Ever After (BakuDeku)

Chapter Ten

"Who?" The King asked as he and Katsuki walked through the royal gardens, the sky growing dark.

"Count Deku," Katsuki replied, carefully stepping around a small puddle growing larger on the concrete floor, "he's a cousin of-" he paused, "well, actually, I don't know who his cousin is."

He looked at his father questioningly, "surely you have heard of him?"

Masaru hummed thoughtfully, "there are simply too many courtiers to remember them all by name. Why do you ask?"

That was the same question Katsuki was asking himself, yet he didn't have an adequate response, "oh, nevermind," he said quickly, regretting bringing it up.

"In honor of Signora Ashido," came the voice of the queen, walking quickly to catch up with the two, "I've decided to throw a ball, a masked ball."

Katsuki sighed, turning around to look at his mother, but not before making eye contact with his father as they shared an annoyed look at being interrupted. 

"At which point, you and I will strike a compromise," the queen continued, making Katsuki's brows furrow in confusion, not expecting that.

He scoffed, "compromise? You?"

Mitsuki rolled her eyes, "if love is what you seek, then I suggest you find it before then. For five days after, at the stroke of midnight, you will announce your engagement of the girl of your choice."

Katsuki cleared his throat at the last part and Mitsuki caught her mistake, "the person of your choice," she continued, "or I will announce it for you. Are we at an agreement?"

"And what of your treaty?" Katsuki questioned, not really caring about it.

"Let me worry about the Jiro kingdom," Mitsuki replied, "you've got bigger problems."

"Choose wisely, Katsuki," Masaru advised, glancing at his wife before murmuring under his breath, "divorce isn't something we do here."

Mitsuki narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything, turning away to leave the two alone once more.

~

The baron smiled down at the invitation in his hand, inviting him and his family to the masked ball at the palace.

He looked back at his palace "spy," a palace guard who was more than willing to provide the baron with any information he desired, for the right price of course. 

"What news of the engagement?" He asked.

"Cancelled," the informer stated, lowering his voice slightly, despite the fact that it was only the two of them within earshot, "rumor has it, he must find someone to marry before that very night."

The counts eyes lit up, hope forming, "well, that doesn't give us very much time."

He pulled out a sack of coins, "I shall need to know," he paused, pulling out a couple coins as he began to list, "who the competition is, every move he makes, his agenda, and any other tidbits you might dig up."

The spy leaned in closer, "he's playing tennis with the Marquis de Limoges tomorrow at noon."

"Wonderful."

~

"What's wrong with this one?" The baron asked, pulling a dress out of Akumu's closet.

"It's orange," Akumu replied, looking at the dress with disgust.

Aku frowned, "Katsuki loves the color orange."

"Exactly, every other girl there will be wearing the exact same color."

The baron began to smile, "very good, Akumu."

Akari stepped into the room, attempting to loosen her dress, "this one is too small," she complained.

"We shall just have to get you a tighter cinch," Aku remarked dismissively, still looking through the dresses.

"I cannot breathe as it is," Akari pointed out.

"If one cannot breathe, one cannot eat," the Baron decided.

Akari clenched her hands into fists, storming out of the room.

"Father," Akumu implored, "focus!"

"Perhaps if I knew what you were looking for," Aku sighed, throwing his hands in the air as he watched his daughter pace around the room.

"Something fit for a queen!"

The baron tapped his chin in thought, suddenly having an idea, "I have just the thing, but we must speak of this to no one."

Akumu's eyes brightened, intrigued as she followed her father down the hall and into the master bedroom. 

Aku crouched down by a chest at the end of his bed and opened it, revealing a beautiful white gown and a pair of matching shoes, decorated with blue jewels. 

Akumu carefully picked up the shoes, examining them as her father grabbed the dress. She turned to look at the Baron, "where did you get these?" she gushed, knowing that the outfit was perfect, but wondering why her father had something like this. 

"They were Izuku's mothers," Aku briefly explained, holding the dress to Akumu, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

T.B.C