Nino was growing more and more angry with the position he was in. He watched as dozens of men, women, and children were subjected to being thrown into rivers, chased from their places of business, and arrested simply because they were gypsies.

Each place they investigated made Nino fear the worst for the woman he had received the little gift from only a few days before. It was only a matter of time before she was found.

Each time a line of new prisoners were presented to Papillion, he scanned every face to make sure she was not there.

But the final straw came when they investigated the Miller's home. Papillion had taken a talisman from one of the prisoners they had found earlier that day and showed it to the husband.

"We found this Gypsy talisman on your property," he accused, "Are you harboring gypsies here?"

The miller knelt before the honorable judge and lifted his purple robes in reverence, "Our home is always open to weary travellers. But we know nothing of Gypsies."

"Very well," he responded as he put the talisman away and began to exit the building, "but we will hold you in house arrest until the matter is resolved. If you are indeed innocent, you have nothing to worry about."

Nino remained in the home a moment longer than Papillion, looking from the frightened faces of the wife and child, an infant wailed in the mother's arms. He sighed before following Papillion out.

Papillion took the spear of one of the men and placed it in front of the door so no one could get out. Then, he looked directly at Nino and whispered, "Burn it."

Nino's face paled, "You want me to murder the innocent?"

"No," Papillion said innocently, "I want you to make an example of this family." He motioned to the large crowd of people gathered on the street, just beyond the bridge.

Nino grit his teeth, "I was not trained to kill the innocent."

"No," Papillion agreed as he took a torch and handed it to him, "you were trained to follow orders. Burn it."

Nino took the torch and walked up to the house. There had been no rain or snow for almost a month and a half. If he were to even bring the flames close to the thatch roof, the entire home would become nothing but ash within the hour. He made up his mind right there. With a single motion, he drenched the flame in a bucket of water, making eye-contact with Papillion the entire time.

"Insolent coward," Papillion hissed as he took a second torch from another soldier and threw it onto the roof. The entire home went up in flames.

Nino gasped as he heard the sound of the family inside screaming. Letting his instincts kick in, he leapt through the window and pulled the entire family from the burning home. The family escaped into the crowd before they could be grabbed by the soldiers. Nino was not so lucky. He was grabbed immediately and forced to kneel before Papillion.

"It was such a pity," Papillion drolled, "you had such a hopeful career. Insubordination is punishable by death."

With a big grin on his face, Nino responded, "I consider it my highest honor."

What no one knew at the home was that Marinette had been researching in the small village nearby with Alya. They were both in the crowd when the home went up in flames. Marinette, knowing Papillion was searching for her, took the chance to lead the family back into the village where they would be safe.

Alya remained. She had met Nino a few times as she came to check on Marinette during her stay at Notre Dame. She was never able to actually get inside the church, but spoke often to Nino, who was the only guard who would not try to arrest her. They would both talk to Archdeacon Fu as well to get an update on how she was doing. It was during this time that Alya heard of Chat's story and how much Marinette wanted to know the truth. Alya had been researching and hunting among various gypsies who dabbled in transformation magic for a while. Her research had led her to this village, where an old woman lived. She and Marinette had just finished talking to her when the commotion of the Miller and his family drew the crowds across the bridge. She did not want to see her new friend die.

She elbowed her way to the front of the crowd with a rock wrapped in a cloth in her hand. She took aim and flung the rock at the hind quarters of the horse Papillion sat upon. The horse reared up and knocked Papillion off. In the commotion, Nino managed to break free from the men's hold and take the horse back toward the village. Alya broke from the crowd as they began to scatter. The soldiers were shooting him with dozens of arrows.

Alya faltered when she saw an arrow strike Nino in the shoulder, sending him off the horse and over the edge of the bridge. She ran to the bank of the river as more and more arrows flew into the place where Nino had fallen into the water.

"Don't waste your arrows," Papillion shouted as the soldiers stopped firing. "Let the traitor drown in his watery grave."

Once the coast was clear, Alya dove into the water in search of the man. The water was murky, but she spotted the glint of Nino's heavy armor nearby. It took all of her strength to get him up and out of the water. His heavy armor had to be left behind on the river bed. Alya dragged Nino to the shore to find Marinette running down to meet them.

"I came as soon as I heard," she gasped as the two women knelt beside Nino's body. He was gasping for breath and bleeding heavily from his left shoulder.

"We need to get him to safety," Alya gasped as she pulled some wet hair off of her face.

"I know just the place," Marinette said as she moved to lift the man's body on her shoulders.

The two began to climb up the bank with the dead weight between them.

"Isn't this the guy who got you stuck in Notre Dame?" Alya asked through grunts.

"Yeah, he's a jerk like that," Marinette laughed back.

"Where are we taking him?" Alya questioned when they found a wagon headed to Paris.

Marinette only grinned back as she paid the man for his trouble, "Notre Dame."

Alya snorted as she made room for her friend, "Nice."