AN: Enjoy this chapter! Happy Reading! :)
Sookie's POV
"Morning, Mímir," I greet; bending down to press a soft kiss to the cheek our ever scowling house brownie as he expertly flips pancakes through the air from his perch atop his cooking stool set before the stove.
"Your Majesty," he answers with a slight nod before nodding to both my wolf and my tiger. "Your grandparents will be arriving just after first dark," he enlightens us, proceeding to place a piling plate of pancakes into Quinn's hands to bring an elated grin to my tiger's face.
"I love you," Quinn sighs out, earning a snort and an eye roll from our brownie who goes right back to cooking whilst Alcide and Quinn rush towards the table together, the two of them always more than eager to consume whatever delicacy Mímir cooks up for us. I just shake my head at the sight of the two of them delving into the heaping pile, an airy smile coming to my face, likely at least in part on account of the delight I can feel emanating from them both.
"Is your panther not joining us, Your Majesty?" Mímir questions as he slips a steaming cup of joe into my hands, the cream and sugar mixed perfectly as per usual.
"You mean you haven't seen him yet this morning?" I question, earning a rather absent headshake in turn just before the telling creaking of the nearby cellar door finds us all turning towards the kitchen doorway together.
"Oh, pancakes," Calvin states excitedly, making an instant beeline for the kitchen table as the rest of us are left staring on in mirroring curiosity.
"So…," Alcide starts, an amused smirk pulling at the corner of his lips as Mímir and I both step closer to the table together. "You never came to bed last night," he adds to leave our panther sending us a syrup covered grin, his bright blue eyes shining with apparent delight.
"Nope," Calvin answers back with a rather devious smirk. A snort of amusement escapes me, rather liking the way this new, carefree attitude seems to suit my normally, well, uptight panther.
"Well? Are you gonna tell us what happened or what?" Quinn questions impatiently to earn a lighthearted chuckle from Calvin as he proceeds to merrily shovel more bites of fluffy pancake into his mouth.
"A gentlemen doesn't kiss and tell," Calvin finally answers back after chewing his breakfast whilst his brilliant grin leaves the three of us staring back at him in equal wonderment.
"I knew it! It was Godric, wasn't it?" Alcide questions excitedly, his dark eyes shining. Calvin only shrugs his widening smile confirmation enough to leave the three of us grinning back at him like a bunch of loons.
"Goddamn," Quinn sighs out, shaking his bald head as his lilac eyes shine with apparent humor. "I mean, I guess I always kinda figured we'd all end up here eventually, but I never thought you'd be the one to cross that line first! Damn, dude, I don't know whether to slap you on the back or kiss you!" our tiger exclaims, earning a round of chuckles from the lot of us, minus Mímir, of course, who only rolls his eyes at our tiger once more before heaping more syrup onto his already sopping pancakes; brownies and their sweet teeth.
"Yeah, yeah, I heard the exact same thing last night," Calvin admits, shaking his head with a wistful smile. "Am I really that much of a stick in the mud?" he questions to leave me snorting before I rise from the table to approach him.
"Of course not," I answer, sliding into his lap and pressing a tender kiss against his scruffy cheek. "Though you do seem to have a new spring in your step," I enlighten him, seeing an endearing, pink flush crawling up his cheeks. "I'm so happy for you, Calvin," I inform him, wrapping my arms around his neck to hug him tightly.
"I love you," he whispers against my ear, managing to widen my smile as I feel the truth of his words thrumming between us.
"I love you too," I answer back, pulling away to see him send me an affectionate smile.
"Knock, knock!" a familiar voice calls from the front of the house then. The four of us exchange knowing grins before Mímir slinks from his chair with an annoyed growl; he never really has been the biggest fan of my ever bubbly bestie. I send him a slight smirk, seeing him tuck a bottle of syrup into his jacket pocket before scurrying from the kitchen just as I hear Amelia fling open the front door.
A snort of amusement escapes me upon catching my witchy friend's thoughts as she's always been an abnormally loud broadcaster. The guys send me cocked brows and I lean across the table whilst sending them a conspiring grin.
"She's hoping to catch you guys shirtless again," I whisper, earning mirroring grins just before Amelia bursts into the kitchen.
"Oh, would you look at that? Syrup all over my favorite shirt," Quinn sighs out, promptly peeling off his shirt to earn instant, moony eyes from my witchy partner.
"Aww, damn, same here," Alcide chimes in, peeling away his own shirt with a knowing smirk. Amelia hits me with a cocked brow then before promptly stepping closer to punch me straight in the arm.
"Brat, you told!" she accuses, earning amused laughter all around. My own laughter comes to an abrupt end once I catch another passing thought from my magically inclined friend, a much more disturbing one.
"Wait, there's been another murder?" I question softly, all traces of humor melting from the room as Amelia sends us a grave nod.
"Yeah," Amelia sighs whilst plopping down dejectedly to Mímir's abandoned chair. "That's why I came over, actually. I thought you guys took care of Neave and Lochlan already."
"We did," Calvin confirms, earning raised brows from Amelia.
"Great, so now we've got more rogue fucking Fae to deal with," I hear Quinn grumble under his breath as I hit Amelia with an inquiring gaze.
"Let me guess, another young, blonde victim, baring a remarkable resemblance to yours truly?" I sigh out, seeing Amelia send me an apologetic gaze as she nods her dark head in affirmation. "Goddammit," I sigh out, really having hoped the end of those demented twins would mean an end to these murders as well.
"There's more. Something was left with the body and apparently, it was left for you," Amelia adds softly as I see her slip her hand inside her blazer before obtaining what appears to be a black and white photo. I tilt my head curiously, accepting the grainy image from her that has my name printed on the back in bold, black lettering. Odd. I turn the paper over before staring intently down to somehow familiar looking faces.
"Is that Niall?" Calvin questions as he reaches around me to point at the image of the much younger looking man with long, silvery blonde hair.
"I think so," I answer with a thoughtful frown. "And I'd recognize those milky white eyes anywhere," I insist, pointing at the blonde woman standing beside Niall, her arm slung comfortably around his shoulders. "That has to be Alexandra, but who is this?" I question, pointing towards the last person in the photograph who bears a remarkable resemblance to both my grandparents, her own flowing, blonde hair and carefree smile looking eerily similar to their own.
"Your Majesty," Mímir beseeches softly, his voice managing to startle me as I'd not heard his arrival. He extends a clawed hand towards me and I obligingly place the photo within his grasp before the five of us are left looking on together, watching as his dark eyes scan over the image.
"Do you know who she is?" I question, hearing a drawn out sigh escape the brownie.
"But of course," he answers back, glancing up to send me wary eyes. "I helped to raise her, just as I did you, Your Majesty," he enlightens me to make my eyes go wide with realization.
"But that would mean…," I trail off, seeing Mímir's head nodding solemnly.
"Yes, she is of the royal bloodline," our brownie concedes with a small frown.
"What? But how?" I question in disbelief, never having heard this woman mentioned even once until now.
"I do believe this matter can be better explained by your grandparents, Your Majesty," Mímir answers back softly and I can only nod, knowing there are a hell of a lot of questions I now have for both Niall and Alexandra.
Eric's POV
"Lover," I greet, taking my Faerie into my arms as I feel a tremor of worry emanating through her. Godric and Rasul, along with our Weres, are sending her mirroring looks of concern as she pulls away with a weak smile. "What has happened?" I question just in time to hear approaching steps at the front of the house.
"I suppose we're about to find out," my princess answers, straightening her spine and throwing back her shoulders as she turns determined, sapphire eyes towards the living room's entryway.
"Susannah," Niall sighs out, he and my Grandsire stepping over the threshold together with mirroring looks of relief etched over both their faces. They both step closer, their arms outstretched towards our golden mate who promptly holds up a hand before them whilst harshly shaking her head.
"No. I have questions for the two of you and you'd better tell me the truth; the whole truth," Sookie states, her fiery anger flaring to leave Godric, Rasul and I exchanging bewildered looks. Just what the fuck happened during our rest?
"We've never once lied to you, My Dear, and we're not about to start now," my Grandsire asserts, earning a stern frown from my love just before she pulls what appears to be a photo of some kind from her back pocket.
"The Fae may not be capable of telling blatant lies, but that doesn't mean they can't deceive," Sookie states, placing the photo into her grandparents hands as I see her lips purse in annoyance. "Now, talk."
Niall's crystalline eyes fall listless as he stares down at the photo for prolonged moments before turning to whisper softly into his sister's ear. I see my Grandsire's milky white eyes go momentarily wide with shock just before her entire form deflates before us, her already pale flesh turning near ghostly white, which is quite a feat for any Vampire, even one with shared Fae heritage.
"Granddaughter, there are certain things about our past, yes, even about our very own family, that Alexandra and myself, along with the rest of the Fae, never speak of aloud. Of all of those, our sister Mab is the most taboo subject of all," Niall explains, his face lined with obvious pain.
"But I don't understand; she's your sister. Why don't you speak of her?" Sookie questions, her eyes welling with tears of frustration. Instinctually, I step closer to hold my princess, right along with the rest of her guard, the six of us wrapping her into our shared embrace and our closeness seems to soothe our princess marginally as we're all left waiting for answers.
"As you well know, Young One, the world is full of all sorts of magics, the Wild Magics shared between you all being only one of many. Among these, are darker magics, forbidden magics that, though immensely powerful, are not only dangerous but deadly, often requiring sacrifice of flesh, of blood, of life. Being as such, Mab's own powers are strong enough now to even cloud my foresight as I'd not anticipated this move from her. Do you understand what I am saying?" my Grandsire questions to earn slight nods from the lot of us.
"So, you're saying Mab uses these Dark Magics?" Sookie whispers, a tremor of fear running through all of us as we see Niall and my Grandsire shifting uncomfortably before us.
"She wasn't always this way, Young One, in fact, there was a time when she was not so unlike Niall or myself, or even you, but alas, Mab was born with a penchant for darkness…an ingrained, inner desire to rule…at any cost. We all worked for years to help her overcome, only to fail her in the end," my Grandsire explains miserably.
"But what happened to her, Grandsire? What made her this way?" I question, for the very first time fearing I may not be strong enough to keep my beloved safe from harm, not from such powerful magics as were able to supersede even my Grandsire's unparalleled foresight.
"I only wish we knew for certain, My Eric," my Grandsire answers back with a dejected sigh. "Many centuries ago, there was a palace coup in Faerie. In the dark of night, the kingdom was thrown into utter chaos. We were all left running for our very lives from a rogue faction of Fae armed with Dark Magics. When the dust finally settled, Mab, our youngest sister, had disappeared. The kingdom grieved her death and it wasn't until centuries later that we learned the awful truth, that she'd in fact succumb to the darkness that had been manifesting within her for so very long; that she had, in fact, become the queen of the dark faction of the Fae," my Grandsire sorrowfully explains.
"But I still don't understand, what on earth does any of this have to do with me?" Sookie questions then, sending her kin anxious eyes.
"You must understand, Dearest Granddaughter, Mab is no longer the woman we once knew and as such, it's very likely she's the one who deemed Neave and Lochlan to see you killed. That or she chose these specific victims as means of garnering our attention. And as for the photograph, I can only assume this was her way of reaching out to you," my Grandsire reasons.
"Has she never heard of a fucking telephone?" Quinn grumbles out, his bald head shaking over the needless loss of innocence and I can only nod my wholehearted agreement.
"Okay, so she's certainly got all our attentions now, but I still don't get what she wants with me, I mean, I didn't even know she existed before today," Sookie states, her face scrunching in confusion.
"You, my beloved Granddaughter, are the prophesized one, the one who will determine the very fate of the entire Supernatural world. There are a great many who would wish to either have you killed or win you to their cause, both those of good and evil persuasion," Niall admits, sending his beloved granddaughter apologetic eyes.
"We'd truly hoped we'd succeeded in changing the minds of any who may wish to bring you harm, My Granddaughter, but alas, it would seem our noble efforts, though greatly effective in many regards, have failed to save us in the end," my Grandsire explains, her words laced with obvious guilt.
"Great, so you're telling me I have another great-grandmother I never knew about who apparently wants to either kill me or use me, for what; world domination or something?" Sookie sighs out as I feel her anxiety spiking to leave the rest of us shifting uncomfortably.
"In so many words, yes," Niall answers back with a resigned sigh.
"Great, just fucking great," my golden Faerie sighs out, earning weak smiles from her kin.
"I know this is a lot of information for you to absorb, Young One, just as it is for Niall and myself as we, perhaps rather foolishly, let ourselves believed it past our sister, dark as she may be, to be the one to bring you actual harm. But at least we now have a fairly decent idea of just what your prophesized destiny will entail," my Grandsire reasons.
"So what now? Just how are we supposed to protect Sookie from Mab and these powerful Dark Magics?" Rasul questions. "She's still yet to transition to full-blooded Fae and The Hunger is encroaching by the day," he reasons, his dark hands combing through our mate's golden hair as his face pinches in worry right along with the rest of us. Niall turns to his sister then, the two of them seeming to communicate silently between themselves for a time before they finally turn our way once more.
"We chose to see our mortal kin raised in this house for a reason. It's heavily warded and its location is still gratefully unknown. Mab's failed attempts to harm or obtain Sookie thus far are proof enough of this," Niall starts thoughtfully. "With Mab and her dark horde having their sights set upon Sookie, I believe this is the safest place for you all, at least until the time The Hunger has passed and Sookie has finally transitioned fully."
"What? You really expect us all to just hide out here?" Sookie cries out indignantly, earning disapproving frowns all around.
"Dear One, I have to side with your grandparents on this one," Godric offers softly, sending our princess wary, emerald eyes.
"But I-," Sookie starts to earn firm headshakes from her entire guard.
"No, Lover, they're right," I chime in, sending my stubborn love pleading eyes. "It's only for a short time; just until you've transitioned fully at which point I fully expect you to fight right by our sides, alright?" I offer gently, seeing the smallest of smiles form over her face upon hearing my words.
"Oh, fine," she finally concedes, wrapping an arm around my waist as my anxiety can finally dissipate a bit.
"Good, and in the meantime, we shall work to convene the whole of our allies," Niall assures us. "I'm hoping we may be able to talk some sense into Mab, that, or see her back down once she realizes just what a strong front she's up against. I don't know that I have it in me to see my own sister actually killed, but I suppose we all must be prepared for the worst case scenario," he adds, his eyes falling listless once more before my Grandsire slips her fingers through his own and squeezes his hand gently.
The two of them send us affirming nods, silently vowing to keep up their end of things, before they abruptly disappear from sight with a resounding pop. The seven of us are left staring at the spot they only just stood, not having to speak aloud just how dire our circumstances seem to have become as the wariness in the room is nearly palpable.
Faeries armed with deadly, Dark Magics are undoubtedly coming for our love and I pray to Odin the seven of us will be ready to face whatever they can throw at us. These Wild Magics have yet to fail any of us as of yet, I just really fucking hope that isn't about to change…for all our sakes.