AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

THIS CHAPTER KICKED MY ASS MAINLY BECAUSE ADRIEN WANTED TO BE HIS FATHER SON AND BASICALLY POKE THE SQUIRREL UNTIL IT ATTACKED.

but enjoy :D

Of a Prince and a Lady

Two days had passed since the king had set forth a date for the two young men to fight. Marinette was displeased at the end result. She knew that there were codes to follow but the idea of Aaron fighting horrified the living daylights out of her. She sighed as she continued kneading the bread.

She looked to the door that led to her and Maria's room and frowned. Maria hadn't been sleeping well. She figured as much. She had not slept well either. The possibility of losing another member of their family frightened her. She knew she would not be able to bake as long as that fear loomed over her.

She could not help it. Her only biological family was dead. Her mother and her father had both been orphans who came to Acacia to seek their fortunes. She did not from which kingdoms they hailed from only that her mother came from the east and her father from the north. She knew that her adoptive family hailed to the south and came from Villa Rosa.

She held her breath when she saw Aaron standing at the door with the prince. Both looked tired.

"Brother… Your majesty?" She asked quietly.

"Ah, I forgot you work at this hour," Aaron said with a laugh. "Where is Maria?"

"Maria is asleep still. She has not been resting well." She replied.

"And you?" she heard the prince ask.

Marinette looked at the golden haired boy. He was obviously concerned.

"I sleep well enough. Please, both of you, help yourself to some bread." She said motioning to some readied bread. She gave a quick bow before leaving to her room.

Adrien had been surprised to find Sir Aaron during his morning ride. The man had obviously been up for a while practicing with his blade when he had found him. The two had spent a while sparring before Sir Aaron had invited him to house. It was a bit larger than the others but it was still as humble.

He had been surprised when they had come upon the younger of his two sisters in the house. He had been almost too shocked to see her. He knew a beautiful girl when he saw one and she was beautiful… She seemed displeased however at the sight of them. He knew that must have had to do with the duel.

He heard Sir Aaron sigh.

"Those two are quite formidable when they combine forces." He heard the older man say with a laugh.

"Are still not happy about the duel?" He asked.

"Not one bit. But they cannot stop me. I am far too much like my father in that sense. I don't mind being insulted, but I will not stand for those I love to bear insult." Sir Aaron said handing him a bread roll.

"They worry for you." He said quietly.

"If you were to be insulted your father would probably not take it either." The knight said taking a bite out of the bread.

"Why would he take insult at someone commenting on his weakling of son?" Adrien said with a bitter laugh.

"Because the king may be a quiet man," Sir Aaron said. "But I've seen him destroy men verbally on several occasions. The lord of Adia once commented on your appearance I'm pretty sure he still has not recovered from the tongue lashing the king gave him in private."

"My father did that?" Adrien could help but be shocked.

"Yes. I don't think I've ever seen a more frightened man," Sir Aaron said. "It does not excuse his inability to talk to you but your father does care."

"I see," Adrien said. "What was your father like?"

"My father was a quiet man who knew when to open his mouth and when to keep it shut. He was a carpenter and quite the gossip." Sir Aaron said with a low chuckle.

"Your father was a gossip?" Adrien said.

"Oh yes, we knew all the neighbors' dirty secrets and affairs," Aaron said with a laugh. "He used to sit us by the fire place and Maria would sew with our other sister Adalina while us boys looked for new ways to fight and tell us everything he heard and he saw."

"That sounds amazing," Adrien said taking a bite of the bread. His eyes widened. He could see it all. He saw the sky so blue and the flowers blooming in an array of hues. He could hear the joyful laughter of children and the soft roars of the rivers. He felt warm. It was that warmth that he only felt when his parents hugged him. "What magic is this?"

Sir Aaron looked at him with a grin and replied, "It is the magic of Marinette."

"She baked these?" he asked staring at the bread his hand.

"Marinette is called the maiden of spring around these parts for a reason," Sir Aaron said as his grin grew. "It is as if she calls spring with her baking skills."

"It was as if though spring was real again," Adrien said looking at the bread. "How much would it cost to take a few?"

"Let me ask." Sir Aaron said.

Aaron made his way to his sisters' room. To his surprise Maria was awake, but she looked ill. She was pale and her eyes had circles under them.

"Go back to sleep." He said.

"I have to finish a few tunics and I need to deliver flowers." She mumbled.

He sighed and gently nudged her back onto the bed. He knew the source of this. His sister had always had a nasty hysteria. Even as a child she would become ill within a day's time and the ghastly look was a reminder of that. How she survived so long was a mystery to him.

"Sleep Maria. I will have you some broth in a bit," He said. He looked to Marinette who had a needle in her hand. "Prince wishes to purchase some bread. Go give him a price."

"Of course, brother." She said getting up.

Marinette walked back into the other room and saw the prince staring at the bread that she assumed Aaron gave him.

"You asked for me, Milord?" she said quietly.

"Ah yes, Miss." He replied.

"How may I serve you?" she asked looking to the floor.

"I was curious for a price," He replied. "Your baking skills are excellent, Miss. I hope it's not a bother."

"Tis no bother!" She exclaimed allowing herself to get excited. She blushed when she realized she had raised her voice unnecessarily at the prince. "I beg your pardon!"

"Tis no bother," He said with a chuckle. "May I have your price?"

"My price is one copper for three, Milord." She said give a small smile.

"I only have a gold coin," He said. "How much would that buy me?"

"The whole lot I've just baked and about three more." She said looking at the floor. She had no silver and copper that she could give in exchange for the gold coin and even if she did, most others would not anything to exchange for it either.

"Perhaps we could strike a deal then?" He said.

"A deal?" she squeaked.

"Yes," He said with a smile. "Perhaps every day for the next month or so you could bring three loafs of bread to me personally?"

"That…" she began. "That seems to be possible for a gold coin."

"Then, milady, do we have a deal?" he asked.

"I am no lady, milord, but we most certainly have a deal." Marinette said. She could not believe it. She would have a gold coin! Maybe she could get those ribbons that she and Maria had been eyeing by one of the caravan's merchants. Or even that soft blue silk that she had so desperately wanted.

"I thank you." He said.

"Allow me to serve you some right now!" She exclaimed grabbing a small sack and putting some bread inside. She scuffled around a bit looking for the nicer pieces to give the young man.

"There's no need to scuffle." He said.

She gave a wry smile and said, "Milord, you must allow me to serve you only the best."

"Frankly, no matter what you give me, Milady, it shall be the best." He said giving a smile.

"Milord, I am no lady." She said.

"I find that you are," He replied with a grin. "And I'll refer to you as such."

"I see." She said twisting her lip. She wished him a commoner at that moment so that she may give him an insult. The boy obviously had no sense of proper etiquette which was strange since he was a prince. She placed three loafs of the sweet bread into a sack before holding it out to him. "Milord."

"Thank you," He said. She swallowed as grin appeared on his face. "Milady."

Adrien smirked as she frowned. He found amusing to provoke her, although he could not explain the urge to refer to her as such. He looked at the sack then to her.

"I suppose I should take my leave," he said. "Please give your brother and sister my regards."

"I will, Milord." The girl said with a bow.

He smiled at her before giving a small nod and making his way out of their home. He smirked as he took a quick look back at the girl. The bluebell eyes that seemed to drown him where glaring at him. He gave the girl a grin before hopping onto his horse.

"I bid thee adieu, My Lady!" He called before riding off.

Gabriel stood in front of the tower window of his study watching as the people bustled about. He looked to see Adrien riding back to the palace. He knew the boy would normally come back earlier so he figured the boy must've gotten side-tracked. He was like his mother in that way.

Gabriel looked to Philippe who was looking through scrolls. The dark haired man seemed to be frustrated as he looked over them.

"Does thinking still hurt your brain?" Gabriel asked with a smirk.

"Does ignoring your son still count as a viable method of parenting?" Philippe retorted not bother to look up at him.

Gabriel's smirk dropped as he took a seat. He supposed he should've have seen that response coming. He was not the world's best parent. Then again who would want him as a father? He took a scroll and began to search for any information.

He and Philippe had been looking into the causes of the Great Plague and recent concerns of the common folk in other parts of the country. They had spoken of a song that was heard right before anyone died. This had brought him great worry.

"The people still claim to hear that song. I'm trying to figure out why it exists," Philippe said. "There is nothing in any of these scrolls of it."

"I still think it is Victor's doing. The song sounds like something demented that he would say." Gabriel murmured.

"Victor might as well be dead. No one has seen him since you were proven the true king." Philippe replied setting his scroll down.

"My father is still in the country-side with Colette. Victor is very much alive. His pride won't allow him to die that easily." Gabriel said with a sigh.

"Gabriel…" Philippe began. "I hate it when you're right. All of this, it screams his god-complex. The plague ending with the death of Clarisse; the demented song; the strange happenings, they're all Victor type things."

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Philippe called standing moving his hand slowly to his sword.

"It's me, sir. I wished to speak with you and my father." They heard Adrien say.

"He used the lift again…" Gabriel muttered getting up and walking to the door. He opened it and watched as his son gave him that same smile that he always did when he knew he did something stupid and potentially life threatening.

"Hello father." Adrien said with a grin.

"You used the lift." The king said motioning for him to enter.

Adrien walked in knowing full well his father was about to go on a tirade of why using the lift was perhaps the most dangerous and stupid thing he could do and how the kingdom would come to an end and all would be lost.

"Forgive me, sire. I wished to share something important with you and the duke." He explained lifting up the sack that Sir Aaron's sister—he really needed ask him what her name was although referring to her as his lady also was fun too.

"And what is in that sack that is so important that you must hurt your father's poor nerves, boy?" He heard Duke Philippe ask with a laugh.

"It is a bit of spring, Sir." He replied.

"Spring?" both men said skeptically.

"Spring is long gone." His father said staring at him as if he had gone mad.

"Sire, please," He said pulling out one of the breads. "I truly mean it has spring. I would not lie to you of something so precious!"

The king took the bread and Adrien handed one of the others to the Duke. He watched them as they took bites.

Duke Philippe looked pleasantly surprised as he bit more into the bread. He seemed a bit jollier and it looked like he was a boy in his youth again for moment.

His father looked as if though he was just seeing for the first time. His face was softer than normal and he looked like he did when his mother was alive.

"Where did you get this?" He heard him ask softly.

"From Sir Aaron's Sister, Sire," He replied. "He said that it is her magic."

"It is a good kind of magic…" His father said. "Did you put your horse in the stable?"

"Uh…." Adrien said with a nervous laugh before dashing off to do so.

"Don't use the damned lift!" He heard his father yell.

"Too late!" he called.

Adrien quickly made his way into the stable as he jumped off the lift. He ran as quickly as he could while trying to avoid getting in the way of any of the servants. He sighed as he saw his horse standing there practically glaring at him.

He gave the horse an apologetic smile as he grabbed the reigns and lead it inside. He heard a strange muffled voice in the stable. He knew each person who worked there and knew well enough that whoever was making a yelling noise.

He placed a free hand on his sword while leading the horse in. He walked slowly trying to keep his breath even. He listened as the voice became louder and stopped when he came upon the shouting voice.

"I hate hay! Someone get me out of this hay infested hell hole!" he heard. He moved closer and stiffened when he saw a faint glow. He moved closer to it and saw small being with black hair, brown skin, and wings on its back.

"A faery…" he whispered

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH NEXT CHAPTER THEY'LL ACTUALLY MEET TIKKI AND PLAGG I JUST WANTED TO UPDATE THIS ALREADY