Archive of Our Own ^beta

It's useless to dream because nothing ever changes. 

Yaoyorozu Momo has come to accept this. The fickleness of fate that young maidens whisper of in wistful voices does not reach her position. Since birth, her destiny, like so many princesses before her, has been inked on vellum contracts and in expensive lineage trees.

So perhaps it is because of this — or despite it — that on dark nights Momo finds herself sneaking out of her bedroom and heading back towards the one wing of the castle where she can pretend, if only for a few hours, that she is the master of her own fate.

Bare feet glide silently as owl wings across cold stone floors. The hallway is empty. There are no tapestries or rugs here, nothing that could mask the footsteps of intruders.

She clutches a golden lantern in her left hand, but it’s unlit.  Momo can’t risk kindling the fire until she is tucked away in the safety of the library where the guards can’t find her — where her cousin, the King, can’t find her.

She knows she has to be careful. Her position is precarious. 

When the old king, All Might, had died suddenly without an heir, it had left a vacancy that ambitious nobles quickly rose to contest over. During the ensuing five year war, the first and second successors to the throne were deposed.

It was during this time her cousin, Shigaraki Tomura, claimed the crown. 

But his position as monarch remains uncertain. The old nobles don’t truly accept him as king. He wasn’t in line for the throne. And with rumors that the third successor is still alive and working with All Might’s illegitimate son as insurgents, the nobility are divided in their support.

That is why she is here. Due to a complicated and convoluted succession process, she is fourth in line to the crown. If her cousin marries her, the lords that keep to the old ways will fall in line.

She is the link Shigaraki needs to hold the throne. 

Momo presses up against the bare stone wall at the juncture of the hallway. The stones chill her through her long nightgown, but she ignores the cold as she holds her breath. Her heart pounds in her chest as she listens for the heavy footfalls of the palace guards. 

She may be the link Shigaraki needs to win but her life is still that of a pawn. A piece on her cousin’s chessboard, only slightly more valuable alive than dead. And alive has varying definitions. If her cousin catches her sneaking around, he may not take the kinder definition.  

In the distance an owl hoots. 

Momo waits, listening for a moment longer. The corridor is silent, there are no other sounds besides her heartbeat. She breathes a sigh of relief, relaxing, then hurries around the corner to stop before two large mahogany doors.

The hallway is too dark to make out the ornate trim that details the tales of heroes and kings of old but Momo remembers the curves and cuts of each story etched into the wood. She cracks one of the doors open just wide enough to slip through. 

Inside the library is impressive, larger than anything she has ever seen. Aisles and shelves of books with a large spiral staircase lead to a second story with paths running along with more shelves. A railing of ornate spindle work and gingerbread detailing encloses the balcony.

Against the opposite wall, expansive windows are carved into the stone, providing just enough light to illuminate the library in a soft glow. 

Momo closes the heavy door behind her and then makes her way over to ascend the stairs. 

Shigaraki never allows her into the library without a chaperone, someone loyal and handpicked by him. And even then he forbids her from the second floor, where books on magic, warfare and independence line the shelves. 

A princess shouldn’t concern herself with the topics of men, dear cousin.

Her bare feet patter against the stones. The autumn moon is full tonight, illuminating her path as Momo makes her way down the aisles. The thick tomes that line the shelves stare down at her as if they know that she isn’t allowed, but Momo continues on, towards the back of the library, her sanctuary.

She exits a row of bookshelves and a cold wind blows around her, ruffling her nightgown. Momo instantly stills and looks up. A chill rakes down her spine.

The window before her is open. 

The windows in the palace are never open.

Her breath feels like lead in her chest. Momo stumbles back. The shadows behind her shift and a hand suddenly darts out of the darkness, grabbing her and spinning her around to pin her against the bookshelf before she can even scream.

The force knocks the unlit lamp from Momo’s fingers. It clangs as it hits the stone floor and rolls away. 

She gasps in shock and a rough hand covers her mouth. Instinctively, Momo’s own hands shot up, trying to pull the intruder’s fingers away, but the grip over her mouth is like a vice. She can’t get free.

The wood of the bookshelf digs into her skin through her nightdress as she struggles.

“Be still,” a man’s deep voice commands close to her ear.

Momo instantly freezes.

Her eyes dart up. An intruder in a black robe looms over her. The hood that covers his face seems to blend his features into the darkness but his eyes shine, silver and a brilliant turquoise.

The deadliness in them is palpable. A wolf in human clothing.

The temperature seems to drop around them. A whimper climbs up Momo's throat as the intruder leans forward and plants his other hand above her head. Their faces are mere centimeters apart now. She can feel his icy breath upon her cheek.

Momo’s skin prickles, and she closes her eyes reflexively. She tries to shrink away but the bookshelf behind her won’t budge. Her chest stutters in tiny, rapid inhalations as she realizes this may be her last few minutes alive.

I don’t want to die!

I don’t want to die!

It’s not fair... 

Everything in her life has been taken from her. Fate has taken her parents. Her home. Her freedom. When will it be enough?

Suddenly, Momo is filled with explosive anger. Her hands tremble. Her life is not her own but she’s still a princess. A Yaoyorozu. Even if destiny wills for her to die here, she will not stand before her fate cowering in fear.

Momo’s fingers tighten on his hand. Her nails bite into his flesh; her eyes snap open, and she glares at him with all the fiery rage she feels at her position in life. 

Her anger seems to surprise the intruder. He blinks, his eyes flashing momentarily with an emotion she can’t read, before his expression steels behind a cold wall of insouciance. And Momo feels her anger doused as quickly as it had ignited.

Fear washes back over her. She is suddenly acutely aware of how close he is. How his body is pushed against hers indecently. His leg pressed between her own, pinning her to the wall.

Struggling to tamp down on the panic rising inside of her, Momo forces herself to look back up and meet his silver and blue gaze. His expression is masked as he stares down at her as though considering what to do.

“Don’t scream,” he finally says. Then hesitates, as if unsure, before adding. “Nod if you understand.”

Her heart pounds heavily against her ribs.

It’s a bargain; her life in exchange for silence.

It doesn’t make sense. The rational side of her mind points to the fact that it isn’t beneficial for an intruder to have witnesses. 

This could be a trap. A false hope that he will spare her when, in fact, he only intends to rape her before silencing her forever. Momo’s stomach twists.

It’s a gamble, but her options are limited. She will have to take her chances and trust him.

Momo swallows thickly and gives a short jerk of her head in assent.

The intruder studies her for a moment longer, then slowly removes his hand and draws back enough to stare down at her.

She breathes in a shaky breath. Now that he isn’t supporting her, Momo can feel her legs tremble under her own weight. She forces herself to straighten. She will not show weakness.

He watches her with those unnerving eyes for a moment longer, assessing if she will keep her promise. Then he steps back and turns, jumping up onto the open window’s ledge and disappearing into the night.

Momo slides down to the floor and sits frozen, trying to control her heartbeat. Her hands are shaking. She watches the window until her heart stops pounding painfully, then rises and returns to her room, shaken.  

She wonders if she should tell her cousin or at least one of the guards, maybe Iida Tenya, but decides against it.

She is inconsequential, a pawn only slightly more valuable alive then dead.

It would matter little to her cousin if the intruder had killed her.

It takes two weeks before Momo has rebuilt her courage to venture back down the dark, quiet hallways towards the library. The hooded man isn’t there, and she feels the tight knot in her stomach uncoil.

Slowly, Momo returns to her normal nighttime routine. 

It’s a moonless night when the dark bandit returns.

There is a soft click of a latch turning. Momo freezes as the air suddenly shifts and the hooded figure appears in the windowsill of the library. His cloak flickers around him, hiding his figure except for those piercing heterochromatic eyes that shine in the glow of her lamp.

There is a moment's pause as they stare at one another. His gray and blue eyes are wide. It is evident he didn’t expect to see her again.

Momo's heart pounds. She can almost imagine him asking if she is going to scream once more. And part of her wonders if she should. It would certainly be the right thing to do. He is an intruder, a thief possibly but — if she alerts the guards — she will be found out and never be able to sneak back into the library.

More than that, the guard on duty, Iida Tenya, will be punished and it will be because of her. She will lose the only person kind to her.

Momo's fingers tighten around the book in her hands. She holds it up slightly, as if in greeting.

The stranger seems to relax at the gesture. He slides silently into the room and disappears down one of the aisles.

Momo sits silently for a moment. When her heartbeat is normal, she returns to her story.

The dark intruder comes more often after that. His visits are always irregular; sometimes he visits a few days in a row, other times he shows up after a week or two.

Momo suspects that he must have bribed one of the guards to let him in. A regular intruder without connections wouldn’t be able to get past Shigaraki’s men.

Then again, he isn’t a regular intruder.

He moves through the library like a wraith. His magicked cloak swirls around him, blending him into the shadows as he pores over books but he never steals any. He’s smart enough for that. 

The walls are enchanted to alert the King’s innermost guards if anyone removes one of the volumes. It’s ancient magic that only those with connections to the royal family and a few select guards know about.

She wonders how he learned. 

Perhaps it comes with the trade.

He has pulled back his hood to read and it’s the first time Momo is able to glimpse what the dark intruder looks like.

The light from her golden lamp shines, highlighting short hair that is perfectly split between red and white. It is unique coloring and not a surprise that he has to use an enchanted cloak to disguise his features.

Her eyes trail lower over his face. There’s a scar covering his left eye that she hasn’t noticed before. But in the flickering light of her lantern, she can distinguish the discolored flesh.

A curse mark.

Probably meant to kill him, but perhaps miscast or canceled. Incomplete.

He’s lucky to be alive.

Momo stumbles forward with a gasp before catching herself. The bones of the corset bite into her flesh through the silk undergarments, cinching her waist smaller.

Her personal handmaid - the only maid who never changes - Himiko Toga, stands behind her pulling on the lace strings. 

“No pain, no gain,” Toga says in a sing-song voice. “With my help, you’ll be the most beautiful lady in all the land. I’m like your personal fairy godmother! Got to look after my sweet, sweet princess.”

Momo doesn't say anything. 

Toga hums happily as she ties the lace along Momo’s spine. While she works, Momo testingly draws in a slow breath before a sharp pain pokes her as the whale bones squeeze her waist. 

She can't breathe.

Her mouth is dry as she stares at the red and orange flames flickering in the intruder’s hand.

Momo doesn’t know many mages. Sorcery is rare and elemental magic even rarer.

It is said that the old emperor of the Northern lands had been a conjurer of flames, his wife an enchantress of ice. His disowned son, Toya, certainly has his father’s fire magic coursing through his veins. Momo has seen her cousin’s right hand man demonstrate his gift enough to know.

But Toya’s flames are blue and blistering hot. Meant to incinerate and strike fear into all who behold them, allies and foes alike.

The intruder’s fire is warm, and Momo realizes she doesn’t mind it.  

Momo settles back into her usual spot on the floor. It gives her the best view of the entire library, while also allowing for her to remain hidden.

“You really have this down.”

Momo looks up at the dark intruder. He rarely speaks. 

She licks her lips. “Yes,” she says after a moment. “I have to be careful if I don’t want to get caught. People in the castle aren't stupid. The guards have been trained by my cousin, Shigaraki. The only way to stay ahead is by being smarter.”

He nods and turns back to look down at the table where a new set of books are laid out.

Momo watches him for a few moments before returning to her own volume.

“What are you looking for?” Momo asks one night.  

The dark intruder looks up. The light of his flames reflect off of his eyes making him look ferocious.

Momo forces herself to relax as she approaches and places her lamp on the table. It’s been long enough that she knows he won’t hurt her. She pushes her loose hair behind her ear, avoiding his gaze. “I don’t have anything else to do. I don’t mind helping you search.”

He stares at her and his eyebrows furrow as if trying to read her intentions.

Momo is tempted to roll her eyes but refrains herself. It isn’t lady-like.

She looks down at the table and pulls over one of the books he has discarded, History of Curses and Ailments . She flips it open.

“It’s not all out of charity, just so you know,” she says after a moment. Momo doesn’t need to see him to feel her companion’s eyes narrow. “The faster you find what you’re looking for the sooner you’ll leave, and the risk of me being found decreases.” 

She looks up and meets his gray and turquoise gaze. His expression is a mask, and she says. “Think of it as a mutual symbiotic relationship.”

He stares at her, and Momo thinks a faint smile pulls at his lips but it may be a trick of the lamplight.

“It’s for a client,” the intruder says.

Momo looks up from her book at the sound of his voice. It’s deep and husky, pleasing to listen to. “What is?”

“What I’m searching for. My client asked me to look up a cure for a curse he got during the war.”

Momo nods. Then she tilts her head to the side to study him. “But why here? Surely there are safer places to search in than sneaking into the king’s castle.”

He hesitates for a moment. “I’ve been told this is the best library in all of the country. The old king supposedly liked to collect information on countering dark magic.”

Momo stares out her bedroom window at the snow now covering the palace grounds.

It’s lonely and cold in her cousin’s castle with nothing to do besides watch the days slip by.

Sometimes Momo has to wonder if it’s her destiny to decay away in her cousin’s palace.

“Will you tell me what it’s like outside?”

The dark intruder’s fingers still. “What do you mean?”

Momo looks down. “I don’t get news about the outside world. I’d like to know what is happening.”

“Why don’t you ask one of your handmaids? They’d tell you.”

“I can’t.” Momo’s lips twist. “They’re all assigned by my cousin. And Shigaraki changes most of them every few weeks.”

The intruder seems to consider this. “Don’t you have any friends?”

Momo shakes her head. “There is a guard who is kind to me. Sir Iida. But we don’t speak much. He’s the reason I’m able to sneak in here at night. If he spots me I’ll get a scolding but he doesn’t tell Shigaraki.”

The intruder studies her. “What about your parents? They don’t bring you outside?”

Momo looks down at the page open in front of her. “My parents died a few years ago. The insurgents supposedly attacked their carriage on the way home from the capital.”

The dark intruder is silent for a few moments.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

Momo drags in a shaky breath. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”  

Snow drifts down slowly outside the library window.

Momo’s eyebrows rise in surprise. “Socks?”

The intruder shifts. “Your feet are cold, aren’t they?”

Momo blinks and curls her toes against the stone floor. She has gotten used to wandering the castle barefoot. Her wardrobe is in the room next to the maid Shigaraki has assigned her. There is no way for her to sneak out any garments without Toga Himiko knowing.  

The intruder must take her silence as objection. “If you don’t want them I’ll take them back.”

“No,” Momo says quickly, shaking her head and reaching for the woolen pair of socks in his hand. “Thank you. You’re-you’re very considerate.”

He shrugs and looks away. “It's winter and you’re barefoot. If you’re worried about your handmaids finding them, I can bring them with me when I visit.” 

Momo fingers the pair of socks. They’re nicely made. Thick wool of high quality. She looks up and gives him a small smile. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

The back of her neck feels warm.

“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.

“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.

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. 

“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.”

The glass smashes as it hits against the wall. Her cousin paces up and down the room trembling in fury at the news that the usurper's men have not been caught. His hand travels up to his neck, and he scratches himself until blood runs in rivulets down his pale skin like red streams.

Momo stares silently at the floor and imagines that fate has made her someone else. Although she knows it is useless. Dreams aren’t meant for princesses.

“I wish I were a man. Then I could do whatever I wanted,” she says at the end of one night. 

“What would that be? A pirate?” She can almost hear the hint of a smile in his voice. And she can’t help but feel pride for being the one to change his mood. 

He’s been quieter and angrier than usual.

Momo leans forward to poke him, but he dodges away easily. Momo huffs. “Do I look like a pirate to you?” 

“No, you’re too clumsy.”

She goes to poke him again but, as if the universe wants to prove his point, her nightgown catches on the side of the table. Momo stumbles. Her companion catches her arm, steadying her.

Momo feels her face warm. She looks away as he releases her and bends down to deftly untangle the edge of her nightgown from where it’s caught.

“Thank you,” she mumbles. 

He nods, straightening. The playfulness has dissipated from the room. They collect the books from the table and begin to reshelf them.

There were more deaths that week. More insurgents from All Might’s illegitimate son’s army. She had stood there as they burned, unable to do anything to stop it, unable to make her cousin reconsider their sentence.

She is powerless, and she hates it.

“I-I think in my next life I’d like to be a knight,” she says quietly as she pushes the last book back into place and settles back down onto her feet. “I’d like to be someone who can make my own destiny. Maybe I could even leave here, roam the land, protect those in need.” She turns and leans against the wooden bookcase. Her throat feels tight. “It…it feels very confining to be a woman, and a princess most of all.” 

The cloak casts dark shadows over her companion’s face but Momo can feel his attention on her. She licks her lips and turns to lean back against the bookcase. 

She’s never told anyone these dreams before. Men don’t want to listen to a woman’s silly thoughts. 

Her companion is different. He has never judged her for her mind but it is still awkward to voice her dreams aloud, like touching a fresh cut. You never know how bad the sting will be.

And she is ready for the sting. He stares at her for so long Momo is about to recant her ideas when he says. “If you’re a knight, maybe I’d be a princess and you can protect me.”

Momo blinks at his strange answer and then laughs. She can’t remember the last time she laughed. She has forgotten how freeing it is.

“I think I’d like that.”

Momo isn’t a romantic. Someone in her position in life does not get that luxury. She will be married off for political stability. But sometimes, in the dead of night, as she watches her companion’s long fingers flip through pages of old worn books with gentle tenderness, she wonders if this is what it would feel like if she were to be in love.

She pushes those thoughts away quickly. Thinking about something that isn’t for her, won’t do any good.

Her fate has been set since the moment she was born, and nothing will change it.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to break it.” 

Momo stares at the ruby that has fallen out of the golden crown. She swallows thickly and kneels down next to the maid with short brown hair.

She reaches out and covers the woman’s hands with her own. They both knew the maid shouldn’t be in the throne room. “It’s okay. I’ll handle it.”

“But my princess!”

“It’s okay. I’ll tell my cousin it was me.”

“But—he’ll be furious!”

Momo avoids the maid’s gaze. “It’s okay. I’ll think of something.” 

The woman looks up at Momo with a mixture of relief and fear.

Momo reaches out and strokes her short brown hair. This is the only way Momo can help. If her cousin knows who ruined the crown, the maid will be beheaded. The only way to save her is to take the blame.

Her life may be a pawn but she is more valuable alive than dead…for now at least.

“What’s that?”

Momo’s hands still on the page as light footfalls draw closer. She drops her hand holding the lantern by her side and looks down, hoping her long hair and the dark of the library will hide the ugly purple bruising climbing up her neck and splaying over her cheek. 

He stops in front of her. Then warm fingers grasp her chin. Momo flinches slightly at his touch, but her companion doesn’t seem to notice as his hand gently lifts and turns her head towards him. “What happened?”

The words almost sound angry.

Momo stares at his chin. A small, bitter smile curls on her lips. “I did something I shouldn’t have.” She tries to pull back, but his fingers tighten. Not painfully, but enough to keep her in place. “It's nothing.”

The room is cold, even for it being the beginning of spring. She can see her breath in the air. 

Momo reaches up and touches the back of his hand, but he doesn’t remove his fingers. His flesh, just moments before warm, is now icy and rough, like rocks. 

“Does this happen often?” Her skin prickles as his breath ghosts over her skin. A shiver runs down her spine.

She thinks his voice is lower and darker than usual, but it could be her imagination. There is no reason for him to care.

“Sometimes,” she says after a moment. Her opposite hand curls tighter around the lantern handle. “When I anger him.”

Her companion stares at her for a moment longer, before releasing her and stepping away. He pulls his hood up, hiding his expression and the dark stones that have started to protrude from his skin. 

He’s quiet and leaves soon after. It is probably for the best. Momo shouldn’t get her hopes up that he cares.

Dreams aren’t meant for princesses. 

“Here. I brought you something.”

Momo looks up from the book she is poring over, surprised.

Her companion steps closer. Momo holds out her hand, and he drops a pouch into it. It’s unremarkable, a brown drawstring bag that feels weightless in her hands.

He steps back and stares at her. His expression is carefully masked, but something in his posture almost seems uncertain. “It's not much, but I thought you’d like it.”

Momo stares at him for a moment then slowly opens it. A small object no larger than a pebble falls into her hand and her breath catches.

She feels her heartbeat quicken. 

The stone is small, an oval the size of a pebble, but it's radiant.

Her hand shakes. Carefully, she holds it up. Glowing reds and golds shimmer forming dark clouds that morph into luminescent fog. The remnants of ancient magic linger along the smooth edges.

Momo can barely breathe. “A creation stone,” she whispers, voice quivering.

“Do-do you not like it?” he asks softly from next to her.

Her vision blurs. The stone can only be mined in her family’s lands; there haven’t been any found in hundreds of years.

She shakes her head. “It’s beautiful.” The words don’t give it justice. It’s like starlight—an entire nebula—caught inside a stone. “Why?” Her voice trembles.

“I thought you’d like it.”

Momo wants to cry, instead she smiles and holds it up to the moonlight. It gleams and Momo can almost imagine the magic shimmering around it.

She closes her eyes and makes a wish, even though she knows that it’s useless. The magic has left the stone a long time ago.

“I finished.” She hands him a piece of paper. Her throat is tight, like the words are bitter honey sticking in her mouth. “This is a list of ingredients your patron will need for the reversal spell. Most of the ingredients are easy enough to find but...”

Her companion takes the slip and scans it. His face grows ashen. “A phoenix tear?” His hands tighten around the piece of paper until his knuckles are white. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Momo avoids his gaze. “I did the calculations and formulas a number of times. It’s the only way.”  

His shoulders slump forward. “It would take forever to find a phoenix tear — There must be another way.”

Momo doesn’t say anything. Sometimes there is only one way. Destiny isn’t that kind.

Her companion continues to visit, looking for an alternative spell to counter the curse. Momo wonders every time he leaves if that will be the last time she will see him. She doesn’t understand what drives him. Why is finding a cure so important?

“I was thinking it was about time we married. The summer solstice is coming up…that seems like a good time. What do you say, my dear cousin?” Shigaraki turns to her, his eyes dance with cruel glee.

Her stomach twists.

I don’t want to marry you.

The words echo in her heart, but Momo doesn’t say them aloud. Her fate has always been to be queen. She folds her hands respectfully in front of herself and lowers her eyes. “As you wish, my king.”

He smiles; it’s the response he wants to hear.

Momo stands before her window looking out at the moon kissed grounds beginning to bloom with summer flowers – hydrangeas and hyacinths.

The creation stone feels heavy in her hands. She brings it up to her lips and presses the rock to her mouth as she says a silent prayer.

Then she goes over to her jewelry chest and opens it. She locks the stone back into its secret compartment. Then takes a deep, steadying breath and pulls out her mother’s phoenix necklace and slides it into her nightgown pocket.

“I wanted to say goodbye. This is the last time I will be able to see you.”

Her companion looks up sharply. 

Momo opens and closes her mouth several times before she is able to put the truth into words. “I’ll-I’ll be getting married in two weeks. On the summer solstice.”

There is a resounding silence, as her companion stares at her. His turquoise and gray eyes shine brightly, like fallen stars.

She sees his hands curl slowly into fists at his side.

“How do you feel about that?” he asks after a moment. There is a faint tightness in his voice but his expression is masked. 

She opens her mouth and hesitates. “I’m scared,” she finally admits in a soft voice barely above a whisper. She looks down at the stone floor as her vision begins to blur. Her feet are covered in the woolen socks. “I don’t want to get married.”

From the corner of her eye, she sees her companion move closer until he stands near enough that his dark robe almost brushes against her gown.

Momo swallows. Her hands twitch by her side. If she reaches out, she can grasp onto his cloak.  But she knows she shouldn’t. If she touches him now, she worries she won’t be able to let go.

Her fingers tremble. She brings a hand up to curl over her heart as she bundles her courage and looks up to meet his gaze. 

“May I ask a favor before you go?” Momo whispers. 

He stares at her intently, and she takes it as a sign of acceptance. She inhales slowly. 

“Would you kiss me?” 

His eyes widen marginally, and Momo continues before she loses her nerve. “It’s silly, I know. But I want my first kiss to be with someone I choose. Someone not my cousin.”

She can see her dark companion’s jaw tighten. His expression flashes for an instant. A myriad of emotions flicker behind his heterochromatic gaze so fast she doesn’t have time to read them before his mask slips back in place and he stares at her.

Momo looks away. Her chest hurts. She thinks he is going to reject her when he takes a step closer, planting a hand above her head. She can feel the heat of his body through his robe. 

His other hand comes up. His fingers brush against the column of her throat before his thumb slides up to nestle under her jaw and he gently lifts her chin, leaning forward. Momo’s heart stutters, and she closes her eyes as his lips skim against hers. 

It’s a chaste kiss and so gentle her heart aches.

And it doesn’t last long enough. 

He pulls back slightly and Momo opens her eyes. He’s staring at her, his expression intense. “Run away with me. Right now. I’ll protect you.” 

Momo’s heart skips a beat as his breath brushes over her lips. Hope and longing fill her chest. 

It would be so easy to leave and forget everything. She could create her own destiny. But — she is a princess and her cousin, nor would fate, ever let her go so easily. Someone always has to pay. 

Momo draws in a quivering breath and shakes her head. Her chest hurts. “I-I can’t.” Her voice breaks slightly. 

The necklace in her pocket is heavy. She swallows and reaches into her dress and slides a finger over the curve of the pendant before pulling it out.

“I brought you something to say goodbye.” Her voice is small. She holds out the golden necklace and places it gently in his open hand. “It was my mother’s. The phoenix tear in the middle should be the last piece you need for the spell.” Gently, she closes his fingers over the pendant. 

Her fingers are shaking, and she withdraws her hands quickly to curl behind her back. There is a sharp tightness in her chest. “Remember your patron will need about a week or more to recover. Having been cursed for so long will take a lot of energy to undo. Make sure he only has his best men around him during that time.” 

Her companion doesn’t respond. He continues to stare at her, his gaze piercing as if he is trying to memorize what she looks like, but perhaps that is just her own reflection shining back at her.

He doesn’t come again after that night.

The palace is in an uproar. The usurpers have planned well. 

They attacked the northern lands drawing Toya away before staging the main assault on the castle, the day of her wedding.

Momo stands in her room, dressed in rich silks. Her hands shake. She clasps them together over her chest as she listens to the shouts and the clang of steel that echo throughout the palace. 

Toga Himiko stands by her side. Her eyes shine, but Momo has a feeling it's not from the same emotion as the one making her own heart rate spike.

The screams draw nearer. Momo’s lips tremble and her eyes dart to her dresser and the jewelry case sitting on top. Her creation stone is locked securely in its compartment but she wishes she were holding it.  

“Looks like the usurper is here,” Toga says thoughtfully. Momo looks back at her and the maid’s eyes flash and suddenly Momo is on the floor. Her head rings from the impact against the stones. There is something wet in her hair.

Toga straddles her. A knife flashes down towards Momo’s throat and instinctively she reaches up and closes her hand around Toga’s, trying to push the steel away from her jugular. 

For being of smaller stature, Toga is strong and gravity is on her side. Her maid laughs. “Stop struggling, my princess. Your king doesn’t want his precious cousin to be defiled on her wedding day by these cruel, cruel men. This is the sweeter way out.” Her smile is deranged.

The blade lowers.

Momo strains. Years of inactivity weigh against her. Her arms begin to give.

The knife inches lower. A drop of liquid rolls down her throat.

Bang!

Suddenly the door of her room slams open and Toga is gone; a woman with short brown hair is standing over her, breathing hard. 

The maid from the throne room, Momo realizes.

The woman’s expression is ferocious as she holds up her short sword covered in blood. When it is clear that Toga won’t be moving, the maid kneels quickly by Momo’s side and helps her sit up. There is a sharp pain at the base of her skull, and when Momo touches it, blood covers her fingertips.

“Are you alright?” the maid asks. Her eyes shine with unfiltered worry. 

Momo doesn’t know. Her heart is racing in her chest. She stares past the maid at Toga’s slumped form against the wall. The maid notices, and her expression hardens. Her fingers tighten around Momo as her chocolate eyes meet hers. 

“I won’t let her harm you. I won’t let anyone harm you. This time I’ll be the one to protect you. I made a promise to him.”

Momo doesn’t dwell on what the woman means. Hope is a dangerous thing, and dreams haven’t ever been for princesses.

The battle ends. Her cousin flees, and All Might’s illegitimate son, Midoriya Izuku, takes the castle. 

Celebratory singing fills every corner of the palace. 

The once quiet dining room is alight with laughter and feasting. Midoriya sits in her cousin’s seat. Flanking his left side is a blonde man with beady red eyes and Sir Iida. On his right is the maid, Uraraka Ochako - who it turns out, isn’t really a maid but a lady from a small southern province that has sided with Midoriya. 

Momo sits next to Lady Uraraka, who chats happily about the future.

Momo tries to listen but can’t. She can barely eat. Her stomach keeps twisting as she unconsciously glances around the room. 

Uraraka reaches over and squeezes her arm. “It’s okay. He’s fine. You don’t need to worry. Todoroki’s strong.”

Momo wants to ask who Todoroki is, but then the towering doors at the other end of the hall open and Momo’s heartbeat jumps as a man with red and white hair strides in.

He’s different from her memories. The black robe is gone, replaced with a blue uniform but it’s him - her dark companion.

She wants to be shocked to see him or at least surprised but she isn’t. She realizes she’s known for a while — perhaps for months now — that he is a fighter in All Might’s illegitimate son’s army. She just has never acknowledged it. 

His heterochromatic eyes scan the room and Momo’s breath catches in her throat as he glances towards her. It’s slight but something in his shoulders seems to visibly relax as their eyes meet. Then he looks away as he moves closer. 

“Lord Todoroki!” Midoriya says, his smile widening as he stands.

The man on Midoriya’s other side growls. “What the fuck are you doing here half and half? What about the north?” — Captain Bakugou, Uraraka whispers to her — “You didn’t just run with your tail between your legs did you?”

Todoroki stops at the edge of the table. Up close she can see his blue uniform is haggard. He still has the curse mark over his left eye, but now Momo also notes he has a new burn wound on his right cheek. She clasps her hands together on her lap to stop her fingers from twitching.

“It's secured,” Her dark companion — Todoroki says. His usual husky voice has a slight raspiness to it that makes Momo’s chest ache. No one else seems to notice as the hall erupts in cheers and loud banging of cutlery. “I defeated my brother. I came to report and...”  He trails off and Momo thinks she is imagining it as his eyes flicker towards her.

Midoriya's eyes shine and he nods. “Of course, there will be plenty of time to talk after dinner. Join us.” 

The moon is high in the sky when dinner ends and yet the dining room is still packed. Momo tucks behind a column as the men and women of Midoriya’s army clear the tables to make space for dancing. 

Across the room Uraraka sings drunkenly with a group of men and women. Momo smiles faintly. Then turns and leans back against the pillar, closing her eyes. 

She breathes deeply. Her fingers twitch. It’s been a long time since she has experienced an event like this.

“Yaoyorozu.”

Momo eyes snap open. She looks up. “Lord Todoroki,” she says, straightening. Her cheeks warm. It’s strange referring to him as anything but as her dark companion. “I was just taking a moment.”

She wants to touch the creation stone that now hangs on a pendant beneath her dress but forces herself not to. 

“I see.” His expression betrays nothing as he moves closer. He stops in front of her and his eyes roam over her face before narrowing. “Your neck…” He reaches out slowly as if to touch her.

Momo feels her face warm and her hand instinctively reaches up to her throat and the shallow cut running across her jugular. “It’s nothing,” she says quickly. “Lady Uraraka saved me before anything could happen.”

Todoroki drops his hand and inhales slowly. 

“I’m glad you’re safe,” he finally says. His voice is rough, as if the words are hard to say. Perhaps they are. Her gaze lingers over his face, noting the scars and burns along his skin. The frayed edges of his uniform. 

The battle up North must have been difficult.

Her heart clenches as Momo mets his eyes. “I’m glad you’re alright as well.” She swallows and gives him a small smile. “And congratulations on your victory. I expect you won’t want to wait for your coronation.” 

His expression hardens. “No,” he rasps. 

Momo blinks. “No?”

“I’m not going to be king.”

“You’re not going to be king?” Momo repeats slowly. Her heartbeat quickens.

Todoroki straightens as he looks back at her. His eyes shine in the candlelight. “No. I’m not.”

“But why?” Her eyebrows furrow. “Men kill for the crown. My cousin killed for it.” She reaches up and curls her hand over her chest, she can feel the creation stone underneath the rich fabrics but it doesn’t provide her the strength she is used to. “You were next in line.”

He breathes deeply. “I know.”

“I don’t understand.” There’s a sinking sensation in her stomach. 

He swallows visibly and looks away. “I’m tired of all the fighting.” His hands fist at his side. “I want to live quietly; I will still serve but, the duty, the responsibility, the politics of the crown - I don’t want it. The crown should go to the one most qualified. I think a piece of me even resents it.” he says. There is a tightness in his jaw

Oh. 

Her mouth closes. The sentiment stings with familiarity. It’s a thought she herself has had but never put into words. She wets her lips. “Then...who?” she forces out.

“Midoriya.” 

Momo inhales slowly through her nose. “I see.” There is a lump in her throat that makes it hard to breathe. She folds her hands together in front of her. “He seems kind and clever enough.”

Todoroki nods and looks back at her. “He’ll make a good king.” His voice is filled with conviction.

He truly believes it.

She swallows thickly. “So you’ll leave again after the coronation?”

Todoroki’s expression flickers and he almost looks regretful. “Before.” He slides his hands into his uniform pockets. “The north has always been harder to control. Midoriya needs someone he can trust up there, and Bakugo’s personality isn’t the right fit. Our summoner, Majestic, is bringing me back tomorrow.” 

A bitter taste fills her mouth, but Momo ignores it.  “Is that how you were always able to visit the library? Your summoner transported you across the country?”

Todoroki nods. “Yeah, as long as you've been to a place before Majestic's magic can teleport you there and back again. That’s how I was able to get here tonight.”

She drops her eyes to stare at the stones under her feet. “I see.”

A lute starts up.

“Yaoyorozu.” She looks up and meets Todoroki’s eyes. He’s staring at her intently now. “Thank you.”

Momo gives him a small smile. “I didn't do anything to be thanked for. You’re the hero of the North.”

“That’s not true.” His voice is firm and he steps forward. He pulls his hand from his pocket and hesitates for a moment, before reaching up and pushing loose strands of hair behind her ear. Momo’s breath hitches as his fingers skim against her cheek. 

“You saved me. You created complex magic to break my curse. Gave me the phoenix tear. You helped devise battle tactics that saved countless men and women. And you used yourself as a shield to protect Uraraka. You can’t say you didn’t do anything. Out of all of us you’re the hero.”

Momo gasps and her breath hitches in her chest. She presses the back of her hand to her mouth and looks away. 

He is standing close. As close as he had the night she had requested for him to kiss her. Momo keeps thinking he will move away, but he doesn’t. After a moment, she feels something brush against the back of her hand. She looks down as his fingers slide against hers. “What will you do now?”

Her chest aches. Momo opens her mouth and then closes it. “I don’t know,” she finally says. Her voice wavers. “I’ve been here for so long, this is all I know.” 

He regards her silently for a moment then looks away and clears his throat. “Perhaps, you can visit the North someday. I—” 

“Lord Todoroki.” Momo jumps back and turns as Midoriya pokes his head around the column. “We’re going to meet now.”

Todoroki’s expression betrays nothing. He nods. “I’ll be right there.”

Midoriya glances at her and gives Momo a tentative smile, before disappearing back behind the column. 

Momo’s chest tightens as she drags her gaze back to Todoroki. She presses her lips into a thin line. “I guess this is goodbye then.”

Todoroki’s expression flickers. He reaches out and his fingers skim down her arm to catch her fingers and he brings Momo’s hand up to press a kiss to the back of her skin. Momo’s heart stutters. He straightens and his expression is serious as he meets her eyes. 

“You're free now, princess. You can do whatever you want,” he says, letting go of her hand. 

“Lady Yaoyorozu?”

Momo blinks in surprise and turns from the window to see Midoriya at the edge of the library staircase. “May I join you?”

She drops her hands from where they twist in her necklace and curtsies. “Of course, my king.”

He blushes and his hands fidget. “Not quite yet, but I guess that means you’ve heard that Lord Todoroki is stepping down from the line of succession?” He laughs awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck.

Momo’s expression hardens, and she looks out the window at the men gathering below. “Yes. Lord Todoroki told me last night.”

“I see,” Midoriya says. 

Runes are drawn in the dirt. Portals to bring them back north.

“Do you have anything in mind what you’ll do now?” 

Momo looks back at him. “Aren’t we to be married?”

“What?!” Midoriya’s voice cracks.

Momo stills. “Was that not why you requested to join me?” Her mouth is dry.

Midoriya’s face turns red and he sputters. “I don't - That’s not - We aren’t getting married. That’s not what I was coming out here to talk to you about."

“Then,” Momo’s eyebrows furrow, confused. “What may I assist with?”

Midoriya smiles shakily. The redness starts to fade from his cheeks. “I was wondering if you have any plans now for your future? And I don’t mean getting married to me!” he adds quickly.

Momo’s lips thin, and she shakes her head. “No.” She reaches up and rubs her opposite arm. “I don’t have any family left or a place to call home. I thought - but if we aren’t...” she trails off.

Midoriya smiles sympathetically. “Well, we could use your expertise here if you are willing.”

Momo blinks. “Lord Midoriya?”

He stares at her, his forest green eyes serious. “Your operations and strategies led us to victory countless times, and Todoroki told me you were the one who discovered how to break his curse. We could really use your help as an advisor to the crown. I mean – only if you want to.”

Momo is silent for a moment. Unconsciously, her fingers reach up and touch the creation stone hanging from the pendant around her neck. “Thank you but I - I don’t think I want to stay here. The palace – this place has been my prison since my parents died. I don’t know where I’ll go but,” she hesitates and swallows. Todoroki’s words from the night before echo through her and settle in her chest. Momo inhales a shaky breath. “I’ve come to resent my position in life,” she says softly.

Midoriya’s green eyes soften.  "I understand.” He looks back down at the men below the library window. “But you don’t have to be here to advise the crown,” he says after a moment.

“My lord?” Momo tilts her head.

Midoriya smiles wistfully. “The road to reconciliation is going to be long and we could really use your assistance. The country is big. You don’t have to stay here. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?"

Momo’s throat feels tight. Outside, sunlight reflects off of red and white hair as Todoroki walks amongst the men, preparing for their departure.

Her fingers tighten around the creation stone.

Her heartbeat quickens as a foreign feeling fills her chest. “If – If I may, I think I know where I’d like to go.”

“Lord Todoroki, wait!” Momo calls as she hikes up her dress and hurries through the crowd of men gathering in the yard.

The sun shines down brightly from a cloudless sky.

Todoroki looks up. "Yaoyorozu!” He steps forward as she stops in front of him. “I was looking for you,” he says, his gray and blue eyes study her face. “I wanted to see you once more before I leave."

Momo shakes her head and smiles. “I’m going with you.”

“What?” Todoroki blinks, owlishly.

“I’m – King Midoriya has asked me to be an advisor to the crown and gave his permission for me to assist with the northern reconciliation” She raises her head and juts out her chin. “I’m going with you.”

Todoroki opens his mouth and then closes it and his lips thin. “Are you sure? The north is harsh and they keep to the traditional ways. There are easier lands to help reconcile.”

“I know.” Momo hesitates.

Does he not want her to join him?

She licks her lips and summons her courage to meet his gaze. “But you’ll be there,” she whispers.

Todoroki’s eyes widen a fraction, then his expression softens and it’s like ice melting in the summer sun as he smiles. "I see.” His eyes are silver and turquoise as he stares down at her, and for the first time it feels like she is seeing the real him. “I look forward to working with you then." 

Momo’s heart clenches. An unknown feeling rises in her chest. “As do I.”

The world fades away around them.

He stares at her for a moment longer, then straightens. “Go get a few items that you’ll need. We can come back for the rest later, once we’ve settled in.”

Momo shakes her head. “I don’t need anything. I can go now.”

Todoroki tilts his head. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Her smile widens, and she reaches up to touch the creation stone around her neck. “I have everything I need.”

His expression flickers down, and then a faint smile pulls at his lips. “I see.” He holds out his hand. His turquoise and gray eyes shine in the sunlight. “Let’s go then. Don’t let go of me.”

Momo slides her hand into his, her fingers slotting between his. Her heartbeat quickens. His palm is warm, and he holds her hand as tenderly as she had once only imagined in her most forbidden dreams.

In the distance, bells ring signaling noon.

Todoroki squeezes her hand once, and they step into the center of the circle. 

The ruins carved into the dirt begin to glow a fluorescent blue. 

Magic crackles around them and for the first time it feels like the future she chose for herself.