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It wasn’t supposed to happen. Her parents had been desperate. Her father searching day and night to find a cure. Inventions, vaccines, herbal remedies, anything. It wasn’t until her mother finally reached out to the city’s Witch was a solution found.
“I was wondering how long it would take before you came to me.” The “Witch” was beautiful and she played it to her advantage well. Fiery red hair reminded all of the power she wielded. Her dress was simple, black fabric that cling to her body with a red hour glass panel that went from straight down the center.
“Lord Stark, Lady Potts. You’re precious princess.” It was an endearment, while Darcy was no princess, being the daughter of a lord whose lands were ever expanding and developing with the times. Her parents treated her like a princess, one who was fulfil her duties without complaint.
“She’s fallen ill, and it won’t get better. You need a cure because without an heir, without an advantageous marriage all you worked for all you given, all your love will be for naught.” The woman cackled as she grabbed items of her shelves.
Lady Pepper Potts was not a lady to be trifled with, she kept her features neutral while her feelings were exploding within her. This woman was mocking her pain.
“Life is pain, anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.” The woman sneered.
“What must we do? To ensure our daughter’s life? I don’t care if she never marries, I don’t care if we lose everything as long as she is alive and we all can live happily.”
Lord Stark crossed his arms clearly dismayed with how the negotiations were being handled. Pepper was being to lenient and if they had more time Tony was sure he could save his daughter, maybe he could manufacture…
“You know very well you don’t have the means to save your daughter yourself Stark. Or you wouldn’t be here.” She dismissed his half thought response as Tony snapped his mouth shut to keep from ruining their chances. He’d do anything for his girls and if that meant groveling to this woman. He’d do it.
“I can’t save her life.” She said as she closed a book and grabbed a vial tossing it into a large bowl over a fire. “But I can make sure she’ll live till the person who can comes along.” She poured a silver liquid into a bottle and pressed it to Pepper’s hands.
“Build a safe place for her. Then give her this. And leave her be. When the time comes she’ll return to you.”
Without any other direction, the pair founded themselves outside her door without the bottle in their hands.
What do you see
You people gazing at me
~*~
King Steven and his Queen Margaret were quite fond of the Starks. Or Stark-Potts as was their preference. While the Starks were older, probably more suited to the throne, Steve and Peggy were chosen after they turned it down. Tony prefer to tinker with his devices while Pepper disregarded the politics of the nobility, though, Peggy often came to her for advice.
Steve had been just a few years older than Tony’s daughter Darcy when he took the throne and made Peggy his Queen and his best friend Captain of the Guard. James Buchanan Barnes had kept Steve out of trouble his whole life. Detouring thugs when Steve for all his stubbornness was set on doing the right thing even if it cost him his life.
When Steve took the throne the previous family had bestowed a final gift. The gift of life. The once sickly, weak, frail boy was transformed into a muscular, fit and healthy man. While Steve didn’t need Bucky saving him all the time, he still needed his friend. Putting him in charge of Steve and Peggy’s safety seemed to be the best course of action. At the time at least. Currently Steven was regretting that decision.
You see a doll on a music box
That’s wound by a key
“What do you mean Darcy is missing?” Bucky practically growled as Steve assigned him his next mission.
Tony and Pepper had come to him, explaining that they had exhausted every option before turning to the Black Widow. The cunning witch who’d given him his life to rule. She seemed kind enough, with her own agenda but generally helpful.
She told them in order to cure their daughter they had to follow her instruction to the T. Now after doing all that, Darcy was missing from her temporary home.
“Why didn’t they come to you, you’re their King. Darcy’s just…” Bucky shook his head and released the first he’d curled. He hadn’t told a soul what Darcy meant to him. He remembered the first time she saw her in court, the way she was shy at first but quickly became comfortable. the way she smiled at him when Steve introduced them. He especially remembered Tony’s glare when he asked Darcy to dance at her first royal ball.
He hadn’t confessed his feelings. She never let on that she was ill, that she was slowing dying. Being taken away before she even had a chance to live.
“It doesn’t matter, what matters now is Darcy’s return, we both know Natasha won’t give up any information until whatever she set out to accomplish is done. So just start at the ward where Darcy was and hopefully that will lead us somewhere.” Bucky was going to argue, but the look on Steve’s face silenced him. Darcy was a ray of sunshine when she visited the court. Carefree and opinionated every inch of her mother and father.
The spider liked to play games with people, well; Bucky wouldn’t let Darcy be a pawn in her game. He’s bring Darcy back and confess his feelings, and he’d stay by her side if she’d have him.
“I’ll bring her back.”
How can you tell
I’m under a spell
~*~
I’m wanting for love’s first kiss
Bucky, along with a few soldiers, Clint and Sam. An archer and skilled fighter. Stumbled into the neighboring kingdom, a small village was having a celebration. He could hear the most musical song being sung and if he didn’t know better he would swear it was Darcy.
You cannot see
How much I long to be free
“S’cuse me, who created that masterpiece?” Sam had an easy nature and was easily able to charm his way into anything. There was a large music box with a life-size doll standing on top of it, spinning and moving to the tune she was singing. Her hair up in a bun with ribbons cascading down. Doll makeup on her face with a simple dress with a full skirt that twirled as she spun.
Turning around on this music box
That’s wound by a key
“To be honest we’re not sure, the Lord of these lands said it was sent here as a gift. The doll is most life like, she’s quite enchanting. Her song is odd though.” The villager when along their way and the obscure background was all Bucky needed to figure out two plus two.
Yearning, Yearning
They stood in silence with the other villagers while the song continued as if enhanced by her voice.
While
I’m turning around and around
As the song ended the doll stop moving, Bucky shook his head to clear the sounds.
“That’s Darcy, if you take off the doll makeup, that’s Darcy. How do we snap her out of this?” Sam was standing in front of the box looking up, talking to Darcy.
“Lady Darcy, can you hear us?” He touched her hand and while it was warm she was unresponsive.
“Did you listen to her song?” Clint asked, hawk eyes searching every inch of the box and the doll on top.
“I did,” Bucky crossed his arms, recalling the song word for word. “I think I know how to break the spell.”
~*~
“You sent Bucky after my daughter?” Tony was eerily calm as he and Pepper were summoned to the palace. King Steven had informed them of his course of action and it was obvious not something Tony wanted to hear.
“I sent the best soldiers to find your daughter, Lord Stark.” While Tony was older, Steve something felt exasperated by the man.
“Tony, please.” Pepper was sitting next to Peggy both looking worried as if a fight would break out between the two men. “Let His Highness finish.”
“Thank you Lady Pepper, I trying to say that Sam has returned with a message. They found Darcy, and managed to break the spell she was under. Clint and Bucky stayed behind with Darcy to have her looked at by a doctor to see if her illness is truly gone.”
“Of course it’s gone. I told them I would keep their princess alive until the one who would save her could come along.” The Black Widow sauntered into the room a smile painted on her face.
“Hello Natasha.” Steve bowed his head curtly.
“Your majesty.” She returned the nod with a full curtsey. “The good Captain of the Guard could not see what was in front of his face. And I wanted to have a little fun, Lady Darcy is completely healed and if I was to place a wager…” she smiled seductively. “You’ll have a son-in-law soon Stark.”
~*~
Darcy woke up feeling better than she had in months, the sheets were soft and the pillow her head rested on had to be made of the clouds.
“Welcome back.” She focused on the doctor who loomed close by. “I’ll summon your guards.” He smiled and Darcy found herself smiling at his bouncing curls.
“How are you feeling Doll?” Bucky entered first and smiled at her. She blushed, hoping pure will would force it to go away. Bucky Barnes always made her heart beat faster and pulse race. And when he asked her to dance, she was cloud nine, dancing like no one was watching.
“You saved me. You kissed me.” She briefly remembered being a doll, spinning on the music box and being made to sing. Her only way to communicate.
Now it was Bucky’s turn to blush.
“Yes, yes I did. I hope I get the chance to do it again.”
This time, when Bucky kissed Darcy, the would dissipated and only the two of them remained.
~*~
After the initial shock, Lord Stark through his only daughter one hell of a wedding. And the entire Kingdom learned to not doubt the Black Widow, ever again.