Lady Rose Lavillant spun round in a circle, letting the twirl make the poofy pink skirts of her dress billow out.
"Well, Jules," she asked, "How do I look?"
"Sparkly," commented the other occupant of the small sitting room as she carefully tucked a pair of knives into their hidden sheaths in the sides of her shoes.
"Perfect!" Rose trilled, as she looked over herself one more time in the mirror. She was indeed very sparkly. The pink silk of her dress was studded with tiny beads in clear and pale blue, and her neck and arms were draped with bejeweled necklaces and bangles. Most were glass and cheap crystal, a couple were genuine. But both the true gems and the false were ultimately mere costuming. Only three of the pieces she wore truly meant anything.
The first was the golden ring she wore on the ring finger of her right hand. It was shaped to look like a heron in flight, with tiny sapphire eyes. It had been her father's ring, and his father's before that, and indeed had been the ring of every Marquis or Marchioness of Lavillant since the title had first been created almost immediately after Downfall.
The second was the bracelet around her left wrist. It was composed of tiny interlocking golden roses, beautifully worked. It was far newer than the ring, for it had been a present from Juleka on Rose's most recent birthday.
The third was the brooch she wore, almost hidden under the glittering mass of necklaces. A small amethyst, with four delicate silver wings suggesting the shape of a moth. It wasn't the Moth Brooch itself, of course. Not even in Rose's wildest dreams did she ever imagine wearing that. But it was as close a replica as the jewelers of New Astruc could make, and that was very close indeed.
There were many at court who wore such brooches, but Rose's was special. It had been a gift from the Emperor himself, on the day she joined his service. Though she would not officially swear her oaths to him and be confirmed as the Marchioness of Lavillant for two years and more yet, her age didn't prevent her from serving him in other capacities.
Suddenly reminded of those duties, she turned to Juleka. "Any new instructions for tonight, Jules?" she asked.
"No specific orders," replied Juleka. "I asked, he said to follow general instructions and use your own best judgement as to specifics."
"Got it," Rose said with a smile. "And keep an eye out tonight. I've heard three more people wishing that Princess Dupain-Cheng wasn't in the picture, and Countess Beauréal came about this close to coming right out and saying that she was looking into taking her out of the picture to clear a path for her daughter."
"Got it," Juleka said with a slight nod of her head. "I'll pass it on when I next report in. And I'll make sure to cover that angle tonight, as best I can. You do your work, and I'll do mine."
"You do your work, and I'll do mine," echoed Rose. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and shifted her mind. The intelligence, the wit, the cunning that could read the slightest shading of emphasis or twitch of the face, took a step back and tucked itself away in the back of her mind, where it could watch and guide without being seen. And all that was left on the surface was the public Rose, a slip of a girl with a mind as bright and sparkly and ultimately worthless as the cheap jewelry with which she bedecked herself.
"Come on, Juleka!" she bubbled. "We mustn't be late for the ball!"
Adrien closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.
He reached out and pulled the bell. There was a clear chime, and a moment later the door to Marinette's suite opened. She was clad in a rich crimson ballgown, and her hair had been let loose to fall around her face and to her shoulders.
Adrien selected what he hoped was an expression which showed an appreciation of Marinette's beauty without shading over into lustful leering. Unfortunately, while he was quite confident in his ability to make his face say whatever he wanted it to say, he was less confident in his ability to judge how Marinette would interpret his expression.
"Good evening, Your Highness," he said, giving her a bow suitable for one of equal rank.
"Good evening, Your Highness," she replied, curtsying deeply.
"Please, call me Adrien," he said, adding a friendly smile to his expression. "After all, we are supposed to be getting to know each other better."
"Very well… Adrien," replied Marinette, her smile a bit more strained.
The two of them set off towards the ballroom.
"So, how was your afternoon?" Adrien asked after a minute.
"Well enough," replied Marinette.
There was another awkward pause.
"How do you like your new rooms?" Adrien asked eventually. "Is there anything in particular I can get for you?"
"Actually, yes," said Marinette. "Would it be possible for you to get me a couple of tailor's dummies? And could I go down to the market sometime soon for fabric and thread? I have some skill in tailoring, and I would like to keep the practice up."
"Certainly," said Adrien, letting his pleasure that Marinette was actually conversing with him show up on his face. "Probably too late to go tonight, but you could go tomorrow."
With Marinette in the best mood he'd seen her in yet, Adrien decided to press his luck a bit. "I could take you, if you like. Show you some of the sights of New Astruc."
Adrien saw Marinette flinch out of the corner of his eye. "That sounds like a wonderful idea," she said, just slightly too cheerfully.
Adrien winced internally at her tone of voice, but forged on gamely. "Great! Say, I know the Flying Pig Company is doing performances of Much To-Do About Nothing at their theatre. They are very good indeed, and we keep a box reserved at all times. Might you be interested?"
"Hmm…" said Marinette, her eyes sparkling, "I'm always up for Forgepound, but wouldn't it be more appropriate to hold out for The Tale of Felix and Bridgette?"
"I wouldn't say so," replied Adrien. "The whole point of that story was that Felix and Bridgette were in love, but none of their parents would ever endorse the match. We, on the other hand, already have our various parents' approval. It's the other side of the equation we may have trouble with."
On cue, Marinette's features closed up again.
Plagg damn it, Father, thought Adrien once more. What were you thinking, forcing such a one-sided treaty down Boulangerie's throat? Did you not listen to any of the tutors or philosophers you forced meto read?
Marinette could be such a great Empress, if you'd only had the sense to write the treaty to make her my co-ruler upon our marriage and my ascension. She's intelligent, charismatic, honorable, educated, everything a ruler needs.
Not to mention that then I'd have someone to give the Moth Brooch to when you died. Ok, it's not like you could know that I'd find the Ring of the Black Cat, but it still illustrates my point: If you'd only treated her well, then I could trust her with power and authority. She's a good woman, raised by good parents. If we'd treated her with honor, she'd reciprocate.
But now, she'll have every reason to loathe me. I can'tgive her any real authority while you're around, and even once I take the throne, I don't know if I'll be able to trust her. I'll do my best to win her favor, of course, but it's going to be hard. And even if I do, how will I be able to know for sure if I've managed to get her thinking well enough of me that she can be trusted with real power, after you've given her such good reasons to lash out against us?
His brooding was interrupted by a familiar chirp of "Adrien!" from behind him. He turned around to see Rose, sparkling like a chandelier, and Juleka drifting silently in her wake.
"Hello, Rose," he said, allowing his joy to manifest in a broad smile. "Allow me to present Princess Marinette Dupain-Cheng of Boulangerie. Your Highness, this is the Lady Rose Lavillant, heir to the March of Lavillant."
He didn't introduce Juleka. For everyone except the handful of people purposely excluded from it, her Endowed glamour made her… not invisible, precisely, but unremarkable. People could still see her. They could even take enough notice of her presence to avoid walking into her or sitting in the chair she occupied. But unless she did something drastic to call attention to herself, she would simply blend into the background, less interesting than a chair leg or a stone in the wall.
"Pleasure to meet you," said Marinette to Rose.
"Pleasure to meet you too!" trilled Rose as she slid into step next to Marinette. "I've been wanting to meet you for so long now! You're really really lucky, you know, getting to marry Adrien. There's a lot of girls who would literally kill for the chance to be where you are right now. Not me, of course!" she added hastily. "I wouldn't try to steal him from you, let alone try and kill you to get him."
"Not to say I haven't had a few daydreams, and lots of dream dreams," she added with a giggle. "The heir to the Agrestian Empire is the kind of prize that only comes along once in a generation, obviously. And then on top of that, he's handsome, smart, and one of the nicest boys I've ever met. If I were in your shoes, I'd be counting the minutes to the wedding."
Adrien suppressed a smile at the somewhat gobsmacked look on Marinette's face. Rose's surface persona was a bit overwhelming even when you were used to her, and Marinette had had no chance to brace herself before getting swept off her mental feet by the torrent of verbiage.
On the other hand, he hadn't missed the hidden warning. He'd known that there were more than a few young ladies (and even more mothers, fathers, and other relatives of young ladies) that wished that his engagement to Marinette had never been contracted, or that she might somehow disappear and Adrien be once more put on the market. But he hadn't realized that it had gotten quite as serious as Rose's phrasing would indicate.
Hmm… he thought. Maybe I should very publicly get into the habit of taking bites off of Marinette's plate. Anyone who wants to remove Marinette from the marital equation will have to think twice about trying to poison her food if there's a risk that they'll get me instead. And anyone who might want to poison Marinette just to destabilize the Empire will be far more likely to want to poison me in the first place, so it's not like I incur any extra risk.
"… maybe with sapphires, they would go well with your eyes," Rose was saying, "Or some diamond barrettes, to offset your hair. We could call it a belated birthday present, since you weren't here for your thirteenth."
"Uh… thank you, but I really couldn't impose on your generosity like that," said Marinette.
"Nonsense!" retorted Rose. "You're my future Empress, and that means I have a solemn duty to ensure you're sufficiently sparkly for the position." Juleka let out a little laugh from her position on Adrien's other side, and Adrien flashed her a smile.
"And I have plenty of money," Rose continued. "Lavillant is a major trade port, and my regent gives me a generous allowance."
"Besides, I can chip in," said Adrien, stepping into the conversation. "If we're going out anyway, I might as well get you a belated birthday present of my own."
He smiled as he spotted another familiar couple ahead. "Hello, Ivan!, Hello, Mylene!" he called out.
Marinette was still reeling from Rose's verbal onslaught when Adrien called out again. Ahead of her, two figures stopped in the middle of the corridor and turned around. One was a short but plump girl of about Marinette's age, with braided blonde hair dyed in a wide variety of colors and a dusky pink dress with embroidery suggesting growing vines. The other was a young man who looked to be a couple of years older than his companion and who was already displaying a build that rivaled Marinette's father. He was clad in black-trimmed yellow, with what Marinette thought was supposed to be a badger embroidered in black over his heart.
Stoneheart, memories of lessons seemed to whisper in Marinette's ear. Southernmost of the five Duchies of Pavonia, bordering the March of Darkblade. Extensive quarries, lead and tin mines. Conquered by Agreste early in the war. The Duke of Stoneheart was killed by Marquis Darkblade in the siege of Stoneheart the city. His son was taken to New Astruc as a hostage, came of age about six months ago, swore allegiance to Agreste and was confirmed as Duke Stoneheart.
That must be him now.
Adrien Agreste's words confirmed her supposition. "Ivan, Mylene, allow me to present Princess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, of Boulangerie. Your Highness, allow me to present His Grace the Duke of Stoneheart, Ivan Bruel, and his betrothed, Lady Mylene Haprele, heir to the County of White River."
"Pleased to meet you, Your Highness," rumbled Bruel in a strong Pavonian accent.
"Pleased to meet you," echoed Marinette.
"Mylene!" trilled Lavillant. "You look so cute! Though I still think you should braid beads into your hair, it would go so well with your look. I might try that if I could grow out my hair without having it floof all over the place and make me look like a dandelion. Not that there's anything wrong with dandelions, but I'm supposed to be a Rose."
"Thank you, Rose," said Haprele. "But Ivan likes my hair the way it is."
"Suit yourself!" said Lavillant cheerfully. "Or rather, suit himself. Hello, Kim and Chloe!"
Marinette's nerves thrilled at that last name, and she turned to see Chloe Agreste, now clad in a cloth-of-gold dress and hanging off the arm of a rather muscular-looking young man clad in orange and yellow.
"Hello, Adrien," said Chloe.
"Hello, Chloe," said Adrien. "Chloe, might I present-"
Chloe cut him off with an upraised hand. "Dupain-Cheng and I have met already," she said. "We had a nice little conversation in the baths, didn't we?"
To Plagg with politeness, thought Marinette. She was suddenly once again aware of the Earrings in her ears and of the weight of Tikki in her hidden pocket. Whether anyone else knows it or not, I am Ladybug. And nobody, not even Chloe Agreste, gets to speak to Ladybug like she did in those baths.
"Yes, it was very educational," she said out loud. "Adrien, is it really true that your father hasn't spent one minute with Chloe in over a year?"
Chloe let out a squawk. Adrien's face went studiously blank and he turned away. "So, Ivan," he said, in a very-slightly-too-casual tone, "Did you get that ballad finished? I've been looking forward to hearing the whole thing."
"Me too!" interjected Rose. "Your ballads are always so thrilling!"
"Yeah, it's finished," rumbled Bruel, with a surprisingly shy smile. "I talked to your father earlier, he said I could present it before dinner."
"Yay!" said Lavillant, throwing bangle-encrusted arms up into the air. "Hi Keith and Jane!" she added to yet another couple. New faces of all ages were arriving rapidly now as Marinette and Adrien drew closer to the banquet hall and all the incoming guests converged on the one location.
The banquet hall had much the same aesthetic Marinette had noticed in other parts of the palace: High ceilings, large windows, and white walls with black trim. Bright and clean, but cold. Very appropriate for the impressions she was getting of Gabriel Agreste. Long tables ran the length of the hall, with many of the seats occupied, but at one end the floor rose into a dais, and atop that dais a much shorter table stood, set at right angles to the rest of the room and with chairs down only one side.
Gabriel Agreste was already seated in the right-hand of the two extra-large chairs at the center of that table, and Nathalie Sancouer was already seated four places to his left, at the end of the table. Adrien and Marinette made their way up to the high table, with Chloe and her arm-decoration following them.
Adrien pulled out the seat two spaces to Agreste's right, and gestured. "Your chair, Your Highness," he said.
"Thank you… Adrien," replied Marinette. She glanced sideways as Adrien took his own seat between her and his father, and noted Chloe and her companion settling into the chairs between the larger empty chair and Natalie Sancouer.
"Why's that chair empty?" she whispered to Adrien, gesturing to the larger empty chair.
"That was Mom's chair," Adrien whispered back. "Father keeps it empty in memory of her."
"Ah," Marinette whispered back.
There was a long pause while guests filed into the banquet hall. After the guests had all found their seats, Gabriel Agreste suddenly pushed back his chair and rose to his feet.
"Nooroo," he said, "bright wings rise!"
From its seat on the table, the moth kwami dissolved into a purplish streak that shot towards Agreste. There was a brilliant flash of purple-white light, and suddenly Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth. His rich purple robes had been replaced with a coat and trousers of thick fabric. The color was nearly identical to that of his robes, but Marinette thought his attire as Hawkmoth was somehow more vivid, the colors richer and more vibrant than any mere dye could produce. His head was covered by what looked like a combination mask and helmet, made from some unfamiliar silvery metal. In one hand he held a cane topped with a faceted purple gemstone.
Marinette was suddenly, horrifyingly aware of Tikki curled up in her pocket. It wasn't like she had somehow forgotten that Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth, of course. But it hadn't quite sunk in until now, until she saw him transformed into the figure of power before whom the whole world cringed in terror. Until she found herself sitting just two seats down from Hawkmoth.
She tried to remember what Tikki had assured her. That even at his full powers Nooroo could not simply sense Tikki's presence. That there were spells on the Miraculous to redirect attention, to keep anyone from connecting a Bearer's human and transformed identities. That Agreste had no reason to so much as suspect that the Earrings of the Ladybug had been found once more. It helped, a little bit. But it still took everything she had not to scream in terror or flinch away.
The banquet hall had fallen silent. Every eye was on Hawkmoth now.
"Ladies and gentlemen, nobles and honored guests," began Agreste, "thank you for joining us tonight. Tonight, we celebrate the long-awaited arrival of my son's betrothed, Princess Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"
Recognizing her cue, Marinette rose to a torrent of applause. She curtsied a couple of times to yet more applause before settling back into her seat.
"Duke Stoneheart has composed a ballad in honor of the occasion," continued Hawkmoth. "Your Grace, would you come forward and share it with us?"
Bruel rose from his seat near the head of one of the lower tables and began to walk up towards the dais. Hawkmoth set down his cane, raised both hands to his mouth, then blew into his cupped hands. When he opened them again, a luminous white moth fluttered out and flapped over to meet Bruel, who raised one hand to greet it.
As soon as it touched his hand, the akuma dissolved into a shower of purple-white sparkles. A moment later, the pink moth sigil of the Agrestian Empire traced itself in lines of light in the air before his face. Marinette couldn't hold back a shudder.
Bruel smiled. "Thank you, Hawkmoth," he said, and briefly vanished in a shower of purple sparkles.
Where in Trixx's tails did thatcome from? thought Adrien. Ok, fine, I know that Nooroo has a weird sense of aesthetics, and can come up with some really bizarre appearances for his Endowed when Father isn't riding herd on that aspect of the transformation. But even he doesn't usually do something quite thisodd unless it's actually part of the functionality, like that time when he gave all those men gills and fish eyes and webbed feet so they could sneak into Alixia underwater.
Ivan Bruel's Endowed form had a bull's head, with fur the same black as his natural hair and two impressive ivory horns. His clothing was surprisingly unaltered, but his hands had become thicker of finger, with curly black hair along the backs. Adrien half-suspected that he might have hooves or a tail to complete the look, but he couldn't see anything below Ivan's waist from this angle, due to the table blocking the way.
"Nooroo, bright wings fall," said Adrien's father. In a flash, Nooroo separated from the Brooch and fluttered down to resume his seat on the table, taking a sip of tea from his tiny cup.
Adrien's father resumed his seat, and Ivan threw back his bull's head and began to chant.
"I sing a song of six strange stones,
Miraculouses mystic and mighty,"
His voice had become even deeper and more resonant than before, echoing from the rafters and the far walls, yet somehow not so loud as to be overwhelming.
"Forged by forgotten fingers, saved from sudden strife,
In days of Downfall, when madness mastered men."
Ivan's words seemed somehow to take on shape and color. An image appeared, though Adrien couldn't seem to tell whether it was only in his mind or actually physically drawn in midair, of Old Astruc as it once must have been, with its red walls packed to the brim with life and prosperity.
"A shining city once there stood, where we now work to rebuild,
Raised by the Republic's ranks, wrought with rare skill,
The crown and crest of civilization, fashioned and filled with fine folk,
And blessed by the kwamis, by Tikki and Plagg approved,"
The image seemed to shift, showing now a multitude of figures in strange costumes. Ladybug and Cat Noir stood in the center, and the Five were prominent, but other Bearers, now remembered only in song and story, were there as well.
"By subtle and secret art, sacred stones were shaped,
Bridges for kwamis to cross, to walk 'midst mortals.
In bracelet and brooch the sacred stones were set
And kwamis called, to lend mortals their Miraculous magic
For long lives of many men, the bargain held happy,
Both sides blessed, a magic most Miraculous
Kwamis walked with mortal men, the wide world seeing,
And with power they blessed their Bearers in bargain."
The image shifted again. Now there were only two figures, larger and more detailed. One was a slender girl, whose straight black hair seemed to merge with the black leather of her suit and her fake ears and offered a startling contrast to the pale skin of her face. The other was a handsome young man, tall and well-built beneath the skintight garb of a Ladybug, with curly brown hair and bronzed skin. Both the girl's slitted green eyes and the boy's rich brown shone with a light that made Adrien's heart twist, the same light that he saw in Ivan and Mylene's eyes when they looked on each other, the same light he'd seen in his mother's and his father's gaze on rare occasions. The same light he knew he would never see turned on him.
"Two youths there were, scions of storied seed,
From fair Dupain, Felix, Creation's child, Chosen of Tikki,"
Out of the corner of his eye, Adrien saw Marinette flinch. He could understand, it couldn't be pleasant to be reminded that you were technically related to Downfall himself. Not a direct descendant, thank Tikki. As the last name indicated, Joan Dupain-Cheng had been a cousin to the main Dupain line, not a child or even sibling of Felix. But even so, it was still a rather horrifying thought.
Of course, that blade had two edges. Marinette might have to live with the fact that Downfall was among her ancestors, but she could also take pride in being descended from the Dupains, from the bearers of the Earrings of the Ladybug and one of the first families of the Astrucan Republic.
"And ancient Atrum's heir, Bridgette, Destruction's daughter, partner to Plagg."
Adrien had idly wished, in the past, that he could claim as great a lineage as his bride-to-be. It had never been too serious, for he loved his mother and his father was a great man, if not necessarily a good one. But now he felt a sudden and overwhelming wish that he could look at the image of Bridgette Atrum and see in her an ancestor, someone from whom he could claim descent and the right to the ring he now wore.
Perhaps I am descended from the Atrums, he thought hopefully. They scattered far and wide after the Ring was lost in Downfall, and I've never traced my ancestry back beyond the third generation. Maybe I should put in some time in the archives, see if I can backtrack my lineage all the way to the Republic in any lines. Who knows who I might be able to trace my descent back to?
"Two star-crossed lovers, whose kisses cursed creation."
As Ivan's chanting moved into the next verse, the images began to move like actors on a stage.
"For from feeling flowed folly, and fell fate followed.
When, we know not why, Felix pleaded for Plagg's power,
Bridgette to her beloved's begging bent, and her Miraculous removed."
Felix and Bridgette were shown… discussing? Arguing?... It was hard to tell. Finally, Bridgette nodded and pulled off her ring. In a flash of green lightning, the garb of a Cat Noir was replaced with a flowing dress of black fabric, and slitted green eyes became human eyes of a peculiarly vivid shade of dark blue. Bridgette's hand came up, offering Felix her ring.
"But no man may master two Miraculouses,
To hold one is more than enough.
Creation and Cataclysm Felix sought to contain,
But madness mastered him, and Downfall began."
Green lightning played over Felix's form, and his garb changed. He was now clad in a leather suit rather like that of a Cat Noir, save that it was blood-red, without any hint of black. The ears and tail of a Cat Noir were nowhere in evidence. His eyes flashed alternately green and brown, and his mouth opened in a silent scream. Green fire played around the hand that bore the Black Cat's Ring, while the other hand was limned in pinkish light.
"From such fell fusion flowed power beyond precendent.
The mightiest of the Miraculouses, made mightier by the merger,
But such strength could not be stoppered, nor safely steered,
And destruction and distortion Downfall unleashed."
The image zoomed out to show New Astruc being alternately scourged by bolts of green lightning and waves of red fire. Then it zoomed out again to become a map of Paree and the lands across the Southern Sea, showing pinpricks of green and red light all across the world.
"The wide world was wrecked by unrestrained power,
Madness and mayhem 'cross the Republic ran rampant.
Barriers were broken, that should have stood solid,
And monsters brought forth, that should have never seen sunlight."
The image shifted again. Green fire tore holes in the air, leaving behind rifts from which emerged horrifying monsters. Crimson energies twisted and warped bird and beast and plant alike, or simply flashed bizzare and distorted shapes into existence.
"But worst of all was the wrecking of the way
So long ago forged by secret spell and skill
A scant seven stones survived the scourging,
All others were severed, or so say the stories.
None know now how the horror was halted
What finally felled fell Felix Dupain.
But whether his uncontrolled power or his love's hand,
Something surely struck, for the storm ceased at last."
The image now displayed the wreckage of what looked like part of the Agrestian palace. A young blonde woman, recognizable despite her attire and disheveled appearance as Joan Dupain-Cheng, pushed open a door and ventured out into the hallway.
"Neither Bridgette nor Felix was ever again seen,
And the Black Cat's Ring vanished with them.
But Joan, Dupain's cousin, the Earrings found,
Sitting on stone, amidst wreckage and rubble."
Well, now we know at least part of the rest of the story, thought Adrien. At least one of the two must have survived to move the Ring, and it was almost certainly Bridgette. Felix wouldn't have left the Earrings behind. So either Downfall destroys himself with his own powers, or else… or else Bridgette stopped him somehow, and destroyed the body after he was stopped.
Either way, Bridgette takes the Ring, but leaves the Earrings behind where she knows one of Felix's relatives will find them. She disappears into the Undercity, and then she hid the Ring in that room I found it in and set a Plaggian akuma to guard it, before somehow vanishing so completely that nobody ever found so much as her body.
Could she have turned herself intothat akuma I ran across? It behaved rather oddly for an akuma, and it must have lasted a very long time indeed. Canhumans be turned into akumas? I've never heard of such a thing. I suppose I can ask Plagg. He might remember what Bridgette did, and at the very least he'd know what can and can't be done with his powers.
Ivan's chanting ended in an explosion of applause, and Adrien realized that he'd missed the last few verses of the song while lost in his own head. Ivan bowed and vanished into a roiling mass of purple-white energy as the akuma separated from him, fluttering through the air to merge with Nooroo in a flash of light.
After the applause was finished and Ivan was back in his seat, Adrien's father rose to his feet.
"Thank you, Duke Stoneheart," he said. "And now, let the feast begin!"
Once again, the rafters of the banquet hall rang with applause.
