Thank you all so much for your reviews x hope you enjoy this one. Sorry if Sookie seems a bit frustrating, I'm sure you'd react the same haha. You are all amazing!

Chapter Twelve

Don't fight it.

I considered his words in silence, as we started walking our way back through the bushes. Maybe he was right on that? Maybe I shouldn't try fight these feelings? I should let everything come, as they will. Whatever happens, will happen. It wasn't any good in trying to hide and keep myself from feeling the way I felt.

And, what I felt was like I could love him, too. One day.

What if this is what had meant to happen? What if we were meant to find each other? After all, he had told me I was the first living woman he saw, and he felt some sort of interest in me, almost instantly. I made him feel better when he felt confused and lost in a strange world. He, in return, had made me feel more better and confident about myself. I hadn't felt this secure and happy in a while, and it was all thanks to him.

What point was there in fighting it? I ought to let it be.

Of course, it'll be hard. I'll miss him, once the time does come for him to return. But it would just be like a long distance relationship, if you could even call it that. Many women wait for their significant others, as they go to war as soldiers. And I was positive years, and years ago, women waited for their men when they left to roam the seas; waiting by the edge of the water, for the very moment they saw that ship that signalled their arrival home again. It couldn't be that different, could it, besides the fact he wouldn't be going to war, or sailing the seas? Many of those brave women had waited for their men to return to them, and they had managed to survive all that waiting.

Who is to say it wouldn't be the same?

Eric didn't say anymore to me, as we began our walk back. He would simply turn back to look at me silently, make for certain I was following him. And there I was again, panting and puffing away like an undignified woman a few metres behind him. It was kind of embarrassing, but then I had to remind myself that we had been as personal as two people could possibly get these past few days. He had seen every part of me; Every limb, every inch of cellulite, and... dimple on my flesh. It didn't get anymore personal than that.

"Are you all right back there?" he called out to me, and it didn't make me feel any better. I swear, he was just full of stamina.

"I'm fine." I forced a smile. "I'm just... thinking, I guess."

"About what?"

He waited for me patiently, until I caught up to him. I didn't think I had enough energy in me to continue yelling at him from a long distance.

"About what you said. I think maybe you're right." I shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "There isn't much use fighting it."

He smiled at me, and the euphoria pouring off him, it was almost palpable. I couldn't help grinning myself. Catching me off-guard, he came at me, and flung his arms around me, hugging me tightly to him. I certainly wasn't expecting that. I guessed my words made him real happy. He buried his warm face into my neck, as I returned the hug. It felt so good, having him hug me. I never wanted it to end and, it seemed, neither did he. We stayed like that for a long moment, standing around in the woods, hugging it out. He said something into my skin that I didn't quite catch.

"What, honey?"

"He's here."

I stiffened against him, feeling a surge of panic build up within, and reluctantly turned my face up to his. His eyes were ahead of me, cautious and wary. Did he mean his father? I wondered what his father would think of this scene; Would he be enraged that his son who was destined to be King after he's done with the job, was embracing a woman from the very world he was banished to?

"Your father's here?" I whispered, a bit breathless. "Right here and now?" I sure hoped he hadn't been near when we were having sex. That was sort of awkward.

"No, Godric. He sent him here to review my progress."

I pondered that for a moment, not really understanding. Who on earth was Godric? Another fairy, maybe? "Who is he? Who's Godric?"

Eric slowly separated himself from me, but he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, in a very protective way, pulling me into his side. "Godric?" he called loudly through the bushes. "Show yourself!"

There was a rustling sound coming near us by the bushes. A twig snapped and broke. I almost yelped.

"Show yourself," Eric commanded again, in a very compelling way. It certainly would have made anyone sit up and take notice. Eric could be a very powerful man, when he wanted to be, that was obvious.

I bit my bottom lip to keep myself from gasping, when this Godric finally came out of hiding.

He sprung out through the bushes to the right of us, and leapt in front of us with a rumbling, deep growl. And it was the very last thing I expected to see; Godric was not a human, a male fairy. No, he was an animal, and a big and powerful one at that.

A tiger.

His coat was a light orange, with those black stripes. His paws were massive and a fluffy white, and they weighed down on the dirt and leaves, caving everything in with every striding movement he made toward us.

Eric's arm tightened around me, when this Godric came towards us, and I couldn't help but feel as if this powerful, amazing creature was a threat to me. The tiger reached my thighs, and he made a loud sniffing noise, as he raised his big head at me. Those magnificent yellow eyes held mine, as his pink nose prodded curiously into my kneecap. I thanked heavens I was wearing jeans, even though clothing would have hardly stopped the creature from attacking me.

I thought he looked very hungry. He probably thought I was food.

"Godric, no," Eric said, in a very dangerous and throaty voice. Eric positioned me behind him a fraction, still pressing me into the side of his body, and it was extremely comforting. "She is my woman. Do not hurt her."

Amazingly, the tiger obeyed; He backed up a few steps, and sat on his hind-legs. I couldn't believe my eyes. I hadn't seen a real tiger in the flesh before, only once; when I was a much younger girl. Gran had taken my brother and I to the zoo, and I remembered being scared of all those animals- particularly tigers, and lions- with those sharp, long teeth. This tiger was surprisingly very tame, all thanks to Eric's power.

"Why are you here?" Eric asked the tiger suspiciously, lowering his voice. "Did father send you?"

In response, the tiger yawned. His pink tongue curled over his big teeth, as he opened his mouth and made a noise.

"What news of my father? What news of my sentence?"

This was the craziest thing; Eric conversing with the tiger as if he could understand him, on some deep level.

"Oh," Eric scoffed, sounding very insulted. "Well, you tell father not to send you again. I am not weak, I can fend for myself."

The tiger eyed him placidly. His tail flopped around his paws.

"Tell father not to meddle. If I could, I would refuse to return and he would have to deal with the loss of his only son, and heir. He can very well find another elder to take my place, if he wishes."

The tiger made a resigned, grumbling noise. He looked pretty bored for a tiger, I thought.

"Oh, be gone, Godric. This is my woman." Suddenly, I felt like I was being paraded, when Eric ran his hands down the sides of my body, in a very flaunting way, to add evidence to what he was declaring. "I have chosen her. I will choose as I please, and this is love." The tiger yawned again, showing those very daunting, long teeth. "I do not care if father will forbid my relationship with an Earth Woman. I will fight for her like a brave man, if father wills it so."

Without warning, the tiger got back onto all it's paws. I stepped back a bit, feeling very frightened. It would have been so easy for it to attack me. Rather instead, it curled its powerful long body, showing his back and slender tail to us.

"Be gone," Eric said loudly, almost to the point of yelling. He looked very frustrated, and shaken. "I forbid you to come to me again, Godric!"

With another rumbling, deep yawn, the tiger pushed through the bushes and disappeared. Well, that was unbelievable. And crazy.

I turned to look up at Eric questioningly. He looked down at me, breathing loudly. "You are my woman now," he simply said, satisfied, as if it answered everything. It hardly answered enough.

He slipped his arm over my shoulder again, in a way that felt oddly possessive and pushed me forward to resume with our walking gently. I glanced behind me cautiously. I felt very shaken up, and shocked. A tiger appearing in the woods- it wasn't something that happened every day, after all.

"So, you have tigers in you world?" I asked, as casually as I could muster, once I regained use of my voice again.

"Yes. They act as our messengers. We each have our own." I couldn't hide my surprise. They each had their own tigers? Similar to the way we all had pets? "They are fiercely loyal. Godric is mine. He came to deliver a message."

"And what was his message?"

He sighed, and I could tell he was very reluctant to tell me. "Father has watched over me daily. He has monitored my progress. He does not like this." There wasn't any need to ask what it was his father didn't like. I knew he meant us. Me, having sex with his son, and having him in my home. "Once Godric returns with my message, father will not be happy. It could go two ways, depending on what my father finds fitting."

"I'm guessing your father won't like this?" I asked, my voice shaking. "He won't like the fact that you're with me, will he?"

"I will defend you." His voice was as calm as a summer's breeze-free day.

"Why would you need to defend me? Are you saying it's a possibility he might come here into my world, and try to put a stop to this?"

"He will consider me a renegade, if I resume with this. He may send some of his mercenaries after me. Father is prone to overreaction, and violence." I shivered against him. I didn't like the sound of that at all. "This was not part of my banishment. I was not to seek the assistance of any Earth people. You have been harbouring me, and teaching me the ways of your life. I was meant to do this alone, as a sole survivor."

"Then, if you could get killed for this, isn't it all the more reason that we shouldn't-"

"- I love you, and I will fight for you."

I couldn't help it that I softened into him at his sweet and earnest words. At least, momentarily until the weight of them fully sunk in. "But I don't want that," I said helplessly. "I don't want there to be a fight. I don't want you to have to risk your life, just so that you can be with me! If you can't, and it ruins everything you have with your family and your... fairy world, then... it's fine! I wouldn't expect that of you!"

He stared ahead. He looked very angry, in a way that I hadn't ever seen him look before. I felt almost frightened of him myself. "Father wanted this. He wanted me to settle down, and to comport myself decently, in a way befitting of a devoted man to a woman. I have found a woman I finally want to be with. It is his problem if he does not like whom or what she is." He turned to look at me. I was startled by how fierce he looked. "In our world, to illustrate how strong we are... we have hunting parties. We battle, and slaughter. I have killed four men. We bring back their heads, as trophies."

That chilled me to the bone; I couldn't believe this was the same man talking, the same man... who was always so sweet and considerate around me. Could he truly be that different in his fairy world?

"No man has killed four before. In my world, I am highest ranking, second to my father, who has slaughtered eight. I know how to defend myself, and fight. There is a reason why I am known as a skilled slayer, in my world."

I slung his arm off my shoulder, horrified. I didn't think I could endure him touching me while saying things like this. Who was this man? What happened to that sweet and gentle one he had been all those times around me? The one I felt... something for.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, if a fight goes down, and no doubt, it will... I will not be the one dead here. So, when I swear to you that I will fight for you, my words are true."

Oh, Jesus. I couldn't stand hearing any more of this.

I walked ahead of him, half-running. I needed to be alone to get my head around this. I just didn't know what to think. So, he murdered people in his world?

"Why do you run from me?" he called out to me from somewhere behind me, sounding very hurt.

"I need to be alone to think," I hissed back at him. Wasn't that obvious?

"Think about what?"

I ignored him, kept on running. Once the back of my house slowly came into view, I felt the relief soar. I needed to have a bit of time to myself, to fully think this through. I felt overwhelmed, and betrayed, in a sense. I picked up my pace, my breathing ragged.

"Sookie?"

Oh, God. Can't I get away from him, at least for a few damn minutes?

I went in through the back door hurriedly, and bolted upstairs. I heard the back door close, soon as I reached the last step. Already, he had reached me. His feet pounded up the stairs, so I knew he was running after me. And, knowing that, it gave me a decent enough amount of time to prepare myself. I whirled straight into my bedroom.

He grabbed my hand just before I had time to slam the door shut.

"Sookie?" he breathed through the crack in the half-way closed-door desperately, sounding just as puffed-out as I was. "Why do you run from me? Why do you hide in front of this plank of wood?"

"Please, let go of my hand so I can close the door," I begged feebly. He murdered people, and collected their heads as trophies! Jesus Christ!

I felt him bring my hand up to his lips, panting warmly all over my skin, sliding his hot tongue over my knuckles.

"Eric, I need a few minutes to process this!"

Finally, he released my hand. I closed the door gently on him, as quietly as possible, leaning my weight against it. I was feeling very foolish with myself. How could I have been so trusting? Sure, he did it in his own fairy world. But they were still people, weren't they? He still murdered them. There wasn't much difference.

The door rattled, so I knew he was resting on it, still trying to get to me.

"Sookie," he groaned on the other side after a while, sounding very frustrated. "People kill in your world."

"Yes, but they don't do that for sport. They don't go hunting for heads, and taking them back as trophies. People do it here because they have mental issues, and they get arrested for it- like they should! It's called being a murderer, and that is what you are! A murderer!"

"We don't see it that way in our world. I grew up learning it was right, and expected of us men! We must show we are strong, and brave!"

"Have you killed anyone while you've been here?" I asked, through clenched teeth. I really didn't want to know, because it scared me, that possibility that he had. What if he had?

"No!" He sounded offended that I could even ask such a thing of him. I just had to know. Surely, I couldn't be blamed for that, for coming instantly to that conclusion.

"Well, I had to know! I had to ask that of you, because... I feel like you've dropped a totally big bomb-shell on me, and I don't even know what to think about you anymore!"

"Sookie." He squeezed it out through clenched teeth loudly.

"What?"

"Can you open the... thing? This feels strange, talking like this. I want to see your face!"

I had half a mind not to. I felt just fine not having to look him directly in the eye while battling to understand and come to terms with all of this. Here, I was, thinking he was this loving and gentle person, who couldn't so much as hurt a fly. How wrong I was. How could I look past all of that? I just couldn't seem to. At least, not right now. I needed my space.

Hope you're still enjoying this story, and that you're still with me? Many of you have asked if Sookie is a fairy, too. It's a surprise, it'll be found out very shortly. :-) I was thinking of her getting sucked into his Kingdom maybe, where there will be many creatures. Hope you're still interested? Feel free to let me know, I love hearing your thoughts, it's basically what motivates me into continuing.