Disclaimer: Sookie Stackhouse - Southern Vampire Mysteries belong to Charlaine Harris.

Chapter 11

Mixed Points of View.

Sookie felt the tension in the room skyrocket to the point that she could almost taste it. She was almost one hundred percent sure on the thought that it wasn't going to end well for Lord Nickolas. The two brothers seemed to get larger in their already huge muscled frames and she could feel them tense.

She glanced at Eric, which was a big mistake; angry, his chest and arm muscles looked twice as powerful, and in the state he was in now, she found herself wanting to run her hands all over his toned chest and muscled arms.

Lord Nickolas said something – which she missed – that seemed to be the ending of whatever vestiges of patience and control brothers had left. She saw Sir Anton leave and close the doors just as the shouting of angry voices erupted, vibrating off of the walls of the almost-empty hall.

"You dare interrupt me without being given permission to speak?" Eric growled, his tone laced with anger and irritation as he took a menacing step forward, still holding her hand tightly. She gritted her teeth, barely repressing a scream of pain. On her other side, Christian was the same; she'd be surprised if both her hands came out damage-free!

"Eric!" Sookie hissed, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to flow down her cheeks due to the pain being inflicted on both of her poor hands. All the men in the room turned to face her and she lifted her hands up, to show both Christian and Eric, with a glare.

"I don't mind being a support system, but I'd rather keep both my hands attached to my arms; if you both don't mind, please let go before they fall off from your strong holds on them," she said through clenched teeth. Both Christian and Eric dropped her hands, but Eric brought the hand he'd been holding to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles, showing her – and only her – his apology through his eyes, with his head turned away from his brother and Lord Nickolas.

Christian bowed his head a little in her direction with his eyes downcast to the floor in silent apology for almost crushing her hand – albeit unintentional. Once Eric straightened up, he stepped forward and stood a little in front of her, in a very familiar way, as if he was protecting her from Lord Nickolas piercing gaze.

Eric was about to speak when Lord Nickolas interrupted him again.

"What will you do to her for interrupting you? I hardly find that a very fair play of a supposed King." Nickolas said snarkily, with an attitude that could possibly see his neck meeting Eric's sword if he wasn't more careful. Eric moved so quickly, surprising Lord Nickolas with a sudden intrusion into his personal space as Eric got right into his face.

"Do not - I repeat - do not question my kingship Nickolas Crawford. Our princess is of royal blood, whereas you are a mere servant and a fool who doesn't know proper manners when waiting for his turn to speak to me or how to arrange a meeting with me to speak in private instead of causing a scene like you are clearly trying to achieve."

"How do you know she's not a spy? Or that what she's told you of her heritage is true? Or even how she got here? I find it all hard to believe that we've not heard of her before."

"I do have a name, Lord Nickolas; it's Princess Sookie. My great-grandfather is a prince. His son is my grandfather, and his son is my father. Since my mother is not of royal blood, it may be argued that I may be only be half a royal, but as great-granddaughter to a Prince, I still have the royal blood line of my family running through my veins." Sookie said.

"Who is this prince, then? How come we've not seen or heard of you from travelers?" He asked belligerently, not giving in; ignoring the glare from Christian and the warning look from his king. Sookie sighed, already annoyed with the infuriating man and rolled her eyes.

"My great-grandfather likes to keep a low profile, not troubling himself with dealing with people such as yourself and the drama and trouble you inevitably cause." Lord Nickolas' skin color slowly started to change back to its normal, rather unnatural purplish state.

"Crawford," Eric said, irritated beyond words with a strong, measured dose of warning added into every syllable of each word he spoke. "Is there something you wish to discuss with me that's putting your neck ever closer to the blade of my sword?"

"Yes." The fool said snappily then glared darkly at Christian, who just stood there with his arms folded, glaring at the man whose daughter stole his heart; he still couldn't understand how such a man as the one stood before him could bring up such a beautiful daughter.

"I want to complain about Prince Northman, your Majesty. When he was courting my daughter he left her high and dry and she's very ill and has been since the day he left her in the forest grounds of the castle. I had to send a few of my men out to find her when she did not return home. They found her crumpled up in a heap on the forest floor with leaves in her hair, unconscious, and her dress torn."

Sookie glanced at Christian who growled lowly and had a dangerous glint in his eyes. His hands clenched in fists, and his eye muscle was twitching. Eric was no different. She placed her hand on Eric's lower arm and it seemed to make him relax just a little.

"Crawford, I suggest you think twice before you make a complaint as dangerous as this one. Think twice about whether it is truth or lies," Eric said through clenched teeth.

Christian glanced at Sookie looking for answers, having guessed of what she was capable. Her ability was quite amazing - and what man or woman wouldn't kill to have the gift of being able to read their lover's or enemy's minds. She glanced at him, feeling his gaze on her and she very slightly shook her head to the side, going unnoticed by his brother and Crawford.

"Brother, I think we should all take a break, to allow time to cool our heads off before one of us does something we may regret later," Christian spoke softly, although inside he was boiling with anger and all he wanted to do was jump on a horse from the stables and go to his Izzy and wrap her in his arms and bring her back to the castle away from this man, and have her be placed under royal protection.

Christian had never stopped loving Isabelle. No matter how much he tried to move on, it was never the same and although he'd never openly courted her, the court knew he was seeing a woman; but they did not know whom. To him, his private life should stay private, more so than his brother, who had more of a public role to play as King.

"I agree with Christian, Eric. Maybe we all need to take a break, calm down and get your heads together," Sookie said quietly, her eyes darting between the two men who appeared to be having a glaring match. Neither one of them looked like they wanted to back down or turn away first. Her voice alone seemed to bring Eric back to his senses.

Eric sighed mentally, knowing she was right; but he wanted Lord Nickolas to back down and look away first. The man had been nothing but trouble for a long time – since before Sookie arrived, Eric had known of his brother's relationship with the Lady Isabelle Crawford. They'd dined together in private, when Isabelle and Christian had spoken of their relationship to their respective family members. The Crawford family had dined with his parents and himself, before the sudden deaths of his father and mother.

Without moving his gaze from Crawford, unwilling to let the pathetic and foolish man win whatever this was, he spoke, voice laced with authority, distaste and coldness, directed at the man before him, "I agree that we should all leave and cool our heads off before one of us does something that will land us in a lot more trouble than meeting my sword." Eric announced.

Lord Nickolas wasn't going to back down. He was furious; things weren't going his way. He was thrilled that the prince and fallen in love with his daughter was furious that his daughter had ruined the family's chance at power and closeness to the throne. So he'd locked her up in their family home in the countryside, north of the castle, which stood on southern grounds situated on an island, with lush green and blue waters that surrounded the beautiful red-bricked castle. He had to catch a boat to get to court, where he spent a large amount of time, more so than his own home.

"Fine!" he snapped, realizing this was going to be a losing battle with the Northman twit. He didn't like any of them, if he was honest, but they were Sweden and Norway's most powerful family and if one of his daughters caught their eye, then he'd do all in his power to thrust her under their noses and hope for the best. No, he was determined to get what he wanted, and that was for his blood line to be part of the Royal family by his daughters conceiving an heir to the throne.

"Leave and come back within the hour, Lord Crawford." Eric hissed, seeing the internal battle and various emotions cross over the man's face.

Lord Crawford growled and turned, stomping his foot and left the room in a seething rage. When Crawford left through the doors and the doors were closed again, only then did the three speak, when they were alone in the vast hall.

"Sookie?" Eric asked, turning around to look at her. She glanced at Christian, who nodded, smirking.

"Fine!" she sighed, "I can read human minds." Eric was surprised – no, that was an understatement – he was surprised, shocked, and in disbelief.

"And you knew, brother?" he asked, turning to face Christian, who looked smug and was still smirking, but his eyes showed how troubled he was with the Crawford situation.

"When she started talking about certain things she couldn't possibly have known, and I'm pretty sure you hadn't told her anything of that nature, I guessed. I'm supposing this is one of your gifts that your great-grandfather was telling you about? Can you read my mind?" Christian asked, curiosity burning in his voice.

Sookie sighed, resigned. She hadn't planned on telling them any of her little curses, but the Crawford man...

"Yes. But I can't read Eric's mind, when Eric was giving the speech, I was bombarded with jealous hisses. From the audience, one in particular stood out." She glanced at Eric, who looked almost relieved, and she was relieved as well, not being able to hear his mind even in this time, though she wondered why.

Eric sighed, groaning at the same time.

"Sophia."

"She's almost as bad as Crawford; they'd make a lovely couple." Sookie said, cringing as Christian laughed at what she said.

"Christian..." Eric said, his tone changing, alerting the other two that the time for fun and laughter was over.

"What Eric?" he asked with a sigh.

"Isabelle..." Christian glanced at Sookie again, and she tried very hard not to roll her eyes.

"She's at her family's home north of the castle, locked up in her room. Her father's crazy mind was full of hatred and a thirst to gain proximity to the throne through her. She loves you very much, Christian. At the same time, with her father constantly pressuring her to convince you to put a ring on her finger by constantly being in your presence, and then to produce an heir put her on edge. Then the rumors started around the women of court, and she believed them due to all the pressure on her. Everything just built up and she snapped. I've seen it in her sister – the Lady Lorella's mind. She was at court with her father today, to meet with her betrothed for the first time, I believe." Sookie paused for a moment before continuing.

"I also picked up from her sister's mind that she knew that their father's gone crazy with a hunger for power and that she hates him for what he's doing to her sister. She was thinking how her sister was always excited to see you and always told her how much she loved you; that she wondered how can she love someone so much that she barely knows. She'd tell her sister that maybe it's fate that the both of you fell for each other at the same time, that you're destined to be. If you had asked me four years ago if I believed in destiny and fate, I probably would have laughed in your face. But now… now all I'm going to say is that anything is possible in life."

"Eric..." Christian said in a strangled tone.

Eric looked between the girl from his dreams who turned up on his door step – the girl he'd grown to love – and his brother, who had always been his best friend, who currently held a pleading, desperate look upon his handsome face.

"Send the guards out to the Crawfords' cottage. Go with them and bring your love back. Father would have done the same if he were here. He would have told you to go to her, and save her." Eric said softly, in a quiet, somber tone that Sookie hadn't heard before. Maybe the death of his father, and the responsibility that got dumped onto his shoulders was catching up with him.

Christian pulled them both into hug that caught them both off guard.

"You'll love her," Christian whispered in Sookie's ear. To Eric, he whispered a heartfelt "Thank you." Just before he left he turned to Eric saying, "Mother always said that she wanted us to find love and happiness from our own hearts, not an arranged marriage like she and father had! Maybe this is our time." Christian said, gazing at Sookie before leaving the hall, breaking into a run.

Sookie felt strong arms wrap around her waist as they watched Christian disappear through the doors.

"Thank you," Eric's hot breath whispered in her ear, tickling the little hairs there.

"For what?" Sookie asked, turning her head slightly to peer into his face from the corner of her eye.

"For being here… for telling us details that we couldn't have possibly have known for many months. If we hadn't learned the truth, Christian may have had to face trial and Isabelle would still be locked up in her father's home whilst he spits lies and causes trouble." He said, pressing his lips to hers. His kiss turned from slow to passionate.

"If it hadn't have been me, her sister was close to spilling their father's dirty secrets. She'd had enough; lucky for her father, she loves the man she is being forced to marry, but her father doesn't know that, of course," Sookie said against his lips.

Eric lifted her up so her legs rode over his hips, her dress pushed up, so her bare folds pressed against the fabric where his growling bulge resided, inside his trousers. Sookie ground her hips into his, causing him to groan against her lips, sending delicious vibrations through her body.

"Let's go, Eric." She said, through nibbles on his lips as they battled for dominance. Eric shook his head.

"I want to have you on my throne."

"No."

"No?" Eric repeated with raised eyebrows.

"I don't do public displays, Eric, I'm not a whore."

Eric kissed her hard, his hand going between them, to undo his trousers. He hissed at how hot and warm her folds are.

"There's no one but us, lover. The door to the kitchens is shut and the main doors are closed. It is just us, standing here in the middle of the room alone."

Sookie gasped as she felt his trousers disappear and her folds meet the tip of Eric's cock as he sprung free from the material that had been holding him in.

"Sookie..." Eric said in a thick, desire-filled voice.

"Please..." Sookie whimpered as Eric's talented fingers started working her folds and a familiar feeling started building inside her stomach.

"Please what?" He whispered against her lips as he moved them to his throne. He wanted to hear her say it out loud. She gasped as he stuck a second finger into her hot folds.

"Fuck me, take me, fuck me now, I can't take any more," she said breathlessly, grinding against his hand.

"With pleasure," he said, bringing her lips in for a heated kiss as they reached his throne. He sat down and it didn't take long before they were tangled limbs again, Sookie's dress disappeared completely As she slid down Eric's hard member, her dress disappeared completely, as he smoothly slipped it over her head. He buried his head into the crook of Sookie's neck and she held onto his strong shoulders and they rocked each other into heaven, both roaring and screaming each others name as they came, crashing down from the heavens above.

Eric pressed little kisses against Sookie's neck, nipping and licking in places whilst Sookie finished releasing and milking Eric, her head rested against his shoulder, her arms loose around his neck. Neither spoke until noise outside the door alerted them, and both dressed quickly, stealing the odd kiss.

Neither could quite believe that an hour was up already, and Eric really didn't want to deal with the fool that he guessed was causing the racket outside the door.

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