His Other Half (KiriBaku)

Chapter 7

September 26, XX84
-the Bakugo Palace, Argo-

        It had been quiet in the castle, a pleasant change. It had been a week now without the tedious pranking, irritating muttering, and headache inducing family fights, and Katsuki was finally beginning to feel relaxed in his own home. Sure, Endeavour still stalked through the shadows, but considering how the older man was so fucking loud everywhere he went, he was easy to avoid.

        Of course, the competitors of the Cour de Cour had also noticed the absences in the castle, and had used the loosened security around the prince to start unwelcome conversations. Anyone who went farther than simply talking quickly found that Iida was still very much in the castle, and still very scary.

        Even better, he'd been excused from having to go to most of his meetings, so he had time to wander around the palace grounds, which almost always brought him to the training fields. Training was familiar, fun, even, if he dared go there. A sword in hand and his features obscured by a squire's helmet, Katsuki could simply slip along the ranks of his men. He watched them train, sometimes challenged them himself, pushing them to be better. Pushing himself to be better.

        He was dueling with one of the young knights when he saw a paige sprint out of the palace and dash across the courtyard, jumping down the steps to the training yard in a single bound. Strange, he had a moment to think before twisting to parry and counterattack. That seems like an important message.

        The boy ran to Iida, the guard half hidden in the shadows of the armory, and Katsuki saw him stiffen to attention. "Your Highness!"

        Most of the soldiers froze on the spot, and the knight fumbled with his sword, allowing Katsuki to catch him under the chin with the tip of his own. The blonde reached up and pulled off his helmet, revealing himself to the men. "What?"

        Ignoring the ranks of soldiers hastily stopping to bow, Iida barrelled on, pushing through the men to the prince's side. "There's an ongoing incident among the Cour, they're requesting you to absolve it."

        Katsuki cursed, sheathing the sword at his hip. "How bad of an incident? Don't they--"

        "They're at each other's throats, sire, and there's a common girl caught among them."

        The prince stiffened, whirling and taking off towards the other side of the barracks. There was another building around the back of the Coliseum where the competitors of the Cour de Cour ate and slept, and no fighting was allowed between them if they weren't on the fields, but they rarely listened to that.

        Iida kept up well, handing the prince his tunic and robes to cover his chest, bare from training. Katsuki was well equipped to throwing clothes on while running, and he was straightening his ascot by the time he reached the interior doors to the Cour banquet hall. Furious, he tossed open the double doors, satisfied by the thundering crack that sounded through the hall and silenced the riot.

        "You idiots," he seethed slowly, his voice carrying easily. "You have one rule to follow, and yet you dolts go at each other with forks and fucking butter knives. What the hell is the meaning of this?!"

        The uncertainty in their faces told him that not a one of them had any clue who had started the fight, but they had all taken part. The shock of his arrival had warn off, and anxious mutterings started within the crowd.

        Neito Monoma began to speak, but was quickly silenced by a left hook that knocked him into another competitor and reignited the fight in seconds.