The Merger

Rogers

"I had to. She doesn't belong."

Steve had been scrubbing the charcoal out of his hair in silence. His father stood by, head up, hands behind his back like the pompous arse he was. The Prince stayed silent, his molars grinding against each other as his father continued to defend himself.

"Did you honestly think I would let you marry that thing-"

"She is not a THING!" Steve had thrown the bowl of water to the ground, breaking the ceramic and send shards all over the room. "You have committed a cowardly act. Instead of trusting me to do my duty, as I always have without complaint, you commit murder and treason as if you throw away half an apple because you were full."

The elder Rogers stalked forward,  his nostrils flared yet he did not yell. "I will not have my bloodline tainted with the likes of her. This was my plan for you, I saved you. Everyone knew she was a bastard as soon as she came out of whatever whore bore her. This progressive society will die with her and we will take hold."

"What is that supposed to mean? What are you planning?" Steven was nose to nose with his father. The older Rogers' cold eyes held no emotion.

"Nothing. Everything is set in motion. We just need to wait." He stepped back and left his son to make his decision. Comply or face the consequences of his fathers wrath.

//

You found Steve in your shared chambers, "Hey! You! What the hell is-" Steve cut you off with a kiss. A deep one. You were alive and well.

"You're okay," he smiled. His hair returned to it's regular blond. Steve stroked your cheek and stared you lovingly.

"What is happening? Why was Bucky just arrested for the murder of my parents?" you stepped away from his grasp.

"What?" Steve looked past you, closing the door. Edwin stood outside, eyes froward. Steve swept his hair from side to side, almost like a nervous tick.

"You know something Rogers. What is it?"

Steve's mind went crazy with all the possible lies he could tell you but he turned up blank. Perhaps his father hired Bucky to kill the King and Queen. No. No that's ridiculous, his friend loved you, cared for you. He wouldn't do anything to hurt you, not intentionally. When Steve didn't answer, your eyes began to well up.

"But he could not have," you squeaked out, "he-he would not do that. He-"

You broke down on the bed, holding your heart and feeling a blaze of emotions; devastation, rage, confusion, shame. How could he? You believe he cared for you. Perhaps he loved you too much, so much that he would kill the ones closest to you just to have you all to himself.
Your mind thought back to how Bucky had been acting recently. He was quiet and absent even before their deaths; he refused to answer your questions about what happened; and he looked awfully guilt-stricken these past few days.

Steve held you as you sobbed into his chest. Deja-vu took over you to just an hour before, crying in Bucky's arms. You sobbed harder as you remembered how your lust took over you. That's what it had to be. Lust. There could not be any love shared with someone who would slay or poison the ones you loved.

"Do you know what happened to them? How they were...killed?" you eyes didn't reach Steve's, not that he would allow them to at the moment.

"My father said they were slain. Throats cut."

You buried your face in your hands, trying to stop the tears from coming out but there was nothing you could do about the shaking. The non-stop shaking and the fear that was instilled in you now.

"Am I in danger?"

No answer.

You looked to Steve, who just had a dumbfounded look on his face. "Steve?"

He took your hands in his and kissed your fingers softly, "I will not let anyone hurt you. I will not let anyone take you away from me. I promise," the sincerity frightened you. Why on earth would someone take you or assassinate a Stark?

The people loved you, you were their innocent Princess who would donate her time, her money, her food to those that needed it. There had to be an explanation.

You suddenly stopped crying as the realisation dawned on you. It wasn't the public. It had to be someone close to you. Someone you trusted.  Someone currently within castle walls.

//

"Princess, you can deal with him later," Edwin chased you down the corridor as you attempted to see Bucky in the dungeons.

"I need to speak with him," Edwin had stopped you.

"There are more pressing matters-"

"More important than who killed the highest ranking members of the monarchy?"

The tears that began to well up in your eyes made Edwin's heart sink. You had lost your parents, he had lost his closest friends.
"You are to be Queen. You are the Queen." The way Edwin had said it made it seem final.

It was final.

"We must get work done, even if it is just for now. Come, Princess-my Queen. The council awaits."