Chapter Forty-Seven
Arrival
Valerius Estate: August 3, 2010 - Morning
Crowley was sure the horses wanted to kill him. It was clear by the way their black eyes tracked his movements. Hell, the two pulling the cart had even tried to take a bite out of him as he boarded. He found himself toward the back of the cart, purely out of self-preservation. At least the vineyard was nice to look at.
"Hey, what was that?" Sam asked, drawing his attention.
"What?" he asked.
"Look over there," Sam said, pointing toward a row of grapes they were just passing. "Between those two rows."
Crowley frowned but focused on the two rows of vines as the cart kept moving. A pair of overly green eyes stared back at him, and he picked up a childish giggle as the vines shifted strangely.
"Azrial?" he called, keeping his eyes on the vines even as they moved by.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
"You wouldn't happen to have nymphs living in this massive vineyard, would you?"
She laughed, pulling her horse back so it was walking next to the cart. Crowley was forced to pull his hand back into the cart to prevent Azrial's horse from making him into a snack.
"There are several nymphs who live in the vineyard, and one that oversees the thermae. Did you see one?"
"Moose did," Crowley said. "Now get that monster away from me."
Azrial snorted but pulled the reins to stop the horse from snapping at him again. "We're almost to the villa. I'll do my best to keep the big scary horses away from you until then."
Bobby chuckled at Azrial's sarcasm and Crowley rolled his eyes. "Glad you're both getting off on my misery."
"Only a little," Bobby said. "At least the view is nice, right?"
Crowley hummed, and watched as Azrial directed the horse into a trot to catch up with Marcus and Orion. He turned back to Sam who was watching the rows of grapes curiously.
"Does that answer your question?"
"I knew nymphs were real but never expected to see one," Sam said. "They aren't exactly vicious or anything."
"You have a lot to learn," Crowley muttered. "A pissy water nymph or naiad can ruin your day."
"Guess that makes sense," Sam mused. "You can drown in 2 inches of water."
"Sounds like you've had a bad experience," Dean said. "Care to share with the class?"
"Bite me," Crowley said.
Dean chuckled. "I'll pass."
"It seems we're arriving," Castiel cut in.
This effectively ended the conversation, and Crowley looked up as they slowed to a stop in front of an impressive wrought iron gate. The two pillars on either side of it were topped with a raven and wolf, the eyes of which eerily followed him no matter which way he turned. Then again, the damn things were enchanted in some way or another.
"Well, would you like to do the honors?" Orion asked Azrial.
She snorted, tilting her head as she looked at the gate. "If I didn't know any better, you wanted to show off."
"Moi?" Orion asked with faux offense. "Never."
"Brat," she said good-naturedly. She raised her hand, her grace visibly curling around it as if she were going to heal someone. "Aperiam in sanguine!"*
Dean whistled low in his throat; his eyes fixated on the statues which both turned their stone heads toward Azrial. "Big mojo then," he quietly observed.
"You have no idea," Crowley said drily. "Take note of her words and understand there is a rather literal meaning there."
Castiel frowned at the statues, and Crowley knew the angel had put two and two together. Everything was give and take, and you didn't get results like this without sacrifices. The blood spilt had been willing. The Valerius family were blessed with longevity, not immortality. When their life was ending, he didn't doubt the members used their lives in some spells that a normal practitioner could only dream of. Unwilling sacrifices had their uses, but willing ones? Hell, even he had never managed that, not that he'd tried too hard while alive.
"It's...unsettling," Castiel finally said.
"It was their choice," Crowley said pointedly. "I know you can see that, feathers."
Gabriel coughed uncomfortably. "It just ain't our wheelhouse. Cut Cassie a break."
Crowley rolled his eyes and looked back up at the raven, who had moved its eyes to him. A sense of familiarity crashed into him, and his eyes widened.
"Well fuck me," he muttered. "I see you remember me, Marcia."**
The raven statue cawed, causing the wrought iron gates to swing open. As they moved through, both the raven and wolf bowed their heads in greeting before resuming their sentry as the gates shut behind them.
"Normally, they don't take that long!" Orion laughed. "They seemed rather interested in all of you."
"Is that a good thing?" Garth asked warily.
"Definitely not a bad thing," Orion said. "They must have seen something interesting in you. It happens every once in a while."
"Rowena must have been drooling," Sam said. "What goes into creating something like that?"
"Sam," Castiel tensely cut in. "I do not think you'll like that answer."
"What?" Sam asked in confusion.
"I'll explain privately, Samsquatch," Gabriel said. "I doubt Azrial wants her family secrets spread around."
Sam frowned but shrugged. Of the two brothers, Sam would take the news the best. The look Dean shot Castiel made it clear that conversation was happening. Crowley didn't envy the angels. Then again, he and Azrial would be getting questioned by Bobby as well. The cart came to a halt, effectively ending the conversation for now. They'd stopped in front of the steps that lead into the villa. He was a bit surprised to see that the villa had changed since his time in the past. He'd expected it to look painfully similar to the building he'd spent two weeks in, but it had expanded. The steps were a new addition, and the building had a second floor added, as well as expansions on both sides. It still looked like something pulled right from a history book, though.
Crowley was the first one out of the cart and put as much distance between himself and the horses as possible. A chuckle drew his attention to the steps, and he bit back an annoyed comment. He had no desire to cross Cassiopeia Valerius, especially when she had Azrial as backup. Hell, she was a witch he'd prefer keeping his distance from. Especially after all that shite during World War II.
"Welcome," Cassiopeia warmly greeted them. "I must admit, of all the groups you've sent to us, Mater, this is the strangest mix."
Azrial gracefully dismounted and grinned. "What can I say? I guess I like chaos."
"Obviously," Cassiopeia mused. "Please, follow me inside. All of you will be residing in the main house at Mater's request."
She turned around, making her way back up the steps. Everyone quickly unloaded, following the witch. Crowley noted she was dressed in a mix of modern and ancient clothing. Her dress very much leaned toward a stola but with much less fabric. The green silk dragged slightly on the marble, and he noted she wasn't making any noise as she walked. He didn't have the chance to wonder why she'd bother muffling her steps as they entered the foyer. Cassiopeia ran her eyes over them, nodding once Orion joined their group.
"Orion and I will show you to your rooms. To clarify, there are several of you sharing, correct?" she asked.
"About that," Azrial said slowly. "There is one introduction we need to make before we settle rooms."
Cassiopeia raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Azrial shot Marcus a look that clearly said to explain and the man raised an eyebrow. He sighed and turned toward Cassiopeia thoughtfully.
"I must admit, seeing you has thrown me into the past for a moment." Marcus paused, shooting a glance toward Orion. "Both of you are almost achingly familiar to me despite never having met you."
"Ah, so you've met our ancestors," Cassiopeia mused. "I've been told certain traits hold strong through the centuries."
"You look more like Aeliana than Marcia," Marcus said softly.
Cassiopeia's amusement vanished at that moment. She frowned, glancing between Marcus and Azrial like she was trying to solve a puzzle.
"Who are you?" Cassiopeia asked. "There are few who know the truth of our family that weren't bound to secrecy."
Orion had moved to stand next to his twin, eyeing Marcus curiously. "The statues seemed curious about him as well. Guessing you were around back then?"
Marcus chuckled, a soft look entering his eyes. "I was," he said in his native tongue. "It is good to see how much my family has flourished. I have only had the chance to hear of it second hand until now."
The twins had become slack-jawed, and the silence following Marcus's words dragged on longer than was polite. Azrial gently cleared her throat, which broke the shocked silence.
"Oh," Cassiopeia exhaled. "This, this is- "she halted and turned toward Azrial. "Why didn't you warn us?" she demanded.
"Hell, why didn't any of you say something on the half-hour ride here?" Orion cut in. "We literally talked the whole time!"
"I've been a wolf for the past ten hours," Azrial pointed out. "And before that, things were an absolute shit show going at breakneck speed."
"How long have you known?" Cassiopeia asked.
Azrial wouldn't meet the young witch's eyes. "A week."
"You knew when you called!" Cassiopeia practically screeched. Her honey eyes shot at Marcus, and she took a deep breath, visibly composing herself. "We could have prepared for his arrival."
"This past week has been a nightmare," Azrial said. "On top of that, I've been sending people here and having you prepare for war. Formalities can be relaxed for now."
Orion frowned. "That isn't our way," he said tensely.
"I know." Azrial sighed, running a hand through her hair. "But times are strange, and now isn't the time to prepare a damn feast to welcome home your paterfamilias."
"Be that as it may-!" Cassiopeia began, only for Marcus to clear his throat and cut her off.
"Your Mater is right. Now is hardly the time for formalities, and if anyone is to blame for not telling you of my existence, it is me."
Cassiopeia's lips pursed, but she clearly was taught the expectations of her station if they were in Marcus's era because she didn't argue.
"Very well," she sighed. "Still, rooms will need to be adjusted." She shot Orion a look, and her brother nodded.
"I can handle it. Mater, should we keep you where you are?"
"Please," Azrial said. "That has always been my room, and I have no desire to change it now."
"I'll take care of the rest," Orion said. "Dean, Castiel? You can follow me since your room is on the way."
"Awesome, I'm about to collapse from jetlag!" Dean said, pulling Castiel with him.
Crowley envied the three as they fled the awkward family situation.
"Rowena requested connecting rooms to Gabriel and Samuel," Cassiopeia said after Orion left. "I can escort the two of you, as well as Garth, to your rooms."
"Why the hell does my mother want a connecting room with those two?" Crowley demanded.
"Hey, look, is that Thanatos?" Gabriel quickly asked. "We should go say hello!"
Gabriel grabbed Sam's hand, dragging him along. Cassiopeia rolled her eyes and gestured for Garth to follow her as she went after the two.
That left Bobby, Azrial, Marcus, and himself standing in the foyer. The silence was broken by Azrial's nervous laugh.
"Well, that could have gone worse." She glanced at Marcus. "Thank you for backing me up."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Did you think I would do anything less in front of others?"
Azrial blushed and shrugged awkwardly. "We didn't get to talk about it, but with everything happening..."
"Priorities for wartime are not the same as peacetime," Marcus said firmly. "I also do not doubt they will manage to pull something together before this evening."
"You're probably right," Azrial said. "Come on, we can go get settled in my room for now. The old nursery that's connected to mine was remodeled at some point to be a connected guest room." She turned toward him and Bobby with a smile. "I hope the two of you don't mind sharing. The house is large, but there aren't unlimited rooms."
"Is there at least a modern bed?" Bobby asked.
"King-size pillow top," Azrial teased.
"Lead the fucking way!" Bobby jokingly ordered. "I could use a nap before we have to face anyone."
Crowley chuckled, following after Azrial. At least the beds had been upgraded. He really had no desire to sleep on an ancient Roman bed for who knows how long while they prepared for a bloody war.
Line Break
Sam leaned on the railing and stared out at the vineyard. He'd just woken up from a dead sleep and was waiting for Gabriel to drag his ass out of bed. Rowena hadn't been in the room when he'd woken up, and he assumed she was somewhere on the large estate. Perks of arriving earlier and having some idea where things were.
"What's on your mind, Samsquatch?" Gabriel tiredly asked from the bed.
"Just taking in the view," he said without turning around. "We're supposed to go meet for lunch."
Gabriel hummed, pulling himself up so he was sitting on the edge of the bed. "How long we been out?"
Sam glanced at his watch. "Two hours, give or take. Someone came by to let us know lunch would be soon."
"Nice of them," Gabriel said. "What do you think of all this?"
"It's not what I expected," Sam admitted. "I mean...this is a lot."
"I could see that. It's weird to think Azrial helped build all this and just didn't mention it all these years."
Sam could hear the regret in Gabriel's voice. He turned toward the archangel and leaned back against the railing.
"Did you ask?"
Gabriel mutely shook his head and slowly stood up. "It hasn't actually been that long since we reconnected. I guess I didn't want to know why she never reached out."
"You knew it was something bad, didn't you?"
Gabriel didn't say anything as he got dressed, but Sam didn't push. If the roles were reversed, he hoped Gabriel would pay him the same respect.
"I think I did," Gabriel finally said. "Deep down, some part of me knew she wouldn't stay away for no reason. When she showed up, though, I was too damn happy to see she was alive to question her."
"I felt the same way when Dean got back from Hell," Sam said. "I know it wasn't anywhere near as long, but I didn't care how or why he was back. I was just so damn happy to see him."
Gabriel smiled weakly and his eyes brightened at the understanding tone. There was another knock on the door, prompting Gabriel to stand up and open it. A young woman smiled softly at the two of them, dipping her head in greeting.
"If you're both ready, I can take you to the sunroom for lunch."
On cue, Sam's stomach loudly proclaimed it hadn't been fed in eight hours. Gabriel's hysterical laughter made him smile despite his embarrassment.
Line Break
Dean already loved the villa. It was dripping with history but also had more than a few modern amenities. Like the ensuite in his and Castiel's room with the perfect water pressure to work out the kinks in his shoulders from flying. The bed was one of the softest he'd ever slept on, kicking the Four Seasons right out of first place. Overall, this was the best Plan B he'd ever been a part of! Now, they were walking into a large room that had windows on all sides. Many were open, allowing the summer breeze to fill the room. It smelled like grapes, though that wasn't much of a surprise given how close the vineyard was to the house. There was also an undercurrent of herbs and flowers in the breeze, which created a relaxed atmosphere. A large table was positioned near the far windows, already loaded with food and drink. Dean hesitated to approach when he realized they were the first to arrive.
"Sorry for the delay. Please, have a seat."
Dean tensed for a moment but relaxed as Cassiopeia glided past him and Castiel. He followed her, tugging Castiel's hand to make sure the angel was with him. He'd barely sat down when Sam, Gabriel, and Rowena entered the room as well.
"Well, you look well-rested," Dean teased.
"Same could be said about you," Sam said. "Gotta admit, this is one of the best safe houses we've ever stayed at."
Cassiopeia snorted, shaking her head in amusement. She hadn't sat down yet, glancing toward the entrance every few minutes. Dean got the sense they shouldn't eat just yet, so he resisted temptation for the moment. He wasn't sure how long that would work, though, because everything smelled awesome.
"How have things been so far?" Dean asked Rowena.
"Pleasant," she said. "I've been in the library, mostly. Claire and Jo have been coming and going, enjoying the company of some of the younger ones that live around the estate."
"There's other people here?" Sam asked curiously.
"Yes, a small village worth of people."
Dean looked up to see Azrial walk into the room with Crowley, Bobby, and Marcus. A few seconds later, Orion came in after them, shutting the doors to the sunroom behind him.
"I didn't notice more housing," Sam admitted. "Is it on the other side of the estate?"
"It's to the west of the vineyard," Azrial clarified. "It was never moved when the fort walls came down, so it's a bit of a walk."
Dean noted when Marcus took the seat at the head of the table, Cassiopeia let out a tiny sigh of relief. He wasn't totally sure what was going on with the heiress, but it seemed Marcus's presence was changing the dynamic of the household. It didn't seem bad, just a little awkward. Like having your partner's parents visit your home for the first time.
"Could you show me later?" Sam asked, "I'd like to keep up my runs while we're here."
"I was going to walk Marcus around to show him what's changed," Azrial said. "You're welcome to come with us."
Sam smiled in thanks as Azrial took the seat to the right of Marcus. Dean raised an eyebrow when he saw Bobby and Crowley exchange a look, wondering what was on the two men's minds. Crowley sat down without a word on Marcus's left, and Dean didn't miss the frown Cassiopeia directed at Crowley until Marcus gave the demon a slight smile. Bobby took the seat next to Azrial, and after that, everyone filled in the remaining seats.
"It seems you still managed to make an impression," Marcus said to Cassiopeia. "This is quite extravagant for a midday meal."
The compliment sucked the remaining tension from the room. Cassiopeia and Orion both looked pleased at Marcus's words, especially as the man began to serve himself. That was the cue Dean had been waiting for because Azrial shot him a wink as she reached out to load her own plate.
"What's the plan now?" Bobby asked, passing a basket of bread across the table to Sam.
"I need to go walk the property," Gabriel said. "Only way to figure out how much damn power we'll need to pull the whole thing into a pocket dimension."
"You can join me as well then," Azrial said. "Just bring something to drink and a piece of fruit. Also, you don't need to walk."
Gabriel shot her a confused look. "Huh?"
"You have wings. Use them," Azrial said flatly. "No one will question it here."
Gabriel blinked. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," she said. "I was going to get Marcus set up with a horse and stretch my wings. We'll be back in time for dinner as long as Sam is comfortable riding as well."
"Happy to give it a shot," Sam said. "If not, you can always show me around another day."
"The wards will keep you from being seen?" Bobby asked.
Azrial chuckled. "Yes, my hunter. No one will see me; you have my word."
"Fair enough," Bobby said. "I know you've been chomping at the bit to fly again."
"Speaking of dinner," Crowley said. "Can I persuade you to put out a bottle of wine, angel?"
Azrial openly laughed. "There will be wine at dinner," she promised. "I just knew people may want to go explore, so I told Cassiopeia to hold it back over lunch."
"Oh, I can't wait to try it," Rowena mused. "I've heard wonderful things."
"Do you have any year requests?" Orion asked Azrial. "I can have them pulled from the cellar."
"I'll make a list before I head out," Azrial said.
Conversations drifted in and out after that. Dean noted that Marcus was talking quietly to Crowley about something, but he couldn't hear what was being said. Azrial was maintaining a conversation between Cassiopeia and Bobby. Orion was chatting with Sam about something history-related, and Castiel was cutting in, as was Rowena. Dean was simply happy to enjoy the atmosphere and food. The door opening to the sunroom made Azrial look up from her conversation, and Dean noted a flash of recognition in Bobby's eyes as a dark-skinned man walked into the room. Cassiopeia went to stand, but the man shook his head.
"No need to stand, love. I'm sorry to interrupt your meal." His gray eyes shifted to Marcus. "And a pleasure to see you again, Marcus."
"Thanatos," Marcus greeted. "Is there a reason you barged in on our meal?"
"Business," Thanatos said drily. "Azrial, Tessa is outside. She has a message for you."
Azrial shot to her feet, practically sprinting out the door without saying a word. Crowley growled softly, drumming his fingers against the table in annoyance.
"Oh, don't be bitter, Fergus," Rowena said. "I'm sure she'd run to speak with you as well."
Dean snorted his water, coughing to cover his laughter.
"Bite me," Crowley snarled. "That isn't the issue."
"Then what has your panties in a bunch?" Rowena countered.
"Tessa ignored my request for assistance, which is why Marcus is still here." Crowley paused, rubbing his temples. "Clearly, it was a setup since she's showing up now."
"Which just proves Death is meddlin' in our lives," Bobby said. "Not much we can do about it though."
Crowley grunted in agreement, and the conversations slowly went back to normal. Dean chanced a glance at Thanatos, who'd pulled up a chair to sit next to Cassiopeia. The god gave off a strangely comforting presence, which contradicted all his other experiences. He was so used to pagan gods trying to kill him and Sam that sitting near one who wasn't out for their blood felt like he'd entered the Matrix.
"Is there something between the two of you?" Marcus asked Cassiopeia. "I have yet to familiarize myself with the current relations given everything going on."
Dean was a bit surprised by the blunt question, especially since what little he knew about Marcus indicated that this would normally be a private family discussion. Bobby looked surprised as well and shot the Roman a calculating look but remained silent.
"I feel like there is no safe way for me to answer that," Thanatos said with some amusement. "I remember too keenly when suitors came for Marcia."
"Then you best tread carefully in my presence," Marcus warned. "Just because I am currently ignorant about what is appropriate does not mean I will stay that way."
Orion laughed, which just became louder at Cassiopeia's mortified look. Dean snorted, unable to completely stem his own amusement at the back and forth. Thanatos raised his hands in mock surrender, but there was a great deal of respect in the death god's eyes as he turned back to Cassiopeia. Azrial came back into the room, her face a touch paler than it was when she left. She gently squeezed Marcus' shoulder as she passed and retook her seat.
"How bad is it?" Sam asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Azrial took a deep swig of water before responding, her face pinched with worry.
"Tessa came with a message from Death," she said flatly. "He sent a tip on where my flock may be."
Castiel stiffened at his side and Dean knew their quiet lunch had just ended.
Notes:
*Aperiam in sanguine roughly translates as open to/in my blood.
**Marcia's soul is bound to the raven statue and Felix's the wolf. They stand as the front-line protectors of the estate and therefore never passed into Heaven.