Prince (Ess)

3. Izuku (POV): Injured

I felt awful. After my father lost his temper, he dragged me to his study, the only soundproof room in this whole castle. I didn't fight back as he slung insults and miscellaneous objects at me, ripping my dress and my skin. Everything burned and hurt and I was way over my limit. All the stress caught up with me. I needed to be free. I needed to... escape.

After almost five hours of consistent abuse, I was a crumbled mess of broken pieces. "And don't have Uraraka treat those wounds. You deserve them, you failure of a child!" He screamed at me, kicking me roughly in the gut as he left.

I cried out in pain to no one. One thought kept on running through my mind; Just end it all. No more pain. No more stress. No more having to deal with people and having to pretend to be who you're not. No more having to please Shoto. You'll be free. Just let go. You know how to.

I curled up and tried not to listen, but the voices were so loud, I couldn't think about anything else and the silence was slowly killing me. I pushed myself up, realizing that I probably had a few fractured bones and definitely some sprains.

As I was hobbling down the hallway to get to my room and complete the task I had set my mind to, Shoto pulled me into his room and treated my wounds. I was worried the whole time that something would happen. I really enjoyed Shoto's company, and I didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

After bandaging me up, I left to go get changed into a different dress and refresh my feminine look. I hated what I saw in the mirror and all the negative thoughts about myself came back, mixing with the already negative emotions I was feeling. I shook my head, pushing them out for the time being. Right now, I need to be the princess of Dagoba. Just keep it together for your fiancé. He deserves you at your best... whatever that is.

I changed into my evening gown and put on a long sleeved bolo to hide the bandages. I locked myself in my room for the rest of the night.

The next morning, I got up early to the head cook's daughter, Tsuyu, to bring me breakfast. She was usually abused by my father too, just not nearly as much as me. He'd beat her and her mother up for improper cooking or if something didn't satisfy his palette.

"Good morning, Izuku." She smiled a friendly smile and set a small tray of food on my bedside table. I smiled back at her and pulled myself out of bed, my floor-length dress dragging behind me in a sickeningly elegant way. I scowled slightly at the dress, as if it were the dress' fault that I was forced to dress like a girl 24/7 now.

"I, um, I brought you some breakfast, your highness. Please enjoy and try to heal up. I know your father didn't go easy on you." She sympathized with me and reassured me. "If you need to escape , you're always welcome in the kitchen, princess." She slightly bowed to me and then we both giggled.

"Thanks Tsu. I'm hanging in there. I need to spend as much time with my fiancé as possible, so I might take you up on that. Cooking is something I'm pretty good at and is something I can do with Shoto around." I smiled at her as I pulled my hair up into a simple ponytail with a jeweled headband for a tiara.

She smiled back and then left me so I could get all ready for the day. After applying makeup and picking at the toast and eggs Tsu had brought me, I finally decided that I should probably say hi to Shoto.

I cracked open my door and once I confirmed that the coast was clear, I made my way over to Shoto's room. I knocked on the door and then politely stood back.

"Who is it?" His voice called through the wood.

"Um, It's me. Your fia-... um, the princess." I didn't really know what to say or what he was comfortable with.