"Your Majesty?...........Sire?......Mr Compton?"
Bill was not paying attention, his mind adrift in other places of his broad mind, a place where thoughts bled into one another and shut him out from all physical contact from anyone.
"Mr Compton?.........Mr Compton?" the same voice echoed again around Bill again as his mind seemed to register that someone was calling for him, but yet he did not respond.
"Mr Compton?" the voice echoed again, a much more irritated voice hit his ears this time which shook him out of this trance that he had locked himself inside. Turning in his chair to face the front of his desk, too see a young man who Bill could not re-collect his name fully, he must have been a new member of staff.
"Yes....." Bill sighed heavily.
"I apologize your Majesty, but we have a Mrs Jackson here too see you. Would you like me too send her in?" he asked hesitantly.
"Yes, send her in....And please bring in some refreshments, Strawberry and Chamomile tea, no sugar" he nodded as he straightened himself out and smoothed out the creases on the sleeves of his jacket and the unknown member of his staff retreated to escort in Mrs Jackson and to fetch the refreshments.
Soon the empty mansion was brought to life but the vibrant sound of Mrs Jackson's bubbling and infectious laughter that even brought a smile to Bill's face.
"Bill! Such a pleasure too see you again" Mrs Jackson smiled as she strode into Bill's office and dropped her bag onto an empty seat and eloped Bill into a warmth embrace. Mrs Jackson was a member of the Vampire Rights Activists that fought for equal rights for all Vampires and was a found believer in the consumption of True Blood, which Bill agreed upon since the True Blood factories that had been bombed were now back in progress of being re-built again. Bill had no worries there as he had his own personal supplier of various bloods.
"Mrs Jackson, it is always a delight to see you again" Bill smiled.
"And what have I told you about calling me 'Mrs Jackson'? I may be old, but I am not that old. Please call me Mel" she chuckled heartily as she let go off Bill and slipped into an empty seat opposite Bill as he walked around his desk and sat himself in his own chair as someone brought in a tray filled with various snacks and a pot of tea that Bill knew very well that Mel drank.
"You remembered Bill" she grinned as she poured herself a cup of strawberry and Chamomile tea into a small white cup and raised it to her parted lips.
"A very excellent memory sweetheart, i am aware that you wanted too speak with me" Bill asked.
Mel took another small sip from his cup of tea as he face flushed from the soothing liquid and placed the cup and saucer onto the tray on Bill's desk.
"Straight to the point as usual Mr Compton, it seems that you have still not changed" she smirked.
"One does not achieve their goal by beating around the bush Mel" he smirked back.
"Touche Mr Compton" she beamed.
"Is everything alright at the center?" he asked curiously.
"I am here about Sophie" she said quietly.
Sophie, Marie's only child.
"How is she doing?" he asked hesitantly.
"We have sat her down and explained to her about her mother, and as far as we can tell she accepts that her mother is dead, although that is not my concern. My concern is that she is becoming distant, she has had several violent outbursts towards a few members of my staff. And she has demanded too see you Mr Compton" she said as she raised her cup of tea to her lips once again.
"I see, and if there is anything that i can do...." his words were unfinished when Mel interrupted him.
"There is...We were able to track down Sophie's father, he died two years ago. And she has no other living family, and i have had many meetings with Social services who wish to take Sophie....Bill I must stress to you that i do not want Sophie to leave. She will be placed in a system that will not help her, it will only make her worse. And I need your help too do it"
Bill sank further into his chair as he processed all this new information, the moment that Marie had agreed to join his staff, they had both agreed upon that she would not receive any payments and that Bill would pay for her daughter's fee's as a school that was equipped to her needs; which Bill agreed too. But since the death of Marie, he continued to pay her daughter's fees and had received several updates from Mel about her progress that now seemed to halt altogether.
"And what do you think would be best?" he asked. Bill was not very experienced with children as he had not been there too see his own human children grow up as his human life has been stolen by Lorena on his journey home from the war.
"This is why I am here Bill. I would like to bring her here for a few days, or at least until i can sort out permanent for her. I think it would be good for her. I have not explained how her mother died, but i think it would be good for her to obtain some closure" she said in a 'mothering' tone.
Bill thought about this, could he have a child here and in this kind of situation. He was the King of Louisiana and there was things that he had to consider; for example what would Kiara say to this, as he did not know how she would take the addition to his household. He fought silently to himself, he owed Marie this. He came to his final decision.
"Will their be anything that i need to have in place?" he asked.
"I knew you would agree, so i have prepared" Mel smiled with a bashful grin as she dug into her bag and pulled out a piece of folded paper and handed it too him. Bill unfolded the paper and scanned over her writing, things that Sophie would need to feel comfortable, there was another spare bedroom that could be changed to suit a young girl; a list of foods, and things that she would need.
"Everything on here can be done, if you could bring her around tomorrow, an hour after dark would be best" he smiled.
"Of course Bill, will there be anyone to look after her during the day?" Mel quizzed.
"Yes, I have my staff that shall tend to her every need. And i am sure Kiara would be more than willing too look after her" he said offering a soft smile.
"Kiara?" she asked confused.
"Kiara Griffen, she is my..." he wasn't sure how to finish that sentence as he had never really labeled their relationship, in his time he would have been courting her, but as times had changed so did the labels.
"You really do still live in the past Bill, is she your girlfriend?" she chuckled, her infectious laughter echoing the room.
"Yes, girlfriend, back in my times it was courting" he laughed a little.
"We are in the future now Bill, get with the times" she laughed as she drained her cup of tea and slid the saucer back onto the tray.
"Yes, i have been told that quite a few times" he grinned.
Mel then started to pack up her bag, and stood from her chair as Bill did the same and walked around to the side of his desk.
"Then I look forward to tomorrow Mel" he smiled.
"Thank you Bill, trust me you will love her" Mel grinned as she leaned into peck Bill on the cheek as she waved to him as she exited his office.
Bill turned to see that the same member of staff that had shook him from his trance standing in his office, having entered from another door.
"What is your name?" Bill asked.
"M...Malcolm your Majesty" he stuttered.
Bill walked back over too his desk and picked up the piece of folded paper that Mel had given him and turned back towards Malcolm.
"Malcolm. I would like everything on this list done to specification. I have a guest arriving tomorrow and need everything done before dark tomorrow. And let all the staff know of these arrangements. I would like everything in place" he ordered.
"Yes your Majesty" Malcolm bowed, taking the serving tray that he had brought in and exited through the door he had entered from.
Bill moved to sit back at his desk and sank into his chair, his arms resting on sides of his chair, tomorrow there would be a guest in his home and one that he was not sure he was capable of handling. Who would have thought a child that scared the Queen of Louisiana, and most of all, how would Kiara feel having the only child of the woman whom she did not like in her home.
Bill knew this was going to turn out fine, he knew it would work out alright.
Well he hoped.
Bill was not paying attention, his mind adrift in other places of his broad mind, a place where thoughts bled into one another and shut him out from all physical contact from anyone.
"Mr Compton?.........Mr Compton?" the same voice echoed again around Bill again as his mind seemed to register that someone was calling for him, but yet he did not respond.
"Mr Compton?" the voice echoed again, a much more irritated voice hit his ears this time which shook him out of this trance that he had locked himself inside. Turning in his chair to face the front of his desk, too see a young man who Bill could not re-collect his name fully, he must have been a new member of staff.
"Yes....." Bill sighed heavily.
"I apologize your Majesty, but we have a Mrs Jackson here too see you. Would you like me too send her in?" he asked hesitantly.
"Yes, send her in....And please bring in some refreshments, Strawberry and Chamomile tea, no sugar" he nodded as he straightened himself out and smoothed out the creases on the sleeves of his jacket and the unknown member of his staff retreated to escort in Mrs Jackson and to fetch the refreshments.
Soon the empty mansion was brought to life but the vibrant sound of Mrs Jackson's bubbling and infectious laughter that even brought a smile to Bill's face.
"Bill! Such a pleasure too see you again" Mrs Jackson smiled as she strode into Bill's office and dropped her bag onto an empty seat and eloped Bill into a warmth embrace. Mrs Jackson was a member of the Vampire Rights Activists that fought for equal rights for all Vampires and was a found believer in the consumption of True Blood, which Bill agreed upon since the True Blood factories that had been bombed were now back in progress of being re-built again. Bill had no worries there as he had his own personal supplier of various bloods.
"Mrs Jackson, it is always a delight to see you again" Bill smiled.
"And what have I told you about calling me 'Mrs Jackson'? I may be old, but I am not that old. Please call me Mel" she chuckled heartily as she let go off Bill and slipped into an empty seat opposite Bill as he walked around his desk and sat himself in his own chair as someone brought in a tray filled with various snacks and a pot of tea that Bill knew very well that Mel drank.
"You remembered Bill" she grinned as she poured herself a cup of strawberry and Chamomile tea into a small white cup and raised it to her parted lips.
"A very excellent memory sweetheart, i am aware that you wanted too speak with me" Bill asked.
Mel took another small sip from his cup of tea as he face flushed from the soothing liquid and placed the cup and saucer onto the tray on Bill's desk.
"Straight to the point as usual Mr Compton, it seems that you have still not changed" she smirked.
"One does not achieve their goal by beating around the bush Mel" he smirked back.
"Touche Mr Compton" she beamed.
"Is everything alright at the center?" he asked curiously.
"I am here about Sophie" she said quietly.
Sophie, Marie's only child.
"How is she doing?" he asked hesitantly.
"We have sat her down and explained to her about her mother, and as far as we can tell she accepts that her mother is dead, although that is not my concern. My concern is that she is becoming distant, she has had several violent outbursts towards a few members of my staff. And she has demanded too see you Mr Compton" she said as she raised her cup of tea to her lips once again.
"I see, and if there is anything that i can do...." his words were unfinished when Mel interrupted him.
"There is...We were able to track down Sophie's father, he died two years ago. And she has no other living family, and i have had many meetings with Social services who wish to take Sophie....Bill I must stress to you that i do not want Sophie to leave. She will be placed in a system that will not help her, it will only make her worse. And I need your help too do it"
Bill sank further into his chair as he processed all this new information, the moment that Marie had agreed to join his staff, they had both agreed upon that she would not receive any payments and that Bill would pay for her daughter's fee's as a school that was equipped to her needs; which Bill agreed too. But since the death of Marie, he continued to pay her daughter's fees and had received several updates from Mel about her progress that now seemed to halt altogether.
"And what do you think would be best?" he asked. Bill was not very experienced with children as he had not been there too see his own human children grow up as his human life has been stolen by Lorena on his journey home from the war.
"This is why I am here Bill. I would like to bring her here for a few days, or at least until i can sort out permanent for her. I think it would be good for her. I have not explained how her mother died, but i think it would be good for her to obtain some closure" she said in a 'mothering' tone.
Bill thought about this, could he have a child here and in this kind of situation. He was the King of Louisiana and there was things that he had to consider; for example what would Kiara say to this, as he did not know how she would take the addition to his household. He fought silently to himself, he owed Marie this. He came to his final decision.
"Will their be anything that i need to have in place?" he asked.
"I knew you would agree, so i have prepared" Mel smiled with a bashful grin as she dug into her bag and pulled out a piece of folded paper and handed it too him. Bill unfolded the paper and scanned over her writing, things that Sophie would need to feel comfortable, there was another spare bedroom that could be changed to suit a young girl; a list of foods, and things that she would need.
"Everything on here can be done, if you could bring her around tomorrow, an hour after dark would be best" he smiled.
"Of course Bill, will there be anyone to look after her during the day?" Mel quizzed.
"Yes, I have my staff that shall tend to her every need. And i am sure Kiara would be more than willing too look after her" he said offering a soft smile.
"Kiara?" she asked confused.
"Kiara Griffen, she is my..." he wasn't sure how to finish that sentence as he had never really labeled their relationship, in his time he would have been courting her, but as times had changed so did the labels.
"You really do still live in the past Bill, is she your girlfriend?" she chuckled, her infectious laughter echoing the room.
"Yes, girlfriend, back in my times it was courting" he laughed a little.
"We are in the future now Bill, get with the times" she laughed as she drained her cup of tea and slid the saucer back onto the tray.
"Yes, i have been told that quite a few times" he grinned.
Mel then started to pack up her bag, and stood from her chair as Bill did the same and walked around to the side of his desk.
"Then I look forward to tomorrow Mel" he smiled.
"Thank you Bill, trust me you will love her" Mel grinned as she leaned into peck Bill on the cheek as she waved to him as she exited his office.
Bill turned to see that the same member of staff that had shook him from his trance standing in his office, having entered from another door.
"What is your name?" Bill asked.
"M...Malcolm your Majesty" he stuttered.
Bill walked back over too his desk and picked up the piece of folded paper that Mel had given him and turned back towards Malcolm.
"Malcolm. I would like everything on this list done to specification. I have a guest arriving tomorrow and need everything done before dark tomorrow. And let all the staff know of these arrangements. I would like everything in place" he ordered.
"Yes your Majesty" Malcolm bowed, taking the serving tray that he had brought in and exited through the door he had entered from.
Bill moved to sit back at his desk and sank into his chair, his arms resting on sides of his chair, tomorrow there would be a guest in his home and one that he was not sure he was capable of handling. Who would have thought a child that scared the Queen of Louisiana, and most of all, how would Kiara feel having the only child of the woman whom she did not like in her home.
Bill knew this was going to turn out fine, he knew it would work out alright.
Well he hoped.
