Day 1: Beloved

It was night and not a soul was walking through the streets of Paris at that time. The Agreste mansion was completely dark except for one room. Nathalie was in her bed, writing on a sheet of paper. She was about to make a very important decision.

She was going to take on her new and only identity from now on: Mayura. And all to achieve Gabriel's wish.

She first walked out in the direction of Adrien's room. The boy slept without realizing what was happening. She came closer and gently caressed his head trying not to wake him up. She adjusted his pillow as she always wanted to do since she started to take a liking to him. After leaving her letter, she whispered the last words that she would dedicate to that boy for who she opened a second space of her heart to occupy it.

"I'm sorry Adrien, Goodbye."

Her voice was so faint that not even the Kwami sleeping under Adrien's pillow was aware of the woman's presence.

Nathalie went out, closing the door as softly as possible. Now her next objective was to take the peacock miraculous. And if she could, the butterfly too. Thus, she could prevent Gabriel from finding her so easily and leaving her a free path to start her plan.

She went to Gabriel's room. She sneaked in and stood next to him. Gabriel slept very soundly and peacefully. That night he had gone to sleep with the two Miraculouses in the pocket of his robe. Quickly Nathalie went to get them both.

Nathalie felt her heart racing.

She entered Gabriel's bathroom and there she let Duusu out. He left excited until he saw Nathalie's face.

"What's wrong Miss Nathalie?" —Duusu floated towards her touching her face.

"I'll explain later. Duusu, ¡Spread my feathers!

Mayura was now in Nathalie's place.

Before leaving, she thought of doing something risky. She walked slowly over to the bed and gently kissed Gabriel's cheek. He grunted a little, but he just lay there asleep and motionless.

She put the letter on the nightstand before leaving. She signed it right there.

She took one last look at Gabriel's figure before closing the door softly.

Mayura left the mansion without looking back. She jumped from roof to roof holding back the tears that she had refused to shed in all that long farewell.

It hurt her to have done it. But she knew that if she could change the universe they were in and managed to keep Emilie from dying from the peacock miraculous, everything would go back to normal and none of this would have happened. It was the best for everyone.

Mayura kept going to reach her destination, her new home and her hideout.

Gabriel woke up a little sleepy in the morning. A few rays of sunlight filtered through the slightly open curtains. He went to check on her robe for the miraculous he had left the night before.

His heart skipped a beat when he didn't find them. The pocket was completely empty.

Gabriel checked the whole room, without success.

The miraculous were no longer there.

He sat on the bed not knowing what to do now. Gabriel noticed the sealed letter next to his nightstand. He saw the gold ink and Mayura's signature on the letter, in what he recognized as Nathalie's handwriting. He took the letter opener that he kept in the drawer and opened the letter.

My beloved Gabriel,

I hope you are well and that you read this letter. I tried my best to put all my ideas in this letter. I know that when you read this letter I will no longer be in the mansion. Where will I go? I'm not going to tell you. But rest assured that maybe in a few days or weeks you will finally have your wish. Everything will return to normal and everything you and I did will only be more than a dream. How will I do it? You'll find out later. Just don't look for me. You won't find me If one day they discover us, I will take full responsibility. I will say that you disappeared and that it was all my idea.

This way I will protect Adrien, I will protect you… Gabriel. Please, if Adrien asks, I went to live somewhere else. And I may not come back. It hurts me to know that I won't see him again. I... I appreciate him very much; I love him as if he were my son. I just wanted you to know it.

To end this letter, I will tell you something: I love you Gabriel Agreste, I have loved you for a long time.

But now Nathalie Sancoeur has ceased to exist. Now there is only Mayura.

I just hope this is all going to be worth it. Take good care of yourself and Adrien please.

Always at your service,

Mayura

Gabriel crumpled the letter of anger a little. He was upset that he hadn't told him anything. Especially when her health has been quite delicate in recent days. His anger was quickly replaced by concern and sadness.

His beloved Mayura was gone. Without saying anything, without giving clues, nothing. She was very careful to leave. There was only a letter with the words that he didn't think would hurt so much.

Adrien woke up and the first thing he found was a piece of paper in his hand. But then he realized that it was a letter and from none other than Nathalie. He missed he opened it.

For Adrian,

Adrien, if you're reading this, it means I left the mansion. I have my own reasons for doing it. I'll be in a better place even though I go away from your father, from you... it's for our own good. I don't want to involve you in anything I'm going to do.

I can only tell you that it is dangerous and that I can do it myself. But I wanted you to at least have some idea that I'm going to do something... at least I hope so.

I love you so much Adrien, a while ago I began to see you as the son I never had and may never have.

I will miss you. And a lot. Please take care, live your life and don't let your father continue to control you, fight for your freedom Adrien. I would like to see that and much more Adrien. Seeing you grow up, finishing school, seeing you go to college, your wedding. I wish I was there to see those moments… but I can't.

I just hope you're okay. We will see each other on another occasion or in another life if fate wants it that way,

Nathalie.

Adrien had been puzzled. Not only because of the content of the letter itself, but the tone of it. This whole letter was very strange. It felt as if Nathalie was saying goodbye, as if they were never going to see each other again.

It gave him the feeling as if Nathalie had left the mansion. Leaving Plagg to rest, he got up and went in search of his father.

Just as he was about to knock to enter his father's room, the door opened. There he was. He looked a little desperate.

That was not a good sign for Adrien.

"Father, please tell me what happened."

Gabriel didn't answer anything, although he stammered some things intelligible to him.

"Father, please tell me that Nathalie hasn't left, please."

Gabriel looked at him and Adrien showed him the letter he had received from Nathalie. He read it quickly.

Oh no.

This was not good.

Adrien sat idly waiting for an answer from his father. Gabriel knew he couldn't tell him the real reasons Nathalie left.

"Son, she's gone. I found out this morning. But she left without saying a word, other than these letters that she left us."

Adrien wanted to find out if his father knew anything else. So he decided to ask.

"And… do you know where she went?"

"That's the thing. I don't know. It was so sudden. She didn't tell me anything… I really don't know where she is now."

Adrien was worried. Why would she leave them exactly? Nathalie's words were very vague and he really had no clues at all.

He needed to find out more and see if he could find her. At least ask her for a clear explanation of what was happening. He would use his powers as Chat Noir to do so. Or at least he hoped he could try.

But unlike Adrien, Gabriel was already imagining what she would do. Especially because of how willing she was to help him from the beginning, regardless of the consequences.

He should have stopped her when he had the chance, despite her stubbornness.

He had to act fast.

The first hiding place that came to Gabriel's mind was Nathalie's apartment. The one she lived in before she moved into the mansion because of her illness. Although he knew that Nathalie was not stupid and that it was surely the first location she discarded to make it her hiding place.

Still, he had to try, even if it cost him valuable time. If he found a clue, whatever it was, he would be closer to finding Nathalie. Or rather Mayura.

I wanted to participate in the Mayura May 2022 to give Mayura some love, so I created this story. I hope to get all 11 prompts out on time.