Chapter 2
The ruthless royal dog not only barks- but bites even harder too. The crown prince of the royal family is cold and doesn't take a 'no' for an answer, Wade Wilson.
And Peter is on the same trail as him.
They met on some balls, but never spoke to each other. Just some glances that they threw at each other. Theoretically, Peter shouldn't be surprised that Wilson is in the trial too.
But he still was.
"Yes, Wade Wilson," nodded Tony as he made eye contact with his son. "This year would be surely interesting. Peter, be careful. Maybe the crown prince would murder you with his own hands."
That should strike fear in the boy- But honestly? He always lived like that. Walking on edge shells and being extra careful to not get killed. It's a pretty big deal being The Heir of The Nord. Peter never thought he would make it to his eighteen.
"A lot of people want to murder me." It wasn't a question, but a statement. A fact Peter just knew.
Tony didn't look away from his son, keeping his eyes locked on the boy. "I don't have other children. Because of that, people think you're an easy target."
The young man nearly broke in a sly smirk. People didn't think like that, not really.
Not what happened today.
"Don't worry. I have been training for this well- nearly my whole life," Peter tried to give a comforting smile, but it came more as a grimace.
His father chuckled at that as he ruffled the boy's hair, "Yeah, you did."
Then, their father-son bonding stopped when Tony glanced at the large doors. "I should talk to Pepper."
Just like that, Tony stood up and left Peter alone at the abonnement table.
----
"My Young Lord. There is a letter for you," a pleasant voice spoke with an easygoing tone.
Peter side-eyed the butler as he was busy sharpening his sword on his bureau. "If it's an invitation to some girls' tea party, burn it. I'm sick of fake laughing for two hours and drinking some overly sweet tea."
The butler, an old man with grey hair and a perfect posture, stood by the door. Peter was in a white blouse with golden and red accents that screamed 'wealth' with some loose black pants, his hair wild with curls like always.
"Fortunately, for your side, it isn't a tea party invitation. It's an invitation to The Royal Banket, Young Lord."
Peter's hands stilled with sharping and cleaning his sword. It was a pretty thing, and useable too. The heir didn't get things that were for decor or looks.
"Say again?"
"There would be a banket that is hosted by The Royal Family. The whole family Stark is invited and is expected to be present."
Peter snorted at that. The whole 'Stark Family' was just his parents and Peter himself. Still, this whole thing made the young heir irritated. The trial was happening soon, he needed to train.
Not dancing and sipping wine at some banket.
But this blanket was special. They revealed what would happen in the trial and the names who were participating in it. It was useful information.
"Lady Pepper and Lord Tony know about this. The decision was taken, everyone is going." Peter groaned at that as he buried his face in his hands.
"Fine. When are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow in the morning. The banket would be held in the evening until late hours in the night."
Peter paused at that again, his face in confusion, "Why I am hearing all about this just now?"
"Well, Lady Pepper asked for the news to be delivered like this. She said that "you would find an excuse to not go" so I was asked to inform you all this last minute," the man bowed his head in a neat apology.
The young man bit his lip and chewed on it. "Yeah, that sounds like my mother indeed." Peter glanced at the mirror in his room as he looked at himself. "What's the dress code?"
"Lady Pepper asked to wear the color of our House."
Peter gave a short nod to the butler, "Well, thank you. You may take your leave."
"Yes, Young Lord," a fast bow was thrown to Peter in his direction, and then the butler was gone. The young heir felt already a headache building up.
"Mary! Linda!"
Not even a minute later two young maids came running to their Young Lord. Mary was a quick-witted and interested character while Linda was quieter but she had a sharp mind of her own. They were nearly the same age as Peter, so they all knew each other well.
"There is a Royal Banket tomorrow in the evening. I need some clothes in our house's color. Do you think you two can grab something in that style?"
"Yes, Young Lord," the two of them bowed and Peter felt his left eye twitch. "Quiet it, you two. Speak informally please."
"Oh, I don't know. Would you hang our head on a spike too for that, Young Master," the last sentence was dripping with sarcasm. Peter rolled his eyes at Mary's humor.
"You know what? Just make sure my clothes are ready for tomorrow. You may take your leave. Thank you."
Just as fast as they came storming into his room, they were gone. Peter grits his teeth at the thought of sitting in a carriage for a whole hour with his parents. Especially Pepper.
There was a 'no weapon' rule in the Royal Castle, and Peter thought that was straight-up bullshit.
----
Peter grimaced at the sight of himself. He was standing in front of a mirror in his room. Looking at himself the young man felt annoyance. Peter was wearing black, gold, and red. His wrists were covered in gold and his cape was red- not black, which bothered the boy a bit.
His hair was wild even if Mary tried to tame it with a brush. Honestly, she made it a lot worse. His curly hair was a bird nest right now. Moving on, he had a lot of pins on his vests.
Tony liked to show his richdom, even if it meant playing dress up with his only son.
With a tired sigh, the heir started to walk through the old halls of his castle. Servants who saw him bowed without missing a beat. Peter had a reputation around himself. It wasn't his fault that so many people just didn't respect him.
As he was navigating through the castle he saw his Mother. "Good morning, you look good."
And that was the truth. She had her hair up in an elegant bun and a golden dress that had red accents on it. She looked up and down at him and gave a nod, "You look fine yourself."
Peter was surprised that she was talking to him. After what she said last time Peter saw her-
He shook gently his head. The young man didn't want to think about this at all.
Still, Peter stared at her with some hidden hatred. Or it wasn't hidden at all. His eyes burned at his Mother's skull as she started to walk towards the garden where the carriage was. His hands balded in fists and the boy felt something between hate and annoyance.
He felt these emotions a lot.
The brunette wanted to scream at her, demanding that she would apologize for her words. Take them back. Prove him that she didn't mean to blurt such a thing. Still, with heavy steps, the boy followed Pepper.
She had a plain expression, not letting any emotion slip. That was the little dance they had for years. They had arguments and screamed at each other, but they never made it up. The two of them just learned how to live with each other.
"Ah! There is the love of my whole life!" a loud booming voice screamed. Tony stood next to the carriage with open arms as he smiled at Pepper. The woman gave him a tight smile.
The man was wearing the House colors too. But it was less fancy than his wife's clothes.
"Oh! Pete, you look neat. Just like me when I was younger, I'm just more handsome," a cunning smirk was on the man's face as he said that. Peter didn't know if he should feel offended or proud of that.
Tony helped Pepper to step into the carriage before going inside himself. Peter just looked at the sky for the last time before being trapped with his parents for hours. Just like that, the heir stepped inside too, and sat on the opposite side from where his parents sat.
Their carriage was nothing fancy. Peter watched the snow through the tiny window. The landscape of trees and snow.
Nothing that he hadn't seen before.
"I want you two to behave," cut a sharp voice in his daydreams and brought him back to reality. His mother made eye contact with him and then threw a sharp glare at her husband. "You too."
His father threw his hands in the air as he chuckled.
"You two always seek trouble. Tony I better won't see you drunk fighting with someone over a stupid bet." A laugh escaped out of Peter his throat at that and Pepper glared at him too. "And you, young man. You better stay out of trouble. Remember the previous year? You nearly killed someone!"
Peter felt the need to defend himself. "I had everything under control, okay? He put a bee in my drink!"
Tony looked at Peter as he nodded, "Yes. We believe you."
Pepper glared at both of them, "Don't encourage him. Peter," she spoke his name as sharp as a knife, "if someone is bothering you. Please come to us."
"Hah! And run to both of you like some little toddler? I rather not."
"Honey," Tony rubbed Pepper her arm with a small smile, "Look at him. He's nearly eighteen. He can't always run to us if he has a problem."
Peter nearly scoffed at that. Right. It wasn't like he was telling them what exactly was wrong. The brunette would rather drink poison than talk to his Mother about what is bothering him.
Not what she said to him at the table.
Peter stared at the tiny window. Remembering the times he fought with her. Too many times. The boy remembers very clearly when he screamed at her in the face.
Peter tried always to have some respect for her. She was his Mother after all.
Or that is what Tony told him when he was little. The heir pitied Pepper, it wasn't like she had a choice in his stay. What a selfish choice. One day her husband came back home with a kid that looked like your missing child.
What a cruel joke.
Still, it wasn't Peter his fault in this. It wasn't like he asked to be adopted by The Lord of The Nord.
Outside was snow and a lot of trees. The boy saw a black raven that was eating a dead rabbit.
"Pete."
The boy glanced at Tony and was forced to focus on his voice. "Yes?"
"You are participating in the trial this year." Like he didn't already know that. "It would be dangerous." Yeah, obviously. "I don't like where this is all going." Oh?
"You worry too much. Everything would be fine. Remember, you did the trial and survived. Mother too."
And that was the truth. They both did it and came out alive and happy. Peter felt himself grin, "You met there in the trial, right? That's more of a love story than a horror one."
Tony barked a laugh while Pepper rolled with her eyes.
"Peter," she didn't say his name with affection like his Father did. "We are serious. We think this year will happen something big... Dangerous."
The brunette frowned at that. "It's always dangerous. I would be fine."
"You don't get it. I need really to poke this through your thick head, don't I? They want to kill everyone off. Or as much as they could."
Tony nodded, "We are gathering as much information as we can for the trial."
"The trial is just a bullshit thing! It's hosted every five years to prevent the houses from being too powerful as they lose children and heirs. Right?" Peter rolled his shoulder.
Pepper threw a glare at him, "No, it isn't. The trail is hosted by The Silver Circle. The trial is passed from generation to generation, every five years the younger generation would be tested."
"You simply aren't born in power, you need to work for it. Remember the war that lasted a hundred years? The houses couldn't make peace with each other until The Silver Circle came and wiped nearly everyone and everything out."
"We, as mere humans, disturbed The Silver Circle and they were mad about it. They gave us a hundred years to make peace, but humans care less what they thought. So, they killed nearly everyone. Now you need to go through a trial to show that you can lead and have the equals to lead. The people who die are the sacrifices that The Silver Circle made. Because they are still mad- and crave for blood."
Peter just raised his eyebrow. He didn't ask for a whole history lesson. He knew all this. It wasn't anything new. But it was the longest conversation that he and his Mother had without screaming.
"It sounds more like they want humans to be scared and feel weak if you ask me," shrugged Peter.
"But nobody asked you."
The boy frowned at his Mother as Tony rubbed his face, there goes his peace.
"You better keep quiet about The Silver Circle, Peter. I'm not joking about this."
"I know you aren't."
----
Peter his legs were stiff from sitting in one place for hours. He sat for the whole ride with a perfect posture, a straight back. Every time the brunette tried to lay somehow down, his Mother would throw a glare at him.
She didn't do that to Tony.
The boy rolled his eyes as he looked at the palace. There was no longer the cold wind of The Nord with him now. There wasn't snow here in the capital. It was different.
Not a nice or a bad thing, just different. Peter liked the cold and how he could hide it under his coat and cape. The white snow wasn't overstimulating his eyes.
Looking around he saw a lot of nobles. They were dressed in lighter clothes, obviously, they didn't come from the harsh winters. His parents already moved to the palace and with a deep, tired sigh the boy did that too.
Walking inside the ballroom Peter felt immediately the need to leave and sleep. Musicians were playing as people were laughing and dancing. All kinds of food were presented and servants were going around serving fine wine and champagne.
The young heir saw his Father with a glass of wine trying to court his Mother all over again. He grabbed Pepper her hand and kissed it softly while smiling at her. Peter looked fast away, this was embarrassing.
The young man moved away from the dance floor and the food. Quietly he tried to slip away from all of this. Keyword: tried.
"Peter! Come and say hello."
The brunette cursed himself as he walked to his parents. There stood a man next to him, he was blond and looked happy. His clothes looked fancy, but Peter wasn't imitated.
"This is our son, Peter Stark. Peter, this kind man is Clint."
Recognizing glinted in the man's eyes and they widened a bit just for a tiny moment. That was no surprise, Peter had a reputation for sure. People called him 'the mad dog'.
For some obvious reasons. Like hanging people's heads on spikes.
"Nice to meet you," the man smiled at the boy.
"The pleasure is all mine."
His parents seemed to be pleased with his manners and Peter counted that as a win.
Then a loud booming voice screamed, "Ladies and gentlemen! May I present you The Royal Family!"
Everyone bowed then. Some deeper than others. Peter didn't do much as just look at the ground, but he felt a rough shove at his head to bow deeper. The brunette glared at those who dared to touch him. And, of course, it was his Mother who did it.
Everyone went quiet as the Queen walked in with the prince. The Queen had a beautiful dress on that was dark with golden accents. A crown was on her head too, and not far away the prince was following too. He wore a crown too and Peter thought that was too heavy for his little head.
This prince would never survive the trial.
That was for sure.
Where was The Crown Prince?
"Please, rise everyone," the queen smiled, "Thank you for coming all around the kingdom. It's an honor to be standing here and-"
"Why wasn't I fucking invited?" a voice cut the Queen herself. It was loud and blaring through the whole place. All heads turned to-
The Crown Prince.
Wade Wilson.