I know that my family loved me but I was kept secreted away and hidden for most of my life. Only rarely did I participate in daily life or any life. Only Claudine and occasionally Claude visited. I was confined to a small suite of rooms. Niall was too concerned for my safety. Enemies were everywhere and I am too fragile. The war between the sky fae and the water fae, led by Breadan, has been going on my whole life. I repeated it like a mantra for years 'they just love me'. The truth is Niall covets more than loves. He claims to have wanted to keep me safe but it was always from 'safe' places that I was kidnapped or brutalized. Leaving Faery was not just to aid my grandfather in his war but to aid me in my sanity. It is true that he was always at a disadvantage when I disappeared because he would lose my skills, as well as divide his attention and resources to find me, however I have always felt he was more concerned with retrieving and keeping my skills. The enemy never benefited from my capture, only lessened Niall's advantage. I had refused to aid them every time. In the beginning they would try their mental attacks on me but failed, and then their physical attacks. They couldn't kill me or break me. I healed faster than any known fairy and my will was great. The last time I was taken was in my sleep. I was drugged and moved to a hidden location. When I woke and saw Breadan, I just lost it. I became purely fairy in that moment I had no control over my actions. When I resurfaced I was standing in the same room covered in blood and gore and Breadan lay disembowled at my feet. I popped for the first time, back to my hidden rooms. I cleaned myself and notified Niall of my return. He was more curious as to how I had escaped than to how I was feeling after my most recent ordeal. Something changed in me that day. I never did tell Niall how I escaped. I told him that I had attained full use of my spark overcome with anger and did not recall what had happened only that I came to, in my room. I could tell he was skeptical but he did not question me.
I knew if the rumors had reached my ears that Breadan was still alive after a vicious attack then the rumors surrounding that attack had reached Niall's. He only came to see me once more after that incident. He gave me some books on fairy magic to study. He acted nonchalant when he brought them but I knew there had to be another reason. So I accepted the books and studied them carefully. I made sure to reveal a small measure of progress so that any spying done on me would reveal only normal or average skills. In truth I could feel the spells that I read become burned into my memory. There was no need to show anyone what I knew. I knew I knew it and would have it when I needed it.
My meeting Eric was a very sketchy encounter and I cannot help but feel I am supposed to be here. I know that he is possessive, dominating, arrogant, brutal, vicious, and so many other bad things but in the short time we have been together he has shown great care and respect for me. He has made promises of a forever I had always hoped for, a forever that was not by myself; not unloved. He has given me a place by his side where he is proud to have me. He has made me feel so alive and that is a huge flashing neon sign right there! How does a dead man make a living spark filled fairy feel more alive then her living magic bearing kin?
I am in it for forever. I am filtering through my own thoughts, the thoughts of the palace (a few things will need addressing), and listening to the meeting. So far most of the things discussed have been straight forward and there was no need for me to respond but my hackles rose at the last concern. I thought this meeting was just covering his ass politically! Pssh! I would not be going back no matter the outcome of the demons pencil pushing. If Niall chose to push me I would be forced to reveal myself. I know he is not sure what I am. We both knew for years that I was different but Niall always insisted that I was full fairy but I am sure we both know different.
I address Cataliades as calmly as I am capable of. He has excellent people skills and averts his eyes to avoid upsetting me further. We get through signing all the papers and Cataliades agrees to meet us tomorrow night with our copies of the necessary documents, wills for both of us to sign, and the official pledging papers. Apparently there are a few terms we must come to before actually signing the papers. Cataliades tells us to think on these issues so that we may draw up the pledging papers quickly tomorrow night. How long are we promising to be married? What are we promising with our union? Are there any conditions or stipulations to our union? And so on and so on.
After the demon leaves Eric picks me up and sits on the oversize sofa with me in his lap. He smoothes his hand down my back and cups my cheek with the other placing light kisses on my forehead. I can feel the tension leave me and I relax into him.
"My pretty fairy, I felt your emotions. Something upset you a great deal. Would you like to tell me about it?"
"I am not ready to tell you all about it. I told Cataliades the truth; I am the happiest I have ever been, with you and I have never felt safer. I will not be pulled away from you, least of all by Niall."
"Not many people would ever use Niall's name and least in the same sentence."
"Lover" I purred and instantly changed directions of this conversation "I don't want to think about this now. Surely there are bigger plans this night than talk of my family." I nuzzled into his neck and nipped and kissed there. I felt him get rock hard against my thighs and started grinding my hips.
"Oh, my naughty fairy. You are trying to distract me and it is working wonderfully. I will let this go for now. I will wait. As I have already said, you will yield and tell me." He pulled me to straddle his lap, wrapped his arms around me a kissed me deeply.
We are interrupted by a knock at the door then Pam clearing her throat. When she steps into the office we look up at her.
"Great, you're not busy. I was hoping to spend some time with you. I would love to show you around the palace and help you plan the pledging ceremony." She is grinning like a cheshire cat and practically vibrating in her heels.
"That would be lovely Pam and thank you for my wardrobe. I have never seen a closet so big or full of pretty things."
Pam's grin is permanently in place. "As I notice the items you select I will have a better understanding of your likes and will be better able to fill it with items that are to your liking."
"Your taste is incredible Pam, I did not see one thing I would not wear. You should consider a clothing line. You have the advantage over humans having seen the best and the worst of fashion the last three hundred years. Humans would pay big bucks for vampire couture." Her eyes light up and I know I have found her dream. I will have to encourage this.
Eric's voice crawls across my neck stunning me with all sorts of naughty for a moment. "How did you know Pam is three hundred years old?"
"Well you are one thousand and you shine brightly. Pam shines but much dimmer than you. However she shines twice as bright as William Compton who I know to be around one hundred fifty because he served as a human in the Civil War. So I guessed her at three hundred. I must be pretty close if it has you freaked out."
"You do not have me freaked out. I was only curious, which seems to be a constant state the last few nights."