Inspired by The Witches and The Witches of East End. Sookie Stackhouse just inherited a house with many treasures inside. One in particular is a painting of a beautiful man, who owned the house originally. As Sookie discovers the mysteries of her family and herself, she also discovers that the painting changes from time to time. How is that possible? Eric/Sookie story.
Characters owned by Charlene Harris and Alan Ball
The Living Painting
Sookie Stackhouse was driving down an dirt path road, which should lead to her an old mansion that hasn't been occupied for eight years. She usually loved storms and hear the sounds of thunder, but when you're driving in an area that you're unfamiliar with, it just makes it irritable. Ever since she was ten, Sookie has been alone. She's been an orphan sense her parents died in a car crash when she was three. Then her beloved Gran took care of her until she passed away when Sookie was ten. That's all she remembered was Gran. She was too young to memorize her parents.
Now she's eighteen and free from the orphanage and everything that belonged to her Gran, now belongs to her. She has a meeting with the lawyer, to sign paperwork of the house and extra treasures that comes with it. Despite there's no one in the family to give her love or a warm greeting, she was full of relief that she has a house to go to.
This drive to the mansion was a little creepy for Sookie's taste. There were a line of old trees on both sides of the dirt road. There were endless thickness of woods, where she felt like there's danger there. 'Well that's what you get for being in Louisiana in the end of Summer.' she thought to herself. Even though the road was completely straight and no turns anywhere, she looked on the map just in case she was going in the right direction. The map confirmed that she was going in the right direction. Trying to get the creepiness out of her mind, she tried to put on the radio. There was nothing but static. "Ugh! I really am in the middle of nowhere! The best part is I'm probably going to get murdered by an serial killer who lives out here in the woods!" she screamed out.
After her scream of frustration she finally saw a sign that gave her relief, NORTHMAN MANOR THREE MILES AHEAD. "Finally! Thank the Lord I'm close. She drove for the next three miles as the sign said. There she spotted a beautiful iron tall designed gate that went around the mansion that she was driving to. There stood another car outside the gate. "That must be the lawyer."
Sookie saw a suited man get out the car with an umbrella and went to her car. Sookie pressed the window button down enough for him to talk through but not low enough for the rain to come in. "Are you Ms. Sookie Stackhouse?"
"That'll be me." she answered sincerely.
"I'm Mr. Cataliades, your Gran's lawyer. I'm going to open the gate and you'll just drive through." Sookie nodded. She waited for him to open the gate. Which was the old fashioned way, an old padlock and a fancy key to open it. Sookie drove straight through and followed the drive way that lead to the house.
Sookie looked at the manor in amazement. As far what she can tell through her car and through the pouring rain. She felt like the rain wasn't going to stop anytime soon, so she immediately got out of the car and ran to the front of the door. Luckily there was a cover on top for her to stand dryly. As she waited, Mr. Cataliades got out his car again and went to the door to meet up with her.
"It's been raining all day!" Sookie commented.
"Yes mam, that's part of being the end of the summer season of Louisiana. We're lucky that a hurricane hasn't hit us yet this year!"
"Hurricanes?" Sookie panicked a little.
"You're not from around here are you?" Mr. Cataliades noticed as he tried to find the front door key to the house from his huge collection of keys from the key ringer.
"No. The orphanage I was sent to was in Pennsylvania. I was born here though." Sookie looked at the key ring full of keys that Mr. Cataliades was holding as he was opening the door to the manor. "Are all of those keys for the house?"
"Yes, they are." As the door opened, they both stepped inside. "Now just so you know this is a double door entrance, but you can only open one door first and then unlatch the lock from the inside so the second door can open too." Sookie nodded and started looking at the inside of her new home. From what she can tell, the house was amazing. It was a work of art from a mixture of the renaissance style with a bit of a Viking knot work around all the edges of the house. It was a mix of stone and wood throughout the place. The place was furnished, but everything was bubble wrapped or covered with a sheet to protect the item or furniture. Mr. Cataliades turned on the lights, that brightened the room, which chased away the chill factor. Sookie can tell that the electricity was installed later after the house was built.
Mr. Cataliades decided to give out the details of the house. "The place has three floors, it has forty-five rooms, ten bathrooms, a large attic, a wine cellar along with the basement, it has a pool..."
"A pool?!" Sookie shrieked with excitement. "Sorry, please continue...I just never been in a pool before."
Mr. Cataliades smiled. "As I was saying, a pool, several fire places, a very large library, and there's a room with artifacts and treasures inside. Each room in the house has a key for you to lock or unlock the doors." He gave her the collection of keys, which must have at least fifty keys. Sookie thought 'How am I going to remember each key for which door?' Luckily Mr. Cataliades answered her question, each key has a number that matches the door's number."
"Now Ms. Stackhouse some of the rooms have been used frequently by your grandmother. Other rooms have not been opened for the longest periods of time."
Sookie was already curious about the secrets of the house. She was sure that there was plenty of them. "How come?"
"We can't find the keys to them and your grandmother refused to have the locks changed. She felt like she was changing history with the house."
"It does sound like her, from what I remember." Sookie remembered her Gran was a major history buff. She'll do anything to protect it. Sookie sort of remembered this house, but it was such a blur. Everything felt like she was seeing this for the first time.
"Now everything in the house now belongs to you. Your grandmother wanted me to give this items and instructions to you personally."
"My Gran is actually giving me instructions beyond the grave?" Sookie gave a little laugh.
"Here's a personal letter from her before she died." He handed her the envelope. "Then she left 1.2 million dollars to you between her savings and her life insurance. she wanted to make sure you were covered to help you with your life." Sookie's mouth was hanging open in surprise. She knew she can totally start a whole new life comfortably within this house and the money her Gran left her. "There's also two books she wanted to give you." He handed her two huge leather old books. Sookie was going to look at those later.
"That's it?" Sookie wanted to make sure that he gave her everything.
"Also this necklace." Mr. Cataliades took out a beautiful amber amulet necklace that had shaped like a crescent moon.
"Wow, this is beautiful!" Sookie putted on the necklace and went to the closest mirror she could find. As she looked, it gave off sparkles, that made it seem magical. Sookie loved it.
"Now, let's sign the papers!" Mr. Cataliades said excitedly.
Then something caught Sookie's eye from the reflection of the mirror. Right above the fire place by what's supposed to be the living room... is a painting. Sookie turned around and walked over to it. It was the only painting uncovered. She looked at it with wonder. There in the painting was a very handsome man sitting in his chair with both of hands touching each other, like he's thinking real hard. He was so beautiful that her heart ached and hoped that this man was real. She looked lower at the bottom of the painting and it said on the label: ERIC NORTHMAN. Underneath the name was a sentence in Latin, at least she think it was.
"Oh, he caught your eye did he?" Mr. Cataliades snapped her out of her trance with the painting.
"What?"
"Eric Northman, the original creator and the original owner of the house."
"Really? He built this place?"
"Yes he did and that is why it takes a while for you to get to the house because he loved his privacy. He was famous for his 'dates' with women. There's a book on him in the library if you want to know more about him."
"What happened to him?"
"No one, knows. Some say he was murdered and was fed by wolves. Others claim that he just took off like aliens abducted him or something."
Sookie giggled at the thought of aliens doing experiments on him. 'Like sexual experiments, stop thinking like that Sookie!'
"Also people think he was doing witchcraft too. There are many rumors as to what happened to him. You know they say that if you pronounce that Latin incantation below his name, it supposed to summon him or to bring his spirit about."
"You've got to be kidding." Sookie was being skeptical.
"No. That's the legend of this painting."
Then Sookie found something strange about the painting besides the incantation. "His eyes are looking at me, no matter where I turn." Sookie kept swaying her body left to right and his eyes followed. To her that was spooky and how can that be real?
"Oh darling that's a painter's perception. I think it's called Eye Tracking Optical Illusion. It's when any eyes painted straight on are typically "read" by the viewer as following you no matter where you move."
Sookie breathed in relief and at the same time disappointment "Oh. Can I ask you something?" Sookie asked.
"Of course."
"How did Gran get this house anyway if the house belonged to Mr. Northman? Doesn't he have relatives or something?"
"No. There are no relatives or friends of anything. Actually Mrs. Stackhouse never explained how she got the house. Not to me at least. I think you must know there's many secrets to this house along with your grandmother."
Sookie nodded and knew already she was in a mystery kind of case with this house. The grandfather clock rang struck at 8 o'clock, that made Sookie jumped as it made its ringing count. Sookie went to the table and signed the papers to get it over with.
"Congratulations Ms. Stackhouse, you're now the proud owner of Northman Manor. Here's your copy and here's mine. Also here's your grandmother's bank accounts. If you have any more questions Ms. Stackhouse my number is on the card."
"Thank you." Sookie said with uncertainty.
"Have a good night." and then he left. Leaving Sookie in house that's full of secrets that Sookie has to uncover. Besides the furniture and every item that has been neatly packed. As she was unpacking she couldn't help but feeling like she was being watched. The creepy feeling of the house is back and it was getting to her. Like a chill running up her spine. "Sookie snap out of it, it's a big house! Of course you're going to think that there's someone here." It was almost midnight and Sookie was exhausted. She went to find her room or she should say Eric Northman's bedroom suite. She went upstairs assuming it'll be up there. Finding the bedroom was easy, because it was labeled 'The Master Suite'.
There was a gold key that shined brightly than all the others on her key ring. "This has to be it." Which it was, she opened the door and her breath was taken away. The room was huge, the bed was also huge, and every furniture was wooded and carved with Viking knot work all around the edges. It was so beautiful, she wanted to thank Mr. Northman personally for the beauty he created with his hands. In fact that's what she going to do.
Sookie went back downstairs to the living room and looked at the portrait. Sookie really wished that he was alive. A good looking man like that needs to have a wife and kids. "Thank you for the house." Sookie talked to the portrait like it he was alive. "You did an amazing job with the structure and the furniture. You really were an artist." Then she started playing "You know it's a shame that you're not alive...because I'd gladly bring you to bed to show my appreciation." she said seductively and gave him a loving warming smile. She laughed at herself "Sookie! Come on! Your seducing a painting for Heaven's Sake!
Sookie was about to leave heading to bed, before she did she said "Goodnight." to the paining and went to bed that used to be Eric's bed. That gave her a warm sensation in her heart.
On the table was still the letter that her grandmother left her, that she completely forgot about.
So what do you think? Intrigued?
