A/N: Happy Friday! Have you read or seen Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? This chapter makes reference to that. Enjoy!
Chapter 13
One child ran ahead of the group and scurried in through a small door in the side of the castle wall and as the brothers approached the large castle gates were opened. Before them stood a guard of armed soldiers in shining silver armour and blazing banners, and weapons medieval in nature.
"Is it for show or necessity?" Dean whispered to his brother as they entered into the castle courtyard and the gates were once again closed behind them.
Motioning for the gentlemen to stay atop their horses, the guards called out to their men and surrounded the new comers. A slow procession brought the Winchesters through another stone archway and into a much more inviting garden where Mr. Black and his bride, a young beautiful creature, stood at the steps that lead into the castle. To their right was a long line of servants. To their left stood John and Mary Winchester, or rather the two formally known as such.
"Gentlemen, you are very welcome," Mr. Roderick Black called out as the brothers, in shock, dismounted and stepped forward. "You have traveled very light," he commented with a laugh and a bow. "May I introduce my wife Cordelia and I believe you are well acquainted with the Smiths," he added with a wink as Dean stepped forward and bowed to the lady.
"We only just received your note," John said with a bow to his sons as they stepped toward him.
"What are you doing here?" Dean asked still in shock and then looked to his mother. "You look very well madame."
"Thank you, but come inside, away from the servants, and all will be revealed," she whispered and then followed their host into the castle.
"So you've found yourself preoccupied with vampires," Mr. Black said as the boys were relieved of their wet riding clothes and were the presented to their hosts in a rather feminine parlour which seemed very out of place in a castle and village such as this.
"Yes, we are awaiting the arrival of Vlad Tepes in Whitby," Samuel answered after the pleasantries and greetings had been exchanged.
"Yes, of course you are, and I have gathered what I could from my contacts from London and abroad. He does not seem like your regular vampire but the man is very well respected both in his country and abroad."
"We have been told by an Almighty source that he is not a traditional vampire and does not answer to the alphas as the others do, but the other way around, they answer to him," Samuel explained.
"Then he does not feed on human flesh?" Roderick asked.
"That we do not know at this time, but we are determined to find out and destroy him if that is the case," Samuel confessed.
"And who is your Almighty source?" Mary asked.
"Mr. Shurley, ma'am," Dean answered.
"There is none so almighty as he," Cordelia said and smiled sweetly.
"Very true, my love," Mr. Black said with a bow of his head to the woman beside him.
"And so what is your plan?" John asked to return to the vampire scourge and the problem of their convergence on Whitby.
"Unfortunately we are sitting in wait at this time. We believe many other vampires are coming to greet Tepes as he arrives but he comes for a meeting with Mr. Shurley and so we cannot simply move in and cause a diplomatic incident by killing the king of another country," Dean explained and his tone was heavy and impatient.
"You dislike being lead about, my son, but you must have patients in times like these," Mary said as she pulled him into the seat next to herself to stop him from pacing.
"If vampires begin killing the innocent we will act as is appropriate for our station, but for now we are attempting to lay low and learn all we can about the settlement, the vampires, and the gentry of the place. This is why we have come to you," Samuel continued in place of his brother.
"And should you need our help, I will lead my army to you, but I must stay firmly planted to guard this settlement from the spread of the undead virus that has sprung up in abundance in this part of the world," Roderick granted his benevolent aid to the brother, but in the same breath dropped another horrific truth upon them.
"Is that the reason for your guard's interrogation at the city wall?" Dean asked.
"Indeed, and why we have come to assist with the virus," John answered for his host.
"Oh for the love of all that is good and just in the world, what are we to encounter next?" Dean asked with a shrug and a sarcastic roll of his eyes. "If the vampire scourge wasn't enough for one life times..."
"My sources tell me there is a rather robust pack of gypsies who happen to be the wolf beasts that are trying to cross into France and a large coven of witches have established themselves on the boarder of Scotland in Gretna Green, or so I am told," Mr. Black spoke in a serious but sarcastic tone to bring a weightiness to their true employment as hunters and gentlemen.
"Leave the witches to the Scotts and the werewolves for the roads, we have bigger issues here. We do not know what is causing the dead to rise, and not our kind of rising, but the viral sort," John said when he saw the change in his son's demeanour.
"Or why it seems to be coming from the moorlands," Cordelia spoke with sweetness and softness.
"We came upon nothing on our journey, nor did you mention it when I wrote to you," Samuel said, almost accused.
"Would it have changed your mind?" Mr. Black asked. "And as you see, I am well aware of your true proficiency, so I know that you are well prepared for anything that may have sprung out of the earth to hinder your progress."
"True enough, and I almost wish something would have happened. The vampires have been docile at best, we've found no evidence of them killing while in, and around Whitby, and so I am a bit on edge," Dean confessed.
"Have I taught you nothing boy? Go into society and make a name for yourself. There is always work to be done," John scolded. "And you must take a wife to carry on the family line. I would like the same for you Samuel."
"But do not rush, and do not trick the young ladies into this life," Mary warned. "I should not wish for you to take on useless wives who are only out for your money and cannot handle the life that you will thrust upon them. There are far too many gentle countenances out there in the world, you need to find yourself a strong, level headed, woman."
"And how many gentlemen do you know with daughters who are prepared for our lifestyle?" Dean asked harshly. "And why must our conversations always turn to that when zombies walk the earth and a grand council of vampires is happening just on the other side of the moorland?"
"Because it is your duty and you'll not be young forever," John said in defence of his wife. "And we know plenty of ladies but as we have died we cannot very well assist our sons in that society which we have newly established, though Mr. Black does have two very lovely daughter."
"I do indeed but they are away at school," Roderick said and smiled at his wife. "And boys enough to eradicate the hordes."
"Your daughters are very young then?" Samuel asked.
"Not at all, and many believe I've sent them abroad to entrap foolish, wealthy men, but they are in japan learning the ways of the warriors in preparation to return to us to battle as is their duty. I am not one to raise foolish girls but I can see why you would think them young, my wife has not lost her bloom, in all our years together. It is not witchcraft, I assure you, she is simply that lovely," Roderick said boastfully to make his wife blush.
"Our sons are abroad as well, though our eldest and heir is due to return any day now," Cordelia offered sweetly.
"He and his brother were dealing with an resurgence of the undead in a village near Bath," Roderick added with pride.
"Why have we not heard of any of these creatures? We are not so very far removed from all this action," Dean asked.
"I believe that the specialist are handling it well enough. I am acquainted with a family in Hertfordshire, with daughters abounding, and a very great ability when it comes to the undead. Also the Darcy's of Pemberly are known as very great warriors, as they are related to Lady Catherine herself. I dare say you've heard very little about our plague because your specialities reside elsewhere," Mr. Black recounted. "I do not mean to offence, it is just the truth of the matter."
"Very well, so we are not to be meddling with your undead problems and with vampires to deal with we do not wish to get involved," Dean commented gruffly.
"Dean, that is unkind," his mother scolded.
"I am not one to be kept in the dark, mother," Dean countered angrily as a servant ran in all out of breath and covered in mud and blood.
"What in God's name?" Mr. Black's voice boomed with authoritative anger at the sight of the man.
"We are under siege my lord!" The man cried out and fell to his knees.
"The horde?"
"Yes, they have breached the city wall!"