"Red and black with shiny spots,
eyes like blue forget-me-nots,
wondrous stories in her dwell,
masked beneath the evil spell.
There within the castle gloom,
far off in a hidden room,
where the light enters the least,
exists a Beauty in the Beast."
The poem was quoted by a curious voice at his shoulder. Adrien sat up to find himself apparently dreaming. He was on a sparkling green lawn, surrounded by an assortment of flowers all in bloom. The sun was shining, and everything was absolutely perfect, as if in the prime of spring. He looked and saw the creator of the poem to be the most lovely girl he had ever seen. She was fair-skinned, with delicate hands and bare feet. She sat beside him, dark, ebony hair cascading down her back and touching the blades of grass behind her. She was looking down at a red rose she held in her hands, and she was wearing a simple white gown. She sighed, and said, "Welcome to my castle, Adrien."
"What is your name?" asked Adrien softly, staring at her.
Her eyes slowly rose and met his own. They were the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen.
"My name is Marionette. I am the princess that lives in this castle."
"How…?" began Adrien.
"There is much you don't know," said Marionette gently. "And the spell on my castle has erased many things from my memory. All I know is, you can save me."
"Save you?" asked Adrien. "From what?"
"I am fading away," she said, eyes beginning to fill with tears. "Everyday, I lose more and more of myself. What I remember, who I am - it's all leaving me. You have to help me."
"Of course!" said Adrien, taking her white hand in his larger, olive one. "Tell me what to do!"
"I don't know," said Marionette, and burst into tears. "I don't know!"
—
"Gah!" Adrien gasped, then sat up. He stared at first at the grandeur around him, then remembered everything that had happened yesterday. It had taken him a while to get to sleep in the still castle. But the downy comforter on the bed was soothing, and somewhere soft music played.
Now as he sat in the bed, he mulled over the meaning in the dream. What could it mean?
Suddenly his stomach rumbled gently, reminding him that it was time to eat.
He turned and looked at the bell on the bedside table. He took it in his olive-skinned hand and gently rung it, testing it's volume. A soft ting! sound sounded far away, and echoed. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
Will it be the beast? Thought Adrien suddenly, remembering he was still in his night gown. "Um…enter?"
The door opened, and a tray with an assortment of food rolled in silently and all by itself. The door likewise closed on it's own, and Adrien peered over the bed coverlet to stare cluelessly at it.
"This is…odd," he murmured, swinging his feet over the side of the bed and eyeing the cinnamon rolls on the decorative china plate. Next to it was another plate with eggs, sausage, and a perfect orange sliced into dainty slices. The orange caught his attention as it was not orange season here in France.
"Imported oranges," whispered Adrien, eyes glimmering with excitement. They could be from South America, or even India!
It was a large breakfast, and smelled amazing. It came with a teapot filled with hot tea, and a candelabra as a decoration.
"To think the beast did all this for me," said Adrien aloud, used to talking to himself in his solitude.
"Ha! Not even a thank you?!" cried a voice. Adrien shrieked and fell backwards into the bed, eyes darting back and forth wildly as he scanned the room for the speaker.
"Now you've done it," sighed a feminine voice. "You've gone an' scared the poor lad."
"Where are you?!" gasped out Adrien.
"Down here, my good man," said a deep, gruff voice. "In the tray that you were just admiring."
Adrien stared in amazement at the sight before him. The teapot, the candelabra, and the clock on the bottom rack that he hadn't noticed - they all had faces. And they were looking at him.
"You…TALK?" gasped Adrien.
"Oui," said the candelabra. "My name is Nino. It is nice to meet you."
"And I am Alya," said the teapot good-naturedly. "I can't tell you how lovely it is to have someone else staying here in the castle. With only the beast, it get's pretty depressing around here."
"And I am Mr. Damecles," said the clock. His owl decoration on his face were very fancy, and he seemed older than the other two in his way of speaking.
"My good lad, it is nice to finally meet your acquaintance."
Adrien stared at them. "What is wrong with this castle?" he demanded. "First, a huge beast. Then my dream, and now this?"
"You have probably guessed that you are not in a normal castle, am I right?" asked Nino, wiping wax out of his face with one of his 'arms'. "You are in an enchanted place, my friend!"
"A cursed place," muttered Mr. Damecles.
"A place full of people!"
"A place full of cursed people!"
"Oh do stop it!" cried Alya, and poured a cup of tea. "Dear, I do think we ought to tell you the whole story, am I right?"
"Yes," said Adrien, accepting the teacup. He paused, then looked at the cup with a scrutinizing eye. "And what's your name?"
"Minou," giggled the teacup. "I'm also called 'stop it' and 'come back here'!"
"And 'naughty'," snorted Mr. Damecles.
"Oh do take a sip," said Alya, "And I'll tell you the whole story."
Adrien's eyes perked up at 'story'. His eyes glanced at the book on the night stand that he had managed to bring with him, and then with an obedient sip, sat back into the covers to hear the tragic story of Princess Marionette.
The story of Princess Marionette is not known outside of the dark, castle walls that hold the curse at bay. She is the forgotten princess of France, and her story has yet to be told and remembered.
White skin, ebony hair, and blue-belle eyes was her appearance, but her soul shown a beauty yet greater. Her kindness and mercy, goodwill and strength made her the beloved princess that she was, and her courage and tenacity made her the hero she became.
There was a sorcerer, dark and powerful, who had the power to transform and control. He was evil and sought more and more power. His name was Hawkmoth, and his oppression on the people of France was a dark time. There was no one to challenge him until Princess Marionette stumbled upon a hidden power - the power of Red Lady. The power to restore everything that Hawkmoth could twist. The power to heal, and even in the most dire of circumstances, give life.
Princess Marionette became the legendary Ladybug. Adopting this power, she made the decision to go and share the life-giving power she had obtained and smite Hawkmoth and his horrible actions. A close friend came alongside her with his own mystical power - the power to destroy. His power gave him the power of a darker side.
Prince Felix and Princess Marionette came together to make the team - The Red Life and The Black Death. Hand in hand, they came against Hawkmoth and his dark incantations.
But then something happened that no one could have foreseen. In the middle of a very dangerous battle, and in her greatest hour of need, Prince Felix betrayed Princess Marionette, and joined Hawkmoth.
"NO!" gasped Adrien, rudely interrupting. "Why would he do that?"
"To this day, we don't know," said Alya. "We still don't understand all of it. Now, do let me finish."
Hawkmoth and Ladybug struggled fiercely, now with Felix having changed sides the battle being all the more unbalanced. Ladybug was all alone, fighting with all her strength. She finally defeated Hawkmoth, but not without losing everything. Her lovely castle was blackened with sorrow and defeat, and all of her servants were turned into objects, cursed to walk the sad halls, haunted by a beast, and cursed to serve her. No one ever heard or saw of Princess Marionette, who was then declared dead, and her beautiful face and heroic deeds were erased from the human records.
"And we," said Alya sadly. "We are the servants. Her lords and ladies. I was her lady in waiting and closest companion."
"I was her tutor," said Mr. Damecles.
"I was her friend," said Nino. "A simple servant, but one who cared and treasured her friendship."
"But she's alive!" said Adrien, placing the teacup gently on the tray. "She came in a dream, and told me to help her!"
"I do not know what you could do," said Alya softly. "She's gone. And one day soon, we will be too."
"What do you mean?" asked Adrien.
"We are slowly turning into these objects," said Mr. Damecles. "One day, I will be nothing more than a clock. Alya will just be a teapot, and Nino a candelabra. We will not be able to talk, move, or think. Technically, we shall die."
Adrien stared at them, his face filled with sorrow. The bright colors in his lovely room seemed to dim, and he took a deep breath.
"Is there a library here?"
Alya looked surprised, but said, "Why, yes."
"Take me there," said Adrien. "You three may have given up, but I will not. I will find Princess Marionette!"
—
Stepping out of the bedroom was shocking to Adrien's senses. Inside his room it was beautiful and well lit, with color and fine furnishings. Outside of it, the halls were dark and damp, and smelled moldy. The statues of knights were rusting, and the carpet was dark and lifeless under his shoes. Nino didn't being carried and used as a light, and Adrien felt happy to have company.
"What is the beast like?" he asked presently as Nino directed him towards the library.
"We don't know her that well," said Nino. "We've avoided her for a long time. She doesn't hurt us, but she doesn't like us."
"I wonder why," said Adrien. "She was kind to me yesterday."
"I think she knows," said Nino. "I mean, I think she knows we won't be alive much longer. If I was her, I'd stay far away from anymore pain if I could."
"Anymore?" asked Adrien.
"The beast is a human, cursed like us," said Nino. "She knew her story at one point, but the spell is cruel and makes her forget who she was before the enchantment."
"Wait, so technically she could be Princess Marionette?" asked Adrien.
"NO," said Nino, then more softly, "no. She physically destroyed every painting we ever had of Princess Marionette. She hates the name, the face, and the memory of Princess Marionette. And so we stay away. There's no way she's the princess we all mourn."
Adrien was silent. It was odd behavior, but it still didn't quench the doubt that perhaps those blue eyes of the beast belonged to the lost princess. If I had become a horrible beast, wouldn't I also hate the memory of what I was?
"Here's the library," said Nino.
Giant doors stood before Adrien. He reached forward and opened the doors, and they opened with a soft creak. Stepping into the room, he saw bookshelves upon bookshelves, filled with books. He stared at all the knowledge that was now at his fingertips, and suddenly wondered if he might ever leave this place.
"Do you think you will find the answers you are looking for?" asked Nino, voice low but hopeful.
"Yes," said Adrien, eyes sparkling and lungs filling with the familiar smell of paper, ink, and leather coverings. "Yes, I think so."
