Archive of Our Own

“Daughter, I grow old.”

Marinette frowned, picking at the pink overskirt on her grey dress. She knew where this conversation was going, and she still wasn’t happy about it. Her father wouldn’t listen to her, no matter how she reasoned with him. What was so horrible about not wanting to marry a stranger? “Not that old.”

“Yes, daughter,” The King; Tom frowned back at her. His right hand was clasped around the other where his wedding ring was. Queen Sabine had passed a year ago, and there wasn’t a day he didn’t miss her. He did not understand why his daughter did not want to marry, as it had been the best thing to happen to him. “I will allow you to issue a challenge of your choosing, as is custom. But I must insist that you do issue a challenge.”

Marinette sighed, looking up at him hesitatingly with a small smile. “Could I enter myself for my own hand?”

“No.”

Marinette frowned again, resisting the urge to refuse. Her father would just issue his own challenge, and she wanted some control over her future. But she did not want to get married to a stranger, and if she did not wish that then she had to issue a challenge. Or else the Agreste heir might try to strike some sort of political deal for her hand.

Suddenly she was struck by inspiration, her eyes lighting up. The king eyed her wearily, unsure what his daughter had decided upon. “I have an idea for the challenge, I will go to the forest. And I will hide a key there, the one to find the key will have my hand.”

Tom was surprised by this, it seemed too easy. He expected Marinette to put up a bigger fight. “You will not bury it or lose it will you?”

Her eyes twinkled in mischief. “I will know where it is at all times, I assure you. In fact, it should be fairly easy to find it, only hard to obtain.”

Tom considered it a moment longer before relenting. Because really, he could only deal with the other nobles for so long. “You have my permission,” He sighed, causing Marinette to let out a small exclamation of delight. “Do not make me regret this.”

“Of course, you will not regret this!” She curtsied hastily before rushing out of the room. She traveled down numerous hallways, turn after turn after turn. She was not supposed to know this path, not supposed to recognize the small wooden door, at the end of her track. And most certainly not supposed to be so familiar with it.

But Marinette had never been what others expected of her.

She had barely raised her hand to knock where a voice called for her to enter.

She hurriedly rushed in and smiled brightly, launching herself at the man who stood there. “Luka! I’ve been asked to issue a challenge for my hand in marriage!”

Luka quirked a brow at that, catching her in a hug nonetheless. Luka was the castle’s magician, about a year older than her and her mentor and friend. He was practically her brother and had taught her magic in secret, as it was one of her passions. “I thought you did not wish to be married Ma-Ma-Marinette? Unless you’ve changed your mind about Adrien,” He teased her, perfectly aware of the vile boy who insisted on her hand so obnoxiously.

She scowled only a little at the nickname, an old keepsake of the first time she had happened across the door. “Do not speak his name, it dampens my happiness. I have come up with a challenge that no one will be able to beat unless I allow them too.”

“And what would that be?”

She smiled mischievously at him, crossing the room to grab a spellbook from a shelf. “We could cast the spell I was talking to you about, I’ll tie a key to a ribbon around my neck, and people can come to the woods and try to take it, they won’t succeed.”

“It’s risky,” Luka commented, not sounding entirely surprised by that. “What if they beat you?”

He didn’t ask if they could kill her, and for that she was grateful. It reaffirmed his faith in her skills, while also not mindlessly agreeing with her. It was what she respected so much about Luka. "They will not beat me. So I may choose whoever I please, in my own time."

Luka smiled, beginning to fetch the various ingredients he needed for Marinette's spell. "I like it, it's very clever of you."

By the end of the week, the challenge was issued, and many ventured into the forest to find the key. But then there were stories, of a vile beast who had the key tied around its neck. King Tom was furious, but could not change the challenge, and those who could were confident in their abilities. So the challenge continued, and no one could defeat the monster if they could find it.

Reports on it varied, some said it was large and canine with sharp fangs and a shiny coat of bristly fur.

Some claimed it had massive wings that stretched out behind it.

Some said it did not have eyes, or that it was colored like blood.

Some said it was human-like until finally, the whispers said the same thing.

It must be killed.

Adrien was certain he would succeed, sooner or later.

He was Marinette's soulmate, he knew it. She would come to see it too, once he won her hand. His Princess was the most clever and strong woman, and the most beautiful. And she had issued the challenge for him to prove himself, Lila had told him that Marinette used to have a crush on him before she fell in love with her. And Lila did lie, but that had to be true- aside from her loving Lila.

Marinette had never liked Lila, a point they had argued over before she had stopped talking to him.

Once he won, she would see the error of her ways. He saw the monster, after all this time of searching. It was hideous, standing several feet taller than him with cold harsh eyes and pathetic gangly limbs. How Marinette had gotten the little gold key that rested on the monster's neck there was beyond him.

"Hello, monster," He greeted, swinging his sword in a flashy arc toward the monster. It was suddenly gone, behind him, and slashing at the armor on his back. He tumbled forward, nearly faceplanting before he righted himself and struck again. The creature dodged again, sharing at the point in his armor so that he was forced back, it used his imbalance to trip him into the mud.

It growled at him, demonic eyes fixing him with a glare.

"I will destroy you," He growled, spitting blood towards the monster's retreating back.

Nobody noticed how Marinette would send Luka a triumphant grin as they passed in the halls.

Next came Lila, the Lady from a neighboring town. She lied to other travelers along the way that her great uncle had once vanquished a beast similar to the one that guarded the key. Many had thought she would succeed and had given her gifts and weapons to aid her.

As soon as she appeared before the monster, she was sent back screaming. She had harsh lines across both her cheeks which would scar. And all who had reveled in her tales doubted her afterward. Lila received no more special treatment as she had been sent running faster than many others who had tried.

So Lila swore for vengeance on the creature, she would win the quest and impale the monster's heart on a stake.

Nobody noticed how the Princess would grin at Lila when she first appeared with her new scars, only a little prouder than she should have been.

Nathaniel was an artist, he had painted many nobles in his time.

He had once done a portrait of the Princess, and he had been awed by her beauty and kindness. He had never had someone so encouraging as a client and had been very disappointed when the project was finished, even if Marinette had been overjoyed at the result.

He hadn’t talked to her for years but wanted to try his hand at the beast.

So he had picked up a bow and arrow, as he was no good with a sword.

The monster dodged his first shot, meeting his eyes with its dark soulless ones before escaping off into the woods. Nathaniel felt fortunate that he had not been hurt, and decided that fairytale endings weren’t anything worth chasing after. He had returned to town, only saying that he tried his shot and had failed, he was better suited to other arts.

Nobody noticed how the Princess had commissioned Nathaniel for another portrait for some time in the future.

This time there were two who appeared before the creature.

Nino was a storyteller, who had decided to try his hand at the competition because the Princess had been kind to him as a child. He hadn’t been in love with her necessarily, but he respected her and liked her.

Along the way, he had met Alya, who specialized in writing books on events she witnessed. Once she had written a small book on Lila’s adventures. And when she had found them to be fake she had been devastated for the lost time. She was trying to get the key in order to earn the chance to apologize to her old friend who had encouraged her to write before anyone else before she had insisted Lila was a liar and Alya stopped visiting her. She had introduced herself as Marianne and had claimed to be a server girl at the palace if Alya could win then she could apologize to her old friend. Winning the Princess's hand wouldn't be unwelcome either, at least until she'd met Nino.

The two fought halfheartedly, as along the way they had come to care for each other. The creature did not harm them much, disappearing fairly quickly. So they resolved to go back, but perhaps not go their separate ways. As they trudged back to town they had held hands. Perhaps not the outcome either had expected, but one they were happy to have.

Nobody noticed when Marinette randomly invited the couple to the palace to catch up.

Kagami was not like the other suitors and hopeful fools.

Kagami was a knight, a brave warrior who felled many beasts and had a rage that burned brighter than any fire. She wore strong armor and carried her sword proudly. She had seen the Princess one time and had found her beautiful. More than anything, the arrangement would make sense. Kagami could understand the Princess in regards to her upbringing and could protect her.

Both had bonded some over how tiring it was to deal with Adrien as a suitor but had lost contact some time afterward.

She had approached the beast from behind and had taken it by surprise. The creature’s wing was torn a bit, and it howled in misery before turning back to her. Its eyes were magnificent, completely black besides pinpoints of deep red in the center. The creature’s black lips framed what must have been hundreds of sharp teeth as it hissed at her.

The beast lashed out quickly, matching Kagami strike for strike. Finally, the creature slipped around her defense by using the terrain and had slashed across her midsection. It’s nails reflected off her armor but scratched it deeply. The harsh sound rang out and then the creature was gone.

Kagami returned home defeated but resolved to try again if no suitable suitor had succeeded within a month.

Nobody noticed when Marinette was not seen at dinner that night.

Luka sat at Marinette’s side, tying off the stitches he had done on her back. The ugly wound had transferred from the knight's sword to there, stretching from her right shoulder blade to her left hipbone. Luka hadn’t said a word thus far, and that worried Marinette immensely. Luka wasn’t especially vocal, preferring to communicate his feelings and thoughts through displays of magic, and beautiful melodies.

But he always greeted her at least.

“Luka, thank you.”

He smiled at her tensely, helping her to button the back of her gown, covering the bandages. Thankfully she had thought to place a towel on her back before transforming back, so her dress was not covered in blood. “I don’t like this.”

“I’ve done fine until now,” Marinette retorted evenly.

“Doesn’t mean it won’t happen again. I know Kagami is quite possibly the most difficult fight you will have to face, but you are caught by surprise. It could happen again, and what will you do if nobody beats your challenge?”

"Then I will not marry." Marinette didn’t answer the rest of his statement, fidgeting with the spellbook in her hands. She knew the rules, they lay open in front of her.

She had issued a challenge where everybody wanted to kill her, and it was too late now. Luka one that, even if he did not like it. If she retracted the challenge there would be questions, and Princesses were not allowed to study magic.

Finally, Luka sighed, pulling her into a tight hug and running his hand through her hair. “You are strong enough for this, don’t ever doubt that. Just be more cautious, someone could see your injuries.”

She smiled at him gratefully, ruffling his strangely colored hair. “Thanks, Luka.”

Damian was hiking through the woods, the same as many others. But he traveled alone and did not plan to use the sword strapped to his hip.

Because really, he had little interest in marriage and even littler interest in marrying a stranger. He was, however, interested in the monster that so many had fallen to- including the infamous Kagami. No one could decide what it looked like, and that was interesting as could be.

He stared back at the creature until it finally tore into the food. He had heard stories of what it looked like, but never concrete answers.

It was majestic, vaguely human-like but its skin was as hard as the shell of a beetle and red. Its entire body was deep bloody red, with disproportionate black spots all over. It had four 'arms' which stretched into sharp points, like giant black knives.

The red being finished eating, cleaning its mandibles as it glanced at Damian suspiciously.

So Damian settled back, keeping his hands open. "I'm not here for the key, I don't want to marry a stranger," Damian didn't know if it could understand him, but it had intelligence in its eyes. It did not retreat, but also did not show any signs of truth either.

"Are you hurt?"

The creature studied him for a moment before its wings stretched out behind it.

Damian nearly lost his breath, they were beautiful. Nearly translucent, black with deep blue veins that turned a light pink towards the tips. It wasn't something you would notice unless you paid close attention, just as you wouldn't notice the large scar in one of them. "Have you treated it yet?"

The creature clicked its mandibles, tilting its head to the side, which Damian took as a yes. "I don't suppose you would tell me your name," Damian mused humorously.

The creature looked at him strangely, before two of its arms gestured towards its torso where the spots were. Clearly, it could understand him and had a sense of humor. "Right, Ladybug then? Kind of generic, Biqiea."

The creature mock-hissed at him, revealing rows and rows of shiny teeth, sharp and meant for clamping down and crushing rather than tearing. But Damian noticed that there was no blood on them, it did not eat humans then.

"Alright then, Biqiea. I have to go home but," He was worried, it was being hunted by so many and though they were obviously strong they could still be hurt. "I'll come back tomorrow, maybe we could get to know each other," The creature did not seem that amused by his joke. Maybe he was trying too hard? Or maybe the creature was just humoring him right now. "Same spot?"

Ladybug didn't answer yes or no, just tilting its head curiously before its wings fluttered out of its thick protective black shell behind them. It was truly majestic, and Damian was left gaping in awe of it. "Bye then," He whispered as it disappeared amongst the trees.

As Damian tracked home he couldn't help but wonder why it felt like Ladybug would meet him, even if it hadn't agreed necessarily. But he was right, not that he'd really believe it until he met it again. Two days later, at the same little clearing.

He brought it some food and talked to it about his family. Bruce being a lord he had lived with once his mother revealed he was his father. But he had already adopted three others, who were just as brilliant as he in some ways. He admitted that it was hard to feel seen around them, so he had moved out a year ago. He wished he was a painter, but could not afford to fail so it remained a hobby for now.

Ladybug couldn't talk but could answer yes or no questions, and he did try and learn about it. Until the day when Ladybug had traced wobbly letters into the dirt.
It had been a long while since he really had one to talk to, his friend Jon was traveling with his father at the moment. He learned that Ladybug was magic and that it was happy to have the key and protect the Princess. Ladybug managed to tell him that the Princess did not wish to marry a stranger, and had given it the key for that reason.

Damian realized that him saying he did not wish to marry a stranger must have struck a chord within Ladybug when they first met. Funny how fate works.

Of course, they didn't just talk, he also had to patch it up from time to time. It seemed to heal quickly, wounds always scared over when he next saw it.

Ladybug had quite a few fights it would write to him about. Chloe, Theo, and a man named Adrien who Ladybug spoke of quite unfondly.

'He is a pest,' It wrote, looking more than a little enraged. 'He gave scar, arm.'

He glanced at the mentioned arm that he had been bandaging, it was sloppy and crude like it had been done with a steak knife. "How many times have you fought him?"

'Five, he says his soulmate is Princess'

He scoffed, recalling the entitled boy he had met at a ball a few years back. "Doubtful, if your Princess isn't an entitled hag. Which I know she's not, else she would not have to be clever enough to enlist your help."

Ladybug agreed, pausing once before drawing again. 'Why do you refer to me, as 'it'?'

"I don't know your gender," He explained simply, though he couldn't quite explain it himself. "Any anyway, I suppose I got used to it after hearing others refer to you as it. That's rude, I'm sorry about that."

Ladybug tilted their head, which he had realized acted a bit like a smile to them. 'It is alright. I'm a she.'

He chuckled a little self consciously, knowing it probably should have been obvious. "Ladybug should have been a dead giveaway shouldn't it have been."

She clicked her mandibles at him playfully as he tied off the bandages. 'No harm, little one.'

"Not that little," He grumbled at her crossly. She tilted her head a bit and accepted some bread from him as he tore into his own. "How long until the challenge is over?" He mused to himself, not wanting these meetings to end. "Will you still be my friend afterward?"

Ladybug hesitated, which did nothing to help Damian's concerns. 'Yes.'

Ladybug panted as she stumbled through the forest, her eyes squeezed shut as she wedged herself between some rocks that lined the meadow. Damian wasn't supposed to show up for another hour, but there was no way she'd make it back to the castle like this.

Maybe she should have been more careful like Luka had suggested.

She had deep cuts all over, and two of her arms needed splints on her left side. She would have been fine, but while he had been fighting Lila, Adrien had surprised her from behind. What was almost more infuriating than the annoying team-up was the constant declarations from Adrien about his love for the princess. She had been enraged, injured, and lost by the time she'd escaped.

Now she could only fight to stay awake as she waited for Damian. She let out a small whimper, wanting to rush and find Damian, but she couldn't. She had to wait, stay still, stay awake.

It was cold.

This form had an unfortunate side effect of being extra drowsy int he cold, and if she kept bleeding like this she might slip into a mini coma. This was not good.

But it was fine, just relax. Breathe in, breathe out, ignore the pain, stay awake.

She let out a hoarse scream, sounding like she was underwater. She needed help, and this was such a bad idea. What if Damian didn't show up? He had a life after all, and he wasn't required to spend time with her.

But she wanted him too, and at the moment she needed his help.

"Ladybug?"

She whipped her head towards the noise, eyes focusing on Damian staring at her in partial shock as he rushed forward. She weakly traced letters into the ground as he approached and he glanced at her greeting.

'Little one.'

"Yes, I'm here. Let me see," He prompted her carefully. She clicked her mandibles at him, unfolding her wings to reveal her various injuries. He studied her before pulling out some bandages and alcohol, cleaning the wounds as she struggled not to hiss at the burning feeling. "Hold on, this is gonna hurt," She whimpered, tuning her other arms around her so she wouldn't accidentally swipe at him.

He snapped one of her arms back into the socket and she howled.

Fuck, defiantly gonna be more careful from now on.

She panted heavily as he finished slinging the limb into a makeshift sling. He checked her over once more, checking her armor as well. Finally, he settled back in the grass, at her height he was tiny compared to her. At least three feet shorter, so when she pulled his into an awkward, too-many-armed hug he was nearly completely hidden from view.

It was a strange experience for both of hm but especially for Damian. He awkwardly patted Ladybug's back, settling back in the grass with a small smile. He had always preferred animals to human company, but Ladybug felt like a strange middle ground. She seemed human, aside from not speaking English and her features. She did not judge, fear, or tiptoe around him as a human did. He wondered how she could write English, how she had befriended the Princess, how she had come to trust him so much.

He was brought out of his musing as Ladybug leaned back, her eyes were open, but the red pupils seemed larger, and Damian didn't know what that meant. "Are you hungry?"

She didn't reply, so he pulled out some bread he had brought with him, tearing it into a smaller piece. He stood, reaching up to hold the bread to her black mandibles. "Come on, how are you gonna get better if ya don't have energy?"

Ladybug suddenly turned her head toward him, eyes widening in realization. Her spots began to blow pink, shifting around her armored plates in giant quick spirals. The light became blinding as he threw himself back into the grass, and then the light was gone.

And sitting in front of him was not a monster, but a human. With expressive blue eyes that locked on his for a moment. "Suprise?"

And then she passed out, obviously drained, with her injuries very much present, if a little smaller. Heck, all of her was smaller.

She had to be nearly a full foot shorter than him, but still seemed to have the same power in her eyes as Ladybug for the while she had been awake. She seemed so peaceful, beautiful like an angel rather than the demon that the townsfolk had taken to calling Ladybug.

She had blue-black hair that tumbled to her shoulders, and she wore a magnificent grey and pink gown. Actually, how could she afford something like this-

Suddenly Damian connected the dots, how personal she took it when Adrien called her his soulmate, how she said the Princess did not wish to marry a stranger, how she knew English.

He stared down at Princess Marinette for a moment before slumping back in the grass.

Holy fuck.

Marinette groaned a bit, feeling rocks pressing uncomfortably into her neck.

Everything ached, and her arms stung a bit. She sat up, rolling her neck tenderly as she pried open her eyes. Across from her aways sat Damian, studying her carefully. She blinked in confusion before looking down at her arms and gown. "Oh," She whispered softly, not betraying the sudden pounding of her heart.

"Oh, indeed," Damian chuckled, pulling out some food from his pack and setting it between them. "Come eat, we have much to talk about I'm sure."

She nodded, reaching forward to eat as much as her nervous stomach would allow. "Thank you, I could not keep up the magic with my exhaustion," She said by way of explanation. He nodded in understanding as they finished.

"Why declare the challenge in the first place? Aside from the rightful pummeling of Asshole Agreste?"

She snorted a bit at that, before setting her expression again. She considered it a moment and relaxed her muscles. If he saw her as a giant monster with mandibles he could handle a snort or some rambling. "Mainly because my father needed me to at least pretend like I was accepting suitors," She admitted.

He nodded in understanding, both having discussed how ridiculous arranged marriages and the like were. Maybe some could live with it, but Marinette and Damian detested it as they both had trust issues. "I was impressed by the challenge, and now I see it was deeper then I had originally thought."

"I didn't want to be married, especially to a stranger. So I thought this would a good way to ensure I didn't have too," She played with her overskirt, twisting and smoothing out the fabric there as she refused to meet his eyes. "I was taught magic without permission so I would appreciate it if you didn't say anything by the way. I've never really been able to get to know anyone without any prejudices or agendas before, so being your friend was probably one of the best things to ever happen to me."

The silence in the meadow would be unbearable, but she knows that Damian is simply being patient as he waits for her to finish. "And I might have gained some feelings for you, but we've hardly been able to conversation too extensively so I get that you don't."

"Who says?" He asked finally, prompting her to glance up at him in question. "Yes, I do not wish to marry a stranger, and I can say I don't have romantic feelings for you at the moment. But I have grown to trust, respect, and care for you which is something I haven't managed with many others," He admitted plainly.

"I don't want to rush into anything one way or the other," Marinette admitted, tracing her hands over some new scars now. This would be wonderful to explain, she would have to wear long sleeves now.

"I agree, and I have a solution. Let's continue as we have been, only when we meet up you will transform back so we can talk and get to know each other better."

She looked up at him, relieved to finally have someone who helped her reach a solution rather than just ask for one or give one. It as not something she was accustomed to, except perhaps with Luka. "That sounds nice."

"I have to say I am impressed by your trick, and I cannot wait to get to know you, Princess."

She wrinkled her nose, reaching over to shove his shoulder playfully. " Don't you start calling me that when we're alone. Or I swear I'll beat you up."

He snorted in amusement, returning her playful glare with a smirk. "With what muscle, Biqiea?"

"Biqiea? And I'll have you know I am plenty strong."

"It means spot," He explained. "If anyone knows the translation they'll think I'm talking about your freckles."

She snorted, standing to dust off her dress. "Okay then, little one."

He scowled at the old nickname she had used for him as Ladybug. He stood to his full height to look down at her. " -Tt- You're the little one now, Biqiea."

So they met like that for a while longer. Sometimes she would hide a picnic basket in their spot before transforming. And while she did get hurt, she never got as hurt as she had that night. Adrien tried a dozen more times until she finally hit him into a tree so hard he couldn't leave the house on the account of a broken rib. His father had forbidden him from doing so again after that.

They talked for hours, about their pasts, their hopes, their dreams. It was relaxed, and there weren't many expectations set for either of them. They grew closer and closer until Marinette pecked him on the cheek after one night and he went home seeing stars.

He vowed to himself to one-up her and gave her a kiss on the nose, she had nearly taken the same hue as Ladybug for a moment. It was still comfortable, still happy, and still them. Nearly a month passed before Damian took the key from around her neck. He placed it around his own, tucking it under his shirt until he reached the castle.

The look on King Tom's face when he drew out the key, turning it into the box before the King, and taking out two small rings with black and red gemstones. Whispers had flown around the whole town, of the boy who had walked in so casually, without a scratch on him.

Did you hear that he is Bruce Wayne's blood son?"

I heard he was a warlock.

Did you know he had been missing for a month prior?

Have you heard that he was a mage?

"Damian Wayne, congratulations," Tom stated, still a bit in shock. Marinette had sat beside him that day, something she hadn't done in quite some time. Nobody noticed how she beamed at Damian, taking little care to hide it. "But I must ask, how did you defeat the monster?"

Damian smiled at him, standing tall with his hands clasped respectfully behind his back. "I befriended her so that she gave me the key willingly."

Nobody noticed how Damian called the dreaded and famed monster a female, only staring at him in shock. A guard dropped her spear for a moment, picking it up hastily. Tom just nodded, still shaking his head in shock. But he seemed pleased by the answer. "Then let me introduce Princess Marinette, your betrothed."

Damian stepped forward, eyes never leaving Marinette's. Many would say that they exchanged a loving look, while others said they sized each other up. King Tom, until his deathbed, would say that Damian gave Marinette a small wink that she returned.

He took her hand to slip on the beautiful ring. "Can't wait to get to know you, your highness."