Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris owns all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chpt 37 Taking Down The Scenery
SPOV
Thank god the bond is muted at the moment, but even so my mental turmoil has attracted Eric's attention and my eyes are automatically drawn to him in response.
He raises an eyebrow.
I fake a reassuring smile.
He turns back to his increasing heated conversation and I scuttle back to Alcide on the couch.
"What's happening?" He asks quietly, handing me a gin and tonic which seems to have appeared from nowhere.
"I need to talk to Eric."
"Good luck." He observes wryly, watching the Sheriffs plead with said vampire.
I take a slug of gin. It doesn't go terribly well with five different kinds of coffee and one dose of nerves.
"Do you think I should just go up and tell him I need to see him?"
"Beats me." Alcide replies with an easy laugh. "You know him better than I do. Sure looks like he needs rescuing though."
Yes, but I'm not sure I should rescue him. The state has no monarch and everyone involved would very much like the Sheriff of Area Five to quit stalling and get on with accepting the crown. He knows it's inevitable, I can feel it, but it's almost like he's waiting for someone to ride in and save the day. It won't be the Queen though, perhaps I should start with telling him that and see where it goes from there . . . .
I hand my gin to Alcide and make my way over to the knot of Sheriffs. Eric has his back to me but he senses my approach and turns.
"Master, if I may have a word with you please?"
"Excuse me gentleman." He says, turning back to them briefly. "I need to consult with my asset."
Ignoring any response they might have he places his hand in the small of my back to guide me to the next available corner.
"Herveaux did not bring you straight back." He observes.
"I spent the day in a cave, covered in blood, some extra maintenance work was required."
"You were avoiding me."
My mouth opens and closes but the denial won't come out.
And suddenly I'm back in our bubble. Because as strange as it may sound that's the most personal thing he's ever said to me. Sure he's admired my cleavage and urged me to yield to him, back in the day when Bill was out of earshot, but not even when he was practically accusing me of being out to get him has anything he's said alluded to there being any kind of connection between us. He just accused me of avoiding him, of not wanting to be with him.
My words and intentions have deserted me, along with my higher brain functions apparently, as I stare up into his face.
I know precisely how many seconds have passed and how stupid I must look when his voice startles me out of my Eric induced stupor.
"You wanted to tell me something?"
"Yes, sorry, the Queen is dead Eric. I heard it in Andre's mind."
"We suspected as much." He sighs. "A vampire knows when their connection to their Maker is severed."
His fast moving emotions solidify for a moment and I can feel the deep sense of loss he has over Godric's death and it's all I can do not to hug him. Like that would be welcome.
"What will you do?" I ask without thinking.
"I do not want to be King." He answers, surprising both of us.
"I can feel that Eric." I keep my voice light as if he hasn't just shocked me to the core a second time. "But I don't understand why. These people trust you. They're looking to you to protect them because they know you can, that you will."
His eyes bore into mine and I can feel his irritation but he hasn't crushed my skull yet so I push on.
"Take Charles, I'm starting to recognise his mental signature . . . ."
"Your gift is growing?"
". . . . he worships you Eric." I continue, ignoring his attempt to deflect me. "He trusts you implicitly and he wants to serve you, you can trust him."
More eye boring.
Jesus he's going to kill me for this.
"I know you don't like me but I trust you too. I can't see how you'd be anything but a good King. Maybe you should just trust yourself?"
He's been leaning down to be nearer my level so we can talk quietly, but now he draws himself up to his full height, leaving me face to beloved chest. Our bond is in chaos and for a brief moment I wonder if he is actually going to kill me. There's personal and there's personal, and Eric is not only a male but a vampire of the species no less. If I'd said something like that to Jason he'd have considered it an affront to his masculinity or something, Chinese rope burns would have been involved . . . . God even my mind rambles when I'm terrified . . . .
"Eric." A stiff voice interrupts. "We must conclude our discussion."
"Charles." Eric growls. "I am still consulting with my asset."
"She can read vampire minds." Charles observes quietly.
My heart stops and Eric whirls so that I can only see the back of his shirt and his arms stretched back on either side as he presses me back into the corner.
"How do you know that?" Eric hisses.
"I have a gift I hide too, my hearing is extremely acute, no one else will have overheard you. The human is correct Eric, you can trust me with your secrets as I have just trusted you with mine. If you truly do not wish to be King I will support you, but Eric know that I am not the only one here who believes you are the best vampire for the job."
Hello tense, loaded, silence.
Slowly Eric draws me out from the corner and tucks me into his side, arm tightly clasping my waist.
Charles must know Eric pretty well because he senses his resistance finally crumble at the same moment I do.
"Your Majesty." Charles's voice is low and sure, like his thoughts. "I pledge my eternal fealty to you and yours."
With a rustle of fabric and sinew the entire room follows Charles to his knees, even Alcide.
"Fuck." Eric growls.
Going on instinct I sink to my own knees, fighting Eric's tight hold until his hand ends up gripping my shoulder painfully, pulling me into his leg as he scowls down at me.
"Your Majesty." I murmur, joining the chorus.
EPOV
I have spoken to Stan. He did not appear bothered by the change of plan, merely pleased, as he said he would be, that Madden will be nowhere near his borders. We agreed that he would proceed to take Arkansas. I will probably quietly, and benignly, hate him for the rest of his existence for being so slow to enact his takeover.
I have informed Cataliades, the Ancient Pythoness's office and the AVL of my ascension to the throne of Louisiana, they will tell everyone else. I have not yet summoned the courage to tell Pam, she will be amused at my expense.
I have confirmed everyone's positions with the exception of Sheriff of Area Five and my Second.
I sent the non-human to bed. She was exhausted.
I am ready to join her.
I want to fuck her insensible. Or me insensible. Or preferably both of us.
Then I think I might kill her.
How dare she lift my private concerns from my head and address them as if they are something we have discussed? As if I would ever discuss such a thing with her.
The fact that she was right does nothing to mollify me, damn her. I have always told myself that a crown would cramp my freedom and make those I care about targets but I have also always known that it would be little different from my being a Sheriff, that I could probably make it work, if I had to. Godric used to joke that crown dodging was my equivalent to playing golf, but the truth is I have high ideals to live up to and I was, am not, ever sure that I will manage it.
She was right about Charles too. I have known most of what she revealed for a long time. Our secrets are safe with him. Though I am still trying to work out what he has learned over the years from the gift he has concealed . . . .
I should question her, how might her secrets have led to me being trapped this night? Was this part of her plan? To set me on a throne as a target? It seems pointless when she could already have personally seen to my true death on more than one occasion. Does it benefit someone else for me to be King? Her? She seemed fully committed to the concept . . . .
I have made my final notification, read my final report and instructed my final spy. I want to see her . . . .
"Your Majesty." Charles appears at the door as I rise from the desk.
"What is it Charles?"
"Mr Cataliades's human is here. He wishes to speak with you on a matter of some urgency."
I sink back down into the chair.
"Send him in Charles."
Here he comes, the curiously cocky human, sauntering through my new office like he owns the place.
NPOV
I am really going to enjoy this.
"Your Majesty." I intone as I reach his ludicrously large desk. I incline my head just enough to make it obvious that I am not being entirely respectful. Ortel does it to me all the time, it drives me mad and judging by the Viking's sneer it is going to have the same effect on him.
Welcome to my world.
"Sit down and make it brief." He snaps, indicating an ornate chair facing him. "I have pressing matters to attend to."
You will not be pressing anything against my Great Granddaughter just yet young man.
"Of course." I observe in a tone bordering on disdain. "And congratulations."
He snorts.
Did not see this one coming did you Viking? No mind, if it is any consolation I got my crown in almost exactly the same way, women are a force to be reckoned with. Especially the ones that belong to me.
I smirk.
"How may I help you?" He enquires politely, itching to leap the table and rip my head off.
"It is more a question of how I can help you."
His eyebrow rises. He is very good at that, give him a century or two under a crown and he will be able to make grown men weep when he does it, Iike I can.
"My Master has bid me inform you that the contract between the state of Louisiana and his client for the protection of Ms Stackhouse is no longer in force."
He blinks. He certainly was not expecting that and he is not sure he likes it.
"The contract for you to ensure the safety of Ms Stackhouse is no longer in force." I supply helpfully.
If my smirk gets any wider I am going to turn into a toad right before his eyes.
"So your client believes there is no longer any danger to Ms Stackhouse?" He asks in a perfectly reasonable voice.
"There will always be a danger to Ms Stackhouse."
"So has your client made alternative arrangements for her safety?" Slightly less reasonable now.
I do not think he likes the idea of another being responsible for her, involved in her life.
"I have not been informed of anything." I manage to sound monumentally bored by this whole conversation, I have had practice.
"Are you telling me that your client is no longer interested in protecting her?" Ah. No longer reasonable.
"I have not been informed." I repeat. "She is the twice bonded of a powerful vampire King, perhaps that will be enough?"
He is silent for a long time, unembarrassed at taking time to consider his next words.
"I do not believe that will be enough." He says finally, fixing me with his ice blue stare.
"It is no longer your problem." I shrug as insolently as I can manage, which is quite.
He is incandescent with fury, barely able to remain still, let alone seated. His fangs are itching to escape his gums but he has enough self-control to prevent it.
"So now I am forbidden to have anything to do with my own bonded asset?" His voice is dangerously quiet.
"No, no, Majesty. You misunderstand me. You may do what you like with her, if any harm befalls her you will no longer be held accountable for it."
Well, you will be, by me, and it is not an accounting you would wish to be present for.
"So I can simply walk away from her?"
"If you wish it." I confirm easily. If you can.
"The contract is completely annulled?"
"Yes. The details are all here in these documents. You no longer have any contractual responsibility to care for Ms Stackhouse."
I rise to my feet, placing the document wallet on the desk between us.
"You may look through them at your leisure, please let my Master's office know if you have any questions."
"What about disclosing the existence of the contract?" He asks, eyeing the wallet as if it might explode in his face. As if. I outgrew that phase long before he was a twinkle in his father's eye.
"You may tell Ms Stackhouse if it is your desire. It is all laid out in the documents."
There is another long silence.
"What is she?" He asks finally.
Can you not see, Viking?
"I cannot tell you that but I hardly think it matters. She is what she appears to be. A beautiful, intelligent woman with a strong and loyal heart."
"You seem to know her extremely well." He observes tightly.
"Not as well as you do." I respond, with a genuine smile that completely throws him.
My work here is done and I saunter out. Humming quietly . . . .
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.