Disclaimer: The Sookie Stackhouse Series is the creation of Charlaine Harris. Don't sue me Charlaine! I love your books.
Understanding
XIV.
In the two weeks I was at home I reconnected with friends, with family. Jason was relieved to find that I was still alive. He had begun to think it was all made up that I was in Ireland. He was struggling as a divorced father of a baby. Ava was a beautiful child but I pitied her her parents. I visited in Bon Temps and spent a few days there, but mostly we stayed in Shreveport. Fi and Thalia were glad to see me. Maxwell was cautiously polite, wondering if the bartender death streak could shift to a manager death streak.
Eric was happy for the first week, but as the second week started, his mood turned somber. Only one week until I was to return to Ireland. He did not try to discourage my leaving, but his melancholy was its own means of communicating.
Five days before I was to leave, we went on a strange venture to Monroe. I was just going to collect some of my things from Claudine and Claude's house. Claudine was trying to plan a get together at the house. The plan started out being me, Claudine, Claude, Ciarán and his sister Ciara. But at the very last minute, Eric wanted to tag along, I think in part to really get a look at Ciarán but also to make it clear that I was still his. Pretty awkward, since you don't generally like to mix four fairies and a vampire. But to my amazement, Eric actually behaved himself, although he stuck close to me. After a while Claude and Ciarán went out. Claude just didn't have much regard for vampires, even nice ones.
Eric had gone outside to make some quick phone calls for work. I mentioned to Claudine that I was sad and worried about leaving Eric again, when Ciara asked why he didn't go with me. I must have looked very surprised.
"You have to use the Crossroads, right? He's bound to you? You can just take him through the Crossroads, if that's the case," Ciara said.
The thought had simply never occurred to me. I hadn't known it was possible.
"But there were no vampires in Meath," I pointed out. "I was there for ten months and I never saw a single vampire."
"Well, that would be Eithne's doing. You should just ask her. Maybe she'd let him stay with you or at least visit you. You'd have to meet him and bring him through but if he's bound to you, it's easy enough to do."
I was mostly silent on the drive home. Eric made the comment that he really didn't think that Ciarán was my type. I told him that yeah, yeah, my type was my husband. He seemed cheered a bit. But I could still sense that underlying melancholy. I wondered how it would change my peace, my focus, if Eric were to visit me.
Eric dropped me off at the house and went to the club.
With trepidation, I opened a drawer in my dresser and withdrew a shallow silver bowl and a small sharp dagger. I went downstairs and got a bottle of my Tŷ Nant water. I sat at the low coffee table and lit a candle then poured water into the bowl. I drank the rest and then cut my left index finger enough to get a drop of blood to fall into the water. I grounded myself and stilled my mind.
Trédhearcach, uisce feicfidh mé isteach i…
I will see into the water, through the water…
As I relaxed a flood of images came to me. Some were of the past, my parents, my Gran, meeting Bill and then Eric, laughter while playing with Eric, and then the image stilled on Hunter, my arm around him while we read some book. This is future I said to myself. And then I saw a younger child, a little girl, crying and alone. Picking her up and feeling a sense of recognition as her fingers grasped mine. Shared blood, I thought in passing. I tried to reach farther and at last came upon the soft hazel eyes I sought.
Can it be true? Waking me from a sound sleep to see your eyes… What is it child?
Eithne, if I wanted Eric to come to see me at Cúl Dín, would you allow him on your land?
What an odd question, child. This is what brings you finally?
We'll have had less than three weeks Eithne. Yet I know that I must return to you. I feel as if it will break his heart if I do not see him at all. A friend told me that he could pass on the Crossroads because we are bound and yet I never met a single vampire in County Meath while I was with you.
They have not been welcomed to this land.
I nodded sadly.
How much do you feel your blood has changed him?
My blood change him? Now there was an odd thought. It hadn't changed him enough to keep him from decapitating people he thought could bring me harm… But he'd certainly taken the total self-preservation mode down a notch in the months since.
Eithne, changed him how? He is what he is. He's vampire. Sometimes they do violence.
But you have changed him. You have changed all of them around you. But how much?
I didn't even know what to say. Enough to be in a room with four fairies for an hour and not leave them all drained dead or force them to take a stake to him in self-defense? Well, sure. Although it might be all his encounters with Niall or fear of angering me that kept him in check. Who knew. He'd been placid enough that night and it didn't seem to strain him.
I don't know how to answer you. He can be very controlled if that's what you mean. He is old, as you know. He has self-control. He can be calm. I see a different side to him.
It is important to you. Important enough to make you take up a silver bowl. After two weeks, you may try. There is the cottage on the west heath. You may see him there. He will be limited to the bounds of Cúl Dín and may not roam. You are enough for him, yes?
Yes, he requires little.
You may try. If there are problems we can control things by spinning back.
My heart swelled. Thank you!
I paused for a moment in thought.
Eithne, I saw a child. A little girl. She clasped her hand around my finger. She was sad. I don't know what it means. Is it literal?
I thought of the sad little face. Green eyes that looked old and wary.
She will come to you in time, my child. In time. She is of our blood, and close to you.
Then I felt weary, and the water cleared.