aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah THIS CHAPTER WAS A BITCH TO WRITE BUT NEXT SUNDAY WE WILL BE BACK TO OUR REGULARLY ALTERNATED SCHEDULE.

Part 04-the Fae

Plagg grunted as he attempted to dig himself out of the hay. He pushed back some of his dark hair and began to growl. That was when scent hit him. It was Irises, Heavenly Irises to be exact. He could recognize that sickening sweet smell anywhere.

He looked to his side and saw a boy. The boy was no more than fifteen if his assumption was correct and had long hair that was down to his hips which was neatly braided. He had a soft look to him giving him the most pretentiously gentle look that Plagg had ever scene. The deep blues and reds that the kid wore only seemed to confirm his suspicion when it came to the scent.

"Staring is particularly rude to do when you're a prince." He said with a hiss as he tried to get out of the hay.

"You're a fae…" the boy whispered.

"And you're very observant." He deadpanned.

"I… do you need help?" the boy asked.

"No." Plagg said struggling to get out of the hay. If that kid helped him he would owe him a life debt and frankly considering what horrors had happened to the last spring fae that his kind had been in contact with he was not interested with owing a debt to a human even if they reeked of godly scents.

"Are you sure?" the boy asked. Gods and Goddesses, this boy was not only pretentious but he was positively persistent which only annoyed Plagg more.

"I am very sure-AAAH!" Plagg's sureness disappeared when the horse leaned forward. "Help me!"

Adrien quickly grabbed the small glowing being out of the hay while his horse went to chomp on it. He looked at the small indignant fairy that seemed to be very unhappy. He gave a nervous smile as he sat him down on the nearest flat surface.

"I suppose you'll be on your way?" Adrien asked with a smile.

"I wish… but tragically. I owe you my life. You have saved me therefore I am bound to you." The fairy said with a sigh.

"What! No it's fine!" Adrien exclaimed looking at the tiny being.

Now, that he got a better look at the Fairy he noted that it was dressed in rather fine purples and blacks. He figured the fairy was an important one. It even had small ornaments of gold. It's black hair was neatly part and two braids held it together.

"No it's not." The fairy said with a huff.

"I mean it! It was no trouble at all." Adrien insisted.

"Child do you know how Fae law works?" the fairy sighed.

"uh… no." He replied.

"Ugh, I thought you would, I think it was recently that some bastard took the throne around these parts with the help of one our own. I don't know. Ajaks wasn't specific." He heard the small thing mumble.

"Um…" Adrien began. "Could you explain please?"

"If you must know," the being began. "Fairy law dictates that if a human saves a fae, the fae must return the favor."

"Ohh…" Adrien said. "I'm fine, really. You should go on your merry way."

"Not honoring the law is punishable by death." The being deadpanned with a roll of its eyes.

Adrien stiffened and looked at the tiny being. If he didn't accept the kindness the fae would be punished for his stupidity and he would never be able to live with it.

"I suppose that perhaps a favor would not be too much… but I have no need of such a thing at the moment." Adrien said with a nervous chuckle.

"Ugh. Princes." It sighed.

"My name is Adrien." He said quietly.

"My name is Plagg, pretty boy. It's going to be a pleasure for you to have me." Plagg said with a grin.

Marinette sighed as she went out the deliver the bread for the day. She focused her mind what deliveries went to where rather than the upsetting feeling in her gut. It was one of those days where she felt like she had to no right to be with Aaron and Maria. She knew that she was being ridiculous but that feeling always seemed to come.

It came especially when she heard the old women whisper of how she was the only reason they stayed in a house with so many bad memories. They called her a burden and some days she felt like she truly was.

She noted that there was a soft glow near a flower on the fields next to the spinner's house. She tilted her head in confusion. What could possibly be…? Her mind froze. She dropped the basket and ran towards the glow praying it was not what she thought; fire.

She moved to the glow and noted that it did not have the same movement as fire. It was still and dimming slowly. She fell to her knees and cocked her head to the side in confusion.

Tikki could not recall much of what happened. All she knew was that it had been dark for a long time and somehow she had gotten free… but she could not say the same for her brother. Nuru… Her mind whispered. She felt tears fall down her face as she lay in the field.

The sun could not help her now. This land… it was impossible but this land had lost spring. Cora's kingdom was to be ruined by the very protectors of its core… she thought in anguish.

"A fae…" she heard. She looked to her side and saw a young girl with perhaps the darkest blue hair and softest blue eyes she had ever seen. The girl looked no older than fifteen and had an aura that Tikki could recognize anywhere.

"Spring…." She whispered gravely.

Marinette stared in shock as she realized what the faint glow was. It was a fairy. The fairy had soft tan skin and bright red hair and wore a pink tunic that had tiny gold embellishments on them. It looked ill and sorrowful.

She bit her and gently picked it up. She often heard stories of them from her mother and her siblings. She knew that they rarely spoke to humans but that they had a soft spot for their kingdom of Acacia due to the king. She looked at the poor creature.

"Poor thing…" She whispered. "I shall tend to you so that you may go home. But forgive if I make you wait, I must go and sell my bread."

She looked to her pouch and gently placed the small being there and took a small piece of bread and broke it before putting it in the bag.

Marinette sighed as she finally got home. Her trip had been as unpleasant as usual. Sometimes she wondered why she stilled baked. The people always acted like she owed them something. She only owed Aaron and Maria her life. The others deserved nothing… yet she could not bring herself to let them suffer. It was too cruel of a thing to do. People still needed spring…

She noted that Aaron was out tending to the barn and Maria was sewing.

"Hello." She greeted quietly.

"Hello, dear," Maria said with a smile. "How was it?"

"As usual. The matrons had their insults and the weaver's son offered me some new silk." She said with a sigh.

"Nathanael is a sweet boy. He'll make a lovely husband for a girl who likes him," Maria said. "I am sure soon enough he'll realize that girl is not you."

Marinette smiled meekly before going into the room and closing the door. She opened the bag and saw that the fairy was still unconscious. She frowned and laid the being on her pillow and quickly looked for the bucket with clean water.

She dipped her finger into it and then carefully moved her finger to the fae and watched as some of the water dripped onto the being. She knew that if it did not eat it would surely parish. She simply hoped that the being would forgive her and accept human food for the time being.

She watched as the poor thing stirred.

Tikki felt ill… for lack of a better ward. She knew that she was very much alive because her body was in deep pain. She saw the human girl staring at her with worry.

"Hello…" the girl said with a smile.

"You… helped me?" Tikki asked.

"I would like to think so. I hope you don't mind that I woke you. I had to ask if you wanted to eat." The girl said pulling out a small piece of bread.

Tikki strtetched out her hand and watched as a crumb fell into her hand. She moved her hand slowly to her mouth. Her eyes widened as she felt her body pulse with energy. She looked to the girl and then to the bread.

"Spring…" She said in awe.

"I get that a lot…" the girl said with a laugh. "I'm Marinette."

"I'm Tikki," Tikki said looking at Marinette. "I owe you my life, thank you."

"It was nothing! My mother and siblings always taught me to respect the fae. Your kind helped out kingdom into prosperity after all." Marinette replied with a smile.

"I am surprised that is still told." Tikki said.

Tikki took a good look at the girl. She was young but her face held so much sorrow for one so young and from the bread she knew this girl was burdened by the heavens.

She smiled at her and thought, oh Cora why does this child have your aura?

Oooh boy we've got quite a mystery on our hand :D

next chapter: the duel and a mysterious jester

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