Seven

Dean did not mean to stare, but he could not help it. Sierra Howe had been no more than a child the first time he had met her and now she was a young budding almost teenager. She put her hands in her jacket pockets and came closer to the group. Christopher hurriedly looked between Dean and the girl and looked to Sam for an explanation.

"I thought it was you," she said. "I'd recognize that Impala anywhere."

"I guess I should get a different car," Dean laughed at his own joke. "It's too easily recognizable by the masses."

"I take it this isn't a social call?" she asked, with such an inquisitive voice Dean could have easily mistaken her for being older than she was.

"No," he shook his head. "You probably know why we're here."

She glanced over at the woods and the few workers who remained at the construction site despite the chill in the air. Sierra gave the men a distasteful look and fixed her gaze back on Sam, Dean, and Christopher. She motioned for them to follow her.

"My mom will want to see you again after all these years," Sierra started walking towards her house. "C'mon, my house is this way."

Thus, she led them to greet yet another old friend in a desperate time.

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The woods soared past him as Sindri, Captain of Puck's fearless Guard, road on horseback towards the mountains to scout for any impending dangers with his men at his disposal. He was also grateful for the chance to clear his head before having to face his King once more. Sindri had sent the best of his men away from the mountains and more towards the opening of Somewhere where they would be most needed should anything go down. Sindri's horse, Jax, whinnied as he slowly was forced to jump over yet another fast moving stream. Sindri petted behind his ear when they landed and encouraged his never protesting friend to keep moving. The forest wind whispered and engulfed Sindri in a hug. He hadn't traveled these parts alone in so long.

His thoughts were immediately thrown back to Lily. His heart ached simply being away from her now. He had never imprinted before, but he had heard it described so many times by so many other Fae. Puck would have his head if he found out Sindri had imprinted on his little sister. The Captain let out a deep sigh and kept moving.

His horse took him to the edge of the mountain pass where the lake stretched for miles into the caverns of the mountains beyond his sight. Sindri dismounted and patted his stallion's butt to signal him that he was allowed to take a break. Sindri took out his pipe and sat down under the shade of a familiar tree. His body relaxed as much as a warrior's could and he closed his eyes. It was in situations like these he longed for the guidance of the three people he missed most. His mother and father were both a distant memory, as was his brother Gavin, two of them killed and his sibling missing since Sindri had been taken to King Oberon's castle to grow up without fear of harm. The evil which had descended upon Somewhere the first time had caused an emotional plague amongst Sindri's people in his hometown of Heronn and made them go mad with uncontrollable magical rage. The citizens had taken their anger out on Sindri's parents, the King and Queen of the small town nestled deep in Somewhere as many others were, and in turn they had murdered them in the town square in cold blood.

Sindri shuddered at the memories of what he'd seen that night and tried to shake them away. He hated the evil of the past, but the evil of the present was what scared him the most. He could not risk the people of King Oberon's kingdom uprising against their current King and Sindri's best friend and brother in arms. He had sworn to Puck the day the young King had turned over the leadership of the Guard to him that he would protect the lands from harm, him and his men. That meant keeping things in focus. The Captain fiddled with his belt and placed his hand on the cool metal of the dagger he secretly carried with him every day he set out on his duties. It was the only he had left of his father.

A low growling echoed from the pass and Sindri's eyes shot open. He set down his pipe and sprang to his feet. Jax paced nervously nearby and Sindri drew the dagger, a wolf's head was on the hilt, and the metal glimmered in the daylight. Ironically, it was a wolf causing the disturbance.

So rarely did they venture out of the mountains they called home, but wolves were the sworn enemies of the Fae, all, but one Fae bloodline that is. Sindri shushed Jax and crept closer to the wolf whose wild yellow eyes became slits and its hackles raised higher than its body. Sindri was not afraid. He showed the wolf the dagger and at the sight of the hilt the wolf submitted and bowed its head.

The Wolfhearted could communicate with and even to a certain extent, control the wild wolves of the mountains.

"You're as scared as my people are," Sindri stated once he knew the wolf was listening to him. "I take it the first time your pack attacked me was because I brought those unlike me through your territory. I apologize for that, but now we have a common enemy. I figure you'll understand why one day soon I may have to ask of your help."

The wolf grumbled low in its throat at the thought of what Sindri had suggested, but made no move to attack or leave the conversation.

"Those humans will tear this place apart if we don't come up with a solution soon," Sindri explained the situation further. "I can't have that. King Puck cannot have that either. And surely, your pack and others like it cannot have that either."

The wolf growled, agreeing with him.

"I beg of you to leave us alone no matter what magic influences you other than mine," Sindri pleaded. "Stay and protect your people and I will do the same for mine. Perhaps we all can work together in this to save our home."

The wolf walked closer and bumped Sindri's hand, allowing the Fae to pet him. Sindri sincerely smiled and watched as the wolf took off into the fog of the mountains and the Captain made his way back to his horse. His thoughts were still on Lily and how to explain everything to Puck, but his worries about the wolves were at least at bay. Sindri snapped the reins and Jax tore back the way they had come.

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Lily had successfully paced her room for an hour that morning and now she was leaning over her balcony, staring out at the vast lands in which she had grown up. The biggest, but not only, Kingdom of the Fae looked so small now that she was taller and stronger and more experienced with the world around her. The lights in the courtyard were dimmer than ever before, a gentle reminder to the acting Queen that the magic was fading. She felt a twinge of regret in her heart about the night she had probably messed up Sindri's only chance at taking down information about the humans who were taking their land.

Sindri, he was due back soon. And soon, was faster than she had expected. She could see the stables from her bedroom window and there was Sindri in his Captain's uniform and dismounting his horse, making sure his cape did not get stuck on anything. He was far more graceful than he had been when they had been children. Lily felt her cheeks heat up the longer she stared at him. That night, when they had imprinted, Lily had felt so alive and free once again. Her first imprint, Dean Winchester, had rejected her and it had stung worse than a thousand bites from angry hornets. Fae only got one chance, sometimes two, to have a mate. Lily felt as though she should have been jumping for joy at her rare opportunity. Instead, she was cursing herself. The primal ache deep inside of her and the fluttery feeling in her chest were not the sort of things she wanted to be feeling for a fairy that she had known and who had been her best friend since childhood. She did not want to feel the way she was, but she could not help but crave Sindri's presence, and so much more she would never admit, from him as well.

Her cheeks flushed at the thought and she shook those thoughts away. He had not denied her. They just needed time to figure out the mess that was their home at the present moment and to figure out a way to tell her brother about the two of them.

"I hate to interrupt," a female voice came from the doorway and Lily turned to see someone she never had before. The Fae could not have been any older than Lily was and she had raven hair and green eyes. She was clothed in a tunic, pants, and boots as jet black as her hair and she carried a dagger in her belt loop. She leaned against the door frame. "But I heard the great Queen could be found around here somewhere?"

"T-That is correct," Lily could not help, but stammer in the girl's presence. She had the mark of a true leader and the also the mark of another kingdom which she bore on her sleeve. She had used a last name Lily was not even aware Sindri possessed. "I just wanted some fresh air so I stepped out. May I ask what brings you here much less to my chambers?"

"Nothing beats visiting an old friend first off," the girl extended her hand and Lily slowly shook it. "Rowan Strider, your King sent for anyone willing to help defend our lands and I think I fit the bill. I suppose the King didn't inform you of his latest meeting? It was on short notice after the departure of the humans who saved you all the first time."

Rowan spoke like a warrior did, to the point and shamelessly.

All in all, it made Lily want to throw up and even more so, when Sindri showed up in her doorway.

"Rowan?" he asked as he stared at the girl with remembrance lingering in his gaze. Lily watched protectively, because of the imprint, she suspected.

"Sindri Blackthorn," Rowan smiled, using a last name Sindri had long since forgotten or even used. "It's been a long while."

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