He was glad she snuggled up against him, took comfort in his presence. It meant she still felt for him, even if her actions didn't really show it. He wanted that from her, to still be her fiance. It'd be an ironic twist if it was the assassins death that separated them, rather than one of their own. No, he'd refuse to let the death of the one who'd tried to kill his mother, him, and her kill his marriage too. That wasn't happening. He could see the line where Ariana's blade had bit into her throat, a clear a sign as any of the womans uncaring nature.

His arm stroked her hair with a sigh, before steadily stroking her back instead. "I know you didn't, Ella, I know you didn't." He supposed he could understand that sympathy, but he believed Ella was still better than her. Ella had turned completely and totally away from that servitude, she'd been ordered to kill and ignored that. Ariana hadn't done any such thing. She'd tried to accomplish her mission on multiple occasions, even going to far as to swing her blade at him, in the last moments of her life. She had no desire to surrender to justice. She was a murderer.

"I didn't want to kill her either... I didn't enjoy it." He considered reaching for the rum, but decided against it. The girl in his arms was a bit more important than that, more important than getting even more drunk. Both of his arms wrapped around her, pulling Ella into a tight hug against himself. "I love you..." He whispered into her ear, not wanting to let her go yet.