They were raised together.

She was the princess and he the knight.

His father was her father's knight, so he was raised in the castle. The princess his only playmate.

"Daddy says one day when I'm big I'll be your knight princess." The boy smiles as they in the sand. "He says it's our family's duty to protect the royal family."

"Do you want to be my knight?" The princess tilts her head to the side. "I don't want you to be forced."

"Of course I do! We're friends, right?" The Princess nods. "Friends protect each other. So when I grow big, I'll be your knight. Daddy says if I'm your knight I can always be by your side."

"I would like that." She smiles, "You'll need a name. Hmm….." She casts around for an idea, spotting a black cat walking along the stone wall. "Chat Noir. You shall be Sir Chat Noir."

"At your service, Princess." Chat Noir bows.

"Do you still wish to be my knight?" The Princess asks.

Chat Noir smiles at her, "Years have passed, but answer has not changed Princess."

"I've told you to stop calling me that." She huffs. "We've been friends for more than half our lives, you have my permission to call me by my name."

"That wouldn't be appropriate."

"Sometimes I wish your father hadn't taught you so well."

"It's because of my father's teachings that I can be your knight though." Chat Noir takes the princess's hand. "It's because of him that I can protect you."

"And this way we can be together forever, just like we promised."

"We were mere kids when we made that promise, Princess." Chat Noir shakes his head, a frown tugging at his lips.

"But I meant it." She squeezes his hand. "You're my best friend. My Sir Chat Noir. I don't want to ever be without you."

"You live in our innocent days and I love you for it, but I can't."

He sees the signs of what is to come, even if she doesn't. The signs of a war that could very well tear them apart.

"I know and I love you for that. You keep me grounded, balance me out." The princess hugs Chat Noir, "I see the light and innocence, you bring the reality into my view. Mother says that with you by my side I will grow into a great ruler."

A few years later, that very light is what the Princess uses to save her knight from the darkness.

"Do you still wish to be my knight?"

She dreads the answer to this question. Does not want to hear the words that fear whispers in her heart, come out of his mouth. She doesn't want to ask it. But she must. She owes it to him for his years of loyalty, his years of friendship. She owes it to him for his father. She has to give him a way out. Give him the choice to walk away without fear or punishment. She owes him that, and so much more.

After all, it was her father's fault that he is now an orphan.

"Do you not want me anymore, Princess?" He asks, eyes no longer holding the light she once saw there. "Now that my father has failed your family, you want to get rid of me?"

"No! Of course not!" She drops to her knees, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. His lack of response is like a knife to her heart. "I want you, I'll always want you. You're my best friend, my Sir Chat Noir. That will never change."

His hand raises to grip her arm, his head falling onto her shoulder. "I want to stay with you."

"You don't hate me? Your father died because of my family."

"I want to stay with you." His arms wrap around her, holding her close. "Please let me be your knight."

"Of course, of course you can stay with me. I want you to stay with me for the rest of my life. So please, stay with me."

The funeral was extravagant, fit for a member of royalty. During the proceeding, Mira stood by her knight to be, keeping his hand firmly clasped in her own. He was in the dark, but that was fine, because she would be his light.

"Do you still wish to be my Knight?"

Mira asked as she listened to her childhood play a song he wrote for her on the Piano. She sits atop the piano, her legs swinging idly.

"Princess, do you honestly think my answer will ever change?"

"Why do you insist on calling me that? You used to call me Mira, Chat Noir."

"Perhaps for the same reason you keep calling me 'Chat Noir'. To tease you." Chat Noir smiles.

"You're impossible."

"I love you too, Mira."

Her heart skips a beat a this. It's true, after so many years together that Mira has come to love the boy who has always steadfastly stood beside her. But not in the way he thinks. She loves him in a way she knows she should not. He is to be her knight, a protector of the kingdom. Besides, he just sees her as the princess he grew up with. There's no way he could love her in that way.

Yet...part of her hoped. And that's why she kept asking the same question. She wants to be sure in the knowledge that he truly wants to be with her, always.

"How long do you think this war will last?"

The mood instantly shifts, Chat Noir stops playing. "I don't know, but I hope it ends soon. It's already lasted far too long. So many people have lost their lives."

"I'm sorry." Mira bows her head, regret filling her.

Chat moves from the stool to stand in front of her. "You have nothing to be sorry for Princess." Chat presses their foreheads together. "Father died a hero, it's what he wanted. I know he's happy in the afterlife with mother."

They are fast approaching the age of adulthood, which means Chat will most likely be taken from her to fight in the war. Heart beating rapidly, Mira makes a decision. There's only one way to keep him with her. She will speak with her father. Mira will confess her feelings to her father and plead with him to keep Chat by her side.

"Do you still wish to be my Knight? Last chance to back out."

"I'm starting to wonder if it's you who wants me to back out." Chat teases.

Mira's cheeks burn. "Of, of course not! I've told you a hundred times, I want you with me always. I just...I want you to want that too. I don't want you to feel forced into this."

"Come with me." Chat takes her by the hand and pulls her away from the party out onto a small secluded balcony.

"It's probably not a good idea for the birthday girl to get caught sneaking out of her party."

"Don't worry," Chat Noir grinned, "I have a friend keeping a lookout."

"And here I thought I was your only friend." Mira teased, "Who's helping you kidnap the Princess from her own party?"

"I'd say it's more of a rescue than a kidnapping." Chat Noir raised his hand to brush his knuckles against Mira's cheek. "I could tell you needed a break."

"You've always been scarily good at reading me. You didn't answer my question by the way."

"It's Eli. He owes me a favor."

"He'd do it even if he didn't owe you a favor." Mira smiled. "Eli's a good guy. Of all the castle staff, he's probably my favorite."

"Careful, he has a big enough ego. Besides letting you get some air, I brought you out here so I could give you this without an audience." Chat Noir reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. "Happy Birthday, Mira."

The box held a pair of simple but elegant black studded earrings. "They're beautiful." Mira gasped. "Thank you, can you help me put them on?"

"Of course."

The close proximity made her heart race. She needed to talk to her father. No matter what, she can't lose him to this war.

"Mira...I.."

"Sorry guys, but the queen's noticed her daughter disappeared." Eli appeared before them, "We better get her back inside."

"We'll talk later, okay?" Chat Noir promised.

Mira simply nodded, one thought running through her head,

What was he about to tell her?

"Father, this isn't fair!" Mira shouts.

The princess has never been one for dramatics, even as a young child she was respectful and kind. But the news that had just been delivered had her breaking her own rules.

"I know," The king let out a heavy sigh, "but it's the only way we can reach a treaty. It's for the peace of the kingdom."

"You're trading me for the kingdom."

"It is part of your duty as a princess. I didn't want this for you, but now that it's come to this..."

"Father, please. You can't...I can't...I..." She has to put it into words. If she could make her father understand, she knew he would find another way.

"You love young Matthew." The King smiled sadly down at his daughter, "I am well aware. I tried to save you from this, I did. I offered one of your sisters hands instead, but they want the heirs to be married. I'm sorry, Mira."

Unshed tears stung Mira's eyes, but she refused to let them flow. "And what if I left?"

"It would cause untold problems for this kingdom. Matthew would not let you do that, not for his sake."

He was right, of course. Even if Matthew did love her the same way, he would never let her choose him over the kingdom. His loyalty is one of the reasons he'd been raised to be her knight.

"Fine. But I have a demand."

"If it's within my power, I will grant you it."

"Chat- Matthew stays by my side, always. Even if there is war in the future, he will stay with me."

"Mira-"

"I will not see him fate the same fate as his father. If you will not allow me the one I love, you will give me his safety. You will make me this promise father or I promise you, I will be gone from this world long before the wedding."

"There will be an official announcement soon, but I wanted you to know first."

They're back in the gardens they often played in as kids. All their secrets had been told here. All they're special announcements. This was even where Mira found Matthew after his father died. It was only right that she tell him here.

"I'm engaged to be married to the prince of the neighboring kingdom."

One.

Two.

Three.

"Oh...that's, that's great news Princess." Mathew smiles brightly. "I'm happy for you."

Of course, what did she expect him to say? She knew all along that he did not love her that way. Yet, it was still like a knife twisting in her stomach.

"Do you still wish to be my knight?"

"This news changes nothing, I am your knight now until the end of my days."

He turned to leave, but Mira's voice stopped him.

"What...what were you going to tell me, on my birthday?" She needs to know, now more than ever.

"Oh, that? It was nothing of importance, feel free to forget about it Princess."

After that day he never called Mira by name again, until the day he died.

On the eve of her wedding, Mira sat on her balcony fighting back tears as her heart broke. If only she hadn't been born the heir. If only this war had not happened. If only she weren't so noble. With each day that passed, she felt as if her knight was growing more distant. The comfortable ease they had slipped into since his father's passing was gone. What she wouldn't give to hear him call her name once more.

"Please don't cry." A stranger's voice cut through the silence.

Mira lets out a shout, scrambling away from the ladybug like creature.

"W,what are you?"

"I am Tikki and I am-"

"Princess, are you alright?" Matthew's sudden appearance barely gave the creature time to hide. "I heard you shout."

"I um..." Mira's eyes drifted to the place where the creature, Tikki, had hidden herself. The creature shakes her head. "I'm...fine. I'm sorry for worrying, there was a, a large bug and it gave me a fright."

"A bug?" Matthew's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Her didn't believe her, of course not. He knew her too well.

"Yeah, but it's gone now so I'm okay."

"And this bug frightened you so much that you were in tears?" His hand reached up, perhaps to wipe the tears, but he let it drop back to his side instead.

"That's um...that is to say...I'm just...nervous about tomorrow I guess." The lie tasted bitter in Mira's mouth, but it was for the best. Matthew thought she was happy with the arrangement. She couldn't let him think otherwise.

"I see. Well, do not stay out here too long. Good night, Princess."

"Why don't you call me Mira?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Without turning around he replied, "It would not be appropriate." With that, he left the room.

"I'm sorry, I made you lie too him." Tikki flies back to Mira.

"It's...it's fine. He wouldn't have believed me anyways."

"Oh I think he'd believe anything you told him." Tikki smiled. "But before we get into that, please let me finish my introduction. I am Tikki, a fairy of good will. I have been sent to you by the gods of this world to help you find your mate."

"My...what?" Mira's eyebrows knit together.

"Mira, I know this will be hard to believe, but please try. You are a reincarnated soul. In your first life, you met a boy who saved you when you became lost. He brought you back to your family on a cold night, and you sought to return the favor by erasing the loneliness you saw in his eyes that night. You spent your entire life searching for the boy, but you could not. For you see, he was dead before he met you." Tikki paused to let her words sink in. "When the two of you were reunited in the after life, you vowed to meet again. Your souls have been cycling ever since."

"W,what was the boy's name?" Mira's mouth went dry. Could it be?

"He never gave you his true name. Being mere kids, you chose nicknames for yourselves. You called yourself Ladybug and he-"

"Chat Noir."

"Yes, you're remembering. That's good. I was told you would be allowed to retain memories in order to better serve you in your search."

"Matthew...I...is he?"

"He is a reincarnated soul as well, I could sense it even though he is not my charge." Tikki nodded and folded her arms. "Tell me, does he go by another name?"

"I...as I child I called him Sir Chat Noir. It's a name I've called him all my life."

"And why did you choose that name?"

"We were discussing him being my knight one day...and I told him he needed a title." Mira explains. "I saw a black can and...i don't know, it just seemed to fit."

"It felt right because to you, that was his name in another life." Tikki smiles. "You two are meant for each other."

"B,but I-" A sob escaped Mira, "I've been promised to another." Mira fell to her knees, the tears she shed dropped to the stone floor. "For the sake of the kingdom, I must marry the prince of the neighboring kingdom."

"Oh dear, I see I've arrived too late. Can you not run?"

"And leave my kingdom to war?" Mira shakes her head. "I could not do that to father. Matthew, he would never allow it."

Tikki licked her lips, looking up stars. "Perhaps then...drastic measures need to be taken. The two of you will not find peace until you are truly reunited."

"But how?"

"Look up at the stars with me Princess Mira, they will calm you as I explain my plan."

Mira wiped her tears and laid back, letting her gaze rise to the stars as Tikki talked. It would be cruel to her father, but it was her only chance to be with the one she loved. Of course, that's assuming he would go along with it. Assuming that he indeed loved her in this life. That he would still want to be with her after what she'd put him through, if he did love her.

Tikki insisted that he did indeed love her, that he had always loved her in past lives. But Mira can't let herself hope too much. Not after she'd had them crushed with such a harsh blow.

All she could do was pray that when it was all over, her knight would forgive her for what she was about to do.

Early the next morning she found him practicing his sword skills in the garden after having snuck away from her handmaidens who were helping her prepare for the big day.

"I need to talk with you, Matthew." She kept her hands clasped together, to hide their shaking.

"What can I do for you, Princess?" Matthew lowers his sword to a rest position.

"You can stop calling me by my title to start with. You've been calling me Mira for years."

"I told you, it is inappropriate for me to address you that way."

"Why?" Mira demanded. "Why after all these years, is it suddenly inappropriate?"

Matthew turned his head to the side but remained silent, his face a cool mask.

"Chat Noir, please. Talk to me."

Still silence.

Mira took a deep breath to calm her nerves. It had come to this. The one thing she didn't want to do. The one thing he may never forgive her for. But she had to know. His feelings were the most important part of the plan.

"Matthew, as the princess of this kingdom I order you to answer me this," Matthew's eyes widened as a look of betrayal crossed his face. "What are your true feelings for me?"

"You...order me?"

"Yes." She must remain firm, that is what she kept reminding herself. "I demand an answer."

"Princess!" One of the handmaidens called out. "We must get you ready! Please do not keep running off."

Tikki was wrong. If he truly loved her, he would have told her. He'd promised to find her again, but in this life time, somehow he had not fallen for her. She would have to move on and try to find a way to be happy with her new life.

"I'm coming. We best hurry if we're to be ready on time I suppose."

The preparations passed in a blur for Mira. Her heart had been smashed to pieces, on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. She forced a smile as her handmaidens questioned her, as she made her way to the chapel, as she walked down the aisle. Her father, to his credit, apologized yet again for her putting her through this.

"It doesn't matter father, what done is done." She told him, earning a compliment on her bravery.

The ceremony was interrupted by a sudden attack. The sounds of glass shattering and screams of the attendees filled the air. Mira found herself lost in the chaos, unable to find a way out.

"Mira!"

She turned in time to see an arrow fly through the air, aimed at her heart. Not bothered with trying to save her own life, she closed her eyes waiting for the arrow to bury itself in her chest.

But the the arrow never hit it's mark.

When she opened her eyes, she found her knight at her feet, an arrow in his chest.

"No!" The scream escaped her without her permission, as she dropped to her knees. "No, no. You can't do this. You can't die." Tears rolled down her face and onto his chest. "Why would you do this?"

"Because...I'm your knight." Matthew's voice breathed. "And...you gave me an order."

"What?"

"This...is my answer."

Mira's eyes widened in realization, her heart broke even more than she thought possible. "Chat…."

"I wanted to tell you...but...you got engaged. I'm sorry Princess…."

"Chat Noir, you can no die on me!" Mira pulled him against her chest. "I love you, do you hear me? I've been in love with you for years. You're supposed to stay by side, always."

"I'm glad….I got to hear you say it...at least once." A sickening cough shook Matthew's body. "Princess….let me look at you."

Mira loosened her grip enough to look down at him, the color had already started draining from his face. His shaky hand raised to cup her cheek.

"I love you, Mira. My princess."

The hand dropped from her cheek and Matthew stopped breathing.


They were raised together.

She was the princess and he the knight.

His father was her father's knight, his mother died giving birth to him, so he was raised in the castle. The princess his only playmate in those innocent years.

He was raised with one certainty, when he was old enough he would become a knight for the princess. She was his best friend, he wanted to protect her, so he happily accepted the task.

Throughout the years, they remained close. Time could not destroy the bond they had.

When his father fell in battle, she was the one who found him hidden in the gardens. He had been falling into the depths of his despair when she arrived.

"Do you still wish to be my knight?"

His chest tightened with fear, she was all he had left. Was she going to throw him away because his father had fallen in battle? Did she see it as failure? It turned out, it was the princess who feared his rejection.

"I want you, I'll always want you."

He asked for one selfish request,

"I want to stay with you, Mira." His arms wrapped around her, holding her close. "Please let me be your knight."

That was the first time he'd called her by name, it was also the day he fell in love with her.

Years later, she would ask the question once more.

"Princess, do you honestly think my answer will ever change?"

By then, he'd come to realize that the princess asked this question to make sure he was staying with her of his own free will and not some sense of duty. The princess never wanted him to feel trapped. Perhaps that's why, despite the many years they had been together, the Princess had not once given him an order.

"Why do you insist on calling me that? You used to call me Mira, Chat Noir."

His heart leaped at the nickname.

"Perhaps for the same reason you keep calling me 'Chat Noir'. To tease you." Chat Noir smiles.

"You're impossible."

"I love you too, Mira."

And he meant it, more than he should have. She was the princess, and he a lowly knight. She would never see him as more than her childhood friend. He tried to bury the feeling, to never let it show. That is the true reason he kept reverting back to her title. It was easier to distance himself from those feelings that way.

It was Eli, the son of one of the castle's servants, who noticed it first.

"Why don't you say something to her?" Eli asked one day during a practice session with Matthew. "The princess and her family are kind and just people. They let me, a mere child of a servant, join knight school simply because I asked. I'm sure the King and Queen would not get in the way if it's what Princess Mari wanted."

"What are you going on about, Eli?" Matthew questioned.

"I have eyes, Matthew. I've seen the way you look at Princess Mira when she's not looking. And you spend all your free time with her."

"I'm her knight, of course I spend most of my time with her," Matthew deflects.

"Fine, but that doesn't mean you don't love her."

Matthew's cheeks burned at the accusation. "She's my childhood friend, of course I love her."

Eli rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Fine, let me be more clear. You are in love with her. And you should tell her."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can."

"She's a princess, Eli. And not just any princess, but the heir to the throne."

"The Queen talked to me about you and the Princess the other day." Eli said, "She told me that she had faith that her daughter would grow to be a great ruler. Said that it's because Princess Mira has you by her side that she will be able to accomplish great things. The only one standing in your way is yourself, Matthew. So just tell her. I think she loves you too."

Eli was wrong. He was completely wrong.

"I'm engaged to be married to the prince of the neighboring kingdom."

One.

Two.

Three.

Cracks ran through his heart, pieces of it chipped off but he forced a bright smile anyways.

"Oh...that's, that's great news Princess. I'm happy for you."

That night he vowed to kill the feelings that had lodged themselves deep into his heart. He would be her knight, and nothing more.

"Matthew, as the princess of this kingdom I order you to answer me this, What are your true feelings for me?"

She gave him an order? She who spent so many hours worrying, doing everything she could to keep him from feeling limited...she was using her power as a princess to force his hand.

And to ask about his feelings. Now she cares? Now she wants to know? On the day she is to be married? What did it matter to her what he felt?

Soon enough a handmaiden called the princess away, and Matthew was left alone with his hurt.

"I think she's finally figured it out." Plagg muttered, his head poked out from Matthew's jacket.

"Figured what out?"

"That she's just like you."

"So now that she knows we vowed to find each other in another life, she's suddenly interested? No thanks."

"You really are an idiot." Plagg sneered. "She is a princess, there is war. Do you honestly believe she is getting married of her own free will? As a princess she doesn't have the luxury of following her heart."

"Are you saying she was put into an arranged marriage for some kind of treaty?" Matthew demanded.

"Give the boy a prize. If she's figured out the truth, that means Tikki is awake. I'll bet Tikki is the one who put her up to this. Mira has to get married, but nothing says something tragic can't happen afterwards."

Matthew's eyes widened, "Plagg, that's wrong."

"No, what's wrong is a girl being forced to marry a stranger. What's wrong is two people in love being kept from each other because of politics. What's wrong is two souls being denied their rest because they can't reunite."

"What do I do?"

"You go give Mira your answer and do whatever crazy plan Tikki has created."


It had been ten years since the marriage of Princess Mira. The light that once radiated from her is gone, and he knows why.

Eli was there that day. He watched the life drain out of his friend's body as the princess held him in her arms. Watched as part of her died when Matthew stopped breathing. The princess had grown frail in the years since that dreadful day. Eli often wondered if it was from her broken heart. Giving birth to her first and only child had nearly killed the princess.

Eli had stayed in the castle, while Princess Mira was sent to the country side for her health. The few times she returned, Eli did not get the chance to meet with her. This was something he regretted, for he felt he owed to his dead friend to watch over the Princess.

Finally, he could take it no longer and made the request,

"Your majesty, please let me go the her highness' side."

The man Princess Mira had been forced to marry was a kind man, and Eli could tell he loved the princess dearly. So it came as no surprise to Eli that his wish was granted. The man wanted the best for his wife and that meant giving her a friendly face.

When he arrived, it was to news that the Princess Mira was dying. Her son had been sent away after saying his goodbyes, to save him from the sorrow.

"I'm sorry." Eli sobbed as he dropped to his knees next to the bed, taking hold of Mira's hand. "I didn't want this...I should have pushed him harder. He...Matthew loved you so much. And maybe...maybe if I had said something sooner, he would have told you. If the two of you had been promised when the treaty was made, maybe things would have been different."

Mira rolls her head to one side, but does not waken from her sleep.

"I would do anything, to give you two another chance. You deserve a chance with each other."

"Would you sacrifice your peace so they may find their own?" A ladybug creature flew out from underneath the bedding.

"Sacrifice my peace?"

"You say you would do anything to give them a chance, so would you give up your own peace?" The creature asked again.

"What do you mean?"

"Mira and Matthew have lived in lives before this one. They are souls who will keep cycling until they are reunited."

"B,but if that's true, shouldn't they be done now?" Eli questioned, "They grew up together, spent their lives together."

"Ah, but did they truly? He died shortly after reaching his manhood, and she was ripped from him. They were not free to love each other."

"...What can I do? What's this 'sacrifice my peace' stuff?"

"If you so vow, you will be reincarnated near one of them until they are truly reunited." Tikki told him solemnly. "Your soul will not find peace in the after life until they have achieved their goal. Will you, of your own free will, make this vow?"

"I'll be helping them, in another life? I can make up for my failure in this one?"

"Yes. You will have a chance to right the wrongs they were given."

"Then I'll do it. Let me be Matthew's guide. Let me be his friend in all the lifetimes to come." Eli states. "I vow this to you, I will continue to walk this earth until these wandering souls have been untied."

"Then so shall it be. The day you die, will be the day the cycle of your soul begins."