Ladybug and Chat Noir followed their Phoenix guide through Kaalki's portal, and into the heart of Bavaria. They stood at the yellow walls of the gothic Hohenschwangau Castle set among the Alps. The manicured gardens that surrounded the castle.
We're a little under dressed for a castle reception don't you think?" Chat Noir brushed a bit more dust of, but it really didn't make much of a difference. Both he and Ladybug were still covered head to toe in dirt and grim.
A friend of mine is just the one to help you get freshened up," Ember said over his shoulder and let them through the garden to a ornate stone fountain. At the top was a graceful swan statue.
Gliding below in the fountain underneath was a real swan, with pristine white feathers, and a gold chain around his long curved neck.
It flapped it's grand wings against the water upon seeing Ember and rose to see them. Instead of stopping before them though, it flew past them to a outer wall of the castle, where a square carving with the stone crest of a swan was evident. It tapped it three times with its beak, and to their amazement the wall ground open to reveal a passageway beneath the castle.
Without hesitation the great bird descended the staircase, and Ember waved them on to follow its lead. The staircase was different from the exterior facade. They could tell right away that the stones they walked down were much much older than the castle that perched on top of it.
The swan trumpeted, and further down the staircase they saw a flash of brilliant white. When they rounded the corner, they came into a wide open room with looming ceilings. They barely noticed the ancient painted furniture, fanciful paintings, or circular white marble table within.
All their attention was drawn to a young man, who stood expectantly, with one hand resting on the back of a marble chair, and the other rested on the hilt of his sword. His face was fair with piercing blue eyes, masked in black. The mask itself was similar to the one Justice wore, in that the portion of the nose jetted out like a black beak. The rest of his was cloaked in pure white, tipped with a trim of long luxurious feathers.
When they came into the room he looked at them in amazement, and then bowed gracefully. "As I live and breathe! Marienkäfer and schwarze Katze!" he exclaimed and then thumped Chat Noir firmly on the shoulder, and then grasped Ladybug by the hand, and swept down to kiss her hand.
Chat Noir quickly intervened, edging himself between the two of them, clearing his throat.
"My apologies," the young man stepped back and straightened his broad, muscular shoulders undeterred. "I haven't even introduced myself. You may call me the Swan Knight of the Schwangau order."
He flashed a white opal ring on his right hand.
"A miraculous?" Ladybug questioned, looking to Ember for confirmation.
"Indeed!" the Knight rested it back on his sword, "one of the lost stones restored...although not one of the original miraculous'. Not like the jewels of power you bear."
"Ember told us there were others in the word, but I didn't know they had weilders," Chat Noir looked him up and down.
"The Ladybug and Black Chat Miraculous set (your box) was the original, and most powerful," Ember told them. "After the first two weilder's their children created another set, slightly less powerful, but still uniting kwami and weilders in a strong bond. Next their grandchildren created a third set. These concentrated great power, but provided less control over the energy of the kwami they were joined to and the kwami were still somewhat wild at heart...even reverting back to their animal form at will."
The Knight nodded, and raised his ring up again. "My miraculous is one from the third generation. Legend says that tragedy struck the line of the original weilders, and some of the miraculous were lost, as was the art of binding kwami to jewels. No other miraculous' have been made since."
"How many miraculous are there in the world?" Ladybug asked in awe.
"No one knows...or at least no human knows..." the Swan Knight shot a look at Ember.
"Some things are better left lost, than found in the hands of man," Ember said simply in a hushed voice.
None of the humans in the room could argue with that. Already the power they themselves held could destroy everything in the wrong hands.
"Come!" The young man offered his arm to Ladybug. "We'll have more time to talk over lunch. First I'll show you where you can freshen up dear Lady. You both have the look of the miraculous trials about you...let me guess..." he laughed good naturedly, "...Samson's Mines?!"
Eliciting a low, protective growl from Chat Noir, their host jovially looped arms with Ladybug and escorted her through the underground halls attached to the main foyer. As they went he regaled her with story's of the castle ruin From before the 12th century, far beneath the newer fortress above, which Crown Prince Maximilian II of Bavaria had built to disguise it in 1832. Chat Noir stalked close behind, shooting daggers at the back of the swan welder's head.
After they had each taken turns washing up in one of the many guest rooms, and recharging Tiki and Plagg, they rejoined the swan knight who was busy in the kitchen.
"Can we help you?" Ladybug asked poking her head into the kitchen, saturated with the inviting smell of comfort food. "You really didn't have to go to all this trouble!" She added politely.
"How many times does one have the opportunity to cook for such a stunning woman!" He smiled over at her, making Chat Noir roll his eyes and come through the door beside her with his arms crossed.
"If you are at all culinary-inclined, you could just finish off the bread and throw it it the oven, that would be great! It should be done rising over there," he pointed. "If you need help just let me know!"
"Oh, I think I'll be able to handle it!" Ladybug smiled to herself, and set to work flouring and kneeling the prepared dough.
At first Chat Noir just watched her, as she moved, and expertly worked the dough before shaping it into neat loaves. Of course she has a knack for baking! He thought to himself. This has got to be Marinette, who grew up in a bakery learning at her father's side. She glanced up at him staring and brushed her cheek, leaving a smudge of flour.
"Are you just going to stand around in the kitchen or are you gonna help me?!" she teased, throwing some flour his way.
"As you wish Mi'lady!" He said eagerly joining at her side, but then added, "I don't really know what to do though. I haven't had much practice in the kitchen."
"Well that needs to change! Don't worry, I'll teach you!" She said setting a lump of dough in front of him. Then she took her own piece, and pressed her palms into the dough, before folding it over on itself and repeating. "It's important not to over knead the dough so it doesn't get tough..." she instructed. She then looked over in horror at Chat Noir who had somehow managed to make a gooey mess, and covered his chest in flour at the same time.
"I'm sorry!" He said helplessly, I don't know what went wrong!"
"Don't worry!" She smiled, "my parents have gotten used to me making a mess of the kitchen on a daily basis! My Dad says it's all just part of baking."
Then she reshaped Chat Noir's dough, with an extra dash of flour. Then she took his hands in hers, making him gulp, and moved them decisively into the dough. He moved his hands with hers, but he kept his eyes glued on the baker, rather than the baking.
"So...uh...you and your family must spend a lot of time in the kitchen?!" Chat Noir pried.
"Everyday!" She responded brightly.
"Everyday?" He repeated, studying the cute freckles on her nose carefully, where the dusting of flour had somehow made her even more irresistible.
"Well sure," she covered nonchalantly, "we've got to eat right?!"
"Sure," Chat Noir responded, but everything in his head screamed: How could I have never noticed you are Marinette! You are absolutely without a doubt Marinette!
After the food their host had prepared was finished, they met back at the table for the hearty meal. Bratwurst sausages, fried Schnitzel, baked squash, and a generous helping of Sauerkraut filled their plates. The bread they had just pulled from the oven was more soft and buttery than anything Chat Noir had ever tasted...well...except the bread from the Dupan-Chang Bakery of course.
The Swan Knight gallantly pulled out a chair for Ladybug, but before he could sit in the chair next to her, Chat Noir slipped into the seat. Not acknowledging this with more than a steady smile, the Knight took a seat across from them.
Over lunch he told them a story of Lohengrin, son of the Grail King, Parizel. Chat Noir eyed him suspiciously at first, but was eventually passified with the rich spread of food.
The Knight sat back in his chair, and spoke dramatically, making his story come to life. "Back then," he started, "a miraculous from our order was past on through the family. After loosing his father, his mother cast the miraculous into the lake. She raised him without any knowledge of the miraculous, fearing that he too would give his life. The fate of a weilder can not be so easily avoided.
When he turned 13 he was out fishing on that same lake. A storm rose up, and Lohengrin nearly drown. But the miraculous and it's kwami had been waiting. The swam kwami revealed himself, saving the boy. The kwami agreed to guide him to become a Knight of the miraculous on the condition that he never reveal his true identity to anyone.
After that day Lohengrin devoted his life in service to the miraculous. He walked the halls of King Arthur's court, and traveled the country defending those who couldn't stand up for themselves.
On one such adventure he received word from Galahad, his cousin, that the lady Elsa of was in need of aide; Her uncle were vying for her kingdom. Accusing Elsa of losing her mind her heartless uncle petitioned against her.
The story goes that he arrived at Elsa's shores by boat, escorted by a swan with a golden chain. Seeing the young woman crying on the banks, he was struck immediately by her beauty and sadness.
He took her hand and vowed there and then to defend her claim, on the single condition that she never ask his name.
In hand to hand combat he defended the Lady's honor, but gallantly spared his opponent's life. He not only won the hand of his love, but defended the kingdom from a tyrant.
Lohengrin and his Lady Elsa began their lives together with so much promise. The evil uncle who had been spared, though did not disappear quietly. Instead he poisoned the trust between them, claiming that the Lady's Knight must be hiding a sorted past. His words finally eroded her resolve, and one night Elsa asked her husband his true name. So great was his love for her, he revealed himself.
In consequence, the secret slipped and was discovered. Soon after their enemies threatened his family's safety, and he had to lead the villains away. The knowledge of the miraculous tragically separated them forever.
Chat Noir and Ladybug glanced at each other and then down. Both understood the warning in the story. Compromising a secret identity held the danger of making those they cared about a target. But the knight continued...
"Before the knight died he said that his one regret was not revealing his name, but that he wished he had told his wife sooner and stayed to fight side by side."
"So...sometimes it's not wrong for weilders to reveal their identities to each other and it doesn't always end tragically," Chat Noir asked without looking up.
"It is a risk...like most choices in life...and one not to be taken lightly...but yes, there have been some who survived a reveal," the Swan weilder said cautiously.
"What happened to Lohengrin's miraculous?" Ladybug asked curiously.
"Before he left, Lohengrin entrusted the ring and his sword in his wife's keeping...years later they came to the next in line...his son.
"You're not...?!" Ladybug gasped in shock, looking at him closely.
"No, I'm not," the Knight replied jovially. "I don't have Lady Justice's lifeline! But if the legends are true or near to it, I very well could be one of his decedents."
"Wow!" That's amazing!" Ladybug said.
"No, that is tradition," he brushed it off."Getting chosen by a guardian by proving you have the heart to weild the greatest power in the universe...now THAT is amazing!" he complimented, flashing her another grin. Then he turned to Chat Noir "No wonder you can't take your eyes off her! If she was my Lady..."
"But she's not," Chat Noir bristled.
"You know years ago we might have jousted to win the fair lady," the knight leaned across the table giving ladybug a wink.
"Well luckily now the lady can decide for herself," ladybug responded confidently, putting her arm around Chat Noir.
"Quite right," the knight leaned back chuckling, "as it should be."
How like Mari Chat Noir thought beaming proudly, and allowing the tension from the Knights jests to ease. She is always loyal, and knows just how to stand up for herself, and gracefully put people in their place.
With polite thanks to the Swan Knight for his help and hospitality, they departed after their meal for their next challenge. As they left the great hall Ladybug noticed a romanticized painting she presumed was of the fabled Lohengrin, embracing his love one last time. The embossed plaque under it simply read "Swan Song." She wondered if she had been in his shoes what she would have done to protect the one she loved. In retrospect he had regretted his selfless choice...but his family had survived. Maybe it was more of a curse to reveal too much, and risk everything...even for love.