Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1)

by Lisa Manifold

  A flutter of hope rose in her chest. She wanted to believe it so.

  “So speaks a man who knows nothing.” Sebastian was dismissive.

  “Or a man who knows all,” Casimir interjected, earning himself a glare from Sebastian.

  Thea was glad to be out of doors with Talia, but this was not relaxing. More dogs fighting for table scraps.

  “Excuse me, gentlemen, but I wish to actually work with my falcon,” she said, stepping away from all three of them. They were tiresome, even her beloved Casimir. Particularly as she knew he was deviling the other two. She sent Talia skyward again, refusing to listen to the sharp banter behind her.

  Most of her sisters had not come with them. Only a few, other than Thea, enjoyed falconry. Celestria, Esmay, and Viviana. For all that she was the youngest, Viviana was far and away the best. She could see the three of them spanned out to either side of her, and she smiled. At least in this, they could just be themselves.

  She hoped her other sisters were able to relax.

  ***

  The second night of Ulric sleeping within their chambers went much as the first had. Thea enlisted more of her sisters to parade in front of the door, stomping and banging, and still, there was no movement from within.

  She’d told them what Ulric had said during the falcon hunt, and asked for opinion as to whether he knew anything or was just bluffing. Thus far, the thought was divided. Thea wanted to believe. She wanted to believe badly. But she was afraid to hope.

  The morning after the second night, Ulric seemed less buoyant. Thea made a point to sit near him at the noon meal.

  “How are you, my lord?”

  “Thank you for asking, my Lady Thea. I am well.” She could see Casimir and Sebastian out of the corner of her eye. Casimir was frowning, but Sebastian was talking with Adelaide, which thrilled Thea.

  “You seem distracted this morning.”

  “I am, but it will pass,” he said, giving her a brilliant smile. “In two days, it will all be part of the past.”

  Thea inhaled deeply. What did he mean? How could she ask and still be discreet?

  “Have you discovered the answers to my father’s questions?” It seemed the safest way to phrase it.

  “I will reveal all two days hence,” he said.

  Thea leaned back. He knew! He knew where they went, and that was why he looked troubled. Who wouldn’t be? This was yet another aspect she had worried over in a long list of things about which she had to worry.

  How would it look that she and her sisters were claiming no knowledge when they got up and got ready and left on their own? She wasn’t sure the idea of being cursed would suffice. Everyone knew there were witches, but to really meet one? And be cursed? It could ruin them all. If he was concerned, it could be because he realized all this as well.

  She beamed at him. “I look forward to what you have discovered, my Lord Ulric.” Her smile faded as she looked around and saw both Casimir and Sebastian glaring at her.

  The meal couldn’t end quickly enough. Thea pled a headache and escaped to her rooms, Lisette in tow.

  Once safely on her bed, she collapsed with a moan.

  “Lisette, I am going to throttle one of them. Or all of them!”

  Lisette laughed. Thea sat up and glared, and Lisette laughed harder. “Thea, watching the three of them hound you was the funniest thing I’ve seen in ages! What’s even better…?” She stopped, because she began to laugh again, and then had to sit down.

  Thea crossed her arms and waited. She watched the shadows on the ceiling, and tried not to be impatient.

  Finally, Lisette was able to calm herself. “I’m so sorry, Thea. It’s so funny! Everyone can see you being polite, but those of us who know you see the frustration behind your smiles. I think Casimir does because he knows you, too. Sebastian and Ulric don’t seem aware in the least that they are driving you mad!”

  “Casimir ought to know better. But once Ulric finds the answer, this nonsense can all be over.”

  That sobered Lisette immediately. “What do you mean, all be over?”

  “Sebastian doesn’t want to marry me. Or if he does, it’s for what I am, not who. His heart is elsewhere, I’m sure of it. Ulric also wants to court a Crown Princess. Thea, he couldn’t give a fig about. Casimir is the only one who knows me and loves me. In the end, I am going to be with him, or I will not be with anyone.”

  “It didn’t look that way when we left. I think Casimir is experiencing doubt.”

  “Well he should!” Thea was angry. “If he’d just gone to my father and not dallied, he’d have gotten his intentions stated first. Father would have agreed. He likes Casimir, in spite of his father.”

  “You don’t know that, Thea.”

  “Something is not right, Lisette!” Other than my covering for my mistakes and an evil, cold-hearted witch, she thought. “Why would he choose Sebastian in such a rushed manner? There is something more here, but Father is playing things very close to the chest.”

  “I am sure I can’t say.” Lisette made a face. “Let’s talk about something less disturbing. Why did you run from the hall?”

  “I couldn’t bear the being the focus of their interest any longer! Father brought up that none of our visiting princes have shown a whit of concern or interest in my sisters. I am not the only one who needs to marry. And from a purely factual point of view, I am not available. So why not focus on a sister who is?”

  “Ah, you know why,” Lisette said.

  Thea pounced. “Exactly! It’s tiresome, being seen as a thing, as something to add to the stature of another. All the witty quips, the small barbed jabs, I am tired of it. So I took myself elsewhere.”

  “Well, tomorrow this will be over.” Lisette leaned against the foot of the bed.

  “He was most coy today about what he knew. I’m hoping that means he knows something, enough to end this foolishness!” Thea clapped her hand over her mouth. Not only had she just made an extremely derogatory remark towards her sovereign, but she had used Catrin’s words. The latter made her far more upset than the former.

  Lisette leaned forward and patted Thea’s knee. “Let’s discuss how you can start to make help Sebastian admit whom he really wants. I agree, his heart’s not in it. But his head is telling him otherwise.”

  Thea was happy to settle in, to just gossip and chatter as they used to, before the wretched ball that set this all into motion. For a time, she felt as a weight had been lifted.

  ***

  After her conversation with Ulric, Thea felt optimistic. She saw him to his room that evening, her sisters at her side. She had several join her, and they stomped up and down the short hall in front of his room. No sign of life or anything else issued forth.

  For the first time in forever, she went to the underground castle with a light heart. This would be their last night. She looked at Roderick. This poor man. What would become of him? How would his absence be explained? How would any of the princes? Maybe all the kingdoms were claiming these princes were traveling. Ulric had said something similar. Perhaps she’d see Catrin again, and she could ask. She hadn’t before, as the possibility of being freed from the curse had not looked all that promising.

  As she made her way back to their rooms with her sisters, she pondered the problem of the twelve princes. Just when she wanted to see Catrin, there had been no sign of her at the nightly ball.

  Falling into bed, she hoped to see her in her dreams, but when she woke, rubbing her eyes, she had no recollection of seeing anything of import.

  Still feeling buoyed, she got up and made sure to look good. She wanted to be poised, and rested, and attractive when the curse broke. The thought made her stop. She didn’t know how the curse would break. Catrin had not given her any manner of knowing.

  Like everything else, Catrin would probably show up and change the rules. Or alert Thea to rules she didn’t even know were rules.

  I’m not going to dwell on it or her, Thea thought. Today would be a wond
erful day.

  With the happy thought of freedom singing a siren’s song in her head, she hurried her sisters along.

  “Let’s go to Father and Mother, and see when we can hear from Ulric!”

  Her enthusiasm was contagious, and not long after, all twelve sisters were headed for her parents’ sitting room.

  They met the king and queen in the corridor.

  “Daughters, what is going on?”

  “We wanted to come and talk with you and see when Ulric would be reporting his findings to the court,” Emaline said. “We’re all anxious to hear what he has discovered.”

  “I believe we all are,” Aland said, smiling at her. “I have ordered the morning meal together in the reception chamber.”

  “Why not the hall?” Celestria asked.

  “If he tells me something best kept among ourselves, I don’t want the entire court and those visiting to hear at the same time I do.” Aland smiled again, but Thea could see that this was troubling him.

  “That makes sense, Father. Although don’t you worry that the secrecy will inflame the gossips?” Mirabelle spoke up.

  Thea was glad to see that she was not the only one questioning her father. Sometimes being the mouthpiece and his focal point was wearing.

  Aland made eye contact with as many of them as he could. “I assure you, all is above board. If there are questions, any member of the court is free to ask.”

  “Why don’t we go?” Ceridwen interjected. “No doubt Ulric is waiting for us.”

  Aland didn’t respond but took her arm and led the way. Lining up as they often did, Thea and her sisters followed. Thea had to resist the urge to skip. Today they would be free!

  When the doors of the reception room were opened, Thea could see that the members of Aland’s Privy Council were already there. The faces of the men were solemn. It was to be expected, but Thea struggled to keep the smile from her face. Ulric had been very confident.

  Aland and Ceridwen seated themselves. Thea sat next to her mother this time, rather than at her father’s side as she normally did. There was a flurry of activity as servants hurried to get seats for the family. Thea could see that she and her sisters had not been expected. Some of the men on the Council were murmuring to themselves.

  Well, that is too bad if they are not happy, she thought. This concerns us. We have a right to hear what Ulric says. She knew that many considered Aland indulgent. If people saw him as a father, that notion would be disabused quickly. He merely took the best tactical position he could being the only man in a household of fourteen.

  The herald threw open the door and announced Ulric. Three men came in with him. Thea didn’t remember any of them specifically. Maybe he’d had them keep their distance before? She wondered why he had them with him this morning. Witnesses, perhaps? All the better. More people to ensure Catrin heard what Ulric had to say.

  Ulric bowed precisely to the king and queen, and the men with him did the same.

  “Please, gentlemen, be seated.” Aland gestured to seats that the servants had set out for the men. The three men sat but Ulric remained standing.

  “Thank you, your Majesty.”

  “Of course.” Aland waved the courtesy aside. “Well, let us proceed. Ulric, four days ago, you accepted our challenge to discover the mystery of the princesses’ slippers. Are we in agreement regarding that?”

  Ulric nodded.

  “Good. And we agreed that on the fourth day, you would appear before us, and share the answer to the mystery, correct?”

  Ulric nodded again.

  Aland spread his hands wide. “Then please, Prince Ulric, what is your answer? Why do my daughters go through mounds of slippers?”

  Ulric looked down, not immediately answering. Thea felt a wave of fear pass over her. Oh no.

  “Your Majesty,” Ulric began and then stopped. He looked up at the king. Aland didn’t move. He didn’t say anything, just waited for Ulric to continue.

  “I am unable to tell you how the slippers come to be ruined,” Ulric said, hanging his head. “I feel that if I were to be granted another three nights, I would be able to discover the reasons, but as of yet, I have not.” He straightened up his shoulders and met Aland’s gaze.

  Aland didn’t speak. He merely continued to look at Ulric. Even Thea, who could normally get a sense of what Aland was thinking wasn’t sure of the direction of his thoughts.

  Aland sat up as if pulled back into a conversation. “Well, then. That settles it.”

  “So I have another three days, Sire?” Ulric brightened considerably at the thought.

  “No, boy, you do not. We made an agreement, a bargain. We each agreed to uphold our agreement, as men of honor. And so we shall.” Aland stood, as though that settled it.

  “What? Sire, no, please!” Ulric said loudly.

  The realization of what Aland said must have hit most of the people in the room at the same time, because suddenly the noise exploded around her.

  The three men who’d come in with Ulric were on their feet, yelling. Two had drawn their swords. Members of the Privy Council were talking and gesturing, some also yelling. Aland was shouting as well, and Thea thought that he was talking to the guards.

  Thea hadn’t noticed how many guards had come in. A great many more than she thought, as they swarmed over the two men with drawn swords. Two of them grasped Ulric’s arms and moved him away from the rest. Four more came and stood in front of where she and her family sat.

  Shortly, the noise died down. Thea knew it hadn’t been very long in spite of seeming that way. The four guards stood in front her family. Ulric was held by two. Finally, the guards subdued the three men and taken their swords.

  Aland merely stood, waiting for silence.

  “We made a bargain, sir, and to it we will keep. I will see you tomorrow.” Holding out a hand to Ceridwen, keeping his eyes on Ulric and the three retainers, he stepped down from his chair. He gestured to his daughters. “It’s time to leave. Girls, please leave now.” His tone brooked no argument. It was clear he would not continue anything further until they had all left.

  Thea stood and hurried towards the door, her sisters with her. She looked at Ulric as she passed, and his eyes were fixed on her face. He was pale, his eyes round. For the first time since he’d appeared, he didn’t look confident.

  He looked frightened.

  ***

  Thea paced the solarium. This was really going to happen. Aland was really going to send Ulric to his death.

  Most of her sisters were in the solarium with her. No one felt like talking. Thea couldn’t pry the memory of Ulric’s face from her mind. She knew, with great certainty, that if he were allowed to die, his face would be the last thing she thought of when she, herself, went to the grave.

  How had it come to this? All she wanted was to marry Casimir. When her father thwarted that, she was rightfully upset. How could Catrin put this all on her? Thea had behaved in a fashion that any would see as normal. No one wanted to be separated from the person they loved.

  Why was she marked like this? Since this had begun, Thea had been willing to bear the brunt of the responsibility. She had angered a witch. She had not done exactly as the witch had commanded. She had brought a curse down upon them all. Her actions caused Archibald’s death. Her actions put her father’s responses into play.

  But when she looked at it logically, she had not done anything all that bad. Her reactions were not out the range of acceptable. She could be faulted for not just closing off her feelings for Casimir when her father made the way of duty clear. Even with that, she was not abnormal. She’d been taken by surprise, and one couldn’t just end feelings because one’s father told them things were different. As rational as this all sounded, none of it took into account the horrid guilt she felt at all times. The way that neither she nor her sisters could eat, or sleep normally.

  Catrin’s behavior had been over the top from the moment they met. Why? That was the glaring question. Why? She made di
sparaging remarks about Aland, so that must be where it started.

  It was time to demand that her parents tell her the truth about Catrin. Without speaking to any of her sisters, she left their chambers. She would bet her father and mother were in their sitting room. After the scene in the reception room, she’d want refuge were she them.

  She knocked on the door. As expected, Tomas opened it, and stood back to allow her to enter. Her parents were sitting in the chairs near the window rather than at the table.

  “Thea. Come in.” Aland’s voice was low.

  “Father, Mother.”

  “If you’ve come to berate me, please save it.” Aland held up a hand. “I find that I have heard enough for an hour, at least.”

  “No, Father, if you understand why others would wish to take you task for this, I have no need to add my voice.”

  “Do not speak to your king or your father in such a flippant manner,” he growled.

  “I think the time for niceties is past, don’t you?” She put her hands on her hips. “But as I said, I am not here to berate you. I have a question for you and Mother.”

  Both her parents looked up at her. “Really? Well, you may ask.” Aland leaned on his hand, waiting.

  “I spoke with Mother in the garden the other day. I kept meaning to ask you, but circumstances being what they are, have not done so. What can you tell me about a princess named Catrin?”

  Thea did not at all expect the reaction she saw. Ceridwen gasped. Her father dropped his hand and sat up, his face angry, and turning red.

  “Where did you hear that name?”

  “I overheard someone in the gardens one morning. Saying something about Princess Catrin, and –”

  Aland cut her off. “Who was it? That name is not to be mentioned here!” He pounded his fist on the arm of his chair. The action made Thea and her mother jump.

  “I don’t remember. I remember that the other person shushed the first speaker instantly, but I noted it. As I mentioned, I wanted to ask you about it earlier, but other things have intervened.” She shrugged. She needed to tread carefully, so as not to expose her own knowledge of Catrin. She was sure Catrin would be delighted to let a chandelier fall on Aland’s head.