A Miraculous Love

Chapter 10: A Time For Change

Thanks to the dedication and loyalty of the palace staff the death of the king and the condition of the injured prince was kept secret from the public and Lila and Madame Rossi were both convicted and punished in a private hearing at the palace. A month later Adrien was back on his feet and preparations for his speech were being made. As he got dressed in his best suit Adrien couldn't help but wonder how his people would react to the news. He knew it would not be easy and there were many changes that needed to be made but with Marinette and his new friends by his side he knew that everything would be ok. Adrien took a deep breath and turned to leave his room when he noticed Marinette standing in the doorway. He smiled when he saw Marinette was in the blue dress he had custom made for her and that she had placed her hair in a bun. "You look beautiful," he said as he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you," she said back. "Now let's go deliver this speech." Adrien nodded and the two of them headed to the front stairs of the palace.

As they entered the main hall they found their friends waiting for them dressed in their costumes. "Are you sure this how you want to proceed Adrien?" Nathaniel asked. Adrien nodded, "Yeah I'm sure." With that said Adrien walk to the door and pushed it open revealing himself and Marinette to those waiting on the other side. He had sent guards all over the kingdom to spread the word about the speech he would be giving. Adrien wanted as many people there as possible so that he could get the word out quickly about what had happened. Linking his arm with Marinette, Adrien made his way to the edge of the stairs to stand before the people of his kingdom. The people cheered as Prince Adrien took his place and prepared to speak. Taking one last glance at the faces around him Adrien took a deep breath and began his speech:

"Citizens of France, it is with a heavy heart and renewed hope that I stand before you today. I believe that it is time you are aware of some things that have been going on behind the closed doors of the palace. A month ago today, I joined my friends in a battle to overthrow my own father. I know it may come as a shock to all of you but I too, grew tired of my father's dictatorship. It was not an easy decision but as crown prince and future king I felt it necessary to remove my father from power. On that night, my friends and I snuck into the castle and I confronted my father while they held back the guards. My father and I fought with our swords and shared our views. I managed to get the upper hand and knock my father down but he struck back and stabbed me in the gut. To protect me and save my life Le Paon bravely jumped into the battle and killed my father. The king is dead and I will be taking my place as the new king. The absurd rules my father has enforced upon you will be terminated immediately and life will go back to the way it was before my father changed. Due to my recovery, I felt I needed to protect you from worry and concern until I could address you myself. I understand any anger or worries you may have and I am willing to answer any questions. Also, at the end of this week I will be marrying my real bride, Mml. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. All of you are welcome to attend the ceremony and a new era of peace and happiness will begin."

Adrien watched as the crowd remained silent in front of him. He began to worry that his people were angry and a mob was about to ensue. However, the silence was broken by cheers and the whole crowd broke out in celebration. Adrien allowed them to rejoice before speaking once more.

"To end this meeting, I would like to introduce you to the Heroes of France who helped me win the battle against my father. Heroes, when I call your name please step forward and remove your mask: Le Paon, also known as Nathaniel Kurtzberg, is an amazing artist and swordsman. Volpina, also known as Alya Césaire, is an up and coming journalist with a sassy personality. Jade Turtle, also known as Nino Lahiffe, loves music and is also an excellent swordsman. Queen Bee, also known as Chloe Bourgeois, has a fiery personality and is skilled in using a whip for combat. Papillon, also known as Sabrina Raincomprix, is a smart young woman with more courage than she believes herself to have. Lastly, our leader and founder Ladybug, also known as Marinette Dupain-Cheng, is a girl who loves designing, baking, and who is also my fiancé. These are the Heroes of France that I was gratefully allowed to become friends and partners with and who have given all of us the chance to have a fresh start in our lives. Thank you all standing up for what you believe in and allowing me to join you even though you did not know who I was under the mask. With that said, I am going to bring this speech to a close. Thank you all for joining me and I promise I will rule this kingdom with a kind heart and a firm hand just like my mother would have wanted. Have a good day everyone and I hope to see you all here for the wedding and my coronation."