Ever After - Ella Enchanted AU

Ever After: Chapter 4

Marinette wasn't sure how she had managed to wander back to the mall after such an odd day, but there she was, an hour after her step-sister had ordered her back, window shopping with Rose, whom she had managed to track back down. She was trying her best to dodge every questioning glance that Rose sent her, but eventually her friend must not have been able to stand the small talk any more.

"Where were you?" Rose squeaked worriedly after Marinette asked her opinion on a pair of rather pretty gemstone earrings. Marrinette's finger drooped where it hovered over the asking price before letting out a slight sigh. It was a simple question really, a perfectly reasonable one in the scheme of things, but then again, Rose didn't know the order of events. Marinette would probably have them burned into her psyche for the rest of her days but the only thing that she could think of as an answer was, "Oh."

"Oh?" Rose asked incredulously, her voice raising to an almost impossible octave. Those who were passing them by outside the shops paused to look, one old woman even jumping, but if Rose noticed she didn't seem to acknowledge it. "You left abruptly only to reappear like nothing happened and all you can say is 'Oh'?"

Marinette bit the inside of her lip, mulling over how exactly she should go about explaining. She couldn't hide it per say, Rose had already guessed the something was up, and she wouldn't call it quits until she got a proper answer. Then again, the proper answer wasn't one that sounded completely believable.

Marinette's hand dropped to her side and she readied herself for a concussive blast. "I met the prince."

"You did what!" Rose squeaked in a key that made Marinette's ears ring violently. Her friend took her hand abruptly, shaking with excitement that was as obvious as the nose on her face and nearly crushing Marinette's fingers in her grip. "You met the prince?"

Marinette shushed her to be quiet as more and more people looked their direction. At least Rose sounded like she believed her, more than she could say for herself, but the more she thought about it, the more real it became.

Golden hair.

Bright mint colored eyes.

A charming smile.

Oh yes, she most certainly had met the prince of the realm. Still, that didn't mean it was a topic she was thoroughly comfortable talking about.

"I'd rather not talk about it, Rose, it wasn't something I was entirely comfortable with." She dropped her voice to a groan at the thought of what transpired later on in her surprise run in with Prince Adrien. "Chloe and Sabrina popped up."

Rose wasn't one for coarse language or anything less than an happy smile, but in that moment her cheeks puffed up and her lips tightened into the smallest of lines. Marinette couldn't help but think of the puffer fish they had learned about in biology a few weeks previous. "Chloe! Always ruining our fun."

Much to her surprise, Rose turned her sour expression on Marinette. "Why do you always do what she tells you? I can see you don't want too, but for some reason you always obey her."

Marinette's eyes darted around the square, desperate for an escape route from that conversation or from the mall all together by that point. They were venturing into an uncomfortable topic as they had many times before, but today Marinette didn't think she had the wit to spin a convincing yarn for her friend. A tight and raspy laugh raked up her throat. "I do not. What makes you say that?"

"Yes, you do!" Rose retorted, quickly leaving Marinette no time to think of a response.

"I don't!"

"Tell the truth!" Rose stated absolutely. The response couldn't help but fly past Marinette's lips before she could keep them back. "You're right, I do."