I have been so busy and also my muse decided to work on high school AU, oops. HERE I WORKED ON THIS FOR A FEW WEEKS BEFORE I WAS HAPPY WITH IT KIND OF.
I realized Charlie didn't really meet with Crowley last time, so I fixed that my the dialogue at the beginning of this installment. WOO!
"So... you're Crowley, huh?"
"The one and only."
"You're... not exactly the King Arthur I'd imagined."
"Sorry to disappoint, love. If it makes you feel better, I'm more like the castle's kitchen manager now."
"You're human, too?"
"Why else do you think I'd willingly hang around with these boys? Certainly not because I like the family ambiance."
"Touché. Still, I'm kinda sad that I don't get to meet the famous not-human creatures from Supernatural."
"Oi. I'm still famous! Just not the King 'a Hell!"
"Well, still. I'd like to meet one person who can crush a can with their mind."
"I think that Antichrist kid is still running around. Last I heard, he was somewhere in Africa."
"... I'm not that desperate, anyways. You and Cas are just fine for me, thanks."
"I feel so appreciated."
"Crowley! Charlie! Where the hell are you guys? We leave for Moondor in fifteen minutes!"
- "We'll be there, don't worry!"
- "Coming, Dean!"
Castiel hadn't known what Moondor was twenty-four hours ago.
He debilitated between wanting to travel back in time so he would never remember the place, and letting a wide smile crack across his face and 'roleplay' with Dean.
When he voiced his mixed emotions with the Winchesters (and Crowley and Kevin), Sam had laughed and Crowley just rolled his eyes. Kevin smiled, but said nothing. Dean had choked for a moment, his face alarmingly red and eyes wide with worry, but then the air calmed, and a small smirk graced his face.
"Let's get your robes then, Mage," Charlie had announced from the back of her tent. She was rummaging through some old drawers of hers. A large pile of 'denied' clothing was at her feet, while a much smaller pile of 'acceptable' clothing rested on her bed. Castiel wondered why Charlie had a bed in her tent, anyways. It was unlikely that she actually slept in it.
Charlie let out a yelp, which successfully distracted Castiel from his thoughts. When he looked at her, she was holding up a large violet cloak. "Perfect," she breathed, and shook off some dust that had collected on it. She winked at Castiel, arching one eyebrow perfectly before shoving the robe towards him. "Put this on," she grinned, "it'll look great!"
Dean was already in costume, and Castiel had a hard time looking away from the glimmering chain mail and breastplate. It was like a siren's song, but he still managed to drag his eyes away from the brightest soul (that he couldn't see anymore) and instead look upon the woman who presented him with... the cloak. He took it from Charlie with a mutter of "Thanks," and then shrugged it on. Charlie pulled the hood over his face, effectively blocking his top line of sight. "I can't see," he complained, and then pulled the hood up just slightly to allow a better field of vision.
"You are the perfect Mage!" Charlie crowed, grinning brightly. Dean was smiling as well, and that was the only reason Cas did not frown at the woman beside him and take off the cloak. If Dean liked it, he would continue to wear it. "Come on, I'm going to show off my newest court subjects," she waggled her eyebrows, and took Cas by the bicep and dragged him out of her tent.
Crowley, Kevin and Sam were all dressed up, as well. Crowley was wearing a breastplate and some chain mail, covering up the leather and velvet cloth-mixture he wore underneath the metal. Kevin was wearing a cloak similar to Castiel's, although his was a deep forest green in comparison. Sam was wearing something similar to Dean's, a strange combination of armor, leather and chain mail. He had his hair tied back in what Charlie called a 'ponytail', which had Kevin and Crowley laughing hysterically.
Kevin also looked a little weirded out by this, but still relatively happy. Sam had a twitch to his lips, and it grew into a smirk when his eyes fell upon Cas and Dean. Crowley, however, looked absolutely thunderous (after his amusement over Sam's hairstyle). "Why are we even here?" He grumbled, "I hate bloody LARPing."
"Dean and Charlie love it, so shut up and deal." Sam gently whacked the ex-demon on the back of the head, still smirking. Castiel decided not to face the wrath of either one of the two, and instead decided to ask how, exactly, did one play their roles in Moondor.
"Well," Charlie grinned, her eyes twinkling like stars, "since I have a handmaiden already, you can be my two can... collaborate on how to best serve me."
Dean coughed into his fist, and was that a smile Cas saw behind Dean's eyes? "All right, Thursday. Let's get going."
"Where are we going?"
"Well, I'm gonna take you to the blacksmith's, so you can pick out a weapon of some kind. Then I'll teach you how to use it, since you should get used to human fighting now. Sound good?" Castiel couldn't ignore the look of a hopeful baby animal that dawned on Dean's face, and simply because of that he shrugged, shyly nodded and stood aside so Dean could begin walking. The hunter grabbed Castiel's hand and took the lead.
As they passed through the throngs of strangely-dressed men and women, a few grinned and hooted as Dean passed through them. Cas thought he heard a few whispers of, "No wonder he's the handmaiden to the Queen of Moons," and, "Iknew he was gay!", but Dean steadily ignored these comments as he continued to drag Castiel through the people.
The blacksmith's was... smelly. Castiel hadn't had too much encounter with smells since he became mortal, but generally he spent most of his time in the bunker, in Dean's' room, the reading room, or the kitchen - all three of which had the comforting smells of what Cas was beginning to consider 'home'. This place, however, smelled of sweat, iron and fire... something he was not accustomed to smelling when mixed together. Castiel did not enjoy that stench, really.
"Ah, Winchester! Good day! I see you have brought a newcomer today!" The blacksmith bellowed, sweeping Dean up in a hug that Castiel was sure would break a few ribs. He shied away from physical contact, for the most part, but Dean and Sam were the only two who could pat him on the back or hug him without consequence.
"Yeah, he's a mage looking for some type of sword. I'd go with something a little lighter, for people with more balance - what do you think?" Dean was in business mode at the moment, and Castiel had to grudgingly smile at how seriously he was taking it.
"Well, what's his name? I'd enjoy conversing with this stranger to the Moons, if you don't have a quarrel."
Dean looked back at Castiel, who simply shrugged and grunted, "Castiel."
The blacksmith grinned widely and made a step towards him, but as Castiel took a step backwards his smile died down a bit and he stepped down as well. "No fear, Castiel," he said after a moment of scrutiny, "I believe I know the sword best for you."
Oh joy.