Chapter Text
Our bard and prince have come together, searching for the princess stolen by the dragon. But does the princess want to be found?
Dragon Prince Bard Princess
Dragon Prince Bard {Princess}
Marinette is so full of love, she just doesn’t know what to do. From very early on, she knew that she loved everything. From warm bread from the kitchens, to her Papa’s big strong arms, to the older maids who taught her how to sew.
When she first met the heir of the bordering Tsurugi kingdom, Marinette didn’t care that Kagami was reserved and stiff. She just saw the potential in a new friend, and she was determined to befriend her.
From that moment on, they were inseparable. Marinette would travel to Tsurugi and Kagami would come visit so often that her maman would tease that one of them should just move to the other kingdom. Marinette would respond that it would have to be Kagami, because she loved her parents too much to leave.
One night, the constellations hidden by dark rain clouds, her parents knock on her bedroom door. Marinette puts the dress she was working on aside on her bed, and goes to hug her Maman and Papa.
Squeezing her Papa tight she notices that his arms hang loosely around her, as if he’s afraid to touch her. “Papa, what’s wrong?” she sweetly asks.
Tom can’t look her in the eye, so Sabine gently takes her hands in her own. “Marinette, sweetheart, we need to talk.”
Marinetye sits down, her parents settling down on either side of her. “Sweetheart,” Sabine begins, a sad look on her face. “First off, your father and I want you to know we love you very much.”
Marinette only nods, unsure of her mother’s intent.
“You are aware that our kingdom is on very shaky terms with Agreste, right?”
Marinette nods again, remembering how when Dupain-Cheng was the kingdoms of Dupain and Cheng, before they were merged by her parents' happy marriage, that Dupain and Agreste were constantly on the brink of war. Things had cooled down, but after the untimely death of King Gabriel’s wife, the tensions had gotten worse.
“Your father and I recently met with King Gabriel and he as well wanted to mend the rift between our kingdoms. And thus we came to an agreement.”
“Oh Maman, that's wonderful! I know how much this has been bothering you two!” Marinette cheers, a sincere smile spreading across her face.
Tom stiffens, and Sabine gently squeezes Marinette’s hand. “You see darling, King Gabriel had a.. Term that he refused to budge on. Without this term, he wouldn’t sign the peace treaty and we risked all out war with him.”
“Maman, I’m not sure I understand.”
“You see, in order for peace to be established, he wanted a marriage between the two kingdoms. His son, Adrien is 21, just about your age.”
Her world instantly shatters.
Marriage?
She didn’t even realize King Gabriel had a son.
And she’ll be stuck with him forever, just to settle some old feud. She didn’t get a choice in her own life.
“Marinette, we hope you know how sorry we are, we never wanted you to be forced into this position, I hope you know your maman and I had no other choice.” Tom pleads, but Marinette doesn’t respond. She can only think of how much she has lost in an instant, and the tears overtake her like a tsunami, ugly sobs shaking her body.
She needs Kagami. Kagami would know what to do. Her calm, strong Kagami who always knew how to deal with a bad situation.
“I-I’m g-going to s-s-see Ka-ka-kagami.” She stammers through her tears. No, Marinette. Be assertive. She takes a deep breath, in through the nose, holds it for three seconds, out through the nose. Something Kagami taught her. She stands up, and faces her parents. “Now.”
“Darling, it’s far too late to leave now,” Tom starts, but Sabine places a hand on his shoulder.
“You may go.”
Marinette nods at her mother, rushing off to get the servants to get her carriage. Tom stands to chase after her, but Sabine grabs his arm, shaking her arm.
Marinette doesn’t see her parents quietly crying into each other's arms, regretting the pain they caused their daughter.
Kagami had turned into a dragon.
Thinking about it, delicately clutched in her claws, Marinette isn’t scared. She knows she should be terrified, dangling in mid-air, but she isn’t. She knows Kagami would never hurt her. But the awful look in Kagami’s eyes when she transformed looked like Kagami was in such terrible pain.
Kagami’s beautiful rich brown eyes, as warm as the chocolate muffins she stole from the palace kitchens, were unrecognizable. When Kagami seized, her fingernails sharpening into claws, scales replacing her skin, wings and a tail bursting out of her back, Marinette was most unnerved by the fact that she couldn’t see her friend in her eyes. When Kagami’s pupils sharpened and the brown bled away into a sickly yellow, Marinette feared that she had lost Kagami.
But the yellow eyes turned to her, and with the gentle firmness that Kagami always had, picked her up.
She hoped her friend was still in there.
Kagami had turned into a dragon.
Thinking about it, delicately clutched in her claws, Marinette isn’t scared. She knows she should be terrified, dangling in mid-air, but she isn’t. She knows Kagami would never hurt her. But the awful look in Kagami’s eyes when she transformed looked like Kagami was in such terrible pain.
Kagami’s beautiful rich brown eyes, as warm as the chocolate muffins she stole from the palace kitchens, were unrecognizable. When Kagami seized, her fingernails sharpening into claws, scales replacing her skin, wings and a tail bursting out of her back, Marinette was most unnerved by the fact that she couldn’t see her friend in her eyes. When Kagami’s pupils sharpened and the brown bled away into a sickly yellow, Marinette feared that she had lost Kagami.
But the yellow eyes turned to her, and with the gentle firmness that Kagami always had, picked her up.
She hoped her friend was still in there.
“So. First step of reinventing ourselves- we’ll need new names. Or at least code names. It’s less likely for someone to draw a connection between the name Marinette and me, you most definitely will be recognized in your own country.” Marinette decrees, pacing around the tower.
After some exploration, they found a trapdoor leading down into a cozy room, fitted with a bed, a kitchen, some assorted chairs and tables and a staircase that led to the ground. When they wondered why this tower was there, Kagami teasingly suggested it was for a princess held captive, earning an amused glare from Marinette.
“What if we just switch names?” Kagami suggests, earning herself another glare.
“Seriously, ‘Gami?”
“Why not? Our parents could just have named us after princesses. Happens all the time.”
Marinette just shakes her head. “‘Gami, even if I had an entire week I could not name all the problems with that idea.”
Kagami groans, slumping in her chair. “Do you have a better plan?” she asks.
Marinette opens her mouth, but closes it.
“Mm, that’s what I thought.” Kagami stands up and stretches. “Until we can come up with codenames, we should attempt to get money to buy supplies. And clothes. Unless you want to make us new clothes?”
Marinette’s eyes widen and she shoots Kagami a surprised look. “I don’t think I’m that good yet…” she says, but Kagami just shakes her head.
“Marinette, you’re too humble. I’ve seen you make beautiful dresses, I’m confident you can whip something up.”
Marinette begins to mutter to herself about tunics and cloaks and leggings, and stops, realizing something. “Hey, ‘Gami?”
“Yes?”
“Where are we going to get money?”
Marinette can see the worry contort Kagami’s face, so she goes to her side, and squeezes her hands in her own. “We’re going to figure it out, okay? We’re in this together.”
Kagami forcefully blinks away some stray tears, and whispers, “What did I do to deserve you, Marinette?”
“Oh, Kagami,” Marinette whispers back, pressing her forehead to Kagami’s, “You exist.”
And they stay like that for a while.
The two stumble into a town, careful to keep their heads down, fiercely clutching to one another’s hands. And although it cost them more hours of daylight, Kagami insisted on picking a town further from their tower. And although Marinette agreed with the notion of safety, walking the many miles in heels was very painful. She put on her mental list to get herself and Kagami some sensible boots.
Kagami gently tugs Marinette into a jewelry and fine goods shop, dumping all of their royal jewels in front of the eldery shopkeeper, opening the beginnings of haggling their price. Marinette felt slightly guilty, selling off the beautiful and very expensive pieces, but she hadn’t worn any important ones when she left, so she supposed it was okay. As Kagami calmly and politely asks the shopkeeper to up his price, Marinette’s eyes are caught by a glint of red.
Gently releasing Kagami’s hand, she goes to investigate. She finds two red masquerade masks, and reaches out to one. The rich red velvet is spotted with black dots, a simple black lace trim and seems to fasten with a darker red ribbon. She idly remembers the one masquerade ball she attended in the Bourgeois kingdom many years ago, and how the masks were much more flamboyant and jarring. She scrunches her nose remembering how she was constantly sneezing because of the feathery mask her parents picked out for her.
“Ma- maid!” A call comes from behind her. Marinette whips around to see Kagami. Marinette merely raises an eyebrow, and goes back to examining the mask.
“So that’s the story we’re going with?” Marinette asks, gently teasing her friend.
“I- I forgot, okay?”
Marinette snorts, and shows Kagami the mask. “I think it’s exactly what I need.” She turns it over, and then turns back to Kagami.
“‘Gami, where’s the money?”
Kagami blinks at Marinette a few times, before glancing down at her own chest. “Our money is...secure.”
Marinette discreetly glances down at Kagami’s bodice, which is considerably more lumpy than it was before. Kagami shifts uncomfortably, and jingles softly.
Marinette sighs. “I’ll find us a bag.”
When she comes back with a dark red pouch, she spots Kagami inspecting a rich red mask, patterned with scales, an overlapping yellow and black lace trim, also having a red ribbon dangling off it to hold onto the face. Marinette can’t quite tell the material, but she can tell instantly how much Kagami loves it.
“Let’s get it,” Marinette says, sliding up next to Kagami. “We need disguises, and the masks are perfect to do the job.”
Kagami looks like she wants to object, but Marinette presses a finger to Kagami’s lips. “No buts. You know I’m right.”
Marinette places the items in front of the shopkeeper, only now realizing his incredibly short height. “How much?”
The man just shakes his head. “No price. I will not miss the pouch. Besides, I have had the masks for far too long, I will be happy to see them be used.”
Marinette furrows her bow. “Monsieur, are you sure? The mask's craftsmanship is very nice, I would hate to take them off your hands for no money.”
The shopkeeper makes eye contact with Marinette, and his eyes twinkle with countless mysteries and stories. “If you insist, I will trade you my wares to know your names.”
Marinette sucks in a breath. This was a problem. They really needed the masks, and the gold couldn’t stay in Kagami’s bodice forever, but they didn’t have names yet-
“Ryuko.”
Marinette whips around to look at Kagami, calm and collected as always. “My name is Ryuko.”
The elderly man nods. “A powerful name indeed. And you, my dear?” he asks Marinette.
Her eyes flicker to the mask she picked out for herself. “Ladybug. I am Ladybug.”
The shopkeeper smiles. “A warrior’s name. My wares are yours. May you both bring good into this world.”
A warrior? Maybe strong Kagami, trained in the art of fencing, but Marinette? Was she really a warrior?
Kaga-, no Ryuko, bows in thanks to the shopkeeper. “We will.” She fastsens her own mask on, grabs the pouch, and turns to Marinette. “M- Ladybug?”
Maybe Marinette is not a warrior, but Ladybug could be. She picks up her mask, and deftly ties it around her face, tying a messy bow at the back of her head. “Merci, monsieur. I hope we can.”
Ladybug extends a hand to Ryuko. “Are you ready to go?”
Ryuko laces her fingers through Ladybug’s, squeezing her hand tight. “I am.”
“Then there is nothing holding us back.”