[b]"O-oh."

Ella couldn't reply with anything, just affirm that she understood Marken's words. She'd hoped that her feelings weren't anything more than affection or longing, but Marken's explanation did make since; but it didn't change that they barely knew each other. Ella would work hard to change that.

How did a man who claimed to be as inexperienced as she was know so much about intimacy? It frustrated her to no end that she was fumbling all over the place, and that he could just go with the motions. God, she hoped she wouldn't be this clumsy for too long.

"I don't know if I should be following my instincts blindly," Ella admitted, "I almost betrayed King George for you, and I allow you too many liberties, like seeing my hair down. While I know Rhal customs are looser than Toren's, I get the feeling that you intentionally cross lines of decency."

Looking at her fiancé a bit accusingly, Ella finally pulled free and climbed out of the bed. Turned away for modesty, Ella reached into the bodice of her dress and produced an old, deep emerald amulet dangling from black cord, going back to Marken and holding it out in front of his face.

"T-this was my Papa's," Ella announced, "I'm only supposed to give this to my future husband, and since you said our union won't be temporary anymore... j-just take care of it, okay? I won't forgive you if you lose it." [/b]