Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the only daughter of the wealthy mayor, is merely a young woman who wants to live life one adventure at a time. But when a man dressed in all black actually grants her that wish, she's torn on whether to explore the world wit...
"The tongue is not always a reliable thing, and that is why love cannot be determined by words. Pay attention to one's actions if you desire to know if they truly love you or not. The tongue may lie, but one's body language never can."
— Forbidden Fruits
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CHAPTER EIGHT
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The following morning, Marinette felt a little more at ease. For one, the chills that the desert night brought had vanished, giving the rising, morning sun the opportunity to kiss the earth with a comforting warmth. When Marinette awoke, she felt toasty underneath her thin blankets, and when she peeked an eye open, it was then that she realized the spot Chat Noir had been in beside her the previous night was now vacant.
She quickly jolted upright, her eyes surveying her surroundings in a sweep. Marinette watched as several men busied themselves as they passed back and forth, each tending to something different. From what she could see, it seemed they were all working together to pack up their belongings. Nervously, her eyes tried to pinpoint Chat Noir amongst the crowd.
But much to her dismay, he seemed to be missing.
"Hey little lady, no need to fret." Startled, Marinette whipped her head around to the newcomer's voice. To her right, a young man with dark skin was saddled up on his horse, a piece of straw in between his clenched teeth as he grinned, "The boss is simply out huntin' with a few others. He'll be back soon."
Still, despite his assurances, Marinette found herself cowering behind her blankets. She didn't even trust Chat Noir (despite the fact that he made her feel the safest) let alone any of his men.
"Who are you?" She asked with a slight tremble in her voice.
The man slowly dismounted his steed, tying the reins onto the log that stretched out behind her. He wore a red ringo hat on his head, something she found rather stood out than it did blend it. For his reputation, she would've thought that to be dangerous. Along with his darker skin, this man's eyes were brown, open and friendly. He even went to remove his hat, and she realized that when he did so, his dark brown hair had been shaved almost to nothing.
"They call me Nino," he said, his smile genuine as he slowly took a seat beside her. She flinched when he did so, and he offered her his placating hands when he noticed. "Ya have no reason to worry. I am the right-hand man to the boss. He left me here to watch ya while he's'a gone."
Marinette relaxed a little, but the tension in her shoulders had yet to fully dissipate. Nino's smile remained tender as he quickly gave her a once over; an innocent one, she realized, which made her feel a bit more comfortable.
But he said nothing more, as if he thought she would prefer the silence. However, Marinette rather preferred to get to know a stranger rather than sit in silence with one. So, she looked over his shoulder, finding his beautiful horse in her sights. She smiled when she realized just how magnificent the beast looked. "What do you call your horse?"
