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Tara checked the spell ingredients once more before setting the silver bowl at the edge of the circle. It could be dangerous, and it could cost her everything, but this was her last chance at curing her mother. Tina had been on a trip to Italy, and accidentally touched the violin of Niccolò Paganini. The violin held a strange curse, and it caused Tina's body to begin slowly crumbling to dust.
Tara had thrown herself into research, praying she could find a cure for such an obscure curse. When she finally found it, her mother's left leg from the knee down had crumbled away entirely. At first, Tara rejoiced at finding a way to heal her mother, but then she began to assemble the ingredients and hit a wall: the final component was impossible to obtain. The curative spell said she needed "a single note blown from the horn of the ancient dragon consort of the Goddess of Dragons."
Sam and Dean had never heard of such a thing, and Bobby's library turned up no answers. Castiel claimed that Heaven had no dealings with dragons. Charlie chittered in glee and bounced off chanting about Tiamat, and how could it be real? Even Rowena couldn't help her, and Tara was getting desperate. She finally gave up, and decided to ask Crowley for help. She had hoped to avoid calling on the handsome King of Hell, worried about the cost and about revealing her feelings towards him.
Tara double checked her spell. This Had to work! Crowley was the only one left who would be able to help her. The normal summons hadn't worked, and neither had the cell number Sam had given her when she begged for help. Taking a deep breath, she dropped the flaming match into the bowl and began to chant.
Komdu til mín, ó helvítiskonungur.
Þegar ég kalla á þig, komdu fram, Crowley, helvítiskonungur.
Vertu bundinn mér, eins og ég bind þig.
Taktu í hönd mína, og ég mun taka í þína.
Giftu þig mér og vertu hjá mér, að eilífu.
Komdu fram! Megi svo vera!
A strange, golden glow filled the devil's trap at her feet. A thin ribbon of that golden glow snaked towards her and twined around her left hand and wrist, intricate Celtic knots settling in whispy tracery on her skin.
The glow in the center of the trap solidified into the King of Hell himself. His eyebrows raised in pleased surprise as he saw Tara, and he straightened the cuffs of his elegantly tailored suit as he took in his surroundings.
"Well well. Hello, Darling" His voice, like granite wrapped in silk, sent a shiver down her spine. As his focus on her intensified, she couldn't help but to swallow nervously and lick her lips. Crowley's eyes followed the movement, and a wicked grin chased across his handsome face. "Oh, yes. Definitely. I accept." He began to chant, in the same cadence as her summoning spell.
Bind þig mér, verð drottning helvítis, þú sem stendur frammi fyrir mér í fegurð.
Eins og þú kallaðir mig, svo kom ég.
Eins og þú batt mig, svo bind ég þig.
Taktu hönd mína, og ég mun taka þína.
Giftast mér og vertu hjá mér, að eilífu.
So Mote it Be.
The golden lights which had been circling him suddenly flowed outward to encompass her. Tara felt a steady heat on her left hand where the thin lights had been, and looked down to see that they had thickened, deepened, and sunk into her skin. It felt as though it Should hurt, but instead glided over her skin like a lover's touch. The flow of golden light around their feet dimmed, and settled to a gentle shimmering on the floor.
"Ah, good. Come here, Love." Crowley said.
Tara had time to blink in confusion before his left hand rose, also wrapped in intricate golden knots, and drew her to the very edge of the circle with a gesture. Crowley held out his hand and she took it, not noticing that the trap was broken.
His accent rolled into her ears like water as he asked her "What do you need, my Darling? Why did you Call the King of Hell?"
Tara took a deep breath. "My mother. She's dying. She needs 'a single note blown from the horn of the ancient dragon consort of the Goddess of Dragons.' I've looked everywhere, scoured every book, checked every source. The only clues I could find said the 'Lord of the Dark would have what you seek.' I thought that must be you, and maybe you would be willing to help me. But then a regular summon wouldn't work, and Sam gave me a cell phone number, but that gave me a voicemail to Juliette's treats and scones shop, and I found this in an old book and I..."
Crowley interrupted her, gently. "Shhhh. Shh shh shh, Petal. Take a breath. It's all right." He wiped a tear from her cheek, then snapped his fingers. "And we don't need all that. There. Mum's all well."
Tara looked at him in disbelief, and then her cell phone rang. "Mom? Mommy? Are you... what? All well? Just.... just now? The whole leg? That's amazing!" Her eyes turned to Crowley in wonder. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. Mmhmm. Sunday dinner? Yes, of course! I love you, Mom." She hung up the phone and burst into tears of joy and relief. Crowley pulled her to him and she buried her head in his shoulder to let it all out.
"You fixed her!" Tara sniffled, pulling back to look up into his deep hazel eyes. "I thought she was...I never thought you could.... oh, Thank you! Thank you!" She flung her arms around the demon Lord, and continued to sob. He gently patted her back, shushing her and gently rocking them from side to side. As her tears stopped, Tara realized that they had not discussed the price of this little miracle. She pulled back from Crowley.
"Will..." she hesitated. "Will this cost me my soul?"
Crowley blinked at her, clearly not having expected this.
"Your soul? You've already given me your Hand." Tara tilted her head, confusion clear in her bright blue eyes. She looked down at their left hands where their fingers intertwined. "You healed my mother because I held your hand? I don't understand."
He sighed. "I know you're cleverer than this, Darling. I've seen you around Moose and Squirrel, using your brilliant mind to help them in ways they never realized. You Gave me" he lifted their left hands, still entwined in knots of golden light, and turned them palm to palm "your Hand. You didn't Summon me. You Proposed to me. And I accepted. We are handfasted. Joined. Married for all time as your spell said."
Tara's shock was clear on her face. "I..... I what?"
Crowley rolled his eyes, then gestured with his right hand. Tara's voice, chanting the spell, filled her ears. Only, this time, layered over her spoken words was the translation:
Come to me, O King of Hell.
When I call upon you, come forth, Crowley, King of Hell.
Be bound to me, as I bind you.
Take my hand, and I will take yours.
Marry me and abide with me, forever.
Come forth! So be it!
Her pretty mouth fell open. "But. But, I... but, you!"
Crowley smiled gently and shook his head. "I accepted, Pet." His answering chant then filled the air, translating again as she heard:
Bind yourself to me, become the queen of hell, you who stand before me in beauty.
As you called me, so I came.
As you bound me, so I bind you.
Take my hand, and I will take yours.
Marry me and abide with me, forever.
So Mote it Be.
The room fell into silence as the spell ended. "I'm so confused" Tara murmured, looking up at Crowley's smiling face. "Why would you accept that? Why would you accept me?" She gestured to herself, clearly dismissive. "I'm nothing special. Just some woman."
He placed a finger on her lips. "Ah ah, Darling. I don't allow anyone to speak ill of my Queen. Nothing special, she says. I'm going to have to fill the palace with mirrors, so you can see the beauty I see." His hand caressed a chocolate brown curl near her ear, saying "The finest silks," brushed a thumb under her eye "the richest sapphires," glided his thumb over her lips "the softest rose petals," placed a hand on the curve of her waist "and the sweetest curves, and you call this 'Just some woman?"
Crowley took a half step back. "And your mind! My Darling. You found and invoked an ancient Icelandic spell that even I didn't know existed, after discovering what was wrong with dear Mummy, working out what she needed to fix her, and then finding that I was the only one who could fix it!" He chortled with joy.
"But this heart of yours, my sweet. You've been interested in me a long time. I've seen the way your breath quickens, and your cheeks flush when I've come to the bunker. Seen the way you dart glances at me when you think I'm not looking. Then of course, we have the fact that this binding spell only works if there is true affection." Tara smiled at him, surprised and pleased that he had noticed so much, and that her interest has been returned. "You've lost your heart to the King of Hell. And captured mine in return. So" he purred, eyes full of fire and hope. "We've said I do. May I kiss you?"
Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink and she dropped her eyes shyly, nodding.
"Oh now That's a lovely color. I do adore a blushing bride."
Pulling her closer, Crowley gently placed a kiss on the back of her left hand.
"My Darling."
He gave another to the back of her right.
"My Queen."
Turning her hands over, he grazed his soft lips along her inner right wrist.
"My Goddess."
His beard scratched lightly across her palm as he kissed her left inner wrist.
"My evening star."
Tara melted in his arms as he drew both of her hands behind his neck, then slid his arms around her waist.
"My absolutely delectable Divinity.
I am yours to command.
And you are mine to devour."
Her happy gasp was cut off as he kissed her deeply, claiming her mouth as one hand slid to the back of her neck, cradling her head in his warm palm. As she pressed close to her new husband, Tara thought to herself "This was the best spell Ever!"