Royalty AU. He does it for diplomacy.
The room was unbearably warm, foreign dignitaries and monarchs alike all crowded together in the main assembly chambers of his father's palace. When Gabriel first requested his appearance at the peace meetings between Papillion and the neighboring Miraculous kingdoms Adrien assumed he was finally going to be entrusted with some responsibility.
He should have known better than to get his hopes up.
He stifled another yawn as he listened to their prime minister drone on about shared borders and inter-kingdom property rights. He could feel Gabriel's disapproving stare from across the room but chose to ignore him. After all, his father had made it very clear that his primary responsibility during these talks was to be seen and not heard.
There was nothing he hated more than being an ornament for diplomacy.
His eyes wandered the crowd, only to catch on one of the Paon representatives. Whoever they were, they seemed to be having more difficulty staying awake than him. The diplomat's head dipped down and up as he struggled against his baser instincts.
Adrien smothered a grin.
"At least someone is getting some rest." He murmured.
A muffled giggle from behind caught his attention. Adrien hesitated for a moment before turning to face his co-conspirator only to feel the breath rush out of him as he came face to face with a pair of bright blue eyes.
Eyes made all the more captivating by the glint of mischief that seemed to dance in the candlelight.
Oh.
He turned back around, cheeks aflame.
Princess Marinette of Coccinelle.
Adrien hadn't officially met her yet, but he knew of her all the same.
It was hard not to hear about her. Especially when he made a point of keeping up to date on all the goings on in that area of Miraculous.
For diplomacy reasons, of course.
The fact that by all accounts Princess Marinette was regarded as just and clever and kind had no bearings on his research whatsoever. That she was reported to have the bluest eyes this side of the sea absolutely did not influence his desire to take a larger role in Papillion's diplomatic relations.
And last night Adrien most certainly did not excuse himself from his father's banquet to wallow in his disappointment when the princess and her party did not arrive in time for the festivities.
"Do you think he'll start snoring?"
Adrien nearly jumped out of his seat as he felt more than heard the princess's low words. After all, how could he not when she nearly whispered them into his neck.
"W-w-w-h–at?" He squeaked earning him a few disapproving looks from those immediately around them.
A breathy laugh, light and low, hit his skin sending him further down his fanatic spiral.
Oh god.
"Or not," She murmured, leaning back into her seat.
Adrien chanced a look over his shoulder and met her laughing eyes. He couldn't manage to find the appropriate words but she seemed to understand his lost look all the same.
She smiled.
"Pay attention, your highness. You never know when international relations will get interesting."
