Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The moonlight felt very cool on her sweating skin as she jumped awake in her bed. Her heart was pounding and her breathing coming out in wheezes as Charlie tried and failed to remember where she was. Her bed was too small and she wasn’t in her room but rather a long hallway with beds and small dressers in between them. 

Farther down at the end of the hall where the door was, were two occupied beds with two sleeping boys in them. Her brain caught up with her, and she remembered where she was. Sam and Dean were sleeping down at the front of the barracks, closer to the door so that if anyone came in they would see them first, and so that Charlie could have some more privacy.

She kicked her blankets off of her and swiped away some of the sweat on her brow. They didn’t fill any of the water basins before they went to bed, but they had been too tired to lug the bucket back and forth from the well. She instead moved over to the next bed that was still cool and sat down. The stone floor was almost freezing, but it felt nice on her burning skin. She reached inside her shirt for the pendant the boy’s father had given her and put it on the dresser. 

When the change of bed didn’t help her cool off she got up and went over to the window. The colored panes were dirty and covered in grime, but she could still see the patterns that formed a flock of ravens swirling down to a man with an outstretched hand full of food. He had the same red hair as Charlie, but his was shorter and blowing in every direction.

She unlatched the lock and pushed it open, and a wonderful breeze came through. Charlie breathed it in and let her beating heart die down. Now that she was more awake she could remember bits and pieces of her nightmare, but they only came to her in brief visions. Like a painting she looked at only once in the dark. But even when she didn’t remember all of it she still knew that it was about her parents. 

At the thought of them her eyes began to well up and she tried to fight them off. The last thing she wanted was to wake up the brothers and have them find her crying. It was one thing to cry in front of her nursemaids and governess, but she felt so out of place. The keep was beautiful to look at, and it was fun to wander around and look for new places to play in, but she missed her bed, her clothes and the smell of hot food and her mother reading to her as a maid brushed her hair. She got none of that here because there was nothing there.

If she had to stay here forever she wouldn’t mind all that much, but it made a big difference without her mother and father there with her. And no one knew where her parents were except that hunter that had left her with his sons. She knew that they had been hurt, but she didn’t know how badly… or maybe she did but she just didn’t understand it just yet. 

The flapping of wings brought her out of her sorrows as a shadow passed over the grass and a raven landed on the windowsill. It used its beak to nudge open the window a bit more so it had more room to sit.

“ Good evening, highness. ” The raven said in their native tongue. She had the voice of an older woman and was a little more plump than the other birds she had seen. “ Why are you up so late ?”

Charlie swallowed the lump in her throat and said thickly, “I had a nightmare.”

“ Oh, poor darling, I’m sorry. Awful things, those are, especially for someone as lovely as you. Is there anything I could do to help ?”

She sniffled and thought a moment before giving a difficult answer. “I want my parents. Do you know where they are?”

“ Oh dear… ” said the raven. How on earth was she going to tell her? She would have to be as gentle as she could “ Well I… I’m afraid they’ve passed, your majesty .”

Charlie could feel her face begin to crumble, but she held out long enough to ask with a trembling voice, “Are you sure?”

***

A door slammed shut and cut itself into Dean’s ear, throwing him from sleep and making him reach for his knife. He blinked away the tiredness from his eyes and looked around to find no one but his brother. Sam had also been woken up and was looking at the door.

“We didn’t leave that open, did we?” He asked.

“It wasn’t the lot of you,” came a voice from above, nearly giving Dean a heart attack.

One of the ravens of the wood was sitting on top of one of the beams on the ceiling. Dean couldn’t see it very well from that height, but it soon swooped down to the chest at the end of Dean’s bed. It hopped up onto the bedframe and looked at the two of them.

“Where did you come from?” Dean wondered, his heart settling.

“ I don’t think you’re old enough for that conversation .”

“That’s not what I meant – I mean how did you get in here?”

“ Through the window, dear. She opened it for me and we had a chat. Unfortunately it went sour quite quickly .”

“Are you the reason she’s upset?” Sam asked her.

“ Well, not exactly. I mentioned something to her that she already knew, but was having trouble accepting .”

“It’s about her parents… isn’t it?” Dean asked, and the raven nodded.

“ It would be best to give her some space, boys .” The raven told them. “ She’s starting to come to terms with what happened. ”

Oh. Dean wasn’t sure how to help with that. There weren’t a lot of children he met and became friends with, and Sam didn’t really count because he was his brother, but he could at least get along with other kids his age. Charlie was half his age and royalty. It was one thing to distract her with games the same way he did with Sam not too long ago, but John had taught them not to cry. Hunters always needed to be in control of their emotions, but he didn’t know about princesses.

“Is there anything we can do?” Sam asked. 

The raven shook her head. “Not at the moment, but you two are the only ones she has right now until the proper authorities arrive to get her. As for right now just give her a few minutes, then you may go and console her if you wish.”

“I wish father would get back sooner.”

“How come?”

“Because he always knows what to do.”

The raven made a strange noise that Dean couldn’t quite place because… well, because she was a bird. Just because she could speak Freltic didn’t mean that Dean spoke bird.

“I don’t think anyone would know what to do in this situation.” Dean muttered under his breath.

“We have to do something .” Sam urged.

“ If you want to go and try, I can’t stop you ,” the raven spoke. “ But be warned – she has not been shown yet to shoulder such a burden as grief. It would be wise to have her let it all out now, so that it does not affect her reign in the future .”

It became quiet, and Dean decided to agree with Sam: he wished his father were present. Something heavy was placed in his mind, something that had been hanging but was now dropped at the words of the raven. Charlie was a princess now but she would be queen one day. Dean remembered how many things had changed when he lost only his mother. What would change for the kingdom now that she had lost both ? What could he possibly do?

Dean groaned and threw his covers off of him. He began putting on his boots when he saw that Sam was only staring at him instead of doing the same.

“Well?” He asked, gesturing at Sam’s bare feet. His brother got the hint and quickly began tying up his boots.

They both split up with Sam taking the east wing and Dean taking the west. Regardless if they found her or not, they would meet back in the kitchen in fifteen minutes to regroup. If neither of them found her, then they would both search together outside. They searched through the kitchens and the library, then through the store rooms and old offices. No matter how much they called her name they could not find her. 

Grabbing their torches and their cloaks, they made their way outside. They looked through the courtyard and up on the walls, but still nothing. They called her name and heard it echo back to them from the forest.

Dean’s panic slid its tendrils into his spine and settled in his throat the longer they took to search. It was dark, but it shouldn’t have taken them or the ravens long to find her, yet they continued to walk. It grew colder the farther they went into the forest.

“There isn’t anywhere else she could be,” Sam said, beginning to yawn. “Why don’t we go back and try to look for her in the tower again?”

“There’s still that hut out by the wood’s edge,” said Dean. “Remember how she said she wanted to look at it when we first came here?”

“You think she’s there then?”

“She has to be. We’ve already looked everywhere else.”

Sam didn’t give a response back, but Dean knew that he wanted to. He used that same heavy silence and hesitant look.

“Dean…” Sam started. “What if we can’t find her?”

“Don’t be stupid.” He said. He wondered if he should just tell Sam to go back to the keep and wait and see if Charlie came back. He was starting to feel more like a tag-a-long rather than a help. Not to mention that it was late, and Dean was cold and tired and now stressed because if his father ever learned that he had lost a princess he would never want to look him in the eyes again.

“No, really. It’s dark and she doesn’t know the woods at all. What if she ran off and she’s not in any of the buildings and she leaves Ravenwood?”

Dean brushed him off. “You're being over dramatic.” He said. “She doesn’t even have her boots and coat on. She’ll freeze the minute she tries to leave, and if we can’t find her the ravens will.”

“I suppose… but what –”

“Will you stop?” Dean yelled at him. “We’ll find her, okay? She’s upset and probably hasn’t even gone far, you're acting more like a baby than she is!”

Sam was taken back and his face into something like horror, or closer yet, hurt. Dean’s blood ran cold the minute he realized what he had done. Before he had the chance to open his mouth and apologize, something small and spiked hit him hard on the side of the head. 

He shouted in surprise and held the side of his head before looking to see who or what had assaulted him. He saw Sam already staring with wide eyes at something up above them, and when Dean turned to look he saw a little red haired girl in a makeshift nightgown glaring down her nose at him.

“What was that for?” Dean yelled.

“For calling me a baby!” She cried out. “Apologize!”

Dean ignored the demand. “Where have you been?!” He asked instead. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“Don’t ignore me, apologize to Sam, and to me.”

“Charlie, come on. It’s late and I’m tired, just get down here.”

“No! I have given an order! Now apologize, or you’ll get a whole branch full!”

“Charlie, it’s fine,” Sam tried to reason. “It’s cold out here and you don’t have –”

“Is this a pinecone? Did you throw a pinecone at me?!”

Charlie responded by reaching up farther into the tree to grab what was clearly another pinecone.

“Okay! Alright, fine!” He yelled, throwing his hands up in surrender. “I was going to do it anyways.”

“I’m sorry. Dad told me to watch over you both and I couldn’t do that so I panicked but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, you’re just trying to help. And Charlie, you aren’t really a baby, you just seem like that cause I’m the oldest.”

She glared into his soul, judging and analyzing him. Dean rocked from foot to foot and tried to make it seem like he wasn’t at all uncomfortable. Sam saved him by giving a firm hit to his arm. Not enough to hurt but enough to want to smack him on the back of the head.

“We’re even now, so it’s fine.” He shrugged.

Charlie started to get up and squirm about on the tree branch, looking side to side for good footing. She kept gingerly placing her toes on some of the branches before moving it somewhere else and then back to the branch she originally wanted. The bottoms of her feet were getting poked and prodded by the pine needles and her nightshirt was getting caught on branches.

“…I don’t know how to get down…” 

“Have you never climbed a tree before?”

She shook her head.

“How did you get up there then?” Sam asked.

“I heard someone coming, but I didn’t know it was you, so I got scared and hid.”

Dean let out a sigh. “Seriously?” He said under his breath. 

She wasn’t that high up. Maybe a foot or two taller than Dean’s head, but he would be able to reach her if they were both careful. He climbed up on the other side of the tree and pointed at where to put her feet and hands while Sam stood below her in case she fell. Once she was sitting on the lowest branch, Dean hopped down and held his arms out for her to jump in. He could see that there were a few cuts and red spots on her feet, so once she jumped down to him he arranged her so he was carrying her on his back. Finally, they began the trek back to their beds.

“The ravens weren’t sure where you had run off to.” Dean told her as they walked. “Even when your barefoot and running around like a wild animal you still managed to get by some of Tulir’s smartest birds.”

“They might be sleeping.” Charlie suggested. 

“Could be.” Said Sam. “Why did you run off, Charlie? What happened?”

He had a feeling that he already knew the answer, but he wanted more details. Dean could hear her swallow the words down and he wondered, truly, what it was like to be in her shoes. He had lost his mother, and the pain of losing her still followed him throughout his life, but this was so much more. It wasn’t just grief she would have to deal with, but countless amounts of people just as confused as they were.

“I want to go back to bed.” She said, dodging the question. Dean didn’t have it in him to push.

“Yeah, we can all go back to bed, Charlie.” He agreed. “Are you hungry or anything?”

“Only a little.”

“Do you want us to find you something?”

“I just want some water.” She said after a moment. “Then we can go back to bed.”

They did just that. Sam grabbed them a pail of water from the spout and they had jerky to go with it. It wasn’t much of a meal but their stomachs were settled enough to climb back into their beds. Instead of going all the way to the other end of the barracks, Sam and Dean shoved the dressers out of the way and pushed the beds together. They spoke for a while longer, their conversation lost to time, before drifting off to sleep.

***

The first guest to arrive was Bobby.

He came the next morning while the three of them were getting dressed. Dean was wondering what he could use to make breakfast or if they should skip it altogether to save food. The boys knew when they heard a familiar tune of a whistle that wafted through the keep. It was the one that they used to call out to each other as they were pulling on their shoes, one that Dean replied with a little shakily at first, but he forced himself to stay still a moment so that he could reply clearly. 

The boys ran out of the barracks to greet him, and Charlie followed close behind, not sure what was going on. She called after them, asking questions and getting no answers, so she decided to just try and keep up.

Bobby stood beside his horse with its reins in hand while his other arm kept hold of a traveling pack over his shoulder. The minute he saw three misfits running towards him at top speed he dropped everything and fell to his knees with his arms open. The morning sunshine was warm and comforting when mixed with the chill air that had yet to warm. The sun still could not compete with the feeling of comfort when Dean slammed into Bobby’s arms. He was the first one to get to him with Sam following close behind. Their uncle grunted as they both nearly tackled them to the ground, but he held tight to them. Dean smelled beer and dust from books on him.

“Well hello to you too.” Bobby said in their native tongue. “Are you boys alright ? ”

Sam began speaking a mile a minute, trying to fill him in on everything that had happened much too fast for anyone to understand, and Bobby held up a mighty hand to slow him down. “Alright, slow it down! You gotta breathe at some point.”

“He was just happy to see you, Bobby.” Dean said, for the both of them really.

“And I’m happy to see you both, too, but we’ll have to catch up later. You both know that I ain’t here on a social visit.”

Sam and Dean pulled away from him and looked back at Charlie. She was keeping her distance from the three of them but it was clear that she wanted to know what was going on. She hadn’t spoken much since last night. She was peeking out from behind one of the statues, just a little strip of her hair 

“We don’t really know why she’s like that.” Sam told him. “She was okay until last night.”

“What happened?” Bobby asked, eyes glancing towards her. Sam spoke up first.

“She realized… why her parents haven’t…” Dean looked down at his feet, not able to finish, and Sam couldn’t quite meet Bobby’s eyes either. Something felt weird in his chest, some emotion he couldn’t understand, but it made him feel nauseous.

Bobby gave a gruff nod. “That would do it.” He grumbled. “Why don’t you take me to her, and we’ll get something heating on a fire. You both look starved.”

They were in fact starving. Sam and Dean were usually thinner than the average child due to constantly moving around and not always having a stable schedule for eating, and because of that they didn’t have much of an appetite. If someone asked them what kind of food they wanted to eat, they would have just taken some bread and dried meat, but when it came to Bobby’s cooking… Dean’s stomach grumbled loudly at the thought, and as embarrassed as he was, Bobby just patted him on the shoulder and steered the two of them away.

The boys led him back through the gates where Charlie was hiding behind one of the stone statues, likely of one of the gods. She was standing a little further behind the statue, but still visible enough for them to see her. Sam stopped them before they got too close.

“Should I bring her out…” Sam asked. 

Bobby grunted and said, “If you think it’s best.”

Sam left them and went ahead. Once he got behind the statue he whispered to Charlie and pointed at where his brother and uncle stood waiting. She peered out to look for herself before she disappeared once again behind the statue.

Bobby asked, “How old is she again?”

“About seven, I think.” Dean replied. “Why?”

His uncle’s face looked very worn that day, and very sad – like he didn’t know how to answer him. By then, Sam had talked her out of hiding and they were now walking towards them, her hand clutching the crook of Sam’s arm. Once they got close enough, Bobby knelt down on one knee and put on his best smile for her.

“Hello, Highness.” He greeted. He then gently took the hand of the princess in both of his and brought it to his brow. Sam and Dean looked at him with surprise – neither of them had ever seen him do such a thing before. He would later say that he did not do the royal greeting because it felt ridiculous, and that it could have been too much since it was reserved for the king and queen.

“How are you today?” Bobby continued.

“I am well, sir.” 

“That makes me glad to hear. Have my boys been treating you well?”

Charlie nodded, saying, “Very well. They read to me and let me play with them, even if it's in the mud!” A small smile crept on her face as she watched Bobby give a glance over to Dean, who smartly had turned to look in the other direction, pretended to not hear. Sam was trying to hide his grin on his shoulder. “I didn’t know it could be so squishy, like pudding!” She added on.

“It certainly can be, and it can be even worse to wash off sometimes.”

“I don’t like when it gets stuck in my fingernails though.” She said.

Bobby nodded along, his eyes getting distracted by something on the ground. There was a beat of silence and Charlie’s smile fell from her face. She let go of Sam’s arm.

“Sir, what is your name?” She asked him.

He lifted his head up and once again tried to put on a smile. “My name is Robert, though no one calls me that.”

“Then what should I call you?”

“You may call me Bobby.”

She made a squished face and frowned at him. “I’ve never heard of a name like that before.”

“Then I’m glad that I may be the first.”

Charlie looked him up and down, taking in his clothes and the weapons and pouches at his belt. Then she leaned over to look behind him where his horse was standing idly on the green. She turned back to look up at Bobby and asked with hope, “Are you taking me home?”

Dean watched in real time as his uncle’s heart got stuck in his throat. He had rarely ever seen grown men speechless, and it was the first time in Dean’s memory that it had happened to Bobby. As he knelt there on the ground his shoulders sagged and his face might as well have told them everything.

He cleared his throat and said at last, “I think this would be easier for all of us if we all sat down.”

***

“Are you still hungry? I can make you some more if you are.”

Charlie shook her head, pushing her empty bowl away from her. Some of the soup got on her cheek and she wiped it away with the back of her oversized sleeve. “No, thank you.” she said politely. 

For the moment, it was just the two of them. Sam and Dean had been shooed out of the kitchen once they had their food so that they could have some privacy. They tried to complain but Bobby was anything but a push over. With a few stern words and a look that could tame a boar, they took their tainted pride and their bowls elsewhere.

Bobby had gotten some frail parchment from the library beforehand and had a pen and inkwell ready for when Charlie was ready to talk. He assumed that if John was going to contact the royal guard then they would probably want as much information that they could get. But when he tried to write he felt stupid and rude. Making a child relive her torment and then writing it down as though it was more important. So instead he had them draw pictures of anything they wanted. Charlie was drawing the keep, with little figures that were meant to be Sam and Dean outside with her. Bobby just opted to draw a horse. The princess laughed at it when she saw it and he was glad that the boys didn’t see it, otherwise he would never hear the end of it.

But now Charlie's hands were still over the paper. She seemed lost in thought, and she was far too young to have that look in her eyes. He tried asking her again if she was hungry but she still didn’t seem to hear him. He reached out his hand and gently shook her on the arm, and that seemed to make her jump back to life. 

“Highness, are you well?”

“Do you know why my parents won’t come back?” She asked him. “The ravens say that it's because their souls have gone up to see the stars, but I don’t want them to go, I want them to stay here.”

They’re gone . He wanted to say. They’re safe now and watching over you and your people. The gods have them now, and that’s that. But that is not what she needed or wanted to hear. He decided to go for honesty.

“I don’t know where a soul goes when they pass. There’s all sorts of places the gods made for us when it’s our time, but they are being watched over and cared for, just as you will be cared for.”

“But how can you be in two places at once? Why can’t they just stay here? And why can’t I go home?”

Bobby took a deep breath and tried to think of the best way to explain it to her. He was at a complete loss. Sam and Dean had to be given this talk when they were far younger than her, and although they were just as confused as she is, John’s impatience was much shorter than Bobby’s, so Sam and Dean were left to understand death’s cycle on their own. Eventually they understood what it was, but Charlie was much different than them. The boys had experienced death and hurt their entire lives, starting with their mother, but this was her first time dealing with such a gruesome death.

“Well, when we are alive do we stay in one spot for our whole lives?” Charlie shook her head. “No, it is not something that we are made to do. I do know that wherever your parents are, they will love you and watch over you when they can. Do you understand?”

She shook her head in an obvious no . He was at least grateful that she was being honest with him. He could tell that he was starting to lose her, so he decided to get to the point.

“What do you remember? About that night?” He asked gently. He didn’t know where else to start. John had given him some details of what he saw, but he didn’t know how it started or who had done the crime. He also didn’t give him a lot of information since he was too busy trying to find the proper authorities to contact.

“I was sleeping in the carriage.” Charlie began. “We hadn’t stopped to put up tents yet because father wanted to ride for a little longer. Then the carriage stopped and I woke up, and mother and father were both scared. There was yelling outside, but I couldn’t see anything. Then one of the guards came and told us that we weren’t safe…”

She trailed off, her throat starting to close up and her face began to get hot. Bobby noticed this and placed a hand on top of hers, completely engulfing it. 

“It’s alright,” He told her. “Just breathe and take your time. Deep breaths now.”

Charlie did as he said and began to breathe deeply through her nose and then out through her mouth. After a few tries and a few tears welling in her eyes, she nodded her head. Bobby let go of her hands, but still kept near.

“Then what happened?” He whispered.

“Father stayed behind, but he sent me and mother away, and some of the soldiers went with us. There were a lot of men yelling, but mother wouldn’t let me look – she covered my eyes with her handkerchief. She picked me up and we ran into the woods for a long time. Then we heard voices behind us and I wanted to stop but mother told me we couldn’t and to stay quiet, so I did. Then when we couldn’t hear them anymore she let us stop and told me to hide in a tree. She was too big to come in with me so she went somewhere else, but she promised that she would come back…”

She trailed off, getting that strange look back in her eye. He already knew that her mother did not come back for her, because she had her throat ripped open and split down her chest. John had told him that much. Bobby leaned closer to her over the table, hoping to keep her focused.

“How long were you there?” he asked. “Who found you?”

She shrugged her shoulders. She looked more like a farm girl than she did a princess, with her red hair in tangles and shirt too big for her, and dirt on her hands. “A long time.” She told him. “I fell asleep, and when I woke up that man was carrying me and I got scared because I didn’t know who he was, and then he told me that he was there to help. Then he took me to Sam and Dean, and then they took me here.”

“What about the soldiers? Where did they go?”

“They got lost, I think. They were with us for a little bit, but then it was just mother and I.”

“And did you… see anything?”

She went still. If guards had been with them and then they just disappeared, it would have been almost impossible for her not to have heard anything. She told him no all the same. Had told him it was dark and her mother had told her not to look, so she didn’t know who had done it. He knew when children lied, and she was very clearly lying. He could see it in the way her eyes went wide and body went stiff as a board. 

“Can you promise me something?” Bobby asked. She looked back up at him with curiosity and nodded her head, hair flying. “If you do remember something, can you promise that you’ll tell someone? Even if it isn’t me?”

Charlie deflated and looked back down at the paper she had been drawing on. She had added black birds that he supposed were meant to be ravens around the empty spots on the paper. Then reluctantly, she nodded her head, and Bobby let out a deep sigh. He supposed that was the best he was going to get, so it was better than nothing.

“I have a present for you.” He announced, pushing himself to his feet. “But we’ll have to go take a walk since I left it with Mirabel.”

“Who’s Mirabel?”

“She’s my horse.” He said. “You saw her when I rode in.”

As he walked closer to the door, he could hear footsteps run off down the hall, and he kept himself from shouting at the boys for eavesdropping when he told them to leave them be. He didn’t want to shout at them now, not when Charlie was with him and likely didn’t know they had invaded their privacy.

“The one you came with?” She asked him as she followed him out into the hall. He couldn’t see them, but they were likely hiding in one of the nearby rooms.

He nodded, remembering to pay attention. “She’s almost as old as I am, and she tells me all the time.”

“Can she talk? Like the ravens can?” She wondered.

“No, only the ravens can talk here. But my old girl lets me know in her own way that she isn’t happy with me for taking her out of the barn and into the woods.”

She turned her head to the side, frowning. “How does she do that?”

“Well, she makes sounds. They change with her mood, but I’ve had her for so long that I know which ones mean what. Sometimes she’ll bite at my sleeves or huff in my face.”

Charlie began to giggle beside him. “That isn’t nice of her.”

“Oh, maybe to you, but I know she doesn’t do it to be mean. Sometimes she isn’t mad at me, but rather what I’m putting her through.”

Charlie hummed and then went quiet. Then she perked up and looked up at him. “What’s my present?” She asked, eyes big and bright.

“You have to wait, otherwise it would ruin the surprise.”

When they were back out in the sun, he took them back out to the courtyard where his mare was grazing on the grass with Sam and Dean’s horses. She was still saddled and had most of his packs still thrown over her back, but she was more occupied with eating. Her ears perked up when they walked towards her, but otherwise didn’t seem bothered.

Charlie waited patiently as he shuffled through his things, looking for the bag that Pam had given him before he left. He remembered the look on her face when she told him to not worry about paying him back. He would probably find a way to do it anyhow, but that could wait for the future. He found the large bag easily once he remembered what side he had put it on, but pulling it out was a hassle. Eventually he managed to tug hard enough and it came loose enough for him to bring over to Charlie. He set it on the ground at her feet and let her open it for herself.

She pulled back the opening and gasped when she saw what was inside. Her smile grew as she pulled out the first item she saw – a simple, forest green dress. It was much closer to her size than the clothes she was wearing now, although now that she was holding it up, Bobby still wondered if it would still be a size too big. Charlie didn’t seem to care at all. Instead she seemed overjoyed to have clothes that suited her better. Other than the green one, there were two other dresses that Pam had packed, and a set of boots that Charlie immediately put on. A squeal of delight left her as she walked in circles with them, still holding the green dress. 

“These are for me?!” She exclaimed, even though it seemed like she already knew. She ran around in circles, testing her new shoes that seemed to fit her just fine with a bright smile on her face.

He would never admit this to anyone, but he hoped that John took his time finding help. He didn’t know much about royalty or the responsibilities of nobility, but he knew that this would be one of the last times in her life where she would get to run around like this – free and unburdened.

***

Bobby kept an eye on all of them, but they were so relaxed and at ease at the keep that he barely needed to do so. It was mainly to make sure that the boys weren’t playing too rough with Charlie and accidentally hurt her and get the three of them exiled, or something like that. He was very serious when it came to the princess, even more than he normally was with other children, and why wouldn’t he?

For a blissful five days the children had Bobby all to themselves. That was until the rest of the Hunters Guild came at John’s request. Then guards from the nearest keep, then there were citizens that tried to wiggle their way through to see what the commotion was in the southern woods. It started out as a fisherman asking a passing scout of soldiers why they were there, and then days later there were people trying to sneak their way in to see the princess.

They didn’t succeed. There were only two men that had tried to get past, but the forest knew they were not here out of kindness. They didn’t even need to send guards to scare them away, the trees and the birds did that for them. After that little fiasco no one other than Hunters and soldiers dared to come to Ravenwood.

However that changed again when news of the King and Queen’s death reached the public. Instead of thieves they got worried mobs demanding to know what had happened to the princess. Even with the ravens, people still stayed as close as they could for any kind of news they could gather and spread around. By that point if magic of the gods and pecking birds couldn’t drive them away, then a good sized coin purse certainly did. By that point the forest only allowed soldiers, Hunters, and a select few others through, and only if they were offering their protection or services to the princess.

Four grating months had passed, and it was beginning to drive everyone insane. Mainly the children. It was the longest time the boys had been without their father and their steady routine of constantly moving and working alongside him had been changed for cabin fever. Bobby and the guards had forbidden them from leaving Ravenwood in case anything bad happened to them.

There were always people running about, sending a message to other keeps or relaying what this person said to that person, and it made Dean’s head spin. He had never had to be around so many people for so long, let alone people that were always keeping an eye on him while also telling him to go away. If it wasn’t for Charlie specifically asking for Sam and Dean, they would likely only see her if they passed her in the halls. Everyday they saw her she looked more and more overwhelmed by all of it.

“They don’t normally give me this many soldiers,” she whispered to them one day. “I only ever had two and then some of my maids. And sometimes I wouldn’t even need guards at all! These ones are always hovering over me…”

“They aren’t meant to be intimidating for you, Charlie.” Sam explained. “They’re meant to look scary for whoever tries to bother you.”

“That’s why they scare me.” she stated. “No one has ever needed to keep someone from doing that before, and that means that someone must want to do it now!”

The boys looked at each other but all they could do was hang their mouths open. They didn’t know what would be the right thing to tell her.

“You know how adults are, Charlie,” Dean managed to say. “They always worry over everything, and when you went missing they were really worried. They just want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“I wish you two were my guards,” she grumbled. “That way I wouldn’t feel so crowded all the time. We could play games like this every day.”

The boys would have loved nothing more, but the rules were strict and the punishments quick. Bobby had talked to some of the higher-ups about allowing the boys to spend more time with Charlie (with supervision, of course) since it seemed that they helped improve her mood. They allowed it, and Bobby didn’t have to say it, but his face told them that if they even thought about messing it up, all of their hides would be on the wall.

Autumn left and winter came, and each day the tasks and the people slowed down or became familiar enough that it no longer felt overwhelming. All of the letters had been sent, and all of the people that needed to be there were on their way, and there was nothing left to do but wait for the palace guards and their father to show up.

Then all of a sudden that day came.

It was the raven Midge (the one that had told Charlie the truth of her parents so many nights ago), flapped her wings hard and rushed through the doors, startling the maids and frightening the soldiers. She flew through the halls and to and fro until she had finally found the children in the library, reviewing numbers and fractions with the adults.

“They’re on their way!” She cried, landing breathlessly on one of the tables.

Every head turned to her, confused and surprised at her appearance and dishevelment. Some of them frowned and looked at one another, trying to put the pieces together.

“Who is?” Said one of the women.

“Royal guards!” The lady cried. “Who else would it be?! The ravens just came back with word of them, they’ll be here any moment!”

Every voice picked up and began talking over one another in a mix of delight and awe. It had only been a few months since the accident, but he should have been arriving at the castle by now, not returning . Perhaps he had ridden faster than Dean could imagine, or he had managed to pass the message along the way.

Charlie gasped in delight, her little hands covering her mouth. “Is Captain Davies coming?” She asked.

“Oh dear, I don’t know who that is,” tutted Midge. “But I would assume that he is.”

“Do the soldiers know of this?” A woman asked, nearly dropping the bucket of ash she was holding from the fireplace.

“Of course they do, they aren’t exactly hard to miss.”

Charlie squealed in delight before running out of the room, her books and pens thrown to the ground and the maids chasing after her. Sam and Dean looked at each other like startled deer.

“I suggest you two get a move on as well,” said Midge. “Your father was with them, too.”

The two of them didn’t wait and scrambled up from the floor. They followed the herd of bodies out towards the courtyard, but Sam grabbed his brother by the sleeve and stopped him.

“What are you doing?” Dean asked.

“Up here!” Sam replied, pointing up to the staircase that led to the parapets.

The two of them stomped up the stairs and crashed through the doors and into the bright sun. The sentries on the wall were looking out through the trees, pointing and gossiping to one another. They paid the boys no mind as the boys pushed a crate towards the edge so Sam could see better over the ledge.

“Where are they?” Sam asked.

Dean looked out over the treetops but he saw nothing.

“I can’t see anyone.” He said. A heavy hand tapped his shoulder, and behind him stood one of the soldiers pointing out towards the woods.

“Out there, do you see? Near the woods edge, there’s ravens flocking just above the trees.”

The brothers looked out to where the man pointed and sure enough, there was a swarm of ravens circling each other above the forest. If he listened carefully, he could probably hear them calling out to each other, their caws and yells overlapping one another. Almost like the people down below.

In the courtyard, noise grew as the people and servants prepared to greet their guests. Ravens flew in and out of his vision. Likely spreading the word to any that had ears. No one knew exactly what was going to happen next, but work needed to be done. There were rumors of supply carts coming along with select members of some kind of council, and rooms and offices would need to be made up. Soldiers saddled their horses and rushed out the front gates to meet with the royal guards.

The brothers waited anxiously for the group to emerge from the woods, bouncing on their feet in anticipation. An eternity seemed to pass by before they finally saw something. One of the Hunters that had come up on the wall pointed to them first, managing to see them just before they made it to the woodline.

There must have been dozens of them, all decorated with red and gold flags, clothing and even harnesses for the horses. In the middle of the caravan was a large carriage with four horses pulling it, and it was the most extravagant thing Dean had ever seen. He had seen carriages before, all of them made out of wood and nails, but this one was full of color and intricate designs that he wanted to see up close. 

“Do you see father anywhere?” He asked Sam.

His brother hopped up on his toes and scanned each face along with Dean, but there were so many people and so much going on that it was impossible to find him. They saw a bundle of red hair bolt out of the front gate and heard a delighted squeal moments after, and one of the men with a red plume on his helmet swung off his horse at record speed and scooped up the princess in his arms and held her for dear life. 

“Whose that?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know.”

Dean watched as most of the mangire stopped to look in surprise at the princess that looked anything but. A shout came from one of the guards on the wall, triumphant and joyous, and soon it seemed like the entire stronghold was cheering for their future queen. “ Hail the princess, long live the princess, bless the princess and her subjects ”, they all shouted. It went on for a good while before the man gently put Charlie down on the ground and raised a hand at the people within the fortress. The noise began to die down, and once it was completely quiet, he began to speak.

“Good people,” He called to them. “Today is a day that will be marked in our nation’s history for the rest of time. Each and every one of you that came together for your princess has a strong heart, and an even stronger will. The next few months or even years are going to be difficult, and you must keep that bond with one another as we grieve together, and work our way out of this. Those who took our beloved King and Queen from us will be found, and will be shown no mercy for their crimes. Until that day comes, be on your guard, and keep your ears open for anything out of the ordinary, and may the gods watch us and bless our princess!”

With his speech finished, he led Charlie and his soldiers into the keep, and the noise once again picked up, only with even more emotion than last time. The soldier was also cheering and waving his fist, looking like he was about to let the tears fall. He caught sight of Sam and Dean again and leaned down close for them to hear over the noise.

“I’ve no doubt they’ll want to speak to both of you and that Uncle of yours, you both best get down there.”

They both obeyed and quickly made their way back down the spiraling stairwell and into the chaos. They could probably find their father if they were closer to the gate. It would be easier for them to see him coming.

Dean led them both to the gate and got close to the entrance and stood huddled by its wall so they weren’t in the way of the soldiers, and they kept their eyes open for their father. Each one of the soldiers that came through were the crystal definition of knights in shining armor. Dean watched them as they passed and he felt strongly intimidated and impressed all at once. Some of them glanced at him as they passed by, most of their faces covered and gleaming. Then Sam yanked on his arm and bounced up and down, pointing in the distance.

It had been so many months since he had seen John that he almost didn’t recognize him from the crowd. His hair had gotten longer and his face looked tired and gaunt. He looked like he needed a week’s worth of uninterrupted sleep. He didn’t see them at first, his eyes looking up at the massive amounts of people. Sam and Dean both saw him at the same time and raised their hands and shouted for him. Many eyes turned to them, but only one pair mattered. Sam ran to his father and John dismounted his horse, stooping low to catch him in his arms. He didn’t kneel to the ground, but he did bend over to cover him. Dean stood at the gate anxious, unsure of what to do. 

Eventually, John took Sam and his horse back to the keep. When he got close enough to Dean he took one side of his face in his hand and moved his head from one side to the other. Seeming satisfied, he moved his hand to the top of his head and ruffled his hair. He seemed so tired. 

“Where’s Bobby?” Was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

“I don’t know. Somewhere near the library.”

That was all it took for him to walk away. Barely a proper hello, and not even a goodbye. Desperate and worried, Dean rushed after him. 

“What’s going to happen now?” Dean questioned. “Is Charlie going back to the castle? Are we going to take her there?”

“I don’t know, that’s up to Davies and the court. They might stay here for a few more days, but they’ll have to leave eventually.” John came to a sudden halt as he entered the keep, nearly running into a woman with an arm full of laundry. Everyone was rushing about, trying to find out where the new influx of soldiers would be going. John shook his head. “Too many people,” He said to himself. “It would be too damn easy for someone to slip in.”

“What did you say, father?” Sam asked, catching up to them.

“Which way is the library?”

They pointed him in the proper direction and he was off again, leaving his horse out in the yard and his sons trailing close behind. Sam asked him question after question, not getting answers for most of them and then getting snapped at for the rest, leaving him quiet. They followed him regardless of his mood, not sure what was happening or what was going to happen. Usually when their father returned to them after a hunt he at least told them a little of what had occured while he was gone. But now he was acting as though something bad happened…again. Or maybe it was still happening. Dean didn’t know what to make of it.

From there it was all a blur. The banging and shutting of doors in Sam and Dean’s faces, adults never giving him the full answer or even the truth, and no one telling either of them what was to happen next. With the court, close yet distant family members and the royal guard finally arriving, they were no longer allowed to see Charlie in private, no matter what any of them said. Even though she was to be queen, she was still a child. And to an adult with power, a child had no say.

So as the two boys sat out in the hall, waiting for their father to finish talking to what felt to be every man in the keep, until it was their turn to recall every last detail of the last few months. They spoke to each of them separately and wanted them to recall everything in their own words, and most importantly, to tell the truth.

It was very off putting for the two of them. Usually whenever there were guards asking them questions, John managed to turn it around on them or manage to get them off their backs enough to get away, and if Sam and Dean were involved, then they were to say nothing. Now they needed to say everything and more. Dean remembered John being in the room with him while a scribe wrote down every word. Even though he was telling the truth, it still felt like he was doing something wrong.

***

“You and your boys have done your kingdom and the princess a great service. There are no words to be said that can explain our thanks, so we hope this will suffice instead.”

Davies, a well kept but plain looking man, then took a thick envelope from one of the men that stood behind and slid it over the desk to John with a bright smile. John carefully took it in his hands and studied it for a moment, his thumb passing over the blood red seal with the royal crest melted into it. It had his name written on it in great, swooping letters.

“What is this?” He asked as he began to tear it open.

“Formal papers requesting you work for Her Highness's as a palace guard in the capital.”

His hands froze over the paper. He looked up at the Captain, who was smiling brightly and proudly and waiting for a response. Bobby was standing off to the side, completely shocked.

“Of course, you must realize that you will be the only one that has been given this job. Although the others have done a splendid job at providing and protecting, you have gone above and beyond to do what was necessary for the royal line, and we are forever in your debt.”

All John could do for a time was stare at him blankly before his mind started up again and he was able to use his voice. “Is this a joke?” John asked.

Davies laughed nervously, and said with a confused look, “Of course not, that would be entirely cruel after all you have done for us. Since you were the one that found her, and you have the previous title of Lordship and experience in our kingdom’s military, you are the most trusted man in this entire building. We would be honored if you accepted.”

John looked back down at the envelope in his hands as his heart beat sped up. He could feel everyone waiting for him to give an answer, but it seemed like all he could do was stare at the half opened letter in his hands. Captain Davies adjusted in his chair and cleared his throat, trying to clear the air.

“You and your sons would also be given your own home in the Capital,” the Captain went on. “Along with schooling and all the other necessities for raising strong young boys such as your own. All of you would be well cared for.”

He took a deep breath and with it he seemed to regain his composure. Bobby took a step towards him but said nothing, and John didn’t look at him. He already knew he was glaring fire into his soul, like he knew what John was about to do before he even said it.

“Of course this is also a lot to take in,” Davies continued. “We will give you two weeks to go over the contracts and to get your things settled before you give your answer –”

“Captain,” John interrupted. “This is very generous, but I’m not a lap dog.”

Bobby’s face was turning red with anger and the Captain blinked before giving an awkward laugh, unsure if John meant that as an insult or something else.

“I assure you, the work you will do for the people and the Princess will –”

“You don’t have to explain it. I’m not a lord or an honorable enough man to live like that. I’m a Hunter now, and I’ve got my work cut out for me just fine. That kind of life is behind me…”

Then there was Bobby, right in front of him, seething and breathing hard. He looked like he wanted to punch him in the mouth or even through the wall.

“John,” He said in a slow growl. “Think about what you’re doing. Think about the boys. This isn’t a life they deserve. All of you have a chance at a normal, steady life, don’t take that away from them.”

John held his gaze and didn’t falter. He knew that this was a chance of a lifetime, one that wouldn’t present itself again. But he couldn’t take it. “He’s still out there, Bobby.” Was all he said.

Bobby shook his head in disgust. “I don’t give a damn if it was the first king of the elves that did it, you’re making a mistake!”

John stepped in closer, baring his teeth. “You would know all about mistakes, wouldn’t you?”

Bobby lifted a finger to his face, properly seething now. “Don’t make this about me. This is about Sam and Dean. they have the chance to have something good for once in their life, don’t take that away from them!”

“Last I knew I was their father, not you, so stay out of it.”

“Gentlemen!” Davies shouted. “I believe that I might have struck a nerve. I think it would be best for all of us if we took some time to think this over and regroup at a later date. What do we think?”

John stepped back and looked Bobby in the eyes. “My answer is still no.” He said. “Thank you for the offer.”

He moved past them to the fireplace before throwing it in the flames. The edges turned brown and began to curl as the fire slowly moved inward. John didn’t look at either of them as he moved for the door. Before he could get his hand on the handle, Davies called out to him one last time.

“John, no matter what time has passed, our offer will still stand. For you and your sons.”

He gave a blunt nod and walked out. As the door closed behind him, he heard his meteor curse him and swear at him for putting his boys in danger. 

***

“Now?!” Dean shouted in shock at his father.

John frowned at him from where he knelt on the floor, packing up what little clothes and supplies they had lying around the barracks. Sam stood off to the side, his face just as bewildered as his brother’s.

“Don’t be so surprised,” John said, emotionless. “We’ve done what we needed to do. The princess is in safe hands, and I’m sure you boys have been stuck here long enough. Time to stretch our legs.”

Frozen still and desperate, Dean wanted to shout and scream and beg him to let them stay just a little longer, just long enough to see Charlie gone. Instead he unclenched his jaw, just a little bit.

“Well…” He began, struggling to finish. John stopped what he was doing and turned to look at him, his face surprisingly neutral but still stubborn. Maybe he had a chance this time. “I mean, should we at least see her off at least? Charlie, I mean?”

“The Princess? I told you once, she’s in good hands. She has the finest officers in Moondor with her now. All we would do is get under their feet.”

“Yes, but…” Dean stumbled as his father looked at him like he was wasting his time. Maybe he was. “Can we at least say goodbye?”

“If the guards let you, but that isn’t getting you out of packing.”

“Why can’t we stay longer? We don’t have anywhere else to go, and there haven't been any leads that have come up. We can rest for a while, can’t we? Don’t we deserve it?”

The truth was, any monsters that had heard of the King and Queen’s murder would be staying out of sight for some time. If their killer was still on the loose, then every citizen and soldier would be warned to look out for any suspicious persons or potential killers, and the first ones that would be singled out would be the monsters. The borders would either close or be on heavy lock down from months to years, depending on how long it would take, and so the monsters would have nowhere else to go. They would go into hiding for who knew how long and wouldn’t be seen again until enough time had passed for the country to calm themselves.

To make a long story short, Hunters would be damn near out of a business for some time. Unless they wanted to double down their efforts, they too would have to play the waiting game. Sam and Dean did not know enough about the inner workings of the monster world to know this, but John did.

If he stayed any longer however then that would give Bobby and Captain Davies the chance to talk sense into him, but the only thing he wanted was to see a pair of yellow eyes go dead. He knew that this was upsetting his sons, and the last thing he wanted was for more people to think he was insane. 

“Boys, there is a time and a place for everything. We aren’t soldiers, we are not royals. We have no place here, and we never will. It isn’t who we are. What we know is how to Hunt and protect. The men who killed her parents are still out there, and if they’re on the loose for much longer then who knows what they’ll do. They killed the King and Queen, and for what? I don’t know, but whatever it is, it's going to affect everyone unless we do something about it.”

The boys looked at each other with uncertainty, but they were following where their father was leading them, just as he wanted.

“We can’t protect everyone,” John went on to say. “But the princess has enough people protecting her, more than what her parents had. We would be doing nothing but wasting resources by swarming around her instead of the people down in the mud getting stepped on. We have to be smart about this.”

He looked in their eyes to try and see something, anything that would tell him that they understood. Sam said enough when he turned on his heel and ran out of the room. Dean stared after him for a moment before turning back to his father, looking for permission to follow his brother or to stay and do what he was told in the beginning. John shook his head and waved him off. He didn’t bother watching him go. He got back to packing their things.

***

Dean found Sam curled up on a window ledge with his head in his knees. He was small enough to be able to fit on the ledge, but his arm was still poking out at an odd angle, which was how Dean was able to find him. He wasn’t crying, but judging by the redness of Sam’s face and his clenched jaw, Dean had a feeling that it was coming along or had already passed. He was just as upset as he was, but he was older so he just knew how to keep it to himself. 

Without saying a word, Dean just sighed and took Sam by his hand and guided him off the window. Sam followed obediently and without question, occasionally sniffing here and there. Dean knew where Charlie was staying, but he didn’t know if she would be there. It was the first place he could think of so it was the first place he took them. 

There was a small section of the keep that was dedicated to housing specific people, whether it was an important officer or an important visitor stopping by, and it was where Charlie and the rest of her group were staying for the time being. He wasn’t sure how long that would be now that everyone was there, though it wouldn’t really matter now. They would be gone soon enough.

At the hall leading to the private chambers were two guards standing watch. They both held spears in each hand and a sword at their belt, and they were both in full armor. Dean wondered if it was boring, standing and staring at a hall all day, even if it was to protect the princess.

The guards looked at the two of them, one close to tears and the other with his shoulders sagging. The guard to the left, an older fellow with a large mustache, seemed to recognize them while the younger one to the right didn’t seem quite sure who they were or what they wanted.. The older soldier shook off his nerves at the sight of them.

“State your business.” He said, lacking annoyance.

“My brother and I are leaving soon.” Dean explained. “We would like to say goodbye to Cha– to the princess… please…”

The two of them looked at one another before the older man nodded his head and the second guard went to find the princess. The three of them waited in the hall, silent. Minutes began to tick by and Dean began shifting on his feet when the other soldier finally returned, and urged the two of them to follow him.

They kept close and quiet until they reached one of the doors that had a smartly dressed man standing outside. He looked at the group before asking the guard, “The Winchester’s?”

“Aye, the very same.”

The man nodded before he turned to the both of them and said, “Only enter after I have announced both of your names to Her Majesty and Her company.” He then turned to the door, straightened, and opened it before walking inside. Dean waited before he heard each of their names before he and Sam gingerly stepped into the room.

Charlie and two other adults were seated around the room looking directly at them. They didn’t look like they were doing anything other than sitting there and staring at them. They all seemed out of place, but especially Charlie. The boys had gotten used to her in old, worn down clothes and makeshift dresses, but now she was back in her fine silks and lace that Dean had saw her wear that night he had first met her. She seemed fidgety in her dress, and Dean didn’t blame her – it didn’t look comfortable.

The woman closest to them (Dean didn’t know who she was or what her relation to Charlie was) greeted them first and with a smile that seemed very genuine, but there was something behind her eyes that Dean had trouble placing.

“Sam and Dean,” She said to them. “I must admit I have been dying to meet you both.”

“Hello…miss.” Sam greeted. “We just came to speak to Charlie. It’s important.”

“Her Majesty , child.” The woman snipped. “The entire kingdom may owe you a great debt for what you’ve done, but do not forget your manners.”

Sam’s face went bright red as he nodded and stuttered out, “Sorry, m’lady.”

“That’s better. Now, what can we do for you?”

“Well, we came to say our goodbyes.”

Charlie sat up straighter, looking like she wanted to get up from her chair but forced herself to remain seated. Instead she went for the second option of gripping its sides in a white-knuckled hold.

“You’re leaving? Why? When?” She demanded.

“Father wants to find the man who kil– the man responsible for what he did to your parents, and he says that we’ll just be under everyone’s feet here, so we’re leaving.”

“But when?”

“Today, I think.”

“He’s already packing our things.” Added Sam.

The woman seemed taken back by this and looked at them in bewilderment. The man in the back of the room, who still had yet to say anything, dropped his jaw to his chest in confusion.

“So soon?” The woman asked them. “Does he not know that you all are perfectly welcome to stay as long as you please? Certainly there cannot be such a rush to go.”

“If its finding the killer that your father is worried of tell him to clam his nerves,” Said the man from the back of the room, now moving closer into the heart of the chamber. “Every member of the royal guard and army is on the search for the culprits, I’ve no doubt in my mind that they will be found within weeks!”

“You’re wrong.” Dean said without thinking. “You don’t live like we do, so you don’t see what we do. This is bigger than what any of us know, and it needs to be settled now.”

The room was silent. Everyone except Charlie was looking at them. Dean had never felt so similar to a zoo animal in his life when around these kinds of people, watching him as though he was insane. When the silence got too heavy, Sam took some of the load.

“We’re Hunters,” He told them. “And Hunters are trackers. Our father was first at the scene, he saw things that would have been gone by the time your people showed up. No one knows what to do except him.”

“Then why can’t he go and you stay?” Charlie asked, looking like a dog that had been in the rain for too long with the face she was pulling.

Dean wished that’s how it could be, but he knew that wasn’t his choice. Their lives were different, and perhaps even just as complicated as hers, who knew? He had that same slimy feeling in his chest whenever he did something to upset Sam in a bad way, and he wished that he didn’t have to let go of her.

“It’s not who we are, Charlie.”

The feeling was spreading through his torso and into the pit of his stomach where it felt like ants were dancing around to create that kind of anxiety and it was getting a little hard to breathe. Then Charlie was out of her chair and rushing towards them, and suddenly his arms were around his brother and sister and it was easier to let the tears show up.

“So what do you want then?” Asked the man. “Money?”

They shook their heads. “We just wanted to say goodbye.”

The two adults seemed taken back at this, their faces that had held some type of judgment now gone, and replacing it with something kinder as they watched the three of them embrace.

***

The keep was still. Much more than it had ever been, it felt like. There were no sounds of footsteps running through the halls, or soldiers clamoring around with their weapons outside. Everything and everyone that was there had packed up and on the road north within a day. That was all it took. A day. For the first time in years, Ravenwood Keep was actually beginning to feel like its old self again, back when it was first made. Now it felt eerily quiet with all its patrons gone. It felt sad.

A raven circled the grounds from overhead, looking down at all that wasn’t there. No horses, or people or wagons holding all sorts of items. It was as though the princess and her people had never come to them in the first place. The raven’s heart felt like it was slowly plummeting to the ground, until it heard the sound of metal.

Changing course, the bird swooped to follow the noise. It searched for the source, and easily found it. Down below, a man was leading his packed horse to the woods. Instead of riding, he walked, the lad hanging loosely in his hand. The raven dived down and called out to him. The man’s head lifted and followed the bird’s flight as it perched itself on his horse’s saddle. Now that the raven was closer, it saw that the man standing before it was the first one to arrive after the princess and the two boys.

“ Why do you leave? ” it asked him.

The man stopped the horse. He and the bird looked at each other. “There’s nothing left here.” He replied, sounding annoyed with himself. “There is no work and no people, so I’m going home.”

“ Will you return? ”

The man thought for a moment before answering. “Will you be here if people need sanctuary?”

“ Of course. It is our purpose. ”

“Then we will return.”

“ When? ” 

“I don’t know,” he said, and began to nudge his horse back into a walk. The bird stayed on the saddle. “But keep an eye out for us. The world is about to change very quickly.”

Nothing else was said between the two. What was done was done, and it was time to move forward. Every Hunter that had come to aid was given a good set of gold for showing their face and helping keep the princess alive and safe. John and Bobby, however, were given much more. John may not have taken the position at the Capital, but Bobby did take the small set of land that he and a man named Rufus used to build a cabin for themselves. With the money that he had, he was able to properly open a Hunter’s Guild Office in Hymnor that would serve their people for years to come.

Charlie would not be given the title of Queen for sometime, seeing as she was still a child of seven. The next few years would be brutal for her as her advisors and also her kingdom eagerly awaited her to take the throne, along with the other kings of Eden. She would study every kind of subject ranging from poetry to war defense for the next five years, until she would officially become Queen at the age of twelve.

Each day the crown weighed heavier on her head, but she would think of her brothers in arms somewhere wandering the wilderness, protecting her and her people, and she would raise her head higher so that she may keep her people safe like they do. She missed them dearly, but she would not see them again for decades. 

As for Sam and Dean, brothers under the abandoned House of Winchester, their duties to the new Queen were not yet finished.