Marinette watched with scathing eyes as the caravan made its way down the road. Several of the Grand Duke's knights guarded three caged wagons in the middle of the ensemble, holding several half-humans.
A deep breath shuddered through her, before she felt a familiar tiny hand on her shoulder, "No one is forcing you to do this little bug."
Marinette's eyes didn't need to turn away from the sight before her to see the little sprite that was her closest friend, "I know Tikki." Marinette gave her a little smile, which Tikki returned.
"Then as we discussed?" Marinette gave a nervous nod as Tikki floated forward giving a tender kiss to her charge's head.
Marinette immediately felt the familiar warm magic of her friend wash over her. Her own magic being to unstable to use reliably, Tikki had offered to give her a blessing of protection in return for never telling Marinette's mother.
Looking at her hands, Marinette smiled. The presence of magic on her body seemed to bring out her own cryptid features, as the two black dots that graced the back of her hands graced her skin.
Pulling her braid to the front, Marinette saw the deep blue color instead of the normal dark black, "I didn't expect your magic to activate my fae side."
Tikki smiled, "Our magics are very similar, its no wonder your body so easily recognizes it, now hurry before the spell runs its course."
Marinette gave a firm nod, remembering the situation at hand. Her eyes floated back to the caravan as she chose her target. The middle wagon. It was the least looked after, while men guarded the front and back.
She moved swiftly, holding her cloak close as she raced ahead of the wagons. The narrow road worked to her favor as she found what she needed: A tree over-hanging the road. It was an easy climb as she sat and focused calling for an item from the abyss. Slowly pink magic took the form of a fork and spoon.
She couldn't help but feel exasperated at her magic as the first wagon started passing under the tree. Eyeing the floorboards an idea struck her. The nails were loose. If she gave it to them, they could use the items to loosen the planks and simply slip out.
When the second wagon moved under her Marinette was ready. The two items were already wrapped in a cloth and then dropped below. The four girls in the cage immediately looked up in surprise, as Marinette used the opportunity to make a prying motion with her hands.
One of them had fiery red hair leading into white tips. It reminded Marinette of a fox, and the cunning look in the girl's eye only added to the aura. The girl reached for the wrapped instruments and pulled them out. A quick nod back at Marinette and she started at the floor boards.
A sigh left Marinette. This might actually work. She just had to stay in the area and make sure the women made it out.
"You know its usually cats who get stuck in trees." The sound came from behind Marinette causing a uncontrolled yelp to leave her as she yanked her own head around. The movement caused her to loose her already precarious balance and promptly fall out of the tree and onto her bum.
The man who had caused her so much panic jumped gracefully from the high branch landing in front of Marinette, as she tried to suck in some air. Marinette felt her anger rise as he gave a little laugh, "And I guess its only cats who land on their feet."
There was an unwritten rule that creature and man left each other alone. It wasn’t that half-creatures didn’t exist, in fact many existed throughout the land, but these people were often outcastes, frowned at by people or used for their talents. It was with this rule in mind that Sabine had carefully raised her half-spirit daughter in the realm of humans. Without Marinette using the magic that laid deep in her veins, Sabine knew that her daughter would look normal. Despite appearances though, Sabine could sense her own magic rising in the young girl. Long nights were spent with Sabine holding her sleeping child, hoping within her heart that she could do her best for the little one. Tom would oft come and lay a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing he could do little to comfort his wife from the present reality.
As the years passed and the young girl grew in the love of her father and mother, the fears within both quieted. Many days were spent on a walk within the forest watching Marinette play with the Fae, or laughing as she covered herself in flour trying to copy her father’s recipes.
This meant that when news of a powerful house capturing half-creatures reached the small bakery that Sabine felt all those fears rushing back with force.
Sabine walked into the family room, and watched her daughter sew up the neighbors dress. As she grew she had become a talented seamstress, and Sabine always watched with fascination as Marinette made the most delicate stitches. Marinette looked up at her mother’s presence, and gently put her work aside, a worrisome look covering her face.
“Is everything okay, Mama?”
Tom walked over from the kitchen, at Marinette’s words. Just like Marinette he easily noticed something off in his wife, ”Sabine?”
“House Agreste is going after half-creatures.” Sabine looked at her husband with trepidation.
At that Marinette stood up, “What?”
“The king is allowing this?” Tom chimed in.
Sabine couldn’t help the tiredness in her voice, “Yes, by permission of the king.”
“This isn’t right!” Marinette’s face was scrunched with anger.
“What are we to do?” Sabine looked to her husband.
Tom looked down at his hands, a look of deep thought on his face. None knew of his wife’s origins. Her and Marinette’s ability to look normal, had saved them from having to share of their supernatural past. That being said, any real research into travel from the east could disprove their story.
Tom eyed his wife, “Luck has been in our favor so far.” Husband and wife exchanged a look.
“So we get to sit still and safe, while others....” Marinette growled. Tom knew she wasn’t mad at them, rather instead at the injustice she had fought her whole life.
Marinette’s hands glowed, her emotions making a glimpse of her power show. He could see her raven hair turning ever so slightly blue. Her eyes took on a black lining with white dots on the outer corners.
Tom put a hand on her shoulder, and felt as they began to sag and the transformation disappear, “Why don’t you go talk to Tikki.” Tikki was an elder Fae, who had watched over Sabine as a young spirit. Sure enough the two had grown close, Tikki adopting Marinette as her own child and friend.
Marinette gave a sullen nod before heading out.
Sabine looked up at Tom, “You know my luck is running out.” The truth that they didn’t tell Marinette was that as her powers grew her mother’s grew weaker. Eventually Marinette would be the true Spirit of Luck, “She doesn’t have any control yet.”
Tom pulled Sabine into a hug, comforting her in his embrace, “She will be okay.”
Some call them ancient Gods. Some call them monsters. A few have figured out that despite their form and underneath their fury is a heart that beats. Within such a wild heart is such a flaw similar to humanity. The capacity to love.
That is how Marinette was born. The incarnation of luck with bright bluebell eyes. Her mother, a beauty in her own right gave up her place among her kind when she fell in love with a baker. Their daughter was the gift of that love and treasured as most precious gifts are.
Some however have found that the monsters could give such gifts when wooed the right way. They covet such children for the power that they hold. They wish to steal a Criptid's heart for the power that flows from within.
Emilie was warned by her twin how precious her heart was, when Gabriel appeared with sweet words of honey and gifts of gold. However, Emilie could see what her twin was blind to.
That the man's love was as true as his hunger for power. She was an animal after all, and an animal can tell man's true intentions. So she bound her heart to him and bore him a son of destruction. What she didn't foresee however was that his love for her wasn't shared with her son. Her heart broke as she watched her son, Adrien, shiver from his father's cold. So she tried her best to warm him, and gave him a love untethered by earthly limits. Her green eyed prince was without flaw in her eyes and she raised him until she no longer could.
Adrien's father knew not what to do when his soulmate passed. Lost in the agony of loosing his wife he turned to his original intentions, and started preparing his son to come into the gift of the mother's power.
just a story based on the ml Villainess AU by @sidsinning.
A Second Chance
The accident happened in a mere moment, but to her it felt like an eternity. She remembered the sun shining as the shock set in. Her friends were there, they must have been, since they were walking home from school together. She could hear them calling to her, but she couldn’t respond. Her airway was choked up.
In that moment her heart broke, as she realized what was happening. She couldn’t say goodbye, couldn’t kiss her mom or dad. She would never fall in love and meet her own prince charming. As her fate drew near, she couldn’t help but curse the luck that seemed to follow her like a spiteful enemy. Her story would stop here.
Her soul cried out as sun slowly faded, followed closely by the sounds of the street with the approaching sirens, and then lastly of her friend calling her name.
The dark around her wasn’t so dark, and the girl couldn’t help but think that death wasn’t nearly as bad, in fact she felt cocooned in warmth. The cold she had felt moments before had slowly shifted into a soft embrace of heat that flooded her body.
Her body. Her eyes flashed opened, she could feel her body. Swiftly she sat up, her head swimming as her eyes adjusted. She looked around in the dim room, and was amazed at what she saw.
If she was in a hospital it wasn’t like any hospital she had known. The bed she was in seemed ornate, with soft silks, and heavy woods. Her eyes followed further as she looked across the room, at the drapes that covered what she assumed was windows. Before she knew it her feet hit the floor, and traversed to the window pulling open the drapes. Her heart pumped as morning light rushed into the room. Outside she could see that she was in large building, it must be a castle almost. Surrounded by gardens.
Her head spun around as she looked back into the room, a gold mirror caught her attention and she almost tripped herself moving towards it. What she saw caused her knees to sink to the floor as she gently touched the image in the mirror. She was a child again, maybe seven. Blue eyes stared back at her with fear, as long bluenette locks framed her straining look.
A door opened behind her and before she could speak a voice flowed from the portal, “Lady Marinette!” Another figure joined her in the mirror shortly, dressed in a simple dress and apron, “Are you alright child?”
The girl looked back up at the woman fear betraying her expression. My name isn’t Marinette. Her thoughts raced as she tried to put together what was happening. Lady Marinette. She knew that name.
“Ms. Dupain-Cheng, it is hardly appropriate for a lady to be on the floor.”
Marinette looked back at her vision in the mirror, and a new terror overtook her. She didn’t know why. She most certainly didn’t know how, but she was someone else now.
Tears welled up in her eyes as differing emotions overwhelmed her. She did know that name, because that was the name of a character in her favorite book. She was given a new life only to be cursed with the knowledge that it would end just as soon, because Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the villain.
Alex was frozen in horror as she saw the Crazies approaching. Corin yanked at her hand, pulling Alex along, "Alex! We have to move!"
Alex followed her sister's lead. Corin ran down an alley, then another, and another. But the Crazies wouldn't stop. Corin looked back at her sister realizing they both couldn't keep running. Corin pulled Alex along dragging her into a building. Looking around quickly Corin, pulled her little sister towards some cabinets.
"Alex, get in!"
Alex did as she was told, as her sister looked behind them. Corin looked back at Alex with a smile, "Corin, come on you have to hide."
"Like that family we found?" Corin gave a harsh laugh, "Don't be silly Alex."
"Corinthina?"
"Alex, I love you. Don't make a sound and don't look."
Corin closed the cabinet, and turned towards the door to run back out of it. Alex could see her through the crack in the cabinet. That meant that when Corin was pulled back into the room by her hair that Alex saw it. The group of Crazies laughed at the poor girl. Tearing at her.
Alex bit her hand in an attempt to stay quiet. The tears ran down her face as she watched.
It was an eternity before they left, leaving Corin behind. Alex didn't leave her hiding spot right away, only sitting there in horror. Her sister's screams were burnt into her mind. Alex couldn't tell how long had passed till she left the cabinet, crawling slowly to where what was left of her sister's body lay.
"Corin?"
The tears that had dried up in shock once again welled in her eyes. She laid there holding Corin's tattered body.
"Corinthina..." More than anything Alex wanted to cry out, but instead she bit her hand trying to stifle the shout that was building in her. Alex's body shook with pain.
Alex stayed there for hours, holding her sister, before looking at the rifle held in her sister's hand. Wiping her eyes Alex grabbed it and stood up. Her sister would be mad at her for staying around. Corin would tell her to get up and keep going, "I love you too." With that she headed out the door.
Alex didn't wander far, drawn by the sound of crying somewhere in the distance. When Alex went to check it out she found a boy in a corner. He looked about her age. When he saw her he stood up holding a knife out to her and wiping his eyes.
"Who are you?" He choked out.
Alex looked at him. He had black hair and Alex recognized the familiar look of pain in his eyes. His hand shook as he held his knife, "You need to stop crying."
The boy gave Alex a confused look, so she tried again, "You need to stop crying or they will hear you and come back."
The boy wiped at his tears straightening up some, "You didn't answer me."
*Subscribe to the Podcast on Spotify or iTunes & hear these as spoken word poetry! Linkthing is in bio!*
Some are those that seek,
rise and wander out,
hands outstretched
like sleepwalking arms
into the unknown
of what’s next.
Spoken of as wild, these,
untethered
and wind carried,
spoken of as ghosts,
as things hardly worth
mentioning.
Others are those that stay,
nest themselves in the pieces
collected to comfort
their stillness,
spoken of as secure,
these, heads screwed on
straight.
Somewhere, in the unvarnished
mind of each,
there is a craving
for what the other has,
some that seek long for staying,
some that stay,
would trade all they’ve got
for one moment
of wild disappearance.
Running Young (on Wattpad) https://my.w.tt/alxLdjIFX4 Alex has one goal: find her friend. There is one problem almost every adult has died, leaving the remaining children in a shattered world. This is complicated even more when Alex is suddenly charged with the care of seven year old Penny. With a world of trouble in front of her, Alex struggles to find her way. But through it all there is one thing Alex knows: never stop.
