Sorry for the lack of updates.

Marvel, Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

So all I'm doing with this story is flattering your depiction of Iron Man. I don't own anything.

No comments on Happy's introduction to this AU? come on... do you like it or loathe it? Let me know, don't be shy.

Pepper wears this lovely dress from (FF won't let me post the entire link)

/store/medieval-clothing/fantasy-dress-lost-princess


I once had a thousand desires, but in my one desire to know you, all else melted away.

Spring was finally here.

Pepper beamed with happiness as the next day dawned clear and bright. The flowers would be in bloom, trees would be green, the sun would be shining.

She freshened up quickly and ran down to the drawing room, anxious to waste no time on this glorious day. Two women from the village were talking to Magdalene animatedly. When they saw Pepper enter, they broke off to exclaim, "Oh Lady Virginia, you must convince Maggie here. Oh, you all must come!"

"Come but come where?"

"We are having a Spring fair tomorrow at the lake. It's an annual celebration of spring. There will be stalls, cooking, an archery contest and dancing..."

"Dancing!" Pepper reacted with joy. "Dancing!" she clapped her hands together excitedly. "Of course we will be there."

Magdalene grumbled "I suppose we have to cook something for the fair."

A woman replied "Oh yes, everyone is expected to bring something. Lunch is a pot luck you know."

Magdalene muttered something under her breath and Pepper said laughingly, "We will definitely bring something and attend the fair as well."

The women left happily.

Pepper turned to Magdalene. "Isn't this exciting? I haven't been to a fair for so long! Yaaaaah!"

Magdalene cracked a smirk at Pepper's excitement. "All righty, what should we cook for the lucky pot?"

"Pot luck. Shoulder of lamb or a nice rabbit stew? Maggie, forget the food. What should we wear?"

Magdalene looked nonplussed. "What we wear everyday, of course. What else would we wear?"

Pepper huffed in exasperation. "We can't wear these ordinary clothes to a fair! The entire village will be there and we are Lord Stark's people. We have a reputation to uphold!"

Magdalene looked pensive. "I understand but I do not know if we actually have anything suitable."

Tony stood in the doorway. He had heard the entire conversation and could see that Pepper was very excited.

She needs this. She's been cooped up here for too long. I better make sure she goes.

He turned and ran to the East Wing. He had a surprise for Pepper.

X-X-X

In the afternoon, Magdalene and Pepper searched anxiously through multiple trunks for something suitable to wear. There was nothing suitable, just as Magdalene said, and Pepper resigned herself to wearing her standard brown tunic.

But after dinner, when she retired to her room, she found a dark blue, cotton dress on her bed. It has a tight, tailored bodice and charming puffed sleeves with a triangular, low neckline that exposed a sewed-on chemise underneath. The bottom edge of the dress and the high, tight cuffs were decorated with a mosaic trim. It was so daintily pretty.

She touched it reverently.

She called Magdalene, who didn't know whose dress it was and where it came from. But she cajoled Pepper into wearing it anyway.

As she left Pepper's room, Magdalene saw Lord Stark standing in his room's doorway. She smirked at him and he raised his eye brows at her.

She whispered conspiratorially, "Lady Maria's dress will look beautiful on Pepper, milord. The blue will suit her delicate coloring and highlight her hair. You have good choice."

He flushed and she added, "But she's going to be the belle of the fair, so you better come along to chase away her admirers."

She cackled and left the flustered Tony.

X-X-X

The morning of the fair dawned. Tony had conveniently disappeared. Jarvis told Pepper, he had to run some errands urgently. Pepper was not surprised but she was disappointed. She wanted to experience the fair with Tony.

But Magdalene was coming with her and it was going to be fun anyhow.

X-X-X

In the early afternoon, Tony walked to the lake. He could see that the fair was in full swing. The brightly colored stalls, children laughing, hawkers shouting... he could smell the delicious aromas of mince pies. He went to the pie stall first.

After scoffing down 3 delicious pies for free ( the hawker refused to take money from the village's savior), he decided to find Pepper. He wanted to see her in her new dress.

In your mother's dress... the dragon murmured sarcastically.

It is hers if she wants it. But wait, you are right, Pepper needs to get some new clothes. She's just wearing my paramours leftover clothes. But she won't take any money from me...

Coincidentally he stopped in front of a milliner's stall. There were a number of dresses and materials on display.

Should I buy a dress for Pepper? He wondered.

Then he thought how it would seem to the milliner if he, the Lord of the Keep, bought a dress for an unmarried, young woman staying in his house and one who was not related to him in any manner. He mulled it over and finally, had an epiphany.

He took the milliner aside, who was agog with glee, that Lord Stark was at her stall first. He suggested in a sotto voice, that Magdalene and Pepper's birthdays were coming up and that the milliner should visit the Keep next week. She should take any order that the ladies would desire and he would pay her a lumpsum amount right now. Tony left the milliner, satisfied. Hopefully the inclusion of Magdalene would counter any objections that Pepper would definitely have.

He whistled merrily as he strolled leisurely towards the large plain in the center of the fair. Townspeople greeted him cheerfully as he passed by. He saw Happy sitting under a tree, holding his sleeping son. Happy's wife was busy nearby, talking with a group of ladies. He gestured at Happy, who noticed and quietly crept away from his wife's circle.

He came towards Tony, whispering, "Thanks for saving me, I was going out of my mind. We can roam around but we must be quiet, Hereweald the IInd must not wake up at any cost."

Tony nodded and whispered "I'm looking for Pepper, have you seen her anywhere?"

Happy smirked at him and said quietly, "I have and I can take you to her but you are not going to like what you see."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Follow me, your lordship, to the dance floor."

He led Tony to the flat grassy plain on which a number of couples were dancing in the fresh, spring air. There was a giant May tree in the center and its blossoms would gently fall on the dancing couples below, with the passing breeze. The village troupe was playing a slow, dreamy song. It was an extremely picturesque landscape.

Tony gleefully ribbed Happy. "Happy, did you bring me here to have a romantic dance? Oooo, I am so honored..."

Then he broke off abruptly.

Time stood still. The dancers froze, the wind stopped, even the falling blossoms froze mid air. The music faded away. He could smell lilies and vanilla. He had eyes only for the center of the grassy plain.

Dancing in the middle, open hair billowing gently in the breeze, daisy wreath charmingly tilted to one side of her regal head, was Pepper. Her lips were curved in a sweet smile, her svelte frame gracefully moving in motion to the song. The dress... the way it hugged her curves and made her red hair radiant.

You were right, Anthony, the dragon said softly, the dress does look beautiful on Lady Virginia or... is it the other way around? By the way, have you noticed whom she's dancing with?

Then Tony's vision turned crimson. Time abruptly started again, this time in fast forward. The music became very loud to Tony's ears.

Pepper was dancing with the village's moneylender, a very handsome, tall, blonde man with blue eyes, broad shoulders and a firm jaw. He whispered something in her ear and she threw her head back and laughed, blue eyes sparkling with mirth.

They make a good looking couple. You have done right by her, Anthony. The dragon chuckled sarcastically.

The moneylender pulled Pepper closer to him and Tony took an angry step forward.

I'm going to tear him limb from limb. I'm going to cut him into two neat halves with my sword and then I will...

"Wait, wait, Tony, calm down. Why are you so angry? She's just dancing." said Happy soothingly, holding his wrist.

Tony blinked. He had no idea he had spoken out loud. He blinked again hard, trying to force the rage from his mind.

"Tony," Happy said gently. "She's just dancing with the guy. It does not mean anything. Why don't you cut in and dance with her?"

I may be old but I still act like a young fool, in love with something he can't have, jealous when someone takes it away from him.

Wait... did I say in love?

The dragon sighed exasperatedly. Yes, Anthony, you are in love. Just accept it and do something about it. Go cut in.

Happy was saying the same thing.

But Tony wasn't listening to either of them.

She seems so happy dancing with him. And what am I to her? The one who nearly raped her. That horrible fact aside, she deserves to be free and chose whomever she wants. I should let her be free. And I don't love her. She's just a friend, that's all. So I don't care whom she dances with.

He turned and walked away blindly from the plain. I really want to hit something now. Anything.

Happy followed him, shaking his head ruefully.

Ah... to be young and foolish. crooned the dragon mournfully.

I'm not young and you'd better shut it, you.