Quiver and Crown // KateLena

The Path

"Good morning," Yelena said, awake first for once. The thin mattress dipped as she turned to leave, but a hand over her own paused the movement.

Kate rolled over sleepily, saying, "good morning, my princess. How did you sleep?"

"Well, thanks to you."

Kate smiled lightly, though it dropped as Yelena tried to stand. "Can't we stay like this forever? Just us?"

"I wish, my knight, it would be much easier." Yelena kissed the forehead of the other woman, then finally stood, stretching her arms high. "Rise and shine, Kate Bishop. Today we set out for Asgard."

"Are you ready?"

"I don't have a choice."

At that, Yelena made her way outside, where Bucky and Sam were already hard at work, packing food, tents, and various other supplies into sacks before loading them onto a few sturdy horses. Wanda sat on a hand carved stool outside the stable, perplexed as she studied a map.

"Wanda the navigator," Yelena greeted, "how far is Asgard from here, anyway?"

Wanda frowned. "Wish I knew. This map may as well be in another language."

"Ooh, are we planning our route?" Peter asked excitedly as he bounded over, several knapsacks hanging from his torso. "Lemme see."

Wanda obliged, amused at the enthusiasm from the boy. "What do you think?"

"I think... we should definitely go west!"

"I... thanks, Peter," Yelena chuckled, snatching the map back. Peter nodded sincerely, then made his way over to assist his mentors in loading the horses. "He reminds me of a young Kate."

"Yeah? That a good thing?" Wanda asked, once again puzzling over the parchment.

"Yes, I think it is. Naïve, but well intentioned. Charming."

"Hm. Last I knew, you and Kate weren't on great terms."

"Well, near death changes things. She's saved my life, more than once. She's really... grown up," Yelena said, eyes lighting up as Kate emerged from her cottage across the way, once again donning full armor and weapons.

Wanda looked up to follow Yelena's gaze. "Pick your jaw up off the floor, Lena. Seems to me Kate is still pretty naïve. You look at her like that and she thinks nothing of it."

"Look at her like what?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Have any of you ever been to Asgard?" Peter asked loudly, and Bucky massaged his temples.

"No," the group responded, answering the question for a second time.

Bucky and Sam shared a look before Sam sighed, saying, "fine, the kid rides with me. Wanda, you good riding with Bucky?"

The woman nodded, and with Bucky's help mounted the sleek brown steed. Peter hopped up behind Sam on a slate gray horse, and Kate stepped up to the pair's trusty black horse, quirking an eyebrow at Yelena in challenge.

"You want to ride in front for a little?" The knight asked, and at Kate's smirk, the princess agreed. How could she resist having Kate behind her, guiding every pull of the reins, arms wrapped firmly around her waist. As the party set out, Bucky warned it would be a lengthy ride, maybe two full days, but with Kate so close, Yelena did not mind.

Riding like this, encapsulated in between Kate's arms, the princess felt oddly safe. The paths the group traversed were wild and often perilous, with steep foothills and dense forest, but Yelena felt shielded from the world in the fold of Kate's metallic armor. The knight sensed this as Yelena relaxed more and more over the first portions of the journey, eventually becoming so lax that the whole of her body weight leaned back against the brunette. Of course, Kate did not mind, happy to provide security and shelter from the elements.