PART FOUR

Surrendering the Truth

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With its paw, the tawny colored wolf scratched at the ground as he sniffed the scent marking the spot. He huffed, letting out a strange low rattling rumble. Weaving back and forth around the house where the trail ended, the wolf began to sniff the air, his nose pointed straight up.

Nothing was hidden from his keen sense of smell.

Away from Sookie, Preston had followed as far as he could the scents he had picked up in the parking lot of Merlotte's. He was not sure who the third trail belonged to; it was too faint. But it was the other two scents, so entangled that it seemed to be only one person that had alarmed him.

The trail dead ended where the Panther scent was prolific.

Looking around the property, carefully inspecting it for any signs of the enemy, Preston was concerned with how close the property was to where Sookie lived.

There was no time to waste. He had to go to Faery.

Transforming back to a man, his hand quickly went to the phantom pocket where he usually kept his cell phone. Instead he found only his bare skin. Sookie had his clothes. The thought of her brought her face to the forefront of his mind's eye. He had to make sure she would be safe, so with an ache in his heart, he teleported first to Shreveport and then to Monroe. The measures he put into play were the best he could do for now to ensure some kind of protection for Sookie.

About the time that morning was reaching Bon Temps, Preston found himself properly attired and in Niall's waiting chamber in Faery. His request for an audience had been accepted.

With the possibility of his happiness with Sookie ending, Preston stood surrounded by elegant carved pillars wrapped in vines of ambrosia growing up from the fertile ground. As Preston's senses were enveloped by the sweet and perfect aromatic perfume of ambrosia, it was not enough to ward off the harsh weight pressing against his chest. It was a good possibility that in order to protect the woman he loved, he would have to give her up.

"The Prince will receive you now." An ethereal woman of auburn hair approached Preston. Her steps so elegant she seemed to float across the stone floor. She was more apparition than flesh.

"Thank you." Preston nodded and followed the elemental past the great doors that would lead into the Fairy Court. An expression between a question and confusion skirted across Preston's handsome face, but he remained silent. Obediently, he followed her, leaving the waiting chamber's expanse airiness and into a long narrow corridor.

An elemental was the purist form of fae. Elementals were rare creatures, born only every ten centuries. When they matured, they gravitated to those that they felt the inclination to evolve into. This elemental, would one day become a sky fairy.

Sensing Preston's apprehension, the elemental spoke. "Prince Niall has called for a recess," her angelic voice soft as a whisper, but sufficiently strong enough to be clearly heard. "He will see you in his private chamber." Though Preston remained silent, with her back toward the earth fairy, the elemental felt him nod in understanding.

The private areas of the Fairy Court were places Preston was unfamiliar with. The many turns of the narrow corridors gave the sense of navigating through a maze of stone and hedges of ambrosia.

The disconcerting maze was intentional; magic that protected the High Prince's private residence from the public area and any who may wonder upon the passages. Without a guide, a person would wonder aimlessly for hours only to eventually find themselves where they began.

Lost in his own thoughts, Preston almost crashed into the elemental. An amused expression lit her eyes as she studied the young fairy. "You may enter," she stated matter-of-fact. Preston nodded and entered the tapered opening. Quickly, he saw it was yet another narrow corridor of stone. The elemental followed behind him. She glided so silently, even to a fairy's keen hearing, she could not be heard. Out of a nervous inclination, Preston turned and glanced at her quickly. Another small smile of amusement drew the corners of her lips back. This was a typical reaction from all who first saw her.

At the end of the narrow hallway, Preston turned. The corridor's stone walls turned into an archway of ambrosia weaved in and out of the stone lattice. Preston hesitated, but continued cautiously to the end, following the walls to a final turn, which opened onto to a chamber.

"Preston," Reece, Niall's personal assistant greeted him. "Come in," he encouraged the young fairy. "Niall is expecting you." Preston's eyes followed to the area Reece gestured toward. Waiting for him was Niall and his son Dillon.

"I will leave now." Dillon rose, bowing respectfully to his father and Prince. Turning, Dillon approached the earth fairy. "Preston," Dillon smiled encouragingly at the young fairy. His hand resting on Preston's shoulder, he gave him a reassuring squeeze before turning and taking the same path down the narrow corridor. Preston's gaze followed Dillon as he disappeared and found that the elemental along with Reece were also gone.

"Come closer," Niall gestured to Preston. The report Niall had received only days before had confirmed in part the gossip circulating around the vampire world. Yesterday, his own agent had returned with a full report. As Niall had suspected, Sookie's new lover was Preston. He wasn't entirely surprised. Like Reece, Niall knew there was a possibility of an attachment forming between Preston and Sookie. But he had taken a gamble that they wouldn't become attached. Based on the information he received, there was no doubt in Niall's mind that the two young lovers, more than likely, had been together since shortly after Christmas.

Majestically standing in his position, Niall watched the young fairy approach and bow.

As Preston's eyes were averted away from Niall's gaze, Niall gently nodded his head remembering his own youth and his beloved, Einin. Just as his own relationship with Einin and his father had reached an impasse, he knew yesterday the same would be true with Preston and Sookie. As to when he would have received a request for an audience from Preston or Sookie, he was unsure.

"Speak," Niall directed Preston who rose from his kneeling position. "I'm sure you haven't come all this way to simply remain silent."

"No," Preston cleared his voice. "I…I…" Niall's malachite green eyes fixed solidly on the young fairy. His jaw sharp, broad, and firm; his shoulders strong, wide, and solid. The Prince gave the sense of being impassible. Niall would not make this easy for Preston. His penetrating gaze was intimidating. Forcing the air out of his lungs, Preston declared, "I love her." His sincerity matched what Niall saw in the young fairy's eyes. A sigh of release overcame Preston. After months of hiding, he had finally surrendered the truth.

The Prince stood silent, measuring the young fairy's conviction.

Heart pounding against his chest, Preston waited for some queue from Niall, but the Prince didn't once blink. The long silence was grave. Not even the wind could be heard. Several times Preston found himself fighting against his nerves and fear.

"You disobeyed me." Niall's clear and commanding voice convicted the young fairy.

"I never agreed to stay away from her," Preston resisted the urge to look away from Niall's harsh gaze, "Though I did try."

"You've defied a Prince." Niall condemned the young fairy.

"No," Preston answered honestly. "I've remained loyal. I have stayed out of her bed." Niall huffed. "She's everything to me. She is my air." Preston's certainty was unwavering. "How can another, even a Prince, order me not to breathe again?" Secretly, Niall gave the young fairy points for finding an 'out'. "He's not entirely without hope," thought Niall. Preston was smart.

With eyes ever fixed on the young fairy, Naill let out a puff of air. His head slightly moving from side-to-side he stated, "You're a fool."

"If I'm a fool," settled Preston. "I thank my ancestors that I am a happy fool who has seen the glory of the Summerlands in the love of another."

"You would forfeit your life?"

"What life I have, belongs to her." Another long suspenseful silence fell upon the room. Niall carefully considered the young fairy's words.

"What of the obligation to your kin, what of that?"

"Of all my obligations, the one that holds weight is my obligation to her."

"She will grow old, while you do not," matter-of-factly stated Niall. "What of your love then?" Though the words were bile in Niall's mouth, he needed to paint the reality; the inevitable outcome of Preston's connection to his beloved great-grandchild. "Will your devotion cease when her arms wither and grow fragile with age? Or when her bosom looses their youthfulness? Where will your pretty words of love be then?"

Preston's expression tensed with grief. He didn't want to ponder on thoughts of seeing Sookie's life slipping away.

"I know my words pain you," gently stated Niall. "It is Sookie's happiness not just now, but also her happiness at the end of her life that concerns me." Niall paused, allowing his words to sink deeply into Preston's heart. "There is nothing that I would withhold from her; she only need ask me. I do not doubt that you love her. But at your word, I will not sanction your connection with her, only to see you walk away when she is gray and fragile." Niall paused and then continued, his voice firm, "You speak of a path you have not seen with open eyes."

"What would you have me do?" Preston snapped. His jaw tightened.

"Enough with your hasty words," cautioned Niall. His gaze narrowed a warning at Preston. "Speak of what brought about this confession and defiance."

Taking a deep breath, Preston spoke. "I've come to you because I picked up Lochlan and Neave's scent on a woman found killed in Bon Temps. She had been connected to your great-grandson, and had been with child." Niall's ears perked up. "I suspect your enemies have discovered the location of your great-grandchild."

A long pensive stillness fell upon Niall.

"I fear her life may be in danger," confessed Preston. "You are certain my enemies have closed in on her existence?" asked Niall. "Yes your majesty," stated Preston. The skin between Niall's brows twitched and tensed, bunching and creating a few deep indentations. "I feared this much," admitted Niall. Both fairies stood in contemplation. One wondering what would come next, the other strategizing.

"Bring me my son Dermott alive," Niall's voice was just above a whisper. "And I will consider the price for your defiance paid." Preston nodded. "Reece will fill you in on his last known location," explained Niall. "You're also to cease any and all contact with my great-grandchild."

"I can't just disappear without a word," Preston paused. "Please," he pleaded with the Prince.

Niall felt the burden of his order, remembering the crushing of his own life when his father had ordered him never to return to Einin. The pain of heart and spirit he suffered from marrying Branna and sharing the marriage bed with her, was as fresh centuries later as it was then.

"You have one day," conceded Niall, swallowing the pain of his private memories. "You are restricted regardless of your own personal feelings from speaking to her our words today. Your future rests with her, as it is the way of my people."

In one sentence, Niall had included Sookie among his house. Preston could never ask her; only Sookie could make such a request. Hesitantly, Preston nodded. Among Niall's people, the royal house of Brigant, it was their males and females who extended the offer of courtship even the offer of lifelong mates. It was never the other way around.

"I'll respect the way of your people," Preston solemnly agreed. This was the only way he knew how to give Sookie what she wanted. The stress from keeping their relationship secret was weighing heavily on her. He knew that as sweet and precious as their stolen moments together were, their happiness was constantly laced with grief. For even their happiness was stolen.

"It is time your majesty." The elemental appeared in Niall's chamber.

"I must go," Niall explained to Preston. "Reece will debrief you." With these last words, Niall left through the corridor, his elemental and his son Dillon by his side.

Without pause, Reece asked, "I understand I'm to debrief you?"

"Yes," Preston's voice was grim. "Dermott; what do you know?" Over the next hour Preston sat across from Reece gathering all the information he would need to track down Dermott. All details down to where Dermott was to be taken were discussed.

"Under no circumstances is the Prince's son to be harmed," Reece reminded Preston. "At any point in his capture, if it seems that he will be harmed, you are to cease and desist. Is that clear?" he asked the young fairy. Preston nodded, "Understood." Following Reece's lead, Preston stood. He exhaled and quietly followed Reece down the corridors until he reached the courtyard to the Court. "Oberon speed young fairy," Reece wished Preston. Another nod and Preston was on his way back to the Realm of Men.

It took several long moments, but when Preston finally arrived at Bon Temps, the Witches, Jonathan, and Mór were waiting for him in Sookie's kitchen. In the early hours of the morning, when the sun hadn't yet welcomed the day, they hurriedly prepared to get done what had to be done.

Several hours later, exhausted (mind, body, and soul) Preston left his companions in Sookie's kitchen. Without thinking, Preston grabbed the questionable afghan draped across the back of Sookie's couch and dropped himself on to the sofa. The second his body touched the cushions, he was out cold.

A short time later, Sookie began to stir as awareness began to pull at the edges of her mind. Opening her eyes, she stared at her alarm clock. It took several long seconds for her vision to clear. She was wake. Suddenly her heart registered the sharp ache at the center of her chest. Just as she was beginning to cave under the pain, her mind registered several smooth thick brain patterns in the house.

Without a thought, she bolted out of her bed. As quickly as her legs could carry her without running, she went into the living room. At first her eyes saw nothing, but her telepathy told her differently. Hurrying on her toes, she rushed to look over the back of the sofa.

Her breath caught at the back of her throat.

Preston was sleeping on his stomach. Lazily, one arm dangled over the edge, the back of his hand touching the floor. One foot hung over the sofa cushion. He'd half wrapped himself in her Gran's afghan.

Kneeling down next to him, Sookie carefully inspected him, making sure she didn't see any blood. He was barefoot and shirtless. All he had on were his jeans. Combing her fingers lovingly through his hair, she felt the gloom from the night before lift and clear.

Tucking his hair behind his ear, she knew he'd only showered a short while ago. His hair was damp. Leaning forward, she kissed him several times on his cheek.

"Good morning sugar," gently whispered Octavia. Sookie turned her head toward the old woman. "He got here about three hours ago."

"Oh," Sookie breathed. Her gaze returned to Preston's sleeping form.

"Come on," Octavia's grandmotherly voice drew Sookie's attention to her again. "I'll pour you some coffee." Sookie didn't want to leave Preston. "He won't be waking up any time soon. He was up all night and into this morning."

Sookie hesitated. Why was it that Octavia seemed to know so much and she didn't? Why hadn't he woke her up when he got here? Sookie pushed her questions aside. She leaned forward again and tenderly kissed him on his cheek, her lips lingering as she inhaled his familiar clean scent.

Preston didn't even stir. Exhaustion had swept him under into a deep restorative sleep.

Octavia stood in the area of the foyer waiting for Sookie. She watched the young woman reluctantly stand. There was so much love in Sookie's face for the fairy on her sofa; it touched Octavia deeply.

"Why don't you make yourself presentable," suggested Octavia. "We have guests with us this morning." Sookie's brow tensed. Without any argument, she returned to her room to make her self presentable. With a renewed sense of happiness she dressed, washed, and made her way into the kitchen. "Today is a sunbathing day," decided Sookie as she pressed her hand on the door leading into the kitchen.

Before the door closed behind her, Sookie's jaw dropped at the sight in front of her. "What—" she closed her mouth. Sookie's eyes were wide and her forehead wrinkled at the scene in the kitchen. Sitting at her kitchen table was Jonathan the pixie from Urban Cooks. Next to him was a messy dark haired, short, and stocky man. Though he looked human, he wasn't. He was a dwarf. And Sookie knew instantly what he was. She knew only two other dwarfs; Dr. Ludwig and Mr. Hobbs. But like Mr. Hobbs, this dwarf was built to stop a semi-truck.

Then there was Amelia, as happy as a pig in mud next to them. She was gathering up curious looking objects Sookie was certain were magical things. Amelia was placing them back into her black leather bag, which Sookie recognized instantly. It was where Amelia kept some of her most valuable magical supplies. The case looked more like a doctor's case than a Witch's bag.

"Mornin' sleepy head," chimed Amelia, putting the last of her things away and slipping her bag onto the floor next to her.

"Good morning," Jonathan nodded his head.

"Mornin' mama," drawled the stocky dwarf. "I'm Mór, Preston's friend," the dwarf nodded his head. "Wow," was all he could think. Sookie was a beauty.

When he had learned that morning that the woman who had caught his friend's heart was none other than the famed telepath the vampires were always gossiping about, he was immediately worried for his friend. A fairy hanging out with an asset that belonged to the vampires was like running across oncoming traffic. It was an accident waiting to happen.

But seeing her now for himself, he understood all the fuss.

This human woman was part fairy. Mór recognized it the moment he saw her walk in to the kitchen. "Damn," his friend was a goner. "Well, at least he'll die with a smile on his face," thought Mór.

"Good Mornin'," Sookie hesitated. "What's goin' on?" her eyes scanned everyone's faces.

"We've been warding your house," Jonathan smiled wearily. Preston had showed up at the crack of dawn at his home looking for a favor. On the surface it seemed helpless enough, but it was the reason for the wards that Jonathan in particular had hesitated. He was not interested in getting involved in any fairy intrigues. For a few hundred years now, the fairies had been hell bent on killing each other, and the rest of the fae had given them a wide berth to get it done. After all, everyone was entitled to their own prerogative.

Mór on the other hand, being a dwarf, was an equal opportunity entrepreneur. He saw Preston's favor as a business transaction. The currency: a favor. Dwarfs had no qualms catering their special services to other supernaturals. Their best clients were actually vampires. So needless to say, it didn't take much persuasion to get Mór to Bon Temps to help conjure up a ward around Sookie's home.

Jonathan on the other hand, was harder to persuade. Preston had pleaded with him. Had they not been good friends, he would have told Preston, 'you're all out of luck'. Jonathan had more too loose than Mór. He had a family to think about. Breandan's minions, Lochlan and Neave, were "crazy sons of bitches". Rumor had it that they'd cut their victims piece-by-piece, starting with the toes and working up, eating their victims right in front of the poor bastards. But Preston was one of the best at camouflaging magic, so he was confident when he promised Jonathan that his identity would be safe. Only then was Preston able to begin swaying Jonathan into helping with the wards around Sookie's house.

As for Octavia and Amelia, they jumped at the opportunity. It was a once in a lifetime chance. Amelia was certain that it was unprecedented. So, too eagerly, the Witches helped with the spell.

In Sookie's living room, they had each spun their spells, and an exhausted Preston, as an earth fairy only could, weaved the spells of the Witches, the dwarf, and the pixie together.

Nothing would be getting through the wards that were now protecting Sookie's home.

"O.K.," Sookie slowly said. "Why?"

"Why don't you sit down," said Octavia pouring Sookie a cup of coffee. The aroma filled Sookie with little shudders of happiness. She eagerly picked up the mug and took her first sip.

"I'll serve you some breakfast," smiled Amelia. "I made you a plate." Amelia stood up and went over to the refrigerator to pull out the plate. They had made breakfast for everyone after the house had been warded.

"Well," sighed Mór, "Thank you for breakfast. I hate to eat and run, but I gotta get goin'. I've got work."

"Anytime," Octavia smiled ear-to-ear. "It was a pleasure."

"It was, wasn't it," sincerely agreed Mór. "Ma'am," he tilted his head toward Sookie. "It was enchanting meeting you."

"I need to get back as well," Jonathan smiled. "Can I catch a ride with you Mór?"

"Sure," he gave Jonathan a friendly slap on his back.

"It was a pleasure ladies," Jonathan bowed. A few more customary farewells were made between the Witches, the dwarf, and the pixie. Then Octavia walked them both out to the back door and off the covered porch.

"Is someone going to tell me what's going on?" asked Sookie the moment Octavia came back in to the kitchen.

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