Caught In A Storm

Chapter XXI

Grabbing the biggest coat she had as well as a blanket, Marinette decided to take her parents advice and go outside.

The days were slowly getting warmer, the snow in the ground was starting to melt too reveal a few patches of grass, who were beginning to grow and turn a wonderful shade of green, that made Marinette's heart hurt every time she saw it. The morning sun was warming her frozen face as she made her way to the stable. Tikki greeted her by nudging Mari with her head.

Silently Marinette jumped on her horses back and they began their journey towards a small hill near the village. The snow crunched under Tikki's hooves. Once arrived, Marinette jumped down, while Tikki lay down. Leaning against her trusted horse, Marinette sat down, enveloping herself with the blanket she had brought. She tried to not think about anything, hoping to rest, but to no avail. She couldn't stop thinking about him. She felt powerless, she was powerless. Nobody could change what was about to happen in a month. His future had already been written and there was no space in his life for her.

Helpless and hopeless: those emotions reflected themself in each one of her designs since he had been gone. The world had always been full of colours and endless possibilities for her, but now she could only consider using the colours black or grey.

How much she wanted to hate him! She had tried desperately the first two weeks after his sudden departure. She couldn't do it. She couldn't possibly hate him. Even after the suffering he had inflicted her, she loved him. She still loved him with all her heart. She didn't notice the silent tears running down her cheeks as she tilted her head up towards the sunny sky. She held back a sob. She had hoped that the sun and its warmth would be able to keep him out of her mind, but everything around her reminded her of him.

It had been a month since she had seen him. She felt like it had been ten years. She felt like the hole on her heart was only expending and not healing. The world appeared to not stop crumbling around her.

On the other side of the kingdom, a lonely broken soul made his way through the large empty halls.

Adrien dreaded the moment he would have to face his father. The King had not yet demanded his presence in his office, so Adrien didn't think it to be necessary to go on his own free will. Not that he had a free will anyway.

The padding of his feet was dulled by the thick carpets on the wooden floors. And even if it was the beginning of April, the spring's sun had not showed at the capital. Thick grey clouds casted shadows on the portraits disposed on the walls of the floor. Adrien kept his head cast down as he made his way to his chambers. The door creaked open and he slumped inside, deciding to lie down on his lounge chair next to the large window. He could see the gardeners tending the flower bushes who were ready to bloom for the day of his marriage.

His eyes closed against his will. His body was exhausted from the sleepless nights and hours of crying. Nothing helped to soothe him, not even the special tea that Mme. Bustier would prepare him. She kept quiet about his catatonic state and he was thankful for that. The worst was when he woke up after dreaming of Marinette in his arms, only to find himself alone in his large, cold room.

Only Mari could save him, but he was absolutely sure that she didn't want to have to do anything with him anymore.

A dull knock resonated in his large room. Before he could say something, someone opened the door. It happened to be Nathalie Sancoeur, one of the people Adrien didn't want to have to deal with right now.

"Prince Agreste, your King wishes to speak to you." She ordered him. She stood straight in the middle of his room, looking at him with piercing eyes.