[b]Ella smiled warmly down at Marken until he fell asleep, finally letting herself back into her previous mood. What was she going to do after Marken tired of her being around? The war between their kingdoms would only last so long, and after everything was settled, Marken would either be dead or ready to marry a woman he actually fancied. Odd, but it made her chest hurt to think of her prince with another woman.

"So stupid," Ella grumbled at herself. It was slowly becoming her mantra, she realized, for she just seemed to be getting herself into more and more trouble with Marken. It just seemed to be impossible to fight against her feelings for him. But as their arrangement was temporary, she couldn't bring herself to get comfortable with their relationship.

"I wish you wouldn't abandon me as well," Ella mumbled sadly as she pushed Marken's hair out of his face. After she was sure that he was actually asleep, she leaned down and gently kissed his forehead. She then decided that she should stop with her pity party for a while, and grabbed her book before she rested back into the pillows. A few minutes later, she'd fallen asleep with the book cast aside, Marken's hand in her own, and her head rested in her pillows.[/b]