[b]"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Ella told the maid quietly, "I have never done anything but prove my loyalty to King George."

The woman smiled a little in response to Ella's seething reply, walking closer and pulling a small vial from her pocket. Ella felt her stomach lurch as she recognized as "One Night Ivy," a liquid, almost undetectable poison that killed slowly and painfully. And she had a sinking feeling that was what had been slipped to Marken's mother.

"Coat your blade with this poison and drive through the meddlesome Rhal prince," the maid instructed as she forcefully grabbed Ella's hand and shoved the vial into her palm and backed Ella into a bookshelf. Books clattered onto the floor as Ella held the cold liquid in her palm and tried to comprehend fully what the maid was telling her.

"If your blade doesn't end him, the poison will," the woman explained more quietly, "As soon as you complete this task, an arranged entourage will bring you back to the king, and then you can forget this whole nightmare of being engaged to a disgusting Rhal for his convenience." 

Ella stared down at the vial dumbly as the maid released her and let her rest back against the bookshelf, making her way out of the room now. This couldn't be real, she'd just made peace with Marken, and the two of them were going to be happy. But if this was true, King George hadn't really abandoned her, right? Damn it all, she just couldn't be content for a few hours before something else happened.

When Ella looked up again, the mysterious woman was gone, leaving her with her choice. But what choice was there really? She had to kill Marken tonight, and just go home. As much as she didn't want to do it, killing Marken was the only way for her to redeem herself. Trembling, she shoved the vial deep into her bodice, where it would be protected, and picked up her journals, so she could go hide in Marken's apartments again. [/b]