The Angel Makes a Statement
So this chapter will probably throw...everyone off. Well...except for AuntMo who's already seen my notes and knows what's up lol. Enjoy!
"There's something wrong with that girl."
"I know, all she thinks about is going...up there."
"Why would she want to go up there?"
"Haven't a clue."
"Ruby...Meg...shut up."
The two demon women paused in their whispering and looked at a third women lounging on a chaise, her arm draped over the side, hand dangling in the air. Eyes of red and black gazed up at the high rocky ceiling, black as night hair was lifted and flicked over the side along with her arm. Her pale iridescent skin almost glowed in the fire light.
"We're sorry Princess, we didn't think you were listening." Ruby apologized.
"Oh please...everyone could hear you two whispering." The Princess shot back cruelly. She swung her legs off the couch and stood up gracefully. She approached the two women and tilted her head, looking at them curiously. "Next time you want to talk about me...don't." Her tone was sharp, eyes narrowing before she swept past the women and left the chamber. She walked through dark rocky corridors, past several doors beyond which, screams issued. She came to a stop at one and watched it carefully for a moment before she was granted vision inside. Pleased with who was in the room, she pushed the door opened and walked in with her head held high.
"Greetings Princess." A man greeted, his tone polite and almost musical as he sliced a knife through a young woman's arm. "What can I do for you on this fine day? No wait...let me guess...you came for the show?"
"As tempting as that is...I came for assistance, Alistair." The Princess responded, her arms crossing, eyes glancing momentarily at the woman on the rack.
"Of course you did." Alistair murmured. He looked at the woman strapped down before him and smiled darkly at her. "Be a dear...hold this." He rammed the knife into the woman's abdomen, revelling in the scream she issued behind her gag, before turning to the Princess. He dropped into a low bow, bending at the waist and almost getting to his knees. "How can I be of service, Princess?"
"I want to go to the surface." The Princess replied strongly. Alistair paused then slowly rose from his bow. He observed the Princess' determination and couldn't help a grin. He held his hands behind his back and motioned with his head for the Princess to follow him from the room. She did and fell in step with him as they walked the corridors.
"Your father will not approve." Alistair pointed out.
"I have a dozen other brothers and sisters that can take over when his age comes to fail." The Princess argued.
"Why, oh why, would a Princess of Hell...wait go to up there?" Alistair asked curiously. The Princess frowned and gazed around the corridor. "Is there something up there, perhaps, that has caught her attention?" He let out a dramatic gasp, halting his companions steps. "Is there a boy? Oh...no wait...my apologies. The Princess would go for a man, not a simple boy."
"Are you going to ask questions or are you going to help me?" The Princess asked, her tone filled with acid.
"I am not responsible for anything you happen to find on your very own." Alistair admitted, examining his hands. The Princess paused and frowned. "If you just happened to find an incantation book in my office on the third row in the case, dark red brown leather casing, possibly right near the middle...well then...that's your doing. I'm not responsible for any mistakes and troubles you cause."
"Of course not." The Princess agreed, smiling. She kissed the demon on the cheek before hurrying off. Alistair chuckled to himself as he watched her go then slowly returned to the room with his victim.
Getting into Alistair's office was easy, finding the book was easier, sneaking it back to her room was hard. When she got there, Ruby and Meg were still around but they left when the Princess ordered them away, demanding her privacy. Once alone, she flipped frantically through the book, searched the pages carefully, until she found the ritual that she needed. She gathered her materials and scooped up the burning fire from the walls outside the gates of the Hell level. When she was ready, she carving the circle in her floor and sat within it, the bowl of hellfire placed tenderly before her.
"Ab imo ad summum, ex foveis superficiem, corpus meum, accipite hanc animam esse." The Princess muttered. She reached into a bowl and sprinkled a glowing green powder on the fire, watching it spark up in excitement. "Ex Infernum onto Terram sumere corpus meum esse." She paused for a moment then took out a dagger, Latin symbols carved on the blade. The blade shimmered in the flames and she tilted her head for a moment before dragging the sharp edge across her palm. Pain coursed up her arm and spread through the rest of her body, almost enough to make her stop but her determination won out as she held the bleeding appendage over the fire, relinquishing a few drops to it's inferno.
For several seconds nothing happened and the Princess felt the start of disappointment. She was ready to hunt down Alistair and beat him senseless for tricking her. The second she began to raise though, the flames shot out of the bowl and enveloped her in their warmth. She gasped, only in surprise as the flames did not harm her. Red-black eyes shut and a smile crossed her dark red mouth as she happily succumbed to the dark fire's will.
For a long time, nothing seemed to change, but then things got very cold and her bare feet felt something sleek beneath them. Her eyes opened and she looked down at the green blades of grass caressing her toes. She frantically pushed her hair back to look better then spun around, taking in the rest of her surroundings. To one side, towering high over her, were countless trees. On the other side, at some distance, rested numerous buildings, waiting for the morning sun to wash over them and come alive with the day's activities.
"This...this is it." The Princess muttered. She paused for a moment, taking several deep breaths before she began to laugh. "I made it. I did it! I MADE IT!" She jumped and spun around on the spot, hardly believing all this to be true.
"Everything alright, Ma'am?" A southern flared voice called out, putting a halt to the Princess' celebrating. She spun around and felt her face light up with a large smile. Sitting on a horse not far from her was a man.
Not just any man though.
"I..." The Princess started but faded off as a dizziness overcame her. She stumbled and fell over as the world spun around her.
"Ma'am...Ma'am can you hear me?" The man asked, rushing to her side and hauling her body across his lap as he knelt down. "Stay with me, Ma'am."
"I'll...be...fine." The Princess reassured him weakly.
"I sure hope so." The man muttered. "I'm Dane Weston, Ma'am. Pleasure to meet you at this odd hour."
"I'm..." The Princess started but again halted as she realized she needed a name. She let out a sigh as her vision stopped spinning and she was granted with a clear view of the man she had been longing to meet for a long time. "Arianna."
"That's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman if you don't mind my saying." Dane admitted. The Princess laughed softly.
All thoughts of her family and duties were gone from her head.
***SL***SPN***SL***SPN***SL***
"I'm what?" Aria asked, tossing her pillow away and getting off the bed. "Actually...no wait...different question first. Who the hell are you and why should we not try and get rid of you?"
"I am Castiel...an Angel of the Lord." Castiel explained with no real sense of emotion. From her spot near the door, Lily sighed and shook her head, wondering how things could possibly get worse.
"An Angel?" Dean asked, rolling his eyes. "Yeah right. You expect us to believe that?" He and Sam jumped when lightning crashed outside and the lights flickered inside, illuminating the shadow of wings on the wall behind Castiel.
"You've faced all kinds of Hellish creatures...your belief runs out on Heavenly?" Castiel questioned. Dean frowned, eyes narrowing on the Angel. Aria looked between them, not sure what to think of anything she had just heard. Lily kept her gaze on Aria, waiting for anything from the girl. Sam was the only one not looking at any of the talking people. His eyes were on his girlfriend ever since she had spoken the Angel's name.
"Well this is just peachy." Dean muttered. "Dude, you got your facts wrong because Aria is not some hell man's kid." He looked at the girl standing by the bed and gestured to Castiel. "Tell him."
"I...umm..." Aria hesitated and chewed on her lip which made Dean pause. "I don't know."
"What?" The older Winchester crossed the room in a flash and loosely gripped Aria's arms. He tried to get her to look at him but she kept staring at the floor. "Ari...come on...you're not. Don't let him make you think that."
"It's not him." Aria muttered, sighing. She lifted her eyes to look at Dean, wide and scared. "The dream I had last night. It was me...but...it wasn't. And...the demon that keeps appearing...that...Crowley person..."
"Crowley is dangerous and is using you." Castiel pointed out. The couple looked at him again. "He wishes to use Arianna as a way to gain control in Hell. Him bringing her up allowed him to grab a hold of her. He will use you both and the fact that can send her back...again." The Angel finally moved, taking steps to look around the motel room, taking in the decorum of the small place. "I interfered."
"You what?" Dean asked.
"You two are bound together by my doing." Castiel informed them, turning his gaze back to them. "So long as you do not offer your soul to him, Crowley's hold on Arianna is weak as he cannot drag you to Hell along with her."
"Son of a bitch." Dean muttered, dragging a hand across his face. He looked at Aria as she sat quickly on the bed, looking even more fearful then she had before. He paused then sat down next to her, putting his arm around her and pulling her against his side. His eyes drifted back to Castiel and he just had to ask the question that was suddenly presenting itself. "What's the big deal behind all this?"
"I don't understand." Castiel replied.
"Me and Aria." Dean elaborated. "She was here before...then...she died. Now she's back and all this is going on. What is it?"
"She fell in love with you over a hundred years ago." Castiel explained.
This one's short but I had to leave it there lol. Hopefully that last bit makes the starting bit make more sense. I'll be elaborating on it, of course, and you'll see more of those people and find out just what happened to lead to all of this.