"They told me to love him, and I did. But not in the way that they wanted."

— Forbidden Love

CHAPTER SEVEN

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

The next morning, Marinette was awoken by the sound of birds chirping loudly on the sill of her bedroom window. The sudden thought of her suddenly being alone in the house struck her mind, and at that, she quickly sat upright in a heartbeat– all tiredness gone in an instant.

Krissy was in her second to last year of schooling, which meant she had left long ago. Emily was only in her second year, so she too had gone to school. Aunt was most likely at the market. And Elizabeth? Well, Elizabeth had probably gone out with her lady friends in attempt to catch a man's attention.

Which meant Marinette was alone.

Feeling giddy, Marinette let her feet dangle over the side of the bed before she stood up. Her joyous mood died, however, the moment she heard voices downstairs. Aunt's voice to be exact.

So much for being alone.

Marinette groaned. As much as she despised walking over to her wardrobe to slip on her dress, she knew once she got this over with, Aunt wouldn't bother her for the rest of the day and she then she would be able to do whatever she pleased.

Slowly, Marinette trudged her way down the staircase until the front doors came to view. She turned the corner groggily, and made her way towards the kitchen where her aunt would most likely be enjoying her morning biscuit.

Instead, she found her aunt enjoying her morning biscuit with a guest. A man to be exact.

"Glad to see you are awake," Aunt just had to make a comment. Shifting a little from where she sat to get a better look at her niece, she smiled in Marinette's direction– which the woman never did. It made Marinette feel extremely awkward. "We were just talking about you."

That was always bad news. If Aunt had a man in the same room with her and they were currently talking about Marinette, it meant only one thing. He was either interested or she was trying to bribe him into marriage.

"Whatever it is, I have got no time for it." Marinette said as she stepped fully into the kitchen. The ravenette didn't hesitate to step past the two and prepare her own breakfast, regardless of how many glares Aunt decided to shoot her way. "I have a whole day of work ahead of me. I have no time for pointless interjections."

Instead of getting upset (like Marinette would've predicted), Aunt let out a small laugh, almost a giggle to be precise. "What work? You do nothing around here girl."

That had Marinette halt in her place, and she dared to turn around sharply on her heel and make eye contact with her aunt. How dare she. How dare that woman even have the audacity!Marinette did most of the cooking, cleaning, sewing, and even did the laundry! Marinette was even more responsible in the manor than her eldest sister, Elizabeth, was!

"Nothing? Just listening to you run your mouth all day is enough work as it is!"

"Now, you listen to me you slimy, pigheaded, want to be, know it all—"

"I hate to interrupt you ladies," the man suddenly interjected, and Marinette's hard glare soon turned to him. "But I am afraid I did not come here to listen to you two bicker."

That had Aunt shutting her trap in an instant.

"I apologize greatly for my behavior, sir," her aunt practically glared daggers at her while she apologized sweetly to the man. Two-faced indeed. Once her eye contact is back on him, Aunt gestured him to her niece. "This is my niece, Marinette. The second oldest."

Marinette rolled her eyes as the man stood to his feet and made his way over to her. In one swift motion, he had taken her hand into his own and had planted a soft kiss to the back of it. "It is a pleasure to meet you miss Marinette. I am Sir Nathaniel Logharth."

Marinette cringed at the mention of his last name. What a terrible combination: her first with his last. Awful. What a disgrace. Never in a million years would she marry such a buffoon.

She pulled her hand out of his grasp before he could say any more. "Ah... well, I suppose it was... eventful... meeting you too. But, I must be off now—"

"Now, I do not think so," Aunt stepped in front of her niece before Marinette could even think of escaping out the front door. "Sir Nathaniel is here to see you. Leaving would be extremely rude—"

"It is perfectly alright with me," Nathaniel interrupted Aunt again, and for once in her life, Marinette had never met a man who was brave enough to do it. "Let her go, madam. I am sure we will have plenty of other times to have tea."

At that, Aunt was at loss for words. Before she could even think of something to respond with, Sir Nathaniel had already turned his attention back on Marinette. "I suppose I shall see you again some day, Marinette." He then bowed and tips his hat. "Until then, farewell to you and good day."

Marinette stared at him in utter bewilderment, honestly at loss for words, as he flashed her one last smile whilst heading towards the front doors. Both aunt and niece watched shockingly as he politely escorted himself out without another word.

When he finally did leave, Aunt shot another glare towards her niece. "What was that young lady? I find a man who is willing to see you and you send him away?!"

"Is that what you do when you go to the markets? Shop for men instead of food?"

"Do not try to change the subject!"

Marinette shrugged and turned to flash her aunt a grin. "He did offer to leave."

Her aunt grumbled something underneath her breath, probably something that involved nasty words about her niece. "You have a lot of nerve, girl. Sir Nathaniel will not be patient enough to play your games, I tell you."

"What games?" Marinette tilted her head to the side, batting her eyes innocently. "I think Sir Nathaniel was a wise choice, Aunt. For once, you picked a man who respects me."

Aunt gaped at her niece in disbelief, and Marinette couldn't help but giggle at the sight. "Now I will be off," Marinette said, stepping past her aunt with her own breakfast bagel as she headed back upstairs to her room. "To... school, of course."

That was a lie, obviously. But she knew Aunt wouldn't question it.

Once she was back behind the save haven of her bedroom door, Marinette quickly locked it, and prayed silently to the gods above that her aunt wouldn't feel inclined to come upstairs to try and open it.

Marinette quickly began to change. Removing the dress she despised so much, she slipped on her trousers and coat. Once checking herself in the mirror, Marinette had the urge to suddenly smile at the thought of her aunt catching her wearing such clothes.

Her aunt would blow a fuse.

Once dressed appropriately, Marinette ran towards her open window, glad that her rope of hideous dresses was still dangling down the side of their manor unnoticed. Making sure her arrowhead was stashed away in her pocket safely, the young woman descended carefully down the rope of dresses once again.

When her feet touched the grass, Marinette had never felt happier. With one last glance at the rope of dangling dresses, Marinette began to dash towards the woods hidden behind her home.

She needed to get over that wall again, and she wanted to see that cat-man again.

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