really did. God knows he was a really good kisser. Probably a phenomenal one, if I had felt anything. But I didn't.

Thinking about it now, a blush crept into my cheeks. "Sorry, Kvelin."

He waved a hand at me and faked a hurt look. "It's fine, Sookie. I know my place in life. Just a lowly Britlingen, training the Great Princess Brigant-"

I cut him off with a quickness "-Foof! Don't even start that shit! Because I sooo act like a pretty little princess-"

He cut me off now "-I never said pretty." He quickly dodged the dagger I threw at him. He bent over to pull it out of the floor where he'd been sitting seconds earlier.

"See? Anger. It's what brings out your inner warrior when you fight. So, I guess when the real deal hits and you have to defend yourself or your family or kingdom, you better have a shit ton of angry thoughts stashed away. If you plan on surviving, I mean. Otherwise, you can resign yourself to be some Supe slave whore, or even better, drained on the spot by some vampire asshole, all cracked up on your smell."

I shot him a look that could melt stone. The truth hurt. Before I could fire off another snarky retort, we were interrupted.

"Hey flunkies, fighting again?" Came the always chipper, always obnoxiously sing-song voice.

I sighed, though I was glad to see my friend and cousin who was, simultaneously, my biggest supporter and torturer. "No, Celighn. Kvelin was just up to his usual douche antics."

"Aww, Sookie. Did he have the audacity to try to talk sense into you, again? Shame, shame Kvelin." She shook her head at him, her flame mop of curls bobbing.

I had to bite my lip at his expression. Lately, whenever she came around, he seemed to turn into mush. Lately meaning ever since two weeks ago, when she had beat my ass and mopped the floor with me in sword practice. Guess we know what floats his boat, I snickered to myself.

"Have something to say there, Lassy?" She was cocking an eyebrow at me, as though, she were the telepath.

"Me? Never." Kvelin snorted. "So, what brings you out to our smelly little piece of the palace, your highness? You here to kick my ass again?" I said, with bite. I might not be the best fighter among the three of us here, but I was very competitive. The fact that my own cousin, though pretty far removed, a princess in her own right, had kicked my butt, in front of witnesses really burned me up. Despite my royal title, I never liked to fall into the royalty stuff. I was just plain old Sookie Stackhouse Brigant.

I considered myself an outsider, though I'd lived here among family, of sorts, longer than in the human realm, for sure. My great-grandfather brought me here after my parents died after the Water Fae killed them. "To protect me", as if I had a choice, at that age. I always thought I might have liked life better being raised human, by my Gran, I thought with sorrow. Niall had let me stay in contact with her all those years, so when she passed last year, I felt a true and deep loss. But, like she used to tell me, I would probably have hated being raised in their world. I was part fae and telepathic and that surely could have been torturous to grow up into. Kids, and adults, sadly, always pick on those that are different. Especially in that back water hole she lived in. Sorry, Gran, no offense, I thought quickly, but that place was filled with nothing but people missing a few chromosomes.

"Sookie...Hello? You there?" Celighn was snapping her fingers at me.

"Sorry, I was thinking...about Gran."

"Aw, there now. She really was a sweet lady and I know you miss her so." How did everything she said sound so damned lovely. It was that Irish brogue. She could tell you to poo in a cup and it would sound like she was singing you a song.

"But, that brings me to why I came down here. Your great grandfather wants to see you."

"Now? But I'm all sweaty."

"Come on now. No sass. He's in his office, so not many will see you. Except for Preston." She leered at me.

"Ugh. No thanks."

She and Kvelin laughed heartily at my discomfort. That guy was like a dog in heat. He never relented. Every time I turned around, and even when I didn't, he was there. Stalking. Even when I had beaten him in practice sparring. Four times. I shivered, thinking of my grandfather's skeevy steward. The only reason he was around was because he was actually decent at his job. Which was good for a male fairy. Most thought they were too good for any menial work, reference my cousin Claude. That and he was the grandchild of some powerful someone or another who Niall owed a favor to. So, he was permanent, but I refused to take his shit.

"Let's get this over with. Same time tomorrow? I asked Kvelin

"Same time, same place kid. It was nice seeing you, Celighn." He mooned at her.

"Maybe I'll have to come out again tomorrow to catch you in a bit o' action, then. Bye now, Kvelin." She winked at him, then waved coyly as we took hands and popped over to see great-grandad.


*Pop

Niall looked up from his desk at our arrival.

"Granddaughter. You look well. How was your practice? Kvelin is teaching you all there is to know about Their ways of battle, I hope?" He kissed my cheek.

Celighn snorted. What was it with me being surrounded by a bunch of smart asses?

"Yes, Grandfather Niall. How are you?" I asked out of politeness since I already knew he had something weighing very heavily on his mind. While I couldn't read all Supes 100% like I could humans, I could still pick up images and stray thoughts to get a general gist. At least from my family and people around me all the time. Though, the things I was picking up from him made no sense to me.

"I am...fair this day." He ran a hand behind his neck-that was his tell. He always did that when he was dealing with anything stressful.

"What's the matter? I know you're upset. Sit and tell me." I guided him back to his seat and scooted a smaller chair up to face him, while Celighn took the seat further away, across the other side of his desk. Hmm, that was suspicious.

He was quiet for a bit. He absent-mindedly patted my hand in my lap. While I waited, I looked around-no trace of Preston. Whew. A few more minutes of silence.

"Come, Grandfather, out with it. And no Fairy riddles, please."

He smiled at my impatience and audacity. Not many spoke to The Prince with such insolence. Only his grandchildren, and never in public. But he always joked that I was the most impudent of all of his grandchildren and he was going to leave me with my Gran for some discipline "befitting my brattiness". In fact, that's what my cousin, Claude, called me, Your Royal Brattiness.

"Sookie. You know, when your parents and brother were killed, everyone in our world thought you died with them. But Fintan knew you lived. He sent me for you. I came to you, to bring you back here, out of obligation to my son. I did not know you, I had no emotional ties to you. The few Royal Advisers I kept in extreme confidence knew of you, were adamant you not be brought back here. All the dissension about our worlds mixing and hybrids, etc. that was going on at the time...you understand, it did not bode well. When I arrived, you were in Adele's care. She did not want me to take you and you definitely did not want to come with me. I spent hours convincing her why you would be safest with me. Breandan" he practically spit out the name "would have hunt you down tirelessly. You would never have made it to see your next birthday. And you would have not been able to further your powers the way you have here." He trailed off for a moment.

"It's okay, Grandfather, I understand and appreciate what you did bringing me here. I feel honored. Why do you sound apologetic for it?"

"When I brought you here, I'm not sure you remember it, but I had to hide you for a time. We always made it a fun game. Your cousins and I and Muriel cared for you and when it was time to hide, we played hide and seek and other games till you could come out again." I nodded with a small smile, having some vague memories of that time.

"No one knew why a hybrid of our blood would be here, and no one knew where you came from, since Fintan's children and grandchildren had been assumed killed. So, we made up a story about you being a half-blood hybrid on Celighn's side. So you would still be royalty, just not of Fintan's blood, so that hopefully word would not get to Breandon or his minions. Well, that turned out to not be much better of a cover story since you were still of mixed species, but at least we didn't have to worry about him coming after you right away. Your presence still, however, upset many here. Those who were so dismayed, worried it would start an all out war with the Water Fae, that many of them went to The Council. I had to go before them and plead your, our case. I had to tell them of your telepathy, present you as a benefit to us. One we could train for our side."

While that stung, it didn't surprise me all that much. One thing I'd learned in the Supe world, everyone had an angle, nothing was always as it seemed. But I knew there was more he had yet to say.

"After much debate and investigation, I was able to keep you here, obviously, but there was one stipulation."

I steeled myself for whatever was coming next.

"When the time came, you had a duty to serve as an...emissary for us. Or a spy using your telepathy. Or a fighter. Whatever position in which you could most benefit us. I made that promise, back then as I really did not have the emotional ties I now have to you. I felt obligated to help you, but you were still a stranger to me at that time. It was easy to do before I came to love you as the one of my own that you have become. I have never wished so much that I had the power to turn back time and take that promise back."

Ignoring the last few emotional sentences, I chose to stick to the business aspect. "Let me guess. The time has come."

He nodded guiltily. His shoulders slumped a little and he looked like anything but a Prince right now.

I swallowed and took a deep, theoretically, calming breath. Though I did not feel calm. I looked over at Celighn. Her face was neutral, though the guilt was coming off her in waves, too. Great. So, eveyone knew but me.

Before I had too much time to think, I pushed forward. I wanted to know everything I was up against all at once. Through clenched teeth, "What is my...assignment?"

I felt the fear and dread flying at me from both my dear kin, "You have to infiltrate the jurisdiction of the Vampire in Area 5."

I stared back at him, my mouth open. "I see. And do what, exactly? Offer myself up as a Vestal Virgin oh and by the way, have any secrets that will help my kinfolk before you fuck and drain me?!" My voice had increasingly gone up several octaves until I reached almost shrieking. I paced. "Why? Why now, why that area, those particular...vampire?" I spat. "What am I to learn? How can I possibly help?"

Niall came to me and tried to touch me, but I shrugged him off and moved further away to continue my pacing. He sighed and sat back down, watching me.

"As you know, factions in the Water Fae are getting restless and spoiling for a fight. Breandan's militant and obsessive ways have driven most of them mad. To the point where they are mere shadows of the race they once were. Though we have never been at full peace with them, many of us, on both sides, respected each other. He has made them lead a Spartan existence, denied them any happiness and those who used to think with clear heads and some sense of reason, are now clouded with hatred and bloodlust. Since most of the Supe world wants nothing to do with our infighting, they have had a hard time building enough force to attack us. Until recently, or so I fear. Sources have told me that he is seeking outside help from one source that puts fear into all of us. He has been seen meeting with the Sheriff of Area 5 in an effort to curry favor, get him involved, or spreading lies, for all we know. We aren't sure. It has not been just one meeting, it's been three. I know this Sheriff enough to know he does not waste time entertaining, out of mere politeness. If he is meeting with him, he wants something from him. Breandan is offering him something, in one way or another, that would make it worth his time to get involved."

The door flung open and in came Claudine, Claude and, fucking joy, Preston.

"Are you okay, Sookie? Preton summoned us when he heard you-"

"Stop!" I held my hand up in a halting gesture. "Sit down and hear what's new in my life, Cousins. It's great-I'm finally fulfilling my destiny: being a Fairy Mata Hari Vampire popsicle for information I may or may not be able to get, before I'm killed by said vampires." You could have heard a mouse fart as my Gran would have said.

They sat down, without a word. Shocker. They probably also knew. "Preston. Get out, or I will kill you where you stand." He slunk out of the room and took up a position on the other side of the door to eavesdrop. I marched over to the door and threw it open to see his shocked face, right before I put my fist in it.

Before I could continue any further, Niall interrupted. "Sookie, enough! Do not take your anger for me out on the boy."

Boy, my ass. If he was old enough to try to peek in on my baths, he was old enough to get his ass beat. But he was right. For right now, my fight was not with this simpering little terd. I gave him a hard look before I slammed the door in his face.

My traitor great-grandfather cleared his throat. Now he was pacing. "Continuing on. This Vampire, I know him. I have fought with him in other Supe wars, if you believe that. He is...an honorable man, for his kind."

I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. My great-grandfather, the Prince Niall Brigant of the Sky Fae, the man who had spent twenty years training me, and having me trained to know my enemies, at which the top of the list contained the all time biggest threat-Vampires!, was telling me he knew one to be honorable. Uhmm...what?

A small smile crept across his face, chagrin, really and he held his hand up. "I know, I know. I have always told you they are our ultimate enemy. They will drain you, rape you without the bat of an eyelash and that is true. Almost all of them would. But as I've said, I have been around long enough to learn that there are a few people in every species of Supe, that I have come to at least respect. He is one. Understand, I couldn't very well train you to the best of your abilities, only to tell you to make sure to look out for the one or two 'good guys', so to speak. Unfortunately, in our world of Fairy versus Vamp, it will always be safer and wiser to kill first, without hesitation. They would never afford you the luxury of getting to know you first, I assure you." He leaned against the desk. He looked tired. And that was rare.

"But back to the Sheriff. I am not saying trust him implicitly. I am saying he is reputable enough to wonder why he is consorting with the likes of Breandan. And that, my dear, is where I, no, we need your help. Whether that be through telepathy, torture, your feminine wiles-it does not matter how. We just need to know if Breandan is planning an attack and if the Vampire intends to assist him. Please, Sookie" his eyes implored, as he came over to grab my hands, "Please know I would go on my own, if I had not made this vow to The Council. I did approach them, asking for a reprieve, that I or someone else, go in your stead. But as the least fae blood of us all, I was denied my request. They commanded me to send you. I cannot go against them on this."

His voice broke, and as angry, shocked and hurt as I was, I couldn't hate him. That was a long time ago. Who doesn't change and adapt their feelings for another over time? How was he to know any of this would come to pass so soon, or in this manner, or that he would love me as much as he did?

I sighed, feeling most of the anger leave me, at least for the time.

Not sure at all why I asked this next question, or why it even remotely mattered, but I wanted to know this respected enemy that I had to infiltrate. It made it seem more real, more attainable to give him a name. "Grandfather, what is his name, this Sheriff?"

"Eric Northman."