The Stars Guide Us; They do not Bind Us - TodoMomo

||Chapter 5||

"There's been rumors that Lord Aoyama, from the south, may be... sympathetic to the bastard's side. Maybe even housing some of the bastard's men."

"Oh?" Shigaraki raises a brow, and a small smile curls on his lips as he picks up his golden chalice. "We better invite Lord Aoyama to come assure us of where his loyalties lie."

"Of course, my liege." The knight bows his head, but doesn't move to stand.

Shigaraki's eyes narrow slightly. "Is there something else?" he asks, looking over his cup.

The knight hesitates; his eyes glance towards Shigaraki's left where a man with dark burn wounds sits pushing around the food on his plate.

Todoroki Toya — her cousin's right hand man and the Lord of the North.

Momo finds it interesting that her cousin keeps him around. He would have been the heir to the throne if not for his father disowning him and naming his youngest son his successor.

But then again, her cousin has always liked violence and Toya has a disposition for it.

"You can speak freely, knight." Shigaraki's voice is light, but there is a hint of impatience laced in his words.

The man lowers his head. "Of course, my king." He clears his throat. "There have been rumors that the Lord Toya's brother is among the men."

This catches the burned man's attention and he sits forward in his chair. "Oh? Is that so...And you're sure of these rumors?"

The man nods. "One of the spies identified a man with a curse mark that is identical to the one my Lord gave to his brother."

Momo doesn't have to see Toya's face to know the maniacal gleam in his eyes. Even she knows of his hatred for his younger brother. "I better have a look myself then."

Shigaraki waves him away blithely.

"Do you hear that, dear cousin?" he asks, once the men are gone. His smile is a little too wide. "We'll catch those traitors who killed your parents. I swear to you that I'll make sure your parents are avenged."

Momo lowers her head and dips a spoonful of steaming soup, but it tastes cold on her tongue.

XXXXXX

"Are you not researching the curse tonight?"

Her companion's fingers still over a leather bound book. Momo notes that he seems more haggard tonight. Dark circles sit under his striking heterochromatic eyes and his red and white hair is unbrushed.

It's the first time he's visited in a while.

"I've... gotten a sudden urge to read about Hizashi Yamada," he says slowly.

"The war general?"

He doesn't answer and instead pulls the book down from the shelf.

Momo swallows thickly as she watches him leaf through a few pages. Her hands tighten around the sides of the books in her arms, and she looks away. "Yamada — he always gets the most attention, but he was just a peacock in uniform. My favorite general is Tsunagu Hakamada, for his tactics."

She can feel her companion's eyes on her. Momo licks her lips and wavers, for a moment, before moving towards a bookshelf further towards the back of the library. She can't hear her companion's footfalls but knows he is following her.

Momo stops in front of one of the shelves. Her eyes run along all the spines before reaching up and pulling a plain book from the shelf. "Yamada had a good publisher, but his strategies weren't all that sound. Tsunagu is the better strategist."

Her companion raises a brow as he stares at her, and Momo gets the impression that he is coming to a new conclusion about her. "I didn't know they taught war strategies in Princess class?"

Momo shifts. Her cheeks feel warm. "They don't." She looks down at her feet. "I have a lot of free time."

"I'll take your advice," he says after a moment.

XXXXXX

Momo stares blankly, trying to disassociate from the scene. The rowdy crowds. The wooden stand. The line of the usurper's men kneeling before the blade.

She is dressed in her best; Shigaraki wouldn't have her in anything less when he is trying to make an example. Her mother's prized golden necklace with a Phoenix tear hangs around her neck.

Shigaraki curls his hands into tight fists on the arms of his chair. His knuckles are white.

The majority of the usurper's men have escaped, and her cousin is craving vengeance for the embarrassment. The golden crown reflects off of his white hair like a halo, and he smiles, his eyes shining in malicious glee.

The crown sitting atop her cousin's head is gold adorned with rubies and diamonds.

It is a symbol of power. A symbol of the prosperity and richness of their nation.

Momo thinks it's hideous.

She crosses her hands demurely in front of herself to hide the shaking. She knows if she shows any emotions that she will pay for it later. Her cousin doesn't like weakness.

Shigaraki raises his hand and the crowd roars. The executioner raises his sword.

Momo hopes in her next life she can be someone strong enough to save others.

XXXXXX

"What are you doing?"

The night air shifts behind her and Momo can feel her companion looking over her shoulder. Her stomach curls slightly but she ignores the feeling.

"Coming up with a cure for your client," Momo says without looking up as her quill scratches out a point. "We haven't found a counter spell to your patron's dark curse, so I'm inventing one."

"Do you think you can?" He sounds almost curious.

"We'll see, but I think I can."