Under a hail of cotton we swept into the carriage. I was conscious of my appeal when I felt his eyes upon me. When I moved to take the floral garland from my brow he stopped me. "No it stays," he said softly.

My hand lowered and I sighed. My eyes drank his face as if they'd been parched for years. That he would always be indescribably perfect to me I knew. A feeling of doom threatened my mind then. That this happiness couldn't last. His face was thoughtful as he looked at me. An approaching coldness was in his eyes. His mercurial moods was something like crossing a frozen lake; always in fear of melted places and hidden danger.

"You think that you have me under your thumb don't you?" his voice was soft and silky but I wasn't fooled. Behind it was an endless rage.

I bowed my lashes "No my lord," I said quietly. I could see through the thick fall of them that he was smirking.

That he would feel this darkness and rage after my finding out of his great obsession for me was natural and made perfect sense to me. Our carriage arrived at the back of the house. It was past noon and the sun cast it's light only as far as the garden, the house itself repelled it.

We entered the hot house and behind us guests were arriving. Felicia was in the corner of the humid room staring around her with tears pouring from her green eyes. Eric watched her with a vague expression that seemed torn between pity and amusement. "Felicia doesn't my bride look lovely?"

She turned and the hatred and love there was appalling in its nakedness. She said nothing and sank to her knees. Eric's lip curled with derision "Get up and serve our guests," he snapped.

Then the ice of his gaze swept to me warmed with his fury. "Go into the dining hall on the east wing and greet them," he commanded.

I curtsied deeply to him "As my lord commands," I murmured. I knew that I would have to be very careful if I were to survive the wedding night and the preceding hours.

I swept into the grand dining hall that was only used on formal occasions and watched as slaves led our guests into the room. I held my hand aloft for kisses coldly given and smiled blandly in response to their vacuous smiles. Eric's grandfather entered in then. He stopped before me with a look of interest and boredom at once.

He was an incredibly handsome man even in the twilight of his years. "Sookie," he began. "Your eyes are most unusual," he murmured peering into them. "Show me to my place," his tone made it clear that it was to be near Eric and I.

I led him to a seat across from and next to my husband's. He seemed utterly aware of every minute detail that surrounded him. Blossoms hung from the chandeliers and snowy white lace gabled the ceiling. Long bleached candles dotted the long expanse of the table. "My grandson has a most romantic heart," he said in a thoughtful manner. "Of course I tried to crush it from him, but alas it was nurtured by his mother."

"Are his parents dead?" I asked. His grandfather nodded his head "Yes they died in India, they were murdered in a revolt of the natives there."

"He saw them die," he added toying with his glass before lifting it to his mouth. The news hurt me deeply. I knew in that instant that there was nothing that I wouldn't do to spare my husband pain.

His gray eyes lifted to me "My name is Court, I was remiss in not giving my name earlier."

I said nothing merely inclined my head. "What you did before our joining was most cruel," I told him with clear anger in my tone.

Court smiled coldly "Do you think so? Perhaps you need more time to acquaint yourself with my person then, what I did was to level the playing field." Cole came in then and sat next to his Grandfather.

He was quite handsome in a charcoal gray suit with a black undershirt. He'd obviously heard his grandfather's words. "Indeed grandfather, its time she knew of the reason for this hasty marriage," he commiserated. His steely eyes so like Court's seemed to burn me when he turned his gaze my way. "He showed me a portrait of you he'd had stolen from your father's collection," he fell quiet and for a second a look of remembered admiration was on his face.

I remembered in that moment my father's anguish and fury when that portrait had gone missing. Eric arrived then and sat catty corner from me. His brow arched "Have I missed anything of import?" he drawled. His eyes were artic with the depth of his anti-feeling.

Court lifted his glass to his mouth and drew a sip around the mirthful workings of his mouth. "I was just telling your wife of your parents 'death," Court's eyes were calculating and I knew that he enjoyed tormenting Eric.

Eric face was snowy in its lack of emotion "Were you indeed?" he sounded the epitome of casualness. His brilliant aquamarine gaze turned to me "Yes they were decapitated before my eyes," he murmured.

"How boring and trite of you to unveil that detail on this day," he said directing his comment at Court.

Court smiled and snapped his fingers to Felicia and when she came near he bid her to stand before him. "I trust you have been fulfilling my grandson's needs in his chamber?" every word he uttered was poison to this day and I knew that he took great joy from ruining these scared hours.

Felicia flushed and looked away and then with a quick mysterious glance to Eric she replied. "Yes Master Court."

Food came in then on rolling carts and the smell coming off them was both delicious and repugnant. Court was watching me with a predatory gleam in his eyes "Doubtless you mean to wound me with what I am already well aware of," I said coldly.

My eyes turned to Eric and my hand went to his "There will be no other women that will ever captivate him as I do," my tone is filled with a certainty that I don't necessarily feel. Eric's eyes narrowed with a dangerous light "Is that right my love?"

I shrugged minutely "It is merely my fondest desire my lord husband."

Eric looked around at the guests "Eat up pigs for the feast will be ending shortly," he said just loud enough to be heard over the conversations. Their genteel eyes widened and they fell into a silence punctuated with soft gasps of disapproval.

He picked up his plate and dumped it to the floor "Pick it up Felicia," his expression was filled with mirth and sorrow.

I still wondered if he loved her for surely that was the reason that he refused to sell her. But his treatment was so at odds with that hypothesis. She bent down and I nearly cried out. That I hated her I knew to be a truth but at the same time I felt a vast pity for her. Cole was glaring at Eric and his cousin laughed "Cole was there something you wanted to add?"

Cole smirked with what seemed a great effort "Cruelty can become so very lame cousin, take care that you don't become one note," it was a reprimand softly given.

"Inbreeding has made them both so strange," Court interjected. "His mother was Eric's father's sister, it was quite the scandal."

A silence so heavy it felt suffocating descended upon the table. Eric's breath hissed out and he slammed his fork down. "You're quite unbelievable in your depths of tactlessness aren't you?"

He stood and grasped my arm "Cole tend to Grandfather, it would be such a shame if he choked on his dinner."

With that we left all the guests behind and he nearly dragged me upstairs.

AN: I pray that I haven't disgusted you all with this reveal. I was told what to type and I obeyed. Let me know what you think. Since many of you have asked Cole's mother was also his aunt.