Prince Lucifer Angelous was a man who seldom smiled.
He did laugh though, usually at the expense of some poor indigent or simpleton brought before him in his court. And he often grinned at his friends' lewd humor or at the half-naked women who danced for him in his court.
But there was only one person that could make Lucifer smile.
And that person was his pride, his love and perhaps even his weakness.
Right now, the boy stood, perched at he edge of the marble swimming pool. He was six years of age, with blond hair and blue eyes like his father.
The resemblance ended there, though.
Because while Lucifer was feared and despised for his greed and cruelty, Jack was as sweet as he was beautiful.
"Dada! Are you watching?"
Lucifer had been studying the documents that Sir Crowley had brought him. He looked up and smiled one of those rare smiles.
"Of course I am, Jack."
Jack pushed back his wet hair and took a deep breath. And then he ran and cannonballed into the crystal blue water.
He came up sputtering and then dogpaddled to the pool's edge where his nanny, Rowena stood watching.
"I made a huge splash didn't I Dada?" Jack asked, grinning as he pulled himself from the water.
"You sure did. You need to be more careful though. I think you splashed poor Crowley."
Sir Crowley forced a smile. He'd just arrived after a long ride from the estate of Prince Castiel. He was tired and impatient. Plus, he had no fondness for the brat.
But of course, he'd never let Lucifer know that.
"Yes. Well done, Jack." He said.
Jack narrowed his eyes at him and then stuck out his tongue.
Lucifer laughed but Rowena shook her head as she wrapped a fluffy towel around the boy. "Don't stick out your tongue, Jack. It's rude."
"But that man's mean. I saw him hit his horse with a stick."
"Nonetheless, a prince does not stick out his tongue at anyone."
Rowena wrinkled her nose in distaste as she glanced at Sir Crowley. "Not even Sir Crowley."
"Rowena, why don't you take Jack in and get him dressed. I need to discuss business with Crowley." Lucifer ordered.
"Yes sir."
"But I want to swim some more." Jack protested.
"Your father has a guest, dear."
Jack sighed. "Yes Nanny."
"I tell you what. We'll go to the kitchen after you're dressed and see what treats Cook has baked."
"She said she was going to bake cookies today." Jack said eagerly.
"Aye. And you can have one. But only one. You don't want to ruin your dinner."
Jack smirked. "You say that now, but I'll have two…or three."
"Oh? You think so, do you?"
"Yes. I'm the prince so I can have as many as I want."
Rowena sighed dramatically. "I suppose you can your majesty. It doesn't matter what I say. I'm only a poor servant."
Jack's smile disappeared. "No. I'm sorry Nanny. Don't be sad. I'll only have one, I promise."
Rowena smiled and picked him up.
"You're a good boy, Jack." She said fondly.
Lucifer shook his head in disgust as he watched them walk away.
Sometimes his son was so weak. The boy would need to be toughened up if he was to be the king one day. His training would have to start soon.
Right now though, Lucifer had business to attend to.
He turned his attention to Crowley.
"So tell me everything."
"The wedding took place two weeks past."
Lucifer sighed impatiently. "You told me that, Crowley. Tell me something I don't know."
Sir Crowley smirked. "Well, the Winchester boy's only eighteen."
"Old enough to knock him up."
"He is. Of course, if it's not him, it'll be someone else. Now that Prince James is dead, the Queen is determined the omega prince will produce an heir."
"I'm aware of the problem, Crowley."
"It's an easy fix, your majesty. The problem will go away if Castiel goes away." Crowley smirked. "Just like his poor brother."
"I agree. There's no rush though."
Lucifer glanced down at the paperwork Crowley had brought him.
"Winchester." He said thoughtfully. "Why do I know that name?"
"His mother, my dear friend Mary Winchester, was formerly Mary Campbell. I believe her great-aunt was married to your second cousin." Crowley explained. "You've probably seen the name in the family archives."
Lucifer shook his head. It wasn't that.
He looked back down at the papers Crowley had brought him.
And then he remembered.
It had been twenty years, but Lucifer never forgot anything. Or anyone.
John Winchester had been one of a mob who'd dared rebel against the tax increases he'd introduced. A necessary increase since Lucifer had been constructing a new country estate at the time.
The revolt had come to nothing of course. The leaders of the protest had been executed and some of the followers, including Winchester, had been publicly humiliated – tied naked to the stocks for three days as citizens had been instructed to throw their garbage at them.
The protestors had been forgotten after that.
But Lucifer never forgot anything.
And he'd certainly never forgotten that John Winchester had stood out from the others with his dark, angry eyes and that sneer of disrespect.
He'd always regretted not having the man hanged right then and there.
Perhaps then, this was serendipitous.
He pushed the papers away and turned his attention to Crowley.
"I want you to return to the omega's estate."
"Yes, your majesty."
"And try to ingratiate yourself to Winchester. Castiel is a bore and a simpleton. I'm sure the kid is lonely. Try to become his friend…his confidant."
Crowley smirked, thinking about how much Dean detested him.
But that didn't mean he couldn't change his mind.
Dean was young and naïve.
And even while Castiel was not a simpleton, he was a cold bastard.
So, there was little doubt, Dean needed a friend…a protector even.
And Crowley would fill that void.
After all, pretending to be someone's friend was a specialty of his.
"And Crowley?."
"Yes sir?"
"Send reports back to me regularly. I want to know everything that goes on there. Don't leave anything out."
Crowley nodded, trying not to smile to smugly. This looked as though it was going to a long term assignment. And if he did his job well, it was going to be most lucrative.
"Of course your majesty." He agreed.
