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The gem was flawless, Tony thought through his horrified disassociation. At least he wasn’t going to have to live with a flawed jewel embedded into his fucking chest. Ideally he’d have no gem in his body, but if he was going to be magically disfigured at least it was going to be with a high quality product. He found himself laughing hysterically as he watched them prepare the spell, unable to keep a stoic poker face when confronted with the reality of what was going to happen to him.
It wasn’t like Tony could do anything but laugh. Thick leather held him strapped down to the table.
He could wish, he supposed, but he’d learned years ago that wishes didn’t count for anything. After his father had died, Obie had decided to make his move, no longer content to play puppet master in the background, and Tony had been in the way of his plans.
Tony’s attempt at rebellion lasted about a season before all of his supporters were banished, or killed. He hadn’t seen Rhodey or Pepper in almost a year, but on his more optimistic days he was pretty sure they were still alive.
Since the last of his support was crushed, Tony had been almost completely confined to his rooms. Obie hadn’t trusted that he would behave himself, which was a reasonable assumption. Any interactions with the outside world were strictly constrained, but he had a window overlooking a courtyard and every week there was a fresh batch of flowers in the vases he could see. They weren’t always the same flowers, but the message was consistent. Hope, courage, loyalty, friendship, endurance. It might have been a coincidence, but it was nice to have something to pin his hopes on.
“Come now, my boy, don’t look so upset.” The fire in the corner sent light and shadow dancing over Obie’s face, making him look particularly fiendish as he propped one hip onto the table Tony was strapped to. He reached out, caressing Tony’s face in a warped perversion of intimacy.
“It’s just a small procedure and then you can go outside again. You wanted to go outside again, right?”
“I think I’m good inside for a while longer.” Tony tried, trying to squirm away from the man. Obie didn’t seem to notice, or maybe he just didn’t care. “It’s getting colder out. Maybe we can try again in the summer.”
“Always a joker.” Obie said fondly as he picked up a multi-prong set of tongs, then used that to pluck the gem from the table. He held it up. The light distorted around it weirdly, like it was absorbing the light and putting it off again itself. Tony couldn't help but shudder.
“I didn’t want to do this to you, Tony. This is the consequence of your misbehavior.”
Tony didn’t have time to answer before the gem was pressed into his chest.
He screamed. The gem burned into his chest and Tony could feel it reaching out to his mind, tendrils creeping into his soul as much as his body. He didn’t know which was worse. Both were terrible. He thrashed against his restraints, entirely mindless in his pain and terror.
And then it was over.
Obie patted him on his sweaty hair and then left. Tony was alone, shaking with the aftershocks of the procedure, with a faint glow emitting from his chest. He could feel his face was wet with tears, but inside he just felt numb.
–
They did let him go outside now. The first thing Obie did was take him on the road, some trip designed to quell the rumors of Obie’s illegitimate rule. The wound in his chest had healed with magical swiftness, but the light still simmered, flaring angrily whenever Tony dared defy an order. It had been nice to get outside. It was less nice for Tony to have to discover the limits of his free will in such a public space.
Tony was almost relieved to be locked back in his room, even though it didn’t need to be locked anymore. They simply had to command him to stay, and he would stay.
So now he stared at the candle on his small table, watching the hours of his life go up in smoke. They would come for him when it was on the 5th mark to bring him to dinner. It was supposed to be an honor, some visiting nobel house. Tony was hungry, but he still spent a brief moment considering not going, even though he knew that his rejection of their plans would only last a moment until someone commanded his attendance. And then he would attend.
A flash of color caught his eye outside the window. The arrangement outside his window had changed, now it was peppered with the small blossoms of Valerian. Readiness. Tony frowned, trying to figure out what that would mean.
–
“He’s very well behaved,” Obie smirked and Tony plastered on a fake smile as the praise felt like humiliation. The redhead- he couldn’t remember her name, he had problems remembering recently -simpered at him equally vacant.
“It could be a very advantageous match.” Tony heard and his blood ran cold. This wasn’t just a dinner. He was being… studded out. This was people trying to set him up to marry. His anger flared as Obie and the man who was apparently the woman’s foster father talked about the dowry. That had to be the reason for this whole farce. It wasn’t enough to have control over the entirety of Tony’s lands, he needed more. More money, more lands, more power through Tony as a puppet on someone else’s throne. And there was nothing Tony could do about it. Shouldn’t have paid corrupt sorcerers for magical control jewels if you were on a budget, Tony though sourly.
“I would love to get to know you better, my Lord,” the redhead said, drawing Tony’s attention back to the conversation. “Maybe you could come with us, back to our lands. I may be silly, but I’d like to imagine knowing my husband before we make our vows at the altar.”
Obie started to bluster, Tony knew he didn’t want to risk Tony out on his own, but apparently he wanted this arrangement more so he settled just when the lady’s doting father deftly cut off Obie’s protests. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. Of course nothing improper would happen. The Lady Natasha will be well chaperoned. If they should determine that the match will not work, then we shall at least part as allies.”
Tony let himself drift again as they talked about logistics. He’d go where he was told, after all. At the end of the dinner, Lady Natasha caught his arm. “I’ll see you in the morning, Lord Stark. Sleep well. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
–
“You will be well behaved. You will not tell anyone about the gem. You will represent House Stark honorably.”
Tony was back in his rooms with Stane looming over him, setting his latest restrictions into his bones while servants bustled around, packing for him.
“And how do you expect me to hide this?” Tony gestured angrily to his chest, to where the glowing gem burned.
“It would be completely improper to remove your shirt around a Lady. I don’t expect it will be a problem at all.”
–
“You’re welcome to call me Natasha,” the Lady had said as soon as they were on the road. “I can’t stand all the formalities.”
Tony nodded, mindful of his manners but then the woman hiked up her skirt, swung her leg over the horse, out of her proper sidesaddle and kicked her horse into a gallop.
Off to his right, Tony heard the fondly exasperated sigh of the head of her guard. “Are you a rider, Lord Stark?”
“Well enough.”
“Then try not to fall off,” the man called as he urged his horse to follow. Tony grinned, unable to resist the challenge.
The race was exhilarating. The feeling of the horse under him, the target ahead of him, her red hair flaring like a flag. And her guard beside him, grinning boyishly under his helmet. Tony felt his heart pounding in a way that he hadn’t felt in years. He felt clear. He felt free.
Natasha had abandoned them on the side of the road, telling them there was a pond and she wanted to bathe. Being proper gentlemen, they would, of course, wait for her to finish. Since the rest of the wagons were now well behind, the two men had nothing to do but lounge under the shade of the trees and wait.
And waiting led to chatting and laughing. Steve had been the head of Natasha’s guard for years and was surprisingly easy to talk to. Tony was struck by a sensation that he’d been here before. He’d been young and happy and there had been blond hair and sparkling blue eyes…
The wagons rumbled up the road, and Natasha re-emerged from the woods, missing several layers of petticoat but looking greatly refreshed. Steve offered his hand, helping Tony to his feet. Their touch lingered for a moment, before Tony turned abruptly back to his horse.
No, nope nope absolutely not. He absolutely could not do that right now. He was on a journey to get to know his future wife and Stane had ordered him to behave. Falling in love with the guard was not behaving and, most importantly, would be rude to their host. Natasha seemed lovely. Tony would hate to do that to her.
–
Several days later, Tony was starting to suspect that Natasha had ulterior motives.
His opportunity to converse with Steve by the side of the road had not been a one-time thing. In fact, the number of times he’d been left alone with Steve was beyond coincidence.
“I’m starting to get the feeling she’s doing this on purpose.” Tony grumbled as he and Steve sat under yet another picturesque tree.
“Oh she definitely is.” Steve agreed, passing Tony a hunk of cheese and bread.
“I just don’t understand why.”
There was a long pause as Steve pointedly looked anywhere but Tony. The man had no poker face. Tony couldn’t wait to play cards with him, but Natasha had banned the game during the trip. Something about people being too easily worked up.
“You know what’s happening.” Tony accused.
“I do.”
“Don’t you think I have the right to know?” Steve had previously shown himself to be greatly concerned by fairness, and the bid worked. Steve sighed.
“Lady Natasha has a companion back at home. She was concerned that if you two were to marry, you would find yourself lonely and thought we could be good friends.”
Tony blinked at that, and translated that into the court politics he knew. Natasha had a lover and was trying to match Tony with someone she hoped would be equally fulfilling for him.
Well, it was working.The woman had good taste.
Steve was handsome, kind, and surprisingly witty. Tony had watched him spend ages trying to untangle a fawn from a bramble, getting kicked and scratched for his efforts but had just watched the animal scamper off with such a fond smile on his face that Tony was struck with the almost irresistible urge to kiss him.
He had told himself he would at least hold off until they reached their destination. As long as they did whatever they did in private, he wouldn’t be doing anything to sully the name of House Stark. But now he was being told that whatever he did would be with Natasha’s blessing.
That had Tony’s heart beating fast with excitement. There were lots of things men could do together that didn’t require taking off one’s shirt. Of course, then he might also not be able to see whatever Steve was hiding under his clothing, which was disappointing, but maybe he could call it scarring, bandage himself up. Tony could make this work. Tony really wanted to make this work.
He turned back to Steve, and was surprised to feel his smile turn shy at the look of hope in Steve’s eyes. “I think I would like to be your friend.”
–
“Steve told you?” Natasha said, riding next to Tony later in the day.
“Steve did,” Tony confirmed. “And I have no issues with the arrangement.”
“Excellent.” Then Natasha leaned closer, “I’ve heard he’s a very giving lover.”
She galloped off, laughing, while Tony sputtered for an answer.
An absolute Vixen. Tony almost couldn’t believe it was the same woman he had met at the dinner. That she had managed to disguise her intelligence so completely was a skill in itself. Tony had the feeling he was going to like living with her.
–
Tony was almost disappointed when they reached their destination. The journey had been the most refreshing trip he’d had in a long time. He was distracted from his disappointment by a flash of red. He looked up to see a woman with red hair approaching them and briefly wondered how Natasha had gotten ahead of them until the woman got closer.
“Pepper?” Tony slid from his horse, hardly daring to believe his eyes. “Pepper!” and behind her was Rhodey, and Tony was stumbling forward into the arms of his dearest friends.
Still clutching them, Tony turned to look as Natasha and Steve approached and all the pieces clicked into place.
“You're not planning on sending me back after this trip, are you? You have some other plans.”
“Well, let’s just say we want to help you get back to your proper place,” Natasha said, her grin like a knife.
Tony felt himself grinning back. It was nice to have some hope.