Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood!

On with chapter sixteen!~

I sighed heavily, stopping to rub my temples in annoyance. I'd been helping Sookie pack all her things – we were leaving for Bon Temps this evening, after all – but I couldn't get my brain to chill out. It was working overtime, wondering if I should tell Sookie what I really was, or what she really was, or wonder if I should ask her, whether I should go with a family I'd just met yesterday.

That's right. I hadn't told Sook or Jase a thing. The only people who knew of my freaky heritage were Eric and Godric, and they weren't even people. They were supernatural themselves. But, hey – Sook and Jase were supes too – they just didn't know it. Something told me that it wasn't time for them to find out – call it intuition, I guess. I kept it all quiet, even though I was bursting to tell her everything that had happened to me.

What was wrong with me? I used to tell Sookie everything, and now – I was keeping all my secrets locked away, untouched. Untold. It was as if I was afraid to see their reactions. Would they hate me if they found out I was half mythical creature? Then again, they weren't really mythical, seeing as elves and all that shit really existed, but it was hard to wrap my mind around. I mean, I was a goddamn elf. An elf! That's not something you just shrug causally to.

My hand moved unconsciously up to my ears, and I felt the smooth, curvedness of it. No unnatural points or sticky-out ears. Did I really want to have elf ears? Did I really want to learn more about magic? And perhaps the world that surrounded it? There seemed to be so much about this that I didn't know. Did I want to throw away this life, and jump into another? Or stay as I was, and never truly know about my heritage? It was a big decision to make, and neither option would leave me feeling completely satisfied.

And then there was Sookie and Jason. The man and the woman who I knew as my brother and sister. How could I possibly leave them? They were everything to me. But they weren't completely normal themselves – they were hybrids, like me. Half of something known to be legend or myth. It was crazy. It shouldn't have been real, but it was. And I had a feeling all of this was just beginning.

"Hey, Rose, are you okay?" Sookie asked, padding into the bedroom. She was wearing a flowing, cream and white dress, and a pretty white shawl to go with it. Her blonde hair was shiny and clean, and had the usual bouncy ringlets at the back. Sook always knew how to look pretty, and how to dress nicely. Unlike me. I had thrown on the clothes I'd borrowed from her yesterday. It was getting colder now, especially in places like Bon Temps, and I regretted having to wear the flip-flops, but I literally had nothing to wear. I sighed wearily, turning back around to finish packing. Summer was almost over.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. "Rose?" Sookie questioned, worried. I glanced at her, and smiled.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," I lied, and she saw right through me, as usual. She raised a skeptical eyebrow, and ordered me to sit down on the bed.

"Rosalie Stackhouse," Sookie said sternly, sitting down with me. "You tell me right now what the matter is." I bit my lip, and looked away. I let out another deep sigh.

"That's just it, isn't?" I said mysteriously, and Sookie gave me a bewildered look. "I'm not really a Stackhouse."

The room went deathly silent. Sookie didn't say a word, and I flickered my dark orbs back over to her. She was frozen, staring at the wall in shock. "Sookie," I called to her emotionlessly. "Why did you lie to me?"

Sookie instantly came back to life, and her blue eyes hardened as she looked at me. "I didn't lie to ya," She said angrily, her southern accent thick. "We found you one evening, on our porch. Mum and Dad had just died, and we had just moved into Gram's house," She said. "You were wrapped in these beautiful, white robes, and you had the cutest smile," She shook her head, her eyes softening, and a smile gracing her lips.

Sookie continued, seemingly lost in her own thoughts at the same time. "You were an angel child, to be put simply. We took you in, and Grams didn't have any trouble with you – you never cried, never screamed, never had any tantrums. You took what was given to you. You were a selfless little critter," She breathed. "We never found out who you belonged to – as far as we were concerned, you'd been abandoned. So Grams filed in adoption papers, and we became your legal family."

I shook my head furiously. "But why didn't you ever tell me?" I asked quietly, my voice cracking. A couple of hot tears dripped from my watery eyes, and Sookie's face looked sorrowful. "Why didn't you tell me I was adopted?"

Sookie brought me closer to her, wrapping me in a hug. "We didn't tell you…because you really felt like our little sister, sweetie pie," She said softly, her voice soothing. She rubbed my back comfortingly. "Why would we tell you that you weren't really our sister, when we felt like you were? Obviously, we knew you weren't but, we also couldn't inflict that kind of pain upon you. You were too sweet, too innocent for that."

I sobbed into her chest, my pale hands clutching at the white material of her shawl. Sookie whispered comforting words into my ear, while stroking my dark hair. "S-Sookie," I sniffed when I calmed down a little. "I-I need to tell you something."

"You can tell me anything, honey," Sook assured me. She leaned backwards to look me straight in the eye. "And you know that."

I nodded, and smiled weakly. "It's about my family. I – I'm a…well, you see, I'm this thing called a –"

"Hey, girls!" Jason called cheerfully, as he strided into the room. "Are you all packed? I'm ready for a last meal before we leave!" He waltzed into our bedroom, clad in a blue-checkered shirt and blue jeans. However, his tanned face grew concerned when he saw me, looking like a wreck. "Rose? Have you been crying? What's wrong?"

Sookie spoke up for me, as Jason came to sit beside me. "She…kind of knows now, Jase," She said, looking slightly sad. Jason looked confused for a moment, before his face showed his realisation.

"Oh. You mean, she knows about…" He started, and Sookie nodded slowly. Jason ran a hand through his blonde locks, and slung an arm round my slim shoulders, squeezing reassuringly. "Did you tell her?" He asked, glancing at Sookie. She shook her head.

"No, Rose found out," She sighed, and Jase raised an eyebrow. Both Stackhouses turned to stare me down.

"How did you find out, Rosalie?" Jason asked seriously. "About your…adoption?"

I looked up, and smiled bitterly at them. I'd lost my built-up courage. I couldn't tell them what I was. Not yet. "I kind of guessed, you know?" I lied. "I mean – I look nothing like you guys. You all have blonde hair and blue eyes, and I've been told that Mum and Dad were like that, too. And me…I'm different. I'm pale. Dark-haired. Dark eyes."

Jason and Sookie engulfed me in a hug, and Jason declared loudly, "Just 'cause you aren't our sister by blood doesn't mean you aren't our sister." And Sookie agreed wholeheartedly. I sobbed happily into their embrace, and I knew, right then – that they would be more my family than the elves ever would.

I stepped out onto the roof, deciding I needed some much needed fresh-air, before we took the plane back to Louisiana. I groaned, thinking of the long car ride we needed to take after that as well. I sighed deeply, and plonked down on my butt, legs dangling off the edge of the roof.

The sun was slowly sinking downwards, making the sky around it different shades of pretty reds, and hot pinks. The air felt warm, but I knew in Bon Temps it was a different story. It was bound to be colder there – I would feel it as soon as I took one step off the plane. I closed my eyes, and just enjoyed what I had left of the late afternoon sun.

I nearly jumped a foot in the air, when I felt a soft hand place itself on my shoulder. Luckily, a long arm wove itself around my waist, before I fell off the roof, and to my untimely death.

"Careful, little Nys," A familiar voice warned, bringing me back up onto my feet. I looked up, and was a little surprised to see Ellisar – clad in his usual flowing robes, smiling at me. He bent down, and dusted my clothes off, while fixing the twisted straps of my top with his long, pale fingers. "You should not be sitting so precariously like that."

I frowned, a little confused. "You're back," I stated, and Ellisar's smile widened.

"Of course I am, Nys," He chuckled, tucking a strand of my dark hair behind my ear. "You know, it's funny seeing my sister with human ears. I guess I'm not used to it," Ellisar admitted, grinning. I touched my ears, then looked at him, curious.

"So, why are you here?" I asked him. "And why did you run away from the guys?" They'd left so abruptly yesterday – had they been scared of Godric and Eric? They wouldn't have hurt them, so why did they go?

Ellisar grinned, showing off his impossibly white teeth. He sat down, sitting cross-legged, his robes pooling around him. I noticed suddenly, that he had a sparkling, golden crown on his head. The golden sheen of it twinkled in the dying sun, almost magically. He was a prince, after all, so it was fitting that he wore it.

"The Nightwalkers do not know that the elves are still alive, Rosalie," Ellisar explained, "It would have not been good if they spotted us…"

I was about to blurt out, a little guiltily, that I had given their secret away to Godric and Eric, but he held up a pale hand. "It is fine, we know that you have told your bonded and his child the secret. We just ask of you to make sure they do not relay this information." I nodded in earnest.

"But why have you come back?" I asked, curious. Ellisar stood up, bringing me up with him.

"Why else would I come back, Nys?" He asked rhetorically. "I have come to take you home. There is much to be done – your welcoming feast, your crowning, your seventeenth birthday…" Ellisar grinned, and I frowned worriedly. "Come! While the light still shines, little Nys." He grabbed my hand.

I shook my head, trying to take my hand out his grasp, but he held onto it. "Look, Ellisar, I can't," I pleaded, and he looked disappointed. "I don't belong in that world, I –"

Ellisar clamped his soft hands on my shoulders, dark eyes meeting dark eyes. "Don't say that, Rosalie," He warned sternly, "You belong more with us than you do here. What is there for you here? You have no real family here. People will never truly accept you for who you are in the human world. But, in our world, Nys, you are more than accepted! You will be treated like the princess you are!"

I shook my head furiously, trying to move away from him, but Ellisar's grip was strong. "Ellisar, listen!" I said urgently, panic rising in the pit of my stomach. "I don't want to go to the elven world, or whatever it's called, okay? Not yet, at least. I have to work things out with my family, and –"

"They are not your family!" He insisted. "I am, and atar is! And you have osu'nys, osu'tan, and everyone else," He said. "You cannot stay in the mortal world – you are hardly mortal yourself, Nys."

"Let go of me," I commanded. However, Ellisar didn't listen to my protests – he brought me forward, crushing me to his lean chest, and I heard him start to mutter something under his breath. Purplish mist started to swirl around us, and the air picked up suddenly, making my hair flail about wildly. "Ellisar, stop, please! Let me go!" I yelled, but he continued to ignore me.

I couldn't leave, not now! How would I get back? I could only wriggle helplessly in his grip, as the mist started to become cloudier. I knew that this was their magical transportation spell thingy. I was trapped, and I was terrified.

Suddenly, though, there was a feral snarl, and Ellisar was ripped off of me. He went flying backwards, and the transportation spell was broken instantly. Ellisar landed in a heap on the other side of the roof. He got up immediately, though, and I noticed the angry look in his dark eyes. His pale hands started to shimmer a bright, icy blue.

Before I could move, or shout out, a broad, black-clothed back appeared in front of me, blocking me from Ellisar. I looked up, and saw blonde, slicked-back hair, and I knew that it was none other than Eric the blondie.

"Get away from my little sister!" Ellisar barked, and I peeked round Eric's back to see the icy-blue stuff charging up in his palms. He looked like he was going to hurl it at Eric –and I knew it'd be anything but harmless.

I tried to step forward, but Eric's arm snapped out in front of me. "Stay back, little Viking," He ordered sternly, and pushed me back gently.

"Eric, wait," I cried, "He's a half-elf, but he can still overpower you!"

"I won't let you go, and leave Godric," Eric commanded with an air of authority. I noticed him baring his fangs at Ellisar menacingly. "Rosalie is staying right here. Back off, elf," He threatened.

Ellisar chuckled, but it was humourless. "You are nothing against me, Nightwalker," He spat. "You may be older than me, but I will obliterate you, unless you step away from my Nys."

Eric growled. "Come at me then, little elf," He snarled. "Let's see how tough you are!"

The two of them looked as if they were going to pounce. I shouted at them to stop – this would not end well. A one-thousand year old vampire, against a young, but ridiculously powerful elf prince. They would kill each other.

They leapt at each other, powerful, blue magic swirling in Ellisar's hands, and a very angry Eric with bared fangs. I screamed, and ran forward. Without thinking, I flashed impossibly fast in between them, arms on either side of me, and palms outstretched.

"Stop!" I shrieked, and purple light burst from my fingertips. I had no idea how the hell I was doing it, but two humongous, thick, violet barriers appeared on either side of me. With a loud crash and thump, the elf prince and the ancient vampire butted headfirst into the strong barriers.

They each landed on the ground behind their respective barriers with an "oomph".

"Are you two quite done?" I hissed at them, my arms still stretching outwards. "You could have killed each other!"

"It was exactly my intention, Nys," Ellisar said, glaring at Eric, who glared right back at him.

"It was exactly my intention, Nys," Eric mocked, glowering at the half-elf. Ellisar scrunched his nose up in anger, shouting curses at blondie in Elvish.

"Oh, honestly, you two!" I cried, exasperated. "You're like two little children!" They stopped sending evils at each other to look up at me in surprise. "Can't we just work this out civilly, instead of blowing each other's brains out?"

They both stood up, and Ellisar dusted off his white robes. He seemed to examine the purple barrier in front of him, which I was still holding up – I could never be too careful, after all. Ellisar's long, pale fingers feathered over the barrier, and a proud gleam sparkled in his eye.

"By seldarine!" He cried happily. "The templa here is magnificent! It's strong – supple, like a elf's oak bow. You've finally unlocked your own Adofaer, Nys!"

"What the hell is that idiot saying?" Eric muttered, and Ellisar shot him a dirty look.

"Silence, Nightwalker," He spat, "Nobody asked you to speak."

Eric growled. "You wanna go again, little man?"

I sighed in annoyance. "Shut it. Both of you," I warned threateningly. "Or I'll send both of you flying."

Ellisar grinned at me. "Nys, I know for sure you could send that foolish Nightwalker flying, but it would be hard to best me. I am one of the best fighters in all of the elven lands," He said. My mouth dropped open. Was he…boasting?

"Was that a challenge, brother?" I raised an eyebrow at him, and his grin widened. Eric laughed mockingly.

"My little Viking could kick your skinny ass," Blondie laughed, and Ellisar hissed at him. He shook his head, and tapped his fingers on my barriers. I stared in shock, as the purple shields shimmered away. He'd said they were strong – yet he'd tapped them away like they were nothing.

"Enough of this foolishness," Ellisar sighed, stepping towards me. "It is time to come home, now, Nys. I am losing my patience, and this little game is tiring me. Come." He stretched out his hand, but Eric was there in an instant, slapping his arm away.

"Over my dead body," Eric snarled, but then chuckled darkly. "Oh, wait, I already am dead. Nevermind." With that, he pounced at him, this time knocking Ellisar over.

I sucked in a sharp breath, when suddenly, a bright light slammed into Eric, sending him barrelling into the sky, and down onto the roof with a slam. A few cracks appeared underneath his body, and he groaned deeply. Ellisar took this chance to grab me round the waist, and he used magic to propel us into the air.

"Looks like we will need to take the route home by sky," Ellisar sighed into my ear. "Oh well, nevermind, Nys. It is more beautiful this way, if I do say so myself. We will travel over the sea, and over great mountains. It is rather exciting, do you not think?"

I tried to wriggle out his grasp, but Ellisar tutted in disapproval. "Now, Nys, if you were to jump from this height, you would not survive," He sighed, "I think you keep forgetting that you are not immortal yet. But do not fret, Nys, for we shall change that."

I gulped and looked towards the ground. We were pretty high up, now. So high up, that Eric was just a little blonde speck on the ground. "Ellisar," I pleaded, "Please, I don't want to leave."

"Rosalie, my dear sister, all will be fine," Ellisar assured me, but I didn't feel reassured at all. "When we get home, we will get you into some nice, fresh robes, and you will have a nice dinner, and then a comfy bed. Does that not sound good? It certainly does to me. I have had enough of this world. It tires me to no end."

I bit my lip, sagging in his grasp. I noted how the sky was dark now. Godric could probably step outside, and not fry. But, I thought in a panicked frenzy, it's too late now, and vampires can't exactly fly…

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Suddenly, there was a violent rush of air, and Eric appeared in all his smug glory, hovering in the air. My mouth dropped open, and my eyes bugged out my sockets. Eric was…bloody flying!

He sent a heavy punch to an unsuspecting Ellisar, and his grasp on me loosened – giving Eric the chance to grab me, and yank me into his chest. Before Ellisar could get me back, blondie and I were already flying above the Dallas skyline, back towards the Hotel Carmilla's roof. We landed safely on the roof, and I immediately swung round.

"You can fly?!" I cried, exasperated. Eric sent me a devilish wink, which I rolled my eyes to. I looked around, checking our surroundings. "Did…Ellisar leave?"

"I must have scared the brat off," Eric declared smugly. I frowned, skeptical.

"Hm…I don't think –" I was cut off, as I was suddenly yanked off my feet and into the air again. Luckily, I wasn't too high in the air – just hovering silently above the roof. I looked up, and saw Ellisar, who looked pretty angry now.

"I have lost my patience!" He snapped, and my eyes widened in surprise at his anger. Eric growled in annoyance. Truth be told, I was getting annoyed too. I wasn't some package to be passed around! "…I will finish you now, Nightwalker," Ellisar hissed, and I saw the magical energy build up in his right palm. Suddenly, Ellisar snapped his arm forward, and the blue ball of magic went zooming through the air towards a snarling Eric. Alarm bells started to ring my head. Eric would never survive this blow!

"Eric!" I screamed. I could only watch, however, as the ball was about to hit him. ..

Suddenly, though, the ball of magic was slammed off-course by something, resulting it to explode in the air. "Now, I would have been annoyed if my child was hurt," A deep voice said suddenly, "But trying to take my Rosalie away from me has only made me very, very angry."

I stared in relief, and a little surprise as Godric flashed in front of Eric. He was dressed in a black V-neck, along with a pair of black pants and dark shoes. His bluish-grey eyes were sharp, and he looked pretty pissed, to say the least. Godric looked pretty handsome in his attire, but it also made him look a little menacing.

"How did you stop my Adofaer?" Ellisar gasped, his grip around me tightening. Godric noticed this, and his eyes burned holes into his pale arm. "My magic is the most advanced!"

Godric chuckled darkly. "I am two-thousand years old, young elf," He said, raising an eyebrow. "I may not be as strong as your father, but I am definitely stronger than you. I suggest you let go of my mate before I snap your neck."

I felt Ellisar tense, but he glared angrily at Godric. "Nightwalker, I came to collect my sister and take her home. I will not leave without her."

"It is the same for me," Godric countered calmly. "Now, if you do not release my mate in the next ten seconds, I will come over there myself, and I do not wish to create unnecessary bloodshed," Godric finished, staring Ellisar straight in the eye.

"Ellisar," I said quietly, and he looked down at me worriedly. "Please, just go back. I don't want you to get hurt. And please, tell Ettrian not to send elves after me, okay? I might come to the elven lands one day, but it most definitely won't be now."

Ellisar drooped visibly, and I was sure he was going to let me go, but I was wrong, again. "No, Rosalie," He whispered in my ear, and I'm sure Godric and Eric both heard it – what, with their supernatural hearing and all. "…I refuse to leave you here, sister."

He attempted to lift off into the air again, but he didn't get far. Godric disappeared suddenly, and in a flash, ripped Ellisar from me, and held him up by his neck, reminding me much of Gabe back at the Fellowship. I noticed Godric's fangs were poking out.

"You have provoked me too far, elf," Godric stated quietly, but I could feel his boiling anger. "I gave you a reasonable compromise: let my Rosalie go, and I spare your life. But, I see that you are too foolish to take my generous offer."

I had almost expected Godric to snap his neck right then and there, but, to my surprise, put Ellisar gently onto his feet. "I am no monster," Godric sighed. "I do not care if you are related to my Rose, next time, if you attempt to take her from me, I will kill you. Understood?"

Ellisar frowned. "Father will not be pleased about this…" He turned to look at me pleadingly. "Nys –"

"Look at me, young elf," Godric ordered Ellisar, and he looked back at him. "You are powerful, I can tell. But you are young – immortal, yes, but young. This makes you foolish. Did you really think you could steal a two-thousand year old vampire's mate away from him? It is suicidal, on your part. Think before you act."

Ellisar sighed deeply, and turned to glance at me again. "Rosalie, my dear," He said, his voice barely a whisper. "It saddens me to think that I must leave you again…but I am afraid that your bonded is far too strong for me to possibly stand against. I hope you can come to us one day, possibly in the near future –"

"My ass she will!" Eric barked out suddenly, and Ellisar flickered his eyes over to glare at blondie. Godric sighed.

"My child, go and get our travel coffins ready. Rosalie and I will join you shortly," He ordered, and Eric nodded faithfully. He shot me a grin, before flashing out of sight.

Ellisar tried to step forward to hug me, but Godric flashed in front of me, his face eerily calm. "Go now, young elf, and do not touch Rosalie again, unless I state otherwise," He commanded, and Ellisar looked a little miffed.

He stepped back, sighing heavily, his robes swishing like the ocean's tide before him. "Goodbye, my Nys," He said, waving, as he disappeared in a cloud of dust.

I let out a relieved breath – one I hadn't realised I was holding. Godric turned around, and smiled at me, his beautiful eyes sparkling. "Are you alright, Rosalie?" He asked, stepping forward to brush my hair off my face. I nodded, and smiled. He wrapped me in a hug, and his lips pressed against the top of my head.

"Yeah, just a little shaken," I admitted. "I didn't expect my brother to try to take me so forcefully…" I shook my head. Godric growled under his breath, his hand instinctively reaching up to stroke my hair.

"Elves are powerful creatures," He muttered, "I hope your father does not come to take you one day, my Rose, because I do not think I would be able to stop him." My heart raced when he said that, and I started to panic.

"Don't say that, Godric," I whispered, scared. "Ettrian wouldn't do that. He knows that I'm bonded to you. He would never take me away from you," I said, hugging him closer. Godric chuckled, and pushed me away a little, so he could bend down and kiss me on the lips, hard.

"I heard you asking your brother to tell your father not to come for you?" Godric inquired, and I nodded. "If your father has any love for you in his heart, he will abide by your wishes." I smiled, and kissed the side of his jaw.

"Yeah, you're right," I agreed. I let out a squeal when Godric picked me up suddenly, and started to run at a fast vampire speed. "Where are we going?" I asked urgently.

Godric chuckled again. "To the car, of course," He answered. "We need to get to the airport, to catch the private jet that Eric hired."

I frowned. "I thought I was taking a public one, with Sookie and Jason?" I asked, confused. Godric grinned a little.

"Plans have changed, my Rose," He declared, and I rolled my eyes.

"You did tell them I'm going with you, right?" I asked, sighing. Godric nodded.

"Of course. Jason was not happy, though," He admitted, and I laughed loudly.

"That doesn't surprise me at all," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Same old Jason Stackhouse…"

Hope you enjoyed that chapter :) I enjoyed writing it! I know the ending was kind of lame; sorry :') but the next chapter will be the start of a new arc! I'm guessing you guys all know what the next arc is – Maryann the Maenad! It won't be a super big arc like the Fellowship, though.

Elvish – English

seldarine – Gods

templa – magic