Have a Heart

Daniel sat down on the bed, the chains rattling. "Your family is strange even for nobles."

"Whatever" Ellona replied dully. "Just let me die in peace."

"I can't have my fiance die on me," Daniel replied. He wouldn't have been too worried even if he was still capable of being worried.

"Maybe I should. Then you'll know the feeling." Ellona grumbled.

Daniel just shrugged. He really doubted it. Clarent took care of any and all feelings about anything. But of course that was something not discussed outside the Gale family.

Ellona grunted. "I bet you don't care about this damn engagement at all do you?"

"It was arranged. I had no say," Daniel replied. "Though it is nice not to get some stuffy whiny princess to deal with."

Ellona grumbled lightly. "You're a fucking tool."

"I guess I am," Daniel replied.

Kasey knocked on the door before entering with a tray of food for them. "Set the tray outside when you're done and a servant will pick it up." he stated before leaving.

Daniel picked up a turkey leg and started chewing on it, before his mouth could say anything else stupid.

Ellona wasn't interested in food. She continued to lay, facing away from him.

"...Sure you don't want anything to eat?" Daniel asked finally.

"I'm don't eat when I'm upset." Ellona replied

"Alright," Daniel replied. He ate a little more and then set the rest aside on the bedstand. ust because she felt like eating now didn't mean she wouldn't want to eat later. He learned this from his own attempted hunger strikes as a kid.

Ellona closed her eyes with a sigh. "I'm going to sleep" She informed him.

"Alright," he replied, before realizing there was only one bed. He sighed and plopped against the side of it.

Ellona grumbled when the chan pulled tight (she was on the other side of the bed from him after all) "You can't stay like that." She informed him. "Chain isn't long enough and I won't get any sleep."

Daniel got back up, and then carefully alid on the other side of the bed. He was willing to bet the chain's length was calculated solely for the purpose of getting them into the same bed. And...well, they were going to be husband and wife. Might as well get used to it somewhat.

Ellona sat up for a moment to pull the blanket over her, but otherwise ignored Daniel. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of acknowledgement that he was in her bed. Seirra had been in her bed before, but nothing more than that.

Daniel didn't react to her either, trying to relax enough to go to sleep.

Ellona curled up into a ball. She thought about all the times she had convinced Seirra to come see her after dark and how when he did, he would stay the night and just hold her close, because he could. He would always treat her like his best friend when they were in public, but when they were alone, he treated her like the rarest flower in the world, like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She gave a small, almost inaudible sniffle.

Daniel turned to look at her. If he had any kind of emotion whatsoever he would be feeling awful and awkward about all this, but all he felt was numbness. Perhaps that was a good thing, but somehow it still felt wrong.

Ellona tugged the blanket up farther and tucked it under her chin. She tried to just put it out of her mind and go to sleep. When she finally did fall asleep, she was restless.

Daniel sighed and closed his eyes. Eventually he drifted off.