There were those few weeks that the air hummed with newfound freedom, and Eric reveled in it, the taste of freedom sweet on his tongue. Sookie stood by his side, her laughter echoing through the halls of their home. She'd granted her staff a well-deserved respite; two weeks of paid leave and hefty bonuses. Eric, ever the generous Viking, insisted on covering the bonuses himself, and Sookie would not hear of it. Sookie's resolve crumbled when he revealed that the sum matched only half of what he'd annually sent Appius. The pledging ceremony loomed on the horizon, set for July, a promise of eternity and, more importantly to the AP, the start of something new for her kind.
Hunter and Remy descended for Christmas, Hunter's presence a whirlwind of youthful energy. Remy's stay was brief, but Hunter lingered for two weeks; still, it felt brief to all who loved him. Most of the time, he darted through Sookie's office or raced around Rey's House. Gavril, ever the mischievous mentor, joined forces with Hunter to tease Sookie mercilessly about her business name, or rather, the lack thereof.
Yet beneath the festive cheer, Sookie harbored a quiet anticipation. Her actions had rippled across the various supernatural landscapes, and she awaited the inevitable blowback. Would it be Freyda, seething in the shadows? Or perhaps the Narayana Clan, nursing grudges over California's takeover of Nevada? When the storm finally arrived, it did so with a whimper, leaving Sookie rolling her eyes.
Washington and Oregon, their complaints meandered like sluggish rivers, taking months to reach the council's ears. But the verdict was swift: dismissal. Their grievances lacked the weight to warrant a formal hearing. Oregon, however, persisted. A dogged voice in the wind. He bemoaned Sookie's role in the takeover, a role he couldn't substantiate. He'd gone after Henrique and failed; now it was her turn. Tempted to unleash her wrath, Sookie refrained, knowing that acknowledging him would only lend credence to his baseless claims.
Yet, there were larger battles to fight. The AVL loomed like a shadow, and Nan Flanagan materialized at the office unannounced. Sookie, conveniently away in Moscow, forced Nan to book an appointment. Today, nearly two months after that unexpected visit, they would face each other across her desk. The room crackled with tension, one Sookie wholeheartedly welcomed. The AVL had been persistent in their attempt to thwart the sale of The Real Deal and failed miserably when Sookie called in a favor from a friend. The AVL found themselves facing a senate hearing if they persisted. An ultimatum that silenced their objections. Naturally, not to appear to be in the pocket of Yakonomo Corporation to the vampire population, they fell away quietly.
And as the clock ticked toward the appointed hour, Sookie steeled herself. She had some idea of what Nan wanted, but Sookie had no desire to play ball. Eric's response when she had mentioned what she suspected was just what she needed to hear.
"Miss Brigant." Nan greeted with a steely look, a look one gave an obstinately disobedient child.
"Miss Flanagan, what can I do for you?" Sookie, unyielding, settled back in her chair, her boredom a shield against the AVL's rep scrutiny.
"We understand; we went about conveying what the production and sale of your blood would do to the desire the AVL has to push vampire rights forward. The funds the Yakonomo Corporation provided aided in that endeavor. That is done, over with. The intervening months since the sale of The Real Deal have seen a real positive trajectory for vampires." Nan admitted begrudgingly.
"Yes, I'm aware of that fact. I was aware of that a year ago when I realized that the countries Jinhong supplied positively impacted how the human population viewed vampires. Reports the AVL was well aware of, yet you were more interested in lining your pockets. And you have the audacity to talk about moving vampire rights forward in America. The Real Deal has done far more in the four months it's been on the market than any amount of posturing on TV ever did." Sookie said calmly.
Sookie kept her features impassive as Nan's thoughts made it evident she did want to be there, kowtowing to a mostly human hybrid who, as far as Nan was concerned, had too much power in their world. She'd made one phone call, and the AVL had backed down with their tails between their legs, and that hurt. The AVL was never popular with vampires in North America, but now that the approval rating was at rock bottom. Eric Northman and Miss Brigant's approval among vampires since their bonding became common knowledge was at an all-time high. Anyone, with the exception of Oregon, kept their mouths shut even if they didn't like the pair.
Now, she has to beg them for an invitation to their pledging. A lack of invitation for the members of the AVL was an omission too glaring to go unnoticed. They needed to be seen at what had been billed as the event of the centuries. A term the AP herself had coined. Their tentative position in the vampire world would crumble if they were seen to still be at odds with Eric Northman and Susannah Brigant. The entire supernatural world would be occupying nearly every hotel across Louisiana. The ceremony taking place in New Orleans, would also bring much revenue to the city.
"Miss Brigant," she began, her tone measured, "we've been at the forefront of advancing vampire rights. Our template has inspired other countries to lobby their governments, resulting in significant progress. Yes, we've stumbled along the way, but that shouldn't overshadow our overall impact."
She knew the truth. The AVL's days were numbered. Their relevance waned, their bureaucracy a relic in the face of changing tides. But she chose diplomacy over confrontation. "I agree," she replied, her voice steady.
Nan smiled for the first time. "A lack of invite to your pledging will be seen as an ongoing feud with the AVL. There isn't a single vampire from the AVL invited to your pledging. Just one would go a long way to quell any negativity." Nan damn right pleaded.
"No," Sookie said after a beat.
Nan stood. Whether invited or not, a member of the AVL would be at the pledging. Without a word, she stormed out of Sookie's office. "Good luck with that," Sookie chuckled.
The tension in the room was palpable, thick as the humid summer air. Freyda's heart would race if it still beat as she faced the enigmatic AP, her resolve waning with each passing second. The invitation to Eric and Susannah's pledging had been unexpected, a twist of fate that pulled her into a web of truths, half-truths, or outright lies. Which was she going to get in a confrontation she knew to be ill-advised?
"You had no right," Freyda blustered, her voice trembling. "You could have simply warned me against my planned action."
The AP's gaze bore into her, unyielding. "What transpired was the best possible solution to the nightmare you nearly created," she replied, her tone as cold as steel. "Had I asked you to end those two, you would have warned Appius. He would have targeted Miss Brigant, and what, pray tell me, do you think Niall Brigant would have done in retaliation? You and so many would have perished in the horror of what followed. Those two are about to herald in a future I never thought possible until a few years ago," the AP continued, her eyes flickering toward the crowd. "And you so nearly destroyed it all." She raged.
Freyda's mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. Eric and Susannah… their union held a secret, a power transcending her immortal understanding. The AP's cryptic words hinted at a future she couldn't fathom, a destiny unfolding before her eyes.
The room seemed to close in on Freyda. She had sought answers, but now she grappled with truths that threatened to unravel her world. She had made an enemy of the one vampire it would seem was their future. As the AP turned away, dismissing her, Freyda's weakening resolve crumbled completely. She'd gotten the answer she came for, even if it only served to rattle her cage even further. The pledging was more than a celebration. It was a turning point, a convergence of a chance for vampires to truly belong.
The large tent shimmered with opulence, the chandelier casting a golden glow on the assembled guests. Her eyes fell on Eric in a bespoke suit, a deep red intricately embroidered cloak fastened with a broach over one shoulder, an homage to his roots. The other was a leather fastener for his hair, with the same embroidery on the edge of the band. Next to him was his progeny, Pam. Her arms were around a striking female vampire; they barely managed to keep their eyes off each other. Susannah's brother and betrothed in a similar stance. The other blonde she does not recognize. Karin, she'd heard Eric say in greeting, clearly surprised by her presence. His joy, though, could not be mistaken. Freyda had no idea who she was to Eric. The gentleman in the sky blue suit, she knew, he'd been among those investigating the break-in. She looked away, determined to never look in the Viking's direction again.
"How are are you feeling?" Eric checked in on Miriam. This wasn't her first time among a large crowd that included humans. Tonight came with a lot of formality for any young vampire to handle.
"I'm following Pam's lead." Miriam smiled at her bonded.
"Oh, good God." Jesus quipped.
"I am on my best behavior. After all, it's my maker and best friend's night. Nothing and no one will detract from that."
"Yes, Eric has been waiting forever to show the world just who Sookie belongs to." Jason teased.
"Yes, but don't let her hear say that." Eric's warning was swift.
"Jason, please behave," Michelle whispered quickly. Jason looked up, wondering why she would say that when he spotted Sophie-Anne and Andre walking towards them.
"Right." He grumbled under his breath, earning a bark of laughter from Pam. "It's my sister and Eric's night. Nothing and no one will detract from that." He parroted Pam's words back at her.
"Eric," Sophie-Anne's voice carried across the opulent tent. Her eyes swept over everyone, acknowledging them with a nod. Eric would admit she looked regal in a dark navy V-neck gown. Her hair was worn in an elaborate low bun. The entire ensemble helped her appear much older than her seventeen years.
Eric bowed low. "Your majesty," he greeted, his voice soft. "Thank you for allowing us to take over your home. I hope it hasn't been too much of an inconvenience."
Eric knew it hadn't. Sophie-Anne, if anything, had been desperate for the pledging ceremony to take place in New Orleans. The event was bringing the crème de la crème from both the supernatural and human worlds to the city, and the resulting revenue alone would do wonders for her state.
"Far from it," Sophie-Anne responded graciously, her eyes assessing the assembled guests. "If anything, you are doing the state a favor with your choice of venue," she admitted.
Outside the tent, a sudden commotion drew their attention to the entrance. Jason chuckled. "Of course." He said, raising an eyebrow.
Karin leaned closer to Eric. "Who are they?" she whispered.
"That," Pam drawled, her voice dripping with mischief, "is Gavril and Camille. Those two would have you happily chew off your own arm if it suited Sookie's purposes." Pam whispered.
Gavril made little attempt to appear human. His usual blonde hair was near white and slicked back, revealing slightly pointed helixes. He looked dashing in a dark purple suit, his gray eyes gleaming, giving it a more silver-like appearance. "Come on, Pam," he purred, "we're not that bad."
Camille, the siren with a penchant for trouble, followed suit in a form-fitting white backless number. Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of emerald, locked onto Andre, whose eyes suddenly seemed to glaze over at the sight of her. "Well," she said, her voice like honey laced with venom, "until you give us a reason, that is." Her gaze lingered on Andre, who suddenly found he could look at nothing else.
Pam warned Camille with a raised eyebrow. "Camille."
Sophie-Anne surprised them all by speaking up. "Her actions," she declared, her tone measured, "are at the behest of Miss Brigant." Eric understood the subtext. Andre still believed that Sookie should be controlled by them.
Everyone invited was present half an hour before the ceremony. Apparently, Bartlett had guessed the truth in Rhodes. Eric and Sookie were bonded. Russell had dismissed the notion. A wager had been placed, with Russell, of course, losing when the invitation to their pledging arrived. Evidently, it was a substantial amount if Russell's grumbling was anything to go by.
Henrique's presence came as no surprise; he was the first monarch in the US to hire Sookie. Caroline, the queen of Washington, however, was unexpected. She and Oregon had vehemently opposed Henrique's takeover of Nevada. Washington had dropped the matter when the council dismissed their complaint. Sookie's invitation to Caroline was a calculated move, one that would leave Oregon out in the cold. Caroline wasn't an idiot; she knew which way the wind was blowing.
Eric knew it was time when Zoe, Holly, Luna, and Lafayette joined the guests. He could also feel Sookie standing just beyond the tent, having a whispered conversation with Jason. Both wished Adele was there to witness the pledge. Adele's absence weighed heavily on all who knew her.
The heart of the pledging lay in the ancient ritual, the handing over of the knife. Beyond that, they were free to shape their union as they pleased. The ceremony, in many ways, mirrored a human wedding. Once the law allowed it, Eric and Sookie would eventually marry in the human way. But for now, the pledging was more than enough, a binding of souls that transcended mortal conventions.
As Sookie stepped to the tent's entrance, Eric felt deeply grateful for his immortal existence. He didn't need to breathe, didn't fear suffocation. Sookie, radiant in a deep red strapless gown, glided toward him. The fabric clung to her every curve until just below the knee, where it flared like a flame. Jewels adorned the dress, gifts from Niall. He, Fintan, the triplets, Preston, and several Fairies stood among the guests. Their presence signaled acceptance to the rest of the supernatural community.
Sookie's relationship with her grandfather had improved since he joined the family for Christmas. Eric believes it was his loving relationship with Hunter that swayed Sookie.
Hunter, unfortunately, was not present. Neither was willing to expose him to the vampire world. He was a telepath, after all. A gift best not revealed among so many vampires. The thought had Eric's eyes briefly drifting from Sookie to Carmine. Carmine stared at his love with a little too much lust. Barry had teased that he had a thing for Sookie, Eric could see it now. None of that mattered now; as Sookie reached him, her eyes locked onto him, and the world narrowed to a single point of brilliance.
Them.