PART FIVE

Chapter 11

There was little to be relieved about, considering the wounds that were still lingering in her mind and soul. That he himself came from a culture that had pillaged, plundered and violated women made him almost feel ashamed. Sitting on the side of the bed, he reached out ad gently stroked her hair, the simple gesture full of care and concern. And yet, she woke with a start and for a moment, a look of terror greeted her as she scooted herself as far from him as she could, her face etched with the horror and panic of her intense imprisonment. She calmed slightly but kept herself away from him.

"What….you didn't help me sooner…..why….." she asked meekly, the fight and fire he loved about her all but gone. "You looked at me and there was….nothing there…you hesitated….it was as if you didn't know me."

Explaining that which had happened with the voodoo dolls and the fact that their connection had been strong enough to allow him to break through the magic, there was still tension in the air. "I broke through…the magic…I managed to get you out of there. But not before….."

She stared dully at the wall, avoiding his gaze. "Voodoo…..that's a new one I suppose. Had experience with other kinds of magic, why not that too." she scooted back under the covers, throwing them up and over her heard. But there was no hiding from the pain she felt, and anguish she felt at her experiences she knew t hadn't been his fault that the nefarious voodoo magic had stolen her from his mind and hearth. That their connection had nevertheless been strong enough to weakened the magic enough to get him to get her out of the place and finally break altogether, it was something of a miracle that it had happened. But the aftermath of that which she had gone through….there was no magic strong enough, nothing strong enough, she felt, that could even start healing the residual pain of what had happened to her.

She was on her side and facing the wall when she felt the thick, silky black comforter being gently pulled down, the soft light of the room shining onto her, giving her skin a healthier glow than she knew she had at the moment. Her back was to him but she knew he could only be watching her and this time when he went to stroke her hair again and it was the sound of her breaking down again that once more nearly destroyed him. Killing those responsible had felt great at the time but seeing that damaged still left behind in their wake, it was not so easily vanquished. "If there was something I could do to take this from you-"

"You've no idea what it was like…being violated and having kids I didn't ask to have…..or want….and I hate that I feel that way about kids. I love kids….but this…none of this was natural or right….I…I need to get away from this. All of it." she got up and out of bed, making a beeline for the bathroom with ensuite closet. She had locked herself behind the doors and wanting to respect her space-as trying as that was-he sat on the bed and waited for her to emerge. But when she did,, even though dressed in jeans and a v neck pink shirt, she still lacked that light, that love of life she had finally managed to gain fully in past months. There was also, in her right hand, a leather travel bag, one they had not had the chance to use much lately. The last time she had used this was their family trip to Disney when Aurora was still small. It wasn't all that long ago and yet it did seem awfully far away, those good times, those good days.

"You….you're leaving?" he said as he got up from the bed and crossed the room to where she stood, her head hung, avoiding his gaze. "After everything you've gone through, you think being alone is-"

"Aren't you the one who ran off to Sweden after you suffered so terribly?"

"And look where that got me…almost burning to death….I can't let you…I won't let you go. Even if you do…I can follow you. Even to Faery." he waggled the ring he wore over his wedding band the one that allowed him to daywalk and travel to and from Faery.

"But if you really love and care about me, you will respect my space. I need to be alone. After everything…I've never felt like this before and I don't like it and…I don't really want to leave….but I need to….get away from everything that reminds me of what happened….you can't see into my mind, my heart…and if you did, I think even you would be horrified by what I saw and experienced" she allowed him to take her hands into his for a moment before pulling away. "I need to get away…from everything and everyone and I can not say when I will be back-"

"You are still unwell. I can feel it and see it….you need rest and sustenance. you're not thinking straight…." he almost immediately regretted saying the last part, knowing full well the number that had been done on her against her will.

"I can and will make myself invisible from everyone." Sookie replied, trying not to lose it, to fall into tears again but failed. But he felt what she had just done. She had not lost all her strength and felt the blond between them be closed. And he knew that by doing that he would have a near impossible time to track her down. He lunged for her as she vanished in a bright light, to parts unknown. Anger, fear and grief overwhelmed the Viking as his kin reappeared at his side, Aurora and Blaze having just had enough time to bring the children to the sisters in Faery. It was a silent gesture, a silent moment as they all knew that Sookie had literally left the building.

Chapter 12

Honestly, she had not planned where she was going to go but instinct had guided her to a place she had been before, a place where she was still connected to her family. It was cold but she knew there were always supplies there and thanks to her magic, she had been able to keep this ancient place safe from looters and trespassers. Even if she hadn't the spirits residing within would surely scare those people away. Still, it was comforting to be here for the first time in a very long time. It had been slightly modernized, with enough alterations that she could live her comfortably for a short time. But with it also surrounded by tall thick trees and mountains, the Viking castle that Eric had grown up in was as safe a place as any for her to hide out. Part of her hated herself for leaving, that she felt anger towards him when it hadn't been his fault for delaying coming to her aid.

Her bag was placed on the bed in what would have been reserved for the royal couple and she lay on her back on the bed, staring at the high ceiling. Pam had ensured that the place would be restored, cared for and made livable and she had been true to her word. There was a fireplace in almost every room and using her light, she managed to light them all, albeit it had taken some doing, her powers were a little shaky. Like the rest of her had been since her most recent ordeal had began. And there came a shiver up her spine as her body detected she was not alone. The spirits who would frighten off trespassers appeared before her at the foot of the bed and she shot up at their arrival, though it was not entirely unexpected. It was a privilege and a long story as to how this was possible but the parents who were so brutally murdered at the claws and fangs of Russell edging ton's wolves were here….it was a privilege. And a blessing.

"It has certainly been some time…we have seen, we have watched over you through our own means…." spoke the long haired former queen. Eric's mother. "We may be relegated to exist only here but we can watch over you and we have seen the trial you have gone through. And we understand why you came here"

"You are strong…perfect for our son. That you brought so much to his life is something we never could have imagined. To think I had thought he would never amount to the greatness I had hoped for him….." added Eric's father, the king who had spent so much time trying to get his only son to learn responsibility. Duty. That he had done so only by suffering such great losses, by being reborn, well, it had certainly been a unique path to take. But they were, even in death and as spirits nevertheless proud of their one and only son, who even a thousand years after their demise, had delivered on his promise to avenge them. And that he became who he now was…..

"We are not going to tell you what to do, the choice is yours to remain her so long as you wish. But you know deep inside the truth of things. He cares for you unlike anyone he has ever met. That he feels aggrieved for that which happened. I daresay if he could give anything to alter that which happened, he would. Including his very life." the queen said gently. "Even now, we can see him, feel his pain after saving you and having you leave like that….."

Feeling even more guilty having left him and having asked him to not follow, to hunt her down, Sookie sighed ad curled up under the blankets and the faux but realistic looking rustic fur blankets that were incredibly warm. "I didn't want to hurt him…I need time…..space. To process things."

"And that is one place where you two are so much alike. Thinking yourself as being a island. Not needing or wanting anyone's help. But this….I suppose this truly is a different, more personal pain than you've gone through before….." the king said as his wife glanced at him meaningfully. "I suppose…..you would like some privacy…but know we will come to you should you wish it." and with a respectful bow of their heads, the spirits vanished, leaving her alone in the cavernous, gently echoing castle, wondering what her next move could possibly be.

Chapter 13

It had been a week. Seven days of respecting her space, respecting the fact she had wanted and needed time to herself. But the overwhelming worry and concern had finally caused the search party to be sent out and with any luck, within the next day or so, she would be located. But it was before he sent his family all over the world that a thought occurred to him. It was somewhere he had brought her before but didn't think she would return to alone and yet, he felt she had still needed some form of counsel.

Though it was early morning, he had the protection of the ring from the late, much missed Niall and ignoring the fact he had barely slept in the past week. The house was empty save for the feeling of emptiness itself and with his daughter and her fiancé once more helping settle the triplets in with the sisters in Faery, he knew he would be left to do what he had wanted to do for the past week. Track Sookie down. And taking a look at the album he had brought out of a safe place, he fingered through their wedding album, looking back on happier times. Returning it to the closet where they kept their garments and other memories from that day, he closed his eyes, fearing the worse as he couldn't sense or feel her, thanks to her ability to close the bond off. That she could well be dead…..that was definitely a possibility as he knew she had been in a fragile state of mind. As he flew from the house, making the familiar trek to where he originated from, he wasn't entirely sure if she would do herself in but he also felt as if he could not rule it either. The thought of finding her body lifeless and pale…it was not a pleasant one and one he tried in vain to get out of his mind. But he feared that by respecting her wishes to stay away and not hunt her down was only going to cause him and his family further heartbreak, more anguish, to say nothing of possibly losing the one person who had given him more than anyone else he had ever encountered in his long life. As he flew, he ignored the streaks of blood that were wet from his ears, thanks to his exhaustion. Nothing was going to keep him from finding her one way or another.

TO BE CONTINUED