so this started out as a short story (one shot)... but... it ended up being really long with no end in sight... so i wrote myself a good stopping point and will continue with more chapters so that it will be easier to read. i love one shot's but at the same time some stories just need expanding.

the setting is like a medieval fairy tale land. now before anyone says anything about arranged marriages, for the time period this is set, it's very common. and people used to marry really young, like 13. and if a person didn't marry by a certain age, then people thought there was something wrong with them. i'm glad that we kinda don't really have that mentality anymore... although when all your friends are getting married and/or having kids... it makes you feel like there is something wrong with you... at least that's how i feel. some days i wish my parents would just pick someone for me... but then i am reminded why that's a bad idea. my dad tried to set me up with a guy that owns a winery... i don't drink. i don't drink much anyway... i just don't like it. once in a while i do find an alcoholic beverage that doesn't taste like grapes (don't like grape juice... love grapes right off the vine) or the taste of the alcohol punches me in the face. but i digress. it wasn't a good match and my dad sucks at match making.

enjoy and please review!

~inudigifan201

Ch, 1. They meet

Prince Adrien sighed as he straightened up his suit. The crown on top of his head was a bit lopsided, but he didn't care. He wanted this day to be over with, although he didn't really want to go through the day either.

He had known for a while, but honestly, the day just snuck up on him. His last day of freedom. His wedding day.

He was getting married to a princess he had never met. His father picked her out for him after he rejected the 20th girl. At least it wasn't Princess Chloe from the kingdom that was closest.

He was 25. To be still unwed by that age was unheard of.

He sighed again as he took one last look in the mirror. What was his bride like? Would he ever grow to love her? His father wanted him to have an heir before he passed so he at least needed to be attracted to her.

It wasn't long before he found himself at the alter gazing over her side of the church for a face to recognize. There were none.

He did catch a glimpse at the queen, the mother to his unknown bride. She was a handsome woman as far as he could tell and she had a sweet air about her. She reminded him of his own late mother, kinda. This woman was a bit more exotic.

If his bride was half the woman her mother seemed to be… then he'd be alright.

Her husband the king seemed kind and warm as well. The prince could tell he was going to like his in-laws.

The organist began to play "here comes the bride" and the entire congregation stood up and peered at the opening door.

And then he saw her.

Long raven hair illuminated by the sunlight behind her. A kind smile that could rival the sun with its warmth. Soft blue eyes that reminded him of the blue bells in his mother's flower garden back at the castle. Her skin was sun kissed and flawless. Her dress was simple, yet elegant at the same time. The vail on her head matched her dress perfectly. And she had that warm, kind air about her just like her parents.

This angel was his bride?! She was the princess he had never met? Where had she been his entire life?

He quickly straightened up his crown as she came closer and a blush overtook his face.

She smiled at him and his heart melted. "I'm Marinette." She held her bouquet of pink roses in one hand and outstretched the other for him to kiss.

"I'm Adrien." He cleared his throat and gave her a light bow. His lips brushed the skin on her knuckles and his stomach flipped. He then stood back up and they both faced the preacher as the congregation sat back down.

The service was short enough, they both said "I do" and neither ran screaming for the hills. And the kiss at the end was, albeit awkward, but sweet to say the least.

However, the reception seemed to drag on forever. All he wanted was some alone time to get to know his bride without a constant parade of nobles (and some peasants that managed to attend or perhaps sneak in) wishing them well.

He did learn one thing, ok maybe two things, about her during the party. 1, she was nice. She treated everyone like they were royalty themselves. And 2, he couldn't get enough of her smile. It captivated him, mesmerized him… and he liked it.

Finally, sometime after midnight the party was finally over and he could really get to know her.

He showed her to his chambers and sat down on a chaise while she removed her heels from her feet.

"That's better." She smiled with a sigh as she sat down on the bed. "These things were killing my feet." She giggled as she showed him the shoes.

"I bet." He offered her a warm smile. "So…" He looked around the room. "Tell me about yourself." His eyes fell back onto her's.

She shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything!" He smiled wide.

"I like to sew. I even made this dress." She shrugged again. "I bake." She added. "My father taught me. He's known as the baker king."

He looked her up and down again as his face exploded with red. "You made that?" She nodded. "It's beautiful!" His blush subsided a little as his smile couldn't be wider. Beautiful, kind and talented? He must have been the luckiest man in the world.

She blushed. "Thanks…" She shrank. "I'm also clumsy."

He shrugged but kept his smile.

She looked him over again. She had a hard time reading him. He seemed nothing like his father the king. His father seemed strict and proper. Her first impression of her new husband was that he seemed kind of easy going, but quiet and polite. She couldn't tell if he was being polite or if he really did like her dress.

He smiled and nodded at all the well-wishers. He seemed to straighten up when he saw her. So, perhaps he thought she was pretty.

She had to admit, he was handsome. His quaffed honey blond hair glowed no matter if his was in direct light or not. He had a sun kissed tan and a smile that could melt everyone's heart. His green eyes were kind and daring at the same time, like he had a secret wild side. His crown, no matter how many times he straightened it, kept going lopsided on his head which meant it was too big for him. His suit was clean and he seemed to be in good shape.

She wondered what his laugh sounded like. He smiled all evening, but nobody could get a chuckle out of him. Not even the noble she assumed was his best friend. Nino, she believed his name was. He seemed nice. But, reserved.

"Why don't you tell me something about you?" She gave him a warm smile.

He blushed even more. "Well, I'm a good swordsman." 'Well that's not going to impress her.' "I also hunt and tend to my mother's garden."

She tilted her head a bit and raised an eyebrow. Gardening? He did his own gardening? "What kind of garden is it?"

"Flower." He gave her a warm smile and his blush faded. "Mother grew up in the village and when father married her she became bored because she had nothing to do, so she started a flower garden. I loved helping her when I was little." His smile faded. "She then got sick and passed away. And I couldn't stand the thought of her flowers dying too. So, I took up its care myself so I could at least save the plants."

"That's really sweet." She smiled wide. She then giggled a bit. She then frowned. "I'm sorry about your mother."

He shook his head. "It happened a long time ago. I'm at peace with it… I do miss her though."

She reached out and held his hand. "I wish I could have met her."

He nodded and gave her a small smile. "Hey, can I ask… where your mother is from?"

She nodded. "A kingdom in the east. She is the youngest in her family and had no real claim to her father's throne. Her family was visiting my kingdom and she met my father. She liked him because he was different than any princes she met in the east as well as princes around here. He made her laugh." She smiled warmly. "Papa said the first time he ever heard Mama laugh he wasn't sure if she was laughing at him or with him."

He smiled as well.

She hummed. "Either way, he said it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard." She giggled a little. "They were married a week later and had me sometime after. Papa says I have Mama's laugh."

He blushed uncontrollably. He agreed with his new father in law. Her laugh was beautiful, even if it was just a giggle.

"Adrien?" She cooed.

He looked back at her in the dim glow of the candle light. "Yes?"

"Is it ok if I ask how you're parents met?" She tilted her head, hoping she didn't just throw salt into an old wound.

He cleared his throat and smiled. "Father was a prince at the time. He often dressed as a peasant and snuck out the palace." He smiled even wider. "At first, it was to have a better understanding of his people, but one day…" There was a twinkle in his eye. "He saw my mother tending her garden, humming a song she made up, and smiling all the while. Father thought she was far more beautiful than the flowers she was weeding. One day my uncle caught Father staring at his sister and challenged him to a fight. Father tried to talk uncle out of it because he knew uncle would surly defeat him."

"What happened?" She gasped.

He chuckled a little. "Father got his tail beat. Mother scolded uncle and nursed father's wounds. He didn't reveal to her that he was the prince until he proposed. She still agreed to marry him, move to the castle, had me, became queen, and helped father run the kingdom until the day she died." A tear ran down his cheek. "Father figured I'd probably fallow in his footsteps so he had me trained to fight." He wiped the water from his face. "I used to go down to the village to visit uncle, but I stopped because he reminded me so much of mother I couldn't take it any more."

She held his hand as she just let him get it all out. She knew she had no idea what he was going through, but she hoped she could at least sooth him… even if his current state was her fault. She pulled his head down and rested it on her chest as she ran her fingers through his hair.

He calmed down after a few moments. "You're probably regretting marrying me now, aren't you?"

She shook her head. "Not at all."

He gave her a weak smile, but closed his eyes and fell asleep.

She didn't blame him, it was really late, they had a long day, and getting one's emotions out can take a lot out of a person. The only thing that bugged her was that he fell asleep on her chest and she really wanted out of her dress.

She managed to move him without waking him up and was able to change into her much more comfortable night gown.

She took one last look at him before she blew the candle out. Poor thing was still entirely dressed, but she didn't want to wake him, so she left him be.

It was noon before Adrien opened his eyes. He yawned and stretched to life cursing the fact he fell asleep fully clothed. He then looked around the room before his eyes fell beside him on the bed.

She was still asleep. A little bit of drool pooled on the pillow from her mouth as a light snore escaped her lips.

He blushed as the sight. His new wife surly made herself at home and, to him anyway, was absolutely adorable.

He managed to get up and change out of his suit to his much more comfortable long sleeve top with a small v' cut in the neckline, his favorite pair of tight fitting pants, and a pair of boots.

It was when he was attaching his sword to his side when she began to stir. He smiled at her as she groggily gazed at him. "Good morning!" He greeted.

"Morning." She yawned and stretched to life. She then rubbed her eyes. "Going somewhere?" She asked just out of curiosity.

He shook his head. "I'm gonna check on the garden. I can wait for you if you want to come along." He shrugged. "Other than that, my day is free. Father had my schedule cleared for yesterday and today." He chuckled. "As well as the rest of the month." He shook his head again with a laughing smile. "I guess we're supposed to be on our honeymoon." He shrugged once more. "Whatever you want to do I guess."

She smiled as she threw the covers off her. "I'd love to see your garden." She walked behind the standing screen and quickly changed into a light pink dress. "And I would also like for us to get to know each other more. Honestly, they should have let us meet before the wedding." She began and he turned to face the door so he couldn't see her change. "It would have been nice for us to not be complete strangers at the altar."

"Agreed." He closed his eyes just in case. She may have been his wife, but he was still a gentleman and she had not yet given him permission to see her naked.

"Ready." She smiled as she came out from behind the screen. She pulled her hair into a long ponytail. Her dress was simple, something that a peasant would wear, the only indication that the dress belonged to royalty was the fact that it was pink and completely clean.

His heart threatened to beat out of his chest. How she could look so beautiful in something so simple astounded him.

She shrugged. "I don't like wearing formal dresses everyday. I like to save them for special occasions."

He nodded as he covered his mouth to hide his blush. "Understandable."

She held out her arm for him to interlock with his. "Shall we?" He nodded and took her lead.

They reached the garden, but the plants seemed to just need a bit of watering and the forming storm clouds in the sky signaled that they should move inside. Instead, he ended up giving her a tour of the entire castle.