CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

BEGONIAS AND BLACK HORSES

Alya was so transfixed with the wonders of the oasis that she completely forgot the reason why she was here in the first place.

After she and Marinette finished their fresh coconut drinks, however, the blunette glanced over Alya and pointed with a grin.

Alya looked to see King Gabriel kneeling by a sparkling pool of water, trying to bounce a stone across the water. But with every shot, the rock would plunk into the water ungraciously. Each try made the king more agitated.

Alya pursed her lips nervously... and shook her head. "What do I say?" she whispered to Marinette.

Her best friend smiled and pulled her into a side hug. "Just speak from your heart, Alya," she murmured. "I know – talking with a man like King Gabriel isn't exactly a walk in the park, but he's a good man. He'll understand."

Alya blew out a long breath. She looked over at Trixx for extra encouragement, but the fox kwami was sitting alone on a broken, stone wall, staring off into nothingness. What is with her? Alya thought. Is she worried about me, or is something else bothering her?

An answer she knew she'd have to wait for... after her talk with the king.

Alya straightened herself up with half-a-smile and walked over to the pool's edge. She could feel Marinette's confident gaze on her back, and it boosted her self-esteem a little.

If the king knew she was there, he didn't show it. He kept focusing on throwing the stones, drawing his arm back and snapping it forward in hard sweeps. The stone fell in with a SPLISH!

Alya kneeled and casually picked up a nearby stone. "It's all in the wrist, Your Majesty," she said softly, her core shivering when Gabriel glanced over at her. "Strength's got nothing to do with it. Here – I'll show you."

She rose up and drew the stone back in a curved arc. Then, like the flap of a bird's wing, it came forward smoothly, but Alya's hand did all the work. It flicked and then stopped, and the stone soared out of her hand.

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap... The stone skittered quickly across the surface of the pool.

Gabriel's eyebrows rose. He hummed with something like intrigue, but he said nothing else.

Alya knew what that meant, as though he knew why she was talking to him. Sighing, the redhead drew up her courage. "Your Majesty, I owe you an apology."

The king stared expressionlessly at the water.

Alya decided to do the same. "I'm sorry for not telling you about Trixx," she said, "but I'm not sorry for deciding on my own to let her stick around." She reached down and plucked another stone and twiddled it along her fingers. "I guess..." She couldn't help but smile. "I saw some good in her..." She glanced sideways at the king. "...just like you saw some good in a baker's daughter... and a street rat."

The stone went flying across the water, this time in broader skips.

Alya waited for a reply. When she didn't get one, she sighed and turned around.

She took two steps away...

"Alya."

She stopped, her breath catching. "Yes?" she asked, spinning around.

The king looked over at her curiously, though there was something like pride and understanding in his blue eyes. "Show me again, with the stone," he commanded kindly. "I can't seem to get the motion right."

If Alya had been a different girl, she would have squealed, or fainted. The king is asking me for help?! A joyous smile appeared on her face, and she scurried over to Gabriel's side.

All the while, Marinette watched from the sidelines, looking pretty proud.

It took a couple of tries, but Gabriel eventually managed to get his stiff wrist to bend more fluidly for a decent-enough shot. When his stone flew, it skipped four times in long leaps before sinking into the pool.

Then Gabriel turned directly to Alya and said, "That was well-spoken of you, my dear. You not only took responsibility for your actions, but you were adamant in your decision." He smiled and placed his hand on Alya's shoulder. "I see now why Marinette chose you to be Chief Advisor. I have no doubt you will do a fine job."

The redhead blushed, but now she was no longer quivering. "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said with a dip of her head.

A low screech sounded above their heads, and the pair looked up to see a large, rainbow-coloured parrot swooping through the air towards the far edge of the lake, where a small bed of flowers lay.

Gabriel inhaled sharply and stood up. "Are those...?" He brushed past Alya towards the flowers without another word.

Alya and Marinette exchanged a curious glance before hastening after the king. When they arrived, Alya was astounded to see the most beautiful flowers she had ever laid eyes on. They came in all sorts of warm colours – crimson, sunset, pearl, and pink. Some of their petals were cloistered together like roses, while others fanned out like poppies. The ombre waves of colour on each petal were gorgeous, and when Alya breathed in their scent, she sighed from the soft sweetness of it.

"Begonias," Gabriel said with a heartfelt sigh. He reached down to stroke one of the flowers with a gentle hand. "These were my wife's favourite flowers. She used have a spot in the royal gardens dedicated to them." Sadness appeared in his eyes once more. "I never... I never let that part of the garden be touched again after she died, and the begonias faded away."

Marinette kneeled beside him, her eyes slightly glossy but her smile bright. "We should bring some back for Adrien," she suggested. "Then we can plant their seeds in the garden, and new begonias can grow again."

Gabriel dabbed the corners of his eyes before nodding like a king who had made a firm political decision. "I agree. I'm sure Adrien would love that."

Marinette beamed and walked into the flower bed to start picking.

Alya was about to join her, until she realized they were still short one kwami. Looking over her shoulder, she was surprised to see Trixx still wallowing in her spot on the ruined wall.

Time for Chief Advisor Alya to investigate.

"I'll be right back," she said, rising. She turned and sped back into the ruins.

Trixx looked up as soon as the redhead made her presence known, but there was no delight to be found in those deep, violet eyes of hers.

Alya bent down so she was at eye-level with her friend. "This was a great idea, Trixx," she said. "Thanks."

The kwami snorted and looked away. "Oh, don't thank me," she muttered unenthusiastically. "Really."

Now Alya was really concerned. It wasn't like the little vixen to not be proud of her own accomplishment.

"Okay, Trixx, what's going on?" the former thief asked earnestly. "You've been acting funny all day."

Trixx's tail twitched, and she swallowed hard. "I... It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," Alya stated, kneeling and reaching out to pat her friend on the head. "Look, whatever it is, you can tell me. I'm your friend. We're a team now, remember?"

That word – team – seemed to make the fox kwami feel even worse. A big, fat tear drizzled down her snout.

Alya paused, suddenly thinking she had pushed too hard. "Trixx?"

The little vixen quietly used her tail to dry her eyes. Then she muttered hastily. "Al, if you knew someone had done a bad thing, but they believed..."

Her voice trailed off, and her eyes went wide.

Alya was about to ask why... until it suddenly became dark. She snapped her eyes to the sky.

The sun had been swallowed instantly by purple clouds, and she could hear thunder rolling through the air. The jungle around them, once bright and lively, became haunted and foreboding. The birds scattered off in terror, and the crystalline water in the pool became dull and glass-like.

Alya scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with realization. She had seen this kind of bad weather twice in her lifetime: once at the Miraculous Temple, and a second time at the palace, when...

A shrieking wind blew around her, and Alya shielded her face from the swirling dust and leaves. Beside her, Trixx cried out and pulled her ears down.

Alya squinted through the debris. "Mari!" she called. "King Gabriel!"

She saw them emerge out into the open, both of them carrying a bouquet of begonias. Marinette's face was as white as death, for she too recognised the state of this storm. The king lingered at her side, his face scrunched with concern.

Whatever was going on, Alya knew they could all agree on one thing: they had to get out of here.

"Get back to the carpet!" Alya shouted over the wind.

Then, just like that, it died down...

... and a horse's whinny sounded behind the redhead.

Alya turned just as a black, hoofed beast with glowing, red eyes came bursting out of the bushes ahead. Seated upon it was a black knight with a red visor.

Alya gasped, staggering back as the horse reared at her.

Its rider let out a maniacal laugh.

Wait... Alya knew that laugh. "D'Argencourt?" she blurted out incredulously.

"Not anymore," the armoured man grunted with pride. "It's Darkblade now! And this time, Rena Rouge, I shall be the victor!" He raised his long rapier into the sky. "Charge!"

Alya saw them coming: another rider on a black, demonic horse, followed by two more... then three.

She barely managed to throw herself out of the way before they came stampeding past her, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. She could hear Trixx shrieking.

Alya rolled onto her stomach and screamed with all her might through the thunder of hoof-beats, "Marinette, RUN!"

MB: I know this was a shorter chapter, but I wanted to leave plenty of room for the next scene.

A small trivia tidbit: Begonias are beautiful, but they have very juxtaposing meanings. On the bright side, they symbolize harmony between friends, gratitude for good actions, and peace amongst civilizations. On the bad side, they symbolize dark and unpleasant thoughts that distract you from the happy ones, and they also warn people of impending misfortune.

Yep, I am such a nerd.