1815

Twenty Six Years After The Start Of The French Revolution

A King Is Once Again On The Throne Of France


The wind blew hard against the sides of the boats, water splashing up the sides. A small area was cut along the shore where the boats would eventually go. After the prisoners of France pulled them in. Some had just committed a small crime, but still got the same treatment as someone who had murdered. Each man had a different story to tell, unique as themselves. But they all now, were forced to do things no man should have to do. So as the moans and groans came from the people pulling, their heaving began to fall into a rhythm with the ones around them.

Yet, there was a man who stood above all this. Watching as the ran poured down, and waves crash into the men, almost knocking some over. His emerald greens eyes sparkled with pleasure, and a grin passed on his lips. His raven hair matted to his head from the rain. This man was Loki Laufeyson, one of the best guards in the french army. Loki had fought in the first revolution and was captured and tortured. When he finally gave away the secrets they set him free to the dungeons. Where he spent ten years working his way up to the best of the guard. He treated each man worse than the last, his whip would lash out at any random moment. And for no reason, but there was one man. Who wasn't afraid of the whip, and wasn't afraid to be there.

This man, was Tony Stark. A man who stole just a mouthful of bread to save his dying daughter, and yet failed. The bread barely kept her alive for five minutes, and he spent nineteen years in prison for such a small crime, granted, it was because of his many attempts to escape. Yet, he still thought it unreasonable. His life had been a down spiral since he turned seventeen. When his parents were murdered by French guards. And then soon fathering a child, and left abadoned by her mother everything was not at all well.

"Look Down, Look Down, Don't look him in the eyes." He sang loudly over the moans of the people. Trying to help with the mood. But then they replied in song almost like the sailors at sea.

"Look Down, Look Down, You're here until you die.." It was low, and grumpily and sounded almost painful.

"The sun is strong, it's hot as hell below." A small, older man grumbled out.

"Look Down, Look Down, there's twenty years to go." They all joined back in together.

"I've done no wrong, Sweet Jesus hear my prayer." Another man spoke up. Lanky and thin, bald as a babe.

"Look Down, Look Down, Sweet Jesus Doesn't care."

"I know she'll wait, I know that she'll be true." A broader, heavier man spoke. His eyes full of tears.

"Look Down, Look Down, They've all forgotten you."

"When I get free, you won't be seeing me. Ere' for the dust." A tall man sang, heaving harder than before.

"Look Down, Look Down, Don't look him in the eye."

"How long, Oh Lord, before you let me die?" A small man, stumbling as the chains practically pulled him back, covering his body in water for a moment before he came back up.

"Look Down, Look Down, You'll always be a slave.." They all grumbled as they heaved. "Look Down, Look Down, You're Standing in your grave."

Loki stiffened up as they heaved the boat into the harbor. Guards started to round up the prisoners and they began to walk back to start to heave another boat. Their heads hung low and their chains clinked gently as they walked. Tony looked up and saw a few guards staring and whispering, but he kept walking in the line. Until he came face to face with Loki.

"Retrieve the flag." Loki said quietly. Tony gave a small nod and turned around to see the flag post laying on the ground. He walked over to it, and heaved it up on his back, and begun to pull the massive wait back towards Loki. No, normal man could ever do such a thing. With a load grunt he laid the post at Loki's feet. "Now Prisoner 24601!" He called, as the line once again halted. Tony then looked up to Loki. A sneer look on his face. "Your time is up, and your parole has begun. You know what that means?"

"Yes, it means I'm free." He said taking a paper from Loki.

"No, It means you get your yellow ticket-of-leave. You are a thief." Loki spat at him. "This badge will show shame until the day you die. It warns you are a dangerous man."

"I stole a loaf of bread.." Tony said quietly.

"You robbed a house." Loki said harshly.

"I broke a window pane." Tony said moving forward. "My daughter, my child was close to death, and we were starving."

"You will starve again, Unless you learn the meaning of the law." Loki said, pulling his whip out.

"I know the meaning of those 19 years, A slave of the law." Tony looked up and glared with his eyes.

"Five years for what you did, The rest because you tried to run. Yes, 24601."

"My name is Tony Stark." Tony hissed.

"And I am Loki! Do not forget my name! Do not forget me, 24601." Loki shouted.

"Look down, look down, You'll always be a slave." The men started again as Tony began to walk away. "Look down, look down,You're standing in your grave."

Tony soon then left, and looked over Paris. A sad, but happy look filled his eyes as he began to make a long journey, through the countryside of France.

"Free at last, how strange it is." He sighed out. "I'll never forget the years, the waste. Nor forgive them, for what they have done. They are the guilty everyone!" He cried out as he fell to his knees. "Today is a new day and we shall see, what this new would will do for me."


Seeing as he was now a convict he knew his life would be turned upside down and over again. But he didn't know how bad it would really be. So, after days of walking he found a small camp for construction. He hurriedly went to the leader to see if her could find a job.

"Can I help, a days work?" Tony asked as nice as he could. The man glaring over him with gleaming eyes.

"Papers?"

"Yeah, yeah. Right here." He handed the man the papers and in his eyes he saw the worry and disappointment flow through them.

"Sorry no work here..."


"Stark, as a dangerous man you will be put on parole forever, failure to report means immediate arrest. Be in Pontalia in thirty days." The guard said with a evil smirk. Lurking on his face as Tony grabbed his papers with a nod and left the room. "Follow him." The guard spoke.


"No! NO! Get! GET! ALL OF YOU BRATS!" Tony shouted as the children ran away. Dropping the stones they were going to throw at him next. Looks of fear in their eyes.


Tony stopped at the small inn and warmed his hands by the fire, letting himself shake with exhaustion.

"Let me see your papers." The inn keeper spoke.

"Miseur.. Please."

"Papers."

"I'll sleep in the stables, please."

"Get out."

Tony grabbed his stuff and headed out. To be met by the guards who gave a smirk to each other and began to beat him merciless. Blood dripping from his mouth he then continued on til he found a small shack in a graveyard. Where he found peace for a few moments before the door opened. All Tony saw was the light, and he sobbed out.

"Please, don't hurt me. Let me stay here."

"Come inside, for you are weary." The man said quietly, taking off his hood to reveal himself as a bishop. A kind old man with a small smile on his face. "And the night is cold out here. Our lives are very humble, but what we have, we have to share."

"Why would you share with me?" Tony asked quietly following him.

"Because you are god's child, and should be forgiven." Tony nodded as the older man continued. "We have wine that can revive you, and bread that will make you strong. There's a bed to rest til morning. Rest from pain and rest from wrong."

Tony then sat down at the table and greedily began to ate, as the sister began to watch with harsh looks. They were frightened as they watched the strange man gather here. But they fed him until he was full and left for bed. At least that's what they thought.

When he thought everyone asleep, he got up and filled his back with all the silver he could find. The silverware, platters, vases, even trinkets. And he hurried his way out of the abby. Running as fast as he could.


The next morning guards came in shouted and fussing. Holding Tony in their grasp as he fussed ans kicked.

"Monsignor, we have your silver. We caught this man red-handed." The guard paused, and then laughed. "He had the nerve to say you gave him this."
"That is right." The Bishop spoke with a small smile. "But my friend you left so early, Surely something slipped your mind. You forgot I gave these also; Would you leave the best behind?" He paused and looked down. "So messieurs, release him, This man has spoken true. I commend you for your duty. And God's blessing go with you."

Tony fell to his knees and looked up at the man. A look of horror spread across his face as he watched the guards leave. And the kind man give him the candlesticks made of silver. One of the sisters gasped as she watched.

"But remember this, my brother, See in this some higher plan. You must use this precious silver. To become an honest man." Tony nodded and felt tears gently fall down his face as he stood. "By the witness of the martyrs, By the passion and the blood, God has raised you out of darkness:I have saved your soul for God."


Tony collapsed to his knees and began to weep as he spoke to himself. "What have I done, Sweet Jesus, what have I done? Become a thief in the night, Become a dog on the run." He began to stand with a look in his eyes.

"And have I fallen so far, And as the hour so late. That nothing remains but the cry of my hate. The cries in the dark that nobody hears. Here where I stand at the turning of the years. If there's another way to go. I missed it twenty long years ago. My life was a war that could never be won. They gave me a number and they murdered Stark. When they chained me and left me for dead. Just for stealing a mouthful of bread."

He ran his fingers through his hair and cried out a moment in pain as he looked up. Tony stood as he began to look towards an alter of god. Voice filling with sorrow.

"Yet why did I allow this man,to touch my soul and teach me love? He treated me like any other, He gave me his trust, He called me brother.." He paused and spun around. "My life he claims for God above, Can such things be? For I had come to hate the world, This world that always hated me."

Tony stood up straighter, tone filling with anger as he looked at the alter.

"Take an eye for an eye, Turn your heart into stone. This is all I have lived for. This is all I have known." But these words made him sink back down, down on his knees. Sobbing once more he spoke to himself.

"One word from and I'd be back, beneath the lash, upon the rack. Instead he offers me my freedom. I feel my shame inside me like a knife. He told me that I have a soul. How does he know? What spirit comes to move my life? Is there another way to go?" He paused and the sobs racked through his body as he curled up into a ball.

"I am reaching, but I fall, and the night is closing in. As I stare into the void, to the whirlpool of my sin." He began to stand up. "I'll escape now from that world. From the world of Tony Stark." His voice filled with anger, and a growly tone. "Tony Stark is nothing now! Another story must begin!"

Tony ripped up his papers and watched them fly into the wind. Knowing now that he was not going to follow the rules of someone else's game. He was going to be free, and turn his life around completely. No longer now was he Tony Stark. He was now. IronMan.