Dean and the Swan Prince
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life!
Larger than life
Holding out for a hero, Bonnie Tyler
Once upon a time, there was a man named Dean. Dean was a good man, hard working – he was a soldier.
Now, Dean has a brother named Sam, who he loved more then anything. The two boys were inseparable, until one day Sam ran afoul of the Wicked Witch Rowena and she turned him into a swan and sent him to a magical lake a long way away.
Dean looked everywhere for Sam. He tried to force the witch to tell him where she had sent Sam and how to turn him back, but the witch just laughed and laughed and disappeared in a poof of smoke.
"Listen here you Celtic bitch, you tell me what you've done with my brother or I'll rip you a new pie hole." Dean growled.
Rowena smiled. "There, there, darlin' you'll foul your digestion. Not to worry about the wee birdy, he's safe and sound."
"Rowena, so help me..."
"Now, you seem to be a bit tied up to be giving the orders around here. So, here's the deal. You bring me my son's head on a platter and I will give you back your sweet Sammy."
Dean pulled against the snakes Rowena had conjured to hold him. A python threatened to wrap around his neck, a tongue flicked out and touched his nose. Apparently it liked the taste, because it flicked him again.
"Fine, I'll kill Crowley. And then, you."
She grinned. "Now there's ma' wee bonny. 'Tis a pleasure doing business with you, Winchester."
And she vanished in a foul smelling cloud of smoke taking the snakes with her.
But not to worry, our fair hero was not without friends. As it turns out Dean knew both an angel and a devil. Using his magical device, he summoned them.
Dean took out his cell phone and dialed Crowley. He wasn't expecting an answer but he got one.
"Squirrel! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Your mother..."
"Speak no more. She is a trial, isn't she? What's she done now?"
"She turned Sam into a swan and hid him in a lake somewhere in North America. She says I can have him back if I kill you."
"Well, she's single minded, I'll give the old bat that." Crowley said. "So, what can I do for you."
"Reign that bitch in." Dean roared.
"No, see, she doesn't really listen to me. However, give us half a tick."
Crowley disconnected and appeared before Dean. "I trust you aren't going to kill me just to spite her." He said. Dean looked away. "So, let me guess, she lured you here with some half baked monster sighting and then captured Sam. Did she torture him first?" Dean nodded, his jaw tight. "Then she turned him into a… swan you say? I'd have gone moose but I'm much more literally minded. And now your frustrated because you hands want so desperately to be around her thin, veiny neck, but she's no where to be found…."
"Never mind..." Dean hit Cass speed dial. The angel picked up quickly.
"Dean?"
"Where are you?" He asked.
"I'm in Lewiston, about three miles from you. This GPS app is amazing."
"I need you here."
"On the way."
"Oh good. A reunion. I love how Sam's pain brings you into such a family spirit."
"I could kill you and get Sam back. Win, Win."
"Except you've tried that before, haven't you, Squirrel. No, you need me. What's a hero without a villain? So, what's feathers doing in Lewiston?"
"Angel stuff, how should I know."
"I'd have thought he'd be baby sitting." Dean just glared at him.
Cass came in dressed in jeans, a band tee shirt and a hoodie, looking like a reject from a music video. He was looking at his phone. He turned it to Dean. "Look, you're right here!" He said, then looked up and saw Crowley. "What is that doing here?"
"Mother has been up to her tricks again and Squirrel here thinks I'm in control of her."
"What has Rowena done?" Cass asked.
"She turned Sam into a swan and sent him to some lake somewhere. She wants me to kill Crowley to get him back."
"And you want me to hold him for you?" Cass asked, hopefully.
Crowley gave Cass a dirty look. "You're turning me on." Cass flinched. Crowley smiled when he realized the angel finally got a reference. "Love the look, by the way, you undercover at a rave, or just your new charge is dressing you?"
"Bite me, Crowley." They both looked at Cass, waiting til he was finished, he fell silent so they assumed he was.
"Why are you dressed like you're auditioning for the Disney channel."
Cass leaned close to Dean. "I was under cover at a rave. Suri's new boyfriend was there..."
Dean nodded and looked at Crowley who was smiling smugly.
"OK, how do we find Sam and turn him back?" Dean asked.
"Wait, wasn't there a fairy tale about a brother who got turned int a swan?" Cass said. Metatron had done him one favor by giving him all the books in the world in his head.
"Yes, Seven swans, actually. And their sister had to make them shirts while being silent for seven years. That idea is pleasant, Dean silent for seven years? Though I doubt mother was that straight forward in her spell."
"So, what, this is a fairy tale?" Dean asked.
"I assume mother used a fairy tale spell on you and your brother."
"So, how do I break it."
"You could kill Crowley. I could help." Cass said.
"Or, you could play through." Crowley said, eyeing Cass. He blew him a kiss. Cass looked away in disgust.
"Play though?" Dean asked, trying to keep them on topic.
"It's a fairy tale, dolt. You just have to follow the adventure through, following the rules."
"Fairy tales have rules?" Dean asked.
"Yes." Cass interjected. "Being kind to strangers, staying on the path, just generally being a good person..."
"I'd give a whack at trying to kill me. You got no chance at the other." Crowley grinned.
"Where do I start?"
"At the beginning!" Crowley said and moved his hand and the doors of the warehouse opened revealing a bright, sunny day. He wasn't in Detroit anymore. Fields spread out before him, animals capered there and a road stretched out as far as the eye could see.
"What the..." Dean breathed.
"He used his magic to reveal the spell to you. This should make finding Sam much easier."
"But be careful. There's a Wicked witch out there." Crowley said.
"Thanks, OZ." Dean hurled at him.
"Any time, Ducky." And Crowley vanished.
"Killing him would have been easier and more fun." Cass argued.
"Yeah, but he might come in handy."
They started off on their trek.
As the heroes moved into the land of enchantment, a mystical spell overtook and them and changed them into their fairy tale guises. Dean, a soldier but not knight wore the green of a woodsman, and Castiel the guise of the fair folk…
"Dude," Dean giggled as he looked at Castiel. "You look insane."
Cass wore a blue silk tunic and breeches in deep scarlet, and from his back grew large dragonfly wings. He looked Dean over, nothing showing on his deadpan face.
"You look like Walt Disney's Sorcerer's Apprentice threw up."
Dean frowned suddenly and looked down. Tights. He was wearing green tights and a velvet doublet and an archer's hat perched on his head. He was also wearing a codpiece.
"You have got to be freaking kidding me!" He said. "I'm going to kill them both."
"At least you don't look like something out of a "B" horror movie."
"Let's just get this over with." Dean growled and they began off down the path.
Our heroes were kind and kindness is a virtue all fairy tales values. After a bit of a walk, our heroes came to a field full of cows. Most of the cows grazed peacefully, but one lingered near the fence next to a stool and pail. Cass and Dean walked past her and she spoke!
"Excuse me." Dean heard. He turned to Cass.
"What?" He asked the angel, this time managing not to chuckle when he saw him.
"What?" Cass asked.
"What did you say?" Dean asked.
"Nothing." Cass responded. His wings fluttered. Dean giggled. Cass shoved him.
"I said excuse me." This time they both heard her. They turned and the cow looked at them. "Ah, yes, gentlemen, would you happen to be heroes?"
Dean looked at Cass who nodded. "Yes, that would be us. Well, him. I am the faithful side kick." Cass offered.
"Oh, thank goodness!" She said. "It seems the farmer has forgotten to milk me and I am in great pain. Could you please?" She asked and fluttered her eyelashes at him.
"No freakin' way!" Dean said.
"It's the rules." Cass said. "You must help everyone who asks. Hero..."
"I don't know how to milk a cow, what you pull those things down there..."
"They are called 'teats'" Cass offered.
"That helps. Really." Dean sighed and the cow started to cry. "Fine. I'll… milk you." He said.
Dean climbed over the fence and grabbed the stool. He placed it beside the cow and grabbed the pail. Once everything was in position he reached up and then hesitated. "I just pull?" He asked.
"I believe there is a massaging action necessary."
"Dude, I'm not massaging cow teats."
"Then Sammy will remain a swan or we have to kill Crowley and hope against hope Rowena keeps her word."
Again, Dean sighed. He reached out again and gently touched the cows udders. She giggled. He pulled his hands back.
"Nope." He said.
"I'm sorry. It's just your hands are so soft. It tickled. Try again." The cow said.
"Fine." He reached out and took the udders firmly and began to milk the cow. At first nothing came out but then, suddenly milk squirted into the pail. "Son of a bitch, I did it!" he said and began milking in earnest.
"OH, that feels good..." The cow said and sighed.
"OK, that has to stop. Seriously, this is a quest not a happy ending encounter."
"Sorry, it's just been a while." The cow said.
"Yeah, that's what they all say." Dean muttered.
Soon he had a pail full of milk. The cow turned to him and licked him upside the head.
"Thank you, hero." She said and wandered off with her sisters.
"What do I do with the milk?" Dean asked. The cow said nothing in return.
"It might come in handy, you should take it." Cass said.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Dean asked.
"Me? Don't be ridiculous." Cass smirked.
"I'll rip off your wings, Fairy boy." Dean said as he lifted the pail and began walking down the road.
Meanwhile, poor Sam was lost in a world he couldn't begin to comprehend. The water was chilly and he had no idea what had happened to him. He glided back and forth across the lake, hoping his brother would come, praying for Cass to find him. Nothing worked. He was alone, and then…
Sam felt weird. He was aware of being in water and being surrounded by swans. Maybe he was in a swan boat somewhere. He knew he needed to keep swimming. Something told him to swim. He thought he might get tired, but he never did. If anything the water buoyed him up, like a mattress of ripples. It was comfortable and calming.
He heard a commotion from the bank. A swan was climbing out of the water and the others were calling to her.
"No! Stay in the water! Swim!" They yelled.
Sam watched as the swan climbed onto the bank and shook the water from her white feathers. She was lovely. She waddled several steps and the others froze in terror. From the bushes beside the lake came a wolf, large and black and menacing. He grabbed the swan by her white throat and shook her, turning it crimson.
Sam cried out, but instead of a human sound he mad a honking. He tried to speak again and only a honk came out. He looked into the water at his reflection. He was a swan.
"That bitch!" He said, which came out as furious honking. He tried to stretch out his arm... wing to maybe fly away. If he could swim maybe he could fly. His wing had a bright red patch on the snowy feathers. It was broken. He remembered…
"There my bonnie, you do scream well." Rowena said. She took the hammer and raised it back. Sam braced as it came down and he heard the breaking of the bone. He'd made the god awfulest grunting sound. "Now, this is the price of failure. I've asked you several times to do me a kindness and kill my son and yet you keep fouling the ball..." She stabbed him in the shoulder with the dagger she held, it had been dipped in salt water or something because it burned like hell.
"You're the one with the bad spells." He spat at her through gritted teeth.
"You are the brave one." She said and slapped him hard. "And you do scream well..." She stabbed him again, in his broken arm and he screamed, as hard as he tried not to...
He'd wondered at the time why she had been so focused on his right arm. Easier then cutting his feathers.
Dean had come in and she began the spell, he could only remember sounds, it was in a language he'd never heard before and the next thing he remembered was a flash of green and he was here in this lake.
Another swan swam over to him. It honked, but he understood it. "Bad wing, hun? Too bad. When it gets too cold or painful, the wolf will do you a solid." He said.
"Thanks, I think," Sam responded. "But I'm not really a Swan and my brother is looking for me."
"You could have fooled me, with the feathers and the beak and all." The swan said and turned and swam off.
Dean and Castiel continued on their way. The day was bright and cheerful and they passed many lovely fields and groves. Had he not been so anxious about dear Sammy, this might have been a nice little walk. But as it was. He felt no closer to destination.
Just then a cat appeared in the road, a cat wearing boots.
"These shoes have no arch support and I can't begin to tell you the things this tights are doing to my jewels." Dean groused. "I hate this place."
"Really, Dean? Because every high breeze makes this confounded wings fall out of alignment and it feels like a back wedgie. And believe me, it's breezy. And I don't want to discuss the wedgie these pants are..."
"Dude, is that a cat?" Dean asked.
"Yes, and it's… wearing boots?" Cass said, puzzled.
"Wait, I remember this. This guy is useful. Here kitty, kitty, kitty."
"You insult me, sir." The cat replied, "however, if you would, I might be interested in that pail of milk you have there."
"Oh, you talk. Of course you do. You wear boots. Sure. Have all you want." Dean put down the pail and the cat came over and turned it up, emptying it.
"Well, sir, to thank you for your fine gift, I would do you a service. Name it and if it is in my ability, you shall have it."
"Ask him to trick Crowley into turning himself into a mouse and then eat him..." Cass whispered to Dean.
"Oh, that's good." Dean said.
"I heard that." They turned and Crowley was standing there.
"So, what, not enough to put us in the clown suits? You here to gawk?" Dean asked.
"No, that's just a bonus. Castiel, your fashion sense is growing in leaps and bounds. Love the wings."
"How come your not affected?" Cass asked. He fluttered his wings again.
"My spell." Crowley said. "Thought I'd let you know Mother is planning on upping the stakes for you."
"How, a tutu?" Dean spat.
"Don't tempt her. No, seems there is a wolf on the banks of Sam's pond with a taste for swan..."
"Bitch!" Dean spat.
"Yes." Crowley concurred. He turned and looked as Cass was turning round and round trying to grab his wings and rearrange him. Crowley burst into laughter. Tears of mirth ran down his face. "Sorry." He snickered. "You look completely ridiculous!"
"Go home Crowley, try to find you mother and tie her to something so when I come back I don't have to look for her."
"By your leave, Prince Valiant." He snickered and disappeared.
Dean turned back to the cat. "OK, I got no patience left and you owe me a solid. Whatcha got?"
The cat reached into the top of the boots and dug around for a minute. He pulled out a squeaky toy and a bag of suspicious looking herbs and finally, a golden apple. He tossed the apple to Dean.
"What do I do with this?" Dean asked.
"You'll figure it out." The cat said and in a very catlike manner, ran away before Dean could protest.
"I hate this place." He said. He started to walk forward and then realize Cass was not following. He turned around and Cass was still trying to fix his wings. He walked back and grabbed him, turned him around and pushed the wings down. He took the belt off Cass tunic and re tied it with the wings under it. "Can we go now?" Cass nodded and looked down.
"Thanks." he said, looking back up with a shy smile.
Sam was not as helpless as the witch had hoped. He was a clever boy and very charming and he had a plan to escape the lake and maybe, just maybe find his brother, for Sam loved Dean as much as Dean loved him. Together, they had the greatest magic, love.
Sam swan around for a while but realized that eventually every Swan in this lake would have to get out on that bank, the only bank and would be eaten by the wolf. Already his feathers were getting waterlogged and uncomfortable.
"So, why don't you all just fly away?" He asked, floating up to a large group of Swans.
"We're waiting for our family to come and claim us." One of them said.
"That's kind of stupid." Sam replied. The Swans ruffled at him, but not one could argue the point.
"Well, now we're all waterlogged and need to shake out first." said a Swan.
"And in case you didn't notice, genius, there is a wolf eating swans on the only bank." another said, tersely.
"And I count, like, fifty swans here."
"And?"
Sam sighed and it came out as a long trumpet.
"Fifty vs one. We can kick is… tail."
"But what is someone gets hurt?" Another asked.
Sam looked at them like they were morons, which, to his defense they were. "Hurt is better then eaten."
They all looked at one another and nodded. "So, what do we do?"
And that is how Sam became the defacto leader of the swans.
And so as Sam plotted a coup over the evil Wolf, Dean and Castiel trudged onward. The ground became rougher and they moved to a higher elevation. The air became crisper and the wind picked up. Dean and Cass grew cold but with determination they moved forward. Soon they came upon the third and final challenge to saving Sam...
"As a fairy, don't you have some kind of magic?" Dean asked.
"I am not a fairy, Dean. I'm an angel."
"Hum. Well, I'm not a hero, but I milked the damned cow. And you look like a fairy."
"What would you like me to do, Dean? Magic carpet, magic beans?"
"A map, a coat. I got to tell you, these leggings leave something to be desired in the warmth department. I'm getting ballsickles here."
Cass thought for a moment and envisioned a warm cloak. He sighed and said "Alakazam." A cloak appeared in his hands.
"Alakazam?" Dean asked.
"It worked, didn't it? Wow, there is no pleasing you." He gave Dean the cloak.
"So does Castiel translate as frownie face of God?"
"It means my feet hurt, I'm chaffing in places you said not to talk about and we missed a perfect opportunity to kill Crowley. Do you still have feeling for him?"
"No, no, he's not like an ex or anything."
"He is exactly like an ex, Dean. Ex friend."
"Yeah, that was another Dean."
"There is a balance in the world. Crowley has a soft spot for you and you for him. I'm just trying to figure out if this is something that will come up and bite us in the rump."
"Rump… Rumplestilskin… No Cass, I don't know what it is. I just.. see that human part. Somewhere, and I mean deep down in the dead center of his black heart there is a tiny little decent thing. And you know the truth? Part of it is I kinda like him, occasionally, under very certain circumstances. But mostly, it's the old adage The devil you know."
Cass thought for a moment. "OK, Fair enough. Is that a… a tower?"
"Score!" Dean said.
"What?" Cass asked.
"Tower means princess, Princess means hot chick. I've been hoping for this part."
Sam had every Swan in the lake on his side. All of the wanted the same thing, freedom. It had never occurred to them to rally, but Sam had become the leader they had prayed for.
"Alright. 'B' squardron will do bombing runs. Did you eat a lot of grass like I told you?"
"And drank a lot of water, sir." There captain said.
"'A' group, your frontal assault. I'll be with that group.
"Sir, a point of order. You are too valuable to the mission. You should be with B group of Left flank." his Sargent said
"Point taken, Sargent. I'll go with left flank and call the battle form there. Toledo, you're in charge of 'A' group." He said, pointing with his good wing to one of the swans. "Did anyone talk to the ducks?"
"Yes sir, they are ready, willing and able. They await your order. We've also been receiving envoys from some of the other lake folk. An ambassador from the otters has brought fish and the skunks have offered to supply us with unlimited chemical weapons."
"Not sure that's in convention." Sam replied. "Only as a last resort, but tell the leader of the skunks we appreciate their support. This isn't really their fight."
"Yes, sir."
"So, it looks like everything is in order. Are all the children safe?" Sam asked.
"Amber group is tending them. They are the future of this lake, sir."
"Then we move at dusk. Make sure everyone is in place and on my mark and then we attack."
"God speed, sir." The Swan Sargent said.
"God Speed." Sam returned. They all swan away. "I'm in charge of a bunch of birds..." Sam sighed and began going over his careful plan again in his head.
There was indeed a Princess in that tower, but she was under a terrible curse. She was trapped in the tower by a herd of evil pigs. They would dance around the tower all day and night and kill anyone who attempted to get close. Day after day the princess stood on the balcony and sang a song to lure Princes and heroes to try and save her, but all had so far perished.
"I used to think maybe you loved me, now, baby, I'm sure
And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door
Now every time I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down
'Cause I just can't wait till you write me you're coming around
Now I'm walking on sunshine, whoa
I'm walking on sunshine, whoa
I'm walking on sunshine, whoa
And don't it feel good
Hey, all right now
And don't it feel good
Hey, yeah"
"Is that?" Dean said as he moved toward the Tower. "Hey!" he yelled and she singing stopped. "Are you singing 'Walking on Sunshine'? Seriously?" She was totally hot.
"My curse, my song. I got tired of the sad stuff." She looked down at him. "And you should totally be careful. There's pigs..."
"I'm not afraid of any little pigs..."
At the moment, five huge wild boar charged into the clearing between Dean and the princess.
"Little pig, little pig let me go in." He said, half joking.
"Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin." The pig returned.
"Great, you know what, let's cut to the chase. I want to rescue the girl, you want something in return. Can you just tell me?"
"Oh, yeah, sure. I want to eat your spleen on some toast."
"Would you take a kidney? I got two..." Dean countered. The boar pawed the ground and snorted smoke. "That's a no. Fine, let's do this..." Dean reached into his belt and pulled out his bowie. It had turned into a short sword. "Nice." He said and faced off against the boar.
"That won't go through my hide!" The pig taunted. Dean jumped at him and landed don his back, brought the sword down hard and it bounced off.
"Damn it… Fine." He raised the blade again. As he did, the pig began to run in a circle. Dean grew dizzy, but managed to bring down the blade and hit the mark. He jammed it into the Pig's ear and it fell dead. The other pigs stopped. Their eyes narrowed. "Ut oh..." Dean said as they all pawed the ground and glared at him. They began to circle. "Little help, Cass?"
Castiel pulled off the belt and flapped his wings. Soon he was airborne. He flew over the pigs and stabbed on with his angel blade, which remained an angel blade, thank goodness, and brought it down. It managed to break the skin on one of the pigs, but not wound it seriously.
At that moment, three more boar entered the clearing and others were heard in the bushes.
"Cass!" Cass was trying to master the new wings. They worked nothing at all like his angelic pair had and frankly, he was rusty with those. He managed to fly over and grab Dean and lift him out of the circle of pork, but they only flew fifty feet before Cass fall and they hit the ground. The golden apple fell out of Dean's jacket and rolled and rolled until it came to rest at the foot of the smallest Boar.
"It's the apple!" he yelled. "MINE!" He grabbed it in his mouth and began to trot away.
"Not so fast!" cried several other pigs and soon there was a free for all, the apple rolling here and there and beasts falling over one another and fighting to get it.
Dean and Cass sat there for a moment watching. "Hum," Dean finally said. "Let's go rescue us some Princess."
They stood and walked toward the Tower.
The battle of the lake was pitched and decisive, with the swans and their allies routing the big bad wolf.
Sammy, it turned out was a brilliant tactician. The wolf had been lured out with the otters fish and as he ate, 'B' squadron made it's maiden run, scoring several direct hits on the Wolf.
The grotesque bombardment got the Wolf's attention long enough for 'A' team and the flankers to move in and nip the Wolf in all his various parts. Soon he was over run with angry swans and was forced to retreat.
A cheer went up and Sam was lifted up and put on the bank. He shook the water out of his feather. Several female swans approached him.
""I'd clutch with you." One said and the others looked at him seductively.
"I'm flattered ladies, really, but… I have to go..." And with that he set off from the lake.
The end of their quest was in sight, Our hero and his faithful side kick go to the door of the tower and threw it wide!
Dean opened the door of the tower and stepped in. It was silent here, and that made him nervous. Cass moved in behind him and looked up stairs.
"Rowena!" he charged and Dean felt him pull his blade again.
"Don't you two look jest Darlin'." She grinned.
Dean didn't speak, he just took out his sword and charged up the stairs. Before he got halfway to her, though she had teleported to the other side of the tower.
"No, Dean, there will be none of your Hail Mary's cheats in this game. Times a wastin'. I don't know how much later little Sammy can hold off that wolf."
"Fine. I passed the tests, I get my brother..."
"No dear, there is one more and it's upstairs. Remember, you have to be a hero, not yourself." She blew him a kiss and vanished.
"I hate her so hard." He muttered.
"She does have a way with people." Cass agreed.
Dean began to climb the steps.
As Dean and Castiel brace \d to face the monster waiting at the top of the tower,Sam continued his quest, He soon met an ally, or was it just another villain in disguise?
Sam wandered down the road alone. After not too far he came upon a little girl and her dog. But the girl was kind and she tended his wounded wing and gave him some fresh corn and put him in a little pen. Unfortunately, this was the last thing Sam needed.
His wing felt better. She had done a good job bandaging it and he felt sure that corn probably had something in it for pain because he was groggy and seeing at least two of stuff.
And you can stay with e forever and ever!" She said as she locked the gate.
"Little girl!" he called, but all that came out was that infernal honk. A moment later she came out.
"Are you sick, Swan?" She asked. She shook his head and she looked at him. "Do that again." Again he swung his head side to side.
He thought for a moment and then scratched his name in the dirt. She came over and looked at it.
"It looks like words, but I can't read." She said.
"Damn." Sam honked.
"She's kind but not very bright." The dog finally said.
"You can talk?" Sam asked. "Why didn't you speak earlier?"
"I didn't have anything to say..."
"You… never mind. I need to get out of here… I'm looking for my brother."
"You got a broken wing, you should probably stay here til you heal. Not like you're flying south soon. Or do you have some little swan babe and a clutch of eggs somewhere/" The dog actually winked.
"NO, I.. I'm not a swan..."
"Of course not, you're a coconut." The dog said, "And I'm a rooster!"
"Look, I'm a person whose been enchanted by an evil witch. Rowena..."
"Rowena did this to you?" The dog said suddenly.
"Yes, you know her?"
"Why do you think I live here with a collar on and no balls?"
"Sorry."
"No worries, I'll help you get out, in in return for it, you give that woman a bite for me."
"Done." Sam said. And at that moment, the dog barked really loudly and jumped on the little girl and licked her and she laughed.
"OK, Angus.." She said. The gate to the pen was open and Sam took his chance and bolted. The little girl followed him, but the dog tripped her.
"Sorry about your name, too!" Sam called over his shoulder and ran as fast as his little legs would take him over the hill.
Dean and Castiel made their silent way up the stairs of the tower. Up and up it wound and they, blades at the ready prepared for anything.
Dean crept up the stairs and saw her. She was beautiful, long golden hair and a perfect face, a body that could stop a clock. She was dozing on a bed in the middle of the room.
"Please God, let me have to wake her up with at least a kiss..." Dean whispered and Cass sighed.
Dean walked over to her and leaned over her. He pursed his lips. Her eyes fluttered open.
"What the hell?" She yelled.
"I was, you know. Kiss and stuff. Fairy tale." He offered.
"I ain't that kind of princess," She said.
"So how do I get you out of here so I can save my brother?"
"You have to kill the dragon."
"D.. dragon? Did you say?"
"Dragon. Yeah. It's in that room over there."
"Freakin' fantastic." Dean shook his head and stomped to the door.
"Dean, you can't just go in there, you need a plan, a weapon." Cass said.
"Cass, you're a fairy, Sam's a swan and I'm a pontz. I've milked a talking cow and haggled with a cat in freakin' thigh boots. Oh and I was almost eaten by wild pigs. A dragon is the one thing I'm absolutely sure I have a handle on. These at least I've been beaten up by before."
He turned without hesitation and entered the Dragon's door.
Sam moved true to the path. As the sun set he felt more confident in the quest for his brother. The love they shared was like a beacon and he could tell he was getting closer. One more hill to climb, one more obstacle to overcome.
"Moose." He heard and turned to see Crowley sitting there. "You look good enough to eat." A smug grin covered Crowley's face.
Sam opened his mouth, but only the trumpet of a Swan exited.
"I see you still have the gift of gab. Ordinarily I'd not hesitate to shove a skewer up your nethers and spit you, but you have something I want more. Now, you've been trying to kill me for a while, and frankly, I'm beginning to think you don't like me. It hurts me, Moose. Really. However, you want my mother dead and frankly, she's beyond amusing to me now. You'll get one shot. Moose." Crowley held out a Hexbag. "This will render her powerless for a brief amount of time. You know what to do, I assume?"
Sam nodded. Crowley held out the bag and Sam took it.
"I know how you think, Moose and right now you're asking yourself. "Why should you trust me?" Answer, you shouldn't. But, I promise it will do what I said and only what I said. Because I want that bitch dead as much as you do right now."
Sam glared and wandered off to find Dean.
The dragon sat in it's lair. It was surrounded by all it's treasures and memories, for it was a very old dragon.
Dean had his hand on the blade and found the creature dozing. How easy it would be, slit it's throat and the deed was done. But…
Dean was confused. This was a study, well appointed. If it was any kind of cave, it was a man cave. The walls were lined with pictures of sailing ships and various weapons. On the shelves among the books and knick knacks were boxes filled with what appeared to be gold and precious gems.
There was a man asleep in a chair with his back to the door. Only fools and those unafraid sleep that way. Dean crept up to him but when he looked at the face, he stayed his hand. This wasn't an evil face. It was kind and wore a smile, a natural one with lines to match. If he was to kill him, this was a man who at least deserved to see it coming.
"Wake up." Dean said. And the man stirred.
"Another hero, I see. You had me dead to rights, young man."
"You're a dragon?"
"Yes, my kind are shape shifters of a kind. Some of us, the really old have a human form. But let me ask you, Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?
"Seemed cowardly. Wrong."
"But isn't there something you want enough to kill a stranger for?"
"A witch turned my brother into a swan."
"Not your typical first world problem, then. Alright then, I'll let you kill me if it will save your brother." The dragon leaned back and exposed his tender throat. Looking closely Dean could now see the scales and the faint gold of the skin.
He lifted the sword and held it over his head. "I'll make it as quick and painless as possible." He said.
"I know you will, you're a good man, I can tell." The dragon waited and yet the dagger didn't fall. He opened his eyes. They were purple like amethyst and had cat like slits for pupils.
"No, this is wrong." Dean said. "Feels… off." He didn't know what, but there was something about this creature. There was nothing evil here. He turned on impulse and entered the other room. The princess was there, waiting, looking quite gleeful.
"Did you do it?" She asked, her face full of joyful anticipation. That was evil. That need for blood. He knew, he'd felt it himself more then once. He walked over to the princess and drove the sword through her as hard as he could. She gasped and turned into a dragon and fell to the floor.
"Good show," he heard behind him. He turned to the Dragon who was smiling sadly. "You killed the dragon and set her free. She was good once, but time sometimes corrupts even the best of us. How did you know?" He asked.
"Good doesn't like to kill." The dragon nodded.
"Your brother is out that door. Good luck killing the witch." The dragon said. And he returned to his study and closed the door.
Cass cleared his throat. "We should go." He said.
"Yeah", Dean said and wiped his sword on the bedclothes as he left.
Sam was tired for the road had been long. Something told him to swim again, for it was full night and the woods were full of hungry sounds.
He saw a pond, lovely and idyllic and his very bones pined for the cool water. His feet were becoming blistered and his legs felt like rubber. He dropped the hex bag in some reeds.
He went to the pond and slipped in and glided on it's surface. On the edge of the pond, he saw movement.
A willow swayed at the bank of the pond and Sam thought he saw it move. He watched and an yes, it shifted.
"Come out." he honked, and again frustration rose in his chest from an inability to communicate.
But she seemed to understand him and slipped out of the tree. A nymph. She was very pretty, frail and tall and well willowy with odd greenish hair and huge brown eyes. She slipped shyly to the edge of the pond and sat, wrapping her arms around her knees.
"You understand me?" He asked and she nodded. "I'm Sam and I'm looking for my brother."
"Daphne," She whispered and her voice sounded like the breeze through the trees.
"Hi Daphne. Have you seen a guy, gruff, probably has an angel with him?"
She shook her head and curled further into herself. He waddled up onto the bank beside her.
"Would you stay here with me? I'm so lonely." She said finally. There was something in her voice that broke his heart.
"I wish I could, but I can't. Why are you lonely? I thought you were supposed to have sisters."
"I'm cursed. I feel in love with a young man and my father didn't approve and so he cursed us to live at opposite ends of this pond, forever seeing one another but never being close enough to touch."
"Wow, and I though my dad was a hard ass." Sam said. "How can you break the curse?"
"Only the touch of love. In this world, love is the most powerful thing. That's why father turned Argus into a rock. It's cold and empty of love."
"I wish I could help you. But I can stay for the night and keep you company." He said.
"I'd like that." She smiled.
It was a lovely glen with crepe myrtles and willows and a deep pond. Dean and Castiel entered and stopped, overwhelmed by it's beauty. Then there in the pond, Dean saw a Swan swimming.
"Sammy! Sam!" He ran to the pond with Cass in close pursuit. They were brought up short at the edge of the pond though. Rowena appeared behind Daphne and Sam and brought out a wicked looking blade.
"I am sick to death of you Winchesters. All of you are nothing by trouble." She spat.
"Yeah well you sure aren't on my Christmas card list, bitch." Dean retorted.
Sammy made a move for the hex bag, which was across the pond in the reeds near poor stone Argus.
"Not another inch or I'll kill the tree girl." Sam stopped. "You do gooders make me sick. You don't even know this little tart, Samuel, and frankly, what's one more dead tree? Well, I shan't look this gift horse in the mouth. Dean, you will kill my son. I know he's here. Call him. And this time, I'm going to watch."
Dean sighed and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Crowley. By the second ring, Crowley had appeared beside Dean.
"Mother, long time no see. Though not long enough. Are we playing this game again?"
"You've hurt me, Fergus." She said in her mock cry.
Dean opened his mouth "Fer?"
"Don't," Crowley warned and turned back to Rowena. "I haven't begun to hurt you, mother."
"How dare you!" She spat and cut a little line of blood on the throat of the nymph.
"NO!" Sammy honked. He turned to Dean and motioned with his head to the Hex bag. Dean looked at him for a moment and then got it. He looked down and he saw it. Crowley and Cass, did, too. They exchanged a glance.
Cass imagined an explosion behind Rowena. "Alakazam." He whispered and just then, there was an explosion in the exact place he's imagined. "Hum."
Rowena was undamaged, of course, not so easy to kill her, but she did turn to see what was there and Dean leaped and grabbed the hex bag. When she turned back, she was in-canting a spell and directing it at Cass, who imagined a shield around himself. "Alakazam!" He yelled and a white light surrounded him and the others.
Dean threw the hexbag as hard as he could at Rowena and hit her in the chest. Instinctively, she grabbed it and her spell fizzled and she fell to the ground. Crowley blinked over next to her and grabbed her arm. She started to cast something at him, but found her powers didn't work.
"Come along, mother." He said and they both vanished.
"Damn it!" Dean roared.
"Next time we just kill them both while we have the chance." Cass said.
"Yup." Dean agreed.
And so our heroes lamented. Sam was still a bird and Dean no closer to changing him back. It was the nymph, Daphne who reminded them of their strength.
"Sam." Daphne called. "Remember the magic?"
He turned to her. "Love is love. Brother, sister, lover, parent. Love is power."
He turned and looked at Dean and remembered all the good times. Childhood nights when he was scared and Dean was there, watching the stars, fighting side by side. He felt the magic rise up in front of him and glided toward Dean who was kneeling at the edge of the pond. He moved up to his brothers outstretched hand and nuzzled it and suddenly!
He was Sam again! A splash and he was covered in mud and cold water and laughing and happy. He turned to Daphne who was smiling sadly and while he still felt the magic coursing in him, he reached over and touched Argus, who came to life and rose from the rock.
"You're going to catch your death!" Argus said and reached down and grabbed Sam, pulled him out of the water. Sam laughed and leaned over and hugged his brother with his good arm.
"Digging the velvet." Sam whispered in Dean's ear.
"You got a feather in your hair." Sam pulled the feather out of his hair and pocketed it.
Behind them Argus, who was a huge bear of a man, hairy and stocky and tiny Daphne were hugging and kissing.
"I think this is a good time for us to ride of into the sunset." Cass said. Sam looked at him.
"Are you a fairy?" He asked. Cass sigh.
"Yes." He replied, annoyed.
As Dean and Sam smiled at one another, the spell faded and left the three standing in an alley in Detroit. There was a puddle where the pond had been and Daphne's voice whispered thank you on a fading breeze.
Behind then Crowley appeared. They all turned on him with weapons out.
"Whoa! Truce. Mother is safely ensconced in hell where she belongs. You're welcome. Oh, and boys, keep the suits, it's a good look for you." And with that he vanished again. Cass reached up to his shoulders and pulled off the elastic keeping the fake wings on him.
"Ironically, you still look like a fairy." Dean said.
"You laugh, we have to walk through Detroit looking like this to get to the car." Cass offered. He pulled out his angel blade and walked toward the street.
Dean covered his cod piece and followed.
"Alakazam?" Sam said suddenly.
"It worked. Shut up," Cass yelled back to him.
As so they all lived happily ever after. Well, not really. I mean, these boys wouldn't know what to do with happily ever after now, would they? Rowena smiled and closed the storybook.
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
She tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
But baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley