AN: Just a, uh.., short li'l somethin' somethin'. Lol. Maybe I'll do some one-shots, or something? I don't know. Let me know what you guys think, or if you'd be interested. But, as of now, this is the last chapter. So, if you haven't yet, and you'd like to know when I update again (maybe with a one-shot or two) go ahead and follow. You guys are absolutely awesome. I love hearing that people enjoyed this whole story because I loved writing it. So, again, let me know what you think, and enjoy!

Epilogue

It had been fifteen years since Maria was crowned the ruler of her homeland, and things had changed drastically.

Russia was once a poor, desolate country. Crime was high, in fact one of the highest in the world. It was disturbingly common for tourists to be kidnapped from hostels, hotels, bars, and even train stations or airports. Terrible things would happen to them from being trafficked, to simply killed. Drugs and violence were on the rise. Unemployment had hit a staggering level. The country was a communistic wonderland where only the corrupt were rewarded for their efforts and people were afraid.

That was no longer the case.

While the criminal system hadn't been kind to those who were caught, miles and miles of red tape ensured that loopholes-galore would complicate matters. Perhaps it might have been unethical for the government to employ vampires to glamor the truth out of the police (in regards to their own corruption) and then instill the unflappable desire to uphold the law, but what is it they say about making an omlet?

With infrastructure brought to the country, crime was down, employment was up, and Russia was almost completely self-reliant. Natural energy ensured they didn't have to pay fees to import oil, nor risk unsafe working conditions to mine their own.

Decrepit and unlivable buildings that had been set up for low-income housing had been revamped or flat-out demolished where it couldn't be saved. People seemed happier, lived better, and that was all she wanted.

But, what genuinely made Maria the happiest was Moscow's traffic. Known and the second worst city in the world (literally) when it came to traffic, Maria spent years –actual years!- trying to work out the insanity of the country's capital. And while the issue would never be completely resolved given how many residents called Moscow home, the fact that it now took less than two hours to get to work rather than the four-six it took before made Maria incredibly happy. It was arguably one of the smallest things she'd done in her tenure, and yet she was most proud of it because, in her long life, she'd been stuck in her fair share of traffic.

Russia was prospering. It would still be a long road, but the fact that her country was now spoken about in the same sentences as the United States and parts of Europe (positively) was monumental. Needless to say, sleeping at night had become much easier.

Maria was nestled deep within the belly of a claw-foot tub, surrounded by the warmth of her rosewater bath. Just beyond the foot of the tub, she could see through a wall of windows, out into the night. Flurries of snow fluttered lazily past and clung to the furniture and decoration on the balcony just beyond the windows. The door to said balcony was open. It let it the freshest, coldest breeze and while Maria knew she should have closed it, she didn't want to. Something about the icy air, but the smoldering water was the perfect combination to her.

As she laid there, her head rolling listlessly to the side of the bathtub's curved body, a tall figure emerged on the balcony. He'd descended from the heavens and landed without a sound. At the sight of him, Maria's heart beat just a little bit faster.

Eric brushed the flurries from his shoulders as he entered the bathroom suite, and even combed his hair back into place with his fingers. As he approached, his cold, grey eyes landed on her and a smile tugged at his lips.

"Oh dear," Maria said smoothly. "It appears I have an intruder."

His smile broadened and he arched a brow. "Are you going to call the guard?"

"Maybe," She grinned a bit. With only a few steps, Eric's long legs carried him to the foot of her tub. "Where've you been, hm? Eating the villagers? Terrorizing the locals?"

He chuckled and began to remove his jacket. "I was in Hong Kong."

"Oh," She sang the word softly. "I didn't think you could fly that far."

"I can't," He replied as he stepped around to her blindside. Through the large mirror to her right, Maria could see him removing his clothes to join her. "Well," He quickly went about correcting himself. "I won't."

"Business or pleasure?" She asked as she got comfortable once more.

"Both," He said casually.

"Well, good. I hope it was profitable."

She heard him chuckle again and shortly after that the sound of his shoes clomping against the tiled floor. Not long after that, he returned to her line of sight, completely naked and glistening like marble.

"Sit up."

Maria did as he said, pushing herself away from the sloping back of the bathtub. Eric climbed in her behind her fluidly, so much so that he barely shifted the water, and when he'd settled, he drew her back to his chest. His body was almost bitterly cold and it sent a wave of goose-bumps across her skin, which soon vanished.

The pair got comfortable within the porcelain. It was a testament to the size of the tub, that a man of Eric Northman's proportions fit, but she already knew he would. Maria always liked bathtubs that she could nearly swim in.

With a gentle sigh, Maria sank even further against him, almost melting into the vampire's chest. She was completely comfortable, completely at ease, and was close to drifting to sleep as a result. As she did, she felt Eric run his fingertips along her left arm, beneath her hand, around her fingers, and then back again. It was almost as though he was examining her limbs. She didn't mind. She liked the way it felt.

"Would you like to see what I got while I was there?" He whispered into her ear.

"Sure," she muttered in response.

But neither of them moved beyond what they already had. Maria assumed he would show her when they got out of the bath (whenever that would be) but then felt something odd. A heavy weight was added to her finger.

Her brows pulled together and when she opened her eyes, she saw the reason. Eric was holding her fingers up with the tips of his own, but there, on her left ring finger, was a monolithic addition. A massive, glittering pink gem that could bludgeon a person quite easily, now rested on the digit.

Maria's eyes shot wide and her heart felt like it sputtered. She couldn't tell if it wanted to stop beating entirely, or race to the point of exploding. All she could focus on was the massive rock.

"It's called the Pink Star." He told her in the same calm, level voice he always used. "It's the largest Vivid Pink diamond in the world, almost sixty carats. It's the most expensive ring in the world, too."

She continued to star at it and blink like a stunned cartoon character. That was how she felt. How else was she supposed to react to something like this?

And yet, somehow, she managed to utter a single word, "Why?"

"I couldn't really go to a store in the mall, could I?" He teased lightly.

"But," her brain still had trouble. "You've never bought me jewelry before. Why now?"

There was a brief pause before he replied, "I thought it was obvious."

Maybe it was, she didn't know. Again, Maria wasn't quite capable of thinking straight. And then, for some reason, it donned on her.

Maria suddenly spun around the face the man behind her. Eric did nothing more than arch a brow and let his arms rest casually along the lip of the bathtub. Maria's face twisted with confusion.

"Are you asking me to marry you?" Her voice was level and borderline deadpan, but she couldn't help it.

His head tilted marginally to the side. "Yes," he said plainly.

"I'm not immortal."

"I don't care."

"I'm going to want children."

He shrugged a broad shoulder. "Fine."

Her eyes narrowed and her brows pooled in the center of her forehead. "But, why?"

It was his turn to eye her curiously. "I thought women were generally happy when someone proposes to them?"

"Of course, but I don't understand why you'd want to marry me."

He spoke to her slowly, as thought she'd been brain damaged. "Because I want to."

And then, somehow, the haze began to fade and the truth of the situation was allowed to sink in. Maria's face relaxed and while she still had trouble completely understanding everything, parts became clear.

"Oh," she managed to mutter.

Eric's head tilted in the other direction as he eyed her sharply. "Is that a yes?"

Maria blinked a few times. While her brain seemed to have nothing but trouble comprehending the simplest question, it already seemed to know the answer.

"Yes," She nodded

Eric's expression relaxed and his shoulders slumped as though he'd been holding tension in them. It was only then, when he calmed, that she could do the same. Somehow, a small smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"Holy shit," she mumbled. "I'm going to marry Eric Northman."

He smiled wide and chuckled.

Six Weeks Later:

Jason was sore when he got home that evening. So many years of back-breaking work all but ensured he'd be crippled by fifty. Since he only had a couple of years to go until he reached that point, he believed it.

When he walked through the door of Grams and Sookie's old house, he heard the TV on in the other room. Brigitte was sitting on the couch with one of his girls.

"Hey, ladies." He smiled at the sight of them.

"Hey, daddy." His daughter barely looked away from the television as he approached his wife and kissed her.

"Whatchya watchin'?" with a heavy groan, he dropped onto the couch beside Brigitte.

"E!" his daughter replied. Jason groaned, He hated those shows.

"Why? So y'know which singer's bangin' which rapper?" He asked sarcastically.

His daughter ignored him, which he expected. She was almost sixteen now. He had no power.

"I'ma grab a beer." He mumbled to Brigitte.

She smiled as he heaved himself up and went into the kitchen. After retrieving a beer from the fridge, popping the top and tossing it into the sink, he returned and regained his seat. Not a second later, he was presented with something that turned his stomach even more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is official." A pretty brunette said happily into the camera. "Mr. Northman is off the dating scene!"

"That's right, Meghan." A tall, ridiculously handsome man beside her said. The camera focused on him and to the side a photo appeared that made Jason's blood run cold. "Just last week, Mr. Northman, owner, founder and co-creator of New Blood, revealed that he popped the question to long-time girlfriend and Russian monarch, Empress Maria Romanov."

The picture showed the pair standing at some kind of event, dressed splendidly in something worth more money than Jason had made that year –and that was probably just Northman's tie. A sparkling pink rock on Maria's hand, which was pressed against Northman's chest for the photo, was quickly zoomed in on, though Jason didn't know why they bothered. You could probably see it from space.

"Mr. Northman reportedly proposed with the famed Pink Star diamond." The handsome man said. "For those of you who don't know, the sixty-carat Pink Star sold for an incredible seventy-one million dollars twenty years ago." Jason's stomach dropped. "And sources say Mr. Northman shelled out an amazing eighty-four million just last month. I don't know about you, but I'd say that's one lucky lady."

"Sure is," Meghan smiled so wide that her perfectly bleached teeth were almost blinding. "The couple hasn't set an official date as of yet, but I think it's safe to say, it'll be one amazing event."

"Christ Almighty." Jason grumbled resentfully. The sour tone drew the attention of his family.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Brigitte asked sweetly.

"Nothin', it's just… I know them two."

His daughter's attention sharpened at that. "Really?" She asked excitedly.

"Yup," he replied. "Never met a bigger asshole than Eric Northman."

"You think you'll get invited to the weddin'?" She asked so eagerly that it shocked him.

"Hell no," He snapped a bit harshly. "Besides, we wouldn't go anyway."

His daughter wilted and reluctantly turned her attention back to the TV, but Jason couldn't bother watching it. He was fuming, but what the hell could he do? Nothing, that's what.

Six Months Later:

Nations of the world gathered. Important people from every country, from every walk of life, lined aisle after aisle. Television cameras, reporters, and photographers were scattered throughout. It was clear that many had waited for such an extravagant ceremony.

The wedding progressed very similarly to the English royals, meaning it was long and elaborate.

In a beautiful, but simple gown of satin and lace, Maria soon proceeded down the aisle with her veil and dress trailing behind her. Clasped tenderly within her hands was a bouquet of beautiful lilies.

At the end of the carpeted path stood a Viking wrapped in fine black fabric. Every stitch was intentional, every drape of the fabric complimentary. His hair was perfectly coiffed, his jaw entirely hairless. He stood so still that he might as well have been a statue, and his eyes were locked completely to her.

Standing just behind him as part of his part was a fabulous blonde. While Pam should have, simply in a gender specific role, stood on her side. The fact of the matter was, Maria would never ask her to do so. They might have been friends, but Pam was so much more to Eric. She was, without a doubt, his "best man".

Pam was beautiful, even more so with her androgynous clothing. Her black blazer was sculpted to her narrow frame. The single button held it closed and because she wore no shirt beneath, a seductive, but not indecent amount of skin showed. Maria rather liked the faux, white, crisp collar that Pam wore so she could wear a tie that matched the other groomsmen.

Her slacks were again cut perfectly to her legs, and just tight enough to remind you Pam was a woman. The cuff ended above her ankle, which ensured the world got to see her designer heels.

Women wished they looked as good as Pam in men's clothing.

By the time she made it to the altar where a man with a fancy hat and robes stood, a thick bible opened to appropriate verses, Maria felt as though her heart would burst through her chest. The sound of her blood pulsing through her body echoed so loudly in her ears that she might as well be at the beach surrounded by crashing waves.

She soon stood at the altar and felt Eric take her hand. Maria could barely comprehend what was happening around her. It seemed so surreal. As a result, the ceremony progressed with very little of her attention aimed at it. The fact was, she could only focus on Eric.

She spoke the words she was meant to speak, and he did the same. He slid a ring of simple coiled metal onto her finger, and she slid a thicker version of it onto his. They spoke a few more words, and she kissed him.

And just like that, she was officially, and legally bound to a man that had always been intwined in her life in one way or another.

Maria smiled wide and saw one of equal size on his.

A Few Weeks Later:

Maria sat in a high-backed chair as straight as possible. Her knees were together, off to the side, her gloved-hands resting softly on her lap, and her mother's tiara nestled in her ebony locks.

Just beside, and yet slightly behind, stood Eric. He was dressed just as impressively and while it wasn't entirely normal for the husband to wear a head adornment of any sort, Eric proudly brandished his father's crown.

His hand rested lovingly on her shoulder as per the artist's request. They sat completely still while the air filled with the sound of the artist's brush against canvas. It might have been an archaic method in a digital world, but she rather enjoyed paint on canvas as opposed to the alternative.

The portrait would last forever, left to hang on the walls of any palace, or perhaps even a museum or two, long after her death.

Maria still couldn't believe this was how her life had progressed. It hadn't as of yet, and probably never would, sink in completely. But she was happy, so much happier than she thought she could be. Not only had she resurrected her family's legacy, but her country was prospering, and she had married who was, perhaps, the only man that she could tolerate. Eric could stand with her physically and intellectually. She doubted she'd ever get bored, and there was no denying the passion that pulsed between them.

Her hand slowly reached out and tenderly grasped his. Almost the instantly she felt the coolness of his skin, Maria felt fires roil within her. She glanced up at him through her lashes and noticed Eric looking down at her discreetly. A small, wicked smile curled the corner of his lips and in it, she knew he felt the same.