Summer Ball Part 3
Disclaimer: Sookie Stackhouse - Southern Vampire Mysteries belong to Charlaine Harris.
Chapter 31
Mixed Points of View
Only, and only, when I had everyone's full attentions did I begin my speech for the end of Summer Ball.
"My Lords, Ladies and Gentleman. I thank you all for coming out this beautiful day to enjoy the last of the summer warmth and embrace the winter months to come, instead of in fear of illness, we rejoice and hope for the best instead." I pause and tighten my arm a little around Sookie and our baby protectively as this is when I break the news.
"I myself have some new to share with you all on more personal topic and a topic close to the crown. As your King, I would like to announce that I am ready to settle down, and have asked Princess Sookie for her hand in marriage." The silence at his words stretched on, then one by one the crowd began clapping and cheers broke out, after a stunned silence. Eric raised his hand.
"QUIET!" He roared.
"Secondly I would like to announce that there will be a new arrival in the royal house hold, other than Princess Sookie as my wife." He moved his arm but let his hand rest on the baby bump.
"As well as a wedding on the horizon, we are going to be welcoming our first child into the world. We have almost reached the fifth month of pregnancy. We have kept it quiet because we wanted to get through those dangerous first three months, and then keep the news to ourselves for a while so we could enjoy the gift the god's and goddess's have blessed us with." Another round of applause broke out and cheers went around and a few people shouted out blessings to the new little prince or princess that would be Eric's successor to the throne.
"And for those of you who don't know, this is Prince Niall and his grand-daughter Princess Claudine, Princess Sookie's blood-relatives." Eric made introductions as Niall and Claudine stepped forwards, nodding politely to the crowd, and then stepping backwards.
Everyone around them, Niall and Claudine, Isabelle and Christian seemed to fade as a stampede of people came up to congratulate them on their good news, the baby and the engagement. Sookie felt so overwhelmed and Eric knew she was becoming tired.
The doctor came up and ordered a chair for her, obviously seeing the fight in Sookie to stay strong and up-right fail slightly. Thrones where brought for them both but Eric being Eric refused to be away, even a chair away from Sookie or his unborn child. In the end Sookie ended up snuggled into Eric's embrace sitting on his lap, with her back leaning into his chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her, as people still came up to great them. People commented on how lovely a couple they looked and how pleased they were that there King had chosen such a beautiful bride.
There was one person who had not gone unnoticed, who hadn't come to greet or congratulate them yet. Sophia! Their plan is starting to work, and Sophia will be put to the test. Even his old bed-partners came up to greet them and were polite to Sookie, who he could feel her back muscles stiffen a couple of times but remained polite all the same.
Eric's Point of View
I could feel her eyes upon me and Sookie and could see the hateful glares she was shooting us through the corner of my eyes. My hand started rubbing our baby out of its own accord. I watched as her eyes followed my every movement, and in the end I ended up staring at her in warning after feeling Sookie tense and then her hands protectively cover mine and the bump.
Niall came up behind us and whispered in my ear.
"That woman is looking for trouble if she thinks about harming my great-granddaughter or the baby! Her mind is crazy; she should be run through with a sword for the vivid imagery she's coming up with in her head."
Sookie turned her head towards me and whispered in my ear, the back of her head facing the crowd so they couldn't read her lips.
"It's rather revolting Eric. She's thinking up ways of ending me when you're not around, to gain and win back your affections or abducting our baby when it's born." Sookie said the last part about our baby with hurt in her voice. I growled and got up, shot Niall a hard look and handed Sookie over to him as I marched over to Sophia. Screw the god damn plans. After hearing what Sookie said, I'd had enough.
He walked up to the bitch in question, fed up with her dark glares and nasty thoughts. Her facial expressions clearly showed what she was thinking. Eric got right in the cow's face and hissed.
"Grow the fuck up and move the hell on." Eric snapped. Grabbing her attention, her eyes flashing to his, softening, which irritated him further.
"Oh Eric I knew you'd come to your senses and leave that witch of a woman." Sophia said touching him. Eric stepped back cringing at her touch.
"You fool. I told you to grow the fuck up and move on. If you ever think about harming my soon to be wife, your future Queen, or my child, un-born or not, then you will meet my sword. The other women I've bedded came and greeted us politely like grown adults and were able to control their feelings and respect that I've moved on, but not you. I can see you from the corner of my eye. Your facial expressions, the hateful glares you sent Sookie, the jealous looks you sent when my hand rested on my baby growing inside Sookie. Quit it now Sophia or I'll ban you from court and make you live as a peasant and marry to a pour man, instead of the Lord overseas I have planned for you. Take it or meet my sword if you can't control your actions towards my family." He said coldly glaring at her with hate.
Sophia's Point of View
Sophia felt so taken aback by his harsh words it hurt. Did he really hate her that much? Was she really that much of a bad lay. She knew for sure she didn't want to meet HIS sword. She may hate the cow that stole HER Eric from her but she was so not ready to die. She was still young and did want to marry one day and she'd rather marry a Lord than live as a poor person and be a disgrace to her family.
"I'm waiting, the time is ticking. Make your choices now." Eric warned her.
"I'll take the damn Lord." She hissed, not meaning for it to come out so hard.
"Good. Stay away from my family and try to keep what you're thinking off of your face. And I suggest you keep your muttering to a low minimal for future reference as the walls of the castle don't keep everything a secret. There are eyes and ears everywhere so watch your step. I will write to the Lord I have set up for you in the morning and you'll be gone by tomorrow evening. Your father has approved of the match!"
With that he turned on his heels, shooting one last warning glare over his shoulder at me and marched over to the whore he's going to marry who's pregnant before she even got married. I mean, how wrong is that? And he should know better than to get a woman pregnant before he weds her. It's against the rules to be a Royal. An unmarried royal with a pregnant woman on his arm...
Sookie's Point of View
I seriously wish that vile woman would shut up. I do not know what Eric said to her, but her mind pattern suddenly changed as I clung to my great-grandfather who was whispering soothing words in my ear. I knew he and Claudine could quite possibly hear her too, after all I got my telepathic link from their side of the family, well part of the telepathy.
I don't think Claudine's is strong enough to read everyone's minds; it's just within the family link type thing. It's amazing how I only discover this now, that that was how Claud, Claudine's brother, and herself had what looked like silent conversation. When I think about it, that is probably what they were indeed doing.
I felt Eric's familiar touch on my elbow as he pulled me into his embrace.
"She'll be gone by tomorrow evening. She chose the Lord overseas, instead of a poor person." He smirked smugly probably knowing that's what she'd choose, the Lord I mean.
"Eric, Sookie we must be off. I had to do some really hard persuading and negotiating to get us here today. I wanted to support you both when you made the speech reading announcing the newest member of mine and your family, plus your engagement. We had a feeling something might happen that would rock the path that's been set in stone for you both, but our time is now limited here and it would be unwise for us to just vanish in plane site in front of all your people, as that would raise suspicions and could become ugly for Sookie." Niall explained.
Eric's Point of View
"Thank you for coming Grandfather, Cousin." Sookie hugged them both. "I understand what you mean." She added.
Niall and Claudine said a quick good-bye to Christian and Isabelle. Eric didn't miss the quick passing between Christian and Niall, and saw Christian's face morph into one of worry but before he could respond Niall was half way heading towards the trees with Claudine by his side.
Eric shot Christian a glance but Christian shook his head and his eyes glazed over briefly before taking Isabelle's hand and disappearing into the crowd of dancers or people just standing around chatting and laughing.
Eric took Sookie's hand lead her to their special place, the Secret Garden as Sookie called it.
"Do you know what your great-grandfather told Christian?" He asked her once they were alone.
"No?" Sookie looked up confused. "I was too busy focusing on your mind, and blocking the others out." Eric looked at her confused.
"I thought you said you couldn't read my mind lover? Though I wouldn't mind if you could read my mind." He teased, giving her a heated look. He watched that delicious blush colour her cheeks.
"ERIC!" She hissed.
"No, I can't read your mind. That's why I was focusing on it because it's empty to me. It's like your mind's switched off and it's peaceful to me, and I'm able, when I focus solely on you, to block everyone else out almost to a dim hum." Sookie sighed, leaning further into his embrace.
"We have the new people arriving around Sunset tonight. They couldn't make today due to family errands." He was sure he heard Sookie say 'family errands my ass' but chose to ignore it and continued.
"They are joining us for the evening dances and entertainment instead to mingle with the locals and Lords and Ladies of the court, to become acquainted with people and learn the ropes around here." He said, laying Sookie down on the grass with him hovering over her.
"Be careful Eric. I have a bad feeling about them!"
"I've met them before lover and they seem reasonable."
"I'm not saying ignore them completely, I'm just saying watch your back. There's something about them that set's my nerves on fire. I don't like it; I can't explain why I have this feeling, I just do. I don't know what I'd do if something ever happened to you." Sookie tried the worry card, she knew men liked it when woman worried about them and it seemed to work for Eric too.
"I'll be extra careful for you lover." With that he leaned in and kissed her hungrily on the lips.
Sookie could only hope and pray.
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