Down The Aisle (Bakugou x reader medieval au)

Chapter 14 - Maze To Freedom

Izuku pov - morning 3 days later

     Last night we made camp just outside the village (y/n) and I escaped before we made it into Wolves Den Forest. We scouted it through the trees before bed to see what we should expect to encounter today. Now it's my job to get us around the village and to the building I spent many years living in. It should be a breeze seeing as it is no longer surrounded by guards.
     The group follows me around the village until it's out of view. The rest of the walk to the abandoned building is quiet, aside from Kacchan's impatient mumbling. I speed up slightly as it comes into view, running up the familiar front steps to the door. I never thought I'd be back here again, I just wish it was under better circumstances.
     As we wander around the outside and inside of the building, it seems that pretty much everything is the way (y/n) and I left it. Almost everything, I think as I spot an envelope set neatly in the center of one of the couch cushions. I pick it up to see it's addressed to "(y/n)'s curly green-haired friend". That must be me. I admit I'm a little nervous to open it, as it doesn't say who it's from, but whatever is in this letter could help get her back.
     "What the heck are you reading nerd?!" Kacchan yells from behind me as I unfold the pieces of paper. I ignore him and glance through the message, reading it out loud so everyone can hear.
    
"Dear green-haired boy,
     I saw you run into the woods with (y/n), and I know you had been living here for several years previously. Don't worry, I mean neither of you any harm. I understand if you choose not to believe that statement, but unfortunately, I cannot reveal my name in case this letter is found by an unwanted audience. You may be able to guess who I am though if (y/n) has told you anything about her life.
     If you are reading this it means you know she has been captured and have returned in hopes of getting her back. In order for you to make it through the maze in time to retrieve her before the wedding, I have attached the map to this letter.
     The maze leads to the closet in her bedroom, but unfortunately, she isn't staying in her room anymore. Instead, she is being kept in a well-furnished dungeon cell to keep her from escaping again. Her maids Ochako Ururaka, Tsuyu Asui, and Momo Yaororozu are sharing her room right now, and I have informed them that they may be receiving visitors soon. They can help you devise a plan to crash the wedding. Best of luck friends of (y/n)."

     "Well, who is it from?!" Kacchan questions loudly, snatching the letter from my hands and looking it over.
     "It isn't signed," I mumble, then gasp as realization hits me. How did I not realize it sooner?! "It's from (y/n)'s father's advisor! She told me that he's the only person besides her that knows the path through the maze! Who else could it have been?!"
     "Can he be trusted?" Sero asks and I nod in excitement and relief.
     "He's the one who gave her the idea to run away in the first place."
     "It's settled then. We're going through the maze," Kacchan exclaims, opening the secret door and grabbing a torch out of a holder on one of the walls of the passageway. The rest of us watch as he walks over to the fireplace and lights it, using the flames to light the torch. "I'm not walking slowly for you idiots so you better keep up!"
     We follow him into the tunnel and begin the journey through the maze. Keeping up is somewhat of a challenge due to Kacchan's fast pace. I don't get how he can walk so fast while also navigating through the mess of passageways. I'm afraid he'll make a mistake, but I wouldn't dare tell him that, I don't have a death wish.
     I glance behind me to see that those of us toward the back of the line are holding hands to keep from getting lost. It looks considerably harder to see back there. I turn back around just in time to stop myself from slamming into Kacchan's back when he stops. Oh shit, did he actually get us lost?!
     He hangs up the torch in an empty slot on the wall beside him and I peek around his broad shoulders to see a door. WA made it! I feel stupid for ever doubting Kacchan's efficiency in serious situations.
     He opens the door and we follow him into a medium-sized room. Who needs a closet this big?! Apparently not (y/n). Only a small corner of the room seems to have been used.
     I'm pushed forward by the rest of the group attempting to make their way into the room as well. I stumble and bump into Kacchan's back, cringing when he turns around and gives me the harshest of death glares. I back away and freeze when I hear footsteps and low mumbling coming from the other side of the closet's main double doors.
     We all go silent as the doors creak open, not having enough time to hide. The logical part of me is saying it's probably just (y/n)'s maids, but I'm panicking internally nonetheless. My assumptions are confirmed when three girls walk into the closet, followed by Shoto Todoroki, and shut the door behind them.
     Wait, Shoto?! The letter didn't say we would be seeing him. We lock eyes and I feel my face heating up to match the blush dusting his cheeks. I gulp and shift my gaze to the three girls when I feel Kacchan glaring daggers at Todoroki while Kirishima and Shinsou hold him back to keep him from smashing the prince's face in.
     "You must be Ururaka, Asui, and Yaororozu l," I say quietly from nervousness, clearing my throat. "I'm Izuku Midoriya," I greet them with a bow. "(Y/n) has told me much about you."
     The one with brown hair, she must be Ururaka, smiles warmly at me and opens her mouth to speak before being cut off by the taller ravenette. "It's a pleasure to meet you Midoriya. I am Momo Yaororozu and this is Ochako Ururaka and Tsuyu Asui.  It would probably be best to make introductions brief so we can get to making a plan. Who are your friends?"
     Tch. I am not friends with this damn nerd!" Kacchan yells and Yaororozu raises her eyebrows before exchanging slightly worried glances with the other two girls. He grunts in frustration. "What's up with you guys?! I thought we were supposed to be getting introductions over with?!"
     Todoroki sighs. "You need to keep it down Bakugou. I know you want to get (y/n) out of this situation as fast as possible, but if we get caught because of your yelling we'll never succeed in whatever plan we're going to come up with."
     "You better keep your mouth shut you half-n-half bastard! You're the reason she was caught!"
     "I'm truly sorry Bakugou. I tried to keep this from happening, but if I hadn't restrained you she would have been caught anyway, you would have been killed, and I would be locked in a cell just like her for disobeying my father. At least this way, we can hit out of this marriage for good," Todoroki apologizes and explains the reason for his actions with genuine sorrow and shame.
     We all gasp at Kacchan's response to Todoroki's empathy. A punch to the face. "There! I'll put the rest of my retaliation aside for now, but if this doesn't work and you marry her, I will personally kill you. You hear me?!" Kacchan threatens before crossing his arms over his chest and quieting down so we can resume introductions.

(Y/n) pov - 3 days later

     Living in this cell isn't terrible. It was cleaned before my arrival, and the usual lumpy cot was switched out for a more comfortable mattress. I may be on punishment but my father still wants to make sure I get my beauty sleep so I look my best for the wedding.
     I was given a bell to ring in case of emergency or if I need anything like food, water, or the toilet. If I need to use the bathroom or take a shower I am escorted to the nearest bathroom by one of my maids. They come and visit me whenever they can, multiple times a day, which helps keep me from going completely insane with boredom.
     So the physical living conditions aren't bad, but it's what's going on in my head that's getting to me. I've been feeling so many negative emotions since being back here. The basics are anger, sadness, and fear, but the extent to which I'm feeling them makes them much more complicated and extreme than that. Anger turns to rage, sadness to despair, and fear to paranoia, not to mention the longing to see Katsuki.
     I'm angry that this entire situation is happening in the first place. Angry that my father is forcing me into marriage with Todoroki. Angry that I had to leave my life behind and run away. Angry that I got caught and taken from the new life I had begun that was much more enjoyable. And I'm especially angry that all my efforts to be happy and find real love are going down the drain.
     I'm sad because I miss my friends. Because I miss Katsuki. I'm sad that I never got to hear him tell me he loves me. Sad because I've had to spend my days cooped up in a cell with nothing to entertain me but my thoughts. I'm sad for all the reasons I'm mad, and mad for all the reasons I'm sad.
     But most of all, I'm scared. Scared that, although they only knocked him out, maybe Katsuki isn't okay. Scared that he'll forget about me and won't even bother to come looking for me. Scared that I'll have to spend the rest of my life with a man I don't love, and eventually be forced to have his kids. And once again, my emotions are mixing with one another. I'm scared for all the reasons I'm sad and mad, and sad and mad for all the reasons I'm scared.
     I sigh and stop my pacing, taking a seat on the edge of my mattress. I grasp my hair by the roots with both hands and tug slightly in an attempt to clear all of these negative thoughts from my brain. The girls should be here soon to keep me company for a little while. They've been oddly good-spirited these past few days, despite the current circumstances.
     I'm interrupted by the sound of my cell door opening. I look up and fake smile at my maids, trying not to let them see how much of a wreck I truly am right now. "We come with news, good and bad," Momo says with a slight smile.
     Ochako and Tsuyu look like they're about to burst from excitement, and Momo nudges them to calm down. "Sorry, it's just been so hard keeping it a secret and watching her be so sad. But now we can finally tell her!" Ururaka squeals, clapping her hands.
     "Tell me what?" I ask, tilting my head to the side in confusion.
     Momo sighs and covers Tsu's and Ochako's mouths with her hands to keep them from blurring anything out. "We can't say much, we don't want anyone to suspect anything, but there have been a few changes made to the wedding. The good news is that you will be wearing flats instead of heals, and the skirt on your dress will be removable to keep it from getting stepped on during the reception. These changes will make moving around much easier," Momo says with a mischievous glint in her eyes, telling me there's likely something more to these changes than she's letting on. "And the bad news is that the wedding has been moved up to tomorrow, King Todoroki is getting impatient."
     No, not that. Anything but that. Despite having so few resources to count on, I've still been trying to come up with an escape plan. But it's really over. I'm out of time. I have to marry Todoroki tomorrow, there's nothing I can do about it, and the people who I thought were my best friends seem like they couldn't be happier. My life really is ruined.