Thanks for sticking with the story so far.

So this chapter ends my phase 1 of the Iron Knight saga. I'm working on Phase 2 and trying to decide if I should split it up into different Stories or keep it as 1 large Story. I have a few adventures in mind for Tony and Pepper.

Let me know what you think of the saga.


These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them.

Lord Anthony pulled on a shirt and trousers and they slowly made their way to the kitchen. Pepper insisted on supporting him because she saw the way he winced, while standing up in the workshop.

She helped him sit down, then bustled about, warming up some gravy and venison. She placed some cheese and wine on the table, which he eagerly reached for. When the food was hot, she served him and prepared a plate of venison for Tigliath as well. Lord Anthony did not start eating until she served herself as well and sat down beside him.

They ate quietly for a while, in a comfortable silence. Then he asked, " Where have Jarvis and Magdalene gone?"

She explained. He nodded absently and finished eating but sat there, waiting for her to finish. When she finished and cleared the table, he slowly walked to the fireplace and sat down. She was going to retire to her room when he said, "Pepper, please sit with me for a while."

She came over to him and touched her palm to his forehead. His temperature had returned to normal. He was staring at her, so she flushed and sat in the chair next to him.

"My lord, I'm sorry for my behavior the night I came to your room..."

He touched her lips with his fingers, stopping her mid sentence. His jaw tightened and he lowered his head.

"We will not speak of that night again. Is that clear?"

His anger puzzled her and she was going to argue, when he looked right at her. The intensity in his eyes scared her.

He's ashamed of his behavior, his uncontrolled passion and doesn't want to be reminded of it.

"My lord..."

"Please don't, my lord me!" he said with a hint of temper. "I'm not a lord or a knight anymore. I'm just a land owner with a large amount of land. And I would like to know the truth. How did you become a slave? Where are you really from?"

He wants the truth but I can't tell him who I really am.

She cleared her throat. He was still staring at her intensely.

"I'm not a lady. I was the lady in waiting to the Queen of Perondenia. Her Kingdom was destroyed by a necromancer."

At this, he looked at her sharply. "A necromancer?"

"Yes.. an evil wizard from Moria. He was well versed in dark magic and she was no match for him. He took over the land."

It still hurts to talk about it. I miss my home.

"What happened to its people and the queen?"

"He enslaved them. He killed the queen and... and her mother." Her voice broke at this and she stood up, then walked to the fireplace.

Be calm. Do not think about the past. You can't do anything about it. Don't get emotional.

Lord Anthony was quiet. Then he said "How did you escape?"

"After my lady was murdered, I was imprisoned in the tower. Late at night the castle's sommelier who had been hiding, freed me. He helped me leave by a secret cavern underneath the castle. Once I was out, I stole a horse from the town and rode west, desperate for any help. But..."

"But no one wanted to help you." He said quietly.

"Yes, they were scared of the necromancer's power. No one would listen to me. And the evil wizard's men were on my trail. They wanted to capture me. The necromancer put a bounty on my head."

"Why, what does he want with you?"

Do not tell him the truth. Do not.

She shrugged, trying to act casual. "Tying up loose ends, I suppose. He's killed everyone, who worked or lived in the castle. I'm the only survivor."

I'm the only one left of my family and friends.

She couldn't help herself. The loneliness of being the last, of knowing everyone she loved was gone, was too much to take. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she angrily wiped them away.

Great, Pepper. Cry, that's all you can do now.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing her in comfort. She turned. Lord Anthony gazed at her sadly with his soulful whisky eyes. "I understand your feeling of loss. I know what it's like to be the last of one's line."

She gulped, her throat raw and said "I can't go back to Perondenia. Not until I find a way to destroy the wizard. Or someone to help me... But mark my words, I will do something, my lord. I will go back someday."

He looked at her thoughtfully. "Where did the slavers capture you?"

"When I entered the borders of this land. They didn't know I was running from the necromancer. They were travelling towards the east with a large collection of slaves. I was just another hapless traveler to them, who they could sell. I was their prisoner for a week."

"But one night, they had a grand celebration and in his inebriation, the Fat One was careless with securing my chain. I escaped in the early hours of the morning. I think the camp separated and one half came after me, the one you destroyed."

Lord Anthony was staring into the fire and said, almost to himself, ''I destroyed the other half earlier this week. They had men and women of all ages. Even children. I set them free and killed all the slavers." He picked up the poker and viciously stabbed at the fire, as if he needed to do something with his hands.

"You said the necromancer came from Moria. Did you see him? Do you know his name?"

She shuddered, remembering the fateful night she lost everything.

He was death. Tall and beady eyed and had no hair on his head. He ... she remembered the maniacal way he grinned at her and touched her hair. "He frightened me. I .. I have never met anyone so so evil."

She dimly realized Lord Anthony had caught her hand and was looking at her intently.

"His name was Stane."

His grip tightened and she looked up to see anger tighten Lord Anthony's face such that a muscle flexed under his eye. She saw the blue flame brighten in his chest.

She caught his hand in both her hands. "It is ok, my lord. Someday he will get what he deserves."

Then, trying to change the subject, she haltingly asked, "May I call you Anthony?"

"No, call me Tony." A hint of a smile played around his lips.

"Tony?"

"It's a nickname. My mother used to call me Tony."

She smiled and yawned, tired from the day's events and he noticed.

"Go to sleep, Pepper."

She shook her head stubbornly. "I will if you will. You need to rest more than me, my Lo... Tony."

It was difficult for her to drop his title and call him by a nickname. She was rewarded with a slow but warm smile from him, which lit up his eyes. She couldn't help but smile back at him.

My, he is a handsome man.

She offered her shoulder and he leaned on her. They slowly walked up the stairs together, her arm around his waist, his arm around her shoulders.

"You can stay here, Pepper. As long as you need to." He said earnestly.

She nodded thoughtfully.

They walked to his door. He caught her hand as she started to move away. She stood still as he placed a gentle kiss on it. His beard tickled her. He looked at her with his melting eyes and said "Pepper, I sincerely thank you for saving me today. I would be dead if you hadn't found me."

The emotion in his voice touched her. He's not used to being taken care of.

He still held her hand with his callused fingers. He was so close, she could feel his breath on her face. She looked at him. "My Lord Stark...Tony, if there's anyone who should be thankful, it is me. You saved me first and at great peril to yourself. I owe you my life."

He smiled at her warmly then and her heart skipped a beat.

"Well, it appears your debt is repaid in full. I saved you, you saved me... now we are equal."

She smiled at him and said firmly "If you say so. Now go to sleep and good night."

She walked to her room and as she closed the door, she heard him say softly ""Sleep tight, a thousand times. Good night, milady".