Chapter 22
"You." said Dean shoving Lucifer against a wall.
"Me."
"What are you doing here?"
"Getting some soup."
Dean growled low in his throat "So help me Lucifer, this is your last warning, if I ever see your face around here again you'll be begging for death."
Lucifer stared Dean down "Are you threatening me little man."
"I'm promising you. I'm your better Lucifer, your king, you are nothing but evil manipulative sewer trash, get out of my castle!"
Dean let go of him and stormed off. Lucifer narrowed his eyes and brushed his clothes down. "No one threatened him, not even the so called king, he was no one's bitch, especially not mud monkey Dean Winchester: playing at being king. One small push; a few words here and there - about Deans "preferences" - it would all come tumbling down"
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It had been 2 long weary weeks of constantly monitoring Sam that he had finally cleansed his system of the drug completely. Come the third week it was deemed safe to let him out as long as he was kept under constant supervision so he wouldn't relapse, an annoyingly necessary situation for all involved.
Sam wandered listlessly around the castle with his newfound "freedom", guards trailing not so inconspicuously behind. He wandered aimlessly not really caring where he was going. Dean worried extensively he would relapse again, and if he wasn't so busy running the kingdom would have kept a 24 hour watch on his brother himself. Rumours spread around the castle like wild fire about the princes mental state, but none of them quite hit the mark. The two royalties were all alone in the big castle (bar the servants) as Castiel had left. Taken it upon himself to lead a small team of men to track down Ruby who was still conveniently missing. The absence of Castiel left Dean in a sour and irritable mood that none could break, the rumours pined the kings irritable behaviour over concern for his brother. The wilder ones gossiped he was still in love with the queen, but she would not take him back. Deans worry was not lessened by the fact that his personal guards had unearthed a total of four assassins hiding in the castle in the last month, a new record the guards joked, immediately stopping once the king shot them a sour look. The war still raged brutally on, report after report flew in. The losses mounting up, the dead piling up on the streets. The people began to question Deans leadership, a mounting feeling of uneasiness travelled through the kingdom, the land rested on a pinnacle of fear and death, all it would take was a small to push to send it tumbling down.
The world upon his shoulders Dean would stay late into the study, falling asleep at his desk, and jumping back straight into work when he awoke. His time was divided between work and his brothers recovery. That was why no one noticed when Dean wasn't seen for days, refusing to let anyone in, he left his food uneaten, and his servants pulling their hair out with frustration. He would let no one inside, not even Sams worried knocking could rouse him to his closed door.
Frustrated with Dean Sam sent word to Castiel, informing him of his brothers worrying behaviour. Castiel in a state of increasing frustration and despair needed barely an excuse to return from his failed mission, after weeks on the road and hearing no sight nor sound of Ruby, he was doing nothing but leading the troop in circles anyway.
Immediately after returning from his failed mission Cas climbed the stairs to Deans study, knocking on the door he requested entry. The door did not open. Castiel knocked louder. Still it did not open. Sighing Cas called out to Dean. No reply came from the room. Worried Cas pressed his ear up to the door, he could hear movement inside, and the sound of a quill scratching ink upon paper.
Furrowing his brow Cas walked down the corridor and ascended the stairs, removing the key from around his neck and unlocking his and Deans room. He entered the room then carefully counted out his steps, feeling along the wall till he felt a hitch, he applied pressure up on the knot and something clicked beneath his fingertips. A set of spiralling stairs opened up beneath his feet like a curtain being lifted from in a magic show to reveal a dove were there was naught. With familiarity Castiel descended the set of narrow stairs and strode into the office.
"Dean?" Said Cas.
"huh?"
"Did you not hear me knocking?"
Dean shrugged, turning his eyes to the paper, not really seeing anything, but unable to tear his eyes away anyway, a half melted candle was dripping wax all over the table, pooling on the pieces of parchment laid out beside him. Cas picked up the candle and moved the flame away from the paper where it was threatening to set the table alight.
"C'mon Dean" said Cas grabbing him gently by the arm "time for bed."
"m' not tired" said Dean stumbling to his feet as Cas ignored his protests, pushing him up the stairs, and tucking him in bed, getting in beside him.
"What 'bout the kingdom?"
"Go to sleep Dean, all will be well, I'll watch over it whilst you sleep."
"Thanks Cas." said Dean yawning and drifting off "can always rely on you."
Cas kissed Dean on the side of the head "Go to sleep Dean."