The Empress of Rome

Chapter 4

Angus knocked on the door to the principal's office.

"Come in" a voice called from the other side. Angus opened the door and gestured for Marinette to walk in first, he then followed. As the two entered, Angus pulled a letter out of his pocket, marked with both the Roman and Asian crests.

"A letter for you Mr. Damocles" Angus said, handing him the letter.

Mr. Damocles's eyes widened when he saw the crests on the letter, he reached out with a shaking hand and took the letter. As he read through it his eyes grew wider and wider, after a few minutes he put the letter down and stood up and bowed.

"Your Highness" he said, not even daring to look at her.

"You are allowed to look at me Mr. Damocles, I believe I would have a hard time attending this school if the teachers weren't allowed to do that" Marinette gave him a small smile.

The principal stood up straight again, no one said a word for a few moments before Mr. Damocles spoke.

"Your Highness' if I may be so bold to ask" he started "is it safe for you to be here?"

"Do not worry, only the Senate and my grandfather, the Asian Emperor, knows that I am here" Marinette assured him "but we require an oath of secrecy from yourself and your staff, it. Ist not be known that I am here."

"Of course your Highness, you have my word" he gave another bow.

"The Roman Empire thanks you for your service" Angus said "I shall remain just on the other side of the school are when her Highness is at school."

"We shall bid you farewell now" Marinette said to the principal, who responded with a small bow.

Angus and Marinette then left the office, Angus walked in front of her all the way back to the car, luckily for her no other students were around to see them.

After a short car trip back to the mansion Marinette walked up to her room. On her bed was a small package, in red paper and with a white band on it, Marinette wondered why it was there for a few minutes before it hit her, today was her birthday, she had completely forgotten about that, so much had happened over the last few days.

Marinette sat down and opened the package, inside was an old book, written in Chinese. She had seen the book before, it had been in her parents quarters back in the palace, her mother had once told her that this book had been passed down to the firstborn child in her family for generations, it was presented to them at their introduction to the public, after their crowning.

Marinette picked up the book, it was lucky that she had also been taught Chinese since she was younger, if she hadn't, then she wouldn't understand what it said at all. The book had a strange symbol on the front, she felt like she had seen it recently, but she couldn't remember where.

Miraculous

A one-word title for this book, but what did that have to do with her family?

Marinette opened the book and looked through, after a bit something caught her eye. The earnings that her grandfather had given her were paired on the side, next to them was a picture of a woman putting them on, and in the next picture she wore a Ladybug themed suit, the earrings had changed to that theme as well.

Where did I put them? Marinette thought, she put the book on her bed, went over to her desk and opened one of the drawers.

There they are! Marinette grabbed the small box from the drawer and put it on top of her desk, there it was, that strange symbol from the book, carved into the top of the box.

She sat back down on her bed and opened the box.

It's definitely them Marinette thought, they looked exactly alike.

The curiosity was too much for Marinette, she slowly took the earrings and put them on. For a second nothing happened, then a bright white light shone for a moment and left a small red creature floating in its place.

"Hello" the red buglike creature said in a happy tone, Marinette fell backward down on her bed in shock.

"Are you alright?" it said flying in over her head.

"I-I'm fine" Marinette said in a very low voice, she would have screamed if it wouldn't attract the attention of the staff.

The small creature giggled a bit before flying around above her.

"I'm Tikki" she said making a look "and you must be Marinette."

"Y-yes" Marinette said, slowly sitting up "how do you know my name?"

"Master Fu told me!" Tikki said stopping in front of her.

"Grandfather?"

"Yes, he guards all the Miraculous" Tikki started "Kwami's such as myself help our holders defeat villains and guide them, I'm a special case, I am always with someone from the royal family of Asia."

Marinette just sat there, too much was going on for her.

"Let me explain" Tikki said, obviously knowing what Marinette felt "I'm a creature of magic and your earnings, wich has been passed down in your family for centuries, are the part that connects us, your grandfather gave me to you earlier than it is normally because he thought you could need some guidance and maybe need to protect yourself."

"Protect myself?"

"Not all holders have good intentions, your grandfather felt that something was wrong the day of your coronation, and it was" Tikki looked Marinette in the eyes "it was a holder who killed your parents, he calls himself Hawkmoth."