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Once upon a time there was a kingdom called the White Kingdom where the king and queen ruled happily.  One day the queen gave birth to a baby girl with hair dark as the black mascara and skin as pale as a snow cone and the whole kingdom rejoiced. They named her Snow White, but the little princess preferred to go by her middle name, Darcy. One day tragedy fell upon the kingdom and the queen died.  Years passed and eventually the king took a new consort- this time a beautiful man. With him came his brother, the huntsman- a kind and noble giant of a man who quickly became the little princess’s chief storyteller and partner in mischief.  At first, the new consort also joined in with their pranks, but as Darcy grew older, his involvement waned.  One day, not long after the wedding, the good king died, leaving the kingdom in the hands of his new spouse. 

The kingdom flourished well enough- the new king had a mind for ruling.  But the man had a secret- he knew magic.  Each morning and evening, the new king would stand in front of a magic mirror and would ask it a question.  

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall- who is the greatest of them all?”

And each morning and evening the mirror would answer, “You are, King Loki.”

Loki was always satisfied with this answer. He’d never admit it, but even though he was now king, he still felt a sibling rivalry with his brother the huntsman, Thor.  So long as the answer was himself, he’d be pleased though.  Time passed and eventually his mirror began to speak of other things to him. Loki would ask his mirror about the kingdom, rival kingdoms, and other relevant topics.  And the mirror, Jarvis (as it had told him its name was), would answer.  But little by little, the mirror’s comments began to focus on one person.  Day by day Jarvis would speak more and more about Snow Darcy until Loki began to suspect the mirror had a bit of a crush on his step-daughter.  Even though Darcy had no idea of the mirror’s existence, Jarvis was magic, and could view everything and anything.  Loki supposed it kept itself entertained by watching the world go by. It was a little creepy, but Loki shrugged it off.  However, as time passed, the mirror’s gushing began to grate on his nerves. 

Years later Loki was half mad from hearing the mirror talk for hours on end about Snow Darcy.  As his sanity drifted further from him, he’d slowly cut himself off from the kingdom.  Even Thor hadn’t seen him in years. 

One day, shortly after Snow Darcy’s 23^rd birthday, Loki asked the same question he’d ask Jarvis from the beginning. “Mirror, mirror, on the wall- who is the greatest of them all?”

For the first time, Jarvis’s reply was not what Loki wanted to hear.  “You are great, King Loki, ruler of White, but you shine not as bright as Snow Darcy White…  The other day, she said the funniest thing-”

Jarvis’s answer was the last straw. Loki’s sanity had been slipping for years, but suddenly hearing that the woman his magic mirror had been obsessing over for years was actually greater than him was his breaking point. Unable to take it any further Loki sent for Thor.

“Brother!” Thor greeted him with a smile. Loki and Thor had not been on the best of terms in recent years and he missed his brother. He had been overjoyed to hear that Loki had summoned him.  Thor’s smile instantly fell though, as he saw Loki’s state. 

Wild eyes met Thor’s as Loki spoke at him. “I have a mission for you, Thor.”

Thor gulped.  He did not like Loki’s tone.  It sounded half mad.  There had been rumors among the staff that his brother’s mind had broken, but he had refused to believe them.  Unfortunately, since Loki had refused him entry further into the castle where the king’s private rooms were and since Loki had become somewhat of a recluse, Thor had never been able to check on him.

Thor approached cautiously, unsure of how best to handle his brother.  “I am listening, brother.”

“I want you to take Snow Darcy White into the woods tomorrow on a hunting trip.  Take her deep into the darker part of the forest and then cut out her heart and bring it to me.”

Thor was beyond horrified.  “Brother, wha-”

“Do this for me, Thor, and we will again be happy as we once were.  Fail me, and there will not be a single tie left between us and I shall have you both tortured and executed instead.”

With that, Loki turned and walked out of the room, further into his chambers, slamming the door in Thor’s face. All Thor had gotten to his unasked questions was Loki’s mutterings- something about the ‘damned mirror not shutting up about her’ before he’d been locked out.  Confused, horrified, and desperate, Thor had banged on the door for hours, begging his brother for an explanation and to reconsider. By the early hours of the morning he’d all but lost his voice.  Knowing Loki would not allow him in, Thor went to the stables.  He’d watched Darcy grow and had loved her as a younger sister- she had fight and he valued that.  When they’d first met, he’d accidentally scared her and she’d tased him. He’d adored her ever since.

Thor would rather die than hurt her, but still he gathered supplies to carry out Loki’s task.  He couldn’t kill her, but he couldn’t leave her at the castle with his brother, either.  Thor knew he would think of something.  But first he needed to get her away from there.  Maybe they could run away, though where they would go, and how they would stay safe from the assassins his brother would undoubtedly send after them he didn’t know. He could fight, but he knew Loki would never stop hunting them, and as fierce a fighter as Thor was, he would have to sleep eventually.  He still packed provisions for a long trip all the same, in case fleeing was the only plan he could come up with.  After he’d gathered money, supplies, and food, Thor prepped two horses for them and then made his way to Darcy’s room.

It was still well before dawn and the castle halls were deserted.  All the better to sneak Darcy out by.  The darkness would be their savior.  Thor walked quietly down the empty hallways and slipped into Darcy’s rooms and woke her up.

Darcy blinked at him through the dim light from the smoldering remains of the fire her maid had lit in the fireplace before she’d gone to bed that night.  “Thor?” Once she’d seen the look of sorrow on his face, she’d willingly gotten out of bed when he’d asked that she get dressed and come with him.

Once she was dressed Thor had silently wrapped Darcy in one of her warmest cloaks and had lowered the hood to cover her face. He’d been gathering some of her things while she’d dressed and had put them into a bag, which he slipped over her shoulders before ushering her silently out the door and down to the stables. No one had stopped them as they’d ridden out of the castle grounds but Darcy noticed that Thor had still been tense. His shoulders hadn’t started to relax until they were far from the gates and the castle was small enough that she could squish it between her fingers if she held them up.

Seeing Thor relax slightly had encouraged Darcy, and she sought to pull him from his silence. “I think we should change the kingdom’s name.”

Thor, temporarily jolted from his heavy thoughts by her strange declaration, turned to her, speaking for the first time since they’d left her rooms.  “But it is named after your family, princess.”

Darcy wrinkled her nose.  “Yeah, I know, but it just sounds so… racist.  Either to people, or just other colors.  Like, people are going to think we either only want white people here, or only want white walls, which, talk about boring- on both fronts.  Either way, it’s not sending the right message.”

“… I suppose it could be called the Snow Kingdom when you inheri-” Thor’s chest constricted, “inherit the throne…”

“That’s just as bad!” Darcy said, rolling her eyes. “Then no one will come to visit us because they’ll think we have bad weather!  Or they’ll come for winter sports and be disappointed because there’s no snow- either way, it’s false advertising and bad for tourism!”

It took some doing, but Darcy managed to keep Thor talking into the early morning hours as the sun rose.  By now they were deep in the forest.  The sunlight barely filtered through the trees and the air smelled musty from the leaves on the ground.  Mist curled around the trunks of trees and Darcy shivered from the chill that hung in the damp air.  “Thor, where are we?  I’ve never been so deep in the forest before,” she said.

Dismounting, Thor reached for her and helped her down off her horse as well.  The look on his face nearly broke her heart.  Thor took her by the shoulders and gravely looked at her.  “Do you remember what I taught you about the dark forest?” Darcy nodded.  Thor had told her stories of his adventures in the woods when she was younger.  “Good. Those stories I told you were all true. Heed them now.”

“Thor, you’re scaring me.  What’s wrong?  You’ve looked upset since you came to my door this morning.”

Thor hung his head in shame.  “We are deep within the forest- near the dangerous woods said to be inhabited by all manor of frightening beasts.  No one will disturb us here.  Yesterday, Loki called me to him…”

Darcy waited expectantly for Thor to continue, thinking Loki must have crushed her friend’s spirits.  Loki’s refusal to see his brother for the past several years had been really hard on Thor.  She’d always made it a priority to listen to him when he felt like talking about it. Whatever Loki had said to him must have been horrible if he’d felt the need to take her all the way out here to talk about it where no one would hear them. 

Thor took a shuddering breath and continued. “He gave me a task to complete and told me that if I pleased him, we would go back to the happy siblings we once were.”

When Thor didn’t gone on, Darcy took his hand in encouragement. “Which was?”

Thor took a deep breath and looked at her with haunted eyes, tightening his hold on her hand in his.  “To kill you.” 

Darcy’s eyes widened as she stumbled back, but Thor pulled her to him, hugging her tight.  “He ordered me to take you out of the palace walls and to kill you. If I do not bring back your heart, he will have us both tortured and executed.”  Thor could hear her hyperventilating and pulled away to look into her eyes.  “I can not kill you- I have considered you as a sister since the day we met. But I can not return empty handed or with you unharmed, either.”

Darcy was shaking.  She’d been saddened when Loki had begun to pull away from her, but she’d never thought he hated her so much that he wanted her dead. “What do we do?” she whispered.

Thor’s gaze hardened.  “You run.”

 “But what about you?” 

Thor shook his head again and put another bag over her shoulders, this one filled with food and some money. “If we run together, my brother will never stop hunting us.  I cannot guarantee that I will always be able to protect you.  But if Loki thinks you are dead, then you will be safe. You cannot take the horse with you- the forest is too thick.  You must travel by foot. And you must travel alone. Do not reveal who you are to anyone.  If Loki hears whispers that you live, he will send armies after you. I hope one day you will be able to return to us.  But for now, you must run. Do not stop until you are so far away no one has heard of the White Kingdom.”

“But Thor, if you go back Loki will-”

Thor cut her off.  “Run, little sister. I will produce proof for Loki.”

Darcy had never considered herself a coward, and she certainly tried to always stand her ground but if Thor didn’t think he could protect them, then their chances were slim.  So she listened to him and fled.

Thor’s heart broke as he watched Darcy run from him. But it also filled with hope. Hope that she would be safe. Thor offered up a silent prayer to Heimdal, the watcher of all things, that she’d be protected and began hunting for an animal that would have a heart similar in size to hers. After he’d found one, he took its heart and smeared blood on the horses, sending them back to the castle alone. He himself found a local village and caught a ride from some peasants back, looking distraught, bloody, and beaten, telling stories of a great beast that had taken his mistress and wounded him before disappearing. 

The sun was setting by the time Darcy stopped moving. She’d ran and ran until she was so mindless from the run she couldn’t remember anything else about life before the running. Every bit of her consciousness was currently devoted to one thing: staying alive.  And to do that she had to run, so her body took over and propelled her as far into the woods as it could.  By the time her brain finally regained control, she was so hopelessly deep in the forest that she feared she’d never see open fields again.  She knew it was irrational, but she couldn’t seem to help thinking that way as the trees loomed over her.  Staggering further still, she fought the fear as it rose higher and higher.  She was beginning to lose her battle though, when she spotted a cottage, set in a small clearing. 

Sneaking up to it, Darcy peaked in through a filthy window.  It looked deserted. Trying the latch and finding it unlocked, Darcy stuck her head inside and called out.  “Hello?”  When there was no reply, she slowly stepped inside the single room building. Things were in disarray, but the air was surprisingly free of dust.  Righting a chair, Darcy thankfully sank down into it and pulled some food from the bag Thor had given her.  After eating a bit, Darcy put her rations away. 

Finally stopping to truly think about her situation, Darcy looked around the empty space.  A feeling of loneliness settled deep within her chest.  Not even the deaths of her parents had left her feeling so alone. Exhausted, stressed, and unsure of tomorrow, Darcy put her head down and cried, allowing herself to release the events of the day.  By the time her tears stopped, she was even more exhausted if that were possible. Her eyes were drooping and she was having problems fighting off the yawns that were beginning to come one after the other. 

Darcy knew better than to fall asleep in someone else’s home when she’d essentially broken in- that was totally Goldie Locks’ mistake. But this home looked pretty abandoned. There weren’t any useable beds (the one was missing a mattress and the slats necessary to hold one), and there was what looked like a bird’s nest in the rafters… a very large bird’s nest. Darcy knew she couldn’t stay in the kingdom, but maybe she could stay here just for the night to rest. She didn’t want to be out after dark in the forest.  She’d heard the stories of the monsters that came out at night.  She’d never really believed them, but why test the theory now? She’d try to get farther away from the castle in the morning.  With a heavy heart, Darcy put her head back down on her arms and allowed herself to sleep. 

Darcy woke up to a knife pressed to her throat. Fear bubbled up inside of her as she flung herself away from her attacker, ending up sprawled on the floor. How had Loki found her so fast? Did this mean Thor was already dead? Looking around wildly Darcy realized she was surrounded.

“Who are you?” asked a particularly deadly looking red headed woman holding the knife.

Darcy froze.  If they didn’t know who she was, then maybe they weren’t there to kill her. While she wasn’t sure she should tell them who she was, the look on the woman’s face had her deciding against lying. Darcy got the feeling the red head would know.  “I’m Snow Darcy White… people just call me Darcy, though.”

Several of the group gasped.  The woman merely lifted an eyebrow.  Feeling like she wasn’t in immediate danger of being gutted, Darcy glanced up around the group.  The rest of them were men.  Gorgeous men. The woman was beautiful too.

“Huh,” said one as he crouched down to be eye level with her.  “We heard you were dead- attacked by some monster from the woods while out riding with your escort.”

Darcy stared at the man.  His chest was glowing.  She’d never seen him before and yet the glow was somehow so familiar. His words finally processing, she found her voice.  “That was Thor- my friend. He was ordered to kill me but helped me escape instead.  He said he’d tell Loki something- he must have believed it.” Relief washed over her. If the people were being told she was dead, then Thor’s plan had worked and he was alive.

“Why would the king want you dead?” a big blonde asked.

The glowing one shrugged.  “Competition?”

The blonde shook his head.  “Doesn’t make sense,” he said as he helped her up. “Loki’s already got the throne.”

“Thank you,” Darcy said as she took his hand and the offered chair he righted for her.  “Loki used to be different.  He used to be happy and fun and I even thought he cared about me.  But as I got older he stopped speaking to me as much until finally he avoided me all the time.  I haven’t actually seen him in years.  I don’t know what I did to make him hate me so much.” Darcy’s sorrow was written all over her face.  “He hadn’t spoken or seen his brother, Thor in years, either.  Until yesterday when he ordered him to kill me and bring back my heart. Loki told Thor if he didn’t, he’d torture us both and have us executed.  So Thor took me to the woods this morning and told me to run. He said he would fool Loki somehow.”

“Tsk, sloppy.”

Darcy looked up at the speaker- a man with dark brown hair and a… metal arm?

The blonde gave him a harsh look.

“What?” the man asked the blonde. “Not that I ain’t glad she’s alright and all- really, I am,” he assured her before looking back at the blonde, “but if you want someone dead, you do it yourself, or have it done in front of you so that you have definite proof. Hearts are all more or less the same- royal or common.  They don’t have names on ‘em.  It’s not like hers says ‘Princess Darcy.’”

The red head thinned her lips and nodded her head in agreement. 

“Anyway, point being,” said a dark skinned man with a pair of what looked like metal wings in his hands, “Princess Darcy needs help.”

The glowing man nodded.  “You can stay here- we’ve got the room.” 

Darcy looked around the small cottage, which was rather crowded with the eight of them.  Knowing her thoughts, glow-man laughed.  “Oh, don’t let this fool you- this is just to throw any of our enemies off.”

Still confused, Darcy shook her head. “I should get out of the kingdom- it would be safer for all of us if I left.  I don’t want anyone to get caught in an assassination attempt.”

Glowy waved her off.  “Trust me, princess, you’re safer here with the Avengers than anywhere else- that’s what we call ourselves.”  Leaning in, he put a hand on the side of his mouth to block the others from seeing his lips move.   As he lowering his voice to a mock whisper, he continued. “That one there can kill a man with her thighs,” he said gesturing toward the red head.  Before Darcy could ask if he was serious, Glowy walked to the wall and opened a panel she would have never noticed if she’d stayed there for 10 years. “We’ll keep you safe,” he said switching back to a normal tone.  “And if we can’t, we’ll sure as hell avenge you.  Prepare to dive, people.”  Darcy watched as the others moved to the walls of the cottage.  The big blonde ushered her up and over toward the wall as well. Punching in a code, Glowy grinned at her.  “Welcome home, princess.”

Darcy watched in awe as the center of the floor retracted until there was just a catwalk left around the edge of the room against the walls.  Stairs appeared near the hidden panel, running along the walls of the room, which Darcy could now see extended downward and led into a sunken room with high ceilings. They were standing at what had to be the top of at least two stories, if not three or four.  As they led her down, Darcy could see that the room spread out into hallways.  Windows along the stairs as they walked showed what looked like mechanic shops and laboratories. Plush furnishings littered the area below with more than enough space for the eight of them to lounge and probably at least another ten. 

“We call it the Tower.  Spare bedrooms are on the bottom floor, down the hall to your right,” Glowy said. “You can pick the one you want later, Princess.”

“Please, just call me Darcy,” she said to him as they finally reached the living area. 

Glowy seemed pleased by this and smiled at her, nodding.  “We should celebrate tonight.  But first, allow me to introduce everyone!” he said with a clap.  “We call the one with the metal wings Smiley. My own design, of course. They got a little damaged today, but we’ll have ‘em flying again in no time.”

“Hi!” Smiley said cheerfully, waving at her.

“The one that’s looking a little green is Twitchy- don’t make any sudden movements or loud noises around him… he’s nice, but a bit jumpy.”

Twitchy gave her a strained but gentle smile.

“The one that nearly took your head off is Spooky- you can guess why…”

The red head nodded at her and flicked a blade open absent-mindedly as if she played with sharp objects when bored all the time. Darcy made the decision right then not to make any sudden moves or loud noises around her as well.

“Birdy is-” a whistle interrupted him and drew Darcy’s attention up to see someone in the rafters sitting in what she’d thought was a nest when she’d first walked into the top room.  “-the one in the rafters like a damned bird.   Would you come down here? We have company!”

Birdy stuck his tongue out at him, but smiled at Darcy.

“The one with the metal arm- which I didn’t make myself, but I maintain it.  It’s nice, don’t you think? The science behind it is-” someone cleared their throat, obviously trying to keep him on track.  “Anyway, he’s Flirty- You’ll find out why soon enough.”

Flirty winked at her from his position against the wall next to the blonde. 

“The awkward one next to him is Steve.”

Darcy looked at Steve, who smiled at her and mumbled a polite greeting (he’d actually called her ma’am…). “You don’t have a nickname, Steve?”

Spooky snorted.  “That is his nickname.”

Darcy blinked.  Well, okay, Steve was short for Steven… As if hearing her thoughts, Birdy landed next to her and grinned. Darcy couldn’t begin to fathom how he’d jumped down from such a height without issue.  “His name’s not Steven.  We call him Steve because this one time in Budapest-” Birdy was cut off as a knife went zipping by his head, landing in the opposite wall with a resounding thunk.

Darcy jumped and leapt toward Steve and Flirty (who was more than happy to catch her and wrap her in his arms- you know, for safety, of course) while Birdy gave Spooky an annoyed glare. “What was that for?”

“We do not talk about Budapest, Birdy.”

Acting as if flying knives was a perfectly normal thing, Glowy continued.  “And I’m Techy,” he said. 

Flirty, still holding onto Darcy, lowered his lips to mutter in her ear. “Though honestly, I don’t know why we don’t call him Chatty.”

“Or Pushy…” Steve mumbled as well.

“I heard that!”

“Or Nosey…” Flirty continued.

Darcy suppressed a giggle. It felt good to laugh. She hadn’t felt remotely close to smiling since everything had started. She’d been so afraid, but right now she felt safe.  The others smiled at seeing her relax, but they could see the exhaustion in her eyes and the bags under them.  She must have been running all day to get as far away from the castle as they were.

Sharing a silent look with the others, Flirty rubbed her back reassuringly.  “Why don’t we get you into a room, huh, doll?”  Steve made a strangled sound in his throat.  Flirty looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.  “You got a problem with that, punk?” 

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. “Ya can’t call the crown princess of the kingdom doll, Flirt.  It just ain’t proper.”

Darcy shook her head.  “It’s ok.  You can’t call me princess anymore- you should all get used to just calling me by my name. If anyone else ever knew who I was, we’d all be dead.  I don’t mind nicknames either,” she finished with a small, shy smile.

Birdy laughed.  “You obviously have no idea what we’re capable of.  When Techy said Spooky could kill a man with her thighs, he was making an understatement.  She could kill a whole regiment that way before a single one could shout for help.  Techy can rig enough fire power to take out a tank without a second thought, the two you’ve already got wrapped around your finger have been nicknamed the bloody twins-”

Flirty rolled his eyes, and Steve turned to Darcy. “No one calls us that,” he rushed to reassure her.

“Yes they do,” Birdy continued.

“You don’t count,” Flirty countered.

Birdy ignored him and kept going, “Smiley and myself are just all around bad ass, and don’t even get me started on what Twitchy can do-"

Twitchy cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“Let’s just say Loki wouldn’t like him when he’s angry,” Birdy concluded. 

“But you’re not wrong, Darcy.” Smiley said. “We can’t have rumors that you’re alive spreading.  We can all get used to calling you Darcy.  Right?” He asked the room.

The rest of the Avengers nodded.

Techy smiled.  “Good.  Glad that’s settled. Now, about that room…” he said, stepping forward and wrapping an arm around Darcy’s shoulders, leading her down the hall.  “Let’s talk upgrades…”

The rest of the Avengers shared looks of horror at the word ‘upgrades’ and it was quickly and silently agreed that Steve would ensure Darcy’s safety.  Techy was a certified genius, but his upgrades tended to lean toward the mad scientist side of things… and attempted murder.  Steve followed with Darcy’s bags that he’d brought down from the upper room’s table while Smiley and Flirty headed toward the kitchen to begin cooking for their celebratory dinner. 

Once they’d gotten her a room, and Steve had make Techy promise not to upgrade anything, Steve had tried to make Darcy feel at ease by telling her she could decorate however she wanted.  He even promised that he and Flirty would go out to get her anything she’d need for the renovation.  In the depth of the forest, going outside shouldn’t be an issue since the nearest town was miles away and the people were afraid of the animals in the woods. She’d be able to spend time outside, provided she was with one of the team and stayed close to the Tower (the peasants were afraid for good reason- there were some monstrous things in the woods) but the villages and towns were definitely out. They didn’t want to risk someone recognizing her and telling Loki. So they’d all go shopping for her. Spooky, who seemed to just materialize out of the shadows (good god, how had she done that?  And would she teach Darcy?), told Darcy she’d go out and pick up some clothes for her as well (“No, Steve, you can’t do it.” “Why not?”  “Because you dress like my grandfather.”).

Seeing her eyes droop, Techy suggested she lay down for a bit, with the promise that they’d wake her for dinner. Nodding, Darcy had lain down on the bed and closed her eyes, instantly falling into a deep sleep.

*

Meanwhile, back at the castle, Loki’s mania had only increased.  Thor’s report that Snow Darcy White was dead had him nearly dancing with insane glee. Now he wouldn’t ever have to listen to that damned mirror rant on about her again.  He’d liked Darcy, but the mirror’s obsession had served to drive him right out of his mind.  Honestly, how much could you talk about a person’s hair or eyes? If you were a magic mirror, the answer was years. 

Holding the box his brother had given him that contained her heart, Loki made his way to his mirror.  Petting the box like a small animal, Loki turned to the mirror and asked, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall- who is the greatest of them all?”

Jarvis’s response was not what Loki had expected. “You are grand King Loki high, but Snow Darcy White is still greater than thy… Speaking of Darcy, she did the most adorable thing the other day-”

“Silence!” Loki hissed at the mirror. “Snow Darcy White is dead! I had her killed myself because I could not stand another moment of your incessant prattling about her! Behold! I have her heart here in this box!”

Jarvis’s response only angered Loki further. “King Loki great, though your order uncouth, the heart in the box is not Darcy’s, in truth…  She is so resourceful, did you know that she-”

Loki saw red.  Thor had lied to him.  In a rage he threw the box and heart at the mirror.  The mirror shattered in a cloud of smoke.  Turning, Loki left the room, screaming that his brother be brought to the dungeons. What he didn’t notice however, was the figure stepping out of the smoke, cape billowing with shards of glass around his feet.

*

Spooky had come in and woken Darcy for dinner. Surprisingly it wasn’t nearly as frightening as Darcy would have expected it be.  Spooky was actually pretty nice to her.  Before walking out of the room, she’d turned to Darcy and said, “You had to run today.  There is no shame in running when you cannot win. But one day, you’ll be strong enough to stand and fight.  When you are ready, I will help teach you how to do that.”  Darcy wasn’t sure she’d ever be as deadly as the others claimed Spooky was, but she was willing to accept the help.  She’d been a quick study with Thor teaching her, but the swords he wielded had always been too heavy for her to truly feel confident using. Maybe having a woman teach her would be different. 

Dinner had been a noisy affair with lots of good-natured joking and a lot of laughter.  When Darcy offered to help with the cooking and cleaning from now on, Steve had been absolutely scandalized.  Flirty had just nodded and said he’d work out a schedule with her.

Darcy supposed the thought of a princess knowing how to cook and clean up seemed weird, but her father, King Phil, had been a tidy man, and had taught her to be so as well.  “It’d make me feel better,” she said.  “If I can’t go outside into town, then I can’t make any money to pay you for letting me stay here.  This is all that I can offer you in return.”

Techy had shrugged.  “It’s fine, Darcy.  We have the room.  But if it makes you feel better, you can if you want.”  Steve had only looked more appalled at the thought.

Seeing his expression, Darcy smiled. “I like to cook,” she confessed to Steve.  “Our head cook always made me feel better with sweets after my father passed. The kitchen staff was always kind to me and Thor. I ended up seeking comfort in the kitchens by the fire a lot. The cook taught me some of his favorite recipes.”

Steve had been placated after that.

“Let’s talk menu later,” Techy said, sounding intrigued at the thought of eating a castle chef’s favorite recipes. “We’ll get you whatever you need from the market.”

After dinner, Flirty and Steve offered to help her unpack what few things she had and to make a list of things she’d like to decorate with.  They even offered to paint her walls. Techy had stuck his nose in and offered some left over red and gold paint he had.  Flirty and Steve had groaned and rolled their eyes at him respectively, but Darcy had thanked him but politely turned it down.  She did ask for a few small containers of various colors so that she could paint some flowers on the walls, though. 

Darcy smiled as she unpacked the few items Thor had put in her bag.  He’d thought far enough ahead for her and had packed a few of her plainer gowns, a necklace her father had given her, and her favorite shade of red lipstick. Not very practical, but he’d probably remembered the time she’d told him that sometimes when she was having a bad day, the lipstick would make her feel better.  “I can put it on and suddenly I’m invincible!” she’d told him.  He must have anticipated she’d have bad days ahead.  She hoped he was alright.

Steve and Flirty noticed how she hugged the tube to her but didn’t say anything about it.  They bought her ten tubes the next day.

*

Loki had believed Thor’s lies about killing Darcy. His brother had looked so frighteningly happy at them that Thor had nearly been sick as he spoke. What had happened to his brother? Madness was not something that had ever run in their family before… had it?  Thor had packed his bags immediately after and had been in the stables thinking about leaving the kingdom and trying to find Darcy when one of the kitchen maids had come running in. 

“Thor!” she exclaimed, wheezing from lack of breath.

Thor froze.  Something was wrong.  “What has happened?”

“Loki has ordered that you be taken to the dungeon! The guards are looking for you!”

Thor’s blood ran cold.  Loki must have realized he’d lied to him. “Go,” he said.  “Go back to the kitchens- don’t let anyone see that you were here.”  Mounting his horse he charged out of the castle grounds before word of Loki’s orders had reached the guards at the gate.

*

Deep in the forest, along the main road, two men, one large, one solemn, and a woman sat at a nearby fallen tree in the road. “I heard news in town today,” spoke a third man grimly, as he approached them. 

“Trouble?” asked the portly one.

Reaching the group, the man nodded. “Princess Snow Darcy White is dead.”

“What!?!” They all exclaimed at once.

“Fandral! Say it is not so!”

“How?!”

Fandral shook his head.  “Apparently, a monster of the wood.”

The woman narrowed her eyes. 

“I know that look, Sif,” the larger man said, looking at her. “You do not believe it.”

Sif shook her head.  “No, Volstagg.  I do not.”

“Neither do I,” Hogun, the last of the men, said.

“How does the crown princess of a kingdom get taken by a monster of the woods from the palace?” Sif asked.

“She doesn’t,” Fandral said.  “She was out riding with an escort.”

Volstagg looked suspicious.  “Who?”

“The huntsman.” Sif’s eyes widened in disbelief. Fandral nodded. “I know, I did not believe it either. But the villagers said their horses were found on the main road, covered with blood and that he was found wandering toward a town, covered in blood and limping.  The accounts say he was a broken man, half mad with grief and guilt over not being able to save his mistress.”

Hogun looked grim.  “You think he killed her.”

Fandral shook his head.  “I do not know what I think, friend.”

Sif looked crestfallen at the loss of their princess. “But the huntsman is known for his loyalty-”

“Yes,” Hogun agreed.  “But loyal to who?  To the princess?  Or to his brother?”

Volstagg gaped at his friend. “You think Loki did this?”

Hogun met his shock with steady eyes. “Who else?”

“But why?” Volstagg asked.

Before they could discuss things further, the four heard a horse thundering down the road toward them.  Leaping into the tree with the help of Volstagg for a better view, Fandral returned back to the ground with a grace uncanny for most men. “It’ll have to wait. That’s a palace horse coming down the road- at that pace the rider must be carrying something valuable. Quick! Get the rope ready!” The others dashed into place.

*

Thor rode hard as he passed through the wood. He’d heard stories of a man in green and his band of men who stole from wealthy travelers and aided the poor with the ill-gotten gains.  While he was no nobleman, Thor didn’t look like a starving peasant, either. And he could not afford the delay. Seeing a large fallen tree in the road, Thor slowed his horse.  He’d never be able to jump it- it was simply too large, even for his stallion. Thinking to go around it, there was a whoop before a rope was dropped around Thor and tightened from above, lifting him off his horse. 

Two men and a woman came into view. One taking the reigns of his startled horse while the other two surrounded him, swords drawn.

“Well, hello!” Greeted a third man. He was indeed clad in all green, just as the rumors had stated.  The man was standing on top of the fallen tree, sword drawn, the tip pressed to Thor’s chest.

Thor glared at him.  “What do you want?”

The man in green seemed amused at Thor’s bad mood. “Only the valuables you carry on errand for the palace,” he said rather good-naturedly.

“I am on no such mission,” Thor growled. “Take my money, but do not delay me.  It is a matter of life and death.”

The outlaw tilted his head in curiosity. “Where are you headed to in such a rush?”

“The dark forest.”

The four of them stopped and looked at him in various degrees of surprise and or unbelief.  “My good man,” said the one in green.  “Are you mad? You seem coherent enough, but surely you are confused. The dark wood is not a place any should be roaming.  Especially not alone.”

Thor glared at him.  From the sound of the man’s voice, you’d think he actually cared. “I know my way around it better than most.  What concern is it of yours?”

The large man holding his horse shrugged. “We would prefer not send a man on a suicidal mission, if we can help it.”

Thor was getting frustrated.  Every moment he spent dangling from the air was another moment Darcy was getting farther away.  “I seek a friend- a sister.  For years I have watched over her as family but I was told naught three days ago to kill her. I could not, and bid her run. I lied about my failure but the truth has been discovered.  I am a fugitive from my own house, searching for her so that I may keep her safe.”

The four shared a look before Sif cut him down. Thor began to remove himself from the tangle of rope.

Fandral looked at Hogun, “It would appear, the princess.” He said, answering the man’s earlier question and sheathing his sword.

Thor tensed.  Sif noticed and rested her hand on his shoulder.  “It is alright, huntsman.  We suspected something like this had occurred.  We are loyal to the princess.  We will not hinder you on your quest.”

“Nay,” Fandral shook his head. “In fact, we will help you!”

“Where did you last see her?” Hogun asked.

*

Over the next few days Darcy got comfortable in her new home.  Flirty and Steve had indeed gone into town with Smiley and had bought her all sorts of things to decorate with (including the small pots of paint… It didn’t escape them that someone had slipped some red and gold paint cans in as well… “Tech, what is this?” “…Sharing is caring?” “…” “I had extra, okay?”). Spooky had snuck away at some point with Birdy and had come back with bags of clothes for Darcy. Darcy doubted the woman would admit it, but she suspected Spooky liked having another girl around.

Darcy couldn’t go outside during the day without the others first doing recon (if they were around) or at night without an escort (Flirty and Steve were usually the ones to offer to go for a walk with her, though she suspected Birdy was up in the trees somewhere silently watching for threats as well), but it wasn’t so bad.  Sure she was essentially a fugitive running for her life, but the Tower was hidden deep in the woods, protected by all sorts of alarms (courtesy of Techy) and booby-traps (courtesy of Birdy, Flirty, and Steve) and of course there was Spooky.  Darcy was pretty sure Spooky could take out a threat before anyone even noticed she’d gone anywhere and they’d never know.  Darcy wasn’t sure she’d ever tell them, either.

Every day the Avengers would get up for breakfast (except Steve, Smiley, and Flirty- they were always up earlier than breakfast by at least an hour… something about running on the left…) and would sit around the table enjoying the meal before they all filed off to work. Darcy had learned that they worked in mines by day, but took to their own hobbies by night. Smiley would go into town every so often and counsel veterans of the army, while Steve and Flirty would box and train (when they weren’t following her around).  Techy would go tinker with his latest project and would usually drag Twitchy with him.  Darcy wasn’t sure what Birdy and Spooky did… and to be honest, she wasn’t sure she wanted to… Flirty had told her they used to be a ‘wet team’- apparently the best the entire continent had ever seen- and that they sometimes still went out on ‘missions.’ 

As it turned out, Birdy was pretty deadly with a bow and between him and Spooky, Darcy could only imagine the sorts of things they might hire themselves out for.  Darcy didn’t fully know what a ‘wet team’ did, but she could guess she was happier not knowing the details.  But she didn’t judge.  She trusted whatever they were doing was probably for a good cause.  Occasionally, when they heard of some trouble, they’d all go out together and help whoever it was that needed it. Darcy hadn’t known them long, but she was rather proud of them and their dedication to complete strangers. They’d welcomed her with open arms and had given her a new home and invited her into their family. If she could stay here, she didn’t think she’d feel alone ever again.

So time went by and over the next several weeks Darcy’s days were filled with laughter, cooking, and cleaning up after various Avengers.  Steve was surprisingly a bit of a slob for a man who kept himself so very well groomed. Flirty was usually not too far behind him muttering insults at him as he picked up the trail of dishes and gym towels left in Steve’s wake. Spooky was pretty clean (save the few times she left knives and daggers lying around… Darcy stopped reaching into the couch cushions and always lifted them carefully before she sat down after that).  Darcy couldn’t really tell how tidy Birdy was, since most of his things were tucked up in the rafters. Smiley was pretty clean, for the most part, though Darcy and Flirty always teamed up when doing the dishes on Smiley’s nights to cook.  The man was like a hurricane in the kitchen.  Flirty and Darcy both agreed it was too much for a single person to handle. The only Avengers who she really had to look after were Techy and Twitchy. 

Twitchy wasn’t so bad.  Darcy found out he was a bit of a scientist who enjoyed running tests and experiments on things she didn’t even bother to begin to understand (she’d always been more of a politics and people-studying person than a science person).  He’d get so involved though that he’d sometimes forget to eat.  Darcy always made sure to check that he’d eaten something. According to Birdy, their enemies wouldn’t like him when he was angry… and she didn’t want to see him when he was hangry, either.  

Techy, on the other hand, was something else entirely. The man was like the mad scientists out of the novels in the castle library she used to read as a child. He’d work for days on end without sleep on his inventions (that usually worked, though the twins, as Darcy had taken to calling Flirty and Steve, still tended to shield her with their bodies when Techy would unveil his latest gadget… “Would you stop that? This thing works!” “That’s what you said about that new coffee machine, and it burst into flames, Tech.”  “One time! That happened one time!”). Darcy found that Techy would usually ignore food since it was apparently too much of an inconvenience to stop and have to feed himself.  After making sure that Twitchy was fed, she usually ended up having to either hand feed Techy while he worked, or steel his tools (that hadn’t worked so well until she’d gotten the twins involved.  Spooky helped too, randomly materializing from the shadows and snatching the wrench in Techy’s hand before magically disappearing again. She really needed to teach Darcy how to do that.  Darcy suspected the only reason she helped was because she thought it was funny. Which is was.).

Initially Darcy had been set to regularly dust Techy’s workshop.  The first time she’d walked in, Darcy had stopped and stared.  There were bits of machinery everywhere.  And all of it either red or gold or a combination of the two. Techy had waved her over to him from his position at a workbench. 

“Techy,” she’d asked.  “Why is everything red and gold?” 

Techy had lifted his welding goggles from his eyes and stared at her for a long time.  Finally he’d tilted his head and said, “I don’t understand the question,” before putting the goggles back over his eyes and firing up the blowtorch in his hand. 

Darcy later asked Twitchy but he’d only snorted a laugh and said, “Because it’s his style.”

“Shiny?”

“Showy.  In fact, we almost named him that instead,” he’d said as he took another bite of the sandwich Darcy had brought him.

It wasn’t for another month that Darcy’s peace was interrupted. 

* 

Loki had been searching for Darcy for months. Without Jarvis, the search was slow. Maybe he shouldn’t have broken that mirror after all...  He’d finally turned to some of the darker arts to help him.  They were dangerous to be sure, but it would be worth it in the end. According to his locating spells she was somewhere deep in the forbidden forest.  Why anyone would stay there he had no idea, though perhaps she’d been taking shelter with a group of vigilantes rumored to live there.

Loki had heard they called themselves the Avengers. They’d appeared shortly after he’d stopped paying attention to sorting out peasant disputes. Reports had stated they tended to keep the peace more than disrupt it, so he’d ignored them. But if they were harboring Darcy, he’d need to approach carefully.  No doubt she’d have told them he was after her.  He’d have to be smart about this.  Turning away from his boiling cauldron, he began gathering his supplies.

*

Thor, the warriors three and Sif (as they called themselves) had been searching for weeks with no luck.  Thor had hoped she’d made it out of the kingdom, but no one in the neighboring kingdoms had seen her.  Finally at his wits end, he’d turned to a man whispered about in many kingdoms. Fate was on their side, as the man they sought just so happened to be in the same kingdom as they were. If they hurried, they may be able to catch him. 

* 

Smiley waved goodbye to Steve and Flirty as he walked away to make his counseling session.  Normally he counseled in the evenings, but weekends were different. Flirty and Steve purposely altered their running route to accommodate him. On Weekdays they’d run through the forests, but on weekends they’d make their way into some of the larger villages where a lot of veterans lived. Once they’d reach the villages, they’d leave him and finish their run while he went to his sessions.  They’d all meet back at the Tower later.

Normally Steve and Flirty would just run through the quiet streets, avoiding the crowds of the markets.  But lately they’d stop and see if they could pick something up for Darcy.  She’d always tell them she didn’t need anything, but they liked to surprise her with little gifts- a new hairpin, or the like.  Just something small that would make her smile. 

Walking down the rows of vendors, Flirty nudged Steve. Looking up from his examination of a shiny broach, Steve saw the new vendor Flirty was looking at and raised a brow. Ribbons.  Smiling at each other, the men walked over and began browsing through the lengths of color.  The old woman at the cart smiled at them and asked them to describe the woman the ribbons were for, claiming she could find the perfect ribbon for them. After a brief description of Darcy, the vender reached into her cart and pulled out a folded ribbon that looked like it had ground up gems blended in the fabric it shined so much.

After paying the woman, the men happily walked away. If they’d bothered to turn around, they would have seen they weren’t the only ones smiling. 

*

On the outskirts of town the ribbon vender pushed her cart into the woods.  Clapping her hands, she watched as the cart dissolved back into the dirt she’d formed it from. Continuing on her way, she walked much more swiftly than anyone would have guessed a hunched over old woman could. Coming around the side of a large boulder she slipped behind it and entered a dark cave.  With a slight sigh, Loki stood tall and shook the remains of the magical disguise from himself before walking back through the dark passages making his way slowly back toward the castle.  The underground cave network was vast, and while he was miles from the castle, Loki was didn’t mind the walk, knowing soon he’d finally get his wish.

Finally entering into his laboratory, he began preparations to cast his spell.  He’d have to wait until the dark spirits whispered to him that Darcy was wearing the ribbon, but he’d be ready when they did. 

*

Darcy was just finishing up breakfast when the twins came home and presented her with the ribbon before going to set the table.  Darcy’s eyes had lit up with enthusiasm when Flirty showed her how much the ribbon sparkled.  Hugging each of them she thanked them before hurrying to her room.  Minutes later Darcy emerged, the new ribbon laced through the back of her bodice.  The men beamed to see how much she enjoyed her gift. Breakfast, like always, was a noisy affair, full of conversation and laughter. Darcy and Steve had been cleaning up the kitchen together when it happened.

*

Loki smiled.  It was time. He clenched his fist.

*

Darcy’s laughter was cut short. Steve went stiff and jerked his head up to look at her.  It sounded like someone had just knocked the wind out of her.  Surprise marked her expression as her eyes started to fill with fear.  Steve knew that fear- Darcy was having difficulty breathing.  Grabbing at her bodice, Darcy stumbled toward him. 

“Steve, her dress!”  Flirty shouted as he jumped the counter and ran toward them from the living room.

Steve had noticed it too- Darcy’s dress was tightening around her somehow, cutting off her airflow.  “I see it-” Running to catch her as she stumbled, Steve looked over her head down her back to see the ribbon tightening on its own. “It’s the ribbon!” 

Spooky had come running in on Flirty’s heels. Pulling a knife out, she reached for Darcy, slipping it under the laces.  Flirty stared in shock as the knife snapped.  Spooky cursed and reached for another. 

Steve could feel Darcy’s fists loosening their hold on his shirt.  “There’s no time!” Panicked, he slipped his arms under hers, pinning her to his chest with his forearms braced against her shoulder blades and his hands gripping her shoulders. “Rip it, Flirt!” Steve turned Darcy’s back to Flirty, who was already grabbing her hip with his right hand and the ribbons with his metal one. 

A firm pull and the sound of fabric tearing filled the kitchen as Flirty tore the dress open, ripping the ribbons and the eyelets with them clean off.  To everyone’s horror the ribbons started writhing in his fist trying to reach for Darcy.

Flirty jerked his fist away from her, running into the living room.  Seeing Techy come running down the stairs at the commotion with a gauntlet on, Flirty shouted to him. “Tech!” Flirty flung the ribbons into the air toward Techy, who lifted his hand and shot them with a squeal of the repulsor and a flash of light.

The ribbons fell to the ground in a smoldering heap of ash and dying black magic.

“The fuck was that?!?” Birdy shouted, running over with Smiley.

“Evil ribbons,” Spooky said, examining the remains.

Darcy wheezed from where she and Steve were still standing in the kitchen, her lips trembling as she tried to raise the corners in a weak smile, “Did the murderous intent cost extra?”

“Don’t joke, doll,” Flirty said seriously, coming back toward them.  Darcy glanced up from Steve’s chest and saw that he looked haunted. 

Steve was still holding her, though his arms had slipped around her back in an embrace.  “Darcy, you could have died.”

“That must have been some serious black magic,” Smiley said, looking at the embers next to Spooky. 

Twitchy came down the stairs behind Techy. Running past them he went toward where Steve was carrying Darcy to a couch. “Are you alright, Darcy?” he asked, draping a blanket over her shoulders for her modesty before reaching for her wrist to take her pulse.

Darcy nodded at him as she just focused on breathing, grateful that she could. 

“Who’d you say sold them to you?” Techy asked, still aiming his gauntlet at the remains in case they reanimated like some weird zombie ribbons. 

Flirty, who was intensely watching Darcy for signs of further distress, scowled as he spoke, angry with himself for bringing the ribbon into the Tower. “An old woman in the market we passed through this morning on our run.” 

The others gathered around them. Steve was scowling too. “What’d ya bet me that nice little old lady was actually a murderous king in disguise?”

Birdy crossed his arms, his expression hard. “Loki knows you’re here.”

Darcy’s breathing began to quicken as she rapidly began to hyperventilate.  If Loki was using dark magic to get to her, there wasn’t anywhere safe for her to be, especially now that he knew where she was.  Twitchy pulled her to his chest, tucking her head under his chin as he instructed Darcy to breathe with him slowly, in and out. 

Techy knelt next to Twitchy.  “Don’t worry, kid.  Loki’s not gonna get you.  If he’s using magic, we’ve got just the ace up our sleeves.”

“I’ll make the call,” Smiley said grimly as he turned and ran up the stairs.

“You think he’s anywhere nearby?” Twitchy asked Techy.

Spooky shrugged.  “Even if not, he’ll come.”

Birdy nodded.  “He owes us.”

“Who?” Darcy asked weakly, still feeling shaken. Normally she’d like to think she was stronger than this, but you try getting an overly enthusiastic death hug from your magically evil enchanted clothes and see how you’re feeling after.

“Strange,” they answered. 

“And no,” Spooky said, “That is his actual name.”

* 

Loki cursed.  He’d have to try again.  Digging through his books he began researching poisons.

*

Steven Strange was sitting in a tavern about to leave having just received an urgent message when four men and a woman walked in. There was a joke in that statement somewhere, he was sure.  Eyeing them, he recognized the big one.  Well, one of the big ones. Rumor had it the huntsman had fled the Kingdom of White, castle guards on his heels.  They were eyeing him wearily with various looks of resolve, distrust, and relief.  Intrigued, he raised his tankard at them in greeting.  He was in a rush, but could spare a moment for them if they were on a similar errand.

“Steven Strange,” the huntsman spoke once they were closer.

Steven nodded his head in acknowledgment before responding. “Huntsman.”

The four with him glanced at each other, uncomfortable that Thor had been recognized so quickly.  “May we sit, friend?” The one in green asked cautiously.  “We would discuss business with you.”

Steven inclined his head, indicating the empty spaces around his table.  “The warriors three and the lady Sif are honorable thieves, welcome at my table anytime,” he replied. Their shocked expressions were all the confirmation Steven needed.  He’d taken a guess of who they were.  A good guess.  Though really, who walked around in all green?  “Yes, I know who you are,” he said, answering their silent question.  “What business would you discuss?”

Thor leaned forward once he was seated. “I need help locating my sister.” Thor watched as Strange smiled at him.

“As it would just so happen, I just received a message about her,” Steven said. 

Thor tensed.  It was entirely possible his brother had gotten to Strange first.

“Relax yourself, Huntsman,” Steven said, leaning back in his chair.  “The message does not come from your brother.”

“Then who?” asked one of the warriors three- the big one.

“The Avengers.”

Thor actually breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been hearing of them and their dedication to help others.  If Darcy was with them, then she was safe for the moment. 

Steven eyed how the huntsman literally deflated in relief.  A shame he’d be the one to burst his bubble.  “All is not well, I’m afraid,” he said.  Watching him tense again, Steven continued.  “An attempt was made on her life today,” he said leaning in.  “We will need to be swift,” he said, standing.  Glancing at the huntsman as they stepped outside the tavern, he asked, “What do you know of your brother’s ability with the dark arts?” 

* 

Loki eyed the apple in his hand. It wasn’t the nicest looking apple, or even all that appetizing.  But he could fix that.  The raven he had sent to fetch it had shown him everything it had seen.  The Avengers were taking precautions, setting up traps all around their territory.  Not that it’d do them any good.  He didn’t have to get any closer to them than he was right now.  Not when he had the apple.  He could poison the whole tree with just a few seeds.  He’d make the apples look better too- a little extra enticement to ensure Darcy ate one.  Working his magic, he began to cast his spell into the late hours of the darkness.  Everything would be in place by dawn. 

*

Darcy opened her eyes the next morning. Her chest ached with bruises and exhaustion. After the evil ribbon, the rest of the day had been spent making preparations against Loki. Darcy sighed as she thought about their conversation yesterday afternoon.

“Steve, move- I need to leave!”

Steve shook his head, a look on his face that made Darcy realize why Smiley said the villagers called him Captain.  He looked ready to go to war.  “You’re not going anywhere, Darcy.  You’re staying right here where we can protect you.”

“But you can’t protect me!” she practically wailed. “If Loki’s using magic, he can get to me anywhere, and I don’t want you guys caught in the crossfire!”

They’d ended up arguing for a while before Flirty had gotten frustrated.  Walking toward her, he’d bent down and put his shoulder to her stomach and stood, sweeping her up over his shoulder in a smooth motion all without breaking stride. Darcy was still annoyed with him for that.  Hello, strong modern princess here, thank you very much.  Seriously, use your words, dude.  Steve had followed behind them ignoring her protests.  When they’d gotten to her room, Steve had plucked her bag from her hands and started unpacking it while Flirty set her carefully down on the bed before kneeling in front of her… 

“Darcy, doll, princess,” he pleaded at her. “Let us help you.” For someone so big and scary looking, he certainly did the kicked puppy look well.

The others gathered in the doorway, watching silently. 

“Strange is on his way,” Smiley said finally.  “At least stay until he gets here and can advise us on what to do. Maybe he can hold the dark magic at bay.”

Darcy had finally agreed and they’d ‘battened down the hatches’ as Techy put it.  He’d gone up to his lab, coming out minutes later in bright red and gold armor that matched the gauntlet he’d burned the ribbon with.  He hadn’t taken it off for the rest of the day, either. Darcy suspected he was probably still in it, too.  Spooky and Birdy had changed also, dressing in black (and oddly enough, purple... "It's his favorite color.") tactical gear. They had disappeared for a while as they set traps around the perimeter of the Tower.  Steve and Flirty had stayed with her for the rest of the day. She hadn’t even been able to get rid of them when she went to bed.  They were still with her.  Steve was slumped over from a chair resting his head and arms on the bed sleeping, while Flirty took his turn to stand watch outside her door.

Knowing he probably hadn’t slept much, Darcy tried to ease her way out of bed without waking Steve.  No such luck.  Steve’s eyes popped open and immediately settled on Darcy who had one leg half way off the bed. “Morning,” she half winced half smiled.

Steve didn’t bother to move from his spot on the bed as he eyed her.  “Making a break for it, are you?” he asked, amusement coloring his gravely sleep voice.

Darcy huffed out a small laugh. “I just wanted you to get some more sleep.”

With a deep breath Steve sat up and smiled at her. “Don’t worry about us, Flirt and I have been through more and run on less.”  Smile fading, he looked seriously at her.  “It’s going to be ok, Darcy.”

Flirty watched from the doorway as Darcy swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded at Steve. Steve was using his captain voice- it usually inspired trust.  He could tell she wanted to believe Steve, but was just scared. And who could blame her? If they were honest, they were all scared for her.  Armies they could fight, magic not so much. “Come on, doll.  Let’s grab some breakfast,” he said, holding out his hand to her.  

Breakfast was a much more serious affair than usual. The others tried to lift her mood, but they were all feeling the strain of the situation.  No one knew where the next attack would come from or how. Smiley said Strange had guessed that based off of Loki’s first attack, he wasn’t powerful enough to just send something after her.  He’d need to get close enough to place an object to get her- like he had with the ribbons. It was mildly comforting knowing that Loki would have to come here himself if the others didn’t bring anything in- Darcy was fairly certain he’d never make it past the minefield of traps everyone had set up… at least, she hoped he wouldn’t.

To calm her nerves, Darcy started poking around the pantry, wondering what she could make to take her mind off of things for a while. Remembering that there was an apple tree out behind the Tower, she thought maybe a few pies would be a good idea. A distraction, comfort food, and a thank you to the others. It was a total win-win-win. Darcy announced she’d make herself useful and bake some pies for when Strange arrived (“He’s helping me, so the least I can do is feed him.”). 

Twitchy and Spooky were set to take the next patrol. With a smile Twitchy promised he’d bring some apples in for her from the tree.  Unlike the others, he was going out without weapons or gear. When Darcy asked him about it, Spooky snorted while he’d just smiled softly and said he didn’t need it.  Darcy was beginning to suspect that it was actually Twitchy and not Spooky who was the scariest in the bunch. Happy that he was on her side, Darcy started pulling out the ingredients to make the dough for the crust.

True to his word, Twitchy came back in with a large basket of bright red apples for her just as Darcy was finishing rolling out the dough.  Birdy whistled when he saw them on his way past Twitchy up the stairs.  “Those look much better than they did yesterday.”

“No touching!” Darcy called from her place in the kitchen.  “You’ll have to pick your own from the tree if you want one- I need all of those to make the pies.”

Deciding pie was better than a regular apple, Birdy saluted her as he vanished up the last of the steps.  “Yes ma’am!”  Birdy smiled to himself as he unslung his bow before walking out the door. He’d liked having Darcy with them. She had quickly become the new meaning of home and he’d fight to keep her.  Stepping out into the late morning sun he started off in the direction of his patrol, taking to the trees.  About a five minute’s walk out from the Tower, he spied Spooky returning from her patrol, six others with her.  Strange had made it in, and it looked like he’d brought company.  Darcy was going to have to make more pies. 

Spooky signaled him in their silent code for all clear when they got closer to his tree.  “Strange brought someone Darcy might like to see,” she said to no one in particular.  The others looked around wondering who she could be talking to.  Strange just smiled, knowing Birdy must be near by watching them.

Birdy dropped down from his branch, landing in front of the small party and startling several of the strangers.  

“Do all of you enjoy the shadows?” Fandral asked after introductions were made.

“Let me guess, she literally appeared out of nowhere at you.”  The man in green nodded at him.  Birdy shrugged. “Spooky is the only one who can actually materialize like that.  The rest of us usually use the door.”

“Though Birdy would prefer the air,” Spooky finished.

Birdy shrugged again.  “I like to observe,” he said, turning to escort them back to the Tower.  “Careful, we’ve set traps everywhere.”

“Any more attacks?” Thor asked as they began walking.

Birdy shook his head.  “None, but yesterday left us all on guard. Spooky’s right. Darcy will be glad to see you, huntsman.”

“And I her,” Thor responded.  “Thank you for taking care of her when I could not. I am in your debt.”

“It was our pleasure- she’s actually been taking care of us more than us her.”  Birdy stopped and plucked an apple as the group passed by the tree on the way in.

“Those look inviting,” commented Volstagg.

“They’re looking better today than they were yesterday. Go on in, we just took a basket inside- Darcy’s going to make pie.  I have to finish patrolling.”

Steven eyed the tree uneasily. Plucking an apple from a lower branch he examined it closely before his blood ran cold.  Eyes wide he ran toward the door, shouting down into the Tower as he passed through the entrance. “DON’T EAT THE APPLES!”

Thor and the others followed, their relief at having made it to the Tower evaporating at Steven’s urgency.  The Tower was in chaos.  Darcy was already on the ground, Steve and Flirty holding her, desperately trying to wake her as they called for help.  Twitchy and Techy were already ahead of them on the stairs, shouting and running toward them with Smiley on their heels.

Steven deflated as they reached the princess. They were too late. Thor looked at Strange from his place on the floor beside Darcy’s limp body.  “What is it?” he asked him, his voice unsteady in grief.

Steven shook his head.  “Poison.”  Cutting into an apple he mumbled some words at it before holding it up to the others. The inside had turned black. “This is what the apples truly are,” he said, lifting it for the others to see.

Techy clenched and unclenched his armored hands. “But how? Loki was never anywhere near the Tower- we were out there all night.”

Steven shoved all of the apples into the trash before tying the bag closed and muttering more words over it. “He wouldn’t have to be if he had an apple.  With dark magic a sorcerer can poison a tree with a few seeds.  He probably had a familiar fetch one.  None of you would have bothered to look twice at a small animal of the wood.”

“She’s still breathing-” Twitchy said with hope, feeling Darcy’s pulse.

Steven nodded, his brow creased. “The spell Loki used was some sort of sleep spell.  He does not appear to be strong enough to cast a death spell, but this is almost as good. She will sleep as if in death. I am sorry.  Without knowing what spell it was that Loki cast, I cannot undo it.”

“So, she’ll just sleep?” Flirty asked, distraught.

“Forever,” Steven said. 

“Perhaps not,” came a voice on the stairs.

Everyone turned to look at the intruder, weapons raised.  A man in a red cape stood watching them. 

“Loki’s magic has grown over the years, but I would suspect he used a weaker one with an easy cure.”

“And you are?” Steven asked, preparing to ward off any spell the stranger might throw at them. 

“My name was Jarvis… but that was before. I have served Loki for many years as his magic mirror. I was trapped in my glass prison for so many years before him that I can not remember who I was before I came into his service.”  Coming forward he ignored the weapons the others had trained on him.  “I've watched Darcy for many years. When Loki learned of Thor’s betrayal he smashed the mirror, unknowingly freeing me. I have been searching for her ever since.”  Kneeling beside Darcy, the man leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss at the corner of her mouth. “I have loved you for years, Princess Snow Darcy White, please come back and share your light,” he whispered at her.

Darcy’s eyes fluttered slowly open. The last thing she remembered was the floor suddenly rising up to meet her, which would explain why she was on the ground, looking up at everyone and a few strangers. 

“Hello princess,” said one of the strangers to her. “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.”

*

That night everyone celebrated Darcy’s survival. Steven and Jarvis had set up magical wards around the Tower to ensure Darcy’s safety until something could be done about Loki.  Things were still unsettling, but Darcy felt safe among her friends and new family.

Techy walked toward Thor as the huntsman watched the woman he’d considered blood since they’d first met smiling with the Avengers. He was glad to be finally reunited with her. 

“Nice cape,” Techy said to Thor as he walked by. “Good color.”

Thor inclined his head at the inventor and watched as he walked over to Jarvis.  He could just hear Techy tell the man he had a great voice and ask if he’d ever considered voice acting.

*

“GAH!” Darcy bolted upright in bed, reaching out as she did so.

“Darcy, are you alright?” Jarvis asked, his disembodied voice soothing in the dark room.  He lit the emergency lights at the floorboards along the walls, allowing a dim light to cast up and illuminate the room.  It wasn’t bright enough to make her squint, but it was enough to allow Darcy to get her bearings and relax.  She was in her room, in the Tower- the real Tower, in New York, safe. 

“Yeah, J…” she said, calming. “I just had the strangest dream…”