The rose was fading. Soon all the remaining power would be gone.
How she knew this she didn't know. Why it was all she remembered, she couldn't tell. But on the dark mahogany table, standing alone in the room as if on a pedestal, rested the red rose inside it's enchanted glass. The glass protected it from all touch and breeze, but yet the remaining time for the spell to be lifted faded.
The petals were slowly falling. One by one they would fall, the magic red glow fading from their edges as they would wrinkle and blacken. Resting on the table beneath the rose were already many petals.
She sat in the darkness, staring at the rose and trying to think. Here in the West Wing of her big dark palace she felt alone and finally free to be comfortable and be herself. With her horns and hideous face, being in a room with no people and no mirrors was her only home.
There had been a time when she had felt at peace, knowing who she was. But now the curse had brought on another side-effect: amnesia.
Who had she been before? What was her name? The old cursed servants called her "The Beast". The monster that walked these cursed halls. But she felt it in her heart - she had a story, and she had forgotten it.
She stood and with soft footfalls walked a little closer to the rose. It's red glow was always familiar. She knew it's magic deep in her heart, but she didn't know how.
And now this boy. This kind, gentle lad who was staying in the castle. He had literally burst in on her, and had seemed to bring life to her dusty castle. He was kind to her, and this was new. His innocence was incomparable. He seemed to respect her strength, but not fear it.
Suddenly she had the urge to see him. A part of her felt fearful of his rejection, but another part hoped that perhaps…
No. He was young and so far away from any touch of hers. Even from her heart. No friendship could start this way.
Could it?
She turned and left her dismal quarters. Shutting the large oaken doors behind her, she walked down the steps and through the hallway to go to the lad's room when she heard the rare sound of laughter.
"I wonder…" she said softly, turning to the direction of the library. The boy was curious, she suddenly remembered, and with his gentle spirit would instantly make friends with anyone. Of course, she thought with a sudden pang of jealousy. If he could be so kind to a monster, what would keep him from making friends of the servants?
The servants hated her. Perhaps they had already turned him against her.
She quickly opened the library door and entered, and the laughter stopped as though she had killed it.
Adrien was standing there, looking up at her with surprise, but not fear. So was the candelabra, Nino. They were standing at one of the tables that in the library, and they had covered it in books. Quite the research, she thought to herself. But it was Adrien that drew her gaze.
His eyes were clear and green and so perfect that she almost got lost in them. His tousled blonde hair was framing his face, and the sunlight rested on it, as if blessing him. And he was doing something that amazed her.
He was gazing straight back at her.
She felt suddenly naked before him. As if he could see into her very soul. Nothing to hide, and nothing to cover. She stared back, unable to break his gaze. But he broke the moment for her.
"My Lady," he said, a smile on his face. He gave a bow and said, "Forgive me for being so forward - I had something I needed to know, and so I came into the library."
"There is nothing to forgive," she said, her voice sounding far away. What am I saying?
"Then please," he said, laying down the book he was holding. "Would you help me search for information about a young woman named Marionette?"
She paused. "I know a little about her," she said, voice low.
"Who was she?!" asked Adrien, and she met his gaze quickly, wondering why he was so hellbent on the girl.
"She was the previous owner of this castle," she said softly. "And I despise her face."
Adrien's joy slowly faded from his face and he actually looked hurt.
"Why?"
His eyes begged for a reason. She sighed. "I don't know. I just do. But if you are so determined, I can give you the one book that talked about her. But I have to warn you that it's a magic book."
"Magic?" Asked Adrien. She began walking to a specific bookshelf and he quickly followed her.
"The book takes back all the information that you receive," she said. "Though I suppose since you are not under a spell you might be able to understand better what happened."
"I will try," he said, and in such a challenge-accepting way that she actually laughed.
"Don't fret," she said. "It's not as if it's important."
He grew quiet and closed, as if he believed the contrary. She suddenly felt unsure. Had she just hurt him two times in a row?
He would be safer in every possible way if she stayed far away from him.
She handed him the book. It was of medium height but quite thick, with hundreds of pages. On the cover it said "Miraculous Ladybug" on it, and a lovely drawing of the very girl Adrien had asked for - Marionette.
Those disgusting eyes. So blue and bright. Those same eyes that haunted her. They were the same ones that had looked back at her the first time she looked into a mirror.
She suddenly remembered the first night of being the beast. Seeing the paintings on the walls, seeing her human image everywhere, but not being able to remember who she had been inside. Weeping, and screaming, roaring into the long night. Feeling empty, and scared, and angry. And she had no memory of why. And if she was now the ugliest thing ever, she could not bear seeing her former beauty around her on her walls.
Every mirror she had ever owned she had shattered in that very moment. Every painting had been destroyed, wether with fire or by her own claws. She had vowed never to look into her own face again. Who she was she couldn't remember, but the name that she had answered to had never left her mind -
"My lady?" asked Adrien softly. She suddenly looked down, and saw that he had his hand on the book, but she hadn't let go.
"Oh," she said quickly, and dropped her paw. "I'm sorry."
He only gave her a half smile, but his eyes watched her face, as if studying her.
"Join me for dinner tonight," she breathed, and with a twirl of her cloak about her huge shoulders she left the library.
—
Adrien watched her leave. She was so queer.
It had to be her. She had to be Marionette.
"Well?" said Nino. He had been silent through the entire exchange, and now was gazing at the book in Adrien's hands with hope. "Is that it?"
Adrien smiled. "I think so," he said. He gently rubbed his hand along the cover, feeling the soft leather beneath his palm and gazing at the girl he wanted to save. He looked up at Nino. "Is there a good place to read? Like, outside of the library? I'd like a real private place to read."
"There is," said Nino. "Follow me."
—
"Oh Sabrina," sighed Chloe. "He's been gone a two days now. Do you think the wolves have eaten him?"
Sabrina winced and looked down at Chloe, wondering what she could say to not rouse Chloe's fury. "I…hope not," she said softly.
The two girls were sitting in the pub, and Chloe had draped herself on a large chair close to the fireplace. The townspeople around them were talking and drinking merrily, and left the two girls alone. Chloe was popular for her money - and since she seemed to be in a dismal mood, everyone wanted to stay away from her tonight. Even Kim was staying away from her, when normally with a little convincing he could be made to do whatever she wanted. And so in the midst of her pouting, Chloe suddenly felt like she had no power over the people in the pub or over Adrien.
The people eyed Chloe, sitting with Sabrina. Whispers had drifted about that Adrien had suddenly disappeared, and that that was why her bottom lip stuck out. And while really that made little difference to the townspeople, Monsieur Fu had shut himself away in his chapel when he'd heard the news.
Suddenly the doors of the pub flew open, and someone entered in with a cry of "Help me!"
Gabriel Agreste staggered into the pub, face ashen white and eyes wide and wild.
"Someone, please help me! My son is in danger!"
Everyone gasped. Chloe sat up straight in her chair, and the town magistrate, Sabrina's father Monsieur Roger, came quickly to calm the situation.
"There there, Monsieur Agreste," said Roger, and sat the haggard man down. "Now, start from the beginning - "
"There's no time!" screeched Gabriel, clutching the man's arm. "My son is being held captive by a horrible beast! We must go rescue him!"
"Why wait any longer?" demanded a voice at Roger's elbow. "We have to find him now!"
Everyone turned and stared at Chloe. She had risen from her seat and was standing in the middle of the room, hands on her hips. "I will personally pay every person that aids in the finding of Adrien. How does two bags of silver each sound?"
Everyone stared, then cheered. "Let's go find the lad!" Cried Kim, a town ruffian, and everyone prepared to leave.
"Where is he, Gabriel?" asked Chloe, eyes large with "concern". She laid a hand on his shoulder and gave a squeeze. Gabriel looked up at her face with a grim expression. As a shrewd player himself, he knew a contract when he saw one.
I help you save him, and you give me what I want.
"I'll tell you," he said, eyes locked with Chloe's. "I'll tell you everything."
