[b]Ella returned to the apartments a few moments after Marken, hearing him calling her in the far rooms. He sounded so happy, she almost just wanted to run away from the castle, damn the consequences. Maybe she could get away with running away forever, especially if it meant that she didn't have to kill him.

"Marken, I'm in here," Ella called, despite her wishes not to. She dumped her books onto the nearby table and sat on a chair, leaning back into it. Damn it all, she needed to get her head together. Marken was a means to an end from the beginning, and this situation was just throwing it back into her face. She just wished that she could have been happy like she was earlier, just for a little bit longer.

For now, Ella decided to focus only on helping Marken's mother. She wanted him to at least be happy when he died tonight. That was the only parting gift she could give him.[/b]