Check it out, two stories in a row! You guys must have been good. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first EE story, Missing Ella (product plug). These oneshots are fun to come up with, though I don't at the moment have any more ideas. I'm sure something will come to me soon. Readandreview, everyone!

I must begin by stressing that Ella is all that I could ever have hoped for and so much more. Waking up beside her is what makes my sun continue to rise in the morning. I would not give her up for anything in this world or the next.

But from the day she agreed to marry me, her true beauty shining through the mask of ashes and scullery garb, I began to notice a certain, irritating habit.

She likes to say "no."

It was a strange and bothersome pattern. She was like a toddler who had just learned the word, denying me things for no reason whatsoever.

It didn't bother me at first. I was accustomed to her constant jesting and fooling, and in those first weeks I attributed the constant refusals to some joke I simply didn't understand. After a month, however, the game began to grow tiresome. I would make a simple request—that she wear the new slippers I bought her, that she pass the salt at the supper table—and she would respond quickly with a forceful "no." I would ask again, often reduced to begging her compliance, and it was never clear when she would give in or hold her ground. This happened at least three times daily, and it annoyed me to no end.

One night, as we were getting ready for bed, I held her face in my hands. Her dark hair was soft between my fingers, and her eyes were shut. The sun had set, and the candlelight flickering off her face was incredibly alluring. I could hear her breathing, slow and steady, as her hands found the small of my back. I touched my forehead to hers.

"Kiss me," I whispered.

She opened her eyes. "No."

I stared at her. Now? She was going to start this again now? I refused to let her ruin the moment. "Kiss me, please," I amended.

"No," she repeated.

I wrenched away, suddenly furious. She made a noise. "Char—"

"Listen to me," I said.

"N—" she began, but she caught herself before the word escaped her lips.

"Why do you do that?"

She lowered her eyes.

"Please, Ella. If it's a joke, it's no longer funny."

She looked hurt, and I hated myself for a moment. I had hurt her feelings. But I composed myself quickly. "Can we please just… save the games for more appropriate times?"

Ella took a deep breath. "Char, I'm sorry," she said. "I really should have told you sooner."

"Told me what?"

"I don't know what I was afraid of. I think I thought... well, never mind about that."

"Ella, what are you talking about?"

Her green eyes met mine. I loved to lose myself in those eyes. I could stare into them for hours and not grow tired.

"Do you remember Lucinda?"

"The fairy that was at our wedding? How could I forget her?"

"Do you remember how she was… before?"

"She's the one who gave the gifts, right?"

"Yes." Ella took a deep breath. "When I was born, Lucinda… gave me a gift."

This surprised me. "Oh," was all I could think to say. After a moment's pause, the natural response came to me. "What was the gift?"

"Obedience."

I actually laughed. "You had to be the least obedient girl I ever—" I cut myself off as I realized what she was telling me. I felt the color drain from my face. "Oh," I said again. "Oh—oh."

"I wasn't absolutely obedient, of course," she continued. "Only if someone gave me a direct command. I tried my entire life to break it, but I didn't have reason to until…" She touched my arm, and a shiver went down my spine. "Until you."

"So when I asked you to marry me…?"

She bit her lip. "That is… a little complicated," she said. "I had to say yes, of course. You ordered me to."

I felt my heart sink.

"But I didn't want to," she went on. "I could only think of the danger it would bring to you. To Kyrria. If anyone found out, they could use me. I couldn't be close to you. I had to say no, Char. And that day… I was able to."

I glanced at her. "So you said no because you wanted to protect me?"

"Yes." She held my hand in both of hers. "I didn't tell you before because I didn't want you to think you'd forced me into this. I love you, Char, and this month has been the happiest I have been in my entire life."

She spoke in earnest, and I relaxed. "I love you too, Ella."

She smiled and tucked a curl of my hair behind my ear. "I can't ask you to understand the incredible power I feel when I am able to turn down an order," she said. "And you issue them infrequently, for which I am eternally grateful. But when you do…" Her voice turned apologetic. "I suppose I just like to remind myself that I am finally in control of my own actions. I am truly sorry if I offended you."

My hands returned to her face. "You could never offend me," I said.

She smiled.

"I do have one question."

"Yes?"

"Why did you never tell me? We knew each other long before the idea of marriage entered into either of our heads. I can only think how much easier both our lives could have been if I had only known."

She shook her head. "Before she died, my mother ordered me never to tell about my curse."

My jaw swung. "Why would she do such a thing?"

"It wasn't her fault. It was Lucinda's for placing the spell in the first place. My mother only wanted to protect me, when I was a child and didn't know better. Imagine what could happen if someone found out about me. What would you have done?"

I started to respond, but I stopped. She was right.

She placed her arms around my neck. "Let's not talk about this anymore," she said.

"Only promise to stop saying 'no' all the time."

"No," she said automatically. She made a face. "Sorry. I'll try my best."

"And I'll try to ask, rather than command," I said.

She pressed herself against me.

"Now that that's settled," I said in a low voice, running my fingers through the soft hair. "Ella, my love… will you please kiss me?"

"Yes," she said, and she did.