My Kingdom For A Stray

Chapter One

((I would like to note that any and all art featured in these chapters are created by yours truly! If you would like to use them for your own stories or references, PLEASE ASK ME FIRST! Leave a comment or send a message!))

The moon glowed as a grinning crescent in the sky. The stars sparkled and danced to the songs the crickets played below. A soft breeze ripples through the leaves of the tall trees, the gentle rustling accompanying the music of the insects. The night was warm and calm, giving a sense of peace to all who still walked...except one.

A fair lady stood out on her balcony which protrudes from the side of a great, white stone castle. Her black raven hair swayed gently in the same breeze that blew through the trees. Her eyes, as beautiful blue as a sapphire shine with suppressed tears as she looks out on her kingdom below, without really looking. The young woman's mind wanders hopelessly, searching for an answer. The entire kingdom was excited for her. The wedding was to be held in three day's time...to a man she didn't love. She tried. Oh she tried to force her heart to accept the Prince Nathaniel. He was kind to her. Always kind and caring and never showed an ounce of malice towards her in all their meetings. But...she was already in love. To a common person, no less. It wasn't true love at first sight either...for her, at least not. Oh no, this woman was much too clever for that. Instead, the stupid cat had picked away at her walls, bringing them down slowly and torturously. He believed in love at first sight. And through his efforts, made her believe too...

Marinette shook away the memories. No. You need to let him go. Nathaniel loves you. You need to love him in return. In three days you will be in a beautiful dress, everyone you know and love will be there and...you will be miserable. Her hand comes up to touch her face. Her fingers come away, glistening with the tears she hadn't realized were being shed. She felt them now as they slowly trekked down her face, and dripped off her chin. Her small frame began to shake in the moonlight as silent sobs began to overtake the helpless girl. She was promised to a king, but was in love with a stray...

Down below the balcony, looking up with mischievous green eyes underneath a dark hood smiles a cat. He hides in the shadows, his long, equally dark cloak making it simple work. From under his mask and hood, the rogue-ish young man mews into the sky, breaking the music of crickets and wind. A signal. The girl above quickly wipes away her tears, startled back into reality. He wasn't supposed to come tonight! After wiping away what evidence she could of her crying, she leans over the balcony, putting on a fake mask of her own to hide her pain. The mask smiles down warmly on the dark figure below, and she returns the meow. With a grin, the rogue wraps his fingers carefully over the vines that hung and stretched thickly over the balcony wall. The cat made quick work of the vines, scaling up them with grace, but still being cautious of the many thorns big and small that threatened to cut his climb short. Finally, with a triumphant grin, his legs swing over the balcony railing as he comes to sit down there. His teeth glimmer white in his smirk to his Lady, as from his back he protrudes a small bouquet of many colored roses he may or may not have picked from the vines as he climbed. Standing once more, he bows graciously, and offers the flowers to his Lady. "For you, my Purr-incess." He says quietly, eyes full of his love that melted the already saddened heart of the girl before him. "Beautiful roses, for the most beautiful...My...my Lady? Are,..Are you crying?" He asks, the love in his eyes making room as worry and concern suddenly came through. He steps closer to her, his free hand touching her still wet cheek as his eyes search hers in vain, trying to see what was wrong. Marinette chuckles softly, putting her own hand over his to comfort him. "Chat Noir...You really know how to woo a girl, don't you?" She asks, her voice barely above a whisper. She smiles at him, but she felt the tear. It slowly made its way down her cheek, lip quivering. Then another tear dripped down. And another. And another. The weak girl broke, and throws herself into her knight's arms, sobbing. The roses fall forgotten to the floor as Chat Noir immediately holds her in turn, his hand stroking her soft raven hair as he hushes her lovingly. "Shh...Shh...it's ok my love...shh...I'm here... I'm right here. I'll always be right here..." he coos into her ear, breath warm against her skin.

He loved her so much...and the Princess knew it. But she was lying. With every breath and every kiss she lied. For months has she known of her love for the daring Chat Noir. But for years has she been promised to the Prince Nathaniel. Never once has she told the cat that now held her so warmly. He didn't know. He didn't know... but he needed to know. Finally, her tears exhausted themselves, and her sobs reduced themselves to sniffles as she continued to lean against Chat Noir, who still strokes her hair lovingly. "Shh...there we go...that's it..." he whispers softly into her hair, kissing her forehead. Marinette slowly pulls herself from his arms, wiping away the wetness from her cheeks. Her mask still hangs on, somehow, giving Chat Noir a soft, but cracking smile. "I'm...I'm fine now. Promise." She says weakly. Chat Noir's head tilts softly to the side, like a curious cat would when pondering an odd object. He knew his princess better than that. "No...no you're not." He says simply. Mari chuckles again. She turns her face from him, still cracking that weak smile as her eyes land on the abandoned roses Chat had picked for her that now litter her balcony. She kneels down, and one by one picks up the many colored roses silently as Chat Noir kneels down beside her, helping. They stand as one, and condense the flowers once more into a single bouquet that Marinette held in her arms. She sniffs the flowers gently, before walking inside her room, Chat following on her heels. "No, you're not fine." He repeats. "Princess, tell me what is wrong, and I will make it better. I swear it. You know I can make it better." The girl does not answer. The same smile is frozen onto her red and puffy face as she pours fresh water into a crystal vase, and arranges the roses into it. Her eyes stay trained on the roses, not daring to look at the cat who waited for her answer. The truthful answer prowled on the tip of her tongue. It growled at Mari to let it loose. Let the pain end now. Spit it out. Spit it out!

But she couldn't...how could she? Marinette jumps slightly as a hand touches her shoulder. She turns around, only to come nose to nose with the knight as he looks into her eyes sternly. He searches her face for an answer. Any answer. But he finds none. Chat's hands move up to cup her face, thumbs brushing her tears away. His voice comes clear and slow. "Marinette...What is going on?"

The mask falls, slowly, piece by piece tumbling down as her smile finally breaks. Her eyes look away, unable to even look at Chat Noir. "Kitty...I'm...I'm engaged..."

Silence. The hands so warm on Mari's face, so gentle, slowly begin to slide down. They fall now instead onto her shoulders, causing them to tense. He was mad. She knew it. He had to be mad. Her lip quivers in anticipation for his voice to come, angry and pained. But instead, it was quiet and confused. "En...engaged...?" his voice cracked. Still not looking into his face, Mari gives a small nod, a single tear sliding down her cheek. More silence. The hands over her shoulders stiffen. "How...how long..." his voice asks again, the warmth that had been there previously beginning to cool. Marinette stayed silent. "Marinette...how long have you been engaged?" He asks again, his tone cooling even further. Another tear slides down the young woman's cheek. "Years..." her voice comes out, barely above a whisper.

Marinette would've taken his anger. She would hace accpeted it gladly, if it meant not having to feel his hands as they finally let her go, falling dejectedly at the knight's sides as he took a step back. She would have taken his wrath, if it meant not seeing the pain, and the sadness that painted his face as her blue eyes suddenly lift up to see his green. Her heart clentched up in pain of her own as she saw a tear of HIS slide softly down his cheek. Slowly Chat Noir shakes his head, looking down at Marinette...his princess...his Lady...

But...she wasn't ever really his, was she?

((Like this story? Read "His Silent Princess in Red" by OrcaAlpha193! Both of these stories were originally rps the two of us have done together!))