a thief among thieves
Robin Hood AU: In a country much like England, King Rogers the Just has vanished while overseas fighting the Red Dead King. His closest confidante, Sir Barnes, is rumored to have fallen under the influence of the distant and icy Tsardom. He now contests with the appointed Steward Nicholas Fury for control over the country while its affairs are in disarray. The only person who may know where the true King may be is Bruce Banner, the personal physician who was kidnapped with him. Yet Banner has no memory of where he was held, or how he escaped - those secrets are held within the mind of the Beast, an alter ego created by his torture and terror during captivity. Meanwhile Prince Thor, heir to the Northern Lands recently thawed from a long isolation, returns under suspicions that his vanished brother has begun stirring trouble in the once-quiet southern land...
But most of that matters little to Clint Barton, a knight of the Shield returning broken and battered from the crusade against Hydrian forces. Bruised in body and mind, he seeks solace among the ancient Sherwood Forest and its behemoth trees, familiar from the days of his youth. He is not the only one; refugees fleeing the unrest now camp under the spreading green boughs, struggling to remain apart from the brewing civil war. Among them are the Lady Natasha Romanoff, once the Sheriff of Nottingham's foreign bride, and Barney the Crimson, a drunkard brawler who bears a strange loathing for Clint.
In the Forest's shadows Barton becomes one of many trying simply to survive, scavenging for food and comfort, dispirited and distanced from the troubles of the court - until the new Sheriff of Nottingham begins campaigning to clear the 'rabble' out. A fellow recently arrived some two years past and come into the post under strange circumstances, the dark-haired Sheriff has set his sights on higher titles and would sweep the refugees away to elevate his status. In time Barton finds himself settling in for another battle, gathering other refugees around him to form a band for the Forest's defense - for the fight to save Sherwood may be the first step to stopping the cascade of civil wars and crusades...
Thoughts, plot bunny adoptions, and any comments welcome. ;) I have no idea where the hell Tony is, or what he's doing. Natasha could also be leading a normal life (exiled by Loki for fear she could raise trouble) until Clint meets her during a raid. Also, all of my knowledge about Robin Hood comes from pop culture, which means I'm making most of this up as I go. That's the best part though, right?
But most of that matters little to Clint Barton, a knight of the Shield returning broken and battered from the crusade against Hydrian forces. Bruised in body and mind, he seeks solace among the ancient Sherwood Forest and its behemoth trees, familiar from the days of his youth. He is not the only one; refugees fleeing the unrest now camp under the spreading green boughs, struggling to remain apart from the brewing civil war. Among them are the Lady Natasha Romanoff, once the Sheriff of Nottingham's foreign bride, and Barney the Crimson, a drunkard brawler who bears a strange loathing for Clint.
In the Forest's shadows Barton becomes one of many trying simply to survive, scavenging for food and comfort, dispirited and distanced from the troubles of the court - until the new Sheriff of Nottingham begins campaigning to clear the 'rabble' out. A fellow recently arrived some two years past and come into the post under strange circumstances, the dark-haired Sheriff has set his sights on higher titles and would sweep the refugees away to elevate his status. In time Barton finds himself settling in for another battle, gathering other refugees around him to form a band for the Forest's defense - for the fight to save Sherwood may be the first step to stopping the cascade of civil wars and crusades...
Thoughts, plot bunny adoptions, and any comments welcome. ;) I have no idea where the hell Tony is, or what he's doing. Natasha could also be leading a normal life (exiled by Loki for fear she could raise trouble) until Clint meets her during a raid. Also, all of my knowledge about Robin Hood comes from pop culture, which means I'm making most of this up as I go. That's the best part though, right?