"Go clean yourself up. You're covered in Queen"
Her words rang in Bill's head head, but held little meaning as the enormity of the events that had just transpired settled on his shoulders as the blood on his face began to dry and itch.
Truth be told, he had not planned on surviving the evening. The backup at his door would have meant nothing if Sophie-Anne had somehow learned of what he had been planning and had been prepared for it, or if she'd been more aggressive and truly knew how to fight as opposed to the showy moves that gave the men time to move in.
But no, luck had held out and here he stood.
"King William Compton of Louisiana"
He said it aloud, trying out the unfamiliar words that did not yet sound right coming from his mouth. They would, in time.
Soon enough he realized he was still standing there like an idiot and Nan's advice rattled in his brain once more. This time he decided to take it.
Bill took a long shower, long enough to scrub off the remnants of the former Queen off his body. Long enough to start making a mental to do list: call a crew to clean up the mess that his predecessor had made, contractors to begin renovations I'd been yearning to do since he came back to Bon Temps and were now necessary to project the right image of himself. There were guards to hire, meetings to be had with his Sheriff's to shore up power, finding a way to announce himself to the other monarchs in the region. So much to do, and for all that he had centuries before him, he had so little time now to do things right if lest he end up like the monarch he had just deposed. A part of Bill wondered what Sookie might say, but he quickly pushed those thoughts away – pain of their breakup aside, He had to think of himself first. He was still too vulnerable to do otherwise.
Freshly clean and dressed, he just sat down at the kitchen table, pen in one hand, a phone in the other when he heard a knocking at his door.
He tensed as he wearily approached it. He wasn't fond of any of the choices for who might be at my door so late in the evening, even though, he noted, they were patient enough to wait at his door. He peeked through the peep hole and with a sigh, opened it.
"Eric" he said politely.
"I hear congratulations are in order, Your Majesty" he said casually as he invited himself in.
"Word travels fast" he noted dryly.
"Modern technology is a wonderful thing" Eric said as he peeked into the living room and wrinkled his nose at the mess in there. "You should take care of that."
"I was about to call someone when you arrived" I said keeping my tone polite.
Bill still wasn't quite sure why he was here. That he knew of the events that had transpired tonight weren't exactly a great surprise, he already knew that Eric was very well connected. Better connected than he was, and most likely better connected than Sophie-Anne. His appearance on his doorstep was a reminder to keep up his guard, not that he needed it.
"Good. You should have replaced that set years ago anyway"
Bill put on his politician smile on.
"Why are you here, Eric?" he asked as he asked myself. Bill thought he knew his motives – that he didn't really want to be King, lest he'd already have taken it for himself, but he could never be sure. If he truly wanted the throne, and he were human, he could easily be drawing his last breaths.
It was difficult to not tap my foot in impatience while I waited for him to respond.
"I came to offer my support to the new King" he said.
"Have you?" he asked skeptically.
"You can keep the crown" he said, "It's more trouble than it's worth. My current position however…"
"Is yours"
Bill had been thinking about it off and on as he waited for the right time to move ahead with his plan. Of all the Louisiana Sheriffs, he knew him best and he knew he would need his support to gain influence with the others. If he treated him with just enough respect to avoid being accused of treason, so be it. He didn't exactly treat Sophie Ann much better.
"Good, I'm glad we have an understanding" his own smile plastered on his face. "Do let me know if you need anything."
"Of course" he said. "And give Pamela my regards."
Eric laughed. "Oh, I will. She was positively thrilled to learn of your ascension to the throne."
"She should be," Bill said as he began to usher Eric towards the door. "She can now say she's the best dressed vampire in Kingdom."
Eric laughed again, this time it almost sounded genuine.
"I will be calling all the Sheriffs for a meeting in a few days. I look forward to your attendance."
"I will be there with bells on," he said, sarcasm starting to creep back into his voice.
"So long as you are there," Bill said flatly.
He bowed. "But of course."
"Good night, Eric."
Perhaps knowing that that he wasn't going to play along, or perhaps just bored of the entire conversation, Eric allowed himself to be hustled out of his house. It was with a sigh of relief that he shut the door behind him and heard his car drive off into the night.
Bill checked his watch: he had an hour before dawn. Not much time, but it would at least be enough to call the cleaning crew and leave some messages for the contractors: simple tasks that didn't require much concentration. Those he would begin to focus on tomorrow, his first full night as King.
King William Compton of Louisiana. It was starting to sound better already.
Her words rang in Bill's head head, but held little meaning as the enormity of the events that had just transpired settled on his shoulders as the blood on his face began to dry and itch.
Truth be told, he had not planned on surviving the evening. The backup at his door would have meant nothing if Sophie-Anne had somehow learned of what he had been planning and had been prepared for it, or if she'd been more aggressive and truly knew how to fight as opposed to the showy moves that gave the men time to move in.
But no, luck had held out and here he stood.
"King William Compton of Louisiana"
He said it aloud, trying out the unfamiliar words that did not yet sound right coming from his mouth. They would, in time.
Soon enough he realized he was still standing there like an idiot and Nan's advice rattled in his brain once more. This time he decided to take it.
Bill took a long shower, long enough to scrub off the remnants of the former Queen off his body. Long enough to start making a mental to do list: call a crew to clean up the mess that his predecessor had made, contractors to begin renovations I'd been yearning to do since he came back to Bon Temps and were now necessary to project the right image of himself. There were guards to hire, meetings to be had with his Sheriff's to shore up power, finding a way to announce himself to the other monarchs in the region. So much to do, and for all that he had centuries before him, he had so little time now to do things right if lest he end up like the monarch he had just deposed. A part of Bill wondered what Sookie might say, but he quickly pushed those thoughts away – pain of their breakup aside, He had to think of himself first. He was still too vulnerable to do otherwise.
Freshly clean and dressed, he just sat down at the kitchen table, pen in one hand, a phone in the other when he heard a knocking at his door.
He tensed as he wearily approached it. He wasn't fond of any of the choices for who might be at my door so late in the evening, even though, he noted, they were patient enough to wait at his door. He peeked through the peep hole and with a sigh, opened it.
"Eric" he said politely.
"I hear congratulations are in order, Your Majesty" he said casually as he invited himself in.
"Word travels fast" he noted dryly.
"Modern technology is a wonderful thing" Eric said as he peeked into the living room and wrinkled his nose at the mess in there. "You should take care of that."
"I was about to call someone when you arrived" I said keeping my tone polite.
Bill still wasn't quite sure why he was here. That he knew of the events that had transpired tonight weren't exactly a great surprise, he already knew that Eric was very well connected. Better connected than he was, and most likely better connected than Sophie-Anne. His appearance on his doorstep was a reminder to keep up his guard, not that he needed it.
"Good. You should have replaced that set years ago anyway"
Bill put on his politician smile on.
"Why are you here, Eric?" he asked as he asked myself. Bill thought he knew his motives – that he didn't really want to be King, lest he'd already have taken it for himself, but he could never be sure. If he truly wanted the throne, and he were human, he could easily be drawing his last breaths.
It was difficult to not tap my foot in impatience while I waited for him to respond.
"I came to offer my support to the new King" he said.
"Have you?" he asked skeptically.
"You can keep the crown" he said, "It's more trouble than it's worth. My current position however…"
"Is yours"
Bill had been thinking about it off and on as he waited for the right time to move ahead with his plan. Of all the Louisiana Sheriffs, he knew him best and he knew he would need his support to gain influence with the others. If he treated him with just enough respect to avoid being accused of treason, so be it. He didn't exactly treat Sophie Ann much better.
"Good, I'm glad we have an understanding" his own smile plastered on his face. "Do let me know if you need anything."
"Of course" he said. "And give Pamela my regards."
Eric laughed. "Oh, I will. She was positively thrilled to learn of your ascension to the throne."
"She should be," Bill said as he began to usher Eric towards the door. "She can now say she's the best dressed vampire in Kingdom."
Eric laughed again, this time it almost sounded genuine.
"I will be calling all the Sheriffs for a meeting in a few days. I look forward to your attendance."
"I will be there with bells on," he said, sarcasm starting to creep back into his voice.
"So long as you are there," Bill said flatly.
He bowed. "But of course."
"Good night, Eric."
Perhaps knowing that that he wasn't going to play along, or perhaps just bored of the entire conversation, Eric allowed himself to be hustled out of his house. It was with a sigh of relief that he shut the door behind him and heard his car drive off into the night.
Bill checked his watch: he had an hour before dawn. Not much time, but it would at least be enough to call the cleaning crew and leave some messages for the contractors: simple tasks that didn't require much concentration. Those he would begin to focus on tomorrow, his first full night as King.
King William Compton of Louisiana. It was starting to sound better already.
