After the doors shut we looked to each other. His mien was caught between mirth and a strange dread. "My lord?" I breathed. I got dressed in the green gown that hung from the mannequin; the one I was to have worn to the ball. He helped me with the buttons up the back.

He moved quickly and pinned me against the wall, his hand a vice about my tender neck. "So now you think you have won, I suppose?" it was a soft snarl.

I trembled just a little "No husband," I said submissively with my lashes lowered. He seemed to be drawn to my mouth, nearly unable to tear his gaze from it. "How alluring you are, it sickens me," he stepped back and his hands put his hair in disarray.

A soft vigorous tread was heard then and through the parted door stood Court. He nudged it open with a boot of black leather. That he was fully dressed at such an ominous hour was peculiar. "Where is my granddaughter? I went to her chambers and I checked the kitchen."

I felt a sick dropping in my belly and knew of who he spoke. Eric's eyes shuttered "I sent her away from here," his eyes cut to me briefly "She would have murdered my bride."

Court flicked disinterested eyes to me "You should have alerted me to the situation and I would have handled it. You know as well as I that she would never gainsay me."

Eric's face held a petulance that touched me and made me feel protective. "Eric is the Master of Elysian and he had no need to alert you of the relocating of a slave of his," I said stepping before Eric and facing his grandfather.

Court's wintery eyes narrowed "Oh my so she is more than a portrait that you wept over, she has spirit," he murmured. He leaned against the rich wood of the opposing wall and surveyed me. "Actually little darling Felicia is my slave and a product of my loins and my grandson was merely housing her at my bequest," he fell silent and his lids lowered. "So you see its every bit my business," he peered over my shoulder at Eric.

"Isn't that right grandson?" his voice was a southern purr of authority. I half turned and saw my husband nod.

Court adjusted his coat carefully and brushed invisible dust from his sleeves "I assume that you've merely given her to Cole, eh?"

"Yes grandfather," Eric sounded wooden and nearly in pain.

Court moved from the wall and came to the sideboard and poured himself a scotch and with his back to us he spoke again. "What of Amelia? How will she feel about this departure?" Slowly he faced my lord.

Eric's eyes filled with deep sadness "It will break her, I swore to her-," he broke off and bowed his head.

Court's cruel laughter painted the scene gruesomely "Your devotion to that negro has always been so mystifying," his gray eyes cut to me the swathing of a dagger.

"Do you find your husband strange?"

I bristled and again blocked his view of Eric "I think he is wonderful," I snapped before I could think better of it.

I heard Eric gasp behind me and I nearly ran to the door; fleeing before my love could escape and enter his knowledge.

I stumbled up the stairs and knocked lightly on Minnie's door praying that I didn't wake her. She coughed and it alarmed me when she answered the door. "Eric now knows that I find him wonderful," I blurted out.

Minnie patted my shoulder and led me to her small table. I sat with shaking limbs and watched as the moon guided her hands to set the lamp ablaze. Her eyes seemed black pools of love when she lifted them to me. "And what's wrong with that? Yous always been selfish with your affection excepting me, but this is your man Sookie. You got to let him know you burn for him, or he'll turn cold on you."

I digested that and felt betrayed. "Minnie?" my voice was blanketed with my despair and the lingering bit of my youth. Minnie smiled gently "Yes? The truth is that man be so crazy in love with you, he jest can't stand it."

Her face grew stern "And if you keep pushing him away, he'll turn from you."

"He already has," I whispered. "He has kept a mistress from the moment he brought me here."

Minnie smirked and folded her hands atop the table "I heard her caterwauling not an hour past begging that handsome devil Cole to talk Eric outta sending her away," the triumph in my beloved mammy's eyes warmed.

Someone was coming up the stairs and we both went still. A knock went over our heads and then the door opened. "I thought I might find you here," my husband said softly.

"Has Sookie informed you of your new duties yet Minnie?"

Minnie shook her head and with her eyes on the floor "No Master."

He came fully into the room and its dimensions seemed to shrink with his size. He sat down next to me and his perfection made my heart race. "You are to tend to my children."

My mammy's face was a little shocked "Youin gots chilren?"

Eric face was solemn "Indeed and some of them are sick, maybe even dying as he did."

I interjected "He's talking about his orchids Minnie."

She looked so relieved for me and maybe herself that I nearly laughed. I turned my body to face him "When is that old codger taking his leave?"

Eric laughed "As soon as I am sufficiently destroyed I'm sure."

I felt rage grow in my chest "I hate him!" I said fiercely.

My husband chuckled "Me too," was his rejoinder.

"I don't know much about tending to those type flowers," Minnie said.

Eric's lids drooped lazily "I will teach you all that you need to know," I knew in that instant that his giving over even a modicum of control of his precious 'children' that he was showing a sort of affection for my mammy.

His expression as he looked from me to Minnie was a strange mixture of understanding and jealousy. "She refuses to love me Minnie," he said softly. I gave my mammy a look of warning and Minnie smiled "Give it time Master, Sookie only warms slowly to new people."

Eric's hand rose to his chin and he cupped it thoughtfully and I wanted to weep from the beauty that clung to such a simple gesture. "What can I do to win her heart?"

Minnie looked straight at me "Be steadfast to her Master, she highly values loyalty."

Eric's eyes narrowed "Fidelity?" his tone made the word a filthy thing. He stood abruptly "Go pack Sookie's things Minnie we are all going to New Orleans when the sun rises."

Minnie rose and curtsied to him.

I never did sleep that night and his single word echoed in my head endlessly.

When I awoke it was to a headache that blinded me. I stumbled from bed and felt the first breath of life from the sun outside my open window.

I fell to my knees as a blaze of pain went from my jaws up my neck to live my brain. I must have dreamed dark things I thought. When I have nightmares I grind my jaws together.

Minnie came in and picked me up as if I weighed nothing at all. From my trunk she got the tonic that I'd had to take occasionally since being very young. I drank some and lay back against the pillows.

So it was that he came in and saw me with what must of have been a dreamy expression. "Leave us," he commanded Minnie.

He drew a chair up beside the bed and just looked at me "What have you taken and why?"

I tried to sit up but my limbs felt deadened. "My tonic my lord," I whispered. The bottle sat beside the bed and he reached for it and after reading the label released a dark sigh. "My father was addicted to this substance."

"One of your headaches?" he inquired softly.

I inclined my head and gave a gasp as the pain fought through the drug. "How—old were you?" I stumbled over the words in my daze.

He didn't pretend not to understand "Nine."

I shuddered in sympathy for him "I neither want nor need your pity," he snarled.

His rage was so real such a living thing it nearly frightened me "Thank you for what you did for Minnie," I said in an effort to divert his fury.

He arched a brow "What did I do?" his tone made it clear that he knew very well.

My hands rose into air "You like her now don't you?"

Eric smiled darkly "Nothing could be further than the truth, I dream daily of killing her. For I know that you will never give me what you give her." His ripe mouth curled "Endless adoration, devotion, worship."

His big hands moved two striking hawks and he yanked the blankets from me. His fingers thrust inside me and I cried out. "My lord please," I pleaded as he got on top of me.

AN: I'm sorry for the shoddiness of this update. I did my best.