Theresa walked towards the throne room. The herald from the previous day had her sit in the waiting area outside.
She did not have to wait long. Daphne and Sir Thomas arrived in the room, predictably together, followed by Wildwood.
"I'm really nervous," Daphne announced. Her pronouncement was completely unnecessary as her hands were visibly shaking and she looked ready to cry. Theresa could feel the knot of tension in her own stomach, but she hoped her feelings were not as obvious as her sister's.
"Follow me, please," said the herald from the door.
They all stood up and followed him. Theresa's dread multiplied until she almost felt too heavy to move forward.
They entered the throne room and Theresa saw that Francine was already there, the better to poison the king's mind. The queen was also sitting on her throne with her calm expression firmly in place.
Theresa and Daphne were directed into the centre of the room, to stand before the throne. Both crouched before him, and then rose when he spoke.
"We have much pondered this problem since it was brought to us," he said.
Everyone waited in hushed silence.
He spoke to Theresa. "There is no question that a transformation spell has been cast on you. Your testimony that you were a victim of compulsion magic also seems legitimate. However, the question of who is guilty of bespelling you remains open."
Theresa's first instinct was to protest, but saw that he was about to say more and did not want to anger him with an interruption. "We must ask you how are you certain that the Lady Francine is the one who has committed these grievous crimes?"
Theresa closed her eyes briefly, and took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, I do not remember when the compulsion began but I know that it was her. When I was transformed, we could hear her voice speaking to us." Theresa was aware of how weak her words were.
The king looked sorry when he spoke again. "Another plausible explanation is that the guilty party was attempting to have your aunt blamed for their crimes."
"Why would someone do that?" Theresa cried, quite forgetting there was an acceptable way to behave before royalty and she was not complying with it.
"We know it seems unlikely, yet it is possible and we have discovered several suspects. Your aunt has taken good care of your properties in this time and they have been far more profitable since she has been your guardian. By all accounts we could find both of you were treated well in the years since your parent's sad demise."
"We have also found no evidence that the Lady Francine is a wizardress of any impressive standing, she has had no formal training and all of our council are unanimous that an incredible amount of magic would be required."
Theresa felt shaky but she said firmly, "If Francine is not the wizardress who cast the compulsion magic upon us then she has paid the wizard who did to do so for years."
"Such questions were asked, but there is no evidence of lost revenue from such an exchange. Lady Theresa, we understand your feelings but we do not have reason or evidence to convict the Dowager Vicountess of Rytham. We will allow the Lady Francine to remain in control of your estates as she has been doing, until you are of age and can decide for yourselves."
The king spoke surprisingly gently, but Theresa could feel his words for the death blow that they were. She barely heard the rest of his statement.
"However, we have not closed this matter. We will continue to investigate and on the occasion of your twenty-fifth birthday or upon your marriage we will readdress the issue. If there were other candidates for guardian—"
"What about my cousin, the Earl of Summersedge?" Theresa suggested quickly.
"We have considered him, but as a suspect, he is not an appropriate guardian."
"But Francine is also a suspect, is she not?" asked Theresa, feeling desperate.
"Her innocence has not yet been proven. But the terms of your inheritance are already highly unusual and as such we prefer to abide by the original terms set by your father and my father. If you were but male, perhaps things would proceed differently."
Theresa felt suddenly detached, as if had been put under the influence of compulsion once again.
She thought that she saw Francine's expression grow dire for a moment, but she knew she must have imagined it. Francine had gotten what she wanted; she was back in control. She had no reason to be displeased.
Wildwood spoke, "Your Majesty, there is the matter of the spell upon Lady Waldwick. I am only capable of maintaining her human form while in relatively close proximity."
The king pondered his words. "Indeed. We shall request Rothforth's look into the matter."
Daphne was sniffling beside her, but Theresa could not bring herself to care.
Then Daphne cried out in a broken tone, "But, Your Majesty, I had hoped to marry Sir Thomas!"
The king looked at her. "Sir Thomas?"
Wildwood stepped forward and spoke, "Your Majesty, she speaks of my apprentice, the Honorable Sir Thomas Harding. He will be the Viscount of Harding upon the death of his father."
The queen spoke, "It would be a good match, my lord."
"Indeed it would. We assume that Sir Thomas Harding is in agreement to the match?"
Wildwood spoke again, "He is and his parents have also agreed upon your approval."
"All that is left is the permission of Lady Daphne's guardian," the king said slowly.
Francine spoke for the first time since they had entered the room. "It does indeed seem to be a good match for my niece. My permission is granted."
The king nodded, clearly pleased at Francine's acquiescence. It was as Theresa had expected. She was far more concerned with remaining in control of Theresa's much greater fortune than in control over Daphne's smaller estate.
What was losing Daphne's portion when her aunt could regain the favor and trust of the king by letting the lesser prize go?
"Then it shall be as she has said," the king said.
"My lord," said the queen with an adoring smile at her husband. "Could we not host the wedding here in the capital? It has been some time since we have had a wedding in the castle. It would be a most gracious boon."
Theresa wondered what the queen was thinking. Had she not just been convincing Wildwood to pursue Daphne? Perhaps she hoped to buy him some time to do so.
Regardless of the reason, it would also give Theresa some guaranteed time before she had to return to Francine's control in isolation. Surely if Francine thought to use compulsion on her again she would wait until they were far out of sight of the wizards.
"Indeed, let us have the wedding here. Does three weeks hence sound acceptable?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, you are most gracious," agreed Francine. Daphne was staring wide eyed around her, as if in shock that she was so quickly and easily getting what she wanted.
Theresa felt a small spark of resentment, surely Daphne should be used to people and apparently even fate itself falling all over themselves to please her by now.
"Of course, you all must stay here as guests in our castle until the wedding occurs," the queen said with a smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Theresa said gratefully. It was a small reprieve but a reprieve nonetheless.
Theresa still felt disconnected as they were dismissed from the room. She watched as Daphne catapulted herself into Sir Thomas' arms and watched their happiness. She knew that she should be happy for her sister but she only felt flat.
Wildwood watched the couple with a benign but somehow sad expression on his face. Her heart dropped even further.
Over the next few days, the queen seemed to turn Daphne's wedding into her pet project. She spent hours closeted in her salon with Daphne making preparations for the ceremony. Theresa was present for some of the planning, but her heart was far from in it. Francine was also present much of the time as well, which made every minute a trial.
Daphne seemed to have relaxed slightly around their aunt, but her fate was not still in Francine's hands as Theresa's was.
Theresa remained certain that Francine would not dare to cast a spell upon her while in the castle surrounded by royal witnesses, but she could still feel the hair rise on the back of her arms when the wizardress was around.
Theresa spent a great deal of time in the library, sometimes in quiet silence with Wildwood, sometimes with Jim who would help explain more difficult terms, or sometimes by herself. She read through book after book, if only to distract herself. She learned more about magic.
The more she understood, the more she became aware what a drain she was on Wildwood's magical reserves.
She knew that she owed him more than she could ever repay and she finally decided she could not ask him to continue to keep her human indefinitely. It was not fair to him. It would not even be possible, once he was far away from her.
Theresa managed neatly to avoid being alone with Francine for well over a week. Her streak was broken while she sat in the library reading one evening. The door opened and Francine stood in front of her.
"So here is where you have been hiding yourself," Francine commented in a light tone.
"Whatever do you mean, Francine?" Theresa asked in a sweet voice through her gritted teeth.
"It really isn't proper to call me that," she chided. "People will believe that I did not raise you properly, dear."
"I can't imagine why," she said with innocent sarcasm.
Francine sat down in a chair next to her and Theresa wished belatedly that she had sat in one of the lone chairs scattered around the room.
She had been hoping for certain particular company, but had not anticipated Francine would seek her out here. She had the control she wanted, what more could she need? Why did she feel the need to plague Theresa?
"I've missed you greatly in your absence," Francine commented.
"Oh." Theresa was not going to fall for the doting aunt routine. She continued to look down at her book.
"You're like a daughter to me. Daphne too, but you are the niece who I relate to the most. You are very much like I was when I was your age."
Theresa said nothing.
Francine took it as a cue to keep talking. "I love Daphne, but she is so soft and weak, I do not know what to say to her sometimes. You are different, though. You are strong and intelligent. We would make a good team."
Theresa pretended not to hear her.
Francine cleared her throat. "Perhaps I have done wrongly by you, these past few years. Everything that I have done was done out of concern for the wellbeing of you girls and I apologize if I erred."
Theresa could not suppress the outrage flowing through her. "How can you even suggest that taking over my mind is simply an unfortunate error? It was worse than that, so much worse than you could imagine!" Theresa said loudly.
"I don't know what you are talking about, Theresa."
"You do. You do! You're a lying fraud!" Theresa snapped.
"Theresa, I don't know why you hate me so much!" Francine cried, as if distressed.
Theresa might have believed her had she not known better. Did Francine think to convince her? Theresa knew what had happened and she would never doubt it, no matter how innocent Francine thought to act.
"You do," Theresa said and she felt like crying her fury was so great.
"Please, Theresa, please. Just stop fighting me and come back with me. I made a mistake in not instructing you more in the running of the estate and I wish to rectify that error."
"No, Francine. I will never come back willingly. I will never stop trying to expose you. I will never give up and I will never let you win!" Theresa stated, her voice dangerously high.
She set down the book she had been reading and strode from the room. Francine did not try to follow her.
As Theresa walked her breathing began to return to normal. How dare Francine put up the injured innocent facade? Where did she get such incredible audacity?
Theresa went to her room and locked the door behind her. She hit her pillow and cursed Francine in her heart. After a while she fell asleep in her clothing.