Marinette hurriedly ran errands in preparation for the big celebration that was being held that night. She collected berries and flowers, free from care or worry.

She was skipping joyfully down the path when she heard a soft groan coming from a clearing just a few feet ahead. She stopped abruptly and silenced herself, quickly hiding behind a tree.

Marinette peeked her head out from around the tree and looked into the clearing. To her surprise, Prince Adrien was sitting there, holding his head. Marinette gasped and ran up to him.

"Your Highness!" she exclaimed fretfully. The young Prince looked up at her in surprise and smiled.

Marinette knelt down besides him, but was careful to keep her distance. She knew it was frowned upon when a peasant touched royalty.

"What are you doing out here?" Marinette asked softly.

Adrien laughed and shook his head, rubbing a fresh wound on his arm. "Oh, just being an idiot I guess," he mumbled.

"I'll get the guards," Marinette said, standing up. But a strong hand held her back.

"No," Adrien said quickly. "Please don't."

Marinette raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised that Prince Adrien seemed so anxious. And by the fact that he actually touched her. "Why, Your Highness?"

"Because," Adrien said, sighing. He let go of Marinette's hand and placed his in the soft grass beside him. "I wanted to escape my duties. I was tired of feeling so manipulated and bossed around. I wanted a break."

Marinette gasped. "But, Your Highness-"

"Please, just call me Adrien," he replied quietly.

"Okay, Your-" Marinette caught herself. "Adrien."

Adrien winced in pain and then rubbed his wound which was growing worse by the second.

"I can take care of you," Marinette said. She then widened her eyes at her choice of words. "I-I mean, take care of your wound!"

Adrien laughed. "Thank you." Marinette tried helping him to his feet but Adrien insisted that he do it by himself.

Once Adrien was standing, he followed Marinette back to the village. She was unsure of how the other villagers would react to their new guest. Then a thought formed in Marinette's head. If they found out.

*

When the two arrived back at the village, everything seemed normal. Marinette glanced at Adrien frantically.

"You might want to... follow me quick," Marinette said quickly, hesitantly grabbing Adrien's hand. She led him to her cottage.

The two safely made it inside and Marinette sighed with relief.

Adrien looked shocked at the living conditions. "This is where you live?" he asked, glancing around the room.

"Yes," Marinette nodded embarrassingly, dropping her head. That's right. Adrien was used to royalty, not a trash dump.

"It's okay, I'm just surprised. I'd never imagine such a beautiful girl like you to live in conditions like this," Adrien replied quietly.

Marinette blushed at his comment but turned away so he couldn't see it. She gathered up her medical supplies and lay them out on a table.

Adrien pulled up a stool and sat on it. He rolled up his fancy embroidered sleeve and revealed a long, bloody wound. Marinette gasped at the severity.

"What did you do?" she asked in shock.

"I tripped over a bush and scraped my arm on a rock," Adrien replied sheepishly.

Marinette pulled out a cotton rag along with some medicine. She soaked the rag in the medicine. Then she glanced up at Adrien who stared fretfully at the rag.

"This might sting," Marinette warned.

"Go ahead," Adrien said, squeezing his eyes.

Marinette placed the medicated rag on the wound and could hear a slight sizzle. Adrien winced in pain, biting his lip.

Marinette lifted up the rag and the wound had already begun to look better. She placed the rag back on the wound to get rid of any last traces of bacteria.

When Marinette was done tending Adrien's wound, she sewed it up and wrapped it in a bandage. Adrien sighed with relief.

"Phew," he said. "That was the most pain I've ever experienced."

Marinette laughed at his comment. Pure royalty. Adrien got to his feet.

"Are you a doctor?" he asked Marinette curiously.

"Not at all," Marinette replied with a laugh. "It's just that everyone in the village knows how to clean wounds and sew them up. We have to do it often. Working usually comes with  a cut or two."

Adrien nodded. "Oh."

Marinette was cleaning up her workspace when a knock was heard on the door. She quickly glanced at Adrien and told him to hide.

Adrien looked shocked at first but then followed her instructions anyway. He frantically hid behind Marinette's worn out dresser.

Marinette recollected herself and then opened up the door. Alya was standing there.

"Girl, you got the berries and flowers right?" her friend asked.

Oh no. Marinette forgot the basket in the forest clearing!

"Uh, yeah," Marinette lied with a cheesy smile.

Alya sighed with relief. "Good. Because everyone is rushing to get their food for the party. It's good to know that at least you're prepared!"

"Right," Marinette nodded.

"See ya," Alya said before leaving. Marinette closed the door and shrieked in despair.

"I forgot my basket," she weeped.

Adrien left his hiding spot. "I heard your friend talking about a party. Could you tell me about it please?"

"Yeah--I mean, no," Marinette said quickly. She laughed. "It's not really a party."

Marinette assumed that if Adrien found out the village was throwing a party in celebration of the King leaving, he wouldn't be too happy.

Adrien raised an eyebrow, causing Marinette to sigh with defeat. "Okay, there's a party."

"Really? That's nice," Adrien said excitedly. He then cleared his throat and composed himself. "I mean, please proceed," he said in a serious tone.

Marinette laughed and crossed her arms. "You want to go, huh?"

Adrien dropped the calm act and nodded his head enthusiastically. "More than anything! Father has never allowed me to go to an actual party."

Marinette scratched the back of her head and laughed. "Well... okay. But we're gonna need to get you out of those clothes."

Adrien glanced down at his royal attire. It was dirt stained, but that was not the reason Marinette wanted him to change clothes. If anything, he looked super cute in it. But if Alya and the others found out that the Prince was taking refuge here, they'd be furious. Marinette smiled while Adrien gave her a confused look.

Marinette needed to give Prince Adrien a slight makeover.