NORWEST CONUNDRUM ; a TodoOchaka Story

Ch 2. Whistle in the Air

And so; as the cold evening air pushed past her free flying hair, the maiden took a sharp turn and met eyes with the boy with the cold stare.
Ice on ice.
Then in one merciless breath she released her thoughts and said-
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU."
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chapter 2.
The morning had arrived in the North. A pale yellow ray of light elongated itself over the young prince' bed. He groaned softly as he had once again awaken to another day in his chaotic shamble of a household. He gently rolled out of bed, placing his feet upon the glossy wooden floors, rubbing one against the other ankle momentarily before yawning alongside a delightful stretch. He had glanced in the mirror beside his bed, the icy white of his hair and earthy brown eye looking back at him, his face rested with content until he moved forward and saw...the rest appear in the reflection; the sight of the mottled pink scar and cinnabar locks which had framed his face bringing his trademark exhausted and numbed expression to the surface.

He had dressed and opened the door from his room, taking a deep breath of the musty castle walls that encaged him. Immediately the young man was faced with his overtly anxious caretaker. She had never been the same around the young prince since the king had scolded her for attempting to stand up for his mistreatment of the child in his younger days..she now walks the halls with fear in her eyes and a permanent bandage wrapped over and over along her left forearm from the punishment, this was followed by a shake in her step. "s-s-sir! you- you've- awaken!" she exclaimed with as much false enthusiasm she could present, he simply nodded in response "mhm." she nodded feebly at a quickened pace "good! good! now we s-simply mu..hh..must prep- prepare! for th- tha- the. ahem. For the ball!" she chuckled meekly after swallowing a gulp. The prince raised an eyebrow, later sighing and nodding "as you wish." he simply looked forward and toward the left where a handful of other maids awaited him around the corner holding his prepared garments and accessories, they too wished to stay afar from him, he was completely aware of this fact.
Suddenly all chatter went silent.
The caretaker of the prince took a sharp inhale and stumbled before catching her step and clutching her left arm.

"SHOTO".

Shoto Todoroki. The prince, son...of King Enji Todoroki, King Endeavor to the outside.
His voice was enough to make Shoto cringe internally; he did not respond verbally, only glancing toward his direction as acknowledgment. The presence of the man who was ablaze was enough to shock panic into those below him, his squint became a glare followed by a low growl.
"Dressed like that? Is that your morning wear? Agh! you aren't ready. why?"
Shoto gently inhaled and placed his arms behind himself, gently clutching and fiddling with his thumb in silent response toward the frustration he cannot express,
"Woke up late." .His response was as chill as the antarctic waters itself. Enji scoffed and rolled his eyes in displeasure "Tch. good for nothing." were his final words before returning downstairs to go yell at the chefs and decorators scrambling to fit the tightly detailed knot of requests in time.
Shoto shook his head and looked to the caretaker shivering by the wall suddenly release her held breath, he walked over to hold her arm in assistance "Mariam..are you alright?" She looked at him with such admiration as respect. She simply furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Shoto with fierce feelings
"m-my boy...you.. will be a better king than he could ever dream. You understand something he does not."
Shoto felt his eyes widen for a brief moment before returning to their regular half lidded position.
"You..are kind."
He was never referred to as such thing. Shoto simply sighed and patted her hand gently.
"Thank you, Mariam...erm. Shall I get ready?"
She smiled sweetly at the boy she nearly raised and chuckled, withholding the shaking tendencies for that moment.
"of course dear."
For the duration of the morn they had prepared the prince in the utmost pampered manner possible. Washed and dressed, he received a new garment for this ball that he found would unite the kingdoms for one special evening of enlightenment and celebration of peace.
Internally the young Todoroki was almost mildly excited to see how the other kingdoms behaved, although he could not shake the lurking feeling that revolved around his father ruining the evening. Maybe not for the guests, but most definitely for him, he always did.
His thoughts were interrupted by the reveal of his final appearance, a neat separation between the split in his hair, a soft layer of foundation to withhold his youthful glow and...the new clothing.
It was simply lovely. No. It was elegant.
A white mantle held by two sets of gold buttons linked by a thin chain, the sleeves cut by the shoulders, yet he was not bare armed. Light sleeves of silk that were puffed by his forearms, only to be cuffed by the white and gold laced bands. The neck wrapped within layered ribbons in the figure of a bow tie that was paired with a red family gemstone within the middle of the bow. His thin fingers laced the stone gently as he looked at it in momentary awe..until he was met with the realization it was his fathers emblem, his hand leaving the stone at once.
"This is..new"
Todoroki slightly smiled briefly for the maidens in appreciation for their hard work. Such hard work was clearly not one to be taken within a short amount of time, dusk had already formed outside. His stomach rumbled gently as he sighed realizing he had not eaten since he awoken.
It was fine, he'd eat later; for now he would venture down the stairs to be greeted by mass decorated ballrooms and grand tables filled with gourmet cakes, desserts and other exotic foods. Nothing he hadn't seen before, still a nice change after seeing the same bland castle space all day; parties were the opportunity to finally experience change.
Immediately Shoto was overwhelmed by workers who asked him his opinions in things he did not even know of .
"YOUR HIGHNESS DO YOU LIKE THIS CAKE?"
"IS ZIS ICING TOO BITTER SIRE"
"WHICH FLOWER BEST SUITS THE LIGHTING?!"
Shoto was taken aback by the flowers and looked away "uh- i don't know i'm allergic..". The look of horror overtook the florists face as he panicked and ran off screaming at the workers under him who could forget such details. The prince sighed and continued walking in attempt to reach the exit which would lead him toward the garden.
"Shoto!" The king exclaimed walking almost pridefully over reaching for the boy's arms
"mh." A sound of carelessness escaped his lips before he was swung around to face his 'old man'. "...yes..sir?" Shoto spoke words through gritted teeth of ironically 'burning' hatred that flamed the bottom of his stomach and took over his chest.
"You understand the kingdom united ball tonight yes?"
"of course."
"wonderful! well then you'd understand the West are attending. the West are our greatest allies as of late, yes?"
Shoto's eyebrow almost raised, but he refrained. He only wondered where he was going with this pointless conversation.
"yes.."
The confusion only continued as the interaction almost grew uselessly suspenseful for no reason whatsoever.
"the ultimate permanency of this alliance is my best goal. You see if we are able to keep them, we keep our walls safe, we keep the people safe, we stay strongest and we stay number one. Do you know -how- we could obtain this permanency?"
Shoto looked around before meeting his father's eyes with a very gentle squint.
"err..no..not quite?."
Enji simply chuckled and patted the boy roughly on the back as means to initiate fatherly behavior..Shoto did not appreciate it, he simply adjusted his clothing after the sudden blows to his back.
"well my boy. Get yourself together! the west have a daughter your age, do you know Princess Ochaka?"
Shoto was taken aback by whatever his father could be possibly implying. His stomach dropped at the words 'my boy'
he didn't want to be his boy,
he never will be anyway.
For now he simply stood there and responded.
"Princess Ochaka?"

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Ch.2 Fin