"Do you really love that person, or do you just like them? Because if you just like them, that isn't love."

— Forbidden Love

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

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For once in his life, Chat Noir had never felt so cold underneath his own father's piercing gaze. He had a reason to fear his father; a valid one in fact. Everyone feared him, for he was not just another one of them who freely roamed on the other side of the wall.

Chat Noir's father was the ruler and King of this side of the world.

On the other side, where his new friend had came from, Marinette had explained before that instead of a king, her land held multiple rulers instead of simply one ruler. She had explained to the best of her ability how the men of her land voted and changed the rules. Chat Noir became curious when she mentioned only the men of her land had such an advantage, and he had wanted to question her then why the women did not have the same advantages.

That question would be for when she returned.

Chat watched as his father turned to the one standing beside his son. "Sit." Their king had commanded, and the creature complied without any argument. Chat Noir still remained standing before his father, and the idea of standing here any longer under his elder's piercing gaze was terrifying.

And Chat Noir never feared anything.

"Son," his father beckoned with one finger for Chat to come closer, and he complied. His father hesitated not to wrap his forearm around his own son's shoulders, and pull his son away with him in a walk to his thrown room. "We have a lot to discuss."

"We have?" Chat Noir asked unsurely, stumbling under the weight of his father's arm.

"Indeed, we do."

Chat Noir's father led him into his thrown room. At the sight of the King and his son entering the room, the maids inside immediately dropped to their hands and knees to bow properly down to them. Chat Noir watched their actions with a frown. He always disliked the idea of him and his father being higher than anyone else here.

The king however, did not appreciate their actions at all. "Be gone! No one is to disturb us!"

"Yes your majesty!" The two maids scrambled to their feet, and in just seconds they had exited the thrown room, closing the large doors behind them.

Silence filled the air as Chat Noir and his father now stood in the large room alone. It had been a while since Chat had been able to enter the thrown room; no one was allowed to see the king unless he called for you.

The king took slow, careful steps up to his thrown, and Chat Noir hesitantly watched as his father sat down on his seat and beckoned his son to come closer without any words.

Chat took a few hesitant steps closer. "What is it that we must discuss, father? Has something gone wrong?"

"I am afraid so," his father shook his head almost sadly. "Tell me son, how does each patrol with your team go?"

"Usually quiet well." Answered Chat, raising an eyebrow curiously, wondering what exactly his father was trying to point out.

"Nothing odd or peculiar lately?"

At this, Chat frowned, "No father. What exactly did you want to discuss?"

His father sighed and leaned back into the comfort of his thrown. "I would have thought that since my son is captain of our guard team, he would have known what I am about to say."

Chat shook his head to this. "Unless I am informed, I do not know everything my lookouts pick up."

His frown only deepened when Chat Noir's father sent him a look of almost disapproval. "I, the king, have been informed by a lookout that the scent of a human being has been tracked on this side of our world. How could you have possibly not been informed before me when you are the captain?"

At this confession, Chat Noir's eyes went wide in shock. Already he knew exactly who in fact had been tracked by one of his lookouts. "I... I apologize, father. I was not aware— no one had informed me a human was amongst us."

"Very well," the king accepted his apology. "I very well believe my son is no liar."

His ears dropped at this, and it almost pained Chat Noir to hear that his father trusted him so dearly. If only the king had known Chat Noir was friends with this human being. Oh how disappointed he would be to hear such news.

"What shall you have me do then? Send out more lookouts to scope the heavily scented area?" Chat suggested, hoping his father would steer away from the idea.

To his luck, his father shook his head. "No, son. I want you and only you to scope the area. I trust my son can find the trespasser easily on his own?"

If only his father knew. "Of course, father."

"Very well," and with a shake of his mighty hand, Chat Noir was dismissed from the conversation. "If you are to find this human being, you are to do what you have been trained for. Is that understood?"

Chat Noir nodded, but his back was still faced to the one he called father as he said, "Yes father."

In response, he received nothing but silence, and Chat Noir took that as his cue to leave. But just as he was about to step through the double doors of the thrown room, his father stopped him once again with a troubling addition. "Oh, and son?"

Chat turned, sending his father a sideway glance. "Yes father?"

His father's forehead crinkled as he spoke. "You have a suitor this evening. We will be having dinner here in the palace at six. I expect you to be on time to meet your future wife."

At these disappointing news, Chat Noir's ears dropped again. "Yes father."

Chat Noir didn't bother to wait for a reply. He exited through the double doors before his father could even try and spring some more depressing news on him. The suitor that was coming for dinner tonight he hadn't even met. He didn't even know her. And he was meant to marry this woman?

But he did not even love her.

And the whole reason you marry someone is because you love them.

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