The Hunters and the Prey - Chapter Forty-Five
Author: Milady Dragon
Sam arrived just after breakfast, and Steve was ready.
He didn't think he'd imagined Pepper's curiosity about the Enclave, and was surprised when she didn't ask if she could accompany them. At breakfast – which had been just herself and Steve; apparently the Baron and Dr. Banner were still in the workshop…and one day he was going to ask to see the place – his hostess commented on working most of the day on lesson plans and contacting individual students about study groups. She struck him as a very good teacher, she certainly had the patience for it, although he thought she might have developed that due to Baron Tony. He hadn't talked to the man all that much, but Steve knew the type: genius, and all the kinetic movement and thought that implied. Sometimes those sorts needed a special hand, and she could see that in Mistress Pepper Potts.
The horse that he'd rode yesterday was ready for him when he and Sam left the castle, the groomsman handing him the reins with a friendly, "Good morning." Steve returned the greeting, mounting easily, and then following Sam down from the castle grounds.
Instead of taking the road toward town, Sam turned them in the opposite direction. In front of them, forests rose like a barrier, tall trees glowing in the rising sunlight. "How long will it take to get there?" Steve asked.
"Just about an hour," Sam answered. "Can you see where the trees rise toward the mountains?"
Steve did.
"That's where the Enclave is. We'll leave the road about two-thirds of the way there, and take the forest trails up."
"There's no actual road that goes there?"
"There is, but it's a bit out of our way. Elves have always been a bit…reclusive, though, I guess you could say. It's only been in the last seventy-odd years that more of them have left the Enclaves than before."
"There was an Elf in the Commandos."
"Really?" Sam looked intrigued. "That's surprising. Back during the Century War, Elves were just happy to stay within their borders. In fact, it's become almost an imperative now, that Elves get out in the world. We can't stay hidden forever and hope to survive."
"Why is that?"
"Elves don't have children at the same rate as humans do; it's a much slower process. It's led to a decline in our numbers, as well as some forms of inbreeding, to the point where we really need fresh blood. The thing is, it's still frowned upon for an Elf to go outside their own Enclave to look for a mate, let alone marrying a human. It's getting better, but half-Elves still aren't really welcome among pure-blood Elves, and sometimes half-blood is counting pure Elves born from different Enclaves. It's a mess, really."
"You're a half-Elf, though."
Sam nodded. "I'm sort of the exception, really. My Mom's family is important within Falcon Enclave so, when she came back carrying a half-blood child, she got a special dispensation to bring me along. She's been working on getting the old blood laws repealed, but it's slow going. Falcon Enclave is pretty progressive compared to some."
Steve just didn't understand that sort of prejudice. People were people, no matter their blood, and should be measured by their actions, and not who their parents were. Sam seemed to be good people, one that Steve was proud to call a new friend, and it bothered him that he might not have been welcome among his mother's people, just because his father was human.
"So, your does your father live at the Enclave, too?"
A shadow passed over Sam's face. "No, he's dead. An accident. It was what sent Mom back to the Enclave. She was pregnant with me at the time, so I never really met him."
"I'm sorry."
He shrugged. "Not your fault. And I have family who've accepted me within the Enclave, as well as some really good friends."
"I should have asked this before, but will I actually be welcomed? I'm human, after all."
"Visitors are always welcome to come. We have market days and everything. But, if you wanted to actually move there…not so much. So, since you're only going to be there for the day, it's good."
As they rode, Sam gave Steve a little bit of history about Falcon Enclave. According to him, it was one of the newer ones, dating back only about seven hundred years, telling the Paladin that this was the reason why it was a bit more progressive than some of the more ancient ones. They were ruled by a Chief, which was an inherited position, and that Chief had his advisors. It was very much like a Baronial Court, really, which surprised Steve. He hadn't even considered that the Elves and the humans were so much alike, at least in their forms of government.
There was also a Gathering every two years, of all the Chiefs of all the Enclaves. The meeting place rotated, never in one place twice in a row; Sam had been a child when it had last been held at Falcon Enclave. He could recall all the pomp and ceremony, and wasn't afraid to laugh at it.
As they rode and talked, the road gradually rose toward the mountains. Sam said that the road went through the mountains and connected Ferrous with the baronies of the north, the Barons having the responsibility keeping the roads well-paved and cleaned of all overgrowth. That led to getting information about political climate of the area, and Steve spent a rather pleasant time getting a lesson in current politics.
Soon, though, they came to a dirt path that led off the main road. "On your left," Sam pointed out, turning his horse onto it, and Steve followed, noting that the path was well-cleared and lacking any holes that might break a horse's leg if they happened to stumble. The path climbed upward, weaving through the trees, the sun now blocked from hitting their directly.
It was quiet although birds accompanied them on their way, singing as if welcoming them to the forest. Insect sounds made a counterpoint to birdsong, the wind rattling the leaves and creating a harmony to the sounds of the natural world around them.
Steve had always enjoyed traveling. Even before Howard Stark had approached him, claiming that Steve was some sort of mythical Paladin and that it was his duty to be a rallying point for the troops fighting the Century War, Steve had enjoyed just getting out on horseback and basking in nature away from his home village.
He wondered if his village was still there, where it had been three hundred years ago. Maybe he'd check up on that sometime.
Riding with Sam was a pleasurable way to spend the morning, if he did say so himself. The half-Elf was a wealth of knowledge, but was also capable of being silent and let Steve rant about whatever was on his mind. Usually that had to do with the fact that he was alone, that everyone he'd known was dead and dust, and why had he been saved and no one else?
The Half-Elf wasn't condescending, or judgmental. He gave some good advice as well.
Sam was a comforting presence as they moved closer to the Enclave. Steve was glad that Dr. Garner had sent him to speak to Steve when he awoke, because Sam was just that sort of person that it was easy to talk to. It had to be a natural gift, and not something learned. Steve very much doubted that anyone could teach that sort of empathy.
Eventually, the path opened up into a large clearing. Trees circled the perimeter of the clearing; the path continued on just across the way. Houses lined the clearing, single-story dwellings that were plain, yet well-made, with slate rooves and stone walls, large windows that were lined with brightly-painted shutters. Each house a small front garden, brilliant flowers blooming and lending the area a very cheery aspect.
There were several Elves outside their homes. A few of them waved at Sam as they rode past; others gave Steve odd looks which he ignored by greeting anyone politely. It wasn't as if they were being unfriendly; but he was a stranger accompanying one of their own people, so Steve could understand the curiosity and wasn't bothered by it.
"This is sort of the back way in," Sam explained. "There's a main branch off the road about another two miles up." He flashed Steve a sly grin. "I prefer the back way."
They crossed the clearing and took the next path up. This led them through more trees, into another clearing circled by more homes, and onto yet another path, this one slightly off-center compared to the first.
That path led to an even larger clearing amid the tallest, oldest trees Steve had ever seen. This clearing was oblong, and extended up the mountain for at least a mile, the land rising gently upward in places, steeper in others. These building weren't houses; there were shops, a tavern, and an inn that was the only multi-story structure he'd seen in the Enclave so far. Off to the left, Steve could see the main road that Sam had told him about leading away from the center of town; there were also smaller paths as well, spaced in equidistant measures apart, almost as if this place was like an oddly shaped wagon wheel, and the paths were the spokes of that wheel.
In the near-center of the town, there was an ornate fountain, water tossed high into the air to land in a large stone basin, that had been lined with rich blue tiles. As he watched, three Elven children jumped into the fountain and began to water fight each other, their guardians calling to them to stop and come out of the water, trying to sound stern but failing to hide their amusement at their antics.
More laughter had Steve looking up, and above them, hanging from the trees, were various rope and wood catwalks, and peeking out from the trees were houses that had been constructed along the heaviest branches, almost blending in with the leafy canopy. A couple of Elves were looking down on the play at the fountain, their merriment the source of the laughter.
Cobbled walks meandered around the buildings and met at the fountain, stones encircling it and, in turn, was surrounded by green, well-trimmed grass. Elves in bright clothing made their way to and fro, but Sam had been correct: the only children that could be seen were the ones in the fountain. Everyone else seemed to be of adult age.
Sam dismounted, so Steve followed suit. Instead of tying the reins onto one of the convenient hitching posts in front of the inn, he led his mount around the fountain and toward yet another of the paths, this one heading off to the right. At Steve's confused expression, his friend explained, "We'll leave the horses at Mom's place. Then we can take the tour around the Enclave. It'll be easier that way."
So, he was going to get to meet Sam's mother. Honestly, Steve was looking forward to it. This was the woman who'd managed to convince an entire Enclave to take her and her son in, when that son was the child of a mixed marriage. He had the feeling he was going to be in for a treat.
Steve had always had a thing for strong women. The strongest woman he'd ever met had been Lady Peggy Carter, and he'd fallen for her hard despite the feelings he'd long carried for his best friend. She hadn't been his first love, that had been Bucky, but since Bucky hadn't ever shown any interest Steve had allowed himself to fall into her orbit, and to lose a part of his heart to her.
He could honestly say he knew the exact moment when he'd realized he'd loved her: the first time she'd punched out an idiot who'd been trying to throw his non-existent weight around.
Steve missed Peggy like he'd miss a limb. He hoped she'd had a good life, and had found happiness after the Skull had disappeared him into the Void.
Although, he would always miss Bucky more.
The path took them up the mountain even further, finally coming to yet another clearing, only this one was small and held only one house. The house was also the only two story building he'd seen so far, built of wood and stone, reddish-colored tile shingles glittering in the sunlight that streamed down from the open sky above.
The front garden was a riot of flowers, and the hum of bees busily working among the blossoms was calming as Sam left his horse to graze on the grass that surrounded the place. He motioned for Steve to do the same, saying, "The horses are fine here. Don't worry, they won't run away."
"If you say so." he dropped the reins, letting his horse move freely around the clearing, then followed Sam as his friend walked to the front door. Without knocking, Sam entered, shouting, "Mom! We're here!" which echoed through the large, open-plan front room.
There were also plants on the inside of the house, all in decorative pots with brilliant paint and lacquer finishes. The floor was bare wood, polished to a high sheen, and yet it wasn't slippery as Steve was expecting when he took his first step into the room. On one side of the room was an immense fireplace, around which were a couch and several chairs. On the other side was a fancy dining room, a kitchen visible beside it. The only area of the room that was closed off from the hallway was what had to have been the kitchen wall, and that had the wide stairs going up to the second floor, which comprised of an overhang that had several doors along the inner wall. A large skylight was in the ceiling, letting in the sun at an angle that had the upper area illuminated.
"Samuel," a woman's voice sounded from upstairs. Steve's eyes found her immediately; she was coming down the stairs, a wide smile on her pleasant features.
Once she was down to the ground floor, Sam made the introductions. Lady Darlene Wilson was a handsome woman, quite a bit shorter than her son, with short dark hair that framed her delicately pointed ears. She was wearing a long, kaftan-like dress, and she didn't even hesitate to welcome Steve into her home. "Please, sit down, and I'll fetch the tea."
"Thanks, Mom." Sam leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"I haven't forgotten my manners, young man," she teased him lightly. "You and your friend have a seat and I'll be back shortly." With that, she practically glided toward the kitchen.
Sam waved toward the sitting area. "Take a chair. If I know my mother, she's had the tea ready to be served for the last few minutes."
Steve took a chair, using the time waiting to get an even better look around. Every single window on this floor seemed to be open, letting in the breeze and the scent of the flowers in the garden outside. A large tree – were those limes hanging from it? – sat in a large pot in the corner, while another tree, this one grapefruit, was in the opposite corner, threatening to take over that entire side of the room. A large vining plant was draped over the mantel, and several hanging baskets on ornate wrought-iron sconces attached to the walls held various sorts of flowers in brilliant colors.
He'd always heard that Elves were close to nature, but he'd never really understood until he'd entered that house. Everything was lush and vibrant, and no one should have a thumb that green. Sam's mother must have been a follower of the Mother Goddess, to be this in tune with growing things.
Sure enough, Lady Darlene was back with a wooden tray holding cups and a teapot, the white ceramic decorated with vines and leaves. There was also a plate of tiny cakes, almost like cookies only square and thicker.
Sam got to his feet and maneuvered a table over for her to set the tea tray on, and she gave her son a loving smile. "Thank you, Samuel."
He leaned over and kissed her cheek again. "You're welcome, Mom."
"Now," she said, setting herself in another chair and pouring, "this is an herbal tea, made with peppermint. I don't recommend any sort of milk or sweetener, but that is entirely up to you."
"Plain is fine, Lady Darlene."
She passed a cup to Sam – who was sitting between her and Steve – who promptly handed it over. The steam smelled wonderful. Following that was a small plate with three cakes on it, and despite the fact that Steve had eaten a rather hearty breakfast his stomach rumbled a bit.
He took a sip, and it was wonderful. He wasn't afraid to say so.
Lady Darlene gave him a sunny smile. "Thank you. The cakes are lemon and poppyseed, so I hope they are to your liking."
"I'm sure they will be."
That was when he noticed there was a fourth teacup set on the tray.
Lady Darlene caught his eye. "We're expecting a guest," she said serenely.
As if on cue, the door opened and a voice called out the Elven lady's name.
It was a man's voice.
A very familiar man's voice.
Steve didn't even register Sam taking the cup and plate from him as he stood, his heart hammering so hard he wouldn't have been surprised if the sharp Elven hearing wasn't picking up on it. He stared as the man entered the house, taking a step forward before calling Steve by name.
"Gabe?" he gasped.
Gabe Jones, former Howling Commando, gave him a welcoming smile. "I should have known if there was a way you'd survive, you'd find it."
Gabe looked just a little older than the last time Steve had seen him, before the Paladin had gone in to face the Skull and hopefully to stop his plans in their tracks. It was in the fine lines at the corners of his eyes; his hair was just as dark as before, his body still strong and upright, as if three hundred years hadn't passed for him at all.
Without even realizing he was moving, Steve had darted forward and grabbed his old friend into a fierce hug, tears prickling his eyes as he realized that he wasn't as alone as he'd thought.
He should have guessed that Gabe would have been still around somewhere. After all, Elves lived much longer lifespans, and Gabe had been a young man when he'd joined in the fight against the Despot and the Skull. However, he felt he could be excused because of all the new information he'd been getting thanks to Sam and Pepper.
Finally, though, he stepped away, only to keep his hands on Gabe's shoulders. "How did you know I was even coming today?"
There was an embarrassed throat clearing behind him. "That was me," Sam admitted. "Usually I'd keep everything I'd learned under patient privilege, but I thought this would be a special occasion. Seeing someone you knew back then could only be beneficial."
"And you knew about this yesterday?" Steve demanded, turning to regard Sam.
"Not until I got back and it hit me that the same man who'd been paying court to my mother for years was someone you'd talked about." He really did look embarrassed. "I actually feel bad not figuring it out earlier, but I have to admit I'm not up on my history the way I should be."
Steve couldn't be mad at Sam, not for this. He'd worked it out eventually, and then arranged this surprise for him, and really Steve couldn't thank him enough.
"Steve," Gabe said, his voice a little sad, "there's something else you should know."
He turned back to his old friend, confused. "What is it?" Then he grinned. "If you're going to tell me that any of the other Commandos were secret Elves and I didn't know about it…"
Gabe chuckled, but it was tinged by that sadness in his eyes. "No, sorry about that."
"Then what?" He couldn't imagine what Gabe would have to say that would be that bad.
"I have a several times great-grandson," he began, "he's a Wizard. A Void, actually. He's also about one eighth Elven, so it doesn't show in him at all. He's about as human as he can be at this point."
Steve didn't know why Gabe was telling him this, because he wasn't sure why it was so important. Yes, it was fantastic that his old friend had moved on after Steve had vanished, and he was happy for him – which he said aloud – but he didn't understand what Gabe was trying to say.
"He's friends with a young woman named Daisy Coulson."
"Related to the current Grand Master of Voids?" Certainly, there couldn't be all that many Coulsons in the world, and hadn't he heard that there was a daughter? That Pepper was her teaching Master?
Gabe nodded, not seeming at all surprised that Steve had known that…but then, if Gabe's grandson was friends with Daisy Coulson, then perhaps she'd already told him about how Steve had been brought back and Sam's breaking confidence hadn't been necessary. He'd have to check on that later.
"Daisy and Antoine are friends," he reiterated, "so when Daisy needed help, she asked Antoine and the other members of what Antoine calls 'her gang'. They were supposed to be hunting for information on a cursed magical arm…which they did find, thank Gods."
Alright, he still had no clue where this was going, and said so.
"The arm was attached to a man called the Winter Knight. However, he has another name…Steve, you're not the only one Hydra messed with."
Steve shivered. He couldn't say why, only that the expression in Gabe's dark eyes were saying something that he really didn't want to interpret.
"Steve…that arm is attached to Bucky. And he's still alive."