The Far Reach (Southern Vampire Mystery)

Chapter 29 - Running the Gut

Nautical Note: A gut is a narrow passage through which water runs, usually between a harbor and the sea. There will be some geographic formation that will accelerate the flow of water, so that when the tides turn, the gut will transform into a sluice of types, the water kicking and foaming. If you hit the tide right, you can run the gut and make it to the other side without having to rely on wind. You trade the problems of tacking in a narrow place for the danger of hitting whatever may lie submerged below, but you may decide the reward outweighs the risk.

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Sookie loved the way her skirt swirled almost straight away from her legs and then, as she reached the end of the twirl, the cloth continued until it wrapped around her. She shimmied to the music and Eric pulled her back into his embrace and they were moving around the floor again. Dancing was the second best thing they did together and they were really good. People were stopping to watch them. When they did an improvised jitterbug, Sandy clapped and Stan cheered. When the music stopped, Eric had timed it just right and he dipped her over his arm and her hair hung down. His face was just over hers and for a minute, there was no one there but the two of them. Sookie pulled her hand free just to touch his face and he smiled that way that went all the way up to his eyes, that smile that was just for her. "Love you," she mouthed and his grin rose on one side. Then he was straightening, bringing her with him, and all the noise returned.

It had been a nice ceremony if you didn't mind the groom looking a little too happy and all the blood drinking. Eric had officiated and Sookie wondered who they would get to do the deed when it was their turn. Somewhere the folks at the hotel had found a long black cloak with a hood that hung down over her Viking's face. Sookie knew Eric hadn't packed something like this, so it either came with the bridal party or the hotel had found one. Quinn wasn't around this time to play Master of Ceremonies, but it hadn't looked like they really needed him.

The dais that held all the thrones the day before now held only two. Sandy stood in front of one of the thrones, wearing an ornate robe that was mostly green with silver and white embroidery. Rafe stood in front of the other. His robes were purple and grey with silver thread. Sookie thought he looked like something out of Harry Potter and it was hard not to giggle. Between the thrones stood a long table draped in a red cloth woven with gold symbols which shone in the light. Behind the table and set a little further back were two flaming braziers and a large golden ankh hanging on a black curtain suspended from the ceiling. Sookie was pretty sure the hotel wouldn't be too happy to know they were using open flames, but then, who was going to complain in a room full of vampires?

A loud gong sound that came through the P.A. system was Eric's signal to step out from behind a curtain to the left and mount the platform. When he reached the table, he flipped back his hood. The lighting was well placed and a single spotlight shone down on Eric's wheat-colored hair that transformed his face into a study of shadow and light. "We are here to witness the joining of two kingdoms," he intoned. "Sandra and Raffaelo have agreed, both verbally and by written covenant, to ally their states for a hundred years. For a hundred years, they may not marry any other. They may not form an alliance with any other, unless that alliance is mutually agreed upon and witnessed. Each must pay the other a conjugal visit at least once a year. The welfare of Sandra's kingdom shall come second only to his own in Raffaelo's sight, and the welfare of Raffaelo's kingdom must come second only to her own in Sandra's sight." Eric's eyes reached out into the crowd and Sookie felt them land on her.

The telepath knew Eric was thinking, as she was, that soon these words would be said for them. She wondered for a wild moment what kingdom she could pledge, and then she drew a deep breath. She wasn't a Queen and wasn't likely to be a Queen, at least not according to vampire custom, so it wouldn't be the same words, but it would be pretty close. Then Eric started the vows and Sookie was distracted by an another overwhelming desire to giggle.