To The End, With You
Chapter 1: A Disagreeable Agreement

Under the golden sun, on a patch of earth surrounded by yellow-bells and dandelions, a girl is in severe pain. She clutches her bruised arm and tries to ignore the tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

A man with sandy-blonde hair, angry red eyes, and a sword looms tall and strong over her. He's deadly and he knows how intimately she knows it, how he can kill her right now if he so pleases. The corner of his mouth is pulled back in a sneer, showing off a sharp fang. "That's a good way to die on yer little round ass, Roundface. Givin' up?"

"Th-that's a little too harsh, don't you think?" A green-haired man pipes up beside him. She knows that he's less fierce and infinitely more kind than the blonde, but just as deadly when he needs to be.

"Shut up. No-one asked you, fuckin' nerd," the man says, shoving his underling aside. The way the green-haired boy whimpers makes the girl so irritated, she grits her teeth and stands up again, ignoring the scream of all her muscles and flesh as she does so. She picks up her sword, twirls this once in her hand, and without any further preamble charges towards the blonde man with a shout.

Wood and steel clash against each other. She gives it all she has, making the man in front of her grin in approval. She strikes him over and over until she's breathless and sweaty and shaky. The blonde counters all of this fluidly, not looking harried in any way, which makes her more annoyed. Come on, just a little give is all she needs, then-

"You're full of openings!" The man yells. She knows he's frustrated, but she is doing her best.

When all she has is given and she barely has the strength to keep her grip on the sword strong, she feels the floor underneath her disappear, making her fall with her back to the ground and eyes to the sky…

She stops falling, and instead feels strong hands around her. The scent of jasmine overwhelms her senses, and she finds herself staring straight into beautiful, yet entirely unamused, onyx eyes.

The girl thinks that only a few things in life scare her, and one of them is this look in this particular woman's eyes.

She immediately shrinks and makes a small sound in her throat. The two men fighting her probably do the same before they straighten their postures and give the dark-haired woman a salute. "General Yaoyorozu!"

"Good day, Colonel Bakugou. Sergeant Midoriya. Stand down." General Yaoyorozu Momo of Mie's Elite Knights and head of the Princessguard greets all of them sternly as she pulls the girl to her feet. "I hope you have a proper explanation for… this," she says, as she dusts her off and straightens her posture-shoulders straight, feet together, head held up high.

Colonel Bakugou Katsuki scoffs, while Sergeant Midoriya squeaks. "Er… we were training, that's all, General Yaoyorozu! As scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday before she has her private lessons with the castle scholar-"

She raises both her eyebrows. "Is that so? Am I supposed to be impressed about your dedication to regularly beat up the crown princess of Mie, Colonel? Sergeant, I did not expect you of all people to forget what day today is."

Midoriya shuts his mouth and focuses his eyes on the ground. She feels a little guilty-he has spent the better part of training asking her and Bakugou to stop so she can prepare for that day's events, but the other two are notoriously stubborn and refused to stop.

Bakugou's mouth goes tch as usual. "Well excuse me, General Ponytail. Here I was thinkin' that maybe teachin' this round-faced brat survival skills is more valuable than dressing her up like a fuckin' chiffon cake so we can sell her to those stuck-up bitches from Kanagawa."

Yaoyorozu glares sternly at Bakugou. Bakugou, however, fearlessly looks at his general in the eye-only so few people are as stupidly brave as the colonel, after all.

Before Yaoyorozu can open her mouth to banish him to squiring duties to the depths of hell, the Princess decides to speak up. "'S okay, Yaomomo. I forced Bakugou to train with me and ain't listened to anythin' Deku says. I just lost track o' time, is all."

It's a lie, of course. She has been dreading this day every day for the past month, ever since the King and Queen told her about it. She had hoped that maybe she can get out of it if Bakugou goes overboard and 'accidentally' dislocates her shoulder during training. (Why did he go easy on her today, of all days…?)

Yaoyorozu gives her a concerned look. She must have understood as much, but it isn't her place to say anything about it. Instead she takes Ochako's arm and begins to drag her inside the castle. "You indeed lost track of a lot of it, Princess Ochako. We need to get a move on; we've two hours before Prince Monoma and his entourage arrives, and we can't have you looking, sounding, and smelling like a stable boy during your first meeting."

"Sounds impossible, but okay," Bakugou drawls with a smirk, as he and Midoriya trail behind them. He doesn't stop teasing, even when Ochako shoots him a deadly glare.

Midoriya, always the peacekeeper, stands in between them before they break out into another scuffle. "I'm excited for you, Princess! I can't believe we're going to meet people from Kanagawa! And the next-in-line to the throne, too! I hope I get to talk with them about the history of their kingdom!"

"I'm glad that at least one o' us is happy about this," she says sourly. It's all that Midoriya can talk about for the past few weeks. He seems more excited that Ochako is marrying into that family than she was.

"Now now, Princess. It won't do to throw another loud tantrum over this," Yaoyorozu quips as leads them through hallways and stairwells. Servants step aside as they pass by, gossip forming at the tips of their tongues before the General halts them with her sharp glance. "Think of it this way: today is simply a meeting between the Prince and your parents, the King and Queen long may they reign. For today at least… you aren't getting married."

"Yet," Bakugou supplies unhelpfully to Ochako's gloom. Yaoyorozu glares at him for that. "What? There's no use sugarcoating this shit. Their royal majesties are giving their daughter to that rich bastard so that the rest of us can survive the next winter. Who, by the way, comes from a long, dignified line of inbred royals notorious for being fucked in the head-"

"Colonel."

"-with any luck, that Prince you're meetin' later is on the only-slightly-fucked-up side of the family," Bakugou continues, undeterred by Yaoyorozu's stern look and Midoriya's stammering. "So you just have to worry about, ya know. Getting married to some creep you don't know."

Ochako feels like crying and throwing a tantrum again at the end of Bakugou's rant, because as crude as he is, he hit the nail on the head. She knows he has a lot of opinions about how her parents are running the country-that is, he thinks they're doing a fucked-up job of it-but she also knows he's just protective of her, too. He takes his job as the second-in-command of the Princessguard very seriously.

The general gives Bakugou a look that refuses to dignify his words with a response.

Sensing Ochako's gloom, Midoriya gives her one of his most comforting, sunshine smiles. "In any case, I don't think you have to worry about Prince Neito, Princess! His circumstances are a little different from the other royals in their line, you know. The Queen Mother is from a different kingdom across the sea. He spent a lot of time studying law and politics overseas and just recently came back to the country… people say he's a genius! And also, the women of the land think he's very good-looking!"

Ochako frowns. "I don't care if he's smart or handsome. I don't want him. I don't wanna be involved in a political marriage. I mean if I had to marry someone, I'd rather marry you, you know."

She's joking, of course. Or, half-joking. Actually, if Ochako were being completely honest with herself, maybe she'd admit that she wasn't joking at all. Midoriya Izuku, an earnest boy with freckles who isn't even a Lord, captivates her so. She likes how passionate he is with getting stronger and learning new things. She also thinks that the way he blushes easily is very endearing.

And right now he's doing just that, blushing and stammering so fervently at her not-joke joke that Bakugou looks like he's close to slapping him to his senses. "Y-y-you sh-shouldn't say those things, P-princess! I might lose my head for that remark, h-hahahahaha!"

"And besides, Princess, you haven't even met the Prince yet," Yaoyorozu says, thankfully giving Midoriya some time to recover. "Don't you think it's fair for all parties involved to offer at least your consideration?"

Ochako puffs her cheeks. "What's the point? I don't think anyone's going to call this off if I tell 'em that I wanna marry for love, not money! Man, I wish I wasn't born a princess if I was just gonna be sold off to another country..."

Yaoyorozu sighs. "I understand your concerns, Princess, but please… many other things are at stake. As your most trusted confidante, I am begging you to sit through the meeting with due grace and dignity."

They reach the door of her bedroom. She nods curtly at Bakugou and Midoriya, who salute her and step away without further comment. When they're alone, Yaoyorozu straightens her shoulders again, contemplation making her beautiful raven eyes shine.

"Yaomomo," Ochako says, the misery in her heart making it feel heavy. "I really don't want to do this."

The tears are stinging the corners of her eyes again. Yaoyorozu wipes them delicately with a lace handkerchief, and tilts her head up with a gentle smile.

"You're strong, Princess. You can do this," the knight says softly. "Try not to think of the country's expectations too much. Just… try to get to know the prince. With any luck, it'll take just one look for your heart to accept him."

She scoffs. "Really? Love at first sight? I didn't think that you of all people would believe in that, Yaomomo!"

And fat chance of that happening with her and Prince Monoma Neito, when she already loathes him and his obvious political ambitions.

The general laughs. "What can I say? I am a romantic at heart, despite my occupation. Now." She opens the door, revealing a small army of maids armed with dresses, cosmetics, jewelry, and other trappings, ready to receive her. "It's time to fulfill your duties as a royal, your highness."

The princess wrinkles her nose at the assault on her senses. She briefly considers running away there, Princessguard be damned, but she knows that Yaoyorozu, Bakugou, and even Midoriya would not hesitate to take her down and restrain her if that's what it takes for her to cooperate.

Without another word, she relents and submits herself to the uncomfortable primping.

Now freshly bathed, perfumed, tied-up in a corset, and stuffed in a heavy pink ball gown, Princess Uraraka Ochako sits next to their majesties King Keisuke and Queen Hanako in their designated spots in the throne room. Trumpets blare, announcing the arrival of their esteemed guests.

Prince Monoma Neito, first of his name, heir to the Kanagawa throne, etcetera etcetera. Ochako doesn't process the entire string of pompous titles when he walks in the room with his small party of attendants. She tries not to keep her eyes on the floor and to actually look him in the eye, if only to appease Yaoyorozu, who looks at her meaningfully during this entire display.

She meets Prince Neito's eyes at first, sees the odd color between blue and grey that makes her feel like she's shivering in a storm. His golden hair is shiny and perfectly styled, not a strand out of place; skin pale and smooth, without blemishes or scars or any evidence of hardship. He wears a dark military jacket with assortments of buttons, medallions, and trappings that shimmer under the lights of the room.

Seeing Ochako, he gives her a dashing smile that would make most girls swoon. All she feels is an uncomfortable twist in her gut.

"Your majesties." Monoma bows gracefully and with a flourish. His entourage falls on their knees in front of the royal family. "Thank you for giving us this privilege of meeting you on this glorious day."

"Thank you for travelling so far to meet with us, Prince Neito," the King says, as Monoma kisses their hands in turn. "It must have been quite a long and tiring journey."

"Not at all," the prince chirps, the charming smile not going away. "These troubles are nothing, if it is what it takes for me to meet such a beautiful princess."

She can almost hear everyone swooning happily over that remark. Ochako smiles at him politely, hopefully not too uneasily. She bows in a graceful way that would make Yaomomo proud and answers in a proper, learned accent: "You flatter me too much, my Prince. The pleasure is all mine."

She thinks her greeting is odd to her ears, but the court seems sold on it. Her parents are at least ridiculously happy, especially when Monoma kisses her hand. His lips feel soft and cold, his eyes even more so when he looks up at her with that smile.

"This is going so well," the Queen gushes happily. "I suppose we should all move on to the dining hall! We have much to talk about, Prince Neito."

They turn to move in an interesting procession, the King and Queen walking ahead of everyone, shamelessly whispering their approval to each other. Prince Neito motions for Ochako to walk next to him, offering his arm in turn. She weakly accepts.

This isn't so bad, I guess, she thinks awkwardly to herself, as she keeps a loose hold on the Prince's arm. She has to admit, this Monoma Neito fits the look of all the charming princes she has read in her fairy tale books, the ones with noble steeds travelling across vast, dangerous territories to rescue fair maidens from towers guarded by monsters. Although, feeling the thinness of his arm, she isn't sure if he has used the sword on his hip in combat, ever.

Behind her, she hears a slight scuffle. She knows that it's probably Bakugou being grumpy, held back by Yaoyorozu and Midoriya. She'd noticed that he'd been throwing dirty looks at the green-haired knight on the Prince's entourage, who might have been sticking her lizard-like tongue in retaliation.

It might be bad for her to wish it so, but she hopes that for once Bakugou loses his temper and ruins everything. Ah, maybe not, it might get him sent to the gallows, but still-

"Princess Ochako?"

She blinks and stares at an empty chair in front of her, and then at Monoma.

He laughs. "This is where you sit, right? Next to her Majesty. I apologize if I am mistaken."

She blushes. "Ah, beg yer pardon for spacin' out-I mean, for my inattention, your highness." She cringes internally at the slip of her accent. Thankfully, this only seems to amuse the Prince, who assists her to her seat with all the grace that befits him.

Her parents give the prince an awkward smile, and then stare meaningfully at Ochako. Don't make a fool of yourself, they might as well have told her out loud, with the concerned looks on their faces.

They settle down with the royal family seated at a large table overlooking their subjects and royal guests below. Among them, Yaoyorozu sits at a strategic spot where she can jump right in front of Ochako should the need arise. Bakugou is next to her, perhaps at a spot where he can easily jump in front of the Prince, to attack him should the need arise. Midoriya is next to him, ready to restrain the blonde should he attack this table, or the one next to them.

The Prince's entourage is also an interesting group of people. The green-haired girl with lizard-like eyes has a purple leather vest etched with scales over a white dress shirt instead of a proper guard's uniform. She seems to have stopped bothering Bakugou after her superior officer has reprimanded her: a beautiful woman with long, red hair, tied in a ponytail cradled over one shoulder. Her teal eyes would look sternly over at the Prince's direction on occasion, as if to tell him to behave himself. Next to her, a large man with silver hair and an odd, steel adornment covering his eyes seems to be over excited about all that is happening.

All of them have an intimidating air about them despite the pleasantries. Ochako feels that Monoma's personal guard aren't anyone to be challenged so easily, and if things went wrong, then…

The king and queen are seated at the center, other miscellaneous relatives seated next to the king. Ochako is seated between the queen and the Prince, while a gloomy, purple-haired man dressed in a dark suit situates himself quietly at the end of the table next to his liege. A shiny medallion in the shape of a rook, bearing the coat of arms of their kingdom, is pinned on his left chest.

"My steward, Lord Shinsou Hitoshi," the prince introduces briefly. "He is required to be where I am at all times. Quite a bother to be guarded and advised so closely, if I were being completely honest."

Ochako smiles warily at the man, who smiles politely despite the teasing laughter. His tired eyes meets hers for a moment, studying her quietly. She falters; it feels as if she's being judged, read. Hypnotized.

And then, as if nothing happened, he shifts his gaze steadfastly in front of him.

This leaves her disoriented and almost makes her miss the next witty thing to fly out of the Prince's mouth. Amused laughter surrounds her. She barely has the wits about her to smile as prettily as she can and maintain eye contact with him.

Massive plates of food are served before them: beautiful cuts of fatty fish, fresh shellfish, brightly coloured vegetables, meats and pies and breads, cooked in a Western fashion. Bright cakes and meringues, glutinous sweets, and rows and rows of mochi with various colorful fillings are also within her reach. All of Ochako's favorites, which is sad because she immediately loses her appetite once the discussion begins around her.

"Now then, Prince Neito. I suppose now is a good time as any to talk about the collaboration of our kingdoms?"

With a raise of his pretty blonde eyebrows, Monoma bows in agreement. "Of course, your majesty."

Collaboration, Ochako thinks glumly. Just a pretty word for negotiations and transactions.

She sips her glass of wine quietly as the discussions take place, hardly listening to any of it. It is clear how little choice she has over this deal by the way they speak over her and only leave her room to nod and smile, pretty and polite and quiet.

This blows, she thinks spitefully, catching Yaoyorozu's eye. Her general gives her a sympathetic look, but also gives her a slight tilt of the head. Bear with it a little longer, Princess, her eyes seem to say.

After eating a sliver of the meat pie and allowing the polite conversation pass through her, Ochako hears her father say, "It's settled then," along with a joyful clap of his hands. "We look forward to having you in our family, Prince Neito."

"As do I, your grace," the golden-haired prince says, his hand extending gracefully. "Thank you for bestowing the honor of your beloved daughter's company to me."

"Brilliant," Queen Hanako says, practically swooning. "Isn't this lovely, Ochako? To be betrothed to such a fine prince as this, in just a week's time! I suppose you're giddy about this too!"

Ochako giggles with some difficulty. "I'm… speechless."

Prince Neito looks at her with a glint in his eyes similar to frost, but he gives her a winning smile all the same.

A toast is called soon after that, along with music and drinking. Prince Neito stands from his chair and bows in front of the King and Queen.

"If I may be so bold, your majesties. I had hoped for a few quiet moments to speak with the fair Princess in private. I hope this isn't too presumptuous."

She freezes in her seat as the Queen bounces in hers excitedly. "Oh, not at all! The palace gardens are a sight to see, and the moon is full and bright. Ochako, darling, won't you show Prince Neito the flower paths?"

"Of course, mother," she says, taking the prince's hand as daintily as she can. Once she stands, her knights and his knights stand up in unison, their armors and weapons resounding as they do. The purple-haired lord stands as well and trails some ways behind them as they walk.

She shows him very mundane things: the courtyard, where the soldiers practice; the watch tower and the armoury; the library, where she spends a few hours of her day studying with her teacher; the flower garden, with its brightly pigmented yellow bells and begonias. The moon is just as her mother has said, hanging high, bright yellow against a clear night sky.

A beautiful night, perfect for romance… were it not for their fully armed knights tensely marching and standing behind them.

Prince Neito clears his throat awkwardly and turns to them. "Princess, you don't mind if your associates were to leave us alone for just a short while?"

Ochako blinks. "Oh, you mean to send my knights away?" She doesn't mean to sound so uneasy. She has never been to any place without at least Yaoyorozu standing close behind her.

Predictably, Bakugou reacts before anyone else. "As if we'd leave the Princess alone with you Kanagawa bit-"

"Colonel," Yaoyorozu barks authoritatively, cutting him off before the rude remark gets out. She bows low in front of the displeased Prince. "I apologize, your majesty. While I understand that privacy with the princess is ideal, we cannot simply leave and-"

"It should be fine to leave 'em alone a li'l bit," the lizard woman says with a smile. "I mean, they are gonna be married, might as well let 'em have a proper date, right? I don't think there's anything dangerous 'round these parts, unless you Mie guys are hidin' somethin' from us…"

Again, Bakugou makes a face like he's about to erupt. Yaoyorozu puts her hand in front of him, while Midoriya physically holds him back.

"Lady Tokage, please don't speak to our hosts so rudely, especially not after how kindly they've received us." The orange-haired knight sighs in exasperation.

"I'm not being rude," Lady Tokage says slyly. "If anything, we're the rude ones for stickin' around here, intruding in their privacy."

"Don't talk back to Lady Kendo like that! Talkin' like a thug in front o' the princess, that's really improper, right?" the silver man bellows, making everyone flinch.

"Sir Tetsutetsu, stand down," the redhead reprimands with even more exasperation. She turns to Yaoyorozu, appearing apologetic. "However, General Yaoyorozu, I do agree with Lady Tokage's sentiments. I think it's in poor taste to hover over them like overprotective chaperones. We shall stand guard from a distance as well, my Prince."

"Thank you, Lady Kendo," Monoma says, bemused at the exchanges that took place.

"You are welcome. And do try to control yourself," she says, almost like a threat. Turning to Ochako's Princessguard, she offers another polite smile. "Perhaps tell us about your kingdom, while we wait for them?"

Midoriya nods enthusiastically at that. "Of course! And in return, please answer my questions about yours!"

The chatter between the knights fade along the hallways, and soon Princess Ochako finds herself alone with Prince Monoma Neito.

"Finally. I thought your minions would never leave," he says with a huff. "That blonde one-Colonel Bakugou, was it? He seems to have the temperament of a rabid dog, don't you think? I commend you for how you can stand having him around you all the time."

Her mouth instantly twists at that. "That man you call a rabid dog is a knight, my prince. A proper lord, and a close confidante of mine."

Monoma hums. "Well, the company you keep is certainly interesting, Princess. Your subjects as well, and the rest of your kingdom. Quaint, with many… colorful characters."

"I'm glad we amuse you so, my Prince," she says with thinly veiled sarcasm.

He laughs at that. "Correct. You especially, Princess Ochako, amuse me greatly. Your beauty, your charm, your obvious spite towards me."

She gives him a surprised look, morphs it into a glare when he laughs at her reaction.

Her mouth opens to protest, but he cuts her off. "You've done a stellar job of being civilized, which is more than what I can say about some of your military men… but it's obvious that you have not been enjoying yourself, or my company. Not that I mind. I'm relieved that I can be myself around you so early in our relationship."

She looks at him levelly, trying not to let the growing irritation show. "I see. So, you brought me out here to call me out for being displeased about our… collaboration, my Prince? Or to see how many vague insults you can sling at me before I react in an unladylike manner?"

"Not at all. I had an honest attempt to charm you, but you would call me conniving if I did that. At this point I doubt that such obvious measures would work on a woman like you."

She narrows her eyes. "Should I say thank you? Beg your pardon, but this doesn't sound like a good start to our partnership."

"I suppose not. But I am promised your hand, and I will get it no matter how you feel about me." He chuckles derisively. "I just want to make sure that you won't do something silly like running away or eloping with some lowborn scoundrel."

She'd chop off her hand if it would keep him away from her, but she doesn't say it out loud. She gives him a good and proper scowl instead. "Not even pretendin' this time, your majesty? I dunno why you'd pick such a poor princess from a poor kingdom to marry ya."

"Is that all?" Monoma chuckles at the blatant disregard of her accent. His hands go out dramatically as if he's been waiting to explain himself from the start. "As you know, princess, kingdoms have all sorts of rules. Many of them silly, but passed off as necessary. In my case, it is that I cannot inherit the throne unless I am married. And as you can imagine, an ambitious fellow like me wants that throne quite badly. A place in your throne is a pleasant added bonus. And in your case..."

He gestures to the space around them with a flourish, "It seems you cannot keep this place unless you wed someone like me."

Ochako grits her teeth. "I can rule Mie without a king. I am within my rights," she says, even though she knows it's a silly argument; it's no secret that the coffers are empty and the people are suffering because of the high crime, and she might not have a kingdom to rule when she comes of age.

He laughs mockingly. "How daft. While I'd love to see you try, I am working against the clock here. And I am trying my best to get you to cooperate with me, Princess, so kindly hear me out."

She tilts her head and crosses her arms, wordlessly allowing him to speak again.

"I prefer you over the other princesses, Ochako. Your kind father doesn't ask for much, just assistance that my kingdom can give without much trouble. It's not as simple in the other kingdoms, you see." There's a restless twitch in his fingers, and she knows that he's irritated. "They want me to prove myself. They want my gold, my territories, my military. It's ridiculous how the others want to intrude on King Todoroki Enji's land, and how they're willing to squander my resources for it."

His laughter is bitter and manic at the same time, his charming facade all gone. Ochako watches on with growing discomfort.

"Interesting, isn't it? Shizuoka is such a blessed country, with its technological marvels and magic. Not like us, small and insignificant. Doesn't it irritate you, Princess? Doesn't it make you want to sneak up on them and blow them all away?"

She doesn't know the correct answer to the crazed, measured look in his eyes. "No. The Todorokis haven't done anything bad to us."

Monoma sighs. "You are more naive than I thought, Princess. Where do you think those drugs on the streets outside of your castle come from?"

She narrows her eyes. "Those are criminals. That's different-"

"Like I said, naive." He sighs dramatically again and shakes his head. The condescension is dripping, making Ochako grind her teeth loudly. "You have much to learn. Hopefully after our engagement, I can get you to open your eyes and understand my ambitions. If not as a proper lover, perhaps as an accomplice? I am willing to make you less ignorant about the world."

He steps in her space before she realizes, and holds her chin. She's forced to stare in those stormy eyes despite her prime instinct to look away.

"I can teach you about other things as well, Princess," he says with a wicked grin. "Your spirited animosity, paired with this charmingly round face, really makes me look forward to more… intimate settings."

"You-!"

Her sword-fighting arm raises of its own accord to slap him right across the face. It gets close enough that her fingertips make contact with his cheek, but she isn't able to hear the satisfying sound of her strike. Instead, she stares dumbly at her wrist, captured by a strong, pale hand.

Shinsou Hitoshi glares at her coldly and squeezes her wrist to the point of crushing. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Princess. He bruises easily," he drawls, with a deep and scary voice.

Monoma rolls his eyes in false annoyance. "Really, Shinsou, it's despicable how you just come out of nowhere. You've disturbed such an invigorating argument with my beloved fiancée."

"My apologies," Shinsou grits out, forcing Ochako's hand down. "You really don't want that hand against your face, your majesty. She's a lot stronger than she looks."

She frowns at the tall lord. She is able to discern that he's a lot more rational than the prince, at least, if not just as disconcerting. "Since we went out of our way to intimidate each other, I thought we agreed about not having our associates close by."

Monoma shrugs. "I did tell you that my steward is required to be near me at all times, treasonous words or not. Don't worry, he won't say anything to anyone that will incriminate either of us."

"And you have been saying too much," Shinsou says tiredly. "I thought you would have at least offered her your deal by now."

"A deal?" Ochako asks suspiciously.

"I was getting to that," the Prince says sourly. Turning to Ochako, he sighs. "Well, Princess, we thought of this deal because it is obvious that we won't fall madly in-love with each other at this rate."

"No kidding," she mutters under her breath, and she hears Shinsou hum in agreement with her.

Monoma ignores her and gesticulates dramatically again. "No matter what happens, my dear, we will have a grand and elaborate wedding with all the necessary things-glitter, glamour, a ten-foot cake, a hundred doves, half a thousand witnesses from all over the country. After which, the way I see it, you have two choices."

Ochako rolls her eyes as he goes into another prolonged monologue again. He really does enjoy hearing himself talk, doesn't he?

He puts two perfectly manicured fingers up as he continues. "The first of it, of course, is I become King and you become Queen, our kingdoms unite and we remain happily married for the rest of our years to come. An heir would be ideal too, to keep you company in the palace. It's the best deal, I think. Your kingdom will be secure, and I get to rule two kingdoms, more if things go according to plan."

She taps her fingers impatiently at her arm. "Really? That's the best deal for you-to give you my territories for you to rule, while I become your quiet little wife at home?"

"Don't forget pretty." His look is diabolical when he speaks again. "You haven't heard your other option, my love. It's not as ideal."

"Please don't call me that."

He shrugs, unaffected. "The other option has to do with the fact that divorces are legal on our jurisdiction."

She raises her eyebrows at that. He laughs again. "Of course that will catch your interest. Well, can't say I'm not offended. Anyway, in this setting, we become king and queen, but only for as long as I need you to. I can't guarantee how long that is, though-my people do clamour for a queen, and I might not get their support in a lot of important campaigns if I let you go very quickly. But after a number of my ambitions are fulfilled, we can go our separate ways-me on my throne, and you in your little spot back here."

"You'd give my land back to me, just like that?"

He nods. "Yes."

She narrows her eyes. "All of it?"

"Yes, all of it." As he gesticulates wildly again, Shinsou looks at her meaningfully, warningly. "Your castle, your fields, your army… your debts. All of it will be given back to you, as it is on the day before we are married."

When she flinches at debts, he laughs. "I tend not to do favors for free, my dear. If it were to come to that, I'm afraid it won't be just your debts plus interest at that point. I would have your kingdom pay back mine for our assistance, as well."

She feels her cheeks flare angrily. "That's… exploitation, and you know it, you… you power-hungry brat!"

Her body tenses and moves forward on its own accord, a growl escaping from her mouth. She doesn't even know if she means to attempt another hit on his smug person, but Shinsou pulls her back at a safe distance from his prince.

He tuts, shaking a finger at her when she's out of reach. "I much prefer the term purposeful? Strategic? Driven is a good word too."

"Don't forget obnoxious," Shinsou says with a sigh. He releases Ochako from his grip when she calms down somewhat.

Monoma blatantly ignores that slight and approaches Ochako again. His hands are clasped behind him, in a show of non-aggression. "So those are my thoughts, Princess. I hope you're not offended; I simply have goals, and I need you to achieve them. You know… I could have come up with worse deals, but you are interesting to me, so I tried my best to be kind. In the end, the choice is yours to make."

"Those aren't the choices that I want," she mutters, her fists clenched painfully at her sides. "I never asked for any of this."

Monoma hums. "We don't always have a choice now, do we?" He turns and waves at the far end of the garden, where the king and queen begin to approach them, along with their respective guards. "Oh look, everyone's here. Better smile and hold on to me like a good fiancée ought to, Princess."

His arm extended to her feels like a personal insult, but her parents are smiling so brightly at them, so expectantly, like they finally found the answer to all their problems. She sees Midoriya too, genuinely excited seeing her next to the prince, as well as their other subjects. Yaoyorozu and Bakugou are staring at her carefully, waiting for her next move.

She takes a deep breath, takes Prince Neito's arm, and matches his grace when they walk.

She does not smile.

"All that sighing won't make that text any easier. You know that, yer grace?"

She puffs her cheeks and looks up from the thick, boring tome detailing the history of the country to the bright blue eyes of her teacher. "Sorry, Professor. I've got other things on my mind than the economic aftershocks of the battle of Kamino 157 years ago."

"158," the man says, lazily leaning back against his seat. "And what's with this professor shit? I told you to just call me Dabi, right?"

She peers at him with mild scorn. He isn't dressed in his proper scholar robes like he's supposed to. Instead he's wearing a slightly tattered shirt and trousers, showing off the patchwork of burn marks on his skin. His dark hair isn't even brushed today. Anyone would call him a vagrant first and the princess' personal educator last.

"I'm supposed to call you that. Or Lord Dabi. If Yaomomo sees us like this, she's going to have another fit about us being improper and unbecoming vassals."

"I'm not a proper lord. I'm just some homeless kid your parents took pity on and adopted. So I don't count." He shrugs. "You ain't thinkin' about Yaoyorozu, though. You're thinkin' about that prissy brat from Kanagawa you're gettin' engaged to next week."

She groans and hits her forehead against the musty volume. "Why did you have to remind me? I'm tryin' to forget about my impending doom, you know?"

"Gotta face reality sooner or later, brat," Dabi says with a lazy smirk. "He ain't that bad? I mean, he isn't ugly. I dunno why you're so dramatic over this."

She scoffs. "I… just don't like him, okay? And I don't like that I'm gettin' married just for the money!" She almost tells him of Monoma's true nature and catches herself on time. Might not be a good idea to run her mouth off while their engagement isn't proclaimed far and wide yet. "Gosh, how am I gonna get out of this? I really don't wanna marry him!"

Dabi hums. "You know, there's a way for you to get outta this-"

"What is it!" Her head snaps up so fast it makes a sound. Her teacher chuckles.

"Solve the kingdom's debt and crime problem before the week is over."

She groans and lets her head drop on the textbook again. "Haha, very funny. Like a naive little brat like me, who isn't even allowed to go out unless I'm heavily guarded by my private army, can figure out how to do that…"

The scarred man chuckles and stares at her with interest. "You know I don't literally mean that you have to solve this shit in a week. I'm just saying, if you start to figure out how to save the country without borrowing Kanagawa's gold, then you don't need to marry that pretty blonde bastard anymore, right? You can take over, make that nerdy broccoli kid your king, become the Dowager Empress until you're a hundred and one."

She blushes furiously at that. But also stares down on her hands, unconfident. "That would be nice… but I don't even understand what's going on outside the castle walls."

Prince Neito had told her about the drugs, and Shizuoka. How much of that was true?

"Then I guess… you gotta go outside the castle walls…?" Dabi says slowly.

She huffs. "I just told you that it's not simple, my Lord. There's no way that I can explore freely without the Princessguard hovering about me-"

"Then you sneak out. Duh," Dabi says with a snort. When she makes a face, his eyes dart to the closed door, and back to her again. "Your castle ain't exactly the most secure place on earth, you know. There are other ways out of the castle if you know where to look."

The look on his face compels her to whisper her reply. "... are you… you mean, you're just going to-"

"Mhm." He tears a bit of their arithmetic exercises and begins to draw a simplistic map of the castle gates and his secret exits on it. It takes him only a short moment before he's done and shoves this in her hands. "I didn't tell you anything. But if you want a way out, then… that's a way out."

She knows that life isn't safe and pretty outside the castle. There are robbers, murderers, people who sell women and children to the greedy and perverse. And the matter of the rings that circulate opium and other stimulants that they can hardly control...

She shivers upon the prospect of seeing it, but those are her people outside the walls. She needs to be brave for them, if anything.

"Why would you give me this?"

Maybe she looks a little too suspicious when she regards Dabi, but he doesn't look too offended by this. "There's only so much I can teach ya with your ass on the chair, kid. I'm a firm believer of learning by doing, if ya know what I mean. And personally, I'd rather have a leader who knows the world outside rather than some pretty sheltered brat who learned politics from a book."

She sighs. "So I'm that pretty sheltered brat right now, huh."

"Pretty? Nah, you're just a brat, plain and simple."

She almost throws the tome at his head. He holds her back, burning hands on her forearms, and laughs as she keeps on struggling. "In the end, it's your choice," Dabi drawls with a lazy smirk.

She eventually stops trying to injure him, relents, and shoves the piece of paper in her pocket. It's precisely the right moment, because Midoriya comes in the library soon after that, politely informing the Princess that it's time for her violin lessons.

She gives Dabi a polite curtsy and a more decisive nod and follows Midoriya out of the library.

A day of planning her escape passes. The next morning, before the sun rises, she gets up and dresses herself in the most common, scruffy clothes she has.

Her room is at a secluded wing of the castle. While her princessguard rests close by, a few minor castle guards patrol the hallways and the walkways outside, as regular as clockwork. There's not a big window of time where she can make her move, but there will be soon. She just has to wait for that little moment, where there's nobody outside her room, or underneath her window…

Now.

As quiet as a mouse, she opens her window and hops to the ground ten feet below. Her landing is a little clumsy, but not as loud as it could be, and she's grateful. She hides in the shadows and peers at the shoddy little map that Dabi scrawled out for her in the darkness.

The halls are empty, with only the echoing steps of the palace guard sounding off the walls. Ochako avoids them and manages to sneak into the west wing, where a secret exit will lead her to the unused dungeons under the moat, and then outside the castle walls. The city would be visible from there, and then…

What will she do exactly, once she's outside? All she has with her is a canteen of water, a short sword, and a small bag of gold and silver and copper. Her royal seal is hidden somewhere in her right shoe. All of this for a clumsy attempt at reconnaissance. She needs to see her people's problems up close and personal before she can make the first attempts at a solution.

She finds the secret exit. It isn't difficult at all to push the heavy doors and to descend to the darkness with just a candle light.

The dungeons are empty and slightly smelly, but it's nothing she can't handle. The exit is just where Dabi says it would be, its door rusty but gives easily with just a slight push. It's interesting how smoothly things are going so far.

Before she knows it, she's outside the castle, just in time to see the first rays of the sun break through the horizon. The cold air enters her lungs and awakens her body with a sense of freedom like never before.

The city is just beginning to wake as well-men and women moving about opening their shops and setting up their stalls as if they've been awake at the break of dawn. A mixture of scents invade her nostrils-fritters, ale, oil, steel and grease, horse dung-and they wake her up further. She tries to keep her excitement down as people pass her by without giving her a second look.

This is my kingdom, she thinks excitedly.

She walks as naturally as she can, seeing the market district by herself for the first time and not through the windows of her carriage. She buys and munches on an apple and a stick of fried frogs and sits on the wayside.

It isn't too long of a wait before something happens.

"Thief! Someone help!"

A man rushes past her with a bag of money that obviously isn't his, while a woman wails.

She swallows as the man get away. This is just recon, Ochako. Don't do anything stupid.

"Thief! Thief!"

Don't do it.

"My savings! Please, someone, anyone…!"

She bites her lower lip.

Just a peek, then… there might be something I can do-

Hiding in the shadows of the rows of stalls, she follows to where the robber has gone. It's difficult following him through the convoluted back alleys, each one getting darker and narrower and grimier as she goes deeper.

Before she knows it, she's lost the thief, and she's staring at a narrow street with wide-eyed waifs and children in rags staring at her in fright. A small woman who could be her age is shaking and sweaty, walking up to her and grasping her shoulders in desperation.

"L-lady, you got silver? Copper? Please, ya gotta g-give me some… just a little bit, anything helps..."

Up close, she sees sallow skin with scars, discolored gums and teeth. She knows it's from the illegal teas circulating around this place. "Please let me go-"

"No way, pretty little thing."

A hand clamps on her shoulder and turns her around, making her stare into a big man with an evil smile. "Wow, lookit that, I ain't seen such a good-lookin' wench. You kinda look like the princess, yeah? You're gonna be our next bestseller."

She yelps and reaches for the short sword in her belt. Her hand comes up and cuts him across the face and chest, but it's too shallow. The man grabs her wrist and twists them behind her back, pushing her down. "Feisty too," he says, with a lick to her ear that makes her want to vomit. "We got a few perverts who would pay good gold for entertainment like that."

"L-let me go, you scum!" Ochako seethes, kicking her legs out. She scrambles for all the lessons on self defence that Bakugou has taught her so far, but she's too weak to execute them. The man only grunts at her attempts and drags her along the street.

"Nope, you gotta pay for cuttin' me, sweet cheeks. I gotta get some of that angel tea in yer body to calm you down, I guess."

She struggles against his grip until her arms are to the point of breaking. Tears sting the corners of her eyes. This is it, this is the end, her stupid plans have got her in trouble, and Yaomomo, Bakugou, and Deku aren't there to help-

The man gives a strangled cry and loosens his grip on her all at once. She blinks at the sudden freedom and turns around and sees the vestiges of great, red wings that fade as soon as she blinks.

"What the hell?" Some other thugs come out of the shadows, knives gleaming in their hands. "Who the fuck are you and what have you done to our boss?!"

They're speaking to the man who's suddenly standing in front of her-not that tall, with delicate hair the color of wheat and the smile of a drunkard. He wears a dark set of robes that look refined and foreign, and a pair of large gloves used by raven-keepers.

The blonde man smirks and steps in front of her. "How do you do, fellow thugs? I apologize for the intrusion, but I was just passing by, doing dastardly deeds and such, when I heard this young lady make sounds of distress… I just couldn't help myself."

Ochako's mouth gapes at the ridiculousness flowing out of his mouth. The thugs ready their knives and approach him. "A pouf who ain't mind his own business eh? Let's see if you can smile after we gut you!"

They don't get a chance. A surge of energy overwhelms them all, making the thugs, the waifs, and even Ochako collapse to the ground. Large, red wings made of pure energy sprout out of the man's back and light the street up to the end of the alley.

"I suppose this is good-bye, chums," the man with wings says with a smile. With a wave of his hand, the feathers break off from his back and fly towards the thugs, stabbing them through the shoulders and making them fly up and above the slums.

He moves his hand again, and his wings disappear. From a distance, Ochako hears screams and a crashing noise, and then eerie silence.

The waifs have run off by this time, leaving her alone with the man. She swallows and dusts off herself, gives the most unrefined bow she can muster. "Thank you kindly, milord," she says with a blush. "I… dunno how I coulda made it outta there by myself."

The man laughs brightly. "It's my pleasure, your highness. I couldn't very well leave the princess of Mie alone in the hands of those traffickers. That's a little too distasteful, even for me."

She falters and pales. "Ah… since when did you…"

"Since you snuck around the marketplace," he says with a wink. "You aren't as subtle as you think, Princess Ochako."

Her face falls. She takes in the look on his face, his appearance, the glimmering silver and red button on his chest. "So, my lord," she says carefully. "I did not know we were expecting a visit from Shizuoka."

The robes, the seal, the powerful magic. Of course this is a nobleman from Shizuoka, probably a vassal of King Todoroki Enji himself. She's surprised it took her this long to figure out, even though this shady back alley is the last place where a man like him belongs.

"You weren't," says the man, red eyes glinting in the morning light. "I was being honest when I spoke to those thugs, you know. About passing by, doing dastardly things and all that."

"D… dastardly things, you say."

Instinctively, she steps back away from him, but he steps forward. The smile on his face falls, replaced by a sharp gaze that reminds her of hawks hunting their prey.

"Yes," he says, great wings with gaps in their plumage spreading out of his back once again. "Kidnapping, if we're being specific."

Ochako does try to run away, but it isn't even a moment when she falls to the ground, blood red feathers wrapping around her wrists and legs and body and mouth.

The last thing she sees before a feather wraps around her eyes is an apologetic look on the man's face as he kneels next to her. "Sorry about this," he mumbles, before she feels herself carried out in his arms, and feels the ground beneath them disappear as he flies.

AN: For day 4 of Todochako Week - Royals AU! What, another multichapter au?!

This is Safri's brain child, only brought to life by semi-meticulous planning on both our parts! More illustrations will be added later, perhaps in the next update. We hope you enjoy this! - juni