"There we go good as new." Marinette said as she finished sewing up one of the dresses Mylene's grandmother had accidentally torn a little.

"Thank you Mari." The old woman thanked. "As I get older it gets harder for me to sew and stitch nowadays. It means a lot to me when you fix up some of our clothes."

"Well it's the least I could after you and your granddaughter were nice enough to let me stay here during the winter."

"If you don't mind me asking Mari." Mylene said. "Where are you going when spring comes?"

"Well I guess I'll try to find my parents. I wish there was a way I could send them a letter explaining where I am and that I'm alright."

"Maybe when the blizzard dies down you can."

"By God what a ghastly night." The grandmother said looking out the window to see the cold, icy, wind blow. "I pity anyone caught in that. Well I'm going to get some sleep, Mylene, Mari are you coming?"

"I am." Mylene said.

"I think I'll stay awake a little longer." Marinette said. "I like to watch the snow fall."

"Alright then, good night to you both."

"Goodnight granny, goodnight Mari."

"Goodnight Mylene, goodnight ma'am."

The old woman and young girl then went upstairs to sleep. Marinette then went over the window, she watched the snowflakes fall from the sky and fly through the wind. While she knew snow could be so very cold it could also be so very beautiful. The snowflakes often reminded her of the feathers of a dove or the petals of a white rose. She had been born on a night like this, her father said that her birth was a miracle because during her mother's pregnancy it had been a very cold winter and the mid wife who was living with them had said that most babies would die when they were exposed to such cold weather she also warned them that her mother could die in childbirth so she offered her a potion that would cause her to miscarry the unborn child. Her father had urged her to take it several times believing that she would die giving birth to a stillborn but her mother refused for she believed that the child she was carrying would live. Though her father feared greatly that his wife would have to give her life for nothing he accepted her came that harsh, cold, winter night when her mother went into labor. Wind, snow, and ice were surrounding their cottage and her mother was laying in bed, crying out in sheer agony as she struggled to bring her first child into the world. Her father could only stay to by her side, clutching her hand while praying to God that if he could not let their child live then that he would at least let his wife live. In the end her mother didn't die nor did she give birth to a stillborn but instead a perfectly healthy baby girl with fair skin who according to her mother was as delicate, white, and beautiful as the snow flakes falling that night.

Her sister's birth was much more easy. She had been born on a warm, sunny morning in the summer. The sun was shinning bright, the air was warm, and the roses were in bloom. She had been no older than three and she remembered being so frightened because she couldn't see her mother and the midwife was there so she thought her mother had become very sick. But her father had assured her that her mother was going to be alright and that she just needed to get ready for the new baby. Upon hearing this Marinette decided she wanted to get a present for her mother and the baby so she went outside to their garden and began picked two roses, a white one and a red one. When she was finally allowed to see her mother she came into her room and gave her tired but happy mother the white rose. Her mother smiled and then pointed over to the cradle, telling her to say his to her new sister. Marinette then approached the cradle that held a newborn child with rosy cheeks, she smiled at her new sister and placed the red rose in her cradle. Her mother then said that her new sister was as warm, rosy, and lovely as that red rose. Those memories made her miss her family so much that it almost made her cry.

She was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when she saw something moving outside. It was large and black, she saw it shaking and trembling then watched it collapse into the snow. She heard what sounded like crying, thinking it was a person who needed help she slipped on her cloak and went outside to help them but she soon discovered that this wasn't a person it was a panther. A black panther, she wondered what a black panther was doing her in the middle of a temperate forest in France when it was a known fact they were native to Africa and Asia. She also knew how dangerous they were and that they killed on sight so she began to back away real slow like until she caught sight of the blood spilled on the snow and the arrow sticking out of it's arm. She saw that the creature was in terrible pain and dangerous or not she couldn't bring herself to let the poor thing suffer. She carefully approached the panther as quiet and slow as possible, the panther hissed at her.

"Easy." She said. "Easy, I just want to help."

She gripped the arrow and yanked it out making the panther roar. She fell backward and the panther stood up as if it was going to attack her until their eyes met. He had these strange and yet very familiar green eyes. He then collapsed again but this time it looked like he had lost conscious. He was too heavy for her to carry into the house so she would have to tend to him out here. Crazy as it was considering he was such a dangerous beast but she had feeling that he wouldn't hurt her. She collected some wood and using the embers from the fireplace she started a fire outside and covered him with a blanket to keep him warm, then she began to wipe the blood from his wound and bandage it.

"Poor thing." She said. "I wonder what had happened to you to cause this."

The panther opened his green eyes and looked up at her. It seemed that he was trying to talk to her but she couldn't understand however she saw the tears in his eyes and understood that he was sad. So she began to gently stroke the panther's shiny black fur, he lifted his head up and rested it in her lap. She stroked his head and planted a kiss on it.

"Why are you so sad?" She asked him even though she knew he could not answer. "Well I hope that I will be able to ease your pain and make you happy."

The panther gave her another look then fell asleep, it wasn't long before Marinette found herself falling asleep against the warm creature.

...

It was his brother's screaming followed by strange animal like howls that woke Felix earlier that morning. He heard Mayura call for the guards and the footsteps of the guards rushing to her room followed by the sound of glass breaking. He got out of bed, got dressed, and went to see what all the fuss was about. He saw Mayura standing next to a broken window that look as if something had jumped out of it, he saw what appeared to be tears streaming down his stepmother's face but he wasn't sure because those tears smelled a lot like her face oil. His father was there too and he looked enraged.

"I don't care if you have to follow that beast to the ends of the earth!" His father yelled. "You'll find it and kill it! Understand?!"

"Yes sir." The guards said leaving.

"What's going on?" Felix asked.

"Oh it was just horrible." Mayura blubbered. "A wild panther came into my room and it devoured Prince Adrien!"

Felix felt his annoyed demeanor completely vanish when she said those words. He was just about to deny it when he saw clothes lying on the floor that he recognized as the ones Adrien wore last night, they were torn to shreds and scattered across the floor. He didn't speak, he didn't show any emotion, he just picked up the torn shirt and quietly walked back to his room. Alone in his chambers he fell to his knees and began to sob while clutching the shirt. His brother was dead, eaten by a wild animal, savagely murdered. He was dead and Felix had said such terrible things to him the last time he saw him. He had broken his promise to his mother, he had promised that he would always protect his brother and look after him but instead of keeping his promise he had spent his life feeling bitter and envious toward him because he had always felt that Adrien had been the favorite child of his mother and father. He truly was the worst brother in the world.

King Gabriel had all the royal huntsmen go after the panther while a funeral was held in memory of the beloved prince. The kingdom mourned for many days but no one mourned more than Felix. He would never forgive himself for what not being a good brother to him like he promised his mother he would do. He drowned his sorrows in more lessons and studies. Within a few weeks it was announced that he and Princess Chloe were to wed. As expected she was a royal pain but he didn't care anymore, he figured he deserved a miserable marriage as punishment for his mistreatment of his brother.

"I hate this road way." Chloe complained as she and him were riding in a carriage together. "It's much too bumpy."

"Don't worry we're almost there." Felix said.

Just then the carriage stopped.

"Why have stopped?!" Chloe demanded.

"A tree has fallen." The driver said. "Worry not I shall remove it."

"Allow me to help you." Felix said.

He stepped out the carriage and went to assist the driver with moving the tree. It took awhile but eventually they were able to remove it.

"What are you doing?!" Chloe snapped.

Felix was about to answer when he saw that Chloe was addressing him. She was referring to what appeared to be a young boy who was holding a bucket of water up to one of the horses so they could drink.

"Your horses are very thirsty ma'am." The boy said.

"I'll deiced when they drink!" Chloe said. "Stop that right now!"

"I'm just giving them a drink and you don't need to move now."

"Listen here you filth! I am the royal princess! You will obey me or I'll have you arrested!"

"For giving water to thirsty horses?"

"Chloe please calm yourself." Felix said. "This boy meant no harm she was just caring about the well being of our horses."

"I hope I'm not causing any trouble sir." The boy said.

"Not at all. What's your name boy?"

"Ben sir."

He noticed that the boy's hands were red and had blisters.

"How did you get those?"

"From the cold sir, I've been walking for days."

"Then will you allow us to give you a ride?"

"As you wish sir."