Chapter 1

𝙷𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢

The Midoriya family has held power in these lands for many years. Their Empress was a symbol for all. However, she ruled alone -- without a husband since the day of her inheritance. When she came of age, she demanded the right to take the title of Empress without a man by her side.  After her parents attempt to arrange a husband from a neighboring kingdom, she had thrown a royal fit, and the previous Emperor and Empress backed down from their strong-willed daughter. They allowed her to rule the way she wished to. 

Inko was an untamed soul. The Gods could rarely hold her to their great plans. Yes, she was blessed for these reasons. Her tenacity and grit formed the young Empress into an image of peace between the nations. Without her soulmate, she dismissed her red string of fate and chose to be alone. She did not despise the idea of fated love. Inko only though it best to fall in love regardless of what fate had destined. She believed that love would come when least expected, and no red string would tie her to a man solely based on ordinance. 

However taboo and unheard of for a woman of her status, Empress Inko wanted a child.  

Assuming her title without a husband was one thing -- but having a child out of wedlock was another. She knew her decision would be looked down upon by many council members, yet no one dared speak out against her. the Empress had made a name for herself without the attachment of a man. Inko was a powerful leader and demanded respect. Above all else, she was delicate and docile with her people. She loved her kingdom and made herself known to them. She was not just an Empress; she was family.

When her son was born into the world on July 15th, the kingdoms rejoiced. Regardless of the rumors surrounding the bastard child, the majority of the nations were thrilled. Inko had birthed a son; the next hire to the throne. She named him Izuku Midoriya and despite having a father with dark hair, her son was born with the same viridescent locks of hair and kelly green eyes that were a common trait within the Midoriya family tree. 

The young prince was pampered by the people during the first week of Izuku's birth. Both mother and son were visited by the people and brought gifts to welcome him into the world. As an infant, the young prince was strolled around the palace and nearby cities. Once he had begun crawling, Izuku was let to wander inside his home under supervision.

When her son was old enough to walk, Inko began taking him out into the streets to play with other children. The Empress refused to allow her son to be raised the way she had -- propped on pillows with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her son would be educated, not only through books but through worldly interactions. She constructed him to be a free spirit -- gentle but demanding. He was a still-cut image of his mother's youth and the older he got, the more his mother believed he would continue her legacy of peace when it was his time to lead.

Izuku was a beautiful prince and loved by all kingdoms. As a child, he spent his days in the fields, barefoot and running with the children of the city. More often than not Inko would find her son --after being missing for hours on end -- inside the barn while lying on his back beside the newborn calves. 

There was no containing the prince and Inko did not dare stomp out his boyish flames. By thirteen, Izuku was a well rounded and independent teen. His mother raised him to be himself and instilled both manners and confidence within his heart. She taught him not about soulmates, but about finding love on your own. The Empress expressed to her young son that love was not something to be sought after or chased for. It would come when least expected and that pure form of love would satisfy his mind, body, and soul.

However, her teachings on love did not stop the marriage proposals. People from neighboring kingdoms and nations alike begun sending in marriage proposals for when Izuku came of age. Granted, her son was beautiful beyond words. His pale skin was adorned with freckles. His eyes were round with dark lashes that kissed his cheeks each time they closed. He had high cheekbones with full lips that were a pale pink. The prince drew attention and many wanted to arrange their own children to be the future Emperor's consort.

Inko would only laugh and send a graceful reply stating that her son would marry whomever his heart desired when he was old enough to decide for himself. But many were afraid for the future of their Empire. Inko was challenging the norm by not taking a husband and raising Izuku to follow in her footsteps. They were afraid that Izuku would be the last of the Midoriya family to rule if he were not to marry and reproduce. 

The Empress scoffed at their nervousness. Her son would be fine and would make the right choice regarding his future as well as the Empire's future. With Inko in charge, the nations had been in a constant state of peace and tranquility. The wars have ended due to peace treaties and alliances with neighboring kingdoms. She was intelligent and benevolent when it came to ruling her people.

However, not long after Izuku's fourteenth birthday, the palace was attacked late one night. It turned out that not everyone agreed with the Empress's style of leadership and planned to take down the royal family in hopes of claiming leadership for themselves.

The assassin made his way to Inko's bedchambers and plunged a knife into her chest. She died instantly with one name floating on her dying breath.

"Izuku,"  The man left the knife in her chest and exited, carefully stepping over the dead bodies of the guards that had been posted at her chambers. His next target was the young prince. By this time, Inko's parents had passed away of old age and the only living heir to the Midoriya Empire was the charming young prince.

It would be a quick and easy job. The boy had not been trained in the art of weaponry or self-defense. It was also a known fact that the prince had been born quirkless. Over 80% of the world possessed quirks, yet this boy did not. He was deemed an easy target and the bounty on his head was immaculate. 

Stepping through the quiet halls of the palace, the assassin made his way to the west wing where he had been informed of the prince's bedchambers. His information came from a member of the royal guard that had been fired. The man wanted revenge and to see the Midoriya Empire crumble. Izuku was the last thing in their way.

Rounding the corner, he pulled his map and recognized this to be the correct location. Just past those doors, the prince would be lying asleep. The job would be easy. Enter quietly and end the young prince's life in the same fashion as his mother. 

The door opened easily and he pushed through, slipping inside with steady breaths. Izuku was motionless in his bed. His tufts of thick and forest green curls were splayed around his face. Pink lips were parted in his sleep while the room was lit softly in pale white and blue rays. His curtain was wide open, rippling in the breeze from an open window. 

The man noticed and smirked. How could they let their precious prince sleep so unprotected with unlocked doors and open windows? While moving forward he withdrew his knife from his thigh and stalked towards the sleeping boy. His sleeping face was unbearably beautiful and he reached out with a free hand to brush his knuckles along his cheek.

Izuku twitched but did not wake while the man stroked the prince's youthful flesh. "It is such a shame the young prince must die a commoner's death." The man whispered while pulling his knife into position. "Like your mother, young prince, you too shall die tonight," He lifted his hand that wielded his dagger. With a final smirk, he chuckled. "This is the end of the Midoriya Empire."

His hand jerked downward in a flash but never made contact with the prince's body. A strangled choking sound escaped the assassin and the dagger fell from his palm, clattering to the floor as Izuku shot upright with wide eyes. He slid back until his back pressed against the headboard while his personal guard Aizawa had impaled the man with his sword.

Izuku watched with wide eyes as the man's clothes stained red while the other half of Aizawa's sword stuck out from the man's midsection.

"Don't move, your highness," Aizawa spoke. He needed to make sure the room was secure. The moment he heard of the attack of the Empress, they knew who the next target would be. Aizawa had to think quickly -- and think quickly he had.

"But my mother!" Izuku shouted with pale tear-stricken cheeks. His mother was dead. He had been awake the whole time per Aizawa's request to draw out the assassin. His guard had never been one to play it safe. His quirk was powerful but useless against an assassin that was only using a dagger rather than a quirk. Aizawa could cancel out any person's quirk by only gazing at the individual.

"Stay!" He ordered while withdrawing his sword from the man's stomach. The body fell lifelessly to the floor and Izuku cried out in terror. He had never witnessed anyone's death before. His kingdom was one of peace and harmony. He never knew war, pain, or death until now.

Ignoring his guard's order, the young prince shot out of bed and raced down the halls towards his mother's chambers. Aizawa cursed and ran after him but it was no use. Izuku was quick and desperate with adrenalin pumping his veins. He ran while tuning out the few guards that were now running after him. He needed to see his mother.

He burst through the door and stumbled back with the sour smell of blood that filled the room. A choked-out cry escaped his chest as he witnessed the scene before him. On the bed was his mother's lifeless body, the dagger still sticking in her chest. Her eyes remained open but were void of life and light.

"Mother!" He cried and shook her shoulders. "Mama, you can not leave me!" He shouted while Aizawa entered the room, holding up a hand to keep the other guard out. The young prince needed to be alone but it was his job to never leave his highness's side.

"Your highness," Aizawa started in hushed tones while Izuku screamed and pressed his face into his mother's stomach.

"Help her! Don't just stand there! Help my mother!" Izuku screamed and turned his head to face his personal guard. Aizawa walked over and carefully placed his hand on his mother's neck before closing his eyes with a heavy sigh.

"I am truly sorry for your loss, your highness." Izuku stared blankly at the man before turning back to his mother's corpse. He stared while tears ran freely down his flushed cheeks. The hands that gripped his mother's cold fingers trembled and Aizawa knelled down by his side. 

The room was silent other than the quiet sobs that belonged to the Empress's son. But no one dared disturb him while he mourned his mother's death. Aizawa stayed until the young prince had fallen asleep before removing him from the room. He carried the boy's limp body to a guest room in another wing while the guards removed the Empress's body and prepared for her funeral.

Aizawa tucked the sleeping prince into bed before heaving a heavy sigh. His heart ached. The loss of the Empress would take its toll on the whole nation. But the young prince would never be the same after tonight, and he knew that. 

Settling down into a chair by the boy's bed, Aizawa thought deeply about what this meant for the Empire. However, there was no point in thinking too hard because he knew exactly what would need to happen. Izuku was only fourteen years old but as the last remaining living member of the Midoriya family, it was his duty to take his rightful title as Emperor.

Sighing, he placed his chin on the palm of his hand while gazing at the sleeping prince. The pain that Izuku had felt today would stay with him forever. He could only hope that the young prince will follow in his mother's footsteps in lieu of her presence. 

Izuku Midoriya was their only chance. If they wanted their Empire to survive, then Izuku would need to be ready for the change of direction his life was about to take -- and only time would tell if the young prince would be able to step into his new role with the same grace of his newly deceased mother.