The Queen of China {Book 3 of The Princess Series}

The Queen's Christmas

Marinette sat down in an alleyway and hugged her knees, trying her best not to let the tears flow.
"Marinette, are you okay?" asked Tikki.
"The-The vision said I would hurt Adrien in a way more than he has been over these years," said Marinette quietly and quickly.
"Wouldn't that hurt him?" asked Tikki.
"Not like that! Besides, he doesn't even know me!" cried Marinette, anger boiling.
"I'm sure he does," said Tikki, looking at the floor.
"He doesn't! So I left before he got the chance to remember me!" snapped Marinette as she stood up.
"Please don't block everyone out again. Please let people help you," whimpered Tikki before Marinette took out her earrings and put them into a pocket. She sighed before walking out of the alleyway and started strolling around the city aimlessly, not knowing where to go or what to do.

She checked her phone and saw 3 calls and 2 messages from Alya that she missed. The first text message read that they were worried and wanted to know where she was or to at least go back to the Agreste mansion. The second read that they were taking Adrien to the hospital since he escaped from a coma without a check-up.

One week later, Marinette was spending Christmas in isolation in her palace. Well, it wasn't really isolation. She was having dinner with Prince James of Russia. He was the one she chose to spend her time with the most. She'd rather be with Adrien but she had to protect him.

"So your majesty, how is the food?" asked James.
"It is delicious," she said, smiling happily. She did enjoy James' company.
"I am so glad. I prepared it myself," he said proudly.
"Really?" cried Marinette as she dug into more of the Christmas dinner. After swallowing, she placed her cutlery down. "Where did you learn to cook?"
"Back home your majesty. It was a hobby of mine our chef taught me," explained James.
"You'll have to let me make you a Christmas dessert," said Marinette with a chuckle before beginning to eat again.
"You can bake?" asked James with a raised eyebrow.
"Why yes! Before I knew I was a princess, my parents owned a bakery. The finest bakery in Paris. They taught me how to cook," explained Marinette.
"You have an interesting backstory your majesty," he said with a fond smile.
"You'd be surprised," scoffed Marinette before sighing. "And please, call me Marinette."
"And you can call me James," he added. Marinette nodded before the door burst open.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" shrieked the voice of her best friend, making the queen wince.
"Excuse me," she said, placing her cutlery down and standing up. James stood up and bowed as Marinette walked out of the room and shut the door behind her as she prepared for Alya to shout at her.

"How dare you!" yelled Alya.
"Can we do this somewhere more private please?" asked Marinette. This only made Alya more enraged.
"No! How dare you! You left Chloe, Nino and I in Paris with your amnesiac boyfriend without telling us! We searched all of Paris and then figured you went back here! And to think you didn't even message us a Happy Christmas! No! I spent my Christmas worrying about where you went crying off to when actually you were befriending the Russian Prince! You're selfish!" yelled Alya. Marinette bit her lip. "Oh, and Adrien is fine by the way! He will remember everything by New Years. But that won't matter because you have decided to leave his life. So when he asks for you, what do I tell him? That you're going to marry a prince you met a week ago? That you're going to forget him? Because I can't do that to my friend Marinette! And thanks for making us find our own way home! Yeah, real help. You're a selfish friend and a bad girlfriend!"

Marinette's eyes widened before she let a soft sigh escape her lips.
"Alya Cesaire.. I apologise for what I have put you through.. but I have nothing to say to you. Please escort yourself to a room you can calm yourself down," said Marinette, trying to remain as calm as possible.
"Excuse me?" scoffed Alya.
"You heard me," muttered Marinette.
"You b-"

The insult was cut quiet as a loud SLAP was sounded. Alya stared down at her hand in shock but after a few moments, she composed herself and stood up straight.
"Get out of my sight," snapped Marinette.
"Gladly," said Alya as she stormed away.

When Alya was out of sight, Marinette fell to her knees, unable to hold back the tears. The door swung open and Prince James was down by her side.
"Are you okay your majesty?" asked James. Marinette just wept and wept whilst he held her hand. After a couple minutes, Marinette sniffed and wiped away the tears.
"Let's not let this ruin our Christmas. Let's go back inside," said Marinette, putting on a fake smile and standing up. James stood up with her.
"Permission to speak freely your majesty?" he asked. Marinette nodded. "In my opinion, I think you should talk to her."
"Why should I? She made it clear she doesn't want to be my friend," said Marinette.
"As long as she lives in this palace, she will always be your friend. She just needs you to try for her. To try and make it up to her. If she had announced she was leaving, that's when you would know it's over. However, I'm looking back on it now and I think you should give her an hour or so," explained James.

Marinette sighed.
"You're probably right," she said sadly. They walked back to their meals and sat down.
"Also, why are you here with me if you have a boyfriend?" asked James. Marinette tensed up but sighed.
"It's complicated. He went into a coma.. I went into depression. He woke up and forgot me. Then I got told that I would be the reason he experienced more pain than he's been in in his whole life," she explained.
"I see. But won't he remember you by New Year's Day?" asked James.
"He will but.. I'm still going to hurt him. I don't want to hurt him. He means so much to me," explained Marinette.
"Sometimes in love there will always be hurt. That's just how relationships work. Even marriages that never end experience hurt. There will always be an argument that you think will end the whole thing but if they are the right person and you truly love them, then love will always come through. That's how it works," explained James.
"I never thought about it like that," she said, realising all the hurt that her and Adrien have been through. She then realised that those were always resolved. So maybe this will be resolved.
"Merry Christmas Marinette!" he said with a smile.
"Merry Christmas James," she said, wiping that from her brain for just this meal and giving him a smile.