CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

JOURNEY OF REDEMPTION

Adrien knew talking his father into going on an afternoon outing would be a piece of cake.

Getting his father to be happy about it was another thing entirely.

But King Gabriel remained calm and collected as he and his son made their way down the garden path to where the others were waiting.

Adrien could see Alya moving her hands over something on the ground. Her palms were sparkling with orange light, and the pendant around her neck was glowing.

The sight made Gabriel stop. "What exactly is Alya doing?" he enquired with a sharp edge to his tone.

Adrien patted his father's shoulder in reassurance. "Well, the place Trixx mentioned is a long-ways away," he explained, "so Alya thinks it'll be faster to travel by magic carpet."

"Magic... Magic carpet?" The king glanced down at Adrien with a gaze that was both curious and scrutinizing. "Adrien, how can you be certain...?"

The prince frowned at him. "Father, please," he said in his grown-up tone, knowing his old man would take him more seriously that way. "Alya's trying really hard to make it up to you. Trixx too. Try to give them both a chance – if not for them, at least for me."

The king stared at him worryingly, as though he feared more for his son's life than his own, and he sighed. "Oh, very well, son. I will try."

"Thank you." Adrien smiled, and the pair continued their walk.

When they arrived at the spot, Alya stepped aside with a broad sweep of her hands. "Ta-da!" she announced proudly.

To Adrien's surprise – and delight – the purple-and-gold rug that lay lifeless on the ground lifted itself off the grass and made wave-like motions.

"Sweet!" Nino exclaimed.

Marinette beamed. "Wow! Alya, that's amazing!"

Beside her, Master Fu nodded with a smile. "Most impressive, my dear," he commented with a twinkle in his eye. "Now the real question is... can it truly fly?"

Alya grinned at Trixx, who was sitting on her shoulder, and then said, "Only one way to find out." She snapped her fingers, and half of the carpet turned into a small staircase that touched the ground. Then she gestured to King Gabriel. "After you, Your Highness."

Adrien felt his father stiffen as he strode forward. Alya and Trixx smiled like noblewomen, but the moment the king walked by – not even bothering to acknowledge the pair – their smiles fell and their shoulders sagged.

Adrien caught Marinette's worried look and he shrugged. Sorry, I tried.

The prince watched as his father sat down on the carpet with his legs crossed.

Then, Alya's mouth curled up at the corner and she snapped her fingers again.

The carpet straightened and jerked, making the king sway in his spot with an "Oh!"

Suddenly, the carpet took off into the air.

Adrien gasped as his father flew in broad, circular motions around the garden. He could hear the king's startled cries, but he swore they sounded more like laughter. The prince was delighted. He hadn't heard his father laugh like that in a long time.

Adrien couldn't help but laugh himself. "I guess it's been a while since Father's had a little fun," he said aloud.

The others chuckled with him.

Finally, the carpet and its passenger came in for a smooth landing. Gabriel was gripping the rug for dear life, but there was a broad smile on his face.

"Oh, my..." the king murmured breathlessly as he brushed a few stray strands of his white-blond hair. "Nathalie insisted I let her come with us... but I sincerely doubt she would enjoy this." He patted the carpet for emphasis.

Adrien smirked. "Nat wouldn't go near a baby elephant," he said. "I know – she tried."

More laughter.

Now that the king was ready to go, Nino walked over to Alya and pulled her into a warm, gentle hug. Whatever they were saying was lost in the chatter of birds in the nearby trees.

Then, Marinette walked up to Adrien.

The moment he opened his arms, she fell right into them, and he breathed softly into her midnight-blue hair.

He remembered the first time he held her this close. Not the night they kissed at her parent's old bakery, but the night they danced together at the Year's End festival. It had been the happiest moment of Adrien's life, even if he had only known Marinette as "Princess Ladybug" at the time.

It had been a long while since the two of them had been separated, so of course it made Adrien nervous about letting Marinette go.

I'm afraid the moment I turn around, I might lose you again.

It had happened three times before, all of them on Volpina's account. But Adrien reminded himself that Volpina was gone, and even though Tikki wouldn't be going with Marinette, the prince knew his Ladybug could very well take care of herself. In fact, she had her handy yo-yo strapped around her waist like a belt.

Still, it couldn't hurt to ask...

"You sure you don't want any extra moral support?" Adrien said into her shoulder.

She pulled away smiling. "I'll be fine, Kitty," she whispered to him. "Besides, it would make Alya and your father more uncomfortable if we were kissing behind their backs while they were sorting things out."

Adrien pretended to groan. "See? We never get any time to ourselves."

Something mischievous gleamed in Marinette's bluebell eyes. "Don't worry," she whispered into his ear. "I have every intention of having nothing on my schedule when I get back."

Those words made Adrien purr.

"Hel-lo-oh?" Trixx called with annoyance. "Romeo? It's time for Juliet to take off!"

Adrien sighed with defeat and looked his fiancée in the eyes again. "Be safe, Milady," he said earnestly.

Marinette nodded with that confidence he knew and loved. "I will."

She kissed him softly, and for a moment, it was just the two of them with not a care in the world.

Then Marinette pulled away. "I love you," she said quickly.

"I love you too." He let her go, and every step she took away from him felt like a needle jabbing into his gut.

He watched as Marinette and Alya climbed onto the magic carpet, taking their seats right in front of King Gabriel. Trixx remained perched on Alya's shoulder.

"All right," the redhead said like she was on an adrenaline rush, "let's see what this baby can do!"

She gripped the carpet with both hands, and they radiated with magic once more.

The carpet rose up higher before taking off with a growing burst of speed.

Birds scattered in their wake as the group zipped around the palace and out of sight. Before they vanished, Adrien caught Marinette's tiny hand waving to him.

He waved back. "Have fun!" he called loudly.

"Bye!" Nino bellowed at the same time.

"Good luck!" Master Fu called.

The moment his friends were nothing but a tiny speck in the sky, Adrien sighed.

"Wait!" came a high-pitched cry.

Adrien blinked. He had completely forgotten about the kwamis.

He spun around just as three whirls of colour came shooting towards the prince and his two remaining companions.

"Gangway!" Plagg hollered. "Make room for the cat!"

"Hold up!" Wayzz called.

The three kwamis came to a stop before Adrien and Nino. Floating between them was a large picnic basket.

"Sorry, we're late," Tikki panted. "Plagg couldn't decide what cheese to pack."

"We were out of camembert!" the black-cat kwami argued. "I had to do some careful consideration!"

Adrien rolled his eyes. We're doomed, he thought sarcastically.

Wayzz glanced around. "Where are the others?" he asked.

Nino beckoned to the sky. "They already left, little dudes."

Plagg gasped. "Without us?"

Tikki, thankfully, had a calmer reaction. "Aw, no problem," she said, gathering some magic between her nubby hands. "We can catch up to them in no time."

"Wait!" Adrien said, holding his hands out. "Without us too." He indicated to himself, Nino, and Master Fu. "Alya needs some time alone with Father to patch things up."

Tikki blinked. "What about Marinette?"

"She going along to give Alya a confidence boost," Nino replied, "but it's easier for Aly and the king if fewer people are involved. Sorry, Tikki – I thought Mari already told you."

Tikki sighed sadly.

Plagg, however, seemed to be contemplating something. "Hang on a sec... You all know what this means, right?" A huge grin appeared on his face. "More food for us!"

Tikki and Wayzz both cheered, "Yay!"

At that moment, the picnic basket burst open, and an entire arrangement of food, dishes, napkins, and cutlery appeared neatly on a white tablecloth. Adrien caught the scents of roast chicken, fresh apples, aged cheddar cheese, peppered potato crisps, ice cream, mugs of tea and juice, and chocolate-chip cookies – a feast fit for two kings.

It made Adrien's mouth water... until Tikki, Plagg, and Wayzz dove straight into the food and started devouring it like they hadn't eaten in a week.

Adrien grimaced at the disgusting table manners. "Yep," he murmured. "I'm glad Nathalie's not here to see this."

Master Fu, on the other hand, found the sight amusing. "I do hope you've saved some tea and a few cookies for me," he said with anticipation.

Wayzz swallowed a mouthful of apple and said, "Help yourself, Master."

As the Great Guardian took a spot on the tablecloth, Nino shook his head with a snort. "Seriously? You guys are worse than an army of seagulls fighting over a –" He paused and his brown eyes became as wide as his glasses. "Hey, is that a banana split? Gimme that!"

Adrien reeled as his best friend practically leapt forward and began wrestling with Plagg over the treat bowl. Nino, of course, won the round and dug in as soon as he found a spoon, making the black-cat kwami growl.

Tikki looked up from her half-eaten cookie, her face smeared with chocolate. "Oh, sorry, Adrien. You want some?"

Adrien forced a smile. "I'm... not hungry," he said quickly as he backed away. "You guys go ahead."

The moment the prince turned around and walked off, the sounds of food being stuffed into hungry mouths filled the garden. Adrien picked up the pace.

He decided he'd head back inside and find the future in-laws to pass the time. Tom and Sabine were always good company to have, and they had proper manners to boot.

Adrien took a deep breath and glanced back up at the empty sky, imagining his beloved swinging along the palace parapets on her yo-yo.

I hope Marinette and Alya are having more fun than I am, he thought with a grin as he went inside.

The desert sands below seemed to move like waves on an ocean, swaying and bulging out in different directions as Alya and her group flew over.

She couldn't help but stare down at it with a smile.

Behind her, Marinette called over the rush of wind blowing past them, "I thought you hated flying!"

Alya grinned at her. "Nah, it's not so bad!" she called back. "Especially when I'm the one in control!"

She expected Trixx to give her own witty remark. Surprisingly, the kwami remained silent, just as she had since the start of the trip. Maybe she's nervous about talking with Gabriel here, Alya wondered.

Within a few minutes, the ground turned from sand to hard rock, and then it opened up into a great chasm where a river of glowing water lay at the far bottom.

Trixx pointed. "This is it!" she stated. "The place we're looking for is on the other side of this canyon!"

Alya looked back at the king, who had both hands on Marinette's shoulders. "You up for an exciting detour, Your Majesty?" she called.

Gabriel took that more as a challenge, and he smirked. "Ha! When I was half your age, I was training horses for the royal army! Flying through a canyon is nothing compared to taming a wild stallion!"

Alya shrugged. "You asked for it!"

With a wave of her glowing hands, the carpet plunged down into the chasm.

Marinette and Trixx squealed as they descended – the former with glee, the other with fright.

Twin walls of rock rose up beside them, and the river grew closer and wider as they approached.

Alya could already taste the cool, fresh water on her tongue as they swooped in and glided along the river's surface like a swan coming in for landing. But they didn't stop. Alya commanded the carpet to speed along.

Suddenly, a large bulge emerged ahead of them, opening its giant mouth in a yawn. A hippopotamus!

"AH!" Everyone cried as they zoomed right in between the hippo's gaping jaws, startling the poor creature.

Once they were clear, Marinette burst out laughing, and the king clung to her tighter.

The chasm wall sank down into the ground and, this time, the group was surrounded by a vast, tropical jungle on either side of the river.

Just then, Marinette gasped and pointed north. "Rapids!"

Alya looked up to see the water picking up speed and streaming through a series of exposed rocks, which stuck out of the river like teeth. Alya lifted them all back up into the air, and they soared safety over the rapids until they reached the very edge of a waterfall.

Alya nearly staggered at the grand sight. The water dipped down a hundred feet, and at the bottom lay a series of razor-sharp rocks that bent over like curved talons. It looked like the claws of a monstrous beast reaching to snatch up anything the waterfall sent at it. The rest of the valley below extended far into the distance, but at least the river was calmer and quieter past the deadly rocks.

Trixx broke Alya out of her terrified stupor. "Up there!" the kwami said to the redhead, pointing. "That's the spot – on top of the waterfall!"

Alya glanced at the roaring downpour of water... and a sly grin grew on her face.

Trixx shrieked as the redhead redirected them sharply back up the cliff.

They drew closer to the waterfall, and waves of soft, cool mist splattered the group. Marinette laughed again and spread her arms out to touch the water.

But what was gentle on humans was hard on kwamis. Trixx cringed from the onslaught of heavy droplets that knocked some strands of fur off her head and back. "Ow, ooh, ow...! Hey! I'm losing my fur here!" she shouted.

Shielding his face from the mist, Gabriel glared over at the little vixen. "You're lucky you haven't lost more than that!" he commented sharply.

Trixx looked back at him and let out an uneasy chuckle.

The group finally reached the top of the great cliff, and Alya flew them steadily into the broad jungle.

She was surprised to see stone pillars and pathways – the remains of an ancient ruin that hadn't been claimed yet by nature. A perfect spot to rest!

Alya called on the magic again... and then paused. "Um... okay... How do I stop this thing?" she muttered.

The pendant responded by glowing.

Suddenly, like it had been grabbed by an invisible hand, the magic carpet came to an abrupt halt in mid-air.

Everyone cried out again as they were sent flying forward into the bushes.

Thankfully, the giant leaves were soft and spongy, so it made for a gentler landing. That being said, Alya let out an "Oof!" as she flipped over and landed upside-down. Beside her, Marinette rolled into a cushiony bush before stopping on her stomach, and King Gabriel landed neatly in a tangle of vines.

All three of them looked over at each other, eyes wide, before glancing back at the magic carpet. The rug remained hovering in mid-air, waiting for its next command.

Just then, to Alya's surprise, King Gabriel burst out laughing.

Then Marinette did, and Alya soon followed.

It was pure, joyful laughter accompanied by several quick words of apology, at least on Alya's account. She and Marinette got up and tried to contain their mirth before rushing over to help the king out of the vines.

Unfortunately, Trixx had been tossed straight into a small hole in a nearby tree, her legs kicking out and her tail wriggling hysterically. The sight only made Alya and Marinette laugh even harder.

"Yeah, sure. Ha-ha, it's hilarious... Now get me out of here!" Trixx bellowed from within the tree.

Snorting, Alya gently grabbed onto the kwami's legs. "Hold still," she said as she gave a couple of good tugs.

Trixx came out with a soft POP! She went limp in the redhead's hand and her violet eyes went all swirly-like.

Once they all finally got the amusement out of their systems, everyone paused to relax and take a breather.

That's when Alya took in their jungle environment: ferns, orchids, flowered cacti, bamboo, moss-covered trees with giant limbs you could climb on, and all sorts of leaves ranging from fat to finger-like. Mangoes, passion fruit, and coconuts hung from heavy branches. There were also small sections of flowers, each one bearing so many petals with so many different colours that blended together.

The sound of rushing water filled the jungle like soft, vibrant music, and strange birds with exotic cries fluttered about in the treetops. Even with the ruined stone ground and surrounding pillars, it looked like a wondrous place to call home.

Alya stared at it all with awe. "Trixx, I've got to hand it to you," she said to the kwami without looking at her, "this is a nice place."

"It's so beautiful," Marinette breathed. She took a deep, long whiff of the air and sighed with a smile. "So many scents and colours... it's a paradise!"

Even Gabriel looked astounded. "Truly magnificent," he said. "I haven't been to a place like this in years. Not since..." Something like sadness appeared in his blue eyes. "Not since my wife passed away."

Alya's smile faltered, as did Marinette's. Adrien used to tell them both about what a joy his mother, Queen Emilie, had been. Next to Adrien, she was the only person who truly made Gabriel happy.

Alya only hoped that being here would bring back good memories of the queen, and not just the sad ones. With any luck, it would give the former thief the chance she needed to get back into the king's good graces.