Thorns of Roses

Chapter 61 - It's you.

Earlier that day

"Thank you for being diligent in providing me with this information. You may now leave." he waved his hand dismissively, trying to maintain his composure.

"It was my pleasure, Sir. And.. what will you do about this case?"

"I believe that is none of your business." he declared coldly, making her aware that he didn't intend to involve her in his plans.

A glare burnt into both of their features, before she exited the office.

The moment she closed the door behind her, his shoulders fell as he let out a frustrated sigh. Brushing some of his stray hair away from his view, he rose from his chair and walked to the window.

He didn't move even a muscle when he heard the door opening in some minutes later again - indicating another person's presence in the room. Knowing exactly who those half-hearted steps belonged to, he stated without shifting his gaze from the window, "They found it."

"They found..what exactly, Sir?" Natalie's voice echoed with genuine confusion as she walked to his desk and placed the latest reports down.

"The temple. They found it and even took the codex with themselves." he inhaled sharply as he finally turned around to face her. "You know what that means?!"

"Sir?" Natalie tilted her head, feeling a sudden shiver running down her spine.

"..that my identity is at risk of getting exposed! And we must not let that happen! Not now!" Gabriel took some rapid steps toward his bookshelf.

"My king, I don't think this is the best way to.."

"This is the only way, Natalie!" the King interjected, his eyes glaring at the two books that served as the key to his lair. "If I were to let them find out who I really am, everything we have sacrificed before would be to no avail! And this is something I shalln't let that happen! No matter the consequences that might fall upon the Kingdom!" he declared and entered to the corridor to his cave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Present time

By the time the Princess returned to their suite, Félix was already sleeping. Or rather, he pretended to be asleep. 

It was a cowardly thing to do - he was well aware -  yet he couldn't bear himself to face her after everything he had done or almost done as his alter ego.

It was more than enough to see how entertained Plagg was after that as well as constantly hearing him leering up at the Prince just because he couldn't control himself - ruining everything between the Princess and Chat Noir in the process.

Félix was blaming the black cat miraculous for this. He had realized by now that when he was Chat Noir, he became bold - reckless even -, and took risks without reluctance. This was an effect of the miraculous he had always been thankful for - as it provided him some fragment of freedom after living his every day in the golden cage called the aristocracy. 

But for once, Chat Noir's recklessness came at the worst time thus - as if he didn't have enough issues to solve in the beginning - he ought to seek for a solution to make things right between his wife and the hero.

Because the last thing he desired was for Marinette to resent or even loathe Chat Noir.

But before he was to work on that, he had wanted to find out one more thing.

One thing that could change everything between them - even if the Princess herself had absolutely no conjecture about it.

His breathing ragged, when he heard the door yawning as a certain someone stepped into the dark room. Only the Moon could penetrate the room with her dim, silver lights - making recognizable the furniture in the bedchamber.