Meeting Feb 3

Wednesday February 3, 2010
The meeting room was abuzz with the new news and all that implied for the new season and how eerily close it came to mirroring our conjectures and speculations of last week’s meeting. I was standing in corner chatting with GS and Mikeylikesit and Flux, a newbie to our little group and Scarlett Harlot and SweetandWild and Linzy and Lina and Bella were in a little group.

Renee came in, bringing in some little cloudberry tarts and some little chocolate trifle. Westexan was waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. Butter, pretty and full of honey bun, Vi and Minnie Mouse were chatting with Westexan and brooding over pictures and other assorted yumminess of the Teacup kind. Fairy and Burke and Nick33, also here for her first meeting were talking furiously. Aolani and Raki had just come in with Night Rose to round out our gathering.

Slowly but surely we began to seat ourselves in our usual places. We waited patiently for the counselors to make their usual appearance in the meeting room. I loved to watch new junkies when they joined us for their first meeting. The extinguishing of the lights except for our illuminating circle always made them gasp a little and look around.

Finally, it happened and as I expected there was much craning of neck and squirming around as the counselors took their accustomed places.

“My, we are a lively bunch this evening,” said the lady counselor.
“Yes, what has our friends in such a flurry of discussion?” asked the southern counselor.
“Have you seen the news? The Source is looking for a few people,” Linzy announced happily.
“How do you know of this?” asked the lead counselor. We knew the counselors had strictly forbidden us to have direct contact with the Source or the Connection. His voice was tense. Linzy must have heard it for she answered him quickly.
“It was in the news,” she said.
“Who is he looking for?” I asked.
“Colonel Flood, a man named Ulfric, Astrid, and a girl named Summer,” she said.
“Whom did you say?” said the lead counselor. His voice was excited. “The man Ulfric.”
“Yes, that is right, Eric’s father Ulfric and his mother, Astrid,” she repeated carefully, looking troubled. I could see the lead counselor; he was no longer leaned against the door. He was standing up straight, advancing a step or two towards her, but her back was turned to the lead counselor. “Did I say something wrong?” He relaxed his posture and stepped back to lean once again against the door.

“Not at all dearest,” he said.
“You know, I think we are hitting on things too close to home in our speculations. I think we are going to see something awful happen to Eric’s people,” I said.
“The Grudge,” said GS. “I think you are right.”
“It has to be,” said Renee.” What else could possibly have affected Eric so strongly to have a thousand year old grudge against someone?”
“I wonder what Sookie’s reaction will be?” said Burke. “Will she know about this part of the story from Eric? Will she be able to put things in perspective?”

“Well,” said Mikeylikesit. “She will see that vengeance is something that is a part of Vampire psyche, especially after someone they love has been done an injustice. It might put Bill’s killing of Uncle Bartlett in perspective. It may also help her understand her feelings of having killed someone. She did protect herself and get vengeance for her grandmother when she killed Rene.”

“True,” said Lina. “And she will see Eric in a whole new light. She will see that he is the way he is from centuries of experience and survival. You don’t live as long as Eric has unless you are strong, a survivalist, and smart.”
“She will also see he has a love that has spanned centuries along with a hate,” I said. “You don’t hold on to that sort of hate without the same strong feelings of love.”

“Who are the other two?” asked my counselor.
“Well,” said Linzy. “Colonel Flood is the Pack Master and Summer is a friend of Hoyt’s,” she said.
There was a hiss and a low murmured “Friend, right,” from the young counselor. The lady counselor clucked in disapproval.
“How complicated will this be with Hoyt and Jessica?” asked God Speed
“Pretty damned complicated..the same thing sort of happens with Jessica, though he may not know she is Vampire,” said Lina. “Right away.”

We all sort of laughed.

“I think we should leave this where it is for now,” said the lady counselor.
We gathered our things to go. I took one more backwards glance and I went out.
“Are you well?” asked the lady counselor.
“I am fine,” said the lead counselor.
“Don’t let this trouble you,” said the southern counselor.
“That remains to be seen,” he said.