Harbored

Cloaked

Adrien numbly cursed himself for not changing from his thin pajamas. How could he honestly forget to grab a something as simple as a winter cloak? He shuttered beneath his headassery. 

A constant flow of wind was nipping at his overly sensitive skin. Never before had he wanted a steaming cup of chamomile tea more in his life. He also began to wonder if sneaking out like a murderous vigilante was such a bright idea too. Calmly, he restated the facts of attending a highly prodigious supper given by the King and Queen themselves. This becomes proven to be marvelously counterproductive as he nearly worked himself into a mental tizzy. 

He seriously needed to find inner peace in order to make it through the whole night without tremendous fail. This was a once in a lifetime chance to reinvent his life. Maybe he would meet someone who could sell him a small storefront. Plenty of property owners would he be rubbing elbows against tonight.

Upon reaching the palace gates, Adrien glanced around for Nino's mode of transportation. His eyes danced upon the many styles, colors and models each freight hosted. Finally spotting a modest carriage, he slipped inside its soothing warmth.

"Do not ever expect me to casually break away without Father's knowledge again," Adrien bellyached. 

Nino fiercely rolled his eyes and chunked a pile of folded clothes into Adrien's lap. The fine linens smelled of masculine cologne and were pristinely starched. He wondered just how Nino managed to snag such impressive clothing without trouble. Rapidly changing, Adrien was dressed to kill. 

Not that he ever would though.

Once fully changed, Nino did a quick once over of Adrien's appearance and sternly nodded in approval. Adrien glanced at him and reciprocated the head gesture, as to nonverbally announce his readiness for the night ahead.

With a rapid flick of his wrist, Nino flung the carriage open. Dense breezes tenderly brushed against Adrien's golden locks. This sent an involuntary shiver to shimmy down his protruding spine. Puffing out his chest slightly, Adrien exuded a faux confidence that hung dryly on his figure.

Upon entering the palace doors, Adrien laboriously swallowed his saliva. Despite his uneasiness, he felt as though this night would not end up being a total and complete disaster. 

How could it not?

The pair glanced around the regal entrance in unadulterated wanderlust. White and gold coloring spindled around each other throughout the entirety of the palace, even carrying over to the wait staff. Everything dripped in luscious beauty that only widened their eyes even more so. 

One could only dare to dream of being the owner of such a divine castle.

Crudely, they were snapped out of their awestruck states of mind as a server coughed, hinting to take a glass of sparkling moscato. Sheepishly, both reached for a goblet's slender neck and finally observed the other guests in attendance. All were wrapped in the finest garments money could buy, rich with luxury. To say Adrien and Nino felt slightly out of place was an underwhelming understatement. 

Without proper knowledge on how such functions operate, Nino and Adrien were left wholly to their devices. They assumed the current gathering was in a time of initial meeting for drinks and hors d'oeuvres before the actual dinner portion. Both noticed the posh pinkies being stiffly stuck in the air as each guest snagged a small appetizer. 

Adrien felt as though no matter how many times he tugged on his dress shirt collar, it would never loosen enough. At this point, he was starting to regret leaving his comfortably predictable bedroom. How he wanted nothing else other than to press a soft blanket up to his chin and lavish its security.

"Nino, I am starting to think that this was the most ridiculous idea you have yet to come up with," Adrien said. His eyes teetered about the room, looking for any familiar face to curb their loneliness. "Just give it a chance, Bud. Good things come to those who have patience," Nino replied. Adrien wished the "good things" part would hurry up and present itself to him on a silver platter.

The pair's attention was abruptly snapped to the grand staircase as they heard an overabundance of shouting. A young woman was running away from the palace guards in a fury of a deep mauve gown. She expertly slid down the ornate banister with sublime execution and balance. 

The only thing Adrien could focus on was her outlandish giggle that protruded out against all other white noise.

Once she splendidly spun off the end, she broke out in full sprint away from the security team. One could practically feel the pounding of her bare feet against the polished tile. The thick swell of a crowd parted like the sea as she ran throughout it.

Adrien had always had the curse of having a painfully slow reaction time, and noticed way too late that he needed to be approximately four steps to the left. He also realized that the fleeing girl was aimed straight towards him. All logic and common sense flung out of Adrien's entire muscular system as he continued to stand like a marble statue.

As if in slow motion, her blue eyes connected with his, looking as though they were forming a decision. After a rather abrupt amount of time, complete assurance flashed in her bright retinas.

She gripped Adrien's hand and dragged him along with her, out into a lengthy, dimly lit hallway. Her ferocious, hiccup-like laugher still ensued, as she gradually slowed to a dizzying gallop, leaving behind the massive herd of adequately behaved adults to wonder just who this disgraceful young lady was. That, and her scandalous connection to Adrien Agreste, the simple, poor library boy.