A resounding boom like a thunderclap sounded through the room when someone banged on the chamber door. Nerissa jumped back from Kirishima who simply groaned in disappointment from the interruption, his head hanging in dejection.
"Kirishima!" the feral prince shouted.
Prince Bakugou possessed one volume: loud. His personality operated on full throttle at all times. Always wide open and most often angry, he was frightfully bad tempered and often noisy. She detested the man. He was in direct contrast to her master. Lord Midoriya was quiet, thoughtful, kind, and soft spoken. Yet there was something about this savage prince he liked immensely.
"Is the water demon in there with you?" he demanded, hammering on the door again with his powerful fists. "Open the door. I need to speak to her."
"Water demon," she muttered irritably, rolling her eyes and folding her arms over her chest.
Kirishima dutifully crossed the room to the door to open it. There Bakogou stood, his wild, pale wheat colored hair poking up in all directions and his red, angry eyes fixed on her. He was shirtless as always but not wearing his cape edged in fur which gave him some semblance of being clothed beyond his black pants and black knee high boots with fur trim. He and his faithful dragon had a lot in common with their fashion choices.
Glowering at the Prince, her eyes scanned him critically from head to toe. His muscles looked as hard as the glare in his eyes. Strong, powerful, intimidating. She honestly believed he could hurt someone just by giving them a blistering glance with those burning red irises that looked like twin fiery infernos then finish the job with his muscular body.
"Don't you have a message for me?" Prince Bakugou questioned her gruffly, grinding each word through his teeth.
"I bid you good evening, Master and Liege of the noble Fire Dragon," Nerissa greeted him, employing her best diplomatic skills. She bowed her head, placing one foot in front of the other and bending her knees to lower her body into a deep curtsy giving him the respect he deserved due to his monarchical position - not his charming personality.
"You have been given words by your master for me. Tell me," he commanded her, coming into the room to stand in front of her.
Raising her body slowly, she stood tall, tilting her chin upward with pride. He may be Kirishima's master, but he wasn't hers. However, for his sake, she would be courteous and civil. But she would stand her ground and not let that man move her beyond her will.
"I believe tomorrow in your throne room would be the better choice for an audience with you during which I will relay my message. I don't think this is the proper time or the place for - OH!" she exclaimed when he grabbed her by the hand to pull her from the room.
"Fine, then we'll go somewhere else," he growled, pulling her down the hall to his private suite.
Nerissa started to grow exceedingly uncomfortable being dragged, quite literally, from one intimate personal domicile to the next.
"But good, sir!" she protested, jerking her wrist free from his vise like grip when he kicked the door closed behind himself. "I am tired from my journey and desire rest."
"Hmph," he scoffed derisively, his top lip peeling back from his upper teeth in a snarl as he glared at her with skepticism. "You were about to do anything but sleep."
"Your highness, please," she begged, heat rushing to her face from the embarrassment of his correct assumption.
"Now," the prince said in a low voice, his disposition shifting remarkably. "Give me the words he sent by you. Please."
Nerissa held his eyes noting the way their destructive flames of fury flared briefly then diminished to a soft red glow like embers from a warming fire. Her unease shifted into a pleasant acceptance of her new and empowering position. Although he viewed her as nothing more than a lowly servant, a messenger, she held something of incredible importance to him at the moment. And he wanted it quite desperately.
"My kind master has once again extended his hand in friendship toward you," she said, following her words with the physical gesture of extending her hand toward him. "He would like to invite you to a banquet, to discuss a merger of your kingdoms."
"Friendship," he murmured, taking her hand.
Nerissa winced at his touch but from surprise, not disgust. She attempted to wrench herself free, however, he would not let go and held her hand fast. He wasn't hurting her, despite his fingers ensconcing her hand with a powerful but firm grip. Shockingly, he had the same effect on her that his dragon did. Her body warmed to his touch, a soothing heat spreading throughout and chasing away the chill that had plagued her since her arrival. The feeling in this case was more comforting than sexual arousal.
"A merger?" he queried, drawing her forward.
"Y-yes," she stammered. She could feel waves of heat wafting off his body and penetrating hers she stood so close to him. "He believes your two kingdoms can find peace and security if bonded together. A mutually beneficial relationship not only for your people but for the two of you on a more personal level. Master Midoriya said two are better than one especially if they have the same goals. Together, you can uplift one another. Support, encourage, and strengthen each other. You two will both be better together than apart, creating a life and a unified kingdom no one can destroy. But alone, if one of you falls, and the other is not there to pick him up, that one will be devastated."
"Tch," he hissed through his teeth, a smile that was only slightly condescending lifting one corner of his mouth. His eyes focused on hers with soul piercing intensity. "Those are his exact words?"
His voice was not harsh and growling like usual but gentle and almost kind. She did not know what to think about all of these drastic changes in his attitude and mannerisms. With her voice stolen from her by sheer astonishment, she nodded mutely to affirm that those were indeed Lord Midorya's exact words.
"That sentimental idiot. He should have just asked me himself. But I guess he was afraid I would say no."
"Sir?" Her questioning eyes studied his that became unfocused as his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Her suspicions about her Lord and Master's words being about more than their kingdoms becoming one were confirmed. Although he had never outright told her, she had suspected that Master Midoriya's feelings were about more than acting in the best interests of his people. He loved this man like she loved Kirishima. The man in front of her obviously returned those romantic feelings.
Nerissa had not expected this turn of events in negotiations. How did she not see it coming? Perhaps she had been too blind, pursuing her own feelings and love interest to notice. The numerous visits and repetitive negotiations between them over the last couple of years suddenly made sense. They seemed to be rehashing the same conversations, the same circular arguments, over and over. She never complained because the frequent visits gave her more time with her Fire Dragon. It just now occurred to her their two masters weren't having trouble coming to a decision about their political fusion so much as their personal union.
The dumbfounded message bearer couldn't breathe when the realization punched her in the gut like a fist. She had just delivered a wedding proposal and the banquet would be a celebration of Prince Bakugou's acceptance. Then there would be a wedding and a subsequent joining of their lands. She was not sure which epiphany shocked her more: the fact her shy, demure, seemingly naive Lord held such powerful romantic notions for this man or that he had used her as a courier to covertly convey those aspirations.
"Your highness," she rasped, her throat constricting around the ball of emotions that threatened to choke her. "What would you like for me to tell him?"
"I'll tell him myself," he responded quickly. "Preparations to leave for your homeland will begin tomorrow. We should be ready to leave the day after that."
"But, your highness, he wanted to me to return with your answer. To prepare the banquet."
"He was that confident I would say yes?"
Nerissa doubted it since Lord Midoriya had sent her with the proposal. Obviously he had been terrified of rejection. Although Prince Bakugou did possess at least one nice bone in his body, his skull was still incredibly thick.
"So I presume your reply is favorable?" she inquired.
"It is. By the way, what are your desires for my dragon?" Prince Bakugou asked, one of his blond eyebrows raising toward his hairline.
"Well, sir, considering many things have progressed at a rather unsettling rate tonight, I'd prefer not to - "
"Don't dodge the subject, water demon. Tell me how you feel about him," he ordered her, letting go of her hand and backing away a few steps.
"I love him," she confidently stated.
"Then I release him," he announced, shrugging his shoulders. "He will be free to do as he pleases. Go where he wants to go. Be with who he wants to be with." He turned his back to her, clasping his hands together behind him. "I'll speak with Izuku about doing the same for you. You should go get some sleep. Or do whatever you would prefer doing instead of sleeping."
Nerissa blushed from the implication. Since he was looking at her over his shoulder, she bowed her head in a more sincere show of respect for him this time.
"Sir, if I may venture my feelings on that - "
"Did I ask for your opinion?" he cut her off using his typical acidic tone.
"I do not wish to leave my master's side," she pushed on anyway. "I was never treated as a servant but rather a trusted friend." Although he did hide his true intentions for this man from me, she thought to herself. There would be a discussion about this after her return home. "I also know the depth of Kirishima's allegiance to you. I can say with all confidence that he would not want to leave you either."
"I never said the two of you had to leave," he corrected her, his tone back to being mild, somewhat friendly. "You will be free to do so if you wish. But I think we would prefer the two of you stay with us as loyal companions, acting on your own will, not ours. Kirishima has always been my protector and my friend. Just like you are to Midoriya." He pivoted on his boot heel to face her. "I know you've always hated me, and, honestly, I didn't like you that much either. I feared you stood in the way of me being with Izuku. Now, you and I will have to learn to get along. For his sake."
Nerissa thought for a moment, realizing maybe her master shared that same fear; that she would protest their being together due her own selfish personal feelings. She did not love her master romantically, but platonically yet selfishly, like an overprotective parent. The man in front of her seemed genuine in seeking her friendship or at the very least, a truce for the sake of their beloveds.
"Yes, my Prince," she replied, showing her willingness to accept him as a comrade but still honoring his position as a royal. Besides, nothing in their official relationship had changed yet. "I will refrain from speaking of our conversation with Kirishima. The proclamation is yours and my master's to make."
"You've always been good at sticking to customs and protocol. That has made you an excellent go-between for Midoriya."
"Thank you." She blushed again from the unexpected compliment.
"You may go," he told her politely, waving her away.
Nerissa curtsied once more before taking her leave of the man. After closing the door behind herself, she leaned against it, blowing out a breath it felt like she had been holding the entire time she had been in his room. Weariness set in, a bone tired exhaustion more from the emotional roller coaster she had been on recently than her journey through rough, freezing seas to arrive at the island.
"What happened in there?" Kirishima inquired, making her gasp and jump at his unexpected presence so close to her.
"I delivered my message," she answered bluntly without going into details.
"You look tired," he said without asking any further questions for which she was grateful.
"I am," she confirmed, giving him a slow smile on shaky lips.
She wasn't exactly lying to him, but she wasn't telling him all of the truth either. Being deceitful, even by omission, to him made her uncomfortable. They had always been honest and up front with each other about everything, their jobs as emissaries making it necessary. They had been friends and had almost become lovers until the prince interrupted. She had sworn an oath of secrecy to Kirishima's liege not only for personal reasons but above that, for bigger reasons than all of their feelings. This merger was not only about creating a marriage but also linking two kingdoms.
"I'll show you to a guest room," the sad looking Kirishima offered, turning his back on her to lead her down the hall.
Nerissa followed, although she did not want to stay in a guest room alone. She wanted to be with him.
"But your room is right here," she said, stopping in front of his door.
"Yeah, but - "
"I want to stay with you."
"There's something you're not telling me," he accused as he peered at her with suspicion through narrowed lids.
"For the sake of us all, I can't. You have to understand. I'm sorry," she apologized, her chin lowering to her chest. She could not bear for him to look at her with mistrust.
"Okay. I'll trust you. Mostly, because I've trusted my Prince longer," he added when she raised her head to look at him. He pushed open the door to his room. "Stay with me."
She smiled at him. "Always."