Affections and Wishes

An Avengers Pride and Prejudice Alternative Universe

Summary: Darcy Lewis Coulson knows that Loki Odinson is the last man she would ever want to be in a room with. Unfortunately, Loki's brother, Thor, begins courting Darcy's sister, Jane Coulson. Pride and Prejudice AU.

Disclaimer: Jane Austen is public domain. Sadly, Marvel and its beautiful characters are not. *turns out pockets* I've got nothing. *rifles through shelves* Marvel, do you want your DVDs back?

A/N: Though this is a Pride and Prejudice AU, this story will not be an exact copy of Ms. Austen's work nor will it always follow the Marvel cinematic universe. I also apologize for any Americanisms that slip through. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter I: The Coulsons

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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Fortunately for the worried mothers of the Nine Realms, they could converse over the validity of the previous statement.

Midgard had been in contact with the other realms since the Frost Giants had attacked Earth over eight hundred years before. Since then, magic had been an acceptable form of progress, though the other realms were not permitted to share technology until Earth had reached a certain level of advancement. When that would happen was unknown to the human race, but rumor had it that the time would come soon.

Life on Earth reached a steady norm within a century of first contact. By 1813, the human race would find it strange not to have extraterrestrials as neighbors. In fact, some even married their Asgardian allies. It was said the spouses of these god-like beings were granted immortal life. It was thus why marrying an Asgardian was just as advantageous as marrying a prince, but more common.

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Thirty years before our story truly begins, a Mr. Phillip Coulson married a Miss Jane Potts. The two had fallen in love over their mutual admiration of music, particularly of the cello. Mr. Coulson was an intelligent, sarcastic man who was hard to startle. Mrs. Coulson was a romantic, prone to anxiety.

Mr. and Mrs. Coulson, alas, were childless. Being kind and generous souls, they adopted five girls over the course of a decade before much of their wealth was lost in speculation. Though they lived comfortably, the Coulsons were unable to provide a large inheritance for any of their daughters. It was thus imperative that the girls marry well.

Jane Foster Coulson was the eldest of the Coulson children. The young girl was only supposed to stay with the Coulsons for a week until a better living arrangement was created, but Mr. and Mrs. Coulson loved the little girl almost immediately. She was the kindest and the most curious of the five children. Though she could act like a lady better than the rest, she was known to come home from the fields with some pet or other as well as the scandalous behavior of sneaking out at night to look at the stars. Jane was good-humored and trusting, which was her greatest strength and weakness.

Darcy Lewis Coulson came soon after Jane, being the daughter of friends who had passed away suddenly with no one else in the world to look after her. She was the best read of all the girls and the one who took after Mr. Coulson the most when it came to dry humor. She was Jane's shadow and was willing to go on almost any adventure (as long as she snarked some along the way).

Margaret "Peggy" Carter Coulson came to the family second to last of the five girls, though she was the third eldest. She was the daughter of a business friend of a dear relative. Peggy was what could be called an English rose. She was elegant but had thorns to protect herself. After the loss of her American sweetheart two years before to the sea, Peggy lost herself in her studies.

Maria Hill Coulson was the third child brought into the family due to the death of a cousin of Mrs. Coulson's. She was an avid horse rider and gossip. She and her aunt, Mrs. Fury, were who you wished to speak to if you needed information… at the price of information you possessed, of course.

Natasha Romanoff Coulson was the last to come and the one with the oddest background. She came to the Coulsons speaking only Russians and was supposedly a child of the Travelers. Natasha quickly learned English and loved social gatherings. She had half the boys in the village in love with her, though she never had found the one she felt she could marry.

All the girls were from the age of sixteen to twenty-two. All were out in society. All were unmarried. All were in need of a husband if they did not wish to be destitute after their father's death.

All of this partially led to the shenanigans that would unfold over the next year.

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A/N: Curse you Tumblr for your plot bunnies! Someone said, "Hey, what about a Tasertricks Pride and Prejudice AU". And I went, "… Dang it! It makes sense and we already know that Tom Hiddleston looks good in a cravat!" What follows comes from that prompt.

Save for this week, I plan to post once a week on Wednesday. I am a grad student so I do not have much free time but contributing to fandom is something I will try to make time for.