A Miraculous Fairytale

Chapter 5

"I hope he likes it. Mylene and I worked hard to make sure it came out nice," Marinette mumbled.

Mylene smiled gratefully at her friend. "Don't kid yourself, Marinette. You did all the work. I was a mess."

Marinette laughed while Alya sighed. "I better go check on him to see how he likes it."

Alya fled the kitchen and left an anxious Marinette.

Minutes later, Alya came back into the kitchen with a nervous expression on her face. She gulped.

"The Prince wants to see the baker," she announced fretfully.

Mylene and Marinette shared a horrified look.

"You go!" Mylene exclaimed nervously. "You did the work!"

"No!" Marinette whispered back, clenching her teeth. "I'm a klutz!"

"I need someone!" Alya reminded them frantically.

Mylene shoved Marinette forward. Marinette gave Mylene a dirty look before unwillingly leaving the kitchen with Alya pulling her along.

Marinette followed her friend through the crowd of people and whispers escaped the lips of those watching. She bit her lip nervously and trained her eyes on the heels of her friend.

Luckily, she managed to bring herself to a stop as Alya halted. Marinette folded her arms behind her back and could feel her insides freeze as Alya moved out of the way.

Prince Adrien was intently looking at Marinette, his green eyes glowing with curiosity and contentment. He smiled.

"So you're the maiden who baked this bread?" Adrien proclaimed. "No wonder it tasted so sweet."

Marinette felt her cheeks heat up as she smiled like a fool. Other girls watching gasped in jealousy. King Gabriel watched the event unfold disapprovingly.

"Oh, t-thanks, your Highness," Marinette stuttered, glancing at the floor every now and then.

"Peasant girl," a deeper voice rang out, attracting the attention of Marinette once more. She met the dark and chilled eyes of the King; they were much more desolate than those of Adrien's.

"I sincerely hope you didn't poison my son," he said distastefully. Looks like he didn't like the bond the Prince and Marinette were sharing.

Marinette opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Her eyes watered with embarrassment as words of prejudice spread throughout the room.

"Father-" Adrien began, but he was silenced immediately.

"No, Adrien. We're leaving," Gabriel ordered, standing up from his seat.

The guards escorted the King and Prince out of the pub while the wealthier spectators voiced words of disapproval at Marinette.

"Filthy peasant," one woman said.

Marinette had begun to feel overwhelmed by the harsh lies. She quickly ran out of the pub and all the way to her parents graves. She sat down beside them, tears streaming down her face. Tikki flew out and sat on Marinette's hand.

"Don't let them get to you!" she exclaimed. "They don't deserve your tears. You know what they said about you isn't true."

"But the King wrongly accused me in front of all those people. In front of Prince Adrien," Marinette weeped sadly.

"So? They'll feel like idiots when they're proved wrong, Ladybug," Tikki reminded her. "I heard of some trouble in the next village over, why don't we go check it out? Give Ladybug a test run?"

Marinette sighed and rested her head on her knees. "I guess. But I'll mess everything up."

"There's just a goat on the loose. Nothing too bad," Tikki winked. "Then, after that, we can start training for the real trouble."

"Okay," Marinette nodded, feeling a bit more confident. She stood up. "What do I say again?... Oh! Now I remember. Tikki, spots on!"

Immediately, Tikki was sucked into Marinette's earrings and pink glitter fluttered over her body, transforming her into Ladybug.

Ladybug smiled confidently. "Let's do this."