CHAPTER 4

Sam gaped at his brother, his knees buckling beneath him. Dean didn't know him? How could Dean not know him? Dean had always been there for him, Dean protected him. Dean would do anything for him. How could he not know his own brother? Sam was stung by the sheer hurt of Dean's words. A hurt that Dean wasn't even aware he was inflicting.

Before he knew it, he was hitting the ground hard on his knees, the exhaustion of running and the cold finally taking its toll as the adrenaline drained from his body. He was unaware of the hot tears that stung his eyes and threatened to spill onto his frost-chilled cheeks. Dean didn't know him...Dean didn't know him.

Sam looked up to see Dean starting to rise from his chair, but he was stopped by Adrienne.

"What are you doing, William?" The woman asked.

"He needs help. You're not just going to leave him like that are you?" Dean asked.

"He's just a peasant. You do not even know him." Adrienne spoke.

"Whether I know him or not, he still needs help." Dean stated.

"Oh William, you always were soft-hearted." With a flick of her wrist, the servant gathered the fallen Sam, yanked him violently to his feet and drug him out of sight.

"Where is he taking that man?" Dean questioned.

"You needn't worry about that. He will be fine." Adrienne replied.

Dean looked like he wanted to follow the man who had just been pulled away, but something stopped him. As long as the man was going to be okay, that was all that mattered. Dean returned to his seat and finished his meal, not saying another word.

Sam recoiled when he received a painful yank on his wrist, followed by pinching as metal cuffs were closed on them. He was shoved violently against the cold brick wall behind him and pressed into it while the other wrist was chained as well.

"What the hell is this?" Sam grimaced.

"The dungeon." The man who had forced Sam into chains replied casually.

"What? Why?" Sam hissed.

"You were falsely claiming to be related to royalty. That is a crime." The man snarled.

"Royalty? Dean? Dean's not royalty. That man is my brother, I swear it!" Sam scoffed.

A harsh punch landed on his jaw and Sam spat blood onto the floor before looking up angrily at the man who had hit him. The man smiled cruelly at the youngest Winchester and turned away.

"He is my brother." Sam whispered.

The man turned on him and hit him a second time, then a third and a fourth until Sam's head dropped to his chest in the bliss of unconsciousness.

"Why did that man call me Dean?" The oldest Winchester asked Adrienne as she led him into a large living room.

"Did he?" Adrienne questioned.

"Yes."

"He must have you mixed up with another. I do not know anyone by the name of Dean in this kingdom. Possibly in another, but none that I am aware of." Adrienne spoke.

"He is a peasant? From this town?" Dean questioned, suddenly curious about the stranger.

"I do not know, I have never seen him before, but we have people coming and going daily. He may have just arrived."

"Where was he taken? I'd like to speak with him."

"I'm afraid that is impossible, he was released from our care shortly after his arrival. He was perfectly well."

"He didn't look well. You sent him back out into that?" Dean asked, motioning toward the window where the snow was still blowing.

"Somebody came to get him and take him back to his home. William, he was fine, perfectly healthy. Why are you so interested in him?" Adrienne asked curiously.

"I don't know, something about him seemed familiar."

"Do you know him?"

"Yes." Dean spoke quickly, almost by instinct. "I mean no, of course not, well I could have, but I don't remember." Dean stated, short seconds after his initial reaction. He winced as his head started to throb and drew in a shuddering breath.

"Adrienne, I'm not feeling very well, I think I'm just going to go to bed." Dean replied, as the room started to spin around him. He staggered back, strength betraying him and he wobbled on his feet. Adrienne reached and grabbed his arm to steady him.

"Shall I get doctor Grayson? You look pale." Adrienne spoke.

"No, I'll just go to my room and I'll see you in the morning." Dean replied, feeling a sudden urge to just get away from the mysterious, dark-haired woman.

"Very well, would you like me to walk you there?" The woman asked.

"No, it's okay, I'll be fine. Good night Adrienne." Dean stated and turned to make his way slowly to his room. Adrienne watched him depart through cold eyes, while a hard, angry expression rested on her pale face.

The new day had broken, cold and snow-drifted from the previous night's storm. The ground glistened with freshly fallen snow while the sun beamed down through patchy clouds against a blue sky. A rabbit scampered over the snow, leaving small tracks behind it as it went. In a grove of trees, partially covered in snow, the sleek, black paint of the wrecked Impala caught the light and glistened from under the snow that had fallen around it. The car's underside faced the sky, also blanketed in snow. If a car was passing by, the Impala would have been near impossible to see unless a person was looking for it specifically.

Through the trees, the castle stood darkly against the white of the snow and within it's walls, the Winchesters were being held captive, one knowingly, the other unsuspecting. Adrienne looked out one of the top-most windows and down into the courtyard where a fountain stood, ice gleamed on the stone, and a dark-haired man leaned against it, polishing the blade of a silver sword. He held the item up and it caught the light. He smiled in satisfaction and slid the sword back into the holster at his hip.

He stepped back and looked up to see Adrienne watching him through longing eyes, smiling slyly. The man returned the look, but it quickly fell away as he looked to the front entrance of the castle and saw Dean coming out to stand on the steps so that he could survey the grounds himself.

"Good morning, John." Dean spoke happily.

"William." John returned, his hand slipping to the sword at his belt.

Dean pointed to the weapon. "That's a nice piece of equipment. Well taken care of."

"Thank you." John replied, his hand still hovering around the sword.

"So, I understand that you are the one who found me after the accident and brought me back here. I want to thank you for that." Dean stated, trying to make conversation. He felt awkward and so it was difficult to talk with John, but he didn't know why.

"You are welcome." The dark-haired man spoke shortly.

"So, uh, how long have you lived here? It's a nice place." Dean stated.

"As long as you have." John returned.

"And how long would that be? I don't exactly remember." Dean joked.

"Oh yes, you have no memory. I had forgotten. We have lived here for nearly three years. We moved over from separate kingdoms after King Everett passed. King Everett sent for us to help Adrienne run the town. She is not exactly good at making decisions." John stated curtly.

"What town? The only thing I see is the castle."

"The town is just through those trees and over the ridge, the palace can be easily seen from town square." John replied.

"Why don't you take him down? The path was broken early this morning." Adrienne replied from the front stairs.

John shifted uncomfortably, but stopped when Dean turned to him.

"I can do that, if you feel up to it Lord McMorrows." John answered.

"Yeah, absolutely." Dean answered.

"Perhaps a visit to the town will help your memory. You always were a favorite of the residents." Adrienne spoke with a smile.

"Yeah, maybe." Dean said and searched the grounds for the path that led to the village. He found it, slinking through the forest and sure enough, it was cleared. And neatly packed down as though it had already been walked on.

"We will go to the barn and get the horses, but first, you may want to put a cloak on, it will be a cold ride." John replied.

"Oh, okay." Dean responded.

"Come on William, I'll get your cloak for you and John will send two servants to get the horses." Adrienne replied and led Dean back into the castle while John stared coldly after him.