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

Chapter 23

Sookie's Point of View

The first time Eric asked me to marry him, I held back – the request had seemed to come from out of the blue, and I wasn't sure if he was serious. Countless worries shot through my head simultaneously, including worry about the future in general and worry that even if we did get married, I might not be permitted to stay.

When he said 'Marry me' a second time against my lips as he made slow love to me, the intense gaze of his eyes seemed to have hundreds of emotions running through them as he repeated his request. I knew he was being serious – I could tell from the look in his eyes.

"Yes," I whispered against his lips as my back arched after his tip met the right spot within me and I grasped at his shoulders, drawing him to me as we came together. Our lips melded in a passionate kiss as Eric's arms encased me in his embrace. Our hips continued rocking gently back and forth against each other through our releases as Eric made love to me again that afternoon on the bed in a spare room of the little garden house he'd built for his parents who had never gotten to see it finished.

We walked back to the castle in a peaceful silence several hours later, hand in hand. We were both happy, satisfied, relaxed and all the tension we'd felt before through dinner was gone. Eric said he planned to give me his mother's ring. I told him he didn't have to, just being with him and being his fiancée and future wife was good enough. He quickly shot me down and told me that he wanted the world to see that I was his – truly his – and that the only way the people would truly understand would be if they were to see me wearing his mother's' engagement ring.

Eric had said that his mother's engagement and wedding rings were his to present to his bride, and his father's mother's wedding set were intended for Christian's future bride. While we were having this heart to heart, he also wangled the reasons about what had made me so tense out of me. I explained my reasons were along the same similar thought pattern as Sophia had been broadcasting today. That information made him angry momentarily; but at present, he was too happy and relaxed to remain angry and he decided he would deal with it at a later date.

I pointed out to him that he would need to trap her into speaking against me first before he acted, as she hasn't actually spoken openly of her opinion that I was a whore or anything along those lines – it was just in her head. I had no wish to hear her possessive, crazy thoughts, but I knew I had to deal with them… I'd heard worse, after all.

Eric's Point of View

A few weeks later...

One Sunday afternoon as I was lounging on the decking in our secret garden a few weeks after I'd proposed to my future queen, I realized how quickly time had passed since Sookie and my secret engagement. We'd decided to keep our engagement as a family secret for a while, something that we can enjoy – much like the secret of our unborn child.

The situation between my brother and Lady Isabelle had also improved by the looks of things. They seemed happier and more relaxed together.

I kept on looking for signs of Sookie's body changing. Her breasts were certainly starting to grow and were becoming tender to touch, but her belly remained unchanging. Sookie wished this time had informational books on pregnancy. She told me that in her time, there were hundreds of books on pregnancy and birthing, and the woman's body's changes through pregnancy.

Sookie was starting to be more open about her life from where – and when – she came from. She was growing accustomed to my home and time, and she enjoyed explaining some of the differences between the two. Niall had not made any unexpected appearances recently and I was hoping and praying each night before I closed my eyes that he would stay where ever the hell it is he came from.

Not even Sookie was one hundred percent sure where her great-grandfather lived; all she knew was that he had many business enterprises and she was sure he had a home near to each of his businesses were – wherever they were in the world.

I'd given Sookie my mother's ring the same night I'd asked for her hand in marriage and I asked her to wear it only in the confines of our rooms or when it was just them at the Secret Gardens – when we could be sure of our privacy.

I also realized that we were soon going to be heading into the fourth month of Sookie's visit. I was pretty sure that the infuriating man had said that it would be the fourth month when the danger would arise, but I couldn't understand where the danger was or from where it would be coming.

What danger was he speaking of? My land and people were relatively peaceful; some of our biggest 'troubles' requiring my attention would be mediating arguments between families about arranged marriages gone awry due to the daughter refusing because her heart belongs to another or because the son disliking the woman to whom he's promised. The second most common type of squabble I have to arbitrate is – surprisingly – extramarital affairs. The messiest of these quarrels is when the husband has been fooling around with his wife's sister or a close friend. Thankfully, most men in my kingdom are intelligent enough to avoid fooling around with their sister-in-law. I never had a sister of my own, but it's uncomfortable dealing with or making decisions on whatever when the situation arises.

"Eric," I heard someone calling my name, "Eric..." the sweet melodic voice sang again.

"Eric." A hand whispered over my material-covered cock, and it made me groan and brought me completely out of my reverie as I buried my face in deliciously fruit-scented hair.

"Sookie."

"We have company, Eric." She whispered in my ear, starting to move off of my lap, but I held her there, and looked up to glare accusingly at the intruders.

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