A Royal Pain

P R O L G U E

[Edit: I've been made aware that my story is really similar to Marichat_Otp without realising it. Whoops. Check out her story "Princess of China"]

Marinette blinked once.

Then twice.

Then a sudden burst of laughter shook her parents in surprise as she hunched over, laughing with mirth.

"I'm sorry! For a moment, I thought you said 'princess'!" Marinette struggled to say as she was still snorting with laughter at the mere thought of the idea.

Me, a princess?

A few moments passed as Marinette's laughing calmed as she noticed that Tom and Sabine still had solemn looks plastered on their face. She straightened up and twiddled with her fingers anxiously, looking down at her feet with a pout fixated in her lips.

Her parents often teased that Marinette could be mistaken for a princess by the way she carried herself and moved with grace laced in her day to day actions, as if she was royalty but her response was recalling all the times she fell flat on her face over virtually nothing.

They can't be serious.

"Maman, papa, please tell me you're joking." Marinette lightly pleaded with her parents, hoping that this was all a bad dream and yet Tom shook his head roughly and blew out a deep breath

"I'm sorry sweetheart. You are the princess of China."

No

Marinette looked at her mother with wide, watery blue bell eyes, hoping for any kind of explanation for this situation but Sabine merely grimaced and chuckled thickly.

"My sister has passed away and I refused my chance at the throne years ago so now you are the heir."

Marinette's lips quivered. What would this mean for her future? Would she have to leave France for China? Leave all her friends here? Never confess to Adrien about her true feelings?

Cease to fill the role of Ladybug?

Tom quickly cleared his throat, snapping Marinette's disconnected state back to him with a slightly cold exterior.

"Marinette this doesn't really change anything. You'll just have to go to China for a few months then you can come back to Paris." Marinette's felt a wave of relief crashing over her at the uplifting news and she immediately jumped to her feet to hug both of her parents tightly and lovingly.

"I know this may be scary for you. I've been through it myself-" Sabine cupped Marinette's chin to look at her clearly and to get the statement across to Marinette "-but you are kind, selfless, courageous and fair. You'll make a wonderful ruler. Understand?"

Marinette allowed a soft, warm smile to flit across her lips and she hugs Sabine tighter at the words of encouragement given and nods in the crook of the older woman's neck. Tom's hand lovingly brushes the slight tangles out of Marinette's hair and she feels safe and secure.

Honestly the love and affection she has for her parents at this moment couldn't really be described from an outsider. You'd have to experience it yourself to know the amount of love she has.

Marinette is the first to pull away, standing up tall, proud and proper as the royal princess that she really is and gives her parents and genuine and dazzlingly smile that lifts up their hopes for the future.

"When do I start?"