"Welp, might as well enjoy the evening while we're here, eh?" Dean nudged Cas while giving him a cheeky grin, waggling his eyebrows. Cas chuckled softly.

"Yes. Why not?"

The fairy party was rapidly growing in rowdiness and had already grown quite loud. Cas had an idea of what to expect.

"This is exactly what they did last time I was here," he said. "It doesn't take much for them to get a celebration going."

"Maybe that's just what they do?" Dean suggested. He followed the smell of rich food cooking, Cas tailing closely behind with the baby in his arms, being ogled by every fairy they passed.

There were dozens of cauldrons, bowls, fires and spit roasts filled with any kind of food one could think of. What amazed them both was how they were able to have food prepared and cooked in such and small window of time. Dean was in the best mood he had sported in a long time. He loaded up a wooden bowl with food and offered some to Cas.

"You're feeling good," said the beta, plucking a few peapods from the bowl. Dean had some kind of fowl's leg in his hand. He ripped into it and juice ran down his chin, then laughed and nodded at his partner.

"Being around these people is kinda bringing it out of me!" he admitted jovially. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but I feel that my decision is close…and everything will be okay."

"Maybe it's the angel?" Cas suggested, looking down at the baby with pride. "If he's supposed to bring a new era of peace to the entire world, then he's certain to life our spirits. That would easy by comparison, don't you think?"

Dean took another tender bite of meat and smirked. "Yeah," he said. "That's a fantastic point, Cas. Maybe this little fella is radiating good vibes? I dunno. But either way, I feel great!"

"Here, here!" a fairy suddenly called out, waving a wad of fenugreek in her fist. She imposed it on Cas. "Eat this! A little every day, it'll help with your breast milk!"

"Oh, um, thank you."

"These are seeds to grow more for you next batch," she giggled, patting Cas' stomach gently.

"You can't hide eggs from a fairy!"

She sang softly to herself before disappearing into the crowd. Cas was surprised and staring blankly at the fenugreek. Dean gave a great big laugh as he now ladled out a generous goblet-full of wine.

"Mmm," he sipped, "This here is some good shit. And look at their cups!"

He showed the goblet off to Cas—who was about as impressed as he was!

"Goodness," said Cas. "That is of fine metal, I say."

"From the mines!" a wiry voice called out.

Cas turned and saw that older, messy fairy who had spoken to them several times now. He had attempted to flatten his spring hair and his stout figure had been crammed into a little green suit with pointed shoes. He looked ridiculous.

"Oh, yeah!" said Dean. He turned to the weird fairy and raised a finger at him. "Lemme ask you about that. These mines—where are they?"

"The mines," said the fairy, "are off to the north at the edge of the forest. The mouth is where the trees meet the mountains. The mines go deep beneath them."

"And it's just a fairy thing?" asked Dean.

"Well, only the fairies know about it. I'm sure if the cities found out, they'd wanna take it all!"

"I don't know if they would take all," said Cas, humbly. He rocked the baby in his arms.

"Of course they would!" the fairy groaned. "They trade those pieces for…living goods. We don't do that. We use those metals and stones we find to enjoy life, not trade them all away! The forest provides enough!"

Dean raised his goblet in agreement. "Here, here!" he said, somewhat drunk. "I totally agree! We went to that big city and you wouldn't believe what they do! You don't catch your own food! You gotta buy it—trade pieces of metal!"

"Crazy!" said the fairy. He got himself some wine and sipped it loudly, his wings fluttered. "By the way," he added, hunching a bit more. "I know you're Cas, but you are…"

"Dean."

"Deaaan. Hmm. They call me Metatron. I am, actually, one of the oldest fairies here!"

"Really?" Cas asked, trying to sound polite. It was obvious that he was older than the rest by far. Even King Ash only looked about Dean's age.

"Yeah," Metatron said. "221"

Dean sprayed a mouthful of wine all over the ground. "221?!"

Metatron grinned. "I know, hard to believe I made it over 200!"

"Hard to believe?! It's impossible to believe! Nobody can live that long!"

"Dean!" Cas hissed. The baby began to wake up. "They're fairies, they aren't like us!"

"Uh, Metatron?" Dean asked, turning back to his fairy company. "How long do you guys usually live?"

"Hmm, err, about 175. Around 130 they begin to look old. You know, I was once young and supple."

Dean tightened his jaw. He served himself more wine to get through this conversation. "Were you once an alpha or a beta?"

"No, neither," said Metatron.

"Neither?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "One of the sexless fairies, I'm afraid. Probably why I lived so long—never got distracted by smells and needs."

"I didn't know that was possible," said Cas.

"Probably not for humans, but, myaaah…every 30, 40 fairies born, one is sexless. No attraction."

"I'm sorry," said Cas. "That must be hard."

"No, it's fine," Metatron said, shaking his head. "I should be happy enough that I've lived to see the miracle baby! Name for the baby, by the way?"

"Not yet," said Cas.

"We're still thinking about it," Dean added.

"I think that's very smart, very smart that you're taking your time in naming your baby."

"I thought so, too," Cas agreed with the fairy. He tucked his shirt over the infant and began to nurse him casually. He suddenly brought his attention to an early subject. "That's why you didn't mind giving me so much gold—it doesn't hold as much value to you as the people in the Land."

"Exactly," said Metatron. "I thought if anyone could use it, it would be the miracle baby. And I was right, wasn't I? King Ash thinks that baby is special so he has got to be right. He always is."

"We're still figuring it out," said Cas, "But we'll see."

"The best of luck to you!" Metatron laughed. "Dean, would you like to keep that goblet? I'll be making many more. 221 years is a long time to craft!"

"Yeah, I bet!" said Dean. "Most people don't make it past 60."

"Aww, that's a shame. Really a shame. I hope you all make it well past that."

"Thank you," said Cas, giving a small bow.

Metatron wandered away into the crowd and was swept away by the waves of colorful wings. Cas found a log to sit down on and finish nursing the baby. Dean was still eating and drinking. He hadn't had food that good or interesting since they had been at the Inn. As he ate, he remembered what those meals in Lawrence were like. For once, he kind of missed it, though nothing topped Cas' cooking.

Amid the music, cheering, dancing, clinging of cups and flapping of wings, Dean found himself remembering the time he had spent with Cas early in their courtship, back in the Valley. He recalled the fish that he caught—the first time Cas ever had meat.

He thought about Gabe and Gadreel, too, and how they were the only members of Cas' herd that still spoke to him after he mated with Dean. He did not know that Tessa had apologized for her rude behavior. It could have been inferred, since he saved her life and nearly took his own, but it hadn't even occurred to Dean. He wondered where they were now.

Dean's daydream faded when he brought his focus back. They somehow fell onto Charlie and Meg, who were dancing in the crowd. There were two fairies on either side of Charlie—a female who was now holding the royal blue eggs and a male. They looked so much like Charlie that Dean assumed they must have been her parents.

Charlie extended her arms high into the air as she danced carefree to the chamber music. Everyone was laughing and fluttering their wings. It was nice to see that Meg had been accepted into the fairy's domain just as Cas and Dean had.

"Excuse me, Dean?"

A man's voice spoke to him softly. Dean turned and saw the tall hunter, Sam, smiling at him.

"Oh, hey," said Dean. He assumed that Sam was clueless to the possibility of them being related.

"I don't normally go to these things," Sam admitted with a nervous chuckle. He looked around quickly. "I figured I should come, since there's another alpha hunter here."

"You're mated with a fairy, right?" asked Dean. He swirled the remains of his wine within the goblet.

"Yes," Sam said, smiling. "Ruby, that one over there." He pointed a long, muscular arm into the crowd, where the raven haired fairy was dancing with their three toddlers.

"Your kids?" asked Dean.

"Yep. That's them."

"So that's how Charlie's tots will look, huh?"

"Probably. Half-fairies with a beta fairy and an alpha human. They don't have wings but the spots tell me they've inherited part of Ruby's powers. We won't find out for sure until they get older."

"These fairies are something different, aren't they?"

Sam laughed. "That's for sure."

"And you never wanted to leave?"

"It's Ruby," said Sam. "This is Ruby's kind. They're her people. It's her place. I can't take her away from that. Not without a good reason, at least. It's dangerous out there. Why do you think the fairy folk are so elusive? I don't want to put my family in danger."

"Hunters aren't like that," said Dean. "You've never left Arkhmoor, have you?"

"No."

"Well, hunters aren't that bad. I don't know what to tell you about the city—Cas liked it…"

Dean had to stop himself. It was too tempting to get into the details of kings, queens, angels and eggs. He wanted to talk with Ash before they involved Sam.

Changing the subject quickly, Dean nudged Sam in the ribs and laughed, "Ruby is half your size, maybe smaller! And you mate with you?"

"Y-yeah," said Sam, his cheeks flushing bright red. "I do…"

"You're hilarious."

"Maybe? It…it works!"

They chatted jovially about this and that as the party went on. It eventually thinned out—all of the food was eaten, all the wine drunk. The musicians stopped and the fairies were retreating to their homes. Sam gave Dean permission to stay at their house as long as they wished, just as Cas had before. It was very generous of them, especially since Dean had no idea when they would leave. That brought them to the original purpose of coming.

Dean and Cas went around the tree behind King Ash's throne and waited for him the show up. Dean's heart was racing. There was a chance that he would figure it all out that night.

"There you are," said a low voice. It startled them both since they didn't recognize it. King Ash was still dressed eccentrically, but he was speaking in a soft, relaxed voice. He grinned when he saw the three of them. "Thanks for stickin' around."

"Sure," said Dean. "So uh, can we have our serious talk now?"

"'Course we can. Come around, come around. I bet you've eaten way enough."

"Yeah," said the alpha. Cas nodded. He was tired.

They sat around a tiny table the king had back there. Ash folded his fingers together and kept them against his chest, leaning back in his chair.

"I'm gonna tell you a story now. Listen carefully."

"All right," said Dean.

"We will," said Cas.

King Ash took a deep breath and began to recount a tale from 30 years ago, when a young woman stumbled into the woods seeking shelter. She was incredibly sick but carried an egg with her.

"I'm going to die here," she said. "There's no way that I can recover."

Ash had taken her into a small house and made a nest. He wrapped the egg in fairy fabric to keep it safe. The fairy king was there with a few others to help, one of whom was Charlie.

"Lord of the fairies, I ask that only you and I are to speak right now."

King Ash agreed to the woman and sent the others away. They closed the door and Ash sat next to the woman, who was so pale and so weak that she was due to die at any moment.

"You may not believe this," the woman began, "But as a king yourself, I trust that you do. I am Queen Mary of Lawrence. My husband, King John, has been killed my Lord Azazel."

"Ah, Lord Azazel. Guess he's at it again."

"Yes," said Mary. "I'm…I'm surprised you know about him."

"Sure," said King Ash. "Azazel's realm in the north used to be called Avalon, the land of the fairies. He came from another place, another land—man, I dunno—another realm! He killed most of the fairies but my pops ran away with some and found a safe place here. 'Course I know about Azazel."

Mary's lower lip trembled. "I am so sorry," she whispered. "Incredibly sorry."

"I never knew what Avalon was like, and it's okay. Why did Azazel kill the king?"

"Because of the prophecy."

"Which?"

"The prophecy of the angel."

"Angel?"

"An angel fell upon the land a long time ago, and that was where Lawrence was built. The angel kept peace in all of Kaz. But for some reason, the angel had to leave. They went to…"

Mary paused here. Her wide eyes stared at Ash.

"Yeah? Went to…?" The fairy king asked.

"Perhaps they went to Avalon to try and stop Azazel."

"Oh," Ash said, gasping softly.

"If so, they certainly failed. I do not know what happened. Only, that…that there was a prophecy left. It said that the angel would return to us one day, born of the Winchesters. The angel's return shall be the first sign of the new age. An era of peace."

"When?"

"I don't know. This egg, my egg, perhaps it is the angel. I don't know. But…dear fairy king, I need you to promise me something."

"Anything, Queen Mary."

The queen reached out with a thin, pale hand in desperation. She trembled. Ash took her fingers and held them lightly. She tried to squeeze back.

"I have a boy, too. He is but a baby. I have left him in the care of my old pack, the pack of the Pastures. The leader there, Cain, has been told that my boy shall never know his fate, unless his mate gives birth to the angel. The same shall go for my second born here. If the child is a boy, please name him Samuel. If they are a girl, please name them Mary, after myself. But do not tell them they are royalty. If Azazel hears those words, he will hunt them. He will find them. He will curse them and they will die this same, incurable illness that has taken me and my husband."

"I understand," said Ash.

"Please promise me," she begged. "I trust my pack to keep it a secret, and now I trust you. If my children know about their lineage, they were surely grow curious, even if they know it will kill them…"

"I promise. I promise that this egg won't know they're royalty unless they have the angel. And if? If they have the angel?"

"Tell them," Mary gasped. "Tell them everything. Tell them that they are certain to kill Azazel. The angel is a miracle…"

Mary's time was coming. Her breath grew short.

"The miracle egg…it's only one egg…it comes…with a crown…you will know…a crown of color."

King Ash nodded. "I promise you, Queen Mary, to uphold this oath."

"Protect my people…dear king…king of the fairies…"