AN: I'm not happy where I left this but it was getting long and I hadn't posted in way to long! I'm so sorry about the delay but I lost the internet for a week and I do all of my writing on Google Docs so I wasn't able to write. Honestly, this chapter was hard. I found myself struggling in some spots and wanting to switch POV's much more often than was needed. Either way here is it, I hope you all like it!

Ten

Yous in Trouble

We arrived in New Orleans at twelve that same night. I had driven like a mad man, feeling that maybe, just maybe if I was there we could find Sookie quickly. I pulled to a screeching stop just outside the palace gates, the paparazzi scattering in all directions to avoid getting hit, it was a nuisance that they were there at all. Sophie-Anne wanted to be popular in the human media and most of the time I agreed she did stir up good publicity but I was sure that there would be an article in some magazine tomorrow about how vampires drove recklessly.

"I'm here to see the Queen, Eric Northman Sheriff of Area 5." I told the guard that was on duty. He nodded and the gates opened, I took off with a squeal of tires and Pam's laughter ringing in my ears. My child had inherited my love for speed. We pulled up at the front door and I sprung out, throwing the keys to the vampire that stood there. "Bring the bags to whatever room we are assigned." I snapped at him without stopping.

I had only packed an overnight bag, so if I was allowed to stay it seemed I would need to send out for some clothes. As I had arrived home I'd realized how odd it would seem if I showed up with a full suitcase, so I had thought up an excuse to be there, I was just dropping off Pam and figured that I could report last months tallies while I was there. I would innocently learn about the fact that Sookie was missing and then ask to stay to help recover her. If my request was refused, well I had a townhouse that I hadn't been to in awhile.

We were once again stopped in the reception room, I was barely restraining myself from ripping the doors from the wall, but then I couldn't really say I was just here to drop off Pam. I drummed my fingers on my knee impatiently, if what Bianca had said was true I might be waiting awhile. Pam glanced over at me and raised an eyebrow looking at my hand; it was unusual for me to be so fidgety. I stilled my hand by will and resisted the urge to tap my foot; instead I stared at the red light over the door willing it to turn green.

We had been sitting there for an hour when I got fed up; my patience was at an end as I strode to the door and threw it open my fangs were down. I hissed in dismay, Sophie-Anne wasn't even in the fucking room! I slammed the door behind me as I exited, "Come Pam, we are going to find the Queen and Sookie."

I strode out of the reception room, startling the guard that been stationed outside the he moved to step into my way and I snarled at him, so I continued on without stopping. We hadn't gotten very far when I heard a howling and I increased my pace. Bursting into the pool room I looked around in alarm, Hunter was being restrained by four weres and didn't look like he was enjoying it. I realised the howling was coming from him the second he noticed that I entered. His escape efforts increased and he tossed a were into a pool before being held down again.

"What is going on here?" I bellowed crossing my arms. "Release him."

"No can do sir, the Queens lieutenant specifically said he was to be restrained and deposited in his rooms." The were climbing out of the pool answered me; I turned and looked at him raising a brow as Pam walked over to Hunter.

"Why?"

The were looked at me blankly for a moment before frowning. "If you don't know I'm not sure if I should tell you sir."

I strode up to him, grabbing him by his jacket's lapels and raising him so his face was right next to mine. "You will tell me why he is being restrained and you will release him, then you will go and find the Queen and tell her Eric Northman is here. NOW!" I dropped him as I finished glaring down at him as he crumpled to the floor.

"He just went nuts when he woke! I don't rightly know why he is to be restrained as Miss Stackhouse was much worse, Andre just told us to put him in his room and to lock the door." He stuttered out and I couldn't help noting how badly Sophie-Anne's security was if they'd spill their secrets after just a little intimidation. "Boys let him go." He called over to the other weres that were holding Hunter down.

I turned away as he moved to leave the room, he would follow instructions and I wanted to speak to Hunter privately before the Queen and probably Andre arrived. Walking over I grabbed his face and bent down leaning to look at him. "Control yourself; you are shaming your maker."

"SHE WON'T CARE, SHE LEFT, AND SHE'S GONE." He screamed at me, trying to tug his face away from my grip but I held on.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Although I knew she was missing and that Andre couldn't feel her surely her bond with Hunter was working properly? I was common for a maker child bond to suffer over the years especially if the maker was a poor one.

"I CAN'T FEEL HER, SHE'S GONE." He sobbed, sagging against my hold on him.

I looked up and over at Pam, alarmed at the prospect. Her bond with Hunter was gone? But no, I wouldn't believe she was dead, the witch had probably just warded the whole room to block out all the bonds, still I wasn't supposed to know that. "Control yourself, Sookie is alive surely, maybe she just closed down the bond?" Even as I said it I knew it would never happen. I doubted that Sookie would close her bond this early in their relationship without informing him beforehand.

"No, no she wouldn't have done that. She said she would have to sometimes but she wouldn't have done it without telling me. Please, help me find her please." Hunter sobbed out, red trails falling down his face as he clutched at the hand I had holding him.

"How could I do that?"

"I looked forward, to your future, she's with you, you must help me find her if you wish to have that, please!"

What the fuck? I was so startled I let go of his chin and he fell to the ground at my feet. He had the ability to see the future? I was floored, no one had that ability but my makers sire, and even then she was ancient. Was this why Sophie-Anne had had him turned? Probably.

"Northman."

I turned looking away from Hunter who was still at my feet and bowed from the waist, I could see Pam sinking into a bow as well, when I rose Sophie-Anne was in front of me. I was surprised to find that her eyes had just the hint of red around their rims. It seemed she really had been upset about Sookie's disappearance, whether or not it meant her telepath was gone or if she actually cared about Sookie's welfare was to be questioned though.

"Your majesty. I came to drop off Pamela for her visit with Sookie and thought I could do the monthly tallies with you if you had time."

"Yes that would be fine but unfortunately Sookie is currently unavailable." I frowned opening my mouth to speak when Hunter sped in front of me.

"Don't lie to him, she is gone. I cannot feel her and neither can Andre; tell him the truth at least since you never did before." He spit in the Queens face.

I grabbed him by the shoulders pulling him back. I was laughing uproariously in my head but I doubted that when I recovered Sookie she would be pleased to find out that I had let her child get himself killed. Andre stepped forward in front of the Queen growling at Hunter and I pulled him back even farther.

"You will not speak to your Queen that way." Andre said. "Furthermore she has no obligation to tell him anything and you will learn your place soon enough."

"ENOUGH." Sophie-Anne said loudly, making Hunter jump. "I will not stand here and watch you argue with an infant Andre, grow up."

That was two times in less than a week that she had reprimanded Andre, and with witnesses! "Your majesty do you require any aid in finding her?" I asked politely, hoping none of the glee I was feeling leaked through into my words.

Apparently it did because Andre threw me a look as he stepped backwards so he was standing beside the Queen. Hunter was shaking like a leaf in the wind so I handed him over to Pam. The Queen was just opening her mouth to speak when the doors burst open and Hadley was in front of us. She was scowling but her next words left me no doubt that she didn't care a whit about the fact that her cousin was missing, in fact it just made me believe what Niall had said to start with.

"Master what is going on? The guards are going from room to room searching them, I was practically thrown out in the middle of feeding!"

"Hadley, how nice of you to join us and our guests." The Queen said quietly but firmly. "We are conducting a search for Sookie."

"Oh has she run off again?"

"Hadley!"

"I'm sorry Master, but it is true she has tried to run before." Hadley replied looking at her nails. It seemed that Sophie-Anne's latest child had no respect. She finally glanced over at us and as she saw Hunter her eyes narrowed. "Why do they have him?" She asked turning to look at the Queen.

"Hunter needed to be restrained; he is distraught over Sookie's absence." Sophie-Anne said.

Hadley stepped over to Hunter, raising her hand she wiped the drying tears from his face, sticking her finger in her mouth she tasted them briefly then tugged Hunter out of Pam's astonished grasp. Wrapping her arms around him she cooed, "Aww don't be upset baby, mommy's here."

Hunter recoiled from her, trying to push his body away from her he snarled, "Let go of me you bitch!"

I was having a hard time keeping my expression blank; it seemed the happy family at the palace wasn't so happy after all. I could feel amusement pouring through my bond with Pam but when I glanced over I was happy to see that her face was just as expressionless as my own. Sophie-Anne seemed to be embarrassed, which was hilarious, as I had never had the chance to see the expression on her face, it was a mix between constipated and angry, and Andre just looked furious.

"Aww, don't be like that Hunter, now I can look after you!" At this Hadley's face lit up, and she let Hunter go just enough to look down into his face. "Wouldn't you rather I was your Maker hunter?"

"No, not if you were the only vampire left in the entire world." Hunter deadpanned, prying her fingers from his arms. He stepped back so that he was between me and Pam and that's how we were all standing when Andre let out a gasp, quickly followed by Hunter who grabbed his chest.

"SHES BACK. SHES BACK." He yelled turning and grabbing Pam around the waist and twirling her. I couldn't suppress the snicker that escaped me at Pam's face, she looked completely outraged.

"Andre, did the bond open?" Sophie-Anne asked turning to look at her child.

"Yes, I can feel her, but she is quite far, northwest of here." Andre replied.

My eyebrows rose, northwest of New Orleans was Shreveport, and I didn't believe that she was there, as she wouldn't have cut off Hunters end of the bond, plus how would she have gotten there by herself during the day? If you went further there was Dallas plus a host of small towns, but it did mean that I would be able to help for a good reason. My grin was wolfish as I spoke, "Your majesty, I have contacts around the Dallas area, I could ask them to go and search for her, and I could leave myself, and bring Hunter with me to find her."

Sophie-Anne looked at me for a moment or two, possibly thinking through her decision, before she replied. "That is fine, do so but keep me updated on your whereabouts."

I nodded my head and looked at Hunter whose expression was so innocently open I had to wonder how Sookie was ever going to be able to teach him how to control it. I almost wondered if it would be a good thing for him to learn. This trip was perfect, as I would get a chance to question Hunter about his seer abilities, and whether or not Sookie knew about it.

"Go and pack an overnight bag, we will probably not arrive till just before dawn and we will have to stay with a friend of mine. Pam would you like to accompany us?"

"Yes master." Pamela said, and I raised an eyebrow but she just smirked back at me. Pam rarely called me master; maybe she was proving a point?

"If you would excuse us your Majesty, we will get on our way."

I was tired beyond belief, more and more wolves had shadowed me since I had started running from the Fellowship, and I had changed directions at least 20 times and had no idea where I was. I could feel the sun wasn't far from rising but I didn't want to go to my rest with the wolves on my heels. With the amount of blood I had lost and consumed and lost yet again I felt drained; I blew out a breath stopping and looking around. I was in commercial area, all of the stores were closed down, but I could hear some humans in some of them, possibly preparing to open for the morning time, I reached out with my mind, the wolves were just on the edge of my limits but I could still feel them, feel their excitement that my scent was getting stronger, that they were finally closing in on their prey.

It was difficult to understand what their emotions meant, it was much like looking into any normal animals mind, but maybe I could steal their control, make them do something? I wasn't sure, I had never had need to make a were think something else when they changed. I let myself sink deeper into the consciousness of one of them, slowly weaving my story, the wolf he was running with had stolen his mate, and it was the perfect time to get rid of him, he could say that I had just killed him. Slowly, slowly I coaxed the thought of attacking his pack brother until it was seamlessly implanted but still following his little wolfy thoughts. I rode with him as he turned suddenly, snapping at the back legs of his friend. I could hear the shock and anger that came from the unexpected attack from the other one.

I pulled away from their minds, a pang of remorse flowing through me, truly I had never wanted to be the type of person that would make others turn on one another, but it was me or them and I didn't want to be found while I rest. I glanced around myself one more time, and then looked up at the sky; it would be so good to fly right now. I would have to find someplace that I could hide my scent and I definitely didn't have all that much time. I run quickly past the stores, none of them are suitable to rest in, and the ones that are don't have any staff at the moment. I grit my teeth as I stand over the manhole, I will have to rest in the sewers this day.

Fucking lovely.

I pull the cover off and step down onto the ladder, reaching up I pull the cover back over the hole and climb down quickly. When I reach the bottom I pause a moment, letting my eyes adjust, I don't dare take a breath, and the smell would probably kill me. Still at least the sun won't. I move quickly, looking for an enclosed maintenance room, the pull is slowly approaching when I finally find one. I bust open the door, and glance quickly around, no other entrances, no manhole covers from above, perfect. I shut the door, and then drag a heavy piece of piping in front of it, stacking several of them up, I nod my head. No one should be able to push the door open as I lay dead for the day. I glance around the room, assessing fully this time, the floor I'm standing on is concrete, but it is mostly clean with just a few oily footprints and a large stain of the stuff in the corner, the walls having various tools lined against them as well as more of the pipes I used to secure the door. There are several switches that I guess are for the water levels as well as the pressure that's in the pipes.

I won't be comfortably falling into my rest in a bed, but at least I'll be as safe as I can be. Not only is the sewer a good resting place as its underground but the smell of the place has probably masked most of my scent, sure, they'll know I went into the sewers but they won't know exactly where I went or how far I traveled. Or at least I hope not. I sigh and sit against the wall, I haven't had a chance to look for my bonds since I'd left that damnable place in the woods, I look inside and am overjoyed when I feel Hunters life-force pulsing away, as I stare at the bond it is as if he is almost beside me, leaning back against the wall with his head cocked to the side, his mouthing opening to speak. I feel the worry and the distress and anxiety that are plaguing him and a pang of loneliness, I had been distressed when I hadn't been able to feel him earlier not realizing how accustomed to his life force always being in the back of my mind had become. Truly, it was nice to fall into rest beside someone, knowing they would be there when I woke come nightfall.

I pushed the melancholy away and instead opened my side of the bond wider, pushing love and determination through the bond, hopefully it would help him some, as it was all I could do at the moment. Moving away from Hunter's bond I looked towards the one I had with Andre, in reality, the bonds had no colors but the way I always felt when I looked at it gave me dark feelings so I always imagined it as a dark twisted thing in my head, full of the thorns of displeasure that he showed me whenever he was trying to teach me something, as well as the ambivalence he held towards me at all other times. As always the bond was closed, and really what had I expected? Andre had always kept his side of the bond closed, and as his child I had no control over my own side, he could always feel me if he wished too. I wondered if he even cared that I was gone, probably, but only because it would distress Sophie-Anne.

I growled quietly to myself thinking of the Queen, it was her fault I was here. She had rebuked Andre for how he dealt with me, but truly she let Hadley get anything she wanted. Which was another thing I needed to think about. What the hell had Hadley been thinking taking me from the palace and depositing me in Dallas, and why? It made no sense, I knew she didn't like me, she never had, and she resented the fact that the Queen took me places that she forbids Hadley from going. Still, she knew Sophie-Anne would be pissed if she ever found out that Hadley had been part of my abduction. It wasn't only that though, Hadley wasn't smart enough to have planned this all herself, perhaps someone had approached her and offered her something if she gave them me? I knew I was a highly regarded asset, and with Sophie-Anne exposing me at the summit it made sense that someone would want me badly, I had after all just displayed my powers there. Still it didn't make sense that Hadley's scent was only inside the room with me and nowhere else in the compound.

Could she have powers that I didn't know about? After all hadn't I kept some of my own secret? I didn't think that Hadley was smart enough to lie to the queen about her own powers, or even to know to hide them from others. I racked my brain, thinking of what other fairy powers I had seen. The thought hit me like a loaded truck, she could pop! Also she hadn't at all seemed like she was about to succumb to the sun's pull that morning, did that mean she could possibly walk in the sun? Or was it only that she could stay awake? I ground my teeth in frustration, and that's how the sun took me. I fell into my rest, angry and frustrated, with more questions than answers.

We arrived at Godric's residence a half an hour before dawn, Hunter was already dead for the day and as I scooped up his limp body to carry him into the house I couldn't help wishing I still had my bond with Sookie. If I did I would have been able to start searching regardless of the fact that dawn was coming. I had lived in the old days, where you went to rest in the ground or sewer systems, all I could hope for was that she was somewhere safe. The door opened just as we reached it and I couldn't help grinning at the sight of my maker. He was much shorter than me and appeared to be around 18 or 19, when he was turned, but the power that came off of him told you just how old he actually was.

"Child, it is nice but unexpected to see you." Godric said, looking me over pausing only briefly at Hunter in my arms.

"Master, it is wonderful to see you in such fine spirits." Truly it was, I had only seen him once since the disaster Sookie averted and he had still been in a dark mood, not to mention the state I had been in.

"Yes, I have rediscovered some small joys in this world." Godric said, moving to the side he said, "Please come in."

I stepped in side, and glanced around, he had redecorated after the attack had happened at his nest but it was still the same colors. All earth tones, the floors a dark walnut, with dark brown drapes across the windows. "I'm sorry for disturbing you so close to dawn, but I have business that must be done in Dallas, I hope I'm not intruding in any plans that you had?"

Godric shook his head, shutting the door after Pam stepped inside. She stood quietly by my side, a feeling of pride and nervousness was pulsing through the bond, she hadn't been around my maker all that much as we had parted ways long before I had made her. Still, this would be as good as time as ever for her to get to know him. I glanced down at Hunter and then looked back at Godric.

"Is there a place I could put him? He is young and as you can see succumbs to the sun much earlier than myself or Pam; I will tell you why we are here once he has been placed somewhere secure." I asked.

Truly, I was holding Hunter, but more importantly I was holding something precious of Sookie's, I knew she would never forgive me if something happened to him, and I probably wouldn't forgive myself either, the boy had good instincts and would become an amazing vampire one day I was sure.

"Follow me." Godric said, turning and going up the stairs. I followed him, not questioning where he was taking me, we ended up in a bedroom, all the windows were draped with light-tight fabric, I could tell by just looking at the weaves, and I was sure that the windows had been coated to keep the sun out. I put Hunter down on the bed, pulling the blanket down and tucking him in after taking off his shoes. Godric had left the room and as I stood beside the bed Pam joined me, surprising me by brushing a lock of his dark brown hair from his face.

"He will be fine Eric; you do not need to worry." Pam said turning and looking at me. I nodded once and gestured for us to leave.

It had been hard to see his distress earlier in the evening, I had never had Godric be cut from me when I was a new born and just the thought of it happening made me shudder, Godric's side of the bond had been closed since he had released me, but I knew he was always there. Before we had parted ways he had told me though, and taught me how I might close off my own side, explaining that sometimes it was easier to stand his own side being closed if I could shut out his life force buzzing in the background. I had understood at the point though, we had been together for over three hundred years at the point and I was ready to strike out on my own, nevertheless it had been hard at the start not to feel his emotions, his calm reassurance that I would be ok.

"Come, let us speak with Godric." I said, turning away from the bed and leaving the room. I waited while Pam shut the door then followed the hum of Godric's life through the house until we found him in the kitchen.

"So, tell me why you are here? Not that I'm not happy to see you of course, and it's lovely to see you as well Pam, but this is unexpected. Don't tell me you've deserted." Godric said, a corner of his mouth pulling up in a smile.

"No, nothing like that. Do you remember Sookie Stackhouse?" I replied.

"Yes of course, I heard she recently emerged from the dead." Godric replied. "It seems I still owe her a debt after all."

"Yes, it was quite the shock. Anyways, as you may know she was my bonded, and I had believed she died, like you said, but I found out at the summit she was alive. We spoke briefly, but she went missing the night she returned to New Orleans. Last night in fact, we discovered through her maker that she was in Dallas someway, so I and Pam as well as her child-"

"She has a child? She can't be more than twenty years old!" Godric broke in, his voice incredulous.

"Yes, the boy that I put upstairs is her child; he is only a week old I believe." Godric's eyebrow raised a fraction, for him he was practically gaping. I nodded my head and continued. "He was turned at the summit. Anyways, I was dropping Pam off in New Orleans for a visit with Sookie and that how we discovered she was missing." His other eyebrow rose at his, a smirk appearing on his face and I scowled but went on regardless. "So she's in Dallas somewhere, we don't know where exactly, but I was hoping that you're leave to stay here during the day and perhaps you'd like to accompany us to find her?"

Having Godric with us would be especially useful if she was being held somewhere, but I had my suspicions that she had escaped. It made no sense for her holders to have taken her out of where ever she had been as it had obstructed the bonds she had, still I didn't know that for sure and as Hunter was so young it would be good to have another vampire to help watch over him, as he was still so young and at the mercies of his different desires. What would be best was if he stayed behind but we needed him to find Sookie and I doubted that even if I didn't need him he'd stay behind.

"Yes of course you may rest here," Godric said pausing, I can tell he is mulling over my words. "She was turned against her will then?" I nod again. "Your bond was broken?" I once again nod. "Then yes I will come and help you of course, and perhaps it may take us a couple days to find her?" Godric finished with a smirk that I can't help returning.

"Yes indeed, we have no idea where she is and Hunter is so young he had problems following the bond." I respond.

"We will set out at first dark tomorrow then, Pam you may have the room to the left upstairs." Godric says and I turn and look at her, seeing her movements becoming slightly sluggish, she is always pulled under before me, right at sunrise, I myself have the ability to be awake for almost an hour after sunrise. "Eric, join me in my room we have much to speak about I believe."

"Master, Godric." Pam says nodding at both of us before disappearing in a blur.

I follow Godric up to his room, the sun has just peaked over the horizon and I feel Pam fall into her day death. I shut the door and watch as Godric seats himself in a dark brown leather armchair before gesturing for me to join him in the opposite one. The whole room is done in browns and gold's, the smell of lilies permeates the room as well as a faint aroma of spices of incense.

"So, you have faired well since I last saw you" Godric says looking me over closely. He lets me feel his approval and I hang my head in shame.

"I was not myself when you saw me last truly, I-"

"Do not try to make excuses, the state you were in was appropriate for the situation, truly it warmed my heart to see how much you had come to care for her." Godric interrupts ring his hands into a steeple under his chin. "Yes, I used to worry that I had trained you to well to ever let your emotions back in."

"You were a wise master Godric; emotions were a liability when young. No, you didn't train them all out of me, you showed me how to care, or Pam's and my own relationship would not be what it is."

"Well, I am pleased that you think so child. But now we must discuss Sookie, now that we know she is alive, well undead, what are your plans? Your rights were violated when she was taken then turned."

"I have contact Mr. Cataliades already and he has agreed to represent me. Since there was a summit so recently, I've decided to contact the Magister; he always had a grudge against Sophie-Anne. I had planned to meet with him tomorrow night, but I will have to call and rearrange that."

"No keep your meeting, he does not like missed appointments. What of Sookie's relationship with her Maker? Her upbringing? Has she been taught properly? All these things will help you if done incorrectly. Does she wish to stay with her Maker?"

"Andre and her relationship is strained at best, hostile at worst, she was apparently something of a 'wild child' although I have no facts to confirm that as of yet. I don't believe she has as much restraint as she should at her age, due to lack of guiding. No she isn't happy, she was visibly distressed the one time I spoke to her alone. I'm afraid she has simply given up on her situation."

Godric sat quietly, seemingly thinking over what I had said. Maybe Pam was right and I should have called him when I found out she was alive. I had only been thinking of how I didn't want to appear a fool in front of my maker again, I had never even thought about the fact that Sookie had saved him from ending his own life. When she had disappeared, vanished from the bond I had had only my own grief, I hadn't thought of how Pam had lost her almost friendship with Sookie, one that she had apparently treasured, no Godric's own feelings to the matter had not even entered my mind. I pulled myself out of my musings as he spoke.

"Call Cataliades, it will only benefit you to have him with you. He is known not to do any shady business dealings openly, if he does any at all. Have you spoken to Sookie about getting her out of the situation?"

"I have, she said it was hopeless."

"Why? Has she never tried to escape?"

"I believe she has from a remark her cousin made tonight, but I don't believe she was ever successful, as I said I think she's simply given up." I reply looking down at my hands.

Sookie had never given up to anything ever that I knew of. That she had made me worried about her mental state, was she truly defeated or did she perhaps find something good about the situation that she was in? If she did I didn't know what, as she had made it quite apparent she had never wished to be in it. I just hoped that she wasn't so down-trodden that she wouldn't fight against whoever had stolen her.

"Perhaps she had felt that she didn't have anything to run to anymore?" Godric queries.

The thought hits me like a ton of bricks and I swallow unnecessarily, it could be true. She thought I had abandoned her, that I hadn't looked for her when she had gone missing. It was possibly she had felt that she had no where to run to. I knew that she wouldn't have wanted to bring her problems to her brother, and she had always regarded him as the younger sibling simply because he had never been the kind of person to look after someone else. Had she really thought that I wouldn't have helped her if she had escaped? Or even Pam maybe?

"It's possible. Still, it is not like her to not fight till the end. It worries me." I reply.

"It is getting late; we will speak more before we depart tomorrow. But do not worry, I have a good feeling that we will find her and then we will sort this whole mess out." Godric says rising.

I stand with him and nod my head before leaving to go to my chamber. I don't think I've felt this weary since I've been a human, knowing Sookie is out there, within my reach but yet I cannot go to her because of the sun is a special kind of pain. As I lie down on my bed and stare at the canopy I can't help searching inside myself for our bond, or where it once was. If we were still bonded as we had been perhaps – but no. It is useless to think of this, I had done nothing but doubt myself, and how I may have helped her when we were bonded, it had changed nothing. The Queen and Andre had stolen her right from under my nose, and I intended to find out how they did it, and why they thought that I wouldn't do anything about it.

I woke with the worry still sitting squarely on my chest, it was if I had blinked, my rest passed in nothing but a moment. As I pushed the blanket back I looked around my room, it was done in black and greys, how appropriate. I sped into the shower and dressed hurriedly, throwing on a tank top and jeans along with a leather jack and boots. As I moved through my routine as quick as I could I could hear Godric dressing, or doing something in his room. I left my room, moving towards his door and before I could knock he called for me to enter. I walked in and was surprised to see him dressed similarly to myself. He had always favoured undyed cotton, and loose lounge looking pants, but instead he was head to toe black. I stopped for a moment so surprised was I had.

"Come in, shut the door. I have news." Godric says. I do as he says and sit in the same armchair that I occupied last night. "I sent out feelers last night after you left me, sever bodies were found this morning, some of them high up trees."

"You think it was Sookie?" I ask incredulously. Even though her training had seemed insufficient I doubted she would escape the palace just to go on a feeding spree and disclose her location.

"Yes, but I failed to mention these were Were's." Godric says grimly, taking the seat opposite me. "Several had been drained, but more had had marks indicating a fight. They were from the local pack, I know they hire out to the biggest bidder, the served as guards sometimes when I was sheriff."

I frown, so she had been followed and had killed. Repeatedly, something that she had always been against when she was human. Well it made sense, if she had had a rough start she would have had to get over her remorse about killing, or she would have definitely submitted to the true death. Emotions were always heightened when brought over, and the grief of killing someone would have done her in. How she must have struggled, truly I didn't understand how she was so well composed.

"So she wasn't picked up again I'm assuming?" I ask.

"No, it appears they lost her when a were reappeared saying that she had killed his partner and injured him. This was just before sunrise, and they have been looking ever since." Godric says. "It seems she found somewhere safe to rest for the day, as well as throwing off her tracks because I haven't had another report since the last one. They must still be looking."

"Yes, of course. She was always smart. But how did she get rid of her tracks?" Sookie's scent was one of the strongest things about her, I had been delighted to find out her fabulous scent hadn't been altered when she was brought over, still, with a scent that strong she would have had to mask it completely. "Maybe one of her fae abilities?" I murmur to myself.

"What?" Godric asks sharply and I look up, startled. "She is fae?"

"You didn't know?" I ask puzzled, I had thought that it had become common knowledge when she died. He shakes his head his brow furrowing. "Yes, she is of a strong line. She's only 1/8th but apparently it doesn't matter when the spark arises."

"What line is she?" Godric asks.

"Brigant." I reply. "Why does it matter?"

"Because the Brigants have been a ruling family since fairies existed. They are the oldest living fairy line I believe. You know how elusive they are, how they go to such lengths to conceal their heritages." He stands suddenly, pacing. "Did Sophie-Anne know of her heritage when she turned her cousin and her?"

"I don't know. I only learned of her relationship to them the night before last. Truly, I doubt Sophie-Anne knows, I doubt Hadley even knows." I say watching as he move back and forth back and forth, never pausing.

"This isn't good. If she is connected to the Prince he could start a war over her. One I doubt we could win, regardless of the fact that their numbers have diminished." Godric says. Stopping suddenly he turns and moves over so he's crouching in front of me. "How did you learn of her connection? Did the Prince come to you?"

"Yes, I'm indebted to him, so he came to call in his favour. He wants Sookie away from Sophie-Anne and Hadley; he warned me that she might have ill intentions towards Sookie. Only a short time later I found out she had gone missing..." I reply frowning. "I believe that she may have had something to do with it, but I don't think Sophie-Anne did. I think she has some strange caring for Sookie, whether it is her ability or actually for her I do not know."

"That doesn't matter, either way she wants her. We must find her and keep her here for a couple days; I will think of an excuse but come, I hear Pam waking."

I nod and stand up, following him to the door.