Marinette wore a decadent gown of dark pink silk with bright pink lace, with pearls and diamonds glittering her gown with accents. Alya wore a dark orange gown of silk while Tikki wore a dark red dress of Egyptian cotton, they all listened to the Priest's sermon gaining wisdom and prayer for the future.
Nearby King Gabriel sat on a throne also in Sermon wearing his best Purple Sunday clothes as his mind was bored but his eyes bared on Marinette's lovely neck and she could feel him staring but she tried to focus on the words of the Priest.
"...And we beseech thee, Lord God, our Heavenly Father, give our King the strength he needs to take down the hellish rogue that haunts our Kingdom with his devilish ways" The father prayed, walking and praying.
"May you give Adrien the strength he needs to fight the madness within his father and free the Kingdom." Marinette silently prayed.
"And may you be with our beloved Princess to protect her from harm before she can give our Kingdom an heir." The Priest continued.
"May I be protected from Uncle until I can be with Adrien again." Marinette continued in her head.
"In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen." The Priest prayed.
"Amen." Marinette agreed aloud before signing the cross. She stood and walked from her seat gracefully and instantly being crowded by a group of poor people begging for handouts. Marinette gave them all her apologies easily grasping hands and giving each one a smile of goodwill.
"Alya, Tikki," Marinette said making the women begin putting coins to hands.
King Gabriel tried to follow her but he was crowded as well, but the filth he couldn't take so instead he just cowered in a room nearby and waiting while one of the servants cleaned his suit from unseen stains from poor hands His eyes tried to follow Marinette but he couldn't see very far since his line of sight didn't go very far from inside the room.
Marinette went straight to the prayer dais and kneeled before it, she ignited a long stick and used it to light candles for her parents one for each of them. She hadn't seen them since their last visit during Christmas last year (now if your wondering why her parents are ok with the arrangement of her marrying her Uncle. You need to remeber he is a mad King and he probably threatened them with her life if they didn't agree to the arranged marriage) and the third candle for Adrien. How she missed them, the third candle used to be for Adrien in his passing and praying for his salvation in heaven, but now she lights it to pray for his health and well being in this bitter war.
She positioned herself comfortably in kneeling then clasped her hands while closing her eyes and focusing on the black-clad hero in her head.
"Alms for an old blind man Ma'am?" She heard in a crackly voice making her turn to her right to see a figure with a large brown cloak and a walking stick standing near the dais and reaching out his wrapped hand towards her, she felt no fear from the cloaked hidden figure for he seemed like a simple and frail old man.
"Forgive me, I do not have money. My ladies are giving out what I have over there. If your quick you might be able to catch some." She apologized with sincerity and helping what she could, barely moving from her spot ut giving the old man a lovely sincere smile.
"It's alright. I'm mostly here for you. I don't need sight to see your beauty." She heard more clearly making her turn to find blond hair and green eyes hidden in the shadow of the brown cloak. She gasped in surprise and fear but kept her composure. She returned to looking at the dais to seem unmoved and as if nothing was wrong.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him in silence while her heart sped up at his close proximity, even being able to talk to him since their last meeting was unexpected, quick, and rather embarrassing.
"Beseeching my soul for salvation." He punned, holding onto the walking stick acting like an old man with a hump.
"You can't be here. It's not safe." She said looking behind her to see Theo and Xy nearby talking with guards and sometimes glancing her way, while King Gabriel was nowhere in sight.
"There is a price on your head." She said turning back to the prayer dais and whispered gently.
"How much?" He asked curiously.
"1000 Francs. They are calling you Cat Noir." She explained with concern as his eyes sparkled in playfulness and giving a slight giggle that made her heart leap at the familiar sound.
"Same playful kitty as always." She said smiling and shaking her head lightly pretending to be praying.
"You know it." He said quickly looking around before pressing his lips to her cheek making her go wide-eyed as he scampered off.
"Wait." She called quietly making him turn to look at her with a smile and sparkling eyes.
"Look for Friar Fu he can help you." She said making him nod and turn and begin to walk away.
"Adrien do something for me?"She whispered with a smile and luckily only he heard.
"Anything." He whispered back with a smile.
"Take a bath." She whispered with a mischievous smile. His eyes went wide with shock before smelling himself and sneaking away as she smiled triumphantly returning to her prayer.
Adrien sat on a log wearing a fresh black coat with the sleeves cut off, as he was polishing his black bow while Nino sat next to him as villagers were brought in broken and bruised and Wayhem pointed to him as groups and groups of many villagers came in angry and upset at the recent pillaging that the King allowed searching for Cat Noir.
"If you wanted fame, Malik. I believe you have found it." Nino said before he jumped off the log and walked away as Wayhem lead them all to him.
"Is this what you wanted Your Highness?" Wayhem challenged raising his arms out at the many people and looking back at the cocky prince.
"I heard that you have a price on your head now." Wayhem continued making everyone look at him as he grew confident and challenging as everyone looked at Wayhem as they all drank up every nonsensical word he spilled from his disrespectful mouth.
"I say we just take him in and collect the reward for ourselves." He shouted making the people cry out with an agreement.
"Do you think he would return all of your money and belongings just for me?" Adrien said as he restrung his bow then looked at the people, looking unmoved by Wayhem's challenging nature.
"He'll give us the reward and our pardons," Wayhem said with all affirmation and a smile of the village idiot.
"Wrong." He said jumping down to stand before the people as they all watched his regality mixed with Rogueish nature while he stood proud and tall quite the figure to look up too.
"He will stretch each of your necks one by one as we dangle from the gallows," Adrien said walking through the crowd slowly, he was a powerful character that everyone was enjoying watching.
"Do you think if he is capable of such atrocities as pillaging his own people for money that he wouldn't think twice of sentencing us all to death?" Adrien challenging looking around at the people who had lost hope.
"I am his own flesh and blood, but when I returned from the war alive and well, he didn't hesitate to try and kill me." He said gaining the attention of everyone that was already living in the Grove.
"I promise if you turn me in he will not hesitate to kill us all even down to the freshest newborn," Adrien said coming up to a young mother who had lost her husband who was cradling her crying newborn and Adrien happily handed her an apple and his own water jug.
"Well then what would you have us do? Fight armored men on horseback, and without training?" Wayhem continued with concern making others agree.
"Why not? You're all strong enough to market for your money and till your lands for farming. With the right training and weapons, each of you can become strong enough to fight and live with your own rights of life and property." Adrien said looking around at the sad people who need a decent leader, and slowly each one was starting to get bright eyes at his praise. Adrien ran back to the log and jumped up on it to stand at the center of the large and growing crowd of refugees.
"So take up your weapons and gather your courage, my people," Adrien said letting his voice reverberate around the Grove.
"You wish to go home?" He asked looking around and they all gave small yeah's and nodded in low tones.
"You want to end this suffering?" He asked making the yeah's and nods more prominent.
"Then we must stop fight amongst ourselves and face the real problem." He said making them all hyped up.
"I grew up in that castle with a silver spoon in my mouth, yes. But that castle is my home, my bride is in there about to be married to my father and raped to give him children. My mother is buried on those grounds. I want to go home too and I will fight for all that I am worth to get back to it just like you all. The King and his Captain call us outlaws, but I consider us free people." he preached making them all listen diligently.
"1 free man is more powerful than 10 soldiers. The Crusades taught me that." He said looking at Nino, who was hiding the shadows of the tree holding his sword up and watched silently and copied the look Adrien was giving him.
"I will not make you any promises save one," he said making them all perk up their ears to listen.
"If you truly believe in your hearts that you are free then I say we can win because if being free means we are outlaws then God as my witness let us be outlaws and take back our Kingdom." He said as they all stood dumbfounded.
"But they got armor?" a man said ith concern.
"Even a child can be taught where to find the chinks in armor," He said with a smile as he felt their hope rise with their questions.
"But we don't have enough to eat." An old man shouted.
"What do we need that the forest can't provide? We have food and we can always grow more, wood and stone for weapons, and we have even found solace in her trees building new homes." He said happily pointing to the many tree houses that were up above and keep slowly growing as ramps and houses were being built day by day.
"And what about our kin? The sheriff has taken all that they have got too." The old man shouted.
"Then by God's Grace, we take it back." He said calmly and happily as the crowd moral grew as they all looked to Adrien like the leader they all need.
"Careful men, We are in Sherwood," XY said as he rode his horse and looking around carefully, the forest was quiet as they al rode and on guard as this was the forest that held Cat Noir and his band of renegades.
20 men were also on horses as the large treasure carriage and a separate wagon filled with tea, wine, and beer were both being guarded.
"Only patience can weave a calm heart." Friar Fu said as he drank from his cup of tea. XY rolled his eyes at the 'wisdom' of the old man in annoyance.
"If you calm your mind and focus then we will not be in danger will we Lieutenant?" Fu continued, looking at the spiky-haired dimwit who he noticed easily was annoyed at the old man.
"Friar Fu. It will be very hard to pray with an arrow in your gullet." XY threatened with wide eyes and a deep growl. The old man stayed silent but still smiled before sipping from his cup once more.
The carriage rolled on as the men lead through Sherwood Forest.
Friar Fu prayed a silent prayer he knew what the treasure was for and he prayed that the boy he had been hearing about in her letters would be close by. But then the quietness was interrupted by a commotion, making them all halt their parade and look in the direction of the voices.
"Help me with it don't just stand there." One of the 2 village idiots said to the other. They were arguing as they fought over a fallen tree branch that was very heavy.
"I am helping." The other one argued back as they played a little tug-a-war with the tree. Xy and his men all looked at the idiots incredulously. XY's horse whinnied as he pointed the horse in their direction catching the idiot's attention and caused them to look at the royal parade with wide surprised eyes.
XY and the 2 idiots did a staring contest before the 2 idiots dropped the tree and began running away.
"You men with me. The rest of you guard the carriage." XY shouted unsheathing his sword and began riding in the direction that the 2 men disappeared to.
Out of sight of the royal parade, they both slid on the ground and under an earth disguised blanket making them disappear instantly, just as XY and his men rounded the corner and saw no signs they just kept riding on not knowing that they had passed their targets.
~o0o~
Back at the Carriage, Friar Fu was sipping his tea as silent wooshing noises sounded around him along with silent gasps of surprise from the guardsmen before they disappeared. Suddenly a tall cloth wall of vines, dirt, and moss was fallen to reveal many Merry Men with swords, bows, and arrows, and they attacked with laughter and small shouts of excitement. The soldiers were easily shot at as the Merry Men laughed, Horses were taken hold of and lead away and Friar Fu only continued drinking his tea ignoring the commotion.
Once the soldiers were all knocked out and hidden away the Merry Men mounted the horses, many years of training alerted Friar Fu when he heard a noise from above that raised his instincts and he easily slid over just as a black-clad Rogue fell next to him on the seat. While Plagg mounted the treasure carriage with a laugh.
"So then. Shall I push you off or are you going to get down willingly?" Cat Noir asked looking at the small man while grasping the reigns to the horses that lead the wagon of the tea, wine, and beer.
"I think I shall go with you Cat Noir." He said calmly making Adrien laugh and his men joining in.
"And why would I let you do that? You work for the King." Cat Noir said challengingly and with a playful smile.
"Not by choice, but by favor. God told me I needed to do this so that we may meet again, Young one." Friar Fu said looking at the green eyes of the outlaw before him and smiled at him with familiarity.
"Do you know me?" Adrien asked the holy man looking at him with concern.
"Because if you do then I can't let you live with that knowledge." He threatened while unsheathing his dagger and preparing for a kill.
"I do know you. For I see the boy in the man that you have become, and the rogue that LadyBug has been writing to me about." Friar Fu said making Adrien drop his weapon in surprise as the others looked confused.
"Friar Fu?" Adrian exclaimed happily as he examined closer and saw the Royal tutor that taught him when he was a younger Prince.
"Hello, Adrien," Friar Fu said making Cat Noir tackle the man in a hug.
That night back at the Grove they all drank the finest beer and wine the Kingdom had to offer, as Adrien and Friar Fu reminisced about the past and especially about how Marinette grew into the woman she is today.