Chapter 10
AN: I have corrected a major continuity error in Chapter 9 regarding the relationship of Lochlan and Neave. They were brother and sister, as well as lovers. The correction does not impact the plot of this story at all, but I felt it was best to make the correction to keep things straight. Thank you to the ever-watchful readers who pointed out my mistake.
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Like most faeries, Gawain could spend a mind-numbing amount of time speaking and saying nothing. He began with a dissertation on the genealogy of several faerie families, including a branch of Brigants, which was practically Biblical in its scope and complexity.
When he was finished, everyone in the room was on the verge of being bored into a coma and the only thing he'd said was this; Lochlan and Neave were two of six children, three sets of identical twins, each with a different father; two pair of boys and one pair of girls. The girls were the youngest. Lochlan had been oldest in set one and Lorcan was the younger of the second set. Apparently he had some sort of deep-rooted need to prove himself equal to his older brothers.
Perfect, Sookie thought, he has an in-faerie-ority complex.
Lorcan and Neave's twin Niamh, who was rumored to be pregnant, were in league with Breandan's widow, Aednat, though no one seemed to be sure exactly what it was the league was doing.
"Aednat has created a large number of portal doors leading to seemingly random places," Gawain continued. "Most are typical water portals, like the one here in the grotto, but six are different. The six open to this world in the open air. They are much larger than the water portals, much larger, and they appear to only be accessible to fae."
"Well, we can eliminate those six," Ermessen said. "Saaset and Alexei are not fae. I don't know about the human." She looked to Sookie.
"No," Sookie answered. "Mina isn't fae."
"Which is exactly why Niall believes we will find them all, through one of the six. He believes there is something built into the portals to allow exceptions through, a key of some kind."
Oliver stepped in close to the table. "So even if we knew which one it was, we can't get through to retrieve them?"
"You can't get through unless we discover the key," Gawain conceded. "Not all of you, anyway."
"Out of the question," Eric said.
"It may be the only-"
"No! This discussion is over." Eric stood up in a single movement that sent his chair flying backward into the wall with a crash.
From the pool, they could hear a frightened Ramon begin to whimper.
"Eric!" Ermessen chastised angrily as she got up and walked slowly to Ramon. "You are not King here. You will maintain calm in Ramon's quarters, and do your blustering elsewhere. When Ramon is settled, we can make a schedule for keeping an eye on the portal here. I can glamour the staff to watch during the daylight hours, but they will not be able to capture anyone who may come through."
"How is your relationship with the local were pack?" Eric asked.
He was met with an incredulous stare. "Have you gone mad? Do you suppose I would have weres near my son? When we are at rest and most vulnerable?"
"I have found them most useful at times. Well worth the effort of developing a working relationship," he offered.
"And perhaps if I were in the American wild, I might find them useful as well, but even if I had a working relationship with a pack, I can assure you, it would not be sufficient for me to allow them here. The danger is too great."
Ramon became more at ease as his mother neared him. She smiled for him and patted his head before continuing speaking to Eric from where she was. "For hundreds of years I have protected Ramon from supes and humans alike. I have had friendships, enemies, servants, lovers, business associates, prospective mates and yes, even working relationships, yet through all the long years, the only others I trusted with my treasure were humans so glamoured they would likely no longer be able to function outside these walls.
Until tonight, when you hurled yourself into my inner sanctum and threatened everything I have guarded so carefully for so long. I have accepted your presence herein because you gave me no choice. Do not mistake that acceptance for an open invitation. I will tolerate no others.
Heed my warning, Eric. My wrath is every bit as minacious as yours."
"I do not doubt your word, Ermessen," Eric said with a nod. "Sookie and I will wait for you in the sunroom. If you would be good enough to join us when you have seen to your son's comfort, we can discuss our options."
He took Sookie's hand and looked at Oliver. "Take the first watch here. It is unlikely they will come in during evening hours, but their schedule was disrupted when they took Mina, so they may behave unexpectedly."
Oliver nodded silently as Eric left the room with Sookie on his arm.
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Ramon had already forgotten he'd been startled only moments ago. He was playing in the water, with his mother sitting on a large flat stone near him. He was so plainly happy and she was so clearly overflowing with affection for him, if he did not appear quite so childlike, someone looking at a photograph of the scene might have mistaken them for lovers.
"Now, Ramon, I believe you and I have an appointment," Gawain said with a big toothy grin, as he leaned over to remove his shoes.
Ramon slapped the surface of the pool with his open palms several times, sending tiny showers of water splashing up in all directions. His giggle was as joyous and innocent as his expression. He shook the water from his face and slapped at the pool again.
"Hahahahaha-da. Gagagaga-wain!" he shrieked as Gawain stepped into the pool. "Orelles punpunpunx-egudes!" he added, reaching toward Gawain as he repeatedly opened and closed his fingers, in the universal gesture for 'gimme'.
"Not right now, Ramon," Gawain whispered as he touched one of his own ears. "You can touch them later."
Ermessen was about to translate for Ramon, but he appeared to understand what Gawain was saying without her help. She watched, enchanted, as her boy communicated with someone who was not here to be his servant and had not been glamoured to pieces.
Gawain dipped under the water and peered back toward the portal. Portals appeared as distortions to the eye, but since water distorted one's vision to begin with, water portals were particularly difficult to see, even for a water fairy. It was well concealed, but he could make out enough bits of the edges to feel comfortable that he could hit it at a full swim.
He bobbed up and shook his head, flinging strands of water across Ramon's face.
"Hahaha-da Gaga-wain!" Ramon brought his palm down hard on the water to splash back.
"Hada Gawain!" Gawain shouted, and followed Ramon's example by giving the water a good slap of his own. "I have never been titled before, my Lord Ramon. I shall endeavor to be worthy." Gawain bowed his head and when he raised it again, Ramon was laughing and returning the bow.
"You do realize he is merely calling you a faerie, not bestowing a title?" Ermessen asked with a bright smile.
"Ah, but it sounds like a title when he says it, Your Majesty. I shall wear it as such." Gawain returned her smile, then noticed Ramon had not fully raised his head from the water.
Ramon was bent over, holding his face just above the water and looking toward the portal. Gawain whipped around, half expecting to see a dozen faeries behind him, but there were none. Of course if there had been, Ermessen would have seen them, since she was facing the same direction as Ramon, and no doubt she could have reached them much faster than Gawain could hope to.
Gawain's sudden movement brought Oliver rushing to the edge of the pool. "What is it? What does he see?" He turned to Ramon. "Què és el que veus?"
Ramon raised his face and gave Oliver a confused look, as if he didn't understand the question.
"I don't think he sees anything," Ermessen said.
"There's no one there," Gawain assured everyone.
"Més hadas?"
Oliver and Ermessen both came into the water. Oliver headed to the back and Ermessen stood protectively in front of Ramon, gently edging him toward dry ground.
It was Gawain's turn to be confused. He looked frantically from one vampire to another. "Will someone tell me what's going on?"
"He said he saw more faeries," Ermessen whispered.
Oliver came up out of the water. "I didn't see anyone."
Gawain's confusion turned to irritation. "You didn't see anyone, because no one is there. I told you as much.
Your Majesty, if I may make a suggestion, Ramon sounded to me as if he was asking a question, rather than making a statement. Are you quite certain he said he actually saw more faeries?"
"No," she said after considering for a moment. "He simply said, 'more faeries.'"
"I believe he may have been asking me if more faeries came with me.
No més hadas, Ramon." Gawain kept his eyes on Ramon, waiting for a reaction.
Ramon grinned and placed an index finger on either side of his nose. "Blau, marrrrró."
Oliver came slogging out of the water. "Què?" he asked as he passed.
Ramon followed Oliver a few steps, then started shifting from foot to foot, still holding his fingers on either side of his nose. "Blauuu, marrrró, blauu, marrró, hahaha-da!" he sang, followed by a burst of giggles.
"Blue and brown?" Ermessen questioned. She didn't appear to be asking anyone in particular, but she was looking in Gawain's general direction.
Ermessen faded from Gawain's vision as he focused solely on Ramon. "Blue and brown," he whispered to no one.
"Blauu, marrró, blauu, marrrró, hahaha-da!" More dancing and singing.
Gawain raised his own fingers to his face, to mirror Ramon, to just below, his eyes. He lightly pressed one finger into his face, and then the other. "Blue and brown, blue and brown faerie. Oran."
"Who or what is Oran?" Ermessen asked.
"He's a jeweler," Gawain answered. "A silver smith, to be precise. He has one blue eye and one brown. His family reported him missing several weeks ago. I guess we know why. He's been visiting here."
"And Ramon knew," Oliver said.
Ermessen's eyes narrowed and her voice became a low hiss, "Mind the implications of your words, Mister Mayer. I have reached the breaking point of my patience."
"My indictment was of us, Your Majesty. For hours we have discussed amongst ourselves how to gain more information, yet we never thought to ask the only one who might have information we could really use." Oliver took a step toward Ramon and offered him a deep bow.
This pleased Ramon greatly. His smile stretched across his face and he reached out to pat Oliver on the head.
They quickly established Ramon had no further information to offer them, or if he did, he wasn't able to convey it. Even so the general mood was buoyed by the news.
"I've been too long away from my office," Ermessen said at last. "I must go back upstairs. I believe I can trust you two with Ramon. His nannies will take him when it is time for him to feed. I will convey the news to Eric and Sookie.
Be hopeful, Mr. Mayer. This is good news. We will find her."
Ermessen placed a hand on Gawain's arm. "Thank you," she said, then turned and quickly left.
Resuming a seat in the shallowest part of the pool, Gawain tilted his head in Oliver's direction. "And what is your part in this tangled web? Are you a spider or a fly?"
When Oliver offered him no response, he continued. "Clearly you are a guard of some sort. You position yourself near my cousin rather than your King, yet the Norseman does not seem to take offense. Thus I am safe in assuming you are her guard, but I suspect there is more to know about you."
"There is almost always more to know about anyone," Oliver said, without moving from where he stood.
"Come to the water and sit with us," Gawain smiled and gestured for him to come. "I may find myself in need of your translating skills. Surely you are permitted a moment's rest. You can relax and we can become better acquainted."
Oliver only stared.
"If you are averse to forming friendships, you may take advantage of the superior view of the portal offered by a seat here."
Oliver felt as if he would never be able to relax again. "I do not suffer from a lack of friends. As cousin to my Mistress, I will afford you the respect due a person of said position. She and my King have formed an alliance with you to assist in the efforts to retrieve my human pet and two vampires from faerie custody."
"How very strange," Gawain replied, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Oliver. "I would have sworn I heard it said the human girl, Mina, I believe they called her, was Sookie's property. Am I mistaken?"
"I am bound by oath and honor to my Queen's service. All that is mine is the property of my Mistress. Mina is my chosen and she was gifted to me."
"Your Mistress must be very generous."
"Her generosity and beneficence are without bounds," Oliver replied reverently.
"You have a blood bond with the girl then? You would know if she was suffering?"
Gawain saw Oliver's flinch. It wasn't much, just a slight rolling twitch, fluttering from his fists, up his arms. "Yes," was his only verbal response.
"I hope we are able to get to her in time, my friend, before they do anything to her you can truly feel," Gawain said softly. "Lorcan is a true monster. What the older brother did to your Mistress is nothing to compare to the twisted imaginings of the younger brother. He has a morbid curiosity about the limits of pain and endurance.
If she begins to suffer, my advice to you would be to concentrate on finding a way to block her from your thoughts."
Anger flashed across Oliver's face. He made no effort to hide it. Even from across the room, it was clear. "You would have me abandon her to suffer alone?"
Gawain took a deep breath and released it as a mournful sigh. He looked up at Oliver as if his heart was breaking. "Once it begins, her suffering will not be stopped by anything but her eventual death. Adding your pain to hers will serve no purpose. When he begins an experiment, as he refers to it, he does not stop. He only escalates. His patience is unnerving. He will drag out the process until his victim no longer amuses him."
"And what of the female you say is with him? Is she as devoid of compassion as this Lorcan?"
"I cannot pretend to know," Gawain said as he splashed water at Ramon. "I am told she is completely devoted to Lorcan. She is with child and he is believed to be the sire. She is very clever and she will defend him with any means available to her."
"Good information to know," was all Oliver said.
"You should also know, it is Niall's wish for me to try and bring her to him, alive. Her child and any more she may produce are very important to us. We understand that Aednat and Lorcan will not be spared by any of you, if you can catch them, but Niamh is not a leader. On her own, she is not a threat."
Oliver's words were as even and emotionless as his eyes. "You have offered me advice, so I will return the favor. If Mina is not restored to me, alive and unharmed, I advise you not to find yourself between me and anyone involved in her kidnapping or injury, regardless of any agreements or assurances you may have. In this one matter, I will not hesitate to risk the displeasure and discipline of my Mistress or my King. If I get my hands on Niamh, only Mina, alive and interceding on her behalf, will be able to save her."
"It is my sincerest wish, neither of us is called upon to have to consider the advice of the other," Gawain said sadly. He turned his back to Oliver, leaned toward Ramon with a big smile and shook his head.
Ramon's delighted laughter filled the grotto. He applauded wildly, then reached out with both hands, gently touching the tips of each of Gawain's ears with his index fingers.
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"No, Eric," Ermessen insisted as the elevator doors opened. "Despite what you may believe, your loss is not the primary consideration in this search."
"Quite right, Ermessen. I can see from your tone, that you too grow weary of my Norseman's arrogance." Appius stood in the hall outside the elevator, posed, feet apart, with a fist resting on each hip. His scowl made it clear he'd been impatiently awaiting an audience. "I was on my way to your office to discuss this very topic. We can go there together."
"Of course, Appius," Ermessen said pleasantly. "I am happy to address your concerns and help in any way I can."
"Sookie and I will-" Eric began.
"Join us in the discussion, since you are the central issue," Ocella interrupted. His tone was satiny smooth, but his smile promised nothing pleasant.
Sookie recognized his expression. She'd seen it many times, on the playground as a child, as a waitress at Merlotte's. It was the smug look of a bully who had just forced his will on someone and was enjoying watching the result.
She hated him, with every fiber of her being. The realization came as a shock. She'd never truly hated anyone before, not really. Yes, she'd disliked people, and sometimes she thought she hated them, but it was never anything like this.
She'd killed people, but only to protect herself or the lives of her loved ones, never out of hatred. Ocella was a threat, to be sure, but her feelings toward him were different. She realized she could not only happily kill him, but she could kill him slowly. She could watch him suffer and she might even enjoy it.
A shudder traveled up her spine and Eric pulled her closer in response. No doubt he believed she was trembling in fear of Ocella. Good. Better for him to think she was afraid of Ocella, than for him to know her little epiphany was more terrifying to her than anything Ocella could do.
"And bring your woman along as well," Ocella added, without so much as a glance at Sookie, only a cavalier wave.
"As you wish," Eric responded, tightening his hold on his chosen again. They both knew the protective gesture amounted to only that, in this situation, but it was all he had to give.
Sookie accepted his comfort gratefully and reciprocated in kind.
"As I command," Ocella corrected, as he led the march to Ermessen's office.
"As you command," Eric echoed, his muscles tensing into tight knots.
Ermessen stepped up and hooked Ocella's arm in hers while deftly employing the one threat anyone who knew Ocella well, knew he would always respond to. "Let us not bicker in the passageways as if we were peasants," she said softly. "Nothing about our circumstances is so dire it necessitates us providing theater for the servants."
Appius Livius had a much-exaggerated opinion of himself and the thought of being thought common was more than he was prepared to suffer. The servants could be threatened or glamoured into silence, but he could not allow Ermessen's good opinion of him to falter.
He was blissfully unaware of what she actually thought of him, on those rare occasions when he entered her thoughts at all.
Appius and Ermessen led the way and Eric had no more than closed the office door behind them when Ocella launched into his list of grievances.
He struck what he believed to be a dignified pose and looked around the room, pausing briefly on each face, as if he were acknowledging honored guests who had gathered for no other purpose than to enjoy the pleasure of hearing him orate.
"In this time of great trouble, we must band together and utilize our collective strengths to meet our mutual needs." He turned to Ermessen. "Perhaps it would be possible to request the presence of Don Perdigo or his yellow-eyed emissary? His interests are of concern here as well."
Ermessen folded her hands in front of her on her desk. "I give you my personal assurance, every detail of this meeting will be conveyed to Don Perdigo. Those of us present would not wish to delay a discussion of such import."
"I am pleased to hear it," he said. He glanced down at the crushed section of granite on her desk as if noticing it for the first time since entering the room. "If you are going to quarry stone indoors, you may want your cleaning staff to pay closer attention to your progress." He forced a chuckle in an effort to make his remark seem less insulting.
Ermessen joined him in a practiced laugh. "My staff does as they are told. When I tell them to tidy up after my accident, I am certain they will. If we may begin now, I am most anxious to hear you."
Ocella straightened his posture and went on. "I have been deprived of Alexei's company for long enough. My tolerance of the lack of progress in this investigation has reached its end. What is being done to recover Alexei?" His glare settled on Eric. "Don Rafael tells me she is the cause of all this disruption." He pointed an accusing finger at Sookie. "Plague has caused less havoc in Europe than this woman is wreaking."
Eric slipped his hand from Sookie's grasp and met Ocella's eyes. "Saaset was taken before we arrived. Whatever plans the faeries are acting on, they were in place well before our arrival, and I am certain they are wholly unrelated to Sookie. It is my opinion the attempt to take her was a last minute addition to their overall strategy, not a pivotal component of it."
"I am not interested in your opinions or in your whining attempts to defend her. Where is Alexei?"
"I do not know. If I did, I would gladly risk myself in the effort to restore him to you."
"Eric!" Sookie screamed.
"Silence, woman!" Ocella responded. "I am even less interested in your mewling."
Eric took Sookie's hand, gave it a squeeze and moved it to her lap. His eyes never left Ocella's. "My Queen has been in contact with her great grandfather. It seems there is a female who was born with powerful gifts usually bestowed only to males of their race. Niall Brigant believes this woman is preparing herself and her followers for war. She aspires to take over as leader of the fae."
"Women," Ocella spat, as if trying to remove something disgusting from between his teeth. "What a different world we would have without the conniving wretches."
"Yes," Ermessen agreed. "If by different, you mean significantly less populated. It would be a very lonely place, this world you wish for." She let out a scoffing laugh and looked at Sookie. "You know, I believe they go about their entire lives never realizing how often we think the same about them. Of course, we usually follow up our thoughts by acknowledging the need for keeping a few of them corralled somewhere as breeding stock."
Sookie added her soft laughter to the fray.
"Naturally I include ladies such as yourself among the exceptions, Ermessen."
Everyone in the room noticed he did not include Sookie among the exceptions he was grudgingly willing to make.
"Naturally," Ermessen said. "Pray continue."
"Right." He spun back to Eric. "I have no interest in faerie wars. I want Alexei back and I believe you are intentionally stalling our work to find him."
There was genuine surprise in Eric's voice when he spoke, and pain in his eyes. "One of our party is amongst the taken, in addition to a beloved progeny of my Maker. I have every reason to want an end to our involvement in faerie politics. Why would I stall?"
Ocella smiled his cruel little smile and snarled his response. "Your own words have given you away. Alexei is beloved, and you have never borne being second with any grace. Your jealousy is your motivation. You have broken faith with me and all of our kind with your inaction."
"Lies!" Sookie screamed, furiously vaulting to her feet. "How can you make such a horrible accusation when you know how he loves you!"
"Silence her, Eric."
"Eric!" Sookie cried.
"Sit quietly, Sookie," Eric said, his voice calm and expressionless.
Sookie felt the now familiar gentle tug at the base of her spine. Silenced as much by her frustration as his request, she retook her chair and looked at Eric. His face had become a blank mask. His momentary loss of composure had passed. Sookie knew this face. No hint of anything he did not want seen would appear in its features. She watched as it spoke to Ocella.
"What is your suggestion to rectify the wrong you believe I am willing to sacrifice my wife's pets in order to do to you?"
"Human pets, bah," Ocella rolled his eyes at the thought. "What matter are they when Alexei is at risk? You have long been happy to seek your fortunes and pleasures elsewhere, yet you know the value of maintaining strong ties to those who may be called upon for help if need should arise. Clearly you see Alexei as an obstacle you thought you could easily remove."
"And your proposal?" Eric pressed.
"I recommend your immediate removal from your position of authority over the search. If these damned faeries want a war, they should find someone who knows how to wage one ready to come through that portal when it is found."
Hurt and anger appeared across the mask. "You believe the charges you have laid at my door?"
"I have stated as much," Ocella said harshly.
The mask's eyes began darting around the room, as if searching for a cue card so its mouth would know what words to say. At length, he lowered his face for just a moment. When he raised it again, it was the face of a defeated man.
"In the face of your lack of confidence in my loyalty and dedication, you leave me no choice but to step aside in favor of your superior knowledge and leadership. The searchers will be honored to have such a man as you helming their efforts. I am sure your more personal and hands on methods will come to better effect than have mine."
For an instant, confusion flooded over Ocella's face as he processed what Eric said.
"Indeed! My intention, exactly. A proper search should be handled in a much more regimented fashion."
"If I may intrude, before the two of you divide all my duties and responsibilities as Queen of this realm between you, might I remind you I have in no way consented to a change in the command of my people." Ermessen stood and leaned toward them, her hands flat on her desk, her face a perfect illustration of affronted determination. "The overinflated egos of visiting men do not carry the day here.
If the Norseman wishes to step down I will by no means prevent him. I have found it is rarely fruitful to put a man to a task if his heart is not in it.
Appius Livius, if you are willing to take on the rigors of leading the search, we would be honored and grateful to have you. When Alexei is recovered, I am certain it will come as a great comfort to him to know it was his own Maker who commanded the search.
When you have made an assessment of the personnel and supplies at your disposal, please do not hesitate to call upon me for anything further you feel you need to successfully attain your goal."
"Your wisdom is surpassed only by your graciousness and beauty, my dear Ermessen," Ocella said with a nod.
"On behalf of Don Perdigo and myself, I thank you for your service, Appius. Already I feel my mind easing, knowing you will be out among the searchers, personally offering them the benefit of your guidance and experience." She gave him her sweetest smile and extended the back of her hand in his direction.
Bits of crushed granite crunched under his feet as he stepped to the edge of the desk and bent at an awkward angle to kiss the offered hand. "The honor is mine," he said as he stood.
Ermessen sank back into her chair. "You have lifted a burden from my shoulders, Appius. Please do get back with me soon with a list of anything you need. I will meet with Don Perdigo as soon as possible to make him aware of the improvements we have made today."
She gave him one last smile and turned to Sookie. "Sookie, my dear new friend, now that we have this thorny issue out of the way, you must tell me everything you know about werewolves. We have quite a number of weres in Europe of course, but I'm led to understand they are smaller creatures for the most part. Sightings of actual wolves have become rare in recent years."
Ocella had been dismissed, even if it was taking a minute for it to sink in for him.
Not sure exactly what she should say, Sookie dove into the convoluted story of Debbie Pelt and her affiliation with the Shreveport pack, rather than try and rattle off a laundry list of werewolf facts. Apparently she had been assigned the part of boring Ocella into leaving, in this little play.
"Another troublesome woman," Ocella muttered as he left.
Sookie continued to prattle until Eric gave the all clear, that Ocella was indeed gone and out of hearing range.
"Excellent work ladies," Eric said with a massive grin and a kiss for Sookie. "Now, Ermessen, if you would call the supervisors of your house staff, we should be able to establish how this silversmith Oran has been occupying himself when he visits here. We will need to interview anyone he has worked with or been seen spending time with. I want to hear every word he has spoken to anyone here, and even more importantly, I want to know what anyone has said to him."
He gave Sookie a squeeze. "This will be an excellent opportunity for you to practice glamouring, my love. Not as efficient as telepathy perhaps, but we've managed to muddle through with it for millennia."