Winter at the capital city of Madrin had settled, the snow flurries cleared away as early spring grass poked through the ground. And their had still been no sign of the princess, or Sir Adrien whom the king and queen had sent out after.
"Don't worry Sabine," Lady Emilie of the House of Agreste assured the Queen as they wandered through the castle halls. With both their children gone, they kept each other company, praying for some miracle for their children to come home. Often times taking walks at early hours in the morning due to restlessness.
"Do you think I pushed her too hard? With the marriage," wept Queen Sabine, a worry that had tormented her day and night since her daughter's disappearance. They had been so thrilled at receiving a proposal for their daughter so soon, and once everything seemed fine between the two cities, everyone had gone into preparations for the wedding, Sabine not even realizing how distant and sad her daughter was.
"No Sabine. Marinette knows you love her and wants what's best for her. She probably heard the news as winter hit and decided to come back home in the spring."
"I hope you right, for both her and your son." A new round of sobs began at the thought of her daughter being trapped during the winter. "I hope she's alright."
Lady Emilie put a comforting arm around Sabine, leading her back around the halls again.
"My Queen! My Queen!" A voice called out, Lady Emilie turning to see one of the knights.
"Yes good knight?" Sabine quickly wiped the tears away before turning to the lad.
"Dragons from the east. The king insists you come to the balcony at once."
The Queen and her lady shared a glance before running off in the direction of the royal balcony that looked over the castle courtyard.
When the women arrived, the could see two dragons on the horizon at the sun began to rise. One black and one red.
"Do you think?" King Tom came up beside his wife, the royal robes covering his sleepwear, but his cheek red as if he slept against a book for the entire night.
Sabine strained her eyes, spotting a small figure waving from the back of the black dragon.
"Oh, it must be," she turned down to the courtyard, "Make way for the dragons!"
The knights below began to move to the walls, still ready in case the dragons should decide to change their mind.
Sabine looked back to the dragon, able to see Marinette's frame peeking out from the dragon's neck.
"Adrien," whispered Emilie as she noticed the second rider on the red dragon.
The three parents rushed down the stairs, Tom whispering a word to a guard to fetch Gabriel of Agreste immediately to the courtyard.
The parents dashed through the halls and down the stairs, flinging open the doors to the courtyard as the two dragons landed.
They paused, as Marinette and Adrien slid off the backs of the dragons. Their clothes were dirty and their hair a mess.
Before either side could say "hello" they ran towards each other, parents meeting child halfway.
There were hugs, kisses, "I missed you" coming from all side, even more once Gabriel joined the reunion.
"Um, your majesties."
The King and Queen turned at the voice to see the red dragon nudging with her foot, a bound and gagged Prince Theo.
"What in the…" started the king.
"Papa, Mama, I have brought Theo here under the accounts of attempted murder of one of our knights," Emilie and Gabriel hugged their son tighter, "conspiring against the princess, and torture of a winter wyvern. I would have had the wyvern fly with us but he decided to stay behind to heal."
Tom and Sabine looked between their daughter, her former fiancée, Adrien, and the dragons.
Tom straightened his face, looking sternly at his knights who were just as perplexed by the situation as he was moments ago.
"Guards, take this man to the dungeon."
The guards saluted before taking Theo by the ropes that held him, dragging him off to their dungeon.
"Marinette, promise me you'll never ever do that again. You can always tell us if something is bothering you," insisted Sabine.
"I will Mama, sorry about the peace treaty between us and Normain."
Tom chuckled, clasping his family in a tighter embrace, "Once King Matheo hears about his son's misdeeds, I'm sure he'll be eager to make amends."
Marinette breathed a sigh of relief.
"Marinette, would you mind introducing us to your, um, dragons," asked Tom, gesturing to the beast before them, the black one looking incredibly bored by the whole thing, while the red one was shy, trying to make her tail didn't get in the way of anyone.
Marinette stepped back, standing next to the black dragon.
"This is Plagg, papa. He protected me from Theo." Marinette moved to stand next to the red dragon with black speckled scales.
"And this is Tikki. She helped Adrien find me."
Tom glanced between the two dragons and Adrien. They had all done a great service, bringing his daughter home. He would have to thank them later.
"Everyone! Today we celebrate the return of my daughter, Princess Marinette, as well as the return of Sir Adrien of the House of Agreste! Tonight we will have the biggest early Spring party Madrin has ever seen! All are invited!"
Those gathered cheered, while others scurried around to make preparations.
"You, honored dragons are more than welcome to attend."
"We have an open area in the garden," offered Sabine.
"We wouldn't want to impose," started Tikki only to be interrupted by Plagg.
"Do you have any cheese?"
The king and queen looked from the dragon back to Marinette.
"He really likes cheese," she offered, looking not quite so sure about the dragon's tastes either.
The king slowly nodded before turning back to the dragon.
"Honorary dragon, we will find you the finest cheese."
The dragon smiled, leaping up into the air as he let out a holler, flying towards the royal garden.
"And would you like cheese as well," the king asked turning to Tikki.
"Oh, no thank you. That dragon has, um, particular taste. Anything will do for me."
"But Tikki, we were talking about the sweets you wanted to try," insisted Marinette.
If dragons could blush, the king and queen were certain Tikki would.
"Well, maybe a little wouldn't hurt."
The king and queen smiled, and nodded as Tikki took off towards the garden.
The family turned around and head back inside the castle, the Agrestes already inside.
"So how did you end up running into Adrien," asked Sabine, slightly curious about what her daughter thought about her future knight.
"And since when did you both learn how to ride dragons," asked the king?
"Well, it's a rather interesting story."
