Love's Flame {Shoto Todoroki x Reader}

Chapter Twenty-Two

*Third Person POV*

The carriage ride was less than pleasant for Shoto, despite the breathtaking view from his window. The sun was just setting, an orangeish-pink hue covered the sky as the sun floated down.

As Shoto stared out into space, his mind only filled with thoughts of (Y/N), the carriage came to a halt.

Shoto raised a brow. He pulled back the curtain separating him from the driver. "What's going on?" He asked.

"We've arrived on the road to the Capital, Prince," He answered. "But we've been stopped by guards. Shall I deal with them, or you?"

Shoto sighed and looked down. "Do as you need..."

The driver nodded and hoped off the carriage seat. He heard the driver speak kindly toward the guards, but not give a reason for their arrival.

The guards, only doing their job, asked them to leave unless they had a purpose for entering the Capital kingdom.

Shoto winced and closed his eyes tightly at the horrific yelling from the guards. It wasn't long before it was silent was again.

The driver jumped back on and moved the curtain. "Sorry about that, Prince. But we are now able to move forward." He smiled as if he did nothing, but Shoto noticed the slight smear of red on the driver's cheek.

"I... I understand." Shoto responded. "You may continue."

"Yes, my Prince." The driver closed the curtain. "Alright, soldiers! Get moving again!" He yelled.

As the horses trotted once again, Shoto was left to the view of the sunset and the sound of one hundred thousand soldiers marching behind them...

_____

It wasn't till dark that they enter the town of the Capital, and the streets were filled with music and dancers. They were having a festival, but it all stopped when the villagers caught eye of the carriage and army.

Before they had time to react, the villagers were stormed by the soldiers. Screams echoed through the once bright and joyous streets. The carriage trotted pass the begging villager who pleaded for rescue. Shoto stared at the seat in front of him, trying to space out from the cries of the people.

The carriage stopped again, but this time, at the gates of the castle. King All Might's castle. He was famous for his riches and his multiple wives and children but was considered a saint in the eyes of many. They went so far as the call him 'The Symbol of Peace'.

The driver dealt with the guards and entered passed the gates. Shoto breathed deeply, trying to calm down for his next task.

The carriage stopped for its final time, and Shoto hopped out when the driver opened the door. Despite what the driver had done, he still said his thanks and strutted to the front doors of the castle. Around 20 hundred men stood behind him as Shoto pushed the doors opened. They revealed a towering person in the shadows.

The soldiers were about to advance, but Shoto held them back. "I'm here to see King All Might. If you don't allow me to pass peacefully, I'll have to use force."

The figure stepped out. "I'm right here, Shoto Todoroki, son of my neighbouring king, Endeavor," He announced.

Shoto fought the urge to correct him and continued with his father's plan. "King All Might, I request you give us full power over the Capital imminently." He demanded.

"No one owns the Capital, my boy." All Might lectured. "The only reason my kingdom stands here is so that I'm able to watch over and protect them. They have lives and wills of their own, they need no ruler."

"If you're only here for that, then explain how I'm able to kill all those villagers in the Capital and your guards with such ease," Shoto smirks when All Might's face falls. "Get on your knees, old man,"

"You're fiddling with a dangerous plan there, boy..." All Might said while kneeling. "These people have done no ill will."

'I know...' He thought.

The guards stormed the castle. "Capture anyone you see, leave no place unlooked or I'll have your head!"

Shoto and two guards walked up to the bowing All Might. "Shall we throw him with the rest of the lot, Prince?" One asked.

"No, separate him from the rest, I want him in the deepest dungeon of the castle, understood?" Shoto ordered.

"Understood!" The guards said in unison.

Suddenly, Shoto had a flashback of him and (Y/N). They were playfully arguing over how they always spoke in agreement over their same likes and dislikes. He always loved it when (Y/N) would flare up red when he was able to easily guess them as well, her cheek would get so red.

Shoto stood unfazed as the guards dragged King All Might away, who didn't utter a word. Shoto shook his head from his depressed state and walked up the stairs to find the King's office.

It took awhile, but eventually, he found his way there. Shoto sat at the desk the desk and took out paper and a feather pen. He began to write a letter to King Endeavor about his progress as ordered to do.

While writing, all he could think about was the shameless things he's done. Though he may not have held his sword to a live, it was under his command, and therefore his fault for the lost lives of the people.

_______

A guard had entered the room and explained that they had successfully taken over the Capital and that among the villagers, one thousand out of ten were killed. The rest were threatened into the loyalty of silence and peace or their lives would be lost as well.

This raid took over a span of four days and by then, word had gotten around about the Capital, and small kingdoms, scared of what may happen, willingly gave in before attacks started.

Shoto, in only days, had ruined these peaceful nations and people. He knew that his actions would start wars, but the thing is that:

This wasn't his plan. He's a pawn, being pulled along by his King.

But nobody knew of that, not even his men, and he was forced to keep quiet, or else (Y/N) would be in danger of being killed.

Shoto had already killed a thousand innocent villagers... He couldn't add (Y/N) to the list.

'This is all for her. This is all for her. This is all for her.' Shoto repeated in thought, trying to keep sane.

He loved (Y/N) with every fibre of his being, but he knew that what he's done couldn't be looked over, not even by her.

He'd messed up everything under the plan of his father's.

He didn't deserve (Y/N) love.

He didn't deserve (Y/N) at all.

~*~*~*~

Soooo, yeah, that happened. Sorry, this chapter was a bit depressing, but it's what Endeavor forced Shoto to do.

In case you're confused about the plan:

Endeavor orders Shoto to take over the Capital kingdom, which is under the 'rule' of All Might. If he is able to take it over, the other kingdoms, who've made alliances with the Capital, would crumble and back down from power. At that point, Shoto would have to send soldiers to secure that kingdom while he is stationed in the Capital. Endeavor's end goal in all this is to take over all the kingdoms and strike fear into them.

So yeah, that's what Shoto has to do to ensure you are safe. So he's currently going insane because of it. He wants to protect you, but he knows he's gone too far.

I'll end this A/N here.

Thanks for reading!

Buh-Bye.

*~Lace V. Rose~*

(Word Count: 1233 Words)