Prince Castiel Novak of the miniscule Scandinavian country of Novakia purred like a very satiated feline while he stretched his arms upwards. Navy, satin sheets slid down his well-toned and bronzed body, barely covering his lower extremities. A light trail of hair disappeared behind the decadent fabric. It rubbed deliciously over his morning wood. Slight breathing adjacent to him brought a seductive grin to the nineteen-year-old royal's pink and firm lips. He glanced at his lover, Eric, who he met at Eton in England. The British lord and Castiel became best friends in school. It was the first time the prince had been away from his homeland. King Charles doted on his sole legitimate heir. He wished for the future king to receive the best education, hence why he shipped Castiel at the age of sixteen to England.
The boy hated his first three weeks at Eton. The majority of his fellow classmates were snobbish, pampered British and European lords. They mocked Castiel due to Novakia's appearance on a world map. It resembled a flea right at the bottom tip of Denmark. The young men bowed in his presence but in a mocking manner. Castiel's stay at Eton became bearable once Eric Knight crossed paths with him.
The adorable redhead with large, luminous eyes needed help in mathematics and astrology. The prince excelled in those two subjects, so the headmaster informed Castiel he'd be tutoring his fellow sixteen-year-old. The old gentleman, who resembled an owl, hoped the two friendless boys would begin a true friendship with the tutoring sessions.
At first Eric was shyer than a baby fawn. Castiel was patient and it only took two weeks for the two boys to become inseparable. Eric began to excel in all his classes and Castiel had an honest to God best friend. Soon their obnoxious classmates joked that the boys shared an unnatural relationship. Castiel found himself in the headmaster's office, sporting a black eye. He defended Eric's honor after the school's biggest troublemaker spouted in the dining hall that Eric enjoyed playing "hide the sausage" and "spear the bearded clam". The prince saw red and did not hesitate to punch the bully hard on his protruding stomach.
The headmaster punished Castiel by assigning the royal bathroom cleaning duty for two evenings. The task was not fun but Castiel cleaned the floor with a brush and vinegar. The strong smell caused his electric blue eyes to sting. After he returned to his bedroom the first night of bathroom cleaning duty, Eric surprised his new roommate with a mince pie. Castiel smiled at the boy with the large, topaz eyes.
The two of them climbed a trellis which led to the roof. The sky was a faint blue with purple mixed in. Castiel slowly ate the small pie. He arched his head backwards to stare at the sky that was covered in an infinite amount of stars. The air became chilly, making Eric scoot closer to his dear friend. Castiel reveled in the warmth the boy offered. He swallowed the last of the mince pie. The royal closed his eyes, listening to Eric recite the names of constellations.
"I have taught you well," Castiel motioned for Eric to lie sideways. Once the redhead was in a comfortable position, the prince wrapped his arms around his middle. Eric sighed contentedly. Sometimes Castiel shared his bed with him. Eric suffered from nightmares. His stepfather had been cruel to the boy right up to his death. The memories plagued him at times via the form of dreams.
Castiel nuzzled his face against the boy's neck. "Did anyone give you trouble tonight?" The royal's voice was deep and rich. His accent was barely visible. No one could tell he hailed from a Scandinavian country.
"No, after dinner I went straight to our chamber to study." Eric intertwined his fingers with the prince.
Castiel deeply inhaled the unruly, red locks. As of late, the prince discovered he fancied Eric and not just as his best friend. Many times the royal stopped himself from staring at the shy lad. Eric was growing into his looks and in a year or two, he will be beautiful. Cas tended to get lost in the beautiful golden eyes which reminded him of a topaz.
Eric grew stiff all of a sudden. Castiel inched away a little. God did Eric feel his growing erection? The royal would be ostracized if anyone discovered he fancied blokes, like the Brits said. Sodomy was punishable by death in most countries. Novakia was one of the few that didn't practice the barbaric law. Eric instantly felt the taller boy's discomfort and turned around.
His topaz eyes were huge in his adorable face. "What's the matter?" He scooted closer to his best friend.
Castiel fought back tears. His throat felt dry. "I don't want you to hate me."
Eric traced a forefinger over the bruised skin on his best mate's eye. "I could never hate you. In a small amount of time, you have become my world."
Castiel grabbed Eric's hand. "You will be disgusted. My true nature is abominable." He closed his eyes.
"Look at me Castiel Novak!"
Cas sat up straight. He'd be surprised if he didn't regurgitate the mince pie. He dried his sweaty palms over his uniform trousers. "I am falling for you."
Eric smiled. "Is that all?"
Castiel opened his eyes. "You don't understand. I am falling in love with you and desire you. I have unnatural thoughts and dreams of what I wish to do with you." He tried getting up but Eric stopped him.
"You should know I am not like the others." Eric surprised Castiel by sitting on his lap.
"Alex, you don't know what you are doing." Eric placed a finger over his best friend's plump lips.
"I love you, Castiel."
The prince's eyes became round as mince pies. "This cannot be. You have no idea what you are saying."
"I want you. When you fought Willoughby for my honor, I almost fainted on the spot. No one has ever cared so much for me…not even my family." Eric nosed the royal's neck. "Don't get me started on your looks. I lay awake at night, imagining your lips on mine. I love your eyes that become lighter when you smile and darken when you concentrate too hard on a math problem."
Castiel was speechless. All this time he'd been terrified of being alone due to his predilection for males, well Eric in particular. The prince had never fancied anyone else. This was the first time he desired someone in a sexual nature. He was also falling in love with the shy boy, who worshipped the ground he walked on.
The royal kissed Eric tenderly. The shorter boy gasped. They embraced and Castiel could feel his best friend's erratic heartbeat. His must rival a thoroughbred race as well. After that night the two friends shared a bed in the evenings, being careful to wake up at dawn, in case an impromptu inspection was to take place. If they were ever caught, they would be imprisoned and most likely sentenced to death. So they kept their relationship a secret. During their meals in the dining hall, they'd link their pinky fingers under the table.
During summer break, Castiel had been called home. King Charles fell from a horse and never regained consciousness. The prince loathed to be separated from Eric but his mother forbade her son to travel to another country. The almost two-week ship journey seemed interminable for the young royal. Castiel was greeted by two royal guards dressed in blue and red livery. They personally escorted the prince to the palace which was located in the center of a fir, birch and fruit tree forest. Half a mile from the chateau was the sea. Rugged and sharp cliffs called Dead Man's Blood surrounded the body of water.
The atmosphere inside the palace reminded Castiel of a funeral. The servants already donned black. Black, heavy drapes concealed the floor to ceiling windows. One of the butlers blew out the candles from a grand chandelier in the ballroom. The prince's shoulders slumped. What if father perished? He was the only parent he had left. His mother, Princess Hael of Romania died giving birth to Castiel. Her portrait hung over the mantel of a massive, marble fireplace in the main sitting room.
Castiel inherited his large electric blue eyes that slanted in the corners from her, as well as his bronzed skin and ebony hair. He was considered a changeling in Novakia. All of its inhabitants shared the same light colored hair and grey eyes of their Viking ancestors. The late princess had Romani blood in her.
A butler escorted the young prince to the king's personal chamber. Castiel was scared. His father, who wasn't a large man, seemed even smaller and fragile in the massive, canopied bed. His breathing was faint. Castiel swallowed hard and felt the prickling of tears. He strolled slowly towards the bed and held one of his father's pale hands. "Please don't leave me."
"He will not last much longer," a voice Castiel hadn't heard in several years made him jump. The prince adjusted his sight in the dark chamber. His illegitimate older brother, Michael sat in a corner. Since he was dressed completely in black, the man blended well with the somber room.
"Michael, you frightened me." Castiel placed a hand over his wildly beating heart.
His older brother rose elegantly and walked next to him. "Just because I was born on the wrong side of the bed doesn't mean I have no right to be at my sire's bedside." His words sounded bitter.
"Of course not; you just startled me." Castiel continued holding their father's hand.
Michael and he were never close. Castiel always wished to establish a real brotherly relationship with Michael but his sibling lived with his mother, a well-known courtesan in Denmark. King Charles embarked on a short term affair with Naomi five years before he met the love of his life, Princess Hael during a diplomatic trip to Romania. The young couple married within half a year and nine months later, Castiel Amberline Novak was born. Unfortunately, the beautiful princess of Romani descent lost her life right after giving birth to a beautiful baby.
Naomi paid an impromptu visit to the royal couple, when the baby had turned six months old. She gave the king quite the shock. Charles had been flabbergasted to say the least upon seeing his first born son. Michael was seven years old. The boy favored the king with blond hair and grey eyes. He even had a heart shaped mark on his right hip. Castiel also shared the same hereditary trait.
The courtesan demanded for her son to have a place in Charles court. The king did not wish to tarnish Hael's memory. Also, by law he could not claim a bastard son. Perhaps if Naomi had shared news of her pregnancy with him, things would be different. He allowed mother and son to stay in the palace for a few days while he had his man of affairs search for a modest dwelling for the two of them in Denmark.
One night Naomi led her only child into the royal nursery. They leaned over a brass cradle while the old nanny nodded off in a rocking chair. She held young Michael's hand. The seven-year-old rose on tiptoes to get a better look at the slumbering infant, who happened to be his little brother. The baby looked different from the people Michael knew. His hair was the color of a raven's wing and his skin held a bronzed tint.
"You should be next in line for the throne, my love." Naomi looked at her child with motherly adoration. "I waited too long in informing the king I was with child. When I worked up the nerve, news of his engagement to the gypsy princess spread like wildfire and it was too late." Her hold on his small hand tightened. "This half gypsy boy has no right to be the future king."
Michael stared at the chubby infant. The baby slowly opened its eyes and rubbed them. His gaze locked with the baby's weird blue eyes. "Yes, he does not deserve to be king. I was born first."
"You will be, love."
Baby Castiel felt the hate aimed at him and began to wail. Both mother and son fled the nursery. The old nanny awoke to the prince's cries. She hurried her frail frame to the crib and held the mewling babe in her arms. She cooed at him and managed to calm him down.
For the next twelve years, Michael visited the palace during summer time without his mother. When Castiel was ten years old and allowed to go rabbit hunting with his older brother, Michael would hit or slap the boy, when he did something wrong. He told Castiel that he needed to be a man and not cry whenever he hit him. The young prince nodded and told no one.
Once the King informed his heir that he was to begin his education in England, Castiel was scared and a little relieved. He had no idea what waited for him across the sea but it would be great to get away from Michael. His older brother hid a dry husk instead of an actual heart. Castiel would miss his father immensely though. King Chuck was a fair and just ruler and a caring father. Little did the prince know that their farewell at the port would be the last time they'd be together?
Michael placed a hand a little too roughly on Castiel's shoulder. "The physician said father has days to live."
Castiel shook his head. He refused this information. Chuck was a young man still. He celebrated his forty second birthday earlier that year. "I cannot believe this. I wish I was in the middle of a nightmare."
"You aren't and need to face reality, little brother." Michael dug his fingers into Castiel's shoulders. The younger man dislodged his arm away from his brother. Castiel walked to the other side of the bed. He sat next to the bed and held one of Charles' hands. He kissed the knuckles and prayed for a miracle.
"We shall speak later." Michael rushed out of the king's chamber.
Castiel leaned his head against the goose feather filled mattress. He clutched on to his sire's hand fervently. "Please father, be awake when the sun rises." The seventeen-year-old closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The prince woke up to someone shaking him roughly. He opened tired eyes and heard weeping. A maid cried into a clenched fist. "No!" Castiel yelled. "Father!"
The Cardinal blessed the king one final time before covering his entire body with a blanket. Castiel sunk to his knees and cried his heart out. He was all alone now. Eric was far away in England and could not be here, when he needed him the most.
Castiel knew he needed to be brave now. He stood up and lowered the blanket, covering his late father's face. He bent and kissed him gently on the forehead. "Be at peace, father. Now you and mother are together again."
Someone cleared their throat. Castiel covered his father once again. He knew Michael had entered the chamber, in his usual stealthy manner. "Castiel, we have to talk now."
"Can I please take a bath and change clothes?" The young prince did not wait for an answer. He vacated the chamber.
Two hours later, Michael waited for Castiel in the main sitting room. He poured himself a generous amount of cognac inside a crystal goblet. He drank heartily and paced the chamber. The furniture was royal blue along with the velvet curtains. He leaned an elbow on the marble fireplace. Michael raised the goblet to the late Princess Hael's portrait. That would be the first thing to go once he became sovereign. He would have an Italian artist paint his mother's likeness and Naomi's portrait will hang over the fireplace.
A butler knocked before making his presence known. "The attorney is here, sir."
"Let him in, Skarsgard."
Michael shook hands with the attorney. He handed him a goblet of cognac. "Thank you, sir."
"Did you procure the legal documents?"
The attorney nodded. "Sit please"
Someone knocked and Michael told them to enter. Castiel slowly came inside. His eyes were red rimmed and the skin under his eyes was purple. The attorney rose and bowed at the young prince. "You have my deepest condolences, your highness."
"Thank you." Castiel tilted his head to the side. "I am sorry but we have not been introduced."
Michael stood next to his sibling. "This is attorney Petr Hines."
Castiel's brows furrowed. "Sit down, little brother. There is something of import you must know."
The prince braced himself. Nothing to come out of his brother's lips would be good. "Go on then."
Michael motioned at the attorney to speak. "Due to you being seventeen, your highness and not of age, you cannot be crowned king."
"But someone needs to be ruler of Novakia until I turn 21!" Castiel got on his feet and looked at his mother's portrait for strength.
"There is someone who can rule for the next four years." The attorney wiped sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. Castiel's eyes landed on Michael.
"You?" Castiel's blood turned cold, seeing Michael's grin. His grey eyes reminded the prince of an iceberg.
"Yes, little brother. I will govern Novakia until you come of legal age. Then the throne shall be yours."
Castiel laughed on the inside. Michael will find a loophole to remain king. Naomi had trained him since he was a small child for this and the day finally arrived. The prince knew he was screwed. "What about me?"
"You will return to England to complete your studies and upon your return home, we will begin a bride hunt for you. I should begin my search as well."
Castiel snorted. Bride my ass! He couldn't wait to have Eric in his arms again. Only his little fawn could help him deal with his father's death. "As you wish, Michael."
"Very well…let's go to the library to sign some legal documents which will make me your legal guardian until you turn 21." Michael smiled at the attorney and motioned for the man to follow him.
Once the documents were signed by all party members, including Balthazar, the princes' cousin, who served as eye witness, a footman appeared with a cart laden with cognac and cucumber sandwiches.
"To my uncle Chuck, who was a just and benign ruler." Balthazar turned to Michael. "Michael, you have big shoes to fill."
"Yes, father was loved by all but there are a few rules I will change, as soon as I wear the crown."
"What may that be, cousin?" Balthazar inquired before popping a cucumber sandwich into his mouth.
"Anyone caught stealing will have their hands cut off and displayed in the town square." Michael sipped cognac.
"That is barbaric!" Castiel could not remain silent.
"Believe me people will think twice before stealing. And the biggest change shall involve those who practice sodomy."
Castiel felt like vomiting and he knew his face turned pale. Michael's grey eyes bored into his. "Known sodomites will be brought to death. I am still thinking of the method."
"Cousin, the citizens of Novakia will revolt against you if you become a ruthless dictator."
"Dictators are for life. I am merely keeping the throne warm for Castiel. Other countries practice these laws." Michael finished drinking his cognac.
Castiel stayed for his father's burial and Michael's coronation ceremony. He was sick to his stomach through it all. He remained in Balthazar's manor. The prince hated his brother and wished for the next four years to fly. Balthazar turned out to be a caring man and took Castiel under his wing. "I promise to keep an eye on Michael and not allow him to turn into Attila the Hun."
Castiel gave him a weak smile. Balthazar wrapped an arm around his cousin's shoulders. "Time heals all wounds, Cassie. You will always miss good old Chuck but the pain recedes and you'll be left with wonderful memories." He kissed the top Castiel's hair. "Are you ready to return to school next week?"
The prince nodded. "Actually I am. I miss my best friend Eric tremendously."
"The lad will help you cheer up."
Eric was exactly the medicine Castiel needed to feel better. The ache in his heart over losing his father began to fade away little by little. Alec held the prince in his arms every night. The duo excelled in their academics and in no time two years passed in a whir. Michael suggested for Castiel to invite his best friend to Novakia with him. The prince personally asked Lady Knight to allow her son to accompany him for the summer. She reluctantly acquiesced, startling the two young men.
Michael and Naomi, who to Castiel's surprise took permanent residence in the palace, ordered the staff to prepare a welcoming feast for the prince. Castiel and Eric behaved just as regular friends in front of everyone. The acting king assigned Eric to a guest chamber in the opposite wing from where the royal chambers were situated. It was extremely difficult for the young lovers to spend any private time together.
A week later Castiel came up with a brilliant idea. He and Eric will stay in the royal hunting lodge for a week. It was deer season, so Michael did not become suspicious. Balthazar even volunteered to check in on the boys every other day. He winked at Castiel and Eric. The twenty-four-year-old had a hunch of the youngster's true relationship.
Castiel and Eric woke up early their first morning at the lodge to go deer hunting. Eric turned out to be too soft hearted and could not go through with it. Castiel made sure the coast was clear and kissed him softly while he held him in his arms. "This is why I love you, sweetheart."
The rustling of trees brought the couple apart. It must have been an animal, a frightened rabbit perhaps. Castiel could not shake the feeling someone was out there, looking at them. "Why don't we warm up some apple cider and lay by the fireplace?" Castiel wiggled his brows and Eric swatted his arm playfully.
After they were warm with the cider, the two men lay snuggly on a bear rug by the cozy fireplace. Castiel ran his right hand soothingly over Eric's arm. "This is nice," the redhead whispered. His eyes were closing. Castiel tilted his chin and kissed him hungrily. No nosy servants were around and he took advantage.
"We should move the party upstairs where we'll have more privacy." Castiel held his lover's hand and guided him up the cherry wood stairs.
The couple made love the entire afternoon. They rested before bathing together in a copper tub the two of them carried from a shed in the back of the lodge. The cook prepared roasted salmon and turtle soup for supper. Once both men were satiated, they returned to their shared chamber. Castiel built a fire and removed his wool trousers, socks and lawn shirt before joining Eric in bed.
For most of the evening they shared their hopes and dreams. Eric decided recently, he wanted to become a physician, who specialized in obstetrics. Castiel, who'd always been an artist at heart shared with his lover that he wanted to write about astronomy and historical figures.
He enveloped his arms around Eric's toned torso and linked their fingers together. "We can live in a cottage in the English countryside. You can see to the pregnant women and help them through their births and I will grow and tend a flower and vegetable garden in the mornings and write the rest of the day. When you get home, I will have dinner ready for you."
"Sounds heavenly but what about you eventually becoming king?" Eric traced his fingers along the palm of Castiel's hand.
Castiel gently kissed the nape of Eric's neck. "Michael will not mind remaining king. As long as he doesn't become a ruthless monger, I see no need for him to abdicate the throne."
The nineteen year olds made slow and sweet love until every limb in their bodies became sore. Eric whispered I love you to Castiel before dozing off. Castiel kissed him softly and closed his eyes. He was the first to wake. The prince became hard, feeling the sinuous material of the silk sheets that barely covered both of their bodies slide against his morning wood. He rubbed himself against the cleft of Eric's ass. The British man purred and leaned against him. Castiel jerked Eric's shaft until the man moaned deliriously into a goose feather pillow. The prince remained hard the entire time because seeing and watching his lover come undone was the only aphrodisiac he needed.
The thunderous sound of several horses, galloping at a rapid pace towards the lodge caught the men's attention. Castiel unwillingly left the bed and swiftly pulled on the discarded wool trousers. "Prince Castiel, your presence is requested at once!"
Eric ran to the floor to ceiling window and gazed down. A dozen royal guards surrounded the front of the lodge. The king dismounted a black Andalusian. "Castiel, come out this instant!"
The prince threw trousers at Eric. Once the Brit put them on, he grabbed his hand and they made their way down the stairs. Castiel released his hold on Eric and walked out first. Michael remained standing by his majestic horse. "Oh my…how the mighty have fallen." The king spat on the ground in front of Castiel.
The prince stood ramrod straight. "What is the matter, brother?"
Michael smirked. "The matter is that my little brother is a fucking sodomite!"
Castiel glared at the king. He heard Eric gasp behind him. "I cannot change who I am and do not want to. I love him." He stared lovingly at Eric, who instantly grabbed his hand.
"You know the law, Castiel. Sodomy is punishable only by death. I needed to see with my own eyes what the cook said. I fervently hoped it was all gossip."
"Kill me but let him go. Eric can return to England and resume his life." Castiel swallowed hard.
"No, I can never leave you!" Eric pleaded.
"How touching and unnatural!" Michael bellowed. He walked towards Castiel and pulled his hair hard. "Father must be rolling in his grave."
"Leave him out of this!"
Michael motioned at two guards, who rapidly held Eric, who struggled against them. "Novakia will never be ruled by a disgusting sodomite." Michael punched Castiel in the stomach. The younger man fell on the ground, clutching his abdomen. The king kicked him hard on the ribs twice, knocking the air out of the prince's sails.
He roughly grabbed Castiel's hair and pulled it backwards. Michael brought a dagger to his younger brother's neck. "I will show no mercy. You shall see your lover die right in front of your very eyes." The tip of the dagger sunk a little into Castiel's neck.
"No, please Michael I'll do anything. Let him go!"
The king nodded and a guard remained holding Eric while the other slit his throat with a dagger. Blood bubbled out of Eric's mouth and neck while his eyes stayed glued on Castiel's panic stricken face.
Castiel gave a blood curling scream. He yelled until his lover's lifeless body fell on the ground. His throat felt raw and ached. A guard placed manacles around his wrists. Castiel spat and hurled insults at his despicable brother. Michael tilted the prince's face upwards. "This is only the beginning of your punishment before you are put to death."
Castiel was taken by wagon to the palace where he was rapidly imprisoned in the dungeon. He thought this dark and rancid place didn't exist. A guard threw him against a concrete wall. The prince hissed at the pain radiating down his back. He ended sitting on a straw colored floor. He was not fed and that night he remained awake due to the rats, scurrying at his feet. Castiel shivered due to the cold. No blankets had been procured for him. He closed his eyes and prayed for Eric. His little fawn never deserved such a horrible death and it was his fault. Castiel knew the laws his evil brother had brought forward in Novakia. He thought himself to be invisible against the law. "I am so sorry, Eric." His heart hurt more than when his father died.
The iron door to his cell sprang open. Two guards apprehended the prince, who valiantly fought them off for some time. They managed to tie him against a post. He only wore wool trousers. Michael made his presence known. A soldier handed him a lead tipped whip. The king raised his arm and lashed it against the prince's exposed back. Castiel refused to scream. His body winced after each lash. He counted and felt twenty before he passed out.
"Good bye, little brother." Michael jerked Castiel's hair backwards and hissed the words in his ear. The king rose and ordered four soldiers to get rid of his body in Dead Man's Blood. Michael climbed the steep, concrete steps that led out of the dungeon. He covered his nose with a silk handkerchief. The stench in the dungeon had been unbearable. The scent of urine, excrement and copper from the blood oozing out of the prince's back assaulted his nostrils. The king fought the urge to gag.
He joined his mother for dinner after washing his hands thoroughly. Naomi smiled devotedly at her only child. "Has everything been taken care of?"
Michael kissed her hand. "There is no longer a threat to my throne."
"Wonderful" she turned to a footman and ordered him to start serving the appetizer which was pheasant soup. "Bon appetite, my love." She raised a wine goblet to her son, who raised his in return.
Four soldiers carried the half dead prince's unresponsive body towards the cliffs. Suddenly two were knocked down by bullets. The other two, who were in the process of swinging Castiel's body down the cliffs, froze and dropped the prince on the edge. They took cover and began to shoot in the dark. One was shot in the head and the other in the chest.
Two figures emerged from behind a tall birch tree. "Ready the carriage," Balthazar ordered his right hand man, Ion. The man nodded and was off. Balthazar slid the strap of his rifle over his right shoulder. He gathered Castiel in his arms. "Oh Cassie, what have they done to you?"
Balthazar witnessed Michael and his soldiers surround the hunting lodge. At the time he'd been unarmed and by himself. He could not do anything to save his cousin and young Eric. Actually, there wasn't much for Balthazar to have done either way. The boys had to be executed due to the sodomy law. Balthazar's hands were tied. He followed the king's party at a distance and saw when the soldiers took Castiel to what looked like the dungeon. He sent Ion to keep guard outside the palace. His right hand man informed him as soon as the king left the dungeon.
Balthazar and Ion armed themselves and waited to follow the soldiers, who took Castiel out of the palace. At first Balthazar believed his dear cousin to be dead but he saw the prince stir minutely as two guards swung his body to toss him down the cliffs.
Now he held Castiel in his arms. Balthazar gently slapped him twice. "Wake up Cassie!"
The prince hissed. Balthazar felt the blood oozing from his exposed back. His own fingers were wet with crimson liquid. Castiel opened his eyes and creaked out Eric's name. He seemed to remember what had transpired earlier in the day. He wailed like a wounded animal. Balthazar cried. He looked down at the ragged rocks and treacherous waves where Castiel's dead body would be now if it weren't for him and Ion.
Balthazar kissed Castiel's temple. "Can you stand up?"
The prince ceased wailing. It took him several minutes to stand up. "There you go. We'll walk slowly to the carriage."
Ion stopped the carriage a couple of feet from them. He assisted his employer in bringing the almost dead man inside the vehicle. "We must lay him face down. His back is too battered."
Balthazar nodded in agreement. They managed to lay Castiel in a somewhat comfortable position. His cousin sat across from him. Ion managed the carriage. The prince barely heard Balthazar say a prayer before his world went black.