Marinette sighs and taps her foot impatiently as she sits at her vanity table. She just wanted to get this over with. She didn't want a knight, dedicated to protect her. She knows that there have been a few assumed attempts of people taking her life, so she understands her parents' concern, but she also knows that they're overprotective of her. And it's not like she can't protect herself, although her parents don't know that… As far as they know, she is powerless.

They haven't been the only kingdom suffering though; she heard that king Gabriel has lost both his wife and son due to someone slipping in the castle and pretending to be a servant. The person has been caught, but the taken lives remain that: taken. King Gabriel has retreated himself in his castle and hasn't come out of it ever since, keeping contact with other kingdoms as minimal as possible. She heard that the knight that will personally protect her is from his kingdom, since she needed the protection more than he did and he wasn't afraid to die. What else did he have to live for without his family?

There is a knock on her door and she turns her head.

"Princess Marinette? Can I come in?"

She doesn't recognize the voice so she supposes it's her new knight.

She straightens out the wrinkles in her dress and scrapes her throat. "Come in."

The door opens and a knight in black armor steps in. Unlike most knights, his face isn't entirely covered. There is a mask draped over his face and little tufts of blond hair peek out on the sides that almost resemble animal ears. It makes her giggle softly and he eyes her curiously.

"Anything the matter, Princess?" Marinette swears she sees one corner of his mouth crooking upwards.

"N-Nothing," she stutters. "I-I mean, I'm Marinette." She stands up and bows in front of him. She gasps when he takes one of her hands and looks up to see him kissing her knuckles.

"A pleasure to meet you as well, Princess Marinette. I assume you have heard about me being here to protect you, given the current dangers your kingdom is undergoing. I want you to know that you have nothing to fear. I will be by your side at all times and will give my life if that means that you will be safe, of that you can be sure."

He hasn't let go of her hand yet and it makes her blush. He sees her reaction and he lets go instantly.

"I'm incredibly sorry. I should have asked first if I was allowed to touch you. How can you ever forgive me, Princess Marinette?"

She frowns. "That's okay. It's not like you did anything criminal."

"We knights are taught that we can't do anything without your permission."

"Well, that's dumb," she says flatly. "I know how everything works and all, but that's just… sad. You can do whatever you want. Don't you agree?"

"It doesn't matter what I think. I'm just here to protect and serve you. I hope I did not offend you, Princess Marinette." He bows down to her and she pulls him up by the shoulder almost immediately.

"First of all," she steps towards him and pokes him on the chest, "quit it with the formalities. If you're gonna be with me all the time, I want to be with a person I can talk to. Someone I can call a friend. So no more 'Princess Marinette', okay? Just Marinette. No bowing, no kissing hands, no more – I don't know - asking if I'm thirsty all the time? Whatever it is, just don't. I want to be treated as a regular person and I want you to feel like a regular person, too."

He smiles at her. "Okay, Marinette. I'll listen to your orders. However, I can't promise I'll stop treating you like the princess you are, since I'm still here to serve you. Are you all right with that?"

She smiles in return. "That's fine. Oh, by the way, can I know your name?"

He seems taken aback by her question, but then nods and bows. She rolls her eyes but lets him do his thing nonetheless. "My name is Sir Knight… Carbo. But you can call me Chat Noir."