Sookie sat in the high wooden bed situated in the middle of the large room that was her resting place for the night of the ceremony. Thrown over the footboard, a white blanket decorated with an intricate green lacework reminded her of grandmothers' hobbies. Not hers, though. And it surely was a magic product, she considered after. She lowered her gaze and felt soft rugs under her feet. It was a warmness that did not reach her belly.

A thoughtful mood had enveloped her after the brief exchange with Aengus. She tried to seize the fear that had taken hold of her and a barrage of thoughts, mostly fleeting and incomplete, flooded her consciousness.

It was already more than five years that she lived and breathed the fae way, learning a little bit more every day and she felt slightly, but firmly, pushed to several directions all at once. Surely her family had given her all the instruments to foster her fae education, all the means to live comfortably and all the time she needed to learn at her leisure. And she had spent that time as a committed pupil on scholarship, showing dedication and results.

But Sookie had not failed to notice that everybody had a role and a use in the fae society. Niall was the prince and had formal and less formal businesses to attend; Dillon was the Delegate to the Triumvirate; Dermot acted as a special envoy to the other fae reigns; Aengus travelled continuously to other dimensions on assignments. Even those whom she regularly had interactions with were always engaged in works of different types. Aine was a sort of guide and guardian to her, supplying actual lessons in fae language and history. Rhiannon and Chadwick were her teachers and tutors in their field of expertise, and Sookie knew they had other pupils and engagements to attend.

Everybody around her did their share of work, therefore it was sensible to expect that sooner or later some kind of requests would have landed at her door. And now that she was a full-fledged fairy (something that before she did not know it could ever happen), she felt even more obliged to repay her community with her services. Furthermore, it was the first time in her life she was accepted and welcomed the way she was, without feeling any less for her human heritage or her dae gift. On the contrary, those traits were seen as a plus, even as Sookie was unsure if that wide acceptance were mainly due to her status of Brigant's scion or the circumstance that her fae spark were of remarkable magnitude.

As for Aengus, she did not know what to make of his invitation to enter his mind. Or of her reluctance to do so. Between them things had settled in a very comfortable and convenient way, to the satisfaction of both. They had a varied and intense sexual exchange when Aengus was in Faery and no commitment of any kind was agreed for when they were apart. Sookie had to recognise that since bedding her cousin no other fae had been willing to come forward, and she had not pursued anyone, limiting her bed partners to the occasional encounters during her trips out of Faery. It had been a discovery of exotic tastes, from daemons to daemons interbreed with humans or fae, to some weres and witches or other crossed breed she was not even aware of. Now that she considered her sexual life it was surprising that she had never had any intimate encounter with plain humans. So much for her earlier quest for normality in the human world.

Sookie smiled at the baffled realisation that her standard for normal had greatly expanded its limits. She would not have flinched at any show of perks, talents, physical peculiarities or magic epiphanies. That was her world now, and she basked in it shamelessly.

Aengus was a riddle she would solve another time, she thought standing up and heading to the bathroom. She was stopped in her tracks by two knocks at the door. She pushed her mind out, cautiously handling a poker from the rack at the fireplace side: three fairies, apparently harmless and in very good mood. Sookie opened the door and watched two males and a female smiling and trying to get her attention.

"Fae," one of the males said bowing to Sookie. "May I wish you good night the fairy way?" He was very tall, broad shoulders, long legs, a perfect face framed by blond hair.

"Fae," said the other male, "my good night infusion will relax and lull you to a satisfied rest." He was sturdy built with long, reddish hair and wore only a pair of loose fitting trousers.

The female fairy was shorter than Sookie, long straight dark hair and slim build, her thoughts were chasing one another and her demeanour was curious rather than lustful. Aengus was in her mind but Sookie could not see well through the coiling thread of fleeting images she got from her.

"Fae," whispered gently the female fairy, "come to me." The face of his cousin loomed large and clear in her mind, and Sookie felt a tinge of jealousy.

"Come to me," replied Sookie and offered her a hand, leading the fairy inside her bedroom. "Good night, gentlemen."

Sookie offered a glass of wine to her guest and caressed her mind softly. "What are you supposed to do here?"

"What you want, fae." The brunette's thinking was still in a haphazard fashion and Sookie could not get a hold of her leading line of thoughts. The fairy was nervous and uneasy.

"I was about to have a bath, would you join me?"

"My pleasure, fae."

Sookie led the way to the bathroom. It was made of polished stones and weird mirrors, the kind that made you think someone was behind them. She undressed, following her guest's gestures and slightly pushing her confused thoughts behind. Sookie washed the fairy and massaged her neck and shoulders. Soothing and subduing her anxious feelings along the way. She had never met the fairy before. "Do you like me?" They were in a large, stone bathtub that kept the water hot and recycled. A light sandal fragrance wafting out from the water with every move.

"You are very beautiful, fae." The fairy was warming under Sookie's hands and her thoughts were calming down. "And your hands are sweet."

"You do like women, then."

"Mmm, yes."

"And men?" Sookie used the fae term to identify only male fairies.

"They are necessary."

"Why?"

"To have children!" The fairy giggled but did not open her eyes. "We are a dwindling race, we need children."

"Do you want children, then?"

"It's a duty. For every fae." Sookie recalled a harsh rebuke of Niall towards Claude who did not want to bed women, and wondered if Claude's invitation to have sex with him could have been a way to please (and mislead) his grandfather.

"Oh, so you bed men just to have children…" The fairy's thoughts confirmed this assumption and the telepath checked cautiously to see images of recent lovers, feeling a sense of relief as Aengus was not there.

"Mmm, yes, but it's better not to tell them, they're so touchy on the subject."

Sookie delved a little deeper and another image of Aengus, cold, distant and very dressed, mouthed the words Come to me. She stilled and then exhaled slowly.

"Something's wrong?" asked the fairy turning to Sookie.

"No." She smiled and offered: "I've never been with a woman. Tell me what you like…"

The fairy's sweet features turned into a sensual pose and she purred: "I'll show you." The brunette reached out and cupped Sookie's breasts.

Sookie reciprocated and dug some more into the other's mind. Aengus' presence was pervasive at that level, and the fairy's composure faltered under the profound touch of Sookie's mind. The telepath's prodding was light but the level she had reached was very deep and she was deciding to leave her mind when another image of Aengus appeared, large and neat.

Come to me, Sookie, now.

The telepath recoiled as if she had heard the words aloud. Water spilled on to the floor as she stood up, shaking.

"Sorry, have I done something to… offend you?"

Sookie breathed hardly and could not think of anything sensible to tell the woman. "No, really. It's me. Maybe I'm not in the mood. I'm sorry."

The telepath went down to the room Aengus teleported her before, wrapped in a bathrobe and in a fuming mood.

"Magnificent!" Aengus, leaning on the mantel and drinking the fae version of alcohol, a dark thick liquor with a sour-sweet aftertaste, spoke softly. "You've been magnificent, fae!" He repeated with his incongruous cold voice.

"What have you been up to?" Sookie did not even try to hide her words' harsh tone, speaking in English as she was used when upset with him.

Aengus ignored her attitude and sipped the liquor. "You went through the ceremony with an impeccable frame of mind. You made the Brigant house very proud, today."

Sookie lost all her anger at Aengus' words. He had never praised her so blatantly and highly. She was baffled.

"And your mind," he added almost with a streak of despondency, "your mind is strong, incredibly strong… far more than your heart."

"What… what does it mean?" Sookie was now in front of him and took a sip from his glass.

"You are a beautifully powerful fae… you will learn to fortify your heart too."

Sookie did not know what to make of those words, and preferred not to face possible implications. "What did you do with that girl?"

"Iana?" Aengus pretended to gloss over the deed. "I only glamoured her…"

"Glamour? It was well past the level of glamour, and it was frightening for her." Sookie retorted right away, then paused. "I've always heard that fae glamour was light and short-lived, but what I sensed was deeper and thicker than any real glamour I've ever seen. Vampire glamour I mean."

Aengus smiled. "Oh, really?" He had an impish look about him. "Would you like to learn it?"

"I can already push thoughts into minds," she snapped hastily, "but I'm also a decent fae and don't go meddling with people."

"And that's good. You have to do it only when extremely necessary."

Sookie lifted an eyebrow and was quiet. After a long thick pause she spoke: "Ah, ah, Rhiannon did not tell you much about our… achievements."

"She didn't need to. I'd rather see for myself anything about you."

"…so, that was a test." Sookie stated flatly, somehow relieved. "And do I get a reward for my good marks?"

"Were you thinking of something specific, fae?" Aengus put his hands on her hips and pulled her to him.

"You sent me a really poor choice to seduce me, earlier." Sookie whispered to his ear. "Maybe you can remedy the below par performance of your minions."

"It's right. A true fae always asks something for her good deeds." Aengus' hands were kneading her rear cheeks and one finger massaged gently her anus. "The least you deserve is a sincere apology for my unfortunate picking and the certainty of my unfaltering attention from now on."

Consequently, Aengus paid great attention in pleasuring the new fae, visiting every orifice of her body and forgetting his misgivings for the future choices his lovely cousin might make.

It was midday and Sookie was still in bed, her cousin still sleeping at her side. Aengus' lovemaking had been scrupulous and very satisfying, and Sookie had responded in kind, both leaving their masks on the nightstand. That night, for the second time in many years, her memory had tricked her and an image of a very tall, very blond and very amorous vampire had intruded her awareness and let her breathless. Her reaction had been swift and automatic, though, without waiting for a specific command from her brain: she had dampened down the inappropriate thought and buried it below a thick cover of things to do.

Now, however, was also the day after her Ceremony and she did not know what to expect. Not really asleep, but not yet awake, Sookie's thoughts were too direct and dangerous. She forced herself to focus on the mental routine of training her mind: unfolding, freeing and combing.

A sudden pop exploded in the bedroom and Niall appeared at the foot of her bed. Sookie's neck snapped in that direction and her gaze was not friendly nor sympathetic. It was a very impolite behaviour to appear unannounced directly in one's presence, and even more rude surprising one in a state of sleep. In fact, it was good fae manners to teleport in a sheltered and private place and then reach the destination by foot, revealing themselves by a knock at the door or the like.

"Niall." Aengus hissed with unadulterated disdain.

Sookie sat on the bed covering her breasts and watched coldly as Aengus stood up in his perfect nakedness and approached the older fairy with a determined gait. "Wait outside." All pretence of hierarchical respect totally absent.

Niall complied, exiting the room on foot, this way bending to his grand-child's show of power.

The blond fae observed the scene perceiving a sense of helplessness from her great grandfather's mind, yet not knowing what to make of it. The precarious position her older relative experienced since her arrival to Faery had showed many degrees of descent: from uncertain but temporary, to definitive and hardly distinguished.

Only now, though, Sookie wondered who really was the Brigant house's leading figure given that the nominal prince had no real power. The thought disturbed her and she got out of the bed shaking it away.

Aengus gave her her robe and said not unkindly: "Take your time getting ready."

Sookie took a shower, dressed and went to the sitting room where Niall's mind pulsed uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, child" said Niall with a sorrow look. "I came to know your name."

Sookie looked puzzled, then remembered. After the Ceremony of Awakening the fae had to choose the name by which to be called thereafter, Aine had told her.

At that time the telepath had not given much thought to it, and had just gone through a list of names to choose hers along with Rhiannon and Aine. She had thought of an ancestor's name, but none suited her, then she had browsed through famous fae names, but they sounded outlandish to her ears.

At that point her fae-dae friend had exclaimed: "You're other than that, young fae. You should choose a name that states your difference, or your multiple descent—"

"Yes," interjected Sookie, "I feel other, other than what I was, other than whom I had thought to be now, just other."

Rhiannon smiled, then added: "There's a dead language, dear to daemons, in which many stories were written, many poems chanted, many philosophies discussed. In that language that word would be alia. Other, different things."

Sookie watched her great-grandfather intently. He had somehow got older in those years, although his beauty was untouched. It was in his eyes, in his gait, in his demeanour. A sort of tiredness, but not quite that.

"Alia," she announced, "my name from now on will be Alia."