(AU YEAH AUgust - 12 - Royalty)
Of Sun and Sea
Part 2
Adrien trudged up the road. He was bone-tired, stiff (even his clothes were stiff!), and really, really thirsty. When the capital city had come into view, he'd cheered, not realizing how far away it actually was.
Now, even though he could see it, he wasn't sure he'd make it that far.
And even if I did, what would I do? he wondered. Try to make it into the palace, with nothing but my word that I'm the prince they were expecting?
They'd laugh at me and toss me on the street.
But really, would that be so bad? He stopped, staring at the castle that, while admittedly closer, still seemed so far away.
This could be a chance, he realized. No spoiled princess to marry. No being shut up in a palace all day. He was technically a dead man. He could be whoever he wanted to be! Go on adventures! Meet people from all walks of life!
This could be AMAZING!
No more palace life for me! he thought with glee. I'll stop at the very next inn or tavern, and from there, I'll start my new life!
Being a peasant sucked, Adrien realized. He was still tired, still stiff, and now his arms and legs hurt from all the labor Madam Mendeleiev was having him do to pay for his room and board.
At least she'd given him something to drink when he'd passed out the first time.
He sighed, and resumed scrubbing the pot he'd been given, trying to ignore his grumbling stomach. At least it was quieter in the kitchen. He hadn't realized taverns were so… loud. Or rough. He'd already lost all of his jewelry and his coat to a bunch of ruffians whom nobody had tried to stop. Not even Madam Mendeleiev. She'd simply sent him to the kitchen when he'd complained.
If he was going to disturb her customers, he could scrub pots instead of waiting tables.
So rude.
"Here!" the madam barked, shoving a bowl of stew at Adrien. Adrien blinked at it in disbelief. Not only did it not look or smell appetizing in the least, but…
"I've been working for you all day," he whined. "Don't I get any more than this?"
"You'll take what you're given and be grateful!" she snapped at him, already leaving to go back to the main room.
The cook, Ivan, gave him a sympathetic look. "Here," he said, handing him a roll of bread. "I'll tell the madam it fell on the floor."
"Thank you," Adrien said, truly grateful.
Ivan indicated the back door. "Better take it outside to eat, so she doesn't see you."
Adrien obeyed, happy to be out of the noisy building. He sighed as he sat down on an overturned crate. The sun was already setting. This was not what he'd been thinking of when he'd wanted to go on adventures as a free man.
He smiled down at his roll.
"I love bread," the mermaid had sighed dreamily. He broke off a piece and popped it in his mouth.
"I can definitely relate," he murmured, chewing slowly to make it last. It was no freshly-baked croissant, but after the day he'd had….
"Excuse me, sir," a frail voice called. Adrien looked over to see an old man limping down the path. He was tiny, and looked like he hadn't eaten in days. His cane was pretty much the only thing holding him up. "Do you have a bit to spare for an old man?"
Adrien wanted to say no. He really did. He hadn't eaten all day, and this tiny bowl of soup and stolen bit of bread were probably all he was going to get until tomorrow night! As someone who was used to three meals a day—his stomach growled angrily.
Still, the old man looked like he needed it more. Adrien sighed and got up, offering him a place to sit and all of his food. Then, he had to look away as the old man practically inhaled the meal.
I'll be fine, he told himself. I'm lucky to even be alive right now. The thought of his mermaid's smile invaded his thoughts and he relaxed again.
"Thank you, young man," the old beggar said. "But, if you don't mind my saying, you don't look like you're from these parts."
"My home's… kinda far away," Adrien admitted, looking down at what remained of his finely-made clothing.
"Aren't they missing you?"
Adrien paused. He hadn't really thought much about it. His father would be furious, of course, and would probably hunt the treacherous captain to the ends of the earth, but he had no idea what his prospective in-laws would do or say once they heard what had happened.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I doubt anyone will miss me for long." His waiting princess would surely find another prince to marry. His father had another son.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," the old man scolded. "You're a rare gem, you are. Just look what you've done for an old stranger. The people who used to be in your life are surely much poorer without you there. Shouldn't you at least check on them?"
"Maybe," Adrien said, blushing lightly at the man's praise.
"Here," the old man said, reaching for something in his robes. He grabbed Adrien's hand and dropped a small object into his palm. Adrien blinked. It was a ring. Simple, silver, no jewels or embellishments.
"You take this," the old man said. "And you remember; no matter where you decide to go in life, you never forget where you came from. Your life is uniquely yours, and you're the only one who can decide what to do with it. But it's yours, so live it to the fullest! There are things you can do that others cannot! So, you get out there and do what you can!"
With that, the old man limped away before Adrien could insist he didn't need the ring. He sighed, and slipped it on his finger. What a crazy old man. Hadn't made much sense.
Still… he looked up.
Even from here, he could see the lights from the castle shining in the darkness. He should at least go see how they had taken his disappearance.
"ADRIEEEEN!" he heard Madam Mendeleiev screech. "Where is that boy? I have another pot for him to scrub! And if he doesn't get it done quick, he'll sleep in the stable instead of the floor!"
Adrien sighed. Welp, that decided it. He certainly didn't want to stick around here anymore!
"But I'm telling you, I'm the prince! Prince Adrien! I was due here yesterday!" he insisted the next day. As expected, the guards laughed at him and refused to let him inside. Still, Adrien was stubborn. And now that he'd come all this way, he wanted to at least glimpse the life he might've had.
"I was thrown overboard by my mutinous captain," he insisted. "And then I was saved by a mermaid! She called herself Lady Luck!"
To his surprise, the guards stopped laughing, looking down at him seriously.
"Lady Luck saved you, you say?" one of them said. He looked Adrien up and down, as if seeing him in a new light. "Did she give you any other name?"
"La—Ladybug," Adrien stuttered, surprised at their sudden about-face.
The two guards looked at each other and nodded.
"Come with me, sir," the first one said, opening the gate and heading inside the castle.
Adrien trotted to keep up with him. "Wait, you—you believe me?" he asked incredulously.
"Aye, sir. You're not the first to be saved by our Lady Luck," the guard grinned. "And likely not the last either. In here."
He led Adrien into the palace proper, down hallways and stairs until they came to a wing of the castle overlooking the bay. Adrien stared out the window as the guard knocked on a door.
Just yesterday, he'd almost drowned in those waters. It was completely unfair that they look so beautiful today.
"Begging your pardon, princess, but I believe I found the man you told us about," the guard said behind him.
Princess? Adrien whirled around in alarm. He wasn't ready to meet the—!
"LADYBUG?!" he exclaimed, staring at the girl in front of him. She was dressed in a fluffy, pink tulle dress instead of red fins and flippers, but he would never forget that smile! That midnight hair! Those bright blue eyes!
"Ah, so it was you," the princess said, smiling at him. "I thought so, but I wasn't sure at the time. I have to be careful around dangerous men, you know!" She winked at him playfully. "Nice to meet you. I'm Marinette."
TBC
