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[firstelevens]

the bells stand still and hollow (chapter one)

sam/bucky | alternate universe (d&d/high fantasy au) | rated t | 3k words (1/6 chapters)

In a world of sword fights and spellcasting, Sam joins Steve and Natasha on a quest to break a curse that's been placed on Bucky. Alliances are made, secrets are revealed, and at least one person gets threatened by a giant falcon.

Sam only sees it because Redwing does, flying up over the treetops and scouting for danger ahead. It comes in snippets first, then clearer as Redwing gets closer: clashing steel and the light and smoke of magic being cast, then commands shouted in the voice of a superior, the language indistinct over the sounds of battle. 

“How many are there? Is it bandits?” Sam asks, and only belatedly remembers that he doesn’t need to actually speak the words for Redwing to hear them.

‘Sire,’ comes Redwing’s voice in his mind, graver than it was a moment ago, ‘these are no common criminals.’

The smoke from the spells is still too thick for Redwing to see who’s involved, apparently, but there are wagons nearby where the attackers must have awaited their targets. He doesn’t need to say anything to Sam as he swoops down past a wagon, the image stamped onto the wheels coming through perfectly clear: a many-headed beast, entwined around a stylized skull. Inside the biggest wagon is a cage much too large for any kind of animal, but perfectly sized for a person.

Sam takes off at a run.

( read the rest on AO3 )