Trouble Maker

A/N: The moment you've all been waiting for, and probably dreading:

THE EPILOGUE

Much like a parent sending their child off to college, this was very hard to for me. I battled over HALF the month between chapter forty-nine and now to write this chapter. Not because the chapter itself was hard to write, but just coming to the decision to wrap up. It would have been very easy coming up with sub-plots and anecdotal stories for the rest of time, but that seems a lot like a tv show that keeps trying to squeeze out another season long after it "jumped the shark". Still, this story has been going on for OVER TWO YEARS! Can you believe it? I sure as hell can't!

So, after trying to start "chapter fifty" three or four times, I decided that I was just being the parent who can't say goodbye and let their kid leave the nest. This chapter is a bit of a set up, as you know I like to leave myself the opportunity to do sequels if possible, but still stand on its own feet if a continuation doesn't happen. (Keep Me *cough* *cough* !)

Anyway, without further ado, enjoy the finale of Trouble Maker!

-Andi

Epilogue: The Royal Bride

June 2027

I look like a fairy princess, Sookie thought amusedly as she stared at her reflection in the oversized mirrors. Her three reflections smirked bemusedly back at her.

"Your cloak, your Majesty," her hand maiden came with the heavy material, draping it over Sookie's shoulders and clasping it in the front. It was surprisingly comfortable for such thick fabric in June.

"Thank you, Gaïve," Sookie smiled at the small maiden who bowed her head in response.

"You are welcome, your Majesty," Gaïve grinned right back. "Shall I alert the Castle Guards that you will be leaving your chamber?"

"In a moment," Sookie murmured, staring at her reflection with growing apprehension. It was not until she felt Comfort from Eric melt into her bones that she relaxed and finally nodded at her maid. Gaïve curtsied and left to address the Castle Guards behind her chamber door.

"We are ready when you are, your Majesty," Gaïve addressed upon her return.

"I am as ready as I will ever be," Sookie replied, turning from her reflection and toward the doors. Two familiar guards stood waiting for her. "Good morning, Orin. Kheelan," Sookie nodded her head as they flanked around her.

"Your Majesty," they addressed routinely.

Sookie sighed, "And we were doing so well at getting you two to call me by my first name."

"It is your coronation day, your Majesty," Orin, the more experienced guard replied. "Formalities must be maintained."

"I suppose," she relented her stubborn streak for tradition. "That's probably why you've been hamming it up all day too, huh, Gaïve?" The handmaiden merely smiled her angelic, innocent smile. "Is my almost-official-husband on his way?"

"He will be escorted with your children and brother, your Majesty," Kheelan answered quickly. "Mr. Northman was rather difficult about the ritual for a coronation and wedding such as this. It was quite difficult maintaining all of the traditions while making allowances for your requests." Orin glared at the younger guard. "I mean! Not that your Majesty has caused us difficulties-"

"It's okay, Kheelan," Sookie laughed, "I know we've thrown y'all quite a few curve balls making the coronation and wedding on the same day. Not to mention my husband's affiliations... Or the fact we've already had children together... Or that I've technically been ruling for almost twenty years now human side."

"The challenges you believe you have brought are nothing by comparison to the devastation this world knew before you saved us, your Majesty," Orin told her gruffly.

"Thank you, Orin," Sookie sighed.

"You are most welcome, your Majesty," Orin answered.

"Will you two be attending the coronation?" Sookie asked.

"No, the Castle Guards will remain at their posts, and the Cervine Clan will take you to the ritual site, your Majesty," Orin replied.

"Ah, yes, of course. I knew that," Sookie shook her head at the lapse in memory.

"It is a big day, your Majesty," Gaïve reassured her sweetly. "Your concentration is fractured. Would you like some tea for the ride?" she suggested.

"No thank you. I'll probably just spill it all over myself," she grumbled.

"Yes, your Majesty."

God, this coronation thing needs to end so all my guards let up on the formalities, Sookie thought wryly as Orin gave her his hand and helped her into the carriage. As the vehicle bumped down the cobble path, Sookie heard a clopping sound echo alongside the wheels. Opening the small window, she smiled at the beautiful Cervine that loped alongside her with deer-like grace.

"Good morning, Janko," Sookie called to the creature. The transition between a Cervine's humanoid shape and deer-like structure was seamless. Elongated faces with big, yellow doe eyes. The smallest hint of antlers in beautiful wing tipped arches. Slim but femininely curved torsos until finally becoming two stilted legs of an ungulate all wrapped in soft, short fur of creams and toffees.

"Morning, Sookie!" Janko waved happily. "Is Leif in there with you!?" she asked excitedly.

Sookie groaned. Her eldest son's interest in the Cervine Clan caused a severe moment of cringing in the mother. She knew that a Cervine was extremely warm to the touch, which was greatly appealing to Leif. Unfortunately, Sookie also knew that the creatures were a clan comprised entirely of females with a harem mentality. The mother did not want to encourage Leif into polygamy, but Cervine were very tempting to her son. More than a few trips to Elfyria had been cut short due to Leif's extensive interests.

The most frustrating part was the interest the Cervine took in Leif! The creatures could mate with almost any species to produce more of their entirely female clan, and a powerful, virile man like Leif had an entire harem trying to woo him. Thankfully their reproductive intervals were even more sparing than that of Fairies, and Sookie had been saved from becoming a grandmother prematurely. "No, he's with his father."

Janko pouted openly, "Pan is pulling your flank."

Sookie shook her head at the female's immediate flux to professionalism. "He will be at the ceremony, but can you three please keep it in your pants until after I've made my oath?"

"Yes, M'am!" Janko grinned, and Sookie heard Pan call from the other side of the carriage where she could not see.

Please, please don't let me catch them all at it again!

3

"Stay," Eric growled, grasping Leif's shoulder in a vice-like grip.

"What do you mean?" the son asked nonchalantly, guileless eyes unnecessary as his father was standing blindfolded.

"I can smell them, and you are not going anywhere until after the wedding. Do you understand?" Eric snapped.

"Beck gets to stand with Mary... Rhye gets to stand with Godric," Leif grumbled, glaring at his paired off siblings, though neither had realized yet that they were half of a couple.

"They are not about to disappear and start an orgy in the woods right before their mother's coronation," Eric reminded.

"A threesome isn't an orgy," Leif mumbled in a pouting tone.

Ah, memories, Eric laughed internally while scowling outwardly. "Regardless, the coronation is short, then we all return to Empyrium. The wedding ceremony will be held, which your mother and I tried very hard to keep brief as well. After that you can go do whoever you want, but exercise some self-control for the next three hours."

Pouting, the eldest triplet looked to his identical brother and gave him a pleading look. Beck shook his head, "Dude, I can mask you from a distance, but not a Cervine. Dad'll smell her and drag you back before you could drop your pants. So, cool down and think of... Kappas or something."

Leif groaned and flung his head back in defeat. "I can't stand being this close to them!"

"It is because you are a strong warrior. Part of the Cervines' charm is to lure strong warriors to mate."

"What about Beck. They don't effect him."

"Beck's power is more magical than physical. He is an excellent fighter and tactician, but physical power is not his strong suit. Cervines do not care about the magic or mind of their mate. They care about raw, physical strength. It is something you need to remember, Leif. When you have a harem of Cervine, you do not have six or eight girlfriends you have six or eight creatures that want to fuck your brains out. If you sire children with any of them, you will not be a father, you will be a sperm donor and that is all. Is that what you really want?" Eric tilted his face toward his child and though he was blindfolded, Leif could still feel the piercing gaze of his father's eyes.

"It's what I want right now," Leif whispered. Sex was easier for him than relationships. Sarah Lyons had made him paranoid about relationships, and the Cervines only had two duties.

Their function was simple; they guarded the space between Elfyria and the Void of Time and Space. The only other duty they had to uphold was procreating for future generations of guardians. They had no allegiance other than to protect the Void. As long as Leif and his family did not make advancements toward their charge, they were peaceful.

"All right," Eric relented, placing his hand atop Leif's head and rustling his hair, "I can respect that, but for your mother's sake, do not sire any children with them." Swallowing hard, Leif could only nod, his father's hand on his head feeling the assurance. "Ah," Eric sighed after a brief inhalation, "your mother is here." Leif quickly stood at attention, seeing his siblings and the Royal Guard all go rigid beside him.

Eric broke away from the Guard and walked blind but assuredly toward the carriage. He did not bump a single attendee to the ceremony as he approached the carriage, opened the door and held out his hand to the mother of his children.

"You are radiant," Eric murmured as Sookie took his hand, accepting help from the small enclosure. Gaïve was behind her, smoothing out the train of her cloak.

"You're blindfolded, how can you even tell?" Sookie teased.

"Because it is you, and you are always radiant," Eric smirked as he lead her to the alter where Vilga, the clan leader of the Cervine, waited to appoint Sookie as the one true ruler of Elfyria.

"You're sweet," Sookie squeezed his hand.

"That brings back memories," he whispered.

"How?" Sookie asked as the alter grew nearer.

"Those first few evenings we spent together," Eric reminded. "I would take care of you, you called me sweet then. It was the first time I really remember being called "sweet". I cannot remember a time before that."

"It feels like a lifetime ago," Sookie admitted.

"Eighteen years," Eric nodded. "Can you believe that you are forty-three now?"

Sookie laughed, "No, I can't, and the mirror makes it even harder to believe! I still look twenty-five! Did you see all those moms and dads staring at the during the triplet's graduation?"

"I did, and if you really wish to give yourself something to think about; you will be sixty-eight the next time you see our children graduate high school," Eric pointed out.

"Oh, God, that's right! Estrus is only another seven years away!" Sookie groaned.

"I am certainly looking forward to it," Eric rasped suggestively.

Sookie could not withhold the giggle, "I guess I am too!"

At that last comment, they arrived at the alter. Sookie nodded to Vilga whose carmel fur was whitening near her mouth and eyes.

"Susannah Northman," Vilga began in a reedy thrum, holding out a scepter and sovereign's orb, "will you solemnly promise to rule over the land of Elfyria and its inhabitants with honor, integrity, and mercy?"

Smiling, Sookie looked at the orb with its hypnotic aqua mist. The enchanting glow sent warmth throughout her body that seemed electric as she accepted it in her hand. "This I wholeheartedly promise to do," she replied while receiving the scepter that was a long silver snake with a similar, but smaller, orb in its mouth.

"Will you protect the laws and traditions of this land?"

"I will," Sookie pronounced.

"Will you, in your best judgement, reign with compassion and stalwart resolve?"

"This I promise with all that I am," Sookie completed.

"Sedog, esh le neo. L'ahil oru neo rute Erul!" Vilga declared as her arms raised to the heavens.

An explosion of sounds erupted as Sookie turned, coronation items in hand, and bowed her head to those present for the ceremony and received her crown from the Cervine leader. Guards, upperclass townspeople, royal administrators, and her own guards and family clapped merrily.

Below the approving celebration taking place, a small whistle pricked at vampiric ears, and self-preserving reflexes snapped a dexterous hand into action. In a motion that had been practiced a million times in a thousand years, Eric's fingertips wrapped around the narrow shaft of an arrow that had set its point toward his beloved's heart. Above the thundering applause was his daughter's scream of, "MOMMY!" that split the sounds of festivities like a knife.

Sookie looked at the arrow in her husband's hand, seeing the projectile's direction and quickly scanned the crowd. When her eyes set on one of her own administrators, Godric was there, restraining him.

"Take him back to Empyrium," she murmured. "I am still getting married today and his treason can wait until tomorrow. I had hoped you would reconcile your disapproval with my family's integration, Kona, but it appears I was hopelessly optimistic," she tried not to glare at the elder Water fairy.

"You will be the final force that destroys Elfyria!" Kona bellowed, his white beard fluttering frantically as if to emphasize his disparagement toward his queen.

"I suppose you won't live long enough to know that now," Sookie frowned, sharing a glance with Godric.

"I will meet you at the nuptials," Godric announced. "Eric, return to Empyrium with your bride in the event Kona has made additional plans."

"Yes, Master," Eric nodded in his Maker's general direction.

"Might my husband remove his blindfold so that he can protect me better?" Sookie asked of Gaïve once they were in the carriage.

"Your Majesty, tradition states he cannot see you until the wedding ceremony," the handmaiden reminded in a gently chastising manner.

"I have seen more of this woman in the last eighteen years than you could imagine, Gaïve," Eric pointed out, though he lulled his head back against the cushion and autonomously placed an arm over Sookie's shoulders.

"Yes, well," Gaïve flushed brightly, "this is a rather unorthodox situation. Usually marriage occurs before the coronation, but the Queen could not declare marriage between a fae and vampire legal until she was coronated."

"Well, if you ladies can remain quiet for the journey, I am certain I will hear any threat that may come our way," Eric sighed, leaning his head against Sookie's temple. "Are you all right, Dear One?"

"Fine as ever," Sookie shrugged. "It's not like that arrow would have done much damage. My earth clan parts would have kept it from impaling me, and Kona probably only dipped it in lemon as a fail safe. We all know how much lemonade I drink in the human realm." Gaïve nodded but the expression behind her eyes was grave. "What's wrong, Gaïve?" Sookie asked gently of her handmaiden.

The sweet-tempered fairy shook her head, a trembling lip capturing between her teeth. "I just do not understand how Sir Kona could do such a thing!" she gasped around a sob.

Placing a gentle hand on the maiden's shoulder, Sookie crooned, "He is concerned about many things regarding my ascension to the throne. The most obvious problem being that my husband is a vampire. Also, there's the fact that I wasn't born in the land of the Fae. Kona believes that I will destroy this realm by allowing so many swift integrations."

"Is that your intent, my Queen? To integrate us?" Gaïve asked.

Pondering a moment, Sookie finally replied, "Simply put, the answer is 'yes'. However, this is not something I intend to push quickly. I promise you, Gaïve, I will not force Elfyria into anything she is not ready for. Right now, and for quite some time from now, my focus is on restoring Elfyria to a glory beyond what she was before. To do that, though, I have to understand this world's limitations and hesitations." Sookie played with the long blonde locks of her handmaiden for a moment, almost soothing it like she did with Astrid. "My family is a very big push as it is. Once my kingdom accepts my family, more progressions can be made. I'm not asking for acceptance, I'm not asking for anything but patience."

"I love your family, your Majesty," Gaïve whispered. "I had all of those concerns that Kona had, but I would... I would never..."

"I know, Gaïve," Sookie whispered.

"We are here," Eric announced as he felt the subtle deceleration of the carriage. "I will see you at the alter, Dear One," he flashed a smile her way and gently reached out until he found her face and managed to plant a blind kiss on her temple.

"I'll be the one, pointlessly, in white," she assured him.

Eric's response was to give her another diabolical grin before lunging out of the carriage and toward the back lawns of Empyrium.

"It's crazy that he can navigate so well blindfolded," Sookie sighed, shaking her head. "Ready to tie me into my wedding dress?" she teased her maid.

"Of course, your Majesty."

3

"You look beautiful, Sooks... Hey, everything okay" Jason asked as he wrapped Sookie's arm around his and began escorting his sister from her chamber.

"Yeah," she replied pensively.

"Not getting cold feet, right?" he cajoled.

"Oh, please," she gave him an exasperated smile.

Jason shrugged as they arrived in the main entrance of the castle and began their journey to the courtyard. "You're just real quiet is all."

"Just thinking," she told him.

"About?"

"How weird my life is," she laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Eighteen years, brother-o-mine. It's felt like a riptide and a slow crawl all at the same time. Basking in the sun one moment, crushed on the rocks the next."

"Yeah, but those first few months were the roughest, right?" Sookie snorted. "Okay, okay. Kidnapped children, Freak Peeks, a Cold War with de Castro, an attempted coup on your coronation day, oh... And Mary almost burning down your entire house."

Sookie snorted, remembering the little demon coming into her magic. Sookie and Eric had been in Elfyria at the time when Etra had come running into the throne room to announce that the Shreveport house was aflame. Of course, by the time they had arrived home, the fire had been put out and all of the children had been safe. The explanation had simply been Mary's explosive development of her demon powers. The full story had consisted of an innocent first kiss from Beck, raging hormones, and a little girl with far more power than the demon community had ever expected of a female from their lineage.

"A walk in the park, for sure," Sookie nudged her brother.

"What can I say? You stayed all cool and poised through the whole thing. How'd you get so good at making everything look so effortless?" Jason asked.

Thinking about that a moment, she finally admitted, "I had the best family in the world helping."

"Yeah, you got great kids and a great soon-to-be-legal husband."

"And you."

"Aw, thanks, Sis," Jason kissed the top of her head.

"And Sam, Irene, Matty, Laf, Mary, Etra, Cree, Fa-"

"Okay, okay! You coulda just stopped at me!" Jason glared playfully.

"Shh, we're almost at the aisle! Time to look all regal and sophisticated!" Sookie hushed him.

"So I shouldn't grab the shotgun and moonshine?"

"Cute. Real cute," Sookie wrinkled her nose at him.

Before Jason could reply, the castle orchestra began to play, and both fell into complete silence as the music crescendoed. The melody was one dear to her heart; a lullaby. The same lullaby Eric had sung to their children.

Even as she made her way down the aisle, she could see Eric's lips moving to the familiar song. Sookie had never heard it with instruments, only her husband's deep timbre as he crooned fussy babies back to sleep while their mother rested.

Her heart was swelling with every tiny movement of his lips around the whispered lyrics. Her children were swaying as though being rocked in the strong cradle of their father's arms. This was the first time a simple song had taken her back so many years with such a vividness that she could relive the moments over and over.

Blond heads swinging in pale arms. Baby coos harmonizing with a deep, rasping bass.

Sookie longed for those days again. Belly still swollen with postpartum expansion, Eric changing diapers while she lay about the house victoriously avoiding the dirty job, and his beautiful, hypnotic voice.

She knew reliving those moments would be possible in another seven years, but she looked forward to a real honeymoon first. Fa would be maintaining her kingdom while she and Eric slipped away for a month in the human realm to enjoy. Leif would be taking on the responsibilities of watching Fa's gates until they returned.

A honeymoon, she thought, recalling her Bonding Ceremony and how she had spent the following week. There would be no Estrus for this intimate celebration to ruin what should be consummated by love and not Fairy hormones run amok.

Finally, they were doing it right. They would get their ceremony and celebrations.

As she stepped up to the alter and the orchestra strung their final chords, Sookie grinned happily as her Bonded lifted her veil and smiled back down at her.

"Yes, radiant," he told her. "Just as you always are. My radiant Goddess."

"I thought I was your trouble maker?" she teased softly.

"Well," he played with a strand of her hair as the ceremony began in the background, "maybe you passed the torch to those three." His eyes strayed to their children.

"Oh, I guess they'll grow out of it sooner or later. Maybe you'll just have to help me make you some more trouble in a few years."

"I look forward to it."

Finé

A/N: Please remember to review for the final time. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. We all went through a lot in this long journey. Missed deadlines (hey, I only missed by a couple hours this time!), reduced updates (sorry, I couldn't write fast enough once I ran out of completed chapters!), and falling back on editing for myself.

I love you all, and appreciate the honor you've given me by subscribing to alerts and tagging this story as a favorite. I practically burst every time I see someone actually favorite and follow ME of all people. Thank you all so, so much.

Finally, I do have another story that I'm planning to begin posting next week. We will be starting a new adventure on October 12th. My newest baby's name is Never End, and she can't wait to meet all of you! Never End is another of my Alternate Universe stories, and just like Keep Me we still have vampires, telepathic Sookie, and all that supernatural fun. It's another story where Sookie's really the only one whose backstory/current story varies from most of the other characters. Of course, as always, I make up my own rules along the way. I'm thinking about posting it to SVMN category this time because I wonder if some readers only hang out in there and haven't found my stories yet. I doubt it, but you never know.

And I've rambled on long enough, but hopefully you all understand it's because saying goodbye to Trouble Maker is really sad for me. As David Tennant said, "I don't want to go."

-Andi