CHAPTER SIX:
KIDS AT PLAY
Legend has it that Nottingham Castle once belonged to Queen Audrey of England, the mother of Felix and Chloe, while she was still the noble daughter of Lord Theodore of Bourgeois. After she married King André and moved to London, Nottingham Castle was eventually inherited by Audrey's younger sister, Emilie.
In time, a young lordling named Gabriel of Agreste came to Nottingham to court the kind and generous Lady Emilie. He succeeded, and the two were happily married within a year. Five summers later, after a few unfortunate miscarriages and a stillbirth, Gabriel and Emilie were blessed at long last with a healthy baby boy, whom they named Adrien. Sadly, the new parents' joy ended when Her Ladyship died in childbed.
At the age of seventeen, Sir Adrien was forced to leave Nottingham Castle for London to spend time with his royal maternal cousins, King Felix and Princess Chloe. While it is arguable as to whether or not Lord Gabriel conspired to betroth his son to the princess, it is safe to say that his efforts (if any) were in vain. Disgusted by Chloe's callous and greedy nature, Adrien refused to be swayed by her charms and remained adamant in his decision to one day return to Nottingham... and reunite with the red-hooded outlaw he heard so much about.
Unfortunately, his tyrannical cousin beat the lordling to it.
After her humiliation at the hands of Ladybug and Rena Rouge on the King's Highway, Princess Chloe decided to put her kingdom tour on hold and take up residence in Nottingham Castle. She resolved to stay there until the Red Archer was captured and executed.
Soon after, Sir Adrien disguised himself as a humble traveller and departed at last for the town of his birth after four years abroad, taking only his personal attendant with him.
And on the day he returned... well, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit for the next part if you want to learn more.
Until then, let's get on with the story, shall we?
Alix, her sister, and her four friends spent the whole day playing along the rolling fields just outside the town.
Further ahead was Nottingham Castle, a great stone structure with huge towers, a high wall, and a massive moat. The entire thing was perched on a grand hill, and the six friends were playing several yards away from the back of the castle.
Everyone took turns shooting with Alix's new bow... except Manon, who was too young. She tried at one point to offer to just hold the bow while Alix fired the arrow, but her sister had said no.
"Don't worry, Manon," Alix assured her. "The moment you're old enough, I'll teach ya."
Manon just sat down on the grass with a huff and started playing with her bunny doll.
Once everyone had a chance to shoot, Alix decided to do something a little bolder. "I wanna see how far I can shoot this thing," she told her friends, loading up her arrow again.
"Gee, I don't know, Alix," Juleka said. The copper eye that wasn't concealed by her long, dark hair twitched with wariness. "That string's pretty strong. You should be careful."
"Yeah, why don't you let me do it?" Kim asked, reaching for the bow.
"Oh, no you don't!" Alix chuckled, jerking away as she nocked the arrow and lifted it up towards the sky. "I'm getting this one."
Max lifted a finger. "Um, can I offer a suggestion as to where to shoot?"
"Nope," Alix said, closing her left eye.
"You're pointing it too high!" Rose exclaimed.
"I'm not either!" Alix hissed between her clenched teeth as her arm began to strain. "Watch this!"
She let go of the string, and the arrow zipped high into the air, shrinking into the size of a small bird in the distance.
"Wow!" Manon cheered.
"Look at it go!" Kim called.
Alix smiled... until she saw the arrow hovering over a certain castle up on the hill.
She froze, realization and horror dawning on her. In her haste to show off, she hadn't been paying direct attention as to where she was aiming.
Now, the pink-haired pauper was forced to watch as her one and only arrow disappeared beyond the back wall of Nottingham Castle.
Everyone was speechless and still for a breathtaking minute.
Then Juleka muttered fearfully, "Uh-oh, now you've done it."
Rose had her hands clasped over her pale cheeks. "Right in Princess Chloe's backyard," she shivered.
Manon huddled closer to Alix, clutching her doll to her chest.
Alix stared with a sinking feeling at the castle, its pale-stone walls yellow in the afternoon sun.
It used to belong to Lord Gabriel of Agreste. Now it was Princess Chloe's castle; her secluded fortress where no peasant dared enter.
But... Alix's arrow was in there; the arrow Ladybug had given her. The greatest gift she had ever gotten. Alix couldn't just forget about it and move on.
Narrowing her eyes determinedly, Alix drew her hood further down and took off towards the castle.
Her friends, who knew better than to call out to Alix and draw attention, chased after her in silence. Their hasty trampling was nothing but soft brushes along the grass.
Together, they ran all the way over the flat bridge that cut across the moat and led them right up to the castle wall. The only way inside was a small, barred gate sealed with a thick lock. When Alix peered through, she saw no guards or traps – just a stone walkway surrounded by twin walls of towering green hedges. Was there a garden beyond them, or maybe a courtyard?
Either way, it seemed like a safe place to sneak in. And the bars were wide enough for a small, thin child like Alix to squeeze through.
Just then, Manon was tugging on her sister's new teal cloak. "Ally, you can't go in there," she insisted. "Mama said not to."
Max agreed. "Princess Chloe will chop of your head." He lifted the top of his tunic over his head, making him look headless. "Like this," he muffled through the fabric.
Rose and Juleka cringed. Kim rolled his eyes.
Alix gently nudged Manon away. "I don't care, guys. I've gotta get my arrow back." She gripped the bars of the gate and prepared to pull herself through.
Until Juleka whispered, "Wait a minute! Manon might tattle on ya, Alix."
The five-year-old pouted. "No I won't!"
Alix stepped away from the gate and smiled at her little sister. "She's right, Manny," she said calmly. "I can't have you running off to Mom if there's trouble. You've gotta take the Oath."
Manon craned her head to the side curiously. "What's a... oaf?" she asked.
"Oath," Max clarified. "It's like a promise, and you can't break it."
"But... isn't she too young to join the gang?" Kim asked.
"Quiet, Kim," Alix snapped before kneeling before her sister. "Okay, Manon, put your hand over your heart and cross your eyes." She demonstrated the gesture so Manon could see.
Manon copied it, though she had trouble crossing her eyes, so she just stared down at her nose.
"Now repeat after me," Alix said. "Spiders, snakes and a lizard's head."
"Spiders, snakes and a... lizard's head," Manon repeated slowly.
"If I tattle on my sister, I'll die till I'm dead."
"If I tattle on my sister... um... die till I'm dead!" Manon said, producing a buck-toothed grin with immense pride.
Alix grinned back and ruffled Manon's brown hair before standing up.
She saluted the rest of her squad, turned to the gate, and slipped through the bars.
Alix tiptoed carefully along the stone path, holding her bow out in front of her like a shield. Her cloak dragged along the ground behind her.
It wasn't long before she heard voices behind the green, hedge-wall. Male voices.
Guards? Alix thought. She gulped and crept closer, doing her best not to rattle the hedge too much.
That's when the little intruder heard whacking, followed by thumping, and then chuckling. Then there was heavy breathing.
Alix was puzzled. Are they fighting? If they are, then why are they laughing? She squeezed further through the hedge to get a better look.
Once she had a good line of sight, Alix was amazed to see an entire courtyard surrounded by trees and flowery bushes, like a miniature forest. In the centre was a small grassy area where two young men – probably in their early twenties, Alix guessed – were sparring with wooden staffs.
The first was tall, fair-skinned and lithe, with a slight build along his chest and arms. He wore a short, white tunic and matching trousers that were rolled up at his ankles, and his feet were bare and streaked with grass-stains. The man's short hair was an astounding shade of gold, and several sweaty strands gleamed in the sunlight. His face was sharp and angular, and when he smiled, it was just as sharp and even more mischievous. His eyes were as green as the greenwood around him, making him look more fairy-esque.
The second young man was darker of hair and of skin, and a couple inches shorter. His eyes were a warm brown, and his hair was cropped into a layer of fuzz on his head. Like his sparring partner, he too was barefoot and dressed in white. Unlike his partner, he was gangly and wore large round glasses on his face. But he also possessed a deep kind of inner strength in his gaze and his posture, like a knight protecting his liege.
The dark-skinned man sighed and wiped his sweat-streaked brow with a chuckle. "Your move now, Adrien," he said in a light voice. "Show me what you've got."
Alix gasped, and then covered her mouth.
Adrien? As in... Sir Adrien? The son of Lord Gabriel? Princess Chloe's cousin? Ladybug's childhood sweetheart?
Alix remembered Friar Fu telling her that last part; how Marinette and Adrien had been in love for many years since they were children, until the lordling left and Marinette became an outlaw.
I had no idea he came back! Alix thought with a small smile. Does Ladybug know he's back? Has he tried to find her?
The golden-haired noble – who looked and acted so un-noble-like – gave his partner a feline grin and twirled his staff with one hand. "Are you ready, Nino? I'm not going easy on you this time," he warned in a deep but playful vibrato.
Nino snorted and bowed mockingly. "Nor I you, Your Lordship. Now give me a good show, or I'm resigning as your personal attendant."
Sir Adrien's eyes narrowed with focus, and he swept into a low crouch. "I accept your challenge, sir. En garde!" He charged and swung his staff.
"Touché!" Nino called, blocking the blow and dancing away before making a swift comeback.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
The sounds of wood pounding on wood made Alix shift in her hiding place. Those men may just be training, but they were really giving it their all. Alix imagined how they would fight with real swords. They probably wouldn't do so without armour, she concluded.
But she couldn't ogle the fighting for long. She had to find her arrow, grab it, and get out of here before Sir Adrien saw her and called the guards.
Alix scanned the courtyard, looking over every tree and shrubbery.
Finally, she spotted her arrow. Its tip was embedded in the grass just a few feet away behind Sir Adrien.
Hmm... Well, as long as the lordling was occupied, Alix might just make it.
Very carefully, the pink-haired girl eased out of the hedge and tiptoed behind the trees. She stopped at each one and checked to make sure she was in the clear before moving on. Just a couple more...
"Ow!" Adrien cried, leaping back and bobbing on his feet. "Huh, that was a good one, Nino." He struck again, ducking the other way in a fake attack.
Nino stumbled to the side, groaning with a smile. "You're not so bad yourself," he commented, panting heavily. "Phew... this heat is killing me."
The two men met in the middle once more.
Whack! Whack...
Suddenly, Adrien twirled Nino's staff with his own in a broad circle before sending it flying up into the air with a hard flick of his wrist.
Nino gasped as Adrien lifted his chin with the end of his staff.
"Yield?" the lordling sneered.
His friend's brown eyes narrowed, but he was smiling. "Never," he growled. "I'll never surrender to the likes of – GAH!" He took a sudden soft jab to the gut and fell backwards.
"Ha! Got you again!" Adrien jeered before he burst out laughing.
Nino chuckled even as he scowled up at the future Lord of Agreste. "Okay, wise guy, but the next round is mine." He offered up his hand, and Adrien kindly lifted him to his feet. Then, Nino looked around. "Where'd my staff go?"
Alix was hiding behind the last tree closest to her arrow. She stood perfectly still, sweat beading down her brow. Her arrow was just a hop and a grab away.
"I don't see it," Sir Adrien said.
"Well, where did you fling it off to?" Nino demanded, clearly annoyed.
"Relax, I'm sure it's around – Oh, look! There it is!"
Alix leapt out of her hiding spot just seconds before Adrien's proclamation.
So when her hand reached for arrow, she realized too late that a wooden staff was lying right beside it... and another pale hand was hovering over it.
Alix's gut clenched with a shaking dread as she looked up slowly into the perplexed green eyes of Sir Adrien staring right back at her.
Adrien gaped at the young, hooded girl crouching before him.
He knew right away that she was a peasant. For one thing, she was sneaking around like she wasn't supposed to be here. For another thing, Adrien could see the ragged tunic and pants underneath the folds of the teal cloak that was clearly too big for her.
But then Adrien noticed the arrow the girl still had her hand stretched out towards, and the deep-brown bow she held in her other hand.
For a brief, nostalgic moment, Adrien was ten-years-old again, meeting another young, hooded archer in this very courtyard. Was it really so long ago?
Adrien smiled kindly at the girl. "Well, well," he said. "Where did you come from, little lady?"
The girl snatched her hand back like she had been bitten by a snake, and she staggered backwards so fast that she tripped over herself.
Concern flashed across Adrien's face, and he held out his free hand. "Hey, hey, easy there," he said gently. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"Adrien? Who are you – ? Oh!"
Nino came up on Adrien's right, and he blinked wide-eyed at the peasant girl. "How did she get in here?" he asked, more out of curiosity than suspicion.
At that moment, the girl's face crumpled and she curled up on her knees. "Oh, please, sir! Please don't tell Princess Chloe!" she begged. "Don't let her chop off my head! I have a mother and a baby sister!"
It suddenly dawned on Adrien why this girl was so frightened. It wasn't because of him – it was because of his ruthless cousin, Chloe.
Does she really sow such terror in the hearts of her own people? Adrien thought. He knew Chloe to be cruel, but he never knew how much of an impact that cruelty made on Nottingham.
How could he know? The moment Adrien returned home from London a few weeks ago, the princess had forbade him from having any contact with the townsfolk. It left Adrien insulted and angry. Why couldn't he visit the people he governed; see their suffering, lend them aid and support? It was like he was living under his father's strict rules all over again, even though Lord Gabriel was leagues away in London keeping watch over Chloe's court while she was away.
Well, Sir Adrien of Agreste was not one to sit back and do nothing. Nor was he one to terrorize a poor little girl, especially one who reminded him so much of his Ladybug.
Adrien walked over to the girl in the teal hood. "Don't be afraid," he assured. "You've done nothing wrong. And don't worry about Princess Chloe. She's locked herself up in her tower and won't come out until supper." He glanced over his shoulders and whispered with a wink. "Don't tell anyone I told you that."
The girl blinked at him, and then her expression changed from fearful to amused.
Adrien dropped his staff and extended his hand to her. "I'm Adrien. What's your name?" he asked.
The girl smiled shyly before taking his hand. "Alix," she replied.
The twenty-one-year-old lord lifted her back up with a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you, Alix. This is Nino, my best friend and attendant."
"By attendant, he means slave," Nino joked as he shook Alix's hand. "His Lordship likes to whack me with a stick for no reason."
Alix giggled, and her uneasiness faded away little by little.
Adrien looked her over again before casting a sideways grin at his partner. "Nino, does this young archer remind you of anyone?"
Nino squinted at Alix, and then his eyes lit up. "Oh my..." he breathed in a dramatic fashion. "Could it be... the notorious Ladybug?"
Alix beamed. "So it's true?" she asked. "You do know Ladybug?"
Adrien felt a blush creep into his smile. "Of course I know her," he said casually. "Only Ladybug wears a hood and carries a bow."
Alix lifted a sly eyebrow. "Well, believe it or not, Ladybug gave me this bow and this hood for my birthday earlier today." She presented her bow for both men to see.
"Did she now?" Adrien's smile deepened. So she's still out there, he thought with newfound hope, and she's all right. "That was really nice of her."
Just then, a tiny sneeze sounded from the hedge-wall.
Nino was the first to look, and he nudged the lordling with a smirk. "Psst, Adrien," he whispered. "Don't look now, but I think we're surrounded."
Adrien glanced over Alix and smiled when he saw five more kids getting tangled up in the hedge – four teenagers and a child, to be precise.
"Uh-oh," hissed a girl's high-pitched voice.
"Busted," came a boy's voice.
"Are we in trouble?" murmured a tiny voice, probably the child's.
Adrien waved over to them welcomingly. "It's all right, everyone – you can come out," he called.
Alix waved back too. "Come on, guys. This is Sir Adrien! The Sir Adrien!"
There were a few astounded gasps and awed whispers from the hedge. Then, all five figures scrambled out of the greenery and raced over to join their hooded friend.
The child lagged behind the others. "Hey! Not so fast!" she whined. "Wait for me!"
Once they were all gathered, Adrien did a quick study of his new arrivals before introductions were made: Kim was the tall spiky-haired one, Max was the dark one, Juleka had the dark hair, Rose had the light hair, and little Manon was Alix's baby sister.
"So how did you kids get in here?" Nino asked.
"Easy," Alix said. "I slipped through the bars of the gate, but the others..." She paused with a confused look before spinning to face her companions. "Hey, how did you guys get in?"
Juleka shrugged. "We got worried when you didn't come back, so Max picked the lock."
"With a hairpin," Max added.
"Juleka's hairpin?" Alix asked.
"No, Kim's hairpin," Rose answered before giggling into her hand.
Kim scowled. "I already told you – it's my mother's hairpin, and I'm holding onto it for her," he clarified with dignity.
Adrien and Nino chuckled.
The young lord never had visitors before. At least, not ones that he actually liked.
All the other young nobles at court talked too properly and never laughed, except while making snide comments at each other. It was a den of poisonous serpents who could strike you if you said the wrong thing, or simply ignore you and treat you like an inferior.
But here, in the presence of these young peasants, Adrien knew they would never judge him for being improper or unsophisticated. Here, he was free to speak as he pleased.
"Ally shoot her arrow over the wall," Manon explained. "It flied too high and got away."
Adrien smiled warmly at the child. "Well, I'm glad it did, because now I get to meet all of you."
Manon giggled shyly. Then, she asked out of the blue, "Are you gonna marry Ladybug?"
"Manny!" Alix blurted with shock.
Adrien felt all the blood shoot into his face.
Nino guffawed, bending over so much that he had to lean against a tree.
Adrien shot his attendant a dirty look before giving Manon an awkward one. "What..." He cleared his throat. "What makes you say that?"
"Oh, come on," Kim answered with a raised eyebrow. "Everyone in Nottingham knows how close the two of you were."
"Mama says you and Ladybug are... are sweeties," Manon added.
"Sweethearts," Rose clarified, clutching her hands to her chest.
Adrien chuckled to himself, unable to speak. He rubbed the back of his neck, which had suddenly grown clammy. It's the heat, he told himself.
But should he really lie to these kids? Or to himself, for that matter? Was there really any harm in saying that you still loved someone even after you both chose to end your relationship?
Adrien finally dropped his hand and took a deep breath. "All right, little lady," he said as he lowered himself down to meet Manon eye-to-eye. "Ladybug and I were sweeties once, but then I had to go to London with my father. That was four years ago."
Manon became sad. "But why?"
"Royal duties," Nino chimed in. "Adrien is the king's cousin."
"Why didn't Ladybug go with you?" Max asked.
Adrien smiled sadly. "She wanted to stay here with her father, and her people." He stopped and lowered his head mournfully. "I was so shocked to hear that Tom the Baker passed away so suddenly. He was a good man, and I always loved his croissants."
Manon tilted her head. "What's a quill-sont?"
"Wait, hold on," Alix interjected, narrowing her eyes at Adrien. "If you knew Marinette's father was dead, why didn't you come back for her?"
Adrien swallowed something hard and vile, and he stood up briskly before walking over to a nearby tree. Thankfully, no one questioned him or pushed him further.
The lordling was silent for a moment before he spoke earnestly, "I wanted to. Every day. But if my father ever found out that I was in love with a baker's daughter, he'd lock me up and force me into a marriage of his choosing." Adrien sighed. "So I waited. I waited until the time was right to finally leave London. But even though I'm here..." He clenched his fist. "Even though I'm back, I'm still treated like a prisoner."
No one said a word. The only noises came from the sweet chirps of the birds in the treetops.
Then... Adrien felt a tiny hand grasp his own.
He looked down into Little Manon's eyes when she asked, "Do you miss her?"
Adrien knew who she was referring to, and he nodded with a smile. "Not a day goes by when I don't think about her," he said. Then, his green eyes sparkled. "Do you want to see our magic tree?"
Manon nodded eagerly.
So the lordling and his attendant led their six new friends over to the big tree in the courtyard – the one where a seven-year-old girl had literally crashed into Adrien's life... and instantly won his heart.
He showed the kids the carving he had made: the initials "A and M" and the two crossed arrows bordered by a heart. "I carved that for Marinette for her tenth birthday," Adrien said, remembering that day like it was yesterday. "She said it was the most wonderful gift ever."
"Awwwww," Rose cooed. "That's so sweet!"
"Well, then that settles it," Kim said. "You need to get out there, find that girl, and tell her how you feel!"
"And then you'll kiss!" Manon exclaimed, "and live happily eva after!"
Adrien saw Nino smiling at him before the lordling shook his head with a small laugh. "Oh, I don't know," he said, hopelessly. "I've been away so long. What if she's forgotten all about me?"
The appall on each of the kids' faces was so big, Adrien thought their mouths would snap off.
Alix's shock melted into resolve. "Not Ladybug!" she said, snatching a stray stick off the ground and waving it like a sword. "I bet she'd storm the castle, fight off the guards, rescue ya, and run off with ya into Sherwood Forest!"
Adrien blinked before his eyes brightened and he chuckled. Isn't the hero supposed to rescue the maiden? he thought bashfully.
"Whoa, now. Hold on a moment there, young lady," Nino said to Alix with a dark, haunting tone. "You've forgotten one important thing." He looked left, he looked right, and then he whispered, "Princess Chloe."
Manon, Rose, and Juleka shuddered. Kim's face fell. Max gulped.
Alix waved her hand like she was swatting away a fly. "That Princess Chloe don't scare me none," she declared.
Manon clutched Adrien's leg. "I'm scared of Pincess Coey," she whimpered. "She's cranky."
Adrien stroked her hair affectionately.
"Well... What about the Sheriff of Nottingham?" Nino asked. "Aren't you afraid of him?"
Kim blew out a raspberry. "You mean Sir Eats-a-Lot? I'd be more afraid of his appetite."
The kids burst out laughing.
Alix twirled her stick proudly. "Ladybug can beat that fat ol' Sheriff with one hand tied behind her back!"
Adrien lifted his eyebrows with intrigue. "Oh, you think so?"
"I know so." Alix jabbed the butt of her stick into the dirt like a flag. "She's outwitted him hundreds of times, and he's never caught her once!"
A maniacal grin stretched across Nino's face. "Oh, really?" He let out a theatrical dark laugh and pretended to unsheathe his wooden staff like a sword. "Then have at thee, Ladybug of the Hood! I am the Sheriff of Nottingham! In the name of the princess, I challenge you to a duel!"
Everyone except Alix hustled back into the trees, their faces plastered with anticipation.
Adrien was trying hard to hold back a laugh. If Nino weren't my attendant, he'd make a wonderful court jester.
Nino took slow, gentle swipes at Alix. "Hyah! Take that! And this!"
Alix lifted her stick and jabbed at her opponent. "For Nottingham!" she shouted. "For King Felix!"
Nino's eyes widened, and he dropped his staff before running away shrieking with his arms in the air. Alix chased after him, whacking away with her stick.
Now there was plenty of laughter to go around. Manon was rolling in the grass, Kim and Juleka were bending over, and Rose was cheering, "Slice him to pieces!"
Even Adrien joined in on the merriment, placing his hand over his heart and crying, "Oh, save me, Milady!" before he too burst out laughing. He couldn't stop and his mouth was starting to hurt, but the lordling loved it. He hadn't laughed like this in years! Not since...
Adrien's heart thumped with nostalgia again. He hadn't laughed like this since he and Marinette were together.
Alix chased Nino around a tree several times before the former jerked to a halt and spun around, whacking Nino on the leg the moment he came around.
"Ooh! Ouch! Ow! Ooh!" Nino hollered playfully, hoping one and down on one leg while caressing the other. "That's not fair!"
Again, Alix's friends fell over, gasping for breath.
"Now I've gotcha!" the pink-haired girl cheered triumphantly, jabbing her sword right underneath Nino's arm – obviously pretending to stab the "Sheriff".
The dark-skinned attendant held the staff under his arm as he let out an agonizing "Ohhhh...!". Then, he collapsed onto the grass in a twisted heap. "She got me..." he croaked, reaching to the heavens. "I'm dying..." Nino sagged against the ground, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he played dead.
Adrien sighed with a smirk. "Oh, well. Looks like I'm going to need a new manservant."
Nino opened one eye and sneered at the young lordling. "Heaven help the poor fellow who gets stuck with you."
Adrien snickered. The way he and Nino made fun of each other, one would think they were brothers.
"So... now what do we do?" Alix asked, panting from all that running.
Adrien cast a sly glimpse at her, tapping his chin. "Well, usually, this is the part where the young lord gives his fair lady a kiss."
Rose and Juleka started giggling.
Alix's cheeks became rosy, but her eyes became cold steel when she turned to Adrien. "Don't even think about it, Lover Boy."
This time, no one – not Sir Adrien, not Nino, not even Little Manon – could hold back their raucous cackling.