Sookie could come up with several main reasons and many sub-reasons why this party was no longer necessary. She was turning fifty-five. It wasn't any kind of milestone to vampires. She wasn't looking for a husband so she could legitimize a child. The Queen believed in Caspian's assessment. Bearing a child wouldn't help, but the physical act of sex might bring emotion, and even a little bit of that might be enough.

It was better to reap a future lover from the pool of suitable husbands that would be attendance in the event she chose to marry. Neither Sookie nor her father needed an alliance in marriage, but it would be advantageous, especially if she didn't have to do away with said husband for treachery at any point.

Still, the amount of fanfare that Sookie could sense as she woke the afternoon of her party seemed to infect all the minds for miles around. It was another thing she didn't understand. The party was her father's idea, yet the party wasn't in Nevada. It was at her formal estate in Oklahoma, the one she had built over the first five years of her rule.

The near two million square foot palace sat on a fifteen-mile stretch of land and was modeled after the Palacio de la Magdalena. It was true that Sookie didn't need anything that size but she'd had the money and the land. Asking her father to decorate and design it had made him happy. When Felipe was finished, it really was a castle fit for a Queen of old. The Palace was able to accommodate all the royals on her guest list and their entourages without sacrificing luxury or security.

Still, Sookie wondered why this wrinkle in the routine wasn't happening in Nevada. She calculated and found that her father could accommodate twice as many people with ease. He had hotels throughout the strip alone. She knew he had houses stashed all throughout. In fact, she had voiced that point a few weeks back in an attempt to avoid this disruption to her routine.

"Go ask Sai're," He had told her.

Sookie knew how that was bound to end. Nothing she had ever done that involved Sai had ever been pain-free. Politely she declined, of course. Her father smiled victoriously. He did offer her some additional bodies to enhance security. The King was also funding the expense of the extravagant affair. Sookie knew that was one thing about her father; if he was offering to pay, he was expecting carte blanche. Felipe was King, so that was exactly what he got.

As the Queen and her assistant went over the guest list once more Sookie couldn't imagine that all these royals would come all this way, but at the last security check at noon, every single invited guest had come, even those who were at odds had come. There were vampires on the guest list that even the eldest vampires hadn't seen in person in ages.

"My Queen," Dorian said, leading the way to the safe. "You are bare. I have preselected some pieces from the world's finest designers. I have also preordered some to compliment your gown."

Sookie shook her head. "My father will have something new and befitting," She replied. "We will wait."

Although she hadn't had a party in over twenty-five years, every single year her father had sent her a present. It was extravagant and expensive. She had done the math and, at this rate, Felipe would run out of fine jewels in another ten decades, so she only had to endure another hundred years, not bad with all things considered.

It would be a gross misunderstanding to say that she didn't know what it meant that her father had sent her a gift every single year. It had reached the point that they arrived at almost the same time of day. In her own numb way, she looked forward to it, the predictability anyway. She knew not to sleep or schedule anything in the early hours of her birthdays.

Every year she found herself waiting, and she received. When she did receive the one of a kind thing that her father had made just for her, she had no emotion and she never wanted to feel as badly as she did in those moments. She would dig into her memories of when she wasn't hollow and he had given her what she wanted. Then she would mimic the joy she could recall, and adapt it with slight modifications to fit the gift. It was like lying but it wasn't intentional. She was unable to not tell the truth.

"Mayhap, His Majesty forgot. It is truly understandable as he undertook the party planning almost singlehandedly as well as his other duties."

"Felipe De Castro does not forget," Sookie advised as she sat waiting in front of her vanity mirror.

Dorian fell silent with a deep nod of her head. The knock sounded on the door almost immediately. It was her present, the Queen knew. As she looked toward the door, she didn't see her father. The King had sent Victor Madden. It was a pearl and diamond set in platinum. The chandelier pattern choker placed her in a league all her own. The cost of it wasn't one that she could fathom, which she knew was the point. Her father was warning all possible suitors of the standard to which his daughter was accustomed.

Sookie exited her chamber with her entourage trailing behind her. Behind the doors that would lead into the balcony over the grand ballroom was her father.

"Thank you, Daddy," Sookie said with a full curtsy. She looked at both Nim and Sai to include them in the greeting. One nodded, the other scowled. "Your gift is more than any one Queen should have."

He smiled at her and she did her best to smile back with the same level of affection. She fell short, but he didn't seem to hold it against her. He took her hand, and all their guards stepped into their prearranged formation to suit them.

"Did you think I would forget?" He asked as the music cued.

"No," She replied. "You are a great King. That title is only superseded only by the caliber of father that you have proven to be. You would never forget the day your only daughter was born."

"No, Shy-shy," he agreed. "I would never."

The doors opened and the party was underway. Sookie danced with her father and thereafter, the party hit full swing. From the dancers and socialites, the world's best entertainers were there. It was as grand as it should be as befitting of a Queen of her stature. Human politicians of the highest order were there, Prime Ministers whom the Queen and her father did business with, and those who wanted to get in with the De Castro bloodline were there.

Then there were the Kings of Old. There was a reason why vampires of the Old World remained segregated from those of the New and any place on Earth. Gender continued to played a role. Still, many had come and Sookie couldn't imagine why. If she was a Queen here, why ever would she take the demotion of being a wife and losing her crown? They had been invited and they had come, so there wasn't much she could say or do.

There was Amir the Sandstorm. Marques was the vampire king of France. While he may hold the largest expanse of that country, Louis Tréville was the most powerful. Fifteen years ago the persecution of vampires had been at an all-time high in that country. Both sides had been suffering casualties, but once he stepped in there had been peace. They had both risen to stop it. They had calmed the vampires and worked with the humans. The pair had paved the way for the others, but no one could touch them, the people of France both alive and Undead saw the original Kings as champions. That being said, the competition was still steep.

Sookie performed her duties, meeting and greeting the guests. It was easy with her father by her side. He was a charming vampire, Felipe, even other vampires thought so. When she reached Grayson, the King of Three or the Phantom Emperor, something struck her as being amiss. After the brief pleasantries had ended and she had to move to other guests, she found that he was watching her.

It was true that Sookie was garnering attention, but the glances were subtle. King Grayson wasn't even attempting to socialize or talk business with anyone. He had remanded himself and his people to a corner, and just stared at her. Saying he was staring might be an understatement. The King of Three was openly gawking at her with an intensity that was beneath a royal of his stature. He either didn't know or he didn't care.

Aside from that anomaly everyone was behaving as honored guests at a party should. Sookie was putting every ounce of effort she could spare into pretending to enjoy the festivities. It was trying to say the least. Her only want was that this would be over as quickly as possible because soon the robot would show. Her mask was already slipping. In the past quarter decade this amount of versatility hadn't been demanded of her all at once. She had to feign being impressed, interested, happy, and entertained.

Caspian entered the ballroom, and it became easier. He garnered his fair share of attention as a fairy would in a room filled to the brim with vampires. It was true that he was wearing inhibitor collars that they had created together and they were serving their purpose. The vampires in the room paid him mind, but it wasn't a mad dash for a drug amongst abusers. Every eye turned to him was one less person with whom she had to speak. It helped the process of elimination in any case.

While Caspian commanded attention, Sookie tried to move this process along. Surely between herself, Dorian, and her father, they would finish greeting everyone, and then she could politely retire.

When the band started another set, it was all that the Queen could stand. She left the ballroom and made way to the veranda. The only person who trailed her was Nim, and it was after Galleon had been waved away. Nim followed her and remained as silent as he had been her whole life. She knew that he knew why they had no words to share.

Sookie just watched the moon and wondered about the old freight train, surely if she wasn't here she would be there trying to lose the fight for her life. It was in that moment that Sookie realized that she had been counting on someone, anyone, to make a play to claim her head. Seriously, how hard would it be? Not very difficult was her estimation. Not only was she famous for never traveling with a full entourage, she was in her castle and the security was seemingly lax.

Of all the royals present, was there no one that wanted to end her? Would no one try? As long they didn't threaten her family, she wouldn't put up too much of a fight. No one came forward. That was what it meant to be a De Castro by blood and a Queen by might. You were uncontested no matter how much you wanted to bow out.

"Surely Her Majesty cannot be bored of her own party so soon."

The speaker had sneaked up on her. By the stance Nim had taken, the speaker had sneaked up on him too. They both turned to see Grayson. The King of Three was at the far end of the balcony. How had Sookie missed that? She didn't know, but she didn't linger on it. Perhaps the King of Three would eliminate her? He would be a fitting opponent. He was the one royal that her father had made sure she had learned of inside and out when she was a child. There wasn't much to know, but what was known was enough to breed caution.

"You are not in accordance with the safety parameters of a royal guest in my palace. Where are your guards, King Grayson?" Sookie asked.

Already she was assessing Grayson as an enemy. He had been watching her overtly, and now he had tried to get her alone. The only logical explanation was that he was a threat. Sookie didn't try to mitigate the effects of her eyes. She didn't try to be polite. She was sure that he would be the one to take the choice from her. It was fitting. He was the King of the three territories of California and she was the Queen of three.

"Inside," he replied. "I wanted to speak with you alone. . ."

How odd. Outside of Caspian no one who had been the recipient of her true self had been so…unaffected. Sookie was watching Grayson; he didn't so much as cringe. In fact, he had moved closer by a step during the conversation.

"Make an appointment through the proper channels, King Grayson," Sookie said blandly. "Now is neither the time nor place. I strongly urge you to summon your guards as to be in compliance with the safety parameters of your stay."

"I have no concerns of my safety in your presence," Grayson replied with his eyes boring intently into hers.

Sookie watched him closely for physical signs of deceit or hesitation. The King didn't as much as blink. In fact, he was moving ever closer. Nim had called Sai and, even with both her eldest brothers flanking her, Grayson showed no fear. That really was beyond strange. Perhaps the King of Three was mad? She didn't think so. Her lack of information forced her curiously into action. Just what had Sookie and her father missed where Grayson was concerned?

"Give me a moment alone with you, and I will show you something that you have never seen before."

That proclamation was rather bold, but it agreed with his behavior. Perhaps he did have something he thought worthwhile. Sai're answered for her. "Shy, your father is missing you."

Sookie knew she had to refuse. "Please excuse me," She told the King of Three with a nod of her head.

"Of course," He replied with a nod of his own. "Majesty, Happy Birthday."

Sookie left with her brothers at her back, but she knew that if she cared to look, King Grayson would be staring.

The majority of Sookie's guests left as Lysander performed his last set. The party began to wind down thereafter. Those who had come a longer way were scheduled to leave at dawn using daytime transport. There were a select few who were resting the day and departing at first dark. Her father and brothers were in the former group. Felipe had to return home promptly to continue preparation for the Summit of royals in the Narayana territory. Before he did, he gave the Queen his top candidates much like Dorian had done before retiring.

Sookie hadn't been able to compile her own. She had been so unable to differentiate one vampire from the next, renowned and royal though they were. Of course there was Grayson. He had been bold enough to seek her out alone, silent enough to approach undetected. Perhaps he would be the best suitor if only because he had the highest success rate at taking her life. At the end of the night, she was lying with Caspian as they discussed the matter.

"So definitely…not the one you think has a better chance at killing you. What about the King of France? You wouldn't have to see him much, especially if sex doesn't help, and you do not want to marry him."

That was true. "Contrarily, if the sex helps and I wish to marry him, it would be problematic. The Old World rules of vampire marriages differ greatly."

"So fuck him and don't marry him."

"Again, Old World rules; my father would turn a blind eye if he learned I had a secret lover, but he would not willfully ignore my ongoing open affair with a royal. It insults my title as a Princess of his Bloodline."

"Vampires," He murmured with a yawn. "Well, you have my present to look forward to; nothing about it will be complicated."

"Yes, I have set aside the entire day as you requested. Although, if you told me what it is that—"

He laughed softly as he held her closer. "For a genius you have a hard time understanding the definition of 'surprise.'"