Chapter 3

"So to clarify, you two are just two of many powerful creatures that reside in jewelry? Each with a unique ability such as creation for Tikki, and destruction for Plagg? Both of you were given to us by what's known as the guardian of the miraculouses because of some dark omen set to come upon Paris?" Marinette paused as she waited for the Kwamis to answer.

After the reveal last night, both Kwamis had gone through every minute detail of their existence in the lives of the two noble youths. Apparently they were connected to a prophecy from China that two heroes representing creation and destruction would bring peace upon the lands. They also covered some of the abilities that cane with being chosen. Not that they had much opportunity to test out the powers as it was very late in the night. So Marinette decided to hold off on the discussion until morning, which is the reason why Adrien was in her bedroom alone with the creatures.

"Yeah that's pretty much the whole story," Plagg answered as he sat down on the end on the end table beside Marinette's bed.

"But why us?" Adrien asked, "Not that I'm questioning your selection of someone like the beautiful princess of Paris."

Marinette froze for a second before turning to face him and saying while fighting off the growing blush on her face, "Can we please have one discussion without you flirting with me?"

Unfortunately the princess began blushing from embarrassment this time. When she made her last outburst, it didn't come out the way she intended. She ended up stuttering, and her voice was squeaking slightly. And it was a thing that Adrien was quick to notice. "Why princess," Adrien began flirtatiously teasing, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're actually enjoying my attention towards you."

That was when Marinette heavily swatted his arm, "Will you knock it off?"

Adrien laughed, "I'm sorry fair princess. Please forgive this humble Knight."

"Are you two a couple?" Plagg asked, changing the topic.

Both humans shifted their attention on the kwamis currently admiring the display. This time the recognition of this fact caused them both to blush. Though on Adrien's part, it was mostly from being caught so off guard. It wasn't public knowledge that he would tend to flirt with the princess, and only a handful of people knew that he had genuine feelings for her that went beyond the flirtatious remarks. Truthfully, he had been holding back for her sake so he was surprised that someone called him out on it in such a way.

"No we aren't a couple," Marinette answered for the both of them.

"Much to our disappointment," Adrien quipped once more, "Though hopefully that problem will resolve itself soon."

Marinette glared at the knight angrily, "I'm not sure what punishment would suit you best when I'm queen."

"Yeah they'll be the perfect couple soon," Tikki said, interrupting any chance of further back and forth between the two.

And before they had a chance to reply to that comment, they heard a knock on the door followed by Alya's voice coming from the other side, saying, "Princess, are you awake?"

Both noble teens froze in place, and it took a few seconds for the kwamis to understand why. Since they decided to talk first thing in the morning, they were the first to be awake in the whole palace, apart from the occasional guard patrolling the halls. And people were forbidden from disturbing the royal family, , which pretty much only meant that no boy was allowed to enter the bedroom of either Marinette, or Manon unless done so by guard. Since this didn't happen, Adrien was actually violating the law just for being there. And while he was treated like family by the king, he didn't want to find out how they would punish him for this.

So he made sure to hide before Marinette answered, "Yeah, I'm getting dressed."

Adrien paused and glanced at her. His look was clearly saying that he had no idea why she decided to say that as the excuse. However his thought was interrupted when Marinette shooed him back into hiding. When he found a good spot to hide, Marinette opened the door and allowed Alya to walk in. Once she did so, she said, "That was quick. I thought you'd still be putting something on."

"I was almost done when you came to my door," Marinette lied hoping that Alya would believe her.

Unfortunately, she didn't, "So your delay to let me in wasn't because someone else was in your room?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Marinette life once more, "Father forbade anyone from entering my room unless escorted by a guard."

"Then why is Sir Adrien of House Agreste currently hiding in your closet?" Alya pointed out before picking up a sword that was on the ground, "And left his sword behind when he hid?"

Marinette tried once more to defend herself, "Maybe it's mine from my combat training. What would you say to that?"

"So you wouldn't mind if I thrust the blade through that door there?" Alya asked as she pointed the weapon towards the door that Adrien was hiding behind.

Marinette froze for a second before hesitantly saying, "I don't think father will appreciate you destroying things in the castle."

"Good point," Alya said with false pondering, "But I'm sure I'll be forgiven."

Just as she was about to thrust the sword through the door, Adrien popped out of the closet to stop her, "Easy Alya. No need to skewer me."

"Why are you in the princess's chambers?" Alya began asking.

Both of them looked at each other as they tried to come up with a good story. Adrien clearly had one idea brewing in his head as he looked towards Marinette. The princess knew that he had some idea but she didn't know what he was thinking. And that fact alone made her nervous about what he could be thinking being that blond hair. Focus she thought as she tried to find her answer before Adrien could answer for them both. Unfortunately she was too late, "I wanted to offer to marry the princess."

The two noble women were absolutely shocked but for two different reasons. Alya was shocked by the fact that he would propose since she didn't think that he'd do it. Marinette was shocked because she thought he was trying to flirt with her even more. Then Alya looked at the princess who remained silent so as to neither confirm nor deny the story. However, instead of pursue this story even further, she said, "Well, while I'm sure that we'll discuss this matter later, your mother wants to speak with you about something."

"Did she say what?" Marinette asked, happy to swap topics.

"Never got a chance to ask," Alya answered, "But she did want you to meet with her as soon as possible."

"I'll make my way over to her then," Marinette said as she gathered her things, "Where is she now?"

Alya pointed towards the door as she answered again, "In the throne room with your father."

"Thanks Alya," Marinette said as she left her room and her friends to see her parents.

As she left, Alya quickly turned to Adrien and asked, "So what was the real reason that brought you here?"

Meanwhile as Marinette was making her way to meet her parents, Manon quickly ran up to her and said, "Marinette, look what I got."

The little child immediately showed the princess what was on her wrist. It appeared to be a bracelet with a rather noticeable magenta colored gemstone on it. The bluenette was shocked since she didn't recognize the design of the bracelet. And while it seemed rather unlikely, Marinette had immediately assumed that her new piece of jewelry came with a kwami as well. Instead of showing worry though, she smiled, and said, "It looks lovely Manon."

"Thanks," Manon said as she walked with the princess, "So what did mother and father want?"

"Not sure," Marinette replied as she noticed that the doors to the throne room were right in front of them, "But we'll soon find out."

The girls walked up to the doors and waited for the guards to open them. Once they did, the two walked in the throne room before the doors were closed again. Then they immediately spotted the king and queen talking with a third person whose back was currently to them. However the person turned around once the doors closed to reveal his face. The guest showed himself to be none other than Lord Gabriel Agreste himself.

Marinette and Manon both gave a polite greeting while trying to hold back their negative comments. Every time the princess saw Lord Gabriel, she wanted to scold him on being a better father to his own son. Manon just found the man scary and certainly felt angry for how he behaves like he's superior to others, at least that's how he comes off in her eyes. It was a tough trial for both girls to learn when they first met the lord since he was a powerful man even though he answered to the crown just like the rest of the people of Paris. Thankfully Gabriel seemed to be in a better mood when he greeted both princesses, "Princess Marinette, Lady Manon, a pleasure to see you both again."

"Likewise sir," Marinette replied for both of them, "Are we interrupting?"

"Actually we finished our discussion for the most part," Sabine answered for the three of them, "Thank you for stopping by Lord Gabriel."

"Of course my queen," Gabriel said as he gave a slight nod before leaving the room, "And I do hope you consider my offer."

Once he left the room, Manon looked to the queen, and asked, "Mother why do we allow him here? He's scary."

"I'm more than aware of everyone's opinion of him," Sabine replied, "But he is a guest so we must be respectful towards him and his entourage."

"Who did he come with?" Marinette asked her mother.

The only response she received was her mother saying, "Just a few of the guards, and Felix."

Felix Agreste was the nephew of Gabriel Agreste though there are rumors that he's actually the bastard son of the shrewd lord. This was because he resembled the lord in appearance and, in the eyes of some, in attitude as well. In fact, Gabriel almost looked like a saint compared to the young boy who was plagued with a reputation of being cruel and callous towards his people. There was even a story that he was part of the reason that one noble family no longer holds power. Needless to say, he wasn't liked by any of the citizens of France, and he was especially disliked by the princesses.

"Why would Felix appear here?" Marinette asked, "Last I recalled, he was never to enter the kingdom."

"You know as well as I that he is as welcomed here as his caretaker," Sabine answered, "Though I'm unclear as to what his purpose would be here."

It was true that Felix wasn't exiled, though it was inaccurate to say that he was welcomed within the kingdom. On his last visit a couple of years prior, Felix had made an inappropriate advance on the princess and her friend Alya. No one else was around to defend them but the boy was stopped by Adrien, who before the moment wasn't considered much of a friend by Marinette's standards. Adrien had flirted with her for a while since he arrived but he never took things as far as Felix did. It was because of that moment that the princess actually began to develop feelings for her knight, again not that she'll ever admit the fact.

"Can we really allow him around the palace?" Manon asked, feeling concerned for the safety of her family.

"He's to only wander the palace with an escort," the queen reassured the girls, "None of the guards will allow him to come near either of you."

"Does That also mean that Sir Adrien will be keeping watch for Marinette?" Manon asked in a joking manner.

The older child looked ready to chastise her little sister but was interrupted by their mother's reply, "Actually he's been instructed to keep watch over the two of you while Felix is around."

Marinette wanted to object to the statement made, but decided against doing so. While the princess saw the potentially endless flirting from her knight to be an annoyance, it would be much better to have him around when Felix is nearby. Especially when the only person Felix fears besides his uncle was his cousin. Not to mention, arguing with her mother would only make things worse since the queen was very stubborn when she's made up her mind on something. One thing that both girls managed to inherit from their mother.

"You two can go about the rest of your day now," Sabine said as she left with a pair of the guards.

Both Marinette, and Manon left the throne room through the main entrance after their mother left. Of course, as they left, they noticed that standing with their ears to the door were Lady Alya, and Sir Adrien. Both smiling perhaps a little more happily than they should be. An obvious sign that they heard some very important things from the other side of the door. Adrien was the first to break the silence, saying with a flirtatious smirk, "So I guess I'm to stay close to the prize of Paris. I must be the luckiest knight ever."

Marinette groaned at the remark, and said, "Just make sure Felix doesn't try anything."

"Anything to protect my beautiful princess," Adrien said as he took the princess's hand, and in perhaps his most charming manner ever.

And with that last remark, the midnight haired, bluebell eyed princess became as red as a tomato as she stuttered out, "Th-Thank you s-sir knight."

The two eventually walked away, leaving Manon and Alya alone together. Though after they went halfway across the hall, the royal teen gave her protective knight a solid punch to his arm. This was followed by yet another scolding from the princess regarding his flirtatious tendencies. Once they were out of sight, Manon looked to Alya, and said, "Why doesn't she just admit that she likes him?"

Alya smirked, "Your guess is as good as mine little princess."