Take The Heart I Never Wanted to Give

24

"When'd they find him?" Dean asked Ellen as he and the rest of the group followed her down the long flight of stairs. He was leaning most of his weight on Castiel, the slightly smaller alpha's arms wrapped around Dean's side.

"Maybe a little under half an hour ago. They weren't even sure it was him at first; his face was swollen all to be damned and covered in every shade of black, blue, and reddish purple that they couldn't recognize him." She turned back to fix them with a proud smirk, "Did one of you do that?"

Everyone glanced briefly at Castiel who merely shrugged.

Ellen gave a nod of approval. "Good on you. Come on, they're in the court room."

They traveled down further the flight of stairs until the reached the first floor and hurried down the western hall of the castle. As they approached a large double door room, the sound of angry shouting and curses reached their ears.

"Did he let villagers in for this?" Sam asked as Ellen approached the door.

"Guess so. They weren't here a minute ago." Ellen said with a shrug. She opened one of the doors, the sound of screaming erupting from the opening.

"Go on and go. I'm gonna go make sure Adam hasn't passed out from eating too much pie." Ellen said with a smile.

The group returned the smile and made their way quickly through the doors. They looked dazedly around the large court room, hundreds of villagers shouting, spitting, and throwing things from the tall stands that were on separate sides of the court room. John sat atop the bench, which looked more like a miniaturized version of a balcony, eyes fixated on Naomi as he had an animated conversation with her. Naomi sat pensively at his side, keeping eye contact but otherwise seemingly uninterested in the conversation.

The middle of the court room was shaped like a large octagon with 5 walkways, two leading up to the stands, one leading up to the "bench", another leading to the dungeons, and a larger walkway that led to the doors where the group was currently standing.

They stayed in the shadow of the two large stands, watching intently at the scene happening around them. The door to the dungeon suddenly opened, revealing two stoic looking guards and a bloody and bruised Alastair, the crowds getting impossibly louder and angrier. Ellen hadn't been kidding when she said he was nearly unrecognizable. Dried blood caked his thinning grayish brown hair and beard , along with his face that was swollen and covered in nasty purplish red bruises. Both his eyes were almost swollen shut, only a sliver of cruel greenish hazel showing through.

As the guards dragged him to the center, Dean's breath hitched in his throat when Alastair's gaze caught his own. Somehow, the alpha managed a sharp grin, yellowed teeth stained in blood, gleaming like a lightly rusted knife. Castiel squeezed Dean's hand, stepping forward, teeth bared and eyes flashing in a silent threat. The grin slipped from the battered alpha's face, a grimace of phantom pain and panic crossing his features briefly. The guards manhandled Alastair until he was on his knees, hands shackled behind his back, facing the balcony under John's cold gaze.

"SILENCE!" John bellowed.

The crowd immediately ceased all shouting and chanting, staring intently at their king. John leaned forward, clasping his hands together so they rested under his chin, elbows propped on his knees.

"Vice Duke Alastair Diomedes of the Winchester Kingdom," John began, "You sit here today under the scrutiny of the people and of myself, accused of treason by conspiracy and the attempt of raping and breeding of the eldest prince of the Winchester kingdom and a descendant of royal blood, <i>my son</i>." John growled out the last words, fists clenching under his chin. The crowd gave brief collective shouts of outrage. "Under law, you have the right to make a final plea against the crimes that--"