Cursed Heir

Failure's Not An Option

I cannot fail.

The prince brought his sword down on the next knight that advanced, slamming the flat end of the blade against the side of his head and shoving him away. Two more knights came up from behind, but the prince was already one step ahead. With a swift swing of his right hand, a wall of ice separated the two, while he leaped and twisted in midair to slam the first through the ice and collide with the second on the opposite side, sending both to the ground.

"This is getting boring," he grumbled to himself, re-sheathing his sword. They had been at it for hours.

"Prince Shoto!" a stern yet friendly voice hollered. "You know what your father shall do to you if he catches you slacking off in your training!"

Todoroki rolled his mismatched orbs, not turning around to face the single knight that remained. "And when have I cared?"

The knight gave a wry smile, extending his hands out. "At least finish me off. Look at me; I'm still standing! Turning your back on an enemy you haven't even managed to lay a scratch on is a one-way ticket to your demise. I'd advise you to-"

The prince spun around on his heels, and with one quick motion, too fast for any normal man to follow, shards of ice jutted out of ground toward him, sharp spikes aimed right at the knight's torso. The armored man easily evaded his attack, throwing his sword and managing to snag a piece of Todoroki's clothing on one of the ice slabs from his earlier attack, pinning him there for the time being. The prince huffed out a breath of icy air as he glared at the knight.

"Now that was a very rare opening indeed," the knight observed. He began walking toward him. "With your reputation, everyone knows how difficult it is to get the drop on a monster such as yourself. Is something on your mind?"

"Iida," Todoroki muttered, ripping the blade from the ice and tossing it aside with a clatter of metal on concrete. "I'd advise refraining from calling me those obnoxious names."

"You did not answer my question."

"Everyone knows who the real monster is," Todoroki added, still ignoring the question proposed to him.

"Perhaps within the castle walls. But out there-" Sir Iida motioned outward, "-everyone believes that you are the one to blame for all those disappearances."

Todoroki knew what he meant. Ever since he turned fifteen, his father had been trying to marry him off to some princess. All of which he showed little to no interest in. But each one, each time they came, would end up disappearing within the first week of visiting. He hadn't a clue as to where they all had run off to. It's not like he cared any; he didn't wish to be married off anyway.

"I may despise this stupid tradition, but you know full well I would not resort to murdering innocent women. Even if they all are the same."

"How so?"

"They may be of different ages and bloodlines, but they are all alike; stuck up, know-it-alls who think they're hot shit."

"Language, my prince. What would your father say?"

"I don't give a damn about what he'd say." He looked to the other knights, who were picking themselves off the ground and awaiting their next commands. Iida followed his gaze and sighed.

"You are dismissed. Feel free to take the remnants of the day to wash up and rest." The three knights bowed to Sir Iida in turn, then went their separate ways. The prince gave him a quizzical glance.

"Why are you sending them away? I wasn't finished with my training yet."

"You were," Iida replied sternly. "You know your father has another potential suitor for you to meet before dinner."