There was no big speech announcing the peace that would wash over the kingdom, there was no announcement of how the royal family was doing, nobody even spoke of the incident, but there was a party. There was loud music, people dancing, everyone having a grand time.

The Queens watched the kingdom from their seats, as Natasha couldn't stand for too long or she would feel weak. So while the kings talked with ministers and other officals the queens sat away from the party to have their own conversations.  

Natasha watched the party with a smile on her face, that was until her eyes landed on her son. James was dancing with Torunn, both had huge smiles on their faces as they danced on of Rogerteria's traditional dances. 

"It's cute isn't it?" Jane asked when she saw the look on Natasha's face. 

"They are growing up rather fast for my taste," Natasha commented, she knew the look James had on his face all too well. He was in love. 

"Don't we all?" Pepper asked. "We all grew up in the royal families one way or another" She sid.  

"I didn't," Jane commented. 

"Yes, but you were very young when you married your husband, still the same. You grew up in the eyes of the people. When that happens you seem to either grow up too fast or too slow." Pepper said. 

"There is never an in-between." Natasha sighed, "I just wished we had more time." 

"We know how you feel," Jane said. "My Torunn is leaving on one of her missions. Her father thinks she will only last a week before she comes running home. We both know that it's not true but I think he has to tell himself to feel better." 

"I heard she invited James along." Pepper commented. "Those two have gotten extremely close," Natasha's eyes gazed over her boy again, as he whispered something to Torunn causing her to laugh. 

"Torunn has a way of getting what she wants," Jane laughed. "And I am almost sure she wants James." 

"They would make a lovely king and queen, but I feel as if their hearts are elsewhere," Natasha said. "Steve doesn't seem to agree but we both decided that the kids are to choose their own paths." She turned her gaze over to Morgan and Sarah, "Now it's these two who I have to keep my eyes on." 

"They have both taken such a step, looking more into ruling the kingdom," Pepper said. "Suprised me, I rarely hear Morgan even speak of the crown but lately that's all seemed to change." 

"And their choices of who will rule by their sides... what do think of that?" Janes asked.

"I think that I like Morgan, and if Sarah does too then so be it. I just don't want my kingdom burning to hell." Natasha said with a laugh, she wouldn't care, either way, she just wanted her kids to be happy. 

"Same as I, though I would prefer that Morgan stop trying to lie to me," Pepper said. "Either way I am excited for her." 

"I see you three are as entertaining as ever," They all turned to see their husbands walking toward them. 

"How are you feeling?" Steve asked Natasha as he approached her. Her hand went up to her stomach before sighing and giving him a tight smile. 

"As good as I can, I prefer not to be stabbed next time but I'll survive." She commented. 

"Are you too tired to have a dance with me?" Steve asked. Natasha knew he was trying, he became much more protective of her these last few hours, it's like something switched on in his brain, not that she was complaining. 

"Of course," She smiled and he held out his hand for her to take. She took it and very painfully she stood up. 

"If you want to rest..." 

"No no, I want to dance. I want to dance with you." She said looking in his eyes, Steve gave her a smile before nodding his head. Together they walked to the middle of the ballroom and proceeded a slow dance, Steve making sure she was comfortable. 

"Have I mentioned how beautiful you look?" He asked. "As always." 

"I believe you have mentioned it." she smiled. 

"So I have been thinking." He started. "You and I both know James is leaving tomorrow, even if he has yet to tell us, and Sarah is will be working with her school for the remainder of the summer." 

"Where are you going with this Steven?" She asked shifting to go in a more comfortable position. 

"I want to start planning for when we step down." He said. 

"That won't be for a matter of years," Natasha said. James would surely refuse to rule, and Sarah was only ten, she had a few years to go. 

"Yes but it takes time and planning." He said. 

"Planning of what?" She asked. 

"I want to take you to see the world." Natasha stopped when he said that as if her mind was blank. 

"What?" 

"I have taken your opportunities to travel the world away since the day we married. I shouldn't have done that," He put his hand over her heart. "Your heart longs to explore and I am going to do that for you, I am going to help you see the world. No guards," He pulled her closer, "No kids. Just me and you," He gave her a soft smile. 

A week ago, Natasha would have said no. That much time alone with Steve would have just annoyed her to no end, but that was a week ago. They were working on themselves, so surprising that the whole idea of a trip sounded nice and relaxing. She has always wanted to see the world. 

"Thank you," She said in a soft whisper. 

"You don't need to thank me, as your husband it's my job to treat you like a queen, and your happiness is of utmost concern for me. " He smiled happily at him, never before had she felt like this toward him, she had to admit, she liked the feeling. 

"I have never seen this side of you," She blushed. 

"I am gonna be better. You deserve more then what I gave you. I have not always been the best husband but I am gonna try and show you that you deserve a whole lot more.  I know that one sorry won't manage to show you how much you mean to me, so I will spend every aching moment making sure that you are happy. To show you that I want to deserve you." He said taking her hand and kissing it looking her deep in the eyes. 

"I don't want you to sacrifice your own happiness for mine," She said to him, and Steve gave her a small smile. 

"You are so selfless my queen, but seeing you smile is all I need to be happy, trust me. I have selfish enough for a lifetime." He said. "You and our beautiful children are what's most important." 

Natasha looked over his shoulder and saw James kiss Torunn's hand before turning toward his parents. Natasha's heart hurt, she knew what he was going to say to them. Was it bad that she wanted to run? She didn't want to hear him say goodbye. No time in the world would ever be enough. 

"I'll let you take this one," She said nodding toward James, "I'll talk to our princess," She smiled before kissing Steve on the cheek. Steve watched her leave with a small smile on his face before turning to James with a small nod. 

"Come, we have a lot to talk about I am guessing," 

|~~|

Natasha gently moved the hair out of her daughter's face before taking a seat on her throne. Her hand shot to her stomach due to the small sting forming around her. Sarah looked at her mother with concern. 

"Are you alright Mother?" She asked reaching for her mother but Natasha held her hand out. 

"I am fine, just a small pain." She said. "It will go away with time I am sure." 

"Feelings are temporary," Sarah reminded and Natasha couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. 

"Are you telling me that or is that for you?" She asked, and Sarah's face blushed red before she looked down at the ground. 

"For you of course mother." She answer but Natasha knew she was lying. 

"Sarah when I saw that I love you I want you to know that I saw it not because it's a habit or just to make a conversation but to remind you that I care about you, that I will always be there for you whenever you need me." She took her daughters to hand softly on her own. "You can tell me what's on your mind." 

"There is a lot on my mind," She admitted still not looking at her mother. 

"Well you can tell me, I have time, it's not like I could be out there dancing." She laughed but all Sarah did was smile a small smile. "Speak to me. Follow your heart." 

"Everyone keeps saying that," She sighed, "But what if my heart is even more confused then my brain?" She asked. 

"In my own experience, my heart likes to take over but in the end, you have to use your brain and heart together in hopes that they will bring you to the right answer, but until you learn to do that why don't you ask me?" Natasha put out as a suggestion. 

"Mom... how do you see my life going?" 

"Me?" She asked raising an eyebrow and Sarah nodded her head gently. "Well I hope that you will be ruling because I think you would make an incredible leader, but I also hope that you are happy. Whether that be on the seas or in a castle." She laughed. "I have two kids, one is already leaving you two are growing up so fast." 

"What about my... my love life?" She asked almost as if she was embarrassed. 

" You mean like marriage?" Sarah nodded. "Well let me tell you my own story." 

"Mom I know your story, you and Dad had an arranged marriage and everything slowly fell in place after Sharon. After Uncle James died, I know you loved him" 

"No I am talking about my story before I met your father and... Uncle James. No, this story happened a long time ago. When I was around your age, maybe a bit older. Do you want to hear?" She asked and Sarah nodded turning her attention to her mother. 

"I do," She assured. 

"I was young," Natasha started. "I thought I knew exactly how my life would go, that I would become queen and my life will continue going the way I want it to. I thought I understood everything. How I wish someone would have sat down and just laughed at me, told me I just had so much to learn." 

"Mom... can you tell the story?" She asked wanting Natasha to get to the point. 

"Okay," She sighed. "I met a boy, he was older then I and his name was Alexei. I was in love with him, so much so that I trusted him, I told him all my secrets." She shook her head at the thought. "He was my everything, or at least I thought he was. Alexei made me feel loved and for the time I didn't know what love was. Looking back on it I now know it wasn't love.  I cared about him, yes but my heart lied elsewhere, I had my eyes on the crown. I liked him because he made me feel important, at the time I knew I would have to marry, hoped he could be my king. This was mostly me trying to be rebellious and not have to go through an arranged marriage." 

"So you didn't love him?" She asked. 

"Maybe in the beginning, but as a child, it quickly faded, I had much better things to think about. However Alexei didn't like to be ignored, soon I made him my top priority because he told me how a queen should act around her future queen. I wanted to be the best, and so I listened to him. He used me, I thought that I love him, and I thought he cared about me, it was all a lie. My heart broke the night he came to the castle and he stole everything, he left with only a smirk on his face, I called for him from my room but he only turned and waved before running away. I was broken, not only because I failed as a leader but because I let my heart take control. " 

"Why are you telling me this?" Sarah asked looking away from her mother. 

"because I want you to know something, the way I felt about Alexei was something I used to avoid my problems. I was told my entire life to do what was right and for once I wanted to do something wrong. I know how you are feeling my dear. You may not know it but these are the moments you are gonna remember most. You may be questioning yourself right now but only your heart and head together can tell you the right answer. I will support you unconditionally because I love you.  Don't make a choice only with your heart, think with your head too. Look at yourself and speak what you want. " 

"This story, what did you want me to take away from it?" 

"I wanted you to see I make mistakes because I thought only with my heart. That if you love someone then you need to feel it in your head and in your heart. Don't settle for anyone who makes you feel any less than a queen." 

"Mom I-" 

"I know." Sarah looked over at her mother. "Don't act too shocked. I am your mother after all." she smiled. "I love you. I want you to know that I also want you to know that if you love her don't focus on what your brain is saying, combined it with your head. Don't let one control the other." 

"What if I can make out what they are both saying so soon?" She asked.

"You're just a child, you have all the time in the world." 

"Do you approve?" She asked. 

"I want you to be happy, and if this is what makes you happy my love then yes I approve," she smiled. 

"I am glad you are okay mom," She said. "I was scared." 

"I love you so much, I won't leave you," Natasha promised. This is why she was here on this earth, this is why she went through what she did because of these two wonderful children she had. She hoped her daughter understood her story, but she also that even if she didn't, Sarah would be just fine in life. She was her daughter after.

|~| The Next Day |~|

"How was your talk with James?" Natasha asked as the maids helped dress Natasha in her gown for the day, the wound on her stomach was still very much present. She had the doctor re-wrap it before she dressed and was still too sore to move. 

"Short," Steve answered. "He told me he had to do this. that was it. I didn't know what to say so we just sat there and looked at the sky, although no words were said I have a feeling that he understood me perfectly," 

"Yeah well James as always be an intuitive one," Natasha smiled, thanking the maids for their help saying she could get the last tie. They all left and Natasha tried grabbing for the ribbons before being met this was a pain in her side. 

"Why are you so stubborn?" Steve asked taking the ribbons from her to tie allowing the pain to subside. 

"I could have done it," She huffed. Natasha hated feeling like she couldn't do something and was almost determined to do it herself. She tried to take the ribbons from Steve but the pain from moving stopped her. Steve looked down and sighed. 

"Before or after you pass out from pain?" He asked tieing it just enough so she could still breath. Natasha looked in the mirror at his reflection. "you look beautiful." She wore a green dress that made her eyes just pop. She really was something else to Steve. Beautiful didn't even start to describe how she looked. 

"You're just saying that," She said laying her head back to rest on his chest. "I looked tired and worn out." 

"Doesn't mean that you don't look beautiful, you look beautiful to me, that should mean something no?" He said sending her a charming smile. 

"Your words are just words, doesn't help the way I am feeling." she grunted closing her eyes in frustrations. 

 "What's wrong?" He asked. 

"I don't want him to go," She said looking down. "Does that make me selfish?" 

"Makes you a mother." He repeated from their earlier conversation. "A really good mother." 

"He's just a baby," Natasha said. "What if he gets hurts?" 

"Don't worry I am sure Torunn won't let anything touch James," He laughed. He saw Natasha's mind was racking over everything that could happen to James. "I talked to Sarah," Steve said. 

"And?" She asked looking at her husband in his blue entrancing eyes. Something that she always loves about Steve was that she could tell how he was feeling even before he said it just because of the look in his eyes. 

"I love her," was all he said and Natasha couldn't help but smile. She knew what he meant. She felt relief, not because she felt like Steve would reject his daughter but because everything was finally getting back to normal and for one in their lives everything seem to be right. She loved this feeling and wished it would stay forever. 

"I love James," She said. They knew the inner meanings of each other's words. Steve took his queen's hand and led her out of the room and together they took a carriage down toward the docks. Steve looked over at the boat being loaded. In the corner was Thor and Jane hugging their daughter very tightly, Thor whispering many tactics on how to kill someone with one slash of a sword in his daughter's ear. 

"Mom, Dad," James said, Sarah, coming up beside her brother as well. "I am leaving soon," he said. Natasha felt a bit in her stomach as she looked at the ship, the one that would take her baby boy away.  Why did he have to grow up? Why couldn't he stay her baby forever? 

"Do you have everything?" Natasha asked. "A jacket? It can get cold in the sea and I wouldn't want you to get cold." Natasha said as she fixed her son's jacket to make sure the wind wasn't hitting him, Steve let out a small chuckle at his wife's actions and James pretended to be annoyed gently pushing his hands off of him. 

"Mom... I'll be fine. You made sure of that," He wasn't just talking about the luggage she helped him pack. She had to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything, and she wanted to spend as much time as she could with him. 

"I know I know, it's just I don't want anything to happen to you," She said. "it's gonna be winter soon do you have boots?" She worried some more causing James to let out a small, little bit annoyed laugh. Sarah was chuckling at her mother's behavior. 

"Yes mom," he sighed. 

"What about gloves- or-" 

"Mom, I will be fine. I am not a child anymore." He smiled a charming smile. "Besides Torunn will be with me. I won't die out in the sea. You don't have to worry." 

"We are just worried James," Steve said, James, looking at his father. "You're gonna be gone for a long time." James felt a pit, he knew it would be a long time, but this was just something he and his family knew that he needed to do. 

"It's gonna be good for me," James said. "People say they learn a lot out there once they have some peace," He said eyeing his sister who punched him in the ear. "besides it will go by so fast." 

"Maybe for you," Steve said. "Now give your mother a hug before she decides to travel with you," Steve joked and James went to embrace his mother, who hugged him very tightly. 

"Please be careful," She muttered in his ears. James didn't reply but he hugged her closer. He was almost taller than her now, it was a bit insane. "I will see you in ten full moons." She said and James nodded his head. 

"Very quick, I promise." 

"Not quick enough," Natasha said. 

"Really I think it's too quick." Sarah teased her older brother. James jokingly glared at his younger sister before giving her a hug. "Don't die." She whispered in his ear. 

"I'll try not to," He smirked when he pulled away. "Anyways, I have to go now," He said giving his mother one last hug as she made him. When he pulled away Steve picked up his last box and offered to walk him aboard. He smiled goodbye to his sister and mother and followed his father. 

"I am proud of you James," Steve said and James looked at him in surprise. "I know I haven't been the best father, and have probably made a million mistakes." 

"You were perfect," James smiled. Steve laughed a little before turning serious again. 

"You are leaving our kingdom James, be aware of everything, your mother will personally kill me if something happens to you. I- I don't know what I would do." He admitted. "please be careful," He asked. 

"Dad, you can trust me," he smiled. Steve nodded before pulling something out of his pocket, it was a chain with many tags on them. He handed them to his son. "What are these?" 

"Tags. They belonged to your uncle James," Steve said and James immediately looked up at his father in shock. James was someone his father rarely talked about, and never let anyone go through his stuff. "He would have loved you very much," Steve said. "He probably would have given these to you anyways." 

"Dad I can't." 

"No, you can. You will." He smiled. "Your uncle was the strongest man I knew, he was beyond loyal and always followed what he knew was important, I want to be every bit the man he was. He was a great role model for you." 

"Your better," James replied with a smile, Steve's heart ached and he looked at James with a small smile. Before they could say anything else Torunn came walking up to them. 

"Your majesty," She smiled. Steve nodded. 

"Keep this one safe," Steve told her, Torunn laughed before nodding her head. "Goodbye James." 

"Goodbye, Dad," He smiled, the chains hanging from his neck. Steve smiled looking down before giving his son a nod. "I love you, Dad," James said as his father left the boat, Steve looked over his shoulder with a smile. 

"Love you too son," He replied and then left the boat. James went to the side of the boat with Torunn as they started to set off. 

"How do you know that you are ready Rogers?" She teased him, taking his hand in her own. James looked down and smiled then at his family. Morgan had come up beside Sarah smiling sheepishly at her, his parents holding hands looking closer than ever. 

"Because." he started looking at her then at the family standing below him. "My family taught me everything I know."  It was time for him and Sarah to start their lives. This was the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Life is one hell of a ride for the Rogers family.

The end