Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi Usual disclaimers apply. Forever Knight and the characters and situations contained therein belong to Mr Parriot and Sony/Tristar. This is my story and I claim copyright hereto. Archive rights given to Mel Moser for fkfanfic and Cousin Mary if she wants it. Anyone else is welcome but please ask first. Flames are not wanted but comments are welcome at blot30@hotmail.com This is the fifth story in a series and follows "I sing the body electric." The series is set after Ashes to Ashes and there are spoilers for that episode. It will make more sense if you read the others in the series first. This is certified as PG although I wouldn't recommend it for children as some of the themes aren't quite suitable. The title means "Fortune, conqueror of the world" and is taken from "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi 1/1 By Spike Shovelton Tracy glared at the crowd as she straightened the skirts of her ballgown. She was so pissed off with her father. He had insisted that she attend this stupid, unnecessarily boring ball. Accordingly she was missing her crime and punishment class. She had just managed to get her flat redecorated after the fire, so the smoke marks were gone and the place was almost habitable, and now she had to go out for a dull evening. She had been looking forward to this evening's class. It was an examination of the differences in punishment between religious and secular legal systems. Plus she had wanted a word with Lacroix about Nick. Instead she was stuck here avoiding her father's lecherous friends. She looked across the room where Nick and Nat were standing looking at each other. Nick didn't really want to be there either. Natalie had been given an invitation and she and Tracy had worked it so that Nick would be forced to ask her to accompany him. He stood there, looking very handsome in his black tie. "Hi Trace." She turned to see a friend come over. Tracy had known him longer than she could remember. They had been at school together and gone to the same piano teacher with varying degrees of success. Simon Walker was a musician, naturally gifted as a composer and as a performer. He was starting to make a name for himself. "Hi Simon." She smiled at him. "How is life treating you?" "Not bad, you look well." Simon smiled at her. "I take it that being a police officer suits you." Tracy looked at Nick and Nat, standing awkwardly. She had intended to go over and speak to them. "Simon would you do me a favour?" "Of course." He responded. His voice was light, the excellent diction showing his musical training. Simon had white blonde hair and blue eyes. His Nordic roots meant that he looked every inch the Viking. "You see the woman over there in the emerald?" Simon nodded. "She really wants the man to dance with her but won't ask. Could you ask her to dance and make him jealous?" "You know him?" Her friend asked. "He's my partner. Those two refuse to get together. They love each other but won't." She looked hopefully at her old friend. Simon sighed finally. "You realise that Andrew will kill me if he finds me flirting with a woman." Simon shuddered and Tracy smiled at him. Andrew was Simon's partner of the last seven years. "My reputation, Iago my reputation." He cut an exaggerated pose. "With acting ability like that, no wonder you became a musician." Tracy said. Finally her friend nodded and turned to walk over to Nat. Tracy watched Nick pacing up and down and finally turning away. "Don't you even think about it." She murmured and then sighed. Tracy walked over to where Nick was heading away. "Running away?" She asked and Nick looked at her. "Standing there looking daggers won't help." "Hello Tracy it's nice to see you." Nick said, although his tone was not encouraging. "Getting grumpy with me won't help either." Tracy said and looked at him. "Try going over and cutting in. I think Nat would thank you for it." "She's enjoying herself." Nick pointed out. "I should leave her to it." "The hell you should. She wants out. I know that look." Tracy said, not entirely truthfully. "You go and cut in politely." She smiled at him. "Besides you need to get your act together." Nick looked at his partner. She had become quieter since Vachon died, no longer putting up the cheerful façade he was used to. Now she seemed glowingly insistent. Nick wondered why he had never noticed that before. "Okay I'll try it." He conceded and was rewarded with her now rare sunburst smile. He walked over to where Natalie was dancing and Tracy watched as he cut in. Simon gave way and Tracy watched contentedly as her partner and his coroner danced. The music was a leisurely waltz, beautiful Strauss music bringing the richness and vibrant colours of Vienna into the room. Tracy watched as Nick danced, holding Natalie slightly too close and smiling into her eyes. They moved as one and it fitted them. She watched for a moment as they spun, Nick moving with all the skill and experience of years of training and Natalie was smiling as though she had just been given heaven on a plate, but her eyes remained wistful. "You really should not interfere." A voice purred in her ear. She turned to see a recognisable face. He always looked so good in a tuxedo. "Let them be. They deserve to be happy." Tracy asked and he looked at her with interest. "They will be when she has to join you, why make them wait?" "It is not your affair." Lacroix responded his voice calm. He looked Tracy over, taking in the vibrant burgundy dress. "You look quite delicious tonight." "Stop changing the subject." Tracy snapped. "I want to know why you won't let them be together. Don't they deserve it? Nat loves him for all his faults and Nick hasn't looked at another woman all evening. You should let them be together. They love each other and that is rare." She glared at him. "No you don't care what they do, don't care that they are wretched apart." Lacroix looked at her. She was beautiful when her passions were roused, her pulse raced intoxicatingly and her face was flushed with colour. He was sure she would taste equally good. He felt a strong desire to drag her into a corner and take her, strip the clothes from her body and make her scream with pleasure, before sinking his aching fangs into her beautifully shaped throat, bring her across and keep her with him, his for all eternity. At least until he worked out what it was about her that drew him. He realised that it would not be wise. She was watching him, waiting for a reaction. "I care very much for Nicholas." He said finally and looked at her. "Come." He took her arm and led her across the room. Tracy wondered if she had pushed him too far. His face was set and no trace of the charming companion of the song recital remained. Once they had moved into a quiet alcove he looked at her. "Charm runs in his family." He said, his voice soft. Tracy had to strain to hear it. "Nicholas had a sister once, equally charming and quite lovely." Tracy began to put the pieces together. She had asked Nick about his siblings and he had said that he had a sister but she was dead. "You loved her?" She remembered some of the more pointed radio shows. "Nick stopped you from getting together with her." "We made an agreement, that I would not go to her, if he would agree to give up to me any woman he truly loved." Lacroix said softly. "At the time he had no true love. He has known many women since then, but Natalie was the first one he had truly loved. If he moves for her, he knows I will claim the bargain." Tracy looked at him. That was very unfair but she could hardly say that. She considered the matter. "The paterfamilias speaks." She said harshly and he nodded. "Nick's sister, would she have wanted to see her brother alone and unhappy?" Tracy asked and looked at him, seeing fury cross his face. "Worth considering, isn't it?" "No." Lacroix responded. "Nicholas and I made an agreement." "You think he hasn't paid for it? How many times have you screwed his love life up?" Tracy asked angrily. "He deserves to be happy." "Why?" Lacroix asked calmly. "Why should he have that which I was denied?" "Nothing stops you from finding another love does it? You don't need to be unhappy, if you let yourself then you could enjoy life. You're rich, successful, don't crack mirrors." Tracy looked him over. Hell I could introduce you to a dozen women tonight who would jump on you, not to mention Cindy from class." "I'd prefer that you didn't mention her." Lacroix responded and smiled at her, but his eyes remained sombre. In truth he had wondered about the merits of letting Nicholas have his coroner. The boy did seem genuinely in love and Lacroix had a healthy respect for Natalie Lambert. Besides Tracy was right, Fleur wouldn't have wanted her brother to be miserable. He considered the issue and looked at Tracy Vetter. No he was not going to give in to this. It was bad enough that Nicholas sought mortality he would not give him happiness too. "No, and if you are wise you will not ask again." "You won't let them be happy?" Tracy asked and he shook his head. She sighed, she had to do something. She looked at Nick and Nat and then past them to the card tables at one side of the room. As at most society balls there were a variety of games available, poker, blackjack, baccarat and roulette. Proceeds went to the charity and nobody won that much. You got twenty dollars worth of chips with the ticket and after that you could buy more. "So you won't do it to help them, or because I asked you nicely." "No." Lacroix could see that she was thinking of something. "How about playing for it." Tracy said knowing that this was either going to work or get her killed. Still Nick was her partner and she owed him. Plus she was sick of him being in a bad mood. "We play a game, if I win you let Nick and Nat get together." "What's in it for me?" Lacroix asked. This could have potential. He was intrigued now. "What do you want?" Tracy asked and he studied her. "Your life?" He asked and she shook her head. "I don't like Nick that much." Tracy said dryly. She wanted to help not get killed. "I'm not suicidal, anything that involves my winding up dead is out of the question." "Your trust?" Lacroix suggested and she paused a moment. "No I have a better idea. If you lose you agree to my sharing my experiences of Roman life with you." Tracy looked at him uncertainly. "You would not die. I have excellent control. You would be reasonably sure to survive." "I see." Tracy looked at him. If she had to give him that then she would be required to trust him. She remembered their earlier conversation when he had wanted to share his experiences as vampires did and she had refused. She felt a shiver run through at the thought and wondered whether she was afraid or excited at the prospect of seeing through his eyes. This could be dangerous. "You would have to give me your word not to kill me." "You would have my word. I would only need a little to enable me to give you my experiences." Lacroix studied her and smiled. What he did not say was that sharing blood with her would create a link between them, bringing her one step closer to him. Tracy knew that if he won she would have to trust him with her life. That did not sit well with her. She looked again at Nick and Natalie. "Okay then, you have a deal." She extended her hand and he took it and smiled at her. "Which game do you like?" "I think blackjack. The one who has closest to twenty-one wins." Lacroix said and she nodded as they walked to a table. They were alone. "No whammying the croupier." Tracy murmured and he nodded. The croupier was a slender Indian woman who ran elegant fingers along the top of the shoe of cards. She controlled the bank. They had the table to themselves and she nodded as she dealt each of them a face down card. Tracy looked at hers and forced her face to remain blank. She had managed to force her expression away as she tried to consider her options. Lacroix was revealing nothing in his expression. Obviously his age gave him a good poker face. "One dollar." She wagered and handed over one of her chips. "Two dollars." Lacroix responded, knowing that it would annoy her that he wagered more. "Do you wish to double that?" The banker asked and Tracy shook her head, knowing that she was not going to rise to the "I can bet higher than you" game. Lacroix smiled and shook his head. The croupier dealt them another card. This time the cards were face up so it was clear what was happening. Tracy had a two and Lacroix had a ten. Tracy considered for a moment. "Carte." She said and the croupier dealt another face up. This was an eight. "No more." She said quickly. She had ten in the visible cards together with the unknown of her secret card. Lacroix studied his and smiled. "Carte." He said and the croupier handed him another one, this time a six. "C'est tout." That gave him sixteen plus the concealed card. The croupier turned over her own cards revealing two nines. "I stand." She said, in a soft, firm voice. "I have eighteen." The croupier said quickly. "Monsieur?" Lacroix turned his card over. He had a ten, a six and a three. "I stand on nineteen." Tracy smiled, feeling triumph push through the adrenaline. She turned over her own card. She had the two of spades and the eight of diamonds and with it the jack of diamonds. "Twenty." She said in triumph. Lacroix looked at her. "It would seem that you win." Lacroix said. His face was void of expression and Tracy could not decipher the look in his eyes. "I will inform Nicholas that he may please himself with Natalie Lambert." "Okay." Tracy said and looked at him as he walked away. Now that was an anticlimax. Then again, what had she expected? He looked even more alone than usual and she sighed in sorrow. It didn't feel like a victory, she felt as though she had lost. No, more as though she had pushed him into a corner. She hadn't expected him to concede so quickly. She watched as he talked to Nick, his face set in the familiar lines and Nick's body language showing surprise and suspicion. She watched as that was replaced with joy as Nick walked over to where Natalie was surrounded by people. Nick's joy was mirrored by that on Natalie's face. She felt rather than saw Lacroix appear beside her. "I do not know if they will be happy together." Lacroix said in a soft murmur. "I hope that they will." Tracy said and looked at him. "Maybe Nick will be easier to live with if he's happy." Lacroix sighed. It could be worse. He had been wondering what to do about Natalie. Ever since the enforcers had insisted that she join the community eventually, he had known that he would have to do something. Once she came across it would be difficult to separate her from Nicholas. He knew that his son really loved her and would be unwilling to allow Lacroix to intervene. He had been seeking a solution that would not make him appear to be weak. At least this way he could feel that he had not given in. He had been defeated by chance. That was not such an ill thing. Tracy had enabled him to resolve the Natalie situation easily. He looked at Tracy. If she had been prepared to wager such a high stake then she must be starting to trust him. He smiled softly at his companion. "Would you care to dance?" His voice was caressing. "Why not?" Tracy asked and took his hand, trying to work out whether she had won or lost. Natalie looked around, held in the cradle of Nick's arms. They had stopped dancing but could not seem to let go of each other. She could feel him breathing, soft, unnecessary exhalations against her hair. Lacroix had released Nick, told them that they were free to screw their lives up. She smiled and Nick looked down at her. Lacroix looked at his deceptively soft armful of mortal, golden hair shimmering in the lights, as they danced. He smiled as he relaxed the mental shield he kept over his presence, letting Nicholas know that he was still there. He watched as his son responded to the mental dig in the ribs and looked around. When his eyes settled on the vampire dancing with his partner Lacroix could feel the irritation and alarm. Well he had said that Nicholas and his mortal could be together, but he wasn't going to make it too simple. He did love keeping Nicholas on his toes. Tracy looked at him and saw Nick looking across the dancefloor with panic. She glared at the old vampire. "Whatever you're doing, stop it." She said and Lacroix smiled serenely. When the dance finished Lacroix bowed and she curtsied as best she could. Nick came over and she smiled at him. "Hi Nick. You remember Mr Lacroix?" She asked with her best innocent smile. "We arrested him over the head in the fridge." She smiled at him and Natalie looked at her uncertainly, trying to work out what Tracy was doing. "I had no idea he knew you so well." "Oh yes." Lacroix said and smiled. "He was just telling me the funniest story about you almost selling your sister to some Arabs by mistake." Tracy said as Nick squirmed. "You must tell me some more Lucien, I may call you Lucien?" Nick repressed a groan as Lacroix smiled. Natalie hid her laughter, well aware that Lacroix was jerking Nick's chain and Tracy was enjoying this. "But of course my dear. Then you must tell me more about Nicholas's experience at the charity football match." Lacroix said and Nick tried to work out what was going on. Had Lacroix freed him only to attack through Tracy? What did he plan to do next? How much did Tracy know? Natalie sighed. She was not going to have Nick brooding all night now she had actually got the green light from the old Roman. She wanted some more dancing and then some fun. The last thing she wanted was Nick fretting all evening about his partner. "Nick." She said, her tone plaintive. "I think I'm getting a headache." She visibly wilted and Tracy smiled, recognising the trick. Nick slid into solicitous mode and Natalie shot an amused grin at Tracy before Nick led her away, one arm around her waist. "Devious." Tracy commented and Lacroix raised one elegant eyebrow. "You realise he is going to be scared stiff that you might be using your evil powers to manipulate poor, innocent police officers?" "I hope so." Lacroix smiled. "I may have agreed to allow him to be with his lover, that does not mean I will become kind and sympathetic." "You are a twisted bastard." Tracy said, her voice mixing disbelief and appreciative respect. He nodded. "Sometimes I think that if I had any common sense I would have stopped going to those classes." "It is a little late for that now." Lacroix said and smiled. He fully intended to have her, he was too interested to change his mind at this stage. Besides, he was enjoying the campaign. He rarely had such an enjoyable battle, and to the victor would go the spoils. He might have lost this match but the game would continue and in the end Rome always conquered. The End 1) Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi means "Fortune, conqueror of the world." It is the title given by Carl Orff to the opening section of his most celebrated work "Carmina Burana." The section describes how luck, like the moon always changes and human fortune changes with it. The words come from medieval texts but Orff's music transforms the text. No infringement of his copyright is intended. 2) The blackjack description has been taken from Encarta. It isn't a game I know well so I don't promise to have described it accurately. If it's wrong then it's dramatic licence. 3) "My reputation Iago" comes from Othello by William Shakespeare.