Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Year 1840

Many years ago, in the Underground Realm where there was no lies, suffering, or violence there lived a Prince named Jared and he was beloved by many. Jared dreamed of the mortal world above. He dreamed of the warm sun on his golden skin, the breeze soaring through his silky hair, and the blue skies above him. His father had forbidden him from entering the temple which led to the human realm and kept him guarded day and night by his keepers.

Prince Jared was said to be as rare and beautiful as his mother and held kindness in his heart for all who met him. But even still at the young age of 18 he was only a child and still held his strong curiosity. So, one day while eluding his keepers the young Prince escaped and ventured into the dark temple that led up to the sky. His laughter bounced off the cracked walls as he raced up the old stone steps. He could see the sunlight creeping through the opening, and he could hear his guards calling for him, one desperate rough voice crying out for him in despair, but he pushed on.

He just needed one peek, what could it hurt? He was too intrigued to stop now, not when he was so close.

His hands pressed against the large stone door and shoved. Once outside the light blinded him and his body suffered cold and shock and the young Prince died instantly, his body turning to dust with the ground. His mother and father wailed in anguish over their beloved boy, but the King knew in his heart that one day their young son would return to them.

And so, he waited and sent others to keep watch in search of the young Prince determined to see his son again.

Provence, France--present day

A young boy huffs sullenly as he leans back in the leather seat and gazes out the window, watching as luscious greenery passed them by. He peers down at his lap at the stack of books in his hands and runs a finger over the leather-bound novel.

“Jared, you didn't have to bring so many books, you know, we are in the countryside. There’s so much for you to explore here in this new area you should not be stuck inside reading.”

Jared pulls a face of annoyance and glances over at his mother sitting next to him, her long brown hair tied up in a neat bun and her hand pressed to her forehead as her other one rubs her protruded belly. His mother reaches over and takes the book away from him and looks it over and smiles obligingly at her son “a fairytale? Don't you think you're getting a little old? Your father might not--”

The boy huffs in irritation and takes the book back and covers it up in his lap “he's not my father...I didn't ask to come here. You made me leave my home, my friends, our family...I won't see nana again. We're not even from here.”

“Jared, I didn’t--”

He shakes his head and presses his forehead to the window and ignores her as he blows hot air out onto the glass. He didn't ask for this. He was perfectly fine back in America with just his mother in their small apartment. He didn't ask for her to remarry, and to an arrogant man at that, a man that never wanted him in the first place, let alone his mother.

Suddenly his mother leans forward and bangs on the window separating them from the front and it lurches to a halt and his mother jumps out and bends over, nausea swarming her. Jared takes a deep breath, used to this by now, and climbs out glancing around at the forest surrounding them.

They are on some back road headed toward the captain's camp obviously in the middle of nowhere if the rocky roads were anything to go by. Large old trees bend over them like an umbrella shielding them from pouring rain, spread deep into the meadow surrounding them that’s filled with wildflowers and buzzing bees.

“Jared.”

He turns and looks over his shoulder at his mother who is bent over near the car, her face pale as she dabs at her mouth “just wait honey your brother isn’t feeling well.”

Jared nods silently and pushes away from the car and stumbles as he trips over a large, oddly shaped rock in the road. He bends down and picks it up, frowning curiously as he turns it over in his palm. Strange carvings of an eye appear on the front, and he looks around trying to gauge where it came from when his fox-slanted eyes land on a large stone figure hidden behind a tree.

He bites his lips and glances over to see some officers assisting his mother, distracted, so he steps off the road and into the wooded area and makes his way around the odd figure, his head tilted in fascination.

It's the face of a satyr, green moss covering half its face and a large stone eye missing from the right socket. Jared gazes down at the rock in his hand and gently places it back in its rightful place.

He is about to turn back when the wind picks up knocking him closer to the statue, a buzzing noise sounds from inside the satyr's open mouth taunting the boy's interest. Jared frowns and steps closer, as if drawn in by some unknown force and presses his hands to the front of the statue and leans forward to peer inside when a large stick-like insect flies out making him gasp as he trips over his feet.

“Jay?”

Jared jumps and whirls around as his mother stands on the edge of the forest line and waves him tiredly “come along honey we must hurry we're already late you know he hates that.”

The boy nods, rushing down the hill and steps into his mother's waiting arms but glances back over his shoulder toward the peculiar statue.

“You shouldn't be wandering off by yourself out here Jared--”

“But I saw something and--”

“Listen I know you don't like it, but I want you to call the captain father understand? It's just a word Jared and it would appease him very much if you did so. He was so gracious to ask us to journey out here to be with him.”

Jared rolls his eyes as he climbs back in the car. He wants to tell his mother this man doesn't love her, that he is using her. That he has already gotten what he wanted from her and the only reason they were called out to France was for him to finally get what he wanted. His own son. He didn’t care at all about Jared, ignored his existence whenever he did see him.

When they arrive, he can see the tall, dark headed man standing next to a large brick manor that's covered in vines and moss. He is dressed in a pin straight green uniform with guards lined up behind him and Jared feels like vomiting at the intimidating sight. This feels nothing like home.

The Captain comes over to greet his mother as she opens the door, and he gives her a firm smile “Grace I hope the journey wasn't too harsh?”

It was. His mother was sick the whole time, throwing up on the plane, her face covered with sweat and her stomach empty of food she couldn't keep down. Jared spent most of the time taking care of his mother when it should have been him.

“Of course, not John, it was pleasant...Jared come out and say hello.”

Jared closes his eyes as he unwillingly pushes himself out of the car and stands before the captain, a stern look on his face as he glances down at Jared with what he can only guess is disgust “hello Jared...do you recall the proper way to greet me?”

Jared gulps and holds out his trembling left hand and the captain peers down at it with disdain before he reaches out and grips it with his own hand, bruising the bones as he tugs Jared closer “wrong hand boy.”

The Captain tosses his hand away and turns to retreat to show his mother in the house and Jared winces as he holds his bruised hand to his chest and looks around.

There's a large lavender field enclosing the house and Jared stares at it in awe as he spins in a circle and ignores his mother calling for him. In the distance deep in the wooded lavender meadow he spots a large stone arch with a large face in the middle, the mouth hanging open much like the statue he saw in the woods.

He peeks over his shoulder and sees the Captain ordering his mother to a wheelchair and he shakes his head. He would rather elude his mother and evil stepfather as long as he could. He takes a deep breath and marches forward and wraps his sweater tighter around him as a cool breeze picks up.

Jared runs his fingers over the mossy, twig covered arch and steps inside, his eyes widening at the sight. He lets out a shaky breath as he gazes around the enormous stone labyrinth. He steps around the corner, but he could not see the end of it...if there was one. And it was calling to him like a siren song.

“You don’t want to go in there.”

With a jolt Jared swings around with alarmed eyes to see an older woman staring at him with a knowing smile. He cocks his head and looks her up and down; she clearly works for the captain. She’s wearing a knee length button up dress and a raggy green sweater, her black hair pulled back in a messy bun “it's a labyrinth, it's been here longer than this house. You’ll get lost if you go in.”

She holds her hand out and Jared reaches for his books that she's holding. She smiles kindly at him and nods her head toward the house “come I’ll help you unpack before your father comes looking.”

Jared scowls, repulsed as he walks with her “he’s not my father, my father died three years ago from cancer the captain isn’t my father. I don't even know him. I don’t even want to be here.”

The woman gives him a strange look “well in that case...my name is Lilly.”

Chapter Text

The evening had been tense and Jared had tried to stay shut in his room as long as he could. It was simple and plain, he supposed the captain wanted to make a point. There was a twin sized bed in the center of the room, a wooden dresser with carvings on it, and a mirror in the corner.

He unpacks his books and stacks them on wooden shelves. He makes his bed with his soft blue sheets and downy comforter , he tries to charge his laptop but it wont even turn on this far out in the country and Jared feels the rest of his hope vanish.

His mother had officially cut him off from the rest of their family, his fathers family the last real thing he had left of him. He was trapped here with no one to turn to.

He should have begged his nana harder to stay with her, he was sure she was going to relent. He didn’t bother to turn on his phone; he knew it was no use. So instead he shoves his clothes in the large dresser in the corner and makes his way to his mothers room.

She’s laying in bed, a middle aged man leaning over her and holding a vile in front of her face “take two drops of this every night before bed ok? Only two, mix it in with some juice.``He drops two into a small cup of juice and hands it over to her.

Jared watches as she drinks it, her face twisting in disgust at the taste as he sits next to her and she leans to the side to make room for him to climb in next to his mother.

“Do not hesitate to call me day or night,” he smiles warmly, “you or your son.”

His mother smiles politely as she lifts up the sheets and beckons him in. He climbs in next to her and cuddles close, chuckling as she hisses at his cold feet that he presses to her legs. This felt just like it did when he was a little boy, when he would have nightmares and his parents would beckon him into their room with loving arms.

He can feel his mothers body relaxing and he tries closing his own eyes to find sleep but jumps when a large gust of wind picks up causing the house to creak and moan at the intrusion and his mother stirs. “Are you afraid darling?”

Jared bites his lip. He doesn't want to tell his mother he is afraid of a house, he’s 15 after all but he wishes he was home, in the city surrounded by his friends and family. “A little...what was that?”

“Just the wind. Nights here are different than back home in the city. There you hear cars, trains, and voices. Out here there's nothing but the wind and when it blows it makes houses speak. Can you hear it?”

Jared blinks and presses his face in his mothers shoulder and grumbles “why did you have to get married? Why did you get married to him? Why did we have to come here?”

His mom tenses and sighs sluggishly “you needed a father figure Jared we’ve been over this. One day you’ll--”

Jared scoffs and moves away from his mom to glare at her “we were fine alone. I had a father. I didn't need another one, especially not someone like John. He hates me mom. I know you see it. I don't know how anyone could love that man. He’s nothing like dad was, he never could be. Dad was kind and he loved me and you.”

Grace murmurs softly “one day you’ll understand Jared...this is the way things are meant to be.”

He ignores his mother and once she knows she will not get a reply he feels her body drift off into sleep. And he tries, he does for hours on end but his body is restless and it doesn't want to be here in this cold manor surrounded by strangers.

Suddenly there's a soft rattle in the room followed by a loud squeal that makes Jared twitch with fright, his body shooting up as he looks around the room and pats his mothers sleeping body “mom did you hear that?”

There’s something shifting in the beams. He can hear it clicking above him, creeping against the wood. So he climbs out of bed and lets out a silent yelp as something flies before him and lands on the bed sheet.

It's the creature from earlier in the woods.

Jared cocks his head, curious “hello...did you follow me here?”

The insect clicks and flutters higher as if answering. Jared frowns “are you a fairy?”

He reaches behind him and grabs his book from his mothers nightstand and flips it open to a picture of a small humanoid with wings ``this is a fairy...well I guess so I’ve never seen one before so I can't be sure. Mom says they're not real and it's all made up.``

The insect looks the picture over and then clicks carefully as it glances down at itself and transforms before Jared’s eyes into a small fairy-like creature with bright green wings and points towards the window. “You want me to go with you?”

She nodded her head in response and fluttered backward toward the door, beckoning him. Jared bites his lip and glances over his shoulder at his mom’s sleeping form. He knows if she wakes and he isn't there she will freak. But the pull is too strong to resist.

“Let's go.”

He follows the creature out to the massive sized labyrinth that bellows in the woods and crosses his arms, holding them tightly to his chest as the wind picks up as they make their way down the winding stone staircase. He shouldn’t be here. There’s something strange about this place, something haunting and the hair’s on his arms and the back of his neck stand up in a warning.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

His brows furrowed uncertaintly as he looks around the empty cavern. Of course no one is here. The only thing he can see is a large sculpture in the middle of the hollow room laced with a mural. He turns to make his way back when he hears a creak in the dark corner and turns with a gasp.

Out of the shadows comes a man…or what he thinks is a man or used to be a man he can't really be sure but he knows whatever it is, it's not human.

Ivy and moss covers the creature's pale arms, his hair is dirty and tinged with green like he's been in the pool too long and at least down to below his pointy, elven-like ears. Dusting across his nose looks to be an array of specks that shimmer in the moonlight. Bark covers his chest plate and drags up to his shoulders and there’s strange carvings on the man’s forehead, his eyes a murky sage, almost clouded like he was blind.

“You're here…you're finally here. Oh my Prince, I have waited a milenia for you to find me, to see your beautiful face again before me.”

Jared trips over his feet as he backs away, a bewildered look on his face as he stutters with red cheeks at the compliment “no I…I am no Prince my name is Jared.”

The man scoffs in disgust “you are not human, not entirely. Your name is Jared yes but you are a Prince, a Prince of the Underworld and your father is King.”

The boy’s eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly “I’m sorry I think you're mistaken my father is dead he–he was a store owner. I couldn't be a Prince look at me.”

This was a dream, it must be. Any moment now he would wake up and find himself back in his mothers bed. Maybe she was right, he was reading too many fairy tales and they had gotten to his head.

The creature smiles softly, his teeth sharp and canine “I am. I have been waiting for you to find your way here young one, a lifetime it seems maybe longer. You're younger now than you were before…” The creature looks forlorn as he looks down, his hair falling in his clouded eyes.

“Have we met before? What's your name?”

“My name? Well I have many names, some you could never pronounce, some only the trees know but you can call me Jensen. And we have…in another lifetime, forever ago it seems.”

Jared cocks his head and stares at Jensen in doubt. “That's not possible. I am only 15. I just moved here with my mother so she could be with…with my stepfather and have my brother.”

Jensen steps into the moonlight and Jared gasps at his commanding sight “your father is King of the Underworth and your mother the Queen. You were reborn here on Earth to WIll and Grace Padalecki and your real father has been waiting for you to join him. This is the book of the Crossroads and in it lies three challenges you must complete before the New Moon in order to return home. Open this only when you're alone and it will reveal its secrets to you.”

“What are you?”

The creature pauses as it turns back to the shadows and casts a wicked smile over his armored shoulder “all in due time little Jay.”

Chapter Text

“Jared, you need to start getting ready. Your fathers guests will be here within the hour and I need you to look decent.”

Jared makes a face as he slings a towel over his shoulder and mumbles to himself “he isn’t my father–”

His mom pauses and gives him a stern look across the room where she's laying out his best clothes on the bed “do as I say Jay and get ready.”

The boy rolls his eyes and shuts the bathroom door and flips the shower on, yanking out the book Jensen gave him from under the cabinet. The pages are blank and weathered. He frowns to himself and goes to shut the book when suddenly scripted black writing appears like magic.

He gasps in wonder as he reads over the pages and learns how the Prince, how he escaped the Underworld and was reborn. He comes across the first challenge. In the forest is an old oak tree and in it lives a large creature depriving the tree of life. His task is to get three magical beads into the creature's stomach in order for the tree to thrive and to kill the creature and retrieve a magical key.

“Jared? Are you getting dressed?”

The boy slams the book shut and shoves it under the cabinet “almost ready!”

He hops in the shower quickly and dresses in the clothes his mother picked out for him and dries his hair as fast as he can manage. When he walks out she gives him a look “don’t wander off too far the guests will be here soon and I need you to be there and on your best behavior. For me.”

He nods his head and rushes out of the room and down the wooden steps and makes his way outside. There are soldiers gathered around the shed to the side where they store the goods and he can see his stepfather yelling at the men, spit shooting on their faces.

Jared rushes quickly to the woods and out of view till he comes across the large oak tree standing tall in the middle of the woods, a hollow hole in the middle allowing him to enter. He frowns as a cool breeze sweeps through and the sky darkens signaling oncoming rain. His mom will kill him if he gets his clothes dirty.

He looks around and spots a dry branch and carefully strips down leaving him in his boxers and undershirt. He takes a deep breath and clutches the beads in his hand that came with the book and crawls in the hole.

It's dark and muddy inside, he can see insects crawling and worms digging holes into the mushy earth and he makes a face as mud smears on his arms and knees. Cobwebs hang from the inside and coat his hair as he crawls deeper and deeper into the tree. His mother is going to murder him.

Finally he hears a loud croak and freezes as the large creature comes into view. He gulps “my name is Jared…Prince Jared and I am here to rid you of this tree–”

The creature snarls and steps forward, the earth shaking, as its large tongue curls out and slaps Jared on his face as it snatches a bug from his skin. The boy groans in disgust and wipes the smeared slobber away when it hits him.

He shakily holds out his hand where the beads rest and gives them a shake “you hungry? Why don’t you try some of these?”

The creature licks its lips and curls its tongue out again and snatches the beads from his hand making him cry out as he falls forward into the mud, splashing up on his face.

He watches with wide eyes as the creature frowns, its body quivering as it caves in on itself into a pile of nothing leaving the boy stunned.

He makes a face as he looks around and snatches a key that's laying where the creature once stood. He back pedals his way out and shivers as he is hit with freezing rain. “Oh no.”

Jared looks around, trepidation filling him, as his eyes land on his soaking, muddy clothes that's lying on the grimy forest floor in a mud puddle. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and pulls the soiled clothes back on his trembling, cold body.

This will be the end of him.

His mom meets him in the foyer, Lily standing behind her with her head ducked down and hands folded. Clearly she had seen him coming through the woods and alerted his now furious mother.

Jared cowers at the angry face his mother gives him, her lip curled in disappointment. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

Jared bites his lip and tries to hug himself to stay warm as he drips onto the carpet, laughter filling the air from the dining-room “I’m sorry mama I lost track of time and I–I got stuck.”

His mom shakes her head and takes a calming breath “I told you not to wander off and you disobeyed me. I told you that you were expected at this dinner party and it's like you didn’t care to listen. I want you to bathe and stay in your room, no supper for you, I don't care how hungry you are.”

He nods sheepishly and slinks past his mother and follows Lily upstairs to the bathroom where she draws him a steaming bubble bath. He sinks down inside and watches as the clear water turns a dark brown and the mud slides from his body.

Jared dips down into the water and gently washes his hair and sighs to himself as he gets rid of the grime. Suddenly a fluttering sounds next to him and he turns to see the small fairy resting on the side of the tub and he smiles “I got the key…can you take me to the labyrinth?”

She chirps happily and flutters in the air and waits as Jared dries himself and dresses in cotton pants and a hoodie and follows her outside quietly creeping past the guests but they are too busy indulging themselves with alcohol and food to notice.

When he gets to the center of the well he stops in front of the statue and peers closer and notices the man creature, a younger boy standing before him, his hand on his shoulder. Jared lifts his hand to press against the cool stone and–

“That’s me and you.”

Jared spins around, his heart pounding as the creature steps from the shadows, his eyes brighter than before “I see you got the key.”

“I did I…why are we together in the carving?”

The creature ignores him “keep the key you’ll be needing it soon.” He holds out his moss covered hand and hands him a small piece of chalk “you’ll also need this.”

Jared raises a brow and hesitantly takes the chalk and lifts it to his eyes to inspect it “what can I do with this?”

“There are two tasks left and the New Moon is near. I need you to be patient and willing, do you understand?” The creature reaches out and gently strokes the young Prince’s face with rough hands making the boy shiver, his stomach fluttering.

“Have no fear young Prince. Soon you will be strolling through the enchanted gardens of your home and this place will be forgotten.”

Jared nods his head and backs up, retreating to his room with turmoil filling his heart at the sudden affection from the older creature. He didn’t understand why there was a carving of him and Jensen and what it meant as it seemed the older man was intent to not say anything about it.

He tries not to think about it as he crawls in his warm bed and falls into a deep slumber, dreaming of magical gardens and darkness.

Chapter Text

When Jared wakes the next morning it's to a shrill, panicked scream in the quiet house coming from down the hall. His mother. He throws himself out of bed and trips over his blankets, banging his knee on the wooden floor but ignoring the sting as he runs down the hall to her room where he finds her bending over the bed, blood covering her and the floor.

She gives him a frightened look and holds out her hand “Jay…help me.”

His eyes grow wide in fear and he lets out a terrified breath as he rushes outside to where his stepfather stands watching his men “hurry! Come quick mom needs you!”

For the first time since his arrival he sees real concern in his stepfather's eyes but he knows it's not for his mother but the baby, his son. Nonetheless the older man darts inside with Jared hot on his heels as he yells for the doctor.

The doctor orders her on bedrest and tells the Captain that she should have never traveled so late in her pregnancy. He gives her medicine to keep her sedated most of the time and tells the Captain she should not be disturbed.

Jared silently makes his way back to his room and sits on his bed, the book in his lap as tears well up in his eyes, his fingers stained with her blood.

He couldn't lose his mother not after everything. She was all he had left in this world, in this strange new place. He needed her.

“You refused the task.”

Jared chokes on tears, his head snapping up as the creature enters the room, his emerald eyes shining in the darkness. They seem brighter than before, like there's more life in him.

Jared gulps and wipes his face “no my mother she's sick and I–”

Jensen scoffs and waves his hand “that is no excuse! You disobeyed me for that I will hear no defense. I ordered you to do something and you treated it like it was nothing. Is that how you feel about your homeland?”

Seeing Jared’s bottom lip shake and his eyes red rimmed the creature sighs and pulls out a large root from his bag “this is a mandrake root. Some say the plant dreamt of being human but the sun never allowed it causing it to be stuck in the middle. Put it under your mothers bed in a bowl of fresh water each morning and feed it a drop of your blood. In due time your mother should heal as long as she respects the spell if she does not she could perish.”

The boy smiles thankfully and takes the large plant from the man's hands and lurches forward and wraps his arms around the broad creature.

Jensen stiffens at the touch, a touch he hadn’t felt in years, a touch he had almost forgotten. His calloused hand presses against the Prince’s smooth back and he closes his eyes as he thinks about a time they were together, the love that shone through the Prince’s eyes as he looked upon him. Like he was the only thing that truly mattered in the Prince’s life.

Then all at once he growls and shoves the boy back and points a finger “this next place you're going is very dangerous. The creature that guards it is no human, he is a monster. Take the fairies with you so they can guide you. The New moon will soon be upon us, there is no time to waste.”

He hands over a wooden box “when you arrive you will see a wondrous feast…you must not take anything from the table do you understand? No matter how ravenous you grow–your life depends on it.”

The man snaps his fingers and vanishes leaving Jared alone in his empty room. He opens the book and watches carefully as a picture of him appears in a large dining hall, elegant words emerging on the page.

“Use the chalk to trace a door in the room and flip the hourglass, let yourself be guided by the fairies. Be back before the last drop of sand or be trapped forever.”

He takes a deep breath and traces a small door into the side of his wall and watches in amazement as the door opens leading into a corridor filled with marble columns and red painted walls. He crawls through carefully and opens the box letting the fairies escape.

At the end of the corridor in the dining hall there's a large, wooden table filled with scrumptious foods from all over that make his mouth water. But at the end of the table sat a pale white beast with a gaunt face, eyes missing and mouth covered in blood, its jagged teeth stained. Its body was skeletal and its fingertips black and sharp. And in front of it on two plates sits two beady, black eyes.

Jared gulps in horror at the sight and silently creeps over to the wall where three small doors are hung. He pulls out the key and jams it in the first one, but it won’t fit because the key is too small. He looks to his right and spies a lock similar to the key and slides it in and smiles when the lock releases.

When the door opens, lying inside is a sharp dagger, the handle carved with the symbols of the moon and night sky. He takes the knife and places it gingerly inside his satchel and turns to leave but pauses as a fruity aroma hits his nose.

Jared turns his head carefully and glances down to spot a small bowl filled with fresh red custard apples that are cut down the middle exposing the fleshy soft inside. He feels his mouth watering and glances over his shoulder at the ghostly creature and then looks down at the fruit calling to him. When his father would travel he could remember him telling stories about these apples, how wonderful and soft they were unlike anything he had ever had before.

He remembers what Jensen said but what could one bite hurt? This creature hadn’t moved once since he entered his chamber…surely it would be ok. He reaches down, his fingers enclosing around the fleshy fruit and slowly lifts it to his lips, ignoring as the fairies screech warnings around him.

It's only one bite.

He sinks his teeth into the plump, creamy apple and moans at the dessert-like taste. Behind him, unseen by the Prince, the pale creature lifts its head, his snake-like nose sniffing the air inhaling the scent of the boy. He grabs the eyes from the plate and pushes them into his large hands and lifts them to where his eyes should be and searches.

The pale man jerks forward and crouches like a wild animal ready to pounce and lets out a feral screech causing Jared to whip around in shock, the fairies swarm around the creature to distract him.

It cries out in anger, its hands shooting out to wrap around the red and the blue fairies bringing them closer to his salivating mouth where he tears their heads off and devours them whole leaving his own to cry out in horror at the sight.

Jared yelps in fear as his fairy flutters over and pulls at his shirt and tugs him toward the exit and that's all he needs to take off running, the loud screeches from the creature all the more encouraging as his feet slap against the stone floor signaling his location.

He pounds down the stone walkway, he can see the end of the hall and feel momentary relief but cries out in anguish as the last grain of sand falls and the door falls shut leaving him trapped and nowhere to go. Why didn’t he listen?

“No!” He wails as he slaps his hands against the cool stone and turns in panic as the creature cries out behind him, his hands in front of him as he searches for the Prince with a snarling mouth, blood dripping down his wrinkled chin.

Jared pats his pockets in fright as he searches for the hunk of chalk crying in relief when he finds it and climbs up on his chair as he stretches up on his toes to draw a door onto the ceiling. He pushes against the heavy stone, his breath wheezing as he scrambles up through the door with trembling arms, his fingers scraping along his wooden floor as he tries to pull himself up. His body collapses on top of it as it shuts, the creature shrieking underneath, banging against the makeshift door as it dissolves, his body jerking against the mighty shoves.

His body shudders, his skin clammy as he drops the bag on the floor next to him “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he whispers to the fairy who settles next to him, laying a small comforting hand on his teary face.

“Jensen is going to be angry isn’t he?”

The fairy looks solemn as she trills next to him and he sighs. He would expect nothing less.

Chapter Text

The next morning he creeps quietly to his mothers room with the mandrake root in hand. His mother is in bed, her face covered in a sheen sweat and ghostly pale like she’s hovering between life and death. He grabs an empty bowl on the nightstand and fills it with cool water and lets the root sink down inside, gasping in wonder as the creature comes to life and coos softly in the water, its body stretching almost like a baby.

He climbs under the bed with the bowl and places it below his sleeping mother and bites his finger, hissing in pain as he drops his blood on the plant. The root wiggles around as the blood sinks down into its rough skin and peace overcomes the young boy as he feels his mother settle.

Just when he is about to climb out the door swings open and the doctor and his stepfather enter the room making him jump.

“How is she?”

The doctor is quiet for a moment as he inspects his mother and then mumbles in confusion “it's amazing…her fever is down and so is her heart rate. She seems to be improving.”

“Excellent…and how is my son?”

Jared scowls under the bed and presses his mouth to his forearm to try and choke down the harsh words bubbling up. He doesn't even care about his mom. The man is pathetic. God how Jared hates this monster.

The Captain marches for the door and halts, his hand pressing to the wall as he glances over his shoulder his eyes hard. “If you have to choose between her and the baby…pick the baby. I can replace a wife but not an heir.”

Jared chokes on a startled breath and presses his hand to his mouth as his stepfather leaves the room, the doctor following after him.

They should have never left home…his mother would surely die here, the cold sense of dread told him so.

Jared cowers in his room with tears in his eyes and stands next to the window and watches as soldiers run around shouting, explosions sounding in the forest signaling their opponents. He wipes his face and tries to ignore the war happening just outside his window. He has no time to deal with that, not when he has his own battle happening in his heart.

“Lily, come quick!”

Jared flinches, flinging his door open and watches as the servant rushes down the steps and into the hall where the old cook whispers in her ear making her gasp, her face turning white. She presses her hand to her quivering mouth as she rushes outside and heads for the old shed, the rain pouring on her.

The boy frowns and hesitantly creeps over to the railing and tries to listen in but he can only manage a few words.

Apparently they had found a captor in the woods and were holding him in the shed for questioning. They doubted he would survive the Captains' brutality. The Captain did not take kind to traitors.

What did this have to do with Lily?

He walks back upstairs and to his mothers room where she’s sitting up in bed, her eyes sleepy, and a book in her hand. She gives him a tired smile “ah my darling I’ve missed seeing your face. How are you?”

He passes her a weak smile and walks over to the window and peers outside and watches as Lily runs over to the shed in the rain, her eyes distressed as she barges inside without a care.

“Is something going on?”

Jared spins on his heel and smiles tightly at his mom, his body rigid “no…everything is fine.”

She pats the bed next to her “come lay with me Jay, keep me company.”

He climbs in next to his mother and lays his head on her shoulder and holds her delicate hand in his “so tell me what have you been up to?”

Jared freezes. He isn’t sure how to answer that question. What would he tell her? That he was going through these challenges so he could go home to the Underworld with his so-called real parents and some strange man he didn’t know?

He opens his mouth to try and muster for an answer but is saved when the doctor walks in with a smile on his face.

“I am happy to see you awake! How do you feel?”

“Much better now that I've seen my son's face.”

The older man shakes his head “it's incredible really how much you’ve improved so quickly.” he pours her some water and holds up the vial of sleeping medicine “just one drop ok?”

His mother makes a face “I don’t think I need it, I do feel better haven't I slept enough?”

“As true as that is, I believe it would help. You need rest.”

He hands his mom the cup and watches with searching eyes as she drains it “wonderful i’ll check on you tomorrow morning ok? Get some rest and Jared? Sleep in your room ok?”

The boy sighs and moves from the bed “goodnight mom, I love you.”

His mother gives him an adoring smile and kisses his hand “and I love you my dear, sweet dreams.”

But they would not be so sweet.

A loud clash of lightning and thunder hit the side of the house rousing Jared from his sleep just as a shadow passes over his bed making him sit up in fear as Jensen appears before him and leans on the footboard with a leer.

“Your mother is much better, you must be relieved from this.”

Jared bites his lip as he sits up in bed “yes but…I don’t know how long it will last. Jensen, I have a question.”

“Yes my Prince?”

“Why did father send you to guide me? And why are you in the stone carving with me?”

Jensen peers at him and Jared notices how different he looks from their first meeting. His hair is no longer lifeless, the color a mix of blonde and rust as it hangs neatly by his sharp jaw. The moss and ivy have faded to reveal a powerful looking figure that stands tall. On his freckled arms are the same carvings from his forehead and they spin around the underside of his elbow. He is handsome.

“You look different.”

A look of longing passes over the curious man’s face and he steps forward “you can not know everything now young Jared it is not the way.”

Jared scoffs in frustration “I deserve answers! I don’t understand who you are and why he picked you. I don't understand why we were in that sculpture or what it means. I’m only 15. I don't understand what's happening to me and you won’t tell me anything!”

Jensen sighs “I was your protector. When you broke away I was supposed to be watching you and I was, we were in the gardens together. I had turned for a moment and you were gone. I could hear you laughing as you made your way up the staircase, I tried to get to you but I was too late. By the time I made it to the portal I could–I could see you laying there. I did everything I could, Prince but it was not enough.”

The boy cocks his head and stares at him with searching eyes “why does that bother you so? Did my father punish you?”

Jensen snarls and whips his head around, his eyes pitch black “I had my punishment! The day you died that was my punishment Prince. Do you know what you put me through? I was your guardian I was—I was supposed to protect you. You and I–we were very close. And I failed you.”

Jared gulps and crawls out from under the blankets and slides down to the end of his bed where Jensen is standing, his body tense “what are you saying?”

“I’m saying…did you finish your quest?”

Dread fills the young boy like a flood and he lowers his eyes as he sinks back against his bed, hiding under his covers “I had some trouble…”

Jensen raises a brow “trouble you say?”

Jared hands him the fairy basket and watches with worry as he opens it, his only fairy flying out and whispering in his ear, fury falling over Jensen’s face like a blanket as he turns to Jared with cold, black eyes.

“I told you not to touch anything! Why didn’t you listen to me? I told you to listen!”

Jared cowers by his bed frame “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to I swear I just…I didn’t think anyone would notice and the pale man wasn’t moving so I–”

“You thought you could deceive me? You thought I wouldnt know! You broke the rules, you can never go back now, not after this deceit. You haven’t changed that much is clear.”

Jared sobs “no that can't be! You can't do that, I'm the Prince!”

Jensen growls lowly making Jared shiver in true fear as he watches Jensen rise taller and taller “you failed. The new moon will be here in three days. You will stay forever human. You will live among them and grow old and die just like them. You will lose all memory of me and the world below and we will vanish along with it and it will be your fault.”

Jensen shakes his head and casts a forlorn look over to the terrified boy who has tears streaming down his face, his body racking with sobs “you failed me Jared. I have waited a milenia to find you and you failed me…again.”

With that Jared watches as Jensen fades back into the darkness and vanishes leaving him wailing in the night.

Chapter Text

He isn’t sure why but not seeing Jensen is hindering. He misses the strange man in more ways than one and he can’t figure out why. It could be that this man was what connected him to his homeland. Or it could be whatever it was that connected him to the sculpture of him and Jensen.

He knew it had to mean something and he was determined to find out what.

Jared found Lily in the kitchen brewing his stepfather's coffee and laying out his breakfast. He frowned at the spread this evil man was looking forward to. He had everyone under his spell it seemed, always getting what he wanted.

“Ah Jay I’ve barely seen you. Where have you been hiding?”

Jared bites his lip as he slinks forward and leans against the counter, smiling as Lily hands him a strawberry from the captain's plate “around…actually I’ve been spending time in the labyrinth.”

She gives him a firm, motherly look “Jared, I told you that place was old you could get hurt in there and who would know? Your mother would be beside herself and she doesn't need that.”

“I would,” he mumbles quietly as he nibbles on the berry “have you been in there?”

“I have. Chased a chicken down there once, that's how I know it's dangerous.”

“So, you saw the statue then?”

She raises a brow as he places the food on a tray “I did what of it?”

He shrugs “don’t you think the boy looks like me? It’s curious, isn’t it?”

Lily pauses and looks up at him, interested “I guess there is a resemblance but that's impossible Jared it's just a myth there’s no need to fret over it.”

He leans forward on the counter “what myth?”

“Jared, I have to take this to–”

“Please? I’m dying to know I just find it odd. It would ease my mind.”

Lily sighs and gives him a kind smile and nods “fine. It’s said that in the statue is the Prince of the Underworld and his consort, the King’s most loyal servant.”

Jared draws in a sharp breath and blinks in shock as he stumbles away from the counter and presses his back to the stone wall ignoring Lily’s curious gaze “you mean…the prince was–”

“Betrothed to the fae creature, yes. It’s said that the servant was smitten with the young Prince and guarded him day and night and they fell in love. The young Prince begged his father to marry the servant, but his father was hesitant. After All this creature was charged with protecting his son and he was not of royal blood. But after seeing how in love they were he granted his blessing. But one day, before they were married the young Prince left his home and stepped into our world and died. The servant wept day and night and searched endlessly for the young Prince’s soul to return. Some say he is still looking for his beloved.”

A shaky, stunned breath leaves the boy as Lily passes him to take the tray to his stepfather. He slides his fingers through his damp hair and places his other hand on his rapidly beating heart.

He lied to him.

If all of this was true how could Jensen cast him aside like this? Did he not care? Did he not want him home? Maybe he didn’t love him anymore after all he was different now and it had been many years.

Jared sniffs and sucks up the tears threatening to escape and runs upstairs to his mothers room and halts in fright as he sees her standing next to the bed with the mandrake root in her hand.

“Jay what is this?”

Jared gulps “it's a magic root…it's helping you feel better, you need to put it back.”

His mother shakes her head in disbelief “you have to stop all of this Jared you're not a child anymore–”

“I know that! I’m not lying mom he told me it would help, and it has–”

“Who? Who told you this? Surely not your father?”

Jared scoffs “he isn’t my father he’s a horrible, wicked man. I want to go home; I want to leave.”

“This is our home Jared you shouldn’t say such things–”

“No, it's not! This isn’t my home, and it never will be. I'm stuck here, don't you see? I don’t belong here! I never have and I don't want to be here any longer!”

His mother frowns and grips the root tight as she walks over to the burning fireplace “the world isn’t like your fairytales Jared, it's time to grow up. You need to learn this world is a cruel place, one way or another.”

With that she tosses the root in the fire and Jared cries out and collapses next to it and watches it burn, the mandrake squealing in pain as flames gather around it “what did you do?”

“Magic doesn't exist Jared! It's time to–” a loud gasp leaves her mouth, her hand clutching her belly and she falls into the bed, pained groans leaving her dry mouth.

“Mom? Mom, what's happening?”

His mother breathes in deeply and grabs his hand “go get the captain and hurry! Your brother is coming.”

Jared shoots up and runs down the stairs and looks around desperately, but he can’t seem to find his stepfather anywhere and instead bumps into a maid and grabs her dress “please it's my mom she's in labor! I don’t–I don't know where the captain is she needs him and–”

“Slow down honey go be with your mother I will find him and the doctor it will be ok now go.”

He does just that.

Jared sits outside his mothers room, his stepfather next to him. The silence is heavy as they wait for the new arrival. He can hear his mother screaming in pain in the room and it causes tears to pour down his cheeks. There is no doctor. His stepfather shot him in the head after he found out that he was betrayed. Turns out the doctor had been helping the soldiers in the woods.

He watches in horror as Lily walks by him covered in blood as she races to grab more towels and his stomach turns.

Something tells him there won’t be a happy ending. This man had surely killed his mother, he could feel it in his bones.

He turns his head slightly and stares at the stoic man next to him. His face is hard and unmoving, not one ounce of emotion showing. Jared frowns in disgust. How could his mother have chosen this man? He was vile and evil; he didn't love her. Jared was convinced he couldn’t love anyone.

“Sir?”

His stepfather stands sharply as a man walks out; his hands bloody “you have a son but I’m sorry your wife she–she lost too much blood there was nothing I could do.”

Jared wails in desperation as he stands and pushes past the older man and peers into his mother's room, his heart lurching at the sight. His mother is tangled up in blankets on the bed, blood covering the sheets and her– her legs still open from his brother's escape. Her skin is ghostly white, her eyes sunken and dark. There is no life left in her. He took it, this man took everything.

The boy stumbles back and sobs as he trips into the door at the sight, his eyes locked on his mother's body. Lily rushes over to him and wraps him in her arms, tucking him in her neck as he cries, the sound heartbreaking to everyone in the room as the young boy breaks down at the loss of his mother, his only source of comfort.

Except his stepfather.

The man holds his newborn son in his arms and rocks him next to his dead mother and Jared hates him even more. The sight makes him sick, and he feels his stomach churn.

They never should have come here. They should have stayed home like Jared said, he should have begged his nana harder. He never should have gone into that labyrinth. He wishes he could blame all this on Jensen. How could the man leave him like this when he needed him most? He had nothing now.

He grips Lily’s shoulders tighter and presses his face harder to her neck as he wails in desperation. His mother has left him and now he is alone left with nothing but her blood on his hands.

Chapter Text

Jared watches with swollen eyes as Lily lays out his best clothing on his bed and putters around his room. Today is his mother's funeral. Today he will be burying his mom, the woman who cared for him all these years, who comforted him when he had nightmares or when he wasn’t feeling well.

He glances over his shoulder and looks in the mirror. This is not who he is. This boy who looks lost and confused, his face puffy from crying and his eyes red. He looks drained and miserable, void of all life. He used to be happy.

“Jared?”

He turns his head over to Lily where she's standing with a concerned face “you need to get dressed dearest we–we have to be there soon.”

Jared sighs and stands on shaky legs. Today he buries his mother.

When the funeral is over, he locks himself in his room and collapses on his bed in a bundle of tears and allows the pain to escape as he screams into his pillow. He lets out winded breaths and heart-wrenching sobs as he thinks about his mother. She was too good for the captain. How could she not see that? His father treated her like royalty, he loved them both dearly and made sure they knew that.

He hides his face in his pillow and clutches his sheets firmly in his trembling fingers as he cries. He is only 15. He supposes he could go home to his nana. With there being no service he hasn’t been able to talk to her. When she finds out her only daughter is dead…God he can’t even think about that.

Jared sits up, lightheaded, and makes his way downstairs to the kitchen to get something to eat. He hasn’t eaten since early the day before and even that wasn’t much. He passes by the captain's office and pauses as he hears him talking to Lily.

“Did you know the doctor well?”

“We all knew him around here sir. He was taking care of your wife and anything we needed.”

His stepfather hums and he hears the creak of his chair “what do you think of me I wonder? Do you think I’m a monster like my stepson does?”

Jared snorts quietly and wipes his face. At least he knows what a horrible person he is and how much Jared despises him.

“Does it matter sir? I work for you–”

“The captive I held in the shed spoke of an informant feeding information and supplies to them. Can you believe that? All of this is happening right here in my home, under my nose. How ignorant I was.”

“And you believe this was the doctor?”

“Possibly. You have the key to the supplies room, correct?”

“Yes sir.”

“Give it to me. From now on I will be the only one with a copy. If you need anything I will fetch it for you.”

He can practically hear the pause as Lily hands the key over. He knows it's been Lily that's sneaking out supplies for the soldiers. She doesn't know that of course but Jared is very resourceful.

“That is all. Be careful Lily.” Jared could tell it was a threat not a warning.

Jared’s eyes widen as the door hand jiggles and he rushes down the stairs and to the kitchen and searches in the cabinets as Lily walks in, her face disgruntled and her eyes startled as they settle on Jared.

“Oh Jared…I didn’t hear you. How are you?”

He grabs an apple “hungry…are you ok?”

She gives him a tense smile “of course. Get some rest, ok? We're going to have pasta for dinner, your favorite.”

He nods hesitantly and walks past her and heads up for his room, halting when the captain suddenly calls his name.

He slowly spins on his heel and gulps as he creeps into his office “yes sir?”

The older man glances up as he sips from a cup of dark liquid “I know this is a horrible time for you with your mother dead and all and you an orphan. I have written to your grandparents and informed them of the circumstance. They are on their way to get you so you can go home with them. No reason for having you lingering.”

Jared scowls and clenches his fists “good I wouldn’t want to stay here with you anyway, I didn’t want to in the first place. I warned my mother of you, I knew you would hurt her. This is your fault all you do is bring destruction. You're the devil.”

The captain's eyes darken, and he stands “watch your mouth boy I’m not fond of you either but will have to make do until you leave. Your mother was a hopeless fool and you're just like her. You expect so much from the world and expect to give nothing back. You're weak like your father, no son of mine.”

Jared’s lip trembles “it's no wonder your own people betray you. You're nothing but a monster and one day you will reap what you sow.” he spins on his heel before another word can be said and rushes to his room and slams the door shut and plasters his body against it, shaking with tears. He just wants all of this to be over.

“You seem distressed.”

Jared yelps and looks up with wide eyes as Jensen steps into view and rolls his shoulders back. “You.”

“I’ve decided to give you another chance.”

Pulsating anger flows through him at the audacity and he pushes off the door and marches over with determined strides and shoves Jensen as hard as he can, and feels satisfaction as the fae stumbles “how dare you? After everything you’ve done to me. How dare you! This is all your fault! If you just would have left me alone, none of this would be happening to me right now!”

The older creature growls in warning and glares at him with piercing eyes “settle down Prince–”

“No! My mother is dead! Do you get that? She's dead and I’m alone. I have nothing. You left me here to deal with all of this, you’ve lied to me! I know about the statue Lily told me the story how could you lie to me like that? Do I mean so little to you? Is this how you think of me?”

Jensen glowers, his nose curling up “it’s not important–”

“Not important? Are you kidding me?” Jared yanks at his hair in frustration and stomps his foot loudly “you're impossible! You didn’t think mentioning that we were betrothed was important? Do I mean that little to you?”

“You weren't ready, and it didn’t contribute to the task at hand–”

“You waited so long for me…did you not care anymore? Am I nothing? Is all of this just a game to you? Is this what my happiness means to you? I am alone in this world Jensen and it's because of you.”

Jensen strides forward, his large hands grabbing onto his shoulders as he shakes him “you are everything to me! I have rotted, wilted while waiting for you and I gladly would have forever. You are my true love, but you are just a boy.”

Jared huffs out an annoyed breath “I am not a boy; I haven’t been a boy since my father died and I had to care for my mother. You have been my protector since I arrived here, and I need you Jensen in more ways than one. I want to go home, and I want to be with you don’t make me stay here any longer.”

Jensen's emerald eyes widened at the declaration. He slides his rough hands up to cup Jared’s blushed cheeks and gives him a stiff smile “even as new as you are do you know you are exactly the same? I know each line of your face, the curve of your dimples.” he leans in and presses his nose to the boy's smooth cheek. “You have always been mine.”

The boy whimpers and grabs onto Jensen “then take me home, please.”

Jensen backs away, his face hardening “you have one more task you must complete and this time you must obey me.”

Jared sighs. He’s tired of these tasks he just wants to get away from here, with his mother gone there's nothing left for him.

“What is it?”

“I want you to fetch your little brother and bring him to me on the night of the new moon at the entrance of the labyrinth.”

Jared frowns suspiciously “my brother? Why would you want him?”

Jensen gives him a strained smile, his eyes betraying him as he stands tall “don’t worry about it right now…just do as your told my Prince and all will be well.”

Jared couldn’t help but think about the task Jensen had given him. It didn’t seem right, none of it did.

Why would he want his baby brother?

Chapter Text

The new moon was happening that night and Jared was trembling with fear. He tucked himself into bed early before the moon rose and tried to get some sleep but was awoken by violent shakes and a worried Lily.

“Jared? Are you awake?”

The boy yawned and rubbed the sleep in his eyes away and peered up blearily “whats going on?”

“I–I’m leaving Jared.Tonight. “

Jared gasps in panic, suddenly wide awake, and shoots up “what? But you can't, what if you get caught? He’ll kill you!”

She shakes her head and shushes him “I have to Jared it's too dangerous for me here I can’t stay any longer.”

Jared gulps, his breathing rapid. He knows if she gets caught the Captain will kill her, no questions asked that's been proven to him with his time here. He can't let her die. “Then let me come with you.”

Her eyes widened in shock and he could see the want in her eyes. “I can’t Jared but…I'll come back for you.”

“No you have to take me with you Lily please, it's the only way.”

He isn’t sure but he thinks it's her best chance. If he goes with her maybe the Captain won’t kill her…at least so quickly.

Jared jumps up and dresses swiftly and clutches the hand she holds out for him and follows her quietly out of the manor. He follows her around the back of the house and down near the creek bed, pressing against the barn when she pauses and holds up her hand.

“I heard something…”

Jared cocks his head and listens as the trees rustle “I don’t hear anything–”

But the sound of heavy boots.

Jared gulps and turns slowly and comes face to face with his stepfather, rage brewing in his eyes as he reaches out and grabs Jared by his hair and yanks him close and waves his hand “tie her up in the shed…I need to deal with this one.”

Jared cries out as he’s dragged, his feet digging holes in the mud as he tries to pull himself away. Tears sprang to his eyes at the tight pain in his head which only grew as Lily cried out for him.

When they make it in the house the Captain throws him inside of his room making him crash into his bed, his side banging against the bed pole no doubt bruising him but he stands nonetheless and stares boldly at his stepfather with a scowl on his face.

The man’s lip curls in distaste as he looks him up and down “how long have you known about her?”

Before he can answer the captain slaps him across the face, the sting sharp and throbbing causing his ears to ring as he falls to the floor, his face on fire.

“You stupid little bastard how you must have laughed at me…your punishment will come I promise you.” he marches out of the room and stops at the door and gazes sternly at the guards “watch him and if anyone tries to fetch him shoot them and then this little brat.”

It felt like hours as Jared lay on the cold wooden floor, his hot red cheek pressed against the dirty ground as tears dried on his face. 30 minutes prior bombs sounded outside his window and he could hear Lily screaming but he didn’t have the energy to get up and look. He hoped she would be ok, he couldn't afford to lose another mother figure.

Suddenly his fairy floats over his head and chirps next to him, her eyes sad as she gently pats his unharmed cheek.

“What happened to you?”

Jared’s eyes slide over as Jensen’s deep voice sounds behind him and he tries to muster up the strength and pushes up on his arms. He tilts his head back, his hair falling out of his eyes, his dark red cheek coming into view.

He watches with a terrified shiver as Jensen’s eyes swirl with black, his fists clenching with anger and his teeth grinding as the markings on his body light up “who did this to you?’

Jared makes a face at the booming voice and cowers back slightly as he pushes himself up and props his body against his bed “my stepfather…”

Jensen growls and the fairy flutters away at the noise as he bends down and scoops Jared up by his armpits “he dares to touch you? I’ll rip him limb from limb–”

“Don’t! Please I just want to go home, I want to be with you.”

Jensen softens and he cups his cheek making the boy melt and press in closer “I need you to do as I say no questions understand?”

Jared nods and clings to Jensen, whining as he’s pushed back “but the door is locked and they're guarding it from the outside, I can't go anywhere.”

Jensen smirks and produces a slender piece of chalk “then make your own door. Hurry now and retrieve your brother and bring him to the labyrinth all will be well my dearest.”

The boy nods and takes the chalk from Jensen’s calloused fingers and carefully draws a door into the back wall and slips through and makes his way quietly to his stepfather's office. He searches and finds no trace of him, but he can hear his brother crying from his bassinet in the corner.

He smiles, relieved and tip toes over pausing in fear as the Captain's loud, angry voice sounds from down the hall. He tucks himself behind the bookcase and reaches in his pocket for his mothers sleeping medicine he had swiped from her room.

He can hear the clanking of a bottle and turns watching as the older man pours himself a glass of whiskey, hissing as it touches a long open wound on his cheek, blood pouring from his face.

“Fucking bitch.”

Jared gasps quietly it seems Lily got away and injured the Captain in the process and Jared can’t help but feel proud, he only wishes it would have been him. The man sits his glass down and–

“Captain, come quickly!”

“It’s Wood he’s back but he is wounded–”

“Wounded? How?”

Jared observes as the Captain waits for no answer and follows the men out of the room allowing him to crawl over on his hands and knees and trickles 4 droplets into the mans cup. He pushes himself in the corner and gently picks up his baby brother smiling as he coos against his chest.

“You're going to be ok I promise…you're coming with me to a new place, a magical place where we will be together and no one will ever harm you.”

He wraps his brother in a blanket and starts over to the door when he hears his stepfather's voice and hides behind the door as he stomps through in fury.

“Put the remaining men on duty and have them guard out front near the tree line, that's where they’ll come from those sneaky bastards. We should have killed them when we had the chance. Have them report to me.”

He watches gleefully as the Captain chucks back his drink and winces “call for reinforcements.”

“Yes sir.”

The soldier rushes out of the room and Jared takes his chance while the Captain's back is turned.

He watches with wary eyes as he silently backs up and tries to edge outside when an explosion sets off and the man whirls around, their eyes locking and Jared quivers in horror at the anger that boils in the man's eyes.

The Captain holds out his hand and motions to his brother and leans forward “put him back Jared…now.”

Jared gulps and holds the baby tighter to him as he takes a timid step back “no…”

“I’m warning you Jared i’ll–” the man stumbles as he steps forward and reaches out to hold onto a shelf nearby and Jared takes his chance and bolts.

He makes it outside and shivers as cool air blows around him and he looks up. The moon is high in the sky.

“Jared!”

The man staggers behind him, his gun waving in his hand as he chases after the boy and ignores the fighting around him. Jared dashes into the labyrinth and winds around the maze sighing thankfully as a large bush opens up allowing him to squirm through.

He wheezes out a frightened breath as he glances around, gently rocking the baby as he spies Jensen waiting at the entrance to the hollow pit “here my Prince, hurry the moon is high.”

Jared races over with a grin and shows him the baby “I have him!”

Jensen smiles tenderly down at him “aye, now hand him here.”

Jared pushes the baby up, ready to pass him over when he spies the dagger he retrieved from the pale man’s house of horrors in Jensen’s satchel and he pauses “what's that for?”

The older fae looks down and holds it up “oh this? We need pure blood to open the gates…it's only a drop.”

Jared stumbles back and clutches the baby carefully but sturdy as he levels Jensen with a daring gaze “no…I won't let you hurt him.”

Jensen scoffs, his face pinched “you would give up your sacred rights for some brat that ruined your life?”

Jared blinks rapidly and peers down at the baby “yes…I would. It's not his fault, none of this is his fault it's mine. He’s just a baby.”

“You would give up your throne? You would give up on me? He is not your family Jared, he is nothing to you.”

Jared glares and stands his ground, unbeknownst to him his stepfather creeps through, unaware and unseeing of Jensen standing there before him. “Yes.”

Jensen bows, his eyes knowing and wicked as his eyes lock on the evil man coming toward him “very well…your highness.”

As he vanishes into the darkness a loud bang rings in Jared’s ears and a sharp pain blossoms in his stomach as he falls forward, red seeping around him, his baby brother screaming on the ground.

The Captain limps over and scoops the baby in his arms and spits at Jared’s face “good riddance.”

A ribbon of blood pours from Jared’s nose as he lays on his back, his eyes blurring as he concentrates on the bright moon, his breathing uneven.

It was for nothing…it was all for nothing.

He could hear the pounding of footsteps approaching and tried to control his breathing as Lily’s face appeared above him but he could feel himself slipping, his eyes glazing over as she cried out above him, her hand pressing on his wound as his blood sinks over into the pit and spills down, covering the statue.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

But then life surged through him like a gust of wind, everything rushing back all at once and he sat up with a rasping breath and squinted as light burned at his eyes. In front of him were three large thrones that sat up high and in two sat an older man with long gray hair and a middle aged woman, her hair white and eyes black. Around them was a crowd of people, their ears pointy and their eyes colorful, dressed in elegant clothing.

“Arise my son.”

Jared stands and trips over his feet and looks down to see himself dressed in midnight blue attire made of silk. He runs his hands down the fabric and looks up as the old man raises his hand.

“Come forward my son. It was your blood not that of the innocent that opened the gates and allowed you home. It was the last task.”

Out from behind the gold pillar is Jensen wearing a grin as the fairies float around him alive and well and bends, bowing “and the right one your Grace…welcome home I have surely missed you.”

Jared lets out a wet laugh and charges forward throwing his arms around Jensen and burying his face in his cool neck as hot tears sprang to his eyes “I didn’t think I would see you again.”

Jensen soothes him and wraps him in his arms “you're here with me now dearest and will be together forever.”

His father claps his hands and rises “it seems now we can finally have a wedding…I have waited for you my boy to return, we never gave up hope we would see you again. Now come take your place by my side.”

Jared grins and wipes at his face as Jensen leads him by the hand to his own throne and he carefully climbs up into it next to his father and beams as everyone cheers for him.

This is where he was meant to be.

Chapter Text

Jared stands in front of the golden mirror, his hands gliding along his velvet like midnight blue wedding attire, his face painted with matching blue specks that highlight his eyes, a smear of blush on his lips.

Time moves differently down here. His mother had assured him that in their time he had only been in the Underworld for a month but it felt longer than that, it felt like a lifetime.

He scans over his room and smiles to himself. In just a short time Jensen would be sharing this with him and then in time they would rule together. Jensen had been spending his days courting them since his return. Everyday something magical and gorgeous would appear upon his waking and he would blush at the lavish gift.

His mother and father were wonderful and after arriving he quickly learned the reason why he didn’t look like his “parents” up above. His features were split perfectly between his mother and father and the longer he spent here the sharper his ears grew.

His skin glistened like the starry sky and his eyes swirled with an array of colors that changed with his emotions. His mother spent her evenings teaching him to tap into their ancient magic and slowly he was learning.

“Darling?”

Jared gasps as he turns, his mother standing in the doorway with a warm smile on her face, her dainty hands folded in front of her “are you ready?”

He hums and nods “I think so…I’m scared.”

The Queen frowns and glides toward him, her cool hand coming up to cup his cheek “whatever for? This is what you want isn’t it? Because if you’ve changed your mind I’m sure your father would–”

“No it's not about that, it's just…what if he isn’t happy with me? What if he wishes I was the old me, we haven’t even kissed yet mother…I just want to be enough.”

His mothers smile remains and she pats his hand and gives him a motherly look “darling do not worry about such things Jensen loves you. He has waited a lifetime for you, he never gave up hope. Of course he knew that you would not be the same but you are. You're still as kind-hearted as you were at 18, still brilliant and bright. You are our Prince and that has not changed.”

Jared sniffs and nods his head and gives her a teary smile “your right…I’m just nervous I guess. I never thought I would get married this young.”

She chuckles, her fingers snapping an ivory box appearing next to her, covered with carvings of flowers and the moon “of course but law is different here and if you're happy so are we. Now these are the crown jewels. They were my mothers before me and now they are yours.”

She opens the box to reveal an assortment of sapphire jewels that twinkled like the night sky that stayed constant in the Underworld and Jared’s eyes widen at the display “mother I couldn't–”

She waves her hand and lifts them out carefully and gently places them along Jared’s clothes before setting the crown on his head and smiles “of course you can…you're beautiful. By the moon dust in your lungs, the stars in your eyes you are a child of the cosmos, a ruler of the night.”

Jared smiles at her, thankful and calm “thank you mother…”

She returns his smile and grabs his arm, lacing their fingers together as she walks him toward the exit “it's time my dear your father is waiting for you.”

They make it to the entrance of the grand hall where the golden doors are sealed shut waiting for his arrival. His father is standing before it with a warm smile on his face as Jared walks up to him.

“You look wonderful my son this is a joyous day indeed.” he reaches for his arm and folds his through Jareds own. Both parents are by his side as the golden doors open to reveal a lavishly decorated hall with Jensen standing at the end of it tall and proud.

Seeing him in formal clothes was something to behold indeed, he could never imagine such a sight. He was wearing dark black pants, and a flowy white shirt that opened at the top to reveal his chest plate. His hair was tucked behind pointy ears and swirls of gold shimmered on his face.

His heart is pounding in his chest when he finally reaches his betrothed and he beams brightly as his parents kiss his rogue cheeks before handing him off to the fae creature. The Shaman stands dressed in robes made of gold, his hands open in acceptance as he bestows his blessing.

He slides his wet eyes up to glance at Jensen as he opens his mouth to declare his vows.

I love you with a deeper love than any human heart has ever known. I love you with an essence that has lived a thousand lifetimes, always waiting to find you again in whatever world we might find. And in the end I will seek you out amongst the stars and love you into eternity. This I swear forever and always.”

Jared sniffs, his mouth trembling as Jensen strokes his hand and gives him a toothy grin. He lets out a shaky breath and nods his head, determined “I am yours; with every inch of flesh and bone in my body, and every ounce of love infused in me I will always belong to you. I belong to you the way the moon belongs to the stars shining above one another. When I fade to lunula and darkness slithers along me the stars in your eyes will bring me back and once again I shall find you. This I swear forever and always.”

Jensen grins, bright and cutting and presses their fronts together in a warm embrace, his rough hands coming up to cup Jared’s dimpled cheeks and the boy shudders as the satyr leans down. This was it, the first kiss, the last kiss, the only kiss. The kiss that was destined to be and it was coming from his one true love, his soulmate.

A finger traces his trembling bottom lip and he sinks. He stumbles closer as Jensen tilts his chin up, his gaze intense and adoring as it bores into him. Jared feels a whine boiling inside of him and he presses up on the balls of his feet and lets out a winded breath “please Jensen…just kiss me already.”

Jensen growls under his breath, his hands coming up to tangle in Jared’s once neat hair and yanks him close and presses their lips together in a hot wet kiss that has his knees buckling. He can hear his people clapping in the background, can hear his fathers blessing and announcement to gather in the gallery for the celebration but he couldn't pull back. Not as his husband's tongue traced against his lips, his hands wandered down to clutch at his lithe waist to pull him impossibly closer like he wanted to consume him. God what he wouldn't give for that.

Their lips move together like magic, like a memory and he feels overcome with heart melting happiness that has tears gathering in his eyes. They part with a wet smack and he sucks in a breath, his body still shaking with aftershock.

He can feel the rumble in Jensen’s chest as the man purrs against his cheek, his hand dipping under Jared’s shirt, the skin hot “your mine forever my Prince.”

Jared grins and bites his lip as he peers up at him through thick lashes “wasn't I always?”

The fae’s eyes twinkle with delight and he twines their fingers together as he pulls him down the now empty hall and toward the gallery where everyone was waiting, flower petals showering over them like rain.

His father gives a beautiful speech that has him crying and throwing himself in his arms. All this time without him, without knowing he even existed and he couldn't imagine not having him in his life. Months ago this world didn't exist to him no matter how he dreamed and now here he was Prince of the Underworld and married to a fae.

Melodic music flows in the background as they sit at the grand feast. The food here is unlike anything that he had in the mortal world. His mother assured him he didn't need food to survive, it was more for joy, which made sense when he thought about it. With his time above he very rarely ate anything leaving his surrogate mother to wonder how he could make it. But the food here was too tempting to pass up with its sweet honeysuckle taste and overwhelming smells.

Sitting at the head of the table, Jareds family gathered around them and he felt overjoyed. He looked to his right and watched as his husband interacted with his people, his smile wide and a happy look in his gleaming eyes. A sight that was breathtaking to say the least.

“Jared?”

The boy blinks, shaking his head and snapping out of his dreamy state and smiles at Jensen “yes husband?”

The Fae grins and leans in, pressing their foreheads together, his breathing hot against his mouth as he whispers “I have a gift for you.”

Jared raises his brows and leans back in his chair “a gift? I don't need anything Jensen, you are enough.”

The Fae chuckles and stands, holding his hand out “trust me this is a gift you deserve my love, it will only take a moment.”

The young Prince takes the older man's hand and lets him guide him from the great hall, his family blissfully unaware as they laugh and dance.

“Why are we going to the dungeon?”

Jensen gives him a sneaky grin and pushes the heavy door open “go see for yourself.”

Jared frowns and gives him an uneasy look as he creeps past him and into the dark, cold room. There is only the moonlight shining in through the barred window flashing across a dark figure huddled against the stone wall. Jared gasps, his eyes widening in shock as he rushes forward and presses himself to the bars.

It's the general.

Jared lets out a winded breath “how?” he breathes as Jensen presses against his back, his lips wet against his neck.

“I fetched him for you…you didn't think I was going to let him live were you? Not after everything he did to you, to the ones you loved. No my beloved I have great plans for him just you wait, your father arranged for it.”

Jared whirls around and grabs Jensen’s collar “and what of my brother?”

The Fae smiles gently and tucks his hair behind his ear “he is fine, he is with Lily she is watching over him. She misses you. She sings your lullaby to him, and speaks of how brave his older brother was. He will be well taken care of I promise you.”

A wave of relief washes over him as he sinks against his husband's front. He didn't realize how weighed down he had been by his stepfather possibly still out there, or his little brother being harmed. Knowing now that he was free was the best possible thing that could happen.

“I love you.”

Jensen smiles and takes his hand “and I love you my Prince, I will always take care of you.”

“Jared?”

The boy freezes, his skin crawling at his name coming from the sinister man's mouth. He turns to glance over his shoulder and scowls deeply as the older man crawls into the light.

“I killed you…I saw you, there was blood–”

Jared snarls and pushes away from his husband and steps closer to the bars and looks down at the general with disgust “you did, you killed my human self and I thank you for allowing me to come home.”

The man looks around, confused “where am I?”

The boy gives him a cold smile and leans in closer, his face coming into the light shining his features “your in the Underworld of course, this is my home. My husband brought you to me as a gift but you see you don't belong here much like I didn't belong up there and I am going to show you the same kindness you gave me. I promise you that.”

The man stands on shaky legs, blood running down his temple as he scowls at Jared “my son, where is he? What did you do to him?”

Jared scoffs “he’s safe and away from you! You did not deserve him, you are cruel and wicked, you destroy everything in your path.”

“You don't have the right–”

“I have every right! You are in my world now stepfather and here I rule, nothing you say will change this. And nothing will change your punishment. Now it's my wedding night so I have other matters to attend to but don't worry I will deal with you soon enough.”