Disclaimer: I don't own the Southern Vampires. Sole copyright belongs to Charlaine Harris. I'm poor, please don't sue. Most of the characters are Charlaine Harris's... but some are mine! All the mistakes are my own.

The Sheriff and the Viking

Moving to a backwater like Bon Temps, Louisiana was not really what I had in mind when I decided to settle in the South. Being over a thousand years old, I have lived under many Queens and Kings, but this Queen, Sophie-Anne Leclerq, was really something else. I had been hoping to live in New Orleans or Shreveport but my new Queen had other plans. She had agreed to let me stay in Louisiana and open up my new business enterprise. The Queen even offered me a lower than standard tax rate on my business, if I agreed to do her just one little favor. It seemed the Queen's new child, Hadley, had spun her a tale about a human telepath that was currently living in Bon Temps, one that was not yet under the control of Vampires.

Telepaths are rare. I have only known one other telepath in my long life and she had been mentally disturbed by it, ending up in a sanitarium. That woman was useless to the Vampires of her time, but this telepath, if she really was a telepath, seemed to be living a sane and normal life. I could see why the Queen might want to acquire such an asset.

The Kings and Queens of our world have to be more careful than ever since the reveal. One would think it would make Vampires safer now that we were out in the open, but in reality, we after the reveal we had to worry about humans on an enormous scale. A telepath would help to gleam incite about the true reactions and thoughts of the humans that we were now interacting with us on so many new levels.

"Eric Northman." The Queen said regally. She was sitting on her throne surrounded by her loyal Vampires. Her reddish brown hair was pulled up onto her head into a twist with little ringlets that hung down around her young looking face. Her long, slinky, silk green dress hung closely against her small form. She looked like she had been no older than than sixteen or seventeen when she was turned. "I hear you are looking to stay in my kingdom. What are your plans if I choose to let you do so?"

"Your Majesty," I bowed, "I was hoping to open a night club and call my child Pam to help me run it. I have grown bored with the hustle and bustle of Chicago and wish to start a new project here in Louisiana." I stood up from my deep bow as I finished. I had been living in Chicago for a while but had grown tired of the corruption there.

"I see." The Queen stared at me through narrowed eyes. I am sure she was worried about the fact that I was over 600 years older than her. Most royals are always watching for a takeover attempt. My age and reputation would surely make her weary, since I could, in fact, take her throne from her if I so desired, which I did not. I had no desire to be King, although I am quite skilled in the area of politics, and I had no wish to bear such responsibility. I might accept a Sheriff position, but that was as much involvement as I wanted. Seeing as the kingdom of Louisiana was not in need of one, I did not see that happening anytime in the near future, unless one met their final death of course. My only wish was to live my life freely with as little interference from the hierarchy as possible.

"I may agree to this," The Queen cocked her head slightly as she looked at me, "but I would require that you do a small service for me, to prove your loyalty."

I knew this was coming. The royals were always requiring some proof of loyalty, which was usually either monetary or an action of some kind. "Of course my Queen. What did you have in mind?" I bowed deeply to her again to show my subservience. I was not keen on being the groveling minion, but I knew how to play the game.

"There is a small task that requires someone with the talents I have heard you possess. I have heard you have the reputation of a ladies man. Your skills in the bedroom have proceed you Viking. If I didn't love women so much, I might sample those skills myself." The Queen paused for a second then continued, "There is a woman, one that could be of great value to me. I need to get her under my control. I would like you to seduce her if necessary. You will need to stay in Area Five, the current Sheriff of that area owns a home that happens to be close to where this woman lives. I have acquired it for you so you may be close to her. I want you to keep an eye on her. Find out if she is as special as my Hadley claims. If she is skilled as Hadley says, you will gain her trust and bring her to me. When this task is complete you may open your business and I will give you a reduction on the taxes you will owe me monthly. Do you agree to these terms Viking?"

I really did not like the fact that I would have to have to enthrall a human woman, but with my glamor, I did not see this as something that would take very long. "Yes, your Majesty."

"Good. Now my child Andre will be overseeing this matter. Report to him regularly on your progress and do not mention this to the current Sheriff. I do not want any interference in this matter. Understood?"

"Yes." I thought it was strange that she would keep this from one of her Sheriffs but I figured she must have had good reason to.

"Fine, you are excused." The Queen turned to her child Andre, "Andre, make sure Northman has all the details he needs so he may leave for Bon Temps tonight."

Andre had given me the keys to the home in Bon Temps and a little background on this human I was supposed to court. He had told me she was a barmaid in the small town. I figured she was some country bumpkin, probably without two brain cells to rub together and I prayed she wasn't hideous. Andre had told me her name was Sookie Stackhouse. What kind of name was Sookie? So strange, in my thousand years I have never met a "Sookie" and now I am on my way to court one.