A/N: I grew up reading lots of fairytales - Ukrainian, Russian, French, German etc. So rather than replaying the story of some Disney-classic tale here, I tried to imitate the structure, tropes and plot of a European folk-tale. Meaning that many elements here - constant repetitiveness, over-simplistic characterizations, abrupt changes in plot and so on - are quite deliberate, and are pretty much the point.
The Iron Prince
Know not where and remember not when, but there was a king and a queen who had no children to inherit their lands after them.
On one clear warm night at the end of spring there was a flash in the sky, and a star fell in the palace's garden, where the king and the queen were sitting under the weeping willows. As they came closer to where the light landed they saw a baby boy wrapped in red silks, a bright silvery-blue star shining in the center of his chest.
The shooting star was considered a good omen, and so they took in the blessed child and raised him as their own. The boy was indeed miraculously bright, matured faster than all of his peers and was of sharp wit, eager curiosity and deep knowledge of the workings of the Nature's ways.
Seeing this, the king sent his heralds throughout all the lands, seeking for tutors and masters and wise men to better teach his son, and many of them came upon his call. The boy took to studying easily, and soon became a handsome young man, well-versed in the many practical sciences, from forging the mighty siege weapons to the most intricate clockwork mechanisms, and for his startling skill and mastery of the metal element he was called by his people the Iron Prince.
Some years passed, and one day a man came to his capital, telling stories of a horrible creature roaming the towns and the fields of the Nine Kingdoms, crushing homes and killing innocent people. And after him there came others, claiming to have heard of or seen the beast on the outskirts of different lands, each time closer and closer to the land of the Iron Prince.
The people grew restless, afraid of the unknown terror lurking somewhere just near the border, and so the king's trusted Advisor came to him eventually and said:
"The people are scared, Your Highness. They are afraid of the creature that is roaming across the Nine Kingdoms and are asking for their king and prince's protection. The beast is said to be as tall and green as a redwood tree, and to hold the strength of a hundred men. Many brave warriors from different lands went to slay him, but none returned."
The prince agreed to set out to slay the monster, but first he locked himself away in the royal forge for a week, took the finest metals and the clearest water, and forged himself a set of armour of unrivaled craft and a sword of uncanny skill. The armor was light as a feather, but strong as a rock, and gleamed in the sun with red and gold. The sword was thin and bright as a ray of sunlight, but also incredibly swift and sharp. But knowing that not everything lies in the hands of men, and that luck and Providence's favor were just as important in defeating his foe, the prince prayed a silent prayer to the fallen star to guide him through the dark times.
With that, and his parents' blessings, the Iron Prince set out to the outskirts of his kingdom, stopping in towns and villages to ask the people if someone knew of the lair of the monster. No one knew just where the creature hid itself, but many heard of how it ravaged the settlement to the east and across the river from the kingdom, and the few lucky enough to flee with their lives told that its hands were as thick as tree trunks, and its eyes were burning with the hellish green flame, and that it left nothing standing in its wake.
So the prince wandered east, and near the curve of a deep wide river he saw a travelling fair with its colourful tents and wooden wagons, and many of the traders and artistes were up and about on the bank. He saw a man standing in a clear spot of sand near the water, with his bow drawn and pointed somewhere down the course of the river, even though the prince saw nothing worth shooting there.
"What are you aiming for?" he asked the archer.
"In two miles from here a herd of deer came to the river to drink," said the man. "I am going to hunt them for everyone's dinner."
The prince was impressed with the archer's skill, and thought that a man like that can assist him greatly in his quest, so he asked: "What is your name, master archer? I have pledged to my people that I shall slay a horrible creature roaming these lands, and bring them its head on my sword, and I would like to ask for your help in that."
"My name is Hawk's Eye," the man said, "and I would gladly help you in your quest, but I am indebted to the ringmaster of our fair, and cannot leave this place until my debt is paid."
"Well I am wealthy," the Iron Prince answered. "What if I find a way to pay your debt for you? Will you help me in slaying the dangerous beast?"
"I shall give you my promise of that, but only if my dearest friend agrees to travel with us."
The archer led him then to where among the sackcloth tents a small battle ring was organized in the sand. Two people were fighting in that ring: a large, sturdy man with a long beard, and a small red-headed girl in black clothes. The man was strong and made wide, powerful swings with his thick hands, but the girl was swift and lean, and was jumping and dodging around the man, dealing him many lightning fast kicks and punches until he was lying in the sand, overpowered, and she was standing over him with a smile on her face.
"This is my friend," Hawk's Eye said, coming near the girl and taking her hand in his own, "and I cannot leave without her."
The prince bowed his head, greeting the girl, and asked: "What is your name, fair lady? Your skill in the art of fighting is that of a dozen men, and I would be honoured if you joined me in my quest of slaying the horrible creature that plagues these lands, and bringing its head back on my sword."
"My name is Spider's Bite," the girl replied, "and although I would gladly leave this place and aid you in your request, I am indebted to the ringmaster of our fair, and cannot leave until my debt is paid."
"I am a wealthy man," said the prince. "Let me pay your debt to the ringmaster, and then you can help me in my plight."
With that, Hawk's Eye led the Iron Prince to the biggest and brightest tent on the bank, and inside it there was a tall bald man with a patch on his eye who was in charge of the fair. He refused to let go of his two best performers at first, even with their debts being repaid in full, but then softened, and said to the prince:
"If you promise to bring me the accursed creature's heart with its lifeblood in it so I can put it in a glass cage and show at my fair, then I shall let Hawk's Eye and Spider's Bite help you in your quest."
The prince promised the ringmaster the beast's heart with its lifeblood in it, and then the three of them set out to the pine woods of the north, stopping in towns and villages to ask the people if someone knew of the lair of the monster. No one could give them directions, but some of them saw gigantic footprints in the snows of the northern tundra, and told stories of the wild beast that could leap up to the clouds and make man's bones crumble under its fingers.
They walked for weeks on end, until finally they reached the northern End of the World, guarded by the steep and sharp mountains of ice that stretched as far as the eye could see. As they walked along the mountains, they saw an entrance to a cave in the wall of ice, and before it stood a man of a gaunt frame and a bright red face without any hair on it.
"Who are you to trespass the frozen lands of the Red Skull?" said the man, stepping closer to the travelers, but not too far away from the cave.
"I am the Iron Prince, and these are my companions – Hawk's Eye and Spider's Bite, and we are in search of a horrible green creature that roams the Nine Kingdoms."
"I have heard of a green villain wreaking havoc in the Golden City," said the red-faced man. "And I will help you in your quest, brave heroes, if you first aid me in my plight. You see, in this deep cave there lies frozen a tyrant of old, and with him is buried a blue gem of incredible power. I tried to retrieve it, but none of my efforts were able to break the ice that covers the cavern's walls. If you can get the gem from the ice and kill the tyrant that guards it, I will surely assist you."
The Iron Prince agreed to the Red Skull's offer, and walked into the cave, while his friends remained on the outside. The cave was freezing cold and very dark, but the star that shone through the prince's breastplate lit him the way. He did not know for how long he went forth, but finally he reached a small chamber hollowed up in the ice, and in its center, frozen into a massive ice slab, lied a man in a set of shiny blue armour with white and red adornments. His hands were folded on a round shield, on top of which there was a glowing blue gem of exquisite cut.
The chamber was much colder than the rest of the cave, and so the Iron Prince did not waste his time and struck the ice slab with his sword. It only gave a small crack, so the prince struck again, and again, and after the third strike the ice shuttered into million shards, and the man with the shield opened his eyes and slowly stood up.
He looked around the walls of the cave, as if in a daze, before finally turning to the prince. "Thank you for freeing me, noble stranger," the man said. "Please, tell me your name, so that I know to whom is my debt of life."
The man's speech was polite and unlike that of any tyrant the Iron Prince has ever heard of, so he lowered his sword and decided to converse with him.
"I am the Iron Prince," said he. "And the man calling himself Red Skull, who stands outside this cave, told me you were a villain of old and promised his help in my quest in return for me slaying you and taking this gem."
"I know of whom you speak," the man frowned. "He is a villainous sorcerer, ever seeking the power locked in the gem. As a Captain of my king's guard, I was entrusted with the task of disposing of it forever. I have wandered into these wretched lands to get rid of the accursed artifact, but the frost of the cave has claimed me before I could finish my task. Will you take my word for it, noble prince?" he bowed his head.
"If your story is as true as you claim," the prince said, "then prove it by destroying the gem."
"Gladly. It should be left in the ice," the Captain said, and swung his shield hard at the frozen wall, forming a small crack in it. Several hits later, followed by a several hits of the prince's sword, and the crack became much wider, though the two men could see it mending itself rapidly before their eyes. They tossed the gem into the crack then, and saw it close up only moments after.
"And so my task is finished. I have naught to repay you with for your assistance but my shield and the pledge of my allegiance to you, noble prince."
"Then I am honoured to accept it."
As both men came out of the cave, they saw Red Skull rushing to them, but then stop just as he saw the Iron Prince's companion.
"Why haven't you slain him as I urged you, Prince?" he asked in indignation.
"Your foul treachery will fool no one here, General," said the Captain. "The power of the Cosmic Gem shall never fall into your hands."
The sorcerer let out an enraged grown at that, and made a pass with his hands, purple light sparkling at the tips of his fingers. He hurled a bolt of the coloured flame at the Captain, but it was deflected by the Captain's shield. As the Iron Prince readied his sword to lunge at the villain, Spider's Bite kicked the sorcerer from behind, and then the Captain swung his shield at him with tremendous force.
His next swing threw the sorcerer deep into the cave, just as Iron Prince and Hawk's Eye struck at the icy walls and crumbled them to block the exit.
"I thank you for your help, my friends," said the Captain. "The Red Skull has plagued the lands of my king for many years, and I am glad his terror is finally put to an end. As promised, I will assist you in your noble quest."
"The sorcerer told us of the Golden City, but I have never heard of such a place," said Spider's Bite.
"I have traveled many lands, but never before knew of such a place," said Hawk's Eye.
The Captain shook his head. "It must be a mark of the years that passed that none still remember this ancient, marvelous kingdom ruled by the One-Eyed King. It lies to the southeast from here. Let us move out, and I will show you the way."
The warriors have walked long weeks through the frozen wastes and the cold pine forests. One day, as they were going through a mountain pass, a front of dark heavy clouds has begun to rapidly fill the skies, and in mere moments a storm has begun, with its blinding lightnings and its deafening thunderclaps, and so the heroes were forced to search for cover. But as they came near a cavern in the rock that might have been suitable to hide them all, they saw a man standing on top of it with his hammer raised to the sky as if in challenge.
"Greetings to you, stranger!" the Captain yelled over the storm. "We are about to take refuge in this cavern, and we would welcome your company, as it is clearly unsafe for you to stay out in this dreadful weather."
The man looked down at the travelers and then lowered his hammer. At once, it seemed as if the nature's fury had lessened, the heavy downpour replaced by a light summer rain.
"I thank you for your invitation, kind strangers," the man said, "but as you see, the storm is of no danger to me, since it is of my own doing."
"Who are you then, to possess such an impressive power over Nature?" asked the Iron Prince.
"I am called the Thunder Prince," replied the man, "and my mastery of the heavenly element was bestowed upon me by my royal father, the One-Eyed King, who rules in the Golden City. And who are you, strangers? By heavens, I haven't seen travelers in these lands for a hundred of years."
"My name is Iron Prince, and these are my companions – the Captain, Spider's Bite and Hawk's Eye. We are in search of a horrible green monster that is said to terrorize your lands."
"Have care of how you speak," the Thunder Prince said as he got from the top of the cave to stand in front of the warriors. "My brother's crime may have been severe, but he is no monster, and the justice of the Golden City has found him. For a month now I have been coming to this path to strike the heavenly fires in my sorrow for him."
Spider's Bite stepped forward at this. "We have no quarrel with any brother of yours, noble prince. The one we seek is a hulking beast with strength of a giant and rage of a flooding wave. We were told it is to be found in your lands."
The Thunder Prince nodded. "Indeed I have heard of such a creature, though it has never crossed the walls of my City. I know however, that its lair is deep in the poisonous swamps to the south, as many of my fellow warriors have not returned from their quest of vanquishing it. Is that what you seek also?"
"Yes," replied the Iron Prince. "I have pledged to my people that I shall slay the monster, and take with me its heart with its lifeblood, and its head on my sword."
"Then your quest is a noble one. I shall show you the way through the treacherous swamps, and join my hammer to your cause."
And so, the warriors have moved out south, and it were mere days before they reached the dark expanse of the marsh. As they moved deeper and deeper into its heart they saw the ground and the waters covered with corpses and carcasses, broken pieces of weapons and armour stuck into the crooked dead trees.
Finally, they walked into a large half-sunken clearing, in the center of which there was a pitiful shack built of hay and tree-bark, and a giant green creature slowly lumbering about. It was tall as a house, with small scowling head and large square shoulders, and as it caught the warriors' presence its eyes blazed emerald, and it let out a low growl, baring its teeth.
The five companions yelled out their battle cries, lunging at the creature, but before they could quite reach it, its thick heavy hands struck the ground, sending them flying into the muddy waters. They hit it hard with their weapons, and tried to pierce its hide with their arrows, but it only shrugged off their attacks, howling in fury like a wicked windstorm. The sun was setting lower and lower, so low as to blaze an ominous green light on the murky swamp, and the warriors, feeling their strength coming to an end, have set off to a final plunge.
As Spider's Bite threw a vicious kick to the beast's jaw, and Hawk's Eye's sharpest arrow has embedded itself in its neck, as Captain's shield struck at its shoulder, and Thunder Prince's lightning coursed through its blood, the Iron Prince has prayed to the spirit of the fallen star in his chest, and it responded to his call, erupting in a flash of searing light just as the prince's sword pierced through the monster's chest.
As the dizzying brightness has dissipated, and the warriors have picked themselves from the dirty water, they saw no trace of the beast around. Instead, in its place there stood a frail, meek-looking man, dressed in tatters, an odd crooked smile playing on his lips.
"And so, you have defeated the monster," the man said, looking directly at the Iron Prince. "Many have tried before, they kept coming, even as I led it farther and farther away from the Nine Kingdoms. But no land is far enough for the noble heroes." There was something queer in the way he said it, as if he was in pain, though no wounds were visible on his starved body.
"What is the meaning of this?" the Iron Prince said in astonishment. "Answer, are you a man or a monster?"
"I am neither, even though I am both," the man replied. "Long time ago, I was but a simple healer. The Alchemist, they have called me. In service to my noble king I have fallen victim to the most dreadful curse that turned my blood poison, my anger - destruction, and my very breath - damnation to those around me. In search of a cure I have retreated from the homes of men, but still I haunt them as a beast of their nightmares."
"I am called the Iron Prince. I made a pledge to my people that I shall vanquish the green beast of these swamps, and take with me its heart and its head."
"Then here is your final task, Your Highness," the Alchemist said, kneeling before the prince and bowing his head.
The Iron Prince has raised his glinting sword high above his head, ready to bring it down on the man's exposed neck, but then he stopped, and sheathed the blade instead. He lowered to one knee, and outstretched his hand to help the other man stand.
"I have indeed come here to slay a monster, but it was never my intention to slay a man. I see a noble spirit within you, my friend, and a kind heart. I admire the strength of your beast as that of a glorious windstorm. On this star in my chest I swear that my sword will not harm you."
As the Alchemist stood, struck speechless, the Thunder Prince came forward, a hand on his heart.
"I am the Thunder Prince of the Golden City, and on my honour I swear that my hammer will not harm you."
"I am the Captain of the Free City, and on my honour I swear that my shield will not harm you," said the soldier.
"I am Spider's Bite, and on my honour I swear that my strike will not harm you," said the warrior.
"I am Hawk's Eye, and on my honour I swear that my arrows will not harm you," said the archer.
The Alchemist bowed his head, and said quietly: "I have no honour to speak of, and no possessions of value. But on my life, the only thing that I own, I swear to you all that I would die before letting my anger harm you."
The Iron Prince then shook the Alchemist's hand. "Then you are welcome to join me and my companions on the way back to my land, as my trusted friend."
The Alchemist, still stunned by the unexpected turn of events, agreed, and so the six of them set off on a long journey back to the Iron Prince's kingdom. As they came closer to the deep wide river, they made a stop in the heart of a pine forest, and hunted for a large bear beast, and took out its heart with its lifeblood in it. They put the still warm heart in a glass jar, and gave it to a ringmaster of a traveling fair in his camp on the riverbank. And after so paying Spider's Bite and Hawk's Eye's debt, they set off farther west, until finally reaching the gate of a glorious city of the Iron Prince.
Near the gate they met a beautiful Lady, the Iron Prince's betrothed, who rushed to their side to wrap her beloved in tight embrace.
"My heart swells with joy upon your return, my love! Have you slain the monster that threatened our borders?"
"There is no monster to threaten us any more, my love, but there are many noble warriors that are now friends of our kingdom. Tell me though, is all well within its walls, and are my royal parents in good health after all the time I spent on my journey?"
Tears ran down the Lady's face as she said to the prince: "It breaks my heart to tell you, my love, but two months after your departure, your parents fell gravely ill. The Royal Advisor sent many healers to them, but none could restore them to health. They have passed away, and the Advisor took to rule the kingdom in your absence."
The prince was saddened greatly by the news of his parents' death, and so he and his companions entered the city in sorrowful silence. Still, the people were happy to have their ruler back, and a big feast was set up to celebrate his return. Only the Royal Advisor did not seem glad to see the prince again, and upon noticing it, Spider's Bite came to the prince, and said to him quietly:
"On the day of the feast, smile and dance and talk to your people, but do not have anything to eat or to drink, for there may lay your demise."
The prince promised her he would not have anything to eat or to drink, and when the day of the feast came he smiled, and danced with his betrothed, and talked to his people, and had not had a crumb or a drop in his mouth. But then, the Royal Advisor stood up from his seat, and raised his goblet to honour the memory of the late king and queen, and the prince, still in mourning, could not decline to drink that one time.
Soon after drinking his wine though, he felt tired and sleepy, and was forced to retire to his quarters. He was put to sleep by the poison that was placed in his goblet by the cruel Advisor, who has planned to kill him as he has killed the previous rulers of the kingdom. Just as the prince has lost consciousness, the Advisor came into his chambers, and carved out the heavenly star from the young man's chest, locked it away in the tower under heavy lock and guard, and left the prince's body lying in his bed. To the people he said that the prince has fallen suddenly very ill, and that none may be let in to see him.
The news have saddened his traveling companions, and they thought about leaving the palace so as not to overstay their welcome, but the Alchemist said that he cannot leave until he looked at the prince and at least tried to heal him. And so, as the night has fallen, he sneaked into the prince's chambers. To his horror, he found that the young man was dead, and that the glowing star was missing from his chest.
As he told it to the rest of the warriors, Spider's Bite said that she suspected the Royal Advisor might try to usurp the power by killing the prince, and that he must have hidden the star in the tower.
"Then we will retrieve it, and rescue the Iron Prince as soon as possible," said the Captain.
Before the moon has even begun to set, the plan was drawn, and the warriors gathered on the castle's wall. As the Hawk's Eye's swift arrows took out the sentries across the wall, the Captain barged into the tower, dispatching the guards inside of it. He led the others down to the base of the tower, into a large round room, the floor of which was covered with deadly traps.
Spider's Bite came forward then, moving with lightness and grace around the room, disarming the traps, until she came to its very back, where a gilded chest with an intricate lock stood firmly. She had picked the lock, and under the lid, on a silk cushion there rested a silvery-blue star, glowing faintly.
The Alchemist took the star then with utmost care, and brought it to the chamber where the prince still lied breathless. He sewed it into the young man's chest with golden needles and silver thread, then cleansed it with cold water. The star sat perfectly between the prince's ribs, but its light was dim and flickering, and did not seem to bring life back to him.
"Its heavenly spark has died away after being separated from a beating heart," said the Alchemist. "We need to reignite it to restore the prince to life."
"If that is what we need, then that is what we shall have," said the Thunder Prince as he came to the open window. He lifted his hammer to the rapidly darkening sky, and, as if on his call, the blinding lightning struck it, and then rebounded across the room to where the Iron Prince was lying on his bed.
The fallen star flared up in a blaze of blue light just as the Iron Prince drew a loud shuddering breath into his lungs.
"Thank you, my friends, for saving my life!" the prince said, sitting up. "To you is my eternal debt of gratitude, and you may ask me for whatever payment, as I shall strive to grant it to the best of my ability."
The warriors have declined the offers of payments, but stayed for the feast that was thrown in their honour. The treacherous Royal Advisor was tried and executed for his crimes, and a rightful new Iron King took the throne of his kingdom, his beautiful Lady with him as his royal wife. The king's companions have stayed for a while, but later departed to their homes or to further travels, giving the promise to gather again at the call of whomever of them required help in the future. Only the Alchemist, weary of running and traveling around the world, has stayed by the Iron King's side, where he always had the treasures of refuge and friendship.
The End
A/N: so this turned out more Tony & The Avengers than Tony & Bruce story, but oh well. Also, the Lady is Pepper, and the Royal Advisor is Stane, just in case I failed to make it obvious.
I hope I did the theme justice, and that it was at least marginally enjoyable for those of you not as big on folk-tales as I am. Please leave a review, if you have time.
Next time in Kaleidoscope: "Fantasy"!