Disclaimer: I don't own it…as we all know…

A/N: Well, this is my first Ella Enchanted fan fiction, and I hope you enjoy! Sorry, but most of this chapter is directly from the book…

Ella Forever Enchanted?

Chapter One

Now it was my turn. Char knelt, holding the slipper. I extended my foot and he guided it. The slipper fit perfectly, of course. What was I going to do?

His face was close to mine. He must have seen my terror. "You needn't be Ella if you don't want to be," he said softly.

He was so good.

"I'm not," I said. But in spite of myself, tears streamed down my cheeks.

I saw hope spread across his face. "That letter was rubbish. A trick." He glared at Hattie, then turned to me, his look probing. "Do you love me?" He still spoke softly. "Tell me."

An order. "I do." I was sobbing and smiling at once. How was I going to give him up again?

Char was jubilant. His voice rang out. "Then marry me!"

Another order. I nodded and continued to weep. But my hand found its way into his.

"Don't marry him, Ella," Hattie commanded, giving my name away for once and all. Another order. Hattie had with that order unknowingly saved Char and Kyrria.

I withdrew my hand. "I can't." I said.

"Hattie, don't be a fool," Mum Olga snapped. "Don't you want to be stepsister to the queen and make her give you whatever you like?" She smiled at me. "His Highness is kind enough to want to marry you, Ella, my sweet."

It had begun. The curse would make the Dame Olga and Hattie as grand as they wanted to be and would mean endless riches for Olive.

Char was looking at me with such gladness, and I loved him so. I was the cause of his joy and would be the cause of his destruction: a secret delivered to his enemies, a letter written in my own hand, a covert signal given by me, poison in his glass, a dagger in his ribs, a fall from a parapet.

"Marry me, Ella," he said again, the order a whisper now. "Say you'll marry me."

Anyone else could have said no or yes. This wasn't a royal command. Char, I'm sure, had no idea he'd even given an order.

But I had to obey. I had to marry him, despite how much I didn't want to become a threat to him and the entire royal family. My symptoms started; the dizziness, the headache, the acid tears that so burned my cheeks, the bile and blood that filled my mouth were all slowly forcing me to open my mouth and say the words that Char so longed to hear.

I loved him so much. My Char…could I be his certain death? I remembered Char at Mother's funeral, waiting for me while I wept, grieving for Mother too. I heard his promise at the menagerie. "And soon I shall catch a centaur and give it to you." I saw him binding SEEf's ankles. I saw him, buttonless doublet flapping, bow to Father after we'd flown down the stair rails. I saw the ball and King Jerrold beaming at his son, the hope and future of Kyrria.

Say it. Say yes. Say yes, Ella, say it, my mind exploded, screaming at me.

In spite of myself my mouth opened. I could not stand the symptoms any longer. Consent had won. Obedience had won.

But I clamped my hand over my mouth. My yes was stillborn. I had to take the symptoms. I could not threaten the royal family so. I looked to Mandy for help, and she saw my plea but said nothing. Dame Olga, Hattie, and Olive would only tell me to marry him again, so that they could use me to get all of the riches that they so desired. I then looked at the three evils, smiling wickedly, knowing that I would obey him.

Char saw my distress and took my hand again. "Ella, come," he ordered as he took me into the next room away from the orders of anyone else. I could barely walk, as my symptoms still pulled at me from Char's previous order.

"Ella, you do love me?"

I nodded.

"Do you wish to marry me? Tell me truthfully, Ella, do you?"

I could tell him what I really wanted now, but my symptoms stilled screamed within me to say that I would marry him.

"I…I don't know," was my forced answer.

He was confused, I could tell. He glared at me, not in anger, but trying to read my features.

"I…Yes, Char. Yes, I'll marry you," I said, my eyes downcast. My symptoms suddenly stopped and I sighed relief, my breathing still not normal. He lifted my face up to his, looking at me skeptically. The hope and love in his eyes was enough to make me start bawling all over again. But through my tears I smiled slightly, happy to make him happy, sad to know what he did not: I had at that point cursed Char and Kyrria forever… I was certain to be the death of many.

Char grinned at my smile and hugged me tightly. "I love you, my Ella. I will always love you."

"And I you, Char," I said, as I cried into his shoulder.

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Well, sorry this chapter was so short. I don't think I've ever written one less than 1, 500 words! Anyhoo, I'll update once I get a certain number of reviews… It's not high, but it's not extremely low… Just review and I'll get it up soon!

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EvelynC.O