A/N: Thanks sooo much to my reviewers and favoriters! It's time to meet the Queen and her lackeys :(. I hope that you all like this chapter. Without further adieu...
A/NN: Mr. C's incantation is in Latin.
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Saturday November 27, 1999
NOLA Airport/Palace – New Orleans, Louisiana 1:30 a.m.
In 45 minutes we had landed in New Orleans at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans Intentional Airport. The Anubis terminal was the most secure at any airport with the amount of money that they undead passengers paid for security and privacy it had damn well better be. After departing the plane I felt much better. I had never flown and it was an alright experience. I don't mind the flight it's the take off and landing that throw me off kilter.
After going through baggage claim we were met by the royal party. The driver held out a cardboard sign reading: Northman Party. For fucks sake the damn sign shoulda just said Sexy Viking Party. We all looked like movie stars as we wove in and out of the crowds. People were gawking trying to figure out which celebrity or celebrities they just had the pleasure of witnessing.
Eric was in a right foul mood. During the flight we had disagreed on my payment clause in my telepathy contract. He says that I am worth five times what it states and he severely low-balled my payment option. I stand by my previous thoughts on this issue that's too much to charge for invasion of privacy.
The walk through the airport was uneventful. Attendants loaded the luggage into the trunk of the limousine. Between Pam and I, I was beginning to think we needed a van to transport all of our garment bags and suitcases. We piled into the limo and Eric immediately pulled me down into his lap. I was glad that his mood was improving. To help my cause every time the limo would turn or brake I would grind against him. He never moved other than reposition me directly on the growing bulge in his pants. I honestly think he is a bit masochistic any normal man would have gotten frustrated with this blatant show of arousal, and would have placed me on the seat beside him, or opened his legs and placed me between them.
"Just remember what I said about fire", he finally said as we pulled up to the curb somewhere in the French Quarter.
He stepped out before me and held his hand out to help me step from the car.
"Fire? The memo must have slipped my memory", I said coyly.
He snatched me into his side and placed his cool hand on the small of my back rubbing small circles that were shooting straight to my girly parts.
Outside of the "palace?" the paparazzi were snapping photos of the vampires and their human guests. I hid my face in the crook of Eric's arm and side. We passed 10-15 guards with automatic weapons. Throwing out my shields I realized that they all were vampires, the oddities never cease to amaze me why would they need guns? After walking a city block of red carpet we reached the doors of her majesty's estate. A rather large man with a clipboard was checking names on a clipboard. It was eerily like the VIP area of a popular club. Eric gave our names and we were given clearance badges. He ran his hands up my arms and clipped the laminated plastic to the lapel of my jacket.
I was in awe. The palace was a gaudy representation of the wealth of Louisiana. Every where my eye landed I spied an extravagant effort to be lavish. It was an epic fail. It ended up looking as if King Midas vomited gold leaf and no one bothered to clean up the mess. The only redeeming quality of the foyer was the candlelit chandelier in the center of the ceiling. It was a massive collection of diamonds and mirrors. The light that was emitted was soft yet just right. The effect was a stunning one.
We were met by Rasul who introduced himself as head of her majesty's security forces. I narrowed my eye at the slight nod that Eric threw in his direction. Now isn't the time to address or assess that situation, but I will be asking. Minding my P's and Q's I wait until I am addressed to nod in his direction. As soon as pleasantries are exchanged he is off and moving. He leads us through a maze of hallways to an elevator. He slid his thumb onto the button and with a beep the doors swung open. Eric ushered me inside and stood behind me with his arms around my waist, in a loving manner. The ride was a short one.
When we exited the car we were in a evangelical lobby. It was laughable there is no other word for it. The room was in pastel tones of soft pinks and blues. Their was a chair rail around the entire room in pristine white, on any surface there was a cherub or two. Glancing at the 12 foot ceiling it was painted to emulate a cloudy day. The sun was peeking from in between the clouds and a ray of light settled on a cloud that was morphed into the stereotypical image of Jesus with fangs. (I rolled my eyes so hard at this I am sure that my pupils were out of sight for a full minute.) I took a seat in a wing back chair that was upholstered in baby pink velvet. Eric took up residence standing behind me to my left.
The silence in the room was starting to grate on my nerves. Noone had spoken since we exited the limo. Eric sensing my impatience through the bond placed a hand on my shoulder to keep me from opening my mouth to voice my irritation. Just when the silence was deafening the wall was swung into the room and relief flooded me. I should have been surprised by the sudden break in the wall but I have never been so happy.
Rasul spoke, "Her majesty will see you now."
I stood and Eric was at my side in an instant with his arm around my waist. He rested his hand on my stomach. I placed my hand on his and he intertwined our fingers. We made our way into the next room via the wall/door.
Again I was in awe. I was beginning to believe that I had no other word to describe her extravagance. We were in a marble room with marble floors. It was white marble with pink and gold veins woven into the hard stone, much like the counter tops in my bathroom. The focal point of the room was the pool that stretched the expanse of the room. At the far side of the room about 10 feet from the edge of the pool there was a Victorian desk set up and a petite stunning woman with red hair was in the chair behind the desk. It took less than two minutes for us to span the room and stop in front of the beautiful desk. I felt like I was under scrutiny for existing. The entire time we walked across the room her gaze never left me and I was uncomfortable.
She extend her hand and bid us to take a seat. Pam and I sat in the two available chairs. Eric and Godric stood behind us with their hands resting on the backs of the chairs in protective stance.
"Northman. Curious you have never had a pet in the 350 years that I have been in your acquaintance."
He bowed at the waist to her before answering, "Majesty she isn't a pet this is my bonded Sookie Stackhouse."
She scoffed, "Bonded?", she said the word like she just stepped in shit.
Her eyes never left my face during the exchange between them.
"Yes, Miss Stackhouse is of great value. She agreed to bond with me for several reasons protection being one of them."
His words no matter how true they were hurt. I wanted to stand up and scream he loves me but I knew better than to disrespect him in public, much less in the presence of his Queen. He squeezed my shoulder in reassurance and sent a wave of love to me via the bond to discredit the harshness of his spoken declaration. I knew it was stupid for me to get worked up over the peculiars of vampire hierarchy and political schemes, but the differences are hard to adjust to.
"Miss Stackhouse what makes you valuable to my most profitable Sheriff?"
I looked at Eric for confirmation that I should talk or tell her anything. He winked and nodded at me. I turned back to the queen before speaking to her.
"Mr. Northman had discovered my secret after I came to apply in his bar for a waitressing position."
"Secret? I love secrets do you care to share it with me?"
"Certainly your Majesty. I Sookie Stackhouse bonded to Sheriff Eric Northman of Area 5 am a telepath."
I felt Eric's amusement through the bond at my exaggerated title. I knew he was fighting the urge to chuckle out loud. I wanted to make it clear to the Ginger bitch that I was clearly and certainly NOT up for grabs. Her face registered shock and then fury for all of half a second. Just as suddenly as they appeared the calm cool mask was imposed upon her emotional facial expressions.
"Congratulations Northman. I trust that she will be at my disposal."
"Majesty Sookie's Services are available by contract only, I have a copy here if you would like to look it over and become a client. We require 48 hour notice to make travel arrangements that I must approve. Secondly she is to be guarded 24 hours a day on a job and I get to select the guards that you must compensate. All of these things are outlined in the contract, Mr. Cataliades, drew up this contract and with him being your personal lawyer I am positive that you are aware of the soundness of the document. Any dealings with Sookie's telepathy must be by contract by getting in touch with either him or myself. Also just so that you are aware I have a contract in place with the council making them aware that Sookie is MINE. Any attempts to kidnap or harm her is an instant death offense that I may exact."
"Well if you have gone through these extremes to protect her she is indeed a valuable asset. The council must agree to have given formal written protection. Although I wonder what might happen if you are no longer among the undead."
"In the event that I meet my final death her protection is transferred to my maker", he motioned to Godric on his left, "have no fear majesty she is provided for thoroughly."
The venom in his voice was unmistakeable. He was hoping that she would object to his little speech. Sophie-Anne hissed at his revelation. While she may have Northman under her tiny thumb, Godric was a rogue in every sense. Eric told me in his 2000 years he had never sworn fealty to anyone. Sophie-Anne would be hard pressed to garner his affection.
"Very well might I see a copy of this contract of conditions?"
"You may, but it must be signed in the presence of Mr. Cataliades, witness and notary."
Pam pulled out a binder that I hadn't noticed she carried. She stood and placed it on Sophie-Anne's desk with a loud plop. She reread the document several times before she snapped her fingers. The menacing man that had been standing to her right stepped up and placed the phone in her upturned palm. After several seconds she began to speak, I was the only one that could hear only this side of the conversation.
" Cataliades I require your presence at the Royal Residence immediately. Yes. Stackhouse contract. Yes. Bring your notary gear."
She hung up abruptly with no semblance of etiquette.
"Sookie I must say you have gotten yourself quite a contract here. It is unbreakable, unless you deem it necessary. I was shocked to see that you require payment in full in advance before traveling."
"Yes majesty, thus 48 hour notification. Time for me to accept and time for the paying party to transfer funds to my accounts."
"You have the business sense of someone that has been dealing with vampires for centuries."
"Not at all I just have a very good manager and lawyer. You already know the value of both since they are in your employ."
I felt shock in the bond and took that as my cue to tone down my snark and attitude. I took a sideways glance at Godric and he was smirking. At least if nothing else I was good entertainment to my bonded's maker. Damn vampires. Just then the intercom sounded and Rasul broke the tense silence in the room.
"Majesty Cataliades is on his way up I left him at the elevator bay."
"Very well."
The second she stopped speaking the wall receded and a rotund man with firery thoughts entered the room and was by her side in a mere blink of an eye. He bowed to her from the waist and nodded in the direction of Eric. His eyes widened for a split second when they settled of Godric's form behind Pam.
"Majesty sorry for the delay in my presence. I take it that you require me to finalize your contract with the lovely Miss Stackhouse. This contract must be signed in my presence because it requires both a signature and blood of the client. This contract is binding unless Miss Stackhouse deems the job unworthy or she wishes to terminate it. She may refuse a job for any reason and may terminate the contract for multiple reasons. Above all she needs no reason. She merely has to contact me and terminate it. Once a contract is broken another can never be put in place. I tell you this because it is all pertinent information. It is all listed in the clauses of the contract, but verbal reiteration seems to be a better way of transference of information."
"Understood. You need my signature and my blood. What is required of the human?"
"Only a signature. Her blood belongs to her bonded. Spillage would mean my end."
Cataliades took an item from his inner jacket pocket and slipped it onto his thumb. It reminded me of a thimble with about 100 tiny needles porcupined on the reverse side. He locked his hand with the queen as if they were going to engage in a thumb war and pricked her thumb and placed it onto the paper as if he were printing a suspect. A perfect blood thumb print of Sophie-Anne was visible on the heavy stock paper of the contract."Are you left or right handed majesty?"
"Right."
"Please take your letter opener and cut a gash in your left hand."
As she cut the slit he removed a quill from his pocket and placed it in her right palm as she replaced the letter opener on her desk. Her blood pooled in her left palm. She dipped the quill into the blood that had collected and signed her name. It took several dips in order for her to finish her signature onto the contract. The fangs of all the vampires had run out at the sight of blood in her hand. She handed the quill back to the demon lawyer and licked her palm clean.
"Miss Stackhouse if you please", he said as he motioned for me to stand and join him.
I stood and Eric was at my side at once. He escorted me to the other side of the desk and placed himself between the queen and myself. He removed his fountain pen from his pocket and unscrewed the lid. The pen was beautiful and reminded me of an early Victorian calligraphy pen. I took the pen and signed my John Hancock to the document and he smiled a toothy smile at me as I handed it back to him.
Eric guided me back to my chair and resumed his guard duty from behind me. I sat quietly with my hands folded demurely in my lap with my legs crossed at the knee.
"Cataliades your payment will be added to your account my dawn day after tomorrow you are
dismissed."
"Excellent Majesty. Always a pleasure."
With his parting words he placed his hand over the document and said, "Signum in cruor vos es redimio. [Sealed in blood you are binding.]"
A small fireball appeared in his hand and shot out to the paper. The flames licked the heavy stock and a charred image of Pan was burned into the page. The smoke dissipated and the image looked as if it was painted by a master artist in full brilliant color. He placed the document into his briefcase and was out the door before you could say cya.
"I had no idea that the Notary would be magickal in nature Northman. You are playing with fire."
"I will go to any lengths necessary to protect what is mine. The council contract is signed in the exact same manner. It has my signature, Godric's, The Ancient Pythoness, and Sookie's. So I stress the importance and the strict nature of these documents."
"THE PYTHONESS!", she yelled. What game are you playing Viking?"
"No game. This is of the utmost importance. Sookie has expressed that she will not be a pawn I have taken the request to heart. I have done everything in my power to ensure that she is fully protected and safe. Also Sookie owes no fealty to any Royalty. She serves the great state of Louisiana because it is her home. At any time she may relocate and it is none of your concern. You will not be notified. The only way that you can be certain is if you receive post that your payment must be doubled."
Eric looked smug. I have no intention of leaving Louisiana, but we had to make sure that I was free to roam around the country as I pleased. I would have been in a heap of trouble had I tried to leave state lines and she refused to let me leave her borders. That is not very professional. So Eric made sure that I was FREE to do as I please. Some of the things we talked about on the plane were very shocking. The council contract is more like a decree. I being human can't set foot in the council space so he had to get permission for me to sign the contract before his visit in the presence of himself and Godric as my witnesses. Rigamarole I swear politics sucks ass. The Queen was a mask of barely controlled fury. She doesn't look to be one that is outsmarted in any capacity. Eric had done just that outsmarted her with ease and grace that only 1000 years could afford. Speaking of which why isn't he King. He absolutely has the know how and the ruthlessness to be a ruler. Another question. I am just racking them up this evening.
"Northman I believe that you are enjoying yourself too much at my expense. Might I remind you that I am in charge here."
"Highness might I remind you that you remain in power because I allow it. At any time I could come in here and obtain your throne with less than minimal effort. I have no wish to become King, but if you force my hand I will have no qualms sending you to your final death. Make no mistake I am in charge here."
"That could be construed as treason. Do not tempt me. You have undermined my authority as a Royal. I do not take kindly to your tone or your words."
His voice laced with venom and asserting absolute authority over the situation, "Majesty apparently you are not hearing me. Threaten me once more and you won't have to worry about treason. I will remove your head from your shoulders with gleeful ease. If you are quite finished I believe that my bonded is becoming tired."
"NORTHMAN you conceited FUCK you are NOT DISMISSED! DO NOT EVER turn your back on M-"
Before she could finish her tirade Eric had her by the throat splayed out on her desk. Godric had dispatched of the mincing Andre. The queen wailed when she realized that Andre was no more.
"I demand recompense. You have killed my child! How dare you!"
"No reparations will be required your majesty", as he tore her head from her body he hummed long live the queen.
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Omnipotent POV
As Sophie-Anne's bond was severed with her remaining children the two bodyguards Sigebert and Wybert burst into the room and a bloody battle ensued. Pam picked up Sookie bridal style and swept her out into the Evangelical room into the care of Rasul. In a flash she was back into the thick of things as Maker and Child tag-teamed Wybert Godric used his centuries upon centuries of warfare experience to subdue Siegbert. It was a comical scene as the 5'7" vampire threw the almost 7 foot burly vampire into the marble floor descending upon his neck and draining him dry. Wybert was fearing better having choked Pam unconscious. Blocking the bond from Sookie Eric let his rage overtake him and went one on one with the dead twin's distraught brother. His existence was meaningless. His maker and brothers were finally dead. Never one to lay down and give up he continued to fight for his losses. The poor buffoon finally fucked himself irreparable. He backed himself into a corner and escape was futile. Eric raised the battle axe that he had dropped to choke Pam swinging it in a wide arch several times each time removing a limb. First a leg then an arm Wybert teetered trying to stay vertical. Eric didn't give him the chance to fall. As he veered to the left he swung the axe again removing his head. It flew through the air and landed into the pool. The room was permiated with the stinch of ashy vampire and coppery blood. Sophie-Anne and Siegbert were mere piles of ash and goo.
Eric stepped over the flaking corpse of Wybert and declared, "All Hail King Godric!"
He sank to his knees in front of his maker kissed his feet.
"Fader. Bror. Son. Jag svär min odödliga trohet till den stora delstaten Louisiana.[Father. Brother. Son. I swear my undying fealty to the great state of Louisiana.]"
Pam came over and assumed the position of her maker and lay at his feet.
"My life is yours. Do with it as you will."
Rasul rushed Sookie into the room and swore fealty to the new king. Dawn was fast approaching and many people had to be contacted about the takeover of the state. The sad of the situation is that it was never intended for such an event to occur. I guess that Sophie-Anne learned that you can only push so many buttons of a Viking and live to tell about it. Or she would have if she would have kept her fucking mouth shut.
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Palace – New Orleans, Louisiana 4:30 a.m.
I was amazed and horrified. The Queen's chambers were the scene of a massacre and I was oddly alright that the woman was no longer among us. I knew then that the future was much more bright. No longer would I have to live in fear of my monarch (its hard to think that way) was going darken my door. The decree was a semblance of peace but this ensured that I would be safe. After the impromptu coup Eric had whisked me away from the carnage and into a light tight room not far from Pam or Godric. I knew that the coming weeks were going to be full of inquiry of the upheaval of the Louisiana government. I knew that Godric had no intention of staying in New Orleans. I can't imagine the new Vampire state capital in Shreveport, but it appears that imagination isn't required. I mused that it was lucky that the Sheriff's Ball began tomorrow night the new king could be introduced to his entire state in one fell swoop. Very lucky indeed. Unable to think clearly due to exhaustion I showered and changed for bed and passed out as soon as I hit my pillows.
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