[b][i]Act in love with me.[/i]

Ella felt her chest sting as Marken spoke, suddenly feeling like she shouldn't go through with this agreement anymore. She didn't want to be in a fake marriage, she didn't want to become attached to a man who thought he meant nothing to her. She'd spent her life being as honest as she could, and this was just torture.

Ella tried to drag along as Marken walked to the dining hall, her sluggish pace doing very little to slow down the determined prince. Could he tell she was having second thoughts? Did he know what she was so hesitant? She should tell him now that she didn't want to just [i]act[/i] like she was attracted to him, and be as straightforward as she was used to being. He would understand, he had to.

"L-look," Ella mumbled as they grew close to the room, "We don't need to pretend-" 

"Marken, my boy!" a familiar, loud voice called. The king walked out of the dining hall to greet his son and the woman with him, smiling from ear to ear. Damn it, it was the king. Ella placed a careful smile on her face as the king grew close, knowing it would be bad if it was obvious that she was dreading this meeting. The man who stood in the way of her kingdom's happiness was right in front of her, and she could do nothing about it. [/b]