Plots and Plans
Kagami's body moved with a dancer's grace, her arms and legs shifting in concert with her lithe frame. Sweat flew off of her short, dark hair, dripping from her skin with each block, parry, dodge, or thrust of her weapon. Her training clothes practically clung to her figure as she took a step into the strike of her opponent. A curved wooden training sword lashed out, only to be met by another in an unmistakable block. She gave a smile as her almond eyes narrowed in appreciation of the young man's weapon skills. It was when she noted where he was looking that her arm moved, pushing him away to swipe at his head.
Adrien barely dodged the next strike of the sword, backing up several steps as he tried to shake the images from his mind. Holding up his hand, he sighed. "I'm sorry, Kagami." he apologized, looking away with a blush on his face.
"I have been told that it is normal, and healthy for young men to look upon females," Kagami felt the heat in her cheeks, "but I feel it is... inappropriate for you to do so with your betrothed barely a dozen meters away." She chewed on her lower lip, the feeling of gooey warmth pooling in her lower body, causing tingles to go up and down her spine. Looking away in embarrassment, she slid the wooden training sword onto her hip the same way her mother had instructed at the end of their training.
Closing his eyes, he tried to banish the memories of that night from his mind, but the more he tried, the less success he achieved. 'I know I shouldn't be considering Lila,' his body betrayed him with a shiver at her name, 'but now I'm looking at every female who has clothing flush against their figures. This is getting bad... I've even thought of Marinette in that way, but if we do anything, I could potentially break our contract!' Reaching up he clutched at his head. "Agh! This is frustrating!"
Looking at him, she put up her typical mask of impassivity as she stepped forward. "Perhaps we should call this an end to the training?" Adrien looked at the young woman with a nod as he walked to the stands holding all the weapons.
"I'm sorry for being so distracted, Kagami." Adrien rubbed at his forehead. "My mind just can't get past Vixen attacking me." Shaking his head, he rubbed at his eyes.
"Perhaps that is a good thing. Analyze the attack. Study it, and let it tell you something about your enemy." Setting her training sword in its spot, she looked at him. "Use that information to defeat her once and for all."
"You don't understand, Kagami." Adrien shivered at the memory, and the sensation of fear that had nearly kept him from acting. "I keep seeing her sitting on my hips, pressing the chain to my throat until I punched her." The Japanese woman looked at him, her eyes wider. "I've never hit a woman in my life, but part of me wanted to tackle her to the ground and keep punching her until there was nothing left of her face." Looking away from her, he let out a breath while his hands shook. He didn't even notice that he'd clenched them into fists until that moment.
Reaching up, she lightly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Adrien," her voice was soft, soothing, "I understand where you are coming from." She remembered all the times soldiers came back from a conflict, their minds unable to reconcile peace from warfare. "Just remember, you are safe here..."
"No, I'm not, Kagami." Adrien breathed. "I was attacked in my room." Clenching his eyes shut, he shivered at the next words that issued from his mouth. "My door is to be locked, and the key left with a random person for the evening, while bars have been installed in the window." He clenched his jaw shut. "I'm a prisoner in my own home, but if she sees me outside of the manor, that could be the end of my life."
"They only wish to protect you, Adrien." Kagami stated, but the words sounded hollow even to her. She watched as he nodded, and yet something about what he said didn't sit well with her. "Where did she get the chain?" she asked after several seconds of silence.
"What?" Adrien asked.
Kagami looked at him, unblinking. "In all the times I've heard of this Vixen, she's used daggers, and nothing else, so where did she get the chain?"
"Oh! It came from the necklace she was wearing. I managed to pull it off of her, revealing her true identity." Adrien answered. "Unfortunately, that's the other part I'm having a hard time reconciling in my mind."
"You know who Vixen is then?" She watched him nod. "Who is she?"
Adrien looked at the young woman. "Are you sure you want to know? It may put you in danger of being attacked by her."
"If she attacks me, I'll make sure to deliver the necklace to you, and her head to her family." At the sound of her cold, calculating tone, Adrien winced. "Now. Who. Is. She?"
"Lila Rossi." He didn't see surprise in her eyes, but watched them narrow in obvious threat.
Glaring at him, she then asked. "Now what is this other issue you have?"
Blinking, he shook his head. "Lila was only wearing a sleeping chemise, and exposed herself on purpose so that she could escape."
He watched as she shook her head. "Why do you Europeans hold such a taboo against the naked form?" Adrien's mouth gaped open as she continued. "I'll admit there is sensuality when it comes to a person you're romantically interested in," she then scowled, "that wouldn't happen to be Miss Rossi, right?"
"Definitely not!" Adrien nearly growled. He then let out his anger in a breath. "She... tried to force herself onto me."
"That MEINU dies!" Kagami yelled, as she turned.
Adrien ran after her. "Kagami, we've already told the militia. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before she's taken into custody."
"Her mother will never let that happen!" She then stopped to glare at him. "She attacked you, Adrien! Are you content to letting her live the rest of her life behind bars even if her mother is on the council?!"
Shaking his head, he looked at her as he trailed after the Japanese woman. "No, but I'm thinking murder is a little extreme."
"Whose murder?" Nathalie asked as both she and Marinette approached the duo, having heard Kagami's proclamation.
"Lila Rossi!" Kagami growled.
Marinette nodded. "As much as I might agree with you, Adrien has a point. We have laws..."
"Kuso your stupid laws!" Kagami yelled. "People like that don't stop, Marinette! They don't deserve mercy beyond the length of a blade!" She looked at the trio in front of her. "We need to go to her home, pull her out, and execute her in the street!"
"Is that what they do in Japan?" Marinette asked, aghast.
"Yes!" Kagami saw the horrified look on her face. "It may seem brutal, but it also stops further attempts before they ever start!" She shook her head with a glower. "Anyone assaulting another in that way is usually found and executed publicly so that it never happens again. Samurai are charged by their Daimyo to keep the peace in their prospective villages."
"What if they can't?" Adrien asked.
"They are considered without honor, and are replaced." Kagami answered.
Nathalie nodded. "Honestly, I like your way better, but while you are in Paris you must adhere to the same laws and rules we all have to abide."
Kagami glared at them. "You know what she did to him, and yet you still..." she then saw them look at each other, as if sharing a secret. "What?"
Adrien smiled at Kagami, "What we're about to say doesn't leave this area," he heard Nathalie intone, "but we've set a trap for her. One that will have her imprisoned here in the manor." He watched as the Japanese woman looked at him, "If everything goes according to plan, she will quietly disappear with nobody the wiser." Crossing her arms under her bosom, the older woman smirked at her. "I'll even let you be the one to take her head."
"Deal." The two women shook hands. "When?"
"I still want to give the militia a chance, so we're waiting two weeks." Nathalie answered. "But after that, we're planning on removing the bars, and having someone posted outside of Adrien's room while he sleeps. Nothing else will change in his routine, but I will personally be protecting Marinette. Vixen has already attacked the young woman's family, and I want to make sure they don't come to any harm."
"Let me do that." Kagami offered, looking down at Nathalie's abdomen. "You have more to lose should Vixen get in an errant dagger strike." She then looked at Marinette with a fond smile. "Between the two of us, I doubt Lila could stand a chance, even if she's dressed like Vixen."
Marinette seemed to look between Adrien and Kagami, unsure of whether or not to accept her help. "As much as I..." she started to say, only for her paramour to interrupt. He had just looked at the Japanese woman's throat seconds before he started to talk.
"Agreed." Adrien smiled at Kagami. He saw the stunned look in Marinette's eyes before giving the Japanese woman a formal bow. "Please protect my beloved, and make sure you don't get hurt. I'd hate to think of something happening to either of you." When he glanced at his betrothed, he gave her a knowing smile very similar to his trademark grin as Black Cat.
"Okay, but..." Marinette poked him in the chest, "we are not done talking about this, Adrien."
Gingerly taking Marinette's hand in his, he brought it up to his lips, offering a gentle kiss to her knuckles. Even with her frustration, he saw her cheeks turn rosy. "I would not presume to think that in the slightest, my love." Lowering her hand, Adrien smiled at her while rubbing his thumb over the back of her palm. "Just trust me that this is for the best."
Peering into his green eyes, she let out a breath. "I do trust you, Adrien." Marinette closed her eyes, pulling up his hand. Nuzzling her cheek against it, she opened those bluebell orbs with a smile on her face. "It's only for a couple of weeks, right?" she asked Kagami.
"Unless necessary for me to stay longer." Kagami agreed. "If she is taken into custody, or killed before the two weeks are over, I will return home." She then looked at Nathalie, "If, however, the local militia refuse to do anything..." she let that threat hang in the air, but found the older woman nodding in agreement.
"Your tea, Lady Kagami." the quartet heard to the side as Mylene smiled up at the guest.
Reaching out, she took the offered cup. "Arigato..." She could feel the heat through the ceramic as she took a sniff of the liquid.
Adrien looked at the shorter woman as she poured three more cups of the amber liquid. "Aren't you supposed to be with Ivan, Mylene?" he asked.
She looked down at the tray. "He was called in by the militia because of the coup," reaching up, she wiped her cheek, "but he promised to spend more time with me this evening." Handing the next cup to Marinette, she offered the third and fourth to Adrien and Nathalie together. Bowing to the four of them, she spoke softly. "Is there anything else I can do for you before I return to my cleaning duties?"
"No," Nathalie answered, "if we need you any further, we shall search for you."
"Very good, Lady Sancoeur." Offering a bow to the other three, she turned around and started walking toward the manor. As she entered the slightly darker interior of the manor house, her golden-brown eyes rippled to olive green, before returning to normal. 'No chance of taking out the baker now.' she grumbled as she passed servants until she found herself outside. Letting her transformation fade to that of Vixen, she leaped over the wall, and disappeared in a few seconds. A pair of cold, gray eyes watched it happen for the few seconds she appeared, and then left the Agreste compound. His lips twisted into a scowl before he turned and headed back to his desk. There was no reason to raise the alarm right now, but he would have to inform his family of her appearance in the manor during dinner.
oOo
In a dark alley, as the sun descended on the western horizon, a pair of militiamen come across what they initially think is a transient laying in the garbage. Upon noticing the regulation boots, however, they start to clear away the trash to uncover the body of Phillipe Dubois. He'd already been dead for a full day, his blood splashed against the stones of the building indicating a use of blades. It didn't take a master detective to determine that Vixen had taken another victim. Dispatching several men around the area, they went to every business to ask when was the last anyone had seen the militiaman.
They found their answer soon enough.