"Is he gone?" Marinette thought looking outside. "Can you imagine he asked me to marry him. Me the wife of that boarish, brainless- ugh!"
She went for a walk to work out her frustration. Marinette breathed in the fresh hair and felt the warm sunshine. Once she was calm she sat down in the grass and began to blow on dandelions. She thought back to the wish she made yesterday. She had wished for one real friend who liked her for who she was. Someone who genuinely cared for her.
Suddenly she saw Erik rushing toward her.
"Erik!" She gasped. "What are you doing here? Where's Papa? What happened?" She led him back to her house, slipped on her red cloak, and saddled up her horse. "You have to find! You have to take me to him!"
Erik took Marinette into the woods and right down the path he had left Tom at. Marinette shuddered from the icy air. It had started snowing today and she hoped to find her father before it got heavy. Erik stopped when they reached the castle gate.
"What is this place?" Marinette asked herself.
She tied up Erik's reins to a tree then opened the gate. She gasped in horror when she saw the broken remains of her mother's music box. She bit back her tears and approached the castle doors.
"Hello?" She called entering the palace. "Is anyone here? Hello?"
"Couldn't keep quiet could we?" Wayzz said to Plagg. "You just had to let him didn't you?"
"I was trying to be hospitable." Plagg said. "Can you blame me? I mean not only are we no longer human but that enchantress took our memories. We have no idea who our human selves were."
"I know it's hard but we must hold on."
"How? With each passing day Adrien loses more and more of his humanity. What do you suppose will happen if he never learns to control himself."
"Let's not panic. I'm sure Adrien won't resort to becoming savage creature."
"Hello?" They heard a voice call. Plagg and Wayzz turned to see Marinette walking down the hall.
"It's a girl." Plagg said.
"I know what a girl looks like Plagg." Wayzz pointed out. "What's she doing here?"
"Yoo hoo! Cheri!" Plagg called.
"Huh?" Marinette turned around to see a green light going upstairs. "Is someone there? Wait! I'm looking for my father!" She followed it upstairs but she didn't see anyone. "That's funny, I'm sure that there was someone here."
"Marinette?" A shakey voice said.
"Papa?" She found her father locked in a jail cell shivering.
"How did you find me?"
"Papa what happened?"
"Not time to explain."
"You look so pale and your hands are like ice."
"Marinette you must leave this place now! Before he finds you here!"
"Who? Who did this to you?"
"Someone very dangerous. Please go Marinette."
"I won't leave you."
"What are you doing here?!" She felt someone pull her away from the cell door.
"Who's there? Who are you?" Marinette asked. She looked around for someone but all she could see were two angry green eyes.
"I am Adrien, the master of this castle." The figure with green eyes said.
"My name is Marinette." She said bravely. "I've come for my father, please let him out. He's very sick."
"He trespassed in my castle! And he stole from me! He's a thief!"
"Liar! My father would never steal!"
"You dare call me a liar! You could die for that!"
"No! Don't!" Tom begged. "Marinette it's true. I did steal from him."
"What? I don't believe that!"
"Believe it! He stole a rose!"
Marinette turned ghost white as she realized this happened because of her request.
"It was just a simple rose."
"It's because of a rose that I'll be miserable for the rest of my life!"
"But he could die."
"He came into my home without my consent and robbed me. Now he must suffer the consequences!"
"Where's your compassion? Have mercy."
"Compassion?! Mercy?! No one has ever shown that to me so why should I show it to anyone else?! Somebody throw her out!"
"No! Please! Let my father go and I'll do anything!"
"There's nothing you can do!" He turned and walked away. "Throw her out!"
"Wait!" She got up, stepped into the light which allowed her to be seen better, and grabbed his arm which felt hairy. He turned around to scratch her but froze at the sight of her beauty. She was just as beautiful as his mother was, he never thought a girl like that could ever exist. "Take me instead."
"Marinette! No!" Tom cried.
"You?" Adrien said surprised. "You would take his place?"
"If I did would you let him go? I'm younger and stronger than him. And It's my fault! I asked for the rose!"
"Yes." Adrien said. "But you must promise to stay forever."
"Forever? But that's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair! Make your choice!"
"Wait, come into the light."
Adrien did as she requested. Marinette watched as a grown man with black messy hair, black fur on his chest, arms, and around his face. His hands had claws, he had a tail, and black cat ears. She could see fangs sticking out a little from his mouth. For clothing all he wore were ripped black pants and a green cape. His face actually looked human, it looked the face of a twenty-one year old man with mysterious green eyes that looked pained and hurt. Marinette clung to her father in terror.
"Marinette I won't let you do this!" Tom said. "Please! I'm old! I've lived my life! You don't deserve this!"
But despite his protests she faced him.
"You have my word." She said.
"Done!"
He unlocked the cell door. Tom ran to his daughter but Adrien dragged him away.
"Marinette!"
"Wait! Wait! Papa!"
But her pleas were ignored. Adrien took Tom outside where a carriage was waiting.
"Please spare my daughter! She's only a child!" Tom begged.
"She's no longer your concern!"
"I beg you! Please don't hurt her! Kill me if you must but don't touch my daughter!"
Adrien grimaced at his desperate pleas but seemed surprised and slightly moved by the fact that this man was willing to die for his child. Something he believed his own father would never do.
"I won't harm her." He said. "I'll see to it that she's well taken care of. I promise."
He shoved him in the carriage and it came to life and took him back to the village. Marinette tearful watched as the carriage took him away. She was sure she would never see him again. Adrien found her on her knees crying.
"You didn't even let me say goodbye." She sobbed. "I'll never see him again and I didn't get to say goodbye."
Adrien's ears went down and his face softened.
"I'll...I'll show you to your room." He said gently.
"My room? I don't understand. I thought-"
"I promised your father that you'd be taken care of. Follow me."
Marinette did as she was told and followed him down the dark corridor. Adrien looked back to see tears streaming down her cheeks. She was so beautiful, he felt ashamed to be in her presence, to even be seen by her.
"You may go anywhere in the castle except the west wing."
"What's in-"
"It's forbidden! Understand?!"
"Yes."
He led her to a door and opened it to reveal a elegant bedroom. There was a white and rose gold canopy bed with pink curtains and quilts. A wardrobe, a vanity, and a stain glass window.
"If you need anything, my servants will attend to you. Goodnight!"
He slammed the door. A flood of tears flowed from her eyes, she threw herself on to the bed and began to cry herself to sleep. She hoped this was all just a bad dream and that she would wake up in her own bed back home with her father but it was not to be.
