Mariella

The King is Dead! Long Live the King!

The next morning after the ball, At the castle, the prince was presenting his idea to his father on how to find his lady love.

" I was thinking that whoever's foot fits this slipper will become my bride. We just need to look at the dark haired ladies. I know the woman I love has dark hair." Adrien suggested. " I will also go and search for her myself."

" Very well, however take the royal crier, a few guards and Duke Damocles with you." Gabriel said.

" Your majesty, the royal doctor is here." Nathalie informed.

" Send him in." The king commanded as he started coughing.

" And how are we today your majesty?" The doctor asked. " Your highness has there been any changes to your fathers health?" The doctor turned to Adrien.

" He went to bed rather early last night. He's gotten weaker over the last 2 weeks and this morning he has been coughing constantly." Adrien replied.

" I see. Well this presents something of a problem. " the doctor muttered.

" What should we do?" Adrien asked as the doctor checked Gabriel.

" At this point it is best to prepare. His majesty does not have long. There is nothing more I can do. "

" I will hold off on finding my love until then." Adrien told his dying father.

" Do not postpone for my sake."

" I want to be here for you for now." Adrien argued.

Meanwhile at the Dupain-Cheng Residence.....

The day after the ball, everything went back to normal. Normal as in Marinette doing all the work around the house. Her chores for the day consisted of breakfast for herself at 7:30 to 8:00, Cooking breakfast for her stepfamily(8:00-8:30)cleaning the chimney(8:30-9:30am),cleaning up breakfast(9:30-10:00am)doing the laundry(10:00am-11:00am)cleaning Lila and Chloe's rooms(11:00-12:00), make lunch ( 12:00-12:30), tend to the garden(12:30-1:00),clean up lunch(1:00-1:30), ( eating lunch from 1:30 to 2:00)Scrub downstairs floors(2:00-5:00), wash windows(5:00-6:00) and clean her stepmother's room(6:00-7:00). Luckily the servants made dinner and clean it up. This left Marinette to be free of chores from 7 to 9. Her stepmother never let her stay up past 9.

" Marinette!" Lila screeched.

" Yes Lila?"

" Mother has been calling for you for half an hour! Get down here!" Lila screamed rather shrilly.

Marinette went downstairs only to see her stepfamily standing outside the front door.

"What is going on?"

"Your father is home!" Katrina exclaimed.

Marinette immediately ran outside to join her stepfamily. After a few minutes, Duke Thomas Dupain stepped out of his carriage.

"Tom, Darling! You're home." Katrina kissed his cheek.

" Papa!/Father!" Marinette , Chloe and Lila exclaimed.

" My beautiful girls!" Tom chuckled.

After greeting his daughter and stepdaughters, he turned to his wife. " How have you all fared while I was away? And why is Marinette all dirty?"

" Oh well you know how children are especially at her age. Children her age love spending time in the flowers and leaves. I must have told her many times to take a bath." Katrina cooed as she tried to wipe dirt off Marinette's face. "We missed you dearly Tom, it's not the same without you." Katrina said.

" Come let us speak of my trip over dinner. " Tom said.

Back at the castle:

The king lay in his bed very ill, his second wife, his son, his stepdaughter and his mistress/chancellor Nathalie, surrounding him. The room was dark and sullen as everyone in the castle knew the kings time was up.

" Adrien will be king of course but once I am gone, you and Zoé shall move into an estate owned by the crown and you shall be Duchess of Versailles. Zoé will marry Prince Ali of Achu when she is old enough." Gabriel said weakly to Audrey.

" Nathalie, I thank you for your years of devotion to my family, when I am gone, you will be given the title Marquess of Paris." Gabriel said to Nathalie.

" Adrien, find the girl-the girl who you were with at the ball. Marry her. Take care of your stepmother and stepsister, I love you son." Gabriel said to Adrien.

" I love you too father." Adrien teared up.

After a few minutes the doctor checked the kings pulse. The doctor turned to everyone in the room and shook his head.

" The king is dead! Long live the king!" The Royal crier, Xavier called out.

Back at the Château de Dupain:

"- I have arranged for Chloe to marry Duke Kutzburg's son." Tom declared.( Don't worry MarcNath fans, Marc will be there too)

Chloe was fine with this as she was marrying a dukes son which meant she would be a duchess. Katrina on the other hand was skeptical while Lila laughed internally.

" I don't know about this-" Katrina started but was interrupted by Chloe.

" It's fine mother, I shall do my duty as a dukes daughter. If this is what father wants then I shall do it." Chloe said. Her mother backed down at this.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. The maid known as Rose answered it. " Good evening Mlle. Is the owner of this place, home?" The messenger asked.

" Yes Monsieur, I shall fetch them." Rose curtsied meekly,

" Your graces, there is a messenger here." Rose said to the Duke and Duchess when she entered the dining room.

" A messenger?" Marinette and the stepsisters looked at each other in confusion.

" What can I do for you Monsieur?" Tom asked as he and his wife, daughter and stepdaughters came to the front door.

" Your Grace, it is with great sadness King Gabriel has passed away. The kingdom is to mourn for 2 weeks." The man informed.

" I thank you for bringing this information." Tom nodded.
Once the messenger left, Katrina questioned Tom.

"Tom, what's going on?"

" The king is dead." Tom said solemnly.

To be continue......