royally arranged

Creek [chapter 9]

"Y/n and Shoto," Enji came walking out of the palace, looking you, Shoto, Touya, and Natsuo up and down. "You will be working together against Touya and Natsuo."

The four of you were currently standing still in a line, waiting to hear what training routine Enji was going to put you through that day. For you, it was your first time ever training with them, but judging by how tense the atmosphere was, you could tell you had to take this seriously.

"Yes sir," the boys said in unison, you awkwardly shifting from foot to foot since you had no clue what to do.

Fuyumi was currently off doing her own private training Enji had assigned her to do. She had a less strict workout and typically finished by the time the boys were halfway through their own. She would watch after finishing her's, cheering on her brothers to the best of her ability.

"So what's on our schedule today? Maybe a nice and relaxing picnic," Touya asked, his voice monotoned though you could tell he was being very sarcastic with that statement.

"Why would we—?" Shoto started to question under his breath before getting his older brother was only joking, "oh."

"No. You will be sparring against each other, but not one on one. You will be in pairs," Enji answered, a scowl present on his face as he sent a glare Touya's way. The black haired male simply shrugged it off with a small smirk.

"Really? Never would've guessed we were working in pairs," Natsuo chortled sarcastically, staring dead ahead at Enji who moved his glare for Touya to Natsuo.

"Can I at least warm up first?" Shoto asked, looking around like he was the most bored person in the world.

"You may. You all have 5 minutes," Enji nodded, "Go."

Enji walked away from you after starting a timer on a stopwatch. Touya and Natsuo walked off somewhere, leaving you and Shoto alone to do whatever.

The prince you were left with walked a little ways away from you and started stretching. You did the same, going based off the routine your dad had drilled into your mind back when you lived in that palace. Your thoughts started to wander again as you subconsciously did your routine.

You were almost seven at the time, Nikos just barely being the age of two. You stood in a creek with a low tide, barefoot with excited eyes. The water came up to about your ankles. Nikos sat at the shore, splashing away at the water that was in front him with a massive fit of giggles. He was still discovering much about the world.

"Y/n, dear," your mother called, her dress bunched up in her hands as she stood on a small rock, letting water only touch her feet. "Does the water feel nice?"

You looked down in the clear water, watching as a small amount of tiny fish swam by your feet, making you look down at them with a smile. You nodded your head, "Yeah!"

Mealonie sat next to Nikos, carefully watching him though a huge genuine smile was placed on her face. She would occasionally splash some water too, Nikos laughing even harder when she did it since the water managed to get higher in the air.

"Be careful not to cut your feet on any rocks or sticks lady y/n," Mealonie warned you, noticing a certain stick that was poking out of the water close to you.

"Ok Mellie!" you chirped, turning to face her with a beaming smile on your face.

You turned back to your mother after hearing the sound of a loud splash. Water arose in the air around where your mother had jumped. You and Nikos stared in amazement before laughing.

"I wanna try!" you declared, picking up your dress just like your mother had done her own and starting to walk through the water to the rock she had been standing on.

"Come on," your mother stuck her hand out to you with a kind smile. You accepted her hand, your birth giver pulling you closer to her and picking you up before setting you down on the rock. "On the count of three, I'm going to let go of your hand and you're going to jump down right on the spot I was in."

You nodded your head eagerly, a grin on your face and eyes brimming with pure excitement and joy. You felt your mother's grip on your hand loosen a bit once she knew you were standing steady on the rock.

"1," you mother began counting, "2. 3! Jump!"

She let go of your hand and you complied to what she said, jumping into the creek. Water came up all around you just like it had your mother, making you let out giggles. You looked over to your mother who was standing tall with a content smile on her face.

"Was that fun?" she asked, pushing some hair that had fell in her face to the side. She put her hands on her hips, a smirk on her face.

You instantly nodded your head up and down, looking over to Nikos who had stood up and started walking into the water. Mealonie was quick to follow after him, making sure he didn't drown.

"Mommy?" you asked curiously, continuing when you received a hum from your mother that told you she was listening to you, "Why doesn't daddy like doing this with us?"

You mother froze. She looked towards Mealonie who looked back at her with a sad smile. You mother let out a small sigh before turning her eyes to your figure and offering you a smile. One that didn't reach her eyes.

"Because he has work to do," she partially lied. In all honesty, your mother spent alone time with you and Nikos to get her mind off your horrible father who she had been unfortunate enough to be forced to marry.

"He always has a lot of work," you mumbled with a small pout, perking back up immediately when Nikos called you over.

"Y/n!" he butchered your name slightly, but still pretty much got it. You walked over to him with your own smile.

"Y/n," Shoto shook your shoulders, having somewhat of a worried look on his face. He had been calling out to you for the last minute or so, trying to warn you the warmup time was almost over.

You blinked rapidly, shaking your own head. The small smile that once graced your features when you were thinking back on the memory disappeared completely. Your face returned to it's neutral one, you pushing the prince's hands off your shoulders.

"What?" you asked, standing up straighter than you had been before.

"We'll officially begin training in about thirty seconds," Shoto warned, his tone matching the harshness you accidentally displayed in your own.

"Yeah, yeah," you waved him off, standing back in the spot you were in before starting to warmup your body, "Whatever."

"Don't 'whatever' me," the youngest Todoroki narrowed his eyes at you.

You turned your body, looking him dead in the eyes, "Whatever."

"Why you little—"

"Don't hurt your princess now~" Touya's teasing voice chimed in, the male coming up from behind you with Natsuo by his side, "That wouldn't look very good for our family name, little Shoto."

"Oh, shut up," the heterochromatic haired boy spat, "You're acting as if dad doesn't hurt mom."

Your eyes widened slightly at what he said.

I'm finding more similarities between the Todorokis and my family every single day.

"Shush," Natsuo hissed, "Enji's going to hear you."

"Right, sorry," Shoto mumbled, turning away from his brothers as the three of them went back to their original spots, awaiting the arrival of Enji once again.