I hope no one overdosed on turkey and other Thanksgiving trimmings and didn't get trampled on Black Friday. Thanks so much to Alayla-Rose (hope I answered your questions), Becca65d, One Confused Angel, Lee Marie Jack (your Fabio commented had me in stitches), Larkafree (I like Meg in this a lot), Snowin' You (I got a kick out of writing fan boy Sammy), Onyx Day, Applebom and Destiel5ever (your review gave my heart warm/fuzzy feelings).
Castiel's dark and lush lashes swept over his bronzed skin. His chest heaved upwards. He clenched his teeth and fisted his hands. Crowley sunk his fingers on Cas' dark blue jacket. "Are you listening, you bloody man whore?! You cannot keep your snake within your trousers!" Castiel's continued silence infuriated the cuck hold even more.
"Does it make you feel better to hear your delectable wife was the one, who seduced me?" Castiel's gravelly voice was heard throughout the silent as a grave card room.
"Outrageous!" an eighty year old earl bellowed from across the room.
"You are vile and shall pay for robbing my wife of her innocence!" Crowley shoved Castiel while still holding on to his jacket against the nearest wall. Gold coins and playing cards cascaded down the table. Crowley brought down a chair in the process. The incensed man almost fell along with the toppled chair.
"You will pay by shedding your dirty Egyptian blood over Weeping Willow Hill the morning after tomorrow at five." Crowley slammed his arm hard against Castiel's neck.
Dean had enough and intervened. He roughly pulled Crowley away from his friend. "Enough, Crowley!"
Alistair approached Dean. He was itching for a brawl with the interloping American, who had no business at Crowley's nuptials. Ever since they were children, Alistair loathed the Texan's interference with the fun he and Crowley had at the Camel's expense. Before the arrival of the Winchesters to British soil, Castiel was a scared wisp of a boy. Unfortunately, Dean Winchester with his heathen ways and horrendous twang helped the Camel come out of his shell and stand up for himself.
Balthazar stood in between Dean and Alistair. The Winchester reluctantly pushed Crowley to the side. He wanted to beat the snot out of the snobby bastard. Dean couldn't blame the frog for being livid after discovering Cas de-virginized his bride but this wasn't the way to solve things.
Castiel straightened himself and combed his fingers through his disheveled hair. He detested having all eyes on him. Cas hated what he did to Lady Lilith but she was definitely not an innocent in all of this. The woman made up her mind and found her own way to Castiel's bed. What was he to do, when presented with such a tantalizing morsel of a gift? He was a hot blooded male with a very healthy sexual appetite. The additional bonus being he had her before Crowley. Castiel swallowed hard and rubbed his eyes. His mother would be disgusted over his behavior.
"What weapons shall we use, Camel? Will it be fencing swords or pistols?" Crowley eyed Castiel maliciously.
Gabriel walked next to Crowley. "You do not only resemble a frog but must have the brain the size of one, too. It is common knowledge duels were prohibited in the 1840s. They are illegal."
Crowley narrowed his eyes at Gabriel. "We are all gentlemen here." His eyes landed on Castiel. "Well most of us are. No one present will divulge a word of this to the authorities."
"You should fight it out with Cassie at Gentleman Jackson's," Gabriel suggested.
Crowley cackled. "Are you bloody mad, you little leprechaun? Your lecherous cousin would beat me to a bloody pulp on the ring."
Dean stepped in. "A duel may lead to someone's death." His eyes landed on Castiel, who remained unphased by the entire scene. "Cas, say something!" Castiel shrugged his shoulders.
"That is exactly the point, Cowboy. I fervently pray the duel will result in your darling Camel's demise. No one takes anything from me. He needs to be made an example of." Crowley inched closer to Castiel. "How dare you touch her fair skin with your dirty dark hands?"
"My hands weren't the only parts of my anatomy I touched her with." Castiel leaned away from the wall.
"Cas, for the love of God shut your trap!" Dean yelled at his friend. Had Cas lost his marbles?
Crowley spat on Castiel's shiny shoes, when the future viscount passed by. Cas stopped to look at him. "I choose swords." Murmurs spread like fire across the card room.
Meg approached her fictitious beau and slid her arm through his. She glared daggers at Crowley and Alistair. The couple vacated the room. Ruby, Gabriel, Balthazar and Dean followed them out.
Dean found Meg giving Cas an earful outside of her carriage. She seemed relieved, when he approached them. "Please talk some sense into this idiot. I have lost all my patience with him this evening."
Castiel assisted her in ascending the small steps up the vehicle. He lightly kissed the knuckles of her right hand. "My apologies, Meg"
Meg was furious and closed the carriage's curtains. She tapped on the roof signaling for the driver to leave. Dean tugged Castiel by one of his sleeves towards a tall lemon tree. "What possessed you to say all those things? Have you lost your cotton picking mind?"
Castiel sat on the ground Indian style. He pulled at his hair. "I am so sick of living a life of debauchery. The only thing that makes me happy is going on excavation trips. I know I have sunk to a new low."
Dean joined his friend on the ground. He fought the urge to run his fingers through Cas' unruly locks. "Then stop living this so called life of debauchery then. You can focus more on your career."
Castiel yanked a blade of grass from the well-manicured lawn. "I hate myself sometimes."
"Don't say that, you hear? You're remarkable, Cas. How can you not see it?" Dean's right hand landed on top of Cas' thigh. His very hard and muscular thigh, Dean thought to himself.
"You are saying that because you are my friend." Castiel's indescribable blue eyes locked to Dean's emerald orbs.
"No, I am not. You are amazing and I need you to believe it."
Castiel swallowed hard. "Thank you, Dean. You always know the right thing to say."
Dean's eyes stayed rooted on Cas' pink and puffy lips. He licked his own dry lips nervously. Cas was the first to stand up. He assisted the future duke in getting to his feet. Gabriel and Balthazar approached them, after escorting Lady Ruby to her carriage. "Are you really going through with the duel?" Gabriel asked with concern.
Castiel nodded. "I am not proud of what I did to Lady Lilith. I need to face the piper."
"You will need someone to be your second," Balthazar said.
"I volunteer my services," Dean stated as he stood next to his best friend. "I gather I need to procure your weapon and have a physician at the site."
Castiel nodded. "Thank you again, Dean."
"No problem, I'll get grandpa's physician to be present and the old geezer has a sweet collection of vintage swords. He won't mind if I borrow one."
Meanwhile, Crowley sat in a wingback chair situated in front of a roaring fire in the manor's study. He finished a glass of fine whiskey. Alistair served him another glass. "Are you confident enough in your fencing skills?"
"Not really but that is where your expertise will come in handy." Crowley threw the empty glass into the fireplace. He grinned watching the glass smash into hundreds of pieces and start melting. "You still breed snakes, am I correct?"
Alistair's reptilian eyes brightened. He rubbed his hands in anticipation. "You know they are my precious babies." The man practically purred in delight.
"Good, old chap because this is what I need you to do for me." Alistair leaned his head against Crowley's to listen to every single word.
The morning of the duel arrived. As usual for English weather a downpour descended the British countryside. Dean and Castiel arrived together on horseback. Four sleek carriages were stationed at Weepy Willow Hill. A gnarled decrepit weeping willow with barely any leaves on it stood sentry in the middle of the infamous hill known for duels.
Meg emerged from a carriage. Castiel met her half way. She rose on tiptoes and kissed his chiseled jaw. "For good luck and I still think you're a bloody imbecile." Balthazar shook hands with his friend and wished him luck, as well. He joined Meg outside her carriage.
Gabriel walked over to his cousin. "Cassie, you can still bow out of this circus. We can run away together and live permanently in Egypt. I have grown accustomed to the place. I cannot get enough of the caramelized dates."
Castiel smiled and hugged his cousin. "I left a letter for each of my parents. In case of my demise, please hand it to them personally and tell them I love them."
Gabriel discreetly wiped his runny nose with the collar of his cousin's black jacket. Cas donned an entire dark outfit for the duel. It was casual clothing and he even wore old boots which he used during his excavating trips.
Dean wore comfortable clothes he donned at the ranch. His favorite Stetson covered his head. "We can make a run for it, Cas. I'll hide you at my ranch where the frog and his cronies won't find you."
Castiel chuckled. Dean did, too. Cas loved seeing the small crinkles that formed at the corner of his friend's eyes. Dean was so damn beautiful. Cas never told him but he was always a bright sun to him. Castiel threw caution to the wind and wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders. He inhaled his friend's neck which smelled of leather and pure Dean. Castiel mouthed against the Texan's neck, "I hope we get to spend more time together."
He released his hold on Dean. Crowley, Alistair and a few men from the wedding vacated their carriages. Dean retrieved a large thin wooden box from a footman. He opened it and gingerly removed a gleaming silver fencing sword. Castiel took it by the handle and nodded at him.
Crowley was conspiring with Alistair a few feet away. The tall lizard handed his friend a sword. "Good luck, Cas," Dean said as he joined the others.
"I was surprised to see you here, you bloody rapist!" Crowley screamed from his spot.
Castiel rolled his eyes. "It is not considered rape if both participants are extremely willing in the act!"
The two duelists walked to the center of the hill in front of the weeping willow tree. They stood face to face and turned backwards. Their backs touched. Crowley counted to ten and the two combatants walked several steps ahead. All of a sudden, a shot rang out in the silent morning air.
Both men turned and took the fencing standing potion. Soon the clash of metal pierced the atmosphere. Castiel fought majestically. Crowley seemed out of his element. The slimy bugger threw dirt in Castiel's eyes to gain advantage. Castiel clenched his teeth. He was able to see again. He landed his sword on Crowley's thigh. The rotund man yelped in pain.
Sweat slid down Castiel's spine and neck. He refused to die at the hands of his lifelong nemesis. "You know I am not mad Lilith was not a virgin on our wedding night. I am livid knowing you had her. How could she be attracted to a scorpion like you? She knows how much I hate you."
"Maybe that is why she pursued me. What woman in her right mind would be happy to spend the rest of her life shackled to you?" Castiel thrust the sword close to Crowley's neck. The frog blanched. His toupee was soaked in sweat and flopped to the side.
"You bloody bastard!" Crowley lanced his sword into Castiel's right bicep. Blood seeped through the tear in Cas' black jacket and shirt. Meg held on to Dean's hand. He made a move to run towards the duelists.
Castiel barreled into Crowley and hit his jaw with his sword handle. Crowley saw stars as he landed on a lily pond. His toupee flew and landed on a frog which was perched over a lily pad. The witnesses ran towards the two men.
The future viscount strolled over to Crowley, who glared at him. "I am truly sorry for what I did. I will apologize to Lady Lilith in person."
"Sod off!" Crowley bellowed as Alistair helped him rise.
Gabriel and Balthazar laughed hysterically at the frog wearing the toupee. "Crowley, you have found your long lost twin!"
Dean and Meg checked Castiel for other injuries besides the one on his bicep. His body began to sway and his vision blurred. He clung to Dean desperately. "Cas, what's wrong?"
Castiel fell to the ground. His body convulsed and foam seeped out of his mouth. Meg screamed for the doctor to come for help. The physician knelt down and felt for Castiel's pulse once he stopped shaking. "His heart is barely beating. We need to get him to a bed as soon as possible."
Balthazar and Dean carried an unconscious Castiel to Meg's carriage. Luckily, the Milton estate was located six miles from Weeping Willow Hill. Dean took the reins from the footman and hurried the four horses which led the carriage. It was a miracle the carriage didn't tip over. Dean maneuvered the reins like a madman. He couldn't lose Cas.
As soon as Castiel was settled in his own bedchamber, a footman undressed him. Meg was not allowed in the bedroom, so she paced Cas' sitting room. Dean was the first to notice the swelling in Castiel's bicep. The skin was puckered and red. The physician positioned wire rimmed glasses over his long nose. "This does not look like a regular stab wound."
He felt for Cas' pulse. "At least his heart beat is coming back to normal." He raised Castiel's left eye lid.
Dean held on to one of Cas' clammy and limp hands. He soothed his friend's sweaty hair with the other. "Cas, come back to me. Don't you dare leave me...you hear?"
"Dean?" Castiel opened his eyes. His complexion turned pale. "Make the room stop spinning," he whispered.
"Cas, you scared the daylights out of me!" Dean held tighter to Cas' hand.
Castiel rocketed out of bed and made his way to the nearest wash basin. He emptied his stomach. His body shivered. Dean was behind him in no time, tenderly running a hand over his friend's back. Once Cas finished, the future viscount rinsed his mouth with mint water and returned to bed with his friend's assistance.
"I have never been so nauseous in my entire life." Castiel shivered. Gabriel brought an additional duvet and covered his cousin with it.
Balthazar stood at the foot of the bed. "What did you eat, old chap?"
"Nothing, I have not eaten since yesterday morning. I was too nervous." The physician handed Castiel another basin. Cas vomited one more time.
"What's wrong with him, doc?" Dean rubbed the back of his neck.
"May I please be left alone with the patient?"
Everyone nodded and exited the bedchamber. Meg jumped from the settee she sat on; when she saw the men leave the chamber. "How is he?"
"He is conscious but spends all his time emptying his stomach," Balthazar replied.
"That is preposterous. Castiel has never been sick a day in his entire life." Meg placed a hand over her chest.
"Something just ain't right. Crowley could've continued the duel but seemed satisfied after nipping Cas." Dean sat on the settee and stretched his long legs in front of him.
"What are you implying, cowboy?" Gabriel asked.
The doors which led to Castiel's bedchamber were opened by the physician. "I will send a servant to fetch an anti-venom serum at my house."
"Anti-venom...was Cassie poisoned? But how?" Gabriel held Meg.
"He has all the symptoms and Crowley's sword could have easily been laced with adder venom."
"Adder…as in the viper?" Meg inquired.
The physician nodded. "Can someone instruct a servant to go to my house and fetch the anti-venom. My wife will know what to give him. Here are directions on how to arrive there." He handed a card to Gabriel.
"I will have Ion go. He is the fastest rider in the estate," Gabriel suggested.
Dean's ears perked at the name Ion. He felt warmth pool in his stomach hearing the name of the man, who was Castiel's first lover. He had no reason to feel this way. He swallowed hard. Castiel spent the next two hours vomiting. His pulse weakened once more. Dean was a bundle of nerves. The only time he felt this way was when his mother was in her deathbed. He couldn't go through something similar again. If he lost Cas just when he had found him after all this time; Dean didn't know what would become of him.
Ion personally showed up with the anti-venom serum. The physician wasted no time and administered it to Castiel, who was delirious. Gabriel allowed Ion to remain for a while. The head stableman wanted to make sure his master would be alright. He wrung a wool cap in his hands.
Castiel did not regain consciousness until the sun set. Dean was the only person he asked for. The physician informed the small group gathered in the sitting room he was alert and asking for Dean.
"Of course he is," Meg said as she elbowed the Texan.
Gabriel hurled inside the bedchamber like a small tornado. "Cassie, you are back in the land of the living!" He kissed his cousin's forehead. "My Lord, you look like a ghost."
"Thank you, Gabriel"
Meg kissed Cas' cheek. "You had all of us scared, angel."
He gave her a weak smile. "It is not easy to get rid of a bad weed like myself."
Balthazar patted Cas' feet. "I am glad to have you back, old boy."
Castiel slightly nodded at him. He thanked the physician and instructed Gabriel to pay the man his well-earned wages. Cas finally noticed Ion in the chamber. "Ion, what are you doing here? Was I truly at death's door?"
Ion wiped a wayward tear from the corner of his right eye. Dean butted in. "He rode to the good old doc's home and fetched the serum that was needed to save you. He was a genuine hero today."
"Thank you, Ion. I know I can always count on you." Castiel held to one of Ion's hands and kissed it.
Dean growled and cleared his throat. "I am happy to see you well, young master." Ion left the bedroom with those words.
Castiel observed his dear friend's tired demeanor. He patted the empty space to his right on the giant bed. "I know you are dead tired."
Dean hesitantly joined Cas in bed. He wanted so bad to circle his arms around the man's torso and breathe his intoxicating scent. All of a sudden, a knock was heard. A female servant barged in the room and opened the terrace windows to air out the chamber. Another servant removed two basins while another brought in two new ones with fresh water in them. A footman dragged in a copper tub and two burly male servants brought in pails of warm water.
Once the bath was set and the servants left, Castiel told Dean to take a much needed bath. "You should go first. No offense, Cas but you reek."
Castiel chuckled. "I know but I insist you go first. Do not tell me you are shy to be nude in front of me all of a sudden. We saw each other naked the other night during the storm."
Dean blushed profusely. What the hell was wrong with him? All of a sudden, he was acting all flustered like a sixteen year old girl around her first beau. He'd always been attracted to females. Now the only person he wakes to morning wood thinking about is his best friend.
"Go on, before the water gets cold, when it is time for me to bathe." Castiel shooed his friend towards the copper tub.
Dean swiftly removed all of his clothing and jumped in the tub; causing water to spill at the sides. Cas smirked. He barely had any time to take Dean's beautiful body. Why was he being so fidgety with him? He saw Dean scrubbing a scented bar of soap along his arms. Castiel wanted to run the bar of soap languidly along every inch and crevice of his best friend's sinful body. Cas had been attracted to Dean since his eyes landed on him upon his return during Gabriel's soiree. He was not afraid to admit, he was close to falling in love with the Texan. But he knew Dean did not swing that way and two men embroiled in a romantic relationship meant social suicide. Castiel would not do that to his parents; especially his mother, who had suffered enough. He also would not put Dean in such a predicament. The Winchester needed to find a suitable wife, who would become his future duchess. And that is if he accepts to stay in England and the dukedom.
Castiel left the canopied bed and pulled down his trousers which were the only article of clothing he had left. He startled Dean, who was drying his chest. "Sorry, I do not want the water to grow cold."
Cas gently placed his sore and weak body into the tub. The water was still warm. Something about laying in water that Dean had been in minutes ago made his heart beat faster and his cock twitch. He lathered the bar of soap over his chest and closed his eyes. "Cas, where can I find a robe or something?"
Castiel opened his eyes. "Try the chest by the window." He heard Dean's footsteps saunter over to the other side of the chamber.
Dean opened the cherry wood chest and rummaged through it. His hand froze. In the middle of the clutter lay the cowboy hat he'd given Cas as children. A warm fuzzy feeling filled his heart. Cas kept the hat after all these years. Dean swallowed hard.
"Did you find anything?"
Dean composed himself. "I sure did."
He walked towards the tub with hat in his hand. Castiel grinned. "Are you surprised I kept it?"
"Actually yes"
"It gave me strength when I needed it like when father told me I was leaving to an actual school. I took it with me and whenever Crowley and Alistair taunted me, I would sleep with it next to me."
"Cas, I don't know what to say?" Dean traced the brim of the hat with a forefinger.
Two servants entered carrying trays of food. The physician instructed for Cas to be on a diet of broth until tomorrow. He was not happy with the idea but followed doctor's orders. Dean ate roasted pheasant and a scintillating apple tart.
Three footmen appeared to remove the tub and buckets of water. Suddenly a growl was heard from the hall. "Someone has missed you, sir," the youngest footman stated before opening the door.
Cleo walked inside her master's bedchamber. "Cleo, my beautiful girl, come here!"
The panther obeyed and sat adjacent to Castiel's bed. She allowed her master to stroke her head. The panther licked his hand, as her green eyes locked to Dean, who finished eating the apple tart.
Cleo growled at him. "I don't think your kitty likes me."
"Nonsense, come over here."
Dean strolled to the bed. He tightened the sash of the robe Cas lent him. "I promise she won't bite," Cas said.
"Cleo, this is my dear friend Dean. He will be a part of our lives; so be a good girl to him." Castiel grabbed one of Dean's hands and placed it over Cleo's head. Dean stroked the soft black fur. The panther purred and leaned her head closer to the bed. Castiel's and Dean's fingers enlaced after petting Cleo for a few minutes. They remained intertwined.
Cleo lay on the Aubusson carpet and stretched her front paws. Dean sat closer to Castiel. "Promise not to ever scare me like that again. I almost lost you today. I cannot lose you after finding you, Cas."
"You won't, Dean. I promise my reckless behavior is a part of my past."
Castiel surprised both of them by tracing the freckles on Dean's cheeks with his thumbs. He was afraid his friend would reject him. Dean closed his eyes and leaned his face closer to Cas' fingers. He opened his eyes which had turned into a mix of dark green and amber. His lashes fluttered for a second. Castiel rubbed a callused thumb over Dean's full lower lip.
"You're so bloody beautiful, Dean. My own personal sun," Castiel whispered huskily before his lips landed over Dean's.
