[ Of course Dean doesn't understand. He doesn't know anything about how their community operates, and why should he? Though he was chosen by God, it was only a recent decision, apparently. He has all the knowledge of an outsider, still. Castiel sighs with the weight of responsibility, and failure, and how much Dean doesn't understand. At the sound of Dean picking up the tray, though, Castiel looks up. Though he tries to keep his expression unchanged and his eyes up on Dean's, conversational, he's gladdened, and deeply relieved, to see Dean eating anything at all. ]
This isn't how I expected you to be treated.
[ He's mentioned it before, apologized already, but he doesn't mind repeating it as many times as it takes for Dean to believe. Castiel looks around the room, frowning at the chain drilled into the stone wall and similar hooks in place at other points. A cellar for storage, he'd believed. How many other times has Naomi or someone like her "stored" prisoners here? And Castiel, born here, raised here all his life, had no idea. ]
No one should be treated this way.
[ What Castiel can actually do about it, though, is another problem. He lets his legs unfold and leans back further against the wall with his hands crossed loosely in his lap, relaxing a bit more now that Dean is drinking and eating, and in some small way being cared for, at last. ]
Our community is like a bridge. We support each other, lean on each other. There are rankings, position of responsibility earned by trust. The more you aid the community and help it to thrive, the higher rank you earn. You gain more responsibility, and more people are trusted in your care.
[ It's a lot to explain, but hopefully that bit of backstory will help answer Dean's question now, as Castiel fills in the rest of the blanks. ]
Uriel is a member of my garrison, below me in rank. His life is in my care, and by ordering his aid in retrieving you, when I was already injured and you were no longer restrained, I violated his trust, and thus the trust of the community.
[ As if that weren't enough reason for discipline, though, Castiel had taken one more giant leap in the wrong direction. ]
no subject
This isn't how I expected you to be treated.
[ He's mentioned it before, apologized already, but he doesn't mind repeating it as many times as it takes for Dean to believe. Castiel looks around the room, frowning at the chain drilled into the stone wall and similar hooks in place at other points. A cellar for storage, he'd believed. How many other times has Naomi or someone like her "stored" prisoners here? And Castiel, born here, raised here all his life, had no idea. ]
No one should be treated this way.
[ What Castiel can actually do about it, though, is another problem. He lets his legs unfold and leans back further against the wall with his hands crossed loosely in his lap, relaxing a bit more now that Dean is drinking and eating, and in some small way being cared for, at last. ]
Our community is like a bridge. We support each other, lean on each other. There are rankings, position of responsibility earned by trust. The more you aid the community and help it to thrive, the higher rank you earn. You gain more responsibility, and more people are trusted in your care.
[ It's a lot to explain, but hopefully that bit of backstory will help answer Dean's question now, as Castiel fills in the rest of the blanks. ]
Uriel is a member of my garrison, below me in rank. His life is in my care, and by ordering his aid in retrieving you, when I was already injured and you were no longer restrained, I violated his trust, and thus the trust of the community.
[ As if that weren't enough reason for discipline, though, Castiel had taken one more giant leap in the wrong direction. ]
And I ordered him to call an ambulance for me.