Lost to Arcadia

Edwin Jarvis was surprised to hear about Tony’s leave. To be fair, the changeling could have brought it into the conversation less abruptly: instead of just blurting out he had to leave for some time when Jarvis was pouring the tea. Could you blame him? For the human, it wasn’t anything to be worried about. For the changeling, he was announcing his leave for maybe, forever.  The old man's eyes had widened slightly at the abrupt announcement before turning soft as he settle back down in his chair, groaning from the effort.

“You’re finally taking some holidays? 

“Yeah!” If you call falling back to a hell hole, holidays. “I‘ll have to leave my garage unattended. For the moment I have finished all the leftover work, and I stopped taking new offers until I know when I’ll come back. 

“You… Don’t know how long your holidays will be? Isn’t that bad for business? 

“Oh well, remember that good contract I mentioned? Done and gone and paaaaaid~” singsonged the mechanic. “I’ll be good for a while don’t worry.”

Jarvis hummed thoughtfully, his gaze wandering out of the window. Silence started to stretch in the small room, seemingly peaceful. Tony was fiddling with his cup nervously, not knowing how to keep up the conversation. This was probably his last chance to say goodbye. A thing he wasn’t able to do when he was taken and here he was, tongue-tied. 

“You remember the first time you came here, Mister Carbonnel?”

The changeling was taken aback by the question and frowned slightly.

“Yes? I was looking for someone…” 

And he found him but couldn’t say anything. The old man continued for him:

“You were wandering in the corridors like a thief because they didn’t want you to let you in. The personnel don’t let anyone walk in to visit, understandably, but you were adamant you needed to. To find that one person. I got out of my room and you froze. Like a kid that was caught red-handed stealing candy. And when I asked who you were you burst into tears.” he smiled sadly. “Said that the person you were looking for wasn’t there when I tried to console you, that you didn’t want to believe it. You hang on to me and-”

And Edwin Jarvis looked back at Anthony Stark. 

“For a second it was like holding my little boy again.”

The changelings stared into those sorrowful eyes and saw a spark of recognition there. Fear settled in his bones, fear and yearning, battling each other in a mix of emotions. No. Not now. Not when he had to leave, not when he made his peace with it. Please .

“Who was the person you were looking for Anthony?”

The mechanic shook his head, never taking his eyes off his old friend. He put the cup down and got up, ready to leave. He couldn’t stay. If he stayed any longer he’ll stop his plans, he’ll give up everything. 

“Please don’t ask. I-It’s, I need to go. Have a lot to prepare before-

“Anthony!”

Tony stopped in his movement. Jarvis had risen on his feet, wobbling a bit and it was his turn to look at him with fearful eyes.

“You’ll be coming back right?”

Tony Carbonnel offered him a sad smile. 

“Why wouldn’t I?”

The Wizened slipped between the bodies in Valhöl as fast as he could, so he didn’t cross paths with Thor, Bruce or even Steve. He had felt his resolution falter the second he walked out of Jarvis’s room and he feared that this hesitation would get the better of him if people tried to stop him. It wasn’t that long ago that Tony walked those corridors to meet Fury because the man needed something from him. Now he walked because the King had something for him. Last time, he had walked alongside Thor and was grumbling about the whole situation. He had thought that nothing much would change after it, but everything did. Now, he walked alone, his footsteps sounding way too loud in his ears. 

Actually. As he walked further down towards Fury’s garden et started to hear a pitter-patter; like something small jumping being him? The changeling stopped. The sound stopped too. Tony glanced over his shoulder and spotted a hawk. Of course. That feathery bastard Thor seemed too fond of. 

“Why are you following me? I know you are by the way.”

The hawked spread a wing and groomed it innocently. 

“What is Fury and animal changeling…” the wizened mumbled before starting to walk again. 

The hawk fluffed out his feathers and followed him, up until the wall was made of weeds and thorns. 

Was it going to take him to the Fury’s Garden or directly to Arcadia? The portals could take you anywhere as the King saw fit, The wizened wondered what kind of spell they had to use, and who was also allowed to use and control these gateways apart from their King? The changeling raised his hand and the second he brushed the leaves the branches twisted and seized him. Unlike last time Tony felt himself go limp as the plants and ivy kept growing on him like a swarm of insects. His knees hit the ground and the branches of leaves and moss crawled along his arm and shoulders, nearly covering up completely, before pulling him unkindly into the portal. The smell of wet wood flooded him as his limbs went completely numb. He heard the screech of worry of the Hawke who flew up in a mess of feathers before the scenery and sounds changed. Tony couldn’t keep his eyes open as he was dragged on the hard and cold ground. He grumbled a muffled curse and tried to raise his head but it felt as if his mind was filled with cotton candy. Finally, after some long minutes, the plants retracted themselves. His body was slowly coming but every movement of his was sluggish. 

So you have come.

Oh no, poor boy.

Fury will pay for this. 

It’s okay, you’re safe now. 

You shouldn’t have come.

Those whispers were familiar. They grew louder and louder, completely overwhelming the changeling who groaned as he forced himself on his elbows and knees. His eyes blinked open as if he was waking up from deep sleep.

“...Pierce? Why…” he mumbled confusedly. 

Whispers. Whispers were surrounding the King like a cloud. It was horrible to stand next to him and have this mass of words half-unintelligible poking at your senses. It was worse when he willingly let them roll all over you. 

“I felt you coming.

You said you were leaving the court? 

Then you came time and time again.

Playing Fury’s game.

Building again.

“I… Yes, but it has nothing-

“ He offered you something.

Something that has obsessed you the second you came home.

I’m not dumb.

He can’t hide anything from me.

I won’t let you do this.”

Cold hands grabbed Tony’s chin and lifted his face. Pierce’s dark eyes were filled with disdain. Whispers about ungrateful changelings and how dare he thought he could just go back to Arcadia? No one should. He won’t allow it. Fury’s games will end ! The wizened clasped his hand over his ears, trying to block out those intrusive words.

“Fuck off!” he snarled as he got back to his feet and backed off a few steps. “It’s not about me, or Fury or you, it's about my friend!

“ And you can’t save him.

Arcadia is too vast.

Too wide. 

And you’re too angry.

Desperate.

Dangerous.

They love that don’t They? ”

Tony gasped as if he was hit. 

“Stop it.”

Pierce tilted his head, a honeyed smile on his lips as he watched the Wizened who stood before him. Tony looked around the room, trying to find an escape: the room was made of stones, like a dungeon cell. The only way out was the portal he came through. 

“ I’ll give you something else. 

Come closer, don’t worry.

Fury is filled with lies.

He betrayed you before.

I won’t.

Come on, come closer.

Let me help you…

“What is going on here?”

From the ground rose black smoke that took human shape in quick, fluid movement, letting the King of Fall appear in front of the two men. At the same second, the portal shivered and let through another person who stumbled as the ivy pulled him through (less violently than it did with Tony, the man noticed. The wizened felt his eyes bugged out of his skull when Steve straightened up in front of them, a shield and sword strapped to him, with symbols and runs covering them. Tools he had seen knights of the Court wore in formal attire. Now that he looked closer, he also had a light leather type of armour (that seemed to be overly stretched over his very muscly body) that really made him look like a proper Court's order.

“What the fuck…” Tony mumbled eying the man up and down who frowned at him.

“That’s my line-” he started.

“Both of you, shut up!” Fury snapped before turning back to Pierce.

The King of Winter had lost his smile, clearly upset at being interrupted in his little one-on-one talk. The other Darkling also was pissed, his body going from black mist to limbs to shadows as if he couldn’t settle on a form. The presence of wyrd filled the place and Tony could feel his own chest tighten in response. Steve quickly stepped in front of the older changeling, blocking him from the two Kings.

Pierce whispers left Tony to surround Fury who seemed to turn even angrier at what they were saying to him/

“I have given my word, so leave it, Pierce.

The sneer of his royal colleague disagreed. Alas, for him, the King of Fall didn’t back down.

“It’s his choice. He wants to go back and I gave my word, Pierce.”

Steve seemed to tense at those words, his face even paler, turning the shadows of his face into a dark grey. He didn’t have to speak. Tony could see the question he wanted to ask. So he decided to answer before the man could even open his mouth. 

“It’s none of your fucking business. 

“Go back where Tony? You who so kindly told me that my kind never wanted to leave this hell, tell me.”

That mass of a man stood over the mechanic, his blue eyes turning darker and his face twisted in thunderous anger.

“Go. Back. Where?

Tony felt frustration build up even more under his skin, his vision getting blurry with tears. Why did he need to say it? He understood what they were talking about, didn’t he? It was obvious: there was one place -hell- where changelings came from. That one place that haunts them in their dreams and every time they have to look into a mirror. The reason Tony had to get used to the pulse of wyrd in his chest burning up his skin. It was his choice to go back, but he was going back for someone that was worth the risk and everything more. 

“Fury.” he turned, trying to ignore the hurt in Steve’s gaze. “Show me the way.”

The King of the Court caught his eyes and turned back at the portal they had all used to come here. Fury raised his hands in the direction of the portal and black smoke shot from his fingertips to wrap itself around the ivy that lit up in white flames. The people in the room had to shield their eyes as the plants bent and crawled up to make an arch of weed and wood. The flames twisted among it and Tiny could see, through the now new gateway, what looked like a faraway forest. 

Fury groaned under the effort, the white flames eating away the plants of the portal the more he held the door opened, and yelled:

“Now Stark!”

Pierce snapped back his attention to him and try to leap between the Mechanic and the gate but a certain hawk flew down from the ceiling to land on the Winter King’s face, hitting him with his wings, and slowing him down. Tony gave Fury and the bird one last -grateful- look before he dashed forward. He ducked Steve’s hand at the last minute, feeling his fingers brush his side in a futile attempt to stop him. 

The mechanic stepped through the portal, feeling the heat of the flames licking at his skin and he clenched his jaw, pushing forward and ignoring his brain screaming at him to stop. He heard his name being screamed behind him, loud whispers turning to screams as he finally, finally went through-

Suddenly, the ground slipped from his feet and he felt his body fall. The world seemed to tip and turn in a spiral as he flailed around trying to grab anything to stop his fall. Tony had the fleeting, horrified, thought that it was what Alice in Wonderland felt as she fell down the rabbit hole. Falling forever, knowing that the ground is growing closer and not knowing how to stop the fall-

He was going to die. He finally got the chance to go to Arcadia but he didn’t realize he could fail before ever setting foot back there.

Suddenly, out of the blue, like an angel catching up with him, a large body wrapped itself around him, twisting itself so they didn’t land on the fragile body of the Mechanic. Tony wrapped his arms in return, hiding his face in the cold and steady body that was trying to protect him. They fell and hit harshly against the ground before rolling off for a few seconds, in a mess of limbs. Tony had closed his eyes when the impact hit but the smell of wet wood and grass overflooded his senses soon after. As he slowly blink back to awareness, head still spinning from the chock, his eyes caught the person who had fallen after him. This stupid, reckless, crazy, amazing and brave, man who was lying next to him in the grass with his nearly milk-white skin standing out in the grass just like the first time Tony had found him. With those blue eyes that stared back, belonging from the fairest of them all. The wizened reached out a shaking hand and touched Steve’s arm. 

I’m sorry. Why did you follow me? I’m sorry, please, believe me, it was supposed to be only me. 

None of them said anything, just raised to a sitting position as they took the world around them. Trees, rising up and hiding the sun, only letting a few specks of light dance around them. Fireflies, or what looks like some, floating about and coming in many soft colours. This place would have been beautiful if it wasn’t for the lack of sound. Not even a crack of leaves, not even from the wind blowing among the trees, no birds or animals. Silence apart from the harsh breathing of the two changelings. 

Tony Carbonnel gaped at the scenery before rising to his feet. As he straightened himself he realised something. They were back in Arcadia. Where wyrd was seeping out of every plant and mineral due to the Fae's constant presence and activity. His own wyrd and glamour had to be out of control, and he pulled down the collar of his shirt to check on his camouflage. He felt his breath hitch when he saw that it wasn’t there anymore. Instead of the normal, soft and tanned, skin he had crafted with his wyrd, his heart was now visible for all to see. Not hidden under his flesh and bones, like a huge crystal sticking out of his chest and pulsing in a constant rhythm. Ba-dum, ba-dum . 

Tony turned back towards his companion, closing his vest and praying that Steve didn't notice anything. After all, it was just light, yes, nothing else, it didn't matter, forget about it. His eye's colour flickered for a moment, becoming a bright blue before the warm caramel came back. He needed to get a grip on himself. After all, unlike the widow or Fury, Tony never needed much glamour to cover his... Unhuman traits. From the second he had managed to escape Arcadia, the only scar he had was his heart. Making him the most human-looking changeling of all. He shouldn't worry about his appearance right now.

And yet... He remembers the limbs that we ripped away from him. The cracking sounds of bones and wires slithering under his skin to replace his veins. The jealous looks of others as they wondered how come he was so lucky to be so... Unharmed.

They didn't know shit.

For a few seconds, the Fairest and the Wizened just stared at each other before Steven Grant Rogers got up and said:

“We need to find a way out. Now.”

But Anthony Edward Stark just said, with that same determination and stubbornness that brought him up to this situation:

“Not without Rhodey.”