Marinette smiled to herself as she added the finishing touches to the new dress she made. It was one of fleece that was sunshine colored with long warm sleeves and a flowing skirt. She hoped that she would be able to sell the dress to someone in town. It was pretty but she felt like it was missing something, something to make a little brighter.

"Pretty things for sale! Very cheap! Pretty things for sale!"

She was startled by a gypsy woman carrying a basket as she walked around calling out: "Pretty things for sale! Fancy things to make you pretty!"

The woman seemed awfully nice but Marinette couldn't help but notice that there was something very strange about her eyes. They were so dark, it was almost frightening. The woman stopped when she saw Marinette.

"How pretty you are young lady." The woman said.

"Thank you good woman." Marinette replied. "What are you selling?"

"Good things, pretty things, lovely things. Laces of silk in many colors, sashes of fine satin in different shapes, and much more take a look." She opened the basket and began pulling out various accessories for dresses and gowns. "I have lovely belts, dainty laces, and pretty ribbons. Look at them aren't they pretty?"

"Yes they are."

"What a lovely dress you're wearing, wouldn't it look lovelier with one of these fancy things? Here pick one out and try it on."

Marinette chose a lace woven of silk that was blue and tied it around her waist. She liked how it looked on her but she didn't have enough money to afford such a nice thing.

"It looks wonderful but I can't afford it." She undid the lace and put it back in the basket. "I'm sorry ma'am but I have no money to pay you for your beautiful things."

"Oh well you're such a sweet and pretty child I'll give you one as a gift. Here take this one." She handed her a pretty, purple, silk lace.

"Oh no I couldn't. It's much too nice."

"I insist."

"Alright. Thank you."

"You are most welcome my dear."

The gypsy woman then left while laughing wickedly but quietly under her breath. Marinette looked at the lace, it was very pretty in fact it was just what she needed for the dress she made. She took the lace and tied it around the dress she had made. It made the dress look very beautiful, beautiful enough to sell. Marinette was just about to take the dress into town and sell it when suddenly the lace began to move on it's own. It was squeezing the waist of the dress so very tightly as if it was trying to strangle whoever would wear it. Confused, she tried to take it off but when she touched it the lace changed into a snake. She jumped back in fear when it hissed at her, it bared it's venomous and lunged to bite her when a knife was thrown at the snake cutting off it's head. She turned in the direction of the knife and saw that it had been thrown by Adrien. When she saw him she tried to run but he stopped her by grabbing her hand.

"Wait! Don't go!" He begged.

"Let go of me!" She demanded.

"Wait! Please let me explain! Please I beg of you!"

She stopped and held her breath. In her head a voice was screaming for her to run, to get as far away from him as possible but she heard a second voice in her heart and it was telling her to stay and hear him out. She listened to the voice in her heart.

"Alright, explain yourself." She said. "Why do you want me dead?"

"I don't but my stepmother does."

"The queen?"

"Yes she told me to kill you and to cut out your heart so she could eat it, when I refused she used some kind of spell to force me to do it that's why I crushed my hand with a stone to give you a chance to escape. After that I killed a pig and gave it's heart to my stepmother but somehow she found out what I did so she turned me into a panther and that's pretty much the whole story."

"Your stepmother turned you into a panther?"

"Yes apparently she's a magic user and I wouldn't be surprised if she was responsible for that lace turning into a snake. Where did you get that?"

"From a gypsy woman selling things for dresses. But she looked nothing like the queen."

"Well I looked nothing like myself when she turned me into a panther. So you shouldn't believe everything you see my lady especially when there's someone out there who wants to kill you."

"But why would the queen want to kill me?"

"I don't know but all that matters is that she wants to so you need to be protected so that's where I come in."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I must protect you."

"Why you?"

"Well naturally me my lady for I am the best sword's man in the entire kingdom."

"Thank you but I can take care of myself."

"I don't think so. You saw what I did to that snake, I'm excellent with any type of blade and not to mention if I hadn't thrown that knife that snake would've bitten you and you could've died from the venom."

"Well I thank you for that but right now I just want to focus on finding my way back home."

"Then it's only natural for you to stay with me because I plan on returning to the kingdom to inform my subjects of what exactly their queen is and if I'm not mistaken you live in my kingdom."

"I suppose you have a point there."

"So it's settled. Tomorrow morning we return to the kingdom together."

"I guess."

"Look I know you're scared to trust me but believe me when I say that I would never hurt you."

She wasn't sure what to do or if she should really trust this man but she didn't have much of a choice and he his eyes seemed quite sincere so she decided to trust him.

"Alright."

"Good, we'll leave tomorrow."

"Wait! Are you sure you know the way back?"

"Indeed I do. Trust me as your guide my lady, I'll get us home safely."

"Part of me is still skeptical about you but I guess I don't have any other choice."

"Great so would you like to go somewhere to eat?"

"Yes but I have no money."

"Don't worry I can pay for it. I'm loaded."

"You have money?"

"Yes...Oh well I did back before I turned into a three-hundred pound wild cat. Oops."

"Don't worry the inn will give us a meal if we do a little work."

"What kind?"

"Well we could start by sweeping floors, washing dishes, polishing sliver, and stuff like that."

"I've never done anything like that before."

"Don't worry I'll help you learn."

They went to the inn where Marinette taught Adrien how to do household chores. It was very difficult for him since he was a prince and he was not used to doing such things but with Marinette's help he was able to learn.

Meanwhile when Mayura returned to the castle she was rather pleased with herself. She ran herself a nice herbal, scented oil, and milk bath for herself and dressed herself in a silk robe. Once bathed and dressed she went to her mirror to admire her reflection but was started when she saw that she had a gray hair.

"How is this possible?!" She cried. "You stupid mirror! You said if I killed Marinette my beauty would be restored! Yet my wrinkles remain and now my hair is turning gray!"

"That is because Marinette still lives." Fu anwsered.

"What?! Impossible! She took my lace which should've strangled her to death!"

"She took the lace but she did not wear it and the lace's true form was exposed by your stepson Adrien." Fu said.

"Adrien? He's regained human form?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Marinette with a gentle touch of love and affection unknowingly broke your evil spell."

"That spell was supposed to be permanet!"

"Unless he received a touch of love."

"What?"

"Love is a very powerful kind of magic in fact it's the most powerful magic in the world. The only kind of magic powerful enough to overcome any kind of evil magic no matter how powerful. Marinette possess a heart full of so much love and compassion, making her the perfect person chosen to weild the magic of love."

"Love?! Ha! Love is nothing more than a tingly feeling felt by fools! Still I now realize that I shall have to do a way with her in a different manner but of course I'll also have to get rid of Adrien too but how?"

"Mayura this obession of yours is quite unhealthy and I fear that it will lead to your undoing."

"Silence! Be gone!"

She dismissed Fu then went to her vanity and began doing everything she could to hide her gray hair and wrinkles. She applied make up, combed her hair, and added coloring. She had just finished when she caught site of a pretty, oriental comb which gave her another idea on how she could kill Marinette. She opened her spell book and immediately set to work.