Midnight Tresses

Chapter 9

Marinette looked herself in the mirror, she had spent fifteen minutes getting dressed into her gown and hours doing her hair. She wore a satin red gown with short puffy sleeves, small light res lace, and a pink satin underdress and petticoat. She topped the rest of her outfit off with a pair of dainty slippers and long white gloves. For her hair she didn't want to constantly carry it or drag it around all night so she put it in a french braid and put the flowers the Adrien gave her in it.

"Marinette you're beautiful." Tikki said. "I wish we could go with you."

"Why don't you? It'll be very fun. Lots of music and dancing and food."

"Food?! Tikki get me a dress! I'm going!" Plagg said.

Marinette giggled, then she heard the sound of a horse coming.

"Uh...Marinette? I'm looking for Marinette."

"Coming! Quick you two in my bag." She grabbed a bag she had made and Plagg slipped inside while Tikki decided to go by air. Nino threw up the ladder while Marinette climbed down.

"Wow." Nino said. "No wonder Adrien keeps seeing you."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Nothing. You ready?"

"Yes."

He helped her onto his horse and unaware that a flag with the royal crest on it had fallen on the ground which was quickly snatched up by one of the rats. The creature then scurried back to Anasi's house. She was in the middle of eating a few beetles when the rodent slipped in.

"Ahh so you've returned." She said. "So how is my little bellflower?"

The rat dropped the flag at her feet.

"What is this?"

"It's from the palace." The rat spoke. "I only know what I heard her say to the bird and the cat-"

"A cat? Marinette has a cat in there?"

"Yes and she's been feeding it, treating it like it's a pet and that's not the best part. Your sweet angel has been having a little vistor."

"Vistor?"

"Yes and I don't know how long it's been going on but something tells me it's been awhile."

"Who is it?"

"It's the prince."

"THE PRINCE!"

"Yes, he was here this afternoon and he invited her to a ball at his castle.

"Surely she refused! She wouldn't dare defy me and leave!"

"She left with an escort the prince set. She's going to the ball and I do believe the prince has plans for her because as he was riding back this afternoon I heard him say "I hope Marinette will marry me."

"WHAT?!" She said. "YOU LIE!"

The rat dropped another thing at her feet, it was a lily flower that reminded her of one she saw in Marinette's hair long ago. She let out a horrified scream then she began throwing and breaking things in rage. When she finally calmed down she grabbed the lily flower and nashed her teeth at it.

"So dear prince you think you can take my little bellflower away from me do you?" She made a fire in the hand the held the flower and watched it burn. "We'll see, we'll see."

...

Marinette had asked Nino to go ahead when they arrived at the castle because she was very nervous. She felt her stomach twist into nots.