AN: Enjoy the Chapter!
For now, Vision and Princess Wanda remained blissfully unaware of the trouble heading their way. Wanda was currently behind a tree, changing into more suitable travel attire. Vision waited nearby, holding her rucksack. After catching sight of the Princess's nude silhouette just beyond the tree as she changed, he had politely turned away, his cheeks slightly pink.
"So" Wanda asked as she stepped out from behind the tree, now wearing sturdy leather travel pants and a long red coat, "Since, you came to help, I'm assuming you have somewhere we can go?"
"Oh, yes" Vision nodded. "I have friends waiting at the Potts Inn in Leestown. It's not too far, we can get there on foot easy enough.. " Then, remembering that she was royalty, and how far she could be expected to walk was probably very different to how far he could, added, "Or.. I could carry you if it's too far.."
"Alright. Carry me, peasant."
"Oh! Yes, of course. How would you like me to.."
"Vision, I'm joking" Wanda chuckled. "I got myself into this little adventure, I can handle what it throws at me. Just point the way."
Vision pointed, and the new unlikely duo of Princess and Thief set off.
For a while, the pair walked in comfortable silence, eventually broken when Vision spoke.
"I was very sorry to hear about your brother's accident.. Prince Pietro was a good man, from what I heard. A terrible loss.."
"He was" Wanda growled. "But my brother's death was no accident.."
"It wasn't?"
"No. Ultron killed Pietro." The Princess's fists clenched. "I can't prove it.. but it's convenient, don't you think, that Pietro died mysteriously just a few months before he would have taken the throne back?"
"It is.." Vision frowned. He had heard rumours, whispers in the streets.. But bad things tended to happen to anyone who openly spoke badly of Ultron. He remembered that it was not too long after Prince Pietro's death that he had first seen Wanda on the balcony. "Is that why you decided to run away?"
"It was.. the latest in a long line of reasons. I never really felt like I fit the world I was born into. Pietro was the only thing that really kept me there. Without him.."
"Time to fly?"
"Exactly" Wanda smiled. "So.. You and your friends. Why are you helping me?"
"Well.. It just felt like the right thing, I suppose." Vision's gut twisted uncomfortably with his lie. How could he tell the Princess that he wasn't really supposed to be her Saviour, but her captor? That his 'friends' actually wanted to ransom her back to Ultron?
But.. Surely The Avengers wouldn't still want that after they learned what really happened to Prince Pietro, would they? They were supposed to be the good guys, after all. Once they found out the truth, they would want to help like Wanda thought they did.
Vision just had to make sure that he spoke to The Avengers first and explained things, before Wanda could meet them.
One thing he knew for certain was that he could not let Wanda be returned to Ultron. Not now.
After a few hours trudging through the woods, they reached a clearing, and then a path that took them on to Leestown. Leestown was a small town, existing mostly as a stopover for travellers. In the middle of nowhere, and on the way to just about everywhere. Because of this, Pepper Potts, the Town Innkeeper, did quite a roaring trade.
As Vision and Wanda entered, the Princess pulled up a hood to keep herself from being recognised. Business was clearly booming, the Inn's bar area crowded. A dark haired woman walked around serving drinks, while a boy of about sixteen scampered about collecting empty glasses. Pepper Potts approached Wanda and Vision, looking apologetic.
"Our rooms are all booked out tonight, I'm afraid. But you're welcome to stay for a drink and something to.."
"Actually," Vision interrupted, "I think some rooms may have been booked for us? We're with Mr. St.."
"Oh. You're Tony's new guy" Pepper interrupted Vision in turn, with something like a long suffering sigh. She dropped a key into Vision's hand, and glanced at Wanda with a look of sympathy that confused her. "Peter!"
The boy collecting glasses deposited them behind the bar, and dutifully rushed over.
"Yes, Miss Potts?"
"Can you take these two out the back? They're here to see Mr. Stark."
"Right away Miss Potts. Hello, I'm Peter, Peter Parker. Follow me please Sir, Ma'm."
"Actually" Vision tried to say, as they followed him towards the back of the building, "It might be best if I.." Unfortunately, their guide was quite the chatterbox.
"So, you work for Mr. Stark now? He said they might be taking on someone new.."
"Yes. And I.."
"Work for?" Wanda frowned. "I thought we were going to see your friends."
"Well, sometimes there is a fine line.. So.."
"Mr. Stark's great isn't he? He got my Aunt May a job here at Miss Potts' Inn, and then she hired me when I was old enough."
"That's wonderful" said Vision, trying not to feel annoyed. "But I should really speak to Mr. Stark first, alo.."
"I don't want to work at the in forever though. Mr. Stark said I can be an Avenger one day if I practice. I'm really good at climbing stuff, and I have awesome reflexes.."
Before Vision could object, Peter pushed open the door to reveal the Avengers. Captain Rogers was pacing the room nervously, Hawkeye and the Black Widow were keeping watch for any sign of trouble, and Tony was sitting in the centre of the room, looking impatient. He jumped to his feet when the door opened.
"There you are! My God, how long does it take to kidnap a helpless little Princess?"
"Kidnap?" Wanda leapt backwards as if stung.
Peter, seeing that he probably wasn't needed here, hurried back out front.
"Yeah.." said Tony. "We sent Vision to kidnap you, and now we're going to ransom you back to dear King Ultron."
Wanda turned to Vision, a horrible mixture of different emotions crossing her face.
"You.. You said you were there to help me.."
"Wanda.."
A horrible crack echoed through the room as Wanda slapped Vision across the face and bolted back up the Hall.
When Vision looked back on this moment, it was never Wanda's anger that bothered him. It was that she looked so badly hurt by his betrayal.