(Originally published in "The Many Adventures of the Avengers and Friends")
"No, no, you're missing the point. There is no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top." - Tony Stark, "The Avengers"
Or is there?
Multiverses have the...
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°2016°
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The twins led the way to a small campsite that merely consisted of a small fire pit, a couple of logs next to it, and a waterproof sheet held up by branches that served as a tent. Wanda put a pot of water over the fire and filled it with rice in a bag she had stored inside one of the logs.
"You're welcome to sit down." Pietro said, sitting next to his sister on one of the logs. Carson and Bucky awkwardly did the same on the other log.
"Thank you." Carson said, taking off his boots and sticking them close to the fire to warm them up in the rapidly cooling air.
"So... You two are Their Majesties' latest bounty hunters, yes?" Wanda asked.
"Winter Soldiers Bucky Barnes and Carson Ambrose. It was gonna be a one time job. Bring you two in and get a place to live comfortably. Ideally with running water and heat." Bucky said.
"You don't ask for much."
"The Queen said they were ready to pay a lot more. She really wants to see your heads on spikes."
"We knew that, it's just funny. Why not ask for more if you knew you could have it?" Pietro asked.
"We spent a long time in the Siberian HYDRA base. Tested on to be the perfect soldiers. Once HYDRA collapsed we treked through the snow in hopes to find civilization. We did not know how long we were held captive. Next thing we knew we saw foreign colors flying and needed a place to go. We stayed in Russia for a long time before the want for your capture went public. Figuring we could get a warm place to live out of it, we accepted. Being trapped in that base for nearly fifty years meant anything sounded like paradise." Carson explained.
"HYDRA, huh? What a coincidence. They captured us a few years ago to practice human experimentation with that alien technology before they collapsed. We escaped pretty recently." Wanda said. "We've been wanted for a while now."
"I feel like I just escaped captivity only to land in someone else's trap. Freedom seems like a foreign concept." Carson sighed.
"It's pretty rough here in general. We've had our fair share of run-ins with the Elites." Pietro said.
"Elites?"
"The highest ranked members of the Royal Council and Militia. They were the ones who tried to stop the invasion in the first place, but they got overwhelmed and fell under the Queen and King's control. You've got the head of external security, the watchman. His name is Clint Barton, an archer. The first to fall under their control. The Royal Scientists, Dr. Bruce Banner and Tony Stark-"
"Wait... Stark?" Bucky asked.
"Yeah. He used to be huge around here. Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, and a Philanthropist. The Palace used to be Stark Towers before it was remodeled."
