Serendipity [Bakukami]

Chapter 17

Midoriya hesitates a little but immediately raises his hand to check Denki's temperature.

There's a few seconds of silence before Denki breaks it, "Uhm, what are you doing?"

"Just making sure you aren't sick." Midoriya replies seriously, "Are you sure you haven't hit your head somewhere? It could be a concussion." He then wonders, receiving a slight smack from Denki.

"I'm being serious! I need to sneak out! I mean uh- what if- what if Bakugo turned out to be a traitor or something?" Denki stutters out, trying to provide some solid evidence.

"You and I both know that isn't true." Midoriya sassily answers back, folding his arms with a raised eyebrow.

"Ugh- listen Midoriya. I need to sneak out. And I'm going to do it with or without your help." Denki huffs, walking away from Midoriya.

He was being petty, but he knew for a fact that Midoriya would probably never not help him, so he was seriously expecting him that evening.

The day was perfect, the queen was about to go on a small trip and she was to return the next day afternoon. If Denki could sneak out right after she leaves, he could have an entire evening and night outside the palace.

Of course, he had prayed to God that she wouldn't forget her ring or something and end up coming after he leaves because that's just inviting death.

The evening rolled on pretty quickly, Denki had awaited for this chance his entire life. It would be his first time visiting his people, the Queen never let him. He doesn't know what they think of him, would they want him to be the king? 

"Your Majesty, please think twice before you do this..." Todoroki whispers, sighing harshly when Denki simply glares. Denki mocks Todoroki for his concern, making him frown, before he turns towards the castle's boundary wall with an accomplished smile. 

He was confident he could climb over it, after all, Katsuki's training would never go to waste. 

Okay, so, Denki did not manage to climb the wall. He tried three times, then sat down on a huge boulder nearby whining and moaning about how the universe hates him. Todoroki soon loses his patience (mission accomplished) and lifts Denki over his shoulders to reach the top of the wall. 

Denki struggles a lot to climb over, but stumbles over the wall and ends up falling down onto someone's hands on the other side. Denki mischievously smiles, "I thought you didn't want to come," he says. 

"Of course, I didn't, but considering your history I'm pretty sure you would've fractured a bone by now," Izuku smirks, letting Denki get down from his arms, dusting his dress. 

"Oh my god, please. I've been getting enough training for things like this. I would've gotten down by myself. You didn't have to help, honestly," he said, but everyone knows how stupid he could have been when left by himself.

"Your Highness, you've managed to give yourself a concussion three times the past year, and just from getting up from the dining table. I have no clue how you managed to do that, that's kind of inspiring. However, if something were to happen to you, the queen would kill me, and I would rather not take the chance." Izuku explains, pulling Denki up with him. 

"Okay, listen. You cannot walk out with that dress. It's clearly screams 'royalty'. So I got you some change of clothes. I hope you would be comfortable with them, but that's all I can do right now." Izuku smiles, handing a tattered pair of clothes to him. 

"Thank you for this, but this is the most casual dress I own. It can't be that bad. I'm pretty sure I can walk around with this and people won't know who I am." Denki adds confidently, smoothing out his robes. 

Izuku smiles almost apologetically. "Your Highness, the problem is not if people would recognize you. I'm sure they won't. But let's not take the chance. You might stand out in those clothes." Izuku explains, tugging him towards an abandoned warehouse. 

"Wait, but what do you mean by people won't recognize me? I'm there soon-to-be-king. They must be knowing." Izuku smiles apologetically again. "Please don't smile like that. It's making me nervous."

"Your Highness, I know what you mean, but I don't think it's my place to tell you what's going on outside the castle grounds. You must know that yourself when it's time. For now, let's just focus on finding Katsuki, he's most probably by the river as usual." 

"The same river that flows through the castle? Oh, I love that river!" Izuku opens his mouth to say something, but immediately closes it, obviously fighting his instincts to say something. 

Denki goes into the warehouse to change his clothes. "Besides, when is Todoroki coming? How would he come?" 

Izuku answers, "He will come out the main gates, the guards always note the timings when the workers leave the castle grounds, so he could not climb over the wall." 

"So you left through the main gate as well? It's a really long walk from there!" Denki exclaims. 

"I know, but that's alright. However, Your Highness, we must get going." Izuku gives him a small smile, already leading the way. 

As soon as Denki gets dressed up, they move towards what seems to be the southern border. "Why is there the river not open right outside the castle grounds? It should be easier to access, right?" Denki whispers to him, his eyes wide open trying to take in everything he could. 

Denki remembers the last time he visited the people, it was a few weeks before his father passed away. The King loved his people and always wanted to live closer to them and understand them, The Queen was the exact opposite, as soon as she took over the throne, she closed off the castle grounds. No one was allowed inside anymore. 

"I mean, you're right. However, people who use the river here are all peasants, they are not allowed to use the water before the royal family." Denki opens his mouth to ask something but is quickly shushed by Izuku. 

Someone was coming their way, they could only faintly hear their voices. 

"... the Queen couldn't have ruined our lives any more. Why am I not exempted from additional taxes? I am paid below the minimum wage and my mother is on her deathbed. My father passed away 3 years ago due to the plague she refused to acknowledge. I'm just 19 Rowan, I can't pay taxes only to feed the soldiers who fight unnecessary wars to conquer more land when the Queen is clearly incapable of ruling what she was already given-" 

"Stop that Nathen! Someone might hear you." Another voice whispers. 

Izuku tries to tug Denki away, however, he stays rooted listening to their conversation. 

"I know, I know," The first voice continues, now a little softer. He then sighs, "If only the prince was still here, he would've ruled the kingdom better. Such a tragedy he passed away 5 years ago in a kitchen fire of all things. Now we're stuck with this Queen." 

Denki was dead?