Marinette moved swiftly through the trees, guiding the two blonds through the woods, listening for Duusu. She wanted the nadder to be the next dragon Adrien has a go at befriending, with Chloe here for observation, and further proof of dragon and human alliances. Even more so since Duusu was one of the more present dragons that goes with the raids.
Maybe they could even get Duusu to stop going to raids.
Or so is Marinette's hope.
Along with getting the nadder more friendly with people.
The blue dragon was very finicky about who she befriended.
Marinette was probably the first human the nadder liked.
Maybe there could be more, if this goes right.
Above them, Tikki and Nooroo trailed behind them, watching the three curiously, making branches rattle as they move.
Below, Chloe kept close to Adrien, watching Marinette mvoe with practiced ease through the underbrush. She drew near, leaning over and hissing at him, "Are you seriously doing this?" This nadder was unfriendly, attacked them all the time.
"Yep!" Adrien chirped, turning to her. "Been meaning to bond with Duusu for a good while now."
"She's probably going to gobble you up."
"Good thing I have back up," Adrien bid, pointing up to the two dragons that were following them above.
Chloe spared a glance towards Tikki and Nooroo, meeting their bright eyes. Chloe frowned. Standing close to a dragon brawl. Yeah that sounded like a solid plan. Not.
"There she is," Marinette voiced, pointing out.
Adrien quickly came by her side, looking out to see that yes, there was Duusu. Along with two other nadders.
One a lighter, almost greener blue than Duusu, with green eyes instead of the amber pink Duusu had. The other a reddish orange with amber eyes and a broad smile. Marinette introduced, "Her brother Juuno and his mate Vixx are there too."
Chloe drew near, grimacing. "Are seriously going to send him out there with two other nadders?"
"Juuno and Vixx don't go out on raids," Marinette said. "Never been too inclined to fight humans, though does like to mess with travelers and play pranks. She and Trixx are best friends."
"How cute," Chloe declared dryly.
Adrien grinned in amusement. Turning to Marinette, he checked, "So Juuno and Vixx won't join the fray if Duusu goes at me?"
"Nope. Juuno's too sweet and Vixx is more interested in play. Plus Duusu doesn't like either joining her for a fight." She gave him an encouraging pat. "You should be good!"
Adrien was pumped. He could do this. It was going to go well.
He was going to befriend Duusu!
And show Chloe that even a raiding dragon could be appeased!
Maybe even have her be one less dragon to have during raids.
With an eager skip in his step, Adrien slipped into the nadder's view, boldly approaching the dragons.
Behind him Chloe tensed, watching her friend go. Even more so as the nadders perked, all eyes locking on Adrien as he approached them, greeting them in a calm, kind tone. "This is crazy," Chloe hissed, turning to Marinette, eyes narrowed.
"A bit," she agreed. "But possible. I befriended Duusu."
Chloe wrinkled her nose, pushing, "Why would you even befriend dragons? Why are you even living in the woods, Ladybug."
With a hum, she asnwered simply, "It's hard to rejoin society when society won't let you."
At Chloe's baffled blink, Marinette didn't offer anymore, watching intently as Adrien drew near the nadders. Vixx clicked loudly, prancing near Adrien, looking him over curiously, and giving him a slight nose. She ignored Duusu's sharp, warning hiss. Juuno tilted his head about, observing.
"Hey girl," Adrien greeted, bringing out a slab of jerky, much to Vixx's delight. "Aren't you pretty."
The nadder preened in delight, snapping the jerky from Adrien's hand.
Perked up by food, Juuno rushed over, eager to get something to eat too, ignoring his sister's baffled stare. Duusu watched as Adrien handed out food to her brother and his mate, petting them and cooing about how pretty both of them.
Making a displeased rumble, Duusu drew near, cautious but desiring goodies and praise.
Marinette grinned while Chloe gaped.
"Crazy," Marinette murmured, "but possible." Turning to Chloe she asked, "You want to have a go? Pet Duusu?"
Chloe gave her a look. "I've definitely smacked that nadder at least once. She's going to attack me. Again. I know it."
Chloe gave a start when Marinette took her hand and then brought out a small round ball of fabric. "Easily remedied," Marinette promised, watching for the blonde's approval, or disapproval.
Chloe stared at the ball, wary. "What is that?" she asked.
"A little treat that will make most dragons the cuddliest cats you'll ever meet." After a pause, Marinette added, "Or make them the sneezy."
Chloe raised a brow, then her eyes widened, surprised. "Dragon nip?"
"Dragon nip," Marinette confirmed.
Chloe held out her hand, undeniably intrigued, her gaze flickering to Duusu. Could she actually pet the dragon?
Marinette opened the cloth up a little and slathered the scent across Chloe's palm. "Go pet a nadder," Marinette bid.
Chloe did so, slipping past Marinette slowly, eyes set to the band. The dragons all perked at her approach, making Adrien turn to see Chloe drawing near. Grinning, he waved her over,encouraging her to join him in petting the nadders.
Chloe stopped when Duusu sent a sharp hiss, recognizing the Viking before her.
Hoping Marinette was right and she wouldn't wind up losing a hand to the dragon, Chloe stretched her hand out, in the dragon's reach.
Duusu in turn paused, sniffing loudly. Rumbling, the nadder drew near, catching onto the delightful smell of nip.
Preening, Duusu made Chloe jumped as she rammed her snout against the Viking's palm. Chloe gaped as the nadder preened and cooed, nuzzling Chloe's hand, rubbing her snout about, trying to get as close to that scent as physically possible.
Chloe stumbled slightly from the dragon's pushes, her other hand instinctively moving to rest on the nadder's jaw.
She stared at her hand, resting on the deadly nadder, the beast preening and cooing in delight. Another hand came into view and there was Adrien petting Duusu's neck, grinning.
He turned knowing eyes to her and Chloe just huffed in turn, turning her view back to the nadder, a beast that attacked during raids. A beast that certainly attacked her just a few days ago.
Now putty in her hands.
It, it was pretty wild.
Chloe glanced back towards Ladybug, towards Marinette, who was petting both the changewing and terror, no doubt her hands slathered in dragon nip as well.
How wild.
"You were scared over nothing," Adrien teased.
"I was not scared over nothing," Chloe huffed. "Dragons are still very dangerous animals and we shouldn't let our guard down around them! At least, not completely..."
With a cheeky grin, Adrien teased, "You enjoyed petting the nadder."
Chloe grumbled back.
Chuckling to himself, Adrien left her be, guiding her back homewards.
"So... what's the deal?"
"Hm?"
"Her story? Ladybug's tale?" Chloe asked.
Adrien paused, considering this. "Has she told you anything?" he asked.
"Only that she tried joining villages before but didn't quite work out."
"Before that's all I got too," Adrien said.
"But you know?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah, I got a better idea." He paused, turning back to Chloe. "She's from Notrii."
Chloe stopped, posture stiffening for a moment. "A Notrii survivor?" she asked.
"Yeah. Tikki saved her and the two bonded, Marinette did try to join villages but no one wanted a changewing around. So..."
"She settled with living in the woods with a bunch dragons," Chloe finished.
Adrien nodded.
Chloe eyed him, considering her friend. "You're going to try and get her to join our village, aren't you?"
Adrien jumped. He whipped around, asking, "What?"
"You want her in our village," Chloe pushed, coming up beside him, eyeing him. "That's one of the reasons why you're pushing this so much."
"Well," he started, looking away. He did admit, "It'd be easier to get her to join the village if we were more accepting of dragons. Plus there's a lot of potential with dragons. Potential to better help our survival. And, yeah, I, I hate to think of her living in the woods alone all the time. She seems happier than when I first met her, when it was just her and dragons. She was just, focusing on surviving before. She's been happier after I came along."
"How arrogant of you to think," Chloe commented.
Adrien gave her a shove, cheeks red. "Not me specifically. Just, hanging out with another person. Not with just dragons in her life alone. I think she'd be happier being back in a village," Adrien said.
Chloe hummed. "I would talk that out with her first," she advised.
"Obviously," Adrien agreed. "For now, I'm more up getting you dragon comfortable. If I can get you comfortable with dragons, I could get the whole village comfortable."
Chloe gave him a look.
Adrien told her, "You can be real difficult when you want to be."
"Watch it Agreste."
He simply laughed, rushing away before she could punch him.
He couldn't deny there was a truth to Chloe's words.
He would like Marinette to join their village, admittingly, his want for her to join were partly selfish. It was easier to have her stay in his life if she lived in his village. And if she stayed and lived happily, maybe there could be a step towards something more. Something more grounding for their relationship, if she was willing.
But he had a village's view to change first.
That was something he will stress and hope for later.
He'll focus on the biggest project now.
One he was starting to have great confidence in.
Relaxing back in his home, Adrien was set on his little book, making his own personal notes on dragons, making plans on how to introduce dragons to his village.
With Chloe on board, that can help smooth things over since she was well admired and respected.
Her father would certainly consider her if she proposed this new idea of making use of dragons, and if she and Adrien back this with proof...
Adrien grinned, pleased.
This was promising.
Things were looking up.
He could succeed.
He just had to persist, plan out how to intrduce dragons, how to keep both sides calm and tame and-
Adrien jumped when there was a screech at the window, looking up to see a raven perched on the sill, glaring at him with dark eyes.
On it's leg was a note.
Oh.
Adrien winced.
A message from father.
The raven meant his father made it on his voyage ok. But likely something was up if he felt he had to send a letter. Something personal.
That lead to two things Adrien was dreading.
Seeing what was so important that his father sent a letter.
And getting said letter.
Which reminded Adrien.
Something else dragons could do, replace ravens so Adrien doesn't have to deal with his feather allergy when letters were sent to him.
Setting his book down, he got up and cautiously drew near, cooing, "Hey pretty."
The raven cawed back at him, impatiently shuffling on its talons.
Ok, he could do this. Just grab the letter, and the bird will go.
Holding his breath, Adrien reached out, eased the letter off the raven's leg, and quickly darted away, breathing in relief now that he was far from the bird. Opening the letter, he saw what he expected.
His father made it ok.
No one was lost to the sea, dragon, or to sickness.
They were welcomed, provided for with tolerable hospitality.
A mention of a possible marriage propos-
What?
Adrien reread the sentence.
'Chief Rossi's daughter, Lila, expressed an interest in you. She seems to believe your title, Adrien the Curious, seems to mean that you're very daring and brave and clever. Which I suppose isn't wrong. You're going into those woods and still make it out ok. Chief Bourgeois jumped in for me, starting to brag you up, eager to form an alliance with Itaal. Lila the Clever is interested in you son.
'While I may not care for having a marriage being proposed without my asking, I can't lie there isn't any appeal in this. Lila is very formidable. Very intelligent. Lovely to the eye. And a marriage with her would strengthen village relations. I am considering it. Perhaps next month we'll sail back to Itaal and you can meet Lila.'
Nope.
Nopenopnopenopenope.
Earlier this year, Adrien would've considered it.
Maybe even delighted.
Majority of Viking marriages didn't happen through, if couples were lucky, love came later. But in this day and age, where they struggled against dragons and raiders and rivals; a marriage was a security and a future. Have two Vikings with promising traits be together, likely any children they have will have those traits, making them promising fighters.
And in this day and age, that's what Vikings looked for.
That's what came first.
A want to make promising fighters, to better survival chances.
Love and happiness came later, a hope that the marriage would be happy.
With Adrien, while he truly was capable, because of his struggles out in the battlefield, it was hard for him to find a match. Many in the village knows that he did more harm than good. It made him an unappealing match.
It was true that his best chance of marriage would be with someone from another village, someone that didn't fully quite know how much Adrien did struggle in fights.
Actually the only proposal Adrien received was from Chloe, and it was more out of pity.
And because if Chloe was pushed to marry, she rather marry a friend she knew than some stranger from another village.
Adrien could recall the slight conversation they have.
"You may suck at fighting, but at least your smart."
"Gee, thanks Chlo."
So to hear that Lila the Clever was interested, Adrien was flattered.
And a while ago, he would've been delighted to hear that another was interested in him.
But now, with his heart being tugged by a blue eyed beauty that lived in the woods, this was a bit nerve wracking. Even more so since his father was interseted in such a match. It would be hard to get out of, it would be hard to convince his father to let him marry Marinette with her living in the woods, preferring dragon company to other Vikings.
Plus there was the matter of Marinette.
Would she be willing to have him?
Would she really be willing to relive in a village?
Would she be happier in the woods?
...Adrien wouldn't mind living in the woods.
There was a simplistically to being in the woods. A calmness.
No usual trouble there outside surviving and just living.
No politics.
No dealing with Vikings having petty issues.
Just dragons, flying, moving at your own speed, living off the land.
There was a danger to it, yes, but in the small white Adrien has dabbled in Marinette's life, it was peaceful.
He'd be fine living in the woods with her if this failed and he couldn't get the village to accept dragons, if she'd have him. He could see his life being content out there.
They had to talk that out though. At least, Adrien did. He didn't know about Marinette, but it was a thought lingering in his mind. Something he'll have to reach out and talk out with her. Preferably before his father returned and pushed for this marriage proposal with the Rossi.
And he can agree, Rossi was a tempting match and offer politically.
It would offer the Agreste line to join the Chief linage.
Could provide an alliance between the two villages.
It was a solid and flattering proposal.
And there was a solid appeal to marrying Adrien, with another Chief's daughter giving him a proposal, even if it was out of pity.
His father would think him crazy to refuse.
And if Adrien turned out to like Lila, probably would think himself crazy to refuse.
But he only knew the now, and knew that he was fond of Marinette, enjoyed having her in his life.
He was glad he searched for Ladybug in the woods.
Thankful for what she has shown and shared with him.
He wants her to stay in his life, romantic or otherwise.
But for that, he had to talk this out with her.
Had to receive her approval.
Next time he visits perhaps.
Sighing, he turned back to the letter, skipping over his father's talk over the proposal.
He tensed when he read the paragraph below it, his stomach going queasy, a tense flutter in his chest.
'I'll be sending this to Kubdel and Bourgeois as well, but keep a look out to the coast. On the way to Itaal, I had seen Hawkmoth sailing by. He was heading back homewards. Our village is one of the biggest on the coast, making it unlikely that he would attack it, but still, be on guard and keep a look out to the seas. Hawkmoth is in the area. He may just be sailing by, but best to be cautious.'
Hawkmoth was back.
Hawkmoth was back and likely in the area.
Marinette didn't know.
She was in the woods.
Woods were a relatively safe place for raiders to be, woods were just as tactical as the sea. Woods raiders would slip into, and sneak upon a coastal village from behind. Or just hide away there.
And Marinette was in those woods.
Marinette didn't know.
And Hawkmoth was seen sailing towards here may even already be here and in those woods and-
He had to go.
Dropping the letter, Adrien tore out of his home, tore through the village, tore into the woods.
He ignored all the skeptical stares peering after him, including one Chloe Bourgeois moving to trail after him.
What was the matter?
After the two leaved, Marinette stood over the stove, poking at the slab of meat she had cooking. It was notably quieter now that Adrien and Chloe had left.
Back in the day, she wouldn't have minded the quiet.
Quiet was just a part of her life.
Solitude, from other people, became part of her life.
And now she had people back, and the quiet was noticeable. She missed the noise of another person, the presence of another body, human and familiar.
Marinette sighed, watching her meal cook, ignoring Nooroo as the dragon wandered around her legs, nudging her for food, looking up with pleading eyes. Adrien visits near daily at this point, and she was starting to miss his company already.
Perhaps it was the dabble back into her previous life that's getting her, where she used to live with lots of people, close and familiar.
She does miss it.
She discovered she does miss the company.
It brought a new life to her.
Brought a new energy.
One she wouldn't mind having more present in her life. And with Adrien aiming to combine Viking and dragons together, possibly maybe succeeding, there was a chance that she could rejoin then, reassured that no one would attack her dragons.
She would happily join then.
If Adrien could do it.
And she would do what she could to help.
And-
Nooroo released a quiet growl, one that made Marinette pause.
Brow furrowing, she turned, looking around for what could alarm Nooroo.
Not Akuma.
Nooroo would've fled for the canopy above.
A rival terror Nooroo would've rushed off to confront.
What has her little dragon so tense?
"My that smells delicious."
Marinette jumped, turning to see a masked man slip into her lair, her body tensing at the silver mask, at the dark clothes he wore. He was familiar. She, she knew him. She's seen him before.
How-
Why was he-
"Why is a small girl like you out here in the middle of the woods?" the man asked, prowling closer.
Marinette turned towards him, gripping her stick, shaking. Nooroo jumped up onto her shoulders, wings spreading, releasing a warn hiss. Not that the man was intimidated as he drew, calmly noting aloud, "How curious to see a dragon so defensive for you. Most do not do that."
"I guess I'm just lucky," Marinette jabbed, drawing away, keeping the stick in front of her, ignoring how Nooroo's claws sunk and pressed at her shoulders. She narrowed her eyes, demanding, "What are you even doing here Hawkmoth? I thought you stuck to the sea."
"There's an advantage in woods," Hawkmoth responded. "One you clearly know just as well as I do, living here yourself. Though, I do wonder, who are you to live in these woods? Why live in these woods yourself, little girl?" He drew near, and with each step he took, Marinette took another back, eyes locked on him.
On her shoulders, Nooroo was growling something fierce, his small body tense with alarm.
With both locked on Hawkmoth, neither saw the henchmen creeping up behind them, reaching for the two.
But they didn't see the angry changewing that dropped down them, roaring in fury.
Marinette whipped around in surprise, seeing Tikki throw and toss the raiders away. Marinette heard a pound of rushing feet and turned just in time to swing her stick at Hawkmoth.
One he caught with ease, his other hand shoving Nooroo off her shoulders.
Purple blue eyes peered down at her through a mask's eye holes, gleaming with smugness.
"I know who you are," he declared, "with dragons at your beck and call. With a spotted changewing."
Marinette tensed, staring up at him.
"Hello Ladybug. I've been meaning to find you."
