As I am writing the ending chapters of Winter King. . . Something else came up.
This POPPED in my head out of nowhere and I had to WRITE IT DOWN. What if we had a fantasy AU titled The Witch's Vessel [ Knight!Bucky x Witch's Vessel Reader ] that brings together the drama of period kingdoms, the terror of unchecked magic, and a sprinkle of forbidden romance?
The story starts at Wundagore Mountain, where the Scarlet Witch faces her ultimate defeat against Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme. But here’s the twist—she’s not truly vanquished. Instead, the larger part of her fractured soul escapes, seeking refuge.
Enter Y/N, a girl on the verge of death from typhoid fever. She’s lying on her deathbed, with her aunt praying beside her for a miracle. The Scarlet Witch's soul, in a desperate act of self-preservation, enters Y/N’s body, granting her life—but at a cost. Now, Y/N is caught in a dangerous game: to reclaim the rest of the Witch’s soul fragments scattered across the land, she must kill the other vessels before they kill her.
Sounds intense, right? Well, it gets worse. The Sorcerer knows the Witch wasn’t truly defeated, and he’s warned the King about her lingering presence. This sparks a royal decree to find the vessels before they can regain their full power. Cue the royal guards sweeping across the land to bring every suspected vessel to justice.
Here’s where Captain James “Bucky” Barnes comes in. He’s the leader of the Wolf Division, a formidable faction of the royal army known for their unmatched tracking skills. He’s ordered to raid every house with daughters and drag them to the town center for inspection.
The kicker? The Sorcerer Supreme has a method to identify the vessels. He claims there’s always a giveaway. A sweetness in the air that lingers in their presence. A sharp, almost metallic taste on the tongue. And for rare individuals like Bucky, a tingle in the air—a living aura of magic, as if the Witch herself is watching through the fragments.
Now imagine this: Y/N’s aunt is frantic as Bucky arrives to search their home. She knows Y/N’s secret but pleads with him, hoping against hope that he’ll remember their past. "Please, Bucky," she begs. "Remember her. Y/N is your childhood friend, your betrothed. You haven’t seen her because she’s been gravely ill, but she’s recovering now. Please, don’t hurt her."
Bucky doesn’t know Y/N is the vessel(yet). He sees a frail girl, his memories of her tugging at his heart. The stakes are already so high, but as the story unfolds, Bucky’s loyalty to the crown will collide with his growing suspicion, his childhood bond with Y/N, and his role in uncovering the truth.
After Y/N’s aunt’s desperate plea, Bucky is put in an impossible situation. He’s loyal to the crown, sworn to uphold his duties, but the aunt’s argument hits a practical nerve: marrying Y/N would ensure her safety while conveniently bringing her under the watchful eyes of the Sorcerer Supreme.
The aunt plays it smart, tugging on Bucky’s sense of honor and his lingering childhood bond with Y/N. She says something like, “If she’s your wife, she’ll live closer to the city, under the protection of the guards and away from harm. She’s recovering, Bucky—think of the advantages. You can keep her safe.”
The idea plants itself in Bucky’s head. His division is actively hunting vessels, and while he doesn’t know for sure if Y/N carries the Scarlet Witch’s soul, the suggestion of marrying her feels like a way to keep her alive without directly defying the royal decree. It’s a temporary solution... or so he convinces himself.
