A Miraculous Love

Chapter 9: Reunited

As Le Paon, Volpina, and Jade Turtle raced through town in their costumes, the night was eerily quiet. Everyone was indoors thanks to the king's rules so they didn't have to worry about running into anyone. Finally, they reached the center of town and came to stand in front of the Rossi's home. "I'll do the talking," Le Paon said. "If Madame Rossi and Lila refuse to produce Marinette we barge in and find her ourselves. Understood?" Jade Turtle and Volpina nodded in agreement as they followed him to the front door. Le Paon knocked on the door several times before a very tired, very grumpy, Lila answered. "Who are you people and what do you want!? It is 3am and I do not appreciate being awoken. Do you even know who I am? I am the bride of the prince and the future queen of this kingdom! I suggest you people leave immediately, besides no one is supposed to be out! I should call the guards right now! I..." "Lila enough, we get it!" Le Paon snapped. "Just hand over Marinette to us and we'll leave." Lila looked at the three strangers with a dumbfounded and shocked expression. "M-Marinette? I'm afraid there must be a mistake, there's no Marinette here." she said.

However, before Le Paon could interject Madame Rossi appeared in the doorway. "What's going on here and what's this talk about a girl named Marinette?" she asked. Lila put on her most innocent face and began to speak, "Mother, these people are looking for someone named Marinette. I tried to tell them they have the wrong house but they won't listen and I need my rest. Please make them go!" Madame Rossi scowled at the three costume clad people in her doorway. "I don't know who you are but my daughter speaks the truth. There is no girl by that name here. Now, I suggest you leave or I will have the king arrest you for harassment." she said with a nasty tone in her voice. Le Paon only chuckled. They don't know the king is dead, he thought to himself. Madame Rossi began to slam the door but Le Paon stuck his foot inside to hold it open. "If you won't bring her to us we'll find her ourselves!" he snarled pushing the two women firmly yet gently away from the door. Both women cried out in protest as Volpina and Jade Turtle began to search the house and make their way upstairs.

Once Le Paon had given time for Volpina and Jade Turtle to make their way into the house he began to do his own search of the downstairs, ignoring the protests from the women in the other room. He searched in every closet, storage space, and room down stairs looking for any trace of Marinette. As Volpina and Jade Turtle called out that the upstairs was clear Le Paon began to lose hope until he saw the door in the kitchen. He flung it open to find a set of stairs leading into the basement. Le Paon smiled and called out his discovery to his teammates as he made his way down the dark stairwell. As he neared the bottom, the moonlight streaming in from a single window lit up a small area of the room. In that small lit area was a mattress and on that mattress, was Marinette. Le Paon rushed forward calling out to his teammates that he had found her. As he got close he realized she was tied up and that her eyes were closed. Le Paon tried to wake her, but she was out cold. He immediately removed the ropes from her wrists and ankles and scooped her up into his arms. Anger raged inside him as he looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms. She felt so thin and her arms and legs were covered in bruises. His leader, his friend, had been fighting her own secret battle aside from their mission and none of them had even known. It was then, Le Paon realized why Adrien had insisted they find her and bring her to the castle. Adrien had known she was being hurt and he had known that circumstances in her personal life had prevented her from joining them tonight. She had always protected them. Now, it was their turn to protect her.

As Le Paon reached the top of the stairs with the unconscious girl the room fell silent. Volpina and Jade Turtle wore shocked expressions while Madame Rossi and Lila only scowled. "What did you do to her?" Le Paon asked angrily. Madame Rossi and Lila only scowled harder and refused to speak. "Fine don't tell me!" Le Paon snapped. "The bruises you've left behind tell a story all their own. We'll be taking Marinette now. As for you two, your punishment will come I assure you." Madame Rossi and Lila remained silent as the three young strangers left their home with Marinette in tow. They began heading back to the castle moving as fast as they could. Neither of them knew why Marinette was unconscious but they hoped the royal doctor could give them answers.