Standing At The Beginning With You
Summary: The story of the lost prince Castiel and his quest to find his true identity. When the shadow of revolution falls across Russia, Castiel, the royal family's eldest son, barely escapes with his life but has lost all memory of who he was. Years later, he meets the handsome and charming young con-man Dean and his brother Sam, who want to present "Jimmy" to the Dowager Empress as her long lost grandson. Setting out for Paris, they find themselves waging a battle against the evil sorcerer, Lucifer and his sidekick Azazel the hellhound. Castiel is determined to find where he belongs but may discover that it is closer than he thinks.
Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural nor any of its characters. I also do not own Anastasia nor any of its characters. The sole copyright to each is the CW and 20th Century Fox respectively.
Author's Note: Hi all, this is my first fan fiction so be gentle, I have some spare time on my hands and i've wanted to do this forever so I am. I'm starting off easy with an idea that's been swirling around my head and it's not some huge literary piece, it's just a destiel fan fic based on the animated movie Anastasia! I hope to update every other day but I apologise in advance if I miss one. Anways I hope you enjoy, please please please give me some feedback. Adios my little sprinkles.
Chapter One: A Night To Remember
The Grand Duke Castiel had been waiting for this day his whole short life. At eight years old he was finally allowed to attend his first state ball. Father and Mother knew he was dying to go, Castiel was no shy child and he relished the idea of spending the night dancing and talking and wearing nice clothes.
Castiel's face lit up when his mother gave him the good news, "Really Mama? I can really go?," he squealed, throwing his small arms around her neck. The Czarina of Imperial Russia smiled at her son and gently hugged him back, "Yes sweetie, but you best not cause any trouble, do you hear me?" she said with a knowing smile as Castiel ducked his head and blushed slightly, murmuring his promise to be on his best behaviour. Czarina Naomi carded her fingers through his hair. While Castiel was well known for his practical jokes and hyperactive nature, she knew he would not jeopardize tonight by misbehaving.
As Naomi was walking out of her sons room, she paused and turned to him, "Oh Castiel, someone special will be there tonight, someone I know you will want to see," she said. Castiel's little face scrunched up in confusion at her words and she could see him trying to work it out.
"Who is it mama?" he asked.
"Grandmother Anna", she replied, delighting in the look of pure joy on her sons face.
"Baboushka!" Castiel whooped as Naomi left the room. Castiel was so close to his grandmother that it was a shame she wasn't around very much.
*Later that night*
Castiel laughed loudly as his father Michael, The Czar, swung him around in the air in the middle of the dance floor. Around him, dozens of couples glided past in the magnificent ballroom under the glittering chandelier. Castiel was awestruck at the beauty and elegance of the couples. Women in sparkling gowns and men in sharp suits. Outside snow was falling, little fluffs of white standing out against the stark black night. Michael was decked out in his military finest and his blue eyes shone with happiness. Castiel took after his father in looks, sharing both the intense blue eyes and the mob of raven hair. Castiel could see his mother sitting in her throne, mahogany hair hanging loose with her crown sitting on top.
Castiel glanced around the room and spotted his siblings. His eldest sister, Hannah, resembled their mother but his other sister Hester, and the youngest Romanoff child, Alfie, both had pale blonde hair. Castiel doted upon his baby brother who worshipped the ground he walked on, where as Hester and Hannah were at that age where finding a husband was the only thing they thought about.
As Castiel was dancing, he heard a familiar voice call his name. Looking up, he saw that his Grandmother, the Dowager Empress, had arrived. He raced to the top of the room and threw himself into her arms. Anna laughed and hugged him backed tightly. Castiel nuzzled his face into her auburn hair and caught the faint scent of peppermint that constantly accompanied his grandmother.
"How are you my dear, it's so good to see you!" she said and held the small boy at arms length. "My, how handsome you look tonight, is that a new suit," she beamed. Castiel nodded and twirled around to show off his blue robes as Anna laughed in delight.
"I missed you so much baboushka!" the little prince said, and Anna's smile dimmed. "I missed you too my darling, and I'm so sorry but I will be returning to Paris after tonight," she said regretfully, and sensing that her favourite grandchild was about to start crying she hurried to say, "But I have a little present for you." Relived to see the melancholy look leave Castiel's face to be replaced with an excited one.
"For me? What is it?" he asked, and watched as the Dowager Empress produced a small object from her bag. Castiel watched in wonder as she held it out to him. It was a round, jeweled box, encrusted with pearls and gold. A jewellery box? It was so beautiful.
"Do you still have that pendant i gave you for your birthday.?" Anna asked and Castiel nodded, reaching up to take it from his neck, never taking his eyes off the box. The pendant was a pair of angel wings on a silver chain and Castiel loved it, refusing to wear anything else. He handed the necklace to Anna now and watched in amazement as Anna used the the tips of the two wings to wind up the box from the bottom. Then she lifted the lid and Castiel realised it wasn't a jewellery box, but a music box. A soft and familiar melody drifted from the box as two tiny, hand painted figures danced around in it. With a jolt, Castiel realised that the two figures were his parents.
"I had this specially made, see? It plays our lullaby." Anna said and Castiel knew, she had sang that song to him whenever he had nightmares or couldn't sleep. "I love it, baboushka, it's so beautiful, I will treasure it always." Castiel replied, embracing his grandmother once more.
"It's to sing you to sleep while I'm in Paris. Well until next time, when you'll be joining me." Anna said with a bright smile as she saw the impact of her words hit Castiel. "Oh Grandmama really? You promise?" he said excitedly.
"Yes, together in Paris." she said. Unbeknownst to the two, they had an audience for this tender moment. A young kitchen boy named Dean was watching from behind a pillar, he had snuck away from his work to get a glimpse of the fancy party, but now his eyes were trained on the beautiful blue eyed boy, the Grand Duke, he reminded himself. Dean couldn't help himself, joy and excitement emanated from the little prince and it was contagious. He was so wrapped up in watching the young royal that he didn't notice the head of staff, Bobby, come up behind him.
"Dean! You're not supposed to be here, get back to work." Bobby hissed, and grabbed Dean by the collar to push him towards the kitchen. Dean gave one last look to the little boy before being dragged away.
The night continued on in much the same manner. Castiel danced with his mother and grandmother and once even Hannah danced with him. Castiel had never been happier and he wished the night would go on forever. However, soon he would be wishing that the night had never happened.
Castiel was chatting and laughing with Anna at the front of the room when it happened. The hum of voices in the room began to dim, replaced with frightened and suspicious murmuring. Castiel looked up to see a figure was making their way towards the royal family, the guests parted and gave the figure a wide berth. Castiel couldn't see who it was, because they kept their hood down, but his father must have known, because he made his way over to the figure, his body tensed in silent anger.
"How dare you come here! How dare you show your face to me again, you wretch from hell." His father spat at the figure. Everyone was silent. Watching the scene unfold before them. The figure began to laugh, quietly at first, but then it became this horrible, manic sound. Castiel could feel his blood freeze at the laugh.
"How dare I? HOW DARE I? You vile, repugnant excuse for a ruler. You thought you could banish me and not face the consequences? Well, how wrong you were!" the figure replied in a cold, shrill voice. The figure threw back his hood to reveal a man with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. A man Castiel knew well.
Lucifer was once the royal court's most esteemed member. He was Czarina Naomi's valued confidante and his advice shaped the way that Russia was run. When Michael feared that Lucifer was becoming too involved in state decisions he began to cut back on Lucifer's power. In retaliation, Lucifer began making Alfie sick and convinced Anna that only his magic could make him better. Fearing for her son's life she went against her husband's orders and allowed Lucifer to stay. However, it was not long before Lucifer's treachery was revealed. Michael stripped Lucifer of all his powers and banished him from the land. Now it looked as if Lucifer had a plan for revenge.
"How long I have waited for this day, the day I finally destroy the Romanoff family forever!" Lucifer yelled, ripping off his cloak and producing a long, crystal clear reliquary with what looked like black smoke inside of it. But the black smoke was moving. "I have sold my soul to the dark powers and now I possess the ability to exact my revenge!" And with that, Lucifer released the black smoke from the reliquary and it shot through the palace windows, shattering the glass. Castiel turned back to see that Lucifer had disappeared, breaking the glorious chandelier in the process. As young as Castiel was, he knew that the trouble had only begun.
And he was right. Within a week, the black smoke had done its evil work. It infected the people of Russia, and fanned the flame of misery within them into a roaring fire. Riots broke out over the country and the royal family holed themselves up in the palace for safety. But before long those riots turned into a revolution, hell bent on removing the royal family. Castiel was woken one night by his frantic grandmother who offered him no explanation other than to grab his coat and run.
Castiel had never seen anything like it. Small fires dotted the landscape outside the palace, the gates were broken, and from the window he could see a crowd of people with- oh my god- guns!
"Don't look Castiel, Don't stop, just keep running." Anna shouted to him, and Castiel pushed through his fear and tears to keep going. "But where is mama? And papa? And Alfie, and Han-" Castiel began to cry, but Anna whirled around and put her hands on his shoulders. "Sweetheart, I don't know, I haven't seen them, I only had time to get you, now we have to get out of here." she said, but Castiel could see something in her eyes, a deep, deep sadness, and Castiel's stomach dropped. His family were gone. He knew it.
They were running through the palace when they heard angry yelling behind them. No, no, no! There was nowhere for them to run, they were going to be caught and…..Castiel didn't want to think what would happen next. Anna was looking around frantically when suddenly they heard another voice. "Over here quickly!" Castiel looked over to see a young boy around his own age with golden hair and the brightest, greenest eyes he'd ever seen. Castiel couldn't remember who he was, or what his name was, he thought he worked in the palace maybe.
"I have a way out your majesty, hurry, please before they get here." The boy said, fear seeped from every muscle in his body. This boy was risking his own life to save them, when everyone else was trying to kill them. Castiel felt a foreign type of warmth bloom in his chest. Anna yanked Castiel foreword and followed the mysterious boy to a hidden door in the wall, a door even Castiel didn't know existed. The angry yelling was getting dangerously closer, and if they didn't leave now they would be found.
Castiel had stuffed his beloved music box into his pocket when his grandmother came for him, but now it had slipped out and fell to the floor. He whirled around to go and get it but the boy stopped him, "No, I need to get my music box," Castiel cried but the boy gripped his arms and shook his head.
"You can't! They'll find you! I'll get it and follow you out ok?" the boy replied in a surprisingly steady voice. Castiel looked into his eyes and felt safe. "Ok" he breathed and turned to go but then turned back and said "thank you" in a wavering simper. The boy looked surprised for a moment before smiling slightly and waving a little. That was the last thing Castiel saw before the door closed behind him.
Armed men rounded the corner just as Dean was bending down to pick up the music box. He didn't know why he was risking his life for some dumb trinket, but the look in the prince's eyes when he dropped it had melted Dean's heart.
"Boy! Where did they go?" a man yelled at Dean. There was no way he was saying anything, so he picked up the nearest thing and chucked it at the man, who in turn slammed the butt of his gun against Dean's head and everything went black. He could still feel the music box in his hand.
Anna and Castiel were running across the slippery ice away from the palace when Lucifer spotted them. He was standing above them on the palace walls, when his hellhound Azazel, who he had put a spell on enabling him to talk, growled "Master, look! They're getting away." Lucifer saw red, he would be damned (literally) if a member of the Romanoff family escaped the curse, and here was one of their brats doing just that.
He lept off the palace, crashing to the ice and grabbing hold of the prince's ankle, just as the ice beneath him cracked and he fell into the cold water, the royal child being the only thing keeping him alive. He did not fear death but he would use everything within him to drag Castiel down with him. "Please, please, let me go!" the child screamed but Lucifer only smiled in sick delight. "Here is the end of the Romanoff line forever! Do'svidaniya little angel," he yelled, deranged.
Anna came over, and in an uncharacteristic move, punched Lucifer square in the face. Lucifer released Castiel in shock and immediately sank to the bottom of the river, the ice freezing over. Sealing his fate forever. Azazel ran over to where his master was, howling in grief, and noticing the demonic reliquary had not gone down with Lucifer, picked it up with his mouth and padded away..
Anna and Castiel had made it to the train station which, if it was possible, was even more crowded and chaotic than the palace, as people boarded trains frantically, trying to escape the violence. Anna leapt on to the last one leaving, and pushed her way between the hoards of people, trying desperately to drag Castiel on by his arm. With a sudden shift in the crowd, Anna lost her grip and was separated from Castiel.
"Take my hand! Castiel, quickly, keep hold of my hand" she screamed. Castiel was trying with all his might to hold on, eyes fixed on his grandmother, but the train lurched foreword and he lost his footing, falling on to the hard tracks below, cracking his head almost fatally. "Castiel! Castiel!" Anna cried, but it was no use, the train continued on and she was trapped in the throng of people. She looked back and saw Castiel lying motionless on the tracks as people walked over him carelessly. Tears streamed down her face until the smoke blocked her view and the train turned a corner. She never saw her most beloved grandchild again.
Castiel was slipping into darkness. He could faintly hear the sounds of a lot of people, and maybe the whistle of a train? Wasn't he with someone? A elderly woman with red hair? Or brunette? He couldn't remember and it was impossible to keep the darkness at bay and finally he was unconscious.
Thanks guys I hope you enjoyed it :) Chapter 2 should be up soon. Love to know what you think. xx