The sun was beginning to rise by the time the prince was finished training. Or at the least, taking a break. Todoroki wiped his brow, sheathing his sword and heading back toward the castle. The corridors were still empty; he spotted a few occasional servants or knights here and there, but nothing more.

Up until he reached his bedroom, of course.

A woman in red was standing in the doorway as he approached. The prince sighed and perched an eyebrow. "Mandalay," he greeted.

The red knight grinned. "Your highness. You're up early. Or should I say, up late?" At his feigned confusion, her grin turned into a smirk. "You really didn't think Tsuchikawa would tattle on you?"

Todoroki shook his head slightly, unsure if he should be mad or upset that Pixie-Bob didn't trust him to be able to protect himself without supervision. He pushed passed her, going over to his bed. Mandalay watched him curiously.

"Would you mind telling me why you were up so late?"

"Had a weird dream. Couldn't fall back to sleep. Decided to train instead." He looked back over his shoulder. "When did you become such a parent?"

"When did you become such a brat?" Shoto frowned and she laughed. "Your father assigned me to you. Of course I'd be a little questiony."

"A little?"

"Hey, at least I don't constantly hover over you, right?"

"Debatable." He undid his sword's holster, laying it on his bedside table. "Why are you here again?"

"Your father wishes to speak with you. He came to get you himself earlier, but you weren't in your room."

Great. What is it this time? "I don't want to see that prissy ass princess if that's what it's about. I already need a break from her..."

Mandalay's mouth flattened into a thin line, and she averted her eyes to the floor. "Actually..."

The prince turned to see the tight look on her face. "What is it?"

"She's gone."

"Gone?" He paused and looked her right in the eyes. She nodded. He shouldn't have been too surprised; all of them eventually ran off. But why so soon? She had only just arrived last night... He let out a breath of frozen air and tilted his head back, closing his eyes. "Any idea on where she might have gone?"

"Not so far, no."

The prince shook his head and grabbed his sword again, hooking the holster back around his waist. "I need some air."

"But you've only just returned from your training; don't you think you should rest a little?" Mandalay pointed out. He ignored her, walking back out of the room. His muscles ached, his legs begging for him to sit. But he could live with it. He had learned at an early age that your body's physical exhaustion was a sign of weakness; you had to push through it. If you gave in during a battle, you'd be killed in an instant. Dead. Just like that.

As the future king, he could not have that.

"Shoto."

Todoroki looked up, realizing he'd walked all the way to the lower levels of the castle. He looked to his right, spotting his father in the throne room. The king was watching him intently with those piercing orbs that bore right into his soul. The prince looked back down the hallway, wondering briefly if Mandalay had followed him, then sighed. Guess I'm already here.

He stepped inside the throne room, closing the door behind him. Enji stood just a few feet away, his arms folded over his chest. He did not look happy.

But then again, when did he ever?

"What do you want?" He asked rather grumpily, just wanting to be alone already.

"Do you have something you'd like to tell me? Perhaps something you may have received a short while ago?" The king's voice was disconcerting; he was not pleased. It was gruff, and he was obviously angry about something his son hadn't a clue of.

"Something I may have receive-?" he paused, then reached into his pocket. The king's gaze unbelievably darkened.

"Ah, so you have. You wouldn't happen to be looking for this, now would you?" He flicked up his middle and index fingers, the little white envelope between his fingertips without moving his arms at all. The prince's eyes widened, then narrowed in annoyance.

"What, are you some kind of pick-pocketer now?"

"Where did you get it?"

"It's mine," Todoroki said firmly. "A messenger informed me directly that it was meant for my eyes only. And you went and stole it from me?"

"There's another woman for you to meet," Enji stated simply. "You will meet her within the next few days at the earliest."

Shoto's annoyance only escalated at the news, his left eye flickering between colors. "What the hell? You fucking bastard, is marrying me off really that important? That Saiko chick has just been reported missing, and you're already bringing some new girl in to take her place? Or did you not know about that little detail? What the hell is wrong with-"

"I know full well of her disappearance, Shoto," Enji hissed, looking down at him and putting the letter away. "You will meet her. She is already on her way to the Kingdom of Fire and Ice."

Todoroki growled, his hands balled into fists. The faint crackling of ice could be heard in the vast, silent space. "And you're only telling me this now? I don't want to meet some stuck-up princess from another kingdom! How many more are you going to bring here, only for them to never be heard from again? Huh? What's the goddamn point to any of this? I'm. Not. Marrying. Anyone."

"Then you will never be king."

"Then so be it! I never asked to be king anyway. Screw the whole idea for all I c-" He grimaced, bringing a hand to his head as his eyes clamped shut. The king's mouth twitched at the sight, and he suppressed the sudden urge to smile.

"You cannot avoid this."

He opened his gray eye, scowling through his narrowed vision. "Watch me." He turned on his heels, heading for the door. The king watched his son go, unfolding his arms with burning eyes.

"Shoto, you can't just-"

He slammed the door behind him, loud enough for it to echo through the empty halls. Todoroki glared at the closed door a moment longer, then turned to walk away, only to run into something solid. The prince stepped back from the force, while whatever he had run into stumbled back onto the floor.

"I-I'm sorry!" it quickly apologized. Todoroki rubbed his eyes, trying to keep his splitting headache at bay. When he looked up again, he was met with a pair of beautiful onyx eyes.

You...