Theresa dreamed of Francine that night, but her aunt was kind and treated her lovingly.
She woke up the next morning feeling sick, confused, and angry.
Theresa decided to find Daphne and it took only a brief search to discover Daphne once again in the queen's sitting room.
It seemed that Daphne was becoming fast friends with the queen. It would lend Daphne an extra measure of safety if they were on such good terms.
Theresa forced herself not to feel resentful. She would be happy for her sister and with Daphne dependent on others it would give Theresa the freedom to put her own safety first and foremost. There would be no helpless younger sister to push out of the way of a transformation spell next time.
Theresa watched idly as the queen and Daphne discussed various arrangements. The guests had already been invited and Daphne's dress had already been prepared. Theresa had seen it and it was a beautifully sewn creation.
Daphne was happier than Theresa had ever seen her before. Theresa told herself that she was glad.
There was something bothering her, however. She could not forget the sound in Wildwood's voice or the look of resigned sadness on his face when he had watched Daphne and Thomas together.
She found she wanted to see Wildwood happy. Daphne did not seem to even be aware of his regard. Perhaps it was the one way that she could repay him for all he had done for her.
The queen left the room and Theresa decided that there would be no better time to broach the subject.
"Daphne, are you sure that you want to marry Sir Thomas?" she asked.
Daphne's eyes narrowed. "I thought you had agreed to no longer to oppose us."
Theresa spoke quickly, "Of course I'm not. I just wondered."
"Well, wonder no more. I will love Thomas until the day I die," Daphne said with dramatic certainty.
"What if someone else loved you too?" she wondered.
"Whatever are you talking about?"
Theresa threw caution to the wind. "Lord Wildwood is in love with you."
"What nonsense! He is obviously not."
"You didn't see the way he looked at you when the king granted your marriage," Theresa pressed.
Daphne scoffed, still clearly unconvinced.
"I heard him and the queen talking."
"Were you eavesdropping again? That did not end well the last time," Daphne pointed out in an irritatingly accusatory way.
"I was not eavesdropping," Theresa said defensively. "I just happened to overhear in passing."
"Well, you overheard wrong. He has no interest in me beyond helping my sister out of the goodness of his heart, or whatever it is his reason is. I've barely had so much as a conversation with him and for that matter it's not my company that he seeks out on a regular basis."
"That's because of his loyalty to Thomas, he said," Theresa said, feeling irritated that her sister took Wildwood's feelings so lightly. "And also because I'm the one who needs magical assistance."
"I tell you, that's absolute rot. I know you're worried about everything, but you're getting worked up over nothing this time."
The queen returned to the room. "Whatever are you two arguing about?" she asked, her eyes bright with curiosity.
"Nothing really," Theresa said.
Daphne spoke at the exact same time. "Theresa has convinced herself that Lord Wildwood is in love with me, Your Majesty."
Theresa's eyes nearly bulged out of her head at her sister's words. She did not want the queen to know that she had eavesdropped. She shot a glare at Daphne.
"That's just silly, my dear. My cousin is very happy for Lady Daphne and Sir Thomas."
"I told her she was wrong," Daphne agreed.
Theresa wanted to argue, but knew she was both outranked and outnumbered. She just bit her tongue and let the argument go.
* * * * *
The rest of the week flew quickly by, between helping her sister, or reading in the library, or a few uncomfortable and ineffective appointments with Rothforth's wizards who poked and prodded at her, but had no more luck in removing the spell than Wildwood had.
Before Theresa could really fathom the passing of time, she found herself squarely in the night before the wedding.
Daphne had pressed her into being her bridesmaid, but Theresa's heart was not really into it. Even if the threat of Francine had no longer been hanging above her head, it was rather unpleasant to be the unmarried older sister of the bride when her prospects were so dark.
Trying to stave off the negative feelings that threatened to overwhelm her, she decided to walk around the castle and stretch her legs. Moving always made her feel better, perhaps it was the illusion of freedom and control.
She did not want to ruin everything for Daphne.
She was walking past some of the lesser guest rooms, when she felt the oddest feeling in the base of her spine. It shivered up her back and into her skull.
She recognized that it was magic. It felt familiar, but it was not the same as the transformation.
Someone moved out of the shadows. "Francine!" Theresa hissed.
"Hello, my dear girl. How are you this evening?"
"I'm fine," Theresa said, watching Francine move towards her. She was afraid, but she did not want Francine to see it.
She tried to act relaxed, as if her viperous aunt was not in front of her. She should have pretended to be compliant instead of losing her temper at their last meeting.
Francine smiled her sweetest smile and Theresa cringed. "Please come and talk with me, Theresa."
"No," Theresa said firmly, all thoughts of a pretence of compliance gone as if they never were.
"I believe you'll find that you won't be able to refuse, my dear," Francine said.
Theresa felt her mind disconnect from her body. It was a most horrible rending of something which was meant to be as one.
She felt herself nod and even smile at Francine.
"This way, Theresa," Francine trilled, clearly satisfied with the night's work.
Theresa's body followed her aunt into one of the lesser guest bedrooms. She could feel herself moving with a fluid, unnatural grace. A horribly familiar grace.
"It's most fortuitous that you decided to go for a walk tonight. I did not relish the idea of approaching you surrounded by all your protectors. I'm going to allow you to speak for yourself, but there is no point in screaming. You'll find that you are quite unable to do so."
Theresa believed her. She could feel the control of her vocal cords partially return.
"I had hoped I might convince you to cooperate with me willingly, but you made it abundantly clear that you will make no concessions. It would have been far easier on you. I wish that you had not forced me to use force."
Theresa could still feel the pleasant smile on her face and she wished that she could scratch it off. Her voice remained calm even while her insides stormed.
"So you've stopped pretending to be the good aunt, I see. How very refreshing that your lies have finally ceased."
Francine smiled. "I seldom lie, when I can help it. It's no lie that I do care about you, but ultimately I must take care of myself. I've always kept you two safe and healthy, though."
"Perhaps in body, Francine," Theresa said in a terribly pleasant way. Francine was clearly still controlling her tone and volume.
"What is more important? You don't know how important that is because you've always lived in luxury."
"You were born into luxury too," Theresa said in the same polite tone.
Francine looked bitter. "I was born into luxury, to a father who wanted an heir. After your father was born and I was old enough, I was shuffled off to the side, married to a knave who was far beneath me."
Francine has lost her right to Theresa's sympathy long ago, but she kept her smiling mouth firmly shut.
"Had your father not been born, our father might have tried harder to secure me a good marriage. Instead, that buffoon I was forced to marry wasted his own funds and my dowry alike on the most ridiculous excesses. I was forced to watch helplessly while he destroyed my life."
Theresa was unimpressed.
"He did not even suffer for his foolhardiness. He died and I was left to pick up the pieces. I've worked so hard since then, never to be helpless again, to never be at the mercy of any man again."
"I don't know why you're telling me this," Theresa said slowly, wondering what Francine's plan was.
Francine nodded. "I don't either. I've never told anyone any of this. Maybe I just feel like sharing my musings with someone. It's safe to tell you."
Theresa feared Francine felt safe, because she never planned to allow Theresa to escape again. "Why me?" she asked in that oddly even tone.
"Because you would not tell."
Theresa's first instinct was to resist, but realized it was wiser not to disagree. Perhaps a pretence of good behaviour and understanding would see Francine let her guard down.
Even though her body was fully under Francine's control, her mind was her own in the moment. It might be that Francine was allowing her mind to work, or perhaps it really was that she had build up resistance.
It was possible Theresa might manage to escape the control again, especially if she remained in possession of her own mind. She had done it once before. Once Francine removed the feline spell, she could run again and find her way as a human.
"If you do tell, no one will believe you. By now, it's a well established belief that we are both the victims of some nefarious scheme. Perhaps I shall give them someone to blame, later. Your second cousin would make a good scapegoat as he's next in line as your guardian," she said musingly.
Francine continued, "Perhaps he was attempting to get me out of the way to get at your fortune. A well placed failed assassination attempt might be just the thing."
Theresa kept her silence. Perhaps if Francine continued talking, she would discover a weakness, something that Theresa could use against her.
Francine seemed content in her monologue, happy to have an audience. "Not only will no one believe you, but I will make you suffer if you tell. I could make everyone you love suffer, if I were pushed to do so."
Theresa blinked at the sudden change in her aunt's tone.
Francine smiled again. "I am the most powerful wizardress alive and no one, not that idiotic Sir Thomas, nor your own little Wizard Wildwood has the power to challenge me. I can and will make Daphne suffer to punish you, although I am loath to do so to my own niece. I do not wish you to push me to that extent. Do you doubt that I can do this?"
"No," Theresa said and it was the truth. Francine could cause a great deal of trouble if she wanted.
"Very good, my dear. So you won't tell anyone?"
"No," Theresa agreed.
"Excellent. You were always the wise one," Francine commented.
"Why did you change me into a cat?" Theresa asked.
"Of course, I meant for both of you to be transformed. I had not expected you to push Daphne out of the way and I certainly did not expect Daphne to have the presence of mind to pick you up and run. She really has become more capable, hasn't she?"
"She has," Theresa agreed since it seemed Francine was waiting for a response.
"Really, I simply thought that your mind would be completely overwhelmed by the cat's mind and simple to retrieve. Interestingly it seems you stayed you inside an animal's form. I suspect in retrospect that your increasing resistance to compulsion magic has something to do with that. I've had to use increasing amounts of magic over the years. I'm certain your little wizard explained that much to you."
Francine smiled like a cat playing with a mouse. "Not that it matters. Using so much constantly has increased my already excellent magical reserves to a simply amazing level."
"Why don't you just take the transformation spell off of me now? Wouldn't that free up more magic?" Theresa suggested. Without Francine's spell she could run and perhaps not be detected.
She would have held her breath while waiting for an answer if she had been in control of her body. She was almost glad that Francine was forcing her to appear calm and poised.
Francine chuckled and Theresa knew that it had not worked. "Why would I do that, my dear? I am sorry if it causes you inconvenience, but I have plenty of magic to spare. Observe me. Right now, I am maintaining three spells in this room alone. I'm holding a transformation, a compulsion, and a muting spell. Many other wizards can't even manage any more than the muting spell alone. And I have far more to spare."
"Surely you have more important uses for it," Theresa said with her polite smile still firmly affixed in place.
"That's true, but I like that Wildwood is wasting a huge amount of his magic with his counter transformation spell, not to mention wasting his effort making my spell untraceable. I see no good reason to free up his magic for him. He might be slightly dangerous to me if he was running around with all his magic at his disposal."
Theresa could see there was nothing that she could do to convince Francine. It had been worth a try, but she had failed.
Francine smiled at her with what almost appeared to be affection. "It was a good idea, though. Even if I did not want to keep Wildwood crippled, it would be terribly suspicious if the transformation spell suddenly disappeared. They may be men, but they're not completely stupid."
"No, they are not," Theresa agreed.
"Before we leave for Waldwick, I'll have to let the Rothforth's wizards manage to remove the spell, I suppose."
Then before Theresa could respond, Theresa slumped to the ground in a heap like a marionette whose strings had been cut. She could move again independently.
"Now, do not be too excited. If you tell anyone, I will be forced to punish you. If you try to escape me, I will make everyone else suffer. You will remain on your best behavior during the wedding and after it is over we will depart as soon as your transformation is removed. You will make no accusations, true or false, against me. And you will keep Wildwood at arm's length."
Theresa forced herself to nod her bitter agreement.
"I wish only for your cooperation until we leave. If you can prove yourself capable of being reasonable, perhaps matters can be handled differently from now on."
Theresa really had no choice. "Yes, Francine."
"Aunt Francine."
"Yes, Aunt Francine."
"Very good. Make sure you get a good sleep. You girls have a big day ahead of you." Francine walked out of the room and let the door swing shut behind her.
Theresa's body shook and she felt terribly afraid. Francine would hold Daphne's safety over her head for the rest of her life. She would threaten her or perhaps the others any time Theresa tried to disagree.
Theresa sat in a guest room where she had no business being and started to cry. She cried harder than she had ever cried since her parents had left her in Francine's clutches. She missed them.
She hated Francine. She hated her so much. Theresa wished that Francine had died in that carriage instead of her parents. Her tears became bitter.
She hated that Francine had pushed her to the point where she could rejoice over the idea her own aunt's death.
The door opened. "Lady Theresa? I felt a great magical upheaval. You're crying. Are you hurt?"
Wildwood knelt beside her and Theresa had never been happier to see anyone in her life.
"Wildwood!" she said and she grabbed on to him.
He put his arms around her and she felt like everything would be fine. He was warm and strong.
It was an illusion but even a temporary illusion was better than impossible reality.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I can't tell you," Theresa said and her tears began to fall again. She hated herself for her weakness.
He did not say anything for a while until she began to calm down again.
"If you're upset, but you can't say anything, then it must be Francine's handiwork," he commented dryly.
"Don't ask me," she said. She could not bear it if Francine hurt Daphne...
Or Wildwood.
"I assume she must have threatened you if you were to tell."
"Please," she said, not really knowing what she was pleading for.
Wildwood sighed. "You don't believe you can tell me, so I won't ask. But I wish you had more confidence."
"I do. But she's so strong."
"She is. But she is also alone. We are not."
"I don't want to be alone," Theresa said. "Will you stay with me?"
"Of course," Wildwood agreed. "But not here."
Wildwood walked with Theresa back to her room. "I'll sleep on the settee," he said, sitting down on it.
She almost wished that there was some reason that she could be closer to him. The improper thought made her blush.
Either way, it was more than she had expected. She put out the candle and lay down on the bed. Theresa went to sleep far more quickly than she would have thought possible after her altercation with her aunt.