Forbidden Love

The Stars Hold Nothing to Your Skin

Adrien paced his room with the wooden yo-yo, in which he'd been held captive, making its way up and down. He continued to play with it in distraction from his overwhelming thoughts.

Once again, the Princess had caught him completely off guard. For someone so dainty, it was amazing the strength she possessed — not just with will and wit, but also with strength. A wilting rose, she was not. Many rumours circulated the kingdom about the Princess, but never, never, did he think she could have conned him into getting tied to the root of a tree!

The wood connected with his hand once more, himself snatching it up and bringing it in front of him. It was engraved with a design he had seen before, one which was familiar. Lifting his opposite hand, Adrien used his index finger to stroke over the engraving. It seemed like some sort of symbol, one he would say it was of some sort of Chinese Heritage, and from years past.

Adrien moved towards his cot in the small, shared room in the castle and hid it under his pillow. He could not allow it to be found and linked to the Princess or link the Princess personally to him.

He knew if Kagami got her hands on him, she could be willing to wring his neck. He could just imagine her now, telling him to get his act together or she would challenge him to a duel... a duel she would make certain he did not win.

Heading to his gauntlet, he tipped it upside down, allowing the necklace to fall effortlessly onto the bed. The pearl cherry blossom was facing downwards, the same Chinese symbol looking straight up towards him.

Interesting.

Adrien grabbed hold of the necklace and shoved it into the pillowcase before checking if anyone was paying attention to him.

The room was full of guards resting or preparing for their next duty. After the chaos at the market, Adrien had been relieved of his evening patrol.

His thoughts wandered back to Princess Marinette. She would be expecting him this evening, expecting to meet him under the cherry blossoms as he had the previous evening. She wouldn't care if he didn't turn up though? There is no way she would. The Princess wouldn't care about Chat Noir, a lowly Knight, she'd just find someone else to tie up and attach to a tree.

He couldn't let that happen!

"What's with the long face?" Sir Kim, a fellow knight, came over to seat himself on Adrien's cot, one hand placed too close to the pillow and hidden yo-yo for his liking.

"I was looking forward to patrol tonight. I like looking at the stars."

Sir Kim scoffed. "And they say you're nefarious. You're nothing more than a pussy cat."

Sir Kim started to laugh, looking to the others in the room to laugh alongside him. As the noise grew, Adrien joined in, the inferno inside him lifting to boiling point. Without knowing what was happening, Adrien lifted Kim from his bed and instead had him slammed into the wall — both hands clutching at the knight's neck.

"Want to know why I'm wicked Sir Kim, or would you prefer for it to be left to myth?"

Sir Kim mumbled to himself, Adrien not understanding until the booming voice of his superior echoed around the room.

"What is going on here?" Sir Luka marched in, face furious as he pulled Adrien off Sir Kim.

He looked between the two knights, Adrien thinking he was deciding without would deserve the disciplinary. Adrien could see his future in front of him: thrown off the castle tower or thrown into the local stocks and put firmly into his place.

"Put him down, Chat Noir."

Adrien kept his glare on Sir Kim, unwilling to let go.

"Now!" Sir Luka demanded, Adrien removing his hands, allowing Kim to drop unceremoniously to the floor.