Day Four: Runaway

This was not how Marinette had wanted her day to go. When she first had the idea to run away from home, she debated whether it would be that bad to marry someone she didn't even know. Even though Prince Adrien sounded like a nice guy, she knew that marrying someone you just met couldn't make for a great relationship. The conclusion was 'yes' so she quickly packed a bag and left home as fast as she could. Marinette had been wandering around for a few hours when she came across a tavern.

Marinette knew she needed to get a job as quickly as possible to earn money so she won't starve to death. When she walked into the tavern, a bar fight had just settled down. The owner was in a bad mood so when she asked about a job he quickly shut her down. She decided to at least eat lunch before heading out.

Unfortunately, the food was horrible and made her stomach upset. It took her an hour before she heaved it all back up again. Now, she was laying on the side of the road experiencing some horrible stomach pains. Despite everything, Marinette only slightly regretted what she did.

Several people had passed by her 'hiding' spot without seeing her so Marinette hoped no one would notice her at all. Another hour passed before Marinette's stomach finally seemed to settle. She was starting to get up when she noticed a man standing across the road from her.

Marinette couldn't see his face very well, but she could tell that he was wearing a black mask. The rest of his outfit was also black. The man was wearing a hood which had little tufts of blonde hair peeping out from under it. Marinette slowly stood up and rested against a tree to keep from getting dizzy. The man across the road seemed to be watching her intently. How did he know I was lying in the grass? she wondered.

She started to head down the road, and after a few minutes of walking, she turned her head around to see the man following her on horseback. What does this guy want? Marinette thought. She tried to walk a tiny bit faster, but the man kept the same amount of distance between them. Too curious for her own good, Marinette decided to act like she was getting a little dizzy and sick again.

As she started to stumble a little in her walk, she heard the man's horse speed up and stop right beside her. The man jumped off of his horse and in front of her. "Are you alright, miss?" he asked. That's when Marinette got a good look at his face.

A lot of his features were hard to discern because of the mask, but she had to admit that he had the most beautiful green eyes she'd ever seen. Marinette's head barely reached his chest. "I'm quite alright. Thank you for your concern though," she replied, cheerfully.

The man stood there for a moment before saying, "Would you like me to take you back to the tavern?"

"What?" Marinette asked, greatly surprised by this gesture.

"I asked if you would like me to help you back to the tavern. It's quite a long walk from here, and it gets dark fast around these parts." The man was very nervous about asking to assist her. He just seemed nervous in general.

Marinette contemplated it for a moment before saying, "Thank you for your kind offer, sir."

The man stood there shocked for a second before quickly helping her up onto his horse. Despite knowing nothing about him, Marinette instantly felt safe with him. A thought occurred to her that she decided to share with this mysterious man. "I can't believe I forgot my manners. What's your name, kind stranger?"

The man smirked. "You can call me Chat Noir."

"Seriously?" He nodded seeming quite pleased with himself. "Well then, Kitty, tell me a little bit more about yourself."

Chat Noir chuckled at something, but Marinette wasn't sure what it was. "Whatever you say, Princess."