Chapter 1

Prince Castiel knew why he was called to see his father. It was almost time for him to marry. Like the rest of his brothers, Castiel had until his twenty fifth birthday to find his 'true love'. If that didn't happen, his father strengthened the ties between kingdoms by marrying them off. Michael, his oldest brother and heir to the royal throne, had not tried to find love. He had accepted an arranged marriage with Prince Adam from the Milligan royal family, who ruled over the Neighboring kingdom. He had been lucky enough that he had actually married someone he found he cared for. Lucifer, the next in line after Michael, Had refused to marry at all, and opted to renounce his royal name and become a highwayman. His gang of thugs roamed the kingdoms stealing and pillaging as they pleased. From what Castiel had gathered, Lucifer was actually becoming something of a problem, but that's not what his meeting today was about. No, he was meeting with his father to discuss who he would marry if he did not find the person he considered his true love by his birthday, which was less than six months away.

As he walked, Castiel thought of the times he used to pray as a child. He had prayed that he would know his true love when he met them, but as he grew older, he had not even found anyone that he was even remotely interested in courting, let alone marrying. Even as a child, the prince had been content with his solitude. He preferred reading a book, or looking up at the sky, his deep blue eyes squinted slightly as he was a particular cloud move and his head tilted to the side, to the loud and crass nature that other children his age displayed. Castiel really only had one true friend. A prince named Gabriel from the Norse royal family, the rulers of a small kingdom that shared the Novak kingdom's southern border. Gabriel was not like Castiel, the two were almost exact opposites. Gabriel was loud, social, and something of a trickster. The two balanced each other, but even with Castiel as the voice of reason, Gabriel still managed to get the both of them into trouble, often because he would pull an oblivious Castiel in to be his Unwitting accomplice. Usually, the people Gabriel pranked deserved it. They were cruel or rude, so Gabriel decided to take them down a notch. Just Desserts is what he called it when retelling the tales to Castiel. Royal punishment is what he called it when he got caught, and then later he would snicker to Castiel about 'the perks of the job'. A reference Castiel didn't understand.

Castiel was snapped out of his thoughts and back to the present as he noticed the door to his father's personal chambers at the end of the hall. He reached the door and took a moment to collect himself before knocking. There was a muffled 'Enter' from inside. The dark haired prince sighed quietly and did as he was told. He closed the door quietly and moved silently to stand in from of his father, who sat in his favorite armchair in the center of the room. Castiel bowed deeply before fixing his gaze on the king.

"You sent for me, Father?"

"Yes, Castiel, and I assume you know why I have."

The youngest prince nodded solemnly, ''You wanted to discuss my upcoming birthday."

"Exactly." The King nodded and gestured for his youngest son to sit in the armchair across from his, "Have you found anyone you wish to marry, My Son?"

Castiel shook his head in response as he sat.

"I didn't think so, but I believe you will be pleased with who I have chosen for you to wed."

"Who would that be, Father?" Castiel was confused, and it showed in the way he squinted at his father and tilted his head to one side, giving him an expression that somewhat resembled a confused puppy.

"I know you have become a rather good friend of Prince Gabriel-"

"You do not wish for me to marry Gabriel do you?" Castiel interrupted his father.

The king laughed, "No, Castiel, Gabriel has made it quite clear that he does not want to marry, but he has a sister. I believe you have met her."

"Anna, named after the angel Anael." Castiel nodded.

"Yes, her. Her Parents and I believe that this would be a fitting match... A match made between the angel of Thursday and the angel of passion and emotion." The king says with a smile, referencing the angels that both Castiel and Anna were named after.

The Prince nodded slowly, "I get along fairly well with Anna... I believe that I could marry her."

"That is, if you have not found someone you love by your birthday." The King reminded him.

The prince nodded, stood, and then bowed to his father once again, "Before I take my leave... Does Anna know?"

"Not as of yet."

"Then I shall go and inform her myself if that is alright. I wish to tell her in person, and I believe Gabriel should know as well."

"Very well, Castiel. You may leave at once if you please."

Castiel nodded his thanks, bowed once more, and then left to his rooms to pack. He was not looking forward to the next few days before he reached his friend's home.

As he packed, the raven haired prince bowed his head in absent-minded prayer, if he could even call it that. As a child he had prayed so often to this particular angel that she seemed more like an imaginary friend and a celestial being.

"Anael, you are the angel of love and passion, and I have prayed to you many times before." He said quietly, "But you have never answered my prayers and I am beginning to lose faith. I have less than six months before I turn twenty-five, and I feel as if I have wasted my time waiting for you to reveal who my true love is. I have yet to find them and in a few months I am to be married to a girl I do not love. She is sweet, kind, and beautiful, but I do not love her…." The princes paused and took a deep breath, "Please, Anael, let me know my true love when I see them…. Please."

Getting no response after several long, silence filled, moments, the prince finished packing and went to the stables to ready his horse for the short journey ahead of him. What he didn't know, was that his prayer had been heard. Every prayer to Anael had been heard, and she had responded, he just had yet to find out how he would find his love.