Castiel, even with the knowledge that things weren't going to get easier for a long while yet, was pleased to see the castle coming steadily closer at last. The castle was home, however crazy things got there. The castle had Dean and Balthazar and Samandriel and the rest of his family. It would always be a relief to return to it.

Michael didn't seem happy to see him. "You're back much more quickly than I would have expected, Castiel."

He sounded almost suspicious. Castiel hoped his nervousness didn't show on his face because if Michael was suspicious already it wouldn't take much for the questions to start getting more direct. "Queen Charlotte said that she appreciated the motion and the message behind it, but they're doing quite well. I sat in on a few meetings and the like and then she said that I wasn't really needed and she was sure I'd be more comfortable back at home."

Michael seemed to accept that, though he didn't look any happier. "Well. I'm sure we'll find something for you to do here soon enough. I'd appreciate it if you'd go talk to Samandriel. He's been very difficult the last few days and you seem to have the easiest time talking to him."

What had happened now? Castiel hoped Samandriel was just being moody and there hadn't been yet another disaster, albeit one Michael didn't see as a disaster. He nodded. "I'll do that right away."

"See that you do." And then Michael was walking away, moving with purpose, as if he had somewhere terribly important to be and had to get there as soon as humanly possible. If he'd been going any faster he would have been running, which was an unusual thing for Michael to be doing.

Castiel shrugged it off, knowing there was no way to find out what was going through his brother's head short of following him, which Castiel was not nearly brave enough to risk doing right now. He put it out of his mind and went looking for Samandriel.

As he'd expected, the youngest Novak was in his room, looking sullen. Castiel recognized the body language as meaning that Samandriel was waiting for someone to give him a reason to blow up and start screaming, so he'd have to tread carefully.

"I'm back," he announced, despite feeling that was fairly obvious.

"Earlier than you were supposed to be."

Castiel shrugged, trying to come off as friendly and nonthreatening as possible. "You probably would have been a lot more use to them than I was. I spent most of my time listening to them talk about strategy and pretending to know what they were saying."

Samandriel didn't even try to smile, but Castiel didn't feel it was quite time to ask what was wrong yet, so he cast around for another conversation topic. Seeing the open door to the side room, he asked, "Where's Benny?"

The book Samandriel had been distractedly flipping through the pages of fell shut on the desk with a thunk. Samandriel's face grew tight and there were too many emotions on his face for Castiel to properly pick them out before he pushed them back under a pretense of being too strong to feel anything.

"He was arrested." Samandriel's voice was flat, he may as well have been talking about some nameless servant going to eat bread.

"He- What? What did he do?" Looking at Samandriel, a terrible thought occurred to him. "He didn't attack you, did he?"

Samandriel swallowed hard enough for Castiel to see the movement of his throat. "No."

"Then what happened?"

"He was caught trying to break into the jail cells. Or at least steal the keys. Michael believes he infiltrated us to release prisoners-of-war and I don't want to talk about it."

That was far from a clear explanation, but Castiel could imagine the rest of the pieces well enough. It wasn't a bad plan either, if it was true. Castiel thought it was wise to take anything Michael said or believed with a grain of salt, however, so he wasn't going to jump to the same conclusion just yet.

He didn't tell Samandriel that, feeling that his younger brother had made up his mind just as much as Michael had, and this wasn't the time for a fight.

He clasped Samandriel's shoulder in a way that hopefully came off as reassuring. "You shouldn't be angry with yourself, Samandriel. You couldn't have known he was using you like that. And nobody got hurt or escaped or anything like that, so you don't really have anything to blame yourself about."

Samandriel looked anything but reassured. In fact, he looked about three seconds away from beginning to throw things like a child with a temper tantrum. And knives.

Castiel smiled, told Samandriel he'd see him at dinner, and retreated. He wanted to go see Dean anyway.

The door to the smithy was shut, which was unusual for the time of day. Castiel knocked as he eased it open, beginning to worry what he was going to find on the other side. "Dean?" he called out as he stepped through.

"Cas?" Dean's voice sounded strange, breaking over the name as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Castiel found him, sitting at his table, hair sticking out as if he'd been pulling at it. His face was pale and there were heavy bags under his eyes.

"Dean, what's wrong?" Castiel asked, moving to Dean's side and putting one hand on his wrist. "What's happened?"

"Cas." There was relief in the word now, but Dean didn't look any better. "You are back."

Castiel nodded at the obvious statement. "I'll tell you about Humaear later. What's the matter?"

There was a pause from both of them, and then Castiel realized something Dean had said was a bit odd. "Who told you I was back to begin with?"

Dean hesitated, and Castiel could see him debating whether or not to say. Castiel squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"King Michael."

He was a bit taken aback. "Michael told you? Why?"

Dean shook his head. "I can't…"

"Can't what?"

But Dean only shook his head again.

"Dean."

Dean looked up and their eyes met.

"Dean, what is going on? What happened while I was gone?"

Dean bit his lip nervously, and when he spoke his words were so quiet that Cas nearly missed them. "Michael knows."

Castiel's mind went into denial as soon as the words registered. Michael couldn't know. He would have known if Michael knew. "What do you mean? Michael knows what?" His heart was racing and he knew, despite his denial, exactly what Michael knew, but he was still hopeful that Dean might tell him something different.

"Us, Castiel. He knows about us."

"But he can't- He would have- How?"

Dean shrugged, helplessly. "I don't know. But he knows. He ordered me not to tell you. I think he thinks you told me something that he doesn't know about it and he wants me to tell him."

Castiel took a moment to consider that. "But even if you did know something, why didn't he arrest you? He's just letting you walk around?"

"He arrested Sam."

Which, if you knew Dean at all, explained everything. If Dean had known something, he'd have said it in a heartbeat to help Sam. Castiel almost felt guilty about Dean not knowing anything that would have helped. "He's in a cell, I'm assuming?"

Dean nodded again. "Benny tried to help - you know, Prince Samandriel's bodyguard? But they caught him. He refused to say what he was doing so that Sam and I didn't get in anymore trouble, and now they thing he's a traitor and I think they're going to kill him."

God. He hadn't even been gone three weeks but everything had apparently fell to disaster as soon as he was gone. He gently took hold of Dean's chin and tilted his head to kiss him, trying to put all the reassurance into it that was possible. "But he isn't dead yet?"

"No. They're both still locked up. I can't even see them. I haven't seen Sam in over two weeks, Cas. What if he's hurt, or-"

"Dean. Just breathe. It'll be all right. I'll get them out."

And all the danger that that promise put him in didn't matter to him as soon as he saw the hope and relief that flooded across Dean's face. "You can do that?"

Castiel nodded. "I should be able to. Michael has made it clear recently that he respects my opinion. I shouldn't have any difficult convincing the guards to release them. But…"

"But we'll have to leave. The king will know you helped us, Cas, he'll-"

"I know. Don't worry about me, Dean. I'll be alright." He was going to be considerably less helpful to Humaear than he and Queen Charlotte had hoped, but they would just have to work something out. "I'll have them released tonight, before Michael has a chance to tell them not to listen to me. Are you ready to leave?"

Dean nodded. "I can be." He leaned over and kissed Castiel on the mouth, hard and desperate. "Thank you, Cas. I-"

Castiel cut him off with another kiss. "Don't. Just… Listen for news from once you've left. There's a lot going on with this war. Things could change. You could be able to come back."

Dean squeezed his hand so hard it hurt, but Castiel didn't mind. "I hope so."

Castiel's heart was pounding, every nerve alive and tingling. He was doing his best not to think about Dean; about how, after tonight, he wouldn't see him for a long while. He refused to entertain the idea that it might be forever.

He'd waited a while after talking to Dean to give the blacksmith time to prepare to leave, as well as for there to be fewer people in the castle halls. It would all be for nothing if Michael came across them or heard about what Castiel had done before Sam and Benny were out of danger.

The guards didn't protest when he arrived and ordered them to release Sam Winchester and Benjamin Lafitte and bring them to him. They didn't even ask questions, which was good, but still made Castiel wonder if maybe they needed to retrain their guards.

"Are you sure you don't need a guard to escort you with them, your highness?" one of the men asked when they returned with Sam and Benny in tow.

"I'll be fine," Castiel assured him, trying to keep his rapid heartbeat out of his voice. "I'm not taking them far. I'm sure they won't be any trouble."

They probably couldn't have been any trouble, to be perfectly honest. It was obvious from looking at them that they'd been locked up for some time. Sam was squinting into the light, and where they were standing really was not all that bright. Castiel didn't see Sam often enough to say that he'd be able to tell if Sam wasn't feeling well, but the man was swaying a bit on his feet and had visibly lost weight. Benny had too, though not as much, and there was bruising on his face. He held one arm gingerly. It didn't seem to be broken, but it was certainly injured.

Once away from the guards and out of earshot, Sam looked at Castiel hopefully. "Did Dean send you?"

Castiel nodded. "He's waiting out by the stables. He has everything the three of you will need, and some horses. You're going to need to get away from here."

Sam nodded, not looking happy to have to leave his home, but clearly understanding. Benny, on the other hand, was visibly distraught.

"No, I need to talk to Samandriel before I can go anywhere."

That was an odd request, Castiel thought. Benny would likely be killed if he was caught, and he wanted to personally clear up a miscommunication between him and Samandriel?

"There isn't time for that," Castiel told him, nervously glancing around as they neared the stables. The closer they came to not being caught the more Castiel feared they would be. "You have to go."

"You don't understand-" Benny began to protest, but Castiel shushed him and ushered the two men into the stable, where Dean was waiting, nervousness painted on his features.

Castiel could pinpoint the exact moment Dean saw his brother. "Sammy. Thank God. Are you okay?"

Sam's smile was tired, but genuine. "I'm okay, Dean."

Dean nodded, relieved, and looked at Benny. "I am so sorry I got you into this."

"I volunteered, didn't I?" Benny turned back to Castiel. "Listen, I really need to talk to Samandriel before I can leave. It's important."

"There isn't time," Castiel repeated. "You three need to leave, now. I want you as far away as possible before Michael realizes you're gone."

"But-"

"Benny, get on a horse," Dean said. "We need to leave."

Despite the order not being directed at him, Sam hoisted himself into one of the saddles.

Dean approached Castiel. "Thank you. Again. And hopefully-" He cut off, but Castiel understood and smiled.

"I know, Dean." 'I'll see him again,' he assured himself, trying to make it sound true.

Dean nodded. "But just in case-" And he kissed Castiel, on the lips, with everything he had.

They'd never kissed where someone else could see before, and it had never been filled with so much desperation and worry and love before. It was dizzying.

They broke apart at last, breathing heavily. Dean smiled one more time, no happiness in it, and mounted his horse. "Come on, you two."

Benny was on a horse now, but as they left the stables he looked back to the castle, a look of longing in his eyes. "But I-"

"Benny, go," Castiel commanded. "If it really bothers you that much, I'll tell Samandriel that you weren't really a traitor, that you were helping a friend. Just go, before you're caught."

Benny didn't look even remotely reassured by that, but he turned his horse and followed Sam and Dean. Castiel watched them until they vanished from sight.

Samandriel had spent the days since Benny's arrest walking a thin line between depressed and furious. There was no outlet for him as he could hardly go telling people that he was upset because he'd been sharing a bed with his bodyguard, and fighting was as much out as always. Castiel was back, which he supposed was good, but it only did him so much good while he couldn't tell Castiel the truth.

Despite the thin line, however, Samandriel had been doing a fairly good job of at least keeping himself stable. He hadn't gone all the way to screaming at anyone, he hadn't thrown anything breakable against a wall, and the only thing he'd hit was a few of his pillows. His father would have been proud.

Well, he would have been so long as he didn't know why Samandriel was upset to begin with.

He'd nearly lost his mind when he heard about Benny's escape. Oh, he'd kept himself under control while there were people around, but once he was back in his room with the door firmly shut, he took one look at the door that had led to Benny's room and both warring emotions had come out at once.

Tears streaming down his face, he'd began hurling things towards that door, imagining that they'd somehow hit Benny when they landed. He'd screamed, a guttural noise that hadn't held any words, and dissolved into angry sobs which he muffled into his pillow in case anyone walked by before he recovered.

That bastard. That complete and utter bastard. Samandriel had shoved it down and denied it until he hadn't realized it was there, but he'd still held some hope that maybe Benny hadn't been guilty after all, hadn't been using him like that. His escape sealed it as truth.

If Benny had been framed, or wrongfully arrested, or any of the other theories that had occurred to Samandriel at one point or another, he would have tried to tell Samandriel before he escaped. Samandriel had been willing to allow that Benny hadn't wanted to say something in front of the entire royal family, for whatever reason, but there was no such excuse anymore.

Samandriel wanted to be sick. He'd been playing back his memories of time spent with Benny, analyzing them second by second, but even with the knowledge of what Benny had done, there was no indication that any of it had been a lie until just a few days before his arrest, when he had suddenly grown quiet and distant.

That was the worst, he thought. That even now, when he looked back, he was still thinking, 'but he loved me. He did. I was important to him.' Even though he obviously hadn't been.

If he ever saw Benny Lafitte again, he'd take his head off, to hell with his inability to hold onto a weapon.

It was too early in the morning for even the sun to be thinking about getting up, but Samandriel needed to work out some of his angry energy. He left the room, walking through the castle at a brisk, purposeful pace, not paying attention to where he was going and hoping to exhaust himself so he could return to his room and go to bed.

"Damn it!" Samandriel jumped and was snapped out of his thoughts at Michael's angry shout, which came from his not-fully-closed office door and echoed off the stone walls for several reverberations before fading away.

Curious, Samandriel stepped next to the door opening and listened.

"We could send someone out looking for them, your majesty," Zachariah was saying. "Dean undoubtedly left with Sam Winchester and Benjamin Lafitte. They can't have gotten too far."

Sam? Sam… He'd been the man arrested for destruction of castle property, hadn't he? He'd escaped too, though Samandriel had been too preoccupied with Benny to spare him much thought.

"They took horses, Commander," Michael replied, sounding irritated. "And we have no way of knowing which direction they were going. Our chances of finding them are slim to none. It wouldn't do me any good anyway, Dean Winchester is no longer useful to me." He huffed out an angry breath of air. "You heard the guards, Castiel is responsible for this. I didn't think he'd be that bold."

Responsible for what? The jail break? Castiel wouldn't do something like that. Why would he?

"But why would he have let Lafitte go as well, your majesty? They aren't friends. Last I'd heard he was still cautious of allowing the man near Prince Samandriel."

"I don't know, do I? I wouldn't have thought he would, but the last few months have made it clear that I can't trust anyone as well as I thought I could. I don't know anyone as well as I thought I did. Apparently, I was wrong in thinking that Castiel would be the most valuable to me, out of all my siblings."

Michael sighed. "Perhaps Anael will prove to be more helpful. She's grown up with more boys than girls around her, maybe she's learned a thing or two, and actually won't pull a surprise like this. I would like one of my siblings to not prove to be utter failures."

"What about Prince Castiel, your majesty?"

"I don't want a public spectacle of him being exiled or arrested, but he needs to be taken care of." There was a pause, and Samandriel shuffled closer to the door to make sure he didn't miss what was said next.

"It would be especially beneficial if something were to happen that we could blame on Hellacia or Purgavai. Give people a martyr for the cause."

There was another long pause, during which Samandriel's heart began to race.

"Would you like me to arrange something, your majesty?"

"Yes. Sooner, rather than later, Zachariah. Who knows what other complications Castiel has waiting."

"Yes, sire."

Samandriel was racing down the halls towards Castiel's room before Zachariah left Michael's office.