AN: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS. They literally make my day. Here's a treat before the Easter weekend, hope y'all enjoy! There is some context heavy stuff in this one, and some mention of torture (nothing too graphic). All of this is purely from my own head so no fact-checks were done. I'm winging it here, so all mistakes are my own!

LAST TIME

"She's gone" I whisper. Godric's eyes show shock and sorrow before he asks "dead?" I shake my head subtly.

"She is so far it feels like another plane" My mind starts searching through possibilities and Godric and I both come to the same conclusion.

"Niall"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

I did not know I could experience this kind of pain. I have been tortured, I have refused the pull of the sun, I have been to war- and none of it compares to this. It's like someone has taken by body and tried to stretch it past its means. I should not feel this way when we have not even had a mutual exchange. My maker has stayed close by since we returned from Jackson. I have taken to my office most nights, and not left its confines.

Godric is worried.

Pam is worried. And pissed. But that's Pam.

She's more worried about the "distraction of the telepath" and how my mood swings are effecting Fangtasia's turn out. The last time I attended I almost killed three fangbangers. Not my best night.

It has been three hundred and seventy five days since Sookie disappeared. I feel I am bordering madness. Godric has mentioned summoning witches to break the bond, but I cannot bring myself to do it. I do not trust witches for one. Secondly, I find this unease at the thought of losing my only connection to Sookie. It tells me she is alive.

Bill reported to Fangtasia a few days after Sookie disappeared. I had some fun torturing for him for information before finally releasing him. I was within my rights, the little weasel. He was hiding something and he took his time to spill it. I returned him to his pitiful excuse of a Maker two weeks later.

I researched every known fact about Reverend Steve Newlin. He has disappeared off the face of the earth. However, as Willy Boy finally disclosed, he had made a deal with Russel. Of course a poor excuse of a vampire like Bill Compton wouldn't know exactly what that deal was, but it was a start.

Russel and I have crossed paths at a few small functions. We have spoken pleasantries, played nice. I don't buy it thought. He's waiting on something.

I will find out, even if it takes me the rest of my existence.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPOV

I woke up in the most beautiful room I had ever seen. Soft silk sheets surrounded me as I lay in a large king size bed. The sunshine was streaming on my face through a sunroof, and there was a soft breeze coming in from the nearby window. I took a heavy inhale and stretched my limbs. Wait.

The recent events seem to click back in my mind, and I sat up slowly, looking around the room I am in. I am on a four poster bed, with more beautiful white silk hung around the outsides. All of the furniture is made of a cherry wood, and looks to be hand carved. There are three large windows to my right that reach from ceiling to floor. The ceilings of the room are high and vaulted, and I can see a large expanse of grassy hills outside. To my left is a large wardrobe, a small chest at the foot of the bed, and a heavy door against the back wall.

I then start to assess my body. My last recollection I was in scrapes of the beautiful white rouged dress I had tried to tempt Eric with, covered in my own blood. I now was dressed in a long flowy white silk nightgown that reached my ankles. There was intricate lace along the thick straps, across the bodice, and along the hem. It was gorgeous. All of my wounds were gone. Not a scratch left on my skin, and I seemed to have a perfect tan like I had been on holiday the past few days. What on Earth is going on?

I slowly pull back the lavish sheets and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I still feel a bit sluggish, but outwardly by body seems to be completely healed. I pause for a moment, before transferring my weight onto my feet and pushing myself out of bed. I sway for a second before I am able to take a step towards the large open window and the soft morning sunshine.

"Good morning princess" The large door opens to my left, and a beautiful teenager with a short black pixie cut, and piercing green eyes, enters with a tray of food. She sets it on the chest at the base of the bed, and slowly walks over to me.

"My name is Aria and I am your handmaiden" she says as she gives me a curt bow. I feel my eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. "I know you must have many questions, so I shall take you to your great-grandfather once you have eaten and dressed".

My what now? I just nod my head and proceed to sit on the plush bed and cross my legs Indian style, before digging into the wonderful eggs and bacon dish she has brought me. I take the first bite and my eyes close, delicious, and the coffee is even better! It's like it is all melting in my mouth. I've always been a breakfast food fan, and was never one to shy away from pancakes for dinner, but this was a new level. I quickly finished my meal and thanked Aria when she quickly grabbed the now empty tray and scurried out the door. She said she would leave me to dress and return in a few minutes. I didn't get a chance to ask her what exactly I was supposed to dress in.

I made my way over to the large wardrobe and picked one of the many gowns that were hung there. They seems slightly medieval, all long and flowy and floor length. I grabbed a bright yellow with white lace details and was surprised it fit me perfectly. Aria returned a few minutes later, and escorted me out of the chamber.

We took a steep staircase down and reached a long hallway. It seemed this place was something out of a fairy-tale, and I was indeed in a castle. The hallway was actually a large bridge, with open windows on either side showing a steep drop to canyons below. The bridge crossed from the tower where my chamber was, to the larger portion of the castle. We entered through two large doors at the end which brought us to what looked like a large lobby reception. It reminded me of the grand room in the movie Casper. Large dancefloor, and two staircases on either side leading to another set of double doors. Aria explained that this was the main area of the castle, where all the meeting and conference rooms were as well as the dining hall, and of course, "the Prince's office". That set my gears turning.

She led me to the office, knocked once, and quickly scurried away. I heard a booming voice call "enter" and I hesitantly pushed the door open. The doors opened to a large room, full of more wooden furniture including a large desk where my rescuer was seated. He was in a winged back leather chair, with two smaller versions in front of him. The left side of the room was completely open, and lead to a large open patio that had stairs cascading down to soft grass and a large fountain. The right side of the room was full of endless shelves of books from ceiling to floor. I took a hesitant step forward, as the man looked up to meet my eyes. His piercing blue eyes quickly lit with happiness, and a smile broke out on his handsome face.

"Granddaughter" he said, standing from his seat and coming around his desk to grasp my hands in his own. "I am so glad to see you have recovered. How are you feeling?" he led me to one of the chairs in front of his desk, and pulled it out for me as I sat.

"Confused. Where am I?" I ask, as he proceeds to circle his desk and sit back in his large chair.

"You are in the fae realm Little One" he says with a gesture to the large area outside. Seeing my brows scrunch in further confusion, he continues. "My dear Sookie, I am sorry that you must learn of your heritage in such circumstances, but I could no longer stand idly by in your life. My name is Niall Brigant and I am your great-grandfather. My son, Fintan, met your grandmother Adele many many years ago, and fell in love."

I felt my eyes bug out of my skull. Then immediate denial.

"No. My Gran loved her husband. She would NEVER betray him like that." I say with anger in my voice. I was about to go on a tirade of how dare he accuse my beloved grandmother of infidelity when he held up a graceful hand to stop me.

"Little One, I am so sorry to inform you that the grandfather you recall is simply a memory. Sometime after Adele married Earl, he fell ill to a strong side effect of the measles. He had had the illness when he was younger, and an unexpected complication took his life only two years after they were married. Adele was distraught, alone, and fearful, when my son Fintan came across her. She was crying at your grandfather's grave when Fintan provided her comfort, and an arrangement. Fintan was quite taken with her, you see, he had watched her for some time from the portal and had finally found the courage to approach her. He proposed that he could imitate her beloved Earl, and provide her the children she so longed for, and your grandmother agreed. Fintan cast a simple spell that changed the late Earl Stackhouse's death to that of another distant relative, and took the place in your home. However, we fairies are not safe in the human realm, and Fintan was killed by a rogue vampire. It was what initiated the vampire fairy war so so long ago."

My mind was racing.

"So…that means you're my great-grandfather…and what is a fae?" I felt silly asking but it was one of the things I was struggling to understand. I understood I was far from home, and where I was, was a land very different from mine.

"A fae my dear child is a fairy" I snorted "not as you have come to imagine in the silly fiction your world produces. A fairy, is an enchanted being that was born from a mix of supernatural creatures. There are many theories on just how we were created, many believe that it was from the Gods themselves. We are often mistaken for dryads and nymphs, but are much more powerful. And of course, as you can see, nothing like the Tinkerbell you must imagine of us."

"So I'm a supernatural is what you're telling me? I'm a .. a…. fairy?!" I asked, still exasperated at what he was telling me. "What is the fae realm? How is it different? I'm thankful for your help in my escape, but I don't understand why I'm here…" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around all that had happened.

Niall's face darkened. "You are here because it is no longer safe for you in the human realm." My eyebrows must have shot up to my hairline. "When that poor excuse for a vampire came into your life, I had hoped I would be able to stop him from corrupting your innocence. It seems I was too late to save your purity, but I was able to save your existence. You will never be a vampire's pawn again."

"Bill? What do you know about Bill?"

"I have watched you since you were a small child, Little One…I watched you struggle with your gift, and I watched you fall in love for the first time. Bill Compton was not whom you were meant to give your purity to." His eyes took on a spark when he spoke now, and a breeze begun to blow his long silver hair behind him as he continued "He is not your beloved, and he used his blood in order to control you, hoping he could one day abuse your skills for his own advantages. The torture he received was too lax for what he deserved"

I begun to get exasperated. He knew I had given Bill my virginity, and he seemed to know that Bill had betrayed me somehow. I was still in the process of understanding just how that happened, and it seemed this mysterious fairy knew how.

"Tell me what you know about Bill Compton" I said, leaning forward to lay my elbows on the large desk in front of me. Niall met my eyes and I saw his gaze soften again.

"I do not enjoy bring you pain, Little One. I discovered his deception of you through political channels, and once I had confirmed their truth, I brought him here to be punished."

"YOU took Bill?" I asked, to see him give me a curt nod.

"He was in this realm for only 3 days, before his King made an offer on his behalf." His lip curled in disgust.

"But Bill was gone for almost two weeks. You had him that whole time?"

"Time moves differently here. I had to return him to his maker by issue of the Authority, and some political nonsense that claimed you were his pet and he could do what he wished with you. As soon as he was returned, he went squealing to his pathetic maker and that is who kidnapped you. I intervened, and officially invoked my Royal protection as your kin." He met my eyes and smiled softly as he finished. "You are safe here now."

At that, my jaw hit the floor.

"But….Wh-Wh-….What betrayal was he guilty of? What did you punish him for?"

This was what I couldn't figure out. I knew that his blood had something to do with it, and once I had discovered that, I did everything I could to limit how he could manipulate me. But WHY he was using his blood to manipulate me was not something I had discovered.

Niall met my eyes and I saw pity in them.

"TELL ME" I said, slamming my hand on the table. His eyes lit with that blue spark again, and the strong wind returned.

"Little One, you will watch. Your. Tone. You may not understand the world of supernaturals, but I am PRINCE of the fairies and you will show me the respect I deserve!" He said, standing as his voice betrayed the warrior that was clearly hidden under this poised politician. I sat back in my chair, and folded my hands neatly, giving him a curt nod as my only form of apology.

"Please" I sneered. He kept my gaze, and the wind died down, but the evil spark in his eyes remained as he began. He sat slowly and paused before he begun to speak again.

"You did not meet William Compton by accident. The rogue vampire that killed Fintan those many years ago has now become the King of Mississippi. After realizing that Fintan had given Adele offspring, he watched his lineage, and waited for someone to show the fairy spark. You my dear, are that person. He waited until your fairy maturity, which is your twenty fifth birthday, before he sent his snivelling slave to form an attachment to you. Bill was sent by his King to bring you back to Mississippi. However, when you could not be glamoured, his mission became delayed, and he found creative ways to get his blood into you."

"Creative? I almost was dying the times he did! He SAVED me" I pointed out, quirking an eyebrow in defiance. Niall leaned forward and tenting his fingers as he looked me in the eyes and explained.

"Little One, now that you have some knowledge of vampires, tell me. Would you ever believe that a vampire would fall victim to drainers easily? Bill Compton is not an old vampire, but he is at least a century old. It would be child's play for him to see silver being thrown at him, he can move far quicker than a human ever could. Yet, the first night he needed 'saving' and do you remember what he offered you as reward for your heroic deed?"

I thought back to the very first night I met Bill. At Merlotte's when the Rats had attacked. I saved him, and took the silver chain off of him and as a reward he offered me…

"His blood" I whispered, dropping my gaze to my folded hands.

"Yes. That was his first attempt. You being the smart girl you are of course refused, and so the next night he escalated his plan. Now tell me Little One, how often are vampires late?"

I looked up into his eyes again, and tried to think of a time when I could recall any vampire I knew to be late. Never. They have a knack for showing up just as the time strikes, 6PM on the dot, or as soon as the sun sets.

"Never" I whispered, tears forming in my eyes, as I start to realize Bill's manipulation.

"Correct. When you live for eternity, you are akin to knowing all the small details, and punctuality is one of those key details. Bill Compton was in the woods the night the Rattaray's beat you to a pulp. I am sad to confirm that Bill glamoured them to do so, in order for him to feed you a large portion of his blood. From that night, he was able to push and pull the emotions that were already inside of you."

"A vampire can influence the emotions in a human?" I asked incredulously. I knew about the dreams but I had no idea their blood had such control.

"Only emotions that are already there. You were drawn to Compton originally, and he amplified that. Just as you were intimidated by Eric initially, and disgusted by his strong advances, he amplified that to fear and repulsion so that you would not be swayed away from him."

"For his –his- King? Is he King of that realm, like you are?" the tears had started to roll slowly down my cheeks. I felt so stupid. A fool all over again.

"No my child. Vampires have their own government, and each state has a King who oversees vampires such as Eric whom are Sheriffs. Bill Compton has been employed by the King of Mississippi, who killed your grandfather."

"Who kidnapped me?" Niall nodded. "So Bill knew that he wanted to drain me, and sell me blood, and he helped" again he nodded. "I was a pawn all along" I whispered.

"Not any longer, Little One" he says, as he stands and kneels in front of me, wiping one of the tears from my cheek. "You are safe. You are protected, and you will remain here for as long as you wish."

I nodded in silence. I felt so alone. So used. I was in this strange land and just learned the extent of my first love's betrayal. From this strange figure who claims to be my great-grandfather. I had no idea what to do. Niall continued talking, and said I could explore all I liked, and that I was a princess by right because of our relation. I felt like a zombie. I didn't care. He dismissed me, giving me time to think, and I returned to my chambers.

I went into a depression after that. I felt so lost. I did not know what to do with myself, and had no idea how I got there or how to get home. I spent my days in my room, or walking the beautiful grounds. Aria and I quickly became friends. She would walk with me on the grounds and explain the heritage of how it came to be. I would always nod numbly.

It was a few weeks after my arrival that Aria introduced me to my cousin (apparently) Claudine. She had been sent by my grandfather to teach me of my powers.

"You have a light inside of you" she explained "this light is your will. It will be amplified by your emotion, and will do what you ask of it. We are sky fairies, and are therefore fuelled by the sun."

We would spend hours working on trying to manifest my light, but it would never surface. I had sunk into a depression in one of the most beautiful realms, and could not find my way out.

My days became much more normal, as I started to explore the library on the grounds, and the advantages of being a fairy princess. I learned to pop, which I was extremely proud of, but had not yet mastered, and could only do very short distances, such as across a room. I became stronger with my telepathy, learning to block people more efficiently, and enter minds without being detected, thanks to Claudine.

I became known to the community, and my great-grandfather began to talk avidly of me. It was two months after my arrival that he begun arranging dinner meetings he wished for me to attend. It was usually a political meeting, with someone of another supernatural species that he wanted me to read subtly. I became somewhat of a consultant. Living on the rich foods of fairy had strengthened my telepathy, and I found that I was able to read peoples intent through their mind. Their thoughts would take on a specific shade with their intent. A dark colour or shade would mean malicious or evil intent, like a black smoke or red mist.

I had just finished a dinner meeting with my grandfather, a demon, and his consultant, when my grandfather mentioned the idea of a mate. I looked at him baffled by the context. My betrayal was still so fresh in my eyes, I couldn't see myself trusting another in a romantic context. Niall smiled, and responded with an ambiguous "time will tell" that left me feeling uneasy.

It was a week later that he sent the first potential mate to my chambers.

The handsome young fairy had knocked politely, and made casual chit chat, explaining he had been sent by my grandfather. I had been confused as to what he could possibly need to discuss, when he started to strip. I immediately started yelling for my handmaiden in the attempts to kick him out of my bedchamber, to find that no one was in the tower at all. He proceeded to remove his clothes, and advanced on me to do the same. In my panic, I threw him out the large window.

That was the first time I was punished.

It seemed that my grandfather had decided it was time to start breeding me. As I was so beautiful and a royal princess, he wanted to start passing on genetics in the purest sense. He would send me a suitor every few days, and I would fight every time. Each time, Niall would get more creative.

My punishment was always delivered by one of my other "cousins". Nevil. He was known as the most evil fairy in the realm, and my grandfather's henchmen. He had dark greasy hair, and silvery eyes, and wanted me for himself. His malicious mind had no bound for the torture he could create.

I had killed 5 suitors, and had been punished 5 times. The first I was starved. The second I was whipped. The third I was tied up and beaten. The fourth and fifth were by far the worst. Nevil had decided by this time that I had refused all others because I enjoyed his torture, I was his plaything and he loved me in his sick twisted way. The fourth time was the first that he used the worst weapon against me. My uncle Bartlett. Somehow he had learned of my past, and the trauma I had experience when my "funny uncle" had thought all those sexual things of me as a little girl. Nevil would enter my mind and project his thoughts, his images, and then torture my body in the most intimate places. The fifth time, it took me a full week to heal. My grandfather would never heal my wounds after a punishment, wanting it to last as long as possible.

It was in that week that I planned my escape. Upon my healing I requested to speak with my grandfather. After many attempts, I was finally granted an audience. I begged. I apologized. I wept. I made him believe I was repenting and would accept any suitor he chose for me. Just not Nevil. He agreed, and said he wanted me with child in a month. I agreed without hesitation, determined that it would never happen.

For those weeks leading to, I spent every second in the sun. I soaked in every drop I could manage, and remembered every work Claudine had spoken. I casually asked Aria what a portal was. Niall had mentioned it in our first meeting, and I was surprised to learn that there were portals from fae to the human realm. One happened to be in the cemetery next to my house. Aria, as young as she was, had no idea that discussing this so candidly with me would allow me to discover the portal in the fae realm. It was at the base of the fountain near my grandfather's office.

Only accessible through his office.

It was the night before my suitor was expected, and I was ready. I felt tipsy with the amount of sun I had soaked in that day. I had spent my day on the water, lounging on a raft, under the guise that I was a repenting princess, doing whatever her grandfather asked. I returned to my chambers, and waited for the early morning. Still under the span of darkness, I put my plan into motion.

I focused my energy, and popped to the hallway of my grandfather's office. I reached out with my telepathy, and found it empty. I took a deep breathe, and popped myself to the edge of his desk in his office.

It was then the alarm went off. Bright blaring sirens started screaming through the whole palace, and bars started to slam close around the entrance. I panicked, and dove underneath them to the large patio.

I did not have any energy left to pop, so I started sprinting down the stairs. A fairy guard popped in front of me, and lunged at me, attempting to take me to the ground. He tackled me and my back hit the concrete stairs, my head connecting with the ground. Guards started to pop to the top of the stairs, running down in order to help him detain me.

NO! I had to use my last resort. I thought of my anger. Of all the torture I had endured. Of Nevil. Of Niall. I felt the tips of my fingers begin to buzz, and I raised a hand to the guard straddling me and willed my light towards his face.

A giant ball of yellow lightening shot right at his head, and as he flew across the yard the guards started to swarm me again. I raised my arms out to my sides, imagining a ball surrounding me, and willed my light out in all directions. I had no idea what I was doing but I was MAD and it was working. My light swelled around me and then exploded in all directions like a bomb. It hit the guards coming down the stairs, and seemed to stun them. I raced forward to the fountain, trying to remember what Aria had said about the portal.

How do I get to the other realm? She hadn't told me how to USE the portal, just where it was located. I panicked. I had to think quickly, more guards were beginning to pop to where I was tackled in the landing some yards away from me. On instinct, I sprinted to the edge of the fountain, and dove head first into the water. I pictured the cemetery, laying on the grass in front of Gran's grace, talking to her about my problems as I had done a million times. I focused with everything I had, shutting my eyes tightly and willing myself not to hit the bottom of the fountain pool.

I felt my hands tingle, and my whole body felt like it was sucked through a tube. Then I was free falling as if I had jumped off a large cliff.

My hands hit the ground, and I rolled on instinct, letting my shoulder turn towards the ground and my body roll with the impact.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EPOV

2:00 PM

My eyes snapped open. The pain was gone. I took a large inhale that I didn't need, and felt my chest. There was no stretching, no discomfort.

I sat up straight in my bed.

"Min son, what is it?" Godric asks, laying a hand on my back.

I look back at him, still clutching my chest, and I whisper

"Sookie" Gods, she has finally been returned to me.