Fifteen

Mike felt the familiar grooves in the dining table as he ran his fingers along it waiting for King Oberon to stop speaking to his servants about some late night food. Sam sat across from Mike and was observing his every movement. Sam could tell he was anxious to get a move on and kill this monster and Sam couldn't help but feeling a bit anxious himself. Bobby was just looking around and staring at the strange portraits of the king and his family. Sam looked around too, hoping that staring away from Mike would stop some of his anxiety. He spotted one family portrait in particular. He saw the king and queen much younger looking than they looked now. Sam could only assume about the queen. He'd been told she'd been bedridden. Sam picked out the other two with the family in the picture to be his children. One was a fair girl smiling bright like the world had never affected her and the other was a boy who was clearly a seasoned warrior even at his age.

Sam couldn't help but feel for the boy he'd never even met yet staring back at him from the painting.

"Michael," King Oberon motioned for the servants to give him more to drink. "Where have you been? You used to come every day as a child? What happened?"

"I grew up." Michael replied a bit bitterly and King Oberon looked a bit put off by his words.

"We missed you." King Oberon sighed.

"You missed the thought of your chosen one being gone," Michael said. "You can't deny that. I wasn't the boy you were looking for and neither is Dean."

Sam and Bobby both wanted to ask what Mike meant by that, but they kept their mouths shut when they realized the officer wasn't quite done.

"Dean is rescuing the princess and the children as we speak," King Oberon wanted some shred of hope that Mike was wrong. "He has some blade that will kill the beast."

"So he rescues the kids and your daughter," Mike asked. "Then what, you can't honestly expect him to stay here forever can you? I didn't."

King Oberon was quiet at that. It was true he did want Dean to take over when the king passed on, but Mike hadn't stayed. Christopher had disappeared. Every child Org had brought to him had been taken by the Basket Woman and none had returned yet. Two worlds that had never meant to collide in the first place suddenly were at a rapid rate. Perhaps his oldest friend's oracle had been wrong about the prophecy? But his friend was hardly wrong. The tears his wife had shed over her lost little girl and the worry that had filled King Oberon's bones over Dean, Sindri, and Puck being out there was enough to convince him to keep his hopes alive that Dean would kill the monster and they'd all return safely. Until Mike stared at him and deep down the king knew that somehow he was probably wrong.

"If we can stay here tonight," Mike's demeanor had changed, but again Sam said nothing about his observations. "It would be much appreciated. We could set out tomorrow on horseback? I remember this place quite well and I'm sure we could be of some assistance and back up to Dean and your warriors."

"That sounds like a most excellent idea," King Oberon nodded. "I shall have three tree house beds made up at once."

"Thank you." Mike nodded.

The rest of the dinner was eaten in almost too comfortable silence. Then the three humans departed to each of their rooms and King Oberon to his chambers. It wouldn't stay like that for long though, for Mike had other plans.

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King Oberon did not go to his chambers right away. First he paid a visit to his old friend and fortune teller named Alvin. He was in charge of foreseeing anything that would befall the kingdom or Somewhere in general. Just as the king entered Alvin turned around, almost clumsily knocking something off the shelf in his haste.

"Ah Oberon," Alvin was the only one who didn't have to address him as king besides his family. "Good to see you old friend. Although I must ask what brings you here?"

"I need to speak with you of the prophecy," King Oberon sighed and sat down at the table nearby. Alvin did as well. "I need to know why it hasn't come true yet. And if it ever will..."

"Are you questioning me?" Alvin asked.

"No I—"

"Because if you are," Alvin started to chuckle. "I don't know why you haven't done it sooner!"

"What do you mean?" King Oberon was shocked.

"I am not a mind reader," Alvin explained. "Nor am I an oracle of any kind. I am simply a fairy Oberon. You enlisted me to watch over our people. I've been giving you prophecies based on what I've observed. At first when that woman came here and even before I figured the only way a stranger could get into our land was if they were supposed to be here for some grand reason. But I learned later on that things simply just happen sometimes. There is no rhyme or reason to them. Dean is no chosen one. He's just here to help."

"Then who will take over for me after I am gone?" King Oberon asked. He'd placed so much faith in Dean being the chosen one that he hadn't thought much about who else could possibly fulfill the position.

"The chosen one you've had your hopes set on for so long," Alvin explained. "He may be closer to home than you think my dear friend."

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Mike had barely saddled up the horse he'd chosen to steal before he felt eyes on him. He spun around to see Sam approaching quietly in the dark. His heart ceased a moment until Sam showed no signs of giving him away.

"You couldn't wait could you?" Sam asked with an accusing yet understanding tone in his voice.

"There are children dying out there potentially right now," Mike said, not even bothering to explain himself. "This monster has to be killed. Even if Dean does it I have to be there to witness what I let in die. Those children deserve to go home safe and I want to be the one to help them. I want this to end."

"Well don't think you're going alone," Sam grabbed a saddle and threw it over another horse that stayed remarkably quiet as though it knew what they were planning and to keep its mouth shut. "Who the hell knows what's out there?"

"Besides me," Mike reminded Sam he'd been to Somewhere before. "I don't want you getting hurt, but you seem to know what you're doing in the traditional sense. I lead though."

"Deal," Sam nodded and got onto the horse beside Mike. The pair looked over only when they felt one more presence. Sam smirked when he saw who it was.

"You didn't think I'd let you two idjits go off alone did you?" Bobby asked. "I'm going too whether you like it or not."

After Bobby had successfully gotten onto another horse the trio sped off into the night, wondering what dangers the mountains held for them.

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Dawn had broken and Dean and Sindri were up and ready. The two of them had lifted Puck up onto Dean's horse and Sindri tied Moonbeam's bridle to his horses' so he could lead both of them. Puck would be fine by nightfall, but in the meantime he could barely sit up by himself. The medicine had put him in a sort of relaxed state and he leaned against Dean without a care in the world in that moment as the trio set off further into the mountains.

"You know," Puck admitted. "You're not half bad for a human."

"You'll hate me again when the drugs wear off." Dean smirked, but he accepted Puck's words as a small victory as they made their way further into the unknown towards the lair of the Basket Woman.

Reviews are appreciated!

It's getting closer, the big showdown! Who will win monster or Dean?

More to come soon guys.