After some climbing, Lysander made it inside the window. The girl as Castiel had described was holding onto her long hair. A stunned expression blossomed on his features, he now had a million questions for the girl. The girl named Candy had a bright smile on her face and her eyes scanned over Lysander. She looked away to try and hide the blush on her face. Her blush was forgotten when she unexpectedly took a step forward. Lysander rushed to her side and helped to steady her, soon enough Castiel was at the top of Candy's locks and tumbled into the room.
"Hey, little girl." Castiel smugly addressed Candy knowing well how much the nickname annoyed her.
"Castiel." She didn't hold back on the glare.
"This is my friend Lysander." Candy's glare dissipated when her eyes landed on Lysander. Her eyes glowed with curiosity and joy. "Hello I'm Candy and I'm going to need some help for Demon. He's much heavier now."
The duo helped pull in Candy's hair until Demon was in reach for Castiel to pull him through. Demon was tied securely in Candy's hair, Castiel smoothly untied Demon from the hair. Demon happily pounced on Candy, once he completely free, and attacked her with slobbery kisses. Candy happily giggled and kissed him back on his head. Lysander and Castiel couldn't help but smile at the sight. When the two were done with their little reunion Candy got up and gave Castiel a quick hug. Castiel was rather confused at the gesture; it almost felt warm and intimate.
"I'm sorry about how my sister ended things." Castiel's confusion cleared; she felt guilt nothing else. A feeling she shouldn't have been feeling in Castiel's opinion. "Don't worry about that."
Candy shook her head in annoyance and corner. "But your hair and-"
"You're worried about my hair? Little girl, I still don't understand how you can stand that 50-foot mess." Candy pouted at his words to hide her nerves, she didn't tell him about her magic. Now wouldn't be a good time to tell him nor was she any good at lying. Lysander had unknowingly come to her aid.
"Castiel I don't think you should be rude to our host." He sounded as if he was Castiel's mother. Candy couldn't help the smile that crept across her features as the image came to mind.
"Yes, Castiel your friend Lysander knows exactly what he's talking about. Be nice or you won't get any dinner. Take a hold of my hair and carry it for me."
Castiel scoffed, but complied with Candy's request; Candy made the best food he'd ever had. He wasn't use to this version of Candy, she was bolder. Not that this Candy was a bad thing in his opinion; he didn't think much had changed after he left. Once in the kitchen, Castiel dropped Candy's hair and let her get to work with the food. Shortly Candy had finished prepping dinner and the trio had a nice meal.
Candy got up to clean. "Thank you for the food, Candy," Lysander spoke jumping at the chance to break the silence that had fallen upon them after Candy was done with her questions.
She turned to say. "It's nice to have company." She turned her attention back to the mess. "Deborah is always disappearing for days. She claims it's to get more supplies, but I'm sure she's just meeting men. She doesn't want to tell me so she doesn't have to bring me home a suitor."
"She didn't when I was here," Castiel muttered as Candy finished her cleaning and led them to the tower. Candy had managed to hear him and couldn't help wanting to patch up the rough spot with him. "Well, I was just getting into having suitors visit me. She had planned to send me your friend, but that was befo-"
"Let's not speak of Nathaniel," Castiel said to interrupt her recount of the breakup.
Candy frowned, his wound was still raw. "A-Alright then." She needed to change the subject fast. "Then tell me where you two are headed. A visit from an old lover of Deborah's means favors are needed."
"Well I nev-" Castiel was ready to use a sassy remark to lie but Lysander decided it'd be best not to. "Amoris, the kingdom of Amoris. Also known as the land of the sweet singer."
"S-Sweet singer?" The term echoed in her head and she couldn't help getting a feeling she couldn't name.
Castiel scoffed. "Just some story of some made up princess."
"A fairy tale the people tell as a part of their origin story. The best musicians come from that kingdom and the best are discovered there. They hold this competition to find the best new musicians in honor of the princess." Lysander had expanded more on the story so Candy couldn't ask.
"You both wish to enter then?" Candy guessed. Lysander nodded his head. "Yes. I am a singer. I can think of nothing else I'd be happy doing. Besides writing."
Candy's mind started racing and the unplaceable feeling grew.
"I want to go," She stated suddenly, stopping Lysander and Castiel.
"Huh?" The two males asked as if they misheard the girl.
Candy spun on her heel and held a determined look on her face. "I want to go with you. I need to get out of this castle and see something."
Surprisingly Castiel was the one to reason with Candy, "Are you sure? Deborah-"
Candy rose her hand to stop him. "My sister isn't here and I need some freedom. I just want to hear music again; I haven't heard music since you were here. Deborah never bothered with finding another musician."
"No," Castiel said sternly. Candy copied his expression and pulled out her trump card. "Take me or I'll call my sister and have her handle you."
Castiel would have argued with her more, but Deborah was no joking matter anymore. Not when he was in her home without her knowledge. If Candy could contact her sister, they'd be dead. "...Fine." Castiel growled through gritted teeth.
"Good." Candy chirped. "Now if you are both ready for bed we can stay in my room."
Candy spun back on her heel and resumed to leading the way to the tower.
Lysander began to protest like the gentlemen he was. "We'll stay in De-"
"Bad idea Lysander. Deborah will definitely know we were here." Castiel recounted how Deborah had a knack of knowing if Demon had been on her bed while they spent time at the castle. Or how she could tell if Candy recently changed the sheets or not.
Candy opened the door which led to an endless amount of stairs. Candy took a basket from the windowsill of an open window beside the door. She stepped into the stairwell and turned to a hidden shelf. She had grabbed fresh linen and packed it into the basket. She gave Demon the basket to hold in his mouth. Castiel commanded Demon to head up, and the dog set off running. Candy turned her attention back to the open window. There was a rope that reached the top of the tower. Candy wrapped her hair expertly in the rope and pulled on it. She sped up her pace and in a few moment Candy stopped; her hair was back in front of her. She grabbed a hold of her hair and began to climb. Castiel and Lysander followed. One by one they tumbled through the window. Candy went to work in pulling her hair into the tower and out of the pulley system. Lysander and Castiel went to the door and waited for Demon.
The dog collapsed at the door and Castiel had to carry him to bed. Candy took a few of pillows off her bed and gave them to Castiel and Lysander along with some linen.
"You two are going to have to sleep on the floor." Candy told them as if they hadn't planned to do so.
"Or we could sleep in the bed with you," Castiel suggested to arise out of Candy. Which worked a bit too well.
"W-Wha? H-Hold." Candy looked as if she was going to have a panic attack. Lysander gave Castiel a quick jab in the side. "He was only kidding. The floor is fine."
Candy hurried to get dressed still red in the face. Lysander gave Castiel a pointed look as his friend was bent over in pain. Candy took one of the bags Deborah used for collecting supplies. Her sister had charmed it to hold anything and weigh nothing. She stuffed in her clothes and the few pieces of jewelry she had been given as gifts.
She turned back and saw the duo were both asleep on the floor. They had had a very tiring journey. Even Demon was passed out on her bed. She let out a wistful sigh and went to her knees. She was hesitant, but she gently ghosted her fingers over Castiel's features. He looked so peaceful, and rather sordid thought burned her mind. She retracted her hand in fear and shuffled into her bed. Her whole body went red. Yet her eyes wandered to Castiel's figure on the floor and fell into a comfortable sleep. She was later woken by Demon's slobber; Castiel had a smug look on his face as he stood over Candy. Demon hopped off the bed and ran down the stairs.
Candy sat up and slipped off her bed. She took out a simple blouse and pants and changed behind her screen; another gift she had been given. When she was done, she slipped on her thick garden boots. She tossed her bag out the window and hooked her hair on what should have been a wall hook for a hanging plant. She gestured that Cas and Lysander do the same and then the trio slid down her hair. They retrieved their bags and found Demon resting at the bottom of the stairs. Candy made everyone breakfast and packed some food that would last for a few days. The group left through Deborah's personal passageways and began their venture towards the kingdom of Amoris.