Here comes chapter 1. Unfortunately, no Cas in this. But he will appear in the next one, as well as Sammy.
Have fun!
Elisabeth "Lisa" Braeden was the prettiest girl in town and, although that already made her a good match, she was also the only daughter of Wall's wealthiest inhabitant. Many young and lovestruck men hit on her, but she felt no one was ever worth her. Well, no one except a certain young man with adventurous mind, who never took anything seriously, especially real relationships. Yes it's true. Dean Winchester was not the romantic type, in fact he was the reincarnation of Don Juan or Giacomo Casanova, or even both. And when he first hit on Lisa, it was nothing but another challenge...
A stone hit the window of Lisa Braeden's room, causing the girls inside to stop their chatting.
"Who's that?", Joanna Harvelle asked in excitement.
"One of Lisa's suitors", the youngest girl, Becky Rosen, a rather average girl replied in a snippy tone. The girls went to the window, opened it and looked down.
When they caught sight of him, they were faced by Dean Winchester's cocky smile.
"Dean", Lisa and Jo said in unison, when Becky only shot him a pejorative look.
"What is it, Dean?", Lisa asked, smiling sheepishly.
"Oh, I just thought I could grace these beautiful ladies with my presence", he answered charmingly.
Jo and Lisa giggled sillily and invited Dean to come up and join them, when suddenly a harsh voice interrupted their flirting.
"Dean Winchester, shop boy by day, peeping Tom by night. Is there no end to your charms?"
"Bela, there's no need to be like that. Be nice to him", Lisa said, but Bela Talbot, Lisa's stepsister did not intend to be nice. She was rude and arrogant and did never surround herself with people from the lower classes, like she used to call them. And of all that people Bela hated Dean the most.
"What? No flowers to impress my little sister?", she asked patronizingly.
"You have never learned how to pay attentions to a lady, have you? In fact, I think you have never learned anything at all, you stupid moron", she shot him a provoking gaze.
"You're just jealous, because no one's gonna hit on an old, rancorous spinster", Dean replied spitefully.
In fact, Bela Talbot was nothing like a spinster being almost as pretty as her younger sister, Bela's big flaw was her character. Unlike the charming, lovely Lisa, Bela was arrogant, hateful and intolerant. No suitor was ever worth her, though he was nice and gentle, it was always something about him she didn't like. Most of the time it was because they weren't rich enough or not of a good family. And when it came to her little stepsister, Bela was overprotective, but not because she was worried about Lisa losing her heart to the wrong guy, but because she could marry someone not of her class.
"You better not start a war, little boy. You can't win it", Bela hissed, taking one step closer to Dean and putting all her hatred in the look he gave him.
"Try me", Dean continued but was interrupted by Lisa, telling them both to stop it.
"Bela, that's enough. You better go home, Dean."
Dean wanted to say something but didn't. Although he was pissed and rather wanted to stab Bela right in the face than leave, which came quite close to surrender, but he figured it wouldn't enhance his chances with Lisa. This night didn't go out so well for Dean, but there were other nights. When Dean Winchester wanted something, he would get it.
Dean was late, as always. So when he stumbled the stairs down the following morning, his father already knew he didn't need to offer him breakfast, but did it anyway.
"Want some breakfast?"
"No, I'm really late for work", Dean answered almost out of the door, when John went on.
"Last night, how did it go?"
"What?", Dean turned around. "How do you know?"
"Come on, boy. I'm not blind or deaf and the gossip never stops", John grinned mischievously.
"It would've been great, if that stupid bitch Bela Talbot wouldn't have shown up", Dean replied, still pissed off.
"Yeah, I heard about that, but what I wanted to know is, is it something serious? Between you and Lisa?", his father looked at him intensely, as if he was trying to read his son's mind.
"Something serious? Are you kidding? I just wanted some fun", Dean laughed.
John almost expected that answer, though he was a bit disappointed.
"Why don't you stop playing with these girls and just find someone you'd like to settle down?"
"Because I'm not the type for a marriage. Besides, life is way too short to spend it with just one person."
"Maybe you're still too young to get it, but someday you'll find someone special. Someone you love that much, you'll never want to be with someone else. On that day you'll remember my words. But so far, please try to be earnest with Lisa. If you want to be with her, go ahead. But if you only want to play with her, stop it." With that John went to the kitchen, leaving his son, puzzled and confused.
Dean wouldn't admit it, but his father's words pounded inside his head for almost the whole morning, or at least, until the moment Lisa entered the shop.
"Morning Dean", she said, smiling cheerfully.
"Hey Lisa. What do you want?"
"Let's see...sugar, a dozen eggs, pound of flour and...want to see you later", she said and lowered her voice at the end.
Dean wasn't sure if he heard right, but according to her shy smile, it must be so.
"Uhm...I don't know", he replied unsure of what to say, since John's words still echoed in his brain.
"Oh look, I'm sorry about last night. Bela was really rude, but please...I really want to see you", Lisa said, trying to convince him.
"Lisa...I'd really like to, but...", he began, but stopped when he saw Lisa's sad face.
"Alright...maybe this evening", he agreed finally.
When Dean left his house that evening, heading for Lisa's place, he was still unsure of what to do. Maybe his father was right. Maybe he should finally settle down and maybe Lisa was the right choice. He damned the effect John's words had had on him. In the morning, he was so certain, that marriage was no option and that he still wanted some fun. But his father's words stuck in his head like a loop. Although John had never talked about, Dean knew that once there was a girl (his mother) John loved, but somehow he lost her. So, maybe he should give Lisa a try, though deep down he knew that true love must be different.
"Dean, I knew you'd come", Lisa exclaimed cheerfully, when she opened the window.
"I have something for you. A surprise", Dean said, inviting her to come down and join him for a walk. They ended up on the field near the wall, when Dean stretched a blanket and they sat down.
"It's not my birthday for another week, you know", Lisa mentioned, nevertheless she was pretty excited about the surprise. Dean smiled charmingly, when pulling out a bottle of the finest champagne, the shop, he worked at, had offered.
"My God, this is delicious. I've never had champagne before", Lisa said in delight.
"Yeah, me neither."
"How does a shop boy afford all of this?"
"I'm not a shop boy, I mean, I'm just working in a shop." Dean looked up at the stars, remembering that once, when he was younger he had always dreamed of running away and seeing the world. When had he forgotten about that?
"This must have been all your savings", Lisa mentioned, pointing at the bottle. Dean followed her gaze and just shrugged.
"So? I can make more. That's the beauty of it. I never intended to stay in Wall, Lisa. There's a big world out there. I'm gonna make my fortune."
"Now, you sound just like all the other men, always promising to buy me the world, but never do. One guy even wanted to go all the way to Ipswich just to buy me a ring. Can you imagine? I'm thinking about London or Paris...anyway...I might accept it", Lisa sighed. "Because Dad and Bela want me to. He's rich and gentle and he can afford the life I deserve."
Dean looked at her, rethinking what she was trying to tell him.
"So, you mean..."
"Yes, the word is he's planning to propose to me on my birthday", she shot him a meaningful glance.
"And you're gonna say yes?"
"I can't exactly say no after he's gone all the way to Ipswich. I mean...unless there would be somebody else proposing...if you know what I mean."
Dean knew exactly what she was trying to tell him, but he still didn't know if he really was ready for this. Besides, he doubted that her father would give his daughter to a poor shop boy, who can't even afford a wedding ring.
"You know, it's not because of the ring. It is about the proof. I just want a proof of true love. Like somebody, who would cross oceans and continents for my hand in marriage."
It was obvious what Lisa wanted to imply. A proof of love was all one needed to get her hand. It was the sacrifice one would make to obtain permission to marry Lisa Braeden. And for the first time Dean really considered it.
"So, you say I need to go to Africa and bring you back a diamond as big as your fist?"
"Yeah...for instance."
"Or go to the Arctic and slaughter a polar bear and bring you back its head?"
"Yea...What? A polar bear's head? Ew...that's disgusting", Lisa said, contorting her face. "You're funny Dean. But seriously, would you do that for me?" She shot him a look full of expectation and Dean knew he had to make a decision, now, or it would be too late. So he decided.
"Of course, I would", he said, lighting up Lisa's face immediately. "Let's finish the champagne", he added.
Had Dean known then how the stars watched Earth, he'd have shuddered at the very thought of an audience to his farce. But, fortunately for him, nearly every star in the sky was at that moment looking in earnest at the land on the other side of the wall, where the King of all Stormhold lay on his deathbed, which was a coincidence because it was the King's final act that would change the course of Dean's destiny forever.
PS: Thank you for your reviews. They really make me happy.