Quiver and Crown // KateLena

Warm Glow

Asgardian mornings were slow, built up like adding kindling to a fire that eventually raged in the evening. Accustomed to rising with the sun in the Plains, Yelena and Kate lay together for several hours every morning, sometimes talking, sometimes falling back asleep in the cover of their bed's canopy, and sometimes saying nothing at all, letting silence and absentminded touches do the talking.

For Yelena, it would have been easy to allow anxiety to take hold, to let grief run wild. She certainly had reason to, and any reaction to the cataclysmic month she'd had would have been rational if not expected. However, here, with Asgard's almost unnervingly bright skies and radiant glow, things felt okay for the moment. The calm before the storm.

"You know, I never really liked the spider sigil," Yelena mused one morning as she laid on her side, head resting on her folded arm. "It's supposed to be intimidating, but it's just a bug."

"Lots of people are scared of bugs," Kate shrugged.

"Are you?"

"Well... I mean... they just have so many legs, and way too many eyes..."

"My big, strong knight is afraid of spiders. Unbelievable."

"I'll protect you from a lot, Yelena. Swords? No problem. Knives? Easy. But a spider? I'm sorry, my love, you're on your own."

"Oh, how will I ever survive?"

"If you could, what sigil would you pick?"

"Hmm..." she studied the ridges of Kate's face, the closing cuts and faded bruises. "Maybe just a sword. A real big sword."

Kate laughed. "That's it?"

"Simple and to the point, no? It's intimidating and sleek."

"I thought sigils had to be animals. Like the Rangers have hawks and Knights have... I actually don't remember what Knights have."

"Well, what sigil would you choose?"

"If I didn't have to pick an animal, probably my face. Just my entire face plastered on everyone's banners and capes."

"Well, the opposition would be so captivated by the beautiful knight on everyone's gear that you would win any battle with ease."

"As if I need a distraction to help me slay enemies," she scoffed, the show of confidence making Yelena blush more then she would have liked to admit.

"This is a good thing, isn't it, Kate Bishop?"

"What? The canopy?"

"No, silly. Us." Yelena rolled over to lay on Kate's chest as she so often did, melding to her form like lock and key. The princess's top half was bare, and the contact set her skin ablaze. "Though I do like the canopy."

"You get so reflective when you're sleepy, love. But yes, this is a good thing. The best thing." Kate smiled wistfully. "If you told fourteen year old me that'd I share a bed with you one day, get to hold and protect you... I think she would explode."

Yelena tenderly kissed the space behind Kate's ear, making the knight shiver. "Well, if you told me back then that you would grow up to be a strapping, honorable knight... I would've believed you."

"You think too highly of me, princess."

"What can I say? I'm a woman obsessed. My heart is a difficult object to obtain, Kate Bishop. I trust you not to break it."

"I would never dream of it. I love you too much," Kate responded with a yawn, shifting more comfortably in bed. "Now, let's get some rest before Val and Sif get word back to the palace today. We could be on the move as soon as tomorrow."

"I love you too, Kate Bishop."

"Yeah, I know."

-

Later, a rapid knock sounded on the pair's bedroom. Kate stood groggily while Yelena tossed a shirt on, casting a quizzical look at the door. Upon opening, Kate found a frantic Peter.

"We've received word from the Asgardian troops in Galon," he said quickly. "King Thor wants to see all of us."

"Thanks, Pete," Kate nodded, closing the door to get dressed. Yelena hastily threw on her brown pants and worn boots while Kate tugged on her armor, taking great care to strap her quiver on just so.

In the war room sat the king, Prince Loki, Queen Jane, Bucky, Sam, Wanda, and Peter. The two women entering took their seats on either side of Wanda, who looked more haggard with every passing day. She truly was alone here, and Yelena prayed harder than ever
for Natasha's well-being.

"Welcome, Your Highness," greeted the king from the head of the table. He donned metallic armor featuring deep blue, red, and gold accents rather than the leather armor set and furs he wore previous. "We've received word from your capital."

"Good news, perhaps?" Yelena hoped. "Has the castle been retaken?"

"Nothing that drastic," Queen Jane said, toying with a war hammer, gauntlets covering her forearms. "But should we launch an assault in the coming days, the battle would be winnable."

"Val and Lady Sif report little military presence in the city, but the palace is heavily fortified." Thor informed. "It seems they're waiting for us to make the next move. Surely, princess, your unknown whereabouts are causing them hesitance. Your knight probably saved the kingdom by evacuating to the countryside."

"Indeed," agreed Loki, "you're the only hope your kingdom has, princess, whether the people know it or not. You've done well."

"Thank you," Yelena replied, a bit shocked. For most of the month, Yelena had felt she failed her kingdom in some way, or abandoned them. But the people around her were right, fleeing the capital and reaching out for help was the wisest thing she could have done. "When do we leave?"

King Thor raised an eyebrow. "You wish to leave with the warriors? Well, the first batch is leaving as we speak, with reinforcements departing this evening."

"I must see my castle retaken in person. I must be there to greet my sister, my warriors, my people."

"I respect a Warrior Queen," Thor praised, earning a nod from Jane as well. "Very well, princess. You and your party shall leave tonight, if that is alright?"

"Where she goes, I go," Kate said resolutely, hand toying with the hilt of her sword. The rest of the group agreed, then dispersed to various corners of the palace. Wanda walked alongside Kate and Yelena, quiet and timid.

"Wanda, dear, what's wrong?" Yelena asked softly, taking Wanda's arm.

Wanda glanced nervously up at Kate. "Nothing."

"Is it Natasha? We could see her tomorrow, Wanda, we must have hope."

"Not just that..."

Kate's eyes narrowed. "Is it me?"

Wanda's eyes hit the floor. "Kate, please don't hill him..."

The knight paused her walk. "What?"

"I know he's done evil, I know he's beyond forgiveness, but... take mercy on Pietro. Throw him in jail, do whatever, just don't kill him."

"I..." Kate was stunned. "I don't want to make a promise I may not keep."

Wanda nodded in understanding. "Look, you do what you have to. I just thought I'd ask."

Kate's brow furrowed deeper as Wanda retreated to her own room, leaving just the princess. Yelena took Kate's hand, watching a gambit of emotions run across Kate's features.

"Just one more thing to think about..." the knight sighed, clinging to Yelena's hand like a lifeline. "If I see him again, Yelena, I will kill him. With my bare hands if I have to. It's what I should have done when I had my chance outside the ballroom. If I ended him then, maybe Clint would still-" her thought cut off, knees nearly buckling with guilt.

"Kate, shh," Yelena soothed softly, "we can't think like that. That's over. You'll know what to do when the time comes."

"What would you do if you had the chance?"

"I would..." Yelena thought it over, images of her mother flashing in her head. "I would kill him. Without question."