royally arranged

Carriage Ride [chapter 13]

"All kids going to school, out the door!" Rei entered the room all of her kids (along with you) were sitting in.

It was just after breakfast, all of those below the age of twenty cooped up in a room near the entrance of the palace. You and Fuyumi were talking about some book you had just recently read. Touya and Natsuo finding small ways to annoy their younger brother, and Shoto getting more frustrated with his brothers with each passing minute.

"Yes ma'am," Fuyumi said softly, standing up and flattening out her dress with a warm smile. She, you, Shoto, and Natsuo started heading for the door.

"Have fun training those new guards!" Natsuo waved to his older brother, "I hope they're a pain in the ass!"

"Have a great day at school!" Touya waved back, "I hope you fail all of your tests or whatever!"

The two of them laughed before actually giving a proper and kind good bye. The door to the room closed, leaving Touya by himself while the younger three siblings along with you walked down the hall and closer to the doors of the castle.

"What kind of classes are these?" you asked Fuyumi, curious about the whole thing since you hadn't once been informed of the things you were allowed to leave castle grounds to learn.

"You know, average school things," Fuyumi answered, "Along with etiquette class. The place is for us along with nobles."

You nodded your head, though you still had no clue what that meant. Leading you to question the girl further, "What do you do at a normal school?"

All three of them pause, turning to stare at you with disbelief. You looked in between the three of them with innocence.

"You poor child," Natsuo moved closer to you and hugged you, "How sheltered are you?"

"I wasn't allowed to leave the castle until I was ten. And even then, I still had to stay within a 100 meter radius of castle grounds, along with bringing like ten guards," you answered.

"And I thought I had it bad," Shoto mumbled under his breath, starting back up walking. He pushed open the doors of the palace, holding them open for everyone until all of you were outside.

You watched as a carriage pulled up, all four of you making your way down the many steps that were built in front of the palace. Your dress was bunched up in your hands, a cloak covering most of your body from the cold weather.

After a minute or so of having to go down the steps, you heaved a sigh of relief. Looking to the side you could see Natsuo and Fuyumi lightly panting. The coach opened the door to the back of the carriage, gesturing for you to go inside.

"Who the fuck decided it would be a good idea to put all those steps there?"Natsuo asked as soon as the door to the carriage closed.

You and Fuyumi sat on one of the cushioned benches while Shoto and Natsuo sat across from you on the other. After feeling the carriage start to move, the conversation from before started back up again.

"You seriously weren't allowed to leave your castle?" Fuyumi spoke up first, gaining the attention of her two brothers who looked at you with curiosity.

"No," you answered honestly, shaking your head from side to side. "Everything I ever needed was inside, and all desires I had were thrown out the window when my father always said no to letting me leave."

Shoto looked at you with slight pity, "At a normal school you learn, make acquaintances and sometimes friends. You are forced to take tests and do many things that you could consider fun."

Your eyes lit up with excitement at his short explanation, "You mean I can meet other people my age who aren't just maids or royals?"

Shoto slowly nodded his head before turning his face to look out of the window.

"How painful was it to be stuck in your castle for 15 years?" Natsuo asked, ignoring the glare Fuyumi sent his way for asking such a question.

You hummed in thought for a moment, pursing your lips into a thin line before answering, "Torture. I was only allowed to see my younger brother, our maids, butlers, and knights, along with a few other staff members who served my father. Life wasn't as bad when my mother was there but then—"

You stopped yourself from talking, not wanting to think back on the horrible day that ruined you, Nikos, and just about everyone else from your kingdom once a small part of the news got out.

"Never mind," you slouched a bit, tone changing as you rested your chin in your hands. Your elbow was propped up while you stared blankly or the window. "Sorry."

Fuyumi and Natsuo stared at you with much confusion, wanting to ask what was bothering you but also not wanting to cross boundaries that shouldn't be crossed. They silently exchanged glances, Natsuo begging Fuyumi to ask her with his eyes since he was too nervous to ask himself.

The rest of the ride you were silent, the other three Todorokis engaging in conversations that ranged from a variety of different things. It was mostly Fuyumi and Natsuo talking with Shoto occasionally adding in his own opinions.

They didn't bother to try and ask you questions, thinking it would make you happier to be left alone with your thoughts for a bit.

"Is that the place?" you asked them, pointing out your window at a huge building that looked rather fancy for not being part of castle territory. You only assumed such things because you passed through a gate before being able to see said building.

"Yeah," Shoto nodded, keeping his answer short.

"It looks aesthetically pleasing," you commented, studying every inch of the outside of the building from afar.

"Is that an insult or a compliment?" Natsuo asked.

"It was meant as a compliment," you answered honestly, brows furrowing a bit as you continued, "Did it come off as offensive? If so, how?"

Natsuo stared at you bewildered, mouthing hanging slightly agape. You could hear Fuyumi snicker from beside you. Natsuo slowly turned to Shoto who was aimlessly looking around the carriage.

"Keep an eye on her," Natsuo put his hands on his younger brother's shoulders, making the male turn his full body so he was looking at him, "Make sure she doesn't say anything fucked up. And bring her back alive."

"If you don't," Fuyumi started to say, a huge smile plastered on her face. Something that didn't prepare Shoto for what his older sister was about to say, "There will be consequences."

And just as she finished her sentence, the doors to the carriage were opened. Fuyumi was the first to step out, and you directly after her.

Shoto stared at Natsuo with shock, the older of the two mimicking his younger brother's expression. Neither of them expected it at all.

"Come on!" Fuyumi called out to the two boys who still sat in the carriage, "We'll be late if you keep on taking your sweet little time."