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Love me for who I am 
not
who you want me to be

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1 Week Later

The warning of Jame's words replaying in her mind in Natasha's. It was almost as if she couldn't get them out. She didn't even know what it meant but in a way, it kind of scared her. 

 Watch out for thirteen, not everything is as it seems. 

What did that mean? What or who was thirteen. Was it a code? A name? she didn't know, and she saw how scared James was, so she couldn't revisit the topic with him. At least not when they are in the castle. It was complicated. 

And then there was Steve, in the last few days, he has been making small conversations and constantly apologizing. But none of their conversations were longer than five minutes before he disappeared. She saw how suspicious it was but didn't hold too much on it because she was busy preparing for the town announcement with her mother.  Which would be tomorrow afternoon. 

Not to mention she has been feeling under the weather getting weaker and weaker every day. Her father insisted it was just because it has been a long time since she has traveled and her body is taking in the new surroundings however it didn't feel like an ordinary sickness. 

She was getting harder for her to get out of bed in the morning because her legs wouldn't move, she was coughing much more, and then to make it worse the dizziness was not helping at all. She wanted to get the announcement over with so she could rest. 

But on the bright side, she has found great company in Princess Wanda. She and Lady Sharon always were checking up on her. While Sharon brought her drinks throughout the day, Wanda would talk to her and make sure she is getting better.  

But today she was informed Wanda would not be joining her on the house back ride around the back roads of the kingdom. Steve would. Being all honest, Natasha wasn't sure she liked that idea at all. 

She was to meet him in a few moments so she prepared for her ride. She dress was brown with white underneath and she had her hair pinned away from her face so she could see while riding. She walked down to the armory, where Steven told her to meet him and noticed that the servants sleeping cabins all had numbers on them.  

Each door was shut except one room in particular which was wide open and the noise of some rummaging through the room. She walked closer and saw that Sharon was in there recking through the room. 

"Lady Sharon?" Natasha said as the girl froze. She took a deep breath slowly closing the jour she had open.  

"Princess." She answered. "What brings you down here?" 

"I have come to meet Steven in the armory, it's where the horse riding equipment is. What are you doing down here?" She asked cautiously. The room looked as if it was the room of a couple. Due to the fact it was covered in both women and male clothes. 

"Just grabbing something for Wanda." She said, and it was obvious that she was lying, Natasha, however, wasn't about to bring it up. She watched as Sharon walked out of the door and cautiously closed it causing the sleeves on her dress to rise just a little. She wore a golden chain that had a number on the side of it. 

"What a lovely bracelet," Natasha said, not the least bit surprised when she saw it had the number thirteen on it. Of course, if she was correct, James's warning had something to do with Sharon she had always seemed a bit off to Natasha. 

"Oh thank you, princess." She smiled politely covering it back up hoping Natasha would forget about it. 

"What does it mean?" Natasha asked not bothering to end the conversation. 

"Oh, it's silly," Sharon said, however, she saw Natasha was giving her a look to continue. As much as she disliked Natasha, she was royalty and denying her wouldn't end up so great for her. "My father was a soldier in the wars that King Joesph fought. He was the thirteenth soldier and this was his way of making sure I remembered him. Even when he lost his battle in the fights." She said. Natasha gave her a smile but knew it was a lie. 

The way her nose rose a little each time she spoke was a clear indication that Sharon was lying. Whatever the bracelet and the number meant was not a symbol dedicated to her father. The lack of emotion in her eyes was enough proof. 

"Well, it was nice seeing you, Sharon. But I must go Steven is waiting for me." She said and that was when Natasha got her answer. Everything was starting to piece together. The moment mentioned Stevens name and their meeting in a few moments seemed to have bothered Sharon. Her fists were clenched and she bit her lip as if keeping her comment in. She even had to excuse herself and the way she walked away proved she was anything but happy. Somehow Sharon and Steve were up to something and for the sake of both her kingdoms and her reputation she would find out what exactly was going on between the two suspicious people. 

"Oh Steven," Natasha said to herself. "What are you up to." She also noticed before walking away from that the room Sharon was in had the number thirteen on it as well. It all had to connect and one way or another she would find out. 

Steven

Steven was preparing their two best horses for his and Natasha's ride. He was going to try and form some sort of bond with Natasha. His plan was to become friends and then rule their kingdoms together, to then they will discuss open marriage. 

The concepts it's self-discussed him. To have to world believe in one thing but beneath the veneer was nothing but lies. But he wouldn't do the deeds he had done to Peggy. He couldn't nor would he want to. So this would be his best option. He, of course, knew Sharon could never be queen. But as long as they are together and Natasha and he contained their friendly relationship no harm was being done. Right? 

So today would be the start of what he hoped would be a blooming friendship. So he prepared Charm and Mystic the two best steeds in the kingdom. He placed the saddles on and told the guards he would not need their presence this afternoon. If any harm were to come he had his sword to defend himself. 

"Your Highness," Natasha said when she came into view. Steve gave her a charming smile, noticing the weary look on her face. He thought she was just confused and decided not to mention it. 

"Are you ready princess?" He asked. Natasha nodded her head already stepping toward her horse, to which she assumed was Mystic. "Are you sure you want to ride her? Mystic is much less calm then Charm." 

"What's wrong Rogers? Afraid I'll fall and get hurt? Well, relax I have a lot of horseback riding under my belt. And the most that could happen is I fall." She said. 

"Okay. If you insist." He said jumping on to his horse. Before he could even settle Natasha pulled off to the woods causing Steven to smile. She was a handful alright. 

The ride was quiet for the first fifteen minutes or so. At least until they had fully been away from the view of the castle. That was when they both mentally relaxed allowing themselves to feel more normal and have a normal conversation. 

"You can't tell me that you have never been ice skating." Natasha laughed as Steve told her about the lack of snow they receive in their kingdom. Natasha had to admit she loved the snow and it would be hard to give it up. 

"Not once I am afraid." He said laughing. The two were having a normal conversation, it was actually the most normal one they had ever had. It started off awkward at first when Steven asked her what she did as a child and when she responded with an uninterested answer of skating he blankly commented he had never been to which her mood became more offended and more into the conversation. 

"Steven if we are to actually wed them I am going to take you to my kingdom for the winter. It's beautiful and I swear you love ice skating." she smiled. "How is your dancing? Of course, I would know if you made your presence at the ball." She said. Steve felt ashamed for missing the ball but he couldn't say why. At least not yet. 

"Yeah, I am sorry about that. However, my dancing would mostly bring you embarrassment." he said. 

"Is that why you skipped it? Your dancing? I was beggining to believe that it was I you didn't want to see." Natasha said, their horse were walking in a slow gallop side by side. 

"Of course not." He lied. Natasha would have chuckled but thought it was best if she kept her opionions to herself for the time being. 

"So you aren't holding any gruge agaisnt me." She asked trying to search his eyes, but turned her focus back to the horse when she got unsteady. 

"I have to admit Princess this was all very sudden and I was just trying to handle the information given to me with delicate care." He answered. "But I am sure you know what I am talking about right?" 

"Of course. It's the life of a royal." Natasha said. She had her horse go a bit faster and stop in front of Charm. She looked Steve in the eyes. "It can sometimes be lonely and you feel like you have no one to talk to but trust me you are the farthest from alone. We are to be wed Steve, our kingdoms will unite and I want to make this work. I want us to be real and to do that you have to trust as I have to with you. You are not alone, we are in this together. So if you have a problem see me. I would be happy to listen, give advice and if needed slap some sense into you." She said causing Steve to smile. 

No one has ever spoken to him with such care before. There was something different however when Natasha spoke to him. Whenever Sharon spoke to him he never felt this tingle of hope. It was different as if anything he had felt before. Maybe, he couldn't do this to her. She wanted to make things work even if it wasn't what she wanted. 

She wanted them to be a team. She was willing to work for a bond and here he was plotting to have an open marriage. The more he thought of it the more he realized he couldn't do that. Not to Natasha or Sharon. And one of them would end up getting hurt. 

Maybe Natasha was right, maybe the kingdom was what was important. He should stop being selfish. But Sharon did mean a lot to him. His heart was in its own Civil War. In the end, he knew what had to be done, he couldn't hold up a lie for much longer. 

He couldn't pretend that Natasha was some horrible person because even after just a few hours of talking to the princess he was growing a bond that he had with no one else. That may be just maybe it would mean something if he let it grow. Maybe it was time to be real with himself for once. 

He wasn't going to get what he wanted. But maybe there was a possibility that maybe what he wanted and what he needed were different and maybe it's for the best. Natasha was no longer a spoiled Princess to him. She was something he never could find in many people. 

She was a friend. 

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The future depends on what we do in the
present.

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