24. Chapter 23

A/N: So I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who helped this story achieve over 400 favorites, 600 follows (600. like, OMGWHAT?!) and over 500 comments. I'm so glad you love it that much.

Marinette sat in a chair at Alix's side while the smaller girl clutched a steaming cup of special tea. Though Alix had been awake for a few hours now, it was clear to all that she still wasn't fully alert. Tikki was fussing over her like a mother hen, ensuring the frail girl was taken care of.

Alix weakly swatted Tikki's hand away from her forehead. "I'm fine."

"I just want to make sure you don't over-exert yourself," Tikki countered. "You're still feverish."

"I'm fine," she repeated, taking a sip of her tea.

"We know you are," Marinette said, talking before Tikki could. "We were just concerned when you showed up unconscious."

Alix's expression softened. "I'm sorry for any inconvenience."

"Don't worry about it," Alya chimed in, entering the room with a plate of dry crackers. "Honestly. It wasn't any trouble. We're just happy you're all right."

Alix didn't look convinced. "If you say so. Thank you, by the way." She took the plate Alya extended to her and set it on her lap before taking a cracker to nibble on.

"Are you sure you don't just want to rest?" Marinette asked. "You've only just awoken, no need to stress yourself out any more by recalling any tales. We can wait for those."

"It's urgent," she insisted. "I need to speak to Kim, but the head of this household deserves to know as well."

"I thought Kim hadn't left her side?"

Alix whipped around to Alya. "What?"

Marinette glared at her friend then drew Alix's attention by patting her hand. "Kim was very concerned when you showed up unconscious. He had been at your side for the longest time, but I believe Nino forced him to go sleep in his own bed."

"When I checked on him last," Tikki said, "I heard him snoring behind his door."

"That sounds like Kim," Alix said, her small grin dulled by exhaustion. "He snores when he's exhausted."

The longing in her voice was evident. It gave Marinette hope for Kim. "You two are really close?"

Alix nodded. "I haven't seen him in three years, though. I'm anxious to see him again." She then turned to Marinette. "Forgive me, I can barely keep my thoughts straight. You are the lady of the house? Lady Mary Noir?"

"Marinette Noir, that is correct."

"Sorry," Alix quickly apologized. "Yet, you said something about your parents earlier?"

"You stumbled upon my parent's home," Marinette confirmed. "When you mumbled something about a knight named Kim, they recalled me telling them about Sir Kim, so they sent you here. You're in the south part of Paris, now, instead of the north."

Alix nodded as she processed the information. "I wish to thank them once I'm able."

"I'll write a letter to them saying that you are all right. They will be glad to hear it."

A frantic knock followed by sharp whispers came from the door. All the girls turned towards it before Alya answered.

Tikki rolled her eyes at the men who entered. "Of course. Let's just invite the entire house here to overwhelm the poor girl."

Alix didn't even hear the comment. She was far more focused on Kim, who was focused fully on her. Taking the plate of crackers from Alix, Marinette moved out of her chair so Kim could take her place. In three strides, he was at Alix's side, sweeping her carefully up into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering a barely audible "I missed you."

When Kim finally put her down so that they could face each other eye to eye, he huffed a laugh. "Figures that the moment I leave, you wake up."

Her smile quirked up on one side. "Should have left sooner."

They shared a chuckle before Alix turned her attention to the other men in the room. Her mirth faded.

Catching her gaze, Kim backed away so she could see the room unhindered by him. Marinette tapped his shoulder then motioned to the chair she had been sitting in. He gave her a grateful smile before taking a seat in it.

"I suppose I owe my full gratitude to the lord of the house," she said, surveying the three other men.

Adrien stepped forward, reaching up for the ends of his mask. "Alix, you know I would have done anything to help." With that, the mask fell, allowing her to see his face unhindered.

Alix's eyes widened slightly. "Adrien. I didn't know you had other titles."

"My mother's estate," he explained.

She nodded, then looked over to Marinette. "Your wife is very kind, by the way. I want to hear the details of your marriage later, considering that our fathers wanted us to marry."

Marinette glanced over at Adrien, only to catch pride radiating off him as he looked at her. "A story you don't want to miss. However." He grew somber. "I believe that you have a story to tell."

Alix's expression hardened. She shifted upright in her bed. "As best I can."

"We could always wait," Adrien assured.

Kim placed his hands over hers. "You don't have to—"

"Of course, I have to," she said with surprising strength considering her weak state. "Besides," she continued in a softer tone. She pulled one of her hands free to place it on top of Kim's. "You need to know what happened after you left."

With everyone silent, Alix started. "Two days after I sent the last letter off to you," she said, addressing Kim, "there was a party for my brother's twenty-first birthday. Half way through, my father stood to make a speech, only for him to be stabbed from behind."

Kim looked like he was ready to leap from his chair at that, but he managed to keep himself still.

"The royal advisor, the one who my father had banished only a year before, came up behind him. When my father fell, I ran to him." She took a shaky breath, her gaze sinking to look at her hands. "He died in my arms."

It took her a moment, but she shut her eyes, fortifying herself. When she opened them again, there was a fire in her gaze. "I don't remember what Hawkmoth's little speech was, but what I do remember was that he proclaimed himself as king. Jalil and I were taken hostage, kept as slaves. I think it gave Hawkmoth some sick amusement, but we went along with it just to stay alive. His niece, a girl named Lila, came and took over as princess. Hawkmoth used her to draw in men that he could use to find some gems. A ring and pair of earrings, I believe? I don't remember."

"It's all right," Adrien assured her. "Just continue."

"His particularly favorite lackey, a man worse than the rest by the name of Theo Barbot—"

"Theo?" Marinette cried, her heart suddenly picking up its pace.

Alix raised a brow but continued her story. "He's Lila's lover, and the man Hawkmoth promised Lila to should he bring back these items. I'll admit he's very good at getting what he wants, even out of Hawkmoth, but he's hardly faultless. He's rash and hot-headed, and exploiting that was the only way I was able to escape."

"How did you make it here, though?" Kim asked. "Across the battle lines?"

"Furthermore, how does Theo do that?" Adrien wondered aloud.

"Lila grants him passes through the trade route. I stole his most recent pass straight out of his back pocket."

Kim grinned proudly. "That sounds like you, Alix. Risky enough?"

"I almost didn't make it," she said, her fierceness fading slightly. "He grabbed me, pinned me back. For a moment, I was scared he was actually going to take advantage of me."

Marinette felt her throat tighten and her vison begin to swim. She started fanning herself, but no one noticed. All attention was focused on Kim as he shot out of his chair in a righteous fury and began spewing vows to make Theo pay.

A steadying presence came up behind her, hands resting on her shoulders to keep her upright. "You aren't going to faint, are you?" Adrien whispered, his lips right by her ear.

Her lungs were too tight to answer. Leaning into his hold, she gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

He pushed her back on her own two feet. "Can you stand for just one moment?" he asked.

When she nodded, he let her go in order to grab Kim's forgotten chair. He righted it behind Marinette, and she all but collapsed into it. Adrien knelt at her side, taking hold of her hand and rubbing little circles on it with his thumb.

"I will not let Theo get away with this!" Kim shouted. "That is the second woman he tried this on, and I will not let this go."

Alix's brow furrowed in confusion. It looked like she was about to ask before her eyes landed upon Marinette. Realization flooded her face, and she snapped her mouth shut again.

"Adrien," Nino cried. "For heaven's sake, you either call the man to task for his crimes, or I'll help Kim string—"

"Men, there are ladies present," Adrien warned. His authoritative presence filled the room as he stood. "We will discuss at length what to do with Theo when he returns. At the very least, there is more than enough evidence to strip him of his earldom."

The men looked like they wished to object, but none of them did so.

"Good. As for now, I'm placing this house on lockdown and high alert. Men?"

They nodded, taking on stony expressions as they accepted their un-said orders.

"What for?" Alya argued. "Just because Theo is after Alix—"

"It's not just for Alix's sake," Adrien interrupted. "She's just his current target."

"But still, it's not like—"

"Alya," Nino firmly intruded. "Please, stand down."

"But—"

"Alya."

Marinette had never seen anything like it before. Her friend's shoulders fell and her mouth shut tight as she yielded to Nino's command. However, the way her eyes bore into Nino demanded answers.

"Now that that's settled," Adrien continued, his gaze bouncing between Nino and Alya before turning back to the girl in bed. "Alix, is there anything else we need to know?"

She thought for a moment but shook her head.

"All right. Then if you'll excuse us, I need to have a conversation with the boys down in my office and get a letter off to my father."

Alix waved them off, and Marinette couldn't help but notice she held herself like a princess even though she looked paler now than before the men had come.

Plagg left first, Nino following right after. The way he stole a glance at Alya proved he'd meet her with answers afterwards. Adrien took a moment to ensure Marinette was all right before pressing a kiss to her cheek in parting. Kim took the longest time, promising Alix he would be back.

She bopped him on the nose. "Get going. You have work to do." Her smile, though, told him she would be anxiously waiting

With a bow, Kim left, and the ladies were once again alone in the room.

Tikki shook her head. "In and out like a thunderstorm. I suppose that alone was enough to exhaust you."

Alix said nothing in response. She simply reclaimed her tea and crackers from the bedside table. After taking a sip, she looked over all three of the ladies, her gaze landing lastly on Marinette. "Alya, Tikki," she said. "It's been nice meeting you, but I want to have a private chat with Marinette, please."

"Of course," Tikki said, curtsying. "If you need anything, ring the pull."

"I will. Thank you."

With that, the two maids left, leaving the princesses alone. An odd fact that Marinette was still struggling to wrap her head around.

"Don't think I didn't see how pale you got," Alix said. "I fear I look that bad."

Marinette wasn't sure how to answer that.

Alix beckoned Marinette closer, which Marinette managed to do. Once she repositioned herself at Alix's side, she waited for Alix to start.

"What did Theo do, or attempt to do, to you?"

Marinette's lips drew into a thin line. "You see," she began. "This is the story of how I came to marry Adrien."

Alix rose a single brow, but she motioned for Marinette to continue.

"I…I fear I must admit my true station. I am the daughter of a very well-known baker in the north part of the kingdom. Months ago, I was assisting my father in catering a party hosted by a duke when I needed to make my way to the kitchen, only to get lost. Theo found me and started obsessing over me. Specifically, these earrings I was wearing."

"Hmm," Alix remarked. "Maybe he thought you had somehow come into possession of the earrings he was looking for."

It was a strange thought, one Marinette dismissed for the sake of completing her story. "Theo tried to take them from me, and when I refused him…well, he became…aggressive." She swallowed. "Adrien found me just in time. He tackled Lord Barbot, and the two of them fought until the head butler appeared. Not long after, the duke came, as well. He insisted that one of them marry me to save my reputation. I was just glad that I got a choice in the matter."

"Not a hard decision," Alix commented.

Marinette shook her head. "It was already hard enough to marry a stranger, nevertheless one who wore a mask and cat ears."

Alix's chin dropped in disbelief. "Cat ears?" she repeated skeptically.

"Cat ears," Marinette confirmed. "Leather ones he pinned to his hair."

Alix snorted in amusement.

A small, fond grin took the place of her pained expression. "Adrien…rather, Lord Noir had garnered a rumored reputation of being bad luck. He's known as Chat Noir."

Alix chuckled. "That's hilarious."

"Not with how much it hurt him."

While the laughter faded, her smile didn't. "Forgive me, but I've known Adrien for a while. Him owning up to a reputation of a black cat is amusing. I wish I could have seen it."

"Not much to see," Marinette sadly said. "Except a man hurt by war."

Any remaining mirth in the room was snuffed out at that. Alix studied Marinette for a while before breaking the heavy silence. "You care for him."

"A lot," Marinette confirmed. "Likely far more then I have right to."

Alix's brow furrowed. "Pardon?"

"He…he only just revealed to me his identity as a prince. I'm still in shock of my new title. It was hard enough to become Lady Noir—"

"But princess is something else entirely," Alix finished.

"Yes," Marinette stressed. "But…I'm a baker's daughter. Tell me, do I have any right to have claims to such a title, or should Adrien let me go?"

Alix stared at Marinette long and hard. She took another sip of her tea, cradling the still warm cup in her hands. "It seems to me that anyone can claim to be a princess," she eventually said. "But it takes more than just a title to become a worthy one."

"Yes, but—"

"No 'but's," Alix interrupted. "I know why you're asking me, but honestly, I can't answer that question for you. I don't know you well enough. All I can say is that I know Adrien. I know he's smart enough to walk through this tricky maze on his own. I say you should trust him and see where it leads."

Marinette paused, unsure if Alix had answered her question at all. "Just one more thought," she finally requested. "Does it matter that I am a baker's daughter? Does it offend you that we share a title?"

Alix quirked her head, looking at Marinette strangely before giving her a gentle expression. "No," she said gently. "I lived in a castle with a woman who took my title, my room, and my life. She walked like a princess, put on a grand façade, and looked the very part. She had always been royalty, always expected to advance in station, yet was a vile witch underneath. Her very presence offended me. Seeing as you are of merchant class, I expect that you will find it hard to fit into high-society, but I will not get offended if you make a social misstep or blunder. Not when I know that you are a respectable person who seems to be willing to do everything in her power to ensure the prince is well taken care of. So no, take no offence to us sharing a title.

"However, seeing as we do share a title, I find it my duty to correct you so as to not disgrace your position." Her words, while blunt, were far from mean. "Remember this. You are a princess, therefore, you will act like a princess. Never question your title again. Own it."