lucifersprize

Fic title: Past the Garden Shed and Straight Ahead
Artist name: amberdreams
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: past domestic abuse, sexual language, non explicit sex, cussing, Chad

Back to full description and chapter index.

***

It was a glorious day for a road trip. Summer air was heavy and sweet as they motored through country lanes. Jensen tapped his fingers and sang along to Kansas blasting from the stereo while Jared watched the dappled sunlight illuminate his perfect cheekbones and reflect from his shades. He tried to guess where they were headed but the ribbon of blacktop wound in unexpected directions and road signs were sparse. It had been twenty minutes since he last saw a house. He should probably be worried, Chad would say it was the perfect spot for a murder. He didn’t have the energy to be concerned though, he was having too much fun and, as he looked at Jensen, he had to admit the views were exceptional.

An avenue of stunning red and green beech trees gave the game away.

“Is this Inchcope?”

Jensen gave his best mysterious smile, “Inchcope Gardens have been closed to the public for years.”

A castle turret peeped above a swathe of brightly leaved trees. “Oh, my god, I can see the top of the folly! It is Inchcope! How?”

Jensen tapped his nose. “I am everybody’s favorite fairy godmother. It’s a trade secret.”

Intricate gates opened automatically for them, Jared supposed there must be a camera but it was well hidden. Metalwork bees and poppies gleamed gold in the sun and the shadows thrown by them seemed to dance all around. He shook his head, unable to comprehend that Jensen freakin’ Ackles had organised a private visit to a garden he had always wanted to study. “I thought you were unhappy with me. Why do this? Does it still have it’s lily pond? It used to have the most diverse collection of waterlilies in the U.S.” The motor on his mouth didn’t seem to have an off switch.

Jensen rolled his unicorn to a halt and turned off the engine. “I think,” he said, placing a reassuring hand on Jared’s knee, “That beautiful things can inspire beautiful thoughts, and fear can prevent inspiration. We can explore. You can take photographs, write notes, count lilies, whatever it takes to face your creative block, head-on.”

Jared almost tumbled in his rush to get out of the car. He turned full circle, looking in all directions, toward an arboretum, a Japanese garden, formal rose gardens and a tumbling waterfall that churned sparkling droplets into the air. Then back towards Jensen who regarded him with a serious, perhaps even nervous expression. He wanted him to smile. “Thank you. So much, thank you. Will somebody meet us? Is there a map? Can I hug you?”

“We’ll meet somebody along the way. I know the layout. I can lead,” Jensen said, “And I would love a hug, I mean I’d love more, but I know the deal.” He opened his arms in welcome and Jared smooshed into him. Jensen smelled so good and was so firm. Jared wanted this. He wanted it so much but he had to be realistic, this was only a research trip, yet it was hard to let go.

Jensen patted his back before pulling away with a sigh. “C’mon then. We have lilies to count.” He reached into the car and pulled out a bottle of water each, threw one to Jared. “Stay hydrated.”

It was easy to waste time here, to bask in the cavalcade of bright color, scent and sounds of the garden. He could practically taste the sweet cherries on the still, hot air of the orchard, and the grass bounced thick around fine specimens of Paperbark Maple and Dawn Redwood. He thought that Jensen might get sick of him stopping for photographs and chattering on about rarity and conservation but he kept up with Jared, practically shoulder to shoulder and encouraged him with pointed questions and quiet attention. He was perfect.

The lily pond was huge, with cooling fountains and stepped waterfalls. Myriad bright dragonflies darted and dipped between the reeds and over a vast floating island of delicate water lilies. It was better than any of the old pictures he had seen. Something rainbow-bright flitted past him, bigger than a dragonfly, and too fast to focus on. “Whoa. Pretty! What was that?”

Jensen looked startled, “Um, too quick. Probably a hummingbird. There’s a feeding station through the trees.”

Jared frowned, “Nah, I know hummingbirds.” What if ... he thought and his stomach churned briefly, but it couldn't be! He didn’t have time to think about it because, as they rounded a thick patch of reeds he was caught off guard by what he saw next. “Oh!”

A path twisted away from the pond, through shrubberies, to a sparse copse and on to a full sized thatched gardener’s cottage which could have sprung straight from a children’s book. Whimsical wooden animals dotted the journey and its gravel glittered with a sprinkle of shiny bright stones. A quaint sign was driven into the ground at a jaunty angle,

“All the world is made of faith, trust and fairy dust.”

Beneath the edge of the silver birch copse, among purple flowers of pungently scented thyme, nestled a tiny wood-carved village of exquisite mushroom homes. A faerie village.

Jared’s knees felt suddenly weak, his heart raced. He tried to breathe steady. He knew it wasn’t real, it was meant to be cute, but his vision was clouding over and he felt dizzy. Jensen was talking but he couldn’t make out the words, maybe “water”. This couldn’t be happening. “I don’t feel…,”

***

Something cool wiped his brow and he could hear voices talking, low and concerned.

“Sweet tea…”

Light returned slowly and Jared blinked. Jensen was arguing with the slight redhead he had taken off to Las Vegas with, “I didn’t know his reaction would be so extreme, Fli!”

There was another reason she seemed familiar, a distant memory tugging to get loose but he couldn’t place it.

“Optimism can’t solve everything, Jensen!” the woman berated him.

“Sweet tea sounds good,” Jared managed to slur. He tested his limbs by trying to sit up. The woman placed a hand on his chest and gently restrained him. “Take it easy,” she said, “Too much sun, not enough hydration. I told Jensen he should come for tea earlier but he just had to take you the long way around.”

The couch he was lying on was covered with knitted throws, and cat hair, and ‘MrrrEOW!’ Oh, a cat too! He sniffed, what was the smell? Herbs burning? Incense maybe? He looked around. He was in the tiny cottage and it was cluttered with dainty tables, piles of books, dried flowers and bone china. An old fashioned wood burning stove stood in the corner. Holy crap, it looked like he was in a witch’s lair and he might be dinner. He shook off the thought. It was ridiculous.

“Here.” The woman placed a glass of iced tea on the table beside the couch. “I sweetened it with honey from the estate.”

“How are you feeling now?” Jensen asked, like Jared hadn’t fainted, like an idiot, at the sight of a child’s whimzy.

“Did I faint?”

Jensen nodded sympathetically.

Jared groaned, “How did I get here?” He gestured to the couch.

“You were kind of out of it but you came around enough to let me help you.”

His head was clearing and he sat up to sip the tea he’d been given. It was cool and sweet and actually heavenly. “Oh, god that’s good. Thank you ...erm...,”

She smiled at him while kicking Jensen in the shin.

“Ow!”

“If Jensen isn’t going to introduce me, then I shall introduce myself, “I am this dumbass’s sister. My name is Felicia.”

He sat up slowly, taking a better look at her. She had green eyes, like Jensen. “You’re not his personal assistant?”

She laughed, “Certainly not. It would drive me insane, but you’re right, he needs somebody to organize him. I am thrilled to meet you because my brother hasn’t stopped talking about you and your wonderful mind, since he met you. Welcome to my humble abode.”

“This place is yours?”

“Mmhm.”

Jared got excited, “You own Inchcope?”

She refilled his tea. “Oh, no, just the cottage. It’s a family thing and I love it. It was here before the main house. There was an agreement, back in eighteen forty two. Sometimes, I take tours and teach herbal remedies. I throw in tea and cakes, and people quite literally eat it up.

He supposed it all made sense. Quaint historical quackery made money.

“Did you do the faerie path? It’s cute.” The words practically stuck in his throat.

Felicia and Jensen exchanged a knowing look.

Felicia sucked in breath before speaking, “No. It’s a bit twee for my taste. Faeries are …,” she paused, trying to find the right words, “Fae magic is tricky. I know that times change, everyone moves on, but it isn’t cute. However, reality is not for small children and I am sure Jensen would like to keep his own trail strictly sweet. It is the sort of design that would suit his purpose.”

Jared was either fully awake now, or totally dreaming, “Reality?” he asked slowly, rolling the word in his mouth, as if to taste it.

Felicia nodded, “Reality,” she confirmed. “I’m rubbish at being tactful. Jensen told me about your ‘little problem’. I thought I could help.”

“Problem?” He should be offended but he was intrigued. “How exactly?”

“I research, I dabble. I specialize in folklore.” She picked up a fine china plate and offered him cookies. “I bake too.”

Actually, he was starving, he grabbed one and hungrily devoured it as he processed what he was hearing. He had no idea what to make of it. It could be a prank but she seemed genuine. If she had ideas for the trail based on traditional lore, then things were about to get real bad for him.

“If there’s a perfectly good trail here, and you live here, Felicia, then why are we making a trail at your house, again, Jensen?” he wondered.

“Because I want one and I want it more extensive and much better than this one and I know you can deliver.” His eye roll was unmissable.

“And if we can approach it with facts, care and skill, then perhaps you can face it head on and overcome your fear of faeries.” Felicia spoke as if calming a scared child.

“My fear!” He growled. Now he was annoyed. How dare Jensen gossip about him! “Where do you get off gossiping about me, Jensen! I want to go home, now!”

“I was worried about you. Felicia has expertise.” Jensen tried to calm him.

“What! Expertise in faerie studies or whatever? Pull the other one.”

“Yes, I do.” Felicia’s tone was surprisingly soothing, he wanted to believe her. She took two ancient looking books from a shelf and put them on the table beside him. They were both scholarly looking tomes on Fae and Faeries. Your case interested me, so I researched it.”

“You researched me? That’s just…,”

“Rude.” Jensen finished for him.

“Precisely.” Jared agreed, confused.

“Fli’s like a dog with a bone but I do think she can help. Please listen. This isn’t only because I kind of wonder that if we have another one night stand but at my place, then maybe it doesn’t count and isn't dating? Or if it’s a quickie in the greenhouse, maybe it doesn’t count at all? Is dating entirely off limits? I mean, what would the small print actually be?”

“What?”

“What?” Jensen shrugged back at him.

“Boys!” Felicia scolded, “Let me explain.”

Jared tried to get up, the cat tangled in his legs and he fell back onto the couch with a whump.

“Jared. Whether your mother betrothed you to a faerie or not, may be irrelevant. The fact that you believe she did is enough to prevent you from living a full life. Fae are tricky, as I said. Their spells and contracts, are unique to the person bound by them. They are slippery but they do have rules. They can be reversed. We need to find the key to breaking your betrothal. If there was no deal then nothing will happen and you will be reassured. If you are bound then you will sense the bond breaking and you will be free.”

“Unless it’s an excuse to avoid commitment, or avoid me, which is fine, only tell me,” added Jensen with hands flung defensively in front of him.

“I told you I was joking! It’s not an excuse! I don’t want to avoid you!” Jared yelled. “And, if there wasn’t a contract, then how do I know if a plan works, because nothing will happen either way.” His head hurt just thinking about it.

“Hm,” Jensen and Felicia considered what he said.

“True,” they agreed in unison.

“But you will feel different, I’m sure, “ added Jensen.

Jared finally untangled from the cat. He stood up. “This is stupid,” he said, “I got dehydrated and fainted. It’s been a lovely day and I have a better idea of what you expect for your trail, Jensen. It’s getting late and I have an early start.”

“The unicorn will be really hot, it may not be good for you.” Jensen seemed to be clutching at straws.

“Then we’ll wind down the windows.” He strode out of the door with as much dignity as he could muster. “It was lovely to meet you Felicia. The tea and cookies were great.”

Jensen followed, with a silent grimace at his sister.

Felicia acknowledged his farewell but shoved a piece of folded paper into his hand as he departed. “When you’re ready,” she said, “You need to continue your quest. Contact me.”

Crazy. They were crazy. But what did that make him?

Jensen turned the radio to a soft rock station and they rode in awkward silence.

Jared hated silence, he took out his mobile and played Candy Crush. When all his free games were gone he sighed and put it back in his pocket. His fingers touched paper. He took it out and unfolded it. Felicia’s number was written in spidery font, along with a brief explanation of her findings.

‘A quest to break a faerie contract is dependent upon honest intent in your heart. If a betrothal has not already been called in, then you must return to where it started, in all ways, and make your request directly to the Faerie Queen. Homage is required. Again, intent, true in the heart, is the key.’

Well, that sucked. It had all started in a herb garden which no longer existed because his childhood home had been sold to developers and a senior’s complex built on the site. The whole, stupid argument had been for nothing.

Jensen tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, in time to the music.

The awkwardness grew, it expanded until the car seemed thick with it and then exploded with a sudden, loud, rendition of ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ as Jensen sang along to the radio.

Jared couldn’t help himself, his stress dissolved into a chuckle, “Dude!”

“Hey! Don’t knock it! The man sings directly from the hair!”

Jared joined in tuneless but enthusiastic.

“Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa! You sound like Fli’s cat when you sat on him!”

“I sing it from the hair, too!”

“You do have the hair, mountain man!”

“Not all of us can strut around doing the Blue Steel, Zoolander!”

Jensen imitated a sizzling sound, “Oh, the burn!”

They both giggled. It felt natural. Jared couldn’t stay angry with this idiotic man. He made a show of preening his hair and making a duck face that ended in farting noises.

Jensen laughed until he had tears in his eyes, “Stop it. I have to drive, man. I have to drive!”

Once they had calmed, Jensen asked, “Do you want to skip a turning and come back to mine? I have beer and nachos.”

If the herb garden was gone, were its faeries gone too? Could that be the reason that his bride never returned for him? Did he want to spend his life waiting? For the first time in his life he made a decision which defied his mother’s belief, or delusion. “Or, we could make the turning and I can grab my stuff and follow in my truck. I want to map a route for your fairy trail in the morning anyway.”

“Cool.” Jensen gunned the engine to get there sooner.

Next Chapter