How are you feeling?" Marinette asked Adrien.

"Fine." He said. "Thanks for saving me from being hunted."

"You're welcome it's the least I could do." She said. "Ah what a beautiful day. After a lifetime of misery I'm finally free."

"Lifetime of misery right." Adrien chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Look Princess I'm sure you lived a pretty difficult life but don't exaggerate."

"I beg your pardon you don't know how rough I had it."

"What? In that cushy tower?"

"Cushy?! Are you kidding? I had nothing in that tower except an old bed, a hot plate, a chamber pot, and a book shelf. My only contact with the outside world was a small window. Trying spending your entire childhood trapped in one room."

"Try spending it running from angry mobs every five minutes. Everywhere I went people would scream and run then send a mob with torches and pitchforks after me. A seven year old boy who only wanted to play a game of catch with the village kids."

"Oh yeah? Imagine being a seven year old girl picking flowers in the palace gardens when out of no where some witch snatches you up, takes you away from your parents, and locks you in a tower. I stayed there for fourteen years my only hope were the fairy tale books I read. Every night I would pray that one day a prince would rescue me and bring me back to my family like in the story books only to spend another day trapped."

"Hmmm...I never thought of it like that. So you're life went downhill when you turned seven too huh? Join the club."

"What happened to you?"

"My mother died when I was a little and my father abandoned me right after my seventh birthday."

"You mean he just left you?"

"Not even a goodbye. He just took me into the woods somewhere then took off."

"I'm sorry. You know we really shouldn't fight so much because I think we have a lot more in common than we realize."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Hey wait a minute I just now realized it's awfully quiet. Where's Plagg?"

"Plagg! Plagg! What happened to him?"

"Up here!" Plagg called from up a tree.

"Plagg what are you doing up there?!" Adrien called.

"Looking for food! I'm starving!"

"Get down from here this instant!"

"You aren't my pa!"

"Alright then we'll just leave you!"

Plagg quickly jumped down.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

As the three of them continued through the woods til they reached a creek. Adrien chopped down a tree to use as a bridge with his claws. He insisted that Marinette walk across first then he and Plagg followed. Later they walked into a field filled with wild flowers. Adrien weaved a few into a crown for her while she weaved one out of vines. They wore them for awhile until Marinette started a playful game of tag. They chased each other around the field for hours until they got tired and decided to go on unaware that their crowns had fallen off and landed onto a large stone touching each other forever.

"Well there it is." Adrien said pointing toward Theo's castle. "Just a few more miles."

"Gosh it's awfully big." She said.

"I'll say." Plagg said. "Well we better get going."

"I suppose except. Well I'm...I'm not ready."

"What do you mean?" Adrien asked.

"Well I'm tired and hungry. Maybe we should rest for tonight?"

"Good idea and I know just thing we can have for dinner. Roasted rat and for dessert aphids ala mode."

"Ow gross!" Plagg scoffed.

"Cool." Marinette said. "I'll get the firewood."

They found an old abandoned mill to rest at and soon they had a good fire going. Adrien caught a couple of rats and aphids which he prepared dinner with.

"This is really good." Marinette said with a mouthful of rat meat. "Very good. Hard to believe it's rat because it tastes just like chicken."

"Finally someone who likes my cooking. Care for dessert?"

"Sure."

She basically licked her plate clean when it was time to eat dessert.

"You really like aphids." He said.

"Yes. They're very sweet. But I guess I'll be dining a little differently tomorrow night."

"Maybe you can come visit me some time?"

"I'd like that."

"Would you believe me if I said you're the best princess I've ever met?"

"No. Not really."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not exactly the picture etiquette and grace."

"So? You're a lot better than those stuck up princesses."

"You're the first person to say that. I wish other people saw me the way you did."

"What do you mean?"

"It's...It's complicated.

"If you don't mind me asking, are you sure you really want to marry Lord Theo? I mean you hardly know the guy."

"He's my true love."

"How do you know that?"

"Because...Because...I can't explain it. I just know that he's my true love. He has to be."

Adrien gazed at the young woman looking down at her hands. Her eyes held shame and disappointment, like she was ashamed of herself. Why? What did she have to be ashamed of? She's beautiful, wait! Why did he think that? Since when did he care about women? Never! They were all mean to him but Marinette...she was different. She was kind and good. What was happening to him?

"Um Marinette?"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering...Are you...Are you gonna eat that?" He asked referring to her half eaten rat.

"Sure." She said.

She handed him it and he popped it into his mouth. She put her hand down and his landed on hers. They blushed and smiled only to have the moment interrupted.

"Hey what's up?" Plagg asked. "Do you have any cheese? Food is harder to find at night and it's already sunset."

"Sunset!" Marinette gasped. "Oh no! It's late! Really late! I need some sleep."

"Now?" Adrien asked suspiciously. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I'm just exhausted." She went to the mill and looked back smiling at him. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Adrien said.

Plagg looked at the young hybrid smugly. "Oh now I see what's going on here."

"What are you talking about?" Adrien asked.

"Hey don't lie to me kid. I'm an animal and I got instincts. You two like each other."

"You're crazy. I'm just bringing her back to that loser Theo."

"Maybe but I smell hormones picking up. Kid why don't you just tell her how you feel?"

"There's nothing to tell. Besides even if I did- I mean I'm not saying I do cause I don't. She's a princess, a human and I'm-"

"A creature?"

"Yeah. Why would she even want me? Not that I care!"

Adrien wondered off into the woods to get more firewood but he quickly forgot about it when he spotted a rose bush.