Merman (Miraculous Ladybug AU)

Chapter 9

When Adrien finally managed to sneak back into his room Gabriel was sitting on a chair in front of the window. Adrien froze. "Ah, I can explain."

"You don't need to, Adrien. I know what's happening. The smashed window made everything clear." Gabriel was too calm. Something was wrong. "It became clear to me as soon as I entered the room that someone had tried to break in and your only option was to escape out the window and hide. Extra security measures are going to be put in place now that you are home and safe."

He knew. He knew that Adrien had broken out, this was just an attempt to make Adrien feel like he had gotten away with everything. Adrien tightened his grip on the earrings and waited for Gabriel's inevitable rage.

"What safety precautions are those?"

Gabriel completely ignored the question. "As there would only be one person malicious enough to coordinate a break in to the palace, we have only one suspect. I know it was the human girl using some kind of human technology we do not know about to control our citizens and attempt to harm you. For her crimes, she will be executed tomorrow evening, exactly on sundown at the surface."

No. No, this wasn't happening. There was no way that he could live with himself if Marinette was executed. He would have let everyone down. Alya, Nino, Master Fu, himself. Adrien stared straight at Gabriel. "I won't let you do that."

"Adrien, you don't get a choice. The papers only need my signature and everything will be official. The king has already approved. That reminds me, tomorrow, you will be shadowing me to learn about the job of Royal Advisor, as you will be taking over when Prince Ali is crowned. I don't want to hear any arguments and I expect you to be ready to leave at eight o'clock in the morning tomorrow. I will send someone to collect you."

"Yes, father." Adrien let his shoulders slump. If he was with his father all day, there wouldn't be a chance to rescue Marinette. Alya and Nino would probably charge in without thinking, try to fight all the guards in the palace, get arrested and possibly get executed next to Marinette tomorrow.

Gabriel left, and Adrien heard a lock click. Apparently, in the time that he was gone someone had broken his locks on the door and replaced them with locks that could only be locked or unlocked from the outside of the room.

Adrien swum over to the window and looked out, checking for guards. There were two patrolling along the side of the palace, swimming back and forth along the wall. They'd get to Adrien before Adrien could get to the sewer systems. That left only one option.

"Plagg!" Adrien hoped Plagg had stayed outside the window, or at least out of sight.

"Do you have cheese for me yet?" Plagg appeared from underneath the windowsill.

"Not yet, but lunch will be here in about ten minutes and I can get you camembert then, if you deliver a message to Nino and Alya for me."

"Fine, but I better get my camembert for this."

"Tell them that Marinette will be executed tomorrow at sundown in we don't hurry. Alya needs to use her illusion powers to create a distraction so I can sneak away from my father and help them."

Plagg swum out the window. Adrien watched as he disappeared off into the distance. He knew it would be a fair amount of time before he returned, so he would just have to occupy himself until then.

Three minutes later, Adrien found himself floating around lazily, propelling himself around with tiny hand movements. Since he couldn't escape again, and there was very little to entertain himself with inside his room.

What felt like seconds later, there was a knock on the door. The lock clicked open and a servant appeared, holding a tray covered in food. She placed it on the table and returned to where she was standing in the door. "Is there anything else I can bring you, Mister Agreste?"