Eric stood near Fangtasia's entrance and waited for her majesty to enter, his plan firmly in place. When she finally deigned to show herself, of course surrounded by many of her personal entourage, she was over an hour later than their appointed time to meet. Of course as a regent she likely thought that whenever she decided to show up was the time for the meeting, never before.

"Ah, Northman good, I thought you might be late." Funny coming from her.

"Never, your highness, how may I be of assistance? You mentioned something about a way to end your unfortunate troubles with the human IRS." Come on you greedy bitch spell it out for me, I have places to be and people a great deal more important than you to see.

"Yes, for the longest time those human parasites have been bleeding me dry, my once vast wealth now a thing of the past. I have even had to sell off many of my more lavish belongings if you can believe it. I truly miss the old days, and the old ways, when I could just do to those vermin what they rightfully deserve. However, as per the Authority's orders I must abide by them and their rules for a time, and they seem to be endlessly greedy." Again, funny coming from her.

"What can I do to be of assistance? Do you wish to increase my tribute?" He knew that wasn't it. Even if she did manage to raise the tributes of all the area's of her kingdom it would still not be enough to even place a dent in the ammount of her debt owed to the humans. He would say this for the americans when they decided to make an example of someone they didn't hold back.

"Unfortunately that would not be enough to even help with the interest accumulating let alone absolve me of the debt entirely. No, I was sitting around with my newest pet Hadley a former V addict herself when she made a suggestion of how to gain the fortune I require as quickly as I need it, especially now that the old ways are closed to me. At first I laughed it off as being rediculous, I even punished the little bitch for suggesting it, but then the more I thought of it the more sense it made. You Northman, as the oldest and strongest of my retinue will be tasked with this new venture first, if it works to our favor for long enough then I shall expand it to all the other sheriff's of my kingdom."

"What would you have me do?" Come on, say it, hang yourself.

"You will be selling my blood for me." Finally.

"Your majesty what you suggest is illegal, I would have no part in it, the Authority has forbidden such things declaring the practice as beneath us." Come on, just a little more.

"I don't give a free flying fuck about the Authority or what they want! I am broke! I will not be a queen living in poverty! Fuck the Authority! You will do this Northman or so help me I will -"

Whatever she was about to threaten next was cut off by the slow rhythmic applause of the Magister. When he came into view from his place behind the throne he watched the dear Sophie Ann's face lose all color, she was screwed and she knew it.

"You set me up you nordic sonofabitch!"

"Your majesty I am wounded by the accusation. I had invited my old friend here for a visit scheduled a full hour after your own, how was I to know that the two would overlap, or that the request you only hinted at over the phone would be an illegal one?"

She could cry foul all she wished all of his bases were covered, there was nothing she could do, and judging by the look on the Magisters face nothing he would do.

Bill hung limply from his restraints listening to his Queen all but hand herself over for judgement and knew he was as good as dead himself. The only person with standing who would have, or even could have, stood up to the Viking on his behalf now faced the true death herself.

He only hoped that whatever Eric and his equally sadistic proginy Pam had in store for him in the future was a quick and painless death but somehow looking over at the cowering bleeding human male in the corner he doubted that very much. Mercy really wasn't their way after all.

Sookie was so excited. Eric had taken her to see a play. She'd never been to an actual play before, while she'd read a few herself she'd never seen one acted out by professionals before. Now here she was all dressed up in her best dress coming from seeing Sweeny Todd. Not exactly what she would have picked for her first play but it did have something for both of them. When she'd suggested maybe Guys and Dolls or Cats Eric had given her his most stern scowl and told her that if he was going to sit through singing and dancing there was damn well going to be bloodshed. Her choice whether it was on stage or in the audience.

They'd gone to a late showing because he said he needed to take care of some business early on in the evening, now just past one they were in his car both quite happy. She continually hummed bits and pieces of the music while he continually criticized the barbers killing methods. Throughout the entire play he'd sat beside her saying that if he'd done this instead of that he never would have been caught in the first place and so on and so on. She'd been startled at first until she looked into his eyes and saw the mirth there. He was messing with her.

Running up the porch steps she couldn't wait to tell Gran all about the play and all the people who'd gone to see it. As the door opened she stepped into the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks.

"G-G-Gran…"

Eric did not like seeing his lover so heartbroken. Her Grandmother's funeral had been this morning and while he'd longed to be at her side there had been no way to postpone it until after dark. Adele Stackhouse had died of a heart attack in her kitchen while fixing herself her nightly cup of tea. The doctor had said that was quick and most likely painless, which was a step up from her demise in the previous world, but his Sookie did not know that. All she knew was that her loving, caring, Gran was gone.

He sat with her in her room holding her for hours. Rocking her and singing to her old lullaby's of his homeland. She cried and cried until he feared he would drown in her tears, until she finally quieted and laid down beside him curled close to his side.

"I don't know how to live alone. I never have before."

"So don't come live with me in your very own Tara."

"You mean it?"

"Of course I mean it nothing would give me greater joy than to share a home with you."

"Let me sleep on it okay. I'll tell you tomorrow."

With that his lover fell asleep in his arms for the first time. Hopefully it would be the first night of many where she would reside in his embrace.