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deanwanddamons · 3 months

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Ohhhh! What a cliff hanger. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

Treasure Quest, Chapter 8: Wedding Day

Pairing: Captain Dean x Rhaya Payton (OFC, eventual) Other Characters: Sam Winchester, Captain Keira, Captain Crowley, Lucifer, Lord Darius Payton, Lord Ashton Kane, Connor (OMC's) Carissa Payton, Darcy (OFC's).

Word Count: 4649

Warnings: Angst, Realization of Feelings, a bit of Rhaya's self-doubt, Unwanted Wedding Ceremony, Slight Medical Issue, but Still Scheming Stepmother and Still Annoying Fiancé

Series Summary: Rhaya Payton is the daughter of the governor of Ochana. She grew up listening to her father tell her stories of pirates and treasure maps. At a gala one night, her stepmother, Carissa, announces Rhaya’s engagement to Ashton Kane, a wealthy nobleman. Only problem is, no one checked with Rhaya first. After overhearing plans made by her fiancé, Rhaya decides to go on the run and stows away on Captain Dean’s ship. What will happen when he finds her?

This Chapter: After a confrontation at breakfast with her stepmother, Rhaya doubles down on her resolve to avoid marriage to Ashton at all cost. Carissa may have her plans, but Keira and Darcy have Rhaya's back as they formulate plans of their own. Captain Dean & Company are racing to get to the church and receive assistance from an unusual source. The closer she gets to "I do", the more desperate Rhaya becomes, so she takes matters into her own hands. Will the Captain of Rhaya's heart arrive in time to stop the ceremony? Tune in to find out....Enjoy!

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Rhaya listened as Keira reviewed the events of the past few days. She explained how they arrived at the island, found the treasure, and their narrow escape from the island's inhabitants. When Keira mentioned that some of the crew were injured, she was quick to assure Rhaya that nothing was life-threatening. Jack would make a full recovery, she promised. Both women laughed at Dean's assertions that the young man would now have better luck with the ladies.

"Speaking of Dean, will he....is he....um....he's on his way here, right?" Rhaya asked in a small voice.

Keira thought back to her last conversation with Dean, right before she set sail for Ochana. She knew he was committed to the plan to at least stall, if not stop, the wedding. However, he mentioned some business he had to attend to before he could leave Alcaria. He had sent her ahead to carry out the plan, in case he couldn't get to Ochana in time.

"Honey, I'm not sure. He said he had some things to do once he got home to Alcaria. But he sent me here first to make sure to stop or somehow stall your wedding to Lord Dumbass," Keira muttered.

"Well, I am all for that, you know. But how are we going to do it? I mean, you've got a plan all worked out, right?" Rhaya wondered.

Keira snorted. "Are you seriously doubting my scheming ability right now? I think you've forgotten who you're dealing with," she responded with a slight scowl. "Here's what I've got so far."

***

Dean stood at the bow of the ship, willing it to find the right winds to carry it faster from Alcaria to Ochana. The plan he had outlined with Keira was only designed to get things to a certain point, which was to prevent Rhaya's marriage to Ashton. After that, the details were a little fuzzy, but Dean figured that the pieces would somehow magically fall into place.

Sam cautiously approached his brother, who continued to stare out at the horizon, wishing they had already reached their destination. "Dean, we're going as fast as we can. Keira knows what she's doing, and she has allies on the inside to help her and Rhaya. No one wants to see her marry Lord Hoity-Toity," Sam grumbled.

"I know, Sam," Dean sighed. "It's just....I want to be there to protect her, you know? It's not only Lord Stuck-Up that I'm worried about, it's also her horrible stepmother. Rhaya told me about her, and it wasn't a rosy picture. Carissa has ways of dealing with people who don't bend to her will, and for that reason, I don't want my girl anywhere near her. There's no telling what that witch will do to Rhaya when this wedding goes south," Dean noted grimly.

Seeing his brother so determined to defend his girl against her stepmother ignited a glimmer of hope in Sam that maybe Dean had found his someone. "Then it's a good thing I see the coastline of Ochana," he grinned. He pointed to a stretch of land in the distance, a sandy beach giving way to a hill of green grass. Wooden docks extended out into the water, with tall, well-muscled men waiting to catch the docking ropes as soon as they were thrown.

"Hot damn, that's it!" Dean exclaimed. Seeing how close they were made him even more anxious to reach their destination. Only problem was, they were at the mercy of the wind currents. Suddenly, as if by the Fates, the sails seemed to catch a tailwind, which increased their speed. Hold on, sweetheart, Dean silently pleaded. I'm almost there, and once I am, I promise I will do everything in my power to protect you.

***

Sunlight filtered through gauzy curtains, stretching its fingers across the hand-sewn quilt tucked around the sleeping form in the bed. A knock at the door elicited a groan from the body being kept warm under the quilt. As much as she wanted to send away her visitor with a bark of, "Go away!", Rhaya reluctantly sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Just a minute," she mumbled.

Slowly padding over to the door, she opened it to reveal Darcy and Keira, and gave them a sleepy smile. "Come on in," she said through a yawn as she stepped aside to allow access.

"Your stepmother is expecting you to join her at the breakfast table to discuss some wedding-related details with you. She said, and I quote, 'If she's not here in the next 30 minutes, I will drag her to this table myself and I won't care if she's still in her nightgown'," Darcy explained with a grimace.

The three women looked at each other and all rolled their eyes. "Fine," Rhaya sighed. "I'll wish my father 'good morning', have some breakfast, and hear what the Evil One has to say. Then I will return to my room where I will disregard everything she said that doesn't fit with our plans."

Twenty-nine minutes later, Rhaya sauntered into the dining room, where her father and Carissa were seated. Her father was situated at the head of the table, where she stopped to give him a peck on the cheek. "Good morning, Papa," she wished him with a smile, and then took her seat in the chair to his right.

"Good morning, Rhaya. I was beginning to wonder if you'd be joining us as I requested, or if you'd run away again," Carissa remarked.

"Good morning, Stepmother. As you can see, I am present and accounted for, and within your 30-minute deadline. Fully dressed as well, because goodness knows I wouldn't want to be brought to the table inappropriately dressed," she challenged, her eyes narrowed at Carissa.

Lord Darius turned to his daughter, barely suppressing a smile. "Today's a busy day for you, sweetheart. Are you nervous with all of this? It would be all right if you were, since you are taking an important step in your life," he pointed out as he reached for her hand.

Rhaya squeezed her father's hand. "No, Papa, as important as all of this is, I'm not nervous. I'm certain that events will unfold exactly as they are supposed to," she replied.

At that moment, a staff member entered the dining room and informed Lord Darius of a matter that needed his immediate attention. He politely excused himself, expressing his apologies to his wife and daughter. He pressed a kiss to Rhaya's temple and told her that he would be waiting for her in the designated area of the church to walk her down the aisle.

As soon as he left the room, the tension between the two women increased to the 11th level. The remaining staff stood off to the side, ready to fulfill any need, but were also prepared for a hasty exit, should the situation require it. They glanced nervously among themselves as they waited for some sort of break that was sure to occur.

"You certainly enjoy pushing my orders to the breaking point, don't you? I ask you to be here in thirty minutes, you show up in twenty-nine," she commented dryly. "Mark my words, Rhaya, this day will unfold exactly as it is supposed to, because I will make sure of it. I will watch your father walk you down the aisle in the dress I have chosen for you. He will then take his place at my side, where we will bear witness to your exchange of vows with Ashton," Carissa concluded.

Rhaya scoffed in response to her last comment. "You know damned well that I do not want to be married to Ashton or to anyone else unless it is my decision. Just because I'm the governor's daughter doesn't mean I'm entitled to anything less than my own choice of who I share my life with. I realize that today is going forward whether I like it or not, but that doesn't mean everything will happen exactly according to your plan," she retorted.

Carissa slammed her hands on the table, causing the dishes to rattle and the staff to jump in surprise. "Watch your language, and DO NOT cross me, Rhaya!" she shouted, then took a deep breath to calm herself. "I will get what I want, which is you married to Ashton and out of this house, away from your father. Should you decide to take your chances and choose to defy me, there will be hell to pay, I assure you."

"Are you threatening me? Your own stepdaughter?" Rhaya exclaimed in disbelief.

Carissa calmly sipped her tea. "No threat, darling, a promise. The last person who got in the way of what I wanted? She suffered a great deal before there was nothing in this world that could save her. Your father, bless his soul, attempted everything to save her, which nearly cost him his own life. Luckily the Fates decided to intervene and spare him. While it's unfortunate that his salvation was at her expense, in the end, I got what I wanted. As I always will," she added darkly.

Rhaya watched as her stepmother returned her teacup to its saucer and rose from her chair. When Carissa rounded the corner of the table, she bent close to Rhaya's ear and whispered, "Don't be late." She patted her stepdaughter's shoulder before leaving the room.

The last exchange left Rhaya and the remaining dining room staff stunned and in shock. They all asked themselves the same questions. Did we hear that correctly? Did the governor's wife just admit that she had something to do with Lady Isabella's illness or even her death?!? What should we do now? With a renewed determination, Rhaya stood up from her chair and flashed a quick, sympathetic smile to the staff before leaving the room.

As soon as she closed the door to her bedroom, Rhaya began to pace the floor, her hands shaking in both fury and fear. Fury that Carissa essentially admitted to playing some part in what happened to her mother. Fear, because if push came to shove, and Rhaya pushed, Carissa would shove. After that, there's no telling what the outcome would be. She's already somewhat proven that murder is not beneath her and would feel zero remorse about it.

Rhaya wrapped her arms around herself, trying to focus on the plan formulated with Darcy and Keira. She glanced at the clock on her dresser and noted that it was time to start gathering what she would need to get ready for the wedding. Her dress and veil were already at the church, but she needed her shoes, makeup and hair accessories. Keira and Darcy would be helping her to apply her makeup and arrange her hair.

This new development from breakfast with Carissa further solidified Rhaya's decision to abscond from her wedding day. She didn't love the groom and couldn't stand to remain any longer than ten minutes in his presence. In addition, she knew of his plans for her to meet with an unknown "accident", one from which he would make certain that she would not survive. Then there's that last, pesky detail. Her heart would always belong to a treasure-hunting sea captain, and that was unlikely to change.

***

Crowley paced back and forth beneath the tree while he waited for his counterpart to arrive. He had received a message from a member of the governor's staff, asking for a meeting. The note said it was important and pertained to the upcoming nuptials of Lady Rhaya and Lord Ashton. Crowley was of the opinion that the wedding was ill-advised, due to his perceived reluctance on the part of the bride-to-be.

When he heard the soft footsteps to his right, his hand immediately flew to the dagger at his side. Before he could draw it, the mysterious stranger called out. "Captain Crowley? Thank you for meeting me here." The visitor stepped into view, with beams from the moonlight allowing him to recognize her.

"Ah, Captain Keira, I presume," he drawled. "Currently of The Aurora, as inherited from Sydney "The Sparrow" upon her retirement," he remarked.

She nodded. "I appreciate you meeting me on such short notice and hope you can help me. I assume you are here for the wedding of my sister and her pig of a fiancé," she started. At Crowley's nod of confirmation, she continued. "This wedding must not take place, for many reasons. Not the least of which is Rhaya has developed feelings for Captain Dean Winchester."

Crowley snickered. "You don't say? Well, will wonders never cease. And what, pray tell, does this have to do with me?" he asked.

Keira explained the plan, or as much as had been formulated so far. Crowley listened intently, nodding where appropriate and offering his own suggestions. When she was finished presenting her case, she kept her gaze firmly locked on her fellow captain. "Can we count on your assistance, Captain Crowley?"

He thoughtfully stroked his bearded chin before his face broke into a wide grin. "From one captain to another, I will assist you in your endeavor. The lady Rhaya deserves much better than she has been promised to. Not to mention, it will give me no end of amusement to see Lord Jerk-Face get ditched at the altar," he muttered, sticking out his hand.

A look of gratitude passed over Keira's face as she shook Captain Crowley's hand. "Thank you, Captain, I swear you won't regret this. I promise to see that you are more than fairly compensated at the conclusion of this fiasco," she vowed. After giving Crowley a salute and receiving one in return, Keira reminded him to wait by the tree for the next phase of the plan.

On her way back to the mansion, Connor, the captain of the guards, was on his way to meet her. "Captain Keira, a ship has just entered our sovereign waters, The Black Diamond, and is asking for permission to dock in our harbor. However, Lady Carissa gave strict orders that our harbor is to be closed from now until the newlyweds depart. What shall I do?" he wondered.

Keira pinched the bridge of her nose and gave an exasperated sigh. "Of course she'd order that," she mumbled. "Connor, I've known you almost as long as I've known Rhaya, and I'm sure you'd want what's best for her. In that spirit, please grant docking privileges to The Black Diamond. I accept full responsibility from Lady Carissa," she affirmed, then glanced at her watch. "I am expected to meet with Rhaya to start getting ready for the wedding, so I must take my leave."

"I will do as you suggest, Captain Keira," he nodded, then took a half-step closer to her. "I hope I won't be out of line when I ask if you have some sort of plan for our dear Rhaya?" he asked.

"Absolutely, Connor," she smirked. "Please ask Captain Winchester to meet Captain Crowley at my favorite tree, the one where Rhaya and I first met." He agreed and watched as Keira continued on her way.

***

Rhaya sat in her chair at the vanity, absently twirling a makeup brush while she waited for her partners in crime. The plan was simple enough, sensible, not too many moving parts. She only hoped it was sufficient to ensure the ultimate outcome of her non-marriage to Ashton. If for some reason this didn't work, well....she shuddered to think of the alternative.

Keira and Darcy entered the room around fifteen minutes later and began the process of preparing the bride. Rhaya's hair was styled in a classic updo, with wispy tendrils on each side loosely curled to frame her face. Her makeup was kept minimal, using mostly neutral colors to allow her natural beauty to shine through.

After those tasks were completed, the women helped the bride to step into her dress. While Darcy laced the corseted bodice, Rhaya closed her eyes and allowed her thoughts to drift towards Dean. Though it had only been a short two weeks since she had last seen him, it had seemed like the longest two weeks of her life.

It was more than just his friendship she missed. His absence made her heart ache to be with him, see him. She longed to look into his mossy green eyes and not find judgment in them for being her true self in his presence. Especially now, she craved the safety and security she felt when his arms were around her. Only now was she finally able to admit to herself that she loved him, and had been in love with him for some time.

"Time for your veil, my dearest friend," Darcy nudged softly. Rhaya gestured with her hand to where the veil was draped over the back of a chair. The silver tiara was simple, yet held no shortage of crystals to add sparkle to the occasion. Darcy situated it in her hair, careful not to disturb the locks piled on top of her head. Keira fanned out the piece of netting at the back to ensure no wrinkles, then moved to stand in front of the bride.

"For what it's worth, you look beautiful, Sis. Are you ready?" Keira asked as she and Darcy each took one of Rhaya's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze in consolation.

Rhaya took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," she replied. A knock sounded at the door and she heard her father's voice from the other side announcing it was time to go. Rhaya picked up her bouquet and the trio headed for the door.

Keira and Darcy stepped out first in their floor-length bridesmaids' dresses made of navy blue crèpe back satin, with a lace overlay on the bodice. Their hair and makeup were similar in style to the bride, and each carried a bouquet of white roses with a red ribbon woven among them.

Lord Darius gave each woman a beaming smile and expressed how lovely they looked before giving them a peck on the cheek. When he turned to his daughter, his eyes became glossy as he realized she was no longer his little girl, but a full-grown woman on her wedding day. "How I wish your mother was here to see this," he whispered, a lone tear streaking down his cheek. "Whatever happens today, I want you to know I love you very much, Rhaya."

Tears were threatening in her own eyes as the magnitude of the occasion and all that would unfold suddenly caught up with her. "I love you too, Papa," she replied softly. "Quick, pass me your handkerchief, please. Darcy will have my head if I ruin the work she put in on my makeup," she chuckled.

He did as she asked and watched as she carefully dabbed at her eyes. Once she had her emotions somewhat under control again, he kissed her forehead. Then he reached up and brought the veil down over her face. The doors then opened, and the music began to play the chosen piece for the march down the aisle. There were many expressions of approval rippling among the guests as the bride and her father walked past the pews.

At the altar, Lord Darius placed Rhaya's hand in Ashton's, then moved to take his place at Carissa's side. Rhaya hazarded a glance at her stepmother, who had a satisfied smirk on her face, certain that she had won this particular battle, if not the war. A grin twitched at the corners of Rhaya's mouth, because she knew the day was only getting started.

"Please be seated," the officiant commanded. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today...."

***

Dean was met at the docks by Connor, who relayed Keira's message for him to meet someone in the trees behind the estate. The message was cryptic, but he trusted that the meeting was all part of Keira's plan, thus he followed its instructions. When he got to the designated spot, he could see no one waiting for him. He was about to leave when a figure emerged from behind the giant trunk.

"Captain Winchester I presume?" the man inquired.

"Who's asking?" Dean countered, his hand on his sword.

"Name's Fergus McLeod, but I'm better known as Crowley, Captain of The Moon Raider. I'm here on official business for Lady Rhaya and her friends, whose objective is to stop the wedding," he revealed.

Dean relaxed a bit and held out his hand for Crowley to shake. "I've heard of you. Nice to meet you in person, and I appreciate your help." Leaning closer, he asked, "By the way, what exactly is the plan?"

"Right now, we need to get you and Sam to the church, so I'll explain on the way." Dean started to follow, then stopped short at the mention of his brother. Crowley rolled his eyes at the unasked question of how he knew Sam had tagged along to the meeting. "Your brother must not have done well at Hide-and-Seek when you were wee Winchesters. He sticks out like a sore thumb. C'mon, we don't have much time," Crowley remarked.

***

The officiant had nearly finished his speech about how important it was to love, honor, respect, and cherish each other. Then he asked the most crucial question. "If anyone here knows of any reason why these two individuals should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Rhaya waited anxiously for someone, preferably Dean, to speak up on her behalf. As the silence grew, so did the beating of her heart until she thought it would nearly leap out of her chest. When a respectable amount of time had passed with no objections, the officiant smiled and prepared to resume the ceremony. Rhaya's heart plummeted to her shoes at the prospect of being legally bound to Ashton, and with that, she would always be at his mercy.

"Do you, Lord Ashton Kane, take Rhaya Payton to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forth?" the officiant asked.

"I do," Ashton replied with a fake smile.

The officiant turned his attention to Rhaya. "And do you, Rhaya Payton, take Ashton Kane to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forth?"

Rhaya looked into Ashton's eyes and saw nothing but a hardness and an arrogance, with no love for her in them. She was determined to not be trapped in a miserable marriage with him. If Dean wouldn't save her by bursting through the doors and declaring his love, then she would have to save herself. "I....I....," she managed to get out before collapsing to the floor in a puddle of white.

Chaos erupted at the altar, with Keira attempting to assess Rhaya's condition among the ever-growing crowd. Lord Darius broke through and knelt at his daughter's side while bellowing at people to back away and give the bride some room to breathe.

Keira clasped Rhaya's right hand while checking her pulse with the left. She felt an almost imperceptible pressure on her right hand, then noticed a minute twitch in Rhaya's nose. To her relief, Keira realized this was the signal from the bride that it wasn't a true fainting spell.

Nonetheless, she had to get Rhaya somewhere more quiet to reassess the situation. Fortunately, she saw Connor weaving his way through the crowd to offer his assistance, so she called out to him. When he finally reached Keira's position, she told him what had happened. The captain of the guards scooped Rhaya up in his arms and took her back to the room she was in before the ceremony.

***

Carissa was a mixture of emotions as she watched the picture-perfect wedding crumble before her eyes. She was so close to getting what she wanted, and then Rhaya had to go and faint in front of everyone at her own wedding. Appearances meant everything to Carissa, and this certainly didn't help matters any.

Ashton was sure to be embarrassed by her stepdaughter's inability to suck it up long enough to say "I do". Lord Darius, of course, was beside himself, worried about his precious daughter. He rushed after Connor and the others back to the dressing room, where the doctor waited. Carissa moved to follow her husband, but was stopped short by a look that said he preferred she wait for him to return with news.

Maybe it was the stress of Rhaya trying to meet everyone's expectations of her, or her objection to an arranged marriage that caused her to faint. Frankly, Carissa didn't care. All that mattered was that at the end of the day, Rhaya was legally bound to Ashton in holy matrimony. However, the more Carissa thought about it, the more her anger grew at the distinct possibility that some shenanigans were brewing.

Carissa turned just in time to see Lord Ashton stomping over to where she was standing at the back of the church. "What in the hell is going on? One minute she's about to say 'I do', the next minute she's on the floor passed out!! She must be plotting something," he muttered. "For all we know, she could be escaping out of the window of that little room where they're keeping her!"

"Get a grip, Ashton," Carissa hissed. "I agree, her behavior is rather suspicious, but I have given her ample warning of what will happen if she does not follow through. Besides, I have guards stationed at every possible exit. They are under strict orders that if she tries to escape, one of them will see her and not allow her to leave the grounds," she assured him.

Ashton snorted. "Most of those guards have known her since she was a child. Those who haven't will take their cues from the more senior members of the guard," he grumbled. He scanned the crowd to see if Rhaya was somehow trying to blend in with the crowd to then make her escape. Finally, his eyes landed on Lucifer and a few of his men, standing around and taking in the scene. Ashton marched over to the group with a plan forming in his mind.

"Well, well, Lord Ashton, seems you're having some trouble closing this deal," Lucifer smirked.

"If you want to keep that bonus, you'll help me make sure my bride doesn't escape," Ashton seethed.

Lucifer shrugged. "From what I can see, the escape routes are all blocked by the governor's guards," he replied.

"I want people I can....trust, and unfortunately, you with your men are the best candidates. That's who I need to be guarding the exit points, not Lady Rhaya's 'friends'," he snapped.

"Fine," Lucifer muttered, before going over to his men. He relayed Ashton's instructions, but with a few modifications to make sure the deal was upheld.

"Now, I'm going in there to make sure she finishes what was started," Ashton grumbled as he started towards the back room.

Right as Carissa had picked up her skirts to follow him, Lord Darius returned to her side to give an update to his wife and his daughter's almost-husband. "Rhaya's fine, she just got a bit overwhelmed with the magnitude of the day's events. Keira and Darcy are in with her now, getting her calmed down enough to where she can continue with the ceremony."

Carissa looked at her husband in disbelief, as if he'd sprouted another head. "Are you serious? The three of them are plotting something, I'm sure of it, and I'm going to find out what," she declared. She started to head towards the back room, determined to put a stop to whatever mischief was being plotted.

At that moment, the bride reappeared, veil covering her face, ready to begin the ceremony again. Carissa and Ashton made their way back up the aisle, their actions assuring everyone that the wedding would pick up where it left off.

Once she reached the altar, Carissa moved into her designated pew and Ashton took his place in front of the officiant, while Lord Darius escorted the bride. He turned to face the bride before giving her away again to Ashton. When the governor lifted the veil, a collective gasp rippled through the church.

"YOU'RE NOT RHAYA!!" Ashton thundered.

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