Ethereal ◆ Shoto Todoroki x Reader

12 | The Royal Line Retold

You step out of the carriage, Shoto taking your hand, inhaling the cold fresh breeze and taking in your surroundings.

The sky is a sweet blue, and Shoto picked the perfect spot for a picnic: A grassy hill under a single tree.

A blanket is laid out, and there's a great feast on it, fit for two royals.

"This is very nice, Shoto, but why is there so much food?" You ask him, sitting down on the blanket.

He sits next to you. "My father doesn't know we're out here. Better make the best of it."

Did he just try to make a joke?

You smile. "Then let's dig in. It's looks amazing."

You pick up the closest thing to you: a small plate of fancy cheese and crackers. You take a bite and marvel in the taste. You catch Shoto staring.

"Aren't you going to eat?" You ask him, and he shakes his head.

"I wanted to tell you something," he says, his voice quiet and his head hanging. "That's one of the real reasons I brought you out here."

Your heart thumps. A confession?

"Since you told me of your past," he says, "I feel obliged to tell you mine."

Your heart rate returns to normal, and you scold yourself for having such a silly thought.

Suddenly all of your questions about him when you first met come flooding back, and so you give him your full attention. 

He clears his throat. "Well, as you may know, my mother and father were forced into a quirk marriage."

You nod. That's one of the rumors you heard, and after coming to his palace, you assumed it was true.

"Who else would be considered to take the throne if something happened to you? I've vaguely heard of siblings," You ask the prince, trying to be considerate.

"...my mother is no longer considered queen by many of our people. She spends her days in the hospital ward, being tended to by nurses, so not her," Shoto continues, "But I do have siblings. Fuyumi, my sister, and Toya and Natsuo, my brothers. We were raised separately, though, and my father sees me as superior. I do not know what would happen if I did not become king."

You nod, and you can tell this is a sensitive subject, but you want to know more. 

"Where...did you get your scar?" You hesitantly ask.

"I do not feel comfortable speaking anymore," he says, sort of harshly. You must've hit a nerve.

"I apologize," you say, "let us continue to eat."

And so, you do, and you relish in the exquisite diverse flavors of the picnic your fiance prepared. Once all the food is gone, you thank him.

"Shoto," you say, "this was amazing. A nice change of scenery and wonderful food. Thank you."

"'twas my pleasure," he says, standing up. "Father must be furious. We should meet him at the market."

You climb in the carriage with Takahashi waiting for you, and head for the market, dwelling on what Shoto revealed about the royal line.

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You've arrived at the Farmer's Market, but Shoto left you in the carriage for some unknown reason. You're sitting with Takahashi. 

He must know something.

"Takahashi," you ask him.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"How long have you been a guard here?"

He thinks for a moment. "Well, I was raised to be a guard, and chosen by the king to guard the queen. I've been here for quite a while."

So he guarded the queen, once upon a time.

"Pardon me for asking, but how old are you? Surely not much older than myself," you ask.

He laughs. "Oh, boy. I'm turning twenty-nine this year, so I'm getting there."

"Okay, one more question," you say, "What do you know about Shoto's scar? And his siblings?"

Takahashi's smile disappears. "Maybe you should ask him that question. I'm not sure if I'm authorized to tell you..."

"Takahashi, I am future queen and his future wife," you say sternly, "I think I deserve to know."

"M-my apologizes, Your Highness. Of course you do," he sighs. 

"When Shoto was little, the King put him through grueling quirk training and...stuff." The guard rubs the back of his head, "The queen was put through stress and developed a certain connection between Shoto's right side and his father."

"She burned him with boiling water," Takahashi states, "but that's not what caused the mark. She tried to ease the burning with her ice quirk, and in the end, that's what left a scar."

That's...awful. No wonder he didn't want to talk about it. 

"And what of his siblings?" You ask again, Takahashi clearly uncomfortable.

"Both Fuyumi and Natsuo act as a representative for the kingdom in other villages, although that's probably their excuse to stay away from King Todoroki. Toya is no longer here."

You absorb the new information, trying to make sense of it all. "No longer here? Is he-"

"He's dead." Takahashi whispers, making you stop.

Before you can think any further, Shoto returns, his father behind him. 

"Welcome to the Farmer's Market, my love," Shoto says, 'pretending' once again. "The villagers await the arrival of their future queen."

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A/N: Thank you @braylikesanime for voting on all chapters and leaving comments! It means so much to me!