The Tragedy of the Willow Boy: A Miraculous AU Fanfiction

Tragedy of the Willow Boy: Part Three

First, she heard voices. They sounded frantic and familiar. One was her mother's voice. Another's was her father's. And there was a third voice she didn't recognize. She was laying in something as she bounced along, and she could hear the rickety creaks of a wagon.

"Tom, is she going to be alright?" she heard her mother say. Tom didn't answer at first.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Darling. Marinette is a strong girl."

"But why was she out by the forest? What reason would she have to go there, especially knowing how dangerous it is?"

"I don't know..." he trailed off.

Marinette found the strength to crack open her eyes. She realized she was in the arms of her father.

"Papa?" she mumbled. Sabine and Tom looked to their daughter desperately.

"Marinette?"

"Marinette, sweetheart," Sabine said.

"What happened?"

"We don't know dear," Tom answered. "Maybe you can tell us when you're feeling better. But more importantly, how do you feel? Any serious pain?"

"No, just soreness and scratches." Both Tom and Sabine felt like a weight had been lifted.

"That's good. Rest now, sweetheart. We're headed back home now. It won't be long."

Marinette didn't respond, but easily feel back asleep.

It wasn't until a few hours later that Marinette awoke in her own bed. Her wounds had been treated and she could hear her parents were baking downstairs. She could tell they were trying to be quiet, probably for her sake.

Almost immediately, her mind went to Adrien. He was still in the forest, for all she knew, and who knows what that monster of a father would do to him after all that happened. She had to make sure he was okay, at the very least.

Slowly, Marinette sat up and gingerly got out of bed. She was sore all over, but she continued anyway with only some grimaces here and there.

After slipping on her shoes and grabbing her basket, she carefully made her way downstairs, trying with all her might to not make a sound. She knew her parents would want to know what happened, and they certainly wouldn't let her go out again in her condition, especially not back to the forest. But luck was not on her side. The stairs creaked loudly under her feet when she was only about half way down. She screeched to a sudden stop and only got a glimpse of her parents turning around before she lost her balance and tumbled and rolled the rest of the way down the stairs.

"Marinette!" She heard her parents cry as she met the ground floor in a heap. She groaned as their hurried footsteps drew near. Gentle arms raised her up to sit and her parents concerned faces came in view.

"Honey, are you alright?" Marinette nodded with a pained smile.

"You should have called for us, sweetheart," Tom said. "We would have helped you downstairs."

"It's okay, Papa." Both her parents helped her to stand and walked her to one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

"Do you need anything, dear?" Sabine started. "I'm making some soup and your father put some bread in the oven. It should be ready soon."

Marinette was about to refuse it, but she knew it would be in vain. There's no way her parents would let her out of their sight now that they know she's awake. Besides, she was starved.

"That sounds wonderful, Mama," she said with a smile.

After dinner...came the inevitable interrogation. She told her parents some story about getting lost in the forest and falling off a small cliff. That would explain the bruises and scratches. She felt she couldn't tell them the truth, for fear they would think she'd left her sanity in the forest. They accepted the story and sternly warned her to never go near the forest again. But of course, Marinette knew she would have to return. Neither her conscience nor her heart would allow her to leave her prince in that horrible place alone.