empty crown // bakugou x reader

Chapter 26

A couple of days had passed and (y/n) had now a new temporary guard that escorted her whenever she had work to do outside the castle. They wouldn't talk much, because unlike Bakugou, he actually followed the rule 'don't speak unless spoken to'.

She thought to herself, were days inside the castle always this boring? Maybe that wasn't it. Maybe it was because she felt lonelier than ever. She glanced at the guard and pressed her lips together, resting her chin on the top of her palm.

"Could you please bring my messenger?" she asked kindly, the guard rushing outside the door after a deep bow.

She was done with all her duties so she thought that dinner with Prince Todoroki and lady Yaoyorozu would be a nice way to end the day. She sent a brief, friendly invitation and of course, they ended up coming after one hour sharp as she had requested.

"A pleasant evening, your majesty." bowed Todoroki, Momo doing the same next to him.

"Come on now guys." (y/n) chuckled, "You don't have to act like that when people aren't around. Take a seat."

After chatting with eachother for a while, silence filled the room. Only the sound of their cutlery echoed through the walls louder than ever.

"So how are you feeling (y/n)?" asked Momo, clearly referring to the day of the coronation.

(y/n) glanced at Todoroki and he nodded, indicating that he already knew about what had happened that day.

"I don't know. Abandoned." she scoffed, rolling a small, round grape in her hand.

"Didn't he say a reason?"

"Not really. He left by telling me that he didn't share mutual feelings anymore."

Todoroki shook his head in disbelief while Momo's eyes softened at (y/n)'s.

"If I were you I wouldn't have let him go so easily. Your contract is still valid, and you don't really break one like that with royalty."

"And what was I supposed to do? Drag him into the castle by force? His village was attacked so his friends needed him. I took him from them anyways.."

"His village? The one that's outside of town?"

(y/n) lifted her head up so that her eyes met with Todoroki's.

"I believe so. I've never been there."

"It was indeed attacked. By Prince Monoma. Or so I've hear."

"What?" she asked, her eyes widening in shock. "What do you mean it was attacked by Monoma?"

"I met him a while ago. He had invited me to his castle for a reason that wasn't so clear. I was reluctant to go at first but my father forced me to. A day after that I overheard the guards talk about it. I believe that Prince Monoma wants to expand his grounds so by putting two and two together-"

"He threatened them with a subtle attack!"

Todoroki and Momo glanced at eachother worried while (y/n) gripped her cutlery hard in her hands. Why didn't Bakugou tell her about it? Did Monoma threaten him? Was Bakugou mad at (y/n) because he thought that she had something to do with the attack?

After talking to them for a while longer, it had gotten pretty late so the pair had to return back to Todoroki's castle, since Momo lived there now.

"Let me know if something happens." said Todoroki from inside the carriage before they left, (y/n) waving at them with a small smile on her lips.

That smile soon faded when (y/n) entered the castle once again, ordering a guard to prepare her horse. She rushed to her room and changed to a short red velvet dress that its skirt hardly reached her knees so that it was easier for her to move around or ride her horse, and after putting her sheer brown tights on so that her legs weren't as exposed, she completed the outfit by putting on below the knee boots and a black cloak that had the new royal symbol on its back.

Tightening the scabbard around her waist and wearing her leather gloves, she finally got out of the chamber after leaving her bright crown on top of her bed.

That's the outfit she wore when there was a war threat. That's the outfit she is going to wear if there's going to be a war in the future. But right now she was in a war with her feelings, hence why she wore it.

Most of the servants had fallen asleep since it was pretty late, and she had dismissed a majority of her guards from the path she was going to walk through before she went outside.

The guards that were outside the castle were already informed about her plans so they wouldn't question her when she came back. Of course, she isn't allowed to leave the castle in the middle of the night just like that, especially without someone escorting her, but she wouldn't really listen eitherway.

She wore the cloak's hood over her head and with a tight grip around the horse's reins, she finally rode fastly, the moonlight being her only guide and source of light.

Halfway there she felt her body freeze from the cold temperature. Her cheeks had turned a bright red just like the tip of her nose, and she hardly felt her fingers gripping the leather reins. She wasn't going to give up though. She never gave up.

Squinting her eyes, she saw the small village from afar so she applied pressure while squeezing her calves and heels so that the horse went even faster. As soon as she arrived, she pulled the reins backwards, the horse standing on its two back legs while releasing a loud neigh.

Everyone got outside their cabins and tents with their weapons being held tightly in their hands. Bakugou rushed outside his cabin not long after hearing all the commotion and his eyes widened when they landed on the familiar black horse.

(y/n) took off the hood, her eyes meeting with Bakugou's within seconds. However, her expression never changed from the cold, emotionless one she had.

"Who are you?" asked Kaminari, Kirishima making him lower his weapon.

"(y/n)?"

Everyone glanced at Bakugou and their eyes widened when they realized that that was actually the name of..

"The Queen!"

(y/n) hopped off her horse and made her way closer to Bakugou, only for a villager to grab her by the wrist and stop her half way.

"Leave this place. It's in enough danger already. Search for land elsewhere with that stupid Prince of yours." he spat out only for (y/n) to draw her sword off its scabbard and point it at him.

"Lower your weapons, and I'll lower mine. That's an order from your Queen." she spoke, her voice stern.

Reluctantly, everyone lowered their weapons to the ground and remained kneeled down while waiting for her to speak up again after she withdrew hers.

"I've been informed about the attack. Unfortunately, I didn't know who did it until today. However, I was disappointed to hear you believed I had taken part in it."

She grit her teeth while watching everyone look at her with fear in their eyes.

"Whatever Prince Monoma, or his guards, told you about me was just a calumny. I was never going to put your village in any danger, let alone harm you. When I heard about this village from your leader, I got heartbroken when he told me about the things my parents did to you and your families." she continued, her voice softening mid sentence. "I came here not only to gain your trust, but to also make an agreement with him for eternal peace between you and the royal family. I think a handshake will do, since your leader doesn't really follow contracts."

She glanced at Bakugou and took off one of her gloves, extending her hand towards his direction while waiting patiently for his agreement. His eyes softened when they met hers, clearly knowing how much pain her heart had suffered the last couple of days.

He shook her hand and then bowed deeply, the villagers doing the same one after another. After three full seconds she pulled her hand away and wore her glove, making her way slowly towards her horse.

"Wait! Stay here tonight."