4A/N: Welcome to my new story. The New Age of His Reign is the sequel to The Hidden Nature and I hope you'll like it. Please let me know what you think about it. Thank you very much and happy reading.
Disclaimer: I don't own True Blood or any character you may recognize from the show or books. They belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. However, everything else is my own creation.
Prologue
2071
They stood on a snow-covered hill and heard the quiet lamentation of the expectant mother echoing through the peaceful night. It was a full moon night, and as far back as he could remember, the snow had never sparkled so beautifully as on this night. He looked at his companion and once again admired how similar she had become to him by now. She stood proudly with watchful eyes and a face full of joy. When he took her hand, she turned her face to him and smiled at him as she lifted their clasped hands and kissed the back of his hand.
"Do you want to go back?"
"The cold does not bother me, dear one, and I could watch you for hours."
"Ah, I don't think it will take hours... Listen." She looked again towards the brightly lit house and rested her head on his shoulder.
His companion was right, the child was born and instead of the lamentations of the mother the characteristic screaming of a newborn baby now sounded from the house, over the white fields up the hill to them.
"Is it a boy or a girl?"
"A boy, they have agreed naming him Sören."
Still leaning against his shoulder, she only nodded.
"Come, dear one, I feel that you are tired and you are getting cold."
When he hugged her, she laughed, the sound muffled against his coat. "Oh, min måne, how can I get cold when you're by my side? But alas; let's give the family their privacy."
She breathed a kiss on his lips and looked at him wistfully. "Would you fly with me again, my love?"
"Your love, hm? How could I ever refuse you something?"
When he embraced her even more tightly with his arms, she snuggled up to him and sighed, satisfied.
"The way back is long and my legs aren't as strong as when we first met."
He hugged her even closer and searched her eyes while flying back to their castle. "I wish you would allow me to give you my blood, min sol."
"Well, what is this old body supposed to do with your blood? Aren't you getting tired of my humble self?"
"Never!" he assured her without hesitation.
"Never?"
"Never!"
She stole a quick kiss from his lips. "That's why I love you so much, min måne... Your son banters me at every opportunity because of my snow-white hair, the brittle voice and wrinkled wrinkles," she laughed softly and the sound warmed his heart while he raised his eyebrows.
"It looks like I will have a serious talk with him then."
"Oh... oh," she exclaimed suddenly excited, reminding him of the young woman of so many years ago. "Would you put him over your knee?" She giggled mischievously. "That's something I want to see before I lay down to sleep forever."
"Min sol-" His throat tightened and he closed his eyes in despair. Only the soft touch of her gloved hand on his cheek let him open them again.
"Eighty-seven..." she said, her eyes sparkling with warmth and love. "You have protected and saved me from what has wiped out half of humanity. You created such a great thing and gave peace to all the bereaved, my love. It's not yet my time to go, but when I leave, it will be with a feeling of peace and love in my heart."
Her honest smile melted his fear for the inevitable impending loss. By now they had reached the castle and he sat her carefully down on the balcony of their shared bedroom. When he took her thick coat off of her in the warm room, she looked at him hesitantly.
"If I am no more, will you continue to keep an eye on them all?"
He simply dropped her coat to the floor and was immediately back by her side. Gently he stroked a strand of hair from her face and pulled her to the bed.
"Min sol, what we have now, we have built together. Alone I could not have done it. You always grounded me and finally brought our different races together. You are my Queen and I would never endanger your legacy by not completing my obligations. I will only follow you when I am sure that our family will be able to continue our work without any problems."
Sitting on the bed, he pulled her onto his lap and began wrapping her out of her big scarf, looking at her with a greedy expression in his eyes.
"Oh? Are you hungry tonight, my King?
Her playful tone elicited a seductive growl from his chest. Stroking lovingly over her forehead she leaned her head into his hand, tilting it alluringly to the side. With his nose, he drove slowly from her left ear down her cheek and buried his face in the crook of her neck. When she sighed softly, he kissed her skin.
"But my wrinkled wrinkles-"
"Silence, min sol. You do not have wrinkled wrinkles. For the impudence to tell you something like that, I will not just put him over my knee!"
When she laughed, he could not resist a grin. Then they just looked at each other for several minutes and he swam in the vastness of her soul which shimmered through her eyes.
"Didn't you say something about me being tired?" she teased him minutes later, biting her bottom lip as she had done all her life whenever they were alone in their bedroom.
"Let me remind you that it was you who said that I should spend the rest of the time with you rather than with governmental affairs." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "So, my Queen, let me play with you now and enjoy the time."
He simply reclined onto the sheets and pulled her along.
"Hmmm… I guess my beauty sleep will have to wait..." She nudged the tip of his nose and grinned mischievously.
"But please consider my age, my love," she begged him, laughing, when he tickled her. Grinning, he stopped and slowly rolled around with her so she could lie on the bed. He braced himself with his elbow and began caressing her cheek with his right hand.
"Do not worry, min sol... I would never hurt you. But even if you no longer feel that you are young, I want to show you that you are still the irresistible, beautiful and fiery companion for me which you have always been. And let's not forget about your fangs..." he purred.
Starting with her right wrist, he slowly began to spread kisses on her arm all the way up to her shoulder, never interrupting their eye contact. The love he saw in her eyes almost made him drown in it, and when he reached her lips and stole a long slow kiss, he felt her gently pulling him closer.
"My love, I had a wonderful life and I wish that you will live on after my funeral. Laugh and live… Would you do that for me? I am sure that you can find someone who will peak your interest again. There are so many wonderful beings out there that you can teach so much. And you know, I'm certain that my soul will be reborn and will find you once more. And maybe you will then feel the call that you have missed with me?"
"This is my biggest wish when I cannot keep you in this body with me, min sol..."
He kissed her forehead and tried to free himself from his negative feelings. Because the truth was that he was scared. Inside of him slowly spread a fear that he would not be able to endure the nights without her. For over half a century, she had always been at his side, and apart from his children, he had never loved anyone so much. Without her, the nights would be quieter and lonelier. He would live, yes. But he could not yet foresee what kind of life he would lead.
"Stay with me, min måne. I'm still here. Stay with me." She kissed him passionately, and together, they gave each other the feeling of security in their love until the sun let them sleep peacefully next to each other.