Disclaimer: Sorry it took me so long to update, what with school work and a new boyfriend, I just wasn't able to find the time. But I will be working on the next chapter after this one so just hang in there, we are almost done.

"Are we there yet?" I sighed. We had been driving for what seemed like a lifetime and James saying early on in the trip that listening to music while driving gave him a headache didn't make the ride any smoother. Don't get me wrong, I tried to be as diplomatic as possible but James was working on my last…nerve. Between not letting me roll my window down to refusing to let me turn on the air conditioning because 'it was cold enough', I was at my whit's end.

"You know," I sighed while stretching my hands above my head. "This trip would go a lot faster if you would just allow me to find something to occupy myself." I said in a very relaxed, almost tired tone. I wasn't surprised when James didn't say anything. I rolled my eyes and reclined the car seat so that I was almost staring at the roof of the car. Maybe it was the sound of the muffled roar of the engine, or maybe it was just my need to me away from James, but as soon as I took a few deep breathes, I was knocked out.

When I came to, we were in front of a large gate. James was outside talking to a woman on the other end. Whatever they were talking about the didn't want me to hear. I could tell by the way the woman kept shooting glances in my direction. She looked as if she were dressed for a ball. Her platinum blonde hair was swept into a fancy up do. She must have been no shorter than 6'0. Even from where I was sitting I could tell her eyes were unrealistic looking silver. I didn't even have to look at the sharp ears to know that she was a fairy. She wore a thin strapped, silk floor length dress that seemed to hang on her figure giving the hint of female definition. She wasn't wearing any jewelry besides a rectangular crystal pendant…or was it diamond. If it was it put that hope diamond to shame. She didn't need any makeup…no fairy because of your irresistibility to others.

By the fourth or fifth time so glanced at me, my curiosity soon turned into annoyance. I had been uprooted from my life for these people and they were still keeping secrets. I was about to be their queen for crying out loud. That was going to be my first rule as ruling queen

Hear ye hear ye, by royal order of Queen Casey Cortez…

Secrets secrets are no fun unless they are shared with everyone.

The idea made me smile a but. I kept my eyes glued on the two while my hand slowly reached for the keys to the ignition. I could not make you what they were saying, even with my heightened sense of hearing so I was planning on shutting the car off to at least listen to a few words.

I readied myself.

As soon as the car turned off I could only make out two words coming from the blonde fairly bombshell.

"…you imbecile."

I smiled inwardly. Talk about good timing.

James turned to me with an almost offended look on his face. Which in turn made me offended. I hopped out of the car and began, "Look here…don't you dare give me that look. What were you two talking about?"

Neither one of them said anything.

"Look, I am going along with this whole queen thing because I really don't have a choice. The least you guys can do is tell me what is going on."

The woman opened the gave and kneeled to the floor almost as if I were going to knight her. "For give me your majesty." She began. "I am Corrine." She said with an American accent. "I was simply explaining to James that it was not wise of you to come here."

"How else were we going to get the elders here and perform the ceremony?" James said in a tone like he had said this once before.

Corrine immediately turned to James and hissed. "You have put her life in danger!"

They stared at one another for a long time. It almost seemed intimate. Like two lovers getting ready to have hot sweaty makeup sex.

I slowly raised my hand. "Why is her life in danger?" I said speaking in the third person.

Corrine's face softened when she turned her attention to me. "Your highness, there are those that don't think that you should be crowned queen. They would rather see you die than see you rule for centuries."

I wasn't surprised to hear the news. After finding out the reason why my grandfather disowned my mother I was simply waiting for others to feel the same way. "And how do you feel about me becoming queen?" I asked.

The question seemed to catch Corrine off guard. "Well…if I may your majesty…I do think that there are others who would be more qualified as queen as yourself." He said her words very slowly. Almost as if when she finished I was going to smite her.

I thought about it for a moment. "I agree." I said simply. "So are we going to go in?" I asked.

My answer shocked Corrine and it took her a couple seconds to recover. "Yes, of course. Right this way your majesty." I shot a quick glance to James and followed Corrine.

The house….well…if that was what u wanted to call it. It might as well have been a 4 star hotel. "Do you live here?" I asked.

Corrine was hesitant for a moment but quickly answered. "No, this manor belonged to your mother."

I wasn't too surprised. I mean after all, my mother was queen.

"But," She continued. "After she was…relived of her royal duties, the manor came into the possession of your grandfather."

"Does he live here?" I asked.

"No. He does not prefer the human world but if he were ever to, I would not be surprised if he decided to make this manor his permanent residence. It is quite lovely once you enter"

"I don't need to enter to know that it is beautiful." I said.

"So you approve?" She asked me with a somewhat hopeful tone.

"I guess." I said carefully. I was confused as to why she was wondering if I would approve of the place. "Why?"

Make she decorated it

"Well this is your home now." Corrine remarked.

My knees locked and I was not able to move. "This place is mine?" I asked evenly.

"Of course your majesty." James chuckled. "What did you expect it was your mothers and now it is yours.

Duh Casey

"Come on." James sighed and gave me back a little push. Corrine inhales sharply he moment his hand made contact with my back.

I was happy she did. I needed something to take my mind off of the shock.

"What?" I asked Corrine.

"He…should not touch you." The look she gave him was almost jealous but she was far too gorgeous for me to immediately disregard that notion.

"Don't get me wrong…Nothing would please me more than to see him get in trouble for touching me…." I shot James a look "…and who gave you permission to touh me any way?" My eyes darted back to Corrine "…but you make it seem like im an egg or a piece of crystal or something." I smirked.

"Forgive me your majesty. But unless some is a blood relation or of higher stature, no one is allowed to touch you. At least no one of your kind." Corrine looked to James "You are lucky no one else saw you."

James rolled his eyes. Which seemed to me the most human action I had ever seen him display in a long time. It was strange. Before I found out who James was he just seemed like any other asshole in Bon Temps but bow, he seemed like a robot. I wasn't sure which one was the real one and which was the facade but to be honest, I would much rather be in the company of an asshole than a robot.

The closer I got to the castle…yeah…that was probably the best way I could describe this place. A neo-Gothic castle. I was mesmerized and terrified at the same time. It was hauntingly beautiful. Maybe it was because I was going to be somewhere where my mother once was. The idea made a small lump form in the back of my throat and I tried my best to breath as evenly as possible.

There was a large fountain showing a cherub pouring water. I was more than confinent in the daylight, the sight would bring me to tears but at night, the sound of the water hitting the bast of the structure and the empty almost dead eyes of the child sent a cold shill through my entire body.

Two large wooden doors opened before Corrine, James and I began to walk up the steps.

"Hello Casey." An old man said.

Hello granddad.