9. Rush
A young man of specks and dark skin came in followed by none other than Adrien Agreste. They both seemed very agitated.
"Good afternoon, ladies. Where are the others?"
"What others?"
"Wasn't Luka with you?"
"He left with Rose and Juleka."
Adrien and Nino shared a panicked look.
"Com'on, we have no time to lose."
Alya jumped to her feet frowning.
"What is going on?"
Adrien grabbed Nino's arm, begging him with his eyes not to tell.
"It's alright, man. Alya doesn't believe in this bullshit either." He turned to her. "Adrien thinks that the first accused will be Anarka Couffaine and we have to warn Luka."
"We are coming with you," declared Marinette.
Adrien smiled at her and nodded. He probably didn't want to waste anymore time.
Marinette called her carriage and the four of them left for the Couffaine Household.
"Why do you believe that this woman might be the first one, Adrien?"
The boy clenched his jaw.
"Because she has never respected the rules of the community and many old women despise her."
Marinette didn't answer immediately because she could sense that he was keeping something.
"And because somebody has already told me that they suspect her to be one."
Alya and Nino fell into exclamations of anger and curiosity, but she only looked at Adrien. This couldn't be a façade, he looked so miserable while trying to correct his father's wrongs that she could feel his anxiety too.
Once they arrived, Adrien jumped from the carriage and knocked on the door and a girl opened it.
"I wish to speak to Luka Couffaine."
Before the maid could answer him, Luka himself came through the door.
"Adrien! Is it true? About your father's witchcraft persecution?"
"Yes," the blonde man whispered, "and I have reasons to believe that your mother might be one of the first accused."
Luka's face didn't even tremble but he went pale.
"What can I do?"
"Make her keep a low profile, don't send her to church just now or people will call her fake."
Luka nodded. They all realized that something else was burdening Adrien's heart.
"And, Luka, make sure that Juleka doesn't spend much time alone with your mother, and that everyone knows that she doesn't. Just… in case."
Said lady came from the gardens laughing with Rose. Luka glanced at her in a strange way.
"Sister, your friends have come to collect you."
Juleka stared at them and Alya, Nino and Adrien seemed to have run out of words. So it was Marinette who spoke.
"Yes, you see I was afraid that I may had offended you back at my home, so I asked Alya to bring me here."
Alya nodded quickly.
"Indeed, so I sent for Nino —who was with Adrien— to take us here."
Juleka and Rose glanced at each other, but merely smiled in response.
"You didn't offend us, Marinette! It is just that we had… issues to attend!"
Juleka looked at Luka, who avoided her sight. Seeing this, Alya took Nino's arm and made an offer.
"Would you like to join us for a walk, girls?"
"That would be lovely!"
"Are you coming, Marinette?"
She shook her head. Nino and Alya were a couple and whatever bond that Rose and Juleka shared, it was close to that. Better alone than a third wheel.
"Thank you, but I will go back to my house."
Adrien frowned.
"On your own?"
She smiled nervously.
"I know that the coachman is no butler but I hope he counts."
"He doest, the only reason why butlers count is because they are supposed to report back to the man of the house, I am taking you home."
She smiled and was about to deny to the such but Luka stepped in.
"I will. You've done enough to atone for a day, Adrien."
Adrien shook his head.
"I could never do enough as long as my father keeps on imprisoning innocent people."
The words escaped from Marinette's throat in a blink.
"His sins aren't yours to atone for."
Both men turned their heads to look at her. Well, Marianne and Fu hadn't raised her to be intimidated by male gazes.
"I apologize if I am messing with what isn't mine to mess with, but whatever guilt your father carries, you should not make it yours."
"I can't just look to the other side. And if I can help, I will."
"So do it, but don't let it consume you."
Adrien's green eyes dived into Marinette's blue ones and found a spark of something you didn't find easily in Saint Emilie. As for what, that was hard to say.
Luka cleared his throat.
"She is right, Adrien. I will take you home, Miss Lenoir."
She smiled.
"Please, just Marinette."
Marinette and Luka climbed into the carriage and left Adrien to continue on his way to undoing his father's wrongs.