A/N: Phoenix203 and Tiger Priestess - Thank you so much! As an inexperienced writer, it means a lot to me that you're enjoying it
Ten Years Ago
"Afternoon, Paul. Here are those apples you needed."
"Thank you, Marinette. Take whatever you'd like. I heard your father wanted to try his hand at a peach cobbler, so be sure to take some of these peaches back to him." Paul handed Marinette the basket. She grabbed a few peaches and surveyed the stand, racking her brain for more fruit pastry ideas she could propose to her father. She noticed a few pineapples lined up near the front of the stand.
"Ooo, you finally got ahold of some?" Marinette motioned to the pineapples.
Paul grinned and nodded. "I did. Would you like one?" Marinette took the fruit gratefully, placing it in her basket. Her and Adrien both loved pineapple, but they could never find any in the market. She'd have to cut it up and give him some to eat on the way back to the palace.
Suddenly she felt a droplet of water land on her head, then another on her hand. Her and Paul both glanced up at the dark clouds; it was definitely going to rain, probably even storm. He let out a sigh and began searching underneath his stand, eventually pulling out a cloak.
"You'd better get inside, Marinette, before it really starts to come down." He slid the cloak over his shoulders and began packing up the stand.
"Do you need any help? You can bring your boxes into the bakery and wait out the rain with us. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind the company," Marinette offered.
Paul smiled gratefully. "Thank you, that would be nice."
Marinette returned the smile. She turned to the side, setting the basket on the ground. Just as she was about to turn back, something in her peripheral caught her eye.
She looked up in time to see Adrien sprint away from her. She furrowed her eyebrows, confused. Where is he going? She was about to call out to him, but she stopped short at the sound of his voice.
"No!"
The yell sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. She could feel it, something was wrong. Something was very wrong. She looked ahead of him, and her stomach dropped.
Emilie was on her knees, but she was falling. The front of her blouse was stained dark red, and with a sickening lurch in her stomach, Marinette realized it was blood. She stood frozen as Adrien caught his mother before she hit the ground. His eyes were wide and she could see he was shaking, even from this distance.
Adrien's yell grabbed the attention of the remaining townspeople bustling in the street. Gasps could be heard from all around. Women screamed and covered their children's eyes. Some ran for help, but just like Marinette, most seemed unable to move. Not only was there a woman rapidly bleeding out on the street before them, but the woman was their Queen, and the young boy cradling her was the Prince.
There was so much blood, Marinette knew that even if a doctor got here in time, they wouldn't be able to save her. She tried to move her legs, but they wouldn't budge. All she could do was raise a trembling hand to her mouth and watch as Emilie quietly gasped for air, staring up at her son. After what felt like an eternity, she went still.
Everything was silent for a moment, the only sound was the patter of rain on the muddy street. Adrien's lips moved, but Marinette couldn't hear him.
If she thought the worst was over, she was wrong.
Adrien let out an anguished cry that shook her to her very core. Her blood ran cold. She blanched. The heavy weight in her stomach increased tenfold, and she almost doubled over from the pain. Her face twisted up and her eyes squeezed shut at the pure torment radiating from the sound.
Tom and Sabine came running out into the street, but Marinette didn't even notice them. Her mind was buzzing, her ears were ringing.
How could this happen?
Queen Emilie, the sweetest, most kind-hearted woman, full of an unlimited supply of love for her country, who was always out spending time with her people, whose life was dedicated to the safety and happiness of her people, was just murdered in cold blood.
Why?
Who would do this?
Who would-
A shuddering breath escaped her. Whoever did this, they were still out here. What if…
What if Emilie isn't the only target?
"Adrien…" she whispered. Her heart rate increased as panic overtook her.
She suddenly felt her mother grip her arm, turning her. "Marinette, you need to go inside." Sabine was shaken. Tears swam in her eyes, but she needed to get her daughter out of here. Marinette shouldn't be seeing this.
Marinette violently shook her head, refusing to look away from Adrien. "No, no he's still in danger..." she mumbled, weakly pulling away.
"Marinette, please." Sabine tightened her grip on her daughter's arm.
"No- no I need-" Marinette pulled harder.
"Marinette-"
"No!" she screamed, wrenching her arm from her mother's grip and finally finding the feeling in her legs again. She took off towards Adrien.
"Marinette!"
"They might still be out here! He's in danger!" Marinette yelled. Cold rain whipped at her face. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her body trembled. Tears built in her eyes as she got closer, as his cries grew louder. She refused to let herself break down. Right now, she just needed to reach him.
She fell to her knees behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His body shook with sobs as she shielded his back with her body. She was here to protect him, any attempts on his life would have to go through her first, but she was also here to comfort him, to feel this pain with him.
It didn't take long for Tom and Sabine to follow their daughter's train of thought. Without hesitation, they took off after her. Emilie, their Queen, their friend, was just killed, and they weren't going to stand by and watch Adrien ‒and now their daughter‒ meet the same fate. Sabine and Tom stood back to back over the young boy and his mom, guarding them, but also shielding them from view. Adrien didn't deserve to be stared and gawked at, not right now.
Marinette noticed two figures looming over them. Then three. Four. Five. She glanced up, seeing both her parents standing with their backs to them, but it wasn't just them. No, a crowd was forming. The village people stood in a circle, all facing outward, arms spread, shielding and protecting the body of their former Queen. Protecting the broken boy who was now their King.
Marinette finally let the tears fall. In just a few minutes, the small world her and Adrien had built together crumbled. The once innocent boy was now in pieces in her arms, and she knew no matter what, nothing could fully put him back together again.
She cried. She cried for Emilie. She cried for the people of France, the country blissfully unaware they'd just lost their beloved Queen. But most importantly, she cried for Adrien. She cried for him as the shining light in his heart was snuffed out, as the pressure finally caused him to buckle, finally caused his world to cave in.
The rain was cold, but neither her nor the wall of people surrounding them made any move to leave, to get somewhere dry and warm. Adrien's clothes, his hands, were stained red. Blood diluted with water ran in streams down the street.
It wasn't long before the sound of clopping and splashing announced the arrival of the royal guards. She felt slightly relieved, until she heard yelling. The circle parted, and suddenly Marinette felt herself being yanked roughly away from Adrien. She let out a startled yelp as she landed in the mud, smacking her head on the ground, hard.
A commotion erupted all around them. Tom grabbed ahold of the guard who shoved Marinette. The other soldiers pointed their swords at him, causing the townspeople to cry out. The guards began shouting, no doubt flustered and in a panic as their Queen was lying dead on the ground. Fists were raised, more swords were drawn. The townspeople and guards all screamed at each other, so many misunderstandings between them. Sabine crouched down next to Marinette, helping her into a sitting position and checking her over for any injuries.
Marinette's eyes fell on Adrien in the midst of the chaos. He seemed unaware of his surroundings, still bent over his mother, sobs shaking his form. Her heart clenched.
More guards appeared, soon outnumbering the remaining townspeople. Many of them didn't know what to do. Emilie always emphasized respecting the citizens, reasoning with them and never using force against them, but she now lay motionless on the cold hard ground, and her killer could be anywhere, could be any one of these people.
A soldier with a commanding presence moved to stand before the confused guardsmen. "Get these people out of the way! Do whatever is necessary! Right now, our only priority is the King!"
"Yes, sir!" they shouted in unison.
The soldiers stalked forward and grabbed the townspeople, forcefully dragging them to the side of the road. Some went willingly, others fought back. Marinette watched, dazed, as it took three soldiers to haul her struggling dad over, forcing him into a kneeling position in the dirt next to her.
Meanwhile the Lead Guardsman approached Adrien, placing a hand on his shoulder and bending down to say something in his ear, no doubt trying to coax him into coming with them. Adrien looked as if he didn't even know the man was there. He remained bent over his mom. The guardsman grabbed Adrien's arm and pulled, but Adrien resisted. He yanked his arm out of the man's grip and wrapped his arms tighter around Emilie.
The guardsman was visibly irritated. Maybe it was the rain, the yelling and screaming, the stress of leading the troop retrieving the Queen's body, but he finally snapped. He was done being gentle, he didn't have time for that.
He roughly grabbed Adrien's upper arms and pulled him off Emilie. Adrien thrashed in his grip, sobbing and shouting, trying to get back to his mother. The guard held Adrien's arms firmly behind his back, restraining him.
Marinette couldn't stop the sob that escaped her. Everything was wrong. Minutes ago this street was lively, people bustling about. Minutes ago Marinette stood at a fruit stand chatting warmly with the merchant. Adrien stood behind her, waiting patiently, content. Minutes ago Emilie roamed the streets, beaming as she walked among the people she loved so much.
Now, the townspeople were thrown in the mud. Marinette's head pounded from having it slammed into the ground. Emilie was lying cold and lifeless. Adrien was in pieces…
The guard dragged Adrien backward toward the horses. Adrien fought with all the strength he could muster, but it wasn't enough. Through the rain, through the tears, his eyes met hers. It felt as though they were seeing each other again for the first time in years. So much had happened, so much had been lost. His eyes held so much emotion, so much pain and grief, too much for a kid to deal with. Right then she knew that he'd never be the same again. She'd never be the same again.
Just like that, the moment was gone. The guards retreated, taking with them the motionless body of their former Queen and the broken form of their new King, leaving a scarred Marinette kneeling between her parents in the mud.
The funeral was a quiet affair. The people of France mourned from a distance, not allowed to come near the palace during the ceremony. There was no funeral procession. The people set up their own areas to pay their respects to the Queen, but they were almost always taken down by royal officials.
The royal guard became strict. Rules were put in place stripping the people of their freedoms. A curfew was set. All towns were to be under constant surveillance. The royal family was nowhere to be seen or heard from.
The people went with it. Their Queen was just assassinated and the culprit hadn't been caught yet, of course measures would be taken during this hard time. They mourned in private, and they followed the rules put in place. Everything was quiet.
Nearly a week later, the killer was caught. He was a homeless man. No family. No connections. His execution ‒the first in over a century‒ was made public. The man pleaded his innocence until the very end.
The restraining policies persisted, but the people didn't complain. They understood how messy the government must be right now. Once everything settled down, once their new Emerald King ascended the throne, everything would go back to the way it used to be.
It didn't.
Five years passed and the guard never let up, only becoming more and more overbearing. The royal family remained out of sight in the palace. Occasionally the King could be seen on his balcony, and once he was spotted addressing the army ‒still from a slight distance‒ but otherwise he was nowhere to be found.
It didn't take long for the people to realize that the overbearing policies coming from the castle weren't state of emergency protocols sent by an advisor; they were permanent policies sent directly from the King. They were shocked and confused. They understood the need for certain measures back when the monarchy was in disarray, but now?
They all knew this was wrong. They all knew these policies were infringing upon their rights and freedoms, yet nobody did anything. They took the policies with little to no complaint.
Why?
Maybe they still held out hope that this would all fade away, that these were just emergency protocols, even as the years passed. Maybe they sympathized with the King, the boy who'd lost his mother right before his eyes. Maybe they believed it was for the best, that these policies were passed with their safety and protection in mind.
No. All of these were just excuses.
The only thing the people clung to was their faith in the Emerald Dynasty.
Everything was silent. They got little to no news every week. They barely had any contact with the rest of the world. The policies kept coming. Everyone was miserable, but nobody made any effort to demand change.
Then Chat Noir appeared.
The royal officials couldn't stop the news from spreading like wildfire. A masked man under the alias Chat Noir broke into the royal prison, freeing over thirty prisoners, most of whom were once royal soldiers who opposed the new monarchy. Nobody knows how Chat Noir managed to break into the strongest and most heavily guarded prison in France, so it didn't take long for him to become a household name.
But it didn't stop there.
Rumors started spreading, ridiculous rumors that only seemed more and more true as time went on. Chat Noir was apparently raising a revolutionary army and plotting to overthrow the King. There were mixed opinions on the subject. Most would agree that the country needed reform, that they wanted things to go back to the way they were, but some didn't think a full blown revolution was necessary. Some were afraid to question an Emerald.
Another five years passed. Chat Noir sightings gradually decreased, but the rumors remained strong. Deep down they all knew that somewhere out there, a revolution was lying in wait, and it was only a matter of time before it decided to strike.
A/N: Alright! Now the plot begins ;)