A/N: What does one do when snowed in? Write about Supernatural of course! That means that this chapter is a bit longer than usual, but I'm hoping none of you will mind! Enjoy!
CHAPTER 7
"There you are Lord McMorrows, I've been looking for you." Lord Rockwell stated coming up behind Dean.
The oldest brother turned around.
"Lord Rockwell, come to throw me off another horse? Or are you just going to toss me over the balcony this time? Y'know, there's a very nice balcony attached to my room that looks out into the courtyard. I bet if you tossed me off that you wouldn't have to worry about me making a pass at Adrienne." Dean scoffed rudely.
"Come now William, I simply came to offer my apologies. What happened earlier was a horrible misunderstanding and I am sorry." Lord Rockwell replied.
Dean glanced around the ballroom, his eyes passing over the several people who were present.
"Putting on a show for the locals? Or just trying to impress Adrienne with your outstanding manners?" Dean questioned, nodding to the dark haired woman watching the duo from the window ledge across the room.
"I'm merely trying to apologize for my rash behaviour." Lord Rockwell stated coldly, but forced a smile when he saw Adrienne watching him.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Okay you apologized, so why are you still here?" Dean snapped.
"To offer you a drink, my good man. Surely you're not going to offend me by turning me down." John replied, holding a glass out to Dean. Who eyed it suspiciously.
He smirked and shook his head before taking the other glass that John held, not trusting the man for his word.
"You doubt my sincerity?" John questioned.
"Damn right I do." Dean stated and took the other glass.
"I thought you might." John whispered under his breath, so silently that Dean didn't hear.
"What?" Dean asked, hearing only breathy murmuring.
"I said I thought you might put what happened earlier behind us so that we could move forward." John sighed and handed Dean the glass, a barely hidden smile causing the corners of his mouth to jerk.
"Don't count on it." Dean stated and took a small sip of the drink.
"Wine?" Dean questioned, the familiar taste sliding smoothly across his tongue.
"Only the best in the country side." John smiled and took a drink of his own.
"It's good." Dean stated shortly.
"I'm glad you think so." John smiled and his eyes drifted to the glass that the oldest brother held.
"William! I'm sorry to have to pull you away, but there's something I must speak to you about." Geoffrey replied excitedly as he hurried over to pull Dean away from Lord Rockwell.
Dean nodded and turned to John. "If you'll excuse me, Lord Rockwell." Dean replied and quickly followed Geoffrey away, taking the final sip of his wine as he went before he placed the glass on the nearest table as they walked by it.
"Of course." John stated simply and watched them go.
"Thanks for that." Dean replied, jerking his head back to where John was now approaching Adrienne.
"Of course. You looked rather annoyed, but there really is something I need to tell you. Come with me, there is something you should see." Geoffrey replied and pulled Dean down a steep stairwell and into a long, dark hallway before leading him down a second hallway and through a door. On the other side of the door, the hallway that stretched out before them smelled of smoke and burnt flesh.
Dean covered his mouth and nose, coughing through the thick smell that made his eyes water.
"What the hell is this place?" Dean asked.
The oldest Winchester's foot caught on something beneath him and he stumbled sideways into a wall. The hand that he had put out to keep himself from falling slipped and Geoffrey reached for him to keep him upright. Dean lifted his hand to see it coated in soot.
"That's just nasty. What'd I trip over anyway?" Dean mumbled and idly wiped the soiled hand on his pants.
Both men looked back to see a skull, covered in soot watching them through blank eyes. Dean's eyes widened, yet he didn't feel afraid, he was more disgusted. He turned expectantly to Geoffrey who seemed slightly more rattled than Dean, but not entirely surprised.
"This is where they bring prisoners for execution." Geoffrey spoke somberly.
"They burn them alive?" Dean asked, Pain blossomed in his head behind his eyes and he found himself taking part in a strange scene as it played out in his head.
Smoke filled his eyes and made them water. He could hear the crackling of flames coming from somewhere close and he could feel the heat from a fire. The sound of a man shouting drew his attention.
"Mary?" Called the voice in a panic.
He tossed the blankets of the bed he was in back and placed his feet on the floor, which was startlingly hot to the touch. He looked down to his bare feet and wiggled his toes uncomfortably against the heat. He coughed as he drew a breath, tendrils of smoke slipping through his lips and rushing down into his lungs.
"Daddy?" He heard himself yelling. He inched his way closer to the door standing slightly ajar across the room. He turned his head and called out in alarm when he saw a grown man staring back at him, hair askew from sleep and eyes watering from the smoke. He breathed a small sigh of relief when he realized that he was simply staring at his reflection.
"No! Mary!" Came the panicked voice that he had heard before.
He darted the rest of the way to the door and flung it open, choking on the smoke that rushed at him. Smoke that he could now clearly see coming from a room just down the hall. He hurried toward it and was met by an older man hurrying from the room, a screaming baby held tightly in his arms. Before he knew what was going on the child was shoved into his arms.
"Take your brother outside as fast as you can! Now Dean, go!" The man shouted and Dean felt his feet carrying himself down the nearby stairs and out the front door.
He leaned his face into the bundle that he held in his arms and inhaled the soft scent of baby powder.
"It's okay Sammy." He heard himself saying before turning back and seeing the older man that had given him the child rushing at him just as a loud explosion echoed from the burning house he had just come out of.
"William! William, wake up!" Geoffrey's voice came rushing through the sound of the raging fire and Dean sputtered to consciousness, finding himself sprawled on the soot-covered ground, the empty skull staring back at him from a few inches away.
"Sammy..." Dean mumbled as he fought his way back to coherence. He turned to Geoffrey.
"That peasant that came to the castle that said he knew me, didn't he say that his name was Sam?" Dean questioned oddly.
"Yes. Why?" Geoffrey spoke swiftly.
"Uh...I just. Never mind, it's probably nothing." Dean muttered, but it didn't feel like nothing.
"You fainted, maybe we should get you back to Doctor Grayson." Geoffrey stated with concern.
Dean said nothing, just took the hand offered to him by the young blonde man. He ran through the scene that he had seen in his head once again, and paid no attention as Geoffrey led him back to the ballroom where Doctor Grayson came quickly to the young man and forced him to sit, instructing John to go and get a glass of water. Lord Rockwell did so and before taking the glass back, placed a few drops of the poison the alchemist had made for him in the glass, watching as it bubbled, as it had done in the wine he had given the man previously and as he carried the glass back, he wondered how long it took the poison to take effect. The alchemist hadn't said.
He got his answer as he walked back to where Dean was sitting in a chair surrounded by several people. The young man was pale and shaking, swaying gently in his chair. Doctor Grayson pulled a hand away from Dean's forehead, a confused look resting on his face as he examined the young man who seemed to be slowly recovering.
"Lord McMorrows?" John Rockwell questioned as he handed the glass to the doctor.
"I'm fine." Dean hissed at the dark haired man.
"Geoffrey, could you escort William to his room, please?" Doctor Grayson questioned as he watched Dean drink the cold water down.
"Yes, of course." Geoffrey stated and helped Dean to his feet before leading him out of the room, toward the stairs and up to the large room that Dean had been staying in.
"What were you going to show me?" Dean asked as he settled back against the pillows.
"That peasant, that came to the castle, Adrienne had him sent to the dungeon and condemned to death." Geoffrey replied slowly.
"What? Why?" Dean snapped.
"It is her nature. He is to be put to death this evening at midnight. You seemed concerned for him and he insisted on seeing you." Geoffrey replied.
"You talked to him?" Dean asked curiously, sitting up.
Geoffrey nodded. "I talk to all of the condemned. It helps the prisoner to know that not everybody in the world is as cruel as those who want him dead."
"Can you take me to him?" Dean pleaded, his mind working double time.
"That is what I was intending to do before you fainted, but I do not know if it is such a good idea, you do not look well." Geoffrey said, his voice thick with concern.
"Take me to him. Please." Dean replied quickly.
Geoffrey hesitated. Dean grabbed the man's arm. "Please?" He asked once again.
"When do you want to go?" Geoffrey gave in with a sigh.
"Right now. Look I don't feel too bad, let's go." Dean stated and slowly got to his feet.
"If you think you are up to it." Geoffrey stated.
"I do. Lead the way." Dean said quickly.
Sam picked up his head from his chest and gazed blearily around the cold dungeon. He heard the wind howling outside and he could hear piano music coming from somewhere far off. It just barely floated through the halls leading to him and crept gently around doors. He wrinkled his nose as the smell of burning flesh assaulted him, something that had just been a recent development. The scent of fire and smoke had always been there, but this smell was new and it was so thick that he could nearly taste it. He gagged on it and fought off nausea as his stomach flipped slightly.
He'd heard voices earlier, but they had since vanished and gone back the way they came. Still, one of those voices had sounded eerily like Dean. He shook his head as haziness started to assault him once again. His brain just wasn't working in its fevered state. Of course he'd hear Dean because right now Dean was the only thing on his mind. He wanted his brother back, not the stranger he had seen when he first arrived, he wanted his brother. That's the only thing he wanted. Well, that and to get out of the hell hole that he had been thrown into.
"Are you alright?" Geoffrey asked, looking over to the pale man walking beside him.
"Fine, how much further?" Dean asked, holding back a groan as his heart pounded painfully against his ribs. Perspiration was soaking him and running into his eyes. His breath felt forced and difficult.
"Not far. Are you quite sure you are fine? You look simply awful." Geoffrey stated, grabbing Dean's arm as the man stumbled.
"I'm fine, keep going." Dean stated. He choked on the smell of burning flesh and had to lean against the wall to keep from falling as painful hacking wreaked havoc on every muscle in his body.
"Lord McMorrows..." Geoffrey started, genuinely concerned.
"Shut up and keep walking, I'll live." Dean stated, feeling more and more anxious to see the man who he knew only as Sam.
Geoffrey hushed up quickly and pushed a door open, stepping in and dismissing the guards that stood inside.
"We're here to speak with the prisoner." Came a familiar voice that Sam instantly recognized as Geoffrey.
Last time the blonde man had spoken with him, Sam had insisted on seeing Dean, to which Geoffrey simply looked at him with confusion.
"Geoff?" Sam called.
"Sam, I have brought Lord McMorrows. You wanted to see him?" Geoffrey stated.
Sam's heart leapt into his throat.
"Yes! Yes I did! He's here? He's with you?" Sam called.
"He is." Geoffrey stated and keyed the lock to the cell with a set of keys he had forged for him in secret when he first started to talk to the condemned.
"Oh thank god. Did you tell him what I told you?" Sam asked.
"Tell me what?" Dean asked, stepping into the cell behind Geoffrey.
"Dean! Man, you have no idea how glad I am to see you!" Sam exclaimed as Geoff released him from his chains. Sam lunged at Dean and pulled him into an embrace.
"Hey, no chick flick moments." Dean replied before stepping back, not knowing where the words came from. A look of confusion shadowed his face, but a large smile broke out on Sam's lips and he ignored the comment, stepping up to hug his brother again.
"Dude, I don't even know you, don't you think you're moving a little fast?" Dean asked over Sam's shoulder and once again his face shadowed with puzzlement. He felt oddly at ease with this stranger and words just seemed to tumble from his mouth without him realizing what he was saying.
"Shut up, jerk." Sam replied.
"Bitch." Dean returned. He stumbled back again as the words sent off alarms in his head and he recalled that he had heard them before, the first time he had 'fainted.'
Sam grinned, yet his face was concerned for his brother. Suddenly he broke off in a fit of coughing that made him sway with dizziness. Dean grabbed the youngest brother and looked into his face with concern.
"Are you okay?" Dean asked.
"I'm better now." Sam said.
"Dude, you look like crap." Dean stated and shook his head. Where were these words coming from? Why did he feel so comfortable around this stranger?
"Take a look in the mirror, what have they been doing to you? You look like you're about to keel over." Sam replied.
"Thanks." Dean smirked and shook his head.