[IC] Glass Shoes [GranoxFirewind/LalaKitty]

[Lala Kitty]

Synopsis:
Prince Marken discovers the woman he fawned over at his royal ball, Cinderella, was actually a spy named Ellanor, sent to gather intelligence on his kingdom & captures her with an offer. If she pretends to be his wife until the end of the war between their countries, he will let her free & they will never speak again. The two try to deny the genuine attraction between themselves, but when Marken's mother has an attempt on her life, & Ella's king abandons her, the two finally set aside their difference & begin to fight together for each other & their warring kingdoms.

---

Always walk like your shoes are made of glass.

Ellanor remembered this lesson well from ever since she was a child, when her lock-picking instructor taught her how to effectively steal information from a high-security building. These words were always gospel to her, saving her life on countless occasions. Quiet, quick feet assured an easy job, which she was sure tonight would be as well- as soon as she gave this bothersome prince the shake.

But so far, Prince Marken Caitiff of the Rhal kingdom wouldn't leave her sight for more than a few moments, dancing and conversing with only her. She knew the man was using this ball to find a bride of low-birth, probably to curry favor from his subjects that were about to be pitted against another country in war, so he should be meeting with more women and flirting more pathetic-looking members of society.

Ellanor tried not telling Marken her name, being as vague as possible, and lying about having a happy-go-lucky childhood to throw him off, but he was persistent. If he wasn't so damned attentive, she'd swear he'd realized she was here to steal his secrets. But time was running out, and soon her patience was wearing thin. If she didn't get the information tonight, her own people would be at a great disadvantage.

"My prince, I do believe I am monopolizing your time," Ellanor told Marken softly as midnight began to draw near, the two in the midst of yet another dance, "I really shouldn't keep you from the rest of your guests any longer."

[GranoxFirewind]

Marken hadn't been pleased at the beginning, when he was first told of the ball. Of course, a party in itself was fun to attend, the finest foods provided for the royal family, not to mention the vintage wines. However, the purpose of the ball was the thing that ruined it for him. The damn war that his father had drug them into required strong leaders for their army. The man, Glenn by name, refused to have his son not take part in the affairs of the kingdom either, and taking into account his sons distaste for combat, a choice was offered. Secure the support of the lesser houses by proving that they were not far below the royal family, or join the army and lead by example, on the front lines where such bravery would inspire the troops to victory... The choice had been made in minutes, and Marken never regretted it.

As usual, the ladies of the various noble houses, the unmarried ones anyway, lined themselves up before him, desperate to be the one he picked above the rest. 'Such fawns, incapable of finding someone themselves, requiring the whimsical hand of a lord to whisk them away.' His thoughts drifted away, however, when he noticed one of the few who seemed to be less than interested in him. That alone intrigued him, though her looks helped secure his interest, and soon enough, he had her on the dance floor. There were many noble families, he wasn't quite sure which one this girl was from, however, he was quickly deciding that she would be the one he'd pick, above the rest. He had no use for a wife who was only interested in the power and wealth that came from association with a prince, no, he needed someone better than that.

Marken chuckled at Ellanors words, shaking his head slightly. "Oh? I don't believe you quite realize the purpose of this ball. My guests are the least of my worries right now. They'll understand." As the song ended, the dance over, Marken took Ellanors hand and led them to a table, servants immediately on top of him to please. Atleast they weren't slaves, grovelling in the hopes that it would keep away a beating. Such disgusting practices made him wonder what the shape of the kingdom would be in when he eventually took over. There would certainly be changes, though he wasn't sure how the populace would react to them. "Two glasses of wine, make sure it's from the Piory vineyards, they have the sweetest grapes." A servant nodded, skillfully pouring two glasses half full of the sweet, and expensive, liquid.

"So, may I know your name then. You already know my own, I find myself at a disadvantage." He'd never met a girl quite so... Stubborn, and he liked it. For once, he wasn't dealing with someone kissing the very ground he walked on. His tone was rather sweet, though it held a tone of satisfaction about it, the pride from his lineage seeming to always be present in his dialect. Taking a sip of his wine, Marken encouraged Ellanor to take a drink as well with a raise of his hand. It simply wasn't a party if his guests weren't enjoying themselves, and he believed wine to be part of such enjoyment.

[Lala Kitty]

'Good Lord, you are insistent,' Ellanor told herself, only giving her wine a small sip, trying to remember etiquette. She could down things much stronger than this wine, but proper ladies didn't indulge themselves in spirits like that, apparently. It was such a shame, because she could really go for a drink right now.

As she took another drink of her wine, Ellanor wondered how she would slip away from the prince long enough to check the study upstairs. If she didn't work quickly, coming to the palace tonight would be a complete waste. When the prince asked her name again, she felt herself growing more nervous, wondering if she would end up giving away too much information.

"I am Cinderella," Ellanor finally replied, holding in the twitch of frustration she felt each time she heard that name, even from her own lips. That lovely name had been bestowed onto her by her stepsisters as a child, a "pet name" they called it. She personally thought of it as her slave name, for that was how they treated her. Their step-mother, the sweet woman she was, spoiled the girls until they were rotten to the core, and never saw how cruel they were herself. She herself was convinced that they were complete angels, and that Cinderella wanted attention by claiming Anastasia and Drucilla bullied her.

Before she brought herself into an angry fit, Ellanor calmed herself and unconsciously took a much bigger drink from her wine. As she did, she got a very good idea of how to escape from the prince and suddenly dropped her glass on the ground, the glass shattering as she swooned into the prince a little.

"I am sorry," she apologized, backing away from him as though touching him burned, "I d-drunk too much just now. Excuse me, I must go sober myself in the ladies room."

Before her diligent host could stop her, Ellanor rushed away, quickly making her way to the restrooms. Thankfully, it was in the direction of the stairs, and after rounding the corner, Ellanor made her way upstairs, pretending her shoes were glass and sneaking past the few guards at their posts. It was a cinch to get into the study, where she kept an ear out for sounds. Against her hopes, she did hear something after a few moments and rushed over to a hiding place, behind a large book case well-hidden in the shadows of the room.

The voices grew closer and Ellanor felt dread in her gut when she realized it was the king and another man, but the man wasn't speaking yet, so she couldn't identify who it was. Damn it, if the king himself found her, she was bound to be put to death!

[GranoxFirewind]

"Cinderella? That's a lovely name." Marken complimented her, taking a long sip of his wine. He was pleased that she had finally opened up to him, atleast enough to tell him a name. She seemed to be trying to enjoy herself, however, drinking her glass of wine. Her next action, however, made Marken frown. She hadn't had enough wine to have reached that point of intoxication, and alcohol didn't hit someone that hard, that fast. Then, of course, the lack of slurring. Marken was a man who enjoyed his wine, and enjoying his wine meant knowing the side effects. They simply didn't match up.

Pulling a servant girl over by the sleeve, Marken would lean up next to her ear. "Is there a girl who fits this description in the ladies room?" He would give her the description of what Ellanor was wearing, and also pass along a small handful of silver coins. It was likely more than the girl made in a month, and her eyes lit up with the greed he knew they would. It ensured speed, and sure enough, she came back in less than a minute, telling him the bad news. "I see... Take the rest of the night off, I'm sure your new funds can cover whatever expenses you may lose from this ball." The girl nodded eagerly, running off to wherever she stayed. Marken didn't deal with the details of servant housing, nor did he necessarily care. There were more important things going on right now.

Taking his leave, he rounded the same corner Ellanor had, before realizing what had happened. She hadn't been here for the ball... Marken gritted his teeth at that thought, climbing the stairs. This Cinderella wouldn't find an easy punishment, if he found her. However... Other things called his attention, however, when he noticed his father, and his father caught notice of him. He didn't seem to care that he was away from his guests, assuming that he was simply taking a break from the swarm of adoration that came from the room. It wasn't hard to notice such boot kissing, not to a man who had experienced it for far longer. Glenn instead pulled Marken into the study, speaking as they went.

"So, tell me. Have you found a suitable bride among the nobles?" Of course he hadn't. That girl was to be the one he was going to ask... Wait... Marken smiled to himself, a thought suddenly crossing his mind.

His voice radiated calm decision, conviction in his tone. Glenn found it strange for his son to speak in such a way, but didn't question the tone when it brought good news to the man. "I have, actually. A girl by the name of Cinderella. She's the only one among the nobles who doesn't seem to be interested in my position, rather than myself." Marken knew the truth of it however, she wasn't interested by either. She was interested in something else within this house. However, now that he knew her game, there would be changes to it. Rules would be bent, and broken.

Glenn nodded, glad that his son had actually managed to do as he asked. "In that case, I'll let you return to your party then. Try to enjoy yourself." Glenn left the study then, his purpose for coming this far away from his quarters already accomplished. Marken, however, stayed put. He decided to think for a moment. Where would a spy go? There were few rooms of interest in the palace itself, most of it intended to house people on some level. Assassination was out of the question, the girl had many opportunities to kill him that she didn't take. Wait... A smile crossed his lips. "Cinderella, are you in here?" It was clear his father was gone now, Marken being the only one in the room. The study was one of the few places a spy would go, and considering his fathers approach, she would have been caught going out any further. It was logical enough, to say the least.

[Lala Kitty]

A feeling of pure dread filled Ellanor's stomach as Marken called out that dreaded name, Cindrerella. Why the hell did she tell him to call her that? What was worse was that the bothersome prince was smarter than he expected, obviously figuring out that she wasn't what she seemed. Damn it all, he was searching the room now.

Slowly, the footsteps neared her hiding spot and she pulled out the dagger she kept in her skirts, squeezing her eyes shut. She was going to have to kill him to get out. He would remember her face, have a man hunt to track her down. Damn it, she didn't know if she could take a life.

Then, the prince stepped next to the book shelf, just around the corner and she whirled around, dagger drawn. Her blade pressed against his neck as she slammed him into the shelves, but she hesitated, holding it there instead. Damn it, she needed to kill him and escape.

"Don't. Move."

Ellanor stared quietly at Marken with quiet rage for a few moments, but she couldn't bring herself to kill him. She was supposed to be making the world a better place by helping her king wipe out the Rhal royal family, but not like this. It was cowardly to assassinate.

"Let me leave here quietly, and there won't be any need for a scene," Ellanor told Marken softly, "and stop calling me that damned name. We both know that I didn't give you my real identity."

[GranoxFirewind]

When he was slammed against the shelves, a look of fear passed over his face. It was clear that he was inexperienced in any form of combat, the way he tried to flinch away from the blade against his neck proving it. He did as she asked, however, and stayed still, listening to her speak. However, he was also growing silently furious. The entire time she spoke, he was thinking of a way out of this. But he wanted more than that. He wanted revenge.

"No, there isn't a need for a scene. You must think I'm an idiot, to confront a potential spy without acquiring help. That door is the only way out of this study, kill me and you'll walk into the waiting arms of several guards, who will be quite eager to repay the favor I'm sure." His words were cold now, lacking any of the earlier friendliness they held earlier.

Of course, he hadn't done anything of the sword, but Marken was certain she didn't know that. "So, you're going to give me that weapon, if you want to leave this alive." He held out a hand, being much more bold, now that he was sure that his ploy had worked. Though, in the event she called his bluff, Marken had no other plan. he would be forced to improvise, if he survived of course.

[Lala Kitty]

Ellanor's eyes narrowed at the prince's threat, knowing almost immediately that he was lying to her. He didn't have guards following him that closely all evening, and if they really were that attentive, she would already be swarmed by them. Without any warning, Ellanor's free hand balled up into a fist and she swung hard, punching the prince as hard as she could in the stomach, stepping away from him as he fell to the ground at her feet.

"I will let you live," Ellanor told him just as coldly as he spoke to her, "But only because I feel a man should die in battle. Please don't take any of this personally; for what it's worth, you do have a certain... charm. Find yourself a nice woman and don't get involved in your father's idiotic war." With nothing left to say, Ellanor left the study quickly and quietly, chanting 'glass shoes, glass shoes' to herself, almost losing her footing as she descended the front stairs of the palace.

The clock struck midnight as she reached to grab the slipper and she looked down the stiars, her getaway ride waving her over to get out then and there. Beautiful fireworks exploded in the sky as someone came out the front door and she froze, running back downstairs without her shoe when she realized that it was probably the prince coming for her. Damn it, she would just have to live without it. Hopping into her cart, the driver immediately took off as Ellanor slumped in her seat, relaxing finally.

She didn't find any information at the ball, but she wasn't caught or killed either. She'd stay in the surrounding town for a while longer, and hopefully would be able to sneak back into the castle to complete her job.

[GranoxFirewind]

Marken hit the ground hard, pain flaring out from his stomach. She'd called him out on his bluff, and he'd been hurt for it. However, he wasn't dead. He wasn't dead, and he intended to make use of it. He paid little mind to her words, instead thinking of how he'd have revenge. She'd lied to him, insulted his pride, assaulted him physically... She would pay. As she ran off, Marken pulled himself to his feet, though he knew that she'd be out of his reach. He did pursue, however, intending on seeing her accomplices. He watched the slipper fall off, and smiled.

He let her go from there, watching her getaway disappear as he picked up the slipper. Tucking it away in a deep pocket for now, Marken approached the crowd, smiling loudly. If there was something he could do, it was fake an appearance. "My honored guests, this has been a wonderful ball, and I hope you've all enjoyed yourselves." A collective roar of approval rang out to his words, and Markens smile widened. He did enjoy some perks of his position. "However, I'm afraid I must retire for now, it's late and I'm a busy man. The rest of you, do enjoy yourself." The crowd quieted down as Marken departed, the noise of the ball soon becoming non-existent to him.

His destination wasn't far, it was already within the palace and close to the main room, thankfully enough for him. He reached an unremarkable door at the end of a hallway, the guard presence nearby increased nearly twofold. However, given his position, they didn't so much as say a word as he strode by, anger painted on his face. One knock on the door, before a voice rang out. "What?"

"It's Marken, let me in, I've got a job for you." The sound of something moving sounded out from behind the door, before a lock undid itself and the door opened up. Standing before Marken was a large man, though the way he held himself gave off an aura of experience. He was dressed in a full suit of leather armor, a goatee adorning his face. Without a word, Marken strode into the room, nodding as the door closed behind him. "I need you to track down a girl. She can't be more than 18." The man raised his eyebrows, though Marken cut him off before he could speak, describing the girl in detail.

"So you want me to track down this girl, despite the fact I have nothing to go off?" Marken simply smiled, and held out the slipper.

"She'll be in the area, given her actions. I want her captured, and brought back. Unharmed, if you can manage. To make sure you know whom the girl is, slip that onto her foot, if it fits... You've almost certainly got your mark. Payment is double your usual rate. I want nothing said of this to my father." The man opened his mouth to speak, before closing it and nodding. The money was certainly good, and he wasn't going to argue with the prince over something so trivial. The girl would be easy enough to find. With that, he walked outside to begin his hunt.

[Lala Kitty]

For the next two days, Ellanor was nervous about someone finding her, but without her jeweled dress and manicured appearance, she was pretty sure that she wouldn't attract attention. It wasn't that she was ugly, but Ellanor was a different kind of woman in a normal dress and a simple bun. At first glance, she was completely overlookable, but according to men that attempted to court her, she had birthing hips, a heart-shaped face, and the most beautiful eyes one could stare into. Ellanor supposed that meant she was pretty, but she really didn't know for certain, nor did she care enough to research what people found attractive.

In an attempt to stay inside the city, Ellanor forced herself to return to her stepmother's home, where she was greeted by the old woman and her rude, old maid daughters. She tried her best not to make fun of the irritating twits for their complete lack in appeal, but instead avoided them as often as possible, helping the maid with household chores. The sisters still called her Cindrella and attempted to keep their heads held high, but now that Cinderella was old enough to know she completely out-shined their likes, they tended to avoid her as well.

Then, a fateful day came when a large man came to the Winters Estate, eyeing Ellanor from across the garden before he took off his hat and requested to come in. Ellanor's thigh stung where her dagger was underneath but she gave the man a warm smile and welcomed him inside, her cheek lightly smudged with mud.

He was kind as he asked her if she'd lost a slipper and pulled it from his bag, but Ellanor quickly told him that she would never own something that beautiful, offering him an audience with her step-sisters instead. He only took a glance at the women ungracefully spying from the house before shaking his head and leaving Ellanor to her work. With a small curtsy, she sent him on his way, supposing she should keep her dagger on her at all times from now on.

..._..._...

"Her name is Ellanor Winters, and she is the heiress to the Winters Estate," the hired helped announced to Marken as he entered his study alone. He put the pretty shoe Marken had given him onto the desk, hoping his search was over. If he hadn't seen the target outside of her home and actually stared at her, he'd have never found her. Just who was Marken trying to find?

"She refused the slipper," the man continued, "and was completely covered in filth from the garden, but otherwise, she fit your description perfectly and her feet looked small enough to fit the shoe you gave me."

[GranoxFirewind]

The two days had been hell for Marken. It was driving him up the wall that she had managed to escape from him for this long. When his own personal spy had returned, his words brought both anger and relief. So she was still in the area, however, he hadn't completely fulfilled his own end of the deal. Finding her was one thing, but he wanted her brought back to the palace. Simply leaving her to walk the streets wasn't the smartest idea, nor would it grant him his vengeance.

"Then you know where to go next time. I want her brought to me as soon as possible Gene. I'm paying you double for a reason..." The man sighed, standing up and heading for the door, before another word from Marken stopped him. "However... You have completed half of your contract, and so you shall receive half of your payment, for now. Hopefully, this will serve to entice you to fulfill it all the way, yes?" He tossed a pouch of coins, ten made from gold. "Oh, and if you need more men, simply retrieve them. I want this done silently though. Remember, I don't want her harmed if possible. All expenses are on me."

The last words were said as Marken himself left the study, to have a glass of wine to calm his nerves. Where he had once had fear, now there was excitement. Soon enough, the girl would be in his custody, more or less, and he could begin his own act of vengeance... She wouldn't get away from him that easily.

[Lala Kitty]

Much to Ellanor's disappointment, the man who questioned her earlier returned to her home that night, flanked by two other men. He looked apologetic as he said she would have to go to the palace with him, and equally shocked with her stepmother defended her, stating that Ellanor shouldn't be in any trouble with the king. The man, who now introduced himself as Gene assured Lady Winters that Ellanor was in no trouble, and even offered to allow Ellanor time to bathe and prepare for their trip to the castle.

Ellanor took the offer graciously and went upstairs to quickly wash herself from head to toe in perfume water, style her hair to something a bit more dressy, and then put on a still-simple but more expensive-materialed dress.

After she was dressed, Ellanor went back downstairs to greet Gene, who gently led her to a carriage, which in turn rode out to the palace. The woman wasn't very nervous as they rode out, having already sent a letter of warning to her superiors back home. Someone would come to save her soon enough, and the prince could harrass some other woman.

At the palace, Gene led Ellanor to his master's apartment rooms, sitting her in a chair before calling a maid to bring Ellanor tea. Then, as quickly as Gene and the maid arrived, they were gone, leaving Ellanor alone with her tea and two cups.

Stilling her slightly shaking hands, Ellanor made herself the epitome of calm and contentment, pouring herself some tea, then putting in the sugar. She wasn't going to let the prideful Marken dwindle her confidence. He hadn't sent royal guards after her or marked her as a traitor, so apparently, he had something in mind other than killing or torturing her.

[GranoxFirewind]

Marken smirked when Gene delivered the news of his... Captive, of sorts, being safely delivered. He gave Gene the other half of his payment, a smile etched onto his face. "Good job, you kept it under wraps, and more importantly, brought me what I wanted." He nodded to Gene and left the mans room, walking to his own. His walk through the halls was brief, excitement paved on every facet of his being. This girl was back under his power, his authority. And this time, he was the one holding all the cards.

Striding inside, Marken sat down opposite her, barely seeming to look in her direction until he was seated. "Hello Cinderella. Or should I call you Ellanor?" He poured himself a cup of tea and began drinking it, adding nothing to it, surprising for a man who enjoyed his sweet wine, to take such a bitter tea. "Regardless of what you desire to be called, I've found you, and I've brought you back. You insulted me, invaded my home, my privacy, and expected to simply leave? I could have you dead right now, as an example." He took another sip of tea, leaning back into his chair and smiling.

"However, I am not quite so barbaric as my father. I want nothing to do with this war, and you are going to be my way out of it. I'm either to be a general, or I'm to wed one of the lesser houses into our own, secure their loyalty completely, and we'll have their men fighting in my place. I refuse to be a general, and I refuse to marry myself to someone who will slave over me for my position and my wealth. So, I've chosen you." He would allow the words to sink in, finishing off his glass of tea and setting down the empty cup.

"You are going to be wed to me, it will be public, and no one will know of your... Discreet activities. You will be unharmed, and I might consider letting you out of this once this war is over. Try to escape, tempt me, or try again at your original mission, and I will have you killed. And you know full well I have that capability." His tone was measured, but not necessarily as cold as it had been earlier. He was offering a proposition, granted it was one sided completely, but he still spoke with some amount of care, even if it was buried beneath the seething anger he still felt at the girl.

[Lala Kitty]

"You aren't a very bright man, are you?" Ellanor asked Marken, not missing a beat. She cared not for the livid feel of his gaze in response to her words and put down her tea cup before staring him in the eyes. He said he was getting revenge on her, but she could swear at this point that he hadn't thought much further than quickly fixing a problem he had, and getting his petty revenge for her insults to his pride.

"As a man, you must realize by now that you are required to sire children," Ellanor sighed, rather motherly snatching his cup and pouring more tea into it before it was returned, "That means that you will be sharing a bed with me to produce children. From what I gather, royals tend to have a rather distasteful habit of having completely different bedrooms and dull sex lives."

Ellanor took her seat again, unhurriedly pouring her own tea and putting in sugar. As if in a complete contrast to the prince, she preferred her tea to taste very sweet. Leaning back in her seat, Ellanor took a sip of her tea, still keeping up with Marken's intense gaze, wondering if he could really handle a woman like her that spoke her mind.

"You may think me frivolous for this, but I intend to marry for love," Ellanor announced with a softer voice, "And as Socrates preached, one should always be prepared to die for their principals. So you may do as you wish, Prince Marken. But I will not be bending to your will; not today."

[GranoxFirewind]

Marken smirked as he listened to her. She thought he was stupid, that he'd spent the past three days brooding instead of planning. Did she honestly think he was just going to capture her and not have a plan for anything that may come up? He was about to say something when she took his cup, and filled it before his eyes. "I er... Thank you..." He was surprised the girl was actually doing something for him, considering he'd practically arrested her. Perhaps she was trying to get on his good side. He took a drink of the bitter tea regardless, leaning back into his chair.

"Dull sex lives? I think I should be offended, however... I cannot speak for my father, so perhaps you're right." He thought for a moment, sighing internally. "Perhaps you should have thought about that before you decided to come to my ball, knowing full well its purpose, attracting me to you, and then trying to steal from me." His cold tone had diminished somewhat, as he finished off his second glass of tea, setting the cup down on the table. "However, this marriage wouldn't be something I would expect you to hold yourself to. I doubt I could trust you for a lifetime. No, this is something different, this would be a facade. You marry me, act like a good wife in public, hate me all you want behind closed doors, and it keeps me out of this war. You stay free from harm, and in the end, as I've said before, I may let you leave, to do whatever you want to spend your life doing."

He sighed again, refilling his own glass before picking up back up. "I would not force you to lay with me, Within the bounds of reason, you would be free. Or, I can simply toss you into the dungeon for a decade and see how that treats you, if that's your preference." Marken sipped at his bitter tea, waiting for a response. By now, the cold tone from his voice had vanished. It seemed to hold a sense of resignation to it, strange considering he had what he wanted in the palm of his hand.

[Lala Kitty]

Ellanor kept herself composed as Marken explained the stipulations of their wedding, making it clear that they would be joined in name only, and nothing more. In all honesty, this could be fortuitous for her. Being wedded to Marken would give her the ability to roam the castle to retrieve the information that she was tasked to gather for her own kingdom. To break the marriage, all she had to do was not sleep with him, therefore not giving the prince any heirs. It was perfectly legal to divorce a woman who couldn't sire a son.

"Very well, you silly prince," Sylvia told Marken softly after she finished her tea, "I will marry you. And you would do well not to trust me. I think it is very clear by now that I have no intention of becoming a docile arm ornament for my enemy's son. Until this agreement no longer benefits either of us, we shall stay in this... union."

Standing, Sylvia put down her teacup and walked around to Marken, extending her hand in a very business-like manner. Right from the very beginning, she was going to be straightforward and clear with their partnership. She would not be romantic with him, and she would not indulge in sympathizing with each other. He was simply a means to an end to her.

[GranoxFirewind]

"Good, I wouldn't have enjoyed throwing one as attractive as yourself into the dungeon." He casually gave her the compliment, even as he took her hand and shook it. "Then, our first order of business would be to begin working on the wedding? My father will want this event to be as large as he can make it, to let every house around us know of it." He sighed, doubting Ellanor would approve of it, though there wasn't negotiation in the matter. "We'll also, of course, act completely enamored with each other, considering this was made on one nights decision, as far as my father knows."

That would be harder, he supposed, though perhaps Ellanor would be easier at it than himself. She, afterall, had no problem making him think she was truly interested in him earlier, and Marken doubted her skills had diminished over three days. "So, we're going to go and inform my father, and then we'll begin making preparations, unless you have a better idea?" He would wait for a response of some sort, folding his arms over his chest and waiting.

[Lala Kitty]

Clearly uncomfortable with Marken's announcement, Ellanor went back to her chair, taking her seat again to brace herself. She'd completely forgotten that part. Marken was supposed to be marrying a woman who wasn't royalty, so people would expect them to be rather undisciplined with their affections. Dear God, she was mortified that she was in this situation now. She'd never had to seduce a man before, or met one that she felt romantically attached to.

How would she accomplish that when she barely got through the ball just being nice to Marken? Was he more experienced than her? Because she knew nothing of being close to the masculine sex. Standing, Ellanor began to pace back and forth, practically wearing a hole into Marken's carpet. She knew that her image as a passive, unfeeling woman was shattered for the moment, but her brain was too panicked for her to try to rectify the situation.

"I completely forgot about... that," the female admitted as she paced. Stopping mid-stride, the young woman looked at her partner, her gaze completely serious as her cheeks turned pink.

"Have you ever kissed before?" Ellanor blurted, her hands now clenching the skirts of her dress, creasing the fine material.

[GranoxFirewind]

He would have enjoyed her reaction, if his wasn't similar. Contrary to the popular beliefs held about royalty, Marken had found little interest in flings or having a mistress to dally his times away with. It simply didn't fit him, to throw himself around with loose women. He watched her pace back and forth, an action that only caused him more annoyance. "I didn't think into it, until now, honestly."

He sighed at her second question. "I have, three years ago on my sixteenth birthday." He didn't go into more detail than that, not needing to. From the sound of things, she hadn't kissed at all, or as rarely as he had. He poured himself yet another cup of tea to help calm his nerves, sinking back into his chair and sipping at the drink. Times like this were when people needed to be calm... Despite the fact that people would expect the exact opposite from the two of them, when they saw them.

[Lala Kitty]

Ellanor felt a little sting a Marken said he'd kissed someone before, feeling as though she'd been beaten at a game of some sorts. Of course he'd had a kiss, he was a prince. Women probably threw themselves at his feet constantly, and he had an easy pick of who was among the willing. No wonder he'd picked her as his fake wife; she was a woman who would walk away from him willingly. Forcing her body to be still, Ellanor sat again, sinking into her chair to keep from standing again.

The young woman groaned, leaning forward and burying her face into hands. There was no way she was going to be able to kiss a man she'd never touched before, especially in front of a whole kingdom. and then Marken would also be holding her hand, hugging her, and she could only guess what else. Just imagining those things made her flush again and feel warm.

"Is it too late to throw me into the dungeon?" Ellanor asked morosely as she slumped back into her seat. Reaching up, she absently touched her fingers to her lips, wondering what a kiss felt like to begin with.

[GranoxFirewind]

He looked at Ellanor and sighed again. This was going to be tough for her, and likely for him. He stood up, walking over to her and looking down at her as she sat. "You are not going to be thrown into a dungeon. Three days ago, you were ready to kill me, and now you're quivering at the thought of acting like you love me. I've decided I am offended then, if it's that hard for you." His pride was hurt, even moreso than it had been before. Before, she was using him as a means to an end. Now, he wasn't even capable of being that, to her.

"Now, I doubt you're going to enjoy this, but we're going to have to... Ahem, practice, if we want this to look real. I don't care how much you hate me, if you want out of this, you're going to play along." His words were spoken with conviction, though they weren't cold, holding a sense of apology about them. As much as he didn't like Ellanor for her actions, Marken didn't exactly believe that this was a proper way to solve it. Regardless, it was something that had to be done.

Extending a hand to her, it was gentler than the hand she had given to him, meant instead to gently help her out of her seat. They needed to practice this, if it was to look realistic. "Ellanor, you're going to need to play along. I'm sorry, but there's simply no other way." His voice took on a much softer tone, waiting for her to react to him.