Chapter 11 – Plots and Torture
Anna was just going over some last-minute decorations needed for the wedding with Michael and Metatron as Gadreel stood in the corner, when Dean burst into the room. The three at the desk looked up at him.
"Dean!" Anna smiled and ran up to him holding the designs. "We were just – "
"I'm sorry." He told her. "But I can't do this."
She froze in shock. "What?" The question fell from her lips.
Dean looked past her and over at Michael and Metatron. "Look, it comes down to this. I love Castiel." He stammered a bit at that. It was such a girly thing to say, so he didn't admit it often. Still, he continued strong. "I always have, and I know I always will." He turned more towards Anna. "Princess or not, if you tell me that I have to marry you in ten days, I can guarantee that I won't be here, one way or another."
Anna went to open her mouth to reply, looking indignant, but Michael cut her off, drawing Dean's attention. "We would never wish to cause you grief." He moved from behind his desk to approach the hunter and his sister. "Consider the wedding off for now." Anna looked like she was ready to stab someone, but the prince ignored her. He turned to the count. "You returned this Castiel to his ship, correct?"
"Of course," Metatron confirmed, smiling a sickly smile.
"Then we will just alert him." Michael said.
However, Anna could not be silent for any longer. "Are you sure he even still wants you?" She crossed her arms, looking furious. Either at Dean for trying to break the engagement or at Michael for making the decision without consulting her, it didn't matter. "You were the one who did the leaving in Purgatory. Besides, pirates aren't known to be men of their words."
"When Cas says something, he means it." Dean looked her right in the eye, so she could see the conviction in his eyes. "He will always come for me. It doesn't matter where I am, because he'll find me."
Anna looked as if she were ready to throw down right then and there. Michael interfered before anything could happen. "I suggest a deal." He stepped between them, facing Dean. "Write four copies of a letter. I will send my four fastest ships, one in each direction. The Avenging Angel is usually close to Heaven at this time of the year. We'll show the white flag and deliver your message." He clapped Dean on the shoulder. "If Castiel still wants you, then bless you both. If not, then" he leaned close to Dean, "please consider at least making my sister happy. Agreed?"
Dean gave him a side-eye, but nodded. With that done, he left to go about his day.
For a moment, none of them moved. Then, Anna whirled on her brother. "You're not going to send those letters."
Michael opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off.
"It's not like you were going to anyway, but I'm telling you." The redhead got up in his face. "You are not going to send those letters." She stepped back and moved to the door. "The wedding will go on. Oh, and," Anna turned back to look at him, "I don't know what you're plotting, but it will wait until I have had him."
"Do you love him that much?" Michael asked, somewhat surprised. He had never seen his sister like this.
"Love?" She snorted. "Have you seen his face? And his body?" Anna gave a breathy sighed, and looked into the distance with a dreamy look on her face. "I want him in my bed." She finally said as she snapped out of it. "Despite his reputation, he refuses to lay with me; whether because of this nuisance or because I am a princess, I don't know." She left. "See you later, brother."
Metatron and Michael exchanged a look.
Minutes later, the two were walking around the edge of the forest that surrounded the castle. Gadreel had stayed behind to make sure that the hunter didn't try to make a break for it. They slowed as they entered a grove.
"Your sister is too scary." Metatron said with a shudder.
"I guess the saying is true about not messing with redheaded women." Michael mused. "Though I must admit that she does have excellent taste."
"Ah, yes." Metatron smirked. "The hunter."
"He is much beloved by the people." Michael stopped, and turned to Metatron. "You know, it's odd, but when I hired Crowley to kill him after their engagement, I thought I was being clever. But it's going to be so much better if I strangle him after their wedding night. I can avoid Anna's wrath, and once Hell is blamed, the nation will be truly outraged." The prince smirked. "They'll be begging to go to war."
Metatron returned the look as he walked over to a tree that was filled with knots. He started to prod them. "Where is that secret knot? I always forget… ah." He managed to press it, and a door opened in the tree to reveal a passageway going down. The count turned to Michael. "Will you be coming down to the Pit? Castiel's gotten his strength back, so I'm starting him on the Machine tonight."
Michael gave a disappointed sigh. "I love watching you work, Metatron. However, I've got a wedding to arrange, a brother-in-law to murder, and Hell to frame for it. I'm swamped!"
The count threw him an understanding nod. "I understand." He clapped the prince on the shoulder. "Get some rest. If you haven't got your health, you don't have anything."
The two parted ways. Michael headed back to the castle, and Metatron walked down the stairs into the Pit of Despair.
Naomi was already rolling Castiel on a cart in the direction of the Machine. She began to hook him up to it, with what he now saw were suction cups, as Metatron walked in. The count gazed up at the Machine.
"Isn't it beautiful?" He asked the pirate, pride and adoration in his eyes. "It took me half a lifetime to create it." Metatron stroked the machinery. "Ever since I was a boy listening to stories, I found the pain of the characters fascinating. I've built my whole life around my interest in pain, specifically other peoples'."
The manner in which the count spoke of his machine, as well as other peoples' pain, made a chill run up Castiel's spine. He did not have a good feeling about this.
"I'm even adding my own two cents by writing the definitive work on it." Metatron moved behind a desk, and put a pen to paper. "I want you to be totally honest with me about how the Machine makes you feel. This being your first time, I'll use the lowest setting."
With a nod from the count, Naomi moved the lever from zero to one. Water was directed in and the waterwheel began to turn. At first, Cas wondered what this was all about, but then it hit him.
"Ah." He gave out small choking noises. Agony flashed through him. He had never felt such pain before. It felt like something was being drawn out of him, and a smarting sensation filled his entire body. He writhed on the tabletop of the cart; however, there was no way to escape the pain.
As his spasms died down, the nun moved the lever back to zero. For a moment, Cas could only lay there breathing.
"As you know, the concept of the suction cup has existed for ages." Metatron excitedly explained. "The only difference here is that instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life." He leaned forward. "I just sucked one year of your life away. I might one day go as high as five, but even I don't know what that'd do." He giggled in glee at the thought.
"Now," the count grew serious, "what did this do to you?" He renewed the ink on his pen, before looking up at his victim. "Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity, so be completely honest. How do you feel?"
Castiel could only make himself breathe. He couldn't even begin to form words. He shut his eyes in order to try to ride out the aftermath of his torture.
"Interesting." Metatron said, and he began to scribble down notes.
Cas couldn't help but pray that this would end sooner rather than later.
AN: And now I'm realizing that I'm posting a chapter about Cas getting tortured, when he is being tortured on the show. Isn't it weird that when it happens on the show, we're all shouting, "No!" but then we still put him through the wringer in our fan fics. Interesting. Anyway, I know Anna's more of a b*tch in this than she was on the show, but she's one of the villains as I've split Humperdink's role between her and Michael. Heck, in the show, we barely know Michael's personality besides the fact that he always follows Daddy's rules, and he's kind of a dick. In any case, onward and upward!