PART SIX

Chapter 14

Home, sweet home. He thought to himself as he landed at the front door of his more secure than it appeared castle. Though more simple than other castles of Europe it was still a place that looked foreboding, menacing. And was certainly a place of legend, considering the history of the place. The doors wound only open at the touch of certain people, thanks to some faerie magic put in place. And so pushing inward the heavy wooden and metal enforced doors, he let himself into the castle, the heat from the fireplaces a welcome sign. "Hello?" Eric called as he stepped further into his now occasional home. The long dining table sat unused yet prepared for visitors and the high backed chairs where his parents once sat were in impeccable shape, thanks to yet more magic. That was the thing about magic, it could perform wonderful miracles such as this and the ability to commune with his late parents and yet also cause such misery as what happened to him and Sookie. He was about to open the door to the bedchamber he shared with her when here when a voice called him back to the throne room.

"Son…we were wondering just how long it would take before you returned home. It has been awhile and we wish it were under…more pleasant circumstances. She fell asleep a few moments ago. She and I….we had a nice and good talk." his mother's spirit said to him as her son knelt in greeting to the parents that he had known so long ago and still felt fiercely loyal to. His father appeared as well and nodded in greeting. "She is special and you seem…relieved."

Yes…you expected the worst, I can tell." his father said with a knowing look. "But as distraught as she is, we hope we were of comfort to her. Told her more about your growing up and some rather…amusing anecdotes from your younger days. Finally got a smile out of her." his father managed to smile himself if only briefly. "But she is indeed a damaged soul. She has been hurt terribly and though in our days it was not uncommon for the men to…take advantage of women….there was mostly honor amongst men and it burns me to know what she went through. This is pain no one can take away, as frustrating as it is for you….she came her because she felt….ashamed to talk about what she went through to you. It may seem strange but it is a terrible thing she endured. And she didn't think you could be…understanding, especially with there now being three children added to the mix. Children she doesn't want and would prefer raised in the other realm. And yet she doesn't want to abandon them either. She fears that by paying heed to them that it will only remind you of how they came to exist."

Saying nothing, their son removed his black leather jacket, revealing his typical tank top. Black, of course. But he sat down and seemed almost defeated looking and shook his blonde head. "She needn't have worried…..although there is some bit of truth to what you just told me. I would only think of her being….raped. And that she suffered so and it took too long for…I hate magic." he muttered. "I try to be accepting and yet look at the damage it has caused."

"But without it, where would you be? Nothing more than dust in the earth, if that. Magic gave you a second chance as it did for us. And what of her? What she was, is and will forever be? I would say magic has given you more good than it has bad and with you two being as tough as you are. You have time and time again overcome great odds….don't allow your bad experiences to blind you to the good ones.' his father said. "And for now, we had better leave you be…should you need us, all you need do is ask." he and his wife reached over and for one brief instant, they were able to touch the top of their son's head gently and carefully, a sense of calm emitting from them and they vanished as he watched. He got up and strode up the hall and to the right where the main bedroom was situated and rubbing his bare arms anxiously, he pushed the doors in and found himself looking at the grand bed covered in layers of thick blankets and judging by the movement he glimpses, somewhere in the bundles was what he had come all this way for. He gingerly moved towards her, the light of the fireplace and the torches in the sconces making the shadows dance and giving a even more rustic feel to this place.

Not wanting to alarm her, he stopped himself from getting into bed next to her, although he desperately wanted to do so out of relief of her being breathing and here safe and sound. For some time he paced the halls of the home so lovingly restored by Pam and it was a comfort, to be sure to be here, with his parents so close. Not that he still was not angered by their slaughter, that he had been denied to know the infant sister so brutally taken along with them. But that so much god had happened over the past few years since he had first med the girl in the bed….he supposed that things were fairly good for him and that the long put up walls he had used to keep himself from getting close to others was all but gone now. Finally, he settled into a chair in front of a fireplace in what had once been his fathers study, rows of books on the shelves Pam had procured for the place as the books that had once rested there had not survived well over the years and had not lasted long enough for Sookie to work her magic on protecting and restoring the place and everything resting within. Still, it was as f no one had ever left and even with the few modern conveniences that were scattered throughout the dozen or so rooms of the two story complex, it was still a sanctuary, a place to be respected, revered and feared, considering that which had transpired in the dungeons hundreds of years ago and the only place in the castle that had yet to be stepped in for the first time in a thousand years.

It was hours as he just sat in the study, trying to read some the books he remembered seeing placed on the shelves a long time ago. That Pam had managed to get almost the entire library of books back in their rightful spot here was impressive and yet he was unsurprised by her efforts being successful but he was not able to concentrate on the pages. He returned the book o the shelf and was finally beginning to feel worn down from the lack of rest and sleep he had avoided, having been far too worried about her for anything else. Returning to the bedroom, her opened the wooden door and let himself in again and this time took a position on her side and it was too much for him to fight off the rest he desperately needed, drifting off with a hand placed gently on her side, to which she moved and opened her eyes briefly, long enough to see the weary Viking at her side and instead of anger and fear and everything else she had felt since the events of the precious days, she simply fell back asleep and allowed herself to take a moment to reflect and accept that there was, perhaps a light in the darkness that she had endured these past days.

Chapter 15

She lay in the bed, comfy and cozy and she couldn't help but reach over to where he rested, touching him to make sure it hadn't been a dream, that it wasn't a dream. Still and silent she could feel his exhaustion ad she allowed herself to reopen the bond and as she did so his eyes popped open and he went from staring at the ceiling to turning his head to see her, sleepy and still a little sickly looking but certainly looking better than she had for some time.

"You found me….not that I thought you wouldn't but…" she trailed off as she squeezed her eyes shut tight, trying to keep the tears back. But they still fell and she allowed him to wipe them from her face. Even he seemed shaken by their reunion. "I….I don't know what to do next….I can't just go home and pretend everything is fine. Because it isn't and won't be for along time, if ever. I don't know how I was able to sleep. I close my eyes and do you know what I see every time? The faces of those weres as they…took advantage of me. I feel them…invading me. And it wasn't like they were gentle…..they left their mark in more ways than one. I can't go home. Not now and you need to go back and be there for the rest of the family. I don't want to be among anyone else at the moment. Not until I am ready. My heart, my mind, my soul…..everything's broken….and when I do go back…I don't want to be in that house. In that town. I want a change…" she sat up in bed as he followed suit. She wrapper her arms around him tightly and he could feel the tears in his bare shoulders. "I need you to let me go…..I can't be a part of any of this anymore." she had taken off something and forced it into one of his large hands. He knew what it was before he even opened it.

Shaking his head, the Viking was in disbelief and renewed heartbreak. "You…you can't be serious. After everything else you've endured-"

"This time was different. It's nothing you did or didn't do…..but I can't stand being targeted. I need to escape everyone. Get away from those who could be hunted down. And with my magic I can do it. This latest…..difficulty proved to me that I wasn't meant to be happy. Not for very long, anyway. And if something happened to you or anyone else….I would never forgive myself." she couldn't look at him as she left the ring in his hand. But he was not going to go quietly and went to grab her arm, not roughly but firmly. And he directed her face to look up at his and she was forced to look at the pain she was causing him. The same pain she had inflicted upon him for every time she had chosen another over him. "Please, don't make this harder than it has to. Explain to everyone back home….I am not going to come back after all. I need….time and space. I wanted you to come find me so I could tell you this in private. Your parents have been wonderful to me but deep down, I knew this was what I needed to do. To keep you and our own safest." she was trembling. "I didn't want to just up and leave but….I am so glad we have this last night where we can-"

"It is not our last night. And it won't be. You are giving up and never have you been a quitter….." he felt something tug gently inside and knew she had once more closed off the bond. Apparently she had deiced it best for that to be closed off and he hated that. He hated what he was hearing. He always respected her for having a heart, a mind of her own. He loved her independent streak. But this? It was more than even he could bear. To lose her again and by her own choice… "You would do this to me. Again." he said, fuming.

"I am doing this for you." she replied gently. "I was raped, forced to give birth to kids what would have been used for god knows what horrors…..and you were once more pulled into it. I want peace for you and our family. Without me, being what I am, I think things can be better. Happier for you and everyone else… this isn't forever I don't think but I need a great deal of time before…" she winced as she watched him crush her wedding ring in his hand and took off his own. Crushing that one as well. His hurt was palpable and she said nothing as he threw the bands into the fireplace. He had his back to her and heard her break into sobs again, racing from the room, whispering how much she loved him and their family. He gave chase but found nothing more than the walls of the castle and knew she had teleported away, to parts unknown. It was at this moment, his frustration and anguish manifested fully and he proceeded to lay waste to anything and everything he could get his hands on, ignoring the worried looks of the spirits of his parents, their words falling on deaf ears as he went off the rails totally. Completely.

THE END