Marinette wrung her hands together nervously.

Today marked a week since she had met Adrien. A week ago she never would've thought she would've made progress with the prince she had once deemed to be her enemy. But now, here she was, spending almost every day with him, learning things about him, enjoying his company. They had even made it official. They were now friends.

This was exactly what she had hoped for, and she couldn't be happier.

So then... why did she feel so uneasy?

"You are in a wonderful mood this morning, milady," Luka said with a smile. He was walking beside Marinette through the gardens. Adrien had not accompanied them. "I suppose things are going well with the prince, then?"

"They are." Marinette met his gaze and smiled. "We are friends now, which is more than I could have ever hoped for."

"A definite step in the right direction," Luka nodded approvingly. "But I have to ask, if I may, why you are so nervous then?"

Marinette glanced down at her hands, only to realize that they were shaking. Luka, being as observant as he was, had, of course, taken notice and was looking down at her hands as well. Marinette offered him an uneasy smile as she pressed her hands into her abdomen, hoping to subside her nerves.

Perhaps she had a vague idea as to why she was so nervous. Just yesterday, Adrien had mentioned his father's plan to host an extravagant ball, allowing all of the townspeople from Kingdom Agreste to attend and be properly introduced to the woman who was to be their new future queen. Adrien had also mentioned that a ball such as grand hadn't been hosted since his mother's passing. The gates themselves hadn't even been opened since then, which meant the townspeople hadn't seen the palace, or their leaders, in over twenty years.

A few things worried Marinette when she was given this news. One was that, even though she had been confident beforehand to rule beside Adrien, she was now feeling anxious that perhaps the people wouldn't like her. Two was that, a ball as important as Adrien described it would be would require absolute finesse and perfection... something Marinette couldn't amount to, considering she was a horrible dancer and always seemed to trip over her own two feet.

And it wasn't as if she had much time to prepare either. The ball would be hosted only a day before she was meant to return to her own country.

That was only six days away.

Marinette offered her knight a tight smile. "I will assume you have already heard about the upcoming ball to announce my name to the people of Kingdom Agreste?"

"I have." Luka nodded, his smile turning sympathetic as if he already understood the root of her unease. "Is this what troubles you?"

"More or less." Marinette shrugged. "I thought I was prepared for this day, but now that it is fast approaching, I worry that I might not be what the people are expecting."

"Nonsense." Luka waved a hand at that. "You are a ray of sunlight, milady. The people will see that just as much as your own people see it."

"These people have not seen the faces of their rulers since Queen Emilie's passing." Marinette met his gaze with worry as she bit her bottom lip. "They have been neglected. What if they are so angry that they refuse to accept me?"

Luka rubbed his fingers along his chin, seemingly lost in thought. "I see your point." Then, he suddenly snapped his fingers, and a grin appeared on his face. "What if you went down to the village to see its condition for itself so you know what to expect? You could go in disguise; like you used to do in our own country when you were young."

Marinette narrowed her gaze. He wasn't supposed to know she had done that.

Luka merely smirked in response.

"I suppose I could entertain this idea." Marinette wanted to do more than just entertain it. Curiosity nagged at her when it concerned what the condition of his kingdom's village was like. She wanted to throw a hood over her head and rush down without a second thought. However, this wasn't her country, let alone her kingdom. She would have to tell Adrien about her plan.

She would also have to hope that he was okay with said plan.

"I sense a 'however' coming on," Luka said with a knowing smile.

Marinette replicated that smile and sighed, "However, it would be best to inform the prince of this idea. And he would also have to approve. I could not just wander into a village that does not belong to me."

" Yet. "

Marinette playfully rolled her eyes at him, but there was no disagreement on her end when it concerned that little word. It was true that none of this belonged to her... yet. But she supposed that when she officially became Adrien's wife and queen, a part of it would be hers.

Just like part of her home would be his too.

"Speaking of the prince... where is he this morning?" Luka asked, his teasing smile slipping from his lips only to be replaced with a concerned frown. "It is... quite unnatural for him not to be here in my stead. You two have been spending every day with one another."

Another sigh left her lips... this time out of longing. She had to admit that it didn't quite feel the same in his absence. They had been spending so much time together that not having him beside her felt like something was missing. It was starting to become a danger to her heart missing his company.

"He said he had to speak to his father about something important." Marinette's longing gaze lifted to the palace, where the beautiful stained glass window connected to the king's chambers glimmered in the sunlight. It was the same window his father often looked out of to spy on them when they walked through the gardens. "Well, he did not tell me that. He sent his knight Nino to tell me."

She didn't mention that Adrien not coming to tell her himself somewhat bothered her.

"I see," Luka's smile, although meant to be reassuring, did not comfort her at all. "I am sure he will join us soon."

Marinette wasn't as certain, but she surely hoped so. Something kept nagging at her heart regarding the prince, though she had no idea what. It prevented her worry from subsiding. The possibility of Adrien not being in the friendliest of moods after speaking with his father was also on the table... if he intended to seek her out later.

She wouldn't push him, but she did hope that if he was in some need of comfort, he would come looking for her.

"I have a thought." Marinette declared suddenly. Luka looked at her in interest. "What if, instead of sneaking out into the village, I ask Adrien to show it to me himself?"

"If that is what you prefer to do, then I do not see any harm in asking him," Luka replied honestly. "Do you think the prince would be for this idea?"

"I would not know." She shrugged her shoulders, uncertain. "But it does not hurt to ask, right?"

Adrien hadn't said a word to her about the village under his father's, and soon to be his, rule. Whatever little she did know about the village was from what she had been told, and the stories, of course, hadn't been good.

According to whatever stories floated across the realm, Kingdom Agreste's village had been practically abandoned by the royal family after Queen Emilie's passing. If this was true, then it could be likely that Adrien might decline her request for a tour around the village.

"Of course not, Milady," Luka said, smiling.

A part of her was worried to ask him. She had learned quickly that the prince had a rather... unpredictable mood. One minute, he was smiling and content, and the next, he was callous and distancing himself, and even sometimes could be a bit mean.

She knew this wasn't his fault. She knew he suffered from episodes that hindered his everyday life due to the tragedy of his mother's passing. She wanted to be understanding, and she would try every day to be, but she also wished that she could ask him an innocent question without the fear of being rudely chastised.

Marinette let out a sigh. "I will ask him tonight at dinner when it is just the two of us."

"You two eat alone?" Luka's skepticism rose in his tone. He didn't seem bothered with that revelation, only concerned; if she had to guess from the look on his face. It also looked like he was readily willing to volunteer his services just so they wouldn't be alone.

"Yes, but you need not worry," Marinette assured him. "I consider it a development. It means that his Dame is no longer standing in the corner of the room watching every time I put a spoon in my mouth."

" Creepy, "  Luka smirked, but she could still see the concern in his eyes. "Any particular reason as to why you think she might dislike you?"

"Other than the fact that she thinks I am her enemy or the fact that she might like Adrien?"

"Alya might have mentioned you had such suspicions," Luka sheepishly said. Marinette rolled her eyes playfully at that. She wasn't surprised that her two knights had discussed it. "Do you truly believe that he might have feelings for her?"

"Surely I am not the only one who has noticed something odd between them," Marinette answered. "I have seen her stare at him from across the room. She shows no emotion when she does so, but what kind of a knight stares at the one they are meant to protect when there is no other threat in the room? Unless she deems me that threat."

"And I suppose she would only deem you a threat if she liked him," Luka concluded.

"Exactly, and it is not a coincidence that when he meets her eye from across the room, he smiles so fondly. It would truly be shocking if that smile had no double meaning."

"Wait." Luka's eyes went wide as he searched her face for an answer to a question he hadn't even asked yet. "You think the prince has feelings for her as well?"

Marinette didn't want to believe it... but... there were many little things she was starting to notice that could support her claim. Like the fact that his Dame was always watching him, or the fact that when they met each other's eye, it seemed like a whole silent conversation was passing through their gazes alone. Or the fact that if her knights were not the ones to chaperone them, his Dame would do it, and never once would his other knight, Nino, be present.

"I...I would not say it is impossible." Marinette swallowed uncomfortably.

"That would not be good... if it were true," Luka warned her. "The treaty would be in jeopardy, and not only that, but it would be disorderly and shameful for a royal and a lowly knight to be wed."

Marinette shot him a reprimanding frown. "You are not lowly."

"You know what I mean," Luka offered her an appreciative smile. "Such a union would disgrace the royal family, including yours. It would be a bloodbath."

"I know." Marinette was already afraid for what lay ahead now that her suspicions seemed to be coming more true as the days went on. She could only hope that she was speculating.

"I do not intend to worry you more," Luka said when the silence had stretched on for long. "I just want you to be prepared for the worst possible outcome if it is true."

"I know you have good intentions," Marinette said, "But the truth is, if my suspicions are true, I am not sure what I would do next."

Luka didn't have anything else to say in response to that. Instead, he remained silent, allowing her to ponder the idea all on her own. If Adrien and Kagami truly did have some sort of intimate relationship... what would she do?

She couldn't even fathom it herself. All she could think about was what that meant for her—what type of life for her would follow.

She could only hope it wouldn't come to that. She could only hope her suspicions were false.

_______________

Adrien wrung his hands together nervously.

In just a few moments, a servant would be calling him in, and he would be stepping into the throne room to have an audience with his father, upon his request—despite meeting with him just yesterday to discuss his father's plans for an upcoming ball—and Adrien couldn't even begin to imagine what else his father wanted to speak to him about.

Kagami had accompanied him there and was standing beside him, eerily quiet as always. The only reason he had even asked her to accompany him was for the hopes that she would actually be some sort of comfort to ease his anxiety.

But clearly, that was a foolish thought to have. Kagami hadn't said a word to him the entire time they walked down the corridor to the throne room.

Truthfully, Adrien should've known better. Kagami hadn't comforted him in the past over minuscule things that had bothered him, and he knew she never would. Why did he think this instance would be any different?

Kagami's gaze suddenly shifted to his jittery hands. "Stop fidgeting."

"I cannot help it." Adrien couldn't stop his fidgeting even if he tried. He was too anxious. "What do you think he wants to discuss?"

"Why does it matter what he wants to discuss?"

"Because I just met with him yesterday. What else could he possibly have to say to me?"

Kagami shrugged her shoulders. "You act as if you have not had countless audiences with your father throughout your lifespan."

Adrien frowned to himself but he said nothing in response. There was no point in trying to explain it to her. Kagami simply didn't understand. She also didn't care to understand either. She didn't think his worrying was valid. She didn't even know to the full extent just how tense his relationship with his father was.

But Marinette understood. He hadn't known her long, and somehow she was the one who understood.

He should have asked her to accompany him instead.

The grand double doors suddenly creaked open, revealing the servant as he poked his head through. Smiling apologetically, he said, "His Majesty is ready to see you, Your Highness."

Adrien gulped. Time to face the fire.

He thanked the servant kindly and only hoped that his nervousness didn't show. The servant opened the door for him and stepped outside, allowing him space to step inside. The door was closed behind him, leaving him completely alone with his father.

The silence was deafening. Adrien's boots clacking against the marble flooring were all that could be heard as he hesitantly neared his father. Gabriel silently sat atop his throne and with narrowed eyes, watched his son with a look so scrutinizing that Adrien was sure the words that followed would be nothing if not a lecture of some sort.

Finally, he reached an appropriate distance to stand before his father. Gabriel did not budge from his throne.

"It has come to my attention that a suspicion has arisen regarding the fact that you and the princess have spent time alone unsupervised." His tone was hard and cold. "Is this true?"

In a split-second decision, Adrien forced himself to remain calm, even though his eyes almost widened in absolute shock right in front of his father. But he couldn't allow himself to be taken off guard. His father couldn't know this was true.

"No."

But how had this so-called 'suspicion' reached his father's ears? Adrien had spent time with Marinette completely alone only a handful of times, and no one else had been around to witness it, he was sure of it. The only one who knew about their unsupervised outings was—

A chill ran down his spine as he came to a realization. Only Kagami knew.

The king's eyes narrowed further. "I would hope, for the sake of your dignity and my trust placed in you, that you are being honest with me."

Adrien's voice remained calm and collected. "The princess and I have always been chaperoned, father. Sometimes her knights accompany us. Other times mine have."

Of course, he left out the part where he and Marinette had accidentally (and then purposely) escaped from their chaperones. But his father didn't need to know that. At least he was telling the truth, to an extent. They had been chaperoned... at one point.

But why would his father suddenly ask him this? Did Kagami tell his father? She was the one who warned him to be careful, lest his father found out about it.

But he had just spoken with her. He even asked her if she had any idea why his father had wanted to speak with him. Now that he thought about it, she never actually answered his question—

"Then why am I being told otherwise?"

Adrien's eyebrows furrowed. "Who told you this?"

"It does not matter who told me. The point is that if it is true, you have deliberately disobeyed me and tampered with the reputation of our name."

If only his father knew just how tampered their name already was.

"Of course it matters father, because you are being lied to." Adrien wouldn't dare raise his voice, but his frustration was rising by the second.

Gabriel slowly leaned back on his throne, his expression surprisingly calm for a man who seemed furious only seconds ago. But he didn't say anything. He simply stared at his son, as if he were searching for the truth with his very own eyes. Adrien remained calm and stern and even folded his arms across his chest, refusing to let his father see past his lie.

A few seconds passed where father and son simply stared at each other, one studying while the other scrutinized. Neither of them even dared to blink. Eventually, Gabriel's gaze averted, and he hummed, "Very well. I will accept what you are saying as truth, but so help me, Adrien, if I find out that you lied to me, you will face the consequences. Do you understand?"

Adrien swallowed and nodded once. "Yes, father."

"Good." The king stood to his feet and began his descent down the steps that led up to his throne. Adrien did not dare to move from where he stood, even as his father neared him. If his father didn't dismiss him, he couldn't leave—not without disrespecting him.

"I would like to discuss something else with you."

"Does this involve the upcoming ball you are planning?" Adrien asked.

"It does." The king nodded, his arms folded behind his back. "I have received word from our other allied kingdoms. They wish to attend along with their future successors. Some of them even wish to bring their daughters."

Adrien could already tell where this was going. If it wasn't because he was currently standing in front of his father, practically nose-to-nose, he would have openly laughed at him.

"I want it to be clear that you are not to fraternize with any of these women, no matter how much you might find them beautiful or how much they try to persuade you." He demanded. "You are a betrothed man, and that will not change simply because one of our allies decides they want you to marry their daughter."

"I know I am a betrothed man, father." Adrien found himself scoffing. "I have no intention of entertaining any other women at your ball. Princess Marinette is my friend. I want our treaty to succeed."

The king's eyebrows rose ever-so-slightly. "You two are friends?"

Adrien quirked a brow. "Does that surprise you?"

Gabriel looked astounded by this news, to say the very least. He cleared his throat. "You cannot blame me. A week ago you wanted nothing to do with the idea of her."

That was true, but things were changing. Adrien realized Marinette wasn't his enemy. She wasn't even a bad person. She was wonderful and kind. She was great company.

It honestly annoyed him that had it not been for his father meddling in his life affairs, they would have never met.

Adrien looked down at his hands, which were no longer trembling, and chuckled softly. The thought of Marinette alone had somehow ceased his anxiousness. "She is not how I thought she would be, father. She is good to me... and kind."

The king's eyes widened slightly and his mouth even fell agape for a brief moment before it turned upward into a thrilled grin. "This is wonderful news. I could not have hoped for a better outcome."

Adrien smiled a bit wearily. He'd expected his father to be pleased by this news because that meant that the treaty and his goal for peace were succeeding, but his father's... excitement was not something he was prepared for.

His father arched an amused brow at him, his smile still evident. "Why are you looking at me in that way?"

Adrien chuckled sheepishly and glanced away, a hand coming up to bub the back of his neck in embarrassment. "It just shocked me to see you so thrilled. You have not shown such an emotion since..."

Adrien trailed off as he sighed, and he didn't need to finish for his father to know what he meant. His father hadn't laughed, let alone smiled, since Emilie's passing. Her death was the reason they had both turned bitter.... but his father more so than him.

"Yes..." the king's smile turned a bit wan as the emptiness of his wife's absence resurfaced inside his aching heart. "She was the only reason I ever felt so happy. You and her."

Adrien's smile dropped ever-so-slightly. "Are you sure I bring you any happiness?"

It was a bitter question to ask and he knew it, but after his mother had passed, his father hadn't acted as if his son was his joy. The king turned cold and bitter, not only to his remaining family but to his people, practically abandoning them all in his grief.

Adrien didn't blame his father for being so distraught, but he did blame him for neglecting his young son who had no idea at the time why his mother was never coming back.

Gabriel's eyes widened slightly, shocked that his son would ever ask him such a thing. "Of course you do. You are my son. You are a piece of me just as you are a piece of her. You remind me so much of her."

Adrien idly wondered if that was why his father had pushed him away. Because he reminded him too much of his deceased wife.

A heavy sigh left Gabriel's nose when Adrien remained silent. "It would seem that you do not believe me, and I could understand your reasoning. I know I was not the best father after your mother passed, and I suppose I never really became the same man I once was. I hope you know that it was never my intention to push you away."

Adrien's gaze snapped up to his father's, his eyes widened slightly and unshed tears brimming on his bottom lids.

Gabriel chuckled sadly. "I suppose when you lose someone you love so much, you end up losing a piece of yourself as well."

"How... how can you love someone that deeply?" Adrien found himself vulnerably asking his father. He wasn't even sure if that question was meant for the woman he was so sure he loved. "If loving someone so immensely will cause you pain in the end, then why would you willingly succumb to such a fate?"

"Imagine a world without love, son," Gabriel said. "Whatever instantly comes to mind is a world you do not want to be a part of, I can assure you that."

The first thought that came to mind wasn't Kagami. It wasn't his father either or even his new friend, Marinette. No. The first thing that came to Adrien's mind when he thought of a loveless world was how alone he would be in it. How the world would rage around him and he could do nothing but watch. How they would all cast stones at each other and Adrien wouldn't dare pick up a stone, no matter how much he thought a man deserved to have it thrown at him.

The king lifted a hand and placed it on Adrien's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "A part of me foolishly wishes that you might get to experience the love I felt for your mother for yourself with your betrothed."

Adrien's brows furrowed at that. "I do not think—"

"I know you do not have any romantic feelings for her." The king quickly interrupted him. "I knew from the moment her father and I agreed on this union that love between you two might never be. The treaty does not need love in it to succeed, Adrien... this I know. But to love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides, no matter how dark the sky might seem."

Adrien was stunned by his father's dose of wisdom; too stunned to even mutter a word when his father offered him a sad smile.

"As a father, I truly hope you will get to feel that type of warmth one day."

_______________________________

Gabriel may be harsh and often angry, but he actually does love his son in this book.

Hopefully, you'll be back next week for the next chapter!

See you then!

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