PART THREE

Chapter 6

They all opened their eyes at the same moment, their bodies feeling as if they had been born anew. Moonlight was streaming through the windows and though the room was in somewhat of a disarray after the magic that had taken place, Eron was the first back on his feet, seeing out the window even under the moonlight that the damage that had been done was healed. Examining those in the room with him before checking himself, he announced the destruction, the loss of the plague that had so nearly destroyed them all as well as Faery. "It would seem that we have been saved…." he looked at the healers remaining with him. They looked at something before he got their attention. "Go out into the city and ensure that things are in fact back to normal. We will of course have to plan a ceremony for those we lost this day…." he thought briefly of Olivia and the two faeries they had witnessed perishing thanks to the magical plague. The thought that still others may have died as well troubled him greatly. But for now, he needed to tend to the figure that was dangling lifelessly from the scorched silver chains. That the magic infused chains had been singed told Eron how much magic that the Viking had taken upon himself, how dark the magic had been. As much as he wanted to allow his loved ones to approach, he held out a hand.

"I want to see him…I can heal him…..my blood…." Sookie was stopped by the strong and kind arms of Eron, who looked at her, Aurora and Blaze sternly, though not without compassion. "The amount of dark energy, dark magic he has been exposed to….I haven't a clue as to how it has affected him. The physical scars left will heal, of course, but I must isolate him somewhere safer than here….though only three people have the power to banish one straight to the cells…" he glanced at Aurora who looked distressed but obeyed and with a flourish, the chains were empty and gone was her own father, banished to the safety of he secure cells of which not even the likes of he would escape from.

"I am going to see him. Alone." Sookie said firmly.

"I wish you wouldn't, what he is suffering, what he will suffer as he heals I imagine will be violent and not pretty. The chains are removed to allow for faster healing and if you go down there, I suspect you could very well put yourself in danger." Eron said, understanding the fear and frustration she felt.

"He put himself on the line for me….for you…for everything here…and you would deny me going to see him to see if I can help? We are all healed thanks to him and he saved Faery from being destroyed. From our race being destroyed…..I appreciate your concern but you don't know him nearly as well as I do…as we do…" Sookie gestured to her daughter and son in law. "I know I should order the king and queen of Faery around….but I would feel better if you went out and checked on the realm as well. Leave me to what I have to do…I will be fine….." and before anyone could try to protest she vanished herself to the door leading into the cells.

Chapter 7

It was neither too chilly nor hellish hot down here and she had appreciated that her ancestors had designed the cells to be secure but yet they were not monsters to make the cells be foul. Simple, yes, dirty, no. at the far end of the hall, passing a dozen or so other holding cells secured by the most ancient and powerful of magic, she came to find the cell she had looked for. There was no use for a key, only her touch was required to open the bars to the cell and strolling through, she heard the bars close up again, sealing her in with a unpredictable body that seemed to almost shivering on the bed that was provided.

Gingerly, she approached, glad to see the wounds from the silver had healed but the pallor of his skin…..she hadn't expected to see what she was seeing. The veins were thick and black and she cringed as she saw they were moving, almost as if there were small snakes under his skin. She sensed that he was trying to heal, to prevent this great illness from him but it was clear it was a challenge. One she feared he was losing.

Sitting on the side of the bed, she saw his back was turned to her and felt the slight tremors from his body. "Eric…it's me…I cam to take care of you…." she didn't know how to start this conversation, if he was even aware she was here. But he turned to face her and she nearly jumped at the sight. His blue eyes were tinged with the darkness permeating his body and there was a hunger, a almost feral look to him as he looked at her.

"You shouldn't be here…..not until I can get well again….." he said in a hushed tone, turning his back to her again. Seeing him this sick, this vulnerable was trying enough to her but as he had spoken, in a voice so weak, it was breaking her heart into pieces. "I thought it was bad having hep v…but this…this twisted version of it…seems like…..I can't control myself….you need to leave." he said as he got to his feet, trying to put distance between himself and her. But she had no fear, rounding the bed herself and taking his hands into hers, sensing the pain he was in, the sacrifice he had made evident in his spirit and body.

"I am not leaving until you let me help you….what you did was by far one of the bravest things I have seen you do and I've seen a lot of crazy shit from you." she said, her voice threatening to crack with emotion, helping him try to stay on his feet, ignoring the fact that he looked about ready to either try devouring her or falling over. She couldn't imagine what it was like having such foul magic absorbed into a solitary body. He pulled away from her touch as she went to help him on the bed and guide him to the silky bedding. something deep inside was telling her that something was not right, that as hard as this had been on him, he should have been healed by now and it was as his hand slipped from hers and he fell into a catatonic state, tears of panic flowed as she pleaded for whatever help she could have. And it was them she saw the ring on his hand that rested on his right ring finger that started to pulse with a glow. And there, before her was her grandfather. A friendly spirit that she desperately needed and wanted to see and yet had not expected to.

"Niall…..how….I mean I am glad to see you but I need help and-"

"I know you need help and that is why I am here. This ring is a conduit to the Summerlands and so here I am, come to help save him. Because unfortunately, not even your love and magic is enough to bring him from the brink. He certainly took one for the team, I have to say….." Niall glanced at the unconscious vamp on the bed. "together, you and I can heal him but it requires something extra and I am not sure if he or you would be glad to hear the price." Niall glanced at the ring and she understood.

"The magic of the ring…..such rare magic and it is the price to save him….he wouldn't have the power to walk in the daytime or enter Faery ever again unless it was nighttime….." Sookie put two and two together and sighed.

"Well, I am certain he would rather lose the sun…again…than be…." she didn't want to finish her thought, they both knew full well what she had been getting at. "Life is everything for him and I am sure this is a price he would want to pay if it meant staying around and being a smartass." she wiped tears away from her face, tears she hadn't realized had fallen. "Whenever you're ready…."

"Call on your light and I will use my spirit light….together we will destroy that which is within him and is killing him…..and then the ring will amplify it, use its magic to finish the job. When it is done, I will have returned to where I must go and he may be out for some time….but he will be well…I can promise you that. I am very proud of you…all of you for doing what you have, you have all done me proud and I want you to know if you should ever need guidance, the passage to the Summerlands is accessible in the Glades."

She frowned as she thought about the lush, lagoon area and instantly knew where he was talking about. "Behind the waterfalls?" and seeing the slight smirk on his face, she allowed herself a moment to smile back. "I always felt there was something about that place….but thank you all the same for confirming that I felt…"

He smiled and said nothing and after a few minutes, there came a humming to the room, a light and when the light faded, she saw the spirit of her grandfather gone, the remains of the enchanted ring on the floor in a pile of fine metal dust. But the most staggering thing she now saw was on the bed. Not a race of the wicked illness remained and it was as if nothing had happened. Though clearly out cold, she knew it would take some time..

Epilogue

She had said her goodbyes to her family and thanked Eron profusely for his help./ though they had offered to spell their quite to become light tight, she had preferred to return to their private home. Glad that her family, the people and the realm of Faery were healthy again, she had brought herself and Eric straight back into their bedroom, the Viking being out cold still and she as worried as she could possibly be. Not that she hadn't trusted the words from her grandfather but she knew she couldn't; rest until he was up and about again.. Hours passed and then a few days. Never straying far from his side, she had take time off of work to remain home. And on the fourth agonizing day and feeling emotionally exhausted, she had taken a spot on the bed, her back facing him and she started drifting off to sleep. Something tingled on her back, something through the fabric of her tank top she was wearing. And it was certainly not unpleasant, but it was enough to rouse her out of the half asleep state she was in. flipping herself around, she had hoped and prayed that it had been what she thought and sure enough, she found herself looking right into the playful if not still a bit tired face of her Viking.

"I thought I was going to step my game up a bit to get you up." he said teasingly as she hugged him with relief. There was a silence as he waited for her to reply. "I take it maybe you missed me a little?"

She finally looked at him and she had never felt so relieved. "You have no idea what was lost for this to happen, do you? I don't know if you were able to hear anything when you were out cold but….."

He looked to where the ring had once rested and he nodded. "I was aware of everything being said I heard everything you and your grandfather discussed. I would gladly give up anything and everything to keep my loved ones safe…..and I did, did I not? Not to say what I just endured was a picnic but I have suffered far worse, surprisingly enough."

"Not too surprising." she replied as she examined his chest closely, as if still fearful that somehow there was a lingering trace of the sickness there. Finally, she became less tense and was able to lay back on her own pillow, looking sideways at him. "You not only saved my life for the millionth time-"

"Is there a award for that?"

She rolled her eyes and continued with a small smile on her face. "You saved my life and your daughter and Blaze and all of Faery. And yet you gave up being able to return there, at least in the daytime when it is at its most beautiful….it may not seem like big sacrifice to you but it was a sacrifice and what you endured…." she was stopped from continuing by a pair of fingers to her lips.

"I paid a price I was more than willing to pay. I would be better off with my family than losing them all and you know that well enough…..I don't think I would even want to go on if I had lose all of you…." he needn't say anything else as it was her turn to shush him with a pair of fingers and they remained silent for hours, wanting only to enjoy the peace after the calamity that once again they had managed to avoid. Though neither believed in luck, they both couldn't help but wonder when their good fortune would, if ever, run out.

THE END