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Chapter Text

A fabulous aquamarine sky was seen on that fateful day. Birds flew joyously in the air, matching the festivities that everyone was looking for. Whispers and rumors filled the crowd as they all either marched or rode in their carriages towards the Dupain Castle. 

On the inside, servants worked fiercely to make sure that not even a speck of dust could be seen even if you came up close while cooks in the kitchen ran in different directions, serving food, making food, decorating food, tasting food, just anything they had that matched their talents and their need to make everything absolutely perfect.

Maids dashed into rooms of the rich and stable to help them with their every need while they were there and butlers did the same. 

Bakers swiftly created their pastries for the big day that would be known to the guests. Bodyguards stomped around, keeping an eye on the people they were meant to protect or just socializing with another and getting ready to use any form of force possible if things went wrong. The florists in the castle, however, had a drastic perspective on the way things would be that day, they watered the flowers in their care and moved them into the correct spots to make everything seem livelier and smell better. Musicians got ready backstage in the ballroom, sights to wow the public were immense between the bands.

Everyone was welcomed. It was Sabine’s birthday, after all, and she always loved it when people of all kinds came to celebrate something together, no matter their backgrounds and such.

Speaking of Sabine, a very special friend of hers was waiting sneakily by the door to her bedroom so she could speak to her before they both went down for the birthday party.

When the door opened and Sabine’s lady maids made their way out of the room, all chatting happily about their escorts to the ball, though one noticed Sabine’s friend standing there.

Alice moved to stand beside her. “Her Majesty, the Queen is almost ready, Lady Emilie. You can go greet her if you wish, the festivities are still getting into order.” Alice bowed after she stated that and walked away to find her friends.

Emilie took that as a go and quietly crept into the bedroom to surprise her old friend.

Sabine was sitting in a chair right in front of a very elegant vanity and not looking at the mirror.

Yet she turned around and looked Emilie dead right in the eyes like she knew she had been there.

“It’s nice to see you again, Emilie.”

She giggled. “You too, Sabine.” Standing straight up, she walked toward the vanity to grab a brush to brush away any strand hairs from her locks.

“Happy Birthday, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,” she quietly sang as she brushed, making Sabine smile.

“Happy birthday to me,” A quiet sad whisper.

Emilie frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just…,” She paused. She wasn’t sure if Emilie would understand or not. Her son, Adrien, had just recently turned three year old and Sabine was happy for her but when she got the news, it only made her want her dream more.

Sabine waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Nothing, just nothing…”

Emilie noticed Sabine was suddenly quite uncomfortable with their conversation so she switched to other topics. Soon enough Sabine was ready for her huge day.

She watched as everyone danced in the ballroom, all with gorgeous outfits that were kindly provided all throughout the kingdom in celebration for this day, yet she stared gloomily at a group of children trying to copy the adults in the room but they all kept stepping on each other’s feet and some would even cry.

A certain child was also looking at the other kids with a sad look on his adorable face.

“Will you play with me?” Her head spun around to see a boy with light blonde hair staring at her with hopefulness. 

She blinked with surprise. Then her hand went up to signal towards the servant to come over. He noticed as she whispered something into the servant’s ear while her eyes stayed on him. He gulped. Was she telling the servant to find his mother to take him away? All he did was just ask a question.

When the servant pulled away with a skeptical look on their face, the woman with dark blue midnight hair still had her gray eyes trained on him. Soon enough the servant came back to whisper something into the woman’s ear before walking away towards another table.

Her pale hand held out to him, gesturing for him to take it. He placed his hand into hers and she stood up, pulling him along to wherever they were going.

Away from the bright ballroom and into a dark hallway, it moved to the left into another one then they walked to the right and stopped at some stairs.

“Do you like stories?” He looked up to see the woman with stormy gray eyes had asked him a question.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She softly smiled and squeezed his hand. “Call me Sabine, dear.” She moved forward to walk up the steps while holding his hand gently.

“Sabine?” She cocked her head in his direction while still walking. “Where are we going?”

“Tell me. Do you believe in dragons?”

She gazed down at his expression which was just confusion shown in full view like a cute kitten.

“I’ll take that as a maybe.” She chuckled softly as they neared the top of the stairs and to their destination. 

A soft light was lit at the top and grew bigger with each step they took up, soon enough when they reached the top he stood, mesmerized, at a long hallway filled with tall statues of women each looking forward at the wall in front of them.

Each one was different, different outfits, different weapons or no weapons at all, they all had something that was uniquely them.

They walked past all of them, Adrien noticed that on the statues that a different type of flower seemed to grow on them, a woman had roses decorated over her dress and tablet beneath her feet and another one seemed to have snowdrops in her hair that managed to miraculously stay alive despite the statues looking very old.

Each also had a different name on the tablet under their feet but Sabine paid no mind to that as she walked towards the end of the hall to something different…

Sabine said nothing. Merely glancing at each statue like there was nothing special about them, but if Adrien had to guess, Sabine had already been here multiple times and just wanted to show them to him.

“What are their names?” He asked as they passed by the fourteenth statue.

“Whispers of the past,” Sabine replied ominously while squeezing his hand a little bit tighter. 

He nodded as they continued, wondering why they were here, what was going on down at the ballroom.

He counted up to 30 in his head, his eyes stared at his feet that kept matching the same pace of the dress that Sabine was wearing. She noticed where he was looking and hummed a sweet tone to calm him down while they walked to the other side of the hall.

Soon she stopped, though. Adrien looked up when Sabine went silent and instead looked straight forward, prompting him also to stare. 

Stare he did and what he saw was burned forever in his memory. Right in front of them was a statue bigger than the rest, with her head held high and mighty, like she knew everyone was a little ant beneath her thumb. Every single flower that they had seen on the other statues was blooming bright everywhere on this particular woman.

Her dress flowed past the tablet into a deep scarlet color while any accessory on her other than her hair had a different color and a flower that matched that color while her hair was the same as everyone else’s and Sabine’s.

Midnight Blue.

“What’s her name?” It was so quiet that he almost didn’t even realize that he had asked the question that was in his mind. He turned towards Sabine to apologize since she obviously didn’t want to say the other’s names but Sabine’s answer surprised him.

 “Longmu. Mother of dragons.”

Chapter Text

Emilie ran in all directions, searching for Adrien in the gigantic crowd, wondering where on earth was her baby boy. He was only 3 years old, he couldn’t have gotten far and besides the last time she saw him was when he was sitting right next to Sabine like the good kid he was.

Unfortunately, both him and Sabine were missing. She had asked some servants where they both had gone and they said Her Majesty, the Queen had taken the child somewhere. 

But that somewhere had yet to be known.

Emilie huffed as once again she felt the crowd shift into dancing some more; it was almost like the universe was taunting her in her time of distress.

She was just about to go looking again in the kitchen when she caught the sight of a petite woman dancing and holding hands with a small boy. They swayed to the music happily like nothing was wrong.

Emilie rushed over and threw her arms around her son. “Adrien!” she cried as she squeezed him tight.

Adrien squeezed back then moved around in his mother’s arms to make her let him go. She reluctantly did, but not before grabbing his tiny hand and squeezing it tight. Adrien sighed and just had to deal with the fact his mother wouldn’t let go of him any time soon and turned towards Sabine who was watching them with amusement.

“Mother, I want you to meet Miss Sabine.” Emilie giggled as Sabine just had a grin on her face, they found it adorable that Adrien thought this was the first time they were meeting.

“Miss Sabine, meet my mother,”

Sabine stifled a giggle and held out a hand for Emilie. “It’s nice to meet you, Lady Emilie. Your son is a joy to be around and so cute too!” she gushed.

“I know. He takes after me and his father and I’m so happy that he was good around you.”

Sabine was about to say more when the brunt of Emilie’s words made her stop and freeze. She knew Emilie was saying that for jokes but at the same time Sabine’s desperation grew just a bit more, and the more she looked at Adrien the more she wanted it to come true more than ever.

Someone coughed behind them and Sabine jumped before turning around to see a servant holding a box of goods.

Sabine sighed in relief and grabbed the box before thanking the servant and sending him on his way.

“I’d like to give you this…” Sabine muttered as she handed the box over to Emilie.

Emilie gasped as she gazed at the intricate designs on the box. “I-I’m sorry,” She looked up at Sabine with a soft look. “I can’t accept this, I’m not your friend, Sabine, for gifts.”

Sabine smiled. “I knew you would say that, that’s why I’m going to burn all your dresses if you don’t accept this.”

Emilie’s eyes widened and she searched Sabine’s eyes to see if she was joking. Her friend was joking yet she could also see some determination in those sparkling eyes.

She gulped and gently took the box away from Sabine’s outstretched hands, temporarily letting go of Adrien who wasn’t paying attention.

“Thank you so much for the gift, Your Majesty.” Emilie thanked her as she held the box in one hand and wrapped her other hand around Adrien’s neck.

Sabine nodded and turned away to talk to the other guests.

She huffed as she looked upon the endless pile of gifts stacked in front of her. Some had ribbons on them in multiple colors while others were just bags. They were set on top of her small table in their bedroom. While she was tasked with opening her birthday gifts, Tom was leisurely sitting on the bed behind her, reading while sneaking glances at her and giggling.

He was making it very hard to not throw a gift at his face.

“People really have a lot to give…” she murmured as her hands grabbed a box with a ribbon and shook it.

She could hear a hard object banging against the material but she placed it back down and reached another one.

Tom chuckled at her behavior. “Do you want anything, my dear?”

She shook her head as a soft jingle was heard in her ear. “What I want can’t be given through a gift.” She replied wistfully as her eyes drooped and the gift was placed gently back on the ground.

Tom quickly placed the book aside and made his way off the bed towards his wife. 

“Sabine, it’s okay, we will get our child and they will be the best thing in the whole world.” He placed his big hands and her shoulders and squeezed lightly.

She smiled softly and placed her right small hand on the big one that took hold of her whole shoulder.

“We will,” she repeated in a whisper.

He took a step back, taking his warmth with him as she slowly brought her hand back down. “Now,” he groaned as he stretched his back. “Time for bed.” He walked back towards the bed expecting Sabine to follow when he glanced over his shoulder to see his wife still kneeling on the floor. 

“Sabine?”

“I think I would like to open more of my gifts. I shouldn’t leave them to be put aside.”

Tom sighed and went back to bed, glancing every now and then at his wife who was still shaking gifts close to her ear.

After a while he decided to just go to bed and hope she’ll be okay tomorrow.

Sabine sighed at Tom’s loud snoring, she appreciated him trying to help her but she just felt like everything was her fault and would do anything to change it.

Her thoughts occupied her so much that she jumped when her hand brushed against a cold piece of paper.

She looked down to see the paper that she had touched and gasped. A little paper slip sat there with intricate swirling designs of dark colors but the words got her attention the most.

Want all your dreams to come true? Miracles, prophecies and wishes become real when you visit Ms.Sancoeur in the Butterfly Forest. 

The best Witch in all the land.

Sabine was skeptical at first, after all witches were not to be trusted at all but her desire whispered just a little louder and clearer and she just had to try it out.

It was almost like Fate was calling towards her to meet the witch.

Or warning her of things to come…

Chapter Text

Sabine jumped when the carriage rocked a bit too hard for her taste. It was a very bumpy ride that only made her nerves jump up and down and around her insides.

Or maybe that was her lunch.

She was already anxious at the fact that she had requested that her husband not send any guards along with her to protect her when she said she was going somewhere. He had reluctantly agreed after a long agreement but Sabine was sure that if she had specified where she was going then his answer would have been a hard no.

And if her fears outweighed her determination then her answer would have also been no; but it wasn’t.

She clinged more to the soft cushions underneath her and smooth her dress, she had chosen something to fit a noble, much less a peasant.

Humongous trees flew by the closed window, the greenery moving at lightning speed yet the more they flew by, the more dark they became.

She placed her hand on the window and sighed. Her heart lay heavy in fear, anticipation and some other feeling that she couldn’t place.

But then why did it feel so sad, so broken, calling her like-

The carriage abruptly stopped, she gasped and quickly brought her hand back to reveal a dark forest. The man at the reins jumped down and patted the horses in congratulations for running through the endless forest. He seemed calm but every now and then he would glance behind him and look around.

Sabine waited patiently as he walked over to the doorway and opened it with a bow. 

“Her Majesty, the Queen can go do the business she has been required to do-” He glances behind his back “-here, of all places.” He visibly gulped as he took a step backwards to hold the queen’s hand gently as she made her way out of the carriage. 

“Don’t worry, I know the horrors of the butterfly forest, I’ll be careful in this place,” Sabine commented as she pushed the gravel underneath her foot away from her.

“I’ll be here though,” he promised as he got back in front and nodded at her.

She nodded back and started to make her way into the forest. She felt small, tiny even compared to roots around her. Her boots scrunched down on healthy and dying leaves as she continued the path she hoped would lead her to the witch’s house. 

After an hour of searching, however, she huffed and puffed as she sat down on a rock to rest for a bit. 

An hour of searching and she got nothing in return, Sabine sighed tiredly as she opened her sack and started to eat the food that the maids had prepared for her, as her mouth slowly chewed her eyes tiredly blinked slowly and she leaned forward.

She needed a nap and she knew it herself but Sabine was determined to find the witch and ask her for her help.

Unfortunately though her body disagreed and she began to slowly become more tired as the seconds passed by.

Eventually Sabine’s stormy gray eyes shut closed and she began to lightly snore.

Footsteps echoed around her as a long figure appeared right next to her and gazed for a bit.

“Look what we have here, another victim for Nathalie~”

Whispers. Rumors. Are they true or are they false?

“How are rumors created, Mother?” her daughter asked as she moved her legs back and forth.

Sabine smiled as she glanced back to the story they were reading, it was a sweet story that taught valuable lessons that could be helpful later in life.

Sure, it had a little spooky theme going on but it was a special book.

The Akuma and the fool, it was called.

Sabine was just about to read out loud the scene of where the foolish human realized their grave mistake as the akuma took on its true form and was about to steal their soul when she herself realized.

She didn’t have a daughter. 

She glanced at the girl who sat on the bed, her soft smile had now turned into a demonic smirk as her head suddenly split into two and her eyes bulged out and spurted out blood everywhere. Her arms stretched out and multiplied into many bony limbs. Her mouth suddenly grew three sets of teeth.

Sabine gasped and crawled backwards in fear as the monstrosity began to crawl forwards towards her and chant its question again.

“How are rumors created, Mother? How are rumors created, Mother? How are rumors created, Mother? How are rumors created, Mother? How are rumors created, Mother? How are rumors created, Mother?” it questioned as it devoured her whole.

Sabine gasped as she snapped awake from her nightmare, her eyes bloodshot from the monstrosity that her head was somehow able to create. But she couldn’t help it when she sighed as she also remembered the little girl with the soft smile and a similar resemblance to her.

She was so busy getting her thoughts all sorted out from that dream that she almost didn’t notice the hand that was perched on her shoulder.

Almost.

She took a deep breath then immediately got off the rock to see who dared to put their hands on her while she was sleeping. A man that looked about two years older than her and wore noble clothes and sat on another rock looked at her with calmness while she looked at him with fear but it seemed he wasn’t surprised at that.

“Good afternoon, Madame. May I ask what brings you to Butterfly Forest?”

Sabine shook her head as she kept her eyes on him in case he tried to do anything.

He nodded in response and looked away to bring out a pocket watch from his pocket.

On the back it said in cursive words, the name ‘Gabriel.’

“It seems the sun will soon set. Do you have any transportation?” he asked with a glance in her direction.

Sabine’s eyes grew wide as she looked up at the sky. Just how long has she been asleep? 

She groaned as she tiredly rubbed her hands over her face. No doubt that Tom was probably freaking out at this moment if the driver had gone back to the kingdom to say that she hadn’t returned; it would have been worse if the driver was still there waiting for her.

Sabine gulped as she moved her hands from her face as she looked again at the stranger. “Do you perhaps have any idea where I can find a witch by the name of Nathalie?”

The man just raised an eyebrow. Sabine sighed, she was just about to turn around to go back to the carriage when he talked in a cold tune. “What could you possibly want to do with Nathalie?”

She frowned and crossed her hands over her chest . “I wanted to see if she could help me with something, but it’s okay if you won’t take me to her.”

He shook his head as he got off the rock he was sitting on and dusted himself off. “No, it wouldn’t be a hassle. I’ll take you to her then escort you back to where you came from.” He held his left bicep to her to take.

Sabine smiled and wrapped her arms around his arm and let him take the lead.

The walk was something. The man barely said a word and Sabine didn’t want to make him uncomfortable so she also barely said a word.

But if Sabine had thought the forest at daytime was a little nerve wracking then the forest at night could scare Tom.

All sorts of glowing butterflies flapped all around them and settled on flowers, watching them. It was like the butterflies were curious about who was in their forest, but Sabine noticed that whenever a butterfly flew near Gabriel, they’d only land on him for a moment or two before swiftly flapping away, like they were scared of him.

That thought made a dreadful feeling grow in her stomach but Sabine pushed it away. Was she really about to believe in Butterflies being scared of him? He could have done anything to her while she was asleep and for that she was thankful but it didn’t settle the uneasiness that she didn’t know where he came from.

She turned her head towards him as they walked down a rocky path. “Where are you from, if I may ask?”

He nodded and politely looked at her while still walking. “I come from a town not far from here. I’m friends with Nathalie so I sometimes come here if I’m free for the next few days”

Sabine bobbed her head a bit in agreement and let the silence take over again like a little cloud above their heads.

After a while he stopped and let his arm fall out of Sabine’s grasp, she put her arms at her side and looked forward to see a cottage in the middle of the clearing.

The man walked forward towards the house, Sabine following when a woman walked out of the bushes with a basket under their arm.

“Gabriel? Is that you?” she asked as she reached up to push her glasses slightly back up her nose.

Gabriel nodded and glanced down to kick some dirt away from him. “Yes, it’s me. I found a client of yours in the forest and brought her to you.”

Nathalie raised an eyebrow at him before noticing the petite woman beside him. “Oh!” She quickly moved over to her and dropped her basket on the ground, smoothing her dress as she stood up and curtsied in greeting. “Hello there, I’m Nathalie Sancoeur, I’m a witch, so I can help with anything you need.” Something flashed briefly in Nathalie’s eyes as she continued. “At a price, of course.”

Sabine nodded as she too curtsied and straightened her back when she stood back up. “Thank you. Sadly I came to see you and talk to you, but it became late all of a sudden, and I have to go back home now, but if I came back next week, would that be okay?”

Nathalie tilted her head as she thought it over, I mean it wasn’t like she was going anywhere anyway. She tilted her back and smiled. “Sure thing.”

Gabriel cleared his throat and they both turned to him. He bobbed his head in Sabine’s direction and Nathalie nodded and bent back down to retrieve her basket. “Gabriel can take you back,” she mentioned when she stood back up and started walking towards her house.

Gabriel started walking and Sabine once again followed, she felt someone watching her tough and glanced back at Nathalie. The witch was watching her from her doorway with a blank stare.

Sabine raised her hand to wave at her and she waved back with a cold smile before slamming the door.

Sabine flinched at the gesture before continuing to follow Gabriel, who hadn’t noticed the whole thing.

Or just pretended to not notice the whole thing.

The next week Sabine came back, but with Tom and a group of soldiers this time. She insisted that she could handle herself around the witch but Tom wanted to come regardless.

She rolled her eyes and pushed once again against his chest as he held her in his arms, walking down the path she and Gabriel had taken. She had never really told Tom about Gabriel but thought it wasn’t relevant.

He walked into the clearing and looked at the cottage with a skeptical look before looking back at his gorgeous wife. “Are you sure that we’ve reached the bottom so badly that we need to consult a witch?”

Sabine rolled her eyes and huffed. “Of course, Tom, what other option is there for us?” Her eyes glazed over as she felt tears all over again. “We’ve tried everything.” She shook her head.

Tom was just about to comfort her when he saw the brief glance of mischief in her stormy gray sneaky eyes.

“Seriously?” He narrowed his eyes on her.

Sabine giggled. “It was worth the shot.” 

“Are you two close?”

They both shot up to see a tall dark blue-haired woman in a dress and thin rimmed glasses looking at them with a cold expression.

Tom gasped and dropped Sabine onto the grass. She screamed in protest and Tom glanced at the witch with a sheepish look before bending down to pick up his wife.

Sabine huffed as Tom gently placed her back on her feet to face Nathalie and gave an apologetic smile before curtsying to greet her.

“I’m so sorry about that,” she apologized and sent an annoyed glance at Tom. “My husband  decided that he also wanted to come along,”

“And there’s also some guards waiting at the edge of the forest,” Tom warned the witch in case she tried to do anything.

Nathalie hummed as she thought everything over before nodding her head in the direction of her house.

Sabine and Tom followed her into the cottage. It was nice and felt cozy everywhere you looked, there only seemed to be a few colors, though, but it somehow looked good. Herbs and spices were hung on the walls with their different scents to make the place smell nice and Nathalie examined them as she took them down a hallway that had hanging beads for a doorway.

They made a clicking sound as they passed through them into a dark room that was dimly lit by several red glowing flickering candles. They seemed to burn more when Nathalie walked in.

She pointed to a comfy little area that had a soft dark blue fluffy rug and a small wooden table. A deck of cards sat lonely near the edge of the table. 

Sabine and Tom walked over and sat down on their knees as they waited for Nathalie. Tom took this time to look around and gulped as he could see nothing except for the candles and the table.

He turned his head to look at a strangely calm Sabine. “My love, are we sure that we want this?” he asked as he intertwined their hands together to get her to look at him.

She nodded. “I’m sure. Nathalie seems nice and can help us, and even if she can’t help us, then we tried and we’ll find another way.”

Tom was about to say more when Nathalie emerged from the darkness with a new dark red dress. Her lips were no longer a pale pink and now a dark red to match the solo streak of blood in her bangs. 

She seemed to appear much colder and held a freezing aura as she walked over to the other side of the table, opposite of Sabine and Tom. She kneeled down gently and smoothed her dress before turning her cold gaze back to her clients.

“Is there anything that you want that you couldn’t get anywhere else? So rare that you, the king and queen of the miraculous kingdom, couldn’t even obtain it?” She spoke calmly but coldly with narrowed eyes.

Tom froze with his throat stuck while Sabine cleared her throat to at least gain back the ability to speak.

“Yes, there is something that me and Tom have wanted for a long time now but Fate has sadly never been kind to us even after all we’ve done.” Sabine stopped. Nathalie nodded for her to continue.

“We want a child.”

A single blink was all Sabine got before the witch stood up to move back into the darkness that surrounded the room.

Tom wrapped his arms around Sabine when she started shaking and whispered soothing words into her ear to calm her down. 

“Good news.” They both looked up to see Nathalie holding a book. “I can help you.”

A choked cough came out of Sabine as she collapsed onto Tom, sobbing. Tears also filled Tom’s eyes but he held them in front of the stranger. “Thank you.” He whispered.

Nathalie nodded before a shadow loomed over her face. “I’ll need something in return though.”

Sabine bobbed her head against Tom’s chest and he agreed as he nodded at the witch. 

A sigh came out of Nathalie as she sat down and explained what they had to do. 

“A witch?” Emilie’s eyes widened as Sabine finished explaining everything. 

“Yeah, apparently she can help us.” She reached for her cup of teaming tea on the small table and took a small sip.

Emilie lowered her head as she played with her fingers. “But are you sure this is what you want to do?”

Sabine sighed as she looked to the right at the ceiling to floor glass paned window, “Even I’m not sure as well. I want a family so much but I’m surprised I’m even willing to go this far.”

Emilie was staying for three days until she had to go back home with Adrien. Sabine appreciated it though, it was nice to talk to her.

“The deal?”

She looked back at Emilie, who was frowning.

“It’s nothing serious.”

Emilie shook her head. “No, don’t tell me that, it’s obviously something important if you’re not telling me what it is.”

Sabine blinked. She should have expected this; Emilie was her best friend, of course she would find out about the deal sooner or later.

“My soul or the soul of my child.”

Chapter Text

Butterfly soul. The blessing of the kwami and…

The miracle box.

Sabine sighed, what had she gotten herself into…

All of these things were legends, rumors, things that shouldn’t exist, yet Nathalie insisted they did.

It kind of reminded her of the nightmare she had the other night.

Giggles filled the air as she walked down the hall. The satin velvet rug made her feel like she was floating as she walked. A thick full fog surrounded her, yet she knew where she was going and what she was doing.

She was walking down a hallway of doom.

Sabine lifted her foot to once again take a step when she heard a clear giggle in front of her. She looked up to see the same girl from before looking at her and twirling around with her feet as she kept her eyes trained on her. Sabine knew that the girl in front was a monster in disguise but her foot ignored her mind's warnings and placed itself right down on the rug.

The girl grinned. “You’ve chosen your path. Take this as a warning or a prophecy.” She closed her eyes and two objects appeared right next to her head: A feather and a ladybug. “One will ensure your doom; yet another will continue your legacy. Your soul will not be lost to your greed but to something bigger.” She opened her eyes and Sabine gasped at the left eye which was black and the right eye which was blue. “Don’t follow the butterfly.” Her voice became a marbled mess as cracks appeared in the walls and Sabine fell tumbling down into darkness.

Her hands grabbed at the comforters and quickly pulled them away from her freezing self, her breath was sliced and hard to conquer as she sat up and just stared at her sweaty hands. Tom’s loud snoring made her jump then giggle before she turned around and wrapped her arms around him, quickly going back to a peaceful sleep.

“Butterfly soul?” The old man at the shrine muttered in confusion as he touched and twirled his long mustache in thought.

Sabine nodded. She knew Fu would have a Butterfly soul as it was quite rare and a legend because of the tragic story behind it. 

Fu blinked once before his eyes narrowed. “Why would Her Highness concern herself with a mere legend?”

A hard gulp got stuck in her throat at his question. She could either tell him the truth or just create a lie. 

Sometimes the truth was more tempting than a sugary lie.

“I went to a witch.” She watched as Fu’s eyes widened but didn’t say anything. “She promised me a child in order for a few ingredients and my soul.”

She lowered her head to not look at Fu if he started the same words that everyone else was saying, ‘Is it really worth it?’

“You must be very determined.” Sabine gasped and her head shot up to see a smiling Fu standing up.

“You’re not going to-“

“No. I’m very sure multiple people have tried to talk you out of this, yet you’ve come to me. Why should I have you go away after all that?”

Her heart pounded in happiness. Fu was always there if you needed him.

“I keep some in a special place.” Fu spoke in his soothing calm voice as he walked down the stairs towards his living quarters. He entered the lively room full of greenery and made his way to the back of the room that had a bookshelf that towered from floor to ceiling with boundless leaps of knowledge that she was not sure that Fu actually read. 

He sorted through his books until he came to the B section and pressed down softly on a book that had the cover of three purple butterflies.

The shelf gave a grunt before moving on its own sideways and revealing a small area that had a small wooden table with multiple bags full of something.

Fu reached for a single bag and gave it to Sabine. “Give this to the witch. If she wants more then she’s a scam. No more than one bag of Butterfly soul is needed for a spell this powerful.”

She nodded and ignored the fact that Fu knew this. She quickly thanked him and made her way out of the shrine and back into the carriage.

Fu watched her walk out of the room and walked back out of the closet and watched it close.

Sabine was on a dark path, but Fu had a feeling that she would come on top.

He would help her after all.

Three weeks. Multiple nightmares and it all came down to this. The same little girl had been in every one of them and in every one of them she had managed to trick Sabine before devouring her and causing her to wake up.

Tom and everybody else who cared was getting worried about her, but Sabine twisted her words and calmed them all down.

It had taken a while but she had managed to find where the Kwamii lived. Surprisingly the legends were true: Miracle Forest really did exist.

And here she stood with Emilie who had insisted that she join her on her mission to find them.

Whether they were willing to come out was not something they could tell.

Emilie huffed as she stepped into a puddle of tough, murky mud that clinged to her boot even when she lifted her foot.

“Why would the Kwamii live here of all places?” She asked as Sabine managed to worm her way through the moss in front of them.

“I don’t know. Miracle Forest is a bit more dense than I imagined,” she mumbled.

They traversed more into the forest before coming into a clearing that glowed with bright sunlight that wasn’t blocked by the tall trees.

“Nothing…” Sabine spoke as she looked around.

“You know, I’m liking this adventure of ours.” Sabine raised an eyebrow at Emilie, who had decided to lie down.

“Really?”

She nodded. “Things…,” She hesitated as she thought about her life back at home. “Are hectic.”

“Is it bad?” Sabine came to sit down right next to her friend.

“Everything’s fine.” Emilie’s eyes widened as she rushed to explain. “Just Adrien, my husband, and my duties.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What?” Emilie turned to look at her friend who looked down at her knees with a dark shadow over her eyes.

“You were only coming on this trip because you were worried, weren't you?” A soft, shaky whisper.

“No!” Emilie cried as she got on her knees to shake her friend out of it.

“I assure you, Lady Emilie. I’m fine.” She spoke in a harsh tune as she grabbed her friend's hand and shoved it away.

Emilie froze and blinked. Sabine never called her that. 

She then sat back on the ground and didn’t talk.

“Sorry.”

She looked again at Sabine to see that she was close to tears. Emilie nodded. “It’s okay. The pressure of giving away your soul or your child’s would stress anybody out. I love Adrien but I’m not sure that I would give away either mine or his.”

They both sat in the grass before Sabine remembered something and spoke again. “You brought the food, right?”

Emilie smiled. “Of course,” She turned around to get it when they both heard rustling coming from the bushes. 

They both glanced at each other before Sabine brought the dagger she kept on her every time she went on a trip. Emilie immediately ran behind her and watched as Sabine slowly crept towards the bush that was continuing to shake and rustle.

She dove forward and shoved the bush open. Revealing…

Nothing.

Sabine breathed a sigh of relief as she placed her dagger back and walked back to Emilie while still keeping her eye on the bush.

“Everything’s okay.”

“I know.” Sabine raised an eyebrow at Emilie’s voice that spoke awe in different levels.

“What are you-“ She froze at the sight.

There in the clearing room were little human-like animal creatures that were eating the sandwiches and other foods the servants and cooks had prepared.

A black cat wearing a green tunic sat down at the grass eating a piece of watermelon and complaining at its animal counterparts,

“No cheese!” it screamed and cried as it grumpily ate the watermelon.

“Oh, be quiet, the humans are generous to share their food, Plagg. See, they are not even attacking us.” A ladybug with a dress pointed at Sabine and Emilie, causing the other animals to look at them with food in their hands as they waited for the humans next move.

Sabine quickly rushed past Emilie and kneeled down in front of them. “Oh great Kwamii, which of you gods is known as Tikki, the goddess of luck?”

The ladybug walked over and smiled. “That would be me, Queen Sabine.”

Sabine gasped as Tikki held to her a piece of watermelon. Sabine took it and began to chew as Emilie also came over to talk with the little gods.

“Goddess Tikki, I made a deal with a witch in order to obtain something I have wanted for a long time now.”

Tikki frowned. “This something wouldn’t be a child, would it?” Her antenna twitched. 

“Yes, it is.”

Tikki sighed and her frown grew deeper, she glanced at Emilie before coming closer to Sabine. “We don’t always get everything we want, Your Highness,” she whispered.

“I know but please, I have been begging for so long and I know that I am unable to bear one due to my family’s blood.”

Tikki’s clear ocean blue eyes narrowed at the queen before her. “Then why do you keep trying?”

“Because even if I can’t have a child, I can still find a way to have one nevertheless. Aren’t you the goddess of creation and luck? Why are you trying to stop me from creating a new life?” Sabine’s stormy gray eyes clashed with Tikki’s in a stare contest.

Amusement sparkled in Tikki’s eyes as she pondered Sabine’s words. “Don’t try to play that card on me. Too many people have used it and I have a remark anyway.” She cleared her throat before continuing. “This isn’t the natural way. Who knows, if this spell works, what will your baby come out looking like? Spells don’t always have the desired result.”

Sabine nodded. “I know. I learned how to read, but I’m willing to take the risk anyway because I’ll love my child no matter what.”

Tikki’s eyes widened. She hadn’t seen this much determination since the humans sent them away and didn’t need them as companions anymore. It was quite unsettling and refreshing.

“You have it.”

Sabine blinked out of her determination and her eyes became confused. “What?”

“You wouldn’t be able to see us if you didn’t have it.”

Sabine smiled and bowed her head at Tikki in respect and was about to get Emilie so they could go when Tikki grabbed her leg. 

She looked down to see the goddess looking sheepishly at the grass below them.

“I was wondering if Your Highness would let me and my family stay with her?” She peered back up with pleading eyes.

Sabine smiled and reached down to pet her head. “Of course your family can stay, and if you like, Sabine is okay.”

Tikki’s eyes practically glowed as she spun around to call her fellow Kwamii who had taken to hug Emilie. 

They quickly helped clean up and followed Sabine and Emilie out to the forest. Sabine and Emilie quickly noticed though that on their trip back home the forest seemed less dense.

As it turns out, having the Kwamii was a lot better than expected.

They helped around the castle and didn’t demand much for their needs (most of them, anyway) and were pleasant little gods.

Sabine was sitting on her golden throne two days after the trip with newborn happiness as her smile made everyone smile back and walk away with flowers blooming in their hearts.

She waved as two men and a woman with issues about their farm walked away with a healthy solution, though when the next person came in she froze.

Fu walked in with calm soft footsteps that shook Sabine to her core as he came closer. He stopped right in front of the throne and bowed down with his right hand placed over his heart.

Sabine cleared her throat as Fu greeted her with a calm voice. “What issue do you have, Fu?” She almost couldn't believe it.

She couldn’t believe that Fu had an actual issue. The man was the calmest person that she had ever met, if he had an issue then the world was probably ending.

A mischievous smile appeared on his face as Fu’s small eyes sparkled with amusement.

“I would like to help you.” 

Sabine narrowed her eyes at him. Was he joking? He had already helped enough, what else did the old magic user have up his torn green sleeves.

“What are you hiding?” She whispered.

“Something you need for a special project,” he replied with a slithering tone.

Sabine nodded and Fu understood. He bowed again then walked away with only a glance back before the big doors closed behind him.

“What else are you hiding?” a voice asked behind him as he calmly meditated on the mat as the smell of flowers floated around the room as smoke. It swirled around slowly around Fu like he was in another world but it quickly disappeared when he slightly turned around to glance at Sabine before quickly grabbing the cover for the small box that was creating the smoke. He quietly put it in before getting up from his knees.

“I heard that you still haven’t found the miracle box.” She couldn’t see his face but could hear his smile. It was weird how he avoided the question.

“Yes, sadly.” She sighed and smoothed her skirts.

“What if I told you it’s been here all along.” He raised his arms to point out the room and Sabine stared around.

“The miracle box?” She slowly asked as she looked again at Fu who had put his arms at his sides and was looking at her with a side glance.

“Your Majesty can’t see what I’m trying to say?” He replied with a question.

Sabine huffed at his insistence to continue the conversation like this and not tell her what he was trying to imply.

It wasn’t like he had it this whole time and-

He had this whole time didn’t he?

“Why?”

“You know of my origins.” He finally turned around to address her. “You know that my family and I used to protect an entire temple to keep magic alive. Secrets are secrets, Your Majesty, and sometimes some don’t have to be known if they’re not important.”

Sabine frowned. “But I came to you before.”

Fu smirked. “You came for the Butterfly soul, not the miracle box.” He put one arm behind his back and raised his other arm to wiggle his finger at her.

Sabine blinked, unamused at him, before bursting into laughter. She could admit that he had played her.

Fu nodded then walked away to retrieve the box, leaving Sabine to herself.

She smiled and sat down to wait when a giggle was heard behind her. She became alert and quickly looked around her to see if anyone was in the room.

But there was no one. 

Sabine let out a sigh of relief. She still hadn’t told anyone about her nightmares that had mysteriously disappeared after the Kwamii arrived.

For the first time in a while, Sabine asked herself.

Had she gone on the wrong path?

Chapter Text

Once again she walked through Butterfly forest, this time however she was not scared of coming here as she was before. She knew Nathalie would help her and to hopefully make things better Tom also came along again to help his wife if the spell went even a sliver wrong.

They once again walked down the path that took them to Nathalie’s house but Sabine noticed that no butterflies seemed to be present.

She shrugged it off because she didn't know where the newfound interest for butterflies came from.

Finally the cottage came into view and they both stood in front of it with their lips pursed but their bodies shaking. 

“This is it,” Tom whispered in anticipation. 

“This is it,” Sabine mumbled with numbness.

Sabine felt…weird. She had gone through something a normal person wouldn’t ever do even if they wanted a child but she did it anyway, but then why did she not even feel the happiness that she had longed for even when she didn’t know she had a way to create a child.

But, Sabine quickly placed a warm smile on her face at the thought that after this a little one would be in their arms and a happily ever after would ensue.

Nathalie sprinkled Butterfly soul as she walked around the couple that had done everything she asked for. 

Tom squeezed Sabine’s hand as the witch continued to sprinkle the dust in a circle around them. 

After she finished, Nathalie sat in front of them and grabbed the Miracle box that she placed down right beside her and held it as she closed her eyes.

“I call upon Tikki, Goddess and Kwami of Creation, I call upon Plagg, God and Kwami of Destruction.”

She repeated each Kwamii’s name and title as the room grew darker and darker. The several candles scattered around the room each glowed with a different color for each Kwami.

“I call upon Duusu, God and Kwami of emotion.”

A dark feeling came upon Sabine yet a feeling of joy filled her heart.

“I call upon Daizzi, God and Kwami of jubilation.”

The room suddenly felt lighter despite the dark feeling that Sabine felt before. She suspected that Nathalie was calling upon these specific Kwami to calm her down.

Soon Nathalie had finished calling on all the Kwami and several different colors sparked and flickered as darkness consumed the room.

“Here we come to make a great wish come true.” Gray smoke swirled around them. Sabine gazed at it moving like a snake while Nathalie chanted the rest of the spell.

“A new life form will be born tonight under the god’s watchful gaze.”

She was stuck in a trance. Tom had already closed his eyes and squeezed her hand but she barely noticed. The snake had trapped her.

It moved its slimy body to flow above Nathalie and take on a different form.

One Sabine recognized instantly. The little girl.

Sabine quickly opened her mouth to alert Tom and Nathalie but any sound that came out vanished the moment it was released.

“I, Nathalie Sancoeur, request that my spell help these people in need.”

DON’T FINISH THE SPELL

“Nooroo, dark wings rise.” 

With that millions, thousands, multiple butterflies appeared out of nowhere as the little girl cackled. 

“Be careful what you wish for!” she shouted as she lunged for Sabine who screamed at the top of her lungs as the butterflies enveloped her in a cocoon.

Her vision went dark instantly.

She needs…

DON’T WORRY, WE CAN HELP!

Please, help her…

Mo…

Mother

Sabine’s eyes shot open at someone calling her mother, only to see Tikki walk into the room while shaking her hands everywhere. She looked up to gaze at Sabine and her eyes became both amused and annoyed.

“You’re finally awake.” She simply smiled and sat in the chair right beside the bed Sabine lay in.

Sabine was just about to ask what happened when the words suddenly disappeared and she collapsed back into the pillows with more exhaustion than she had ever experienced.

“You should get some rest, you did birth thirteen babies after all.” Tikki commented at her state and waited as Sabine pulled the covers more over her.

She weakly nodded and closed her eyes to go back to sleep when Tikki giggled.

“Don’t you want to see them?”

Sabine tiredly opened her heavy eyes to see Tikki struggling to keep her laughter in.

“Who?”

Tikki laughed and raised an eyebrow. “The children you still have to name.”

With that Sabine realized what words had come out of Tikki’s mouth and gasped. And at that moment the door opened to let the rest of Kwamii carry thirteen sleeping babies and lay them in front of Sabine to let her see them.

“Oldest to youngest, aside from the three over there,” Tikki mumbled joylessly at the three babies the Kwamii had set aside from the others.

Sabine didn’t hear what Tikki said and tears dripped down from her face as she struggled to keep herself from crying and alerting the Kwamii.

She quickly turned towards Tikki and whispered, “Thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”

Tikki smiled and waved her off then paused to look at the Kwamii who were also happy at what happened. “Thank you, Your Majesty. If it hadn’t been for you then me and my family would still be living in that endless forest, stuck there forever.” She glanced at the queen and grinned before making her way towards the doorway.

“We’ll leave you to name them,” she spoke as they left her alone with her children.

Sabine stared at the doorway, only to look back down and see the first baby looking at her with shimmering sky blue eyes. The baby held out her little hands to hold the woman in front.

Sabine reached down and pulled the little one into a hug. She had already seen the eyes of her eldest child. Blue, just like the little girl in her nightmares.

Yet less frightening.

Adrien peeked his head into the room to see it was empty,

Almost empty.

He left his hiding spot in the doorway to come closer to the bed and investigate the strange sounds coming from the cradle that held the monster.

A very scary monster.

Scared out of his mind, he thought about leaving and not returning but his mother had told him that he had to at least meet one of Sabine’s new baby children.

Why did she have to go and give birth to so many, though?

He suddenly bolted when more gurgling from the monster was heard louder like it had realized that someone was there and was trying to communicate.

Adrien swiftly turned around to take a deep breath. He got this, he could do this. He could face his fears.

With that he spinned his face to the cradle that held the monster and quickly grabbed the handles so that he could look down at it.

What he saw wasn’t what he imagined a monster to be though. The little thing in the cradle was laying down looking right back at him with eyes that reminded him of a clear blue sky every time Mother allowed him to play outside and Father wasn’t there to say no.

He had been quite busy these past few days because Mother had decided to just spend a few more days with Sabine. There were reasons for this but they quickly left his mind as he explored the castle without Sabine’s help this time.

Would this thing cause Sabine to also become busy?

Emeralds to Sapphire.

Ocean to land.

Human to Monster.

The thought startled him and it seemed it noticed because it giggled and held up its hands for him to hold.

He didn’t move though, wondering what a monster like it could do if he didn’t fall for its trap. Soon it huffed and closed its eyes.

He blinked. Boring. Wasn’t something like it supposed to grow fangs of some sort?

He sighed, resigned.

He turned to move towards the door. When he was near he reached for the handle and was about to turn it when giggling was heard behind him.

Wasn’t it supposed to be asleep?

He turned around only to see shimmering blue eyes staring right at him above the handles. Against his better judgment, he walked closer to see what gave it the power of being able to float.

When he got close enough, he could see little tiny wings flapping effortlessly while the monster cooed at him.

He giggled. The monster was actually kind of cute.

Suddenly It slowly floated back down to the softness of the cradle and held its hands out for him again.

This time he relented and handed over his hand, reaching over to pat the little monster's head before placing his hand in its own. The monster looked straight at his hand before looking at him before promptly placing his hand into its mouth, or rather half of his hand.

He laughed and it gave a muffled giggle.

The monster wasn’t so bad after all.

Adrien beamed at his fears from before, That was for nothing. This baby couldn’t hurt him and it didn’t deserve to be called a monster.

No matter what the people in the castle said behind the queen’s back.

He was just about to gently pull his hand out of the baby’s mouth. She would eventually get bored and he wanted to see the other babies as well.

She, unfortunately, had other plans.

She chomped down on Adrien’s hand, causing him to scream. Apparently she had fangs all along but they were tiny and he couldn’t see them before. But he could feel their sharpness as they pierced his skin and ripped it apart.

At that moment Adrien probably could have thought a bit more clearly but all that he could think of was getting away from this monster. He yanked his hand back, skin tearing off and hanging from the baby monster’s fangs but Adrien didn’t care.

He held his bleeding hand and immediately ran to find his mother while the monster giggled and clapped at his fear as he ran out of her room.

She then rolled to her side and closed her eyes again, chewing slowly on the yummy thing in her mouth.

Chapter Text

Gabriel slammed his hands down on the wooden table. Splinters shooting everywhere but he didn’t care. He only cared about the deal.

“What do you mean she refused!?” He spat at his sentimonster, Nathalie’s face while she sat calmly before him.

“She refused. A letter came in just a few days ago, announcing the arrival of not one but thirteen babies. Three shortly died after birth but ten still remain,” she explained automatically. No lies could ever cross her mouth or Gabriel would snap her out of existence.

“What about the Butterfly soul? The Kwamii’s blessing? THE MIRACLE BOX!?” Each word grew louder and louder in his desperation to have the knowledge that the items he had been seeking for so long were still in his grasp.

Nathalie swallowed hard as she had no doubt that he would take his fury out on her. “King Tom took the miracle box because he had thought I had hurt his wife when she passed out. Sabine still has the Kwamii’s blessing but,” She glanced down at the burnt Butterfly soul that had become useless once the spell was completed.

Yet she was glad none would come back into this scammer’s hands.

Gabriel Agreste was a lost cause. He had created her only to get people to agree to outrageous deals that could only be completed through legends and rumors. Most wouldn’t even do their part of the deal and would be soon turned into butterflies that wandered Butterfly Forest. 

He had been searching for a specific object that was required every time Nathalie made a deal with someone. 

The miracle box.

With it he could complete his collection of earning all the miraculous and be able to overthrow any king or queen and empire that dared get in his way of ultimate power. Nathalie was only a pawn that didn’t want to be created.

Death was what she wanted the most. Not this.

Gabriel snapped his fingers and Nathalie shook her head, “All gone, sir.”

Silence. That was only until he got up and walked into the back room that was hidden by darkness, no other person other than her and Gabriel could navigate the cloak he had put on this room.

He soon reappeared however with the same dusty old book that she always used to cast spells or work on her magic yet he went immediately to the parts of the book even she didn’t want anything to do with.

The Curses section.

Nathalie gulped, “Can’t we just turn them into Butterflies?” Sure it was still cruel but at least no physical harm other than transforming would come over them.

Gabriel froze, then blinked before flipping the pages. “Their deal is already completed. They brought the items and you completed the spell,” The room grew darker and colder as he sent a cold glare her way.

“And it worked.”

Nathalie didn’t move. Soon Gabriel placed the book down and told her to go. 

She swiftly left him and went into her living room. It was a small space with bookshelves on the walls. A marble table with decorations stood in the middle and wind softly blew from the open window.

Fresh calm air.

Something glowed on her table and she bent down to pick it up. 

The letter greeted her with its fine print.

Dear Nathalie Sancoeur,

We're so happy to be able to have children on our own and it's all thanks to you. Sabine thanks you with all her heart and so do I.

Payment will be arriving soon to your doorstep and it will be plentiful for your troubles.

Again we thank you, Nathalie.

From, Tom, Sabine, Empress, Firefly, Ember, Starlight, Wither, Briar, Waterlily, Azurine, Dawn, and Gaia.

P.S: Destiny, Sparkle and Louve would be joyful to thank you too if they were still with us.

The extra names, as she suspected as she read again, were names they had given to their children.

Even the three that died after birth.

Tears fell down Nathalie’s face. She hated the fact Gabriel had given her emotions, She hated the fact she had given a kind queen and king their only wish only to take it away because of some mad man.

Before long Nathalie already had her cloak on and her most important spells hidden in a book she would send off to the Dupain Castle.

After that, She was running away.

She knew it was cowardice to do what she was about to do but she had long accepted the fact she was always a coward made to do someone else’s dirty work.

Gabriel would indeed snap her of existence once he found out so she left no note. She also doubted Gabriel could just snap even if he wasn’t anywhere close to her.

This time she would not watch another’s life get taken away.

Sabine sat on her throne, holding Waterlily close to her chest as the small girl slept.

Tom sat beside her on his with a giddy look and smile on his face as he looked around at the empty space that would soon become the thrones for their daughters.

“Tom, calm down. They’re already busy with the girl’s bedrooms. They’ll do the thrones when they’re ready.” She spoke as Tom motioned to hold Waterlily.

“I know, but they’ll want their big shiny thrones when they’re older, won’t you Lily?” He cooed to the baby who giggled in response.

Emilie then came out of a hallway with Adrien holding her hand. As they got in front of the throne, Adrien bowed along with his mother but made sure to secretly glare at the baby in Tom’s hands.

“Thank you so much for the stay, Your Majesty,” Emilie said after the greeting. “It’s been a pleasure to spend time with Your Royal Grace.”

Sabine nodded and smiled, “You too as well, Lady Emilie.” She leaned forward and Emilie curtsied again. Then she held Adrien’s hands to go to the carriage that was waiting to take them home.

As Sabine watched Emilie walk out of the grand hall, she happily sighed.

Everything was now perfect.

Emilie gently pushed Adrien forward into the moonlit garden as she held the glowing candle in her other hand. He stepped onto the stone paved path that led to the rose part of the garden.

Roses bloomed with delicate charming colors. Yellow clashed with the romantic red, Pink settled down with gloomy black, and they walked past the red with yellow tips on them as they tried to blend in with their amorous partners.

His mouth stayed open as she came to a stop right at a sparse corner that only had draping vines.

“What flowers do you think they should grow here, Darling?” She asked as she let go of her son’s back and pushed his chin up to close his mouth.

“I don’t know,” he commented as he leaned sideways towards his mother and fingered with her nightgown.

Emilie hummed as she slowly swept her fingers through his hair, “I'm thinking something green.”

He nodded.

The cool breeze brought a sense of chill over Adrien and he decided to look around while still clinging to his mother’s warmth. As his gaze moved all around he noticed a strange purple glowing butterfly flying around a bush full of White Chrysanthemums.

Curious as to what the butterfly looked like up close, he quickly left his mother’s side to check. When he got close enough, the butterfly landed on a singular leaf and put its wings down to rest.

It looked like it was waiting for something, Adrien wondered as he gently held his finger above its wings, giving the butterfly a chance to fly away.

When it didn’t he got more curious. He slowly moved his finger down to feel what its wings would feel like.

That was a mistake he would later regret.

The moment his finger brushed against the butterfly, his mind darkened and his thoughts became filled with grief, sadness and insanity. He immediately shot his hand away and the thoughts dispersed, though he could still feel them under the surface.

Tears came to his eyes and he was about to go run to his mother when he heard her scream. He quickly turned only to freeze.

His mother was rapidly turning into a statue, Tears fell out of his eyes and he ran forward to wrap his arms around her, hoping that it would stop her from turning.

With no such luck her skin still continued to become stone. Yet even as she felt her heart becoming still forever and she could barely see with tears in her eyes, she wrapped her own arms around her son and held him in her last moments.

When Gabriel ran out he froze with the guards at what he saw. A blubbering Adrien on the ground crying and a statue of Emilie.

Never to move again.

Greedy or Power Hungry some would say if they knew of what he had done.

But all he could think about was the words clever and genius as he glanced at the Statue in the garden.

At first the spell was only supposed to kill or turn those in the Miraculous kingdom or harm them so severely they couldn’t bother to live on anymore.

But that changed. Gabriel had a thought.

If he could just kill everyone in the Miraculous kingdom without a single thought then surely he could kill everyone in the other neighboring kingdoms so no one would stand a chance.

A wicked grin stretched on his face as he thought about it again, the giddiness and excitement roaring through his blood so much,

He didn’t even consider the fact he had killed his own wife.

Sabine could tell something was wrong.

Before her own eyes her people seemed to be getting less lively and energetic and slower. Their eyes drooped and the sparkles she once saw shine dimmed into plain rocks.

Even the children seemed out of sorts.

Except hers though.

Azurine had discovered that if she used a bit of her powers under her wings then that could make her go faster, much to the displeasure of everyone else.

Tikki was right. Her babies were not human but Sabine still loved them the same.

However when suddenly people started to turn into statues around the kingdom or deathly ill, Sabine knew she had to take matters into her own hands.

That was what she was going to do as she waited for her carriage to arrive at the castle when the mailman came walking over to her. 

“Your Majesty,” He called and bowed when she noticed him. “I have a gift for Her Royal Highness,” He spoke and held out an old brown book with crisp white pages and notes sticking out.

Sabine merely raised an eyebrow and moved to hold the book. It didn’t look familiar.

“Who is it from?” She asked the mailman.

“A Nathalie Sancoeur, My Queen,” He replied then bowed again before walking away to deliver more things.

Sabine gasped and almost dropped the book. The carriage then arrived and Sabine quickly got on. 

“To Butterfly Forest, please,”

If what Nathalie had said in her letter in the book was true then everyone in the world was in danger of Gabriel Agreste.

She hurried through the forest, trees still looming over but her feet blurred them as she ran.

Butterflies noticed her and flew after her, flapping along with her frenzied movements as she hurried to Nathalie’s hopefully abandoned cottage.

The fact they were so many of them settled even deeper dread in Sabine as she ran as fast as she could.

Eventually she reached the clearing and froze at the part where the forest stopped for grass to have sunlight.

She gasped and covered her mouth to not let bile spill all over.

The little girl from her nightmares flew around like everything was ordinary. 

The girl looked up to see Sabine. “She’s long gone and he’s destroyed everything and brought the things he needs to his home.”

She couldn’t believe it. 

“I told you you would die from something other than your greed, you’ll die from someone else’s.”

Sabine shook her head, desperation filling her thoughts as she remembered fully what the girl had said. 

“But you said a ladybug will continue my legacy.” It was obvious that Nathalie was the feather and Gabriel the butterfly but what about the ladybug?

The girl grinned. “She will, even when you’re gone, she will ensure that everything you've worked for will continue to stand.”

Sabine let out a deep sigh, this girl wouldn’t tell who it was but at least she would continue where Sabine had failed.

“What’s your name?” Sabine asked as she smoothed her dress, about to leave.

“Cosmic.” Cosmic gave a great big smile as she twirled around in the air. 

“Thank you Cosmic, for everything you’ve done.”

Cosmic didn’t reply. Only to watch as Sabine made her way out of the forest, the butterflies flying after her.

But once she was sure Sabine was long gone, she whispered, “Thank you for giving birth to me,

Mother.”

Tikki growled as she burned the letter in her hands with her eyes. The letter quickly turned into dust as the Kwamii stood away from her. Not wanting to prompt her anger even more.

Plagg had already done enough damage by not saying goodbye and running away.

Where to? They didn’t know. All they knew was that Plagg was a traitor for leaving his family in their time of distress.

People in the kingdom were ripping each other apart, their anger at their loved ones making them turn on their friends and turn into statues themselves after winning or losing the fight.

Sabine had tried to calm her people but soon she too fell deathly ill while Tom had been turned into a statue and destroyed by his own servants.

Sabine coughed into her fist while holding Empress close to her chest. The girl didn’t need her people dying when she was merely a few months old.

Yet she grew faster than they realized.

Sabine glanced down to see Empress trying to read out aloud to her mother, to hopefully soften the process as she had discovered that people who didn’t control their emotions and attacked were quicker to either dying or turning into a statue.

It hurt Sabine’s heart when Empress paused at a scene where the young little girl in the story ran back home and into the loving warm arms of her mother and father.

She lifted her weak hand to scratch Empress’s head. She fell asleep in a matter of minutes after that.

Sabine realized though, if this was what her last moments were going to be like then she shouldn’t waste them in bed.

She should show them that even after she’s gone, they’ll still have a legacy to protect.

They walked down the long hallway, each holding the hands of her sister as their mother led them along.

Waterlily softly cooed as Firefly tried to explain to her what was going on, even though she didn’t know herself.

Starlight gave a great big smile while Ember stood mighty, trying to mimic her mother.

While everyone else barely knew what was going on and where she was taking them, Empress knew all of it. She had felt it was only right to explore the castle she called home and found the hallway of statues bigger than the ones that surrounded the castle. Dark magic didn’t radiate from them, instead Empress felt longing to be exactly like these statues.

Do something great in life for her whole body to be sculpted and placed high to judge others as they walked.

Yet even the ambitious Empress knew she could never be what the last statue had become.

Sabine stopped and her daughters slowly walked to her side to see her.

Their ancestor towered above them and Sabine bowed down. They followed swiftly with Gaia almost falling on her face as she bowed.

When they stood forward though, Briar gasped at the roses sprouting from her skin.

Multiple different flowers bloomed out of their flesh, each one revealing the personality of each and every one of them.

Though as Empress gazed around, fascinated with the scene around her, she turned to her mother and all breath was lost.

Every single flower that bloomed from them was growing out of their own mother and they all stopped to see the glowing flowers.

She smiled softly at their curiosity and kneeled down. Then she held her arms out for them and they all ran forward to hug her. Flowers appearing left and right and making them seemed like they were one big flower bush.

One big beautiful flower bush.

A large smile graced Wither’s lips as she looked up to her mother. Only to see light leaving out of those stormy gray eyes.

It dawned on Wither exactly what they were here for. She clenched her teeth as her hands formed a fist,

Tears formed in her eyes as she took several steps back, alerting her sisters as they suddenly paid more attention to Sabine.

Then they realized as well. Briar held out her hand for Wither to come back and she reluctantly did so. They squeezed tighter as Sabine’s body rapidly grew colder by each leaving second yet she did not turn into a statue.

A soft whisper was heard in all their ears as Wither felt Sabine’s last breath. “I love you all.”

No.

No.

Too late.

Sabine’s body suddenly felt heavy as they pushed her into the wall while Firefly went to go get Tikki.

Rain poured down on them as Sabine’s body, still blooming with flowers, was buried into the ground. Dirt flying as Xuppu and Sass worked quietly while everyone else was silent. The rain was a beautiful melody, one she was honored to treasure as the last pile of earth was shoved into the ground.

The rain making the ground stick together and get wet everywhere. Waterlily loved the rain as well, yet she couldn’t think about anything other than the lone white chrysanthemum as it pushed its way out of the ground and drank from the rain’s pity.

One by One they all left. Dawn was the last to leave as she sat in front of the flower and watched it, yet never made a move to touch it.

Empress sat on the throne. It was her throne considering she was the oldest and both her mother and father were dead but she didn’t want to make it hers.

She merely sat and stared at the doorway that once had a door but was quickly destroyed.

She merely sat and didn’t move, even as she felt Tikki appear right beside her.

She merely sat and didn’t move as she twisted her wrist then turned to Tikki.

“What does it take to be exactly like my mother?” She asked as determination blazed in her sky blue eyes.

“Be yourself darling,” Tikki replied with a blank tone. “Your mother wouldn’t like it if you chose to be like her.”

Empress huffed and looked away.

“Then what does it take to be a queen?”

A soft smile slowly bloomed on Tikki as she walked in front of Empress and held her hands in a gentle manner. “Learn to protect and care for those you love.”

Empress slowly blinked before a small smile wiggled itself onto her face and she got up.

Tikki watched as she walked towards the doorway with clenched fists and a destiny bright. She moved towards the palace entrance, one by one, her sisters joining her.

When she reached it however, she looked behind her and grabbed Firefly and Ember’s hands. Firefly let out a soft gasp before reaching for Waterlily, Ember reached for Starlight. One by one they all held hands as they looked at the broken kingdom before them.

Yet none of them felt broken. Instead they knew what they had to do.

They had to find the person who caused this and make sure they were brought to justice.

For their mother, for their father, for everyone that took care of them or had a part in creating them.

It was only to these people that they were able to be the way they were.

The way they were meant to be.

Miraculous Dragons.

Not only did Moshea do an amazing job of creating the scene of Sabine's death but she also created amazing character designs for out little dragons, once again thank you to Sunny and Moshea and thank you reader for reading this fic and loving just as much as I did, Have the biggest cookie ever 🍪 :)