A/N: So I got a quick idea about a ML AU where Adrien is some sort of Prince and Marinette comes to work at the castle. sailoryue from Tumblr helped me develop some of the ideas, so I decided to make a go at it. It was very late when I wrote this so I didn't proof read (do I ever?) or really look over it. I hope you guys enjoy this! Hopefully, if the feedback is good enough, I'll continue the story. Sorry again if the English is off; I try my best. Anyways, here 'tis. Any feedback is appreciated :D

He sat by his window, staring out onto the greenery around the castle, and sighed. This was his permanent view. The prince was condemned to stay within the walls, sometimes within the gates when his father was feeling nice, and imprisoned socially. He thirsted for human interaction that went beyond "Sire" and "my lords"; he wanted for someone to just talk to him as a normal person, with no status barrier standing between them. He sighed again, like that would ever happen.

His depressing trance was broken when he heard sudden whispering in the hallway. "This is the library. The prince spends quite an amount of time for who knows what reason… Pay attention! Dear heavens, you are aware that the only reason we are taking you on is because your father was hired to cook here correct?" The prince didn't hear a response, so he assumed whoever the woman was talking to had answered. "Yes. Well, you'll need a little more backbone and be a bit quicker in the mind. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes," a smaller feminine voice had said. Clearing her throat she continued, "Yes, of course. And thank you again for the opportunity. I know I'm not the best girl to take under your wing, but I will try my best. Yeah."

"Humph. Yes, well we'll see how well you hold up."

The prince could almost hear the young woman gulp, and smiled when he was imagining what that would look like. He tiptoed over to the library door and slowly opened it, hoping to see the two women speaking in the hallway. They were far away from his door now, and all he could perceive was a small, thin body, and black hair that reflected blue with the light. He would be on the lookout for that one in the future

Marinette let out a big sigh of relief when she entered the kitchen. The tour with the head maid Caroline was long and tiring, and she couldn't wait to get back to her father.

"So, how's the castle Marinette?" Her father's loud voice asked.

"Oh Papa. My brain hurts so badly from all that information she was cramming in there. Which passages you have to take at certain times of the day, how to address who… I don't even know anymore." She slouched against the wall.

"Would a pastry make you feel better, ma belle?" her mother walked in with a tray of croissants.

"Always, Maman," Marinette smiled and skipped over to her gift-bearing mother. She bit into the buttery goodness of professional baking. "Ah, yes. This is exactly what I needed." Her gastronomical enjoyment was cut short, when she heard quick footsteps running down the stairs.

"Marinette?" asked an older woman in a maid gown. "Marinette, we're getting the sheets off of Prince Adrien's bed. Caroline demands your presence there."

"Well go on Marinette. It's your first job, you better get going!" her mother ushered towards the other maid.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I go now- er – I'll be right there!" the young girl was almost tripping over herself to follow the older maid. Even though she was serious, Marinette couldn't help but be all over the place when she got nervous.

However, her nervousness dissipated as she approached the prince's room. Of course she feared encountering any of the nobles and royalty in the castle, but she knew that if the head maid had called her up, it meant that there was no chance of meeting anyone important.

"Good grief, Clara. How long does it take you to fetch the girl?" Caroline scolded. Clara puffed out some air and started stripping the pillows of their sheets. Although their exchange seemed harsh, Marinette could tell that there was an affectionate relationship between the two women. "Marinette! Grab that end."

Marinette did as she was told, but was surprised when she touched the sheets. The texture was absolutely magnificent: a silky smooth white that reflected somewhat in the light. She couldn't believe that someone actually slept in this material, especially when it was so hard to find on the market. What she would do to get her hands on materials like this to work with. But those days of stitching and sewing were over.

"Uh, Madame Caroline?" Marinette asked sheepishly.

"What is it?" she responded coldly, without even looking at her apprentice.

"Are we supposed to carry all of this," she pointed to the balls of sheets they had created. "To the washing room?"

"No, of course not. We put them in the baskets-" Caroline looked around. "You did bring the baskets up, didn't you?" Marinette gulped. "I swear to- Alright, I will go retrieve the baskets. You stay here and do not touch anything, do you understand?"

"Yes, Madame." She straightened her back as the older woman stomped out of the room. Clara had decided that she would already bring down some of the sheets, so Marinette found herself alone in the big bedroom.

She looked around the room: walls with rich colors and intricate designs, large paintings of landscapes, long thick curtains. Oh, the curtains. She walked towards the curtains. Do not touch anything, do you understand? Caroline's voice bounced around Marinette's brain. Oh, but it couldn't hurt to just feel the material, right? She reached out and felt the smoothness of the curtain. It was rougher than she had expected, but much stitching had gone into the patterns. She analyzed the choice of colors, amazed at how well red, green, and gold could melt together.

"Are you a fan of curtains?" a male voice asked.

Marinette quickly turned around with a squeak. "Oh, um, no. I mean, yes, in a certain way."

"You mean, a curtain way?" he smiled. She looked at him with her jaw dropped. He was handsome: blonde hair that was kind of messy around his face but parted neatly enough, a tall build, and beautiful green eyes. "Yeah, I should've kept that one to myself." He offered her another shy smile.

"Oh, uh, no. It was funny. Haha." She forced a giggle. "I, um, just wasn't expecting anyone. I mean, not that this is my room, or anything, just that Caroline told me that no one would be here when we're working. So I was kind of taken aback." She looked up at him. "Not by you, I mean. Just by anyone."

"Just anyone, huh?" he walked over to sit on the bed. "So what's your name?"

"Uh, Marinette. I started working here today. This was my first task actually. What about you?"

"Prince Adrien?!" Caroline suddenly shouted from the doorframe. Marinette's head shot back around to the boy.

Oh dear.