Lionheart

Chapter Seven

Dean jumped down from his horse, confused, and hurriedly put on his mail. The ground around them was dry and dusty, but if they were truly crossing the border, it should have been lush and green. The blessing was always supposed to reach the border, so the King could be purposely not blessing the northern half of the kingdom, though Dean found this unlikely. The other option, that made Dean's blood run cold when he thought of it, was that there was something wrong with the blessing.

Dean finished putting on his armour first, so he went over to help Castiel put on his plate armour.

'I didn't realise your horse was carrying this much,' he muttered, adjusting the pauldrons.

'She's very strong,' Castiel mumbled.

'You don't say.' His attempt to lighten the mood didn't work.

Castiel dithered with the satchel that held the Crown. If he carried it on him, it would look more out of place than if it was just amongst their things, but if he put it away, it would be more difficult to protect it.

'I'll carry it,' Dean offered.

Castiel hesitated, then handed it over. 'All right, let's go,' he said. 'Stay sharp.'

The guard closed ranks, keeping close behind Castiel, and Dean rode at his side. Close enough to defend him, but with enough space that he could draw his own sword.

None of them spoke, all alert, with their hands hovering at their belts, ready to draw swords.

Dean again was confused by the dirt around them. It was arid and dry, and the further south they rode, the drier it became. Plant life was sparse, and dust clouded around their horses' hooves. He gave Castiel a questioning look, but Castiel just shook his head, watching the road ahead.

They rode until the sun went down, but the guard were reluctant to move away from Castiel. That night, they didn't bother to put the tents up, nor did they light a fire. They just ate dry biscuits and spoke in low tones and whispers. Many of them were reluctant to go to sleep, but Dean made Jack, Alex and Hannah at least lie down to rest.

'There's no point in staying up if we're all too tired to protect him tomorrow,' Dean whispered. 'As long as we stay quiet, no one will know we're here.' It worked on them, but Dean knew without even trying that there was no way he would be able to convince Castiel to go to sleep.

Dean himself was hesitant to sleep, and settled for lying down next to Castiel, with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

'I'll watch over you,' Castiel murmured.

'Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?' Dean snorted.

'You would think,' Castiel said, though Dean could hear the amusement in his voice.

'I didn't know you could tell jokes,' Dean teased.

'There's a lot you don't know about me.'

'Well, I've got plenty of time to figure it all out.'

'Indeed.'

Dean eventually managed to doze off for a few hours, but he was awakened by the rising of the sun, and the clanking of armour as everyone around him began to get up. They quickly ate breakfast and mounted their horses, hurrying away from their campsite.

'Where does Gabriel live now?' Dean asked quietly.

'They've built a makeshift capital here in the north,' Castiel told him. 'Gabriel lives in the castle.'

'Wow. The nerve.'

'I know.'

Castiel then stopped abruptly.