Quiver and Crown // KateLena

Respite

Natasha spat a thick clot of blood onto the ballroom floor, thanking every diety she knew of that a tooth did not exit her mouth with the coagulated crimson. The redhead recalled little of the last few moments other than the hilt of a sword that cruelly struck her head, knocking her to the floor. Shaking her aching head, she naïvely willed it was a bad dream, a nightmare, but as she blinked again, reality resumed. A previously jubilant occasion descended into chaos as attackers divulged on the mostly defenseless population. Some partygoers ran, some begged for their lives, others simply sobbed at the insanity of it all.

With a heavy sway, Natasha wobbled to her feet, pounding head whipping around in search of her fiancée. Luckily, she need not look far, as only a few meters away, Steve defended the woman as he fought, sword and shield drawn, to clear a path toward an exit. From the trio's position near the back corner of the ballroom, the best bet was a window, but those were at least eight feet tall.

"Steve!" Natasha called, ducking and dodging fleeing partygoers to reach her closest knight, and more importantly, the woman she loved.

"Thank the gods you're alright, I lost you in the fray," Steve grunted, battering a hostile's helmet with his shield. For the moment, Natasha felt relatively secure in Steve's vicinity, secure enough to pause and formulate a plan. He was arguably the best fighter in the land, in no small part to his ability to use a typically defensive tool, his shield, in attacks. "This isn't looking good, princess. Complete ambush."

"Natasha?" Wanda beckoned urgently from behind Steve, backed up to a ballroom corner. "Nat, what is this?"

Natasha kissed Wanda chastely, praying it would not be her last. "Wanda, I need you to trust me. I'm about to do something you aren't going to like."

Wanda's inquisition was cut off by Natasha ordering Steve to throw one of his maces at a window to shatter it, which he immediately enacted. The impact drew attention from attendees and attackers alike, so Natasha urged her plan along.

"Steve, boost her up," the redhead commanded and Steve nodded resolutely. If one of them could make it out, the chances of survival for the collective increased greatly. "Wanda, my love, you must run. Do you understand? Get out of Aram and do not look back. Get to the Plains if you can! Go!"

Sensing that any protest toward her stubborn fiancée would be futile and waste precious seconds, Wanda simply agreed, accepting her fate. "I'll run, darling. I'll get help. Please be here when I return. I love you."

"I love you," Natasha bid tearfully as Steve hoisted the other woman up onto his strong, broad shoulders, boosting her to the windowsill. With a yelp, Wanda descended to the other side and out of eyesight.

"Surrender yourselves! Lay down your arms!" A voice screamed, and when Natasha and Steve turned back to the crowd, they realized they were severely outnumbered and surrounded and shared a knowing look. Surrender was the only option. Steve dejectedly dropped his shield and set down his sword, head bowed low. Natasha put her hands high in the air, and as she was tackled and pinned to the cold, bloodstained ballroom floor, found solace in the sole fact that Wanda was safe.

-

Morning light beamed over the horizon before Kate felt comfortable enough to halt her horse's sprint. It was meant to be a short rest on the grassy banks of an idyllic river, but as Kate dismounted, she collapsed, yelling out in pain. Over the course of the night, the arrow lodged in her leg turned into an afterthought; survival and escape held top priority. Now, though, as the pair set their feet on solid ground again and gained decent distance from the capital, Kate's injuries could be tended to.

"I'm sorry," Kate apologized as she rolled over to her back, watching Yelena tie their steed to a nearby tree. "I'm so sorry."

"Kate, don't..." Yelena softly started, kneeling to address the injured woman. "Where are you hurt? Let me help."