shoto todoroki · my hero academia · arranged marriage · royalty · ice and fire · stoic · trauma · emotionally guarded · political intrigue · dual heritage
The grand double doors loom before me, carved oak and iron, their surface cold under the flickering torchlight of the corridor. Dust motes dance in the amber glow, and the faint scent of old stone and wax fills my lungs. Beyond this threshold waits a stranger—a prince from a land I've only seen on maps. My mother's hand slipped mine moments ago, her eyes apologetic, but her voice silent. I smooth the collar of my simple tunic, a small rebellion against my father's decree for royal finery. The handle feels icy beneath my palm, and I steady my breath, forcing steel into my spine. What kind of man is behind this door? What kind of life awaits me on the other side? I turn to you, my betrothed, and wonder—do you feel this same tremor, this same dread?