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The Duke's Exchanged Fiancée

Summary:

What would you do if you could go back in time and fix what went wrong?

After Castiel Novak and his parents die at the hands of the Duke Winchester for treason to the Emperor, Castiel returns to life two days before the catastrophe and tries to stop the tragedy by asking to be taken by the Duke instead of his sister, Dean's fugitive fiancée, as a financial advisor.

The Duke accepts the offer and spares the Novaks' lives.

However, Castiel will soon discover that the Duke has not taken him to his dukedom to be just his advisor.

Notes:

Hi everyone! Another year and another DCBB fic for all of you.

This time I teamed up with the talented Diminuel Go check her wonderful art here ! You can also admire it embedded in this fic. Thank you Diminuel for drawing such beautiful pieces for this story!

This fic was magnificently edited by Jessica Rose from Profound Bond server! Thank you for you patience and dedication!

I'm also thankful with DCBB mod team a_diamond, Aceriee and VioletHaze, they work hard every year to build up a new round of this exciting challenge.

This work is a royaltu AU, and by AU I mean Castiel is even grumpier here. But Dean will win his trust and heart with his charms and kindness.

I hope you enjoy this humble work, and if you want to leave a comment it will make me very happy ❤️

You can also come to visit me on my Tumblrs:

verobatto SPN blog and verobatto-messy-art (my art blog).

That’s all, I think. I hope you like it.

Chapter 1: Short Prologue of a Second Chance

Chapter Text

The night Duke Winchester crossed the door of the Novak's mansion, there was a deafening thunderstorm over their heads. However, Duke Winchester’s armies were even louder.

 

There was no time to give excuses at all. The powerful Duke walked through the huge hall in which Castiel Novak, the first son of the family, was standing there, shaking. His father, Baron Chuck Novak and his mother Baroness Naomi Novak took a couple of steps towards the Duke. Yet the fearsome noble didn't move a muscle. His cold green eyes flicked to them.

 

“Do you know this is treason to the Empire?” Duke Winchester spoke. He was wearing black armor and he had a murderous aura surrounding him. Castiel swallowed hard, somehow he knew they were screwed. He cursed his sister for escaping with that dirty blacksmith. But at the same time he was proud of her because she was the only one in that family that had followed her heart. 

 

“I'm sorry, my Duke!” Castiel saw his father falling to his knees as he joined his hands as though in prayer. Head down, he added, “We don't know where our daughter is! Forgive us!”

 

“Oh, but I do know where she is,” Dean said before raising his hand to call one of his soldiers. Four men with black armor walked through the hall. They were pushing Hannah, Castiel's sister, and the blacksmith. “Now, all the family is reunited.” Dean snapped his fingers and soldiers with torches surrounded the place.

 

With round eyes and his heart sinking, Castiel knew what was about to happen.

 

“Please my Lord! Be merciful with us! We can't respond to our daughter’s mistakes! She's just too young!” Castiel's mother yelled, hugging Hannah.

 

“Of course you can.” Dean Winchester's undaunted gaze stared at the Novak family. “Traitors to the Emperor must die.” 

 

Of course it was treason. The wedding between Hannah Novak and Duke Winchester had been ordered by the Emperor himself. So anyone going against it or trying to block it, would be called a traitor. Castiel's realization took all the air out from his lungs. His eyes darted to Hannah and his mother in horror. “Of course,” Castiel muttered as his body froze.

 

Suddenly, soldiers were towering over them, blades slicing through the air and their bodies, depleting their life source. Castiel saw his sister, mother, and father falling down the ground, drenched in blood that flowed like crimson red rivers from their bodies. Castiel wanted to scream, yet it was too late for him. He felt the metallic flavor in his mouth, Castiel stared at the blacksmith, who was already dead, his hand reaching out to Hannah in vain. 

 

There was fire surrounding them, shouts and people running, as Castiel's eyes shut down. Last thing he saw was Duke Winchester’s cold eyes before he turned around and walked away.

 

Why?

 

If I could have a second chance… if I could save Hannah, my mother…

 

Why does this have to end like this?

 

I don't want to die…

 

 

Something shone. It was a white light approaching Castiel, or maybe it was all over him. Castiel shook his head as he tried to cover his eyes with both his hands. There was a sound, like birds chirping at the window.

 

“Window?” Castiel echoed as his eyes finally handled the light in the room. He sat on his bed. Yes, it was his bed, his room. He was alive. “The hell is this?” he asked himself as he touched his own body. Was it a dream? A trick? Was Castiel having a nightmare or maybe it was some afterlife hallucination.

 

“Young master?” The voice of his butler went through his closed door. “Breakfast is ready. Your family is discussing the proposal.”

 

The proposal? Castiel ran to his mirror and stared at his own reflection. He blinked in awe. Of course. The proposal.

 

That was the day everything started.

 

“The Duke sent the wedding proposal today, two days before we die.” Castiel's eyes kept staring at his reflection as he swallowed slowly in realization. “If time really did go back to two days from our deaths, I wouldn't waste the opportunity.” Breathing deeply, Castiel took his clothes as he answered to his butler, “I’m coming!”