Thorns of Roses

Chapter 50 - Seeing The Light

Later that day

"Alya!" a loud, desperate voice startled the love birds who were just about to sneak into one of the staff rooms. Frozen in their place, they both turned around only to see Marinette approaching them with the absolute lack of authority a royalty would require.

The Captain could barely comprehend what was happening, let alone bow in the presence of the Princess. "I'm so delighted to hav..." he halted his greetings, when he saw Marinette grabbing his woman's arm - pulling her away from him.

"Marinette, what the...!" Alya jolted, staring at the Princess with a puzzled look on her face.

"Girl talk, now!" Mari declared firmly, without even looking at her friend, and pulled her lady-in-waiting into her old suite. 

Alya could barely turn her face back and mouth a 'sorry' to the shocked-faced Nino, before the Princess shut the door behind her.

~~~

Rapid footsteps disturbed the calm afternoon as the Princess was constantly pacing up and down in her room, without a single word escaping her lips. Her ripped cloak was tossed down on her bed - crumpled -, seemed like she couldn't care less about it at that moment. Her hair was disheveled, and her countenance fell, even though an intense blush was painting her cheeks continuously. Her hands were fidgeting in front of her, while she was mumbling to herself that only she could understand let alone hear. 

Alya's gaze followed her movements while she was standing in front of the door. She let out a frustrated sigh when it became obvious to her that the Princess was unable to utter a word without her asking her first.

"So, care to tell me what's gotten into you?" she curled an eyebrow. Knowing the Princess so well, she could see clearly the commotion that was going on in her mind and somehow, she had a gut feeling about what, or rather who was the cause of this.

Folding her arms in front of her, Alya added, "A little bird told me that you went to Paris this morning, alongside the Prince on your research's behalf. So...what happened there that made you freak out this m...?"

"I kissed Félix!" Marinette burst out,  "..or technically...he kissed me... after confessing to me." she whined, burying her face into her hands in bewilderment. The tips of her ears warmed up as the memories flashed back in front of her eyes, "..I still can't believe this happened!"

"Is that all?" Alya scoffed, suppressing her smile. "You dragged me away from Nino to tell me your husband kissed you?!"

"Alya, how can you act so calmly about it?!" Mari started pacing back and forth again speedily. It was a miracle that the floor didn't flare up after her steps. "It's Félix, we are talking about! Félix Freakin' Graham, aka..!"

"..." my childhood enemy who made my whole life miserable" "Alya interjected. "Yeah, yeah I know the full story already, Mari." enjoying the panicking look on the Princess' face, she added, "But you're both adults now, and you both changed throughout that five years you were apart. Besides, you two are married, even if it was a marriage of convenience at first. But it was inevitable that you two would catch some feelings for each other in time."

"Wait! Waitwaitwaitwaitwait! What are you talking about?!" Marinette butted in, shaking her head desperately. "I don't ...I don't have any feelings for him!"