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Castiel woke on the morning of the feast with a queasy stomach and the fast fading images of hands reaching out of the smooth black surface of a pond.
The sun was shining into his face again, the box he had put into the window to block some of the light not helping entirely. But with all the things that had to be done around the house, curtains were deep down on the list.
He got up and did his morning stretches half-heartedly and dressed with just as little vigor. He knew he should make an effort because today was a big day. Maybe not for the Naga, considering this was just their way of eating, but it was for Castiel and he knew it wasn't going to be easy. He could reason his worry away though by reminding himself that as prince of the angels he was thoroughly prepared for all kinds of situations. This was a formal event and Castiel knew how to act his part around angels. He would manage to find his place here too.
He got into his tea room to grab breakfast but was surprised to find Dean already there. He was dressed in his usual morning tunic but he was draped across the bench almost comically. Castiel didn't have to wonder about the display for long, because the fierce grumbling of Dean's stomach was answer enough.
"Good morning, Dean."
"I'm dying, Castiel. I'm dying and you're sleeping in, " Dean whined, then he rolled onto his side and pointed towards the still empty table. "break fast with me."
"Why didn't you just start eating?" Castiel asked and studied his husband. When Dean gave the impression of having used up the last sparks of energy to drag himself into the tea room and definitely wouldn't drag his body into the pantry, Castiel took mercy on him. He got up from his bench and went into the pantry. He was surprised that there seemed to be already prepared trays that he could simply carry out instead of the random assortment of pots. Castiel glanced under the silver cover of the first one, finding there to be juice, something that might be soup and a pile of something that looked like rectangular cookies with some green chunks on it.
"Usually servants prepare the food for us, but I couldn't borrow my parents' servants today," Dean said, still lying on the bench. He perked up slightly when the tray was placed in front of him.
"That's alright," Castiel said and then went back to get the second tray. He expected it to be the usual mix of food that served as his breakfast, but he found it to be more juice, a selection of five glass jars and some sort of flat bread shaped… maybe like scales. Castiel wasn't sure. Dean took both covers off the trays and put them down on the floor.
"Finally! Great Snake heap blessings on our tables etc and all that," Dean said and then he took one of the rectangular cookies and ate it in two bites, a second following right away. Then he drank soup straight out of the big bowl, set it back down, ate another cookie and then started on the juice. Dean noticed Castiel's staring only when the very worst of his hunger was quelled and he had slowed down, taking four bites to finish the cookie now.
"Aren't you hungry?" Dean asked.
"It looks like you could eat all of this on your own," Castiel said. Dean laughed uneasily and washed down the chuckle with some more soup. "Your stomach was already growling yesterday. I don't understand why you waited to eat." Dean looked at him like the question made no sense at all. And maybe it didn't. Maybe this was like resisting getting a snack just an hour away from dinner.
"Sometimes it takes a while to get used to eating on a different frequency. I ate more while in the army and I'm not quite used to eating only every two weeks yet. I'll get used to it, don't worry," Dean insisted, then he continued eating at a more moderate pace. "But you should really eat. It's good." Castiel wasn't sure he wanted to drink out of the bowl so he grabbed one of the cookies. When he bit into them he found them to be slightly dry and crumbly. And flavorless. He dunked it into the soup, which Dean observed with an almost scandalized expression.
"Eat one after the other. Not at the same time," Dean argued, "you'll ruin the individual flavors and get crumbs into the soup!"
"What flavor?" Castiel asked flatly, though the soup was slightly more fragrant than the cookie had been, something similar in taste as mushroom. If Dean was offended by his verdict about the food, he didn't show it, happily eating on. Castiel decided to check out the other tray. He poured himself some juice and was pleased by the sweet but also tangy taste. He sneaked another no flavor cookie off the plate, dunking it into the soup before Dean could swat away his hands, and then studied the jars.
"This is for dipping now," Dean told him and Castiel took one of the scale shaped flat breads. They were soft but firm enough to stay in a slightly curved shape. He dipped the bread into one of the jars, scooping out a bit of pale yellow mush. He blinked in surprise when he found it to be fruit instead of vegetable. "They're all fruit. Sweet banana, red mango, swamp apple." Castiel made a face at that less than pleasant name. "And salt apricots." The fruits had a similar taste to what he was used to from back home, though all were more intense. The swamp apple was surprisingly good, despite the uninviting brown color and weird name. And the salt apricots tasted like wild strawberries.
Castiel decided that he still preferred the weird mix of food he had received the previous two days. While he had his morning tea, Dean continued eating. At least the growling of his stomach was quieted now. After a while, Dean huffed and lay back in his chair, his arms linked behind his head. His tail slowly moved, stretching out and curling back in.
"Are you no longer dying now?" Castiel wondered with a small smile and Dean turned his head to look at him.
"Nope, not dying," he said and then his eyes slipped closed. Castiel wondered what exactly he was supposed to do now.
"We're expected at the tea room at noon, which gives us about an hour and a half to prepare," Castiel said, but Dean didn't answer. "What dress is customary?" When Dean still didn't answer, Castiel reached over to give his shoulder a nudge. Dean hissed something in complaint, but then he heaved himself up into a sitting position.
"Alright, alright, I'm moving," he said and unfolded himself. "I think Ezra left something for you in the post room." Castiel had no idea where exactly a post room was, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to see what 'omega appropriate' clothes Ezra had gotten him. But he didn’t want to embarrass himself or his husband. When he turned around to ask Dean he saw the tip of his tail disappear inside the bathroom. Well, he wasn't going to follow him there just to get directions, so he would have to figure it out himself.
He supposed that the post room must have been in the service quarters, so he walked there, taking the usual short cut right through the inner courtyards (which tended to get himself and his feet more skeptical looks by his husband). He found the post room quickly enough, spotting a big parcel on the table. He took it back to his room, risking a peek into the bathroom where Dean was reclining on one of the wooden benches that curved slightly, keeping Dean's upper body somewhat upright.
"Are you alright?" Castiel wondered but the worry was small enough that he didn't intend to step into the room with Dean.
"Just waiting for my stomach to settle," Dean said and patted his belly. Castiel wondered why he had to do that in there, but he wasn't going to ask too many questions about it. "How about you?"
"My stomach is alright," Castiel assured him, "I'm going to unwrap this." Dean made a humming noise in agreement, but didn't get up from his bench. Castiel left him to his business and carried the parcel into his room. He put it on the table and started unpacking. There was a pleated red skirt, probably long enough to touch the floor. The fabric itself was soft and sheer, but with the many layers it had it wouldn't be see through. The top looked to be nothing but a band, no straps, leaving the belly and shoulders exposed. Castiel preferred to keep his stomach covered, but he didn't want to step on any toes – or tails in this situation – by choosing the wrong kind of dress. He knew he had similar garments in his own wardrobe, but maybe it was too early to give traditional clothes his own angelic twist. He should get a shower before going out, but Dean was probably still in the bathroom. He stepped into the skirt and then wondered how to fix the loose waistline. Naga apparently either wrapped skirts around their hips or pulled them over their heads, so Castiel had to pull the strings and then wrap them around his waist. The skirt reminded him of underskirts he had been made to wear over crinolines. Wearing nothing but a band around his chest made him feel exposed and he sorted through his clothes to find some sort of jacket he could add, finding one made of silk. Dressed to his satisfaction now, he went back out into the bathroom and found Dean leaning close to a mirror. He took a second to observe him, finding him wearing the usual wide belt around his waist and a jacket that left his chest exposed. His hair was tousled as always, a plain black band in it.
"I hope I'm not overdressed with this," Castiel said out loud and saw Dean turn away from the mirror. Dean held a thin brush in his hand, one of his eyes already adorned with winged eyeliner. He knew that all Naga of the royal family wore make-up, but it still surprised Castiel. No man, especially no alpha, back at home would put it on, considering make-up to be a thing women did. But whatever thought process went through Castiel, it stopped when he noticed Dean's face. His husband was staring at him, eyes wide and mouth open. Castiel looked down at himself to make sure that he was still properly dressed. He was properly dressed.
"What's wrong?" he asked after a moment, then he walked up to the second vanity, but since it was so high up, he couldn't possibly sit down in front of it. He had carried his box with his hair decorations into the bathroom yesterday evening, since he had no mirror in his room yet, but apart from that the vanity was empty. Dean's was already full of jars and pots and flat boxes tucked into the small shelves attached next to the mirror.
"Uh… Nothing. Nothing," Dean insisted and then he quickly turned to draw back to the mirror. He dipped his brush into a little jar and then quickly drew the second winged eyeliner with practiced ease. Castiel eyed him critically until Dean turned back towards him with a sigh. "Nothing's wrong. You look beautiful. It merely took me by surprise." Castiel narrowed his eyes, then he turned to the mirror. He undid his braids, then combed them out. "Not…" Dean continued again, leaning against the table, fidgeting with the glass jars. "Not that you don't usually look beautiful. It's just the clothes, you know?"
"Thank you," Castiel said. "I don't know if the clothes are appropriate for the occasion. I have to trust you to tell me if Ezra gave me something I shouldn't be wearing."
"No, no. It's great. There's no hidden meaning in the dress. I mean… there are some items that are typical for your status, but you don't have to wear those."
"Like what?" Castiel asked, then he turned towards Dean, his hair hanging open around his face, brushing past his shoulders. "Like pearls in my hair?"
"Unmarried women usually wear pearls. It used to be the sign of an unmated omega. One ready to promise herself to someone else," Dean said. "At least that's what I think… Most people don't do that anymore. But the people here like to make a spectacle out of everything in the name of fashion." Castiel huffed a laugh.
"I'm familiar with that," he said and then he braided his hair and pinned it back up.
"What about you? What does it mean that you don't wear your hair open? Do your pearls have meaning?" Dean asked, clearly interested. The blush that had been present on his face, had receded somewhat.
"Not really. I simply like to keep my hair out of my face. And the pearls were gifts by my mother. I like wearing them for sentimentality's sake," Castiel explained and opened his box, letting his fingers glide over the pearls. Maybe he shouldn't wear them to official family meetings if a Naga might misunderstand them. He closed the box again without taking anything out.
Dean was looking at him with a pensive expression, but when Castiel lifted his eyebrows in question, his husband merely grinned at him.
"Okay, let's go eat!"
"But it's been only an hour since you last ate," Castiel said, but Dean was already out of the bathroom.
Castiel had to admit that he felt apprehensive now. The streets were almost as busy as they had been when Castiel first came to the city. Since this was the first time he was out of the matrimonial palace, he had no way of telling if the city was always this crowded. While Dean and Castiel had been let into the anteroom of the tea room quickly enough, Castiel had seen the queue of people waiting in front of the doors. Most were talking, some drinking juice while they waited, but curious eyes had still tracked Dean and Castiel's movements. Castiel had seen the letters "Colt's" attached over the door and from the outside the establishment looked rather grand. While Dean scrubbed his tail, Castiel slipped out of his shoes and put on house shoes he had thought to bring.
"I can't say that I missed this spectacle," Dean grumbled when he was done cleaning and Castiel looked at him. "The being ogled bit I mean…"
"You never seemed bothered by the attention," Castiel observed and Dean shrugged, guiding Castiel through the door into the tea room. The conversation was momentarily forgotten while Castiel tried to take in the interior. All around the hall were the familiar tables for coffee and Castiel could see the reddish light of the fire burning in the little stoves, gleaming in the dimness of the room. The middle of the hall however was brighter, a skylight in the domed roof letting in the sunlight. There was no clear separation between the public area and the middle part that the Winchester family occupied. Castiel understood why Dean had called it a spectacle. Clearly the people sitting in a circle around the Winchester family were all observing them. Vaguely, Castiel wondered if there would be articles about the royal family in the tabloids the next day.
"Well, let's rub scales," Dean said and slid forwards, his hand on Castiel's shoulder, pulling him along. "Hey," Dean said in greeting. Immediately the merry chatter was followed by calls of welcome.
"Here are the newlyweds!" Mary said, rising from her seat. "Get settled! We were just starting." Dean guided Castiel to empty benches. They looked like chaise lounges, properly cushioned, and Castiel saw that most Naga lay on their backsides, upper body propped up. Castiel wanted to head towards the empty bench next to Dean, but Dean wrapped his hand around his wrist.
"There's space here," he said and indicated to the empty space in front of Dean. Castiel would be resting his back against Dean's stomach or tail.
"Are you sure?" Castiel asked, seeing some color rise into Dean's cheeks. But Dean nodded, so Castiel was glad to sit close to him. He remembered what Ezra had said: Dean was supposed to socialize, Cas was supposed to stay with the women. This was definitely better for him, even though it earned them some raised eyebrows.
"I'm so happy for you to join us, Castiel! I'm sure you must be hungry!" Mary said and then she raised her hand. Almost immediately various servers appeared and put trays and bowls on the big round table before them. Clearly, the coffee stove wouldn't be needed now. Castiel looked up when Mary rose and cleared her throat.
"As you all know we have a new family member to welcome into our circle. Dean's omega, Castiel," she said and the Naga started clapping. Castiel found the way of phrasing Dean's relation to him slightly jarring, but he wasn't willing to let his displeasure show on his face. He got up on his feet, grabbed his dress and curtsied, first with a deep bow to Queen Mary, then a smaller one to the assembled Naga.
"Congratulations, Dean!" someone called.
"Only Dean would tie the knot with someone out of his species. He's always been a bit of an adventurous one!" someone else said and Castiel could hear Dean grumble something. It didn't seem like anyone expected him to speak, so he sat back down.
"Great Snake heap blessings on our tables. May our family be prosperous and sing your praise," Mary said and then people grabbed their plates and started piling food on them.
"Maybe we should do another round of introduction, once people got their first bites," Dean suggested, and then he rose above Cas to access the table. He piled the food on the plate and Castiel looked at the things on the table in wonder. Most of it seemed to be vegetables and fruit in a wide variety of preparation styles and flavors. Naga didn't seem to separate dessert from regular food, maybe they didn't know the concept of dessert.
"Of course," Castiel said, then he took a plate that Dean handed him, containing somewhat carefully arranged piles. As always, Castiel wasn't entirely sure what he was eating, but it was tasty enough.
"So… how are you liking the house?" John asked, "you've got quite the list of things you still need, don't you?"
"The house is wonderful," Castiel said. "The only things I need at the moment are objects appropriate for my size. I hope I'm not causing offense by ordering furniture."
"No, not at all. It was clear that we needed to adjust," Mary insisted, her tone friendly. "By the way! I heard from Jess, that you were visited by Ezra!" Dean groaned instantly and Castiel had to bite down a comment.
"Yes," he said instead, hoping that he wasn't required to tell how that particular visit had gone down.
"That is good, being a royal omega isn't easy. Lots of rules. Ezra already tried to train me when I was younger. Of course that was during the war and we all had more important things to do than memorize which ribbons to put in my hair. But I'm sure Ezra can give you tips."
"Mom… Are you really sure that's necessary? Castiel isn't a Naga omega, he shouldn't be expected to behave like one," Dean argued, shifting slightly, so that his warm tail brushed the small of Castiel's back. The sensation of feeling the smooth scales through the thin silk of his jacket was peculiar, but pleasant.
Mary and John looked at each other for a moment, then John turned towards his son.
"Maybe he's not a Naga, but there are certain expectations that he'll be easier to understand and meet if he knows what is expected of him. Just because he is informed, doesn't mean that he's got to follow through. Ezra's lessons will simply serve him as a tool. It's up to Castiel to decide what to do with his knowledge," John said diplomatically and Castiel knew exactly what to read between the lines. John and Mary expected it of him. Dean remained quiet too. Maybe Mary read the tense mood between them that this topic caused, so she quickly turned to the side, where Sam sat, currently talking to Jess.
"Ezra has suggested Jess as your omega companion, right?" Castiel nodded. "I think that's an excellent choice. She's already part of the family circle and she know the city relatively well. She'll be able to support you. Of course, you can select someone else if you'd prefer."
"If I need a companion then I am fine with it being Jess," Castiel told her and that seemed to seal the deal for Mary and John. They seemed pleased enough and that was the end of the conversation. Castiel looked down at his plate and then he turned his head to look at Dean, who heaved a sigh that Castiel could feel against his back.
"You okay?" Dean asked and Castiel nodded, then Dean uncurled himself again to pile a second serving onto his plate. Castiel watched the Naga eat steadily. Shoveling food on their plates, eating and talking, then going straight back for another serving. There was no break between eating and talking. And this was just an informal get together and light lunch. Castiel stomach gave a queasy little gurgle.
"You're not even eating, Cas."
"I've had breakfast an hour ago," Castiel insisted, "my stomach doesn't have the same capacity than yours seems to have." Dean laughed at that, then he settled back into his chair, slightly pulling away from Castiel's back. While Dean ate, picking up food with his fingers now, Castiel looked around the assembled people. They had now rearranged into smaller groups in order to talk. Mary, John, Sam and Jess he knew, but the other people in their group were strangers. There were a couple of older Naga, but most were around Dean and Castiel's age. There were only two children that Castiel could see. There was one man, around John and Mary's age, that kept sending Castiel looks. He didn't seem curious or wary, simply alert.
"Is Bobby's frowning bending your feathers?" Dean asked, apparently more alert than his lazy munching had indicated.
"A bit I suppose," Castiel agreed and then Dean lifted his hand and waved Bobby over. The Naga narrowed his eyes, but then he slipped off his bench and came towards them, sitting down on the bench that would have been Castiel's.
"Cas, this is Bobby Singer. He and his wife Karen are part of our family circle. He's also head of the police in the capital."
Castiel held out his hand to him which Bobby studied suspiciously, but eventually he reached out to shake it.
"It's a pleasure meeting you. Are you not eating?" Castiel asked. As far as Castiel could tell, Bobby was the only one without a plate.
"Someone's got to watch this family's scales and it sure wouldn't be me if I ate now," Bobby said.
"The head of security has to watch the royal family. Since we are vulnerable to attack during and after feasts, a contingent of guards is blocked from eating at the same time we are," Dean explained and Castiel looked at Bobby with surprise, Bobby, however, continued frowning. "Come on Bobby, what's eating at you?"
"Do angels also rest after eating?" Bobby asked and Castiel lifted his eyebrow. "Or will you be awake while Dean is vulnerable to attack?"
"You mean will I be able to protect him while he's sleeping?" Castiel asked, surprised but still somewhat pleased that Bobby thought him capable of defending his husband. But his joy was short-lived because Bobby's sharp gaze narrowed.
"No."
"Bobby," Dean warned, but Bobby waved his hand at Dean.
"You are the crown prince, Dean and Castiel is an angel. I'm doing my job," Bobby said and it took only a moment for Castiel to catch on and for his heart to sink.
"Oh," he said. "You see me as a threat…"
"Cas… No, you're not a threat. Bobby's just being dick," Dean tried to console him and shot Bobby a venomous glare. Bobby was unfazed.
"I will not be sleeping, at least not as long as Dean," he confirmed and Bobby nodded. "But I'm-"
"Thank you, that's all I needed to know," Bobby said, then he got up from his chair, giving his hat a perfunctory lift as he excused himself. Castiel watched him go, then he noticed that Dean's parents as well as Sam and Jess had watched the exchange and dropped his eyes. There was a somewhat uncomfortable silence, until Dean started moving. He put his hands on Castiel's waist and slowly guided him up, until Castiel got to his feet.
"We're getting a cup of coffee," Dean said and his parents didn't protest. Castiel followed Dean towards the other end of the room, where there was a doorway into a conservatory. A waiter appeared at once to prepare the stove.
"I'm sorry about that, Castiel," Dean insisted, when both of them were sitting. Dean didn't bother pulling all of his tail on the bench, so that most of his length rested on the floor, carelessly unwound. The tip of his tail beat the floor in what Castiel would identify as agitation. Castiel shook his head, trying to see the situation objectively.
"I understand his reluctance to trust me without knowing me. I'm an angel after all. I could be dangerous to you."
"And I could be dangerous to you. That's just how our species are. Bobby's a grouchy man who doesn't trust easily. It's in his job description. But I'm sure he'll eventually start to see you as what you are – my family," Dean insisted. Castiel send him a small smile, grateful for the genuine concern on Dean's face.
"Thank you, Dean," he said, then he motioned to the coffee, "also for giving me a minute to gather myself." He took a cup and poured himself something to drink, then he offered some to Dean too, who took the cup gladly.
"Of course, Cas…" Dean said kindly and Castiel smiled at him. "Just for the record? I trust you." Castiel smiled at him, then he reached out his hand and slowly placed it on Dean's tail, where it came close to Castiel's knees. He patted it a bit when Dean didn't flinch away.
"I trust you too," Castiel promised him. "Though I do worry what your family might think. Or regular people even. People who've witnessed the war between us first-hand might not be as willing to accept our marriage."
"Yeah, I get that. Though we've been mostly having skirmishes the last twenty years of the war. Nothing all that dreadful…"
"Yes, but those still cost lives, people are bound to be suspicious and question my reasons to being here. Though I assume most back off when they find out I'm an omega, like Gordon did," Castiel said. Dean laughed at that.
"If they knew that omegas are the ones calling the shots in your society, he might not have looked so spooked," Dean said, "but enough about prejudices. Do you want to hear anything about the people in the family circle?"
"Yes, of course," Castiel answered, sitting up straight, "though maybe I should go introduce myself personally." Dean seemed a bit surprised, maybe this wasn't done among Naga, but he quickly agreed. They finished their coffees and with Dean's support boosting Castiel's confidence, they went back into the main hall.
"Okay, you met Sam and Jess, then let's go check out Adam!" Dean said with a grin. Adam turned out to be a young adult, with blonde hair, blue eyes and a pale brown tail. He was eating small pies with a woman who Castiel assumed to be his mother. Adam gave a start when Cas was suddenly standing before him. With the Naga sitting they were closer to Castiel's height if he stood. Castiel wanted to hold out his hand to Kate, but Dean put his hand on Castiel's shoulder and Castiel remembered the "no touching other Naga" rule. Bobby too had been a bit suspicious of his hand, so Castiel made a curtsy, then he took a step back. He felt it to be uncomfortable to stand three meters away from someone he talked to, but he wasn't going to disrespect Naga social conventions.
"I wanted to introduce myself. I am Castiel," he instinctively wanted to add his title, but remembered that he was no longer Lord of Rains Landing.
"Hi. I'm Kate and this is my son Adam," she said, kindly.
"Kate is a nurse and last I heard Adam was also training in the same profession," Dean said fondly. Castiel wondered how Dean and Adam were related. Cousins maybe?
"Yeah, the university here is the best in the kingdom," Adam agreed, then he looked to Castiel, studying first his face, then his eyes flitted over his wings before he looked at his legs. "I've never seen an angel up close. And there was very little information in the anatomy books about you. Is it true that you require food every day? I've heard gossip about it."
"Yes, that's true," Castiel said with a laugh at Adam's curious expression. "I might have an anatomy book in my trunk." The young man seemed even more excited at that and Kate laughed.
"Okay, you nerds. Let's continue the tour before you start talking about your digestive system," Dean interrupted, putting his hand on Castiel's shoulder.
"I would like doing that," Adam said with a teasing grin sent Dean's way. Dean rolled his eyes. Castiel made another curtsey, then he followed Dean to make the rounds. There was a group of women, two of them holding napping children.
"Here we go, the lost son returns," a dark-haired woman said and Dean rolled his eyes. The woman turned her eyes to Castiel and the look he got from her was amused, but also sharp. "Hi, I'm Gwen. Dean's cousin," she said.
"She's a Campbell, but she likes our court more," Dean said with a grin and Gwen snorted. "The Campbells are my family on my mother's side. Grandpa Samuel still presides over the family circle there."
"The food here is much better, so don't go thinking that I'm here for you," Gwen said with a smirk. Dean stuck out his tongue at her. "Where's Charlie by the way?"
"Visiting Ellen and Jo last I heard. You know her. Bees up her scales," Dean explained, then he turned towards the two other women with wide smiles. One of them was dark haired and wore a bit of a reserved smile when she looked at Cas, her arms around her sleeping child. Clearly, he made her uneasy. The other woman, blonde, seemed unfazed, bored almost.
"Lisa and Lydia," Dean introduced them, "and Ben and Emma," he continued, pointing at the kids. Castiel did his curtsey again, though Lisa still looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. Dean didn't seem to notice her discomfort and instead bent down until he was at the height of Ben and Emma's sleeping forms.
"Aw, look at them. Conked out already after just lunch," he said and brushed his hand fondly through Emma's hair. Castiel watched his husband fuss over the kids for a moment, praising how adorable they were.
"Come on, Dean. You act like you don't see them every two weeks," Gwen said with a laugh. Dean shot her a glare.
"So, Castiel. You're an omega?" Lydia asked out of the blue and Castiel turned towards her.
"Yes," he said and didn't react much when Lydia obviously squinted at his body. "There are male omega angels," he added, hoping that this cleared up the confusion.
"Very exotic," Gwen commented, but Lydia apparently wasn't all that thrown by the revelation. Lisa however seemed more than curious, finally losing some of her apprehension. Maybe also because Dean was between her son and Castiel, providing a barrier. Or maybe Naga mothers were just very protective of their children. It didn't look like Lydia really worried much though.
"So, if you're the family circle's new omega, that means you'll be seeing after the kids in the extended circle, right?" Castiel looked at her in confusion and Dean rose at that.
"Uh, we haven't talked about that yet," Dean said and Lydia lifted her eyebrow.
"What is there to talk about? He's the omega of the future king. The honor is his," Lydia said, but the way she put emphasis on honor let Castiel assume that she didn't consider it an honor at all.
"Maybe it would be best if the circle nannies continued to look after them. They know the needs of our children," Lisa said and looked at Cas for the first time. "I mean no disrespect, your highness."
"None taken. I don't have any experience with children," he said with a shrug. "I'm sure your nannies will do a good job." Lisa seemed relieved to hear that but Lydia pulled her mouth into a line. Dean prevented the discussion from continuing.
"We can discuss that later, now there's more food to eat," Dean insisted and tugged at Castiel's hand to pull him away from the women.
"What was that about?" Castiel wondered.
"Omegas often look over the family circle's children, but you don't have to, Cas," Dean insisted. Dean took his seat again, then he flicked his hand, towards the hall at large. "There are some more cousins mingling with people. But part of the family circle isn't around."
"You've got a lot of women in this family," Castiel observed, "almost like at home." Dean chuckled at that.
"Yeah, though that's also because women are more willing to come into a new family circle. Most men want to build up their own circles. And some of our people are all over the realm. Benny for example or Victor. Family circles can be fluid. Sometimes they also split off into smaller units. Like Jo, Ellen and Ash. Not everyone likes the full family experience. It can get a bit messy."
"I believe that," Castiel said, "and I'm no stranger to visiting different courts to stay with relatives. I always enjoyed it. Maybe not necessary the talking to people part," Castiel admitted and poured himself some juice and picked at the food still on his plate. "I don't exactly like talking to people."
"You're doing a great job though," Dean said with a laugh.
"Because I've been trained to do it doesn't mean I like it," Castiel informed him and Dean met his frown with a smile. Castiel leant back against Dean's tail, watching the food disappear until it was replaced by coffee and easy chatter all around.
Jess came over from her conversation with Sam and took the empty bench next to Dean and Cas.
"So. Ready for a nap you two?" she asked with an easy smile.
"Ah, I don't know. I still feel pretty energetic," Dean said.
"Well, you're an alpha, you don't count," Jess told him with a cheeky smile, then she turned back to Cas. "I didn't want to intrude before, but since things seem to be winding down, I've decided to slide by. Auntie Ezra told me to make sure that I'm available if you have any delicate questions." Dean barked a laugh at that.
"Delicate questions? Really?" he asked.
"I'm just offering, if you'd prefer to answer Castiel's questions about omega health then sure, be my guest," she told him with an unimpressed look. Before Dean could retort something, Castiel lifted his hand.
"Thank you, Jess. I appreciate it," he assured her and Jess apparently didn't have more to say, so she slipped back to Sam's side. Naga were starting to leave the tea room, all seeming kinda drowsy at this point.
"So now?" Castiel asked when Dean rose from his seat. "Do you have to go to sleep?"
"No, most people take a nap now to regain their energies before dinner."
"The idea that you're going to eat more is starting to sound impossible," Castiel muttered, but Dean heard him.
"Since it's a bi-weekly feast that means there'll be a lot to eat," Dean said as if that explained the mountains of food he'd already put away.
"And then you'll really sleep? For how long? What will I do while you're asleep?" Castiel asked, following Dean out into the street. Dean looked down at Castiel, his eyebrows raised.
"Woah, Cas, don't worry," he insisted. "Yes, I will sleep, but I'm not totally dead to the world. 10 hours tops and then you'll have me back. I probably won't move much and still be sleepy, but you won't be alone. I promise." Castiel still felt a bit unsettled about this whole thing, mostly because Bobby's words still ghosted around his head.
"Come on, let's go home and refresh," Dean said and that was a good idea. Castiel could really use a shower.
Dinner at the palace was worse than Castiel had assumed. A big hall had been furnished with a long table, almost bending under the weight of food. The group eating together seemed to have grown a bit and there were servants dashing through the room, always refilling glasses and putting new food on the table. Because, Lord above, the trays seemed to empty within the blink of an eye. He sat next to Dean and stared at the decadent spectacle. He didn't have a faint stomach, but seeing plate after plate of food disappearing he did feel quite queasy. Dean himself was also eating steadily, only stopping long enough to chat with someone. Castiel ducked to the side when a server removed the 10th tray from in front of Dean and promptly replaced it with more. Dean didn't even seem to notice, he just continued eating and talking to Sam. Even Jess, who looked delicate enough, was shoveling mountains of food into her mouth. It was a mess.
He knew that Leviathan could swallow villages whole, but Naga? Naga were almost as bad.
Dean burped beside him and then almost daintily put his fingertips to his mouth.
"Excuse me," he said and then gulped down an entire jug of lemonade, his tongue darting out to lick the moisture off his lips. He looked down at Cas and in the darkness of the room, Dean's pupils seemed impossibly wide.
"Cas, you're not eating properly!" he declared, then he pulled two bread rolls and an entire grilled chicken on Castiel's plate, which was already filled with mashed potatoes and smoked ham.
"If you're doing family planning, you've got to eat!" Sam spoke up from across the table, then he elbowed Jess, who looked like she would soon nod off. She gave a jerk and continued chewing a juicy piece of meat. "Jess, tell him that he's got to eat."
"Lots of calories, makes your womb strong," she said and then she pointed towards Dean. "You'll need it for that one's babies. To hold on to that weight. They're gonna slip right out of you if you don't cushion your womb well, that's what auntie Ezra says." Then she lifted her hand, opening her fist and pretending to let something drop to the floor. "Splash."
"My womb is alright how it is now, thank you," Castiel insisted uneasily, though Dean sent Jess a loopy grin, flattered apparently by her words for some reason. Cas looked at the three Naga, all looking a bit drowsy, their faces flushed. "Are you drunk?"
"Probably quite a bit," a voice said above Castiel and he looked up to find Bobby standing behind him, shaking his head at Dean shoveling more food onto Castiel's plate, only to eat it himself in the end. "But when they get weird in the head like this, it's also a sure sign that they've had enough and it's time to get them back home, so they can sleep." Castiel pulled his plate away from Dean, putting it next to him, where it got picked up and eaten by another Naga.
"Should I take Dean home?"
"Yeah, put him to bed. I'll have Rufus send over a servant to provide his after feast drink that'll help him digest. Make sure he drinks the first glass before he goes to sleep and then the second once he wakes up." Castiel nodded, rising from his seat.
"Dean, time to say good-bye," he said to his husband. Dean narrowed his eyes at Castiel, but slipped off the bench.
"Good night everyone," but he didn’t wait for answers, before he followed Castiel out. Bobby accompanied them.
"If it makes you feel comforted, you are free to station guards in our home," Castiel said, even though he was reluctant to. Bobby nodded, his face unreadable. Luckily, even after having gorged on all that food and wine, Dean wasn't the kind of person who couldn't be moved. He peacefully followed Castiel, though he sometimes swayed into him, putting his weight on Castiel's shoulders, before righting himself again.
"You're very small," Dean insisted, when Castiel helped lift Dean's tail on the bench in the ante room. Castiel didn't know how to clean him, so he pulled the lever that poured fresh water into the wooden basin and tossed it over Dean's tail. Dean yelped and a snicker escaped Bobby's lips, which he wisely covered up with a cough. Castiel pulled a brush from the shelf and got to work, scrubbing some of the road dirt off Dean.
"Woah, Cas. Not so rough!" Dean complained, but didn't make a move to stop Castiel.
"You've got it from here, I assume," Bobby said and after Castiel nodded at him, he excused himself. Castiel turned away from the door and focused on Dean, who had now gotten the idea (or gotten tired of his clumsy attempts at washing the dirt off) and cleaned himself. Castiel took off his shoes and then he helped Dean into the house and to his bedroom. He trusted that Dean could manage himself, because he was a grown Naga and had gone through many such feasts.
Castiel got into the bathroom to quickly clean up, comb his hair out and undress. Once he felt refreshed he went to check on Dean. The Naga lay sprawled on his wide bed, only dressed in a shirt. For all the food he had devoured, his belly was still mostly flat under his shirt. If Cas would have eaten that much the effect would have been much different. He lifted his eyes off Dean and looked around.
This was the first time he was in Dean's room since they properly moved in, but because Dean didn't have any lamps there was not much for him to see by the moonlight only. It smelled faintly of something Castiel had a hard time to place, but it was a very pleasing smell. Maybe more of Dean's scale polishing oil. He squinted into the dark room and spotted the beverage Bobby had spoken of standing on the night table.
"Dean, you've got to drink," he said but Dean only muttered something and rolled onto his side. His tail moved slowly, the moonlight catching his scales. "Dean. I must insist." Dean grumbled and then he propped himself up on his elbows to glare over his shoulder. Once he noticed it was Cas, he gave a start and sat up properly, pulling down the shirt until it covered the beginning of his tail, including the raised scales.
"What…? Hey… Cas?" Castiel walked up to his side and grabbed the glass, then he held it out to Dean.
"You have to drink this. Then we'll see each other again once you're awake," he said and Dean looked at him in confusion. But he took the glass and drank it, handing it back to Cas once he was done. Cas nodded and put the glass away.
"Good-night Dean," he said and left with Dean's eyes trailing him. Castiel went to his own room, glad that today was over.
10 hours of sleep, that's what Dean had said. Castiel woke up early enough, but he was still far too full from the feast to drag himself to breakfast. He lounged in bed for an hour, reading, before he set out to revise a list of objects he needed. Around noon he walked out of the room to take a shower and get dressed. He was greeted by the sight of two Naga standing in front of Dean's door. They didn't seem all that alert, despite the spears they carried. They did straighten the moment they spotted Cas.
"Good morning…," he greeted and received nods in return. Castiel decided to not let it bother him and showered. Wrapped in a bathrobe he went back to his room and let himself drop on the sofa. He didn't linger long though, because he had to get dressed. Maybe Dean was awake now. He thought about trying the door that connected their rooms, so he could avoid the guards outside, but he didn't want to cause Bobby any further reasons to be suspicious. So Castiel got dressed and approached the guards.
"I have to make sure that my husband drinks enough fluids. Please check on him for me," he ordered them. The guards looked at each other, but then one of them opened the door and peeked inside.
"Your Highness," the guard called and the groan that followed answered the question of whether Dean was awake or not. The guard withdrew and then he nodded at Castiel. He slipped past them and back into Dean's room. Now in daylight he could see more of Dean's room, but like Castiel he hadn't really started adding personal touches. Dean was lying on his back, arms lifted and eyes covered by his palms. Castiel walked up to the side of the bed and took the lid off the tall glass, giving the beverage a tentative sniff. It was a bit minty and not as unpleasant as Castiel had feared.
"How much did I have to drink yesterday?" Dean asked, his voice slightly slurred and he seemed to have no intention to remove his hands.
"To be honest I tried not to watch you, so I can't tell," Castiel said and Dean froze. Slowly he pulled away his hands and peeked up at Cas, one eye still squeezed shut.
"Crap," he said. He rubbed his face, then he dropped his arms and sent Castiel a bit of a dazed smile, laced with embarrassment. "Hey, husband. Our first time, eh?"
"Good morning, Dean," Castiel said and then he tilted his time in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"First time you're seeing me wake up hangover. The aftermath of first feasts together can be breaking points for couples. If you don't want to divorce me afterwards I think we're good," Dean said with a teasing smile and a wink. Castiel rolled his eyes. He held out the glass to Dean.
"Bobby said you were to drink this," Castiel said and Dean sat up enough to be able to drink it. "How's your stomach?" Dean lowered his glass to study Cas. "I don't exactly know what to expect. If I had eaten as much as you did, I'd probably have a stomach ache."
"Ah, believe me I do too. The muscles have to expand and it's kinda uncomfortable. I definitely prefer to eat once every week, less of a strain on my body," Dean explained, then he patted his belly before he slowly rubbed his palms down onto his scales, applying some pressure.
"And now what?" Castiel asked. "You'll be digesting that for the next two weeks?" Dean laughed at that and shook his head.
"No, no. Two days to five days usually. It's different for every person, but on the second morning after the feast we clean."
"So…?" Castiel asked, not sure if he wanted to hear about this. Thoughts of communal baths and toilets that looked like people hung out inside of them circling in his head. Castiel wasn't a prude and he had done his business with his siblings in the room before when they were kids. But he drew the line when it got to having serious adult conversations while Dean was defecating and Cas had to act like that wasn't weird at all.
"Great Snake, why are you pulling that face?" Dean's laugh pulled Castiel back from his thoughts and he tried to school his features.
"I hope that you don't expect me to join your family while you're communally clearing your bowels. Communal toilet houses are a thing of the ancient past for us," Castiel said and Dean continued laughing, then he waved his hand.
"No worries. We don't have to do that. I don't really feel like joining my parents at the palace either. A quiet session in private, some reading. Sounds great to me."
"I can't believe we're discussing this," Castiel muttered to himself and Dean sent him an unimpressed look.
"You angels aren't really known for your sense of boundaries. You have no issue grabbing me by the tail feathers but you are scandalized by people taking a dump."
"I am far from scandalized, but I didn't exactly envision that having conversations about bowel movements being such a big topic in my marriage," Castiel said, though a smile pulled at his lips and apparently that made Dean relax. He drank what was left in the glass, then he put it on the night table.
"Yeah well, we're special after all," Dean said with a grin. "Hey, how about you fetch a small table and have breakfast here?"
"You're not going to move?"
"Nope," Dean answered, wide grin showing his sharp teeth. Castiel rolled his eyes but he complied. When he was back with a tray that he could use for breakfast in bed and what looked to be leftovers from the feast, Dean had already dozed off again. He startled awake when Castiel took a seat on the mattress next to Dean, his back leaning against the headboard. Dean was apparently surprised to see Castiel in bed with him, his face taking on a slightly red hue.
"Hi."
"Hey," Castiel answered, then he started eating. Dean apparently got used to the idea of Cas being next to him, because he soon dozed off again. Castiel ate slowly and read the newspaper which he had found in the post room.
"You're gonna join us for bathing though, right?" Dean asked out of the blue and Castiel looked down at his husband. Dean was looking as him, his head pillowed on his arms. "We have some cleaning rituals that we complete after the feasts. I'm not gonna make you join me for those, but I'd like to go relax in the water with my family afterwards. The communal bath is less about getting clean and more about catching up with family some more. If we had kids then we'd first do a round of bathing at our house before visiting family members."
"The pools are shallow, right?" Castiel asked and Dean looked puzzled for a moment but then he nodded. "Then fine. I'd be happy to join you," he agreed. Dean smiled at him.
"Great," he said, quite pleased, then he closed his eyes again.
What a lazy noodle.
Castiel continued reading the newspaper with a smile on his face.