Early the next morning, Ava dragged herself out of bed & went to her her wardrobe to change. She quickly moved into a dress before the chill seeped into her skin too much, pulling on her shoes by the time a maid came in to wake her. The woman was shocked, but led her to the dining room quietly. James wasn't inside yet, & Ava was saddened when she realized this relieved her. Why should she be nervous around her own father?
"Please go fetch Master Andreios," Ava told the maid softly, "I wish to go visit my mother this morning."
The servant gave Ava a polite curtsy before excusing herself & heading out to fetch Andreios from his room. Ava sat at the table in silence as breakfast was brought out to her, & she began to eat in silence.
Lala Kitty
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Lethal Cutie
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"Stay back!" Ariana ordered with an angry, commanding voice. With a firm jerk, she pulled Ella in front of her and brought the blade to her neck. Ella tilted her head back as the knife stung against her skin, barely able to breathe. Ariana gave Marken the most menacing glare she could manage, edging her way out of the cell now.
"You are a pathetic excuse for a man," Ariana accused, "This woman almost killed you with her own hands, yet you harp over her like she's a damned angel."
Ariana continued to pull Ella out, stepping out into the hallway with her back still turned away from Marken. She wasn't going to be stupid enough to drop her guard, even if he wasn't very skilled, she hadn't survived this long by being cocky. The assassin kept her gaze on Ella and held the knife to her throat still, keeping him painfully aware what he would lose if he did anything too sudden.
"You are going to let me and your sweetheart out for a stroll," Ariana told Marken, "If you want any chance of her making it out of this alive, follow my orders; understood?"
"You are a pathetic excuse for a man," Ariana accused, "This woman almost killed you with her own hands, yet you harp over her like she's a damned angel."
Ariana continued to pull Ella out, stepping out into the hallway with her back still turned away from Marken. She wasn't going to be stupid enough to drop her guard, even if he wasn't very skilled, she hadn't survived this long by being cocky. The assassin kept her gaze on Ella and held the knife to her throat still, keeping him painfully aware what he would lose if he did anything too sudden.
"You are going to let me and your sweetheart out for a stroll," Ariana told Marken, "If you want any chance of her making it out of this alive, follow my orders; understood?"
Ariana gave Ella a triple dose of the poison. She just had to sprinkle it on the princess's baked chicken and mashed potatoes after retrieving the tray, then head down to the dungeon. She waited until Marken was led away for a meeting with his father and then went to Ella's cell. The girl looked sadder than usual, probably affected by the lack of word from the king and her current situation.
'No worries,'Ariana thought, 'You won't be bothered for much longer now,'
The maid brought the food to Ella's tray before she took the old one. Instead of leaving this time, Ariana stepped back and waited. She wouldn't be satisfied until she watched Ella eat the poisoned food with her own eyes. Her entire body clenched as she watched Ella pull the tray to a table and get ready to eat. But instead of eating, she looked at the food, as if sensing something was wrong.
"You're going to have to do better than poison me," Ella hissed, flinging the tray against the bars, "Guard, she's the maid!"
Ariana sprung into action before the guard did, pulling a concealed dagger from her skirts and stabbing right into the neck of his armor. Ella shrieked angrily as the guard fell to the ground, motionless. Ariana ignored Ella's angry yelling before she yanked away the keys from her victim and went to the door of Ella's prison. Ella uselessly grabbed the fork from her tray and held it out to protect herself. Ariana quickly cornered the woman and yanked away the fork. There was still blood on the dagger in Ella's face, hypnotizing her into silence. With her guard gone and Marken retiring for the night, no one would even know she was dead until morning.
"Whatever," the assassin hissed, "I would rather kill you personally. I will relish watching the light leave your eyes...."
'No worries,'Ariana thought, 'You won't be bothered for much longer now,'
The maid brought the food to Ella's tray before she took the old one. Instead of leaving this time, Ariana stepped back and waited. She wouldn't be satisfied until she watched Ella eat the poisoned food with her own eyes. Her entire body clenched as she watched Ella pull the tray to a table and get ready to eat. But instead of eating, she looked at the food, as if sensing something was wrong.
"You're going to have to do better than poison me," Ella hissed, flinging the tray against the bars, "Guard, she's the maid!"
Ariana sprung into action before the guard did, pulling a concealed dagger from her skirts and stabbing right into the neck of his armor. Ella shrieked angrily as the guard fell to the ground, motionless. Ariana ignored Ella's angry yelling before she yanked away the keys from her victim and went to the door of Ella's prison. Ella uselessly grabbed the fork from her tray and held it out to protect herself. Ariana quickly cornered the woman and yanked away the fork. There was still blood on the dagger in Ella's face, hypnotizing her into silence. With her guard gone and Marken retiring for the night, no one would even know she was dead until morning.
"Whatever," the assassin hissed, "I would rather kill you personally. I will relish watching the light leave your eyes...."
'It took that bastard long enough to leave,' Ariana thought to herself as Marken exited the upper stairs of the dungeons. She gave him a bow, with her head down, and waited for him to pass before descending the stairs herself to the dungeons.
Ella was alone in her cell now, quietly humming to herself as she brushed her hair out. God, she was so oblivious to danger, she deserved to die. Ariana had been hiding in small spaces in the castle, avoiding direct eye-contact with anyone so as to not raise suspicion, and he was just laid up in the dungeons, living like the princess everyone called her.
"Milady, your lunch," Ariana announced, thrusting out the meal. A prisoner shouldn't be eating healthy soups and fine bread for their meal, but Ella received it anyway; how could she have a complaint in the world when she wanted for nothing? Quickly, Ariana left the food in the tray of the door and left without a word. Her heart was pounding as she reached the exit, but she made it. She was able to trick the stupid princess into blindly eating her food; she would put her plan into action and tie up her loose ends with Ella.
Ella was alone in her cell now, quietly humming to herself as she brushed her hair out. God, she was so oblivious to danger, she deserved to die. Ariana had been hiding in small spaces in the castle, avoiding direct eye-contact with anyone so as to not raise suspicion, and he was just laid up in the dungeons, living like the princess everyone called her.
"Milady, your lunch," Ariana announced, thrusting out the meal. A prisoner shouldn't be eating healthy soups and fine bread for their meal, but Ella received it anyway; how could she have a complaint in the world when she wanted for nothing? Quickly, Ariana left the food in the tray of the door and left without a word. Her heart was pounding as she reached the exit, but she made it. She was able to trick the stupid princess into blindly eating her food; she would put her plan into action and tie up her loose ends with Ella.
So the old bastard wasn't budging after all. Ella wanted badly to say some choice words about Marken's father, but she knew it would be suicide. Marken clearly loved his father, and then there was the fact that he was the king of this country. Besides, she was probably just frustrated because she'd been locked up for so long. This was normal precautions, normal measures for a king to take. She just didn't like them.
Pushing her troubling thoughts away, Ella sat up and scooped a bite of the cake into her mouth. Her eyes lit up as she chewed the delicious cake, enjoying it thoroughly. She definitely liked chocolate cake, that much was obvious now.
"This is really delicious," Ella told Marken with a smile, "Are you sure it won't be too extravagant to have this at our wedding? I don't want people thinking I'm trying to bleed you dry with our marriage."
Pushing her troubling thoughts away, Ella sat up and scooped a bite of the cake into her mouth. Her eyes lit up as she chewed the delicious cake, enjoying it thoroughly. She definitely liked chocolate cake, that much was obvious now.
"This is really delicious," Ella told Marken with a smile, "Are you sure it won't be too extravagant to have this at our wedding? I don't want people thinking I'm trying to bleed you dry with our marriage."
Ella was quickly growing nervous herself, knowing the conversation would turn to the bad news eventually. For now, she simply rested her forehead on Marken's and closed her eyes. She wanted to enjoy their denial for a couple minutes longer. Holding her cake in her lap, Ella leaned up and gently kissed Marken's cheek. She could only imagine why he was having to undergo sword training, but decided not to stick her nose in it. Maybe she'd challenge him to a playful match when they were alone.
"Your father hasn't said anything good all week, has he?" Ella sighed, leaning up. There was no hiding what they were both trying to pretend wasn't happening. A week was steadily approaching, and still, nothing.
"Marken, I'm starting to get a little worried," Ella told him softly, "If I'm here for more than a week, the servants will talk, and people will realize what's happening. Even if we jump through hoops, there won't be a wedding."
"Your father hasn't said anything good all week, has he?" Ella sighed, leaning up. There was no hiding what they were both trying to pretend wasn't happening. A week was steadily approaching, and still, nothing.
"Marken, I'm starting to get a little worried," Ella told him softly, "If I'm here for more than a week, the servants will talk, and people will realize what's happening. Even if we jump through hoops, there won't be a wedding."
Seeing Marken approach the cell both delighted Ella and saddened her. He was pushing the chocolate cake on her again, and while she loved sweet things and reveled in tasting them, this meant that there was no headway in her release. Instead of pitching a fit like she wanted to, Ella took her seat at the end of her cot and smiled at Marken.
He'd been carrying a sword with him lately, and he always looked tired, frustrated. But he still did his best to take care of her happiness and to lift her spirits. She couldn't whine and complain when he was going so far to make her happy.
"Did you try it?" Ella asked her fiancé, leaning into the bars a bit. All she wanted now was to hug Marken and have him take her from this terrible, sunless place, but she'd be optimistic and enjoy the gift he brought her.
He'd been carrying a sword with him lately, and he always looked tired, frustrated. But he still did his best to take care of her happiness and to lift her spirits. She couldn't whine and complain when he was going so far to make her happy.
"Did you try it?" Ella asked her fiancé, leaning into the bars a bit. All she wanted now was to hug Marken and have him take her from this terrible, sunless place, but she'd be optimistic and enjoy the gift he brought her.
Ella's days in the cell were quiet, but ultimately not that terrible. She had books to read and Marken's limited company to keep herself from going insane. When the guard wasn't present, she would do push-ups or other light forms of activity, things she'd been taught to improve her stealth. If the worst came, she would try to escape the castle & the kingdom, no matter what. it was better than waiting around & rotting in this place.
On the fourth day, Ella felt like she was finally reaching the end of her rope. She hadn't seen grass or sun or more than a handful of people. Marken was sympathetic and kind, probably trying to keep her sane, but it was getting harder to take. Even the promise of chocolate cake on their wedding day wasn't helping to lift her spirits. She was growing more nervous that she wouldn't have a wedding day.
How damned hard was it to find a homicidal maid, anyway?
On the fourth day, Ella felt like she was finally reaching the end of her rope. She hadn't seen grass or sun or more than a handful of people. Marken was sympathetic and kind, probably trying to keep her sane, but it was getting harder to take. Even the promise of chocolate cake on their wedding day wasn't helping to lift her spirits. She was growing more nervous that she wouldn't have a wedding day.
How damned hard was it to find a homicidal maid, anyway?
"I will be fine," Ella assured Marken gently. She stood as well, giving her fiance the most convincing smile she could. If he wasn't certain that she would be fine without him, she just knew he wouldn't go anywhere. Him staying in the dungeons with her wasn't the most effective thing he could do with his time, so there was no point in keeping him with her. He'd lose his mind in hours.
"Just promise to visit once a day," Ella told Marken gently, "I want to know how things are going on up there."
"Just promise to visit once a day," Ella told Marken gently, "I want to know how things are going on up there."
"He's just doing what he should," Ella sighed, "After what happened to your mother, I can't blame him for being so careful. Besides, the stuff here isn't so uncomfortable. It's about as comfortable as back home." She had to give the king some credit for cautiousness. He wasn't stupid, she had to at least admit that. Until Ella was cleared, it was probably safest for her to be in the cell, for everyone.
Sitting up, Ella finally pulled from the bars and continued to hold onto Marken's hands. He didn't look very happy right now, or content. She could only imagine how frustrated he was, even though she'd assured him she wasn't angry at his father. Ah well, his mood would pass. And things would work out; Ella just had to have faith in Marken's ability to keep her safe.
"Why don't you get out of the dungeons for a while?" Ella insisted, “Go get yourself some wine and think of how we can hurry things along. This palace is big, but the maid can only hide for so long. I can bet she'll do something stupid to try and escape."
Sitting up, Ella finally pulled from the bars and continued to hold onto Marken's hands. He didn't look very happy right now, or content. She could only imagine how frustrated he was, even though she'd assured him she wasn't angry at his father. Ah well, his mood would pass. And things would work out; Ella just had to have faith in Marken's ability to keep her safe.
"Why don't you get out of the dungeons for a while?" Ella insisted, “Go get yourself some wine and think of how we can hurry things along. This palace is big, but the maid can only hide for so long. I can bet she'll do something stupid to try and escape."
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