Hey everyone- I've been working on this story for a while, and I'm almost done with it, so I'll try to put the chapters up as soon as I can, and finish it as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ella Enchanted, the characters or anything else from the book by Gail Carson Levine. Though I'd like to think the plot is rather original...

Begins after Ella reads Char's proposal, and she decides to respond to it.

Chapter One: Evasion Tactics

Ella POV

I stared at the letter, as if the parchment could give me the inspiration I needed to break Char's heart. No amount of inspiration could help me break his heart I realized, only my cruel, calculating mind. And my mind was right; there was no way in this world or this lifetime I could be with the only one I could possibly love, without endangering him. I loved him too much to put him in the path of danger. Would he be able to see that my love prevented us from being together? The irony wasn't lost on me as I slowly reached for a new scrap of parchment. I'll tell him as much of the truth as I can I reasoned, he deserves much more, but at least I can give him that. Two tears drops hit the parchment, but I used it anyway; Mandy could only sneak me so much without getting caught.

Dearest Char,

I have received your letter, and appreciate the honesty and sincerity you put into your words, for I believe them to be truer than anything before in my life.

I love you Char, possibly more than the love you hold for me. It almost seems not impossible to convey the feelings I harbor for you. My love for you will forever be as endless as the sky, and that is why I, for you my love, can not marry you no matter how much all of me, especially my heart, yearns to.

To marry me would be to marry certain death. In telling you, I am facing certain and inescapable death myself, but that has little importance when it comes to you knowing the truth. My darling Char, I am-

I laid down the quill. I knew the ramifications of what I was about to do. Normally, disobeying the curse caused nausea and other side effects, not to mention trying to stop me physically; my arm poised for all of eternity struggling to write the simplest of words. But by putting the words in writing to Char, I would never be able to take it back. Even if Mandy tried, there was no way she could rescind my mother's order; her command was set in stone because of her death. It would never know I had disobeyed an order until it was too late, and as punishment, the curse would kill me, a wasting sickness I had found in an account in Dame Olga's library while prowling its musty forgotten shelves. There was no chance of survival; even with Mandy's Tonic.

That was alright with me, for what was there to survive for without being able to marry the one I loved? I had already discussed it with Mandy; thank goodness she had seen why I had to do this; if I didn't I would die just as soon from a broken heart as from an illness. The sickness itself would slowly progress from an aching to cough to fatigue that would plague me even when I slept. A fever would overcome me near the end, at which time I would feel nearly perfect until I fell into an endless sleep and my heart stopped beating, beating for the one man I would ever love. Maybe, just maybe I thought, I could last long enough so I could see him again, even a distance. That wish would later carry me through the following weeks as a small beacon of hope. I continued the letter.

-cursed with obedience, meaning I must follow every order I am given. I hope you realize what this means Char. I would never want you to die, especially not because of me. It would be wrong to put my happiness in front of the kingdom, and it would hurt me more if there was a chance I could be placing you in any danger at all. It would break my heart more than writing this letter has. Please, I beg you; do not come back to Frell to speak to me. I do not wish to risk the breaking of your heart as well.

I love you with all my heart, for eternity and beyond.

Love,

Ella

Already I felt the curse begin its last punishment for my disobedience. A cough crept into my throat, and I stifled it as I sealed my final letter for Char, blew out the candle stub, and crawled into my cot to sob for what would be one night of many more to come.