Miraculous Selection

Heartbreak Comes With the Package

Marinette's POV

"WHAT?!" I screeched. "No...just NO!"

"Yes!"  My mother clapped, misunderstanding. "Yes, my dear, it's true."

"No!" I screamed again, threatening to rip the paper. "You can't sell me off to a man who does nothing but sit on a golden throne all day while his people suffer!"

"Marinette? Are you alright?" Tikki stood up. "Calm down, Marinette. Here, have some bread. It tastes quite delicious!"

I knocked the bread to the floor. "How can you do this to me? you're no different from Marc!"

Papa tried calming me down. "Sweetheart, we understand this will be challenging for you to accept but please handle it like an adult. This is for your own good.."

"I know what is good for me, not you!"I said coldly. I ran to my room, shut the door, and cried. I cried and cried. Soon enough, there was a knock on my window. I saw fiery red hair, and opened the window.

"Hey." Nathaniel said. "Is everything all right? I heard the screaming."

I was about to respond, but I couldn't find my voice. Instead, I cried into his shoulder. "I-I-I-I-m s-so s-s-s-sorry... I didn't m-m-mean f-for this t-to happen. N-Now... there's nothing left to do!"

"Whoa, Mari. What are you talking about? What're you apologizing for?"

I reached for the floor and handed him the sheet of paper. He read it, his expression changing into something I couldn't read. 

"I'm sorry," I said. "Are you hungry? When did you last eat? Hold on, I'll get you something." I sprinted to the kitchen, grabbed some bread. Everyone was talking, but quieted down when I entered. "For me," I lied quietly, pointing to it.

I quickly ran back to my room and presented Nathaniel with the bread. "This is fresh from Italy!" I said proudly. 

Nathaniel's face was stone. "Where did you get the money to buy this?"

Oh,right. I had forgotten to tell him about the coin. "I found a fifty-cent today!"

Nathaniel sighed, not touching the bread. "What's wrong?" I said. "Do you not like italy's Bread? How about French?" I said, doing anything to make it up to him.

Nathaniel glared at me, then the bread. "I haven't even tried Italy's or French." he murmured. 

"Oh,well,that's okay. Try it."

"I...don't feel like it."

"Oh. Are you allergic to bread or something?"

"It's not the bread, Mari!" He yelled, then quieted down remembering he was not supposed to be here. "It's me... it's us."

"Wh-what's w-wrong with us?" I said, scared of his answer.

"I want you to have the best chance in the world. And this is not it. I want to care for you, not the other way around. I'm so poor I can barely feed you. And look at you giving me bread shipped form Italy." He sighed. "i just want you to be happy, Marinette. And if that means that another man might take you, so be it."

"What? No, I'll be miserable in the castle! I would rather be left without food than without you! Please, Nathaniel."

"Go, Mari. Join the selection. Enjoy the food there.."

"I DONT CARE ABOUT THE FREAKING FOOD!!" I cried. "I care about you. Show me that you do to. Tell me that you wont leave me."

"I'm sorry, Mari. Please don't suffer like this. You don't deserve to live like this." Nathaniel stood up, and headed towards the window. 

"Please," I said. "Do you know how this feels?"

Nathaniel sighed, and kissed me, just a peck, one last time. I grabbed his shirt. But I let go when I saw the look in his eyes.  I let go....