Amberley walked through the town, homes smouldering, some still on fire, the smoke hung in thick clouds in the air and could probably be seen for miles. Bodies littered the streets of only Brooklyn soldiers and unlucky civilians who had taken up arms in the same of their King and Queen. The Chitarui had disintegrated into ash in a twist of events.
That was when she knew the battle had been won.
T'Challa and his men had ridden ahead of Steve's army to help with the clean up process, the Dora Milaje helping those who had been injured. Many had taken refuge in the castle's great hall that now had seemingly turned into a physician's chamber. Thankfully they had many who were unharmed to hand that were helping the injured.
"Challa, is he alive?" Amberley asked as she embraced her friend.
He nodded. "He took a blow during the battle, however Lady Maximoff was able to help him heal - part of their plan so it seems".
"Plan?" Amberley frowned, but it was no surprise that her husband had one. He was strategic and simply wouldn't ride into a battle without some sort of knowledge of what they would do.
"He spoke of it when I arrived, but did not tell any of us the details. Probably to make our reactions all the more real". T'Challa replied, "it worked for sure, we thought he was as good as dead when we watched Thanos strike him.
The relief washed over Amberley. She herself had cuts and bruises, one damning one to her cheek that had turned a nasty purple colour, but other than that she had remained unscathed (her dress hadn't though but at the time that had not mattered) fighting off the enemy and barricading everyone into the hall as the soldiers had tried to break the doors down.
Then all had fallen silent until she heard guards yelling from outside that their enemy was disappearing into thin air.
As Amberley had rushed out into the courtyard, all she saw was what looked like ashes being taken by the wind.
They had won, but how remained unknown. She knew deep down that those fighting miles away on the battlefield would have had the answer to that.
"Look at this...and to think I could have helped them more..." She looked around at the bodies.
"Your husband would disagree, he'd praise your fearless nature. The castle still stands, sure it will need some repair here and there, but you have kept it shining like a beacon of hope. And when Steve sees that? He will be proud of what you accomplished here.
Turning back, they made for the castle once more, Amberley just wishing that Steve and her sons were now back home in her arms.
"THE KING! THE KING!" One of the guards yelled a few hours later to tell everyone that their leader had returned.
Hitching up her skirts, Amberley rushed outside, skidding to a halt at the top of the steps as her husband and his army rode in.
Immediately Steve dismounted, running up the steps on seeing first sight of her, and embracing her. "What have they done to your beautiful face?" He now studied the ugly bruise to her cheek, "did they hurt you?" He couldn't forgive himself if they had.
She shook her head. "I am as you see me" Then bursting into tears. "I thought I would lose you".
He held her, being careful not to inflict pain to her cheek anymore than it already had been. "Shhhh, it's ok, I'm here and unharmed...but you? Look what you did here..." He looked around at just what the city and it's people had been subjected to.
"I know...I couldn't protect them..." She began wondering whether he was angry at her for not being able to defend their home.
"That's not what I meant" He now looked into her eyes and smiled. "Once again you did as you promised. You fought for our people, kept them as safe as you could, and that is what they needed". He kissed her deeply, then pulling away. "It's like you said, we still have much more to achieve - and we will".
"I wouldn't want to do it without you" She told him.
"And you won't have to" He promised, kissing her once more and not caring who was watching. Protocol could slide for once.
The sound of someone clearing their throat made them turn, seeing Natasha and Yelena there with both Phillip and Jasper. The pair of them immediately taking their boys in their arms and embracing them tightly.
They were home.
This was home.
Brooklyn would recover and rebuild from their ordeal.
The future was theirs to rule over.
Together.
YOU ARE READING
Wildflower (King!SteveRogers AU)
Fanfic"It's a game...a dangerous one at that" When her father Phillip, Jarl of Wisconsin, dies in battle, his daughter Amberley is imprisoned, awaiting to suffer the same fate. Execution. However her captor, The High King of Brooklyn, Steven Rogers has ot...
