Alright, so I've edited this one up quite a bit. I was given some good tips and advice for my writing and did my best to apply it. I'll be editing all the chapters before I do anything with chapter 7. Enjoy :)
"Why did you arrange this without talking to me first?!"
"Because Shouto, I am the King! What I say goes! It is law! This is what's best for the Kingdom!" the large red headed King Enji Todoroki shouted to his youngest, most rebellious son. "With Natsuo and Fuyumi gone to other Kingdoms, you are the next in line to rule here!"
Shouto grit his teeth and glared at his large, menacing father. His eyes burned with an intense rage that King Enji was too familiar with. Shouto clenched his fists tightly and his hands had begun to turn white from loss of circulation. "I won't do it!" he yelled back at his father.
"You will. It is a done deal Shouto," Enji growled deeply while he crosses his arms over his burly chest. "You will marry the girl. It'll bring our Kingdoms together as one."
The enormous throne room the two of them stood in was silent, the only sound heard was Shouto breathing heavily out of pure anger. His glare intensified as he attempted to stand his ground against the intimidating king before him. "You just want to expand your own territory! I should get a say in who I marry!" he shouted, his voice becoming hoarse from all the yelling.
"Enough Shouto!" Enji boomed in a rough voice as he threw his fists down to his sides. He had reached his limit with his this argument with his son. Enji's cerulean eyes appeared as if they would catch fire from the intense anger that swelled within them. "If it was up to you you'd never marry! You cannot be the King unless you take a Queen!"
"Then I don't want to be King!" Shouto shouted in return. He turned his back to his father and loudly stormed away from his presence. Shouto's entire being was filled with an anger he could not handle if he stayed a minute longer with his father. Shouto kicked the large door open and pushed his way through the broken doorway, leaving his father alone in the throne room.
Enji stroked his short, red beard as he glared at the door his son had broken and slammed on his exit. "Don't be foolish Shouto. You will marry her and I will expand my Kingdom. You'll eventually come around and become a powerful King just as I am," Enji grumbled as he sat down on his large golden and red throne.
Shouto stormed through the vast hallways, fuming at the news suddenly thrown on him. His eyes burned with a zealous hatred and his body felt as if it was on fire with all the stressful anger that was steadily building. His muscles felt tense, he seemed like he might explode and lash out at the first person to talk to him. Thankfully Shouto made his way toward a door that lead outside without engaging with anyone.
The sunlight hit his face as soon as he stepped outside, and the cool spring breeze was filled with the sweet scent of the cherry blossom trees that border the garden just within his sight. Instantly he could feel himself start to unwind and cool down as the familiar aroma surrounded and comforted him. However not all of his anger had left him. Shouto crossed his arms and stared across the courtyard he stood in. He looked past the small clocktower in the center of it, and focused on the soft pink trees in the distance.
His eyes were still filled with hatred as he watched the petals float away in the gentle breeze. "Marry someone.. Let alone someone I've never met... The nerve of him," Shouto scoffed, unable to push the thought out of his head.
"Cut your father some slack Shouto."
Shouto turned his head and saw his mother, Queen Rei Todoroki, walking toward him. The sunlight reflected off her white hair, it was almost too bright to look at, but, Shouto was always respectful to his mother and looked her head on as she approached him. Her kind gray eyes met his angry hetrochromatic ones. He suddenly felt his body relax further as soon as he made eye contact with her.
"Did you know about this mom?" he questioned her in a near brittle voice.
She sighed and nodded her head in response. "I did... I know you probably aren't ready to take a wife yet, you're still so young Shouto, but sixteen is of age. Your father has already arranged most of the details out along with the King of the Western Kingdom," she informed him.
Shouto felt his heart sink. He now knew there was no way out of this, this marriage that he never wanted. "How could you let him do this? Couldn't you have stopped him? Or at least let me choose someone myself?" he sadly questioned with the smallest amount of tears shimmering in his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I tried, but you know how your father can be..." Rei replied as she looked away from her son's sorrowful gaze.
Shouto's pupils narrowed and his saddened state left him as he angrily stared at his mother. He took a step forward which caused her to look up at him. He nearly towered over her with a familiar rage radiating from within himself. "Did he do something to you again!? Did dad hurt you!?" he growled while staring angrily into his mother's warm eyes.
"No. He hasn't done anything like that in years Shouto, you know this," she told him while shaking her head. "You don't always need to jump to that conclusion sweetheart."
Shouto averted his angry gaze to the white stone ground as his mother's kind and loving eyes watched him. "Just because he hasn't done anything recently doesn't mean it won't happen again," Shouto told her as he still evaded eye contact. "You and I both know Fuyumi and Natsu left this place because they found a way out and away from him."
Rei smiled kindly at her son. "Your sister was lucky enough to find a kind prince of an ally Kingdom and fell in love. And Natsu chose a bride across the seas and became quite a respected ruler from what I hear," she responded to him.
"Tch. Yeah? What about-"
"You know we don't talk about him Shouto," Rei suddenly interrupted him. "Your father banished him and has forbidden us to even speak his name."
Shouto turned his back to his mother. He once again had become filled with anger directed toward his father. He glared at the pink trees by the garden once more, their soft colors and soothing aroma usually helped calm him down. "Even if Natsu and Fuyumi are happily married and he's not in the picture," Shouto started to say while holding his head, "that leaves me here to act as his pawn. I don't want to marry anyone right now."
Rei walked to her son's side and gently set her hand on his back, rubbing it like she did when he was younger in an attempt to help him relax. "I know how you feel Shouto. When I first got engaged to Enji it was obvious to me that he chose me because it would ensure peace between our Kingdoms. Once we were married and he became King, he was a great and natural leader. But after a few years he became obsessed with having children so he could have multiple successors..."
Shouto turned his head towards his mother and saw the saddened expression on her face. "Why did you go along with what he wanted? Why not just leave?" he asked.
"There were times when I wanted to, but I was already pregnant with Fuyumi. Once we had her I knew couldn't ever leave..." Shouto looked away from her again, he didn't like seeing his mother like this. "Then a few years later we had your brothers, and then you... Enji wanted more, but the doctors all told us anymore might be fatal to me or the child..."
"Hmp... So you're saying he does have a heart then," Shouto scoffed.
"I'm saying he does care about his family, even if he doesn't show it all the time... I know things have been rough over the years, but your father believes that this marriage is best for the Kingdom. Ours and the West."
Shouto sighed as he shook her hand off his back. He took a few more steps away from his mother, and kept his back to her. "It's not what's best for me though mom. I don't need nor want a wife any time soon."
"Shouto if it was solely up to you you'd never take a bride," she replied with a slight hint of a smile.
"Is that so bad?" Shouto questioned, still keeping his back to her.
"Whether you like it or not we are royals and as royals there are certain expectations and requirements of us. One of them being marriage."
Shouto sighed again, this time much heavier and disrespectful. "I just don't-"
"We've arranged for her to come here so you can meet," Rei interrupted him, not wanting to listen to her child complain about the inevitable situation at hand.
Shouto finally turned and looked back at his mother, his eyes surprised and confused by the sudden news. "What!? Why?" When?" he asked all at once.
"She should be arriving within the hour," Rei replied as she looked to the small clock tower in the courtyard. "I knew you'd have a problem with this whole ordeal and I've convinced your father not to push this marriage until you two get to know each other. Your father isn't going to be giving up the throne anytime soon so you have time to get acquainted with the princess."
Shouto grumbled something inaudible under his breath as he crossed his arms. He knew that this was the last thing he wanted to do today and was now dreading what was to come. "At least tell me she won't be staying in my room..."
Rei grinned at his words. She knows that he has always hated to meet princesses and anything that his father wants of him, but when she asks something of him he usually cooperated better. "No. I've arranged for her to stay in the room across from yours though. I don't want you hiding or avoiding her while she's here Shouto."
Shouto lets out a heavy frustrated groan. "Fine... I'll meet her, but I'm not promising anything will come of it," he said with a slight grumble in his voice.
Rei smiled and turned to walk away, happy that her son was willing to go through with meeting his future bride. "I've never met her," Rei started to say as she turned back and looked at her son, "but I hear that the princess is quite beautiful and kind. Who knows... You may end up liking this one Shouto."
Shouto watched as his mother disappeared into the castle. He then turned and walked towards the garden, scowling at the cherry blossom trees. Shouto stopped and sat down on a small stone bench at the edge of the courtyard. He unbuttoned his blue vest and leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees and brought his hand up to the scar over his left eye. "No matter the rumors, all princesses are the same," he muttered as he ran his fingers over the dark burn.
Nearly forty minutes had passed as Shouto sat alone with his thoughts. His mind was racing, he was unable to think of anything except all of his previous encounters with princesses and imagining what that this one would be similar.
A knight wearing a full suit of cherry red armor approached him from the castle. "Your highness," the knight said, making her presence known to the prince, "the Queen is requesting you at the front of the castle. The princess has arrived. Her carriage is pulling through the gate now."
Shouto let out a long sigh as he got to his feet. He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his light tan pants as he turned to face the knight. "Thank you Sosaki," he said with a neutral expression.
She smirked at his use of her first name. "I've told you before to use my codename. It's Mandalay," she reminded him. "You'd better hurry up or else the Queen will be upset with you Prince Todoroki."
"I know. I know..." Shouto said as he shuffled past her, headed for the path that lead to the front of the castle. "And I've told you to just call me Shouto. Not Prince Todoroki," Shouto hollered back to her without turning around.
Mandalay grinned as she watched him leave. "I know. As head of your protection it's too informal for me. Pixie and Ragdoll will happily call you that if King Todoroki says it's okay!"
With his back still to her, Shouto waved her away, dismissing her. Like he'd ever give permission to anything I want... Shouto thought as he let out another heavy sigh. He followed the dark stone path along the castle, taking his time as he made his way to the front entrance. He finally reached it as the princess's carriage came into sight.
Shouto spotted his mother standing at the front entrance to the castle, looking rather irritated at him for his tardiness. "You're late Shouto," Rei said to him as he stopped and stood beside her. "Where's Mandalay?"
"Sorry. Sosaki just informed me a minute ago. I came as fast as I could," he lied.
"Is she not joining us?"
"No. I dismissed her. She's probably with the others watching from within the castle somewhere," Shouto replied with an upset look about his face.
Rei focused her attention off of Shouto and looked to the carriage closing in on them. "Anyway, the princess is here now so best behavior Shouto. She is to be your wife. Wipe that look off your face and button your vest back up sweetheart."
"I know..." Shouto grumbled as he tried his best to not look upset. He buttoned his vest up except for the last button and watched as the carriage came closer.
The massive carriage neared; it was mainly black but was trimmed decoratively with silver and gold around the edges and along the wheels. It was being pulled by four pure black draft horses. Just behind the carriage there were two additional black mustangs being ridden by two large knights in shining white armor. The carriage and knights finally arrived at the the castle's entryway, stopping before the Queen and Prince. The taller of the two knights dismounted his horse. He walked to the side of the carriage that was facing the castle and opened the door.
This is it... Shouto thought as he stood straight with his hands behind his back. He knew he must act proper so he doesn't give a bad impression of his family, otherwise there would be hell to pay.
A scruffy looking man with long black hair who was dressed in black leather armor and a long white scarf wrapped around his neck stepped out. He turned and faced the inside of the carriage and held his hand out. "Right this way Princess," he said in a flat tone of voice.
Shouto watched as the princess took the man's hand and gracefully stepped out of the carriage. Her hair was long and black and gently blew in the warm breeze that had come through. She wore a simple royal blue and silver dress that draped down and almost touched the ground as she walked. Shouto observed her further as she walked alongside her guard. She walked with fineness, something that Shouto was used to seeing from princesses. His eyes met her onyx ones as she and her guard stopped in front on him and his mother.
The princess bowed her head in respect to the Queen. "Hello. I am Princess Yaoyorozu of the Western Kingdom. It is very nice to meet you Qeen Todoroki," she graciously stated before turning her attention to Shouto. She once again bowed her head. "Same to you Prince Todoroki. I am honored to have been chosen to be your wife.."
Rei smiled at the princess's kind first words and she bowed in return. "It is very nice to meet you as well Princess Yaoyorozu. Thank you for coming all this way to meet Shouto."
Rei straightened herself back up and awaited her son to make his introduction. Shouto finally bowed to the princess. "It's nice to meet you, Princess..." he simply said.
Yaoyorozu gave a small grin at Shouto's words before turning to the man beside her. "This is Shota Aizawa. He is the head of my protection," she introduced her guard. "My father insisted that he accompany me on my travels. I trust that you were informed and have prepared rooms for him and my knights?" she asked Rei.
"Yes. We have your rooms all ready."
"Excellent," Yaoyorozu happily replied with a soft clap of her hands. She turned to face Aizawa. "You and the knights may settle in. I'd like to stretch my legs for awhile."
Aizawa closed his eyes and slightly sighed before responding. "Princess, I am your head guardsman. It is my duty to stay by your side while away from the castle," he said as he opened his eyes to look at her.
Rei smiled and turned to her son. "Shouto, why don't you take Yaoyorozu to the garden? I'm sure the princess would like to see it." Rei then turned her attention to Aizawa before Shouto could respond. "If she's with her fiancé it should be fine, right?"
Aizawa focused his attention at Shouto and looked him over, then gave a simple nod. "Of course your majesty," he replied to the Queen. He took a step back and turned to face the white knights and the large coachman. "Alright men, let's get the horses hitched and unload the princess's luggage."
"I'll get someone to show you to the barn and the way to your and the Princess's rooms," Rei informed them kindly.
Shouto turned away from everyone and then gestured for Yaoyorozu to follow him. "Come on. The garden is this way, Princess..." he said as he started to walk off without her. Yaoyorozu quickly caught up with Shouto, for he was trudging along at a rather slow pace.
Shouto shoved his hands in his pockets as he tried his hardest not to think about him being married to this seemingly polite and proper princess. He sighed multiple times as several thoughts crossed his mind. Yaoyorozu made no comment on the matter, she only followed slightly behind him as he lead the way to the garden.
They walked the entire way in near silence until the garden was visible from the path. "So, the garden is just up ahead, past those cherry blossoms and the koi pond. The bridge over the pond is the entrance," he informed her.
Yaoyorozu lit up a little as the prince finally spoke. "I see. It's quite lovely out here Prince Todoroki," she said, trying to spark up a conversation with the quiet man. She had heard many rumors about the Prince, the main one's being that he has never wanted to marry and is always cold and uncaring to any princess that he meets. She herself tends not to judge someone before meeting them, but she was also nervous because so far he is more or less just as the rumors suggested.
"Yeah. It is..." Shouto replied along with a shrug of his shoulders. They neared the koi pond and stepped onto a small wooden bridge that crossed over top of it. They stopped and looked down at the water. "Here's the pond. I think we have like eight fish in it... Maybe..." Shouto told her as he rubbed the back of his head. He was making an attempt to be more talkative than he usually would be.
Yaoyorozu leaned on the railing and looked down into the water. She admired the enormous, colorful koi gracefully swimming in the crystal clear water. "They're so beautiful Prince Todoroki," she said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
Shouto turned his face away from her and looked down at the koi. "Just Todoroki is fine. No need to be so formal Princess."
"Then the same goes for you," she replied as she focused on him. Shouto looked back to her, surprised by her response. "You may call me Yaoyorozu, or Momo if you'd like."
Shouto glanced away again, evading eye contact with his fiancé. "Ok, Yaoyorozu..." he muttered.
A look of delight crossed her face. She was happy he would be calling her by her name rather than Princess. She had always hated when people call her by her title. "So then Todoroki, is there anything special about your garden?" she curiously asked.
Shouto shrugged his shoulders and once again began to lead the way into the garden. "I guess... It's nearly two kilometers. There's a large hedge maze with a dragon fountain in the center, some more cherry blossoms that border the entire garden, a section of nothing but roses over there, and another small koi pond on the other end."
"That's incredible Todoroki!" Yaoyorozu beamed as they stepped into the garden.
Shouto could hear the joy in her voice as she responded, but he could not force himself match her happiness, not that he really wanted to in the first place. He was trying his absolute hardest to not think about the marriage to come. Instead he pushed the thoughts down and was focused on only showing yet another princess around the garden.
They stopped walking and Shouto gestured with his thumb to a colorful patch of flowers. "So you wanna go see the roses or something?" he asked, assuming she would be like all the others.
Yaoyorozu shook her head and looked to the massive hedge maze in front of them. "How hard is the maze?" she questioned.
"The maze?" Shouto repeated while he scratched the back of his head and looked to the entryway. "I dunno. I haven't gone in since they remodeled it a few years ago."
Yaoyorozu grinned and began to walk away from him, headed for the maze's opening. "Let's go in and see how long it takes us to get out then!" she called back as she entered alone.
What? Shouto was confused by the Princess's choice. Every time in the past he had shown a princess to the garden they never wanted to go near the maze. They would always want to go to the roses where the atmosphere was more romantic. They would try to seduce him there, if they weren't disturbed by his scar. She's definitely different so far...
Shouto followed after her. Once inside the maze he quickly realized he had completely lost her. "Hey Princ- Um.. Yaoyorozu! Wait for me!" he yelled as he was unable to catch up. "I don't know the way around in here! If we get separated I don't know how long it will take to get out!"
The enormous green maze was like a labyrinth of dead ends as Shouto ran while he tried to find Yaoyorozu. "Dammit! Where'd she go!?" he grumbled to himself. He finally was on the right path and made his way a little deeper in without hitting a dead end. "Yaoyorozu!" he called out. He waited a moment and didn't hear anything. "Yaoyo-"
"You'd better hurry up Todoroki! By the sound of your voice I'd say I'm a lot farther in than you are!" he finally heard her. However, from the sound of her voice it seemed like she was deep within the maze already.
"Yaoyorozu you're going to get lost!" Shouto yelled back.
"You might! If you need any help just yell and I'll backtrack and rescue you!" she lightly jested.
"This girl..." Shouto muttered. He continued his way onward, however he had little luck in advancing quickly to the center. Shouto could feel the vein on his head begin to throb as he ran into the fifth dead end in a row. "Dammit... How the hell did she get so far in so quick!?"
Shouto stopped and leaned against the leafy wall and ran his hand through his hair, messing it up unintentionally. He sighed deeply as he looked up at the blue sky. "I thought we were supposed to be getting to know each other, but she went and ditched me..." he muttered, feeling a bit hurt. He touched his scar and closed his eyes.
Yaoyorozu briskly walked through the maze. Her hands were behind her back as she was holding her high heeled shoes. She had tied her hair up into a spiky ponytail and now was gazing up at the sky as she walked, admiring the orange hue mixing with the faded blue above.
It's starting to get late now. I haven't heard Todoroki call for any help and he hasn't caught up yet. I wonder if he left through the entrance... It wouldn't surprise me if he did... she thought as she rounded a corner.
Yaoyorozu suddenly heard Shouto talking to himself. She ducked back and hid behind the corner. He's still here... she thought as she heard him get closer.
"Dammit Yaoyorozu," she heard him say. "I don't know my way around in here. At this rate I'll have to call Sosaki to come and get me..." he grumbled.
He sounds upset, maybe even hurt.. I didn't think I'd hurt his feelings. I was just nervous to meet him... she thought with a small groan.
Yaoyorozu took a deep breath and walked around the corner. "Todoroki! There you are!" she called out as she pretended that she didn't hear him.
Shouto's eyes widened at the sight of her. He looked her over, top to bottom and focused mainly on the bottom of her dress. The silver had become stained green from the grass along with her bare feet. "Princess your dress, and, your feet," Shouto finally said as he reached her.
Yaoyorozu looked down. "Oh," she said as she just noticed the stains, "this'll wash out. It's fine. Come on Todoroki. I think I know the way to the exit." She turned and began to walk back the way she had come from.
Shouto breathed a sigh of relief at her news. He quickly followed after her so he wouldn't get left behind. "I thought for sure that you had left me in here," he said to her once he made it to her side.
"I was thinking the same," she replied. "When the time went by and I didn't hear you and you didn't catch up, I thought you went back through the entrance and left," she admitted to him.
"To be honest it had crossed my mind, but something told me I had to push through and find you. I couldn't just leave you in here."
Yaoyorozu's cheeks dusted pink. "Is that so? Well I'm glad you didn't ditch me like the other princes would have..."
Her words caused Shouto to turn his head and look at her. "Other princes? What prince would ditch you?" he questioned.
Yaoyorozu looked down at the grass with sorrowful eyes as they slowed their walking pace. "My father has tried to marry me off about five times now, but all the princes didn't like me," she began to tell the prince beside her. "They were all looking for a princess who could just be their trophy wife... And, I just can't be like that. I don't want to sit around and be a figure head. Someone who has to sit and play the role of the loyal Queen to the King... Because of my beliefs and how I act my father didn't hesitate when King Todoroki requested that I marry you. With it set in stone and no way to back out my father was ecstatic that I'd finally get a husband."
Shouto was taken back by Yaoyorozu's confession. He hadn't expected that answer from her. "That's surprising to me..." Shouto said as he turned his attention away from her. "You're so beautiful and different than all the other princesses I've met... Those princes who turned you down must've been blind to not want someone like you," Shouto truthfully stated.
Yaoyorozu could feel her head heat up from Shouto's kind words. She hadn't anticipated he would willingly talk with her that much, let alone about that sort of subject.
"Here," Shouto said as he reached for the shoes in her hands,"let me carry those for you."
"Oh you don't have to-"
"If I am to be your husband then first I'd like to be your friend... I can tell already that I'd like you as a friend Yaoyorozu," he told her as he gently took the shoes from her hands.
Yaoyorozu looked over at her prince, scanning his face with her eyes and found no sign of him lying to her. "That sounds acceptable Todoroki," she replied with kind, warm smile.
Shouto unintentionally returned the smile. He doesn't do it often and he didn't realize he had just done it now. Yaoyorozu's face lit up at the gentle sight of her prince. She knew that no other princess had seen him like that. Not with a true smile like she had just witnessed.
Let me know what you thought of the edit :) I always read and appreciate the reviews, and feel free to PM me if you'd like ^.^