All The Kings Men
Chapters: 11/?
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Summary: When Prince Steve's father tries to marry him to a northern barbarian Steve will stop at nothing to escape and marry the woman of his dreams. But when Steve's plans to run away with Lady Nancy are thwarted by pirates, he comes face to face with Captain Billy Hargrove, formally of His Majesty's armies. Though his touch still makes Steve burn the same way, Billy is not the boy Steve knew at court and his secrets threaten all of Steve's loyalties and everything he understands about himself. Steve might be a prince of the realm but on the sea only one man is king, and Billy will stop at nothing until he claims Steve for himself.
A dancer from the east had been gifted to his grandfather as tribute once, and she had danced for the court suspended in air. She’d weaved a spell of fascination over the crowd with the way she’d twisted in the air and contorted her body to make it look as if she weren’t held by anything at all. They knew the long bolts of fabric were there, had seen her climb them at the start of her routine, and it did not matter because they wanted the enjoyment of the illusion. They’d wanted the fantasy of her and to feel good in it, and so they’d given her the power to make them believe.
Steve was like that. He danced. He took the power others gave him and used it to protect himself. It wasn’t a hellish existence but it was an exhausting one. He was a good dancer but even the best tired when there was no end to it.
At least he’d thought there would be no end to it. Until suddenly there was, and everything turned to gold.
READ ON A03
